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Burst Your Own Bubble – July Positivity Challenge

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Burst Your Own Bubble – July Positivity Challenge

 

Burst Your Own Bubble.png

“Do one thing everyday that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Intentergy’s July Positivity Challenge is to burst your own bubbles of insecurity or fear. Send those inhibitions flying. Burst the barriers that hold you back from being happy with yourself or your life.

Here are a few things to try:

png 1 Get your bubbles in a row

  • Make a list of the things that hold you back from participating in social or professional functions or that leave you frustrated with yourself
  • Identify what events or things cause the greatest anxiety for you
  • Create a picture or chart of the stressors that rule your thoughts or constantly hang in the back of your mind

png 1 Be a Bubble Brain

  • Have a willingness to change your mind. When you are ready to stop dedicating your brain power to those fears, your brain will become too slippery for those thoughts to hold on; they will wash themselves away.
  • Address the things you listed or drew when you were getting your bubbles in a row. Short of death, what can you do to get past those big, bad bubbles?
  • Devise a plan that will help you get past those insecurities. Start with the little worries or hang ups and work your way to dispelling the bigger hindrances harbored in your heart. For example, start with your fear of trying new foods before your fear of flying. Order something new from the menu of your favorite restaurant before you tackle your fear of air planes by sky diving.
  • Ask for help. There are many resources out there. Friends, family, counselors, good books, websites (like http://www.intentergy.com), and health care professionals are ready and waiting to blow away those bubbly barriers with you.

png 1 Let the wind carry it all away

  • Once you have turned away an inhibition, let it go. Forgive yourself for the fear or reservations. You are always a work in progress. You will never forget the growth you experienced getting past that problem, but you can forget to let it have power over you again.
  • When those bubbly burdens pop back up, breeze right on past them. Remember you popped that bubble. It can’t trap you anymore.

png 1 Be a Bubble-Busting Bad Ass

  • Keep that list of fears and inhibitions handy. After the first problem is popped, move on to the next. Only you can stop yourself. They are just bubbles after all.
  • Facing your fears makes you tougher. Once you have busted that first bubble, go for the second. The sky is the limit.
  • Yes, some bubbles are going to be harder to wreak havoc on than others, but you’ve got this. You are a Bubble-Busting Bad Ass.

After you have kissed any bubble of doubt good-bye, you can expect to feel or see:

png 1 A Victory Dance

  • After breaking past those bad feelings, bust a move! Give yourself time and energy to feel good about what you have accomplished. My favorite victory dance takes form in the eating a Hershey’s chocolate bar. 🙂

png 1 Bubbles can come back

  • The bubbles will be back. Remember, you busted past that bad boy. It isn’t your barrier anymore. You are a Bubble-Busting Bad Ass.

png 1 New bubbles may pop up

  • When a new fear or insecurity flies at you, take aim at what you need to do to get past it. You have conquered other fears and doubts, the new ones are no different. Do not let them hold you back or cage you in. Forgive yourself when you feel like your fears have won. You are always a work in progress. Just keep poppin’ away.

Put your energy into blowing away the insecurities that float your direction. When it comes to shooting down those shortcomings, put positivity into your intent and your nervousness and worries can’t help but to simply dissolve away.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

Summit’s System for Success – Wise Words Wednesday

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Summit’s System for Success – Wise Words Wednesday

Summits Success System

Pat Summit changed lives. Her headstrong, no non-sense way of facing life on and off the basketball court impacted more people than she could ever imagine.

Aside from being the winningest coach in NCAA Division I basketball history, Coach Summit brought attention to a sport that had long been overlooked and demonstrated what it was to be a strong female leader.

People respected Pat Summit and her methods. She brought about progress. That progress will continue beyond her time with us because of the lessons she taught. There was so much more to her than the competitiveness and dedication that she demonstrated. There was an understanding that anything worth doing is worth working for.

Take Pat’s advice today and make your goals something measurable. They can only become tangible, if we dedicate ourselves to the successes and failures we encounter. Work past simply writing them down. Make your words your actions. Make things happen.

Rest in peace, Coach Summit. Thank you for all you taught us.

By: Melanie A. Peters

Batter Up! – First (Make change happen)

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Batter Up! – First (Make change happen)

Lead Off Hitter.jpg

So excited to lead off, my son beat everyone onto the field.

 

The first batter of a team is called the lead-off hitter. At a recent game my son was awarded the honor of being the lead-off hitter. He was so excited; he beat EVERYONE onto the field.

This is a key position in the batting line-up because your team is counting on you to hit your way on base and get the game going on a good note.Being the lead-off hitter is a lot of pressure. You don’t want to start the game with an out.

In life we are offered chances to be the first to take on a task or start a movement. Do you embrace those opportunities, do you shy away from the chance, or are you empowered by the ability to start things off with change?

If you are not presented the lead-off spot, do you cheer on your teammates or those who step up to the plate before you? Are you ready to give them support for their efforts and rally them in losing situations?

Today my wish for everyone is that they would feel the same excitement and enthusiasm my son felt.

I hope that each person finds it in their hearts and minds to step up to the plate for a cause or opportunity that leads to positive change in our world. Be the lead-off player who brings it home for the underdogs or who bolsters your team with a hit to the heart of an unkind adversary. Take the lead. Make change.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

Love your decisions – Wise Words Wednesday

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Love your decisions – Wise Words Wednesday

Love your decisions.png

I can be the world’s worst when it comes to being happy with my own decisions. I second guess myself sometimes. I guess that is human nature.

It is my intention for this post to encourage others to resist feelings of self-doubt.

If the adventure you are on is fueled by a dream or a belief that you are passionate about, don’t let it go (especially not because of what others think). Love what you are doing because you love yourself.

With energy and passion guiding you on your journey there is no real room for self-doubt. Fill your actions with positive purpose and dedicated intent and there is no stopping you or the love you are generating.

By: Melanie A. Peters

first blooms

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first blooms

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First blooms on Joseph’s Coat rosebush

These blooms are particularly special to me because they are on my Joseph’s Coat climbing rosebush. Next to this bush stands a statue of St. Joseph (a gift in remembrance of my husband’s Grandpa Joe). When I planted this bush last year, it was nothing but brown branches. By the end of fall it had sprung a few green branches and leaves but showed no sign of bringing forth the multi-colored flowers that I had seen on other Joseph’s Coat bushes.

When these blooms open, they will possess petals of yellow, peach, and pink. They will grow a rainbow in each flower. They are one of the miracles of plant husbandry and science. Now I just have to keep them alive. 🙂

My Joseph’s Coat roses are like so many of life’s situations. We hope and pray that the opportunity to flower will be there, but we have no idea what it will look like when it gets here or how big it will be or how beautiful it will become or how hard it will be to care for. Continue reading “first blooms” →

Prayer Bridge – Wise Words Wendesday

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Prayer Bridge – Wise Words Wednesday

Prayer BridgeConversations with God come in many forms. Some are in the form of thanksgiving and gratitude. Others stem from sorrow or sickness. Most prayers come in times of desperation.

If you find yourself in desperate need of God’s intervention, by all means call on His infinite power and grace. Seek His assistance and guidance. Know that He is capable of healing all that hurts you.

Build those bridges out of need, trust and, hope, but also create pathways of praise and thanks. The more you connect with God, the less you will find yourself in those frantic fits.

If you open up your life to God, the road will not always be smooth, but it will be easier to redirect yourself to His grace and help.

Build those bridges with intent and energy, and you will find that the purpose for your communication with God refreshes and restores you more often than it rescues you.

By: Melanie A. Peters

Mayella Ewell’s Red Flowers

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Mayella Ewell’s Red Flowers

Sunday Porch sittin.jpg

Caring for my flower beds and potted plants today, I couldn’t help but reminisce sadly as I pruned the plants on my porch. They are a vivid red and reminded me of the red flowers cared for by Mayella Ewell in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

The red flowers in the novel were the only beautiful things in Mayella Ewell’s life.

Mayella Ewell was the poor, ignorant girl who falsely accused Tom Robinson of taking advantage of her. Her accusation came after she tried to reach out to Tom for affection, but was politely rejected. Her rejection was especially painful because her abusive father discovered the two at just the wrong moment, and after Tom fled the scene, Bob Ewell gave Mayella a vicious beating.

Those flowers were essential to Harper Lee’s characterization of the tragic girl. When asked if Tom had any previous interactions with the girl, Tom told of times that he helped her chop fire wood or do small tasks around their home. He recollected seeing her water and care for the red flowers. They were the one bright spot in the Ewell’s dirt-swept front yard, just as Tom’s visits were probably the one bright spot in Mayella’s day. Continue reading “Mayella Ewell’s Red Flowers” →

“I understand” – Powerful!

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“I understand” – Powerful!

I understand

Hearing the words “I understand” from my child’s principal was so comforting to me. She has no clue how much power she shared in those two words.

After being nominated to serve on next year’s school board, I had to call her and graciously say, “Thank you, but not at this time.” I simply could not in good conscience accept the position.

I am suffering from a major case of too-much-to-do on top of a sever lack of I-don’t-know-what-is-coming-next, and taking on this new duty would not be fair to the school or me.

Volunteering is something I am good at and enjoy very much, but I just had to say no to someone who I really admire and don’t want to let down.

Her empathy was the cure to the ailing guilt that had been plaguing me. As a teacher, mother, and wife, she related to where I was coming from and assured me that she understood. Continue reading ““I understand” – Powerful!” →

“Don’t wish away your days” – Wise Words Wednesday

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“The trick to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days waiting for better ones ahead. The grand and the simple, they are equally wonderful.” – Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Don't wish away your days

As the school year winds down, students start suffering from severe senioritis.

(Senioritis n: student’s innate desire to be a graduating senior)

Every day I find myself saying, “Don’t wish your days away.” My students just shrug me off or rudely comment back (in most cases) and do not realize that I speak from experience. I was a terrible teenager. My teen angst was almost completely self-imposed and I had no clue why I was in such a hurry to get out of high school but I was dead set on getting out of that place and away from everything that had to it. I wish I could have some of those times back and dedicate a much more positive outlook on what life had to offer. I would have gotten so much more out of high school and its lessons.

As a mom of young children, I often have to remind myself to not wish away these days. My babies are only young once.

If you are a student, parent, teacher, or struggling professional, do not wish your days away. Enjoy the simple things that are available to you now and embrace the experiences that present themselves daily.

Don’t wish your days away. You can’t get them back!

Put your energy into appreciating the now, store your cherished moments in your heart, and you will find that your purpose and intentions will have a much grander meaning.

By: Melanie A. Peters

 

Spring fever is a real disease.

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Spring fever is a real disease.

spring fever (2)

Itchy eyes, twitchy legs, trouble with concentration, and a desperate need for fresh air are some of the basic symptoms of spring fever. Deeper effects are found in our inability to complete normal tasks, such as writing or grading papers, doing laundry, finishing anything necessary for our employment or education (even though we know it HAS to get done.)

Unfortunately it can also lead to crabbiness and short temper. Last week I had to take a walk with my 7 year-old daughter because she and her classmates were feeling the effects of the spring fever bug. (I might have also felt a touch of it coming on, which resulted in our decision to take a long walk.) My little girl explained to me that the kids in her class were not being nice to one another, and even though she tried to make them be nice, she could not stop them from picking at each other. I listened carefully and remembered well Continue reading “Spring fever is a real disease.” →