How to Write a Word Board

We've all seen word boards in trendy gift shops, or in the homes of our fashionable friends. Often they strike a chord, momentarily inspiring me to live life fuller and richer and truer.

 

And sometimes I'm just 'meh' about what I read. Yeah yeah yeah - I know I need to enjoy the little things, I know I need to think positive thoughts, I know I need to drink more water.

 

These are all good, but generic things and I want more than generic sayings on my precious wall space. Something that resonates. Something that reflects me, my family and our journey. What I really want is something that not only inspires me to the more wondrous heights of a life well lived, but something that can also remind me of the lessons I have learnt and just how far I have come.

 

So I decided it was time to write my own word board.

 

And then I was stuck. How to begin? Yes, I've learnt many life lessons. Yes, I know what those lessons are, but how do I transform all those things into simple, eloquent statements that encourage me?

 

And then I realised it was all about verbs. Action words. Doing things is what gives life momentum and direction. A truly inspirational word board is a call to personal action.

Step One:
 

So. I began to brainstorm every 'doing word' I could find. Simple doing words and ones with a positive vibe - no "Hunger" or "Ache" or "Destroy" doing words on this word board ! I ended up with a long list of pretty concise verbs that, for the most part, I could undertake in small ways each day - asking, giving, seeking, finding, accepting, thinking..... so far so good.  

Step Two:

Then I made a list of the biggest life lessons I have learned and the things I want to implement from those lessons. Lessons like "The purpose of suffering is to find meaning in what you are going through, that it may enhance your future" - gleaned from reading Viktor Frankl.

Or  "Living to make your own self happy, rather than being a martyr to everyone else's happiness" - discovered through my own (early onset) midlife crisis.

Once again I ended up with a list of about 11 important life lessons, ones that had caused me profound change, ones that I wanted to enact in my life from that moment on.

Step Three:

Simplify!

I took my list of action words and began matching some to my list of life lessons. In the process I really simplified their message into short, snappy statements.

The lesson "You and other people deserve the freedom to be themselves, with no judgement or criticism" became "Allow others to be themselves".

The lesson "Make your own informed and well researched decisions about every area of life, rather than simply believing what your are told from the pulpit, lectern, by your boss, co-workers or peers" (it's pretty obvious where these lessons came from!) became "Think for yourself".

My readership are intelligent, so I am sure you get the idea! In no time at all I had formatted a great little word board that I love and am personally inspired by. My next challenge will be to present it artistically on a canvas.....but in the meantime......what's on your word board?

This one's mine.....

 

 

                                                     Accept - this moment

                                                     Find - meaning in your sufferings

                                                     Seek - joy

                                                     Do - what makes you happy

                                                     Know - your heart and follow it

                                                     Think - for yourself

                                                     Focus - on what is good beautiful and kind

                                                     Allow - others to be themselves

                                                     Be - honest about how you feel

                                                     Ask - for what you need

                                                     Give - love

Fabulous Quote Friday

Fabulous Quote Friday

30 Ways To Be Kind

 

 

"Our job is not to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world, our job is to raise children who will make world a little less cruel and heartless." LR Knost

 

I was chatting to my favourite barista not long after new year and she informed me that her new years resolution was simply to practise more kindness.

 

How admirable is that?

 

I don't have any resolutions for this year, but I jumped on the idea of creating a list of ways to be kind - to ourselves AND our fellow man.

 

 

SO, WHAT IS KINDNESS?

Wikipedia describes kindness as:

 

"a behaviour marked by ethical characteristics, a pleasant disposition, and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions (see ethics in religion). Research has shown that acts of kindness not only benefit receivers of the kind act, but also the giver, as a result of the release of neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of contentment and relaxation when such acts are committed."

I love that last phrase - that in doing kind deeds to others, we ultimately bless ourselves and our mental health.

Like my happy barista, who encouraged me to consider the virtues of kind deeds, may I pass on the encouragement to make the world a happier, brighter place? Practice joy inducing, contagious, random acts of kindness where ever you can.

Why not challenge yourself to a 'month of kindnesses' by undertaking one of these 30 'good deeds' everyday. You will have formed a new habit, made people smile, and made yourself happier in the process. 

Being Kind To Yourself:

 

Get a massage

Write a love letter to yourself - telling yourself how much you appreciate all your great qualities and achievements

Leave a bad relationship

Cook your favourite dessert as a Saturday night, stay at home treat

 

Outsource jobs you hate - ironing, gardening, washing the car. Someone else can benefit from the added pocket money and responsibility, and you deserve a break!

 

Indulge in a couple of good magazines, lie in a garden or park on a lovely day and enjoy the relaxation!

 

Stay in bed an extra hour, or watch a movie in bed.

 

Start a new class in something you've always been interested in - Yoga? French? Sewing? Computers?

 

Being Kind To Our Families:

Hide notes of encouragement with a little gift of love in your children’s lunch boxes ie. A sticker or a small yo yo

Have a date day with your children – take them out of school for one day and dedicate it to whatever they would like to do most with you

Hold a birthday party for your child's favourite toy

Give your teenager a shoulder rub while you watch a movie together

Run a luxurious bubble bath for your partner – complete with glass of wine, candle and soft music.

Create a date night list (one friend I know made a pinterest board with 52 do-able local date options on it for each week of the year). Let your partner choose his/her favourites and do those.

 

 

Being kind to our communities:

 

Buy a box of doughnuts for a local football team after Thursday night practise

Write a letter of gratitude to an older person in your community who you believe has made a difference

Leave a magazine or book in your favourite café for others to read

Bring some homemade goodies to your workplace for morning tea

Create a ‘free vegie’ box in your favourite local café for people to leave/take or swap their home grown produce

Blow up balloons to hand out to children at your local childcare centre

 

Find out from your local real estate agent who is new in town and visit them with a basket of local produce and a list of services and contact numbers

Being kind to others:

 

By lottery tickets and hand them out randomly in the street

Offer to babysit for a friend for nix

Ask for forgiveness

Mow your neighbours lawn or bring their bins in

Create a ‘friend of the year award’. Do up a certificate or make a trophy for someone who has shown you particular support or love

Pick a massive bunch of flowers from your garden, or wildflowers where appropriate, and give them to a friend/your local shopkeeper/Doctor/ librarian – whoever !

Leave compliments and words of encouragement all over facebook for a day

Invite someone you don’t know so well for dinner or coffee

Leave a box of chocolates in the letter box of someone you appreciate

 

A little bit of kindness spreads a long, long way!

 

Hope Floats......

 

 

Life is very up and down isn't it?

 I crave the hope that good things will happen and bring joy and happiness, and yet, somehow, I am afraid to hope for these things out of fear I will be disappointed once again......

 

It is a hard lesson, that of staying hopeful and soft hearted in the face of rejection and disappointment....I am not quite sure how it is done.....maybe the passage of time plays a role....

 

Maybe one can hope that the lesson will be of great purpose, even if just for growth in compassion and character........
.

Although character development may not seem to be a very exhilarating thought, it is something to get us through those painful, hurtful times.

One must have hope that good things await around the bend in the road, or the pain of having no hope will leave us devoid of any joy today.

A person must find something to hope for, difficult though that might be to achieve.

 

May you meet people, go places and do things that encourage little threads of hope to weave their way through your life today. Cling to those things. And believe in the goodness of the bend in the road, that you might begin to enjoy the beauty in your life today.

 

 

“That is all I want in life: for this pain to seem purposeful.”
― Elizabeth Wurtzel, Prozac Nation

 

“Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul?”
― John Keats, Letters of John Keats

 

"When I left Queen's my future seemed to stretch out before me like a straight road. I thought I could see along it for many a milestone. Now there is a bend in it. I don't know what lies around the bend, but I'm going to believe that the best does. It has a fascination of its own, that bend, Marilla. I wonder how the road beyond it goes--what there is of green glory and soft, checkered light and shadows--what new landscapes--what new beauties--what curves and hills and valleys further on."

- Anne of Green Gables

 

 

Just a bend in the road

Lyrics by Eddy Arnnold

 

Are you weary and tired of living
Does it all seem to be thankless giving
Don't worry my friend it isn't the end
It's just a bend in the road

Have you reached for someone's hand
And found that's she just doesn't understand
Keep reaching my friend it isn't the end
It's just a bend in the road

It's never the end there's always one more bend
Another day another way a year or two
So walk one more mile remember with the smile
Happiness can't afford to lose you

Although at times you feel so lonely
And you try to find someone to love you only
Keep looking my friend it isn't the end
There'll may be someone around the bend in the road
There'll may be someone around the bend in the road