The Grass IS Greener Sometimes

Today's blog leaves a strong message in short form. So here it is...

I would like to share an excerpt from my second book which I am currently writing... I hope it inspires you in some way and that you can share this blog post with someone who needs it.

If you have not read my first book, follow the links at the bottom of this post to get one before the next one releases in 2015.

"Life is something that constantly moves; sometimes forward, sometimes back. Often enough to mention, we find ourselves in a vicious circle or in a place that feels familiar as if we have been there before even though it is a completely different experience altogether. I encourage you to pay attention to these moments the most, for I truly believe that these are the moments that show back up to see if we do the same thing we did before. I believe these are our chances to rewrite our story using the lessons we have learned in the past. I also believe that we will continue to be caught up in these circles until we finally get it right; for my life… that explains a lot.

Many people think that they have no control over what lies ahead; I am here to say that is the farthest thing from the truth. As I am constantly setting goals, reaching them and setting new… I know that every move or decision I make has EVERYTHING to do with where my life will end up. If only I could control the behavior of others as much as I could mine… life would be much easier and quite frankly a lot less frustrating. The problem lies in a person’s lack of responsibility for the actions not wanting to admit they screwed up… again. Not admitting that you should have, could have, would have, but didn't is destructive behavior that will not only ruin your spirit and mind but also the relationships with all the people that surround you. You must first accept responsibility, apologize when necessary and finally you must forgive yourself instead of carrying guilt on our shoulders. Guilt is a happy killer… it will suck you in and never let go if you allow it to. Guilt will cause you to make bad decisions, stay in relationships and friendships that you have no business staying in and will likely keep you from accomplishing anything new simply because you beat yourself up to a point of losing belief that you can do any better; when you stop believing in yourself… it’s over. "

         
         There are a lot of cliché sayings out there, some of them wise and absolute while others have exceptions. True... the grass is not always greener on the other side... but in some cases it is not only greener but it is softer, smells fresher and has far less weeds! What in the world do I mean? ...  let me explain myself. Would you agree that we all get ourselves into situations that we later wish we could get out of? Many of us even wish we had never made the choice that got us there... we have all made mistakes and realized those mistakes too late. God knows that I am guilty of this in my past and even in my present. In my opinion, this is when the grass IS greener on the other side.

       Know that every step is part of your journey; embrace it. When you find yourself swallowed up in circumstances that you wish you could have avoided and you have to go into survival mode or put on your problem solving hat to figure out what to do, put your focus NOT on where you are, but rather on that greener pasture that is out there waiting for you to roll around in once you figure it all out. Things always get better when you focus on how it's going to be better instead of how it got so difficult.  It amazes me at how rapidly life can change... how in just a few short months everything you know as your normal can be turned upside down leaving you both scared and excited of what is to come in the days ahead. My life is constantly moving... I am NOT afraid of change. Change has always proven good for me, it led me into new things, things that I may never have experienced if I had not taken that leap of faith. Fear and complacency will get you nowhere. That GUT feeling that is telling you to do something is usually right, but unless you GO FOR IT you will never know what it can offer your life. Do you want to die wondering "what if?"  or would you rather say... "I did that and it was the best thing I ever did for my future."

 If you are in a dying field... I encourage you to find the greener grass. Don't stay in a field that will never come back to life. When it's dead... it's dead and no matter how much nurturing you attempt to do you will simply never see life again. Go where the winds take you... follow the gentle breeze that blows in your face and run into the openness that lies ahead... run towards that greener field full of life, energy and beautiful flowers. Chase that happy ending... go get it, it is yours for the taking." I can't WAIT to hear how amazing it is.

© Going After the Happy Ending
Shelley Giard 2014

Until next time...

xoxo

Shells

                                           

                                                          

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

WWW.SHELLEYGIARD.COM

To purchase a signed copy of my book click here

www.ineedthehappyending.com

or to by it on Amazon

                                                       

http://amzn.to/1oki1qR 

How to HAVE the Time....

I often hear people say,  "I don't have the time" when they are speaking of things that they want or need to do and it is very hard for me to take this seriously since I am the queen of doing so many things that people think I am some kind of immortal that does not require sleep.  That being said, if you say this in my company, I warn you... be prepared for a little rap session; after all, my goal is to help you reach YOUR goals, so why on earth would I sit quiet hearing this? I help solve problems... that is what I do, so we must "chat" about why you don't have the time to do things right? So yes, I am going to be THAT person... the one that although you may not want to hear it, I am a good enough friend or person to put it to you straight and say... yes, you DO have the time... you just don't USE the time you have in a way that allows you to do these things. I don't make this point to be cruel and it is certainly not because I am judging you for how you spend your time, I could honestly care less... but when someone wishes to do something or needs to do something and they tell me that there is NEVER TIME in their day, I know that 98% of the time it is simply not true. Rare occasions will prove differently but these occasions are VERY rare.

Chances are you read my blog because you KNOW I am a straight shooter who will put things into perspective; unlike most people who fluff and sprinkle glitter on every opinion they offer giving you exactly what you WANT to hear. If that is the kind of opinion you like... then you should probably stop reading now and never come back and go find a blog adorned with rainbows and lollipops. However... if you want to get a true, honest, upfront reason why you don't accomplish more or have the time to do what you wish or love, so that you CAN accomplish more and do the things that you love... then stick around for a little reality check.

Ask yourself... what do I want or need to do that I never seem to "find" the time for? Is it having time to yourself? Is it spending time with your family? Is it finally getting to that closet that you need to clean out or filing all that paperwork that has piled up? Or maybe it is simply doing something that you love, like going for a walk on the beach, crafting, or getting together with a friend for lunch. Whatever it is... I am here to say that you DO have the time, you DO have the ability to get it done or make it happen, you just have to make it a priority. It amazes me how many people will complain about not having time to do something knowing that they NEVER miss an episode of their favorite TV shows. Yes... that junk drawer is not interesting at all... but the weight that will be lifted when it is FINALLY cleaned out and you are no longer haunted every time you force it open with a screwdriver is priceless and VERY freeing. The feeling of accomplishment is something to be revelled and should never be underestimated even when we are talking junk drawers.

In marriages or relationships, I often hear people say that they NEVER have time alone together, yet the person complaining is rarely creating any time to spend alone with the other person. The average person today lives by schedules and when you have a family, you are packing in more than ever between kids and careers making it very difficult to be spontaneous. As much as we wish those "drop everything and run in whatever direction we want" days still existed, they don't, but we CAN get creative with our time. Scheduling a date with your significant other may not sound very romantic but it IS a way to get the time you desire. Sending a text message or slipping a note during dinnertime saying "meet me in the living room for popcorn and a movie after the kids are in bed" can be just as spontaneous and romantic as the days before kids and chaos; even more so if you give what you do an element of surprise. I can say that personally, I value time that has been created for me WAY more than time someone simply had to offer.

SO what do you do to have the time? Perhaps catch a 20 minute power nap on a Saturday so you can stay up when the house is quiet and do what it is you need or want to do. If you have a spouse, take turns giving each other down time... have them watch the kids one night a week so you can have free time... just be sure to do the same in return; call it a "get out of jail card" to make it more comical if you want, but make it a priority to have some free time at LEAST once a week. I find it sad that most people who have jobs get paid time off or have built in sick days that they never take but could have used to spend a spontaneous day with someone they care about or to do something they love to do.  Don't have time to go to the gym or work out? Wake up an hour early to get  in that 30 minute DVD or YouTube workout before the house wakes up. Cancel a night in front of TV or take that PTO day to meet a friend for lunch or an evening appetizer or to clean out that ridiculously crowded closet but please... STOP giving yourself excuses of why you can't do something and develop an "I CAN IF I WANT IT BAD ENOUGH" attitude.

Time is very precious, so make the most of it. When you give it, it should be valued, appreciated and never taken for granted; the same goes for when it is received. When you make someone FEEL significant the reward will be happiness, fulfillment and will give them no reason to look for someone else that will make them a priority.

There is ALWAYS time... you just have to get creative; I've been doing it for years among all my craziness so if I can do it, SO CAN YOU! Will you have to sacrifice something? Perhaps... but big rewards come from small sacrifices and that in itself better light a fire under your buttocks.

I can PROMISE you that if you wait until you "find" the time.... you NEVER will. Time is not found, it is created. Remember that!


Until next time...

xoxo

Shells

                                           

                                                          

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

WWW.SHELLEYGIARD.COM

To purchase a signed copy of my book click here

www.ineedthehappyending.com

or to by it on Amazon

                                                       

http://amzn.to/1oki1qR 

Taking Time to Reconnect with Yourself

Tonight, as I sit in the quietness of my hotel room after a long, creative day, I look out at the moon beaming light into my window and can honestly say I am in a very peaceful place right now; mind body and spirit. Just a day ago I was caught up in everyday life, my daily hustle and bustle that often seems to have a sense of urgency to it. That is not to say that I don't love it, because I thoroughly LOVE my life... it is simply a very different place and tells a different story from where I am in this very moment.

As many know... I rarely stop, I stay busy all of the time, like it that way and find it hard to relax. Tonight however, I realized that it's not that I have a hard time relaxing... I just have to be in the right place to do so and sometimes I prefer solitude when I need to unwind; it is a bit blissful to me quite frankly. Coming in early after a great dinner with friends, I got into my cozy clothes tonight and began to reflect on my day... I laid on the bed and just allowed my mind to replay the day; then decided to write.

Over the next several days here in Provincetown, Massachusetts.... the oldest and most beautiful art colony in the United States, I will be exploring new artistic adventures. I am diving into creative exploration and day 1 was simply amazing. I am surrounded by like minded people and feel absolutely wonderful in this environment. I simply cannot wait to see how the next few days unfold and what box I can catapult myself out of as I tap into things that have always been inside of me but I never took the time to express. Saying that I am excited is an understatement.

So often people morph themselves into who they need to be in certain surroundings... they "become" who they need to become in order to adapt to who they are accompanied by. I consider myself fortunate. Although I used to be that person who constantly tried to fit in with those around me, unless it was a place where I could just be "ME" it never really worked. Through this, I have reconnected with myself over the past several years and I no longer feel ashamed of who I am or what I went through to get there. I seek people who I can connect with on many levels... I seek depth in everything and have no room for insignificance anymore. I no longer feel guilt when I want time to myself and I know how valuable that time is in order to maintain balance in my life. I had rid myself of toxic friends, broken relationships and things that made me feel anything less than happy and as a result I am peaceful in this moment... not perfect, but peaceful.

I encourage you today to commit to reconnecting with yourself... pretend if you have to that you are in a quiet, serene place and explore who you are in the inside.. tap into what you hope for, wish for, and then GO DO IT. Nobody stops you... only YOU stop you, so get out of your own way so you can fly to unlimited heights!!

Thanks for stopping by... see you next blog.

xoxo

Shells

                                           

                                                          

I HOPE THAT YOU WILL:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

WWW.SHELLEYGIARD.COM

To purchase a signed copy of my book click here

www.ineedthehappyending.com

or to by it on Amazon

                                                       

http://amzn.to/1oki1qR