When the Going Gets Tough... Think Positive

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post... and as history has it that means I have been busy. The past two weeks were filled with some life adjustments, sick kiddos, planning the future and regrouping the now, so unfortunately my blog had to take a back burner. But I am back and hope to inspire you today.

I want to talk about the power of positive thinking... although realistically the majority of my blog posts are directly related to this topic, today I want to dig a little deeper and explain how important and impactful it can be for your direction. 

During the inevitable storms of life, we are constantly surrounded by negative media, negative people and negative thoughts. Getting swallowed up in turmoil, worry and angst is very easy; would you agree? So, what is it that sets apart those that seem to always have a smile on their face... a spring in their step? Do you honestly think that there are people who go through life with no struggle or strife? Do you really think that "luck" is real? 

After many, many years of reading and studying on success, happiness and finding inner peace; all things that I wanted so badly... the common denominator that holds true in people who seem to be unscathed is one thing... Positive Thinking. We all have heard that you bring to your life what you think in your life... so WHY don't more people practice this? Why don't more people stop the negative thoughts and take control of their mind; the most powerful tool for happiness that we possess? Doesn't it sound better to let the negative things leave your mind and replace them with happy thoughts, thankfulness, great moments and good memories? 

So, how do you do this? How do you gain control of your emotions and get back on the right track? That is what you want to know right? I will share with you how I do it.

The moment I feel defeated, depleted, sad or negative... I stop myself by literally speaking these words OUT LOUD to myself and sometimes in the mirror. It is my daily affirmation when I am down.... I have several that I use depending on the state of mind I want to be in. This is my "going through a rough spot" affirmation.

" This circumstance, this feeling, is just temporary, the only thing that makes it permanent are my thoughts. I can get through this, I can get through anything, I can control my mindset. I will pray for the help that I need, and be thankful for the blessings, and the lessons I have had in my life. I will think only about what will create a positive change, not about how I got in this negative situation. I will win, I will conquer and I will overcome any obstacle that stands in my path. I don't care what other people think... I know my purpose, I know my reasons of doing everything that I do and THAT is what matters to my life and my future. I matter, I am good enough, strong enough and motivated enough to make it. I WILL be okay, I WILL succeed and be all that I am meant to be." © 2014 Shelley Giard


You may be thinking that it is weird to stand in the mirror talking to yourself... but you do it all of the time and I will prove it to you. 

Have you ever said... 
I am fat... 
I look awful today... 
I cannot do this... 
I am too tired... 
I hate my job... 
I have no time for myself... 
I have no time... 
I have no money...
I want a different life... 
My marriage is over... 
I am unhappy... 
I am broke... 
I will never get out of this mess... 
The economy has ruined my chances of getting ahead... 

I would be willing to bet that you have said at least one of those things... and you are probably saying things like that daily more often than not. 

What you speak you manifest.... it is true, it is real and you need to change the way you speak to yourself and how you speak out to those around you. Are you the bad apple leaking toxic juices onto those around you or are you the fresh baked apple pie that smells wonderful that everyone wants a piece of?

Are you breathing life or death into your everyday? Are you your own toxicity?

I encourage you to begin saying positive affirmations every day... do it with your kids, make it fun, have them write their own. Write several for yourself and post them in places where you will see them. If you are trying to lose weight... post them on your fridge. If you feel ugly, post things about how beautiful you are on your bathroom mirror. JUST DO IT! Who cares if people think you are strange... strange people are always happier and more successful. Who would you like to be? Awesome....then go BE that person!!!!!

This was an excerpt from my Facebook page post yesterday... 

On days when I wake up and make the decision to just stay focused on the positive things and the many blessings that I have been given in life, I not only have an amazing day, but I can go to bed with a smile and sleep well. I am not pretending things are perfect... I am choosing to make them perfect by accepting things as they are and doing the best I can with everything at hand.

When all of you watch me fall...stumble and hit walls then wonder how it is that I continue to get back up and smile; I will tell you that once you have experienced God working miracles in your life as I have... there is no question where my peace and strength come from. It is easy to complain... it is hard to stay positive... I choose the road less traveled and never let the bad stuff keep me down for long. I have been so blessed with amazing people, friends, family and opportunities; because of that, I know God's hands are in my life each and every day. I pray... He answers.

On that unforgettable day several years ago when I had nothing left, I surrendered one of the most difficult situations of my life to a God I did not even believe in at the time. I literally yelled out in anger and hopelessness, fell to my knees and said "TAKE IT GOD, IT'S YOURS!, I've got nothing left, now DO SOMETHING and show me you are real."

Well.... apparently He had been waiting for me to ask Him back into my life so He showed up and proved His grace. Since then... there are times when I forget what He can do... I forget that when we don't want to worry, when we don't want to be stressed...when we don't want to be sad, all that we need to do is ask Him to take it all away... and He will. I am quickly reminded of that day.

I am not trying to preach... I am simply sharing what works for me and if you can't find something that works for you... perhaps you could give it a try.

Below is the passage from today's positive recharge. I am sharing it because I know there may be many of you out there who are going through hard times wondering WHY God is letting this happen... questioning HOW a God who cares and loves you could ever let you fall this hard... I am here to tell you that without strife, you will never appreciate victory... without struggle, you will never be humbled. If things are not wonderful... God is not done yet. Be patient and trust in Him... learn what He is trying to teach you and your life will be exactly as He intended it to be one day. Be still and listen, then simply trust and follow. ~Shells~

"Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all that he has done. Then you will experience God's peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all that you have learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you... Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is a full stomach or empty, with plenty or with little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength."
Phillippians 4: 6-9, 11-13NLT

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 

An Unexpected Three-Week Vacation....

21 days since I last wrote a blog entry, 21 days since I poured out thoughts and things onto a glowing white screen, 21 days since I was celebrating 3-21-14; World Down Syndrome Day. It's been an unexpected three-week vacation; two weeks of  either being sick or taking care of my sick munchkins and one week spent playing catch up and preparing to leave on the first leg of my 2014 tour. It's been a crazy ride so far this year; four months in already... I seriously cannot believe it, but what is more baffling is how many changes have transpired already this year. I had the time to think in week two as I lay in bed coughing, stuffy headed and sick to my stomach. Over the course of a three day hot date with my pillow, my waking moments; (they were in deed only moments) were spent thinking about everything that is happening, the doors that are opening up for me and as I blew my nose I smiled for mere seconds because that's all that I had the energy for. On the eve of my first stop for 2014, I am tired... kind of exhausted, yet full of life and energy. I have depleted myself this week mentally with late nights working and getting very little rest but the excitement and gratitude for everything happening is overflowing making me happy-tired instead of grumpy-tired.

I am reminded that July will mark four years since I sat down and began typing my story, I have decided that that on that anniversary will be a day of rest. I will spend it somewhere I can relax... exhale a bit and be proud in the moment. This year is going to be a good one... it's year four; I will soon GROW EXPONENTIALLY, everything is falling into place. I am quickly reminded of the story of the Bamboo plant that I have heard SO many times in seminars, in books that I have read and have always kept that story in the front of my mind; it keeps me going even when I want to quit. I will now share that story with you in case you don't know it.

Unlike most other plants, Chinese bamboo is quite unique. After bamboo is planted, watered, and nurtured for the whole first growing season, it does not outwardly develop even an inch. Then, on the second growing season, the farmer must continue to irrigate, fertilize and care for the bamboo tree and yet still; nothing happens – it fails to sprout just the same as year one.


As the seasons go in and out, the farmer has to continue caring for the bamboo for four consecutive years. What could really be discouraging is that the farmer has nothing substantial to demonstrate his labor in caring and growing this stubborn tree. Four lonely years of hard work and care and nothing to show for it.

And then in the fifth year... the bamboo plant grows more than 80 feet in just one growing season! 

It's quite an amazing story would you agree? Four long years of caring and hard work only to gain nothing. That's how we can get in life so many times... bogged down, discouraged and depleted trying to yield something; to have just one indication that our time is well served, so we hang on. In light of that determination, we keep going. Finally... the season of growth comes rapidly, so fast that it nearly knocks us down but it was worth the wait and the exhaustion.

As I prepare for my speaking event on Sunday, I have no idea how many people are coming. It may be 40 it may be 2, but I hope it's at least 1; at least one person whose life may be changed for the better. If not, I will do as I have done many times in the years of staying positive; I will speak life to myself... I will listen and implement what I hope to share with others. Trust me if I have 5 people show up I may just do a happy dance, because as impromtu as this was thrown together to piggyback it onto  book signing, 5 people will be awesome. If one of those five gets something out of what I said that will make their life better somehow than my mission was accomplished and my time was well spent.

Although some of you may think I am a "big deal", I am not; I am no different than anyone else who has not given up on their dreams. Even if you feel that I am different from you, I want you to know that You have every ability to follow what I have done to get here.

The thing that I am most thankful for is that I have God living in my heart now, that he knows where I am going and that I choose to trust in it. I still mess up, He knows I mess up and it bothers me now more than ever when I do, for I hate to disappoint anyone, including myself. I am glad I value myself enough now to care; for many years I did not.

I apologize for being sick, I apologize for that unexpected three-week vacation, but I think it is exactly what I needed to carry on. I will be back on schedule next week, bringing you hope on Mondays and something to think about on Fridays. I encourage you to stop in and get inspired. Take care and I hope to see some of you in South Carolina.

If you would like to know where I will be, you can go to Shelleygiard.com and click on the "events" tab. 

Have an awesome weekend, stay strong, stay positive, be real and be happy.

xoxo

Shells

FEEL FREE TO:

SHARE THIS POST

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

To purchase my book click here
www.ineedthehappyending.com 

Talk to Yourself Much?

Well of COURSE you do, and so do I. We may not want to admit it and some people may find it strange, but we ALL talk to ourselves. In fact, often the WAY we talk to ourselves is what sets our direction for the day, and ultimately our lives. How many times have you woken up saying "Ugh, I don't want to wake up today" or "Today is an awful day" How about, "I hate when.... or I get so annoyed when..." or "I hate the way I look in this" Yep, we set our mood and our thoughts by the way we talk to ourselves. Are you conscious of what you say? What kind of stuff do you share on social media? Are you careful what frame of mind you allow yourself to enter as you start and end your day? How about the image you project of the kind of person you are when talking to others? In other words, what is that mouth of yours spewing?

Have you ever heard that verbal abuse is worse than physical abuse? Well, it's true and this counts when we talk to ourselves just as much if not more. I am the first to say that when someone else is verbally abusive it can mess you up for years, but if you are abusive to yourself, it can wreck you for LIFE. When I am around negative people these days, I find it very hard to keep my lips sealed. When almost every word that escapes their lips is negative... "I hate...", "I can't stand it when..." "If one more person does this or that...", "I can't wait for this day to be over..." "I can't take it", " I hate the way I look", "I am broke" and the list in infinite. I seriously want to whip out a ruler and slap them...no joke, but I am not the violent type (unless you mess with my friends or my family then I may actually go ape.) I have been known however to stop them in mid sentence and say"tell me something you love!" JUST to jolt their mind a bit and hopefully bring them back to reality or at least to a tolerable state. The key here is that if you constantly say all these things to yourself and those around you constantly you get stuck in a frame of mind.

One of the hardest things to do sometimes is to stay positive, trust me, I speak from experience. However if you stay negative.. you will STAY negative and will be swallowed whole by a big bunch of... well CRAP. It will affect your health, your job, and your relationships negatively, it's toxic to everything around you as WELL as you. Although tonight's blog is somewhat short... it has a HUGE message.

STOP ABUSING YOURSELF WITH SELF TALK! 

Start praising yourself, pat yourself on the back, look and the mirror and see beyond the reflection that you may not like and into the eyes of the person you are inside, and if you don't like who that is... then YOU are in control of that. The first thing I would suggest is to keep reading my blog... I don't capitalize off of it, no money is made but the wealth within the words that I write are priceless.

Goodnight, have a great weekend and talk NICE to yourself; sometimes YOU are your only cheerleader.

xoxo

~Shells~ 

FEEL FREE TO:

SHARE THIS POST

SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL

Follow me on Facebook

www.facebook.com/ShelleyD.Giard

Follow me on Twitter

https://twitter.com/shelleygiard

ROCK THIS MONDAY

This morning I keep saying to myself... "Breathe, breathe... you will get it all done."  I have NEVER been on a 12 day trip and I am starting to lose my head a bit. I worked all weekend which left me no time to gather my thoughts, or my clothes or anything for that matter and of course, regardless of having to go on this trip I still have three kids at home that starve for attention, laundry to consume my time, dinner, lunch and baths etc etc etc.






Being that my mother is so awesome and helpful, she offered to take Abrielle for the weekend to make things easier, but then had to inform me yesterday afternoon that she was sick... no school for her today; and I just added a trip to the doctor to my list just in case it's more than a nasty virus. (can't leave your child for 12 days not knowing if she will need more than hugs and rest) Isn't it funny how wrenches are thrown at you when you REALLY don't need it? See, I am not immune!




As I trickle down my to do list this morning I am trying to keep my mind focused; a hard thing to do when I have this many things going through my head. I will take a few deep breaths to calm my fluttering nerves, stick to my list to keep me organized and sip a cup of coffee for... well just because I want it. Now all I need is chocolate and the day will be even brighter.

I have a lot to look forward to and to be thankful for despite my feelings of minor anxiety that I will forget something important, like my underwear (I better pack those first!) I know I can do this... I know I will get it done, somehow, some way. I WILL tackle this list and I will do it in time to relax a bit tonight.
(that's my mantra/self talk for the day)

As you start your week today, what will your mantra be? Will it be something like...  "I will make the most of my day" or " I will not let negative thoughts consume me" or perhaps it will be something simple like "I will wake up with a smile every day"  Whatever it is, have a mantra, have something that you say to yourself or keep your mind on that is positive each and every day. Play it in your head or say it out loud like a recorded message the moment negative or stressful things start to creep into your day, I do it ALL of the time, "self-talk" is one of my secrets and it really WORKS!

I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN! I KNOW I CAN!

NOW GO ROCK THIS MONDAY AND DON'T LOOK BACK!

XOXO

~SHELLS~