Why I Blog

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Last night I was at a baby shower and I ran into a friend who was so kind to say some nice things about my efforts here at kalanicut. So sweet of her. It's always feels good to be noticed and appreciated, doesn't it. It made me think about why I blog.

This reminded me of another very gracious friend, a blog-friend. She and I have never actually met but have enjoyed a sweet and mutually supportive friendship from opposite coasts for a few years now. One day as we exchanged emails, she encouraged me by saying keep it up, because you have a unique voice and space in the blog world. In moments where I have questioned the value of my efforts, I have remembered her words and her encouragement to keep on keeping on.

Today is an exciting day for kalanicut. If things go as expected, August 2012 will end as the biggest readership month ever for kalanicut. I say that with humility and also excitement to see that kalanicut is being found by new readers who might find something here to inspire them. It has not rapidly exploded onto the international blog scene like some other blogs, but has had time to ebb, flow and grow naturally.

Earlier this week I spent the day with a wonderful friend. She has been a great comfort to me in so many ways over the years. We have a good give and take and we have both been there for each other in times of need. One thing I have learned to really appreciate from our relationship is our conversations about life and family. We so often realize -- "Oh it's not just me, other people feel this too," or "Oh, this has happened to you too?!"

I know that I can share any frustration with her and she will share her own experiences and we will laugh and find a peaceful resolution, a way to grow and do better and be better. Because when it all comes down to it, we realized that no matter what comes, it really is all about how we manage our emotions and how we choose to act on what comes.

I know that my dear friend wants the best for me and mine. I know she has faith in me and hope for my future and for hers. I know she knows I love her and care about her happiness, health and well-being. She calls to check in on me when too much time has passed since we last checked in with each other. She often calls at the most poignant moments without knowing we are in crisis, or I am having a hard day.

When I think about why I blog it is for just these reasons. Because I want my reader-friends to know they are not alone in what they experience in life or what they hope for. I want to give and take with you, hearing what you know and sharing fun things with you. I wanted you friends to feel this is a place to come on a hard day for inspiration, or to hear that someone else has been there too and found a way to see the sun shine again and continue on in hope.

I want this to be a place where we can all say both, "Hey, life can be really hard sometimes" and "Hey, ain't life GRAND!" I hope we're reminded every day that we are not alone, we are in this together -- and most importantly WE CAN DO IT!

Thank you for being here. Thank you for being real. Thank you for sharing my enthusiasm for life and all it's goodness. And now, on we go in this amazing and curious journey called life. Hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Good Morning, Bad Morning, It's My Decision

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I woke up one morning earlier this week not feeling so hot. I felt a little tired, a little bored with life, a little uninspired. There were lots of things that needed to be accomplished and even things I could look forward to didn't sound all that exciting to me. It had all the makings of a lame morning, which of course would evolve into a lame day and that could easily evolve into a full blown lame week.

It's so easy to get going down this path. But then I decided to start the day off with a cup of tea. That might feel really good to my stomach which was starting to hurt. Then I decided to do a bit of journaling. I find that is my best therapy and I always seem to be able to work out the bugs in my head when I start putting everything down on paper. It helps clear out my head but also helps me see my path and where I can course correct. Invariably I end up giving myself a pep talk and feeling more excited about life. And that is exactly what happened.

Then I remembered that I am trying to meditate every day. I have a specific meditation I am working on and have a good 20-minute recorded meditation that I like to use. So I did that. By now I was really feeling things turn around. I started thinking about how much power I have to determine how my mood will be and how my day will go. A few simple tasks and I was feeling vastly different than I had just an hour earlier.

I started organizing my day in my mind, prioritizing my tasks and giving myself the grace to know I would do everything I could and then I needed to be kind to myself and just keep trying every day. I promised myself I would take a walk, outside in the sunshine. It's amazing what a little Vitamin D and fresh air will do for the body and soul. I enjoyed walking through my neighborhood seeing the houses that I love, that inspire me and checking out the next construction that is constantly happening in this area.

I was amazed at what a little time for myself did for me first thing in the morning and the power it had to shape my entire day. Is this a new lesson for me? Heavens no! (See list of links below, I say, laughing). But I am realizing more and more that life is really just filled with a repetitious series of lessons we have to learn over and over again. That morning was a great reminder for me that I have all the power to guide how I feel and approach my day.

Here are links to a couple of other posts about Morning Rituals.

An Hour A Day Just For You

Waking Up To Simple Pleasures

Make The Day Yours

Do you have a morning ritual you enjoy? Do you feel a difference when you guide your morning, rather than get up and run into the day? I'd love to hear your take on mornings and moods. Hope your next morning is a beautiful, peaceful one!