Thursday, December 30, 2010

New Year Resolutions or Long Term Lifestyle Changes?

I like making New Year’s long term lifestyle changes better than New Year’s resolutions.  Long term lifestyle changes require we change our thinking, and that in itself is tedious, but the results from just the effort alone can be very rewarding. They are not quick fixes to problems that plagued us in the past year, or temporary band aids like resolutions can be, instead they gives us opportunities to acquire knowledge about ourselves and achieve long term results.  The benefits of your labor are rewarding in the fact that the changes that you are striving for are changes that can become permanent and good.
Times past, whenever I wanted to incorporate positive long term lifestyle changes into my daily walk, I would write down the changes that I wanted to make and the reasons why I wanted to make them, (weighed my pros and cons).   Hindsight 20 20,  what I was striving to create and have wasn’t as hard for me as me not wanting change and being a burden to my own personal growth, doing absolutely nothing at all to self, or for self.   I learned that when I make healthy, permanent lifestyle changes that this is an indication that i have decided to accept responsibility for my life, my health and situations that have occurred. I can decide what I want my life to become.  I can strive towards obtaining whatever I deem good and positive and right for me.
I want to be happy in life.  I want to find the good in life.  I want to see the good in life. I want to love in life. I want to spread love in life.  I want to have compassion when I have to be very firm in decision making.  And all these things are more than possible.  When we give freely of ourselves, and be open to change in our lives, we can have a larger than life experience with the Most High.  We can love each other, and love ourselves.  Does it get difficult sometimes?  Hell Yes.  Period. Yes it does. But we can do it.
I’ve started on my New Year’s Lifestyle Changes list already.  I’ve got some pretty good changes I want to put into action.  And guess what? Some of these things have found their way onto this list from a list of three years ago.  You know what else?  One of my changes to incorporate is this idea: It’s o.k. to start over.  It’s o.k. to redo some things that didn’t work out right the first time.  It’s even ok to dust off the old idea, spruce it up and add new twists to it.
Promptly and joyfully I hope to see you in 2011. Change in action.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

I'm Every Woman

I’m Every Woman, It’s all in me. Anything you want done Baby, I’ll do it naturally.
O.K. Chaka, yeah right Whitney. 
In this day and time, from working moms to stay home moms, women are more busy and productive on a daily basis than ever before. Often days are started with the slamming of the snooze buttons on alarm clocks, gathering families together for breakfast, putting on your daily attire, whether it be your favorite mommy smock or your favorite Ann Taylor suit, then making mad dashes into your day with serious agendas at hand.  And coming home in the evenings or winding down in the evenings are just as demanding of us as our hectic mornings.   Stress levels are at an all-time high.
We need to start carving out small pieces of time in the day for ourselves.  Continue to give to others what is required of us, but give to ourselves what is also required; required from us in order to be the best we can be. Rest our bodies, nourish our bodies, exercise, drink plenty of water, meditate, and get yearly examinations; most importantly, find serenity in a world of chaos and confusion.
I’m every woman, and it is all in me, but in order for me to live that chorus line from that popular song, anything you want done Baby, has to come naturally to me taking care of me first. 

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I'll cross that bridge when?



How many times have you said or thought “I’ll cross that bridge when i get there”? And when you said or thought it did you mean it as a sign of procrastination or submission?  Procrastination because you could have gone ahead and finished what you’ve already started, but decided to just put it off for some reason, or submission because you’ve decided to delay the inevitable, submitting to a higher authority than yourself?
I’m not a procrastinator, actually waiting till the last minute to do anything is absolutely insane to me; I’m all about time management and I’m scheduled oriented.  Procrastinators would definitely label me as OCD.  Sad.  I know, but when I hear or think “I’ll cross that bridge when I get there” I have to say that submission would apply to me.  In my mind, i have  exhausted all my energy in trying to acquire a solution, and yet whatever is at hand still appears to have an impeding wall and surely the end could possibly be near. So I have to submit, submit to the fact that I have done all I could do, and that I have to give it to God, a higher power.  I just have to release it, and let it go.  Maybe when I get there to where I’m suppose to be, there won’t even be a bridge to cross.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Tis The Season To Be.....


I was sitting in my doctor’s office today reading and according to an article in USA Today, children are asking for basics rather than toys.  US Postal Service workers who handle letters to Santa say that plenty of letters addressed to Old St. Nick are telling Santa about their parent’s economic and financial struggles.  Instead of asking for ipads, and ipods, more and more children are asking for shoes and socks, coats, and other basic necessities.
While it is good to know that some children have an understanding of the economic struggles that many Americans are facing today, it is also a moving sentiment hearing the concerns for their parents wellbeing, and displaying love for their parents, selflessly.  That’s impressive and I hope that we all will be touched in a way to give back to the ones in need so that these children will be taken care of, physically and emotionally.
Tis the season to be thankful, and to be givers, then we can be jolly.  If we can this holiday season, let’s spread some holiday cheer by giving back some of what we’ve been blessed with.  Help a person, a family, let’s just spread some love.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Hugs, Hugs, and More Hugs


A hug.  Ever stop to think about how special a hug can be to someone, or even to you?   Or how important hugging can be in lifting a person’s spirit?  A hug is one of the most important expressions of affection.  Let’s a person know and sometimes it reminds them how much you care for them.
I’m wondering now, when was the last time I hugged someone? Or someone hugged me? And you know what? I was sitting here longer than I expected to be pondering over this question! Realization?  I don’t think I hug enough.  I think I’m going to start.  Yep, I’m going to get all touchy feely, letting people know that I care.  And while I’m hugging, I am going to start paying attention to what I’m feeling as I’m hugging. 
 Let’s hug.  Let’s hug our loved ones, our friends, and if you’re comfortable enough with this affectionate gesture, hug someone you’ve never hugged before.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

These are some of my favorite things!

It’s cold outside, and that’s putting it mildly.  Some of my favorite things during these cold months of pre-winter are nice cups of hot chocolate with marsh mellows, soft low music, scented candles burning, homemade soups, (yum)  and hot flavored teas.  So, what are some of your favorite things to do or have while you’re combing the earth’s layer for warmth and delight?

Monday, December 13, 2010

The Rules of Engagement

One of my closest friends recently got divorced after an eleven year run in holy matrimony.  She and i were having one of our ear to ear conversations when she let on that over the past week one mans conversation lingered longer than usual at the convenient store, while later on another man, a bank teller at her bank got real interested in the reason why she was changing her name on her checking account, adding the consoling comment "I'm sorry, it must have been hard going through a divorce" and asking the question "did you all have any children".

My friend is under the assumption that she has been out of the game for a very long time and does not recognize when men are interested. We talked about it, but we mostly laughed about it, as i too have been exactly where she is.

So tell me people, what are the rules of engagement when you are dubbed "single"?  How do you  recognize the "I'm interested conversation" from the "I'm a very nice man and just like to chit chat conversation".  Let's journal Diva's and Dudes.

Let's talk

As mentioned in the header of this blog, Diva is closely related to that of Prima Donna (Italian for "First Lady"). So we are.  Diva's, Prima Donna's, First Ladies, all of the above, but wouldn't it be good sometimes if we could just talk to one another? you know just for a minute drop all the titles and glitz and glam, and just talk.

Let's face it ladies, it has been said that we excel in conversation, dubbed the great conversationalist. But i believe there are  men out there who are also great conversationalist, and we want to open this up to them as well.  So guys give the Diva's some Dude insight, and lets have some "helluva" conversation.