Have you ever given yourself permission?

Permission to say what you want to say, do what you want to do and go where you want to go?

What stopped you? Or was it a “who?” Do the opinions of others direct and control your life? Do you feel bound to the expectations of others…no matter how painful and/or unrealistic they are?

How long has this been going on? Has it gotten out of hand recently or has it always been this way? What percentage do you show up for yourself? 100%? 70%? 40%? 10%?

Don’t you think you owe it to yourself, not everybody else, to give yourself permission? I’m not suggesting cutting everyone out of your life or not taking the feelings of others into consideration. I’m asking if YOU and YOUR feelings and goals are in the mix when decisions are made.

We often become ‘selfless’ in our giving and helping others. Sometimes it goes on for so long that we can become invisible or lost in it. Where are you? Are you even on the radar screen anymore? What nice things have you done for yourself without asking for the approval of and permission from someone else? Have you made any decisions or choices that were solely for you? In YOUR best interest? Because YOU wanted it? Do you take a back seat to everyone else?

Girl! Life isn’t getting any longer. Crazy things are happening all around us. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

What can you do for your SELF today? What would YOU really like to do? How do you really want to feel?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

There are so many ways to use the term OVER, especially once you get to midlife.

You are close to being called/considered “OVER the hill.” Folks may have a different attitude towards you. You’re not the spring chicken you once were. All of your feathers may be falling out or even growing in places they don’t belong or shouldn’t be.

Typically if you go through many changes and a lot of growth you feel that the relationship/marriage you’re in is OVER. Circumstances change, people change and you don’t always make it through all the changes and stay together, and you don’t have to.

You are so OVER “it.” Fill in the blank here for YOUR “it.” You no longer have to compete with others or seek tons of approval. Maybe by now you’re able to get it from yourself and could care less if anyone else agrees or approves of you, your ideas, what you say or do. You may be your own best friend and cheerleader. You can sing and dance with reckless abandon. You accept yourself and others (mostly…or at least you’re trying to).

You may feel OVERwhelmed with all the changes, shifts, moods, madness. Things, ….life, seem to be going in several different directions and really don’t line up & coordinate or cooperate most of the time. What’s happening? What’s going on? “Stop this ride I want to get off!”

Things seems overrated. You’re done with all the drama and nonsense that others insist on. You don’t need to keep up with the Jones.’ Who the hell are they anyway? I never did get a good look at them. Do YOU know who they are?

Maybe you need to get OVER this midlife hurdle to the other side. I’m not exactly sure what is on the other side. I’ll let you know when I get there. Hopefully the trip through Menopause Land will be worth it. That’s what I’m aiming for anyway. I’m searching for that place…..somewhere OVER the rainbow. 🙂

Okay, this is me signing off for now, OVER & out!

As I get older I find it increasingly more difficult to tolerate nonsense. There seems to be so much of it around. I simply don’t have the patience for it anymore!

I’m taking a stand and saying ‘no’ more! Since the first 2 letters of this word spell ‘no’ I find it befitting and am celebrating my liberation.

It’s time to stop saying yes to everyone else. No is a complete sentence. It doesn’t need explanation yet when you use it people require an explanation or justification of it as if it needs to pass their approval test or something. Why is that? It’s quite manipulative. We’ve all become so comfortable with it too.

I will include “drama” to be under my nonsense umbrella. It’s more than just an attitude, it is a behavior. One that has become an addiction of sorts in my book. It is so out of control. No matter where you turn, where you go, what show you watch, newspaper you read, phone call you make. Whew! It’s exhausting! Some people are so good at it I think they should win some kind of award. It seems like they are trying so hard to perfect that skill (if that’s what you want to call it). It’s not just women either, there are a few men who can give them a run for their money. Is there some kind of contest going on that I don’t know about? There seems to be an awfully large amount of contestants!

Of course not everything needs to be met with a no, just as everything does not have to be met with a yes.

I need to take a stand – to stand back actually, and assess this. Want to join me?

What nonsense do you put up with? Is it time for a little ‘no’ in your life? What dramas have you experienced? Were any of them award winning material? Could people you know have their own reality show?

MMMMMMMMMMMM

How does that feel to you?     What does that look like for you?    What kind of experience is your MMMMM?    Is it a thought?    A feeling?  A taste?    A memory?

My MMMMM is chocolate…..

Chocolate goes well with EVERYTHING. There are endless varieties, too! You can enjoy something different every single day. I bet you can consume a different piece of chocolate every day of the year and never have the same piece twice – 365 days of chocolate…..ahhhhhh…..can you imagine it?

You can eat it anywhere, or more accurately EVERYWHERE! You can be home in your sweats, driving down the highway, outside while walking the dog, at the beach, or in the boardroom. You can even have some during a hot flash—melted chocolate is wonderful! …..ooooooh…can you feel it?

You can eat it ANYTIME!  Day or night…the minute you wake up (If you have slept at all, that is). It’s a wonderful meal and/or meal substitute. An afternoon snack, or perhaps an appetizer for each and every meal (My personal favorite). Just sayin’…. Of course you can have it for dessert like ordinary folks but why limit yourself? ……mmmmmmm….can you taste it?

I think I even dream in chocolate! Lol

Do tell…..what is your MMMMM? Are you alone or with someone else to experience it? Public or private? Daytime or nighttime? Lights on or lights off?

🙂  Off I go……there is chocolate waiting for me……I think I hear it calling my name……..

Contagious laughter is a force all on its own. Someone gets the giggles, can’t stop, and the next thing you know it spreads like wildfire.…resistance is futile! If you close your eyes and concentrate REALLY hard you might get away with just cracking a smile or chuckle. But if you look at the person who is hysterical – you’re hooked, it’s over, you’ve been put under the spell and all your giggles come out. Around and around it goes and when it stops no one knows. lol

Did you ever really laugh…I mean laugh so long and so hard that it almost took your breath away? Did you allow yourself to surrender to it and come almost completely undone? No matter where you were or who you were with, did you really ENJOY the moment?

I think laughter fixes everything, as does chocolate, of course, put the 2 together and you get the perfect day! I go out of my way to find something funny or that makes me laugh just to get through the day sometimes. My source is usually FB or emails. What’s yours?

Laughter really is the best medicine. No matter what battles you are fighting or challenges that you face, laughter seems to reset things- at least for a little while. I think that’s why so many people share funny things through social media- you get to share your joy and laughter with so many others.

Do you laugh at yourself for all the silly things you do or maybe forget to do? It’s amazing how many things I can forget or misplace. I’ve become quite comical.

What makes you laugh? Do you have a list of jokes 5 pages long? Do you have your top 3 favorites. Want to share some laughs here? How about funny images or pictures that make you laugh? How about a video? 🙂

This is a picture of my friend Shaun and I laughing. It is one of the last times I saw her. When I think of her I cry because I miss her, yet seeing her laughing with me and remembering her smile always makes me cheer up and laugh again. 🙂