Tag Archive | inspiration

Step Into Christmas

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“Step into Christmas
Let’s join together
We can watch the snow fall forever and ever
Eat, drink and be merry
Come along with me
Step into Christmas
The admission’s free”

I love Christmas & Winter themes! Cozy pj’s and blankets, crisp cold air, pine & cinnamon, peppermint, candy canes, Santa Claus, reindeers and elves, glistening snow, gifts, the sense of unity in the air, decorations, wreaths, Christmas music, holiday cheer, holiday movies, fireplaces, giving, snow covered hills ….all of it! It really is the most wonderful time of the year! Lol

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The Christmas spirit is always with me all year but especially in October to January! I keep it under control the rest of the year usually!  

It annoys people!

It comes flooding out at any second no matter what part of the year it is! It’s kind of like grief except this is purely pleasant. You know how grief never goes but at any second maybe triggered by something, maybe not, it comes to the surface and is more raw like when the loss recently occurred? That’s how my Christmas spirit is, always here but gets stronger at some points. ;-D

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When I walked into work recently, I found that my manager has it all decorated for Christmas! Yay! What a pleasant surprise. 

Here are some pictures I took of our decorations:

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And a lovely song sung by Elton John!

Step Into Christmas – mobile

Step Into Christmas – desktop

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“Take care in all you do next year
And keep smiling through the days” ❤

Huugs & loove!! ❤ 😀

xoxo Kim

Uniformly Considerate

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“The habit of being uniformly considerate toward others will bring increased happiness to you.” ~ Grenville Kleiser

😀

I agree with this. I think it’s important to be mindful of others and how our words/actions may affect them, not just for what we get out of it but because it can help them be happier and put more love out into the world. ❤

It's a great reminder that I think most of us can use sometimes. It can be tempting to be thoughtless or rude on occasion, especially when other people are unpleasant first.

I found this quote in the book on my Kindle app, "Happiness 365." It's a whole book full of happy quotes!

Also, I love it because the authors dedicate their book to us & our happiness.

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I love when an author dedicates a book to people in general or certain people they don’t even know! ❤

Much love & happiness to you!

😀 ❤

xoxo Kim

Pro-act

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“You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent their making a nest in your hair.” ~ Chinese Proverb

I love this! We cannot always control what happens to us but we can choose how to react. Sadness and negativity will probably occur for most of us but we don’t have to let it conquer us.

What a great reminder! 😀

hugs & love,

xoxo Kim ❤

A Message

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“Her name is Noelle
I have a dream about her
She rings my bell
I got gym class in half an hour
Oh, how she rocks
In Keds and tube socks
But she doesn’t know who I am
And she doesn’t give a damn about me
‘Cause I’m just a teenage dirtbag baby
Yeah, I’m just a teenage dirtbag baby
Listen to Iron Maiden maybe with me”

This is a song I first heard by Wheatus many years ago one Summer night when I was a kid. It’s a really funny song. I only ever heard it on a few occasions and liked it but did not really pay attention to the lyrics. When I was listening to songs on YouTube recently, it suggested this one and I remembered it all those years ago. 

At first it doesn’t seem like a positive song. Teenage dirtbag? Lol 

But if you pay close attention to the lyrics, it’s actually inspiring and uplifting. It’s also hilarious! ;-D

The kid singing is in love with a girl he believes doesn’t know he exists and probably wouldn’t care about him if she did. 

“She doesn’t give a damn about me.” 

She already has a boyfriend and the boy singing thinks he doesn’t stand a chance with a girl like her. He refers to himself as a “dirtbag” and thinks the girl is way out of his league. 

But then something amazing happens! 

Check it out:

“Man, I feel like mold
It’s prom night and I am lonely
Lo and behold
She’s walking over to me
This must be fake
My lip starts to shake
How does she know who I am?
And why does she give a damn about me
‘I’ve got two tickets to Iron Maiden, baby
Come with me Friday, don’t say ‘maybe’
I’m just a teenage dirtbag, baby, like you'”

It turns out, the girl does know he exists and is interested in him. She doesn’t see herself as much different than him. He is her equal. 

“Come with me Friday, don’t say ‘maybe’
I’m just a teenage dirtbag, baby, like you”

I love the message here! Someone who we think doesn’t care for us at all, can care very much! And someone we feel is way better than us for whatever reason, may not feel that way at all. We are all equal in worth even though we all have different skills and flaws and experiences.

It reminds me of two quotes:

“Someone somewhere is looking for exactly what you have to offer.”

& 

“Don’t frown, you never know who is falling in love with your smile.” 

😀

Also, I think this is a good reminder to pay attention to song lyrics, even ones that seem disturbing or negative or nonsensical at first glance. There may be deep wisdom where we least expect it!

If nothing else, this song may give you a good laugh!

Teenage Dirtbag – mobile

Teenage Dirtbag – desktop

;-D

Hugs & love ❤

Xoxo Kim 

Beyond the Darkness

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“Beyond the darkness, the Light laughs.”

Isn’t this a beautiful quote?!

I love it because it’s full of hope and also playful. 

My picture above is one I took recently in Center City, Philadelphia. It’s perfect for this post because it’s so dark but with a few lights in the buildings off in the distance. Even small specks of light are strong.

Here is that hilarious and very popular video, “Charlie Bit My Finger!” It’s so cute and funny! My professor in college showed us it years ago. He is of the same country these little kids are but he moved here and teaches psychology classes. I love their accent! I remember laughing hysterically at this video and couldn’t stop even when everyone else stopped laughing! And it’s still just as funny today! Laughter can brighten any day and lighten a heavy heart. I hope this uplifts you if you’re in need or just gives you a good laugh and maybe you find the quote inspiring like I do!

Charlie Bit My Finger – mobile

Charlie Bit My Finger – desktop

Hugs & love today & always,

❤ 😀

xoxo Kim 

Honesty vs. Being an asshole {let your heart lead the way}

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“If you find yourself saying ‘But I’m just being honest,’ chances are you’ve just been unkind. Honesty doesn’t heal. Empathy does.” ~ Dan Waldschmidt

Honesty is one thing. Being an asshole is quite another. Lol ;-D

So many people brag about “telling it like it is” or how they are “brutally honest” or love when people are “honest to a fault.” Like that’s a good thing. But I don’t see how it necessarily is.
Maybe it’s cute when a three year old blabs everything that’s on her mind but for adults…not so much. Honesty is a good quality and a good thing in general or in theory but it’s not always necessary. Too many people, in my opinion, have jumped on this bandwagon or trend of “I tell it like it is” or “speak my mind without hesitation” and “if I don’t like you, you’ll know it” and act like it’s a good or cool thing when it’s really often just an excuse to be insulting or say uncalled for things at the expense of others. That’s a turn off to me. What is so cool about it? What is good about it? How is that a good quality to possess to make it a point to always make it known you don’t like someone or something about someone? It’s ok not to like someone. And not to like things about people. But we don’t have to be vicious about it. As adults we can not like people and not like things but suck it up and be civil when we have to encounter them. It’s not being fake; it’s being mature and being kind.  So, yes honesty in itself is surely a good thing. But it’s not always necessary to express something merely for the sake of honesty. I’m not saying never, but just not always. And in many cases, I don’t believe it’s really about honesty but about being rude just because someone feels like being rude but not owning up to it and pushing it off on being “real” or honest. 

For example, commenting on someone’s picture of her new haircut or new dress or glasses with something rude like “meh” or “this isn’t one of your best outfits or pictures…” or “wow you put on some weight!” or “what happened you used to be so hot, you really  let yourself go!(yup, I actually saw a man write this on his girlfriend’s old pictures of herself a while ago!)” in the name of honesty. Is it really necessary for your honesty in this case? This is just a random example, not meant for any specific incident or person now. But I have seen these comments and heard similar things in person to/about various people.
It’s uncalled for in my opinion. 

I love the brilliant quote above. Empathy helps heal. If we don’t like someone’s new haircut or someone’s new clothes or whatever someone does, we can still be happy for that person for getting something s/he likes or being happy. If someone puts on weight, so what, and don’t you think saying that to a woman is very rude and can be damaging? If we don’t like how someone acts, we can tap into our empathy and try to better understand.  

I think when people are “brutally honest” in a rude way, it’s probably often because they aren’t happy either with themselves or current circumstances or just in a bad mood that day and want to try to drag others down or get out their unpleasant emotions being rude to others. So instead of calling them an asshole (like I just did lol), we can try to also show compassion and tap into our empathy for them. I don’t always do this. Sometimes when someone is unkind, I react with more unkindness(either to the person directly or complaining about the person to someone else), which is tempting sometimes but not helpful. I’m much better with reacting to negativity and unkindness with patience and love either being kind in the face of it or just holding my tongue (which can also be an act of love) so as not to further fuel the negativity, pain, or anger of someone. But I’m still not perfect at it. 

So this is a good reminder to me as well!

Let’s chuck that brutal honesty out the window once in a while, kick it to the curb and give empathy a try instead! 

Here is a beautiful and heartwrenching song and video about holding off on the unpleasant words and letting love lead the way!

What Do You Say – Reba McEntire – mobile

What Do You Say – desktop

“So what do you say in a moment like this
When you can’t find the words to tell it like it is
Just bite your tongue and let your heart lead the way…”

😀

Hugs & love, 

❤

Xoxo Kim ❤

Inspiring quotes & pictures! {beauty} <3

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Here are some lovely quotes and my pictures!

“If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happened better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb. (Don’t Hesitate)” ~
Mary Oliver

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This is an old picture of me kissing my puppy last year shortly after he was born! His mommy ran out of milk and we had to feed him and his sister with a dropper. His name is Woody and he’s a big boy now!

“Beauty doesn’t have to be about anything. What’s a vase about? What’s a sunset or a flower about? What, for that matter, is Mozart’s Twenty-third Piano Concerto about?” ~Douglas Adams

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“Kindness and awareness work together. Through awareness we understand the underlying beauty of everything and every being.” ~Amit Ray

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This is me! as a kaliedoscope! lol

“Compassion is all inclusive. Compassion knows no boundaries. Compassion comes with awareness, and awareness breaks all narrow territories.” ~Amit Ray

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“The beauty of that June day was almost staggering. After the wet spring, everything that could turn green had outdone itself in greenness and everything that could even dream of blooming or blossoming was in bloom and blossom. The sunlight was a benediction. The breezes were so caressingly soft and intimate on the skin as to be embarrassing.” ~Dan Simmons

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This is me with no makeup or photo effect/filter. I just made the picture lighter because it was a bit dark. I love makeup but don’t always wear it even when I go out. I usually wear makeup in my pictures and usually put photo effects on them. I love photography and editing pics and hope to learn more!  These are my Winter pj’s but I don’t think they match! Lol oh well! 

“Beauty is an inner light that shines on the outside.” ~Lailah Gifty Akita

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My mom put the Christmas tree up a couple weeks ago! We just need candy canes now! I love how the lights turned out in this picture! The way the colors go out like that. I don’t know what that’s called. It’s the only pic that turned out like that!  My mom loves decorating and is very proud of the tree. The animals wrecked the last trees we had! Lol And there’s Lacey sleeping next to it, she loves the tree! ❤

“Niagara Falls is the hanging tongue on the face of the earth, drooling endlessly over its own beauty.”~ Vinita Kinra

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These are my pretty babies. Aren’t they so cute?! They love their cucumbers! A lot of people don’t know this but they can feel when their shells are touched and love to be petted and brushed with a toothbrush. They cannot switch shells and cannot live outside them. They cannot live if their shells break too much and if they have minor breaks, they can be super glued. 
The shells get bigger as the baby snails grow up. They are cold blooded and have to be kept warm and moist. Some snails can live to be older than fifteen years old! 😀 ❤

“Explore the wonders of different shades of colours. It is purely lovely.” ~Lailah Gifty Akita

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I read this on Google:

“Most snails have thousands of microscopic tooth-like structures located on a ribbon-like tongue called a radula. The radula works like a file, ripping food into small pieces.”

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I can feel their little teeth sometimes when I hold them. It’s not painful but tingly. Those things love to eat! Lol

My mom is afraid of them. lol

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“Ah yes, the beauty of nature…once we understand life’s delicateness, then we will surely protect and cherish all of its forms.Ah yes, the beauty of nature…once we understand life’s delicateness, then we will surely protect and cherish all of its forms.” ~ Shannon Leigh Warren

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“Looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind.” ~Amit Ray

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I don’t have dirty fingernails. lol I had on ugly nailpolish and took it off quickly before work and not all of it came off.

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“If you realized how beautiful you are, you would fall at your own feet.” ~Byron Katie

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Beauty’s Only Skin Deep – Temptations- mobile

Beauty’s Only Skin Deep – desktop

This is an Oldie song sung by the Temptations about how inner beauty is more important than physical beauty which I completely agree with. But i think he has nerve because he tells his girl she is beautiful on the inside but does not have a pretty face! Whaatt?! What girl wants her love to tell her that?! And he got the gall to tell her his friends ask him what he sees in her! i’m offended! lol And he says a pleasing personality is rare. I disagree. Lots of people have a lovely personality!

❤ 😀

Much0 love to you!!

xoxo Kim ❤

Perfect idea!! <3

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My cousin sent me a Facebook invitation for an event taking place here in Philadelphia and when I opened it, I was ecstatic!

It’s the perfect idea for everywhere, not just here!

There are people collecting gloves, hats, scarves…anything to keep people warm, and hanging them in trees, putting them on park benches, and anywhere for homeless people to take and be a little bit warmer.

Isn’t this absolutely amazing?! Why did I not think of this?! I thought of leaving inspiring notes, dollar bills, books….for anyone to find but never thought of leaving pratical material objects like gloves & hats for people in need.

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I am so thankful I was introduced to this idea and that people thought of it and reached so many people to inspire to do this. Gloves and hats can really make a big difference to people walking or sitting in the freezing cold.

My heart is overwhelmed in love & gratitude. It’s so heartwarming to see people helping like this.

Thank You to all who do things like this and inspire others to help.

Maybe you will do something like this if it’s cold where you are? You can donate your own or buy some things to help warm up those in need. Just put them outside anywhere and especially where homeless people usually are. In Philadelphia, they are often in “Love Park.” But people in need are everywhere. ❤ ❤

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(this isn’t my picture. I found it on Google images.)

😀

Compassion song – mobile

Compassion – desktop

Hugs & love,

xoxo Kim

Limits

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“The only limits we have are self-imposed.”

No matter what problem, pain, disability, challenges we have, it can’t conquer us if we don’t let it. We can still be happy, still succeed, and still live well.

Here is a fantastic song about still flying even with a broken wing.

A Broken Wing – mobile

A Broken Wing – desktop

“And with a broken wing
She still sings
She keeps an eye on the sky
With a broken wing
She carries her dreams
Man you ought to see her fly”
~ Martina McBride

What a beautiful message!

Nothing can hold us back if we don’t allow it to.

Let’s take those broken wings and learn to fly! 😀

❤

Hugs & love,

xoxo Kim