Author: inspiringmax

Time Out

inspiringmax

We all have things we need to do to keep an even keel — blogging, exercising, reading, cooking. What’s yours?

My mental health is important to me, so when things become too much I take time out. Depending on the situation I may take 5 minutes or a whole day. Sometimes the situation will need me to take 5 minutes in the middle to recollect my thoughts and a day as soon as possible when it is  over. During this time I do whatever I feel like to top up my tank and prepare for the next wave.

My time out options – for short and long time periods can be found in the following acrostic poem.

Treat myself

Isolate—block out the world

Meditate

Exit the situation

Outdoors—connect with nature

Useful—be creative in some way

Talk—online or in person

012 - birthday girl getting wet feet

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/on-the-edge/

STARLIGHT Blogger Award

inspiringmax
This Award is created to highlight and promote Inspiring Bloggers.

This Award is created to highlight and promote Inspiring Bloggers.

I would like to thank Anne at  https://annermurray.wordpress.com/ for being a part of my blogging community and nominating me for the “STARLIGHT Blogger Award”.  I was honoured and encouraged to receive this Award from another inspiring blogger. The STARLIGHT Blogger Award is a new Award to honor those individuals who are considered “The light emanating from the stars“—the bloggers that bring daily light into your soul with their creativity—the blogs you love to read, listen and visit! The Award was created by Carolina as token of love and appreciation and encouragement so please spread the love and pass it to other deserved bloggers!

Nominations Rules:
Nominate your 6 favorite bloggers! In your nominees I would like for you to think at the light emanating from the stars the ones that truly touch your soul with their work, the ones that are the light for you a true STARLIGHT Blogger.

Rules for the STARLIGHT Blogger Award:
Thank the giver and link their Blog to your post.
Answer the 3 questions given to you.
Please Pass the award on to 6 or more other Bloggers of your choice and let them know that they have been nominated by you.
Include the logo of the award in a post or on your Blog please never alter the logo and never change the rules.

Please don’t delete this note: the design for the STARLIGHT Bloggers Award has been created from YesterdayAfter is a Copyright image you cannot alter or change it in any way just pass it to others that deserve this award.
Copyright 2015 © YesterdayAfter.com – Design by Carolina Russo

My Nominees for the STARLIGHT Blogger Award:

http://eclecticoddsnsods.co.uk/ Eclectic Odds N Sods

http://optimisticmisfit.com/ B’s Words

https://sendsunshine.wordpress.com/ Send Sunshine

http://lisadorenfest.com/ Lisa Dorenfest

http://maraeastern.com/  Mara Eastern

https://flowersandbreezes.wordpress.com/

My questions answered:

1. What hinders your creativity (if you could say one thing)?

My life is busy so the biggest hindrance to my creativity is time. Time to calm my head. I like to take any topic and put a positive Inspiring Max spin on it. Sometimes if my original idea doesn’t feel right I won’t go with it just for the sake of blogging. I continue to consider my options until it works, which may mean the opportunity is lost. No problem the way I see it “you win some and you lose some.” At other times in this consideration stage I have totally changed my idea and released creativity that really works.

2. Why do you create? (Please be specific)

My creative outlet is writing and my goal is to inspire people to look on the positive side of life even when things are not going according to plan.”To inspire you—developing a spark of hope into a fire that warms you and lights your path.” I do this in a personal, positive, practical way by ensuring each post is encouraging and interesting.

3. What advice could you give to new bloggers for creativity or inspiration?

Write what you know. Be honest, try new things and find your voice. There are no rules and there is an audience for everyone. It is important to remember that blogging is a community and you will get out of it what you put in. Visit other blogs—like and comment on their posts. This is something I do regularly especially if I am running short on time. Even in 5 minutes I can visit many blogs—reading and responding to them which helps keep traffic moving on my blog when I have not written a new blog post. Enjoy the journey and make new friends with the amazing people you will meet on the way.

Please note:
No one should feel obligated to accept this Award or to link back. I just wanted to share with other’s in the community how inspiring and amazing you and your Blogs are.  I’ve enjoyed visiting them on a regular basis. If you do decide to accept this award and pass it on that’s greatly appreciated!

New Questions For Those Who Accept:

1. What is your favourite creation?

2. Where do you see your creativity taking you in 3 years?

3. What advice could you give to new bloggers for creativity or inspiration?

If you decided to accept the STARLIGHT Blogger Award, please put a link to the post in my comments. Also please nominate at least 6 bloggers for this amazing award. Thank you and have a great time! Inspiring Max https://www.inspiringmax.com/

Eat, Drink And Be Merry

inspiringmax

…for tomorrow we die. The world is ending tomorrow! Tell us about your last dinner — the food, your dining companions, the setting, the conversation.

If the world was ending tomorrow I would choose to go camping  in the Australian bush with all my family. Not glamping—glamourous camping with all the modern conveniences. Camping à la natural. No electricity, no showers and dig your own toilets. I love getting out with nature, listening to the sounds of the bush and hopefully seeing  a koala or possum in the trees. We have never had a problem with snakes as with over 20 people we make too much noise.

Tom Possum

The food would be a bush BBQ that we begin preparing in the afternoon by collecting a massive amount of wood to keep us going all night—waiting for the world to end. Included on the menu is:

  • bacon
  • capsicum
  • corn
  • damper
  • green salad
  • mushrooms
  • potatoes
  • rissoles
  • rocket salad
  • sausages
  • steak

After dinner as we continued to chat and drink champagne and beer by the fire I would introduce S’mores to the family. I would get everyone to cook their marshmallows over the fire while I prepared their chocolate and biscuits. We don’t have graham crackers in Australia so I would use the best substitute I could find. Once the marshmallow is cooked I would join them all together and watch everyone’s enjoyment.300 - hot choc and smores

 

The spontaneity of sitting around a campfire is the best. Nothing is or can be planned yet the memories last forever.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/eat-drink-and-be-merry/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Vivid

inspiringmax

Australia’s rainbow lorikeets are vivid, beautiful  creatures who love a free feed. This girl found a small group of them and decided to attempt to feed them. No problem. They were happy to play with her for in exchange for apple. We stood and watched their interactions for a while as these wild birds became one with her. The joy on her face was priceless.

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/vivid/

It Takes Two

inspiringmax

“And they lived happily ever after.” Think about this line for a few minutes. Are you living happily ever after? If not, what will it take for you to get there?

Unlike in the fairy tales where happily ever after just happens — in the real world, it needs to be worked on. There is no magic formula. Relationships take two people sharing, working and dreaming together to create a happily ever after. If one person is planning in one direction and the other in a totally different direction, unless there is a compromise or connection drawing both plans together — their happily ever after is at risk.

My husband and I are living in the happily ever after the best way we can. Nearing retirement we are getting excited about how closer to our dreamed happily ever after we can get when we no longer have to work.The following acrostic poem describes what we blend into our happily ever after plan as we adjust it.

Harmony

Attitude

Positivity

Purpose

Insight

Life

Yearning

Express emotions

Vitality

Enjoyment

Respect

Adaptability

Freedom

Tolerenace

Empathy

Responsibility

My earlier post on secrets of a happy marriage can be found at https://www.inspiringmax.com/loving-advice/

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/happily-ever-after/

Changing plans

inspiringmax

Tell us about a time you did a 180 — changed your views on something, reversed a decision, or acted in a way you ordinarily don’t.

My latest 180 degree change in a decision happened by accident earlier this year. I was complaining of always being tired and working late several days a week meant I got home very late as my commute is 1 1/2 hours if I am lucky. Out of frustration I decided to drive to work on my late day and see what happened. Suddenly I was home in half the time and I had still included a 15 minute walk to the car.

Much better.

I surprised my self also be driving to work in peak hour traffic and it taking only about a 45 minute drive. Now I have time to exercise or blog before coming to work and still sleep in until 6am.

Much easier to get my 8 hours beauty sleep in.

Driving most days of the week now has made me a more confident driver again. Although through trial and experimentation I consider what time I want to leave work on any day before deciding how I will get there. If I need to leave before 6pm I will catch the train as the journey will take 1 1/2 either way but on the train is more relaxing.

Being a solutions based person I am always flexible and look for things that may need changing. How I get to work is one change I am happy I have made. I have also chosen to support my staff by working longer hours earlier in the week and as an extra bonus I work all my hours in a 9 day fortnight. Win—win all around.

Do you need to change any plans to get a better outcome? A little review and system change is sometimes what is needed to have a big impact.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/180-degrees/

Dreams Not Nightmares

inspiringmax

Describe the last nightmare you remember having. What do you think it meant?

Fortunately I don’t have nightmares. I do however have dreams that disturb my sleep and wake me up. They always relate to an issue that I need to deal with, usually work related. When this happens I review the situation and work out what I need to do next. My dreams generally:

  • Allow me to move on or let go
  • Clarify a situation
  • Draw my attention to watch this space even if I choose not to do anything about it at the time
  • Direct my writing
  • Give me clues about how to manage something
  • Helps me deal with stress
  • Point out things that are on my mind
  • Predict how a situation with play out in life
  • Reveals a different level of insight into the situation

I love how my dreams support me. I process what they are telling me and deal with the issue, however I see fit when. Sometimes I can’t put my finger on the exact problem until it comes up in my dreams to give me the final bit of insight.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/nightmares

Powerful Playlist

inspiringmax

Put together a musical playlist of songs that describe your life, including what you hope your future entails. 

Music is powerful. It is part of my everyday life and is a great reminder of the past and motivator for the future. My present life playlist includes the following songs:

This song reminds me of my early years. It gives me motivation to continue with whatever goal I am seeking at the time.

I have loved this song since I was a teenager. Helen Reddy is Australian and the fact that her song was changing the world for women everywhere made me realise I could do anything I set my mind to. It was the anthem of International Women’s Year in 1975.

I am proud to be Australian. This song describes the history of the Australian people and reminds me—we are all one.

The final two songs give me motivation to set goals and work hard to achieve them. They remind me that I can choose how things impact me. By pushing myself, I can achieve things I never thought possible and become stronger in every way.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/mix-tape/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Broken

inspiringmax

I spent the first nearly 30 years of my life living in Newcastle. But it wasn’t until I was 50 that I happened upon this old broken railway line going up to Nobby’s Lighthouse. On that same walk, I also discovered these rocks broken off the cliff face.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/something-broken/

Reflection

inspiringmax

Tell us about times in which you linger — when you don’t want an event, or a day to end. What is it you love about these times? Why do you wish you could linger forever?

For me lingering is not about not wanting an experience to end, but reflecting on its significance to mine or someone else’s life. Traveling to different countries and cultures has given me many moments to linger and reflect on to gain understanding and insight into what life must have been like during that time in history.

My first experience of really lingering in a place was when my house was packed into removalist boxes, ready for transport next day to Sydney, prior to my marriage 25 years ago. I suddenly realised my old life was in those boxes and my new scary, exciting and mysterious life was awaiting me. I sat quietly in the dark surrounded by my mountains of boxes reflecting on my life until I gathered the momentum to close the door behind me and move forward with my life. During reflection I consider some or all of the following:

Remembering the significance

Experiencing the emotions

Frozen in time

Lingering in the moment

End of an era

Choosing a new direction

Trust

Invoking insight and inspiration

Open mindedness

New horizons

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/linger/