Author: inspiringmax

My Places

inspiringmax

Beach, mountain, forest, or somewhere else entirely?

To me connecting with nature is healing. I attempt to do it everyday even if only for 5 minutes. It clears my head. Any form of nature will do—smelling a flower on a short walk or a day trip to the beach or mountains. I love them all. As a child I spent many hours at the beach as well as walking in the bush so both have pleasant memories attach.

The higher my intensity of stress the more I will ensure that I take time out of my day to walk barefoot on the grass for 5 minutes. My other easy to go to places  are the river, Sydney harbour, local parks or wetlands—all are close to my work or home.  Half an hour in the silence does the trick of dealing with my stress nicely.

Last Christmas we wanted to experience nature in a different way and left sunny Australia for the cold winters of Canada. While we enjoyed our time there, it was only our last week that allowed us to experience the force of nature in this way—snow and ice. The first 5 weeks were above average temperatures and it was the first green Christmas in over a quarter century. Our proof that mother nature is to be enjoyed not controlled—she will always win.

 

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

Share Your World – 2015 Week 10

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When you lose electricity in a storm, do you light the candles or turn on the flashlight? How many of each do you own?

I personally would prefer to use candles, however my husband has a fear of them so torches it is. We actually keep three of them on the bookcase at the front door so they are easy to find if needed. Fortunately we rarely need to use them.

You are given $5,000 and the chance to exchange it for one of two envelopes. One envelope contains $50,000 and one contains $500. Do you make the trade? Why or why not?

I would definitely make the trade. The $5,000 was a gift so I believe it is okay to risk it. At worst I am $500 better off than I was before the gift and at best I have a large windfall. Life is full of risks and sometimes you have to take a chance. After all—nothing ventured nothing gained. I would also use a lot of positive thinking to will the preferred envelope into my hands.

What’s your first memory?

I can’t remember what my first memory is. I have several blurry memories from about the age of three but I am not sure which ones are triggered from photos. My early years were spent living in the managers cottage of a coal mine isolated from the rest of the suburb. We had no neighbours and had to entertain ourselves. At times we had wild animals—snakes, brumbies, dingoes, foxes and possums come down and visit the surrounding bush. There was no hot water to the house and I can remember on occasion going over to the coal mine to shower—a special treat—hot running water.

What do you do if you can’t sleep at night? Do you count sheep, toss and turn, or get up and try to do something?

It is rare for me not to be able to sleep. Usually the only time I have a problem sleeping is if I have something on my mind that needs sorting out. Therefore, the answer is simple—make a plan and solve the problem. Once I have done this I can easily return to sleep. If it is somebody’s snoring is the cause of my sleeplessness, I rip up a tissue and block my ears with it. Viola—I can sleep.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week I was grateful to have a day off on Friday which allowed me to catch up on jobs that needed doing including getting my hair cut and streaked for the first time. This week I have no plans so it will be a go with the flow week—something I haven’t had in a while.

http://ceenphotography.com/2015/03/09/share-your-world-2015-week-10/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Wall

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Share an image of a wall that reveals something about a place, people, or you.

Mural of Quebecers

The mural of Quebecers has brought to life this wall in Old Quebec City. It is the most amazing mural I have ever seen.  Painted in 3D by several artists in 1999—it includes all significant events, architecture and people in the city’s colourful 400 year history.

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

Love

inspiringmax

We each have many types of love relationships — parents, children, spouses, friends. And they’re not always with people; you may love an animal, or a place. Is there a single idea or definition that runs through all the varieties of “love”?

Love is the feeling that connects us to others. It gives us reasons to do things. It supports us in difficult times and makes memories complete. Adding love and caring to any situation makes it shared. My other ideas on love can be found in this acrostic poem.

Love is letting other people or things into your life and caring about them—at times putting their needs above your own.   

Obvious in your face—it makes you smile and warms you from the inside.

Valuable—without love and letting others get close—you are alone.

Every feeling the other person feels you share—if they are happy or sad—you feel their joy or sadness.

Love is...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/i-want-to-know-what-love-is/

Necessary

inspiringmax

There are 26 letters in the English language, and we need every single one of them. Want proof? Choose a letter and write a blog post without using it. (Feeling really brave? Make it a vowel!)

Today I have written my first concrete poem. It was a challenge to get started but worked in the end. I think the title of the poem speaks for itself. Without the letter the title of this blog is Inspriring Ax—to easy to be wrongly used and interpreted.

 

One day                                                   there was a

letter of the                                         alphabet that

could not be                                  spoken. She was

special. Living                                     in the centre.

Lots of                       words                               were

never                           able                                to be

re                                  cog                                nised

with                                                                       out

her.                                                                     After

all                                                                       adult

lady                                                                   of the

group                                                             doesn’t

sound                                                                 okay.

 

 https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/twenty-five/

Celebrating—Versatile Blogger and Premio Dardos Awards

inspiringmax

Today I celebrate my 300th follower. Back in January, during Blogging 101 I set goals for this blog, which included having 300 followers by my 12 month anniversary in May. As I reached this mile stone today, I am 2 months early—Yeah! Time to celebrate.  Last month I was given more reason to celebrate as I received two blogging awards to accept from Silver Lining Mama http://silverliningmama.com/ The awards were the Versatile Blogger Award and the Premio Dardos Award. I am humbled, grateful and would like to thank her.  If you get time stop by her blog as it’s worth a visit.

versatile-blogger-award-trophy

The rules are:

  • Show the award on your blog.
  • Thank the person who nominated you.
  • Share seven facts about yourself.
  • Nominate 15 blogs.
  • Link your nominees’ blogs, and let them know.

Seven facts about me:

  1. I love purple.
  2. I was born at midnight.
  3. Dates and walnuts are my least favourite foods.
  4. I have a Mickey Mouse collection.
  5. I am enjoying my new found ability to write poetry.
  6. I will self-publish my book this year.
  7. I work with people recovering from eating disorders—my book is based on my knowledge in this area.

My nominations are:

  1. Lynne’s Art and Soul https://lynnesartandsoul.wordpress.com/
  2. Laissez Faire http://laissezfairelife.com/
  3. Pheonix Grey https://phoenixgrey85.wordpress.com/
  4. Its PH https://itsphblog.wordpress.com/
  5. The Main Focus https://annermurray.wordpress.com/
  6. Mutafariq Khayalat https://mutafariqkhayalat.wordpress.com/
  7. Fresh Paula http://freshpaula.com/
  8. The Kyleinator https://thekyleinator.wordpress.com/
  9. Blisters, Bunions and Blarney http://safarfiertze.com/
  10. Michael Meiser https://michaelmeiser.wordpress.com

premiodardosblogaward

Here is the description and rules for this award:

dardos

My nominations are:

  1. The Lace In My Head Mirrors The Cosmic Mind https://patternsofsouldevelopment.wordpress.com/
  2. The Beauty Along The Road https://beautyalongtheroad.wordpress.com/
  3. Its All In Finding The Right Words https://rogershipp.wordpress.com/
  4. Nuggets of Gold https://joyroses13.wordpress.com/
  5. I’m Not A Sick Boy http://iamnotsickboy.com/
  6. Flowers and Breezers https://flowersandbreezes.wordpress.com
  7. The Gad About Town http://thegadabouttown.com/

All of my nominees are worthy of their awards and I enjoy their blogs regularly. Thank you for adding dimension to my blogging journey.

Life In The Villages

inspiringmax

If you were asked to spend a year living in a different location, where would you choose and why?

Back in the late 1980’s I had had enough of life in Australia. I wanted a change. The answer—I booked a flight to London and planned to work in mental health in England for at least 12 months. I needed something new in my life and I was going to get it. No staying in a rut for me. Then it happened. One night when I least expected it—I met my now husband and everything changed. After careful consideration I cancelled my trip and decided we would do it together some day—his job wasn’t as easy to come and go from as mine. Nursing is versatile.

This year we are coming up to our 25th wedding anniversary and are starting to dream of retirement. Besides living in St John’s, Newfoundland see Pacific to Atlantic post here, my husband and I would still like to live in the villages and more remote parts of England, Scotland and Wales.  The types of places where everyone knows everyone and life involves the town—similar to the television shows of Heartbeat and Hamish Macbeth. This would greatly contrast with our life in Sydney Australia and teach us a lot about our ancestors ways of life.

 

Sometimes dreams do need to be put on hold.  However, I believe it is never to late to get back to them. This goal may be a long way off but you’re never to old to try something new, enjoy different experiences and change your life.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/study-abroad/

Pick Your Battles

inspiringmax

Think of a time you let something slide, only for it to eat away at you later. Tell us how you’d fix it today.

Working in mental health I see daily the impact of letting something slide and not dealing with it. The reason are many, varied and often come from a place of wanting the hurt to stop. When feelings aren’t dealt with in a healthy way—even the really difficult ones—they will become a bigger and more powerful problem.

For me—I pick my battles. I make a quick assessment in my mind how I think the issue is going to impact on me. If I can’t get the issue out of my head, I make a mental plan to discuss it with the other person involved at the next convenient time. I make a time with them and tell them how I felt about the situation that developed. They are my feelings—no one can argue with them. I explain what I heard from what they said, usually ending of with the statement “I don’t think that is how you meant it to come across.” I find that this gives the other person an opportunity to re-frame the situation from their point of view and we can usually find the middle ground.

If the situation came and they stated that they did mean to come across how I interpreted it—I would ask why and work on moving forward from there. Communicating is the quickest way to end problems as it allows us to get to the core of the issue. Without addressing the conflict or concern we can jump to many conclusions but they may not be right ones and often only complicate the situation. From my perspective addressing issues when they arise helps develop trust as the other person realises that I want to work with them and we can form a united front. They don’t have to worry about upsetting me as they realise I will let them know if I am upset so we can fix the problem.

There are some battles that I decide when making my mental plan aren’t worth spending oxygen on. Yes, they upset me briefly for petty reasons so I decided to deal with it myself and move on using distraction techniques—doing something I enjoy to get my mind off it. At home I find a simple “stop” to the other person is enough to change the behaviour. I am also happy to debrief a situation with my colleagues and gain support when necessary. Prioritise yourself and seek professional help if necessary. Nothing is too big to be addressed. You just do it like you would eat an elephant—”bite by bite.”

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/set-it-to-rights/

Pacific to Atlantic

inspiringmax

Tell us about something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail (and tell us why you haven’t tried it yet).

My next medium term goal is to spend six months living in St John’s Newfoundland—Canada’s 10th province. I plan spend my days writing my second and traveling to explore the surrounding unique parts of Canada. My husband and I visited the city for  8 glorious days last November. During my stay I decided I would love to live there and become more intimate the city, its people and its British history. As an Australian who never studied history, I knew nothing about this side of British history and found it fascinating.

St John’s is a welcoming city and whilst there we participated in their screeching-in ceremony so I am already an honorary Newfoundlander—see post here. I would love to live through the changes in scenery and dramatic weather and how life adapts to what nature provides. I would also like to understand the differences between living on the Atlantic rather than Pacific Ocean.

Interestingly, last weekend I began exploring my dream and realised it is doable. A month’s rent in St John’s is equal to a weeks in Sydney—approximately $800. I can stay for 182 days without a visa and this can be extended during my stay if I wish. However, before any of this becomes a reality I must publish my first book. This will allow me to be in a situation to either be able to leave work or take 6 months leave and focus on my writing in a foreign country. At present I am unsure of the type of book I want to write when I am living in St John’s—I’m thinking novel but time will tell. As much as I would like it to be—this dream cannot be rushed—but one day I will make it happen in time to see the floating icebergs.

163- The 'Narrows' - the entrance to Newfoundland Harbour

The Narrows – the entrance to St John’s Harbour

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/too-big-to-fail/

Weekly Photo Challenge: Orange

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Time for another multi-photo challenge! Wow us with punchy pops of orange.

Orange isn’t a colour usually found in my photos however, most of these were taken on our recent trip to Canada. Surprising how much colour could be found intermingled with the sky’s grey. The cake and biscuits were made by my niece Laura for our family ‘Sunshine’ themed Christmas.

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