Tag: escape

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THOSE MEMORIES FILLING MY MIND

Photo by Girl with red hat on Unsplash

Those memories filling my mind just won’t let me go. I have found myself in a place of very deep reflection these past weeks. (which really isn’t that unusual for me). I had another birthday this month so maybe it truly is “life’s golden season” that brings back nostalgia. I have also been binge-watching old childhood television shows on ROKU. Those TV shows had good morals, humor, and life lessons. Of course, it could be the research I am doing for my next book. Maybe it’s hearing the lyrics in music before it was so overproduced and polished. The days when music was written from raw life emotions or world events.

I don’t have the answers but I do know I am not the only one that seems to be reminiscing about the good ole days.

Frankly, I am beginning to believe that somewhere in the past 50 years we have become such polished people we have either forgotten or never knew how to be our authentic selves. It’s funny because when those rare face-to-face meetings occur with someone who brushes the world view to the wayside and instead lives out of a place of genuine purity – I am enthralled and even envious.

When I go down that deep hole of reflection and introspection I usually find a place in my daily routine that simply needs a change. Sometimes it’s an easy transition and sometimes it’s gut-wrenching.

For example – one little tweak of a schedule can bring hours of relief in a day. That’s easy.

However, changing a false mindset can literally feel like losing a limb. I was raised on a farm. Hard work, integrity, and honesty were deeply instilled values. We worked hard, played hard, and rested hard. I liked country living and watching the sunset from the porch. I liked being barefoot in the mud. I didn’t recognize it then but the freedom of the outdoors did something for my soul.

Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash

We probably assumed the days would never change but they did and many of us changed with them in pursuit of a “better” life. The hourly wage and 40-hour plus work week took the place of sunsets and family dinners. I now better understand why I was terrible at punching a clock! It didn’t allow me to witness those beautiful things that happen outside the constriction of a schedule. Like dropping everything to watch a horse foul or a litter of puppies enter the world.

It seems many folks are looking over their shoulder to search for something they lost along the way. I leave you with this encouragement. All is not lost – it is a part of you that only needs resurrected. Show them the things they may not know like a family dinner. Require all electronic devices to go into lockdown for a moment on the porch as the sun explodes colors in the sky on its descent. Reach deep within yourself and let those creative ideas flow. How can the world possibly be complete without your contribution of beauty that only you can give?

Change is a good thing and we mustn’t grieve the past BUT we must remember we all have something to teach and we all have something to learn. Give of yourself as a teacher and a student and you will most certainly

Enjoy the Journey – VB

It's in the Music

The Latest Release Right HERE!! It’s a dream that came to life in my writing.

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Have You Shared Your Story?

Photo Credit: dreamstime.com

Have you shared your story? I absolutely love to hear people’s stories.

The current fast-paced world seldom lends time to listen to an entire thought from someone else let alone their entire story. Some of my favorite memories include listening to stories told by my Mother, Dad, Granddad, and friends. Now that I am older and most of them have transitioned to heaven, I have a much greater appreciation for their stories. It makes me want to go back and listen more intently to each one of them while looking them in the eyes with my full attention.

Listening in general is a lost art. The explosion of technology has replaced the evening gathering of families around the dinner table and things like the hot summer porch sittings with a glass of tea in hand – listening to the frogs’ chirp. This heart misses those times and silently wishes the world would slow down enough to appreciate each other’s presence a bit more.

I recently read All Over but the Shoutin’ written by Rick Bragg. His story entails his journey from Possom Trot, Alabama to his success as a writer. It’s not only inspiring, it will move your soul.

Each one of our stories has the same potential to inspire and give hope to those around us. I believe if we would only look a little closer it would be evident that each of our stories connects to someone else’s. I could relate to Rick’s love and honor for his mother.

I too have a mother that had a story. A story that began in 1921 on top of a mountain in Plumlee, Arkansas. Her journey carried her to many states as my Grandpa moved the family with his ministry and writing career. One year she bound the archives of his writings and added a brief summary of her written story to the front of one of the books. I would have never imagined how precious that gift would become to me through the years.

In her own handwriting, she included dates, a few short stories, and even a medical history of her generations. These are things we do not think of as valuable until they are.

The point is that these things only transpire if we invest our time to make them happen. There has never been a space in history that has given us the ability to research, create, share and archive as we have now. Our stories should not go with us on the day of our last breath. A piece of us must stay on earth to instill hope, reflection, and wisdom to those who are seeking.

I believe it is important to share our history with our families and friends and be equally willing to listen to their stories too. The truth is, even though a story is unseen, it can prove to be the most valuable influence in the lifetime of the receiver. Once heard, it will plant itself in a memory available for retrieval for the rest of your days! The richness of life lies under those things we strive daily to maintain like mountains of debt for big houses, cars, and the decaying junk we thought we just had to have.

Me and my Grandson walking together. He’s a big part of my story!

I have one grandson. The week he was born I started a journal of his time spent with me and his grandpa. My entries are as if writing him a letter. The pages are beginning to fill with heartfelt words of encouragement and wisdom from those moments. I tell him things his squirmy 8-year-old self doesn’t have time to hear right now! One day he will cherish the words and prayerfully hear the tone of love in my voice as he reads the journal. Perhaps he will be sitting outside on a hot summer evening with a glass of tea as written memories unfold into a pleasant journey of his own story. My hope is he will be inspired to write his story too and continue his portion of the massive connection of mankind.

I leave you with this encouragement:

Record your story. Write to your children or grandchildren. Be transparent as you record your story leaving no stone unturned. The golden seasons of life are meant to be told. Tell the story as if you were the most important person in the world – because you are and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

Blogging is a GREAT way to tell your story! It’s easy to get started with a little assistance right HERE!

My Story

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A Prosperous Soul

This pic was taken on a road less traveled in Ireland in 2017. It represents the totality of prosperity and freedom to me!

Today is a perfect early spring day. I used the early morning hours to enjoy the view from my office. Sipping on a cup of hot tea and watching the geese use the pond as a bathtub made my heart happy. It reminded me of the value of freedom. Freedom to be who we are designed to be. Freedom to choose our own perspectives. Freedom to choose a life of abundance. Freedom will cover a very broad territory depending on where you are at the moment.

Another pic from Ireland. Space and beauty as far as the eye can see.

It has been one year since the world was shaken by a pandemic. I believe we learned some things as a global community. The shutdown brought uncertainty, fear, and isolation. The world was shaken but closer to home, each one of us had to deal with it on a personal level. We were forced to slow down and look at what we value the most. The confinement challenged our views of the true definition of freedom. Something as simple as watching the geese enjoy an early morning play in our neighborhood pond has made me reflect on how my own views have changed in a years time.

At this moment some of us may not feel the freedom to travel to other countries yet. The rules have changed and we have to decide how to fit into the infrastructure’s guidelines. These pics of our last real vacation were taken in Ireland in 2017. We traveled there to explore my family roots. While the look back at the pics refreshed the memories of “freedom without boundaries”, they also reached deep into my own aspect of “Prosperity”.

The trip to Ireland was steeped in conversations with the natives of the country. The folks we engaged with held a deep knowledge of the history of their land. They lived simple lives with little chaos and much family time. Monetary wealth was at the bottom of the priority scale and it was relevant in their lifestyles.

The castles hold secrets from the deep history of the land. Their dungeons and secret rooms remind me of the hidden places in our hearts.

I came home with much to ponder. The culture of the Irish helped me understand on a deeper level that the things which matter most in this world do not come from the riches of the pocketbook.

Unfortunately, most folks think of prosperity in the terms of assets owned. Prosperity is a rich word with a deep meaning. The definition begins in one’s heart. It begins with the distance of your vision. In other words, can you see past your own toes? Can you see where you are at the moment? For example, when the news of the shutdown reached your household – did you have an innate knowing that “you and your family were going to be okay?” Did the road map of your vision take you to safety and peace? Or did you choose the road most traveled and dive into fear and media updates?

This is actually a MAIN road but less traveled! A road less traveled will always be more narrow.

Truthfully, in the beginning, it took me some time to get off the fence and completely embrace peace. The prosperous side of my soul eventually spoke louder than my own analytical thoughts. I finally reached the pinnacle of the truth that this thing was not something I could control anyway. The prosperous side of my mentality consistently pointed me toward the riches that exceeded any bank account on this planet. The riches of peace, health, friends, and family. These four things make you a prosperous human. The restrictions of the shutdown challenged every one of those elements of our freedom. Just like my Irish friends, it is our choice to bathe in the freedoms of our true wealth.

I leave you with this encouragement. Revisit some good times of the past to refresh some stagnant places of your soul left from the residual of last year. Make a list of the riches you possess. Make notes of the places where you are experiencing total peace, the physical health of your family, the list of those friends that stick closer than a brother, and the family that you belong. Express gratefulness for your list of wealth. Finally, start a plan to improve or refine any of these areas if needed. Be sure to include your monetary status too. After all, it is a part of the definition of prosperity. It just isn’t the MAIN objective to our wealth or status.

I actually love money. We must choose to steward it properly. It is a tool that not only moves the things of this world but also partners with love, empathy, and compassion to provide hope in the desolate place in the heart of another. I love to manage it and I love to generously give it away.

The way we manage our dollars is a reflection of the true condition of the soul. We will either invest from a prosperous sight using wisdom, caution, and faith or scatter funds beyond our means from a place drenched in fear, lack, and uncertainty. Sounds like a good topic to address next time.

Touch base with your family today with an awareness of your prosperity and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

P.S. Writing brings me great joy. It also brings me great joy when others share themselves through writing too. It’s not hard to get your stuff out there for others to enjoy. Click here or here to see how I got started! These folks are fabulous!

My book is available on Amazon. “Escape from Darkness“

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Poverty vs Prosperity/What’s the difference?

This picture of the old farmhouse where I grew up was taken on a recent trip to South Dakota. It had been 40 YEARS since I had seen it.

Poverty or prosperity- which mentality do you have?

Wow-what a controversial topic. That question can challenge the best of us. Honestly, I had not given it much thought until one of my mentors presented me with the question. That’s when I had to take a close look at which of those lenses I was choosing to view my life.

Cultural programming has everything to do with how we define our lifestyle. My folks raised us knowing the meaning of hard work. We lived on a farm in South Dakota for a big part of my childhood. I remember the long cold winters when all hands were required to be on deck to ensure that both we and the animals survived. Summers brought long hot days in the wheat fields. Mom packed our lunch in a round dishpan and filled the water jugs to the brim. We loaded up the goods and spent the whole day in the field under a make-shift awning. (an old green tarp with holes in it that was strung from the truck bed to two fence posts stuck in the ground) She and my dad went around and around the field on their tractors all day planting crops. They would wave at us with each round and make sure all was well at the camp. I laugh as I write this just thinking about how dirty we were at the end of the day.

The look back helps me to identify how my mindset that surrounds my perspective on poverty or prosperity was developed. Lifestyle has certainly changed over the years BUT the mentality dug its roots and settled in for the long haul.

I could go on and on about how life was lived on the plains of South Dakota. The stories can easily mirror the “Little House on the Prairie” television series. It was those stories that set me on the path of reforming some very old mindsets.

The first thing was to explore what each of those words meant to me. With no purposeful intentions from anyone involved – my definition of poverty took on the persona of “hard work only brings more hard work”. It was an endless cycle of work to simply survive. Sometimes there were huge setbacks like hail storms that took out a whole crop. Even as a child I could feel the heartbreak and disappointment of my parents. The fear of lack began to box me into a very tiny space of small dreams. I developed a real ” poverty mentality“.

Cultural programming has everything to do with how we develop our life. Can we break out of what we know and into what is actually possible?

I’m not sure why it is often referred to as a poverty “mentality”. The more accurate description is an “impoverished soul”. Poverty is more than how many dollars you have or don’t have in your bank account. It runs deep into the crevices of your everyday life and can affect every decision you make. For example, our hard childhood culture left a residue of unworthiness that ran behind the scenes of my adulthood decisions. Decisions stretching all the way from what clothing to buy to who to marry! It’s hard to imagine how sitting in a field playing games and reading all day could develop into an unworthy attitude toward myself.

The truth is that culture does define us. The good news is we can be open to change if we want something different.

Somewhere on life’s journey, I realized there was another option besides “expecting lack” and “slamming every penny into a savings account”. There were faith and hope. There was an understanding of a new identity that could take the golden nuggets of teaching from my childhood and apply them to a more prosperous mentality. The type of thinking that refreshes your soul into knowing that no matter what – YOU ARE WORTHY of the precious things life can give.

The truth is that most of the present chaos of the world is simply not in our control anyway. It will gladly drain any faith and hope we muster up if we focus on it. The healthy option is to change your focus. I mean your eyes can literally move from one place to another. From the place of lack to the place of abundance.

I leave you with this encouragement. Don’t define your mentality of poverty or prosperity by your bank account. Instead , revisit your cultural upbringing. Look deep in your soul and ask yourself what you are expecting life to bring you. Do you really believe you deserve the gold that is waiting for you in this season? Will you take it when it presents itself? Will you restore faith and hope in yourself and those around you? Are you open to changing some old habits?

The next blog will bring a closer look at prosperity. In the meantime

Enjoy the Journey – VB

P.S. Writing brings me great joy. It also brings me great joy when others share themselves through writing too. It’s not hard to get your stuff out there for others to enjoy. Click here to see how I got started. These folks are fabulous!

My book is available on Amazon. “Escape from Darkness“

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Am I Enough?

Photo and quote By: Lindsey Ellen Simon
This is one of my favorite views…surrounded by towering trees.
It’s here where it gets quiet enough for the silent things to be heard and slows down enough for the hidden things to be seen. Where you can actually hear yourself breathe in life and feel every time your heart beats. Can these things be seen and felt other places? Sure…but the difficulty increases as the height of the trees decrease.

Do I really believe that I am enough?

I just returned home from an hour and a half massage! It was absolutely fabulous and absolutely needed. My massage therapist is a close friend and professional who is as genuinely concerned about my well-being as I am. She is so important to me that she gained honorable mention in my first book that was written during my own process of finding wholeness. I first had to define the term before I could pursue it! Below is the definition copied from the December 17, 2020 blog entitled “Wholeness”.

It is also a direct quote from the first page of “Escape from Darkness”.

Wholeness is the sense that my life is One – not many parts or many compartments, but one loving, breathing, ordered life. In the midst of the search for wholeness – two good things remain; my desire to be whole and the voice that can lead me to wholeness.

Wholeness allows me to embrace who I am and at the same time strive to achieve all I am capable of achieving and become all I am capable of becoming. Being content with who I am today and improving myself for tomorrow.

I believe wholeness is attained when we find the delicate balance that allows both to coexist.

Massage was a major player in my pursuit of emotional freedom. Yet it is only one of many things a person can do to rejuvenate a tired body or mind. It only takes a bit of thought and intentional effort to make moments of self-care happen for yourself. I personally love any kind of pampering. If there was a job entitled “receiver of professional self-care” I would certainly qualify. I have several ideas! It seems I frequent conversations including self-care more and more in these days of uncertainty, isolation, and information overload. It also seems there is a common theme that often relates to “unworthiness” in those dialogues.

Many women really do have difficulty seeing themselves as worthy of putting their own self-care in the budget. I believe most women are wired to BE the nurturer or giver instead of the receiver of such love. Things like massage therapy can be seen as fluffy and unneeded. However, if medicine is needed for well-being or illness, we quickly fork out the cash.

The question I raise today deserves introspection. How can we see ourselves as ENOUGH to feel worthy of “self-care” in this chaotic world of high demands and constant stress? I wish there were a clear fix-all answer. Somebody would be rich, wouldn’t they?

The answer is not quick and it certainly isn’t a FIX ALL remedy. The first step is a simple decision to pursue your own wholeness. The rest of the steps happen naturally as the progress is walked out. You may be led to a counselor, life coach, or mentor. You may find yourself on an extended vacation in the mountains. You may engage in totally new and improved daily routines that include walks, quiet time, writing, or cooking. Whatever brings your mind to the center of relaxation allowing your whole body to be involved is worthy of being put on the list.

I found a new person hidden under the rubble of stress and trauma once I dedicated time to run my race to wholeness. The first few steps were nothing more than tiny steps of faith because I had never seen myself as enough. Smart enough. Talented enough. Pretty enough. Worthy enough. My perspective has changed as time and discipline have ran their course. YES– I will schedule a monthly massage. YES – I will spend an hour each morning with a book or pen and paper. YES – I will protect myself from hitting the emotional ditch. I walk toward my dreams but with total awareness that it is a JOURNEY and NOT A SPRINT!

I leave you with this encouragement. Find that secret place like you see in the picture at the beginning of this blog where you can actually hear yourself think. Ask yourself “Do I believe I am enough? “ Your answer will lend a good starting place to begin a new self care routine. Practice saying YES to yourself. We all have room to expand and by all means

Enjoy the Journey- VB

Find more of Lindsey Ellen Simon’s pics on Instagram

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Time Holds Your Purpose

One of the best tools I ever used was a 7-week calendar with 1-hour increments. Each week has exactly 168 hours. It seems the major complaint one hears from most folks these days is there just isn’t enough time. The truth is we all have the same amount of time. It is how we choose to use it. If you will spend a week completing the handy little calendar based on your daily activities, how you spend your time will be quickly revealed. Frankly, I was appalled at my own results. I actually uncovered all kinds of time that was available to me. Furthermore, the way I was spending my time was far from productive or satisfying. It was no wonder frustration and anxiety chased me around.

The value on that exercise turned out to be long lasting. When I sense that feeling of my plate being “too full” , I simply pull out the 168 hour calendar and reevaluate my priorities. A reevaluation may come frequently or it may not. There are no defined rules as to when you reevaluate YOUR TIME.

24hourcalendar-1Download

Creating time in your schedule for the things you love to do is empowering. Deciding how much of YOUR TIME you give away to others is also empowering. Relenting to the uniqueness in you and the desires that are pushing on your soul is empowering.

I have to wonder if most people avoid their own talents simply because they can’t see how it would make a difference. The real truth is anything we enjoy doing will be done with heart and passion. That alone is enough of a reason to pursue the dream. Tucked deep in each one of us are gifts and talents pushing to get out. We will either recognize their presence or take them to our grave. If the latter happens, the world around us has been deprived because each of us carries a purpose. Your purpose will always affect the life of another. The Butterfly Affect by Andy Andrews is a great read to influence how you live each day.

It all started when I began a journey of emotional healing through counseling. I designated one morning a week to do nothing but write. Writing was my saving grace. My journals filled up between each counseling session. I could sense more freedom with each word I wrote. It also had to be long hand with a felt tip pen. Okay, that may sound silly but I am being transparent to make a point. You can RELENT or PARTIALLY RELENT. The choice is yours. I totally relented to my kinesthetic learning style. This is part of finding out how YOU are wired. The more freedom I found from my own life trauma the more the desires of the divinely installed gifts began to surface. I loved writing so much I decided to turn my experience into a book. I would not let anything interrupt the time I blocked out to write. Two years later Escape from Darkness was published. There are no sufficient words to properly describe how that accomplishment boosted my courage to JOURNEY ON AND FORGE THE WAY TO MORE UNCHARTED TERRITORY!

I leave you with this encouragement. Take the time to evaluate your time! Complete the 168-hour calendar and take charge of your life. Time is a gift to be stewarded in a way that points us in the direction of our predestined purpose. Unwrap your gift today and by all means

ENJOY THE JOURNEY – VB

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Are you in position?

The above pictures remind me of how one single day can hold a lesson for life and help us ponder the question “Are you in Position”?

We are quickly approaching the official holiday season. I think it is safe to say that most of us will gladly kiss 2020 goodbye and put it in our rearview mirror. It seems the year has slowly flown by us. Sometimes leaving us in a trail of dust and other times leaving us to feel like we are standing knee-deep in stagnant waters.

The year has certainly offered its challenges but it has also given us a great opportunity to RESET and become positioned for a new day. There are 77 days left until the calendar offers a reason to refresh our goals and look forward to a new horizon. We can ask ourselves these questions? What are we going to do with those 77 days? Are they going to slowly fly by us or are we going to “flow with them” onto new roads that lead to our real dreams?

Did you know that those dreams and desires are put there as a guide to take you to your purpose? They aren’t just some silly thoughts that are passing through your head. Beneath those dreams of yours are gifts and talents that will prove to be tools and vehicles to take you to a place of your divine purpose on this earth. Believe it or not – we are meant to enjoy each day to its fullest. What we lay our hands to should seem like anything but work!

One can not settle for looking at the world through the windows of the soul and deciding “this is it”. There is so much more beyond what you can see with your naked eye.

It has been 5 years since a motorcycle accident shook my perspective of life to the core. The recovery time forced me into a place of self-introspection and prioritization. I came to realize that most of what kept me so busy had nothing to do with my dreams. Since then I have not talked to one person who had a near-death experience that didn’t tell me the same thing.

The physical recovery from many broken bones and the trauma of being hit head-on from a car (pictured behind the wrecked bike) was certainly difficult; however, the shift in understanding the importance of living each day in the joy of taking my position on this earth at this particular time presented a much more thoughtful journey. Sometimes I sense standing in the light after coming out of a long twisty journey from the woods. There are different paths that lay before me but some of them illuminate slightly above the others. As I set my foot on those predestined paths I cannot help but wonder if I’m even equipped to walk on these roads less traveled. Yet the desire to reach the pinnacle is much greater than the fear that could hold me buried in the mud of complacency.

I leave you with this encouragement:

Are you happy with your current position? Do you need to explore different options? Do you need to do a “clutter cleanse” from your daily schedule?

I encourage you to spend the days ahead looking beyond the boundaries of your natural vision and grasp the possibility of the dream that lies in your heart. There is no one else on earth who can fill your position. I promise.

Enjoy the Journey – VB