My life is quiet. I created it that way on purpose.
Some people cannot embrace the quiet. They have to stay busy. The stillness of life is a beautiful thing.
Have you practiced just sitting in it?
Sometime last year, I took all the apps off of my phone that made noise. I have an undying love for Google, so the Google family of apps stayed.
My phone may be quiet, but my mind is not.
I’m always thinking, and this was disturbing my sleep. It would take so long for my brain to shut off, I started dreading bedtime. Plus, I would wake up the next day tired from trying to get some sleep!
I tried a lot of things to prepare my mind for bed.
My daughter recommended Melatonin, but that just knocked me out. This is the same daughter that told me, “You look tired.” I longed for a good night’s sleep. That feeling of drifting off to dreamland.
The other night, I laid in bed and listened to my breathing. In my mind, I heard my Yoga instructor say as if to remind me, “It’s all in the breath.”
I’ve been practicing Yoga and meditation all year.
I’ve been doing both of them wrong.
Yoga was a form of exercise for me, but that is not it’s main purpose. That is more like a fringe benefit.
I could never get my mind quiet long enough to meditate. Guess what? I’m not supposed to. It’s okay to be mindful of your thoughts during meditation.
This is when I tried Headspace for 10 days straight.
My daughter mentioned I was ‘sighing’ a lot, but it wasn’t a sigh. It was controlled breathing. I was sorting through my thoughts with each breath.
Two nights ago, guess how I fell asleep?
By counting my breath. Just being aware of my breath, and counting each inhale and exhale.
I felt myself drifting off to sleep. Quiet is good.
I knew nothing about Blogging when I began, but here are some things I learned with WordPress.
What should be the name of your Blog?
When I opened a Medium account in August, it automatically connected to my gmail account, so it used my real name. Use your real name if you can.
When starting this Blog, I used Letitgocoach, because I thought it would reflect that stage of my life. Six years of Social Media later, I’m known as Letitgocoach, so will probably use that pen name in writing a book. We will see if Google can let it go.
Don’t delete pictures from your media library.
This one still causes me to sigh. Whatever you delete in your media library, disappears from the Blog you used it in. I have a years worth of Blogs with this weird little broken link icon instead of a picture.
When inserting a photo, or meme, leave off any alignment. Click the + button on your toolbar, choose ‘media’, and then ‘add new’, to upload your photo. Once inserted, you can click on the photo to see options. This is where you choose, ‘no alignment’, and type in a caption, or photo credit.
Mr. Smith reads my Blog from his phone, and told me he could only see half of my Meme. That is because I used to ‘justify’ the photo to the center of the page. By choosing ‘no alignment’, it floats around nicely on every device. Here’s one for Smith.
Make your Blog easy to read.
I love reading, and following new Bloggers. While in my Reader, I click on the ‘Search’ option, and it pulls up a lot of newbies. There is no easy way to say this but, break up the page. It’s easier on the eyes, and more enjoyable if it’s not a 1,000 word paragraph.
Before clicking publish, I click ‘Preview’. This allows me to see what the post will look like on a Desktop, Tablet, or Phone to ensure it’s easy to read.
The Pingback. How to tag another Blogger, or insert a link in your post.
While reading a Blog post, and you see an underlined, or highlight word, it may contain a link. I will say ‘hello’ to my friend Kat. If you click on her name Kat, it will take you to her Blog.
You can place a link under any word in your post.
Highlight the word, and click the piece of chain link looking thing on your toolbar. In a new browser window, go find the Blogger’s site you want to tag. Copy their link, or any web address you want to use, and go back to your post. Paste the link in the URL window.
You should see your highlighted word in the box below. If not, you can type in your ‘link text.’ If you are referring to a previous post, you can choose it from the list. I click the box ‘”Open link in new window’, so it does. Click ‘add link’ and you’re done.
If you’ve been nominated for an award, and noticed all of the nominees highlighted, or underlined, this is how they did it. You will want to reciprocate.
This is some of what I’ve learned Inbarbsworld. If you want to learn everything there is to know about Blogging, I recommend Renard, in Renard’s World.
My daughter left yesterday to spend the weekend with her Dad. This morning, sitting where we usually sit together, I had an odd thought. “I’m gonna miss hearing, “I love you.”
I had an appointment to get to, but when it was over I Googled the nearest location of Bath and Body Works. When my daughter gets home Monday, I want her to know I was thinking of her. A couple of weeks ago, she walked into my bedroom and said, “Wow! It smells so good in here!” It was a new Wallflower of one of my favorite scents, but I unplugged it and put it in her room. It is now empty.
I’m really big on smell. It’s important, and it seems to be a large part of who I am. From giving people a hug, to someone walking into my home, it brings me joy to hear, “Wow! You smell good!”, or “It smells so good in here!”
It’s a combination of things. Our lotion is made by a woman locally, and smells amazing. Every now and then we wash our clothes in Tyler Wash, and that’s like washing them in perfume. It takes time for this to happen, but it’s pure magic when a room envelops a fragrance, and it fits that room. That is what happened when I gave my daughter the wallflower. It was my favorite scent, but became hers.
You want to stand in her room and inhale deeply.
Standing in front of the display of Wallflowers, it took a while to find the right one. Scanning the display for the name of the fragrance, my gaze froze when it landed on this. A candle was sitting to the left of the display, and I picked it up to purchase without even smelling it first!
Photo cred. B&BW.
Now, I can walk by the candle, see those words, and say it to myself. Smelling the candle burn, it sure smells like love.
Walking into my bedroom, this made my heart happy.
My daughter had hung a banner, and not just any banner. I could tell she had chosen it specifically for my heart. The triangles are printed with a beautiful pattern, and you hand string it on a satin ribbon, to make it the length you want.
Out of the four walls, she chose the one with the ‘Happiness’ sign. She knew I would notice it immediately upon walking in. It was her way of saying, “Happy Birthday!”
My birthday was Saturday, so she hung this the night before. It will hang long past my birthday just because it’s pretty to look at, and it’s from her. That’s just what we do.
She had bought the banner at one of our favorite shops, so she took me there on my birthday. This shop has unique items, leaning toward the artsy, and handcrafted. Every item is quite expensive, but for some reason it’s okay there. We don’t go with purchases in mind. We love walking in, and through the store. Seeing so much pretty in one place.
While there, we found a newly opened doorway, and stood there mesmerized. They had expanded and opened a back room to place sale items. Even the sale sign above the door was no ordinary sign. Each letter was made to look like fresh-cut topiaries. I realized the thing I loved most about this store was their attention to every little detail.
It held items marked half price, in hopes of finding a home. There were not many things in the room, but they were fun to see, and yes, I bought an Earl Grey Shea body lotion.
On our way out, we always stop and look at the cards.
They say things you normally don’t say outloud, so they strike us as fun. One card in particular caught my attention. If it would have been my daughter’s birthday, and she was a little older, I would have gotten this card for her.
Once we returned home, she handed me the card she had filled out the night before. She had chosen it as my birthday card, and it was the same one I was looking at for her.
My daughter arrived home yesterday from her Father’s, and we fell asleep together while talking. When she was a child, she wasn’t allowed to crawl in bed with us. My mother never let me, so I felt it was important for my daughter in becoming self-sufficient. Mama would always walk me back to my bed, tuck me in and leave. She would do it as many times as needed in one night, and it taught me that Mama was there, but I could sleep on my own. My daughter is self sufficient.
At almost 18, she made a choice to stay put, and sleep.
It really is the little thing in life, that are big things to me.
Okay lovelies, I promised to share what I learned last weekend, by stepping away from Social Media. My phone is still inactive, and it will most likely be reactivated later on this week, but this is interesting. It’s not about the phone, as much as what it can do. For me, it’s about the connection.
I thought about calling my sister, but oh…my phone is dead. Lol If you are confused as to what’s going on, please read It’s a Choice. I made a choice not to pay my phone bill last week.
My phone didn’t have any service, but it would still connect to WiFi, so I wasn’t disconnected from my friends. We messaged one another using Facebook messenger all weekend. The thing I missed about my phone was calling my sister. She chooses not to own a computer, but the reason shocked me. You know why she doesn’t have a computer?
Fear.
My sister lives in North Carolina, which is a ways from Texas. She enjoys her privacy, like I do, but she has different reasons. She has let the fear of the corrupt part of this world to keep her from enjoying the connection. She is afraid someone will steal all her personal information, and or identity.
By not having a computer, she is missing so many life moments. She could video chat her son that lives in New York, and see his face. She has never read any of my Blogs, or seen Letitgocoach Facebook page. She admitted that she loves using Google on a friend’s computer when they visit, so that is as a good sign. You go Google! I encouraged her to go look at some, buy one, and I would help her set it up.
Sometimes, I have to make a choice where to spend my money, but my sister doesn’t. To spend money on my phone bill, or go sit at my favorite coffee shop with friends, is an easy choice. Maybe we need to put the word, “Mobile”, back in front of ‘phone’, because that is what it is. It allows a connection while being mobile. When I go mobile, I have become accustomed to leaving my phone at home.
So, this got me to thinking. How can I become more real in the virtual world? Facebook has made all these fancy advancements in technology, so the tools are there. The only thing stopping me was me. It’s been 3 years since Letitgocoach was born, and no one has seen her. Writing about everyday life, and seeing it are two different things.
Yesterday, I was mopping my floors, and it became clear what to do. Mandy Hunter popped into mind. Mandy is a huge inspiration, and we have a special bond, because we are so much alike. Mandy has a popular Facebook page called One2One Healing, and that is how we met. One day, I hope to meet her in person, but the woman lives in Ireland!
Mandy started doing ‘live streams.’ She goes to the beach, or hikes through the woods, and takes us with her virtually! It’s an amazing feeling, and it’s like we are there with her! We can talk with her during it because it’s happening live!
“Mandy uses her phone”, I thought, but I have a laptop.
My daughter has left to go visit her Father, so let the weekend begin! Let’s see how long it takes her to realize, she left her favorite CD’s in the CD player at home. Thank you Darling!
As she drove away, I turned on the stereo to listen to this song I’ve been bingeing on for a month. You can hear it on Feel the Music. This song soothes me even though it makes the house vibrate. Gotta love a good stereo, and sub woofer.
This weekend I am taking a social media fast. Social Media and I have had a long loved, and unloved relationship. It has been good for me, and not so good. Spending the weekends, doing whatever I wanna, the timing feels right to take this break. Will let you know next week what it taught me.
Life has a lot to do with timing, and expectations. They are our teachers. I have high expectations for myself, but realize everyone’s expectations vary. We can be our own worst enemy, so my weekends are spent being extra kind to myself.
Something social media has given me are Memes. Friends tease me about my life being one, big Meme. I love them, and will eventually make a Meme compiled with all my favorite quotes, but I almost allowed a complete stranger turn me against them altogether. This happened a year ago.
Searching for Memes to post on Letitgocoach Facebook page, I was becoming burned out over seeing the same ones. There had to be better, and more, is what I felt in my heart. I found an online software that was free, and user-friendly, and began making my own, like the one above.
My heart was right, but I had no clue what I was doing. All I knew was, they should be pretty, and say something that you don’t see everyday. Looking for Memes to share, there were times the saying was almost what I wanted, but not quite. Or, I would find the perfect one, and it would have a typo in it.
This online software was not the best, or the most popular to use, but it was simple. It had limited choices for font, and pics. It didn’t stop me though. Between my daughter’s photography, and Google, I could find pics. The software provided freedom to share whatever I felt led to share, but they didn’t look like ordinary Memes. Here’s one of the first.
One of my first Memes.
One of my favorite meditative readings is a book by Melodie Beattie entitled, “Journey to the Heart: Daily meditations on the Path to Freedom.” Googling quotes from the book, pulled up very few Memes, but that is what I wanted to share. It wasn’t going to change the world, but it could make a difference. Then, in walked the stranger with my lesson.
My Facebook page was growing, and this guy that owns a couple of pages decided he would help me out. He sent a message, and here it is copied and pasted in it’s original format. His personal info has been omitted for anonymity. “If I may suggest, your messages are great, just need to work little on your images. Use picmonkey for editing images Pixabay for images and pintrest for free fonts and quotes.”
I thanked him for his advice, and did more research. Was his comment discouraging, or encouraging? I saw it as both.
Having done research beforehand, I knew of his suggestions, and they were not what I wanted. The one I was using was simple, and had everything right there, it just needed to offer more. Recently, I went back to his pages to see if his style had changed, and it had. The Memes were all black and white.
From SC Lourie’s journal, “How the Light Gets Out.”
One year later, and full circle. Looking through SC Lourie’s journal, and wanting to share. I pulled up the Meme software to see if they had made any changes, or if it still existed. There it was with many new enhancements. It just took time. They know they have a good thing going, but they also know it can always be better. The one above is for my new Blog.
It’s not about being perfect, or pleasing other people. It’s about what makes YOU happy. Learning to take constructive criticism is a work in progress, but it makes me want to do better, and be the best I can be. Making memes is fun, and it’s one of the best, and free ways to advertise who you are.
Just for grins, I Googled Letitgocoach, clicked on images, and there they are! A lot of what has been posted here, or used on Letitgocoach Facebook is displayed on Google. Even some of the early ones! (slight cringe) Well, here ya go Google. Latch onto one of my faves! Much love lovelies!
I had to laugh at what just happened. Technology can be our friend, but sometimes it works too well. When it is connected correctly, all you have to do is push one button, and away it goes!
I haven’t used the ‘Publicize’ option on my Blog before. Instead, I have been manually going to every social media site I have an account with, and posting the link to my Blog. We have an option through WordPress for ‘sharing’ our posts automatically through Publicize. By connecting our Social Media accounts to this option, Publicize shares everything we publish!
The photo it uses to display the Blog could be any photo on my site. It may pick my Instagram photo, or my Bio pic, and this bothers me. Do you think it’s a control issue, or perfectionism?
God is showing me I need to take advantage of these tools of automation. So, I connected my Blog to Publicize last week, and haven’t written anything since. Let me stop here to catch you up. What I was playing around with today, that made me laugh will make more sense then.
I was driving home Monday, and started a converstaion with God while driving. This is how I pray, by just having a normal, sometimes one sided, conversation with Him, anytime and anywhere. I asked Him, “What do you want me to do with my life?” He was quick to respond with, “I want you to use everything I’ve already given you.” Don’t you just love that?
This is the point in the Blog where I could run off in three different directions, but I’ll try to stay focused. One of the things God showed me that I haven’t used is Patreon. He showed it to me how long ago?? Oh yeah…..about a year ago! I set up an account, and shared it maybe once, and that was it. I couldn’t wrap my mind around people supporting me financially for writing.
I am writing a book. There are two in process, but God has nudged one in front of the other. I am writing about my Breast Cancer Journey, with big emphasis on the journey. It seems people see Cancer as the dreadful ‘C’ word, and it’s only a label. The diagnosis is not the outcome. It’s only the beginning of what can be an amazing transformation, if you have the proper lense.
God wants me to offer people a new lense.
I went back to Patreon, and redid my page including some detail of the book. Patreon for me is giving people the opportunity to be a part of something big! I will post exerpts from the book on Patreon, and they will be involved in the entire process of the book. The hills and valleys!
***Here comes the funny part in case you are wondering. ***
This morning I downloaded the Patreon logo to use at the bottom of my Blog. I opened up my Blogsite, and started a draft to play around with it. I uploaded the logo, and copied and pasted the url behind it. Being in draft mode, it wouldn’t let me click on the logo, so what did I do? Well…I hit Publish of course!!! Just for a minute so it would activate the link behind the logo!
I refreshed the Homepage of my Blog, and there it was, the ginormous Patreon logo looking like a Blog. I clicked on it, and it took my straight to the page. Success! I just missed one detail. As soon as I hit ‘Publish’, Publicize shot that logo out to all my social media sites as a Blog!!!
I know I’m not really stupid, but it made me feel pretty stupid! Of course, I went to all my Social Media sites, and removed the post, but I just had to laugh. I had forgotten I had set it up to do just that! If you are wondering, let me assure you, Publicize works, and it works fast!!!
So, here is my first actual Blog using Publicize. Can’t wait to see what picture it chooses!
Barbara is a Writer, a Certified Letting Go Coach, a Mom to her 17-year-old daughter, a recent Breast Cancer survivor, and she loves God. When she started this Blog in 2014 Letitgocoach was the name that stuck. She enjoys helping people Let Go of what is holding them back from having a beautiful life. Her life is a beautiful example of Letting Go and Letting God. You may connect with her via email. Letitgocoach@gmail.com
Whoop! Look who joined Patreon! Click the Giant A$$ Logo to visit my page. (I hope)
