Saturday, April 19, 2008

Moments For Me Monday!!!!

Moments for Me Monday!

I realize today isn't Monday! But I wanted to get this out there now so there's time before Monday to start thinking about your own "Moments For Me" post.

I'm so excited to start this challenge and I really hope there are others out there that are just as inspired by this...and if not, that's OK too. I'll continue doing it even if it's only for my own sake!

The purpose of this Meme is to be inspired. I believe, PASSIONATELY, that life is meant to be a celebration. A HAPPY celebration. Our time on this Earth is short and there are so many people out there who are having a difficult time finding their own "happy place". This is about discovering yourself, finding happiness in yourself, discovering who you are outside of your roll as a parent, spouse, or career woman/man, and then sharing your discoveries and/or the methods you used to discover that knowledge to hopefully inspire others to do the same.

So the rule is...There are no rules!

I couldn't decide if I wanted to make this strictly about:

* Taking an hour for yourself each week and sharing how you spent your time, or....
* Learning how to be alone with ourselves and sharing those silent moments and your discoveries, or ....
* Sharing things that have helped you find happiness within yourself in the past, or....
* Sharing "ah-ha" moments, or
* Sharing excerpts from books that may have helped you in the past, or...
* Maybe just sharing a simple act of kindness that made you smile....

.....so, since this is my blog...I say there are no rules....all of the above are acceptable. Share, inspire, and be inspired.

And what I hope happens eventually is that we will read something in someone else's discovery that will inspire us to try THEIR method.

OK...I'm changing my mind....this challenge has ONE rule...Well.... kinda..... I'm not going to be enforcing rules or sending out the Gestapo to seek out the rule breakers...obviously...but I'm asking for everyone to TRY to make the "Moments For Me" posts about YOU....and ONLY you. No mention of kids or spouses in your "Moments For Me" post. The rule is "Be selfish"!!!

Alright, two rules....so sue me.....NO NEGATIVITY! Remember, we are trying to spread happiness!

This is a learn as we go challenge. I'll start it this Monday April 21st and continue it weekly. I know some people think weekly is overwhelming but you don't have to participate weekly. If monthly is all you can handle for now then come participate monthly. Or, if you have nothing to post and just want to be a lurker then come on by and lurk and be inspired.

So come back on Monday with your happy stories...what did you do for YOURSELF that made you happy this week? What did you read that gave you your "ah-ha" happy moment? Do you have any words of happy wisdom to share? Do you have any links to some fantastic happy websites out there that you'd like to share? Did you participate in a random act of kindness that put a smile on your face? Did another blogger inspire your own happy moment.....SHARE! SHARE! SHARE! Just click the Mister linky at the bottom of my post on Mondays and put the link to your own "Moments For Me" post.

I only ask that if you write a post for this "Moments For Me" challenge then please include a courtesy link back to my blog so others can share in the inspiration. I'm still trying to figure out how to create a cool & happy looking little button linky thingy for this Meme but am failing miserably in my attempts...I'm still slightly blog illiterate. If someone out there would be kind enough to show me how....or, better yet, if someone can do it FOR me I'm willing to pay....I'd SO appreciate it.................Anyone...............Beuller........

Now I'm gonna share an "ah-ha" moment of my own....from Happiness Now by Robert Holden (pg. 6)


"As long as you believe that it's the world that must make you happy, you
leave yourself open to great disappointment and much sadness.
Why? Because as long as you refuse to see you inner potential for
happiness now, you will not see it in the world. How can a
mirror change the way you look?
Think about that, for the world
is only a mirror. You will only see in the world what you're prepared
to see in yourself - nothing more and nothing less."

12 comments:

Marni's Organized Mess said...

Ok… the awards you can do on your photo programs. I went to Photoshop (totally cheated) found a pic I LOVED and then just added the text really. If you even find the pic you want, I can add the text for you too! 

Linking… are you wanting to link a photo? I’m confused. If that’s what you want to do, you just highlight it with your mouse and then do the hyperlink, (the paper clip image in the tool bar above the text, you just click it and type in http://blahblah.blogspot.com...

I’m glad you like my song, but uh, I have it on shuffle, so which one did I win your heart with? ;)

Let me know if I can help with ANYTHING else. I love to teach and learn! :D

Marni's Organized Mess said...

And now regarding the blog... I LOVE the idea!! I'll look for some cute pics and you do the same. Pay me.... psssht, no. ;) But I'll be glad to help! After all you did teach me the cool slashy thing. ;-)

Marni's Organized Mess said...

PS... as I leave my 20th comment. That was actually your second award from me! :)

http://marnisorganizedmess.blogspot.com/2008/04/award-goes-to.html

Anonymous said...

I love it. I'll be linking Monday.

Anonymous said...

We kind of run into an issue being a family blog. I'm the only one who reads others but hubby and daughter do contribute to writing. OK if we alternate moments for different individuals? You only have one rule and I wanna break it - what a rebel I am!

Mama Smurf said...

So like I said, this is a learn as we go challenge and my rule does not take into account family blogs. So just do what ever works for your family. But remember that this is a "selfish" meme. Try to make this an individual adventure not a "family" adventure. If that makes any sense. I think you get the point. But again, there's no meme police that'll come knock'n on your door. So just use your own judgement.

Christy said...

Sounds hard. I can't talk about my babies???

Marni's Organized Mess said...

I did a blinky, did you see it (check your email)? I have my Moments for Me Monday ready to go! It's SUPER DUPER long and not EXACTLY what you wanted, but I like the freedom. ;) I'll get a good one for next week.

Mama Smurf said...

Christy -

It IS hard....that's why I'm doing this. We forget how to connect with ourselves and our spouses when we're outside of that role as parent or spouse. Our whole life and identity revolves around what little Johnny is doing or not doing. Women have a major guilt complex over taking time for ourselves....it's viewed as selfish to want to spend even an hour for OURSELF. It's not healthy. I think taking time to better acquaint ourselves WITH ourselves makes us better/happier women, mothers and wives!

You may not see it now....your kids are still young...and I'm not trying to be condescending AT ALL...And I also realize that that is exactly how that sounded but I don't know how else to get my point across.... I was there myself 8 years ago....completely consumed in my childrens' life and so in love with being with them that I rarely did anything for myself....but it caught up to me eventually and I had forgotten who I was...besides a mother. I was no longer "Tammy" I had become "Justin, Brendan, and Jordyn's mom".

So the answer is NO...no talking about your kids! Talk about YOU! Take a picture of yourself...and talk! Wait for your babies to take a nap and spend ONE HOUR doing something selfish! ANYTHING!

Anonymous said...

I was raised to believe that you were always to be "of service to others." With a heavy dose of guilt on the side. Time for me? Something for me? Huh? Truthfully, I ahve been working on it. But it's really REALLY hard.

Karen MEG said...

What a GREAT idea! I think I will participate... although I don't know whether it will be every Monday, it's hard to think about myself in the singular ... don't want to make it TOO hard on myself LOL!

Kristen said...

What a great idea. I think it would be hard for me to only post about me, but it gives me something to think about!