The challenge!

#3 Act the way you want to feel.

(From Gretchin Rubin's Happiness Project.)

Most of the time the way we act stems from the way we feel, but if we changed that? What if we decide that our feelings aren't going to control the way we behave? What a revolutionary idea! Give this a try for me, one day when you're feeling not especially enthused put a smile on your face anyways. Even if it starts out as a fake smile you will start to feel the change inside! Just by forcing those muscles to make the happy expression something in your soul let's out a little sigh of relief and you start to feel better! It's a hard habit to form because sometimes it feels a little silly to just be smiling at nothing, especially when the last thing you feel like doing is smiling, but believe me it will help.

Most experts believe it takes 4-6 weeks to form or break a habit. Can you imagine if you were able to make this into a real habit?! This is my personal challenge until December, when I start to feel upset or sad I will put a smile on my face and keep it there until I feel that little light in my soul start to warm up again. I'm looking forward to this habit being formed. :)

Big smiles,

a s h l e y :)

holding a grudge

A lot of times this is what we look like when we hold a grudge. We are so angry we don't know what to do and 99.9% of the time the person we are angry at isn't even affected by our sorrow! So we sit by ourselves, whether physically or psychologically, and wallow in our own self pity. I know I am guilty of that! 

I build up a wall every time someone hurts me and I dare anyone to come close. The problem with that is that my pain turns to anger which multiplies inside my self enclosed wall and I end up hurting myself more than the original offender did! We (myself included!) have to learn how to let go of the hurt so that we can heal! An open wound is easier to get infected than a healed one! So together let's make the conscious effort to take the steps to heal our wounded hearts. It's going to take lots of prayer and I've found that Norah Jones and Adele at the end of the day are perfect for the emotionally distraught :) 

Here are some steps that I am working through to heal my wounded heart.

1. Identify the real reason we are hurt.

Sometimes things get so blown out of proportion that we don't even know why we were mad to begin with!

2. Consider why the 'hurt-er' acted the way they did?

Maybe they felt like they needed to defend themselves, or needed to make themselves look better than you. Take that as a compliment! They might have been threatened or jealous of you and decided to make themselves feel better by belittling you!

3. Consider the kind of life that person must lead for them to be able to produce such hurtful actions/words.

and be thankful that you aren't living it!

Above all else, don't let the hurt control your life! I know it's hard (I really do!) but you have to let it go so that you can rise above it! A balloon can't rise to the sky if it's attached to a brick! So let go of your brick and rise rise rise!!! I know you can do it, we can do it together!!!

Big bunches of balloons!

a s h l e y :)

What a week!

What a week!

I got a job this week that is ideal for me! I've been praying and praying that I would find a job that I would love. Not just one that would pay the bills, but one that I would be able to share my passion in. I've been looking at all sorts of things I thought I would enjoy from daycares and the humane society to administrative work! Then last week the perfect job came open!

I interviewed and by the time Monday came around I was sure that he had picked someone else. To make matters worse, the 'someone else' I thought he had picked was a girl that really ruined last fall for me. She is what I would consider a "hater". She hated me and wasn't afraid to let me know it. She hurt my heart because she criticized my passion and it still affects me to this day. Interestingly enough though I actually was beginning to be okay with her getting the job. I thought, 'Well, it makes sense. She has so much experience and she would do a really good job'. I had convinced myself that I could just keep on with my responsibilities in the group and live peaceably with her. On Monday evening I was even defending her when others were saying how much they hoped she didn't get the job. I was purposefully making sure that I spoke words of encouragement on her behalf. And then miraculously I got the job offer a couple hours later!

I really do hope that this girl finds a job that is a perfect fit for her. No one deserves to be unhappy and I'm sure that if she realized how her words and actions affected me she would be remorseful. I am thankful for her though. Because of her I have learned to thicken my skin and that not everyone can be my best friend. I am a better and stronger person because of my adversity!

Success and optimism,

a s h l e y :)

penny for your thoughts

kandee the make-up artist: OVERCOMERS ANONYMOUS

kandee the make-up artist: OVERCOMERS ANONYMOUS

necessary read for yesterday's hater :)

My 10 favorite things!

Because my favorite blogger ever, Miss Kandee Johnson, posted this tag I feel the need to do it too :) 

#1

Girls Nights (both spontaneous and planned)

#2

Disney World (specifically the Magic Kingdom, although I love all things Disney)

#3

cinnamon dolce frappuccinos... mmmm :)

#4

my blackberry's hot pink cover 

#5

over sized t-shirts/sweaters with leggings

#6

my Adele pandora station (especially when I'm stressed to the max)

#7

my huge papason chair

#8

forever 21 and tj maxx - both for different reasons, but I could live in 

either of these stores and be completely happy with my life :)

#9

leopard print ballet flats - they match everything!

#10

my grandma's green bean casserole

Love and yummy green beans,

a s h l e y  :)

Ah the sweet smell of success

Today has been a very productive day. I love Tuesdays and Thursdays because I always feel like I get so much  done. I started out the day with 2 classes then I went to my office hour and got the entire seating chart for the band parents day banquet completed. yay! Then I drove across town for my first "non-friend" photo shoot. I was SO excited, but then the client called and canceled. Apparently her daughter had scratched her forehead and she didn't want that to be in the pictures. Since it was 20 minutes before the shoot was scheduled and I could tell she was already set on rescheduling I didn't go into the wonders of photoshop (aka 'gimp'). Hopefully next week we'll have an awesome shoot and it will make up for all of the rescheduling.

After the failed photoshoot I decided to stick around down town and check out the YWCA bridal boutique. I had heard that they carry last season Kleinfeld's there! I wasn't looking at the wedding dresses but the prom/evening dresses. (I've made a promise to myself that I will not look at wedding dresses anymore, I'm afraid I'll find one better than the one I wore and hate my life.) I've got band banquet in December and since this is my last one I want to find something amazing. No luck today though but now that I know when they're open I definitely try again later.

A quick trip to Lowe's later and I came home and cooked a delicious meat loaf-y type dish. It's ground chuck mixed with yummy spices and a little white zinfandel, then in the middle of that I stuffed with caramelized onions, red bell peppers, and shredded mozzarella. Mmmmm. Just typing this is making me want another slice! But I won't since after dinner (and my dessert of honey topped ice cream, hehe) I went for a jog with my puppy, Khloe. I think I've determined that she is just a tad too small to take out on runs though she kept being all ADD and trying to run in zig zags and chasing acorns... let's just say she isn't the most efficient running dog, haha.

So now I'm sitting on my couch (after installing my handy dandy curtain to cover our washer and dryer) and feeling very proud of myself :) I've still got a few items to check off of my to-do list for tonight (including some homework and cleaning the dishes from my yummy dinner). OH! And Luke just got home, so I suppose I should pay him some attention, hehe.

Looooove,
a s h l e y :)