Guest Post: Create an Encouragement Box by Jamie Ridler
February 2, 2012 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Articles, Blog posts, Featured, Fun, Inspiration
When I saw this post from Jamie, I just HAD to share it with you guys – I have an encouragement book but I forget to dip into it when I need it…but this encouragement BOX idea is FABULOUS! It’s right here by my desk twinkling at me! Let me know if you try it, and feel free to send me (and Jamie!) some encouragement to fill our encouragement boxes!!
“We all have dark and discouraging days, especially when we’re stretching ourselves to new heights and reaching into new places, and sometimes we need a little support. That’s why I created my encouragement box. The concept is very simple. Whenever someone says anything loving or supportive or beautiful to me, either on my blog, over email or in person, I take a moment to write it down on an index card and pop it in the box. I keep it simple, just a short phrase, so that I can read it quickly and easily. I keep the box open and visible to me when I’m working at my desk.
Whenever I’m feeling discouraged or down, I glance over and am able to see something true, meaningful and personal that reminds me that I am loved, that people believe in me and that the work I do makes a difference. It inspires me each and every day. And on particularly challenging days, when I’m feeling down and discouraged, I pull out a few of these cards and drink them in with my tea. It helps wash away the mood of the moment, connects me to what’s important and inspires me to keep on keeping on.
An encouragement box can take whatever form inspires you: a pretty bowl filled with little pieces of coloured paper. a gift box with notes written on the backs of old holiday cards, a folder in your inbox. The most important part is that you use it. If you’re inspired to gather your encouragements using calligraphy, stickers or coloured pencils, go for it. If that sounds like a beautiful idea but actually leaves you with another to-do list item and piles of cards waiting to be created, come back to basics. The beauty really comes from the love and the thought behind the words – and that doesn’t need any dressing up at all.
Personally, I’ve committed to keeping the process really simple. I buy a box and some blank index cards from the dollar store and keep them on my desk. I gather encouragement on the fly, not worrying about using a particular format or pen or even whether it’s neat. Making it easy has kept me with it. I’m on my third year of encouragement boxes!
May your encouragement box hold precious treasures that remind you daily of how amazing you are.”
Jamie Ridler is a creative living coach and the director of Jamie Ridler Studios. From the Creative Living with Jamie podcast to the Sparkles creativity e-course, Jamie’s work helps women find the confidence and courage to discover and express their creative selves so they can be the star they are.
BIG love and thanks to Jamie who is one of my favourite people on the planet right now! Jamie, thank you for letting me share this wonderful practice. xx
Love
Donna.x
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Full Moon Dreamboard – Birthday Dreamboard
December 10, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
As regular readers of this blog will know, I often participate in a practice called ‘Wishcasting’ with Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler Studios. Jamie is a fabulous creativity coach, and thanks to her this year, I have been blogging my wishes, created a practice of doing the Morning Pages every day (3 pages of free writing as prescribed by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way) and doing a collage journal page for my daily practice (to see pictures of these, go to my facebook page).
Jamie also encourages a ‘Full moon dreamboard’…and while I’ve been considering joining in with this for a while, it took the full moon landing on my birthday (happy birthday to me!) for me to make the time to actually create a dreamboard. And here it is:
I didn’t read the actual instructions for this month, I just used the images and words that caught my eye…and somehow it just seems right, and was a fun, nourishing practice for my birthday. Thanks Jamie!
Love
Donna.x
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31 Days of Laughter
October 31, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
Just in case you missed any of the daily reminders on Facebook this month, here they all are in one place (feel free to bookmark this page to come back to whenever you need a reminder to laugh!):
1. The daily practice for October is…laughter! Are you going to join me in laughing every day this month?
2. Practice laughing for no reason. Just laugh. That’s the ‘purpose’ of Laughter Yoga (find the videos on YouTube) – one of my favourite things! Big breath…and HAHAHAHAHAHA. Just to laugh.
3. “May laughter fill your home, relieve your stress, and strengthen your friendships. Do not let a day go by without laughing; it is good for your health.” – Catherine Pulsifer, from SEVEN GIFTS TO GIVE TO A FRIEND
4. Here’s a video that will help if you don’t feel like laughing…http://youtu.be/HUkPGL4zQyw
5. What’s your favourite ‘crap’ joke? Here’s mine – What do you call a sheep with no legs? A cloud. Makes me laugh EVERY time! Xxx
What do you call a fish with no eyes…. A fsh
Why does Edward Woodward have so many D’s in his name?…. Cos he doesn’t want to be called Ewar Woowar
6. October Daily Practice: Laugh. Who’s your favourite comedian? Go onto YouTube and find some clips of your favourite comedian today (let me know who you’re looking up!).
7. Laugh. The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~e.e. cummings So get laughing today!
8. What films make you laugh? This weekend, put on a DVD of something that makes you laugh…and get laughing!
9. Laugh. Hoorah for youtube and funny clips – this is one of my fave tv moments of all time! http://bit.ly/nzBs56
10. “Laugh. I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose.” ~Woody Allen
11. What’s your favourite comedy show? For Irish humour (not for those who don’t like ‘bad language’!), check out Mrs Brown’s Boys. Funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdSaWW9vuow&feature=channel_video_title
12. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. ~Kurt Vonnegut
13. YouTube is such a gift for this practice of laughter – check this out – one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen: http://www.donnaonthebeach.com/blog/2009/03/friday-fun-japan-binocular-football/
14. What’s your favourite joke of all time? Here’s mine:http://www.donnaonthebeach.com/blog/2011/10/friday-fun-gis-a-push/
15. Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails. What puts man in a higher state of evolution is that he has got his laugh on the right end. ~Max Eastman
16. When was the last time you laughed until you cried? If it’s more than a week ago, that’s too long. Try harder!
17. Try this yoga laughter technique for laughing alone…let me know how you get on! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsbqDglPNsk
18. A good time to laugh is any time you can. ~Linda Ellerbee
19. October Daily Practice: Laughter. When you need to laugh quietly and alone… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvAkyoA7l4U&list=PL97C19BBBD0F7FDB5&index=3
20. Some more laughter yoga exercises – my favourite is at around 1.27 minutes – reminded me of starting my car…a good association, I can now laugh every time I start my car! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NoamivA4SY&list=PL97C19BBBD0F7FDB5&index=7
21. Laugh. A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. ~Irish Proverb
22. The sillier we are, the easier it is to laugh. Get more silly in your life, laugh more. Today, be silly.
23. Your mission today, should you choose to accept it is to laugh, cackle, chortle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, snicker, snigger, snort and titter. 1 point for each. 10 bonus points for doing all 10 (and you can fake it – release your inner thespian and act them all out!)
24. More laughter yoga exercises – this one is a wonderful way to start the day! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZNKf7_ZJC0&list=PL97C19BBBD0F7FDB5&index=6
25. More crap jokes: What bee can’t you hear very well? A mumble bee.
What’s the name of Zippy’s wife ? Mississippi
What’s brown and sticky??
a STICK.
What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t work?…..
……a stick
Did you hear about the cat who swallowed a ball of yarn? She had mittens!
What is long, brown and runs around the garden??
A fence.
26. “I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.” Audrey Hepburn
27. They have to do more of these – I’m wiping away the tears of laughter! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qmsh0kRKyB4&feature=related
28. This captures the joy of booking a cheap flight perfectly! http://youtu.be/uVASZ2lCY5Y
29. “It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either.” Wayne Dyer
30. “Live by this credo: have a little laugh at life and look around you for happiness instead of sadness. Laughter has always brought me out of unhappy situations.” Red Skelton
31. It’s the last day of the daily practice for this month. Did you join in? Will you continue? Today, find any way and every way you can to laugh loud and free! And keep laughing!
With love and laugh.
Donna.x
PS Get ready for the November daily practice…it’s another fun one! Make sure you ‘like’ my facebook page to join in!
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A Friday Funny
October 21, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
In the spirit of the October Daily Practice of Laughter, I’ve been looking for old amusing things from the archives of my blog…and I found this little gem from August last year! Enjoy…
In Bill Ford‘s coaching newsletter this week:
One of my wife’s colleagues when she was working in the US was asked by a client in France to rush over to present at a meeting the next day. He got on a plane the same day and did not have time to pack. It was winter.
He got to the hotel in Paris with enough time to sleep. His suit was creased from the flight, so he turned on the shower and hung it in the bathroom to let the steam reduce the creases. He fell asleep. By the time he woke up the suit was sodden. So he hung it out on his balcony. He fell asleep again.
By the time he woke up, the suit was frozen. He had no choice, so he put it on and went to the meeting. As he was presenting he could tell that he was losing his audience as they seemed distracted. He asked what was going on and learned that there was steam coming off his suit. He explained what had happened, they fell about laughing, were impressed by his dedication and the MD suggested they go to lunch instead.
This made me cry with laughter and totally ruined me for doing any work until I’d sat in a corner for a bit calming down. I hope it brought you just half as much amusement. Happy Friday!
Love
Donna.x
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Friday Fun – Gis a Push
October 14, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
In honour of the October Daily Practice, here’s my favourite joke:
A man and his wife were awakened at 3 o’clock in the mnorning by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.
“Not a chance,” says the husband, “it is 3 in the morning!” He slams the door and returns to bed.
“Who was that?” asked his wife.
“Just some drunk guy asking for a push,” he answers.
“Did you help him?” she asks.
“No, I did not, it is 3 o’clock in the morning and it is pouring with rain out there!”
“Well, you have a short memory,” says his wife. “Can’t you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!”
The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain.
He calls out into the dark, “Hello, are you still there?”
“Yes,” comes back the answer.
“Do you still need a push?” calls out the husband.
“Yes, please!” comes the reply from the dark.
“Where are you?” asks the husband.
“Over here on the swing,” replied the drunk
Utter GENIUS!
Happy Friday!
Love
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October Daily Practice: Laugh!
October 1, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
Did you join me last month for the September Daily Practice – feeling good? It was a good practice huh? So, this month I decided to continue in a ‘good feeling’ vein with LAUGHTER. Yep, the daily practice this month is laugh. Laugh, every day, every time you get a chance, and make a big effort to laugh lots! Join me over on my facebook page for a daily reminder to laugh, links to some funny stuff and resources to help you get laughing!
Remember when you were a young child, and everything would set you off laughing? Well, I want you to get some of that glee, merriment and hilarity back into your life in October (and if it’s fun, maybe beyond October too!). So, are you with me? Here’s what you do: Make a committment to yourself to LAUGH. Daily, often, easily. Come and join my facebook page, have a think about what and who makes you laugh and make the decision to spend time with funny stuff! And enjoy it!
Love, and laugh!
Donna.x
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Pet Diaries – one for Dog or Cat owners
September 30, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
This never fails to amuse me!
Excerpts from a Dog’s Diary
* 8:00 am – Dog food! My favourite thing!
* 9:30 am – A car ride! My favourite thing!
* 9:40 am – A walk in the park! My favourite thing!
* 10:30 am – Got stroked and petted! My favourite thing!
* 12:00 pm – Lunch! My favourite thing!
* 1:00 pm – Played in the garden! My favourite thing!
* 3:00 pm – Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!
* 5:00 pm – Chewed on a bone! My favourite thing!
* 7:00 pm – Got to play fetch! My favourite thing!
* 8:00 pm – Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!
* 11:00 pm – Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!
Excerpts from a Cat’s Diary
Day 983 of my captivity.
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped it’s headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a “good little hunter” I am.
Bastards!
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of “allergies.” I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released – and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded. The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now…
Happy Friday!
Love
Donna. x
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September Practice: Feeling Good!
September 5, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Featured, Fun
I heard from a friend this weekend who said she was feeling great…because she had spent 2 weeks making ‘feeling good’ her main priority. She made a real effort to make sure she was in a ‘giggly happy’ mood as much as she possibly could. I immediately decided that this was a brilliant idea and adopted it as my daily practice for September – FEELING GOOD! Do you fancy joining me?
What to do: commit to yourself that you will make it a priority to ‘feel good’ this month. For example, every day you can ask yourself: What would make this day/task more fun? What would I love to do today? What would make me feel good/better right now? Look around for something that will make you feel great. Do things you enjoy doing. Laugh a lot. Have some fun…just for one month (less than that as it’s already the 5th) make feeling good your main priority! Join me for a daily check in on facebook.
Here’s the theme tune for this month’s practice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmwRQqJsegw
Love
Donna.x
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Here on Earth to Fart Around
July 12, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun
Today as I was browsing through the blog archives, searching for inspiration, I found this quote.
“I tell you, we are here on earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you different.” Kurt Vonnegut
I had completely forgotten this piece of wonderful wisdom! Bizarrely, farting around is seen as less important than being serious and sensible and working hard. When was the last time you farted around? Actually I’ve been doing a marvellous job of farting around today, but as a means of avoiding work rather than as a purpose of itself. Well, people, I think it’s time to reclaim our purpose in life. Fart around. As much as possible, as often as possible, and enjoy it!
Love
Donna.x
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Now This Is Persistence!
May 20, 2011 by Donnaonthebeach
Filed under Blog posts, Fun, video
Happy Friday! Been a bit quiet here this week because I had a very busy beginning to the week, then went down with laryngitis! Ugh. Anyway, hope you’ve all been well – and enjoy this bit of Friday Fun.
10 out of 10 for persistence, eh?
Love
Donna.x
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