Be Yourself-Everyone Else Is Taken

Do you like your name?

I’m not wild about mine. Didn’t like it at all when I was a kid. I’ve grown into it a bit. I do like that Barbara has lots of nicknames, and I’ve always admired Beaver’s mother, Barbara Billingsly. I think June Cleaver has lots more chutzpa then the world gives her credit for.

Sometimes, when I sign my name during a credit card transaction, I say to myself. “Slow down. Write your name with happiness and confidence. Be pleased and grateful for who you are.” So I write slowly:

Except that it doesn’t look as nice as that font because my handwriting isn’t great. In fact, I’m not happy with my handwriting.

Or my singing voice.

Or my dinner entrees (I’m better on side dishes).

Or my fingernails.

This takes us to the topic of self-esteem. They say menopause brings confidence once you get through the thick of it. I do find as I get older, my self-esteem is improving. And I’ve learned it’s okay to have lots of shortfalls.

Someone once asked my dad what his talents were. He answered, “I’m really good at edging flower gardens.”

I like that!

I can make a teddy bear talk like he’s the most fascinating bear in the world, and I know the names of all the state capitols.

Maybe that’s enough.

I snapped this photo in a funky coffee shop in Kentucky:

 

Yep!

And check out this article on the Positivity Blog:  Tips on self-esteem.  

What about you? Are you happier with yourself than you were twenty years ago?

And do you like your name?

Top Photo:  I saw this sign in a Cinque Terre village on our trip to Italy. No clue what type of business it is.

Bottom Photo: I found this name bracelet among the treasures I saved when my daughter Laura was born. I wonder if hospitals nowadays give mothers such pretty bracelets.

Building Your Resilient Self: A Writing Workshop

 

For those of you who live locally, my friend Judy Brown and I are repeating our writing workshop at RambleRill Farm here in Hillsborough. We’re talking about resiliency for women! We were delighted by the response to our first workshop, so we’re offering it again. The workshop is for both writers and non-writers. Come join us!

During the workshop, we ask participants to write about a troubling experience. This is what one woman reported in her workshop evaluation:

“Just such a memory had haunted me the week before attending your workshop, so I wrote about it. I also wrote about the advice that I would give someone undergoing a similar experience. That night I slept better than I had for some time. So thank you very much for the healing quality of this workshop.”

Here’s the workshop description:

Building Your Resilient Self:
An Afternoon of Wellness and Words

“The oak fought the wind and was broken,
the willow bent when it must and survived.”
Robert Jordan

Come join an intimate group of women for an afternoon at RambleRill Farm in
Hillsborough as we explore writing techniques and how they can be a tool for
resiliency. Whether we are the oak or the willow, life hands us many challenges.
Writing is a strong tool for guiding us to bend when we need to, and to help us
bounce back to physical and emotional wellness.

Judy Brown, a certified holistic health coach, will explain how our emotional,
spiritual, and relational lives can impact our resiliency and our health.

Barbara Younger, an author and writing teacher, will lead us in writing from the
heart to reach the strength within us.

The afternoon will include guided meditations, relaxation exercises, and an
afternoon tea.

Date: Friday, April 1, 2016
1-4 pm

Where: RambleRill Farm, 913 Arthur Minnis Rd., Hillsborough

Cost: $40

Please contact Judy Brown for more information and to sign up for the workshop.
Jfrances40@earthlink.

RambleRill Farm: I snapped the photo of the RambleRill Barn right before our first workshop on a cold winter day. Come meet the farm in the Spring! You can read more about RambleRill here.

Building Your Resilient Self: A Writing Workshop at RambleRill Farm

For those of you who live locally, my friend Judy Brown and I are leading a workshop at RambleRill Farm here in Hillsborough. We’re talking about resilience for women!

Here’s the workshop description, and if you come, you’ll get a fun notebook like the ones above:

Building Your Resilient Self:
An Afternoon of Wellness and Words

“The oak fought the wind and was broken,
the willow bent when it must and survived.”
Robert Jordan

Come join an intimate group of women for an afternoon at RambleRill Farm in
Hillsborough as we explore writing techniques and how they can be a tool for
resiliency. Whether we are the oak or the willow, life hands us many challenges.
Writing is a strong tool for guiding us to bend when we need to, and to help us
bounce back to physical and emotional wellness.

Judy Brown, a certified holistic health coach, will explain how our emotional,
spiritual, and relational lives can impact our resiliency and our health.

Barbara Younger, an author and writing teacher, will lead us in writing from the
heart to reach the strength within us.

The afternoon will include guided meditations, relaxation exercises, and an
afternoon tea.

Date: Saturday, January 23, 2016
1-4 pm

Where: RambleRill Farm, 913 Arthur Minnis Rd., Hillsborough

Cost: $45 (Early bird discount $40- through January 15)

Please contact Judy Brown for more information and to sign up for the workshop.
Jfrances40@earthlink.

Do join us! Learn more about beautiful RambleRill Farm here at their website.

Check out Judy’s website here and her blog here.

My writer’s website is here.

Three Years! Happy Anniversary Friend for the Ride!

Happy Three Year Anniversary to Friend for the Ride!

I like to write her name in the sand.

I write yours in the stars because you’re the world’s most wonderful readers.

Since the blog began, with the help of guest posters, I’ve published over four hundred posts. 

 

 

Thanks to those of you who leave sparkling and insightful comments. One reader recently wrote me: “Never thought I’d get so hooked on connecting with others this way!”

And thanks to everyone for reading!

Happy fall and on to Year Four…