#atozchallenge – Z for Zen

Zen is a good thing. It’s a good feeling. Feeling the peace, the content, the “in control”. Sometimes I wonder if people are aware of what this little word actually represents. It’s powerful. So often I hear people use “zen“. I wonder if they realize it’s connection to Buddhism… It seems like it’s one of those words that are in fashion.

I wanted to trigger some thoughts about what zen means. And I thought it would be the perfect end to the #atozchallenge 2018. Right now I feel zen and I will share some pictures of places that always help me find my zen, no matter if I can visit them in real or just in my thoughts…

#atozchallenge – X for Xanthic and Y for Yellow

Have you heard of the word xanthic? Or the color xanthic? You probably have… I never did. Until I stumbled across it while looking for cool X words to write about. And it actually offers me a wonderful possibility to combine two days of the #atozchallenge (to chatch up…) as xanthic is a shade of yellow… Can you see the xanthic in the yellow in my pictures?

 

 

#atozchallenge – W for Water

It was long overdue! I haven’t been for a walk along water for a long time. And I craved it! I so needed it! So yesterday I packed my son and the dogs in the car and drove to my favorite beach for walks.

The moment I stepped out of the car I knew it was the right decision. It was windy and colder than I thought it would be but the air was fresh smelled and tasted of fresh saltwater and my energy level spiked immediately.

It’s little things that sometimes give you the most. Just like a walk along the beach, listening to the waves, watching the water and feeling one with everything…

#atozchallenge – V for Veterans

My thoughts go out to all the veterans today and the soldiers still serving. The moment they join the army they also join a roller coaster of life and they take a risk for everyone of us.

My thoughts also go out to their families. The mother’s who see their children take on the responsibility to protect their country and its people. The mother’s who will be immensely proud but also deeply worried. My thoughts go out to their spouses. The ones that have to see their partners leave, hoping for a safe return. The ones that saw them leave and thankfully got them back home. To the ones who support their partners through their trauma. My thoughts go out to the children who love their parent so much and have to say goodbye when they are deployed. Some understanding what it could mean others just worried because everyone else seems worried. My thoughts go out to the kids who have never met their parent because war took them from them.

I am so very grateful for soldiers and veterans who sign up to stand up for our freedom. To fight for it. And I’m grateful for their family, standing behind them and supporting them.

Lest we forget!

#atozchallenge – U for Unicorn

No, I’m not on the wine again. Actually it’s morning here while I type this and I’m having a coffee. So blame it on a coffee. But I want to write about unicorns because unicorns are magical and wonderful.

You might think that’s all nice but unicorns are not real. And you might be right. But then I wonder: Do we really know that? Can we be 100% certain?

While we think we have our planet all figured out, there are still spots that we have not been to. There are places we have not seen yet. There are parts in the Amazon nobody has been to, mountain tops nobody has conquered yet and areas of the ocean that are unknown to us still.

So how can we be certain that some magical creatures don’t exist? How can we claim we know?

Some might call it crazy but I refuse to stop believing in magic. I refuse to stop believing that there are creatures our there we have no clue about. I believe in magic. I believe in the unknown. I want to see the world with the wonder of a child. I want to be able to imagine the fairies and unicorns out there. Because it puts a smile on my face. It’s a good thing. A beautiful thing. And while our world is beautiful as such, there is a lot of not-so-nice out there too. We need a bit of magic in our life…

#atozchallenge – T for Tell Me Something Good #104

Did you put your positive pants on? No? Then do it! You will see how much it will actually change and influence! So let’s do it! Let’s kick off this week on a positive note. How?

It’s easy:

• Mention something that you consider being good in the comments

• Or write a post about it on your blog (please don’t forget the pingback if you do so I don’t miss out and also share the link to it in the comments below). Something good that happened to you recently, or something good you will experience in a little while, or something good you know will happen soon. Something that makes you feel good.

• Share this post and invite your followers as well.

It before we do, as always, let’s do a little happy dance… even if you are chilling on the sofa…

Another round? Sure! Go for it! Wiggle and shake and dance and laugh… And when you are ready here is what I’d like to share with you today:

“My children are amazing. I’m just so proud of them. They are happy and smart and kind. This is a very short description about why I feel this is a great day. But it is a very big reason why I am so happy with my life. I could just simply take it as a normal thing but I’m grateful for it every day. It’s one of the things I focus on when other things don’t go as well as they should. And that’s what I mean by ‘putting your positive pants on’. Focus on what’s positive and be happy about it.”

#atozchallenge – S for Season

It’s my favorite time of the year. Fall has arrived and the mornings are cool and at the moment even foggy. The sun is still strong but the colors have changed. Not just the ones of the leaves.

It’s the color of the sky, the light that is different. Maybe even the color of the ocean (which reminds me that I’m overdue for a walk along the beach again…). Everything seems so slow down. Fall is very different here. There are no snow covered tips of the mountains where I am and while it’s different here it’s also so similar. I have shared the differences previously about how fall used to be and how it is now.

Sometimes I miss the “old fall”. I miss taking my horse on a ride over the fields and into the colorful forest. I miss the cold air and the warm sun on my back while smelling my horse and feeling her move. I miss a moment in time. And this moment in time has been replaced. It has been replaced by hikes with my family. By walks along the beach. By smelling the crisp fall air together with my kids.

Everything changes. There is no way around it. It’s like the four seasons. They come and go if we like it or not. There is no way around it. And every season brings its own special gift to us. Just like the chapters or seasons we go through in our life. Don’t fight it, embrace it and you will see the beauty it has in store for you…

#atozchallenge – R For Reaction

My daughter plays soccer and her favorite position is being a goalie. I admire her for this. I believe it takes a lot of guts to play as goalie no matter if it’s in ice hockey or soccer. Or any other sport where you have a goal keeper.

Not only do I admire her for being brave enough to be the last line of defence, but also for grabbing the ball while it’s still in play, out of the many feet trying to kick it hard enough to get it past her.

And then there is her reaction time.

In some games the defense does such a great job that the goalie basically has no work at all. It’s then when staying focused is hard. Because the game can turn around. Suddenly. And then the attacker storm towards the goalie, keen to score. It’s a guessing game. Where will they try to kick the ball to? How hard will they kick? Is there another pass? Will the player kick from the right foot or the left one? Lift the ball or not? And then it’s all about how fast you react. When is the right moment to go forward, further back, try to get the ball?

A decision has to be made and the reaction has to follow right after. Hopefully it will be the right decision and a fast enough reaction…

#atozchallenge – Q for Quote

There are thousands of quotes out there. Inspirational ones, motivational ones. Some that bring tears to your eyes and some that make you laugh out loud.

I love quotes. I often share them and sometimes they inspire me for a post. While most of the time my reaction to a quote is to start thinking about what was said and take out of it what I need in that moment, there are also the rare moments I think “wow, what utter bs…”

In cases like this something I often heard growing up pops in my mind: Paper is patient. It basically accepts everything we right on it. So we can put out what ever we please. No matter if it’s meaningful or not, no matter if it’s true or not.

While I do think this can be a good thing (after all it’s a free dome we have), I also think we really need to think long and hard about what we say or write and also about what we take for a grain of wisdom. Has Albert Einstein really said that? Did Mother Teresa make that quote?

In the end though: Does it really matter who said it, as long as it is a kind thing, a good thing?

In the end the one thing that is important is that the quotes move us and hopefully help us grow. Just remember to question every now and then if you did not already know that little bit of wisdom before you read it and took it on board just because someone famous has said it…

#atozchallenge – P for Punch

Yes, I want my daughter and my son to be kind but they also need to know that if someone is nasty it’s okay to defend themselves. Even if you need to punch. And that’s why they both learn how to punch properly and defend themselves.

While I believe in the good in people some are simply plain nasty. And while you might be lucky and never encounter any of the jerks out there, it’s good to know what to do if you do.

Please get me right: Violence is not my thing. And it’s not about triggering the kids to be aggressive. But if they get pinned down, I want them to know how to get out. Or even better: How not end up pinned down at all.