I swear I’ve done this question many times over or it just sounds more than familiar. Anyway, I’m trying to stay with answering every question that WordPress throws my way and I’ve taken it on as a challenge.
In that vein, I’ll try to answer this one as well. If I could go back in time and give my younger self advice, I would say, “Stop Being Afraid!” Fear stopped me from doing many things and I could have achieved more than I did if “fear” hadn’t stood in my way.
Sometimes it meant well but at other times, it was just there because I had decided to take it on as my best buddy. We stayed close for a long, long, time.
It still sticks around but now that I am older and wiser and less prone to fear attacks, I don’t pay it much mind. I’m still cautious but not gripped with fear.
Advice to younger self, let go of fear but don’t let go of your common sense!
If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be?
I think my past self would be very proud of the way I’ve overcome being an introvert. I used to be one and loved wearing that badge. I didn’t like attention but I got plenty of it, sitting at the back of the classroom was my thing and don’t stare at me was the other!
Life was never easy being an introvert. I passed up opportunities because I wasn’t brave enough and that introvert factor did its job well. It wasn’t until I moved out of my teen years and into adulthood that I started giving my constant companion a boot out the door.
However, I think my past self would be very proud of how I’ve handled life. I can walk into any situation now with my head held high and I hold my own. I’ve given speeches in big auditoriums looking calm and collected but they didn’t see me quaking in my shoes, if only they had looked closer! I don’t care anymore if I get stares, when I do I meet them with a big smile. Most of all, I’m not afraid of new situations that would require being front and center. I handle it with grace and move on from there.
Getting rid of the introvert factor didn’t happen overnight. It took practice and it also took telling myself that “I AM ENOUGH,” as I am. It took years but here I am looking and feeling confident and ready to handle any situation. One more thing, it does show up now and then, but it doesn’t have the power it used to have back then. It is lukewarm at best and moves on out the way it came in.
What’s something you’ve done that your past self would be proud of?
It didn’t go well and that is putting it mildly. I love learning a new language and I do speak several, some better than others.
I was home one day and decided since I have nothing much to do, I’ll try learning a new language. At first, I wanted to learn Mandarin. Why? I don’t know, I just thought it would be a good language to know in case China comes into play and I find myself there. After a few tries, I couldn’t get the “S” sounds down and I gave up and went on my merry way.
Next was Spanish. Why? Again, there was no rhyme or reason for the madness, it was all spur of the moment and I went in with every intention of mastering the language. I had good intentions but the staying power wasn’t there and after a few tries, I GAVE UP!
Coming back to your question, what is the best online course I’ve taken? None, really. I think you have to be in the mood and have the staying power to see any online course through. Moving on….
I don’t know if you would consider her a celebrity but with all the hoopla or rather the hateful rhetoric going on around her, I would say she is more of a celebrity than royalty.
Sitting down with her would be an honor and talking about her trials and tribulations would be even more so. If Princess Diana was hounded by the press, I would say that Meghan was and is being demonized for marrying into the royal family. American, divorced, mixed-race, and not quite one of them, those are some of the reasons but there is more to this story than meets the eye.
The lady has a voice and she has used it to voice her concerns about racism. If it is unbelievable that racism exists, look around you. Albert Einstein once said, “Racism is a disease of white people,” and it is a vile disease. Unfortunately, it has taken on a life of its own and it is a worldwide phenomenon now, one that it is not going to disappear anytime soon and it is no longer just a white man’s disease either.
“Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and to destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and deserves to be met head-on and stamped out.” Pierre Berton
The “ugly people,” the ones who sit in basements with a microphone and a screen spewing their hatred is the norm today and if what is being perpetuated or purported is the truth or not, that is besides the point as far as social media is concerned.
I would like to ask her how she is. How she is really doing and to commend her for how she is handling all the “hatred and racist bullying” directed in her direction. The lady is showing tremendous strength, courage, and going about her business even though I think that “off with her head!” is coming through loud and clear and resonating everywhere. The rumor mongering and the hateful lies even more so.
Her brand, “As Ever,” is doing exceptionally well and I hope it goes through the roof! Doing well is the best revenge and you can already see the effects it is having on those who are adept at spreading lies and hate and those who want nothing more than to bring her down to her knees. The rumors are hyping up both from those basements and from those with bigger megaphones. The alarming fact is that this racist bullying is being sanctioned by the media, the press, and from other circles. Nothing is off limits as far as they are concerned and the daily Meghan bashing is hard to watch and to stomach. The person in question is taking it in her stride and fighting it with her success and it seems to be working. She is marching to a different drumbeat, keeping silent for the most part and refusing to kowtow to the racist bullying.
I would love to sit down with her to talk about the strength she has, and the gumption to keep her mouth shut and to move on with her life. Unfortunately, it is not enough when you are faced with such HATRED, the monumental kind. Where is all this hate coming from? It is hard to comprehend but it is out there doing its rounds and coming up with ridiculous stories and lies to fuel the hate and contempt each and every single day. Shameful and shameless behavior no less, but the “uglies” thrive on such hateful actions.
“History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.” Michelle Obama
Much success, peace, and courage in everything you do.
Which celebrity would you love to meet, and what would you talk about?
There are good people, bad people, kind people, caring people, cruel people and the list goes on. All just labels? I don’t think so. There are reasons why those labels exist, it is because such people do exist. Just listen to the news of today, the labels we place on people because bullying is seen as a rightful act where some are concerned, and is a norm today. The “ugly people” carry on with their daily bashing of others simply because social media has given them a platform to do so. It is more than cringeworthy and sometimes downright mean and cruel. I don’t need to name names but it is plain to see if you follow the news.
Coming back to being a good person and the question at hand, I think being a “good person” carries a lot of weight. I also believe that a good person acts with moral integrity. It means matching your words with your actions. This is hard to do but a good person has it ingrained within them. Secondly, a good person has empathy. It is not always about them. viewing life from another angle or from another person’s viewpoint is at the core of their being. Finally, I believe that a good person knows how to act with compassion towards others, and takes responsibility for their mistakes and tries to do better the next time around.
Am I good person? I think I am or at least I try to be. I have those core values ingrained within me through practice but as they say, practice makes perfect but it takes time and that is understood as well.
Photo by Eslam Mohammed Abdelmaksoud on Pexels.com
It is known as the “Emerald Isle,” of the Indian Ocean and it also holds the nickname, the “Teardrop of India.” It is lush, green, and totally mesmerizing. I had several countries on my list before but somehow Sri Lanka seems to be the city of choice right now. I’ve been watching documentaries about the island and it beckons and I am ready and willing!
It has everything your heart desires as far as a fantastic vacation goes. Add great food and the spas to that and I’ve got everything I need. I’m into relaxing and Ayurveda is at the top of my list as well. I can see myself in a spa enjoying all that it has to offer.
The food, I heard, is way beyond delicious. The Crab Palace comes to mind and I used to think that Chilli Crabs, Singapore’s national seafood dish, was finger-licking good! Now, that I’ve seen what the Crab Palace has to offer, Singapore might just take second place! Just the thought of digging in has my salivary glands doing a somersault!
Right now, Sri Lanka is at the top of the list. However, it may change if I come across another country that catches my wandering eyes and locks it in! Yes, I want to travel again. I had my wings clipped this year and for some reason, I am ready to take off to faraway places. Not sure if it is going to happen this year, I have to heal first but in time, I hope I can fly again!
What’s a country that’s at the top of your bucket list?
I had to look this one up. What I found out. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is “the practice of improving a website’s content, structure, and authority,” I didn’t go any further as I am a tech-klutz, so this one is way over my head!
Paying someone to do it is the way to go as far as improving anything on the computer goes and that is my opinion . Less stress, no fuss, and the tech-genius gets it done in a minimum amount of time without me having to do all the “dirty” work and pulling my hair out!
That’s my strategy for SEO. Nothing much I know but who cares! Next question please….
STOP OBSESSING, LET GO AND MOVE ON! Exactly what I would tell my younger self now since I know better and I am older and wiser. At least, I hope so!
I loved to obsess about anything and everything. It made my life difficult and didn’t bring me much peace or actual living for that matter. Some days I would spend obsessing about nothing at all. Believe me, it is possible.
Much time would be spent on nothing much, nothing of importance. Time that could have been spent on things that mattered, I left it on the backburner because I was too busy obsessing. I still have a tendency to do that but not to the extent I did when I was younger.
Yes, I am older and wiser but I still have a lot to learn.
What’s one thing you know now that would have saved your younger self a lot of pain?
As far as the weirdest movie I’ve ever watched, nothing comes to mind. I’ve watched a lot of movies but nothing weird or I just don’t remember!
If a movie even reeks of weirdness at first glance, it is a no go for me. I don’t give it the time of day and neither do I waste my time on it. I move on and there are plenty of movies out there without having to sit through a “weird” one.
There is not much to tell. It is nothing fantastic or even exciting. I get up like everyone else. A slow start dragging myself out of bed, sometimes I stay a little longer cuddling with my little darling, (Chachi, the cat) feeling his warm body next to mine. The soft purring lets me know that I have love by my side and cuddling gives me energy and a positive mindset to face a new day.
Most days, we head on downstairs together. First,it’s a glance out the window but now that a new season has set in, it is dark as night out there with nothing to see. Soon, the time change will arrive and it will be light again in the mornings but the days will be shorter. Then I get my breakfast ready, sip on my first cup of coffee, and plant kisses on the little brat’s head.
Then it is breakfast time. After that, I listen to the news and move on from there. Sometimes, a 10 minute meditation, or at times a short workout before I get the day started. I have a journal so I jot down stuff as to how I’m doing and what I plan to achieve or do today.
That’s about it. This routine helps to keep me grounded and it also helps to move me forward with positivity and of course with gratitude as well. Nothing spectacular but it gets me going and that is the important part.
