Image: sxc.hu

The wind if howling outside, the ward is quiet as coming up to midnight, my love for Nana is matched by the fear it could be tonight….so an idea time to put together this weeks Carnival of POSITIVE thinking!

Street Saint presents Depression – What It is and How to Handle It posted at Street Saint, saying, “My article on depression and what the best way is to think about it in order to find healing.
The article is published on the HealthMad website, but the link is found on my blog: http://www.stsaint.com/blog.”

Bert Meert presents The Thoughts Of The Optimist posted at Life, Blogging And The Pursuit Of Personal Growth.

Andrew Heath presents On Feeling a Sense of Abundance posted at Andrew Heath, saying, “Thanks!”

williamk presents Optimist Creed posted at Truth for Happiness.

Vincent presents How To Change Your Life In An Instant posted at Hit Your Goals.

Carol Solomon presents More Chocolate – Less Stress Eating? posted at Carol Solomon, saying, “I love this idea! Chocolate is actually good for your health and is now shown to reduce stress – yeah!”

Kaushik Chokshi presents You don’t need no F-thing posted at Beyond Karma, saying, “First, let go of fear…”

Karen S Murphy presents Status: The measure of value we present posted at Step Into the Flow, saying, “In this competitive world, the cultural model is built around status. It governs the intrinsic framework of relationships.

Most of us notice status but don’t think of it consciously. We want to “succeed” but in order to do so we must go up a rung on the status ladder. Being “successful”. Owning a house, or a nice car. Being respected by others. Showing mastery in something and being able to come across well at social events. Academic success. But we don’t think of what status truly is, and especially not what the ultimate expression of status is.”

Joreather presents Toxic vs. Nourishing People posted at Joreather.com.

Ernest Semerda presents 21 day challenge – develop new habits posted at Ernest Semerda – inner peace & completeness., saying, “Anything you do with repetition and emotion will become your reality. If you’re not satisfied with your current experience, examine your habits.”

Editorial presents Free Yourself from Worries posted at Your Best Library, saying, “Are you worried about the future? Do you keep resenting your past? Do you feel like life treats you unfair and people unkind? Do you want to learn how to overcome the pain in your life? In The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle takes a look at our sorrows. He challenges our thought patterns and shows us a way to freedom and joy.”

Cheryl Ragsdale presents Stop Pretending! 5 Steps to Help You Reveal a Blind Spot posted at That Girl is Funny, saying, “We all know what makes us happy and what puts us in a bad mood. We even know when we’re pretending – tolerating – for the sake of getting along or not making waves. Diane joins ThatGirlisFunny to share 5 steps that helped her successfully reveal (and take action on) a blind spot that kept her hiding out, blaming others and finding excuses for participating fully with her friends and family.”

Donald Latumahina presents Anthony de Mello on How to Find Happiness posted at Life Optimizer.

JL 4 Media presents Stand Up and Walk in His Light posted at Live Life to the Fullest, saying, “Have you been in a complete darkness? As in total darkness that you almost had the thought of losing life, and that every waking moment was dreadful for you. Instead of thanking for life, you sighed because it will be another day of pain and hurt. A heavy day were you can’t stop crying and hurting.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of positive thinking using our
carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Post from: Widows Quest

Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow.

Let reality be reality”

Lao-tse Chinese Philosopher

For the next few posts I want to pick out some quotes which I have written down from the book I by Jim Clemmer, I told you about in Coping with Change in Our Life.

This quote stood out because it made me think how in a sense – bear with me on this! – it is not the death which creates our grief but our resistance to accepting what has happened. It is our resistance to letting go, to accepting they won’t come back, to learning to live solo once again…that creates that sense of loneliness and often depression.

Yet that resistance is only creating sorrow…it is not making anything better, it is not bringing them back, it is merely creating even more pain. We have already felt the pain of loss, then we go and add to it by resisting that change has happened.

I make is sound so easy…just stop resisting and everything will be fine!…and I know that it is not easy. However, acceptance is such a huge part of our new life, acceptance is the only antidote to resistance.

Maybe we should write down all the things which we are resisting and plan a way of accepting them? What do you resist the most?

Post from: Widows Quest

Deon Barnard presents How to be happy in an unhappy world posted at Deon Barnard – Motivation, Training and Personal evelopment, saying, “Tips on finding happiness”

Anna presents Who is at the centre of your world? posted at The Engaging Brand

Vincent presents Have You Forgotten How To Enjoy Yourself? posted at Hit Your Goals.

Anna Callahan presents Law of Attraction: how it works posted at Indie Times, saying, “Understanding the real reasons why positive thinking works can help in any crisis. Read here about the effects of gratitude and visualizing on yourself and how others see you.”

John Anyasor presents Should I or Should I Not? The Curse of Indecision posted at Living the HiLife2B (in college), saying, “You think you’re indecisive? Think again. The curse of indecision follows us all – especially when we pick our careers.”

Angela Peterson presents Six Biggest Myths about Psychology that Everyone Believes posted at Online Psychology Degrees, saying, “With psychology, self-help, and other mental health issues flooding various aspects of life, how are we supposed to know what is real and what is a fad? A good place to start is by examining the six biggest myths about psychology everyone believes to see if you still do.”

Kandi Thompson presents If it is to be…it’s up to me! posted at Twin-spiration.

Emily Simmons presents A Personal Look at Depression posted at Be In Health Now, saying, “This article shares how I’ve been able to deal with my depression using a natural, lifestyle approach. If you or someone you love is depressed, I hope you’ll find it helpful!”

Alvaro Fernandez presents 15 FAQs on Neuroplasticity and Brain Fitness posted at SharpBrains, saying, “Here you have a Question and Answer session on what neuroplasticity means and how to maintain and improve brain fitness”

Ian Peatey presents Dwelling on the lighter side posted at Quantum Learning – nonviolent living.

Donald Latumahina presents Being Happy: How Not to Love Stuff posted at Life Optimizer.

Albie presents How to use your mind properly? posted at iDevelopWorld.

GP presents Keeping it all in the Family « Musings from Montana posted at Manely Montana, saying, “a different take on keeping it all in the family.. keeping it in perspective”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of positive thinking using our
carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Post from: Widows Quest

Vellervine presents Taking Risks Bravely posted at How to Start Finding My Passion in Life, saying, “Taking risks bravely | Finding passion | Motivation techniques”

Anna presents 5 Ways to Encourage Positivity posted at The Engaging Brand

Aparna presents Who is a free person? posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, “The people, who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing; They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live; Chained by their attitudes they are slaves; they have given away their freedom; ONLY THE MAN WHO RISKS IS A FREE MAN”

Jennifer Reed presents Time is of the Essence! | Reed What Matters posted at Reed What Matters, saying, “Day in and day out, we handle our day as if it’s just another day. Grabbing our to-do list, finishing our goals for the day, not getting enough sleep, leaving our spouse to fall asleep on their own, and at times forgetting to tuck our children in for bed, forgetting time is of the essence.”

Wally Bock presents God is in the details posted at Momentor.

Katie Sorene presents How to Beat the Post-Vacation Blues posted at Travel Blog – Tripbase.

Jon Beebe presents Quick-Start Guide to Overcoming Fear and Developing Courage posted at DevelopMinds.com Blog, saying, “How to overcome fear and develop courage.”

Thailand Breeze presents Thai Culture And Relationships (Part 1) posted at Tip.

Joe E presents Tips for Coping with a Chronic Condition posted at Promote Health, saying, “It can be hard dealing with the news of finding out that you or someone you love has just been diagnosed with a chronic condition. Here are some tips that will help you cope with this troubling situation and get you mind thinking positive again.”

Shannon Wills presents 100 iPhone Apps to Seriously Boost Your Brainpower posted at Online Bible Colleges.

Steven Lohrenz presents Culling the Herd posted at Steven Lohrenz.

Kwame O. presents Finding Your Life Purpose in Three Easy Steps posted at Life Purpose And Spirituality.

kb presents Overcoming Depression posted at Words of Wisdom for Inner Peace by KB, saying, “Thank you ”

Tom Pham presents As I Look Out The Window… – Thoughts Of A Whim posted at Thoughts Of A Whim.

Surbhi Bhatia presents Color Therapy posted at The Viewspaper » The Viewspaper.

Surbhi Bhatia presents Influence of Influence posted at The Viewspaper » The Viewspaper.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of positive thinking
using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our
blog carnival index page.

Post from: Widows Quest

Why?

Because the first step isn’t often the one that helps start to heal the broken heart…in itself. Of course the first time going out, the first time you meet someone, the first time you go on holiday, the first anniversary are all hard…I don’t dispute that at all. However often the first step is surrounded by friends, often the first step is understood by all as a difficult step for a widow or widower.

But following that you have to start progressing on your own, often you don’t enjoy the first experience because of the loneliness and that can make the future even more difficult.

What I would like to say to people feeling like that is this….there is no definitive answer..it may be the first, fifth or fiftieth step you take which is the hardest. But the alternative of removing yourself from life or society is not easy anyway. It feeds depression, it feeds loneliness so what I would think about is this

“This step is hard, it may even be painful but at least it is a step in the right direction”

Post from: Widows Quest

I know that I have gone on what I can only call a spiritual journey. I have changed. Grief has removed trivial insecurities and also my desire to see what in reality are small problems as major life issues. So I am now much more patient for instance in traffic jams! After all, there is nothing I can do about it and in reality is it a HUGE worldwide problem…no.

I often wish that he could see how his death has changed me….I am a better person, I know that….

On the other hand those insecurities have been replaced with a loss of confidence but that loss is related to his death and wouldn’t be there if I hadn’t lost him.

You know grief is a natural part of life. We may concentrate on how grief affects us in a bad way but lets not forget how it changes us for the better. Moreover if it hasn’t changed us for the better…why not? Surely when we lose something so dear we must learn to value the most important thing in life – love, friendship etc

Grief will change us – let us make sure that the net difference is a positive one

Post from: Widows Quest

When the darkness falls, remember the sun will rise in the morning

When the darkness falls, remember the sun is just resting

When the darkenss falls, remember even the night has stars

When the darkeness falls, remember tomorrow will be a new day.

Post from: Widows Quest

It started last night, I don’t know why but depression fell over my body. I realised it was coming and yet I just couldn’t motivate myself to stop it from happening.

Depression – that feeling that there is nothing to hold on to, that feeling of being alone, that feeling that you are tired of fighting the feeling…just grabs hold. The worst part is that there is no one there to hold you, to hold you tight and tell you that they believe in you.

I tend to be one of those friends who people tell their problems to, which means that I understand how they are feeling and don’t want to burden them with my feelings. After all the last thing I want to hear is that “You are just having a bad day”, “It will all be OK tomorrow” etc

I am also a person who wants to cope, a person who wants to show the world that I can cope…no matter the financial worries or the feeling of emptiness.

So what can I do? Well the first thing is to write it down – blogging is a great way to accept the feeling. The second is to allow myself to feel that way, most days I fight it, most days I put on the brave face….my heart and brain is just saying “Look I need to recharge”

The final thing for me is to break the silence in the house. I am naturally a bit of a hermit! So even if i feel like getting into my grief bunker, I realise I must keep the human voice present. I put on the radio, I listen to podcasts, I watch the TV…trying to watch the more uplifting items rather than ones which will depress me more.

You know, as widows and widowers we are brave little beings…some days though we need to allow our hearts to be fragile as it doesn’t show weakeness it shows humanity….

Post from: Widows Quest

1. I put my goals on post it notes and spread them around the house -  the bathroom mirror, the fridge door etc. This means that the dreams are constantly in my eye line and that they help me to stay positive.
2. I put my legacy as my screensaver on my PC.
3. I have put my goals into my diary….I have spread them throughout the year.
4. Near to the goals I have put photo’s up which show me happy, laughing. I have deliberately chosen photos which are just me….to remind me of the feeling of being happy.
5. I have asked my best friend to email me regularly to ask me how I am doing against the goals. I think the fact that I have shared them means that they are more real.

Bereavement is hard, and we have to find ways of replacing the depression with happy thoughts…this is how I do it….do any of you do anything similar?

Post from: Widows Quest

Mina Irfan presents Why Hitting Rock Bottom is the Best Thing That Happened to Me posted at The Universe Guru, saying, “I understand that times are tough out there – and it’s difficult to appreciate all this when you might be right in the middle of great despair. Just know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel – and one day soon you will be looking back – knowing that you made it. And that you always had it in you. Better start now.”

Anna presents A Roz Between Two Oars posted at The Engaging Brand

ChristianPF presents Purpose + Passion = Performance posted at Money in the Bible | Christian Personal Finance Blog, saying, “The keys to success in life are passion and purpose. When you have both, the impossible becomes possible…”

Bruno Vigneault presents The benefits of giving from the heart. posted at How To Make A Miracle Happen.

Nesher presents Main Causes of Depression posted at Clinical Depression: Symptoms and Treatment.

Erin Pavlina presents The Relationship Between Happiness and Beliefs posted at Erin Pavlina’s Blog, saying, “Do your beliefs make you happy? Do you currently have beliefs that are leading to a happy life? Do you wake up every morning happy and grateful for the life you have?”

Nina presents Discover How to Live Your Life with Passion and Purpose posted at Metaphysical Teachers, saying, “Living your life with intense purpose renews your passion for life and enables you to be the best you can be. It strengthens your self-confidence and, best of all, brings self-fulfillment. Find your purpose today, and give it all you’ve got!”

Chris_SS presents When People Say “How’s It Going?”, “What’s Up?” or “What’s New?” posted at How to have more social success.

John Anyasor presents On the Act of Giving Up posted at Living the HiLife2B (in college), saying, “When faced with the opportunity to give up, pass it by before your dreams pass you by.”

Aparna presents Sleeping for long hours is not good for health posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming.

Paula Kawal presents Contracting or Expanding Your Mode of Focus posted at Journey Inward Productions, saying, “Yesterday nature sent some chaos into our lives in the form of our first good wind storm of the year. As we watched it howl we wondered if trees were coming down, whether or not the power would stay on and what effect all of these possibilities might have on the evenings commitments.”

Warren presents Strengths and Weaknesses posted at GenerallyThinking.com, saying, “People have weaknesses. I have weaknesses, you have weaknesses, even James Bond had one weakness (women). Here’s what to do about it (you that is, not James Bond).”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of positive thinking using our carnival submission form.

Post from: Widows Quest