Day 415 ~ #8 of My 30 Days of Truth

My 30 Days of Truth challenge   I will admit that I changed one question and changed a few curse words... other than that the challenge is intact. 

Day 8: Someone who made your life hell or treated you horribly.


Well... well... well... where to start?


Oh sure, it would be so easy to use this moment to publicly hang the person(s) who made my life hell... boy, oh boy does one person come out to the forefront on this one... or the one(s) who treated me horribly... ennie... minnie... miney... moe... 

It's done... it's over with... they may have clearly deserved the "title" of major bullies...

However I will not give them the satisfaction or their "15 minutes of fame" (haha)...as if.  ;)

Besides, as mentioned in Day 5 of this challenge... I am practicing the art of forgiving.

I know all too well the difficulties of forgiving... after all you are talking to the queen of holding grudges here... wink, wink...  All this has accomplished, is the sparkle of my eyes fading and the hardening of my heart... never mind the loneliness it harbors within your soul.  Oh and the scowl wrinkles come in quicker too.  A "Perma-scowl" develops on your face.  wink, wink.

So... although it is harder to forget than it is to forgive, I am giving it a go of it. 

Again... as mentioned before... I am not doing this for them.  I am doing this for me.  For "the" happier me.  For "a" happier me.

{and} Every time a bad memory comes to mind... I have to stop it and shake it off.  I have to.  Otherwise... I am letting the "bullies" in my life win.  I am allowing the past to affect my present and my future.

Let's look at it another way.... One one hand... let it all bring me down ... weigh me down... wear a "perma-scowl"...  OR ... The other hand... shake it off... don't give the "enemy" importance in my life... not allow it to suck up any more of my happy time ... and more importantly practice happiness!

I choose the latter.


This is not an easy feet to perform.  I am in no way saying it is... however the unhappiness it has brought overflows to other areas of life.  


Believe me I am constantly asking God for help on this one.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."  ~Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV)

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”  ~Luke 17:3-4 (ESV)

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”  ~Mark 11:25 (ESV)

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;  ~Luke 6:37 (ESV) 

what's next? ..

Day 01 : Something you hate about yourself.

Day 02 : Something you love about yourself.

Day 03 : Something you have to forgive yourself for.

Day 04 : Something you have to forgive someone for.

Day 05 : Something you hope to do in your life.

Day 06 : Something you hope you never have to do. 

Day 07 : Someone who has made your life worth living for.

Day 08 : Someone who made your life hell, or treated you horribly.
Day 09 : Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 : Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 : Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 : Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 : A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 : A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 : Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you've tried living without it.
Day 16 : Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 : A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 : Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 : What do you think of religion?  Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 : Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 : (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 : Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 : Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 : Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 : The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 : Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 : What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 : Name a decision you made that caused a chain of events that would not have happened if it wasn't for that decision.
Day 29 : Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 : A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

Hey if you want to join along... well let me know in a comment and I'll visit your challenge each day.  We could even link up our blogs.  wink, wink.  No.. seriously we could.

Here's to 30 Days of Truth!

I am second.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 412 ~ #5 of My 30 Days of Truth...

My 30 Days of Truth challenge   I will admit that I changed one question and changed a few curse words... other than that the challenge is intact. 

Day 5: Something you hope to do in your life.

This is a no-brain-er!  


For as much as I think about what I would like to do in my life... well nothing else compares.

There are two things I hope to do in my life...


One... help others.  Just to be there for a fellow mom going through tough time... another woman who feels alone... to support someone in their time of need... to help another person unjustly treated... just to help one person feel better... be happier... feel loved... at least one person.


The second thing I would like to do in my life is to have all my children with me... to take a family vacation {at least a month long vacation} and spend a wonderful holiday with my sons, daughter and family.


I just can't think of a better thing to hope to do in my life...


Pure bliss.


Okay...I am going to sneak in a final thought here... about my last night's post- it does have something to do with tonight's post as well... I spoke of forgiveness.  Forgiving others to be exact.  I spoke quite generously about... point blank... forgiving all who had done me wrong.  


I would like to make this perfectly clear.  I am not doing this for "them"... I am doing this for me.  More so because I am tired of walking around having all this negativity within my soul.  I am doing this to free myself from all the wrong in the world.


I hope to be able to free myself from the "baggage" that has dragged me... the events that took the sparkle out of my eyes and took the soul out of my laughter.  


I truly hope I am able to do all these things in my life.

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. ~Psalm 112:5 (NIV)

what's next? ...

Day 01 : Something you hate about yourself.

Day 02 : Something you love about yourself.

Day 03 : Something you have to forgive yourself for.

Day 04 : Something you have to forgive someone for.

Day 05 : Something you hope to do in your life.

Day 06 : Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 : Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 : Someone who made your life hell, or treated you horribly.
Day 09 : Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 : Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 : Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 : Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 : A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 : A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 : Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you've tried living without it.
Day 16 : Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 : A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 : Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 : What do you think of religion?  Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 : Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 : (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 : Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 : Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 : Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 : The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 : Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 : What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 : Name a decision you made that caused a chain of events that would not have happened if it wasn't for that decision.
Day 29 : Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 : A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

Hey if you want to join along... well let me know in a comment and I'll visit your challenge each day.  We could even link up our blogs.  wink, wink.  No.. seriously we could.

Here's to my 30 Days of Truth challenge!

I am second.

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Took It... Making It... Living It... My Life .  © 2012  U.S Copyright Laws apply.

Day 315 ~ "P" for the Power of Forgiveness

As I continue my A to Z Challenge I am now presented with the letter "P" and have decided to have the the letter represented by the phrase the "Power of Forgiveness."


Sure I could have chosen forgiveness for my "F" word, deserveingly so.  However if I may  add, the act of forgiveness is a brave and powerful act at that deserves [the larger text and] the foreword of power, hence the phrase "Power of Forgiveness."  


Thanks to Oprah's Lifeclass: The Tour (wow... two days in a row Oprah gets a plug on my blog. lol  wink, wink) I have been listening and learning from the likes of Tony Robbins, Iyanla Vanzant, Deepak Chopra and Bishop TD Jakes.  They all spoke about letting go of the pas, accepting it and the "Power of Forgiveness."


I have decided that I truly need to forgive myself to remove this power unforgiving has had in who I am and what I do.  I feel my chest tightening up with anxiety at the thought... BUT... I remembered what was reaffirmed to me...

• Holding onto resentment is like holding your breath; you soon stat to suffocate.  ~Deepak Chopra
• Forgiveness takes courage.  ~ by all
• What people think of you is none of your business.  If you start to make it your business you will be offended for the rest of your life.  ~Deepak Chora
• Until you heal the wounds of your past, you will continue to bleed into your future.  ~Iyanla Vanzant
• Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different.  ~Oprah quote unknown

I know first hand that Power of Forgiveness exists.  What first seemed to feel like I was just going through the motions, turned out to be the most rewarding feeling.  A sense of euphoria per say.  It was as if a tremendous amount of weight had literally been lifted off of me.  What first seemed to be a mere metaphor turned out to be such a Powerful feeling...  


So... when you catch yourself thinking there's no such thing as the Power of Forgiveness; that if you forgive you are doing the offender a favor, letting them off if you will... bottomline... 

1. YES there is such thing as the Power of Forgiveness
2. Forgiveness is about YOU not the offender; it's about accepting the past for what it is;
3. Not allowing what the offender did affect the way you live now or in the future

All I know is what Deepak Chopra keep repeating (towards the end of his segment) was that  "We want to be defined by the best our my life, not the very worse."  Doesn't that say it all?  It certainly does for me.


This was a very enlightening moment.  I am grateful for all that I have survived.  I am a stronger person for it.  I am who I am because of it.  Above all...


I am going to be "brave", and TRULY begin to forgive myself.  For as much as I have said in the past that I have "forgiven" myself, honestly something new always causes feelings to resurface.   


I MUST begin to take the Power of Forgiveness and forgive myself once and for all.. allowing for future feelings too.  Meaning in forgiving myself and others who may come into play, I have to truly let go of the past, accept the past for what it is and move one.  


After all one constant has always been true... the fact that I want to live a happy successful life with my family by my side! 

True forgiveness is unconditional, it has no red tape; it has no strings attached.  ~unknown 

Blogging A to Z Challenge April 2012... What will "Q" have for us tomorrow?

50 days to go...  (OMG! No way!)

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

Images are courtesy of google or Bing images.  Some images maybe labeled property of Carla Barila Karam and of this blog, Taking Back My Life ~ Making It My Own.  U.S Copyright laws apply.  ©