Day 438 ~ #30... 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 30: A letter to yourself... tell yourself everything you love about yourself...

Dear Self...

Wow! Where to start?...  

We've been through so much...  we've seen so much... sharing so much along the way.  

I am so proud of you for hanging in there time after time, and for never looking the other way.  

I am so proud of your inner strength, as I am proud of your weaknesses.  I am proud of your constant desire to help others as well.  

I am proud of how you've faced adversary, worked your way around obstacles and how you've fought through all the tribulations in your life... I am even proud of how you have picked yourself up after every negative situation that was thrown at you... and never being afraid of admitting your faults.  

Most importantly I am so proud for your sincere desire to better yourself each day... your desire to be the person your children and husband would always be proud of... as well as your desire to always do the right thing.  

Keep up the great work... never taking your eyes off the prize.  {and} whatever you do... don't ever forget about the big picture.  

With much love...  

Your self.         

With God's grace.

Whoever gets sense loves his own soul; he who keeps understanding will discover good.  ~Proverbs 19-8

Where I've been and where I'm going 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 : Write a letter to a hero that has let you down.

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 for 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

 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 212 ~ I Believe In Myself

Weirdest thing just happened... I was watching a new CBS tv show and was taken aback by the following dialogue...

So you crawled in a hole to die... honey, don't you know that a good life is the best revenge...

too late for that...

it's never too late... I have battled more than my share of demons and came out the better for it and I'm not going to let you crawl back into that hole.

What's so weird about that?   It was as if I had tuned into a segment of my life.  Yes!  Exactly!!  I have said those words to myself before.  Not quite the same words, but enough for it to raise the hair on the back of my neck.

SO now what I say to myself is,,, Crawling into a hole is NOT an option!!  Can not get anything done from a hole either!!

I start 2012 with the strong belief that all will be okay.  Almost as if this is going to be "the" year.  I start my year stronger, better and with a new healthier outlook!!  I even start my year off with a growing fondness in myself!!

I have found that there is only one thing that heals every problem, and that is:  to love yourself.  When people start to love themselves more each day, it's amazing how their lives get better.    ~ Louise L. Hay

Blessings to all!!

153 days to go...

PS... Sons, I love and miss you.  To the moon and stars above and back.  You are my sunshines.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied.  All accounts herein are written by Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life.  Some names may be changed to protect the innocent or protect me from the guilty.  (just kidding...wink, wink)

Day 176 ~ Continuing to Discover...

Created by ME 

Very exciting day today.  Today is the first day of my long, healthy, happy life.  Today if the first day of my new blog... My LifeStyle Re-Design!

After months of anticipation, on my part, I did it.  I am doing it.  I started a second, actually third, blog.

This is not just about dieting... it is about that and much more.  We all know we can not just diet and expect weight to come off.  We also have to exercise.  Not only that, but when you finish dieting, what happens?  The weight generally creeps back on.

I am not exempt from this happening... as soon as you reach your goal, you get happy... and slowly but surely, you go back to your old weighs.  (wink, wink)

Well this will be interesting, especially knowing that I will be continuing this blog for another one hundred eighty-nine days.  I do hope to keep them both interesting, informative and FUN!

I do know one thing for sure... writing this blog has been very rewarding.  As blogged many times before, I love blogging.  I have discovered a new me and am loving it!  

"Whether serving in your hometown or on the other side of the world, use your talents and energy to make a better world.  Whenever life leads you, pursue the path of service and you will find fulfillment beyond measure."  ~ Laura Bush 

Blessings to all!!

189 days to go...

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 94 ~ I Can Move On & Prevail!

There have been days in my life that I have felt so alone... having a family does not necessarily mean "you have a family."

I sit back and look at myself, and how I have ... "coped" ... "endured" ... "managed" ... "bumbled" ... "mourned" ... "celebrated" ... "fought" ... "made peace" ... "struggled" ... "surrendered" ... "cried" ... "laughed" ... "battled" ... "agreed' ... "defended" ... "attacked" ... "engaged" ... "dismissed" ... "scrambled" ... "organized" ... "learned" ... and "experienced" ... and I have had to do it all, right or wrong, learning along the way, all by myself!  


[No father; no mother; sister or brother; grandmother or aunt; uncle or grandfather; let alone cousins to help or be there for me, a shoulder to cry on, or maybe a hug? A little loyalty or camaraderie?]


It's no wonder I am a little rough around the edges.  ;)

As I look back on all the chapters of my life, trials and tribulations, mistakes, accomplishments and achievements...


I've done okay!  I have a few more things I want to do... and will continue to do ~like my blogging...


As long as I keep moving in the right direction, forward, that is... keeping my goals in sight... working towards them a little each day... I will prevail... I will prevail!  I WILL PREVAIL!!!

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.  ~ Winston Churchill

Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many -- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.   ~ Charles Dickens

Act as if it were impossible to fail.  ~ Dorothy Broude

Don't run from lessons; they are little packages of treasure that have been given to us.  As we learn from them, our lives change for the better.  I now rejoice whenever I see another portion of the dark side of myself.  I know that it means that I am ready to let go of something that has been hindering my life.  I say, "Thank you for showing me this, so I can heal it and move on."  ~ Louise L. Hay 

Blessings to all!


271 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 93 ~ Perseverance...

So ... something my father-in-law, Ferris, said the other day in passing that has been popping in and out of my thoughts for the past few days... "you have to stick at something, give it a chance in order for it to work..." ... something to that effect...

Well... I just don't know... there are instances, that I'm sure you may find familiar, that have happened to me, such as... looking hindsight and realizing that you should have quit way back before things went a mock OR quitting something at the sign of trouble and then seeing if you would have stuck it out things could have been better.

So ... which way is it?  Do you quit while you're ahead... OR ... do you stick it out in hopes of a better tomorrow?  Is one way more optimistic than the other? ... OR ... are we looking at the glass half full here.

I think that either way, as long as you keep trying, moving forward... and you do not stop believing, you are ahead of the game.

I have had quite a few let downs in my life, but definitely not for lack of trying.  I may have slowed down a bit at times... maybe even gotten sidetracked... but my final goals have remained the same and all I've had to do is remind myself what it is I want out of life!  

Then before I know it... I'm back on track!

Perseverance is a great element of success.  If you knock enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.  ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.  ~Confucius

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.    ~ author unknown (1840)

Blessings to all!




272 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 89 ~ For Me & For Calley

Scratch another day off the calendar!  Can't believe we are already in September... before we know it Halloween will be here, and then... you got it!... Thanksgiving and Christmas!  ...and then the cycle starts all over again.

I know that I had said last Wednesday that I was going to start my Lifestyle Redesign on the first, however with all the preparations for the service tomorrow night and the graveside service Wednesday... well let's just say that my plate has been a little full.

Even so, I have been making conscious decisions as to what I am doing and above all what I am eating.  Being that I am going for a complete redesign, I have been making choices that I can comfortably live with for the rest of my life. 

Yes I said for the rest of my life.  Just like people sit there and reach for junk food or get fast food instead of making a healthy meal... I am trying to do the complete opposite, and teach my daughter to do so as well.

So as each day grows into a month, and each month then adds up to a year, I vow to lead a healthy lifestyle so I can be around for my beautiful little girl for many years to come!  

Calley, I am doing this not only for myself, but I am doing it for you as well!  And by the way that you munch out on raw broccoli or ask for a glass of water, instead of juice, I think we are on our way!!   I love you so much!

A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future.                      ~  Author Unknown

And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships.                         ~  Victoria Secunda

A daughter is a miracle that never ceases to be miraculous...full of beauty and forever beautiful...loving and caring and truly amazing.   ~  Deanna Beisser

Blessings to all! 

276 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 76 ~ Just In Case I Don't Get A Chance to Tell You...

courtesy of Bing images

Once again, I find myself wondering how to put what I'm feeling, what I'm thinking and above all, the love I feel for not only my children, but my Dino, family and friends ... to words.

There was something that caught my eye on t.v today...  next thing I knew someone was saying with such depth and love, "... we never know when we are going to go... any one of us ... at any time... if we'll ever see each other again..."

With that in mind, I would like to take this opportunity...

courtesy of Bing images

Since the moment I laid eyes on all my children... I am honored to say that I was the first to ever kiss you... and from that moment on... well let's just say that "you had me at Hello..."  Funny... it won't be until they themselves are parents before they really understand how much I love them!  I have no problem waiting.  (big smile)

courtesy of Bing images

As far as my family is concerned... each and every one of them have impacted my life in one way or another.  A bond has grown, without our choosing.  It's been said that "... we can't choose our family."  and then they also say... "...life is like a roller coaster... there's a certain high you're always on... that you don't want to get off." 

I guess you could say that, I would not be who I am without them.

courtesy of Bing images

Then there are my friends... my "Dream Team."  Where do I begin?  ... What I can say, is that... I don't know where I would be without you, let alone, who I would be...  I cherish all our times together and keep them tucked away in my heart.  Each and every one of you have a place in my heart.  I don;t know if you know this... but...you have helped me, with your own strengths, how to grow within myself and as a result I have become stronger as each day goes by.

Above all I thank you for giving me the best gift of all... by believing in me you have helped me believe in myself!  Thank you so much for having "my back"!

I  just wanted to take this time to tell you how much you mean to me... and when the day comes ... when my number is finally called... please... please laugh! YES!! LAUGH!!!  (and have a drink for me  -  BIG smile!!)  I want you to tell stories, go ahead I give you permission to embarrass me!  LOL!!  Finally, please, let my children know of the wonderful times we had together... and while I watch them from above I somehow know that I can count on you to help me with them down here.   

courtesy of Bing images

... as far as Dino... well ... he is such a wonderful person and deserves nothing but happiness... especially for putting up with me all these years!  LOL!!  (big smile)  However.. it would be nice if he missed me "just" a little.  (wink, wink)  - my attempt to being funny, again!

(big BIG heartfelt smile!) 

((((( big BIG HUG )))))

The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread.  ~Mother Teresa

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars, 1939, translated from French by Lewis Galantière

 Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.    ~  Grandma Moses

Blessings to all!!

289 days to go

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 73 ~ With Implementation There Are Goals...

I feel as I am on the right track now.

courtesy of Bing images

After a few changes, (I even dove into my Feng Shui books for a little placement assistance,) and I am feeling so much better.

I am starting to come to the determination that as long as I do not give something much thought, other than initial processing, acceptance, and implementation measures, and go for it!... this is the key with me.

The moment I start to think about something... it turns into dwelling on something...  I end up beating it to death and get nowhere!  and so far that has not worked for me.

One of my favorite Albert Einstein quotes comes to mind...

courtesy of Bing images

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

There's a reason as to how and why this quote hits home with many of us... maybe because it is proven absolutely correct by millions of people on a daily basis... 

Sooooo...

The buck stops here!!!  Crazy I'm not, and I am not stupid either!!

It's time to start putting a different twist to my life... as the ol' saying goes...

It's never too late to be who you might have been.  ~  George Eliot

Just for today, no matter where I am going, or what I am doing, or who I am doing it with, it is my intention to focus on the positive.   ~Lucy MacDonald

Blessings to all!!

292 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.

Day 71 ~ There's Something to Say About Structure!

courtesy of Bing images

WOW~!!  I can't believe it... two revelations in one week!!??

I am almost positive that you have noticed, as well,  that something has been going on with me... I can tell, especially in my writing.  There's something missing.  ... and ... finally, after being back from our annual family vacation a mere two weeks ... (the light bulb turned on again) ... I know what's been going on... what's taken the "it" out of my heart, mind and soul and most of all, my writing...

First... I am missing structure.  Before leaving on our "family holiday" I was feeling great.  Anticipating seeing friends at my high school reunion... anticipating seeing the ocean, smelling the ocean air and feeling the breeze against my skin.  I was working out and doing great on my wii Fit Plus Challenge and I was eating healthy.

As I have mentioned... being healthy, eating healthy and feeling healthy is a lifestyle not a temporary fix.  

As soon as we "rolled" into LA... my weight loss challenge really became a CHALLENGE!!  It became almost uncomfortable telling your "host", or rather family, that I was watching what I was eating... or rather that I was on a healthy diet.  

IT WAS AS IF I OPENED A CAN OF WORMS!! by doing so.  Everyone had an opinion or their own diet stories... and no sooner as the words came out of my mouth... the food came "TEN FOLD"!   Not to mention, asking to set up my wii... this meant taking over someone's television and their living space as well.

To sum it all up, I had to replace my exercising on the wii with natural exercise...  (walking to the beach... walking on the sand... etc..)  and did they best I could with eating healthy items. 

SOLUTION:  I have decided to place structure back into my life with a NEW wii fit plus challenge, actually more of a change of lifestyle challenge and maintenance... MORE IMPORTANTLY I am doing this for ME... not for a reunion and not to impress... I am doing this so I will have a healthy and active life for a long time...  look for my new blog out next week...  

Second... I am missing vitamin D.  Actually, I am missing the ocean, ocean air and the ocean breeze... as well as outdoor activity!..  This has really sucked the life out of me since I have returned.  It is too hot outside to function.  

T

SOLUTION:  To turn all of this around to a positive note... we, as a family, have to decide what exactly we are going to do to work towards our goal of getting back to the west coast...  The saga continues, however only until a plan is determined.

Note to self...  Sit down and work our a plan, including steps needed to forge forward... and do it!!

courtesy of Bing images

Finally... not having order at home sets a domino effect on the rest of your life.  Can you believe it... I just finished unpacking!!  Can you say no motivation!??!!  

All I needed was a little bit of order to kick me in the "butt"!! and to open my eyes to what I am missing.  After all, don't they say?... "cleanliness is next to godliness"...

I can not allow myself to get into a slump!  Especially when there are things that I want from life!  Bottom line... I need to do something about it... otherwise... it will not happen on its own and I will be miserable!!

SOLUTION:  SOOO... Structure, Vitamin D, and order here I come!!!  

Never give up on dreams... catch them as they fly by.  author unknown.

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.  Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.  ~ Carl Jung

"The first and the best victory is to conquer self." ~ Plato 

Blessings to all!!

294 days to go.

All contents herein are protected under Copyright laws and can not be used, altered or copied. All accounts herein are written by Cali-Gal/Carla B Karam and are true accounts of her life. Some names may be changed to protect the innocent.