A big Thank You to Delilah for the opportunity to write a guest blog!

I write about spirituality – some of it deeply traditional and some of it in the practical context of everyday life. Since we’re in the season of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a story about GRATITUDE and how this simple practice worked some serious magic in my life.

George Lucas – the creator of Star Wars – referred to professor and spiritual guru Joseph Campbell as his “Yoda”. Campbell remains a favorite among the intellectual literati in spiritual circles, and his best-known one-liner is probably this one: “follow your bliss”.

This mantra sounds great when we’re stuck in a miserable place, but the truth about how it works is a bit more nuanced. Let’s start with the full quote by Campbell:

“Follow your bliss, and the Universe will open doors where there were only walls”.

There is perhaps no better context for this quote than when we seem to be stuck in a miserable job.

“That’s it!” we tell ourselves. “I need to get out of this awful place and do something that brings me joy – I’m going to follow my bliss!“

I know a number of people who have left a job to “follow their bliss” only to find themselves in a place of regret. I have learned that it’s a bit more complicated than just doing what feels good, which is – unfortunately – how Campbell’s quote is often interpreted.

Like most spiritual wisdom, the statement is at the same time complex and simple. To illustrate what I mean, I’ll share my experience with the concept.

A few years back, I left a position with a tech start-up to go into a much more traditional position in a government agency. I took a pay cut, went from working at home to driving into an office 5-days a week, and turned in the corporate Gold card and business class travel options. Some people thought I was crazy, but I had my reasons, and knew it was the right thing to do.

About a year and a half into this position, I was miserable with a capital M. The culture was old school bureaucracy, and there were many long-time employees whose favorite game was creating conflict. Many days it felt like the Hatfield & McCoy feud, and it was the place where I learned what the term “gaslighting” meant because I experienced it almost daily.

I was ready to admit that this career move had been a HUGE mistake and began to make plans to find a new position – ANY position away from these mean and spiteful people…except it wasn’t that simple.

One of the reasons I had come to this organization was to capitalize on my military time, and I had planned to at least stay long enough to secure my pension. Things had gotten so bad that I wasn’t sure I could even do that; but before I walked away, I decided to apply some of the spiritual tools I was writing about and teaching to others. If those didn’t work, another job was always an option.

In the darkest days, I found very little to appreciate, but I kept looking and doing my spiritual work. Finally, I settled on the fact that the store on the installation had fresh, cut-up fruit available every day. I was working on eating healthier and this little treat was a $2.17 way for me to stay on track – and it didn’t require me to do any food prep or remember to grab something from my fridge on the way out the door.

Each day on my break I looked forward to the strawberries, cantaloupe or grapes that I would find in the store and I focused my appreciation on this small piece of sanity during the workweek.

Soon after shifting my focus to appreciating the fruit, I realized that the culture – while still leaving a lot to be desired – at least encouraged people to walk at work. The campus is a lovely, suburban one where walking in decent weather is not only feasible but pleasant.

I kept my focus on being grateful for these 2 things, not letting myself descend into the misery that seemed to be all around me. I also discovered that the commute, while aggravating at times, was perfect for listening to audiobooks. Another plus!

My mood began to soften, and I decided one day to make a list of the people at this job who were positive additions to the experience, and I quickly had a fairly long list.

Now almost halfway into my 7^th year in this job, I have achieved multiple awards, career recognition, and a stability in my position that I could have never foreseen in the depths of that darkness. Indeed, the Universe had opened doors where I once saw only walls.

The “bliss” I followed was not running off in a huff when things were going badly. I found it in small islands of good that I discovered when I opened myself to the possibility that they existed – even there.

While it is lovely to be able to walk into stores and see some of our favorite spiritual quotes emblazoned on t-shirts, coffee mugs, throw pillows, and more; we must take care to remember that these teachings are MUCH deeper than cute one-liners.

I did follow my bliss, and the Universe absolutely opened doors where there were once only walls – but it didn’t happen with me throwing up my hands and quitting in a dramatic, made-for-TV resignation. It happened when I spent time in quiet meditation, which helped me to see the great value in staying and securing my pension. It happened when I practiced the pivot, moving my energy and attention to all the positive aspects of the position and letting go of the negative ones. It happened when I focused on being grateful for the small things that were all around me.

Following our bliss is not a magic spell we can cast to transport ourselves from a tough situation to sipping cocktails on a white-sand beach. It is a process we can use to, one step at a time, transform the formidable walls in our path into doors that open to better experiences, happiness, and peace.

Wishing everyone a bountiful & blissful Thanksgiving weekend!

About the Author

Rebecca Harmon is a mother, grandmother, US Navy veteran, and keeper of cats who lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A healthcare professional and educator, she maintains a blog on spirituality and enjoys speaking in front of large groups of people! She has self-published 2 non-fiction books about careers and the workplace: Discover Your Path – a map to job happiness and 7 Simple Steps – job satisfaction, any place, any time – both available on Amazon – and would love it if you dropped by her blog for a read, a Like, a Follow or a Share!

Follow Rebecca’s blog: A Practitioner’s Path
Follow her on Twitter: @Practitioner2Be
Instagram: PractitionersPath
Follow her professional journey on LinkedIn

The “Devlins” are up early today. There’s so much work to do to be ready for our Thanksgiving feast! We’ll eat early this evening when my SIL finishes his shift at the local PD. My dd and I spent yesterday cooking all the dishes we could in advance for our family of seven. I say I helped, but mostly I was “dishes-cleanup” girl, and I used my new Dash egg cooker to boil a ton of eggs. No one trusts me to actually cook anything! Due to COVID, our gathering is much smaller than in past years—just the folks who occupy this house. We’re staying safe though we will miss our extended family. We’d rather miss them this day rather than forever. I hope you all plan safe gatherings, too.

We have pies, deviled eggs, and a cheesy hedgehog ready. Today, we’re baking the turkey and ham, the stuffing, the candied yams. Yum. The house will be alive with music. Yesterday, we jammed to Aretha and CCR in the kitchen. So joyous! I hope everyone out there jams to great music, dances with the kids, and shares a meal to remember always. Find the joy, y’all—in being together and holding your loved ones close!

UPDATE: The winner is…Jeanine Lesperance!
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I feel like I have to explain my desk before I start. 🙂

The document on the bottom is my bloggers’ schedule. Duh. Anything that says “DD” is mine. So yes, I do “pencil” in my guests on a hard copy. The squishy toy on the left is a fish squishy the 7-year-old gave me when she heard I was scouring the house for the stress ball my physical therapist recommended I exercise my hand with. She said it would be better because it’s softer. LOL. She’s really sweet. The tile on the right says “Artist” and it was from the 16-year-old, who gave it to me for my birthday this year. I love messy paintbrushes—to me, they are a testament to the work that, lately, fills my “well” with happiness. The pretty jar holds a tiny, very fragrant candle I light when I want to improve my mood. And in the bottom right corner is my mom’s mousepad with all the presidents through 45 on it. I gave up my Thor’s hammer pad for mom’s…well, because. I like touching something she touched every day.

So, to the cards…

I have this “Women’s Empowerment” deck of cards sitting on my desk to the far side. It was a gift. I generally don’t like the new age stuff. I prefer tarot cards, famous quote books, etc., for my daily inspiration, but the WE cards are pretty. I opened the box and looked for a card that “called” to me today. These two made me pause.

The first reads, “Be still my mind. Be here now.” I’m not a “now” person. I’m a dreamer (a great thing to be for a writer, BTW!). However, I have work to complete and need some focus, so this thought helps.

The next says, “I enjoy the ups and downs of everyday life. Only the present moment is real.” I do appreciate the ups and downs. If we didn’t have them, life would be boring and we’d never learn a thing. The “only the present moment is real” thing is also very true. What you do now defines who you are and will be. So, today I will write because I want to be a writer. Writers who don’t write are just dreamers without the proof of the stories spinning in their heads.

So, does any of that help me begin my workday? Um, yeah. I guess. As soon as I hit “publish” to post this blog, I will begin “the work” and then I can claim to be a writer once more.

My philosophy isn’t deep. It’s self-serving, right? I need a kick in the ass because I have a minimum of 2,000 words to write today!

If you’d like to deliver that kick, tell me how you go about girding yourself to do “the work” of being who you are for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

These contests are closing soon!

1. My Furbaby-Jealousy (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Anna M. Taylor: Who’s On Second? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Diana Cosby: Inspiration From Nature – Deer (Contest) — Win a FREE book!

UPDATE: The winner is…Jackie Wisherd!
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©Diana Cosby 2020

Photography is an enjoyable pastime, one that refills my muse.  On my walks, I see such a huge variety of animals and birds, but it’s always wonderful when I see deer.

I usually come across does with their young.  So, it’s a treat when I spot a buck; on rare occasions, I’ll see more than one.

Deer are beautiful animals.  Seeing them always takes my breath away.  They have such a calm and majestic presence.

As spring arrives, I keep watch for fawns.  They’re usually hidden deep in the woods or when alone, laying down in tall grass, so it’s always special to see them.

As the year passes, the spots fade from the fawn’s coat as they grow.  By winter, they’re so big, it’s hard to tell the yearlings from the adult deer.

What do you like best about deer?  If you’ve seen deer, what’s your favorite memory?

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated into five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series and The Oath Trilogy, she released the bestselling The Forbidden Series.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

Contest

***ONE winner will be drawn from everyone who posts on my guest blog post about, ‘Inspiration From Nature – Deer,’ on Delilah’s blog between 20 November 2020 – 29 November 2020.  The winner will receive a signed copy of Forbidden Realm.

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
The Forbidden Series

UPDATE: The winner is…Sarah Ulfers!
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My FB feed has been inundated by cute pet pictures. My sister, Elle James, has two adorable little Yorkshire puppies, and now, my good friend, Cynthia D’Alba, has one too. And they constantly post very cute pictures of their new furbabies. Well, I was feeling a little left out. However, with nine dogs and five cats on the Devlin farm already, a puppy isn’t our future for a good ten years. So, how can I possibly compete?

Well, we have Kimmie, Lil, and Phil! Meet Kimmie, who looks likes she’s posing for goat porn.

They are the three goats we acquired this year to keep down the brush around the property. What we didn’t expect was just how funny goats are. So, when I’m feeling any furbaby-jealousy, I’ll be posting about these darlings! Be prepared for CUTENESS!!!!

Comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card! You can tell me what Kimmie thinks she’s doing… Or tell me about your cute furbabies!

It’s been a rough year, huh? Pandemics, climate disasters including fires, all the hurricanes (like for real, ALL of them), and all sorts of extra drama in the national sphere particularly here in the States, where I live.

So what do we do about it?

Focus on what we can control. We can’t change things at the national level all by ourselves. We can join up with like-minded folx and make calls to our representatives, influence others, even write op-eds. Beyond that, we need to make peace with what we can’t change. Being aware of when we’re “doomscrolling” is a critical life skill. I’ve watched many of my friends, and I’ve done it myself, just scrolling and scrolling and posting the equivalent of, “Can you believe this??” It doesn’t matter what the “this” is. We’re letting it take up space in our heads and disturb our peace of mind.

Learn – and practice – mindfulness. There are several apps available that teach meditation. My favorite is Calm App, and they have free offerings so you can check it out. There are some great meditation courses through The Great Courses Plus, which is a paid subscription. But did you know that you can get access to it through your library’s online offerings? In my county, that’s Kanopy; I’ve seen it in other libraries through other services.

Speaking of, if you haven’t checked out your library’s online offerings, you owe it to yourself to do. You can get ebooks, stream movies and popular television shows, read magazines, and even read newspapers. If you’re not sure how to do it, your local librarian will be happy to help hook you up.

Practice good self care. I keep seeing posts about people saying, “Well, I’m going to eat all the donuts,” or whatever. We know better. Dear Reader, don’t do it. It’s not a good enough excuse. We’re poisoning ourselves with bad food and bad sodas. And we know when we’re doing it. We wouldn’t let our children eat like this, if we have kids at home, so why are we doing it to our own bodies? Eat some veggies, and make yourself good food that will help your brain, build your resilience, and help your immunity – which is a key skill particularly during a pandemic.

Get mental health services. Many states now offer these without charge. Check with your insurance company or, if you’re uninsured, check with your state or county’s health department. Psychology Today has a good therapist finder, if you don’t have someone already. Don’t underestimate the toll that events like what we’re facing have on our mental health. This is a purple squirrel event, and we need to safeguard our mental health. And this includes doomscrolling – don’t feed your brain junk food.

Practice your crafts or art. Don’t do it to “be good.” Do it to have fun. We wouldn’t blame a three-year-old for making a wonky piece of art; let’s extend the same degree of understanding and compassion to ourselves. Studies have shown that practicing a hobby has many benefits, including improved mental health.

Reach out to your friends and family. Even if it’s just a Facebook message, reach out and communicate. Even just saying, “Hey, I’m feeling lonely, wanted to say hi,” works. We’re all in the same storm together, even if we’re not in the same boat. Don’t be precious about it. We owe it to ourselves and our friends to be real.

Any other ideas? I’d love to hear in the comments.

And stay well, Dear Reader. ~hugs~

ACN

About the Author

A. Catherine Noon is a bestselling author, writing instructor, and creative entrepreneur based in Bellevue, WA, in the Pacific Northwest. When she’s not writing, she’s weaving; and when she’s not weaving, she’s knitting. And when none of that happens, she likes to blog.

acatherinenoon.com | noonandwilder.com | writerzengarden.com | knoontimeknitting.com

A true story, so you know romance authors aren’t just born, we’re “well-lived” too! 🙂

In late Fall 1979, I was living in Germany, having been assigned as a newly “hatched” communications officer to a battalion in Heilbronn, Germany. I’d been there maybe a month, had unpacked and settled into my BOQ, and the week before I’d made the trip to Bremerhaven to pick up my car from the port. It was a metallic midnight-blue Ford Pinto (yes, a Pinto!). Having no friends at that point to hang with, I decided I’d take a drive by myself and explore. I headed to nearby Stuttgart to do some sightseeing and window shopping.

That day, I dressed in a dark maroon button-down blouse, golden corduroy trousers, leather boots and a brown leather trench. With my Farrah Fawcett blonde hair all blown out, I looked good. I’d finished some shopping and was heading back to the car park to head home. As I strode down the sidewalk, this tall, very handsome man dressed in a black turtleneck, a black jacket and trousers, with swarthy skin and black, shaggy hair (I pegged him as Italian or Greek) passed me.

I gave him a nod and kept going. Then out of curiosity, I glanced back. He’d stopped in the sidewalk and was looking back at me. We shared another nod then he walked toward me.

He said something that ended with “English.”

I shook my head. “American.”

I pointed at him, and he said, “Griechisch (Greek).”

We both looked at the coffeeshop to our side. He said something in German (this was before I’d immersed myself in German language classes, so I only knew a few words), but I could tell he was inviting me for a coffee. Again, I nodded.

Inside, I let him order for us. Two coffees with  pastries.

For an hour, we had a very stilted conversation but remained all smiles because it was fun.

He asked me something about America.

I assumed he was asking me where I was from in America. “Arkansas. It’s near Texas.”

He grinned, twirled his hand over his head, and said, “Yahoo!”

I laughed and nodded.

When I pointed at him, and asked him where in Greece he was from, he said, “Marathónas.”

I thought for a second then pumped my arms like I was running. “Marathon.”

His eyes perked up, because he realized I knew a bit about his country’s history and the legend of Pheidippides running from the plain of Marathon to Athens to let them know the Greeks had defeated the Persians—the inspiration for the marathon race. (I was a history major. 🙂 )

Anyway, we continued to mime throughout our conversation. When we both rose, we shook hands and he held mine for a long moment and said something.

What? I have no clue, but when we both left the coffeeshop, we headed in opposite directions. And yes, I did look back. But so did he.

Oh, and the picture is not from Stuttgart. The area of the city I was in was more modern-industrial looking, but I like this depiction of Germany because you can find so many beautiful places just like this…