31 Days of Journaling Prompts: Dreams

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Day 1: Dreams

My dreams are incredibly important to me, and when I say, ‘dreams,’ I truly mean the stories that entertain me when I sleep. Wait, it’s not that dreams and goals of my future aren’t important to me or anything. I just wanted to clarify that my first post for 31 Days of Journaling Prompts is about the dreams that the sandman directs.

I have always been fascinated with dreams, especially the meaning behind why my subconscious might be telling me a story. I know there’s all sorts of research and opinions about why we dream what we dream, and they’re probably all right in some way or another. For me, I feel that different dreams are in my subconscious for different reasons. Keep in mind, my list is my opinion and nothing else. You know opinions? Everyone has them.

  1. I firmly believe that when I dream of someone specific that it means that I need to check on that person to make sure that he or she is okay. Weird, I know. I don’t think I am psychic, have premonitions or anything like that. I don’t believe that my dream is some forecast of that person’s future. It’s simple. I feel like that the person popped into my dreams because it’s someone I might not have connected directly with recently, and my brain is saying that I need to do that. Only a few times have I contacted the person and specifically told the person that I had a dream about him or her. I mean, I don’t want to look like a freak! Thankfully with social media, I can now discreetly check up on that person through Facebook, perhaps send them a message or comment on something that he or she has said recently.And just so we’re clear, I only do this with people I know personally. I don’t track down the President or some big celebrity and contact them directly. I’m not THAT weird!
  2. I believe that dreams can also be a way for our minds to deal with problems that we might be experiencing when we’re awake. I hadn’t really thought about this one much until I spoke with a psychologist about the meaning of dreams last year. It really makes sense to me. Our entire days are stored in our brains, and often times we have conflicts or tasks that don’t come to completion or ever experience closure. I believe our minds can only store so much incompleteness that it begins to work those things out on it’s own. Hey, I consider this one a blessing! Dealing with my problems in my sleep is like multitasking!
  3. Finally, I believe that some dreams have no real meaning at all. Maybe they’re just there for entertainment or for the mind to take a mini vacation. These are usually those dreams that don’t make much sense when we’re awake and make us stop to say, “What the heck was that?”

I love it when I can remember dreams and feel like I “got something” out of the experience. When I was growing up, my mom told us not to tell our dreams before breakfast unless we wanted them to come true. My husband had never heard that, so he thinks it’s silly. I know it’s a superstition, but still to this day I keep my dreams to myself until after breakfast unless I want it to come true. Of course, I’ve usually forgotten about it by the time I’ve had breakfast, so maybe that’s the point. If it was a bad dream, and you tell someone then you’re more likely to remember, but if you wait then you’ll probably forget about it.

“The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind.” – Sigmund Freud 

What are your thoughts on dreams? Can you usually remember what you dreamt the night before?

Read more about the 31 Days of Journaling Prompts
Today’s recommended 31 Day Blogger: 31 Random Acts of Kindness @ Life Faith and God

Inside My Introvert Bubble

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Today I am stepping out of my introvert bubble and finally going on one of the Little Black Dress Club outings. For more than a year, I’ve been thinking about joining our local chapter of the Little Black Dress Club but their events were always on days that I had other plans…or I found a reason not go, not because I didn’t want to go but because I let my fears get the best of me. This time I was able to talk my extroverted co-worker into going with me so that I will know at least one person. I know it will be good for me to get out and socialize, and I almost always have a good time when I step out of my comfort zone. Without a doubt it will be exhausting on me, but I have no other plans tomorrow so I will have time to go back into my introvert bubble to re-energize.


This is my reminder that I always have a good time when I get out with other people. It’s just that the time before it actually happens is filled with anxiety, doubt, fear and worry. I won’t let it get to me today!





		
	
			

	
	



			
				


	

					
				
Five Minute Friday: Grasp
						

							
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The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, or over thinking. Just write.


Today’s Topic: Grasp


START


I grasp for ideas on what to write. Why is it so difficult, sometimes, for me to make decisions? I often think that I see too many sides of something to pick between multiple options. I want to participate and become a better writer, but I fear that there is no one topic that I know well enough. I fear that I am not good enough or that my topic won’t be of any interest to anyone else…or even myself.


So I grasp some more. I look through several ideas, thinking that I’ll know when it’s right. Right? I finally come up with a couple of ideas but none really feel right. That’s when I remember how much I enjoy Five Minute Fridays and have even blogged in a similar manner when it’s not a Friday. I pick just one word and write about it. I can do that for 31 days!


Oh, gosh! Can I come up with 31 words for the month in which to blog? It was easier than I expected. It was in my grasp before I even knew it, and I have a few other words on standby in case I’m just not feeling my voice flow into my writing with one or two of my choices.


Won’t you join me in a 31 Day Challenge the month of October to write about a topic every day? If you can’t think of a topic, I’ll be glad to share mine with you. I’ll be writing 31 Days of Journaling Prompts. I have chosen a single word for each day of the month, and at 12:01am Central Time, I will post what the word is and write about that topic. It’s like every day in October will be a Friday…at least as far as blogging goes 🙂


“A sense of humor… is needed armor. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life.” – Hugh Sidey






STOP


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31 Days of Journaling Prompts
						

							
			Posted in 31 Days, 31 Days of Journaling Prompts		
			
	
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For the month of October, I am going to participate in writing on a single topic for 31 days. The idea came from The Nester. I had a really hard time coming up with a topic that I felt like I knew well enough to write about for 31 days. I looked through last year’s participants for ideas, and then I looked through them again before I really decided what I wanted to do.


Since I like Five Minute Friday and almost always participate in those, I am going to go with that style and theme. I have written a list of 31 one-word journaling prompts that I am going to write about this month, one day at a time. Since my writing has been rather sporadic lately, and I seem to start posts and never finish them, I’m hoping that this will keep me inspired to write daily.


Would you like to pick a topic and join in? Pick a topic that you feel comfortable writing about for 31 days. The Nester suggests picking a topic that is broad enough that you can write 31 posts about it without getting sick of it, but specific enough that it feels like a series. Consider having a really specific title. There are no rules! YAY! She also has some buttons that you can snag to edit with your title. There are hundreds of people participating in the 31 Day Challenge, so we’re in good company!


Would you like to participate in 31 Days of Journaling Prompts? I have listed all of the month’s prompts below for you to plan out in advance, or if you want to be spontaneous I’ll post the day’s entry everyday at 12:01 am, so you will know in plenty of time what the day’s topic is. I have a button below that you can snag and upload it for your own use.


The Complete List:

Day 1 – Dreams

Day 2 – Balance

Day 3 – Habit

Day 4 – Motivation

Day 5 – Marriage

Day 6 – Vacation

Day 7 – Green

Day 8 – Family

Day 9 – Volunteer

Day 10 – Love

Day 11 – Introversion

Day 12 – Acceptance

Day 13 – Peace

Day 14 – Mentor

Day 15 – Exercise

Day 16 – Pets (Dogs)

Day 16 – Pets (Cats)

Day 17 – Strength

Day 18 – Gratitude

Day 19 – Confessions

Day 20 – Cooking

Day 21 – Fall

Day 22 – Winter

Day 23 – Spring

Day 24 – Summer

Day 25 – Writing

Guest Post – On Being A Writer

Day 26 – Joy

Day 27 – Excuses

Day 28 – Contentment

Day 29 – Inspiration

Day 30 – Potential

Day 31 – Future








			

	
	



			
				


	

					
				
Five Minute Friday: Focus
						

							
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The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, or over thinking. Just write.


Today’s Topic: Focus


START


Oh, Focus. You and I are but distant acquaintances, not close friends like we should be. I am easily distracted and tend to let my mind wander when I should be focusing.


Just like now.


The more I think about what to write, the less the words come to my head, and then…


Oh, look at that shiny thing over there! I have new mail! There’s a Facebook Notification! I need to check that person’s blog! Oops, I need to pay that bill! When is my next appointment? What should I cook for dinner? I should start on my grocery list!


Yeah, that’s me.


I’m working on it, though. Starting this week, I am following an online Bible study on Contentment that will likely contribute to better Focus. I’m eating better, exercising and living a healthier lifestyle. That’s got to count for something, too! Next I’m going to see about getting more rested sleep or find out what might be causing my restless sleep.


But yes, Focus. See? I almost got off the subject again. It’s a challenge for me!


“We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what’s wrong in your life, or you can focus on what’s right.” – Marianne Williamson


STOP


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Five Minute Friday: Graceful
						

							
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The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, or over thinking. Just write.


Today’s Topic: Graceful


START


Graceful is a word that no one has ever (or should) use to describe me. I have never been a dainty, balanced, graceful person. I played rough as a small child and ended up in the hospital to get stitches more times than my mother was willing to admit. I vaguely remember trying ballet or dance when I was around 5, but I truly only remember going once or twice. I’m not exactly sure why, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it had something to do with my lack of being graceful. I should ask my mom.


I played soccer when I was in elementary school when it wasn’t cool for girls to play. Several seasons I was the only girl on the team or one of two. I wasn’t necessarily a tom boy or anything, as I loved playing with Barbies, too. I guess it was just a way for me to do something that didn’t require me to be too terribly girlie.


In college, every morning I tripped over the same broken area of tiling in the main building. It happened so often that my college roommate and another friend who would walk to class with us would warn me before getting to that part of the building, and I would STILL trip over it. I’m still that person today who trips over imaginary things on the floor.


But I’m okay with all of this now. Sure, I used to dream of some day being a graceful and elegant woman, but a long time ago I stopped trying to be someone I’m not and decided that I could live a much happier life if I just embraced who I am. It works!


“Women wish to be loved without a why or a wherefore; not because they are pretty, or good, or well-bred, or graceful, or intelligent, but because they are themselves.” – Henri Frederic Amiel 


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Five Minute Friday: Change
						

							
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The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, or over thinking. Just write.


Today’s Topic: Change


START


We all want things to get better, to be better to live better, everything must be better, but we don’t like Change AT.ALL!  It’s more that we’re reluctant to change because we fear the unfamiliar. We know how things are working right now, so let’s not rock the boat. Change also means learning something new or forming a new habit. No, thank you! I’m not signing up for that!


How do things get better if there’s no change? It’s simple. They don’t. Isn’t there a cliche or quote or something that someone said once, and it’s been repeated a bazillion times? It goes something like, ‘You can’t expect to get the same results if you always do the same thing.’ I’d research it, but this is a 5 minute post 🙂


So we’ve got to get over it and accept that unless we’re complacent with how things are now, then things are going to have to change. Complacency isn’t always bad, of course. If you’re happy and you know it (clap your hands), then maybe change isn’t necessary. However, if you’re only complacent because of fear, then you’ve got to step out of your shell and go for it! Here’s one quote I’ll look up, only because I know exactly where to find it quickly:


“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

― Eleanor Roosevelt


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Crickets
						

							
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It’s weird how last week I felt like I had all sorts of blog posts in my head, and this week it’s all crickets. 


I sit here at my laptop, my fingers paused over the keys, and I stare at the post entry page until my eyes begin to cross. Still crickets. 


That’s okay, because tomorrow will be Five Minute Friday, and I will be given a topic. My words will free flow from my fingertips without worry. Hopefully the crickets won’t show up for that, either. 

			

	
	



			
				


	

					
				
Five Minute Friday: Stretch
						

							
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The rules: Write for five minutes. No editing, revising, or over thinking. Just write.


Today’s Topic: Stretch


START


I stretch in the morning to waken the muscles that have been asleep all night. I take in a deep breath and yawn. It feels good to get oxygen in my lungs and to my brain.


It’s Friday!


The introvert in me loves Fridays because I get to work from home and have a mostly quiet day, at least from the comings and goings of the office space around me during the rest of the week. I get to move at my own pace. I use my time to catch up on things that got put aside and follow up on the tasks that I started earlier in the week. It feels good to clean out my Inbox.


As the last stretch of the day approaches, I start to cook a healthy meal for my husband and I to enjoy. Tonight’s meal is going to be grilled squash quesadillas. I can’t wait to give this new recipe a try! I love cooking, and I enjoy hearing the feedback.


So I stretch again to get my work day started after thinking of the plans that I have for my day. It’s going to be a good one!


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Simple Escapes
						

							
			Posted in Living Well Wednesdays		
			
	
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Today I took the time to walk for 30 minutes during lunch, and I am so glad that I did!


Two years ago when I made a job change, I worked in the basement of the hospital that connected three buildings, so essentially I had access to an indoor walking track about a half mile in two directions. Several other people had the same idea, and I would pass them sometimes on my walks. Of course, the basement is also where a lot of other behind-the-scenes work goes on, like transportation of supplies, food, linens and such, so I was never alone during my walks in the somewhat creepy basement.


However busy it might have been in the basement, I was still alone in my thoughts. This became my quiet time to reflect on whatever it was on my mind. I walked 4 days a week for 30 minutes during lunch, as well as two other times a day during my breaks for 10 minutes each. The routine certainly helped me lose the weight that I lost during that time.


About a year later my office moved, and I no longer had the convenience of my indoor walking track. My walking fell by the wayside, and so did my quiet times. I kept saying that I was going to find an alternative and never did.


Now another year later, and I find myself wanting to exercise more…or dare I say NEED to exercise more as I am on my post-op gastric bypass journey. My office (and job) has changed once more, and while I’m not working in the basement, I am working in a nearby building.


I find all kinds of excuses NOT to walk, but today I found an excuse TO walk. My goal is to find more of these times to walk when my work load isn’t too terribly crazy, and I can get out for 30 minutes. Another goal is to once again use this time to reflect on the blessings in my life and enjoy the quiet time. Maybe putting that positive spin on it will make me want to do it instead of it feeling like it’s torture.


What do you do for your simple escape or quiet time? 




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