Pick Me Up Thursday

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Positively Alyssa

~Today Is NOT Simply Thursday, It Is Friday Eve~

Happy Friday eve y’all! How has your first week of the new year been? It is still and will continue to be my hope, everyone will be able to get the COVID vaccine and we will ALL be safe. I am looking forward to the day when life can be “normal” again and I am talking about the “normal” we were used to, not the new COVID “normal”. I guess all we can do until that day is follow ALL the advice from experts, which means wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands, and stay home! Believe me, I know how isolating this can be, but this cannot last forever.

We have almost made it through the first week of the new year and the weekend is just about here! Of course, we do have just one more day to get through and we can probably use a little pick me up, right? I hope that the quote I am sharing with y’all today will provide you not just with a pick me up, but also some inspiration and encouragement! I do of course, look forward to reading your amazing thoughts on it and will respond as soon as I can! I do believe in this quote because the only thing we ever have to do, is be even better than who we were yesterday. I know we all already are kind and compassionate towards others, but we can continue doing this and spread the love, and encouragement to as many as we can!

Now that the weekend is so close, do y’all have any plans for the weekend? I hope any plans you might have, you will stay as safe as you can. Y’all will not be surprised, I do not have any plans outside of my house. I am planning to clean, read, write, and get even closer to being done with the blanket I am crocheting for my mother. This blanket is kind of a late house warming gift and is of the colors to match her living room. The blanket is getting pretty big, but I want it to be big enough to cover her and her boyfriend.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I always appreciate the time you take to read and leave comments, and value your opinions. I hope you have an amazing Friday eve and your weekend will be full of joy, and safety! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

~Let It Go Friday~

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

~Our Weekend Is Finally Here~

Happy Friday y’all! I hope you had a great week and you are looking forward to enjoying your weekend, safely of course! Do you have anything planned for the weekend? No surprise to anyone, I have no plans at all. Truthfully, I really like a weekend with no plans involved and not just because I need a break after the long week, but also because it is SO much safer! I do want to try writing a post about the doctor’s appointment I had yesterday and about celebrating holidays during a pandemic.

Now that we are at the end of this week, some of us may have some pent up frustrations from the week to let go of. Y’all already know that I do not think we should ever cloud our very short weekends with the dark feelings we had during the week. With the massive amount of negativity that is bleeding through the states, oceans, and countries, we need to try our best to distance ourselves from the negative people and things! I hope the quote I am sharing today will help you let go of the problems, avoid overly negative people, and enjoy your weekend with a positive outlook on life! Negative emotions are contagious, but so are positive emotions!

Thank you for visiting my site today! I hope you have good day and a great, and safe weekend! I would love to know how your week was and also what you thought about the quote I shared today! Now, I did say I do not have any plans for the weekend, especially out of the house, but I would love to continue crocheting the blanket I am making for my mother and her boyfriend and write a few posts. I do want to ask y’all to please stay safe this weekend! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

How do you handle…

Posted on December 3, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

A Bad Day When You Work From home

Have you ever had one of those days when you found nearly everything extremely frustrating? How did you handle that intense amount of frustration? Normally, I am good at ignoring small issues that aren’t that important or can be dealt with calmly, but when numerous things occur at the same time, I allow all the little issues to upset me to an unreasonable extent. Sometimes all those small issues join together and feel like an enormous problem. This is the way my day was for the last part of the day yesterday.

So, let me explain a little better. First of all, let me say that I do love my job, but there are a few things that bother me more than they probably should. For starters, when I have a question that only someone in management can address, but I am left hanging for hours. Also, knowing full when this person is answering other questions only adds to my frustration. I mean, seriously, how do you handle things like this?

Second of all, I have always been the type of person that can and does get along with anyone. Even with this said, there is ONLY ONE person I work with that I struggle to tolerate. I know it isn’t just me that feels this way as this ONE person rubs most people the wrong way. Now, how do you endure a person that seems to have a negative attitude or is very unhappy with life? I have tried to kill this person with kindness, but it doesn’t work!

I am thankful to have my work from home job. This offers me a safe way to earn a decent monthly income, but this also means my home often feels like a prison where I never get away from work. I remember how work was before COVID-19. I can recall leaving my house and driving to work in the morning. Then I would work for only eight hours and LEAVE work to drive home! Leaving work for the day would be one of the best parts of my day because I had that distance from work, especially if I had a bad day at work. If you have a bad day at work and you work from home, how do you find that distance so desperately needed? I have tried, but I am clueless on how to do this. Please if you have any ideas, I am willing to try just about anything. Also, adding to the isolation and inability to find a way to escape work, COVID numbers in the state I live in are the highest they have been since the pandemic started so it isn’t like I can go to the mall and walk around.

I have always said that life is too short to not enjoy life to the fullest and not let things affect you negatively. The funny thing is my husband has heard me say this multiple times during our sixteen years together and when he saw how upset I got yesterday; he simply reminded me that I don’t get paid enough to get as upset as I did. I do understand that men and women think very differently, but his thoughts were extremely obvious. I knew he was right, but instead of calming down, it made me even more frustrated and angry. I also tend to cry when I get overly frustrated. It was an hour later I did end up calming down and admitted I need to learn how to let things go and remain calm.

After reading all of this, do y’all have any advice on how I can escape from work? Considering my husband and I both work from home, but at different hours we share a home office in the finished part of our basement. Logically, you would think just going upstairs would be at distance from work, but I still feel trapped at work.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I know I missed my normal Tranquil Tuesday and Inspirational Wednesday posts, but I have worked too many hours and have been exhausted so I wasn’t able to. I am planning to do better next week and work normal hours so I have time for things I enjoy, like writing, crocheting (not that the weather is cold), and reading! I am looking forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Breakthrough the Barriers of Social Distancing

Posted on May 21, 2020 by Positively Alyssa

It was not that long ago when simply going to the grocery store did not involve the fear of a new and potentially deadly virus. For the past several months we have been faced with a world-wide pandemic, stay at home orders, businesses closing their doors (hopefully temporarily), job losses, widespread fear for our health, mask, and gloves for protection, social distancing, and many other issues that have caused panic. Truthfully, I can’t even remember the last day I wasn’t terrified to leave the house or when social distancing was not practiced by most people and then getting frustrated when some do not respect the social distancing.

I feel confident saying that while I do understand the reasons behind social distancing, it has been very challenging and isolating. Granted, I do have my husband and two cats home with me (24/7), but let’s face it being home all the time with no changes can make anyone get irritable. I do love my husband and cats dearly, but sometimes I need a break.

I have found some ideas for activities that could help heighten our moods and encourage motivation.

Express and stay in touch-

Acts of kindness should always be something we try doing. With all everyone around the world is dealing with today a simple email or handwritten note to someone you know could offer a positive boost to their day. Think about memorable previous bosses or co-workers and send them a note. I know some previous bosses we were glad to be rid of, but I know I have at least one that I still miss and really enjoyed working with her. This person’s name is Mary Close Hall and she really was amazing! Offer to go to the grocery store or pharmacy for an elderly neighbor that struggles with getting out of the house during normal times. While in a store, either for yourself or a neighbor, thank those on the frontline and essential workers for what they are doing for the community.

Stay connected digitally-

Today’s technology has had extensive changes over the years. Millions of people around the world already rely heavily on social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The social media platforms offer positive ways to stay connected virtually, while we continue to practice social distancing. People from various locations can interact with one another face-to-face, well a better way to say it is screen-to-screen. The possibilities are endless to stay connected safely with family and friends.

Discover your creativeness-

Tasks that are repetitious such as knitting or crocheting can create a meditative state of mind and relaxation in the body and brain. These meditative and relaxed feelings have also been known to decrease worry and negative thoughts. You do not need to have or run out and buy needles, crochet hooks, and of yarn there are many other forms or art that can reduce anxiety and even be uplifting for our moods.

Learn a new language-

While we are stuck at home with very limited interaction with others, we can be getting prepared for future travels. There are numerous apps and YouTube videos to help teach us a foreign language. We can make the most of the times of isolation and be thankful for the time we had to learn something new!

Become Cultured-

Now is a great time to explore art institutions and cultural events virtually. Back when things were not so complicated, did you ever think of or find the time to visit a museum virtually? I know that it never crossed my mind to expand my worldly knowledge from my living room, but now we all can try this. Google is a fantastic tool that can act as our tour guide to these exciting new experiences.

Passion Projects-

Is there anything you have wanted to try, but never found the time to do so? Maybe you want to write a short story, or a book, or learn more about your ancestry. Now is a good time to pursue these projects you have thought about for so long. While we are stuck at home and feeling beginning to feel anxious, diving into a long-term project can offer us a sense of purpose.

Attend a virtual class or event-

Many local attractions and studios are becoming creative and offering options for enjoyable free and digital experiences. I am listing a few free options for you and your family to check out and hope you enjoy them!

https://www.facebook.com/philadelphiazoo/

https://www.amrevmuseum.org/education-museum/students-and-teachers/virtual-field-trip

https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en&tab=pop

https://www.instagram.com/artwellphilly/

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/travel/a31784720/best-virtual-tours/

These are just a few examples of fun things we are able to do from the safety of our homes. Do you have any other suggestions of things we are able to do from home? I would love to read your thoughts and any advice you might have!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope your day is going well and you are feeling the best you can. Please continue to stay safe and take care of your health! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort, and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Benefits to finishing!

Posted on March 15, 2019 by Positively Alyssa

Happy Friday y’all! It’s crazy how fast the week went by, but at least we made it through. My week was full of much anticipation for a new journey I will be starting down on Monday. Y’all can join my count down as I are currently at 2.5 days before starting a new full-time job again. I do plan to go into this new job with a minimal amount of expectations and an open mind. I know this doesn’t need to be a permanent job, it’s just a means of getting insurance and making a little bit of money to pay bills with.

Y’all know I have been finding a lot of comfort and relaxation with crocheting. I shared with you already the two blankets I made for our living room, but I just finished another blanket for our spare bedroom. I love the colors in this blanket and think it looks pretty darn nice on the bed, but let’s see what you think! I do think that submerging myself into creating something beautiful helped get me through a difficult time in life.

Now that this blanket has been completed, I had to start another blanket. This new blanket is going to have four colors and these are the favorite colors of husband, his grandparents and myself. The colors include dark gray, pink, light gray and purple. I guess I felt like this would pay tribute to the loving people my husband’s grandparents were! So far, I think it is looking very nice and the colors work well with each other! I promise to share pictures as the new blanket grows!

Now that I am starting a new job on Monday, I will probably not be writing as much as I would like, at least not until I get through training and get adjusted to having an actual schedule again. I do still plan on doing Motivational Monday and Pick-Me-Up Thursday because I find them very helpful! I do still have many fellow bloggers that I want to recognize, as they are just amazing people who I cherish! There are also a few more things I want to share in honor of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month because I think this is very important and should not be overlooked!

I know I will get adjusted to this new job pretty fast and do not think it is going to be stressful at all. There are two great things about where I am going to be working. One great part of this new company is, it is only 2 miles from my house! Considering I really do not enjoy driving, this works very well for me. The other benefit is, I will not have to be on my feet all day. There were a few other interviews I went on, but most of them I would have been on my feet for 8 hours a day. I think I am being logical and know that being on my feet for long periods of time would only cause me more even pain issues and my goodness I didn’t want that. It wasn’t easy for me to admit this because I am pretty stubborn, but I had to be realistic with my own abilities and health. I do not like admitting I can’t do something and will fight against this will everything I have!

Thank you so much for stopping by my site today! I am looking forward to reading what you think about the blanket I just finished! I hope your weekend is filled with nothing but happiness and joy! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Crocheting helps with curve balls!

Posted on February 10, 2019 by Positively Alyssa

Sometimes life can throw a massive curve ball our way that ends up hitting us head on and hard as hell! During the past few weeks while I have been dealing with pain, heartache, disappointment and LOTS of stress it has been great to turn my attention to something that has eased my mind and given me some peace. Do y’all agree that being able to focus on something besides the stress and hardships of life is much healthier for the mind and health rather than to being absorbed by the negative is the best approach? I sure do!

Y’all might remember that during the holidays I was working on crocheting a blanket for our love seat that would match one I made previously for our couch. Well over the past few weeks I decided to focus my attention on making another blanket for our space bedroom! This has really helped ease my mind and provided me with LOTS of comfort, all while creating something that I think will be beautiful!!

Many years ago I learned how to crochet what’s called the “Granny Square” blanket. I know the name used to make me feel old, but it is a really easy pattern that you can just get completely lost in!

The one I just mentioned that I am making for our spare bedroom is going to be three different colors. I started with three rows of deep purple, two rows of grey and then two rows of black and just stayed with that color scheme. It fits well considering the bathroom attached to the spare bedroom is two shade of purple! I bet you can’t tell what my favorite color is! I promise, it isn’t difficult at all to change colors and actually gets easier the more you do it.

I am definitely not a pro with crocheting, but it might be the only thing that actually calms my VERY tense and uptight nerves. I am going to share a few YouTube videos in case you wanted to give this a chance. If you are anything like me and gets insanely stressed out about everything, this might be very helpful for you! These videos are pretty easy to follow and you will learn how to start a Granny Square and change colors if you want more than one color!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g1yINMJQyI&t=447s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26ncIHthj_I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ResetFtgRgY

Please do not feel any pressure to try this; I just wanted to share with you what has helped me through many hard times in life. If you are interested, I do know another type that I will share with you soon, but only if there is an interest. I did want to share with y’all the two of the blankets I have made. The brown, tan and black is the one for the love seat and the purple, black and great is the one that is in progress.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and feeling great or at least the best you can! I am looking forward to reading any thoughts you may have about this post, if you are interested in learning to crochet or if you already know how to! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love , comfort and many positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa