Happy New Year’s 2024

End Of The Weekend Thoughts

Saturday Thoughts

Today is Saturday, which I have been waiting for since Monday. How was your week? My week was rather long, and I am still adjusting to the cooler temperatures. Last week, I was unable to do a post on Monday due to the leftover migraine issues from Sunday and I also did not do a post yesterday, which was due to my lack of energy. I have had several ideas in mind of things I want to write about, and I am hoping to be able to do so this weekend as I do not have anything else pressing that I need to do besides laundry😊!

How do you enjoy spending your weekend after a long week? I would have preferred to sleep in longer this morning, but our older cat, Sundance had a different plan. Sundance did not think it was a good plan to let me fall asleep last night and kept walking on me and from what I guess trying to play. He drove me crazy for over an hour last night when I was trying to sleep, which almost caused me to just get up at 2:00 AM☹. He started again at 6:30 AM with the same shenanigans. I think overall, last night I think I was able to sleep for about five hours! It is a good thing I love our cats 😊as much as I do, or I would have been much more frustrated.

Next week is Thanksgiving (which I will talk about in another post), so I will only have to work four days, instead of five. I always say this and stand by it, but the shorter weeks always seem much longer. Honestly, last week things were a little slower at work so it is possible next week will be the same. I tried last week to help a newer person understand the work more clearly, which was honestly a little frustrating because I do not understand her miscomprehension. There are things about this person that I do not like, which is mostly due to her political views and something she said to me about it, but I was trying to ignore all of that. I know how unprofessional it is to discuss politics at work and tried to change the subject when she brought it up.

Over the years, I have realized how much common sense is lacking at least in the United States. It seems many do not know what common sense is anymore and it is not something that can be taught. I do not understand where it went or if people ever had common sense, to begin with, but it is easy to understand if people could just try! Common sense is simply just a practical judgment concerning everyday matters, or a basic ability to perceive, understand, and judge in a manner that is shared by most people. Sounds easy, right? I think politics has made people lose their ability to think for themselves and have even a smaller amount of common sense!

Are there certain things that you hold onto because you believe strongly in them? Do you find that people that disagree with you will try to change the way you feel? The most important thing that I hold dear is treating people fairly. I do not care about unimportant things, such as the color of someone’s skin, who they love, where a person is from, or anything else that is superficial and does not matter. I think that a person shows their true colors in their treatment of other living human beings! I think that letting go of anger and resentment over things you never had any control over is very important in life because when we hate, it only diminishes the light in our lives. Why let another person have that much hold over you in your life when you cannot change anything that has happened? I have a lot more to say about this, but it will be in another post as this one is getting a little too long.

Thank you for visiting my site today and reading this post. I hope you are enjoying your weekend and doing things that bring you joy! I know there are things in this post that many will disagree with, and that is completely understandable, and your personal right. Regardless of if you agree or disagree with things I have said in this post, I would love to read your comments and I will respond as quickly as possible. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Pick-Me-Up Thursday

Happy Friday eve, y’all! We have almost made it through another week, and we are beginning a new month. I cannot believe we are already in September because the last several months have gone by so quickly and I hardly remember them☹. Crazy, right? September is a beautiful month, but it is also an incredibly sad month for me. Nine years ago, on September 9, 2013, I lost someone close to me. My dear sweet and very loving Poppy passed away on that day and I have dreaded this day every year since he passed. I will be doing a post on September 9th in honor of him☹.

How has your week been so far? I hope you are having an amazing week and you are looking forward to the long weekend ahead of us😊! My week did not begin all great because of car issues, but yesterday I had a great day at work. Not only are things changing and I am going to be reporting to the supervisor I have been wanting as a supervisor since I started with the company😊, but I was also told by a sales representative that has been with the company for 28 years that I am doing a stellar job, and the way I care about the customers shines through in everything I am doing. These two things made my week much better and put a HUGE smile on my face😊!

Our week will be coming to an end soon and we need to find the strength and determination to survive one last day, I feel we need a pick-me-up. Life can get complicated, and sometimes this makes us want to give up and stop trying. All the challenges we endure in this life can only break us if we stop trying. It doesn’t matter how hard we must fight, what matters is that we keep moving forward and never surrender to the challenges.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I am looking forward to reading your comments and I will respond as quickly as I can. I hope the last part of your week is amazing and you have a wonderful, and safe long weekend. I hope you found the quote I shared a good pick-me-up, and it provides you the strength to keep going until the week finally ends. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Exciting Weekend!

We are all simply just human beings, merely trying to survive this crazy life with some sanity. Often, we tend to be completely oblivious to how short our lives are because sometimes life feels painfully long and overwhelmingly complicated. We can be blind to understand how to accomplish our dreams as they can seem impossible for us to reach. We all have an exciting combination of small, large, and every type of dream in between, which all have remarkable meaning to us.

To some people, I know one of my “dreams” seem small and not a big deal. However, it was a dream to be in the same room with an author that I admire. This stems from my strong desire to write and have the ability to write a novel someday. On Friday evening my husband and I drove 3 hours north of where we live for a James Patterson event! This was not a meet and greet event, but it was still beyond exciting for me.

When we first walked into the event location, we received James Patterson’s newest book which was released on Monday. The book is his autobiography, and it was signed by Mr. Patterson. There were also two more of his new books available and they were also signed. My husband knows how much I love James Patterson’s books and he asked if I had read either of the books yet. Of course, I have one of them on Kindle already😊! The kind lady selling the books said she would still be there after the event, and I had time to think about it.

I wanted to get as close as we could to the stage area where James Patterson would be, so we sat about 7 rows back. The first few rows were reserved, but I still have no idea who they were reserved for. After a few minutes, my husband said he was going to go purchase the books that were available for me, so we would not have to worry they would be sold after the event. While I waited for him to return, I know I was looking around with a huge smile on my face😊 and probably looked like a crazy person! I commented to the older lady sitting behind us that I felt like a kid on Christmas morning waiting for Santa.

Of course, I already had an enormous amount of admiration for James Patterson, but what made him even better was the way he came out to the stage area. The man has a wonderful sense of humor and is extremely humble. He talked a little about his life, answered several questions from the chairman doing the interview, and then answered questions that were submitted from the audience. I never in a million years thought the last question he answered would be my question. It was so surreal and interesting to listen to him talk. His response to my question was simply put and what I thought it was going to be.

I have had BIG dreams to have a career in writing since I was a child. I understand that I am no longer a child and have to maintain a job to pay the bills, but after reading James Patterson’s autobiography, I learned with hard work, determination, and a strong will, anything is possible. Back when he had a normal 9-5 job, he would write for a few hours before work and a few more hours after work. I always thought I had a strange style with writing because I have to hand write everything before typing it. Putting my thoughts into words on paper makes me feel more connected with what I am writing and to my surprise, that is how James Patterson feels as well😊!

I think reading the autobiography made me understand James Patterson more as a writer and it shows that he is a normal person. I read that he enjoys playing golf and know he lives in the north, so all I want to ask him now is, “Did you ever play golf with James Bucky O’Brien?”. The two men did not live too far from one another and anyone that lives up north and is serious about gold “should” know James Bucky O’Brien (this is my late grandfather)! For those of you who are not sure, my grandfather was a golf pro his entire life!

The drive was a total of six hours, but I think it was worth every minute. I enjoyed hearing my favorite author talk and crack jokes. Since I learned about James Patterson and his series “The Women’s Murder Club”, I have loved every book I read and could not wait for the next one. I know that this type of event was not something my husband was interested in, but he came with me because he knows how happy it made me. This is something that can make a marriage great, when there is a give and take. Doing something you are not interested in because your significant other is. I know I have done this for him many times before and I am thankful he was there with me for this exciting event!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my site today. I hope you are having a great weekend and enjoyed what I have shared today. This is the last day of our weekend, so we need to appreciate the time that is left. I am just now starting to feel normal again. I think the several hours of driving and lack of sleep due to excitement made things worst with my pain, but it was all worth it! I would love to read your comments and I will respond as quickly as I can. I hope the last few hours of the weekend are spent well. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

The count down!

I have been counting down the days until June 10th for several weeks, heck for many years. The next two days might feel longer than normal, but on Friday I am meeting someone I never thought I would get the opportunity to. I have been a HUGE fan of James Patterson for years and on Friday, I will get the chance to meet him and hopefully shake his hand and get a picture with him. As y’all already know, I enjoy writing and dream to write a book someday. I admire James Patterson’s writing style and logically I know that even if I do write a book anywhere near as great as his have been, a girl can dream though!

Considering I have been looking forward to Friday as much as I have, I have refused to allow anything to ruin this experience for me. No amount of stress, pain, frustrations, or anything else will destroy this for me. On Monday, something I dealt with over 20 years ago is trying to return, almost like a nightmare, optic neuritis. I am not 100% sure it is optic neuritis, but it has been a reminder of the past. My right eye has been incredibly painful, to the point I am unable to wear my contacts. Thankfully, I do have glasses, so I can see to work and read James Patterson’s autobiography before Friday!!!

I have dealt with pain for over 20 years, so this is not something new to me. Plus, optic neuritis is how I was diagnosed all those years ago. Thankfully, I have not lost my vision and only have to endure the additional pain. Again, no matter what and no matter how much additional pain I have this week, it will not diminish my excitement for Friday. I have picked out two outfits to decide between and yes, I know no one but me cares what I wear. I am also planning what I am going to say in the short time I will get to speak to James Patterson!

Thank you for visiting my site today. I know I have written too much about Friday, but I am extremely excited and feel this is an opportunity of a lifetime. I hope your week is going well and you are staying as stress-free as possible, believe me, I understand stress and know that all it does is make matters much worse. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

New Beginnings Monday

Happy Monday, y’all! The first day of the week tends to be dreaded because the weekend is over. A much better way to view Monday is it is a fresh and new start, so whatever we were not able to do last week, we have another chance at it. Today is a new and fresh start for me because I am FINALLY starting a new job😊. After three months of being unemployed and slightly resentful for my old job doing layoffs a few weeks before Christmas, I am extremely ready for something new and promising. Being unemployed made me feel so useless and rejected from other employers, so today is going to be a great day!

I hope you had a great weekend, and you are ready for this week to start. Regardless of the way last week was, I hope this week will be everything you expected and better. It is easy to get discouraged when things do not go the way we want them to, but never give up and always keep trying because you will accomplish anything you set your mind to. I hope the quote that I have shared will help you to view today as an amazing opportunity for opportunities. Remember to believe in yourself because you are amazing and deserve greatness!

Do you believe people come into our lives by accident or do you think it happens because it was meant to happen at the exact time it did? Of course, I believe accidents happen, but I think the way our lives are and the people that are in our life, were no accident and meant to be. We can also decide who we allow into our lives and if we discover they only bring us pain, they can be easily removed. Focusing on what brings us the most happiness should not be difficult, but I have always put others’ needs ahead of my own. Even if someone brings me nothing but stress and pain, I never want to put this onto anyone else.

Thank you for visiting my site today😊. I hope you have enjoyed what I shared and the quote was meaningful to you. Even though I start a new job today and will be in training, I am going to do my best to continue doing posts daily because it brings me so much joy and releases some of my pent-up emotions😊. I hope you have a great day and I look forward to reading your comments. I promise to respond to all comments 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

The Perfect Day

Sometimes life gets extremely challenging, and we might just need a mental break from the normal, but toxic events in life. Have you ever taken a quiet moment alone to consider what a “perfect day” would look like for you? If you have, that is wonderful and what would this day look like? If you have not thought about this, now might be a great time to try it out. I am going to ask you to take 10 to 15 minutes to take this journey with me because it might be rather fun and exciting. Considering I am requesting your input, I will share what my “perfect day” would be for me.

Sometimes it is hard to imagine a “perfect day”, especially after this past year being a combination of chaos, sadness, stress, consistent challenges, and anything else that could describe negative. I guess with everything 2020 and some of 2021 provoked, I thought it would be a relief and fun to daydream because some daydreams can become our reality if we want it bad enough and try a little harder.

A “perfect day” for me would start by waking up in an ocean-front hotel room and witnessing the sun start to rise before providing a beautiful blue-sky day with the sun shining bright. The beach has always been the happiest place for me because there is nothing the ocean breeze and waves crashing down cannot make better. I do not think there is anything better than walking out on a balcony that overlooks the ocean first thing in the morning. It is something between the sun radiating over the gleaming ocean, while the seagulls dance with each other overhead that clears the mind and cleanses the soul.

After spending time rejuvenating and admiring the ocean scenery with my husband, enjoying a nice breakfast or lunch depending on the time near the ocean would be the next step in the day. We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but on my “perfect day”, I would not want to be forced to rush to make it anywhere before breakfast is over. One great thing about being at the beach is nothing should ever be rushed or forced as it is a time to just relax and enjoy life.

Once either breakfast or lunch is finished, I would want to spend several hours relaxing on the beach. I am terrified of sharks and jellyfish, but still love to kick my feet around in the ocean water. It is always so hot during the summer months in the south, so refreshing in the water helps to not become too overheated, especially considering the heat can cause some awful MS issues that I do not want to deal with on my “perfect day”.

As the daytime turns to evening, I would want to return to the hotel room to get cleaned up and wash away the summer heat. It is always nice to take a break from the sun and take a cool shower and get ready for a nice dinner at a restaurant on the ocean. There is always an amazing breeze near the ocean, so worrying too much about my hair is never a factor because it does not matter at all. It is always fun to get dressed up in a pretty summer dress to enjoy dinner with my husband.

After dinner, I enjoy taking a short walk down the beach and watching the sun as it sets for the day and the moon make its way up in the sky. I find the ocean sky peaceful and full of wonder. It is a great feeling to have watched the sun start to rise, then watch it set as and the moon begins to rise above. I am fascinated by the colors of the sky and love seeing as many colors as I can in one day!

Now that I have explained what my “perfect day” would look like, what would your “perfect day” be? This can be anything your heart desires! I am looking forward to reading about your “perfect day” because I think this will be interesting to learn. Some ideas might be the same or like others, but some might be vastly different, which is where things can get interesting.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed this change of pace in this post and that it helped you to find enjoyment again. We have all been through a lot over the past year and a half or so, so it is the little things that can bring us the most joy. Of course, I am looking forward to reading your comments and I 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

Ways to Spread Positivity

Happy Friday eve y’all! Life has been incredibly challenging throughout the world for several years, but at the worst during the past year or so. It is not only due to dealing with COVID difficulties, but we are also seeing a massive increase in violence and racism, at least this has been a tragic issue in the United States. Most of the issues do not even begin to make sense to me because I still believe that COVD should not have reached the level of anguish it has. As for the violence and racism taking place in the states, it is 2021 and it is well past the time for people to grow with the times and end the unnecessary hatred-fueled circumstances.

We all know people who shine with positivity and we enjoy being around these people, while also find these individuals captivating. Many find a peaceful outlook to be effortless, while others may take a little extra practice to see things in a positive light. The energy we portray not only determines our interactions with others but also speaks volumes about how we feel about ourselves.

Developing a positive mindset is a skill that is well worth the practice it requires. As you begin to shift the way you are thinking, you will start to see amazing new opportunities come your way. You may start feeling better about yourself and the world we are living in, no matter how difficult things may get.

A few ways to have positive energy from the inside out are the following:

1. Make yourself be a priority:

This does not mean you are neglecting others that are in your life, but when we feel good about ourselves, it is much easier to display inner contentment to the world. Looking after your needs and developing a habit to do simple self-care things that make you feel good can make an enormous difference in how you carry yourself.

2. Understand the difference between a FACT and a THOUGHT:

The truth is, we are all human and tend to have less than flattering thoughts regarding ourselves at times. It is important to understand and separate facts from thoughts. An example of a fact is, I had a less than easy conversation or difference of opinion with a friend the other day. The thought might be that this friend thinks differently OR negatively of me now. When we focus on what the facts are, it will help to keep things in perspective and avoid expressing all those negative thoughts that can feel suffocating.

3. Learn ways to be kind to yourself:

We all have days when we feel down and that is okay because it will pass. When we do feel down, we need to learn to recognize and honor our thoughts. Being kind to ourselves can be as simple as repeating one of your favorite quotes that make you feel good and happy. Or, it could be to make an honest effort to treat ourselves with the same compassion we would treat someone we care about.

4. Use positive words more often:

The way we communicate with others has a direct impact on the energy we display. Using words such as love, willing to, solutions, absolutely, great, excellent, interesting, enjoy, etc. will produce a much more optimistic outlook!

5. Smile more frequently:

A smile is an exceedingly small action, but it can make a HUGE difference. Of course, it is not an issue if a smile is not authentic and sincere initially, but you will start to feel happier and friendly shortly and possibly appear more outgoing to others, which allures the positive energy you desire.

6. Work to achieve a goal or goals:

When we work towards accomplishing a goal or more than one goal, if you are feeling extra determined, it can serve as a confidence boost! The people that are around us will be encouraged by our strength and the belief we have in ourselves to achieve our dreams and goals.

7. Offer compliments to others:

When we show appreciation to others it can serve multiple purposes. One purpose is making that person feel good about themselves. The second purpose is this will make us feel good as well, which we are all deserving of those good vibes. Acknowledging when someone does something we admire can be an immediate boost to what we are feeling.

8. Starting living in the moment:

Try doing simple things such as putting your phone away when having lunch or dinner with another person. OR turn the TV off while cleaning the house. Shockingly enough, these distractions prevent us from living in the moment and enjoying the everyday task in life.

9. Practice good posture:

Our posture is a non-verbal way to show how we feel about ourselves. Standing up or sitting straight, shows we are both confident and approachable, which will be a good feeling.

I hope you have enjoyed this post and it helped you some to help spread positivity. Of course, it is not easy with all we are dealing with now, but we can work together and let our light shine onto those around us. A little positivity can go a long way!

Thank you for visiting my site today and I do look forward to reading your comments. I do promise to respond to all your comments as quickly as I can, but it might be after my not-so fun dentist appointment this afternoon. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa

Reasons Spending Time Alone Is Good For Us!

Whether you are an extrovert or an introvert, spending time alone can be beneficial to everyone. Of course, not everyone enjoys time alone because it might cause some to feel lonely, but in time the benefits will outweigh the negative. I am without a doubt an extrovert and do enjoy spending time around people and learning from what our differences might be. However, I also do enjoy spending time by myself. It is also true that surrounding ourselves with those that lift our spirits is helpful and often crucial, there are also several benefits to alone time. The following are just a few reasons solo time can be advantageous and valuable.

1. Time alone allows us to recharge. Trying to balance our daily obligations, family, and friends can be extremely challenging and energy draining. Allowing ourselves time to give ourselves our full attention to doing what we love and enjoy can be particularly useful. Taking time to recharge will not only help us, but it can benefit those around us as well because we will feel energized and happier.

2. Our lives can get chaotic because of our busy schedules. Spending time alone can provide us with time to contemplate what is going on currently, what has already happened, and even what may happen in upcoming events. Taking some time to take a break may help with social situations, where we are at in life, and the necessary time to reflect and grow as a person!

3. Spending time alone creates more independence. This is a start to relying on ourselves and trusting our abilities. Learning our abilities will provide us with a stronger sense of independence, which is a great feeling and an amazing accomplishment in life!

4. Trusting your thoughts and ideas will become easier. After you can find your independence, it is necessary to make decisions for yourself, instead of requiring others’ input and advice. It can be a little terrifying at certain times, but trusting your instincts and intuition is beneficial. Once you feel comfortable with your opinions and thoughts, it can help illuminate and clarify who you are and who you want to be in this life.

5. We have all heard that old saying “Too many cooks in the kitchen”, well the same logic applies in all aspects of life. Spending time alone can provide you with more productivity. Being alone, with only your thoughts allows you to create your ideas and execute them the way you want to without the input from anyone else. Alone time helps you develop and understand your strength and what you have to offer this world.

6. After having a little solo time, we can feel a deeper appreciation for others once spending time with friends, family, and even co-workers again. This can provide a strong impact on our emotions and be more energized and attentive when we spend time with others.

Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed this post and it provided you with some valuable information for your life. I hope you are having a great and safe weekend and doing what it is you enjoy the most. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!

Always, Alyssa