Saturday, August 29, 2020

Hesitate vs. Don't Wait

 Hesitate! Wait that's not right... What I really mean is don't wait! 


So often in life we hold ourselves back. We keep that random compliment instead when we like a stranger's outfit, or a friend's artwork, or a relative's parenting style. 


As a parent and a child, I am always telling my daughter how proud I am of her achievements, and hearing the same from my mom and dad. Of course that's fantastic, but somehow it almost feels required, and doesn't have that same impact and getting a compliment from a stranger. 


The 5 Second Rule from Mel Robbins (link at the end) says that if you have an instinct to do something, and don't act within 5 seconds, you'll likely talk yourself out of it. 


So don't wait, don't allow yourself to hesitate, share that meme or article with the person you haven't talked to in 10 years but know would love it. Comment on their posts about their new business, their recent wedding, their adorable kids. It's not as awkward as it feels, and it just might open a window to a magical conversation. 


Today I wrote a new poem, I thought of it during a shower, so when I was all done I made a choice to record it in a towel. Then I made another choice, to share it instead of hiding, maybe I'm crazy or maybe I'm brave, and maybe my family will chide me. I made sure I was covered, so no worries there, if you're anti-cursing, I said bad-a, beware. Now im stuck in a rhyming loop, my creative brain dancing like a hula hoop, I hope you'll check out my vid on YouTube, and comment your thoughts, even if you feel like a noob. I really enjoy hearing it when you let your feedback loose, so let your thoughts free like a charging moose 🤣, let your feathers stand out, like a tropical part, let yourself rise like a phoenix from the ashes.



We need more laughter, more love, and more light, so join me in sharing, and in fighting the good fight. Of course, I'll still love you if you happen to disagree, just now that I've finally found my voice, and now there's no stopping me.


I'm a lion AND a lamb 

I'm all those traits 

and many more

So take a minute and think

 on what YOU want to be

And toddle or fly through

 that open door


As always, thanks for reading this far. Sending positive vibes, encouragement, and love. 

Acknowledgements, thanks, and lovely links to those who played a part in inspiring this post are listed here:

Mel Robbins' book -5 Second Rule

Diane's podcast - a friend, muse, flame-fanner

Deb's website - a friend, boss, and role model

Deanna's facebook group - a block breaker, author's aide, creative caretaker

Lisa's Instagram - a jedi mary poppins glass ceiling breaker and impossible dream maker

My new video poem - Take 5 Minutes and Live


Xoxo

Mama Gali

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Calling All Overthinkers!

 What if I say _____ and my friends, my family, my boss judge it harshly? I'll end up alone, unloved, fired, and generally much worse off than if I had just kept my mouth shut.

What if I try as hard as I can to hide my weaknesses and it's still not good enough? 

Sound familiar? Omg me too! If you're reading this and the rabbithole of anxiety and negative self-talk sounds familiar, believe me when I tell you that you're not alone.

You are so freaking far from being alone in analyzing every possible negative outcome that if all of us overthinkers linked hands our chain would stretch to the moon and back at least 8 times, but we can't literally do that because we'd all get covid and also someone would accidentally let go (just for a second) to scratch an itch and then the rest of the chain would slowly float away and be lost in space and the survivor's guilt would cripple the rest of us and can you imagine how terrible that would be?!

How's that for a run-on sentence 🤣


Yeah I'm totally the indirect/oversharing
and always overthinking type 🤣

You might tell me: STOP. 
Just stop. Ha! 

If only I could flip a switch, and turn off that constantly overthinking part of myself,  and just live and breathe and work and play and exist! Actually... if that magic switch did exist, it would probably come with such a high price tag that I'd overthink even the decision to use it and lay there, a quivering puddle of anxiety and stress, or worse, an overmedicated underachieving zombie.

My friend Anke explains the experience so well with her flamenco guitar story (link below). So many of us let that analytical, anxious, perfectionist piece bully our hearts, our instincts, our passions.

Over the past few years I've been learning and practicing and struggling to dam the river of worries, to stand up to that bully within, and to show the world my authentic self. 

Thanks for reading this far.
 I hope that you'll join me when I stand up and kick fear in the face - hiyah!

Before we go, 
how bout a show?
 Read this in slow mo
Or fast as you can!

 Time to rhyme 
and play with slime 
then wash off the grime 
try to make a dime
 drink a margarita with lime pretend to be a mime
Oh look at the time
Bye bye 👋 

Sending peace, love, and hope your way and let's chat about anything on any day oops now im stuck in this rhyming loop go find a gif of a friendly ...
boop!


Xoxo Mama Gali

P.S. Shout out to Debbie Aka Authentic Deb for always inspiring authenticity and teaching by example that badass unicorn mojo.



Thursday, August 13, 2020

The Comparison Curse

 What You Have

The truth behind my smile


Always wanting 

Never satisfied 

Second best

Last place

I feel unworthy, unsure, uncomfortable...

I WANT WHAT YOU HAVE


  •  I want what you have! 

My false confidence feels like a shoddy knock off of the "real" thing.


  • I want what you have!

You seem to breeze through life with ease, while I struggle to even get out of bed.


  • I want what you have!

Such an extraordinary gift: with words, with kids, with cookies.


  • I want what you have!

A giving heart, always caring and kind.


  • I want what you have!

Boundless energy, instead of being always tired.


Have you ever noticed that we're always comparing, always coveting the facade of others, without ever questioning, the flipside of the coin. Well here's my flipside, and it's not so shiny.


You say that you want what I have, well, be careful what you wish for, because I have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and generalized anxiety. 


When I breeze through life, I feel untethered, longing to feel the ground beneath my feet. My gifts for words, for baking, for kids, leave me drained when I can't manage to turn them off at bedtime. That giving heart that you love and appreciate, that comes from an ache in my soul, from wishing and yearning that others would reach out to me too. That boundless energy, yeah... that's called mania, and that can be just as dangerous as the crippling depression that's sure to follow.


So when you wish for what I have, be careful... you just might get it, and trust me, it's no picnic.



Maybe, after seeing the ordinary human behind that curtain of magic and mystery, you will still want what I have... I'd gladly trade if I could. Or maybe you'll think twice about yourself, and give yourself the credit that others give you, because believe it or not, we want what YOU have too.


Xoxo 

Mama Gali