A Beautiful Ripple Effect

Inspiration for your weekend

Carolyn — Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:41 +0000

This weekend, I will be spending time with my family on a little staycation (our first). I’m excited to get away from my to-do lists, turn off the tv, and spend a few days doing nothing with those I love. I hope you’ll be able to carve out a few moments of peace over the next couple of days—you truly deserve it.

Below are a few inspiring links for you to peruse at your leisure. To those celebrating, I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

Will you create a summer manifesto? (via Ali Edwards)

12 reminders for when you don’t feel like writing. (via Copylicious)

10 iPhone Photo Challenges. (via A Beautiful Mess)

Have you been to Paris…the online Pop-Up Shop curated by One Sydney Road?

I have so many girl crushes. Wish a Girl Crush would come to Miami! (via decor8)

How to care for introverts. (via the slow life)

Please be gentle with me, I’m doing my best. (via Brave Girls Club)

Wishing you a beautiful weekend filled with self-compassion.

image: source unknown

Color Me Happy: iPhone Wallpaper

Carolyn — Thu, 24 May 2012 22:08:57 +0000

I stumbled across the most gorgeous iPhone wallpaper created by Amy Moss for Eat Drink Chic. The wallpapers are free to download and include three different sets. I’ve included two of the sets below to give you a taste of their cheerful and oh-so-colorful designs. Now, the hard decision: which design to choose first!

Check out the designs and download them for free at eat drink chic.

For Your Doubting Self

Carolyn — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:09:34 +0000

Whenever I find myself becoming pessimistic, I notice the tendency to avoid confronting the underlying negative thoughts. Yesterday, instead of avoiding these thoughts and further fueling their presence in my mind, I decided to face them directly. I created space for them to be heard without judgment. I wrote a little letter (see below) that I found to be an incredibly useful exercise.

Dear Doubting Self,

I’m here and fully present. I’m ready to honor your doubts. I will listen without judgment. Tell me what is it that you doubt?

… To produce work of quality “good enough”—to live up to the achingly high standards set through previous work.

… To work better but not harder.

… To make a difference, create an imprint in the lives of others.

… To cross the finish line.

… To notice the clues illuminating the path.

… To maintain balance, to pick myself up and keep moving forward even after I fall.

… To listen to the whispers of my heart amidst the din of reality.

… To say what needs to be said.

… To hear what needs to be heard.

… To rewrite the story that is no longer “my story.”

I acknowledge and honor these doubts.

At the same time, I acknowledge and honor the flip side of these doubts—the confidence engrained within myself. These two sides are always present. And I get to choose which side earns my attention.

Doubting Self, you are not alone. Dig deep and find your partner, your confident self. Give your confident self the same respect and energy you give to your doubting self. Nourish it with your attention.

The doubting self and confident self can peacefully co-exist. It takes focus, energy, and a strong dose of perseverance.

Love,

Me (Your Doubting and Confident Self)

What would you say to your doubting self?

image: lisa barbero

p.s. the core truths journaling e-course giveaway is open until friday!

Quoted No. 1

Carolyn — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:43 +0000

It’s official. I am going to make these quotes with images a new series on A Beautiful Ripple Effect. I’m so excited to present a new “Quoted” each week. These posts are always my favorite to create and often end up living on my real life inspiration board. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!

If you are a photographer and would like to submit your work to be considered for this new series, please email me carolynblog at me dot com. All photographs must be 500 px (width).

photo: joy stclaire

more inspiring quotes: quoted on pinterest

Pen & Paper: Journal Prompt and Giveaway

Carolyn — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:24:51 +0000

Welcome to this month’s Pen & Paper: Living Between the Lines written by the amazing Hope Wallace Karney. To learn more about Hope and the column, please check out the announcement post!

Journal Prompt + Giveaway

I stumbled upon this quote a while back by Steven Pressfield, that says: ”Our job in this lifetime is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”

This quote resonated with me quite deeply. I often find myself wishing for things that seem ideal to me rather then taking the time to discover and embrace who I am. I started using this as a monthly journaling prompt for myself and from that, created my latest journaling e-course.

Why not try it in your journal? It can be something deep, personal and emotional, or something physical—like having straight hair and always trying to curl it. Perhaps use your journal to explore where your imagined ideal stems from, and how you can work to overcome striving for it. Or maybe your ideal self is who you already are, and you embrace it. If so, how did you get there? Were there any obstacles?

What is a quote that resonates with you? Leave a comment telling us, and you will be entered for a chance to win a spot in one of my latest self paced journaling class, Core Truths where you will create a ringed journal and then use it to explore and determine your personal truths so you can use those truths to live your life to the fullest.

Just leave your comment by Friday May 25th at 9 PM EST and the winner will be announced shortly after.

In Silence

Carolyn — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:53:46 +0000

As you may have noticed by my less than frequent posting these past few days, this week is an “off week” for me. I’m not sure what that means, but my life just feels a little off balance at the moment. However, I heard the quote below while watching some show (can’t remember which one!) and had to share it with you. For me, the words are so very true.

photo: elle moss

It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Carolyn — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:18:45 +0000

… your decision

… your project plan

… your vision, your intentions, your goals

… your resume

… your inbox

… your home

… your failures (yes, perfectionists even like to fail perfectly)

… your family

… your gifts

… your timing

… your words

… your balance on the yoga mat

… your moves on the dance floor

… your special night

… your wedding

… your recovery

… your willpower

… your relationship

… your thoughts

… your patience

… your attendance

… your productivity

… your motivation

… your kindness

… your outfit

… your blog post or journal entry

… your schedule

… your finances

… (fill in the blank!)

What can you add to this list? If you’re a bit like me than I’m sure you can add quite a few items!

By reminding yourself of perfectionistic thinking, you can examine your actions with a more flexible and far kinder mindset.

It doesn’t have to be perfect and neither do you.

Lighting Another Candle

Carolyn — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:45:29 +0000

I’ve read this proverb before, but after hearing it again today had to share it with you. It’s such a simple reminder about the gift of compassion. Its supply is infinite and free of cost. Tonight I’m going to remember to take a few minutes to mindfully light another candle. I hope you will join me!

Color Me Happy: Colorful Stripes

Carolyn — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:12:37 +0000

After last week’s craziness (update to come soon), I needed to focus on something cheerful. What better way to add a little cheer to your day than by getting a bit stripe happy. Colorful stripes can be seen literally everywhere—it’s fun to find them in the least expected of places :).

Have you found an unexpected burst of color in your day?

sources: carrie bradshaw in striped skirt (original source: phoebebrookes.wordpress.com—no longer active)| envelope liner (plurabella calligraphy) | bangle (kate spade) | mug (eat drink chic, photo by amy moss) pillows (original source: unknown)

p.s. thank you for your support last week (virtual thank you note above!). i am so grateful for the positive thoughts!

The Mayonnaise Jar and Coffee

Carolyn — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:00:53 +0000

My husband forwarded me the beautiful story below. I had never read this story before and if you haven’t either, I highly recommend reading through to the end. It’s a wonderful way to begin this new week!

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar… and the coffee…

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things-your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions-things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else-the small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”