Inspired by Child’s Play: Guest Post By Robyn

Lately, the busyness of life has kind of sucked the inspiration from my soul. As you can tell by the blog’s silence the words have been few and far between. Then I met Robyn, a spunky mom who loves to snap photos and eat sushi. She agreed to provide me with some words and inspiration, so the blog wouldn’t be silent during our move to the new house.

 

Welcome Robyn!

 

Have you ever watched a child play? I have been blessed with two very creative and energetic boys. Watching them play brings me back to my childhood and the countless hours of imaginative play that lends itself to dreaming, wishing and hoping.

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As a little girl I remember always having a banter with my imaginary friend “Mary Hopeston” about my babies and my husband. Her name? Not too ironic. “Hopeston” would most likely come from the fact that the very core of my being, even as a child, was “hoping” to “marry” someday and bore children. Why is it that it comes as a surprise to me; that even as a grown woman who is on the outer leaves of a blooming photography career, I still feel the inner pull of her family stronger? I am a strong believer in the fact that you are born with a purpose, a drive, a direction in which you are to go. As a child you listen to this and as an adult you tend to suppress it to conform to what others want you to be.
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Watch children play. Take cues. Their little minds are spinning a million times per moment. They look outside the box. They use simple everyday objects to create something that they don’t have. They use objects differently than the purpose they are technically given. They take in a space, they fill it. They create beautiful things out of simple objects. They don’t find limits and often have to be given some.
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Today my challenge to myself and you is to think the way a child does. And think back to the way you played as a child. What were your regular play habits? What did you dream about? Today you must revert to the way you were as a child so you can: Play big. Dream big. Push your limits. And watch yourself grow.
Enjoy that inner child today!
-Robyn
Robyn Rasmussen
Robyn is a business minded-woman who spills her heart into her family, faith, home life, blogging and photography business. Always learning and aspiring to be more and touch more lives through the gifts she has been granted.

Getting Back to Life Before Facebook: Blog Swap

This post is part of the Blog Swap series over at A Grande Life, pop over and check out Steph’s site and other great bloggers. On the spur of the moment I was paired up with Cindy over at Whatever Works. She lives in Jersey, and is a writer and boy mom just like me. And after reading her vow about Facebook, I might just have to join her…will you?

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I remember the olden days when Facebook first came around.  It was silly.  In my eyes, NO one who wasn’t single looking to “hook up” would use it.  It was not something a happily married, stay-at-home mom would even consider.  But then a friend of mine told me it was going to be the Next Best Thing…so I signed on.

 

And I immediately signed back off.

 

I was afraid of the ramifications for being on a site like that.  What would my husband think?  What could I even post there?  Why do I even care what these people who I haven’t seen in 20-some odd years are saying?

 

Flash forward to January 2013, five or so years and 900 friends later, I am on there 16/7 (which is like 24/7 deducting for 8 hours of sleep).  I don’t know how it happened or why.  My husband joined the bandwagon, too.  What once was a scary taboo place is now so common that it’s more unbelievable to hear people say they are not on Facebook.

 

It’s like that dive bar that no one went to until all your friends decided to take it over.  It’s a little bit exciting to find a place you can call your own.  To hang out with your friends and reminisce about good times, share stories about family and the like.

 

But the thing is if you go to that bar all the time, it loses its luster.  If you’re there during off hours, it’s still just a dive bar.  Don’t get me wrong, I truly love Facebook and all its wonderment.  In fact, I attribute my current employment status to Facebook.  Without it, I would have never gotten the courage to write publicly and for that I thank Facebook and really all social media platforms.

 

However, I’ve reached that stage with Facebook where I’ve been visiting it too much – like that old dive bar.  I’d love to go back to how it was in the early stages.  Signing on maybe once every couple days to catch up with everyone…looking at cute family pictures…posting an actual status instead of trying to come up with something incredibly witty to outdo my last status…

 

Ah, those were the days.

 

I’ve come to the conclusion that with Facebook, you get out what you put in.  And once the ‘getting out’ and ‘putting in’ no longer equal each other, it’s time for a change.  Recently I have been putting in WAY too much and not quite getting the same feeling in return.  Therefore…

 

Since it IS January, now is the perfect time to make a resolution and get back to basics.  For me, that will include less Facebook time and more real life.  It is going to be hard, but I’m going to try.  Will you join me?

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Cindy Dudas is a work-at-home mom who started blogging as a way to get her feelings out there.  She is a freelance writer currently writing for the Parental Guidance section of NJ.com and her own blog Whatever Works.  

Guest Post Casey: Finding the Courage to Try

Happy Friday!

It is the end of the week and the end of my blogging break. Before we get to our last guest blogger, I just want to extend a BIG thank you to everyone that guest posted and shared their lists or anti lists.

Thanks to all of you I’m two for two on crossing items off my list, come tomorrow morning at approximately 9:30 a.m. I should be three for three {wish me luck}. On Sunday, I’ll give you all a recap of what went down the past three weeks.

Now let’s get this week’s guest blogger.
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When Brook asked me to write a post, I was all, YEAH, what fitness topic should I talk about.  Then she dropped the BOMB.  I couldn’t write about fitness, I had to write about something that I would like to accomplish that is not fitness related.  My mind went blank, how dare she take away my livelihood, my comfort zone.  But, I am sort of glad she did because I get to write about something that people probably wouldn’t know about me or know that I want to do. 

My family, who know me better than anyone else, are fully aware that I was born to be on Broadway.  Sure, I don’t sing all that well, and I am a mediocre dancer, but I just know that if you got me on that stage I would shine.  Therein lies the problem, getting me on that stage. 

We live in an absolutely amazing theatre town.  We have at least four theatres that put on many different productions.  Last year, Hairspray was performed (one of my all time favorites, chickened out and wouldn’t go to audition) White Christmas…same thing, chickened out. 

What am I so afraid of?  Failure, embarrassing myself, being out of my comfort zone (you get me in front of a fitness class and I am a machine, but on stage is a whole different ballgame) I would say ALL OF THE ABOVE!

But, I have made a vow to myself and to the Broadway star bursting at the seams to be free, I will audition (the part and the play has to be something I want to do, not just any part will do) and I will give it my all, and if I succeed, then  I will begin therapy for the stage fright, but if I don’t succeed, well at least I know I tried and that the theatre scene just wasn’t quite ready for me yet! 

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Hey everyone, my name is Casey and I blog over at ww.cswfityoga.com where I focus primarily on fitness, workouts, recipes, wellnesss, and my family wackiness. I just recently started online personal training and loving it.  Please do stop by and let me know what you think.