Lisa's Point Of View

Once upon a time.... We all have stories to tell, and we should tell them!  People may be on the same journey as we are on, but that journey is totally different for everyone.  Your story may inspire me.  My story may inspire you, or someone else.  I have told some of my stories throughout this blog.  I hope that someone has who has read my stories, has been touched, and found a little bit of hope and inspiration for themselves.  My stories may not resonate with everyone.  I don't expect everyone to see themselves in my story.  Your story may resonate with someone, when my story didn't! Share your story!  This doesn't mean that you have to tell things that you don't want people to know.  It doesn't have to be a confessional-type story unless you want it to be.  (I think everyone has things that they will never share with anyone, and that's alright.) Think of how good it will feel when your story inspires someone, and they tell you that they are insp

Today I give myself permission to..... How do you want to complete that sentence?  Is there something that you REALLY want to do, but just don't let yourself do it?  Most of us can think of things we would like to do, but then come up with a list of reasons as to why we shouldn't do it.  "There's not enough time."  "I have the money, but I shouldn't spend it." "It's selfish to want to do something for myself."  "There are so many other things that need to be done."  I could go on forever.  Do you want someone to give you permission to do what it is that you want?  Are you waiting for someone to tell you that it's ok?  Well, I'm telling you that it's ok!  You have my permission (for whatever it's worth).  You just need to give yourself permission! Everyone deserves to take time for themselves - to do something, or buy something that makes them feel good!  Just think about it.  You can spend your time fe

  It's the weekend!  It's time to relax and recharge!   Take a deep breath!  Let the work week go!  It's over!  You survived! Take some time for yourself.  Get outside.  Take a walk.  Go some place fun.  Play.  Celebrate life.  Pamper yourself.  Once your batteries are recharged, you will feel better.  You will be able to refocus, and you will be able to take on the world! Have a wonderful weekend! Always remember – YOU ARE AWESOME!   Go out and make it a great day! **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  It is with your help that I may reach, and inspire others!  I welcome comments!  I welcome suggestions!  If you wish to contact me privately, email me at lisaspointofview@gmail.com . Thank you for your support ! 

Fear says, "No you can't."  Determination says "Yes you can."  Results say "I told you so!" When someone tells you that you can't do something, how does it make you feel?  Do you believe them?  Does it make you doubt yourself, and your ability to accomplish your goal?  If you believe you can't do something, you probably can't.  Fear can be paralyzing.  What if you try and you fail?  What will people think?  How will you feel?  Do you give up before you even get started? Personally, I hate when someone tells me that I can't do something.  I am stubborn.  It makes me determined to prove them wrong.    Even if I am scared, and am doubtful as to whether I can do it or not, I'll be damned if someone is going to tell me I can't.  In my case, determination will win over fear every time.  Determination is much stronger than fear.  Determination tells you that you can!  Once you believe you can, you will! You have released

I'm just not feeling it today.  The alarm clock goes off, and you don't want to get up.  You force yourself to get out of bed, but you just want to crawl back in.  You see yourself in the mirror, bed-head and all, and you think to yourself that it just takes way too much effort to get in the shower, to get dressed, to brush your hair, etc.  You decide it all can wait.  You make your way to the couch, and turn on the TV.   In the back of your mind, you may be thinking that you need to get up and exercise.  Maybe you need to do laundry, or go to the store.  You quickly push those thoughts aside.  The next thing you know, you have binge-watched 5 hours of Netflix, maybe even mindlessly eating.  You are suffering from a serious lack of motivation. Have this ever been you?  I'm guilty.  I've had days like this where my fitness tracker didn't track over 500 steps for the whole day.  I'm not proud of it, but I've done it.  (Confession is good for the

Stress is a 4-letter word - or at least it should be!  I'm sure most people reading this would tend to agree with me.  There are so many things that cause stress:  family; jobs; to-do lists, and I could go on, and on.  At one time or another, we all feel overwhelmed. A stressful day in the office would affect me in many different ways.  Of course, there is stress eating.  I could have the largest bag m&m's that is sold, and sit there and eat handful, after handful, and not even realize that I had almost eaten the whole bag.  Needless to say, that played a big part in me becoming overweight.  I would also have anxiety and panic attacks.  I would sit at my desk shaking, and feeling like my heart was pounding out of my chest.  I would have to medicate myself for the pounding heart and shaking to calm down.  I would cry.  I got migraines often, and also had stomach problems.  I knew that my blood pressure was up, and there were often times I feared that I would have a

"The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept, and what to let go." - Dodinsky We are all on journeys, and we have all set goals.  Do you try to be a perfectionist, and never make a mistake, or let yourself down?  We all make mistakes.  Do you ever tell yourself that you are going to do something at a certain time, and when the time comes, you don't feel like doing it?  Later, you feel defeated, and begin to beat yourself up for not doing it.  I do this, more often than I would like.  The thing is, when you beat yourself up, it does nothing but bring yourself down.  Accept the fact that you didn't complete the goal, and let go of the guilt and feeling of defeat.  Beating yourself up, and speaking negatively to yourself, only steals the opportunity for happiness.  Tomorrow is a fresh start, and another opportunity to achieve your goal.  The past is the past.  If you have let go, and moved on, you will feel happy when you do ac

  If not now, when?  I'll start tomorrow.  I'll start Monday.  Why put off until tomorrow, what you can do today?  Right?  Easier said than done! You have a goal that you want to accomplish, but you keep putting off your start date.  What is holding you back?  I do understand wanting to start something new at the beginning of the week, but what happens when the beginning the week gets here, and you decide to start tomorrow?   Then, tomorrow becomes the next day, and so on, and so on.   It's so easy to procrastinate.  I know, because I do it.  In fact, I'm pretty good at it.  This is a habit that I seriously need to break.  In order for me to break this habit, I have to tell myself that "It's now or never!"  If I don't get up and start doing what it is that I am supposed to do, I know that I might never start. I would guess that some, if not many of you, are just like me when it comes to starting to work toward a goal.  This is a big problem

I'm very hard on myself.  I am sure that many others are, also.  Sometimes, if we make a mistake, have a bad day, or don't make our goals for the day, or the week, we have the tendency to beat ourselves up.  I know that I do!  Sometimes we get the attitude "I've already messed this up, so I might as well just quit."  I admit, it's very discouraging to let yourself down.  It's discouraging to feel like you failed at something.  Being discouraged is no reason to quit!  We have to accept the fact that we haven't failed.  We are not failures.  We have only had a setback, a stumble.   However small, or large these setbacks may be, we are strong, and we are capable of bouncing back!   We are all going to have bad days, and those days may even turn into a week, or longer.  Those bad days are only stumbles in the road.  Think of how bad you will feel if you do just throw in the towel and give up.  Think about how good it will feel to pick yourself up

I love sunshine!  I'm sure that most of us do.  It makes me feel happy and good inside!  With our weird winter/spring, many of us may not have seen much sunshine lately!  Dreary weather can dampen spirits and moods.  It doesn't have to be that way! It doesn't matter if it is sunny, or rainy.  It doesn't matter if it is hot or cold.  WE can be the sunshine in someone's day!  We can lift someone's spirits when they are down!  It doesn't take much effort to g ive someone a sincere compliment, or to give someone a helping hand.  You never know what someone is going through.  Simply give someone a smile!  It might just put them in a better mood, or take their sadness away.  We can be the difference in someone's day!   Help spread some sunshine around! Today there's sunshine in my soul!  Is there sunshine in yours?  **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  It is with your help that I may r

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."  - Ralph Waldo Emerson   I am a firm believer that most people do not realize how strong they are until they have a circumstance in which they have no choice but to be strong.  At that time, people do begin to recognize their strength. What characteristics and traits to you believe lie within you?  Are you strong?  Are you determined?  Are you persistent?  Are you detail-oriented?  Are you confident?   All of these things are characteristics that will allow you to succeed in any task that you wish to take on.  Once you begin working toward you goals, others will see these characteristics in you.  All of us have at least a little bit of these characteristics within us.  Maybe our self-esteem is a little bit lower than it should be.  Maybe we struggle to improve ourselves in these areas.  By setting goals and working toward them, we discover that we do have these charact

Celebrations are so much fun!  There are not enough celebrations in our lives!  Only we can change this! We each have big goals that will take a while to accomplish.  What we need to think about, is that we accomplish smaller goals every day, that lead us to accomplishing our main goal.  Did you eat better today?  Did you drink more water?  Did you take more steps?  Did you weigh in, and the number on the scale go down?  Did you fit into a smaller size in clothes?  Did you feel good today?  Did you like the person that you saw in the mirror?  Were you proud of yourself today? Those are only a few examples of ways that we win each day!  Celebrate your wins!  Be proud!  Post them for others to see!  Congratulate others on their wins!  Celebrating these wins will make our goals seem attainable!  Celebrating with others has a positive impact, for them, but also, for yourself! Take time to celebrate every day!  Celebrate your wins!  Celebrate yourself! **If you like this post,

The best way to get things done is to simply begin.    However true and profound that statement may be, depending on what someone has chosen to begin, the first few steps are always the hardest to take.  Compare it to learning how to walk, or learning how to ride a bicycle for the first time.  Wobbly, scared, and unsure, we did learn to do these things.   We set goals.  We begin new journeys.  We have decided to change.  We begin to imagine the outcome.  Maybe we are picturing what we will look like.  Maybe we are picturing how we are going to feel.  Maybe we are just picturing ourselves doing things that we have never done, or have never been able to do - until now.  What is it that you want to do?  What will it take to accomplish your goals?  How do you picture the outcome?   "I did it!"  How great is it going to feel when you are able to say that?  Even if it isn't easy, I'm sure it will be worth it.  Don't you think so?  The things that don'

Each of us has our own dialogue with ourselves from time to time.  Think about the things you say to yourself each day.  "I'm Fat."  "I'm ugly."  "I can't do this."  "I'm a failure."  You get the drift.  The more you tell these things to yourself, the more you tear yourself down, and the more you start to believe these things.   What if your daily dialogue with yourself was like this?  "I look good today."  "I feel good today."  "I can do this."  "I am proud of myself."  "I am worth it."  We all know that it feels good to get compliments from others, but it should feel equally as good to give the compliments to ourselves.  If you practice having positive dialogue with yourself, you will begin to believe in yourself, and love yourself.   You can be your own best friend, or your own worst enemy.  The choice is yours, and yours alone.    Practice giving yourself compli

 Has anyone told you lately, how AWESOME you are?  If not, let me be the first! YOU ARE AWESOME! It's time to start believing this about ourselves!  Each of us struggles, but we find a way to get up and keep going.  We are seeing that each day is a new day, and new chance to keep moving forward!  We each have inner strength that pulls us through, and keeps us going.  We all have a fire in us that has been ignited!  Tell yourself that you are awesome! Repeat this to yourself, often!  Write it on your mirror, where you will see this reminder!  Also, remember to remind others that they are awesome!  Hearing this from others, as well as ourselves, makes us all believers! **If you like this post, please feel free to share it, or to share the link to the blog!  It is with your help that I may reach, and inspire others!  I welcome comments!  I welcome suggestions!  If you wish to contact me privately, email me at lisaspointofview@gmail.com . Thank you for your support

Change is hard at first.  By beginning our journey, we have all realized how true that statement is.  Most of us decided that it was time to change our appearance - our outside, and that may have been what first led us to take this journey.  We all probably just wanted to love ourselves again.  Some of us thought of our health.  Some of us thought about our families.  There are a million other reasons "Why" we have made the decision to change.   As I began my journey, I knew that there would be changes on the outside.  What I never realized was that there would be other changes in me - positive changes.  Changes I didn't expect.  Changes that are making me a better person.  Changes on the inside.   Fighting depression had taken up a good bit of my life.  I had to work, and I worked in some jobs that brought me down, to say the least.  I worked with mean people, miserable people, and just dreaded walking in to work each day.  It was like dying and going to my o

What happens when your significant other doesn't support you in your journey?  What happens when their words and actions hurt?  What happens when you feel like your friends don't support you, and want you to fail?  Do you think about quitting because it is just easier than dealing with the hurt, and lack of support?    What is wrong with people?  Friends and significant others are supposed to love you and support you, so why don't they?  People in general, (not all people, but many) are mean, selfish, and belittling to others.  They want to bring others down, and they work hard at doing this.  It makes some people feel bigger to bring others down.  When you are in this situation, it is hard to see.  The problem is not you!  The problem is them!  Some people are just miserable in their own lives, and they try to reflect it on other people, when they should be taking a good look at themselves!  People who love you and care about you, should support you on your journey

    I want to share with everyone, the reasons that I write this blog.  The first reason I am doing this, is that I have always wanted to be a writer, but never felt like I had a story to tell.  Now, it may not be a story that I am telling, but I feel like I am writing for a purpose.   Secondly, I want to feel like I make a difference in the world, even if it is only to one person.  I want to have a purpose, other than my job.  I have a good job.  I'm a real estate closer, and I am good at what I do.  Still, other than my boss and the other employees, it is a thankless job.  It's not rewarding.  What I do, does not make a difference in anyone's life on a personal level.  The clients barely know that I exist, unless they need something from me.  That's just the nature of this business - not of my place of employment. Probably the most important reason that I write this blog, is this.  I see posts from people on Connect and Facebook, in which is seems like

When I think of the word "reflection", there are a few things that come to mind.  I think of the reflection of myself in the mirror, and what I see in that reflection.  Do I like what I see?  Do I need to make some changes?  Am I working toward liking, or loving myself more, every day?  I hope that when you look in the mirror, you see someone that you love, or that you are learning to love.  I hope you see someone that is beautiful, inside and out. I also think of nature, and the reflections in the water.  I see them as a thing of beauty.  For every step you take, the reflection may change a little bit, but it is still beautiful.  Maybe we should tie these two concepts together in our thought process.  Every reflection is beautiful.  We are beautiful! I also think about time for personal reflection.  Each of us should take time to reflect on ourselves; the person we used to be; the person that we currently are; and, the person that we are working on becoming.  We sh

 We are all on some kind of journey.  Most of us are on many different journeys, all at the same time.  The important thing to remember for each and every journey, is to follow your own path.  Many people may be on similar journeys.  It's ok to listen to their ideas and their suggestions.  You never know if they will tell you something that will benefit you in your own journey.  However similar your journey may be to theirs, no two people are going to have the exact same journey.  If we try to follow someone else's journey, step by step, we are likely to stumble, and possibly get lost.  What works for one person, may not work for another.    Your journey is yours alone.  Choose your path and begin.  Keep in mind that sometimes the right path for you, may not be the easiest path to take.  If you come to a fork in the road, pause, and make a decision as to which way that you want to go - maybe even try the road less traveled.  You can always turn around, go back to that

"When the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly."   Butterflies are one of the most beautiful creatures in nature, but they do not start out that way.  They begin as a caterpillar, and, like us, they have to go through a transformation to become the beautiful creatures that they are.  Their transformation begins in their chrysalis, which, may be a very dark place.  Many of us experience a dark place before we decide that it is time for a change, and begin our transformations.   We are all on one type of journey, or another.  We are all transforming.  We may be transforming our bodies, our minds, or our souls.  Maybe those three things all go together, and we are going through many transformations, at once.  As we go through these transformations, we begin to come out of our dark places.  We grow, and we become even more beautiful, especially in our own eyes!   Something to remember...   "Butterflies can't see their wings. 

    "What if I fall?  Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?"   This is another great quote that can represent any journey, any challenge, or any goal that we set for ourselves.  I think it is natural for people to wonder what will happen if they fail - if they fall.  Maybe we should all reverse our way of thinking to wonder what will happen if we succeed - if we fly.   If we don't have the right mindset when we set a goal, we are pretty much destined to fail.  Changing the way we think, changing our normal thought process, is not an easy thing to do.  We have to get rid of all of the negativity and self-doubt, and believe that we can do anything that we set our minds to do.  Depending on the individual person, this may require a good bit of positive self-talk.   I, myself, have set a goal, that I am unsure of.  I am giving it all that I have, and I am trying to believe that I can succeed.  I just want to be able to run one mile.  It may not seem like muc

                "Promise me you'll always remember:  You're braver than you believe,  and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." - Christopher Robin     I have always loved Winnie The Pooh.  It amazes me that such a profound statement comes from a children's book.  I think that this is something that should be taught to children at an early age to instill confidence in them.  As adults, many of us struggle to believe in ourselves, and so, it is time for us to remember the quote, and apply it to ourselves, and our lives.   We look at ourselves in the mirror, and something clicks.  We decide that it is time for change.   Change takes both courage and strength .  You have to be smart   to come up with the plan to make this change happen.  Each of us possess all of these qualities, even though we sometimes forget that we have them,.  Maybe we have never known that we do.  All of  us are brave, strong and smart.   We just ha