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Five things I am letting go of now. What would you like to drop, release, and let go of… ?
Published January 30, 2012 | 
Right now, I am choosing to let go of:
1. the need to control or change my husband.
2. being upset when things don’t go as I originally intended
3. self criticism
4. negative images and stories in the media (Just don’t need them!)
5. doubt
What would you like to let go of? Here’s a little secret: we can let go of anything we want in our lives anytime we choose to do so. It is very liberating when we do let go of things, people, beliefs, and circumstances that no longer serve us. It feels very good, as a matter of fact!
So, what would you like to let go of right now?
Write it down in your journal. Do it. Let it go and don’t look back.
Good night.
In Peace,
Debra
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Posted in Happiness, Journal Prompts, Positive living, Self-empowerment | 
journal writing, letting go, release | 
Leave a commentThe Perfect Day: A journal writing exercise
Published January 25, 2012 | 
As I reflect on my day, I feel very thankful for it was a really good day. A big part of The Warm Milk Journal’s Mission is to live the life of our dreams by day (so that we may sleep restfully by night).
I have a fun journal writing exercise for you tonight. It is entitled simply: The Perfect Day.
When you have a little quiet time for yourself I invite you to stretch a bit, breathe, and just meditate on this idea: what is the perfect day? What does that mean for you? You can think of a regular work day that goes exceedingly well, a weekend or vacation day, or a dream day in which if time, money, or any of our daily duties were not constraining us, what would be the perfect day for YOU?
Your journal entry could also be a mix of random things from all kind of different days….perfect days…
Definition of Perfection:
the quality or state of being perfect: as a : freedom from fault or defect : flawlessness b : maturity c : the quality or state of being saintly
Source: www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perfection
Are you ready? I know I am… I love to write at the end of my day… or the start of my day. In this case tonight it is the end of the day, so here goes…
The Perfect Day:
1. My students are well-behaved, respectful, and excited.
2. I have a lot of energy and feel well rested.
3. I work out either at the gym, my Bikram yoga class, or take a long bike ride or walk on the beach.
4. I can sleep in
5. I’ve brewed a perfect pot of coffee
6. I have plenty of time to read, write, reflect, and do nothing….
7. I’ve had a chance to connect with my husband and daughter
Your turn. : )
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Friendship: a simple journal writing exercise
Published January 18, 2012 | A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be. ~Douglas Pagels
The topic of friendship has come up a lot in my life lately. I have a fourteen year old daughter and her world is full of laughing with her girlfriends at all hours when they come to our house for a sleep over…
I consider my husband my best friend…
I have my “old” friends from my youth, college days, and young mommyhood days that I am still in touch with thanks to Facebook…
In this chapter of my life (I’m a 45 year old schoolteacher/blogger raising two teenagers, a husband, and two cats. Ha!)
Where and how do I fit friends into my busy life now?
Most of us don’t need a psychiatric therapist as much as a friend to be silly with. ~Robert Brault
Here is my journal writing invitation to you this evening (or morning depending on where you live)
On the the top of your journal entry, simply write “Friendship”…. then write down anything that comes to mind.
I find I do well if I just write quickly what comes to mind without editing or critiquing what I am writing…
Just play with the idea and see what happens.
The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium. ~Norbet Platt
The powerful thing about journal writing is that if we get ourselves in a relaxed state long enough, our true selves emerge. That touch of divine and intuition and wisdom comes out.
Let’s try it and see what happens, shall we?
Let’s see. I will begin!
FRIENDSHIP
1. I will always cherish those friends I made when I was a child and teenager. Those were the carefree days when I had time to invest and nurture these friends. Plus, these people knew me when I was just coming of age. How special is that?
2. I value the friendship I have with my husband. He is my best friend. He challenges me. He loves and supports me. He ultimately brings out the best in me.
3. I don’t spend time with friends that much these days for I am very busy working and when I’m not working I have my family..Hmmm….
4. I have my online friends on Twitter and Facebook that I have grown to value and appreciate very much.
5. What can I do to nurture my friends?
6. What friendships are worth investing time and energy in now during this busy chapter in my life?
This is a just a start, but I will finish in my private journal, so that you, dear friend, can begin you entry on…
FRIENDSHIP
Have fun.
Peace,
Debra
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How can I be the most loving person I am capable of being today? A journal writing session
Published January 13, 2012 | 
Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit. ~Peter Ustinov
Sometimes everyday life challenges us and keeps us from being the most loving people we are capable of being. A goal of mine is to live my life with love being my compass. This is not always easy.
This morning’s journal writing session serves as a reminder and a way of focusing on being that loving person that is inside of us.
In your journals, write: How can I be the most loving person I am capable of being today? Then list as many things as you can think of. I love doing this exercise in the morning when I am first waking up. It sets a positive tone to my day. If at first I was leaning towards getting a grumpy start, this exercise is capable of changing my outlook, mood, and immediately around considerably! Pretty powerful stuff for something so simple.
Ready to give this a try?
As I often do, I will start with a few ideas for my own journal entry and then it will be your turn.
Let’s see..
How can I be the most loving person I am capable of being today?
1. Greet my husband with a smile, hug, and kiss when he wakes up this morning and when I see him when I first get home later this afternoon.
2. Forgive his snoring from last night.
3. Patiently listen to my daughter describe her day when she is home from school.
4. Greet every one of my students with a smile as they enter my classroom this morning.
5. Complain about nothing.
6. Be generous with compliments with everybody I encounter today.
7. Love myself by eating healthy food, drinking plenty of water, and working out.
I will stop here and finish in my private journal.
Have a blessed day full of love.
Debra
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A special time for you this evening: a simple prayer
Published January 11, 2012 | 
Tonight I invite you to take that bath, pour that glass of wine or brew that herbal tea…
Before bed, write a prayer in your journal. It can be very simple. Connecting to God (or whatever your faith may be) is very healthy for us. Getting out of ourselves a bit, focusing on a higher power can provide us with: perspective, the feeling of awe and love, gratitude, support, insight, and most of all: PEACE
My prayer for tonight:
Dear God,
Thank you for this day and now for the fact that this day has come to an end. I so welcome the evening and a little rest.
God, I hope that the good I did outweighed anything else. I appreciate the opportunities I was given to be a loving patient wife, teacher, and mother.
I appreciate all the smiles I received from colleagues and strangers.
I appreciate the beautiful Florida day I enjoyed as I took my young students outdoors today for recess.
I am thankful for the chance to inspire and nurture others. I love to be creative and I can do that during my work day and
writing here for The Warm Milk Journal.
Please help me to have perspective and continue to do good work.
Help me also to stretch and think out of the box regularly.
Amen,
Debra
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Posted in Bedtime/night verses, Prayers, Spirituality | bedtime prayer, Divine, evening prayer, god, journal writing | Leave a commentWhat I love… a quick journal writing exercise sure to lift your spirits.
Published January 10, 2012 | 
This is a fun and quick little journal writing exercise that is sure to give you a boost and a smile.
Open your journal and write down as quick as you can a list of the things you love.
Remember,
What we focus on grows!
So why not take a few minutes and concentrate on what we love?
Ready?
Here goes:
What I love:
1. My husband
2. My daughter
3. My cats
4. My books
5. My home
6. Florida
7. The beach
8. My job
9. Working so close to home
10. Great music
11. language
12. Cooking
13. Going out for a nice meal
14. My coffee
15. My bed
16. My soft fleecy green bathrobe
17. Going for walks
18. yoga
I could go on and on…. this is just so much fun. It does not take much time and you do feel great when you think of what or who you love and are reminded of all the blessings you do have in your life.
Your turn!
In peace,
Debra
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Posted in Benefits of Journal Writing, Happiness, Journal Prompts, Love | being happy, journal writing, love | Leave a commentToday’s challenge: look at a “problem” with a different perspective
Published January 3, 2012 | 
We are bigger than our problems.
This statement is absolutely true. We are bigger than our problems. The challenge comes when we are mired deep in it (whatever it is that is concerning us) and we can not see the proverbial light on the other side.
If you have a problem, worry, challenging situation, or someone in your life does, try this:
look at it from a different perspective.
Take a step back and remove yourself from it from a moment.
Write it down in your journal. Ask the divine for some guidance and then let it go for a while.
Once you’ve given yourself a break from it, inspiration may suddenly come to you (our minds often work that way).
You can also do something counter intuitive or contrarian just to see what shakes up.
What haven’t you tried? Ask some different questions. Or leave it alone (it may just resolve itself) So much of what we worry about anyway does not ever happen.
We will part company with a couple of ideas:
If you always do what you’ve always done you will always get what you’ve always got.
If you have something in your life you don’t want or you don’t have something that you do want, it is better to do nothing than to keep doing what you’ve been doing.
Have a blessed day,
Debra
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Light and dedication for your life: a journal writing session in honor of the eighth night of Hannukah
Published December 27, 2011 | Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame
Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart
~Hannah Senesh
It is the eighth night of Hannukah tonight. “Hannukah” or “Channukah” literally means to dedicate. In terms of this Jewish holiday the word refers to the re dedication of the holy Jerusalem temple at the time of the Maccabean revolt during the second century BCE.
Whether you come from the Jewish tradition or not, we can all benefit from focusing on what we are dedicated to. If we truly focus and dedicate ourselves on what really matters and is important to us, then we will be blessed with much light in our lives.
Two questions for your journal writing to ask this December evening, the eighth night of Hannukah:
1. What brings light into your life?
2. What are you willing or wish to dedicate yourself and your life to?
I can not wait to begin my entries..
What brings light into my life?
Let’s see…
1. My family
2. My marriage
3. My job: working with children and helping to instill the love of reading, writing, and learning…
4. The natural beauty of my home state of Florida, the sunshine state!
5. Friends who hang in there with me..
6. Supportive colleagues
7. My yoga class and gym
8. Beautiful music
9. Meals cooked with love
10. My cat
11. My garden
What do I wish to dedicate (or rededicate) my life to?
1. My marriage
2. My children
3. My students
4. My health
5. My spiritual growth
6. The Warm Milk Journal and supporting people from all around the globe to live a well balanced life by day (free of anxiety) and sleeping restfully at night (free of anxiety)
Your turn, Dear Friends!
Here’s to a light-filled, radiant life filled with dedicated purpose.
Much love to you and as always…
In Peace,
Debra
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A list of new things to try for the New Year! A journal writing session
Published December 18, 2011 | 
We are not meant to be stagnant creatures. Doing and learning new things keeps our brains active and our bodies and spirits more youthful. Trying new things also gives our self esteem a boost and as a result we experience less anxiety and more restful sleep at night.
How’s that for some significant benefits?
As we end this year and move into the new year, let’s do a little brainstorming, shall we? Let’s conjure up some fun new ideas for us to do this coming year.
In your journals today write down a list of things that you would like to try this coming new year. These ideas can be anything! They can be work related, ideas for you and your spouse, or just ideas for yourself.
I am very excited about this journal writing entry and so I am going to get started on my list right away! Let’s see…
New things I want to do and experience in my life in 2012:
1. Read more fiction (I tend to read a lot of non-fiction self help type of books)
2. Start a wine club with my husband and other couples who are interested in getting together, learning about wine, and sharing in good food and conversation.
3. Discover new music
4. Visit a city I’ve never been to before (New York City comes to mind…)
5. Try different yoga and fitness classes that my gym offers.
That’s a good start. Now it’s your turn, dear friend. Have fun!
Debra
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What truly pleases me? A journal writing session
Published November 9, 2011 | 
A morning coffee time journal writing session. Simply answer this question in your writing journals:
What truly pleases me?
Then, proceed to write a list. What we focus on grows. This is a great way to get your day off to a pleasing, positive start!
Let’s see… my entry may look something like this today….
What truly pleases me?
1. When I wake up feeling refreshed from a good night of sleep.
2. That first cup of coffee.
3. Date night with my husband.
4. Great music.
5. Time in the gym or yoga class.
6. A walk outdoors
7. Sitting in my back patio reading or just watching the cardinals and squirrel antics.
8. Cooking
9. Eating a wonderful meal with my family
10. Kind words
Your turn!
In peace,
Debra
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