Tag: inspiration

Posted in A Better You, Uncategorized

Daily Challenge: Write A Letter (Yes, A Real One)

Posted on by melissaburgess

It’s been a while since I tried to do any “Daily Challenge” posts, but I’d like to start them back up. These posts are designed to inspire readers to: feel better about themselves, improve their lives and the lives of others, be more positive, feel energetic and feel truly alive!

Today’s challenge: write a letter. A real, pen-and-paper, old-fashioned letter. It can be to anyone: your spouse, your cousin, a best friend, an old friend, your child, your parent… write them a letter. Talk about your day, your life; your current mindset, what you’re feeling; your plans for the rest of the week. If you haven’t spoken to them in a while, figure out why and talk about it. Ask how they are, too, of course.

Whether or not you actually send the letter is up to you, but ideally, I’d hope you would send it. Yes, I know stamps are increasing in price every day, but c’mon. A piece of paper, an envelope and a stamp likely won’t break the bank and could help you reconnect – or connect deeper – to someone in your life. In a modern age absolutely flooded with technology (and there’s nothing wrong with technology!), it’s just nice sometimes to receive a handwritten letter from someone. It shows that you took the time and initiative to sit down and figure out what you wanted to say – after all, you can’t just press “backspace” if you want to erase something.

And who knows, maybe the person will even write back to you. Maybe they won’t. Maybe, your old best friend from high school will think it’s a bit weird that you wrote them a letter to reconnect all these years later. Maybe your old friend who you fought with those years ago won’t even open the letter and will simply toss it away.

But maybe, just maybe, it’ll help you in some small way, even if you choose not to hit “Send.” (Err, wait. I mean, fold the letter, put it in an envelope, seal it, stamp it and address it. Wow, it’s a bit more work to send a physical letter than an e-mail, isn’t it? It’s well worth it, though.)

Posted in Miscellaneous

Hockey Fights Domestic Violence: My Pledge

Posted on by melissaburgess

Just recently, I discovered a wonderful campaign of sorts that I’m excited to be joining. The project is called Hockey Fights Domestic Violence; according to its website, it’s:

“a loose-knit group of hockey-loving fans who have pledged donations to domestic violence organizations based on how their favorite teams and players perform.”

This is a great initiative that I’m more than happy to start supporting. The premise of the initiative is simple: pick a hockey player and a stat, and donate a dollar amount for every point/goal/whatever. I wish I had discovered this earlier in the season, but alas, there’s no better time than the present, right?

For my charity for this project, I’m going to donate to Crisis Services, a Western New York organization that offers a number of services, including services for those affected by domestic violence. Crisis Services also works in things including homelessness, suicide prevention and mental health, which is part of why I selected them as my designated charity. My proceeds will go to an organization that helps out in a variety of ways, and I can’t wait to get started.

My pledge for this project is as follows. Starting today, January 29, I will donate:

  • 50¢ for every point scored by Rochester Americans forward Phil Varone
  • 50¢ for every point scored by Toronto Marlies forward Connor Brown
  • 50¢ for every hit by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mike Weber
  • 25¢ for every point scored by Erie Otters forward Dylan Strome

I hope that signing up with this allows me to make a difference, even if in some small way, and help out an organization and an absolutely worthy cause.

If you’re interested in making your own #hockeyfightsdv pledge, go for it! You can find more information about the initiative, as well as get an idea of what others have pledged and find some ideas for suggested organizations to donate to, on their website or by searching the hashtag on Twitter. Let me know if you’re planning on joining the cause – or perhaps you’re already joined it!

Posted in Miscellaneous

The Newest Year

Posted on by melissaburgess

Here we are. The new year is finally upon us, and with it, many wonderful things (and some that will be not-so wonderful, but let’s brush those aside for now.) The beginning of a new year is always a time for reflection. Reflecting on the year – or years – past, yes, but moreso, reflecting on the future. Considering what we want to change in our lives, setting goals and resolutions (some of which may last weeks, others just days, maybe some, months).

Overall, the beginning of a new year is a great time for us to examine our lives and the path we’re headed on, and determine where we want to go from here.

Continue reading “The Newest Year” →

Posted in Miscellaneous

The Game of Life

Posted on by melissaburgess

“The world is not black and white; in its entirety and even in the most specific aspects, the world around us is one giant gray area. There is always movement, both forward and backward. Structures are built and then torn down – both physical buildings and in other ways, like the hierarchy of positions in a corporation or the building blocks that compose a friendship. Life is not black and white. The things you lose may come back to you someday, or they may not. They may never return, lost for eternity in the space that surrounds us. Or they may return, in the same way as before or in another way. You will change, you will grow, and sometimes, you will revert back to who you were before. It is all a grey area.”

The above paragraph is something I’ve had sitting in my drafts since early September of this year. For months, I left it there and intended to write more, to either expand on those thoughts or try to continue them in some way, but (clearly) I have been unable to do so. Alas, here it is, nearly the end of December. Much has changed in these few months, but I’m going to try to expand on my thoughts now, all these days later.

I think it’s important to realize this, the world is one big gray area. Nothing is certain. Everything can be destroyed; the wonderful flowering moments, but also the terrible ones. Good things can fall down, but bad things can be destroyed as well. The fact that nothing is certain can be exciting or scary; thrilling or terrifying; or maybe a little bit of both.

The point is this. Life is not black and white. Life is not certain. Things can come back full-circle or not at all. Some things will stay, other things will leave you, but it’s the impression those things leave that truly counts.

We are all moving pieces in the game of life. Sometimes we jump three spaces forward, other times we sink back a few slots. Some days we may sit exactly where we are, sometimes for weeks, months, years on end. But nothing is certain, everything is gray, and life keeps going.

 

Posted in A Better You, Uncategorized

Progress Doesn’t Just Happen

Posted on by melissaburgess

Sometimes, when I get writer’s block, I venture over to StumbleUpon to see if anything jumps out at me that can spark my writing. Today, I got what I needed: a page from Temple University with a quote that began “Progress doesn’t just happen.” How true is that, really? In any aspect of our lives, progress doesn’t just HAPPEN. There needs to be a spark, something that pushes us along, ignites the way.

We can look at this in any aspect of our lives. Take, for instance, my writing. Progress doesn’t just happen. I’ve been writing for years, and years, and years. Over those years, I’ve become a better writer, more confident in my abilities. In driving, progress doesn’t just happen – it’s simple, but it requires some gas, a foot on the pedal, and a functioning vehicle to get us wherever it is we’re going.

The same is true of life. Progress doesn’t just happen. It requires hard work, determination, and a can-do attitude. You won’t get anywhere if you’re just standing in one place; you’ve got to move, to better yourself, and too keep going, no matter what.

That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am today. Do you think two years ago, when I was in probably some of the worst mental shape of my life, I would’ve ever been able to see myself where I am right now? No way. Today, I’m something I call “happy.” I feel more confident in myself. I’m enjoying life, and I can see a great potential in the future, too. It wasn’t an easy road to get here, but I did – with some hard work on my part, determination to see better days, and a strong refusal to give up.

I guess in the end, I feel like I’m ranting right now, but my point is this – in whatever you do in life, keep going. Progress doesn’t just happen; you have to work for it, but if you do, good things will come.