Archives for August 2015

#236| Brave Heart

August 24, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 8 Comments

We like to jump-start each new week by providing a quote fierce enough to get you going.

I know I’m facing challenges this week, and as far as I’m concerned, every bit of motivation and encouragement helps me with pushing past, pushing thorough and pushing forward.

A brave heart is required to push past the naysayers, haters and saboteurs.

A brave heart is required to push through our own fear and sense of inadequacy.

A brave heart is required to push forward into our purpose, and ultimately into our destiny.

Today is the start of a new day and a new week.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Join in the Fray: What’s the thing you need to be “brave enough to start?” When will you begin?

The Swirl World Team is committed to sharing 365 days of inspiration in 2015. Our goal is to help you stay motivated and inspired by bringing you positive, uplifting images and corresponding thoughts.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

Copyright ©2015 Michelle Matthews Calloway, ASwirlGirl™, The Swirl World™, The Swirl World Podcast™, The Swirl World Inspiration Daily™, Swirl Nation™, All rights reserved. Photo property of The Swirl World™.

#235| What Are You Wearing?

August 23, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can wear.

I’ll take it a step further:

Confidence is the sexiest thing a man can wear.

So, what are you wearing?

Join in the Fray: We know confidence is sexy. Name another quality you consider “sexy.”

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#234| Be Gentle

August 22, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 6 Comments

It’s easy to engage in negative self-talk, isn’t it?

To beat ourselves up with the coulda, shoulda, wouldas of life.

Your psyche is calling, and it has a message for you.

Please stop.

Please stop focusing on the negative circumstances of your life; your shortcomings and faults.

Instead, choose a different train of thought.

Try celebrating what’s good and right about you.

Give yourself a break.

Tomorrow is another day, and you’ll have a free, clean slate of 24 hours to work on getting things right.

Today, this minute, do yourself a favor.

Be gentle to yourself.

Join in the Fray: Name one thing you can to do be gentle to yourself.

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#233| Yes Can Do!

August 21, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

It’s the end of the week, and if you’re like me you’re assessing the progress you made – or didn’t make.

This year I’m using the Day Designer Planner. Each day I write out a list of “goals of the day” and do my best to cross off each one.

More often than not, I don’t get to cross off every item, and when I don’t, I carry the item over to the top of the next day’s list.

Do that every day of the week, and sometimes you’ll find an item written on Monday was carried over all week . . . and into the next week . . . and occasionally, to the end of the month.

Le sigh.

So much for planning, huh?

What I have to remember is to celebrate my accomplishments (the crossed-off items) instead of wallowing in disappointment over the uncrossed items.

Yes, I need to examine the items I continue to carry over and figure out why I’m not completing them: is the item really important? If it is, am I procrastinating? Am I wasting time? Do I not have what I need to complete the project? What’s the problem? And more important, what do I need to do to fix it?

When I take myself through that series of questions, I come to an understanding of what I need to do to push forward.

Voilà!

I’ve managed to turn a “no can do” into a “yes can do.”

#Winning!

Join in the Fray: What “no can do” will you turn into a “yes can do?”

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#232| Get To Happy!

August 20, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

It’s not only Thursday, it’s Travel Thursday!

If you live in a part of the country where you are yet able to take advantage of warm weather, get up, get out there and enjoy it!

Heading to the beach, fishing at the lake, hiking (or biking!) new trails and sitting around campfires are but a few activities we can engage in to get to our happy.

Don’t care for the outdoors? Well, there’s always a library, museum or bookstore you can retreat to.

Whether you have time for a full-blown vacation or a quick day trip, traveling – across town or across the world – helps you to “get to your happy.”

Today’s post features the Harrell family. For them, the beach represents an ideal place for getting in some much-needed family time. That carefree family time gets them to their happy.

Find a place you love, get there, and get to happy!

Join in the Fray: Where do you go to “get to your happy?”

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#231| Concentrate

August 19, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 6 Comments

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

~Buddha

I challenge you to take a few minutes to clear your mind.

I say “take a few minutes,” because for many of us, clearing our mind can take a little time.

Once your mind is cleared, focus.

After focusing, kick things up a notch, and concentrate.

If you mind tries to race ahead – or if it tries to reflect back – rein it in and think about now.

Concentrate.

Concentrate on the here and now, placing your mind, thoughts and energy squarely in the moment.

Join in the Fray: What happened when you moved from focusing to concentrating? How did you feel? What were your next steps?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#230| Leave The Door Open!

August 18, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 9 Comments

“Happiness is something that comes into our lives through doors we don’t even remember leaving open.”

~Rose Lane

Erika and William, today’s featured couple, found the secret to finding and building a lasting relationship.

They left the door of their heart (and their minds) open!

Want to bring more love and laughter into your life?

Leave the door open!

Join in the Fray: In what areas of your life do you need to “leave the door open?”

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#229| Here’s Looking At You!

August 17, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 2 Comments

I’d be hard pressed to find anyone over the age of 20 (OK, 30 for sure!) who hasn’t heard the classic line, “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

The line is from the classic movie Casablanca starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

Though we’re not toasting in the same manner as Bogart, we’re still sending good cheer as the new week begins.

Whether you’re employed 9-to-5, an online entrepreneur, stay-at-home Mom or basking in retirement, here’s looking at you as you enjoy a solid week of wins.

Join in the Fray: What “win” are you looking forward to this week?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#228| Take It Easy

August 16, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 1 Comment

It’s the weekend, y’all.

Time to take it easy.

Some coffee or maybe some tea . . . . your go-to drink when you’re ready to relax.

Maybe curl up with a good book, or binge out on Netflix or Hulu if you’re into television.

Or better than that, take a good, long, nap.

Whatever you decide, just be sure to kick back and take it easy.

You deserve it.

Join in the Fray: What do you do when you want to take it easy?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

#227| Magic Things

August 15, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 2 Comments

Can you discern the sense of wonder and rapture little Iyona (pronounced eye-yon-ah) is experiencing in this photo?

W. B. Yeats says, “The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

Though I’m planning to catch up on work this weekend, my goal is to deliberately be on the lookout for magic things: the teasing expression on a friend’s face, the inquisitive tilt of the head of my neighbor’s cute little dog or the chatter of the birds taking advantage of my Mother’s feeder.

I don’t want my senses dulled by busyness or distractions.

I want to see.

I don’t want to miss the magic things.

How about you?

Join in the Fray: What are some “magic things” you don’t want to miss?

We’d love to FEATURE YOU in one of our Inspiration Daily posts! If you’d like to be featured, please send a nice, clear photo to InspirationDaily@TheSwirlWorld.com.

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#236| Brave Heart

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#235| What Are You Wearing?

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#234| Be Gentle

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#233| Yes Can Do!

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#232| Get To Happy!

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#231| Concentrate

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#230| Leave The Door Open!

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#229| Here’s Looking At You!

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#228| Take It Easy

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#227| Magic Things

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Archives for August 2015

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