Inspiration Daily 2015 Archives - Page 13 of 35

#242| Family Is Everything

August 30, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 11 Comments

Whether by blood or by affinity, family is everything.

We trust you will have the opportunity to spend quality time with your family this weekend.

And for those family members living in other places, thank goodness for Skype, Face Time, Google Hangouts – and good ole telephones!

Join in the Fray: Which family member or friend will you spend time with (or contact) this weekend?

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.

#241| Make It Amazing!

August 29, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 7 Comments

I’m ready for the weekend – how about you?

Whatever you do today, enjoy.

Make it amazing!

Join in the Fray: What constitutes “an amazing day” for you?

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.

#240| This Is How We Do It

August 28, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway 7 Comments

“How do you guys do it?”

Those of us who date and marry interracially often hear this question.

Many people wonder how individuals of different ethnicities and cultures meet, become attracted to each other, date, marry and have children.

(or some variation of the above)

Some people believe interracial relationships are complicated, dangerous, not worth the time or trouble, undesirable ____________________.

(fill in the blank)

For those of us who are undeterred by the seeming negatives, this is how we do it:

We simply view interracial relationships as an opportunity to expand our dating and marriage options.

We discover the similarities and common ground – the shared values and worldviews.

As we grow in our mutual discoveries, we include another key component:

We respect each others’ differences.

And in the grand scheme of things, isn’t that what we have to do to build a relationship with anyone?

Yeah, it really is that simple.

Join in the Fray: Interracial relationships: How do you “do it?”

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.

#239| We May Become Friends

August 27, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”

~Maya Angelou

Here on the blog we talk a lot about the benefits of travel. For me, this quote by Maya Angelou goes a long way toward highlighting the multiple benefits of travel.

Today’s photo features Michelle and her daughter Bella while in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.

Michelle has agreed to share with Swirl Nation more of her life and her travels via photos and blog posts.

Stay tuned!

Join in the Fray: What new friends (or acquaintances) have you made as a result of traveling?

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.

#238| Sing A Song

August 26, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

Ella Fitzgerald, iconic jazz singer extraordinaire and known as “The First Lady of Song,” once said, The only thing better than singing is more singing.

I couldn’t agree more!

Even if you can’t carry a tune and won’t sing for anyone or anything other than the soap in your shower, singing is great because doing so makes you feel good.

(I can carry a tune, but I can’t sing).

Don’t feel like singing?

I’m reminded of this line from a classic song written by Al McKay and Maurice White and sung by Earth, Wind & Fire:

When you feel down and out, sing a song

It’ll make your day, yeah, yeah.

If you want to hear some great singing, check out today’s podcast episode featuring Teneia Sanders-Eichelberger and her guitarist husband Ben Eichelberger.

That girl can sang!

Join in the Fray: What’s your favorite song?

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.

#237|No Excuses!

August 25, 2015 By Michelle Matthews-Calloway Leave a Comment

I wonder how many things we could accomplish if we stopped making excuses?

We say we have “reasons” to explain why we do or don’t do certain things.

Yet if we drilled down to the root of those explanations, I dare say we would find that most of our “reasons” are what my Mother calls “dressed up excuses.”

Today, let’s challenge ourselves to get through the entire day without offering any excuses.

Let’s own our actions, emotions, shortcomings, procrastinations, fears – you name it.

Own the thing you’re excusing, and put you in check.

Let’s work on continuing to evolve into people of character. To do so, we have to put an end to making excuses.

Remember: No excuses!

Join in the Fray: In what area of your life do you need to stop making excuses?

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.

#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?

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.

#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.

#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.

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#242| Family Is Everything

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#241| Make It Amazing!

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#240| This Is How We Do It

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#239| We May Become Friends

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#238| Sing A Song

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#237|No Excuses!

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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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#232| Get To Happy!

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