Liz Weaver's blog

Breakpal is the feature story in Today's Union Democrat!

http://www.uniondemocrat.com/20100726100612/News/Local-News/Couple-desig...

In an effort to live my life with an “attitude of gratitude” I keep my Peak Potentials notebook on my desk, in it there is an exercise that asks you to list 10 things/people you are grateful for and why.

I keep it on my desk in an effort to do this as my first task. I do have days where I feel work can’t wait, even 5 minutes, and I don’t do this exercise. Being honest my work is important and adds value to other people’s lives but it isn’t like I’ve got someone waiting on the operating table.

Memory is a funny thing. The way I remember it I stormed into the kitchen, hands on hips, looked up at my mother and said “I quit.”
Mom said “Go ahead and quit you’ll regret it when you’re old.”

As always Mom was right. Now at 42 this old dog is learning a new trick. Piano. I’ve only had a couple of lessons but I love it. My brain is enjoying doing something new and the piano that was in storage, collecting dust for years, is being used and appreciated.

Yesterday I was in Barnes and Nobles, the woman at the help desk directed me to the section I was looking for. What I was looking for happened to be near the help desk so as I wandered around her voice traveled through my ears, into my brain and activated my memory. I looked over and watched her as she interacted with customers; animated face, big smile. I was going to go over and ask her something but instead closed my eyes to enjoy a memory.

For those of you not familiar with mind frick it's the voice in your head that convinces you you can't do something, or the "what if" voice, what if ___ goes wrong? Sometimes the what if voice is so loud or has such strong control over you it will self fulfill. Whatever ___ was, will happen, basically you just gave in to mind frick.

Yeah right.

Today was my first day to mountain bike. I had to think long and hard about the last time I rode a bike. Once, last year, on flat land while my sister ran. The tire went flat so I ended up walking it back. Before then I'd say it was 14 years ago? That sounds about right. It was a mountain bike but all I ever rode it for was to cruise around the old neighborhoods behind U.O.P. and look at houses. In my mind it was mountain biking I guess because it had mountain bike tires.

ARGGGGHHH!!

Enough said.
Liz

Everyone gets inspiration from different places. A family member, friend or colleague.

Over the last eight years we've been working on a project that seemed impossible. I truly believed in it so I just kept working at it. I'm blessed with an amazing family and equally amazing friends. They love and support me no matter what. Now this doesn't mean that they don't think I'm crazy it just means that to my face they are loving and supportive.

Around Christmas I ran across a quote “Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful”. It spurred me into a cleaning frenzy. Cleaning doesn’t actually describe it. I have organized my storage, every tool every nail has been sorted and placed somewhere logical. I felt like Cinderella separating the lentils from the ashes as I went through numerous glass jars of mixed nails, washer, bolts etc. It was crazy, it took me over 10 hours but I got it done.

Yes, you heard me. As I was sitting down to think about my 2010 resolutions (it's already the 8th)I glanced over at the book shelf and there was my 1996 resolution staring me in the face: Complete works of William Shakespeare. I picked it up and apparently I only made it 56 pages before I gave out on that one.