Tag Archives: All Things Fulfilling

Creative Districts Rock

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“Any activity becomes creative when the doer cares about doing it right or better.” ~John Updike

Yesterday I blogged about the Yampa Valley Choral Society. It is just one of many art organizations that abound in this town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

boettcher_report_thumbnailDid you know Steamboat Springs, Colorado was recently ranked in the Southern Methodist University’s National Center for Arts Research as #14 on the Arts Vibrancy Index?

The town also has the distinction of holding 4th place in the Small Towns to Visit in 2014 in the Smithsonian Magazine. For the small community of 10,000+ people, art and culture is important to part of everyday living yet it does not always get the attention it deserves. There are changes underway which will change all that.

Steamboat Springs has become an incubator as a Colorado Certified “Creative District.” There is an interesting full article in the Steamboat Pilot Newspaper about what it takes to become a creative district and to obtain funding and support for it.

I, like many others, have found the creatively stimulating environment refreshing. Living  life outloud is a term I associate with the people of Steamboat.

How does one “live life out loud?” Here is an interesting article about what that truly means.

earth without art

That is all for now. See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling!

This blog is brought to you by the author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

A Joyous Easter Sunday

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“Find a place inside where there is joy.” ~ Joseph Campbell

I was introduced to the writings of Joseph Campbell some years back by someone who I consider to be a mentor.  Many of Campbell’s thoughts, in my opinion, perfectly reflect what all things fulfilling is really all about.

On Easter Sunday, I enjoyed the creative tasks of making a memorable Easter Sunday brunch just for the two of us empty nesters – my husband and me. We had a lovely day including an “Easter Sunday journey,” recalling memories of Easters past.

We laughed about the days when our son indulged us (his mother & father) far longer than he really needed to by continuing to look like he enjoyed searching for the Easter eggs the Easter bunny had hidden, even though he had learned of every possible secret hiding place many years prior.

For me the most meaningful part of Easter Sunday this year was all about finding that inner place where there is contentment and beauty in memories and the delicious food on the table.

Terrys photo1easter table

This blog is brought to you by the author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Out of the Deep Freeze

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 “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”– Edmund Hillary

When you live in the mountains, spring can be forever in coming. Mother Nature loves to torment and taunt with fickle weather for a long, long time.

One day it is sunny and warm, the next day we are thrust back into winter leaving us confused as what to put on for clothing in the morning. Just when you think you should leave behind the winter weight clothing and spring ahead into lighter, brighter garments, the cold temperatures return again. Makes you feel like climbing back under the covers.

Somewhere between Winter & s

This is how I look and feel this time of year. The beginnings of growth and renewal of spirit have begun to creep over me yet, part of me is still frozen in the previous season.

Today on All Things Fulfilling, I’d like to share with you an article about 21 Things to Do This Spring to Lift your Beaten Down Spirit.

What’s the first thing I’m going to do to start ticking off the list? My husband just filled my bike tires with air. A slow, meadering bike ride through the neighborhood dreaming of when the landscape turns green with colorful flowers will do much to lift the spirit. It will also begin to build the muscles I’ve neglected all winter when my only form of exercise was walking.

See you back here tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. This blog is brought to you by award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard.

 

Moods Trace the Season

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Did you know March is Optimism month? March has never been one of my favorite months because if you live in the mountains, it’s usually still winter. But the third month of the year is useful to my mindset. March winds transport my spirit into my favorite seasons of the year – spring and summer when I am more inspired and motivated.

In March vague ideas that I had a few months previously get sparked and fired up which means I’ve gotten over the hump of winter. Thoughts of renewal, awakening and rejuvenation start streaming.

Just as many other people experience, the seasons do affect my moods and demeanor. Being aware of that fact helps me to march forward knowing brighter days are coming and to remember ~

bloom-in-your-spring-season-Isaiah-35

Happy Beginnings of Spring, Everybody!

See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. The award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Thirsty Thursday: Versatile Blogger

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Put your blog out into the world and hope that your talent will speak for itself. – Diablo Cody

Regular readers of All Things Fulfilling know that Thirsty Thursday’s focus is on good news. Usually we share stories of others who inspire us but every once in a while, the good news is our own.

versatile-bloggerToday, the good news is that I have been nominated for the Versatile Blogger award. The nomination came from a fellow writer who also has the award behind her and she has passed the torch to myself and few other fellow bloggers by nominating us. That’s pretty cool.

To receive the nomination from Linda Collison is very complimentary because I have been following her writing and blogging for a number of years. I am always inspired by her work and by the creative marketing of her publications. She is a multi-award winning author and a person who lives life admirably and literally with few restraints.

Getting recognition from fellow writers and independent publishers is an honor because it means it you are on track with what you are doing!

Thank you Linda for the nomination. Do return next week to All Things Fulfilling. I will share 7 things with our readers that may not know about me.

The good news is my  common interests with Collison go beyond writing. We are both coincidentally, Baltimore natives who had never met until our lives converged at the Steamboat Springs Writers Group!

This blog is brought to you by award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard.

 

Thirsty Thursday: Footloose

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If you want to be happy, be! ~ Leo Tolstoy

I love that quotation! It reminds me that we can be anything we decide we want to be.

It’s good for the spirit to let loose and have fun. Sometimes enjoyment comes while living vicariously and sometimes it means being the active participant! Watch this video and you’ll be ready to join in on the joy!

And see you back here tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling!

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

 

 

State of Being

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Have you ever noticed how people tend to rationalize everything? I‘ve been known to do that.

My son, who has always been, from a very young age, very astute about human nature said to me one day when he was about nine or ten “Mom, why do you do that?”

“Do what?” I said.

“Try to figure out the reason for everything?”

“What did just I do?” I asked, not knowing what I had said or done to bring up these questions.

“You just said you are cold.”

“So, what’s wrong with that?” I asked my son, shivering and rubbing my hands together to warm up.

“Then you went on to say all the reasons why you might be cold. Did  you ever think that you might just BE?”

“No,” I replied, “I’ll have to think about that!”

There is no doubt about it I do tend to try to figure out the reason for everything. And what’s more, I go to great lengths to explain things in writing on All Things Fulfilling! Ah well, what can I say? I’ll have to remind myself:

Not everything in life makes sense

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard.

 

 

 

Thirsty Thursday: Grow Happiness

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Ok! I’ll admit it, I like sappy, happy stories.   Yes, I do! It’s a relief to read something uplifting and positive because it gives balance to what is typically shown in the media.

One of the best ways to remove yourself from being inundated with negativity is to simply shut the TV off. As simple as that.

Negative influences can affect our entire demeanor. As people who can exercise our own free will, it’s up to us to decide who we want to hang with and what kind of energy is the most healthy to be around. 

Positive energy breeds positive energy, so keep this in mind. Find your positive energy name and let yourself be surrounded by all things fulfilling in your life that helps you live up to it.

Positive Energy Name

That’s all for today from Extraordinary Surprise Bringer. (aka the award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.)

Learning from a Protagonist

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What is a protagonist? According to Dictionary.com, a protagonist is the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.

“What characteristics then,” I’ve been asked, “does your protagonist have that makes her a leading character in your two publications, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul?

I’ll give you a little insight into Fanny,  the very special character in both books. Not only did she bring humor to an entire family,

character in story

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard. See you on Monday on All Things Fulfilling.com.

Themes from the Bathtub

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“When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, ‘Oh yes — I already have everything that I really need.”― Dalai Lama XIV

All week long our blogs have been focused on happiness, personal growth and success. But, we don’t always have to look at the big scheme of things to find fulfilling things in our midst. Contentment is not necessarily about career advancement, more money in our wallets, moving up the social ladder and having material things. It’s about incorporating little things that bring  joy into our lives.

There’s something that I deny myself that I need to give into. Allowing myself time to soak in the tub. I rarely do it. Only if have some ache or pain – and fortunately for me that’s next to never. There is something that seems time wasting about lollygagging in a bathtub. I am more of a power shower person than a soaker.

It’s not the first time this notion that I need to let myself linger in a tub for no reason has occurred to me. Every so often the thought comes along and then I  act on it a time or two, and then forget about it.
bathtub_reader 2Imagine how happy it might make me if I combined all my favorite things with drawing a bath. Add in teatime and reading and it sounds like a recipe for euphoria. I think I’ll go explore it.

On second thought, rather than read in the tub, perhaps I need to let my mind wander and see what ideas I can come up with for next week’s blog theme.

See you on All Things Fulfilling on Monday.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. Author of the award-winning memoir Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.