Hello everyone and welcome
to the Path of
Positivity Challenge Blog! It is the first Monday
of the
month and it is time for our latest challenge to begin! We hope that you
and your families continue to stay healthy and safe out there. We also hope that you had a lovely holiday. Unfortunately, I was sick from the middle of December on battling both a bacterial infection and a viral infection at the same time. My hubby also spent a month dealing with a viral infection. Needless to say, Christmas wasn't the holiday we'd hoped for. Right now, while I am feeling better than even a week ago, I am on my third week of antibiotics and hoping for the best at this point.
As such I need to say sorry. For the first time since the inception of this challenge, I wasn't able to create my annual Christmas greeting. I really hope that every one of you had at least one moment of true joy during the holiday season. Obviously, I wish that all your moments were joyful but while we try to maintain a positive outlook over here we avoid toxic positivity and stick to a more realistic approach. While the holidays can be a time of joy they can also be a time of sadness and stress as well. Just like at other times in life, we are mix of emotions. However, that being said, I do hope you experienced some magic at least.
Additionally, I didn't get the opportunity to get the Winner Announcement for November's challenge ready. Hopefully I can get to it before too much more time goes by.
Anyway, it is time to get on with the reason for your visit today. Since we are not
your typical challenge blog, it is important for you to
understand how things work in order to be sure you are eligible to win
any of the prizes offered. If
you are new to this unique challenge, you can find out the impetus
behind why I started it under the 'Introductions' tab and you can find out all the details you need to know in order to participate, in the 'Challenge Details'
tab (both tabs located at the top of the blog). For your convenience, a
summary of the most important rules can also be found in the right
sidebar under the heading 'General Rules'.
Right now, it is time to get down to the business of our latest challenge. Here is what you need to know...
Challenge #127
Anything Goes POSITIVE with the Opt. Twist of
Embracing the Unexpected:
Be Inspired by an UNEXPECTED Event in Your Past
It is a new year and it is time to delve into a new theme for the next 12 months.
In the voyage of our lives we are constantly having to learn to deal with the unexpected. No matter how much of a planner we are, throughout our years on this earth, we are going to come across circumstances that we can't plan for. On the milder side of things, it might be as simple as planning our entire day to get lots of things marked off our to-do list only to have an unexpected guest shows up on our doorstop to throw a monkey wrench into our plans; or, for the car not to start so we can't go to any of the places we need to get to to complete our tasks. Things that are more difficult to deal with would be situations like natural disasters, accidents and unexpected illnesses--things that have more lasting ramifications. Small or big, encountering unplanned for events is a part of life.
As difficult as it may be, dealing with the unexpected is a skill that we need to learn. We grow up in a world where there are supposed to be rules and
consequences. A world where it is anticipated that 'the good' are
rewarded and 'the bad' are punished. We crave predictability and control
in our lives. Sometimes, things do work the way we expect. When they
don't and it feels like our world is falling apart, we have a very
difficult time giving up that perceived control. For many, we can easily
become overwhelmed and anxious when we are pushed out of our comfort
zones. In certain circumstances we may feel completely out of our depth
having to deal with situations where we have no experience. Our reactions to these types of events, say a lot about us and about our resilience. Novelist, Christina Baker Kline has said, "The twists and turns of your life can be so unexpected, and that's a good thing to learn".
Let's face it. Whether we want them or not, we are going to be bombarded with challenges throughout our life. While we can plan for the expected ones, it is how we react to the unexpected ones, that say a lot about our character. Do you let these unexpected happenings roll off your shoulders and go with
the flow; are you more prone to having a stressful reaction; or, are you
somewhere in the middle? The thing is, you just never know when one of
these unexpected events could change your life completely--and it some
cases, it might even be for the better. Whether you love them or you hate them, it is not going to change the fact that you have to face these challenges when they arise. Like many situations that we have to deal with, the only thing we have control over is our personal attitude towards the event and the steps we take to deal with it.
Now I'm not going to sit here and tell you to 'keep your chin up' or 'grin and bear it' or that 'everything will be just fine'. Platitudes are not helpful when it comes to dealing with something we never thought we would ever come up against. How we react emotionally and how we resolve our challenges is unique to each of us. I myself have a difficult time dealing with change. I think at some point we all become comfortable with the ebb and flow of life and that makes it difficult to adjust to change--whether it is for the good or for the worse. When confronted with new challenges (or even old ones), I am easily overwhelmed and become stressed. It often takes me some time to figure out how to navigate through the challenges life throws my way. I often feel out of my depth and unsure how to proceed. I simply have to keep reminding myself that nothing stays the same in this life of ours. Nothing is certain. Life is constantly changing whether we wish it to or not. What we can control is how we react to the situation, how we deal with the event and how we move forward. We all need a little time to adjust when the unexpected comes our way. Some, like myself, may need more time than others but the key is that once we've sat in it for the time we need, we need to take that step and move forward.
Keep in mind, it is during unexpected and challenging times that we need to remember that just as the bad can happen, so can the good. In some circumstances, it is very possible that we might find that the unexpected can impart gifts or possibly even blessings; finding the 'silver lining' so to speak. Poet, Carl Sandburg, has said, "Nearly all the best things that came to me in life have been unexpected, unplanned by me." Now of course, these 'silver linings' in no way negate the bad. If you encounter an unexpected event that you consider negative, you still have to deal with that aspect of the situation. Any good you may experience in no way cancels out the bad. Any 'silver lining' that comes up will not suddenly turn the situation into a good one. However, these little blessings may make the make good and bad less absolute, less stark. When good intertwines with bad, some of the shadows surrounding the darkness may lessen or even disappear. Just like most things in life, it isn't simply black and white--good and bad can coexist at the same time. Happiness & sadness; joy & pain; hope & fear; light & dark; good & bad. Each of these can exist simultaneously alongside the other. Sadness, fear and pain may be experienced when something unexpected comes our way. Those feelings are real. Bad things do happen. However, it is also possible to catch glimpses of happiness, joy and hope during these difficult times as well.
As always, it comes down to perspective. If we are not challenged, we will not grow. It is very possible that dealing with the unexpected may help us to grow and change in ways we may never have thought conceivable before. What if it is possible that you find your life's purpose through an unexpected event? What if it helps you to find your way to important relationships that could never have existed without dealing with the unforeseen? In learning to deal with the unexpected we can develop bravery, flexibility and adaptability. In essence, we grow as we become more resilient. What if grabbing on to the unpredictable sends our life in a direction we may never have found otherwise? As much as we may crave normality, stability and routine, we should allow ourselves to be open to the positive outcomes that may come up when we embrace the unexpected.
I will close out with a poem from William Blake which sums things nicely:
Joy and woe are woven fine,
Clothing for the soul divine:
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
It is right it should be so:
We were made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Safely through the world we go.
Bibliography
Author Unknown. (Unknown). Embracing the Unexpected: How to Unlock Your Creative Mind.
[Online].
https://www.authorceramics.com/blogs/creativity/unleashing-creativity-4-unexpected-ways-to-spark-new-ideas-thinking-outs.
Last Updated: Unknown. Available at:
https://www.authorceramics.com/blogs/creativity/unleashing-creativity-4-unexpected-ways-to-spark-new
[Accessed 28 December 2024].
Blakemore,
Adam. (2023). Embracing the Unexpected: How to Harness the Power of
Serendipity to make your Best Work Yet. [Online]. Raindance. Last
Updated: 18 August 2023. Available at:
https://raindance.org/embracing-the-unexpected-how-to-harness-the-power-of-serendipity-to-make-your-
[Accessed 28 December 2024].
Erick. (2023). “277 – Embracing the
Unexpected: How to Handle Life’s Plot Twists Like a Stoic”. Stoic
Coffee Break. 27 October 2023. [Podcast]. Available at
https://stoic.coffee/blog/277-embracing-the-unexpected/. [Accessed 10
December 2024].
Hardman, Josephine. (Unknown.). Bracing Yourself
Against Life the Fear of Loss & Vulnerability. [Online]. Josephine
Hardman, PHD. Available at:
https://josephinehardman.com/bracing-yourself-against-life-the-fear-of-loss-vulnerability/
[Accessed 28 December 2024].
Magidson, Sue, Rev. (2019).
Expecting the Unexpected. [Online]. Quest for Meaning. Last Updated:
December, 2019. Available at:
https://www.questformeaning.org/quest-article/expecting-the-unexpected/
[Accessed 12 December 2024].
Following are the specific thoughts for January's twist:
It
is the start of a new year. Often that means reflecting back on the
year or years previous before embarking on new pathways. For your
optional project this month, go through an old photo album, memory box or simply down memory lane and be inspired from an unexpected event in your past.
Here are some examples to get you thinking:
- Did
missing a bus/train/plane, lead you to an unexpected but pleasant
encounter with a person you otherwise would never have met? Are they
still in your life as a result? Based on this type of event, you could
create a card to give to that person expressing what a gift it was to
meet them or how much you enjoy them being in your life after all this
time.
- Were you upset that special or
important plans you had were cancelled, only to be surprised by an even
better event instead? You could create a collage with items from that
day.
- Did you ever end up with an animal in your
life that was completely unexpected? Create a card for someone that
showcases an image that looks similar to your pet or you could create a
scrapbooking or journal page that honours that special fur baby!
- Did
you think you were moving to one location only to end up somewhere
completely different? You could create a journal reflecting back on the
joys you've experienced and the people you've met that you never would
have, had your original move happened.
Remember,
the twist is completely optional and you don't need to follow it in
order to win. However, in order to be considered eligible for this
month's goodies, remember that general types of projects/posts will not
qualify for the honours and prize UNLESS they are also positive, inspirational,
motivational or encouraging in some nature. Additionally, even if a project may qualify as positive, if your post
promotes negativity, hatred or anything of an abhorrent nature, your
project will be disqualified. Honours and Prize include:
- $6 worth of images from Scribbles Designs, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
- A badge for the following honours: Top Pick, Voter's Choice, Most Inspirational, Random Winner, DT Delight.
Before I present the team's projects, I wanted to let you know that Suze is leaving our team. Unfortunately, due to health problems, she needed to drop some of her obligations. It is a sad day for the Path of Positivity as Suze is the final member of the original team. In fact, she was part of an advisory group that I consulted with before undertaking this challenge back in 2013. Suze was also one of the very first people I met when I began my blogging journey the year previous in 2012. It is difficult for me to let her go but I completely understand her reasons for leaving. Now it is possible that she might pop in as a guest from time to time so hopefully we haven't seen the last of her. For now, please join me in wishing Suze only the best as she goes forward into 2025 and beyond!!!
Now check out what my awesome design team came up with to inspire you.
Clicking on each team member's name will take you to their blog where
you can check out the details for their inspirational creations.
My wonderful design team continues to impress me each and every month! They all have
their own their own unique styles and ideas regarding the twist. Even after all this time, I continue
to be blown away by the quality of their projects! Each of these creative interpretations has showcased the
notion of
Embracing The Unexpected: Be Inspired by an UNEXPECTED Event in Your Past splendidly and I hope we have
inspired you to begin your own expedition of creativity. Be sure to go and visit each team member so you can see how her
project further connects to the twist.
So
what are you waiting for? Create a project and/or post that is
positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature
and join our link up. How about stretching yourself by also opting to
follow the twist?! While it isn't mandatory, we'd also love to find out
how this month's twist affects your own life. How do you typically deal with the unexpected in your life? Do you view it with trepidation or take it on as a challenge? This month it is time to take a look into your past and be inspired in your creativity by an unexpected event that turned out to offer up some nice blessings. Did you meet someone special, change careers, end up someplace completely unexpected? How has your own life become better after encountering an unplanned event? You can write a
sentence or two in the
body of your post, write a sentence at the bottom of your post
next to the link up for this challenge, or simply leave a comment on
this post if you'd like. Finally, remember that we're trying to create a
Path of Positivity so if
you have some time, please visit other people participating throughout
the month.
Please join us again next week when we will [hopefully] post the
Top Picks for Challenge #126.
I will attempt to get the winner announcement for Challenge #125 posted as soon as I can manage. Then, be sure to join us again on
January 20th when we'll be back
with
our midway featuring more great projects.
If you ever have any questions be sure to send an email to
decossesdynamitedoodles {at}
yahoo {dot}
ca (don't forget to replace {at} and {dot} with the appropriate symbols), or just leave me a comment.
We look forward to seeing you participate!
Link Up Below:
If you have any problems linking up, please be sure to let me know by leaving a comment
on this post.
Ch. #127--Anything Goes POSITIVE with the Opt. Twist of Be Inspired by an UNEXPECTED Event in Your Past
This is the place to link up something that you have created during the
month that you consider
positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Entries for this challenge will be accepted from
January 6th until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on February 2nd, 2025.
SEVEN entries MAX. Please click on the 'Challenge Details'
tab located at the top of the blog to see all the rules. A
summary of the most important rules can also be found in the
right
sidebar under the heading
'General Rules'. If you would like to be a Guest Designer in a future challenge, please add the letters GDT after your name.
NOTE: APOLOGIES FOLKS. With being sick since the middle of Dec., I completely forgot to renew my subscription. I have now renewed it but
because the address associated with my PayPal a/c is different, I've had
to alert the owner to update the account manually. Hopefully it won't
take more than a few days. In the interim, please leave me a comment with the link to your post (along with your name) and I'll get it added once the linky is up and running again. Linky list is now back. Once again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.~Lisa
