Show Love To Yourself
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, which can be a challenging day for many people.
(big hugs)
Long before I met the Dear Wonderful Hubby, I started the tradition of buying myself heart-shaped boxes of chocolates for Valentine’s Day.
This way, I knew I would always receive something.
I would always feel the love.
Yes, the love came from myself. But that’s the absolute best place for it to come from. (smiles) I truly believe we have to love ourselves before we can love someone else.
And we are worthy of love. We’re strong. We have survived this far so, of course, we’re strong. We’re caring. Anyone reading or writing romance cares. A lot. And we value caring. We value love.
So show yourself some love today.
Buy yourself a heart-shaped box of chocolates. Pick a rose (from your garden or the florists) for your kitchen table. Stick an ‘I love you’ note on your mirror so you see this first thing in the morning.
And remember
You ARE loved.
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Show Love To Yourself
Your Sanctuary
We all need a sanctuary, especially during challenging times like these. We need a place we can escape to that is…well…it doesn’t have to be happy but it should be serene and conflict-free.
Some people have claimed groups like Romancelandia (the fellowship of romance novel readers, writers and others) or gardening groups or friend groups as their sanctuaries.
These are great. But I highly recommend also having a sanctuary with very few people in it. Because people, during challenging times, often carry their worries and their challenges with them.
So maybe if you have Romancelandia as a sanctuary, you also have a reading nook (or your sweet loving bed – grins) in your home, where you can escape and read beloved romance novels.
If you have a gardening group as a sanctuary, you also have a place in your garden or a plant-filled spot in your home you can retreat to and refill your emotional well.
We can have multiple sanctuaries! And sometimes these are needed!
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If You’re Ever Feeling Sad Or Lonely
Years ago, while the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I were waiting for someone, we watched a man wander along a sidewalk, picking up cigarette butts that might have one or two more puffs in them.
Whenever this man found a good one, a long cigarette butt, one that would give him a half decent smoke, he’d chortle with glee.
My friends, the sound coming out of his mouth was pure unfiltered happiness.
It was a joy to hear.
And now, many, MANY years later, whenever the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I see a half decently long cigarette butt, we think of him.
Recently, someone tossed a half-smoked cigarette on the ground.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby looked at it, looked at me, grinned and said, “He’d really like that one.”
(smiles)
Think of how many small seemingly insignificant interactions we have with people every day.
We hold a door open for a stranger. Someone hears our laugh across a crowded store. A person passes by us on the sidewalk while we’re smiling down at our phones. A writer reads our 5 star review of their book.
We might have touched those people’s lives profoundly, left a lasting positive impression and we didn’t even realize it.
So if you ever feel sad or lonely,
know that someone in this wonderful world is thinking of you at this exact moment.
It likely won’t be someone YOU remember
but they remember you
and they’re smiling as they’re doing so.
(smiles)
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Send Short Notes
In the past, I thought I had to send long letters or emails to loved ones.
I didn’t have time for that. So I’d put it off. And letters and emails would never be sent.
Now, I know that a short letter or email is MUCH better than no letter or email at all.
I have a collection of pretty little notecards I send via snail mail.
These short notes say, ‘I’m thinking of you.’ and ‘I care about you.’
And that is truly the goal of the communication.
I want the loved one to know they are loved. They aren’t alone. I’m there for them whenever they need me.
Send that short note or email.
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Send Short Notes
It Isn’t About Us
It is the dark days of January in my part of the universe. And the world is…a challenge right now.
Everyone is struggling at least a little bit.
During any struggle, mistakes are more likely to be made.
And we’re seeing this. Everywhere.
Loved ones say the wrong thing at the wrong time. (Like I just did – grimaces.) A child, while trying to ‘help’, drops a cherished mixing bowl and breaks it into pieces. The cashier at the grocery store scans an item twice. A driver doesn’t notice we have dibs on a parking spot and claims it for herself.
Know that these mistakes aren’t likely personal. They have less to do with us and more to do with the person being at the end of their emotional rope. They are battling to simply get through the day.
Try, if you can, to make this a little easier for them.
And for ourselves.
(big hugs)
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Progress Isn’t A Straight Line
Many of us set New Year’s Resolutions, goals we want to achieve.
It is January 10th and I have experienced setbacks in those goals. Some setbacks are so severe I’m tempted to discard the goal entirely.
But that is NOT the way (to reference The Mandalorian – grins).
Setbacks are always part of progress, of change.
The path to progress isn’t a straight line. It isn’t a mountain.
It is more like a series of increasingly high hills.
We go forward. We go back a little bit. We go forward. We go back a little bit.
Eventually we reach the altitude or goal we wish to achieve.
Don’t allow a setback or two (or fifteen – grins) stop you from achieving your goals!
Setbacks are part of the process. Recognize them, my friends, and continue trekking forward.
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Progress Isn’t A Straight Line
Happy New Year!
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I wish you love, happiness, good health and FUN in 2026!
Woot!
This will be a great year!
(tackle hugs)
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Happy New Year!
Make Having Fun One Of Your New Year’s Resolutions
Today, New Year’s Eve, is often a day to set and talk about New Year’s Resolutions, goals and aspirations we have for the new year.
Many resolutions will be semi serious. For writers, it might be to write X number of stories. For readers, it might be to read X number of stories.
But ensure you make one of your New Year’s Resolutions having fun.
Having fun seems trivial. But it is very much NOT. Moments of fun are rewards for hard work. They are reasons TO work hard. Joy keeps us going. And it makes everyone around us happy also.
So set a resolution to tell one bad joke a week or have a silly dance party once a month or wear a goofy hat or explore a new-to-you neighborhood or…
Plan to have fun in 2026. You deserve this!
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New Year’s Eve’s Eve
(grins)
I had to go there.
Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, the last day of 2025.
2025 has been….a lot. The world always changes but the difference between December 30, 2024 and December 30, 2025 is one for the record books. It is almost like we jumped timelines.
(Which gives me a gazillion story ideas – smiles)
Be kind to yourself today and tomorrow and…always. Know that you accomplished the only true goal any of us has – you survived. And that’s enough, more than enough. You ROCK for having done this. Never doubt that.
And know also, that just as you had some laughs and hugs and love in 2025, you’ll have some laughs and hugs and love in 2026. There will be challenges, yes, but there will be moments of exquisite joy, of startling beauty, of warmth and caring.
You have that and much, much more to look forward to, my friends.
(big hugs)
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on New Year’s Eve’s Eve
Imperfection Is A HUGE Component Of Greatness
A loved one always worries she will ‘mess up’ her children’s holidays.
She will forget a much-desired gift or dry out the turkey or put a tree ornament in the wrong spot or…or…
She wants the holidays to be perfect.
I have to remind her that perfect should NEVER be the goal.
Perfect is boring.
No one tells stories about perfect. No one remembers perfect.
Perfect is never part of greatness.
Never.
Greatness always has flaws. It has cracks and chips in it, challenges and things that go humorously wrong.
Our greatest memories are a bit messy.
Because love is messy. Happiness is messy. WE are messy.
We don’t want perfect holidays.
We want holidays filled with love and joy and laughter.
Cherish the imperfections.
Topics: Cyn-Sights | Comments Off on Imperfection Is A HUGE Component Of Greatness
