Living a Memorable Life: Day 3

JOURNALING EXERCISE

Please do not cheat and read ahead. Answer these two questions in your journal. Then, read this blog post entry. The two questions to answer are:

* 1 How would you define happiness? 

* 2 How would you define content or contentment?

IT'S MORE THAN HAPPY. IT'S CONTENT
A memorable life is more than a happy one. Happiness, after all, is fleeting. Happiness depends on circumstances, people, and emotions to feed it.

It drifts with the wind and the seasons of change. It is short-lived.

Few people are happy every day for all of their lives. Fewer have learned the secret of how to live a memorable life every day.

A memorable life seeks something deeper and far more lasting than happiness. A memorable life is one that is content at all times, in spite of people, places, things, or circumstances.

For the record, I think a lot of people define happiness really as contentment  but, there is a great difference between them. When you read what's next, I think you will see the great difference between happiness and contentment. I don't know about you, but I would rather be content any day of the week than happy. Read the next section and see why.

WHAT IS CONTENTMENT?
Let me grab a couple of dictionaries and see how they define CONTENT or CONTENTMENT:

When a person is content, they accept where they are, how they are, who they are, who they have, and what they have. In other words, they live the motto, "It is what it is." They do not pine for more than they have and are. They do not allow people, places, things, or situations to influence their state of contentment. Their contentment stands--no matter what. It's solid. It is not swayed.

But, is that to say they do not seek excellence? No. Not all all. Rather, contented people seek to make the most of the people, places, things, and circumstances they have today and do so every day. They live a memorable life where they are.

Yes. It's okay to dream if you are content. You know what you can control. If something has been on your heart  a dream, then you better go after it. but, don't ever take today for granted. Be satisfied with today as you seek to get to tomorrow. This is true contentment. This is living a memorable life.

Contentment is accepting the here and now and living it the best you can, with all you have, and all you are today. This is how you live a memorable life.

CONTENTMENT ACKNOWLEDGES WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL AND WHAT YOU CANNOT

 Contentment knows you cannot control people or circumstances. They are what they are.

Contentment knows what it can control: Your reaction to people, places, events (or situations, circumstances, and experiences), and things.

Just acknowledging those two truths brings contentment. You no longer have to live a constant battle. You have freedom because you know two truths that are life-sustaining. They sure get rid of the stress in our lives. Too many times, we are trying to fight for something  or change something, and nothing happens. This is why. we forget what we can and cannot control.

Living a memorable life means knowing when to let go, when to take control, and when to appreciate your life as it is.

JOURNALING EXERCISE

* Write your thoughts on happiness, now that you know the truth about happiness. 

* Write your thoughts about contentment.

* How content are you?

* How can you focus on what you can control and forget what you cannot?

* Is there anything you are trying to control, but you really can't?

* Now, how do you want to live a memorable life, after reading this blog post? 

* Write your definition of living a memorable life at this point, after reading Days 1-3. 

* What are your thoughts about living a memorable life?

~ Stacy Duplease

Living a Memorable Life: Day 2

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE A MEMORABLE LIFE? 

Living a memorable life means to live a life of meaning, and to do so intentionally, every day. 

A memorable life is one that is remembered. 

It is living a life with the intent of making it memorable so that you can leave a legacy behind that inspires others. 

It's purposeful living.

Living a memorable life is to not take a moment for granted.

When you live a memorable life, you live the opposite of a wasted life or a life with wasted moments. 

I want this as my story every day from now and until I die. then, I want this for my epitaph:

She lived a memorable life as a memory maker, prayerful wife, and journalkeeper. 

Not a moment was wasted, taken for granted, or neglected.

JOURNALING EXERCISE

* Write your thoughts on everything you just read in your journal. 

FINE AND DANDY

All of that is fine and dandy. It sounds like it's full of platitudes and idealistic dreaming. And, it sure doesn't sound possible. Sure, it sounds nice. Who wouldn't want this said of them?

But, what if it was possible?

JOURNALING EXERCISE

* Write your thoughts on everything you just read in your journal. 

IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE A MEMORABLE LIFE EVERY DAY

It is possible to live a memorable life every day. Period. It's not just a dream or wishful thinking. It's do-able. It can be accomplished. 

So, why don't we start to explore how to live a memorable life?

JOURNALING EXERCISE

* Do you think it's possible to live a memorable life?

* Do you think it is possible to live a memorable life today?

* So, how can you live today as a memorable day? What does that look like? 

* Why should you live a memorable life?

* How do you want to remember your life when you reflect on it in the future?

* How do you want your live to be remembered when you die?

~ Stacy Duplease

Living a Memorable Life: Day 1

NEW BLOG POST SERIES AND JOURNALING BOOK:

Living a Memorable Life

Living a Memorable Life: Day 1

Written: 2012-12-04 17:27:27 (04 December 2012)

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to a new blog post series. It is about living a memorable life--every day. 

HAVE YOUR NOT JOURNALED BEFORE (OR VERY LITTLE)?

This blog post series is being written with the assumption that you have journaled before. If not, you might want to check out this link and then start to read and participate in this blog post series. The link to read 1st if you have not journaled before is: 

http://storykeeper2121.blogspot.com/p/journaling-how-to.html

AN INTRODUCTORY QUIZ

Why don't we grab our journals and our favorite beverage? Feel free to grab a bite to eat if you want to as well. Then, sit in your favorite spot. 

Now, why don't we get a baseline as to how we conduct our lives today? Then, we will be able to test and see in the future, as we continue with this blog post series, if we are living a more memorable life since we started this series. 

Please answer the following questions and be very thorough: 

* How would you define living a memorable life? What would that look like?

* Do you want to live a memorable life? Of course you do. Why do you? Explain. 

* Are you living a memorable life?

* What about today? Are you living a memorable life today?

* What about over the last week?

* How about over the last month?

* What about the last three months? 

* 6 months?

* And, how about the last year?

* 5 years?

* 10 years?

* 20?

* 25?

* 30? 

* 40?

* 50 years? 

* Etc.?

* If you were living the most ideal of a memorable life? What would that look like? What would it take you to get there--starting today? What would you need to do differently so that you are living the most ideal memorable life today?

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper & Author

The Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

My latest journaling books published on Amazon

Here are all of my books I have published on Amazon. The top 3 are my latest books and I recommend them the most:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st?keywords=stacy+duplease&qid=1353505904&rh=k%3Astacy+duplease%2Cn%3A283155&sort=daterank

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper Author & Sci-Fi Writer

The Story of John Arundell and Roanoke (A Sci-Fi Time Travel Novel)

& the Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

A 30-Day Journal About the Last Year: Day 1--Welcome

WELCOME TO A NEW BLOG POST SERIES: DAY 1

A 30-Day Journal About the Last Year:

The Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series, Vol. 6

Welcome to a new blog post series, A 30-DAY JOURNAL ABOUT THE LAST YEAR.

This blog post series will help us look at the last year of our lives, no matter what day it is we start to read and complete this blog post series. You can start it just as easily on 18 March as the 18th of November. 

What is important to note is that you have lived another year, another month, another week, another day, another hour, another minute, and another second. There is a reason why you are alive. Today marks the day you see why--through looking back to see from whence you have come. In other words, where have you come over the last year? That's what we will investigation over the next 30 days. 

Everyday is going to have enough material for you to spend two to three hours each day journaling. I would rather give you too much information than not enough, after all. Plus, you can do different things every time you look at this book that way. After all, this book is meant to be repeated periodically (at least once each year, preferably twice, ideally three times a year.). Consequently, do not think you have to do it all. I recommend doing at least three items each day, if not more. But, if you are strapped for time, do item #1 at the very least. 

Today is the day we will just look at things off the cuff. Do not look at your calendar or planner. 

JOURNALING PROMPTS:

1. Do not even look at any past past journal entries. Just off the top of your head, journal your response to this question:

What have you experienced the last year? 

Write the first things that come to mind. It does not matter if it makes sense or not. Just write down whatever comes to your mind, when it comes to your mind. Keep writing until you cannot think of anything else to say. 

2. Ask yourself the question again and do the same thing again. Write fast and as much as you can. When you get stuck, stop.

3. Repeat this one more time.

4. Now, go back and read what you just wrote with prompt #1-3. And, see if anything you read sparks any new or different ideas to write in response to the original question: What have you experienced this year? 

5. List as many memories (good, challenging, memorable, and indifferent) as you are able. 

6. What did you do this year? What experiences have you had this year?

7. What do you remember most from this year? List as many things as you can. Be thorough.

8. What do you wish you could do again from this year? 

9. Where did you go this year?

10. Was it a good, challenging, unusual, or indifferent year? Explain your response. 

11. What was most memorable about this year? List your number one item. 

12. What have you experienced this year? Write your response--even if you repeat anything of what you have already written. try to come up with some new material as well. 

(Photo by Stacy Duplease.) 

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper Author & Sci-Fi Writer

The Story of John Arundell and Roanoke (A Sci-Fi Time Travel Novel)

& the Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121

3 New Books on Journaling on Smashwords

I have three new journaling books published on Smashwords. They are edited and are ready for purchase. Check it out at the link below.

The books are:

~ THE 1-YEAR REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT JOURNAL

~ THE 5-YEAR REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT JOURNAL

~ THE 10-YEAR REMEMBERING YOUR PRESENT JOURNAL

*** Note: I have another book I am in the process of writing. It's called: ETC. ETC. ETC. JOURNALING PROMPTS

If you have never journaled before, or do not do it every day, I recommend the 10-Year book.

If you journal quite a bit, and want to daily, try the 10-year and the 5-year. 

If you journal every day, and want to get as much as possible out of it, I recommend the 1-year, plus the other two.

For any experience level, I will recommend the journaling prompts book.

These three books (plus the 4th) will be available in the next 6 weeks or so, to buy on Amazon--as a paperback book. 

The covers above are for the Smashwords versions of these books.

Stacy Duplease
Journalkeeper Author & Sci-Fi Writer

The Story of John Arundell and Roanoke (A Sci-Fi Time Travel Novel)

& the Remembering Your Present Journal Keeping Series

Email: storykeeper2121@gmail.com

Bookstore: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/hisfiction

dba Remembering Your Present, LLC & Storykeeper 2121