Showing posts with label weekly moment of gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weekly moment of gratitude. Show all posts

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Focus on Gratitude and Wishes, it's #WORLDWISHDAY - What is your favorite way to make a wish and what are you wishing for?

NOT SPONSORED!


Today is World Wish Day!


Happy World Wish Day Butterflies! 

What's your favorite way to make a wish?

 Blowing on a dandelion
 Wishing on a shooting star
 Blowing out birthday candles
 Making a wish at 11:11
 Breaking a wishbone
 Wishing on a ladybug
 Wishing on a fallen eyelash
 Tossing coins into a wishing well

Consider granting a child's wish via the Make A Wish Foundation today!

My current wish: Becoming a Full Time Travel Photographer! I will also take Powerball Grand Prize Winner! or maybe BOTH! Gotta let the Universe know right?

Readers: Share your favorite way to make a wish and what you are currently wishing for!

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FTC Disclosure: No monetary compensation has been received and all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Weekly Moment of Gratitude! - Come sound off, What are YOU most grateful for this week?


In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy
In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy

Good and Grateful For Stuff:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Developing a case of the 'wanderlust' again and it means it's time to pick a place on the planet I haven't yet seen and book a ticket! I have a feeling a getaway would do me a world of good!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - It's been snowing lately, so hopefully a 'white' Christmas is on it's way for those of us here in the Northeast. Maybe the cold weather and some snow will create a blanket of stillness and peace. With all the insanity right now in New York City, some holiday cheer would be a welcome thing!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I am also always excited by this time of year. Much like snakes shed their old skin and develop new skin it's place, that is what the ending of one year and the beginning of a new one feel like for me. A time to shed my old skin and make the changes I need for overall renewal. Wishing you all a happy and healthy 'renewal' period as you transition into a new year!


What am I grateful for Today?, Writing in the Sand
Ask yourself at the end of each day: What am I grateful for Today?

My Take:

I always miss this feature when I have to skip it to play catch up or find myself so tired on Sundays that I am just too pooped to write! I love reading what you are grateful for, so please share something good that this week gave you to be grateful for!

My old gratitude journals are my favorite ones to read. I like spending time on New Years Eve reading over old journals - it helps me see how far I have come and re-evaluate the things that both are and the things that are no longer important to me anymore.

What are you most grateful for this week Butterfly? What changes are you going to make for 2015?

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FTC DisclosureThis is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received. Nor are there any affiliate links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude: The Good, Bad and the Ugly Edition! Fall 2014! #NaBloPoMo


In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy
In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy

This feature has been M.I.A for awhile, not because I haven't had things to be grateful for, because I have, but because life has been a roller coaster of busy.

Not So Good:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I have been so busy lately that it has made writing pithy content feel more like a chore.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Bad Public Relations. - I have long since passed the point of having to 'prove myself' to anyone - both personally and professionally. On days where my pages were blank it wasn't for lack of content. My content cup overfloweth actually, but time however is at a premium. I read a blogger who wrote something that still makes me smile: 'I'd rather go dark, than go free.' and that's exactly how I have been feeling. Those so eager for attention are giving away things that established bloggers just simply won't.

Good and Grateful For Stuff:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events that did provide unique experiences as lately those have been few and far between.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Brands that actually wanted real partnerships and not just a free mouthpiece.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Chopping off my hair for a good cause started me on wanting to make other changes in my life, from Fashion and Style to Professional changes as well.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I have learned to just simply ask 'bad pitchers' if they are being paid in their product regardless of what it is and send my Media Kit outlining rates. It makes time wasters go away and those who may really not have known better re-think their approach. It's funny how I have to provide metrics and tangibles to someone I wish to work with and brands think a 'review item' is enough to cover my work, your review product is NOT your tangible when you pitch me for a 'partnership' dear brand.

What am I grateful for Today?, Writing in the Sand
Ask yourself at the end of each day: What am I grateful for Today?

My Take:

I always miss this feature when I have to skip it to play catch up. And when I have to skip this feature to attend to something else it makes me feel so very far from my goals so I am participating in NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) to help me get back to my creative writing roots. I feel it will help so much with both the blog and my aspirational writing goals. I am also going to take out time to read more. I feel my writing is way better when I'm reading more and staying inspired.

What are you most grateful for this week Butterfly? Are any of my fellow writers participating in National Blog Posting or National Novel Writing Month in November?

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FTC DisclosureThis is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received. Nor are there any affiliate links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude: The Good, Bad and the Ugly Edition! Summer 2014!


In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy

This feature has been M.I.A for awhile - don't get me wrong it's not because I haven't had things to be grateful for, because I have.

This summer flew by in a blur, some good, and some not so good stuff.

Not So Good:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I attended an event, recapped it, and then had someone threaten to sue me because they wanted me to remove their photo and my synopsis. And maybe it's because I started in Newspapers but I felt the need to dig my heels in and stand my ground. I will not be bossed around by anyone when it comes to my digital home and how it's maintained. Especially since this has always been a place about empowerment and I have worked hard to keep snark and negativity from invading my digital home.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I have been so busy it has made writing pithy content feel more like a chore. Something I absolutely hate feeling.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The level of bad Public Relations and Pitches this summer made me want to shut my digital doors and just escape the stupidity of my inbox completely.

Good and Grateful For Stuff:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events that did provide unique experiences as lately those have been few and far between.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Brands that actually wanted real partnerships and not just a free mouthpiece.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Taking a Digital Camera Course at Best Buy that allowed me to improve my DSLR skills making the investment in a good camera totally worth it. (Check out the DSLR Learning Center at BestBuy)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Being featured by SheSpeaks which I wrote about on Thursday was definitely a great reminder that all my plugging away is not in vain! Sometimes it's just nice to know that your work is appreciated.

Ask yourself at the end of each day: What am I grateful for Today?


My Take:

I have been a bit too close to things lately and I have tried to detach myself spiritually from a lot of it, but I realized just how much I missed this feature and how much I missed taking time to actually stop and remember how good things are in the here and now.

Having someone threaten to sue me for just doing my job brought on an incredible range of emotions, not all of them good ones. But I instantly went straight into 'pitbull' mode, and at least that let me know that writing and this space I have carved out for myself still meant more to me than I realized. And while I'm not grateful for the undue stress at a point where I least needed it in my life, I am grateful that the experience helped me see just how much this space and my integrity means to me. I was unwilling to compromise and I remembered that sometimes you need to assess what is and isn't worth fighting for.

Experimenting with Photography this summer has been engrossing and fun. I also realized I didn't have to share it all. While getting better at it was something I wanted to do initially to improve my blog photos, playing with it more frequently has opened up a more creative eye and while I love writing, I needed a jolt of creativity in my life lately, something that wasn't necessarily all about Ascending Butterfly.

Happy to bring my favorite feature back and speaking of which, on Monday another favorite feature returns from a long hiatus with a giveaway too, so stay tuned!

What are you most grateful for this week Butterfly?

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FTC DisclosureThis is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received. Nor are there any affiliate links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude! = #MondayMotivation

Butterfly Monday Animated Gif


Happy Presidents Day!

What I am Grateful For:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ The Skinny Scoop! (I need your ONE CLICK daily vote!) - The Skinny Scoop has nominated Ascending Butterfly as one of the Top 25 Product Review Blogs! You can vote for Ascending Butterfly daily until 02/28 here: http://www.skinnyscoop.com/social-list/create?list=top-25-product-review-blogs

Ascending Butterfly is already a Top 50 Product Review Blog on Cision, I was totally floored when I found out we made their list! (Article here: http://blog.us.cision.com/2012/06/top-50-product-review-blogs/) so I was honored to see us nominated again independently in the Product Review category. I try to bring you unique products from a very wide variety of brands both established and emerging, and it's gratifying to see my efforts recognized! For those of you who saw my social media blasts about the nomination and have already voted for us, THANK YOU. Your support means more to me than you know! It is a simple one click vote, that doesn't require you to like anything, sign up anywhere or even provide your email, just click vote and you are done!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Losing Followers! - I put up one cheeky title last week and it appears a few 'butterf'lies' disappeared. Had they read the entire article they would have realized the play on words was entirely innocuous. I don't do it very often, but when I do, it's just being cheeky, I've kept this blog drama free, politics free, sex free and pretty much snark free since 2009. I'm sure they will come running back during the next great giveaway, but frankly I wish they would stay away. This space is a place where I am going to be myself. I am going to be true to myself. I am going to be authentic to myself. and I am going to express myself. Will it work for everyone? Probably Not. We can only please 50% of the people 50% of the time. I'm OK with that. So yes, I am actually quite grateful for those that bailed because of my cheeky laundry detergent title, they reminded me that it is OK to be true myself. And I'm sure double will come in for all those who left. (some people actually like cheeky!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Wins! - I've been carving out some time for sweeping every now and again, and had a few wins come in during February that I almost forgot all about.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Volunteer Time This Week! - As many of you already know I spent some time last year in Chicago at the Headquarters of Ronald McDonald House and got to visit several houses out there, and spend some time volunteering, one day it was making welcome bags for the families, on another simply baking cookies to share with the families with some of the children who were up for it. Part of my pro-bono ambassadorship is to meet with my local house here in New York City and find ways to help them. I have my first meeting with the local house this week, and I'm just truly grateful for the chance to help. After spending a year in the hospital myself, I have a great deal of empathy for families who find themselves in the hospital helping their child to battle a serious illness. Once I get a more defined sense of what the local house in New York City needs, I will share more about it here, but I just wanted to give a deep thanks to the brands I work with who have already expressed interest in finding ways to get involved. In my opinion this is what I wanted to see my little space online and my social used for, for Good, for Giving Initiatives, for ways to motivate, challenge and inspire myself as well as others. A recap of my Chicago experience can be found here: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2013/09/i-am-ronald-mcdonald-house-charities.html


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Please VOTE daily via Facebook for our Butterfly-in-Chief, Tracy of Ascending Butterfly to win a spot on 'Run to Napa' a 10K run, powered by @ZOOMArun  http://woobox.com/h3xho2/vote/for/1921984

To Vote:

(1) Follow the link above
(2) It will be defaulted to 'enter' so press the 'vote' button instead
(3) Scroll down until you see the picture above, you may have to scroll all the way and press 'view more' or show more entries twice before my picture comes up
(4) Once you find my picture which will be the same as the one above, hit VOTE

That's it! (You won't get any spam for voting!)

THANK YOU!!!!

oh did I mention I have the chance to bring one blog reader with me on this amazing trip? It's a daily vote, so if you are voting, please leave a comment below and let me know!

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What are you GRATEFUL for today Butterfly?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: First #MotivationMonday of 2014 Edition! + Winner Announcement!

Butterfly Monday Animated Gif


Butterflies it is the first Monday of the New Year!

What I am Grateful For:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 2014! - It's a new year and this is the first Monday of 2014! Let's set the tone for how we greet the rest of the year by greeting today with enthusiasm and gratitude. Each new year I get to ring in I now realize is such a huge blessing. It's kind of cool that we are actually 6 days into this new year already and this is the first Monday we have to confront. Even with it starting with a snowstorm, I see this year as a blank canvas just waiting for me to fill it. I'm actually late starting on my Vision Board this year, so if anyone has theirs up I'd love to see it! (Especially if it includes butterflies!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - RAOK! - I took some much-needed, long-overdue and well-deserved time off during the holidays and was on the receiving end of two random acts of kindness during my travels that really touched me. They were just simple kind gestures, but since sadly kindness is sometimes hard to find, gestures like these take me by surprise. I am way more comfortable being on the giving end of an act of kindness. Something I want to work on for 2014. I may not be able to repay them directly, but I can always pay it forward and that's exactly what I intend to do. Start this new week with the goal of doing one surprise thing for a perfect stranger. You don't have to report them here if you don't want to, but keep track of it in your 2014 journal. When you end this year and go back to read all of your posts, it will give you a super warm feeling inside! And keep track of all the RAOK's you are on the receiving end of too! (You don't have to search so hard to find them, it can be simple things like someone holding a door for you when your arms where full, you adding to the take a penny/give a penny jar in the supermarket etc)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Wins! - With 2013 being such a busy year I didn't enter many contests. It's one of my favorite hobbies that sadly went neglected last year, but I did get some win notifications and prizes from seeds of entering that I had sown last year and few small instant wins to start my 2014, nothing life changing, just small simple stuff but it gave me a happy and lucky feeling which is always a fun way to start a New Year!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Changes! - Plotting my year of 'change' one step at a time, first up hair! Time for a chop! chop! and I may go bold and do a color change too! What about you butterfly? What is your first change going to be this year?



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WINNER ALERT:



 New Year, New Jacket!

Congrats to Elsie Rivera, Entrant #1937 in our Holidays Wilson's Leather $100 Gift Card Giveaway! Didn't win? No worries, we will have Wilson's back soon so stay tuned! Join me in congratulating Elsie by posting a comment on this thread!

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What are you GRATEFUL for today Butterfly?

  ˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: Last SUNDAY of the year edition!

Have a Beautiful Sunday, Butterfly Fairy Wings
Have a Beautiful Sunday, Butterfly Fairy Wings


Butterflies it is the last Sunday before the New Year! So much gratitude and so little time left before a new year begins!

What I am Grateful For:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - YOU! - There has been a weekly moment of gratitude since 2009 in this space, and it's meant so much to me each time you all join in and share with me something you are grateful for. It's been an amazing glimpse into one another's life and I am very grateful for each and every one of you!

From Every Wound There Is A Scar And Every Scar Tells A Story. A Story That Says, I Survived.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SCARS + LIFE! - New Year's Eve before 2012 began I was battling for my life and that was the absolute worst New Year I had ever known. I am grateful for my life of course, grateful to be ringing in another new year when doctor's didn't seem so sure I would. But most importantly that year was a defining moment that taught me how strong I really am. We all think we know what we will think, feel and do in certain situations, but until life puts you to the test, you really don't know. Trials are life lessons that help to uncover hidden strengths.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ASCENDING BUTTERFLY! - In many ways it is hard to say if I've grown into this site or if this site has grown with me. It's probably a mix of both but I'm grateful for every moment of it. It will change in 2014. I am changing in many ways and I'm sure those changes will reflect here. But being a butterfly has always been about transformation. I am excited to welcome in a new phase of my journey and share it all with you!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - VISION BOARD! - I am planning on creating a Vision Board and making my New Year's Wishlist something Visual I can tap into when the day-to-day needs of the present moment try to side-track me from my long term goals.



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GIVEAWAY ALERT:



 New Year, New Jacket!

For all you give to me, I love to offer fun giveaways as a way to thank you all for sharing this journey of gratitude and transformation with me! Our wonderful friends at Wilsons Leather are closing out the year with us and want one of our lucky followers to enjoy a $100 gift card to start the new year with a new jacket, or a new handbag or a new accessory of choice! But much like the lottery you've got to be in it to win it, so be sure to put in your entry HERE ASAP! And if you aren't already doing so, sign up for their newsletter as they host regular giveaways of their own, AND they offer exclusive discounts to newsletter subscribers, so trust me when I tell you that a $100 with them can really go a long way, and with styles for both men and women as well as fashionable and functional accessories, there is literally something for everyone!

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I wish each and every one of you a year filled with peace, happiness, love, joy, health, abundance and prosperity. May each new day that unfolds in 2014 bring you something new to be grateful for!


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What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received? What do you want 2014 to bring?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude: The subtle and not so subtle shifts edition! #inspiration #motivation #change




Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Not focusing on insensitivity! - As a life long New Yorker I have to admit I was outraged to hear of the two women who dressed as The Twin Towers being destroyed as a 'Halloween Costume' and the woman who opted to dress like a Boston Marathoner, I can't say I can begin to understand what went through their heads. But this weekend an event took me to the site. I have mixed feelings when I visit there. It's become a bit of a tourist attraction and there were folks trying to sell stuff to the tourists to make money which did not make me happy, I don't think it's right for someone to try and profit from the tragedy that occurred that day. But when I took in the scene there this weekend, there is excitement and hope that something has finally been done with the location. That New York took it back, we came together, re-grouped and decided to re-build. Is what was ultimately done with the site going to please everyone? Probably not, but something did need to go there. That empty hole, that space needed new life and like it or not, there is something there, life must and will go on. Instead of focusing on what's not, on the horror and tragedy that occurred that day, I took a moment to focus on what the space can now become, and I'm going to let that fill me with hope.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Receiving! - I'm normally the giver in most of my relationships, and when someone gives to me without expecting something back in return, it still sadly takes me aback. Don't get me wrong, it's not a matter of seeing the bad in people before the good, I'm just not in the habit of being on the receiving end of generosity. And this week someone did something super nice and it made me feel grateful that there are still nice people out there.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Subtle and Not So Subtle Inner 'Shifts'! - There has been a lot of putting my foot down this year and making it super clear to myself and others about what is and isn't acceptable, these subtle and not so subtle shifts have caused some doors to close and some relationships to come to an end, and while it doesn't feel like it in the moment, the year soon coming to an end has made me realize it was necessary for some of those doors to close to make room for bigger and better opportunities. Don't mourn the doors that close butterflies, celebrate the ones that open!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events! - A very mixed bag of non-stop events that I will recap shortly. The wide variety of experiences that I have had this week kind of made me feel like I lived a year in a week, so today while trying to clear my devices to make room and space for the new week of events and experiences that are ahead of me I took some time to reflect on the subtle and not so subtle shifts these experiences made on me and be grateful for how each and every single one of them allowed me to 'shift' and grow.

This month is moving super fast and somehow December is almost here! The flurry of holiday madness is descending upon us and another year will soon come to end. Are you ready?


Our Holidays Buying Guide has already begun and new giveaways will launch this week so stay tuned! And we will draw and announce the winner of the $100 Staples Gift Card soon!

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 What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: My newest #Blogger Brand Ambassadorship, Getting Home and Not Getting Shot and stay away from @Optimum Edition!




Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ My Newest Blogger Brand Ambassadorship! - I am a member of the Family Arches Community, (You do NOT have to be a blogger to join the community!) and they put out a call for members of the community to apply to become an RMHC (Ronald McDonald House Charities) Brand Ambassador. The community is over 6,000 members strong and I was one of the bloggers selected to become an Ambassador! My fellow Ambassadors include: Brittany of The Domestic Geek Blog, Melanie from Melanie in the Middle, Meagan of Sunshine and Sippy Cups, and Kathy of Sparkles and a Stove. All of us have made a year long commitment to help support the efforts of Ronald McDonald House Charities and immerse ourselves in volunteer opportunities and fundraising activities for our local houses. We are NOT being compensated for our efforts, and I want to applaud my fellow Ambassadors for making such an incredible commitment of both time and resources to support this cause and help families who are experiencing the stress of having a child in the hospital stay together at such a daunting and emotionally draining moment. This is a labor of love for us all, and I promise to share about our immersion trip to Chicago. I am grateful for the opportunity to be of service, especially since I can empathize with what it feels like to spend a long period of time in the hospital! Touring the hospitals and the houses has a way of putting our own day to day petty problems into perspective that's for sure!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Making it home safe last night! - As a life long New Yorker, this is something I actually never take for granted, it's a dangerous City, but last night cops were chasing a perp and opened fire in a crowded public area, I was on the crosstown bus at the moment and we saw people running and screaming and had no idea what was happening. (After surviving 09/11 many of us on the bus assumed the worst). 2 innocent bystanders were not so lucky and were shot by the officers, not the criminal. And after getting off the crosstown bus to connect to an express bus that takes me home, which I just missed by a hair because the crosstown couldn't get through traffic, the weight of all the stress and pressure I've been under lately hit me, and when I finally got home at almost one in the morning in a City that boasts itself on it's fast and supposedly reliable public transportation, it was all it took to keep myself from just bursting into tears! When I saw the news and found out that two people were shot I thought a bullet could have just as easily hit the bus I was in as we were right in the thick of all the running and chaos. I am grateful I made it home, but am aware that two people didn't. Two people ended up in a hospital shot. Shot by the folks that our parents tell us to trust, a cop. This is a gritty city for sure and sometimes just making it home safely is a lot to be grateful for.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lousy Service! - Sometimes bad people, places and things, help us appreciate the good ones even more. My Cable Company has tested every ounce of my patience this past month as the expensive high speed broadband internet I pay good money for hasn't been working. The tech made me stay home an entire day and NEVER showed, they didn't have the courtesy to call and I'm considering sending them a BILL for not showing. But their lack of professionalism has made me realize it's time to change providers. I should get what I pay for, and if they can't provide it, you can best believe I will find someone who will. When I have called them and contacted them via social media, their actual attitude is 'so we didn't show up, what do you want us to do about that, that's the past.' (the past is Friday by the way). I'd like (1) for the service I pay for to work, (2) when a tech makes an appointment he should keep it or call to promptly cancel 24 hours in advance and (3) I'd like an apology when you f*%k up. Simple as that. So those of you toying with having Optimum Online from Cablevision installed in your home, do yourself a favor and DON'T!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events! - A very mixed bag of non-stop events that I will recap shortly.

This month is moving super fast and somehow October is almost here!


Stay tuned more great giveaways coming soon!

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 What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude: The like @JLo song says "My Love Don't Cost a Thing" but my time sure does + Hello September Edition!

A Good Life is when you smile often, dream big, laugh a lot, and realize how blessed you are for what you have


I know you are probably thinking that's a weird title for our weekly moment of gratitude, but this week's post is more about lessons learned and putting my foot down, it's about schooling others on what I will and won't accept. This isn't my flowery list about happy moments during the week. So if you were hoping for a list of inspiring sunrises, awesome sunsets and hugs, today isn't it. (I give you the chance to run and come back tomorrow if you wish). I do hope that some of these will resonate with you.

Vampire
Beware of the Spiritual Vampires in your life!


(A) I have CHANGED - I don't know if it's my latest near death experience, the wisdom that comes with age and experience, or a fair mixture of both, but I have less patience and tolerance for 'Spiritual Vampires' lately. I am clearing my personal and professional life of those who want something from me for nothing. Those who just the act of speaking to leave me deflated, un-happy, sad and emotionally drained.

NO, NO!


Here are a list of NO's! for this week:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - I am not interested in 'hopping on a call' and giving you free social media consulting. I don't want to tell you how to run your event, conference or summit, you are getting paid to do it, and if you want my time you will do the same. Why do people think calling it 'bending my ear' or 'picking my brain' entitles them to free social media consulting? There is a reason that since the moment I started blogging, I made it very hard to find my number on purpose. It helps weed out those seeking the benefits of Social Media Management that they don't want to pay for.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - You go first, stop sending me requests to "Like" your page. When I notice someone has liked my page I go do the same automatically. So sending me a request to go like your page when you haven't yet done the same doesn't work for me. Again, I am back to quid pro quo. Stop asking me for things you yourself aren't willing to do.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - Me offering to share event photos, does NOT give you carte blanche to actually go ahead and remove my watermark and pass my photo off as your own. That's stealing! And don't you just love how the ones that do it, get super enraged when it's done to them?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - I will not post your infographic or give your upcoming event 'pre-coverage'. Let's all drop the pretense, stop playing games and call a spade a spade, 'pre-coverage' is ADVERTISING. If you want to advertise, then you will PAY for it. Don't send me a snippy email telling me your infographic is of benefit to my readers. And please stop being dense and telling me I should pay YOU for the work you have put into the infographic and that you are doing ME the favor of not charging me for it. I DON'T WANT IT so don't send it to me and don't expect me to post your infographic, widget or rafflecopter contest for free. No one goes into blogging or any other form of digital media to become a 'free calendar of events' or a free contest notification site, that is certainly not my prime editorial content. Nor is the contest on a website that I am not personally hosting. This is a Lifestyle Blog, not a calendar of events blog, not a post about every contest on the planet blog or a place for you to come for free advertising.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - Don't sign me up for your newsletter just because you have access to my email address! If I want your emails I will sign up for them on my own. I don't sign you up automatically for mine, so please do not send me yours. Handing you my card does not give you the right to add me to a newsletter.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! - I am NOT required to give any event, fundraiser or Not-For-Profit free coverage or 'pre-coverage' either. I do have charities I am passionate about, but at the end of the day I can't pay my ISP (or any other bill for that matter) with anyone's good intentions, and that includes my own. Your employer doesn't pay you in gum, swag or good intentions and I prefer not to be paid for my time that way either.

So how is (A) something that goes into a gratitude post? Does it sound like a rant instead of a gratitude post? Perhaps to others it might be perceived that way, but as for me I am grateful for the new me that is emerging, a lot about me has changed throughout the past two years, and I am placing a lot more value on my time. And in this case, I do expect the Universe (and those trying to circle my orbit), to rise up to meet ME. There is a reason that the expression 'You can't get blood from a stone' still exists. It's sad that 'nice' is still perceived as stupid.

It still amazes me that a woman who knows exactly what she will and won't accept can still be insulted and offended by others for knowing not only her own mind, but setting the terms by which she will do business. I keep emphasizing that relationships are a two way street. Because when there is all take and no give, it's not a two way street anymore, it's a collision course and that gets both parties no where.

(B) You don't have a budget - I don't have the 'free' time, let's call it an impasse and walk away from the table with civility instead of hostility. I am grateful to have reached a point in my life where I don't have any trouble about being clear about where I stand personally or professionally.

(C) Hello September! - The first day of a new month really does always fill me with possibility, so I greet September knowing that I expect the best possible outcome in all of my endeavors, and invite you all to do the same. Approach this month like you did as a child going back to school sitting at a desk with a brand new clean notebook in front of you. Soak it all up like a sponge (and much like sponge, you can always squeeze out the excess water if it's weighing you down!)

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 We have a winner!

Join me in wishing Congrats to Kathy P. who won our $100 In Bloom By Jonquil Shopping Spree! Kathy's entry was #716!

Just a reminder, some entries were deleted before the rafflecopter draw because they were not following the main entry instructions! Please do the main entry BEFORE doing any other entry so you don't skip the most important step.

Stay tuned more great giveaways coming soon!

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 My Take:

There are brands and PR reps that do get it, and there are bloggers out there that actually ASK before 'borrowing' your photos, and for those people in my life who do show me the appreciation, gratitude and respect I deserve I am grateful for you all beyond measure!

Whether my list of NO!'s sit with you as a list of pet peeves, a meme, a rant or just insights into what drives THIS particular blogger nuts, I'm sure a few of them resonated with you, and I'm sure some of you have your own to add, so please feel free to let me know which resonated with you or which didn't and why, or add some of your own! Don't get me wrong, despite an inbox filled with PR fails and requests for my work and time for free, there is much that I am grateful for this week. Just remember one rule to relationships that never fails, don't expect of others what you are un-willing or un-able to offer or provide yourself. QUID PRO QUO my friends, QUID PRO QUO!



I am grateful for all the negative experiences and abrasive people who rubbed me the wrong way this year, it helped me to appreciate the ones that don't even more.

What are you GRATEFUL for this week Butterfly?  Is it a lesson learned, or a random act of kindness that you gave or received?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Few people want to pay for the truth.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Weekly Moment of Gratitude + Giveaway Winner for the @Ascending1 July Monthly Book Club Title!







What I am grateful for:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - ? - These past four days have been so bad, that I have nothing to say. I guess with the year I had last year, I'm supposed to say 'getting one more day', but right now that doesn't feel like much of a consolation or a gift considering this has been an entirely un-bearable past week. Sorry butterflies, usually I'm good at finding silver linings, but I'm just plain not feeling very inspired. So I spent a few days not writing hoping I could find a way to put things in perspective for myself. Hopefully you have been having a better week than I have had and that you have great things to share to be grateful for. Maybe I can find some inspiration in your stories this week.


What are YOU most grateful for today Butterfly?

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What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me on Twitter here (@Tracy_Iglesias) Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field at Twitter:

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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Giveaway Winner:


Pancho Land, Cover Art, Book, Books, Raul Ramos Y Sanchez, Author, Review, Reviews, Giveaway, Giveaways, Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club
Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club July 2013 Title



Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club is Back and we have a winner for our July title, the winner's name is posted in the rafflecopter widget HERE, please join me in congratulating the winner, entry #14, Anita Yancey!

Please Note: Just a reminder to giveaway entrants, please follow mandatory entry instructions very carefully, some of you are not doing the mandatory entry which means you are not entered in the final draw. We eliminate the entries that do not follow the mandatory entry instructions BEFORE we go to draw the winner which means that those going into the final draw have followed all the entry instructions! (We like to keep things fair!)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - UPCOMING GIVEAWAYS!: Our next giveaway is going to be another pick your prize promotion from one of our favorite intimate brand partners, so stay tuned! From Bridal lingerie, to loungewear to beachwear this giveaway will have you covered,

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Our Featured Monthly Handbag in the Spotlight is back too in case you missed July's featured handbag, click HERE


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Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it (I love that it gives you writing prompts for when you feel stuck on what to say!) You don't have to wait until January 1st to buy a new journal. I actually like to re-set my year and re-visit my goals on my birthday instead of new years eve, so make this a birthday gift for your spirit that you give yourself!

















Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html