Tag: life’s lessons

Hindsight Is 2020

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Cheryl's View.

Hindsight certainly is 2020. There is nothing that gives us more clarity than looking back in the rearview mirror to see hoe far we’ve come. Or not. Looking back on 2020, I don’t think anyone is sorry to say farewell to a very challenging year. Instead, most of us are more than happy to say good riddance. However, it is interesting to reflect back on it and recognize some of the good things that came out of the Year of the Rat. Yep, according to the Chinese Zodiac calendar, 2020 was the Year of the Rat. I remember sitting in a networking meeting last January. You remember networking meetings, don’t you? Of course you do–we all do. That’s where we met in person, gave each other hugs, We all remember those. You know, where we gave each other hugs, love, handshakes,...

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Episode 3: Simple Ninja Safety Tip

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Femininja Podcast.

In my previous episode, Super Special Ninja Secret, I shared the nifty little trick of how to avoid an attack. However, you can’t get out of the way if you can’t see it coming. Which is how I ended up getting a glass of wine thrown in my face. It was a waste of good wine, but also a powerful reminder of what can happen when we let our guard down. I am not talking about being paranoid. I am talking about paying attention to yourself, to your environment, and to other people around you. Looking back, there were very subtle signs that the situation was escalating. But, I simply thought I was having an animated conversation with someone I knew well and cared deeply about. I was wrong. The truth is that we can’t always see when a hit is coming. But, we can certainly increase...

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Red Booth Writer’s Group

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in The Red Booth Writers.

Have you ever sat in a red booth? You know, the old fashioned kind that is the standard in every diner in America? When I was a little girl, it seemed that even the nicer restaurants had red vinyl seats. And you never knew what magic would happen when you slid into one of those seats. It had been many years since I sat in a red booth. But, this past January, I found myself sitting in one with a remarkable woman. She was a writer and an author, like me. And like me, she had experienced her share of health struggles and pain issues. She also had an incredible amount of sass and tenacity. And incomparable stubbornness. I felt like I met my soul sister. It was in that red booth that an idea was born. To create a group of writers who could work together to help promote each other and share our...

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I’m Sorry….So Sorry. For What??

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Ninja Notes.

Have you ever noticed how many times a day you say the words “I’m sorry?” Especially as women, it seems like we are always apologizing for something, even when we’re not at fault, or there isn’t even anything wrong in the first place. What’s up with that? Is it just a habit (and not a good one, I might add), or do we really feel that we are responsible for everything that’s wrong in the world? There was a time when I believed that everything was my fault, and I took full responsibility for it. Everything from world hunger to human trafficking to PMS and menstrual cramps. My fault. And it really wore me down. But I didn’t realize what a problem it was, or how often I said it until I was 2 years into my martial arts training and I was testing...

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Should, Could, Would: Life’s Lessons From a Little Girl

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Life's Lessons.

Should, could, would. I was in first grade when I learned those words. My teacher was terrifying, and I believed she became a teacher to torture helpless children. She wore a perpetual scowl on her craggy face, and the only time she smiled was when she was berating one of her hapless students until they cried so hard their teeth rattled or they wet their pants. Many (like myself), were known to do both. One cold winter afternoon, our teacher handed out sheets of paper with the words “should, could, and would” printed on them. She explained what the words meant. She also told us that they were advanced for us, but she didn’t care. She expected us to keep those papers, look at them every day, and learn how to spell them as well as how to use them in a sentence. With one final scowl, she...

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Life is Full of Bumps in the Road

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Life's Lessons.

Ah, life. It’s not always easy, but it is always wonderful. Even when we hit a few bumps along the way. After all, these bumps in the road of life help us build character. I had my first series of bumps when I was just five years old. That summer before my fifth birthday, our family attended a church picnic at the local amusement park. It was a beautiful day, we were at White Swan Park, and everyone was having a marvelous time. All of us kids were in Heaven as we ran around from ride to ride. Finally, we came to the roller coaster, “The Mad Mouse.” It was the pride of the park, and was always able to strike fear and excitement in the heart of every child. The roller coaster had individual cars rather than a chain of them linked together like a train. It also had a series of bumps at the...

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Roller Coaster Ride

Written by Cheryl on . Posted in Life's Lessons.

What kid doesn’t love an amusement park? The rides, the fun, the cotton candy. There was a great amusement park that was popular when I was a kid. A day at White Swan Park was every kid’s perfect outing. You just never knew what would happen there. The summer before my fifth birthday, our church had a family picnic at White Swan Park. All of the kids were in heaven as we ran around from ride to ride with our parents closely supervising us. We came to the pride of the park, the roller coaster, named “The Mad Mouse.” The roller coaster had individual cars, instead of a chain of cars linked together like a train. It also had a series of bumps at the end of the ride, each one a little bigger than the previous one. I was put in a car with my oldest sister. It was great...

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