Quote | But I Smile Anyway...

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 166 – Smile!

22 Apr 2018 43 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charlie Chaplin, Positivity, Quote, Serene, Smile, Spiderman, Spidey

“You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile.”

Charlie Chaplin

This, Spidey, just encapsulates what I am about.

I truly believe, and you will have ~~heard~~ read me ~~say~~ write this before, that pretty much everything can be turned around with a smile.

Sure, there are times when even the thought of turning the corners of your mouth upwards seem like an impossibility, but sooner or later you will be able to do it, and when you do, just feel the difference to your day.

When times are bad, sometimes a smile lightens your load.

A supportive smile can help another more than you know.

Smiling is good for your health. You can exercise a good few muscles, just by flashing a grin at a passerby – see, good feelings and calorie burning in one go!

Creativity is also meant to be affected by smiling.

A smile can help reduce stress.

Training yourself to smile actually trains your brain to react more positively rather than the natural instinct to take a negative stance.

Did you know smiles are contagious? If you smile at someone, something inside their brain wants to mirror you… just think, your smile could start a chain reaction of smilers all around you!

My task for you today is to smile – think of it as Spidey’s Smiley Sunday. if a problem arises, try to tackle it with a smile, it’ll bring positivity to your thoughts. Start a smile chain – smile at someone and see them smile back!

Stay positive 🙂

Happy Sunday Peeps!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 165 – Achieving Goal

15 Apr 2018 29 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Achievement, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Dreams, Goals, Positivity, Quote, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey, Walt Disney, WIP

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

Walt Disney

A lovely quote Spidey, very fitting for my recent achievements too!

As many of you know, I finally finished writing my first draft on my WIP – my 18-year-old writing project.

I wrote seven chapters before starting the blog in November 2014. Those seven chapters had been crafted fourteen years previously.

That was when my novel dream was born.

And I continued to dream, but life, and maybe an element of laziness crept in.

I mentioned my idea and fledgeling manuscript to a few friends and family members who were encouraging, but I still didn’t actually do anything with it.

Instead, I had babies, then restarted my teaching career.

But my book baby?

That story wasn’t going to write itself.

Plucking courage from the support of fellow bloggers, I posted those chapters, in order to get some feedback and an idea as to whether it was something worth pursuing.

Boy, did those of you who read it give me a jolt! (In a really positive way!)

I needed to continue it! And I talked (wrote) about it incessantly, but another 2 years went by before I actually took to the screen again, to try and achieve my dream.

My #RiNoWriMo project in August added another 60,000 words to the project, and I was exhausted. It wasn’t finished, but I could see the end!

It took another seven months before I took to it again, but I did a lot of ‘talking’ about my teenage WIP… and how I wanted to finish it… before finally taking that last step and getting to the end.

So, instead of talking too much more, I embarked on a Camp RiNo, and just went for it.

And now, I have that full first draft manuscript in my hands, it feels so good!

The dream of publishing it is still a little while away, but the fact that I have a full story written is the first, huge step that I have taken to reach my goal.

And I WILL get there!

Is there anything you have really wanted; a dream you wish to fulfil, or a goal you want to achieve? Tell me about it in the comments, then start planning how you can actually reach it!!!

Stay positive 🙂

Happy Sunday Peeps!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 164 – On A Break!

08 Apr 2018 29 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Positivity, Quote, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey, Take A Break

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” – Anne Lamott

Am off this weekend with the family… Spidey thought this was a good time to remind me of this quote!

Enjoy your week Peeps! We’ll be back next week, hopefully doing the happy ‘finished our first draft’ dance!

Stay positive 🙂

Happy Sunday Peeps!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 163 – Easter Vibes

01 Apr 2018 62 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Easter, Positivity, Quote, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey

“Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there.”

Clarence W. Hall

It’s Easter!

Now, I am not Christian, but as a British born Sikh, living in the UK, I like to embrace all the festivals and significant dates that are celebrated here. After all, it’s all about integrating, isn’t it?

I’ve read the Easter story to my Reception class and talked about Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, Good Friday and Easter Sunday in child-friendly ways. I have let my Nursery class enjoy the tale of the Easter Bunny.

Both sets have had an Easter Egg hunt and polished off their chocolatey treasure.

My kitchen has a selection of eggs hidden, ready for gifting on Sunday.

On Good Friday, my children’s breakfasts consisted of croissants and mini chocolate eggs!

But, I do like to think about the philosophy behind the festivals we celebrate.

Resurrection.

New Beginnings.

A good time to reflect on the fact that Jesus died on a cross for the sins of his people. (This was actually quoted to me by a five-year-old as we were listening to their recall of the Bible story!). I hadn’t put it quite like that in my retelling, but she is from a church-going family, so kudos to her for remembering that from her church school!

But the above quote rang true as well. It doesn’t matter how deep you bury a truth, it will be unearthed soon enough, so best to try and deal with the consequences of a secret straight away, rather than brushing it under the carpet…

Now, let me lighten the mood with a couple of funny Easter quotes Spidey wanted to share too!

“My mom used to say that Greek Easter was later because then you get stuff cheaper.”

Amy Sedaris

“I lied on my Weight Watchers list. I put down that I had 3 eggs… but they were Cadbury chocolate eggs.”

Caroline Rhea

Wishing those of you that celebrate, a most wonderful Easter, and an abundance of new beginnings. And those of you who don’t celebrate religiously, enjoy the myriad chocolate eggs that are out there!

Stay positive 🙂

Happy Sunday Peeps!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 162 – Spring Forward

25 Mar 2018 27 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Positivity, Quote, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey, Spring Forward

“No matter how long the Winter, Spring is sure to follow.” – Anon

I didn’t want it, but I needed the reminder, especially for the clock changing. Thanks, Spidey!

And so, Spring is here in every form. The equinox has happened, so it is officially here, the clocks sprang forward, somewhat sneakily at 2am, and the weather outside has been pleasant enough to encourage the first daffodils to bloom!

The frogs were busy in my colleague’s garden, and frogspawn was laid too, so she brought it in for the Nursery class to watch.

We’ve had no luck with the frogspawn in recent years. They hatch then some swim for a bit and then we have nothing. Even more disappointing when some of the other classes even had froglets last year too from the same spawn, but different tank!

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A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

This year though, we have loads of teeny tadpoles already, swimming around and munching on their jelly at the moment. I’m expecting much larger swimmers when we get in on Monday morning!

And so Spring is upon us. (Until the forecast cold snap due to visit us again at EASTER!)

The darkness of Winter is being cast off, and we welcome the lighter evenings and steadily warmer days of Spring, where it is almost easier to be more positive.

Just like situations in life where that tunnel of darkness can swallow you up, it is important to know that there is an end, there will be light at the end.

Try and keep your hopes up if you are going through a ‘Winter’ season in life. Your ‘Spring’ will come soon enough too.

Who or what is your beacon, during times of darkness in life? What gets you through to the other side?

Stay positive 🙂

Happy Sunday Peeps!