Z = ZEST

Zest is the kind of way I wish to live my life. I want to take the bull by the horns. I want to get up each morning and live life to the full, like it is my last day. I think sometimes we need that, a new or renewed zest for life, just to keep things in perspective. Though this might be the end of this challenge, let us take on our lives, or our blogging with the kind of energy that is fitting of a tornado. Lets keep going and striving forward and have nothing stop us, not until we decide to stop. 

Y = YOU

It is not selfish to sometimes put your needs ahead of others. There needs to be a balance and being led to believe that spending any time on yourself or by yourself is selfish, then so be it. There comes a time when you need to be by yourself in order to regain your focus and your energy. It is good to be kind to others, but it is equally important to be kind to yourself as well. It is okay to put yourself first every now and then.

X = XANTHIPPE

This word refers to any nagging or irritable woman and if I was not in some desperate need to find a word starting with x, I would never have found it in my dictionary. Whenever I meet a new male person, whether they are a colleague or a possible new friend, they always ask me what kind of woman I am. Whether I was just like all the others or whether I was different. I think most men have had a run in with a woman with Xanthippe like qualities and many times they possibly messed with that particular woman on the wrong day. But just for the record, not all women are like that. We as woman have to lift our opinions and be heard, but not to the point where the males in our lives want to strangle us. I know it is hard, but for the sake of keeping the peace and all that…

W = WILDLIFE

There is no life without all the creatures on this plant, even the creepy and crawling ones. Everything was created and placed on this earth for a reason. Why anyone could think they have the right to destroy it, I do not know. The very idea of knowing how terribly our wildlife is suffering all over the world and the common perception that it is not our problem or that it is okay, sickens me. We cannot simply kill and neglect life and think that it is okay. Yes, we are human, we are supposed to be the most advanced and intellectual life on this planet, but why can we not protect? Why do we have to associate killing our own wildlife as part of our human survival and existence? Why can we not leave a wonderful legacy of natural life for the upcoming generations? Why are they not allowed to see a rhinoceros or a lion in the wild in the next 20 years?

We are so great and so wonderful yet we are killing the world and most things in it, the irony. Though, I am well aware that not all of us are the ones doing the damage. 

V = VIOLENCE

Violence is a terrible thing, especially when it is directed towards you. I know for a fact that I wish most days that there was a lot less of it in my country and all around the world. I wish people could change and realize that it is not a way to live. But, having said that, I am not beyond it. If anyone dared to hurt me or anyone I love and thought that I was simply going to stand idly by and watch, they are sadly mistaken. Violence is also a last resort when and if you need to defend yourself or a loved one. I have been placed in situations in the past, where people thought it was okay to do to me what ever they pleased and I have simply had enough. A little violence is needed in certain situations to defend, but not to solve an issue.

Though, most days I just wish that there was a pill out there in the world that could take all the violence away and make it unnecessary to have the need to ever defend yourself. Would it not be great if we could all just get along? 

U = UNHAPPY

When most of us are unhappy, we have this tendency to suffer in silence. I tend to be silent about certain things, but then again I am more than happy to complain about others. But instead of simply accepting our unhappiness and the factors or people that cause it, why do we not change things? I have made a few changes and though I am not completely happy about everything, I at least am no longer unhappy. So, instead of suffering in silence with your unhappiness, why not do something about it, and improve your quality of life. I know that I have many more changes to make, to live the life that I want. 

T = TOUGH

When I speak of the word tough, I don’t mean that you have to go to the gym every night. I am talking about a certain mindset that you need when things get rough. If you get a rejection letter from a publisher or an agent, let’s take that hit on the chin and keep on going. We need to be tough during certain experiences in life and though it is not necessary to be tough while handling every situation, it is a great quality to have in reserve when the occasion calls for it. I know that I have to toughen up a bit myself, as peoples words still have too much of an impact on me sometimes. 

S = SURVIVAL

When I think about survival, I never think of myself on some deserted island having to fend for myself. I think of how I am supposed to survive in this ever changing world and understand how I am supposed to live alongside unpredictable people. I have learnt that surviving meant being careful with regards to how you approach people. Here where I live children are no longer just playing and seen as the innocent. No, children can be criminals too and have evil tendencies, torturing and mistreating animals simply for the fun of it. If you can do that with a smile, what else are you capable of? Sometimes your nice neighbour is not so nice and you need to stand up for yourself, which means you have to be a bit more assertive if you wish to survive in the long run.

It might sound terrible, but surviving has taken on a whole different meaning for me. It is more about how I live and not being able to be too friendly with stranger any more.  Survival I think can mean something different to everyone, but to me, it means taking care of my safety and that of my loved ones. 

R = REGRETS

I think that regret is one of the most awful emotions ever. It makes you feel bad about yourself, even though there is nothing that you can do about certain situations. Regret is also one of the emotions that I feel most often. I am one of those people who hang onto bad memories and experiences for far too long, when in truth, I am supposed to simply let them go. I worry about the regrets that I will never have a chance to fix and in truth, I will probably never be able to do anything about most of them, which is why I believe that regrets should simply be left in the past. If there is nothing you can do to make up for regretting to do something, then simply let it go, leave it behind. I know I have lost too much sleep already, worrying about things that I have no control over. 

Q = QUESTION

I have been raised to be a very understanding person and asking too many questions was thought of as a bad thing. Well, unfortunately, I am a very curious person, to a point actually, but I question things. I never accept simply what I am told. If someone tells me that something has to be done a certain way and it makes no sense to me at all, I will ask why it is like that. I think many of us have been led to believe that it is impolite and disrespectful to ask questions. But question things when you want and need to. Do not just accept something to be a certain way when you know it is wrong. Be inquisitive; ask questions, even of life. But never simply just accept things. It is just a waste of life.

P = PERSONALITY

We all have a personality, even those of us that are thought of as being very boring. Our personalities are unique and our own. Granted, not all personalities match well with others, as I am a tough person, I am told, to get along with, probably because I like honesty and for things to be logical and to the point.

We all have unique personalities and we all see things in a different way and should thus be more tolerant of each other and our opinions. I always try my best to get along with people, but let’s face it, some people are just a lot harder to get along with. But never allow anyone to try and change you or your personality to suit them. You are who you are and you should be proud of yourself for that. Staying true to myself is the most important thing for me. 

O = OBSTACLES

We all have had and will always have obstacles in or lives. I wish that at some point they all just go away, but no, they are there and very real. Though, we can choose how we overcome them. There have been times when I just gave up and let life take its course and then there were other times where I had to fight really hard for what I wanted. None of us can avoid it, but obstacles will always be there, waiting to be overcome. We cannot let it get us down, we have to keep moving and just doing the best that we can do. 

N = NOW

How many times have we allowed one bad experience to influence how we live our lives from that point forward? I know I do it all the time. Many times we use our past as a way for us to not live in the future and I am guilty of that as well. But what I have found to work best for me, is to live in the now. Take it one day at a time, meaning not to worry about a deadline for tomorrow at the present moment, when there is nothing more you can do about it than you have already done. Leave yesterday where it is and forget about what you need to do tomorrow. Rather focus on the now and the few things you can do and change at the present. 

M = MUSIC

I have always loved music and I have always been singing along to my favourite songs, even before I could even speak. But what I love most about music is how it can influence how you feel. It can make you feel a vast array of emotions and has the ability to lift your mood when you are feeling low. Music has been an inspiration to me and has always and still plays a very important role in my life. I would not be able to exist without it. 

L = LIFE

We all have a different way of how we approach life and how we enjoy it, but I think many of us forget to be thankful for it. I know for a while I used to feel like I was here and that it was no great feat or blessing to be here, but having lived a while now and putting my teenage years behind me, I have found an appreciation for it. I am thankful to be part of this life now, because things could have been so much worse for me, especially knowing that there are so many who are sick and dying who wish that they can have just a day or even a few hours more to live.

Sometimes I feel like I could give them a few hours, days, weeks and even years of my life and health, just so that they can live a little longer, do the things they still wanted to do or achieve, or spend it with their loved ones. I always end up feeling guilty because I do not always embrace life to the fullest and thus do not experience all the wonders that it has to give.

Even though it does not always seem like it, life is a gift, no matter how brief or lonely it can be. 

K = KARMA

I am a firm believer in Karma, which is why I will never do something to someone that I do not want done to me. Though, I do try to live a positive life and get along with all my fellow humans, the end result is not always that pretty. Having said that, I think it is important for us to at least make an attempt to live our life in the best way possible. Meaning, if you went to bed tonight and you can lay your head down knowing that you didn't hurt anyone or tried to cause a disturbance in their life, you did good.

Karma doesn't seem to like me very much in general, but it doesn't mean that it cannot work wonders for you. Just remember the idea of cause and effect. Other than that, best of luck to you. 

J = JOY

Joy is such a hard thing to come by and when I say that, I don’t mean using any kind of chemical to obtain it. I am talking about pure and genuine joy. Whether it is just a feeling of being truly content with yourself or spending time with someone that makes you laugh or just makes you feel better about yourself or life. Joy is such a rare and precious thing, so when you experience it, savour it and if at all possible, hang onto the person who is sharing it with you with all your might.

I = INDIVIDUAL

Everyone is an individual. What that means is that you are unique. Just because people dress alike or eat at the same place, does not mean that they are all the same. Though I do understand that some people will do anything to try and fit in and be like the norm.

Well, the truth is that there are just some people out there that don’t fit in. They are who they are and they are not ashamed of it. It is okay to be an individual. I know that many people may make you feel like it isn't  but you are allowed to be yourself. It is okay to walk to the beat of your own drum, it is okay to dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable, it is okay to listen to the music you want to listen to and it is okay to think the way that you do (as long as you are not hurting anyone or anything, of course).

I have had people try and change me all my life and to be honest, trying to please everyone all the time is not worth it and you waste far too much energy in the process. Just be yourself and those people who are worthy, will give you a chance and will accept you for who you are. Those who don’t, well, don’t worry about them, as their opinion or acceptance is not worth wasting your time on anyway. 

H = HELP

Asking for help may sound like a simple thing to do when you find yourself in a tough situation, but it can also be one of the hardest things to do. I know that I myself am a very proud person. I must probably have failed at the same thing at least ten times before I would ask for help. But that is just because I am a stubborn person who will always try and do something myself first.

There is no shame in asking for help. If a situation becomes too much to handle, it is okay to ask someone for help. It is okay to admit that you need help and it does not mean that you are a failure or that you are not a competent and capable person. Everyone needs help at one point or another. So do not let anyone make you feel bad or unworthy just because you are asking for help.

G = GRATEFUL

To many people who read my blog I may come across as the type of person that likes complaining and that I am never thankful for anything, but there is so much that I am grateful for.

• I am grateful for the higher power that has created me and that helps me get through every day. I am also grateful for the wonderful imagination I was given and for the ability to put into words the many things my mind comes up with. 

• I am grateful for my beautiful family who help me through everything. 

• I am grateful for all the friends I have, whether they are my fellow blogger friends, or the few I have around me. 

• I am grateful for my health. 

• I am grateful for the fact that I have a job and that I am able to work. 

• I am grateful that I am breathing. 

 What are you most grateful for?

F = FAILURE

When it comes to failure I always tend to feel a little self-conscious, because I have failed at many things in my life and it is not a thing that I like to share. But do you know what? I might have made many mistakes and failed horribly at many things, yet I am stronger for it. I can’t say that any of it is a wasted experience. It might not always seem like it, but we need to fail in order for us to get better. Yes that cake recipe didn’t work out and the end result was closer to a brick, but the next time you bake it, you will improve.

E = ENOUGH

There comes a point in everyone’s life where they have reached a certain limit and feel like they need to blow their lid or just go crazy. I know from experience what this scenario feels like and because of this, I would like to mention that it is okay to know when you have had enough of a certain situation, relationship or even a certain experience and take the necessary steps to prevent yourself from ever reaching your breaking point.

D = DETERMINATION

I love to read the success stories of all kinds of people. I especially love reading the “How I got my agent posts”, that is on so many websites and blogs. I think I like it because when these various people succeed it makes me feel better about my chances of succeeding.

C = CRY (IWSG)

It does not matter whether you are happy or whether you are sad, it is okay to cry. It does not symbolize weakness, but rather the expression of emotion. I know that for many of us showing too much emotion can seem like we are giving away too much of our pride, but every now and then, I don’t care who you are, you need to cry. It is okay to break down every now and then, have a good cry and just move on. You will feel better afterwards.

The Insecure Writers Support Group was created by the wonderful and talented author and blogger, Alex J. Cavanaugh. You guys can visit Alex over at http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com.

B = BEST

It is so easy for us to be really hard on ourselves and believe everything everyone else has to say. I don’t know why it is easier to believe what everyone else has to say, but we do tend to listen to other people. I know when we give our best and we have done all that we could, we still allow ourselves to think that our best was not good enough and that by some miracle or something similar we could have done even more. But what we need to tell ourselves and remind ourselves of constantly, is that our best is enough. We do not have to please others, just ourselves, so remember, your best is good enough.

A = ATTITUDE

Before I start my post today, I want to say a big thank you to Arlee Bird from Tossing It Out, who is the original person behind the A-Z challenge. Thank you so much for creating such a great blog hop and presenting such a unique and brilliant opportunity for all of us in the blogosphere to meet, greet and interact.

I have always wondered what it is that can make certain people just handle life and certain situations so much better than others and the answer I now know, is attitude. The type of attitude one approaches life and difficult situations with is very important.

I personally, do not have the best attitude around. I get frustrated easily, not to mention when people get difficult, my temper tends to flair. I am definitely the first one to admit that I could do with an attitude adjustment, because we all know I definitely need it. I can also surprise myself certain days by how kind I can be and the next day, when I meet someone that is obnoxious; all my kindness goes right out the window. Not to mention that one day I can be patient about my writing and the next day when I don’t get the results I want, I lose all hope and get dejected.

But for those of you that have that great attitude and that are always an inspiration to me and who makes me want to be a better person, thank you and good for you. You are just amazing.