5 WORDS THAT TOUCH MY SOUL

5 Words that touch my Soul ~ Enough; Home; Warmth; Happiness; Together

5 WORDS THAT TOUCH MY SOUL

These five words resonate with me - they make me feel good when they're spoken, and by the memories and emotions associated with them. I'm sure everyone would have different words that are special to them, but these are the top five that touch my soul...

1. ENOUGH

I am Enough - Molly Mahar
I love the word "enough" because it's a lesson I've had to learn about myself. I spent so many years trying to be perfect and to be everything I thought other people wanted me to be. Then Midlife came and it brought a revelation with it - I AM ENOUGH. I am all that I need to be for now - I can become more as life teaches me new things, but for the moment (any moment) I am enough. 

If I am too much for some people or not enough for others, then that is their problem - I can't please everyone. All I can be is my authentic self - and learning to accept that and accept myself has been a huge learning curve for me - but so liberating in the process. 

Enough is all about self-acceptance.


2. HOME

Home should be an anchor - Marvin J. Ashton
Home is where the heart is and it spells itself as 'Sanctuary' and 'Haven' for me. It is the place I come to at the end of the day, close the door and shut out the hustle and bustle of the world. It reflects my personality and taste (and my husband's as well). It is a little slice of us that brings me comfort and security.

Home is also my family. It reflects all that we have invested in becoming a couple, having children, making a family unit and then creating a launching pad for our children to leap from safely - and return to when they need to feel the comfort and familiarity of their parents.

Home is sanctuary and a refuge for me.



3. WARMTH

hold on to whatever keeps you warm inside
There is something about the word "warmth" it sounds like it is - I think that makes it an Onomatopoeia (well it does in my book anyway). I hate being cold - I went to Europe with my Mum a few years ago and their Winter had gone longer than expected. It was freezing! I had never been so cold in all my life and I did NOT like it! When I finally got home to Australia and stepped out of the plane into the balmy Aussie evening I nearly wept with joy. 

I look for warmth in people too - the kindness of the human spirit, the desire to get to know each other, compassion, a gentleness of heart. I don't like cold, hard people. I don't like self-serving people who don't have time for others or who would step over a friend for their own advancement. No, I like warm, caring people and I am drawn to that warmth - in much the same way I'm drawn to a fire on a cold Winter's night.



4. HAPPINESS

happiness is the result of personal effort - Elizabeth GilbertI think I've spent most of my life chasing after happiness. I thought it was found in other people, in relationships, in family, in making a good life. All those things have their own degree of input, but the eye-opener for me was realizing happiness is totally dependent on me. I generate it and I find it by choosing my attitude to all that happens to me.

I can choose to let my circumstances or the people around me make me angry or sad - or I can choose to let it all go and focus on the good stuff. Sometimes I think life is unfair - and it can be, but that doesn't mean it's miserable. I've seen some really happy people living lives that would knock the wind out of a lot less resilient souls. Happiness is a choice and it fills my heart - sometimes unexpectedly - and it's those moments that really make 
me smile.


5. TOGETHER

surround yourself with people who nourish your soul
Together is always tied in my mind with being part of a couple. Doing life together is so rewarding. Having someone by your side who always has your best interests at heart is beyond words. To love and be loved is something our soul yearns for - and has done so from the very beginning when God said "it is not good for man to be alone".

Togetherness has other dimensions too - friendship, encouragement, connection. The meeting of minds and hearts. The joy of shared experiences and memories created. Family, friends, relationships - it's all tied up in being "together". I love times of solitude, but only because I have the balance of knowing that there are people I'm doing life with together.





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Cresting the Hill - a blog for Midlife (Middle Aged / 50+) women who want to thrive

40 comments

  1. What a wonderful list of things to remember! So happy this is the first thing I read this morning. <3

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    1. They are all words that speak to my heart and make me happy so I'm glad they gave you a good start to the day :)

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  2. I like your Five Things Friday idea, Leanne! I have a question. I've been reading lately about copyright-free photos for blogs. I see you create your own memes. Where do you get the photos from? .... And is using memes off google safe to do on our blogs? It's confusing! :)
    https://meinthemiddlewrites.com/

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    1. Hi Mary Lou - I use Pixabay (https://pixabay.com) photos that are copyright free and cost free and then make my own memes on Canva. I don't use anything off Google (I used to and then replaced them all) because you can be taken for copyright infringement and it can cost you huge amounts of dollars. There are plenty of bloggers who don't seem to be bothered by it, but I've read enough horror stories to make me steer clear. I'm also too cheap to pay for images so everything I use is free and Canva is free too.

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    2. Thanks, Leanne! I'll check out Canva. You're blog looks fantastic! I'm glad I'm learning this now. Better safe than sorry. :)

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  3. It's always nice to step inside someone's head. You've given us a glimpse of yours today and I enjoyed it because it was food for my own thought.
    Carol
    http://carolcassara.com/seen-dancing/

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    1. Thanks Carol - I think they are all a reflection of where I'm at and where my life has led me to this point - I'm glad you enjoyed them.

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  4. I love your five words. Thanks for sharing them.

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    1. Thanks Paula - and thanks for stopping by x

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  5. Such a great list! Enough is amazing isn't it???? I love the thought that you are too much for some people!

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    1. It can be a bit off putting finding you're "too much" but after a while it is kind of fun to let them work out how they're going to deal with it!

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  6. Leanne, I always enjoy your "five things friday"...great list! And you are enough and too much all in one! :)

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    1. thanks Renee - I think it's good to be a little bit of everything - keeps life interesting!

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  7. Beautiful post-shared. It may inspire me to think of my own. P.S. I want to visit Australia one day, but I just might find it too hot. It would be a wonderful place in the winter for me, though! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks so much Alana - you'd love Australia but it is VERY hot in Summer so maybe save it til Spring or Autumn and you'll have a great time :)

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  8. Wow! I didn't think I had the time to read this, but I felt compelled to click on your post, and I am glad I did. I love what you wrote! All of it resonated with me and I couldn't agree more. Have a great weekend.

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed it - it was simple and straight from the heart so it's the best I can do and I hope your weekend is great too xx

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  9. Thank you Leanne, for a reminder of how simple the most important things are. I think when we're older we quiet the noise enough to really feel what makes us alive.

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    1. I couldn't agree more Susan - it's the little things in life that really count and the sense of contentment when you stop striving and start appreciating what you have.

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  10. What a great way to start my day, Leanne! Thank you!

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    1. So glad you liked them Diane - simple and from the heart often makes a good start to the day :)

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  11. Beautiful list. I like the idea of surrounding yourself with people that make you hungry for life. It's so important to stay sane.

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    1. It was fun to put together Rebecca and reminded me that it's things like good friends and family that are the most important to me.

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  12. A very thoughtful list with good quotes.

    Kathleen
    Bloggers Pit Stop

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  13. I haven't thought of warmth as an Onomatopoeia but as I roll it over on my tongue I agree with you for sure. Enough is something I am working on now. Not just about myself as an individual but also with objects. I am practicing feeling fulfilled by what I already have (which is bountiful.) Now does this mean I can't buy new fall napkins? I know you were writing about more meaning than napkins...but sometimes my path to the metaphysical is through the physical.

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    1. A napkin is truly symbolic Anna - it reflects the fact that we are still allowed to be a little bit frivolous in our "enough-ness" :)

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  14. Truly like you, it took me a while to learn that happiness can only come from within myself. That I can try to find it in external sources but that it can only be sustained from within. Lovely post!

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    1. Thanks Rosie - it has taken me a long time to truly understand the idea that I am responsible for my own happiness, but it's quite liberating now I have my head around it (and great for the people around me!)

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  15. Love the idea of 5 things Friday and also your five words Leanne. We are so alike except for the weather - I actually love visiting Europe when it is cold and freezing! I also like your description of togetherness it isn't just being a couple is it? Thanks and look forward to next week's 5 on Friday xx

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    1. Hi Leanne I selected this post as my favourite on this week's Over the Moon link up. Loved it!

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    2. Hi Sue - thanks so much for choosing my post as a feature - I love OTM. I can't believe you like freezing cold Europe when you live in sunny Qld!

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  16. 'Enough' really got me - it's so hard to remember sometimes, but being enough for *yourself* is what really matters. Thanks so much for sharing over at Friday Frivolity this week too! :)

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    1. Enough is a hugely important concept Jess - if we get our heads around the idea, it takes so much pressure off us and we get to like ourselves a whole lot more :)

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  17. I love all your words and your descriptions of them Leanne. Reading your blog posts gives me such a shot of wisdom and positivity. Thank you for writing and sharing YOUR warmth.

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    1. What a lovely thing to say Molly - thank you so much xx

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  18. I love the word enough as in "I am enough."

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    1. My sentiments exactly Jennifer - once we get this into our heads it takes a huge load off.

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  19. Lovely idea and great word choices! I love cold weather, but like to be warm!

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    1. I think cold weather works if you know how to dress for it - Aussies in Europe just aren't prepared for the reality of that much cold!

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Thanks so much for your comment - it's where the connection begins.