What is something you would go back and tell yourself 10 years ago? If I could go back I would tell myself…
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Over the past three years, I have frequently discussed and reflected on the relationship between thinking, communicating, and taking action. My observations created a deep frustration over how much theorizing and talking fall short of meaningful action…
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We've been posting here on JacinthaPayne.com for over seven years now. The original idea for this blog was to create a place for me to share thoughts, create resources, and keep a log of the things we're doing as a family. It started as a blog that was "A Little Bit of Everything…
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The hard things make us better and stronger. They open up the door for new things. Every no is an opportunity for a different angle or an alternate route to the destination - or in some cases a completely different and better destination than we ever imagined.
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Whether I'm trying to be productive or taking a moment to stop, I've recently been asking myself the question, "will this make me a better wife, mother, or friend?" Sometimes, the best thing to do is work hard and get things done. But doing, doing, doing all the time can run you ragged. When I'm constantly doing and rarely stopping to be present, my energy levels decrease, my stress levels increase, and my patience is shortened. I've found that when I stop to sort through my thoughts and what I am feeling and just enjoy the moment, it helps energize me to do all the other things in life…
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I’ve been thinking a lot about life and the things that motivate me to do what I do.
So much of my motivation is centered around providing an environment for my children that is safe, loving, and creates a space to learn and grow. As I think deeper about why I want these things for my children, I obviously want what is best for them - but, I also want to keep them from experiencing some of the unnecessarily painful things I experienced in my own childhood.
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Life is full of joy and pain…and a whole lot of in-between.
Every day feels jam packed from the moment our feet hit the ground in the morning, to the moment our heads hit the pillow. Sometimes the day ends and you wonder “where did this day go?” Nothing was remarkably amazing or horrible, it just kind of happened. These days happen more often than we like to admit and they can feel discouraging.
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Everyone is faced with hundreds of decisions throughout the day that need to be made in a split second. If left to making a decision simply based on how we feel in the moment, we could respond in selfish and unhelpful ways.
How can we quickly assess that we’re in the right mindest to make the best of even the smallest decisions throughout the day?
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2022 marks over five years of blogging. Over the years, I’ve written on a wide variety of topics from parenting and cooking to staying organized and setting goals. I’ve even brought in some friends to help contribute along the way.
Below you will find the top ten most read blogs from the last five and a half years. I hope you enjoy this variety of posts and that they’re helpful to you in some way.
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We started the first few days of 2022 taking it easy because we were feeling a bit under the weather. This meant we didn’t get started on all the things we were planning. Less turning in early and starting before the sun came up and more taking medicine, temperature checks, and resting whenever we could…
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When people ask me how I’m doing these days, my answer is simple - yet complex. I feel, in a word, free. But the journey to 2021 has been long and at moments wearying. My life has been a weird mix of wonderful moments and painful ones. Sweet mingled in with the bitterly sour…
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Each day is a clean slate. A fresh start. A reset.
We greet each day. And its endless possibilities.
We plan. We expect. We anticipate.
But life is unpredictable.
What will each day hold? We never really know…
This quote is sampled on one of the songs (To Be Happy - Joey Pecoraro) I included on my most recent playlist. I know I’ve shared this quote before, but it so completely encapsulates the lens through which I want to view life. Gratitude is truly life changing…
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One of the most important goals for the first 5 years of my boys' lives has been teaching them how to cultivate obedient hearts. This goal takes a high priority over everything else - school, creative time, and playing. We provide the boys with tons of opportunities to enjoy playing, exploring, and spending time together. But, when it's necessary, we'll stop and prioritize moments for instruction and development.
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Knowing what's most important for each moment is complex. As we think through what this looks like on this platform, we hope it helps guide your thinking and create good habits as you make the most of each moment. We're launching "make every moment count" as a place to externally process giving intention to each moment and how it impacts our lives.
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The world feels especially heavy right now. It’s uncertain, overwhelming, shocking and at the same time much of what I’ve watched play out is not surprising. I desire to recognize that everyone processes this heaviness and pain differently. I want to take the time to step away and reflect on my heart and motivation between keeping myself informed. I want to pause before I react, I want to listen, I want to silence unnecessary noise, I want to be someone that unites, I want to communicate with clarity, but most of all I want to stand for what is right…
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In a world that can feel so hard, what are you grateful for? (A question we should be asking ourselves every day.) Today this is my list…
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I’ve spent the last two weeks listening and, when necessary, engaging others. I realize how little I truly understand the injustice the Black community receives continuously. I can't say enough how I want to be quick to listen and slow to speak. I want to learn from the people using their voice for change and share what I learn as much as I can…
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None of us really arrive at the person we want to be. But, we should always strive to make improvements and take purposed steps from who we are to who we would like to be. One of the best ways to do this is by creating habits. Habits are simply actions we repeat without having to think about them. To take this thought a step further, the actions we take with the time we have make up our lives. If I want to make improvements in my life, a good way to begin is by creating a new habit…
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Do you ever find yourself communicating something you feel is heartfelt and sincere, while at the same time, the look on your recipient's face tells you you're not connecting with them…
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