Chynna T. Laird's Blog, page 17

Writing Sample Wednesday - A Snippet From White Elephants

Welcome to another writing sample day!
In keeping with our focus on suicide prevention this week, I thought I'd share a very personal and eye-opening snippet from my memoir, White Elephants. I didn't share the entire chapter, as not everything fits in with our theme for this week. I wanted to show the mindset that someone can plummet to when they honestly believe there is no other way out, and that there is no one who truly cares if they chose this route. 
I don't often share from this boo...

Talk About It Tuesday ~ 5 Things People With Depression and Anxiety Want You To Understand

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, this week is Suicide Prevention Week. It astounds me in this day and age of having access to various resources, articles, websites, blogs and other sources available on Online (or on cell phones), that there are still people who misunderstand and incorrectly judge those living with conditions like depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder and similar disorders.

For most of us, we can go through a tough time, overcome the hurdle as best as we can, then move...

Music Mantra Monday ~ Suicide Prevention Day w/The Smashing Pumpkins

Today is a special day for Music Mantra as we are participating in doing our part for Suicide Awareness Day. Every September 10th, we light a candle (or however you choose to advocate in your own way) for those struggling through this themselves and for those who have lost someone. There are some places that campaign throughout the week, which we will be doing here each day, others simply take today.

For those who have been following me for a long time since the days we ran 'The Gift', you are...

Writing Prompt Saturday ~ Hope In Stormy Weather

There's an expression that goes, "If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm." In other words, life can be tough at times but if you face, and ride through, those times happiness isn't far away.

We all go through those times. They can be minute and simply a bump in the road, or they can be huge requiring more hiking gear to get over. Either way, it isn't the challenge that should be focused on. It's the strength within you to get through it all.

Hey, I'm not saying I'm Arnol...

In The Spotlight ~ A Touching Interview With An SPD Mom

I'm so excited about today's In The Spotlight. It's been awhile since I've highlighted interviews with phenomenal people doing amazing things in the SPD community but this is one definitely I had to share.

Cameron Kleimo isn't just sharing with us today based on her professional, educational and therapeutic credits. She's coming here also as a sensational mom who has worked very hard not only to understand this confusing disorder, but to share her experiences with other families going through...

Writing Sample Wednesday ~ A Snippet From Blackbird Flies

Well, we woke up to a balmy 4* here, reminding all of us that summer is pretty much over. Nothing starts the day off better than having a verbal throw down with each of the kids about how they need to start wearing sweaters to school. I guess I just don't 'get' how a child can walk to school, already being able to see their breath outside, and leaving the house in a t-shirt. This girl right here has to "layer up until it's at least 18* out, but I digress.

For today's sample, I'm going back to...

Talk About It Tuesday ~ Getting Organized

Back to school time is more than just getting the kids back into their 'normal' routines. It's also a time to plow through the chaos and disorganization that happened over the summer months when we let things slide a bit. I don't know about you, but my house looks like a cluttered pawn shop threw up all over my house. And it doesn't help to have a dog and a cat who think all that is left laying around is their new chew toy.

There are two times a year I go on a house-wide gutting and organizing...

Music Mantra Monday ~ Embracing Life with John Lennon

It's a gloomy day here, so I thought we could use a bit of sunshine (yes, that is a different Beatles song but I'm saving it for another post).

One thing I love about John Lennon is that his words had meaning and deep reflection of what he was experiencing at the time. I remember in a documentary about his life he told a guy who'd camped out on his property for days, just for the chance to talk to John, how deeply his lyrics affected him. John's response: "I write about what's going on in my l...

The Power of Youth ~ Coping With Back To School Anxiety

Ah, back to school time. A joyous time of year most parents look forward to after a long summer of a house filled with kids. However, it can also be rather stressful racking up the expenses of school supplies, new clothes, dreaded school fees and forcibly re-enforcing the  'go to bed early, get up early' routine. That's just us parents.

For kids, however, it can be more than just stressful. A great number of kids suffer with tremendous anxiety this time of year. New teachers, new schoolma...

Writing Prompt Saturday ~ What's Holding You Back?

I recently had a request to write an article about how to release what's holding us back from being all we want to be. I thought this was a great writing prompt for this week.

Each of us, no matter how old or how young we are, has something that holds us back from being who we're meant to be and/or where are meant to be.

It could be a fear of success, not wanting to hurt anyone else, having priorities in the wrong order, negative self-talk or experiences from the past that pop up just when you'...