NST May 2020: May the force be with you. (Star Wars 1977)

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NST May 2020: May the force be with you. (Star Wars 1977)

“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” – The Wizard of Oz, 1939

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. – Ferris, from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

My momma always said, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump

“Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim.” – Dory, Finding Nemo

 

May is coming at us full of ‘MAYbe’s

Things may change.

Things may stay the same.

May is another month of being different. It is out of our control, so, as turtles, we refuse to fret about it and we look to ourselves and what is within our control. It helps to see the brighter side and remain hopeful and compassionate. “Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields… Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.” ―Mary Oliver, poet

 

Whatever is going on, we have the power to decide how we respond. “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” - Marie Curie

May is a month to batten down the hatches. Lockdown has meant that many of us have had to spend more just on food and basics as we haven’t been able to get out and find the bargains. But we have hopefully learned to minimise our ‘wants’. “The simple bare necessities. Forget about your worries and your strife ... The bare necessities of life will come to you.” - Disney's The Jungle Book

 

For those of us having the luxury to work from home, the lockdown period is easier to spend. We have structure, financial security, a purpose to each day.  For others, practising yoga and meditation, writing, pursuing a hobby, reading books, cooking, cleaning or taking up art and craft activities can help make the best use of time and stay away from negative thoughts. It also helps to stay connected over video calls and over-communicate during this time for sharing our experiences and feelings.

 

One to ponder: Where do you want to be in a year from now? No major changes are required, just consistency and keeping plodding on, one baby step at a time. “Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.” – Jim Rohn

 

The rules:

• The challenge runs from May 1st to the end of May 31st.
• Plan what you can – this may change !
• Set your budgets.
  
• Look after yourself first – what do you need to deal with your own circumstances.
• Be kind to others. Charities are already struggling as they have no income form their shops, so choose where you want to help. You can donate to many online – either as a regular gift or as a one-off.
• Plan your meals – if at the end of this time you still have untouched items around that have not been used, then get them out of your house! Eat well.
• Keep moving as much as you can.
• Minimise your exposure to the news.
• There is no NSD goal this month.

• Remember that you are blessed. Count your blessings daily. Be grateful for what you have. Relish life, one day at a time. Post 5 daily gratitudes.
  

• Come on here as much as you can and let us know how you are, what you are doing. We love company!

 

Will you join me for May? Sign up below

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Reserved for turtles:

1 apple_muncher

2 Toni'sfriend

3 PurpleFairy26

4 SSDD23

5 outoftheviciouscircle

6 abbi_aurelia

7 mothernerd

8 ilovetea

9 abundant1972

10 greent

11 Deni_debt_free_dreamer

12 Wanna_Bee_Free

13 facethemusic

14 snowbird20

15 crazy_cat_lady

16 misstara

17 Kerry_Woman

18 Betharooni

19 lcc86

20 f0xh0les

21 shabbychic12

22 Tanya12345

23 XSpender

24 AuctionFever

25 ditty1234

Toni'sfriend

Me please, Apple

PurpleFairy26

Me too apple. Thanks for running the month. Love the quotes. 

[Deleted User]

I would like to return please, apple  

outoftheviciouscircle

I have found the boards after a few years break and with a different user as I can’t for the life of me remember my old user. 
I really like the positivity of this challenge. Could I join you guys please?

abbi_aurelia

Me please Apple

mothernerd

Count me in apple. Sorry for not taking a turn but March was a bad month in so many ways (in the roundworld aka Real Life or RL) and I'd hate to feel responsible for it. I know I'm NOT responsible for it but my mental health issues started in childhood, if bad things happen when you are a child you think it is your fault and this can become hardwired. For instance, from the age of two, I was given the job of 'looking after my brother' (and then both of them two years later). When he died at the age of 47 (I was 49) I felt that I'd failed at my first, longest term and most important job.
I know it's not my fault BUT the little germ of anxiety is still there. I know I can't save the whole world (but it doesn't stop me trying from time to time). If my mother dies I know I'm expected to 'look after' (be there, make sure they are all right, help with any problems) baby brother AND mum's lodger. Baby bro is currently 58 years old and lodger is a similar age but the responsibility/ obligation is still there (and mum doesn't even know what she's saying, what seeds she plants - she'd a work in progress, I have got her to stop shouting NO ever 5 seconds to toddlers and why and what she should do instead and she has taken some of it on board).
Similarly when I divorced my gambling husband (found out when I was pregnant with DS3 and he was working hundreds of miles away, started proceedings when DS3 was 3yo) I not only had to ask myself if I could continue to live with him and living how we did (he once took me to a family support group and the partners told me how they had to 'police' every move) but whether I could do so willingly, cheerfully, not allowing my children to see any tension, resentment or anxiety because the way you react to the gambling can affect your children as much as the gambling.
Sorry for the diversion. What happened in March was not my fault (learning not to apologise for things that aren't your fault is part of the process but it's also very 'english' to apologise eg when people bump into you in the street). I will run the thread again at some point but I'm so busy I wish there were three of me (covering for multiple people but I haven't been asked to tackle mum's hair or nails yet so let's be thankful).
Thanks for offering apple, thanks for the thread, thank you for putting some non-nerdy quotes in for dolly (something else I apologise automatically for) will do anything I can to support the running of the thread and other turtles (including lengthy tales of my daily exploits in captivity, my potterings and musings).
oh Keep pressing carriage return instead of the 'post' button

ilovetea

Can I join please? 
ilovetea  xx

abundant1972

Thank you Apple. Please sign me up for May!!! 

greent

Hello apple - please count me in - and a huge thank you to you for running both April and May whilst still working and all the other stuff you do xx