My best friend Linda has plenty of hard-won wisdom.
My favorite “Linda gem”? She has universally-applicable magic words, useful especially for anyone who feels low, in need of motivation or a pick me up – related to everyday sluggishness or the deeper, more entrenched challenges that life throws at us; the dilemmas that prompt us to say we surrender. Wave the white flag. I’m too tired, too cranky, too…everything.
Linda’s wisdom:
Look Up. Look Forward.
No matter what you’re facing that you think you can’t get through, put it aside and focus on something to look forward to…even the smallest thing.
Linda’s advice to peek at the horizon, expand our view to pull us out of the muck of the moment is brilliant. It’s her way of encouraging others to see beyond present circumstances and gaze toward possibilities. Light, love and fun. The places where joy resides.
Most of all, Linda’s advice requires contemplation and reflection. When times are tough, I lose my sensibilities about joyfulness and her ‘look up – look forward’ works. It just does.
But that’s only one of Linda’s trademark talents. I often think of Linda as a ‘counterbalance’ in my life, ready to help me recalibrate when life is out of whack. My Heart of the Matter post this morning provides a few examples and I’d love it if you’d pop over to read. Not for me. For Linda! 😉
Vicki 💓
Victoria Ponders... 
“Look Up. Look Forward.” Oh, I love Linda’s wisdom. No use looking in the rearview. This reminded me of some wisdom, cheekier in nature, from my boyfriend gay college roommate: “Always go forward. Never go straight.”🤣
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Ah! Love that! Thanks, Erin! 🥰
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Linda’s great wisdom reminds me of how looking at the horizon helps when seasick. I love the additional nugget of goodness that it doesn’t have to be a big thing to look forward to! Beautiful!
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Oh wow…yes, yes! I remember a rough ferry ride once where that saved me — the ‘eyes on the horizon’ reminder. Thanks for that, Wynne! And cheers to identifying and celebrating the little things that bring joy. Yes, yes!
xoxo! 😘
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❤ ❤ ❤
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Wise words from your lovely friend. 😍
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Agree….and she’s pretty darn humble, too. What a combo! 😘
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Friends like that are priceless treasures
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You are right, Brenda! Thank you so much! 😉
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In the search for even the smallest positive on dark days I see another simple aspect to this wisdom- rather a positive shows itself or not the time spent looking is a distraction from the bigger issue at hand. While looking may only lead to more looking it sure allows for the crappy stuff to be shelved for a few moments 🙂
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Thanks for that, Deb! You always bring insight. 😉😘😉
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I can’t even tell you how amazing those words are. I’ll be blogging about look up, look forward tomorrow.
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Elizabeth! You’re giving me chills! What a beautiful testament to Linda’s wisdom. I can’t wait to read your post. Xo! ❤️
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Your post fit in with exactly what I was writing!
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I love that! 😉❤️😉
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💕
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My son was home for spring break this week. I drove him back today. I read your piece before we left this morning. When we got there and it was time for me to drive back home, I left him with Linda’s advice: Look up, Look forward. I’m not sure he had any great revelations. He was ready to be back at school and “done” with my dad wisdom and jokes . . . but I’m hoping he got the message! Thanks for the suggestion!
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I love that! If he’s anything like his smart papa, it’ll be a nugget of wisdom in his toolkit. Use as needed! Thanks so much, Brian. Hope you had a terrific visit with him! 😉😉😉
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When sorrow or sadness hits us, we often cast our eyes downwards. Forcing or encouraging ourselves to look up, gets us out of our internal chatter engaging with the world again. A useful distraction when feeling low. Your friend Linda is indeed wise.
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Thank you, Amanda! So nice to meet you! Your comment about “internal chatter” is so on point. Linda is very wise and I’m grateful that I have a friend who lifts me up, reminds me to change my perspective. All the best to you…thank you for reading and commenting. 🙂
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You are welcome, Victoria. Nice to come across your lovely blog too!
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Big smiles! 😉
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“Look Up. Look Forward.” – Linda’s wisdom is simply but powerful!
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It is! Thank you, Mary. 😘
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