What’s Your Story- Life’s Journey Prompt #1

This year I am participating in the #52Stories Project from FamilySearch.org. in order to become a positive INfluence on my family’s inter-generational narrative. Will you join me?

The idea is to follow a weekly prompt to write down just one story every week for a year.  By the end of the year, you will be 52 steps and 52 stories closer to having written your personal history.

I use Personal Historian 2 Software to record and organize my personal history by topic as well as my journal entries.

Challenge:  Write down the details of your life to “define the dash” that exists between your birth date and death date.

This week’s #52Stories life journey prompt is:

Why write down your experiences?

Your experiences as TODAY’s ChangeMaker™ are of great worthBe sure to write them down.

Ordinary events help people know who you really are from the INside out and how you think and operate in the world.  Happy times uplift us. Many of us have come through or are coming through some real rough patches along the way, too. The steps you take and courage you muster to do the almost-impossible has value for those who may follow in your footsteps as they traverse their own path in life.  Never underestimate the value of lessons learned through experiencing difficulty, adversity and personal trials.  Also, sharing happy times brings hope to others when they see that there’s more to life than drudging through it.

Through writing down your life experiences and observations, it may become crystal clear to you and others how an individual can become their best, most happy and capable selves.  You may learn what personal character traits contribute to strong, safe, secure family relationships, and in contract, you can see what detracts from and destroys them.  This knowledge can help you develop a healthy concern about contributing positively to the future of your family line.  It can become a major driver for living a purpose-filled life.  It can help bring direction to the course of life. You may be able to see thought patterns, habit patterns and family patterns through writing things down that help you see what helps you stay strong and, on the other hand, you will be better positioned to identify what is destructive so you can take steps to help change it.

Ready, Set, GROW!

Heal the heartbreak of dysfunction and stress in yourself and your family line.
End the isolation of feeling alone in your journey to create positive change with these helpful classes, coaching and small group connections.
Check out our ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles.

Personal History Tool Tip of the Week
JOURNALriffic– Use the journaling method—the 4 Steps of Discovery—in the ebook I authored.  It was written specifically for TODAY’s ChangeMakers like you. It will you how to put an end to negative thinking and destructive tendencies in yourself or your family line in order to enjoy more peace-of-mind and happiness.

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Note:  TODAY’s ChangeMakers™ are sincere, determined men and women who do not give up on creating positive change—in spite of obstacles.  If you haven’t already done so, I invite you to officially JOIN THE QUEST at Family Tree Quest.com.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising,” I am disclosing that I am the owner or a compensated affiliate of the hyperlinked companies, websites, ebooks, classes and membership circles mentioned in this post.

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Christmas Remembrance Prompts 19-24

Cultivate remembrance this Christmas with personal history prompts organized by Thomas MacEntee.  For many years, his online community of over 3,000 family history GeneaBloggers enjoyed using his Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which ended in Christmas 2015.  With special permission to post here, it is still possible for you to write your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during twenty-four days in December!

Here’s a few days of prompts for writing your personal holiday history:

December 19 – Christmas Shopping
How did your family handle Christmas Shopping? Did anyone finish early or did anyone start on Christmas Eve?

December 20 – Religious Services
Did your family attend religious services during the Christmas season? What were the customs and traditions involved?

December 21 – Christmas Music
What songs did your family listen to during Christmas? Did you ever go caroling? Did you have a favorite song?

December 22 – Christmas and Deceased Relatives
Did your family visit the cemetery at Christmas? How did your family honor deceased family members at Christmas?

December 23 – Christmas Sweetheart Memories
Do you have a special memory of a first Christmas present from a sweetheart? How did you spend your first Christmas together? Any Christmas engagements or weddings among your ancestors?

December 24 – Christmas Eve
How did you, your family or your ancestors spend Christmas Eve?

This is a great way to record part of your personal history.  You may want to use these prompts with your Personal Historian software, and you’ll be a step ahead in documenting your personal history and preserving it for your posterity. I also enjoy scanning pictures with my Flip-pal mobile scanner. and storing the pictures in collections with my Heritage Collector Suite software.  Since Christmas is coming, it would be a delight to find these items under your tree this year.

For family-centered gift-giving ideas, CLICK HERE.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Join me on my Facebook Page at Family Tree Gal.  Let’s stay connected!

******
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I do not receive a commission from Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers for writing these posts.However, I have taken great care to select many affiliates who I believe offer a great service to my web visitors. I am an affiliate of Amazon, Flip-pal Mobile Scanner and LifeStory Productions (Heritage Collector Suite.  I am also an affiliate of the companies found on my FamilyTreeQuest website where you will find family-centered gift giving ideas.  I make a small commission from sales made by clicking links in this post.  There is no extra charge to you.  This helps me to continue my work on the Internet. Thank you for using these links when making purchases.

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Christmas Remembrance Prompts 12-18

Cultivate remembrance this Christmas with personal history prompts organized by Thomas MacEntee.  For many years, his online community of over 3,000 family history GeneaBloggers enjoyed using his Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which ended in Christmas 2015.  With special permission to post here, it is still possible for you to write your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during twenty-four days in December!

Here’s a few days of prompts to help you write your personal holiday history:

December 12 – Charitable/Volunteer Work
Did your family ever volunteer with a charity such as a soup kitchen, homeless or battered women’s shelter during the holidays? Or perhaps were your ancestors involved with church groups that assisted others during the holiday?

December 13 – Holiday Travel
Did you or your ancestors travel anywhere for Christmas? How did you travel and who traveled with you? Do you remember any special trips?

December 14 – Fruitcake – Friend or Foe?
Did you like fruitcake? Did your family receive fruitcakes? Have you ever re-gifted fruitcake? Have you ever devised creative uses for fruitcake?

December 15 – The Holiday Happenings!
Often times December to mid-January birthdays and anniversaries get over shadowed by the Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year holidays. So we’re going to shine a spotlight on those family members and ancestors this time around. Select one or more December to mid-January birthdays and/or anniversaries on your family tree. Write a short tribute to or memory of those birthday guys and gals and write a toast to the anniversary couples.

December 16 – Christmas at School
What did you or your ancestors do to celebrate Christmas at school? Were you ever in a Christmas Pageant?

December 17 – Grab Bag
Author’s choice. Please post from a topic that helps you remember Christmases past!

December 18 – Christmas Stockings
Did you have one? Where did you hang it? What did you get in it? Do you have any Christmas stockings used by your ancestors?

This is a great way to record part of your personal history.  You may want to use these prompts with your Personal Historian software, and you’ll be a step ahead in documenting your personal history and preserving it for your posterity. I also enjoy scanning pictures with my Flip-pal mobile scanner. and storing the pictures in collections with my Heritage Collector Suite software.  Since Christmas is coming, it would be a delight to find these items under your tree this year.

For family-centered gift-giving ideas, CLICK HERE.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Join me on my Facebook Page at Family Tree Gal.  Let’s stay connected!

******
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I do not receive a commission from Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers for writing these posts.However, I have taken great care to select many affiliates who I believe offer a great service to my web visitors. I am an affiliate of Amazon, Flip-pal Mobile Scanner and LifeStory Productions (Heritage Collector Suite.  I am also an affiliate of the companies found on my FamilyTreeQuest website where you will find family-centered gift giving ideas.  I make a small commission from sales made by clicking links in this post.  There is no extra charge to you.  This helps me to continue my work on the Internet. Thank you for using these links when making purchases.

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Christmas Remembrance Prompts 9, 10, 11

Cultivate remembrance this Christmas with personal history prompts organized by Thomas MacEntee.  For many years, his online community of over 3,000 family history GeneaBloggers enjoyed using his Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which ended in Christmas 2015.  With special permission to post here, it is still possible for you to write your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during twenty-four days in December!

Here’s a few days of prompts for writing your personal holiday history:

December 9 – Grab Bag
Author’s choice. Please post from a topic that helps you remember Christmases past!

December 10 – Christmas Gifts
What were your favorite gifts, both to receive and to give? Are there specific gift-giving traditions among your family or ancestors?

December 11 – Other Traditions
Did your family or friends also celebrate other traditions during the holidays such as Hanukkah or Kwanzaa?  Did your immigrant ancestors have holiday traditions from their native country which they retained or perhaps abandoned?

This is a great way to record part of your personal history.  You may want to use these prompts with your Personal Historian software, and you’ll be a step ahead in documenting your personal history and preserving it for your posterity. I also enjoy scanning pictures with my Flip-pal mobile scanner. and storing the pictures in collections with my Heritage Collector Suite software.  Since Christmas is coming, it would be a delight to find these items under your tree this year.

For family-centered gift-giving ideas, CLICK HERE.

Join me on my Facebook Page at Family Tree Gal.  Let’s stay connected!

******
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I do not receive a commission from Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers for writing these posts.However, I have taken great care to select many affiliates who I believe offer a great service to my web visitors. I am an affiliate of Amazon, Flip-pal Mobile Scanner and LifeStory Productions (Heritage Collector Suite.  I am also an affiliate of the companies found on my FamilyTreeQuest website where you will find family-centered gift giving ideas.  I make a small commission from sales made by clicking links in this post.  There is no extra charge to you.  This helps me to continue my work on the Internet. Thank you for using these links when making purchases.

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Christmas Remembrance Prompt #8- Christmas Cookies

christmas-remembranceprompt-9

Cultivate remembrance this Christmas with personal history prompts organized by Thomas MacEntee.  For many years, his online community of over 3,000 family history GeneaBloggers enjoyed using his Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which ended in Christmas 2015.  With special permission to post here, it is still possible for you to write your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during twenty-four days in December!

Here’s TODAY’s prompt:

December 8 – Christmas Cookies
Did your family or ancestors make Christmas Cookies? How did you help? Did you have a favorite cookie?

This is a great way to record part of your personal history.  You may want to use these prompts with your Personal Historian software, and you’ll be a step ahead in documenting your personal history and preserving it for your posterity. I also enjoy scanning pictures with my Flip-pal mobile scanner. and storing the pictures in collections with my Heritage Collector Suite software.  Since Christmas is coming, it would be a delight to find these items under your tree this year.

For family-centered gift-giving ideas, CLICK HERE.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Join me on my Facebook Page at Family Tree Gal.  Let’s stay connected!

******
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I do not receive a commission from Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers for writing these posts.However, I have taken great care to select many affiliates who I believe offer a great service to my web visitors. I am an affiliate of Amazon, Flip-pal Mobile Scanner and LifeStory Productions (Heritage Collector Suite.  I am also an affiliate of the companies found on my FamilyTreeQuest website where you will find family-centered gift giving ideas.  I make a small commission from sales made by clicking links in this post.  There is no extra charge to you.  This helps me to continue my work on the Internet. Thank you for using these links when making purchases.

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Christmas Remembrance Prompt #7: Holiday Parties

christmas-remembranceprompt-10

Cultivate remembrance this Christmas with personal history prompts organized by Thomas MacEntee.  For many years, his online community of over 3,000 family history GeneaBloggers enjoyed using his Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which ended in Christmas 2015.  With special permission to post here, it is still possible for you to write your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during twenty-four days in December!

Here’s TODAY’s prompt:

December 7 – Holiday Parties
Did your family throw a holiday party each year? Do you remember attending any holiday parties?

This is a great way to record part of your personal history.  You may want to use these prompts with your Personal Historian software, and you’ll be a step ahead in documenting your personal history and preserving it for your posterity. I also enjoy scanning pictures with my Flip-pal mobile scanner. and storing the pictures in collections with my Heritage Collector Suite software.  Since Christmas is coming, it would be a delight to find these items under your tree this year.

For family-centered gift-giving ideas, CLICK HERE.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Join me on my Facebook Page at Family Tree Gal.  Let’s stay connected!

******
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I do not receive a commission from Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers for writing these posts.However, I have taken great care to select many affiliates who I believe offer a great service to my web visitors. I am an affiliate of Amazon, Flip-pal Mobile Scanner and LifeStory Productions (Heritage Collector Suite.  I am also an affiliate of the companies found on my FamilyTreeQuest website where you will find family-centered gift giving ideas.  I make a small commission from sales made by clicking links in this post.  There is no extra charge to you.  This helps me to continue my work on the Internet. Thank you for using these links when making purchases.

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Christmas Remembrance Prompt #6: Santa Claus

christmas-remembranceprompt-6

Cultivate remembrance this Christmas with personal history prompts organized by Thomas MacEntee.  For many years, his online community of over 3,000 family history GeneaBloggers enjoyed using his Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which ended in Christmas 2015.  With special permission to post here, it is still possible for you to write your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during twenty-four days in December!

Here’s TODAY’s prompt:

December 6 – Santa Claus
Did you ever send a letter to Santa? Did you ever visit Santa and “make a list?” Do you still believe in Santa Claus?

This is a great way to record part of your personal history.  You may want to use these prompts with your Personal Historian software, and you’ll be a step ahead in documenting your personal history and preserving it for your posterity. I also enjoy scanning pictures with my Flip-pal mobile scanner. and storing the pictures in collections with my Heritage Collector Suite software.  Since Christmas is coming, it would be a delight to find these items under your tree this year.

For family-centered gift-giving ideas, CLICK HERE.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Join me on my Facebook Page at Family Tree Gal.  Let’s stay connected!

******
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I do not receive a commission from Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers for writing these posts.However, I have taken great care to select many affiliates who I believe offer a great service to my web visitors. I am an affiliate of Amazon, Flip-pal Mobile Scanner and LifeStory Productions (Heritage Collector Suite.  I am also an affiliate of the companies found on my FamilyTreeQuest website where you will find family-centered gift giving ideas.  I make a small commission from sales made by clicking links in this post.  There is no extra charge to you.  This helps me to continue my work on the Internet. Thank you for using these links when making purchases.

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Christmas Remembrance Prompt #5: Outdoor Decorations

christmas-remembranceprompt-3
Cultivate remembrance this Christmas with personal history prompts organized by Thomas MacEntee.  For many years, his online community of over 3,000 family history GeneaBloggers enjoyed using his Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories which ended in Christmas 2015.  With special permission to post here, it is still possible for you to write your family’s holiday history twenty-four different ways during twenty-four days in December!

Here’s TODAY’s prompt:

December 5 – Outdoor Decorations
Did people in your neighborhood decorate with lights? Did some people really go “all out” when decorating? Any stories involving your ancestors and decorations?

This is a great way to record part of your personal history.  You may want to use these prompts with your Personal Historian software, and you’ll be a step ahead in documenting your personal history and preserving it for your posterity. I also enjoy scanning pictures with my Flip-pal mobile scanner. and storing the pictures in collections with my Heritage Collector Suite software.  Since Christmas is coming, it would be a delight to find these items under your tree this year.

For family-centered gift-giving ideas, CLICK HERE.

Join the Quest to create positive change in your family and family line.
Leave your name and email at FamilyTreeQuest.com

Join me on my Facebook Page at Family Tree Gal.  Let’s stay connected!

******
Disclosure of Material Connection: I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I do not receive a commission from Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers for writing these posts.However, I have taken great care to select many affiliates who I believe offer a great service to my web visitors. I am an affiliate of Amazon, Flip-pal Mobile Scanner and LifeStory Productions (Heritage Collector Suite.  I am also an affiliate of the companies found on my FamilyTreeQuest website where you will find family-centered gift giving ideas.  I make a small commission from sales made by clicking links in this post.  There is no extra charge to you.  This helps me to continue my work on the Internet. Thank you for using these links when making purchases.

 

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

We celebrate adoption!

2016, May 29- Grandma Carolyn and Otto

There are 4 generations of adoption in my family.  My mother is an adoptive mother, I am an adopted child, my youngest daughter is a birth mother (“Tummy mommy”), and her son, Otto, was placed for adoption with parents who are perfectly suited for him.

Today is Otto’s birthday, and we’re having a virtual birthday party!  Our family is spread out into many different states, so we hope to celebrate together through pictures and text.

Our family wishes OTTO a happy, happy birthday!

On this day, 2 years ago, Marissa was giving birth to OTTO who she then placed in the loving arms of his adoptive parents, Courtney and Matt, who continue to bless his life with happiness and joy.

When Marissa delivered Otto she was craving Chinese noodles (chow mein), and her oldest brother, hurried out to get some for her.  Panda Express was closing, and he insisted on coming in and then explained the situation. They were kind enough to provide fresh chow mein for my daughter who just had her very first baby.  So we’re celebrating by eating Chinese Noodles

We all have such good memories of sharing time together with Courtney and Matt in the hospital while Rissa and Otto there for their brief stay. We feel so blessed to still be part of Otto and Courtney and Matt’s life, and we wish OTTO a very, very happy 2nd birthday today. We send much enduring love to their family.

We love to hear stories about the blessings of adoption, and are so happy to share our ongoing story with others.

Click here to see Otto’s birth story (including the Chinese Noodle part) written by Otto’s adoptive mother.

2016, JUNE 2- OTTO's bday. me and Rissa

Below- 2014 after delivering Otto, noodles in hand.Rissa and Chinese noodlles (Chow Mein)

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.

Can positive memories help treat mental health problems?

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ReGENERATE and ReNEW YOU:

A study highlighting the effectiveness of using positive memories and images to help generate positive emotions has been published by researchers….

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160420083949.htm

Dr. Daniel Amen says it this way on Facebook:

A study highlighting the effectiveness of using positive memories and images to help generate positive emotions has been published by researchers. The work suggests that savouring positive memories can generate positive emotions. Increasing positive emotion can have a range of benefits including reducing attention to and experiences of threat.

I have learned that when coming out of traumatic experiences sometimes everything in the past seems to become tainted.  There is a desire not to look back anymore because it’s either too painful or too confusing.

There are some memories with people you’ve loved or trusted who have not breached that trust, or happy memories with loving others purely from your own heart, like children, that can nourish and strengthen TODAY’s ChangeMakers (you and me)  in very good ways.

INspired Action Step:  Be proactive in savoring at least one positive memory daily to GENERATE positive emotions. After all, we are focused on the generations.  To be a positive INfluence, we must ReGENERATE and ReNEW ourselves first.

Join my Mailing List by clicking here to receive information on our upcoming ReNEW YOU Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles.  Join with a group of like-minded people who are actively creating change from the INside out.  People, like you, who do not give up on creating positive change in spite of the odds.

I’d love to have you join me on Facebook, too.  See you there!

About Family Tree Gal, Carolyn Calton Carolyn Calton

Serving people who have hidden heartaches and unresolved personal struggles, Carolyn Calton is the founder of FamilyTreeQuest.com and HealingYourFamily.com. As a ReNEW YOU Self Worth and Relationship Revitalization educator and coach, Carolyn teaches individuals and families how to turn from heartache to happiness in themselves, their families and family lines by understanding how to live true to who they really are as TODAY’s ChangeMakers. Those who join her ReNEW YOU Classes and Joyful Breakthrough Membership Circles learn how to turn stress, anxious-thinking, anger and dysfunction to hope, direction, happiness and peace. She is a teacher and facilitator of principles that can set the hearts of men and women free from the pain and chains of guilt, toxic shame and the effects of oppression. Her students are then empowered to walk forward with courage and confidence as they fill their highest priorities with stability and full purpose of heart.