"A Positive Mini-Blog Post"

 

This is a view of Abingdon, Virginia from the porch of  The Martha Washington Inn & Spa.

 The picture above was taken a couple of years ago, a little later in the year than it is right now. Our leaves are just barely changing color as I write this.

Fall is on the way, though. It officially starts on Monday, September 22 this year.

It's best that we look for the good and the positive, although, at times, it may seem like an impossible task. 

Let this be a day of remembrance for all of those who have passed on, especially those whose whose lives have been cut short in senseless tragedies.

Here are some words that will hopefully inspire us to move on with our lives no matter what happens in our country, or comes our way-

~"You cannot help the world by focusing on negative things. As you focus on the negative events of the world, you not only add to them, but you bring more negative things into your own life at the same time." -Rhonda Byrne

~"You cannot harm another person with your negative thoughts. You can only harm you." -Rhonda Byrne

~"This is a spiritual battle that we are in...good versus evil...." -Julie Green 

For prayers and healing- www.jgminternational.org

~"Love and gratitude can part seas, move mountains, and create miracles." -Rhonda Byrne

Let's all hug, and be thankful for, our loved ones.

I'll have another special blog post later this month, (as well as my usual one next month, which will be around the first Saturday in October) with more positive thoughts and ideas, and some information about some projects that I'm working on that I'd like to share with you.

Here's one of those things that I'm still working on-my new book about Southern Appalachia- 

The following will not be in my new book, but it could have been-

This type of quilt was called a crazy quilt. 

This particular quilt was made during the winter by some of my ancestors. It was finished in 1897. The ladies that made this quilt were sisters, and they enjoyed "visiting with each other" as they worked. They made a quilt for each sister. They had the quilt on a frame, and they'd roll it up as they worked on it. 

There are several initials on the quilt, and one set of initials was for a relative who was a Confederate soldier.

Positive thought- "Your thoughts and your feelings create your life." -Lisa Nichols

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, October 4, 2025, Becky

"Upcoming Book Preview"

 

In this post, I'd like to share with you how far along I am with writing my upcoming book about life in the Southern Appalachians today, as well as in earlier times. I'm still working on it every day, and it should be ready to publish in a few short weeks.

I'd like to give you a brief preview of  a few chapters in my new book. This is exclusive information, all of which will not be in my book, but it is similar to what will be in there.

This could have been in my "Timeless Treasures" chapter-

It is a unique 120-year old ironing board that can be made into-

a seat when not in use.

These could have been in my "Quilts" chapter-

Here are two pretty, unique quilted Christmas balls.

And, finally, for those of you that like something kind of scary from time to time, there's my "Haunted Appalachia" chapter. There are several paranormal pictures in that chapter, but this one is not in there-

I only found this picture a few days ago when I was going through my hundreds of pictures to find ones that I could use in my book. Neither Greg nor I can remember exactly where this is, but we do know it is a small town in Virginia. I don't know why I even took this picture since it's of a really run-down street where there used to be businesses. 

As I studied the picture...

Close-up of Photograph

I noticed unmistakable ectoplasm in the upper front of the building at the end of the street. There is also a small amount of ectoplasm on the wires on the upper left side of the picture.

What caused the ectoplasm? We can only speculate. Most old buildings tend to have at least some spirit activity around them.

I'm talented in taking paranormal photographs, but I have no idea how to interpret them. I leave that to professional psychics.

By the way, author Mark Muncy said that he thought that the Appalachians were "one of the darkest places on the planet..."

A few of the other chapters in my book are entitled "Critters," "Appalachian Mountain Coal," and "Memorable Moments." And there is a lot more!

Until my book is published, you might want to check out my paranormal Amazon Kindle book, "Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind," and also my memoir, "Down Memory Lane," which is in both the paperback and Kindle versions. The setting for both of these books is mostly in the Southern Appalachians.

Happy reading!

Positive thought: "Make every day a celebration!" ~ Becky Arnott

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, September 6, 2025, Becky (At that time, I'll tell you about a special blog post, and the latest about my new book about Southern Appalachia.)

"The Importance of Being on a Positive, High Frequency Level"

 

This is a mini blog post for this month, but a very important one since I'd like to share with you some wonderful information about the importance of being on a positive, high frequency level.*

~"You are an electromagnetic being emitting a frequency. Only those things that are the same frequency as the one you are emitting can come into your experience. Every single person, event, and circumstance in your day is telling you what frequency you are on." -Rhonda Byrne

Rhonda then goes on to say that if your day is not going well, you need to change to a more positive frequency.

~"Being on a high frequency level"...(is) characterized by positive emotions, feelings of well-being...it's often associated with experiencing joy, love, peace, and gratitude...This state is believed to influence one's physical, emotional, and mental well-being, and can even impact how one interacts with the world." -Google AI Overview

Are your radiating positivity or negativity? What or who do you think you'll attract if you send out to the world negative vibrations, as opposed to positive ones?

Did you ever go somewhere and notice that everyone was being really nice to you and treating you as someone very special, and then you go there another day, and people acted indifferent or even rude? What's the difference? It might be that your vibrations were different those two days.

Did you know that your high vibration can positively influence those around you? We can help others while we are helping ourselves!

Here is a wonderful website that can help us get into a higher vibrational frequency which can help us to be more positive and to attract more positivity-  

www.yogkulam.org/blog/common-traits-of-high-vibration-people

~ Here's my personal affirmation that I say every day- "I'm on a high frequency level, and I only allow people into my life that are kind, respectful, and supportive."

*Disclaimer- This, blog post (or any other post) on this blog is not a substitute for professional help if you are having serious negative emotions or mental health issues. 

Today, I'd like to honor the memory of my wonderful mother, Jean, (Mama) whose birth date was on July 9.

Positive thought: "Vibrate so high that the toxic people in your life have no choice but to fall out of your frequency." -www.pinterest.com

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, August 1, 2025, Becky

"Some More Positive Ideas"

 

Nowadays, it's more important than ever to be positive.

We need to accentuate the positive in our lives, and eliminate the negative.

Here are some positive ideas to help with that-

~Watch positive messages instead of negative ones.

Julie Green, a modern-day prophet, has positive spiritual messages instead of negative ones. www.jgminternational.org

~Also, listening to positive music is very important. What messages are these songs giving us? Also, the frequency of the music is important. Most music is not the right frequency these days. The best songs are on the Hertz frequencies. Several musical artists like the Beatles, Michel Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mozart, Pink Floyd, as well as many others performed songs that were mostly on the Hertz frequencies. No wonder their songs were so popular and harmonious. 

The German handpan expert and teacher Malte Marten on YouTube plays handpans that are tuned to the various Hertz frequencies. One of his YouTube videos is entitled "Positivity Meditation."

The Hertz frequencies are supposed to be healing both physically and emotionally. They can even make you feel more positive! 528 Hz is especially healing since it's supposed to lower your cortisol levels, as well as doing other positive things.

~Reading books that promote positivity by authors such as Rhonda Byrne, Norman Vincent Peale, Carol Tuttle, and Joel Osteen can be very helpful.

~Also, getting out and traveling to different places can be fun and relaxing, and can put you into a positive frame of mind. You don't have to go very far to have a wonderful travel experience. Greg and I enjoy going on day trips, places that are not far from where we live.

We recently went on one of those trips, to Blowing Rock, North Carolina, which is one of the best-kept secrets as a travel destination. The town of Blowing Rock is very attractive-

with great places to enjoy a tasty meal, and to shop for local crafts, etc.

The Blowing Rock itself is a wonderful experience. The view from the rock is really beautiful, and so is the landscaping near the rock, complete with goldfish and turtles.

You can get a snack there, (We had delicious ice cream!) and visit their gift shop, complete with a couple of pretty resident cats. The people at Blowing Rock are very friendly and helpful. This was one of our best trips ever. You might want to visit there yourself, and/or go to another place near where you live. We think day trips are the best!

~Finally, another positive idea is to celebrate!

A couple of our family members have an adorable dog named Lucy Elizabeth, and they recently celebrated her first birthday, complete with a doggie cake-

Today, Saturday, June 14, 2025 is a special day, and many are celebrating this historic day.

Yesterday, Friday, June 13, was also a wonderful day. It's all in how we look at things. Look for the good, and we can find it. There are things to celebrate each and every day if we eliminate the negative, and look at everything in a positive light.

"...today is a gift. That's why they call it the present." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

In July, I'll have a very special blog post featuring my new book about Southern Appalachia, as well as other things. Please stay tuned!

Positive thought- "Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place." -Unknown 

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, July 5-Tuesday July 8, 2025, Becky

 

"Having a Positive Outlook During Challenging Times"

 

These are challenging times in which we live, but we can still have a positive outlook so we can help ourselves as well as others. 

Here are some wonderful, positive ideas from some talented people and from other sources that I found with my research to help us with this-

~How to turn your life around-

"Intend that you're going to feel good today and tomorrow. Visualize yourself feeling good. And whenever you think of it, remind yourself to feel good now." -Rhonda Byrne, author of "The Secret," as well as other helpful, life-changing books

~Dr. Laura Koniver promotes greenspaces to help your body and brain- "A small park with a bench or a walking path, or possibly a community garden...is enough to significantly improve your well being." She also says that you can just look out the window at greenery or get a potted plant to "improve your health." She also highly recommends grounding. For more information, her website is www.intuitionphysician.com .

~"To help yourself during challenging times, sleep more than usual, be in nature as often as possible, spend restorative time in solitude, and stay hydrated." ~From www.matthewbooks.com

~"My mission with Dressing Your Truth is to help you not only look good but to feel good and inspire others along the way." ~Carol Tuttle  www.liveyourtruth.com

~For hope and encouragement- "Your are in the greatest time to be alive." -jgminternational.org

~For feel-good, Hertz-based music, check out talented Malte Marten's wonderful handpan music on YouTube. I especially like Malte Marten's Pulse of Presence (999HZ). Very uplifting!

~"Music is the universal language of mankind." -Henry Wordsworth Longfellow

~"To maintain a positive outlook during difficult times,...practice gratitude, surround yourself with positive people, and engage in activities that bring you joy." -From Google AI Overview

~Pet Feature-

Kit-Cat

"What greater gift than the love of a cat?" -Charles Dickens

Positive thought: "Make each day your masterpiece." -John Wooden

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, June 7, 2025, Becky

 

"A Simply Positive Life!"

 

It's really not that hard to be a positive person when you know some simple tried-and-true ideas that can help us on the road to positivity.

Here is a random list of some of the things that I've learned along the way that have helped me become more positive-

~This is a good one that is especially good in today's world- Make it a habit to read, watch, and listen to positive things rather than negative ones.

You might even want to try this experiment: For a couple of hours, just listen to, watch, and read only negative things, and notice how you feel. Then, for two more hours, listen to, watch, and read only positive things, and see how you feel after that. Did you notice any difference? At the end of each of the two hours, write down how you felt. Which of the two-hour periods do you prefer?

~"...fill your life with good thoughts (thoughts of what you want), along with good feelings, because then you will have total control of the outside world."- Rhonda Byrne

~Read good books by Rhonda Byrne, Norman Vincent Peale, and others. An Internet search for books about being positive will result in many good books about being positive for children, as well as for adults.

~We need to work on being healthier, like getting plenty of sleep, eating good, nutritious food, taking deep breaths, etc. I often like to search the Internet for good health ideas. When we're healthier, we generally tend to feel happier and more positive.

~It's important to be kind to others; what we put out there comes back to us!

~Adopt a pet, whether it's a dog, a cat, or a goldfish, etc., since it can make a positive difference in their lives, as well as ours. A psychic once told me that our cats Kallie and Mitzi were so happy and thankful that we adopted them together.

Pets can be wonderful companions.

~We need to practice being spiritual, which can mean that we are religious, and/or we do meditation, or that we enjoy being out in nature, or we ;might do some type of art, etc. in a mindful way. Doing these things can help us to feel more positive.

~Connect with nature often, whether it's going out into the yard, or going to a park or the beach, or just looking out the window, or looking at pictures of landscapes, etc.

~Celebrate! There are plenty of holidays and other special occasions like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, births, etc. to enjoy.

Kallie, celebrating! Let's make every day a celebration!

I've mentioned a few ideas to help us get and stay on track in our journey for a simply positive life. 

What other positive ideas do you have?

Wishing you a positive, happy life, and...

~Positive thought: "Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day." -Dalai Lama

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, May 3, 2025, Becky

  

 

"Positively Inspired!"

 

Spring is right around the corner (March 20)! Happy! Happy!

Spring represents new beginnings, a rebirth. It's the time when the pretty flowers and leaves come out again in all of their splendor. Do you know that we can let spring inspire us to change for the better?

However, we don't have to wait for spring or New Year's Day or any other special day for beginning anew. We can begin right now to make our lives better, the way we want our lives to be.

~"Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath, smile, and start again." -Tamara Kulish

Here are some ideas that might positively inspire you as they did me on my life's journey, and I hope they help you, as well-

~I recently saw and bought a used bargain coloring book. I have this book in a drawer that I open daily, and I feel inspired when I see the charming drawings that were skillfully colored with felt-tipped pens, and I read the inspiring quotes that accompany the pictures. 

Here are some of the quotes: 

-"Life is wonderful, and so are you!" -"Dreams do come true!" -"The best is yet to come."

Positive messages like these are very important, especially in today's world where we are often bombarded with so much negativity.

~"Leave the past and any difficulty where it belongs-behind you. Instead, take a deep breath of fresh air in this moment-and focus on your ideal life. Your power to create your life the way you want is now." ~Rhonda Byrne

Rhonda Byrne is one of my favorite authors. She has written several inspirational books, including "The Secret," "The Magic," and "The Power," as well as several others. "The Secret" movie is terrific.

More inspirational books are the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series of books. They were written by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hanson.

One of these books featured a man named John Goddard, who, at the age of 15, made a list of 127 goals he wanted to accomplish in his life. A few of his goals included visiting The Leaning Tower of  Pisa, becoming an Eagle Scout, typing 50 words a minute, and reading the "Bible" from cover to cover. At the time of the publication of the book, he had accomplished 108 of his goals, which is really remarkable.

This shows what we can do if we really want to.

We may not want to have the time, energy, or inclination to set and achieve so many goals as this man did, but, at the same time, it's good to set goals for ourselves, to accomplish something worthwhile, and to not get stuck in a rut. After all, life should be an inspirational adventure!

Animal Feature-

Kit-Cat

Hope you're inspired to adopt a pet. Bet you'd be glad you did, and so will your pet!

Happy spring!

Positive thought: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, April 5, 2025, Becky