Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Barefoot and a Box
    Barefoot and a Box
    Barefoot and a Box
    Ebook72 pages1 hour

    Barefoot and a Box

    By Donna L Smith

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This book is about taking care of yourself and learning to appreciate the person you see in the mirror. It fills your mind with animated stories about life's journeys from different individual perspectives. It captures real life and lets you know that you are not alone.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherVorecept LLC
    Release dateMar 27, 2021
    ISBN9780578887265
    Barefoot and a Box

    Related to Barefoot and a Box

    Related ebooks

    Self-Improvement For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      A Sobering Tale

      Jun 30, 2019

      I STARTED DRINKING AT 13. I was a rebellious child, always up to no good, wagging school constantly to smoke weed in the park. When I was given the opportunity to model at 14, it was a blessing. The industry instilled in me a responsibility — it was

      5 min read

    • Article

      Kate Baer Poet Author Mother

      Jun 2, 2022

      Kate Baer Poet Author Mother
      6 min read

    • Article

      A Letter To My Loves

      May 1, 2019

      A Letter To My Loves
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Words That Stick

      Mar 14, 2023

      The Words That Stick
      9 min read

    • Article

      Mermaids And Me.

      Sep 27, 2019

      Mermaids And Me.
      9 min read

    • Article

      A Letter To My Son.

      Jun 3, 2021

      A Letter To My Son.
      7 min read

    • Article

      Come Together

      May 27, 2020

      Come Together
      6 min read

    • Article

      Aisling Bea

      Feb 6, 2024

      Being an adult is… Being constantly aware that death is simultaneously very close and very far away, so each day is a rush to slow down so that you can get enough energy from stillness to speed up and get going. What are you worried about currently?

      3 min read

    • Article

      Humane Nature

      Jul 20, 2021

      Humane Nature
      16 min read

    • Article

      Champions of Self-love

      Nov 22, 2022

      Champions of Self-love
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Word To THE WISE

      Jul 4, 2021

      A writer friend and I were having lunch – one of those long-overdue catchups. I mentioned that I write this piece here each week and she said, “Oh, yes, your advice column” and I choked a little on my tea. My life feels too much of a shambles for me

      2 min read

    • Article

      Pure Bliss

      Aug 17, 2022

      Pure Bliss
      3 min read

    • Article

      The Most Powerful Words

      May 28, 2021

      The Most Powerful Words
      6 min read

    • Article

      Angela Scanlon

      May 16, 2022

      Angela Scanlon
      5 min read

    • Article

      Letters to Mum

      Mar 24, 2021

      Dear Mum, There are still times when I go to call you. It seems inexplicable to me that you actually died. I used to wonder how it would feel, and after 16 years, I’m still not sure. The main thing I want to tell you is that I get it now. I understan

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Letter To My Son

      Mar 5, 2020

      A Letter To My Son
      7 min read

    • Article

      What Grandpa Taught Me

      May 27, 2022

      What Grandpa Taught Me
      4 min read

    • Article

      Message On a Mirror

      Nov 11, 2020

      Message On a Mirror
      3 min read

    • Article

      Brendan Jordan

      Aug 28, 2020

      Brendan Jordan
      7 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Barefoot and a Box

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Barefoot and a Box - Donna L Smith

      Chapter One

      Navigating Life

      No one has to boil the ocean.

      Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

      Imagine you are in a maze, and you are having difficulty figuring it out. You tend to take a few wrong turns, and you hit the wall repeatedly. Eventually, you find your way out through trial and error. Well, this is identical to life. We are given life and expected to navigate it without instructions. I’m here to help, not because I know everything but because I have experienced many of the same things. It always helps to connect with someone that can relate to your challenges in life. I would like to tell you a story about myself that may resonate amongst some of you.

      During my time as a young adult, I ran across many obstacles. I grew up in a middle-class family in California as the oldest of 4. My three younger brothers were somewhat demanding of my last nerve. They tested me every chance they could but could not defeat me. I took on my role as the eldest, which meant I was the example, the so-called leader and the enforcer. My mom was the best and still is the greatest mother who nurtured us and disciplined us equally. I saw myself as her backup because she was a working mother. My stepfather was the primary disciplinarian and guided us with a heavy hand, figuratively and literally.

      Every time my mom would have another child, I would cry because I had to deal with another boy in the family. I desperately wanted a sister. I got over it and did what I had to do as a big sister. Three times!! Three-times!!! I had to endure boys all around me. They tormented me with their killing power. I was just kidding. They did all the things little boys do, and it wasn’t something I enjoyed tolerating. I was a fighter from day one, learning to defend, protect and regulate, which taught me to have no fear. My heart was full of love for my brothers, but sometimes I was sad because I never got a sister. I had several cousins I grew close to, but most of my cousins were also boys. I am a better woman because of my brothers, and if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

      As a young girl, I couldn’t figure things out. I was continuously confused about life, which made me very emotional. I was extremely compassionate about everything. It was my way of expressing my feelings. My stepfather used to always ask me, Why are you crying. That would make me cry even more. I didn’t understand at all how the human brain works, as most of us don’t. I was unaware that a young person’s brain’s rational part doesn’t develop until around 25. It is called the prefrontal cortex. My prefrontal cortex was definitely on pause. I was unable to see the big picture of life, which was unknowingly expected.

      We don’t realize that most things will work themselves out when we are young, and you don’t have to know the answer to everything. We learn every day of our lives. I love the phrase I never lose, I either win, or I learn. I don’t know who said it, but it applies to everyday life. Once you realize that you don’t have to boil the ocean, it will be easier to relax and produce the energy to guide you through life.

      What helped me navigate through life were the mentors I was fortunate enough to have. My mentors were my older cousins, my 8th-grade teacher Mrs. Jones, my high school speech teacher Mrs. Melody and my second-grade teacher Mr. Carter. They all introduced me to things that made me want more out of life. Of course, my mother is my mentor, and to this day, she teaches me how to love and expect the differences in people and accept them. I never know how things will go in my life from day to day, but I just trust myself, stay in prayer, and put good energy into the Universe.

      Now that we are speaking about energy let me tell you this story about a friend who would always stop me every time I said something negative about life, myself, and general situations. She would always tell me that it will most certainly manifest itself into reality if you put it out into the universe. At the time, I thought she was a little too deep. As I became older, I realized that this is most certainly true. The more positive I started thinking, the more things in my life became more positive. I would say something like, this day is going to be terrible. She would then utter to me, If you say it will be, then it will be. I have carried that philosophy with me throughout my adult life and have never regretted it.

      In the midst of what is happening in our fragile world today, positive energy has become very important. We are all experiencing disappointment, grief, financial difficulties, and relationship issues, to name a few. We need each other more than ever now, and we cannot lose sight of that. If there is a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, touch base

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1