Check out the New Blog Here!

Click on "Bliss Habits" and let me know what you think!

Friday, March 5, 2010

Let that Moxie out and let it FLY!!!!

Moxie - The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage; vigor; verve; pep. [Moxie week starts here. Go to this post for this week's Bliss Initiatives.]


I am so excited! My new bloggy friend Jennifer, who goes by Jingle on her blog, Just Jingle, and IS so much Jingle that is unbelievably hard to think of her as anything but Jingle, has agreed to be my FIRST guest blogger. I've gotten permission to re-post other posts in the past, but this is the first time someone has written something specifically for Everyday Bliss and I think she has done a marvelous job, so with out further ado here is Jingle (click on the banner from her blog to go there!):



Moxie:  (n.)  Moxie is a carbonated beverage that was among the first mass-produced soft drinks  in the United States and continues to be regionally popular today.
(source:  Wikipedia - aka:  source of all somewhat reliable knowledge in the world.  Just say'n.)

Oh....wait.  For some odd reason, I'm thinking that just MAYBE this is not exactly what Kathy had in mind when she asked me to write about Moxie.  Well, those of you on the East Coast at least will recognize that this IS, indeed, the first thing that comes to the minds of many when considering the word Moxie, but alas, my dear friends, this is not the Moxie of which we will be pondering on this fine day.

So....moving on....

The following comes from TheFreeDictionary.com

mox·ie  (mks)

n. Slang
1. The ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.
2. Aggressive energy; initiative: "His prose has moxie, though it rushes and stumbles from a pent-up surge" (Patricia Hampl).
3. Skill; know-how.

[From Moxietrademark for a soft drink.]


HA!  It actually mentions the drink!  That makes me smile.

So...here's the thing.  Kathy kindly approached me and requested that I write a guest post about Moxie and what it means to me.  Well, of course I agreed because Kathy is pretty much just a sweetie, so how could I possibly refuse.

Then I panicked.

No.  For reals, folks.  Sheer and Utter Panic.

First of all, I have never written a guest post before so that was a bit intimidating in that wicked intimidating sort of way.  And second of all, she wanted me to write about MOXIE!!!  Of COURSE I had heard the word and of COURSE I knew what it meant.  Well, sort of.  Maybe.

Actually, come to think of it....I had little to know REAL background knowledge on this word.  Odd, wouldn't you say?  You would.  'Cause I'm pretty darn smart so for me to lack this knowledge was, well, quite frankly a bit embarrassing.  FORTUNATELY, the internet is full of dictionaries, so it wasn't too big of a problem.

I know Kathy has focused a lot on the first definition - facing difficulty with spirit and courage.  And yes, I guess I actually do that, but it's not really on purpose.  It's just sort of how it works for me.  When I run into a problem I handle it.  That's my first response.  I'm generally not a 'flight' kinda girl.  That doesn't mean, however, that I won't run around in a tizzy like a chicken with my head cut off worrying about things, mind you.  Nope.  I do that.  It can be amusing, actually.  BUT...I approach the problem for what it is, stare it down, and deal.  That simple.

However, I have to say that the second and third definitions both really caught my attention.  That happens to me a lot, actually.  I generally MUCH prefer a definition OTHER than the first one.  I mean REALLY!  An entire language and we use one word to mean so much.  And it doesn't even matter what that word IS...do you know that VERY few words in the English language have only a single definition?  Seriously, folks.  I wouldn't lie about something as serious as etymology.  I just wouldn't do it.  Just say'n.

So...the second definition:  Aggressive Energy; initiative

Yup.  LOVE.  THAT!

How often do you really allow yourself to exhibit AGGRESSIVE Energy!  I mean HUGE energy.  Not the kind of energy that you pull up to chase your kids in WalMart...no, not that kind.  I'm talking the kind that drives your passion.  I mean the kind that gets your MIND moving at rates that truly challenge you and push you and get you thinking analytically and creatively all at the same time and out of that comes such a fury of energy that your hands simply MUST move and there absolutely MUST be a result?

That kind of energy.

Guys...I kid you not.  That is some GOOD STUFF.

THAT, my friends, is Moxie.  For reals.

I am talking about a strong spirit.  A drive.  A force that is deep within your soul.

Have you experienced that?  I hope so.  I actually do a lot.  I am CHOCK FULL of Aggressive Energy!  Sometimes it gets overwhelming, actually.  My mind just moves and spins and churns until I have so many ideas, hopes, dreams, and plans that I can't even keep track of them all.

This is why I am an artist.  This is why I create.  I POUR that energy into my art.  I express it and I fulfill those dreams through each piece I create.  I know that I can't fly, but a doll that I create most certainly can...as soon as I attach those glorious wings!  Moxie is absorbed in all of my artwork.


BUT...you don't have to be an artist to express Moxie.  You know who had amazing amounts of it?  Amelia Earhart.  For reals, folks.  That woman was amazing!  She had such spunk!  (That's another one of those old words that we don't use much anymore, but we totally should because , quite frankly  it's just fun to say.  Go ahead....say it.  Do it again.  Again!  Heee-heeeeee!!!!  Are you having fun yet?  You are and you know it!)  Amelia poured her Moxie into being a woman and doing something about it!  She pursued her dreams and she entered the clouds with what I imagine would have been the biggest smile yet!

So, today I challenge you to live with Aggressive Energy.  Live OUT LOUD!  Let that Moxie out and let it FLY!!!!

***Thanks to Kathy for the opportunity to share with you today!***
--
Jennifer J Ingle

Thank you so much Jingle! I really appreciate you doing this AND love that you threw in a  couple of the "for reals" and "just say'n"s that I love so much. You are the BEST! And to you my dear readers, if you made it this far and haven't been over to visit Jingle hop to it now!



Next post: Moxie week comes to a close

My 13 bliss virtues: joy, order, creativity, passion, whimsy, serenity, inquiry, community, romance, gratitude, moxie, humility, surprise

13 comments:

  1. Jingle sure is smart!! I love her look on moxie, and Amelia Earhart is one of my favorite historical figures (one of my heroes actually!).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovin it!! Jingle is truly radiating spirit. Agressive Energy - Oh YEAH. It's energizing just thinking about it! (That and "spunk". Really, that was fun to say!)

    (Ooh, and Kathy: I didn't get to comment on your other post...while I totally understand the inner worries about losing followers, I for one thank you for being honest and sharing your true self. I think once we all start accepting our Selves - our individual self and our COLLECTIVE Selves - the world will be a much happier place!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great post! Jingle is the epitome of "spunk"! We need to bottle that up and make millions!

    ReplyDelete
  4. How wonderful! I love Jen's (aka Jingle) blog, so it was a treat to come over here and read what she had to say. And what a motivating post about moxie. Loved it. :) Theresa

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great post. Love saying "Spunk". It makes me giggle. Jingle's got it. Lots of it. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Couldn't have chosen a better person to explain "moxie". And now I know Jingle's real name is Jennifer.....but I'm still callin' her Jingle. Heehee!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. There couldn't be a more energized beginning to my day! Awesome post Jingle. For reals.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Jingle!!! And, I too, will always call Jennifer Jingle just cuz... :) Great post!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jingle's great! She always cheers me up reading her, and just by her writing you can tell she fizzes!
    Actually I never even heard the word moxie before you wrote it, I guess its another of those little cultural differences? But I seriously love what Jingle says about aggressive energy- right on!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Spunk..Spunk...Spunk...SPUNK...WOW..it just rolls off the tongue and makes ya have to smile. I started giggling because I could just see Jingle jumping around all SPUNKy like knowing that each of us did just as were told!!!! Great article!!

    Hugs,
    Regi

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great post by Jingle...she has a natural knack for writing :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Perfect timing. Did you know tomorrow (3/8) is Intl. Women's Day. Hurrah to Jingle and Amelia.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautifully said Jingle.
    I have a whole lot of Moxie, just need time to express it. LOL

    ReplyDelete

Thank you "very so much" (the construct I stole from my 3 year old!) for your comments! I reply to every comment. I will ALWAYS reply over here on the blog so if you haven't heard from directly please do check back here. If you become a Disqus member you will be automatically updated via email as well!

Start Building YOUR Empire Today!

Empire Building Kit

Legal Stuff

Bottom Line: Don't steal. Stealing isn't nice and it is also illegal.

© Kathy Sprinkle and Everyday Kathy, 2009-2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Everyday Kathy with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Ben Franklin's 13 Virtues

  • 1. TEMPERANCE - Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
  • 2. SILENCE - Speak not what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
  • 3. ORDER - Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
  • 4. RESOLUTION - Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
  • 5. FRUGALITY - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e. waste nothing.
  • 6. INDUSTRY - Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
  • 7. SINCERITY - Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and if you speak, speak accordingly.
  • 8. JUSTICE - Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
  • 9. MODERATION - Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
  • 10. CLEANLINESS - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths or habitation.
  • 11. TRANQUILITY - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
  • 12. CHASTITY - Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or to the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
  • 13. HUMILITY - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails