by byrdology5 Comments on

The Ultimate Makeover: From the Inside Out

It happens every new year. I get the urge to do “better.” I’m going to lose weight, quit wearing yoga pants, put makeup on everyday and be one of those “put together” people. You know who I’m talking about. The people who you run into at the grocery store who look better than you do when you go to church!! Ok , maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but there’s always someone who can make you feel a little less than.

2018 was my year of doing better cosmetically. I created a capsule wardrobe, took better care of my skin and put make up on…well more days than not anyway. I began a more scheduled existence and worked to become less willy nilly day to day.

It’s a process . I’m still working on my self care. More on that later!

Still something was missing. There was this feeling of dissatisfaction with myself. I wasn’t sure why. I am a good person. I don’t lie, cheat or steal! But then I began to ponder this question…If not lying, cheating or stealing is my benchmark for being virtuous how far along am I really ? THIS was when I decided I can go deeper. How do I become the best me?

And this is what I hope you will explore along with me. I have some ideas! I hope you have some to share with me! I read something long ago that meditation on prayers, scriptures, ancient writings and quotes that can help us go deeper. I went first to my favorite quote :

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. ”

Soren Kierkegaard

It’s so true. To truly know myself and understand the way I’ve become what I’ve become I have to look back. Not it a morbid, self judgement exercise of self loathing or self aggrandizement but to just know where my paths tend to wander. Complete objectivity is a useless pursuit when it comes to self, but I think it’s possible to check mark solid accomplishments and past mistakes when time and patience are applied liberally.

So what about you? Take a look back. Meditate on your accomplishments. Give yourself an attagirl (or boy) and remember you are smart, you are capable, but best of all you are good! Maybe losses and mistakes have been strewn along the path but you managed them, overcame them, and pressed on. If you are in the middle of something challenging think about what you have overcome in your past. You can do this thing, whatever it is!! You are good!


Welcome to My World

by byrdology4 Comments on Welcome to My World

Welcome to my world. The world of Byrdology. Let me introduce myself.

My name is Debbie Byrd and I am so happy you have stumbled into my little corner of the internet. I look forward to getting to know you and hope that you will stick around and get to know me. We are going to explore together how to make our lives richer, simpler and more meaningful and beautiful! I am passionate about planning, decorating and making home a sanctuary from the kinda crazy outside world.

What is Byrdology? Its my approach to life, love, family and lifestyle. It is my understanding of the things of the past and how they have shaped my life and future and how to move beyond all the ways life is holding you back.

My life has been a river of clear and muddy waters that have left me older, wiser, grateful and longing for being the best person I can be. Most of us long to become and enjoy the best version of ourselves and writing clarifies for me what thoughts, behaviors and people will help me achieve that goal. Life has a way of slowing us down, distracting our pursuits and finding ourselves leaving the dreams of life and our own thoughts laying by the side of the busy road we are traveling. I want to help you slow down and think deeper and live simpler but richer.

Writing is a way of sharing with others, ( and validating for myself) all the thoughts and feelings that ramble around inside my head and need an escape to be seen clearly and understood. Sometimes you just can’t sort out feelings and ideas until they are written down to be contemplated and analyzed.

I write because I know that there are so many others that face the same challenges I do and it encourages all of us to know we are not alone with our feelings and longings. So many times I have thought I was the “only one” that felt the way I was feeling only to find out that it was simply not true.

BUT….the biggest reason I write and want to write is that I know there are others who feel they are unforgiven or worse, unforgivable. This is such a lie from hell. We are all forgivable and if we don’t realize that and can’t even ask for forgiveness or believe our life can be better, hopeful, fulfilled we are lost. Losing hope in God and our lives is the greatest loss we can experience because with it we lose ourselves.

How CAN we become the best version of ourselves if we have lost faith in our best cheerleader? Our most ardent lover? Our biggest fan? There are so many hurting and lost people in our world, community, neighborhood and in our own homes who need encouragement and acceptance wherever they are in their lives!! I want to reach out to others and offer that encouragement and hope to the marginal, the silently suffering, the lost who don’t really know what to do to crawl out of the black hole their souls have fallen into. This is my purpose. This is my passion. This is what God is calling me to with my blog and however else He may choose to use me.

Come along with me….lets see where we can go together.


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