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	<title>WIRL Project &#187; Life</title>
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	<link>http://www.wirlproject.com</link>
	<description>What It&#039;s Really Like.</description>
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		<title>What It&#8217;s Really Like &#8211; The Story Behind WIRL Project</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-the-story-behind-wirl-project/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-the-story-behind-wirl-project/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2015 07:30:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work/Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Assuring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Billion Dollars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CORE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Famous Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heart]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Instagram]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[More]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Selfies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Share]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Struggle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T.v. Williams]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Teaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What It's Really Like]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Project]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7969</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I had the privilege of being invited by T.v. Williams to be on his Famous Podcast a few weeks ago. I recently shared Part 1 of the show featuring a few stories about me and my personal life. Today I&#8217;m talking more about my professional life and how I was inspired to create the WIRL Project platform. In this particular portion of the show (Part 2) I am talking about: My son Mason (a quick blurb) My career as a teacher and how I always felt compelled to do something &#8220;more&#8221;.  How my Father pushed me to follow my heart, even in his last days How I ever got started blogging in the first place How T.v. called WIRL Project the next &#8220;Billion Dollar Company&#8221;! (Hint: He compared it to Instagram!)  Why I believe that people are all alike at our core How you can get involved and start sharing your stories on the WIRL Project platform &#160; As I said with Part 1, was very honest and real in this podcast and I&#8217;m looking forward to sharing the other parts with you in the future. I love the idea of podcasting because not everyone has time to sit down and read everyday, plus you get to actually see the show in action! I also love podcasts because they&#8217;re something you can play on your phone while you are driving or cleaning your kitchen or while you have a few minutes to sit on the couch and relax. The video link is below, let me know what you think! &#160; &#160; Thanks for watching and thank you T.v. for having me on the Famous Podcast! &#160; &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>This I Believe</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/this-i-believe/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/this-i-believe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2015 18:00:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Kassidy Everard]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Believe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cancer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Die]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Words]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7188</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;I believe that taking your last breath does not mean you are dead. I believe that you die twice; once when you take your last breath, and again when someone whispers your name for the last time.&#8221; &#8211; Banksy When I was 9 years old, my aunt died of cancer. I remember getting the call from my father telling me that she had passed in the night with him by her side. He watched her pass, he watched her take her last breath, and he heard her last words. &#8220;She was turning purple, getting pale in the face, she was dying,&#8221; My dad said. My father had lost his sister that day and I had lost an amazing aunt. I remember visiting her like it was yesterday. She loved to talk. She loved her husband, and she loved her kids. But two years after she died, her husband got cancer. My uncle went blind, he got sicker and sicker. He left a granddaughter behind, two daughters, and three sons. But Aunt Tina did not know. She did not know that her husband would soon be gone, too. Through her chemotherapy there were times when she wished she would die. Her hair was all gone, she lost more than half her original body weight, her cheeks were so sunken in to her face that it looked like she hadn&#8217;t eaten for weeks, and she could hardly walk. Recognizing people close to her even became a struggle. Sadly, sometimes I wished she would go, just so she wouldn&#8217;t feel the pain anymore. Even though it had been a year since I had seen her last, I knew she couldn&#8217;t have looked any better. I knew she was worse, and that the pain was killing her more than the cancer was. I wanted her better, but I knew she wouldn&#8217;t be. After all, it would have been selfish of me to force her through more treatment. I did not go to her funeral. I did not see her die. I wasn&#8217;t allowed to go. My father told me that I wouldn&#8217;t have wanted to go, that I wouldn&#8217;t have wanted to see a dead person. Instead I cried, like anyone would with such a loss. I was nine, and even though I was still a child, I understood. I knew where she had gone. She is where we all end up some day. Maybe that place is called heaven, maybe it isn&#8217;t. But she is in a better place now, where all the pain is gone. She is where we all end up someday. She is also in my heart. She is where she belongs; everywhere and nowhere at once. Aunt Tina is not dead. Uncle Tink is not dead. They are both soft whispers in the mouths of many. Their names have not been said for the last time. They are not dead. This I believe. This I will always believe.]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>An Old Man in a Music Video Once Said&#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/an-old-man-in-a-music-video-once-said/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/an-old-man-in-a-music-video-once-said/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2015 18:00:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Kassidy Everard]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Craig Morgan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deep]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Died]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[happiness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Loss]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Memories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Old Man]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[respect]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[This Ain't Nothing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trust]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twister]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Value]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vietnam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wife]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7101</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This afternoon I was listening to music on YouTube for the first time in a while. I usually have my music on my phone, that way I can listen to it on the go. I didn&#8217;t realize how much I missed watching videos on YouTube until I stumbled across Craig Morgan&#8217;s &#8220;This Ain&#8217;t Nothing&#8221; music video. I remember listening to this song when I was younger when it came on the radio. I don&#8217;t even think I liked it when I was that young, because I didn&#8217;t put the deeper meaning with it. In fact, I didn&#8217;t truly put the deeper meaning in it until last year, the most recent time I heard it before today. I feel like Craig Morgan has a lot going for him. He is a respectable person, he is a talented musician, and he manages to stay away from the drama of what seems to be the life of being famous. Not only that, but he is also a pretty good-looking man. With that being said, I think we can all agree than I&#8217;ve made you wait long enough to see what old man I am talking about. In the music video, Craig sings about a reporter who interviews an elderly man after a twister passes through Birmingham where he lives. The twister destroyed his home and everything in it. The reporter asks the man: Tell the folks please mister, what are you gonna do, now that this twister has taken all that&#8217;s dear to you? But the reporter got an answer that he never expected&#8230; The old man just smiled and said, Boy let me tell you something, this ain&#8217;t nothing&#8230; This old man, you know, seems pretty tough. He didn&#8217;t cry like the audience would have thought. He didn&#8217;t ignore the question like some would have thought. He just answered honestly, in his purest form. Most of us would cry, knowing that we just lost everything we have ever worked for. Knowing that every single penny we put into building a foundation is now gone. But some people always decide to see the good in every single situation that is horrific. The old man explains why he thinks that the twister that hit his house is nothing. He said: I lost my daddy, when I was eight years old, That cave-in at the Kincaid mine left a big old hole, And I lost my baby brother, my best friend and my left hand In a no win situation in a place called Vietnam And last year I watched my loving wife, of fifty years waste away and die And I held her hand til her heart of gold stopped pumping, So this ain&#8217;t nothing. This old man lost just about everything he had. His wife, his brother, his dad, his left hand, and his best friend. Little do we realize that when we lose even one person in our life we think that it is the end of the world. Losing anyone, no matter what way, has a toll on our minds forever. This old man stuck through everything and kept going. Even the hardest things to deal with didn&#8217;t keep him from living his life even if there wasn&#8217;t much of it left to live or wasn&#8217;t anyone else to live for. But why would you need someone to live for? Why did living for yourself and your own benefit become almost unrealistic? Toward the end of the song is when I started to tear up. Not because I realized what was said in the beginning of the song, but because I realized how much truth was in the words that this man was saying. This man was on his own because everyone he had in his life had died. As did his wife, just the year before. When he looked down on the ground, He reached down in the rubble and picked up a photograph Wiped the dirt off of it with the hand that he still had He put it to his lips and said man she was something But this ain&#8217;t nothing This man, he knew. He knew what it was like to want for something that he couldn&#8217;t have. He knew how it was to have a love that money couldn&#8217;t buy. This man saw the difference between something that truly mattered and something that really didn&#8217;t. The old man&#8217;s last words in the song are what truly got to me. He said, This ain&#8217;t nothin&#8217; time won&#8217;t erase And this ain&#8217;t nothin&#8217; money can&#8217;t replace Money. We all think money is what runs the world. As that is true, there are many things that money cannot buy &#8211; here are a few&#8230; 1. Love 2. Happiness 3. Respect 4. Trust 5. Value 6. Memories 7. Life So that should leave you with the thought, &#8220;Well, what can money buy?&#8221; Money can buy almost everything that isn&#8217;t a necessary tool for healthy relationships or a healthy life. This man knows what the genuine value of something is. He knows that it will just take money to bring back his house, but that no amount of money in the world will bring back his wife or his brother or his father and his best friend. Money never brought this man happiness. And little by little his happiness was taken away from him throughout life. Not by things money could buy, but by things it couldn&#8217;t. It is sad to believe that we rely on money to control any part of our happiness. How about we try to think like this man for a day in our lives. Oh, what difference it would make! &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Should Coulda Woulda</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/should-coulda-woulda/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/should-coulda-woulda/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2015 08:30:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Anne Bardsley]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AIDS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Die]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Friend]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Friendship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heaven]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Journey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pray]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sign]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spirit]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=7123</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“Dr. Mort, report to emergency. Dr. Mort, report to emergency STAT.” The operator’s nasal voice roared in my head as the odor of disinfectants crawled up my nostrils. It was suffocating. The “Bing” of the elevator was a welcome relief from the chaos in the hall and in my mind. One by one, floor by floor, they crammed me further into to the back. An intern with huge, dark circles under his eyes, played with his stethoscope to avoid my eyes. No words were meant to be spoken in this sterile place. The arrow pointed up to heaven, as we approached the fifteenth floor, yet my heart knew we were headed toward hell. I adjusted my sunglasses to shield my eyes and especially my heart. The heavy metal doors screeched open. My wobbly knee headed toward room 1512. The bright linoleum corridor ran the length of a football field.  At the twenty yard line, I passed a young man gripping his side rails of his bed. An older woman spoon fed him as tears streamed down her face. At the forty yard line, a man stared into space, hooked up to bottles that drip..drip…dripped life into his veins. His dark, glazed eyes stared past me. At the sixty yard line my heart sympathized with a running back. I couldn’t catch my breath. My clammy fingers reached for the already damp tissues in my pocket. I closed my eyes refusing to believe that my friend Tom’s room was approaching at the eighty yard line. There would be no touchdown today. I’d blocked out the four letters, AIDS. I prayed this was just a nightmare. Any minute I’d wake up and my friend would be his old self. Surely the blood test was mistaken. The doctors were wrong! Even now as the wall supported me, my heart tried to follow this path of denial. I pushed my sunglasses back into place and blinked my eyes toward the ceiling to keep the tears at bay. I met Tom five years prior to him getting sick. He was a business associate and we quickly became friends. My husband and I were very fond of him. I used to joke that if I could pick a brother, I would pick him. He would make a perfect uncle for our kids. His job as a sales rep was to convince us to sell more products. He did so by complaining that if we didn’t increase our sales, he’d be forced to replace his blazing red BMW with an olive green, used truck for his sales calls.  He would grimace and tug on the collar of his Polo shirt looking like a forlorn kid. “Come on, Anne. Please, I can’t drive a truck” he stuttered, like truck was a dirty word. My husband, Scott, suggested he get mag wheels. “You’d be great driving a nice truck.” Tom broke into one of his award winning laughs.  He was twenty- five then. He had it all: charm, a great sense of humor, self- confidence. He was tall with sun bleached streaks in his brown hair, tan and had the world in his hands. &#160; As I reached room 1512, I lifted my sunglasses, but closed my eyes and prayed. “Dear God, don’t let this be true.” Gently I pushed the door open. His eyes were so sunken that his eyebrows looked like caterpillars. He was sound asleep. His once trim body was a bag of bones. Little sticks poked out of the covers making his feet look gigantic in comparison. A thunder storm raged in my chest. I gulped for air. He opened his eyes and smiled. “Hey stranger,” he said softly as we hugged hello. And then the damn burst without warning. Tears rolled down my face. “It’s alright,” he lied to me, patting my back.  His backbones felt so fragile, I was afraid I’d squeeze him to death. “You’re my only visitor,” he said quietly. His family lived states away. His eyes, once full of spark, were dull and tired as he stared out the window. “I’m going home to my parent’s house. My mom is going to keep my dog. He’ll have a good home. But who will drive my beamer?” he grinned. He gulped when he asked, “Who will watch over my mom after I’m gone? I’m her favorite.” My heart was so heavy that he would be leaving this world so soon. I told him, “Tom, if I could ever choose a brother, I would pick you. I can’t imagine a better brother for me.” He laughed. Already I was missing my “pick a brother” choice. Hours later, we hugged farewell and we vowed to keep in touch. I promised to write him funny letters to cheer him up. Emotions and words were circling in my head. My heart was breaking. I wanted to ask him to send me a sign that he’d made it to heaven. Just the thought brought a sting to my eyes and the firing range blasted my heart. “No tears, No tears,” he insisted, raising his skinny arms in protest. His haggard face turned toward away to avoid my eyes.  He rubbed his chin nervously. Without tears, I couldn’t say, “I’m going to miss you. You are a kindred spirit and I’m glad our paths crossed. I wish you a sweet and painless journey. I hope the angels escort you on gentle wing, so swift that it feels smoother than a ride in your BMW&#8230;Only the best for you!” The words lodged in my throat. I wanted to tell him. I really did, but I put on my darkest shades and walked out the door.]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Selflessly Saying YES to Self-Care!</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/selflessly-saying-yes-to-self-care/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/selflessly-saying-yes-to-self-care/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:00:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alisha Askew]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chaos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Comfort]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Enabling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[love]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[moms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mother]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rejuvenate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Self Care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Selflessly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stress]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6825</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Self-care, self-care, self-care AHHHHHHhhhhh! What is all of this self-care talk about!?! As mothers, even though our schedules seems to get tied up somehow some way, studies show that when you allow time for “self”, life will become more rewarding and less stressful despite the chaos. I want to warn you, self-care IS NOT based solely on indulging in the “short term feel good activities” such as comfort foods, TV, pedicures, or shopping sprees. Although these are all great and fun activities, an excess of these can actually elevate one’s stress level, doing more harm than good! Also…recognize that self-care is not selfish. First of all understand that practicing self-care is preventative and it is anything but selfish. Secondly, the amount of self-care that you allow yourself reciprocates from the amount of self-love that you have for yourself. It becomes a revolving door when we do not learn to love ourselves completely or value who we are and own our worth. At that point we become the victim and feel as if life, motherhood, our careers, or marriage is restricting and limiting the time that we are able to take for ourselves. And as a result… our life seems to move farther and farther away from being vibrant, passionate, and what we truly desire. Self-care, in a nut shell, refers to being consciously mindful of your daily life and taking personal responsibility for your complete wellbeing; your physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health. Breaking it down a little deeper, my definition of S.E.L.F C.A.R.E is: Selflessly Enabling Love For Comforting And Rejuvenating Energy So let’s examine S.E.L.F C.A.R.E a little closer so that you can boldly make it a non-negotiable: Selflessly - Since we know that self-care is a preventative action to better enhance our health and wellbeing, not only for ourselves but for the people around us, we need to set the feelings of guilt, worry, and abandonment free! Be empowered that you unselfishly LOVE yourself, and you are selflessly taking care of self so that you can continue to give to those around you. Enabling - YES! You are giving yourself permission that “ME TIME” is a priority because you understand that YOU are significant and that you add value to the world around you. Say YES to yourself every day! Make YES a natural way of living and loving life. Love - You love yourself right? But how much do you love yourself? How deep in your heart does your love reach? Self-care is an act of love. When you connect with yourself through self-care engagements that enrich your mind, body or soul you are deepening the LOVE, the bond, the relationship, the trust, affection, and awareness that you have with yourself. You should have a best friend relationship with yourself, not a love-hate, frenemy relationship. When you boldly choose to make self-care a non-negotiable, you are not only saying YES to yourself but you are also saying, “I love ME”! And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! You should have a best friend relationship with yourself, not a love-hate, frenemy relationship. For - With the object or purpose of; Showing love to yourself for comfort and rejuvenation. Comforting - At the end of the day, after we have exerted all of our energy in different spaces, places and people, we are too tired to even think about using any energy on ourselves; if we even have any left! That is why self-care is preventative and should be prioritized in your daily schedule. So instead of feeling empty by the end of the day, we have already took conscious actions to comfort and nurture ourselves which boosts our emotional and mental wellbeing, keeping us calm, cool and collective throughout the day. And - A part of speech that connects two words or phrases; Comforting and Rejuvenating Rejuvenating - Not only does self-care comforts us, giving us a more carefree energy to fuel ourselves, but it also rejuvenates us; energizes and radiates our natural charisma. This is where our glow, ambiance, our “secret sauce” attracts people to us. Energy - How do you want people to remember YOU today? Your energy can either affect or infect not only yourself but your peers, family, friends, dog, etc. Self-care sets the tone for an increased and positive energy. When you love yourself, are mindful of your value and worth, you are less vulnerable and susceptible letting “life and all of its curve balls” get to you. Do not show up in the world as the malnourished, empty, and exhausted you, instead, show up FULLY as the glowing, wholehearted, and refreshed YOU! Do not show up in the world as the malnourished, empty, and exhausted you, instead, show up FULLY as the glowing, wholehearted, and refreshed YOU! When you combine S.E.L.F C.A.R.E all together it reads: Unselfishly giving permission to show love to yourself with the purpose of boosting and energizing your wellbeing so that you can be your naturally vibrant self. Your body is a temple and no matter how strong you are, we are delicate flowers that require consistent nurturing, tender love, and care. Deepen the love that you have for yourself and make self-care a non-negotiable so that you can begin living that vibrant and passionate life that you desire and deserve! What does self-care mean to you? How do you “care” for yourself? I would love to hear the self-care activities that release a comforting and rejuvenating energy to boost your wellbeing! Please share in the comments below! &#160; &#160; &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What it&#8217;s like being a blogger</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-like-being-a-blogger/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-like-being-a-blogger/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2015 15:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Renee Guerrero]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology/Web]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Persistance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sharing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Write]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6423</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi there! I am Renee, hailing from New York, 28 years old, engaged to the best guy ever. I’ve been blogging for about two years now, at first it was for weight loss accountability, but I found out slowly, that I liked sharing my life. I never was a “great” writer growing up, I had run on sentences in anything that was written and I babbled too much. That part of me hasn’t ever changed; I still babble way too much, my sentences are either too long or too short. Luckily my fiancé was a teacher so he usually proof reads my posts if I feel that they aren’t what they should be. I work full time Monday thru Friday so my blogging day usually starts around 6:30 a.m. when I get home from the gym. If I have a post planned already, I’ll tweak things I need to or just make sure it’s ready to go and schedule it. If nothing is planned, I’ll see what’s in my notebook to write about and start brain storming what angle I want to use, I also try to use pictures to make posts more interesting. &#8230;I found out slowly, that I liked sharing my life. Before leaving for my full time job I use Hoot Suite to schedule social media shares, twitter, facebook, and google +. That helps get my posts out during the course of the day without having to sit in front of the computer and actually sending out the posts. On the weekends I usually try and do my “larger” posts, ones that require more time and concentration than just a quick 30 minute post. Another thing I leave for the weekends is taking pictures, better sunlight, and more time to take “money shoots.” I’ve learned that blogging is like a second job, it requires time, patience, persistence and good content. Even as a blogger that has been doing this for two years it’s not easy, there will always be bloggers that are better, that have more followers. The numbers they have are huge, the amounts of comments that are on daily posts are HIGH, and nowhere near what mine are. Pangs of jealousy usually sting, but I think I don’t have the patience to grow my blog sometimes; on the other hand I love writing so I won’t be stopping anytime soon.]]></description>
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		<title>The Mad, Mad World Of Blogging</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-mad-mad-world-of-blogging/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-mad-mad-world-of-blogging/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2015 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Guest WIRL]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Challenge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work/Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[editing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life of a blogger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL Blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=6357</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It has become somewhat of a whispering joke amongst family members. Oh, look at her! Maybe this is the year she gets a REAL job! The truth is that bloggers work hard —DAMN HARD — probably harder than most. We are writers, editors, proofreaders, and pimps: hustling our lives and submitting our stories for the sake of personal gain. We are also critical of ourselves and thick-skinned because we have to be, which often makes it hard to face the keyboard, but we do. And we do it all for minimal pay with little time to second-guess our strategy. We are also critical of ourselves and thick-skinned because we have to be, which often makes it hard to face the keyboard, but we do. Starting out, I had no idea what to expect —still don&#8217;t. Every day delivers a new set of skills and I take each one with pride. I have learned how to build a website from scratch, design my own comics, promote on social media, support fellow bloggers, and triple check spelling and grammar like a boss. Even so, I still don&#8217;t know it all. In the past two years, I have built a foundation for what is to come and in doing so have made friends for life. You see, blogging isn&#8217;t just another job; it is a way of being. And those of us who get to wake up every day and do it are the happiest people you&#8217;ll ever want to meet. Hello, my name is Lisa. I am a mother, writer, blogger and juggler, and there is nothing about blogging that I don&#8217;t love. &#160; Join the conversation! Easily contribute your story here with the tag “WIRL Blogging”. &#160; About the Author… This WIRL was contributed by Lisa René LeClair, who is a writer, humorist, social media junkie and, most importantly, a mother. When she&#8217;s not giggling with her pint-sized Protégé or pretending to sign autographs in front of a bathroom mirror, you can find Lisa sitting at her desk; wearing coffee stained pajamas and a shit-eating grin… Living the dream. You can contact Lisa at Lisa@sassypiehole.com.  &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>The Realities of the Tightrope of Life. What Does Work/ Life Balance Mean For Me?</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-realities-of-the-tightrope-of-life-what-does-work-life-balance-mean-for-me/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/the-realities-of-the-tightrope-of-life-what-does-work-life-balance-mean-for-me/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:00:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Maureen Carlomagno]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Fitness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Love/Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work/Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fatherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[functional imperfection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parenting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wellness success]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[work life balance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5711</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; Like most women, I wear lots of hats in my life. Finding an equilibrium that suits me and my family is a constant, free-flowing evolution. As a lifestyle and wellness coach, I see a lot of the same themes with my clients as well. Sharing these common themes with each other is really important, so we don’t feel so isolated in our experiences. I’m going to lead by example with the list below. In my mom, wife, and business owner role, I have learned: To normalize the duality of parenthood and my career aspirations by showing those around me that I can blend motherhood and a career successfully. Originally, I felt that I had to hide the fact I was a mom. Over the years I have come around. I think it&#8217;s important that as working moms, we show the world how we can have our kids with us and still get things done. Breaking down my big dreams into little pieces so they are manageable has been invaluable. I have had to put some things on hold or slow down in order to achieve this balance. It’s hard to be patient and wait. If I were to completely stop every time there was an obstacle, I wouldn&#8217;t be able to move forward in reaching my main goals. Making time to communicate with my partner has kept us from becoming strangers. When you are both juggling so many different balls, it can be easy to put your relationship into auto-pilot. This takes a lot of work, but is worth it. &#160; In my life balance/wellness coach role, I have learned: We are all trying to get by the best we can. Asking for help (lots of it) instead of trying to be a jack of all trades can be a life saver. Choose sanity over all the other stuff. Live a life that is true to you. Peeling back the layers of what I “need” versus what I “want” can be very powerful. What do you really value most? Are you doing the activities that will lead you to those end goals? Take care of your body. If you aren&#8217;t filling up your own tank daily, you can’t be your best self for those around you. Getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising are so important. As is taking time to truly connect and communicate with your loved ones. Do activities that replenish your soul frequently. &#160; For me at this point, it is all about striving for what I like to call “functional imperfection.” I&#8217;ve learned to embrace the waves of uncertainty. Real life is a bit messy and unpredictable. Let’s not be afraid to share our struggles and successes with each other. &#160; Maureen Carlomagno is an enthusiastic advocate of integrated wellness, community engagement, and following your heart. She provides a unique and dynamic style of coaching that inspires clients to find their way to a healthier, happier life. Maureen works with her clients by focusing on personal development through smart decision making and increased self-understanding. Find out more at www.your-wellness-coach.com. &#160;]]></description>
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		<title>By &#8220;Work/Life Balance&#8221; You Must Mean: All Work, Bye Bye Life, and No Balance</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/by-worklife-balance-you-must-mean-all-work-bye-bye-life-and-no-balance/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/by-worklife-balance-you-must-mean-all-work-bye-bye-life-and-no-balance/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2015 09:00:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sara Brennan]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lonely]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motherhood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[new mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stay At Home Mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Work/Life Balance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Working Mom]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=5675</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Since becoming a mom, I&#8217;ve learned that there are NOT enough hours in a day. Many people often wish for &#8220;super powers&#8221; and mine would be the ability to survive without sleep! I actually hate going up to bed at night. Why do we NEED to do this!? There are so many more &#8220;productive&#8221; things I could be doing instead of laying down in a bed for 7-8 hours doing NOTHING resting! Before becoming a mom, I used to be a middle school science teacher and my day was filled with talking/socializing/teaching all day long, followed by the freedom to do whatever I wanted. I loved a good shopping marathon or DIY home project; I was very independent. When I decided to transition to the &#8220;glamorous&#8221; lifestyle of a stay-at-home mom, nobody prepared me for the difficult transition I was about to face. Everyone KNEW I&#8217;d made the decision to stay at home once I had the baby and not one person warned or prepared me for the emotions and changes I was about to face. I would hear comments such as, You will never regret staying at home with your kids or It&#8217;s such a great experience, I wouldn&#8217;t have traded it for the world.  I understand they probably didn&#8217;t want to &#8220;rain on my parade&#8221;, but seriously, I wish someone would have been honest with me and talked about how difficult it can be! So, I left my job, had my son (who I love and adore more than anything), and knew I &#8220;should&#8221; feel bliss, but after a few weeks and months I started to feel alone and trapped in my own home with this baby who couldn&#8217;t tell me what he wanted or needed&#8230; I started to lose it. My work &#8220;friends&#8221; got busy and didn&#8217;t care too much about me anymore. I take that back, in my crazy, emotional, tired, and slightly lonely head, that&#8217;s probably a lot more of what it felt like than the truth. To their credit, I wasn&#8217;t exactly contacting them regularly either. I just felt like nobody could relate to me anymore and that I was very uncool. I couldn&#8217;t go on shopping marathons, mani and pedi outings, or to cocktail hour anymore (unless I brought my baby!) because I was breastfeeding/pumping&#8230;I sometimes felt like a prisoner. I&#8217;d always been a very driven and &#8220;Type-A&#8221; person, so I decided to bottle this strange and unexpected negative energy and put it towards something more positive. I dreamt up an idea, built a website, started my own internet business, and became an entrepreneur! I created a website where real people could share real stories about life and what it&#8217;s really like (WIRL) and I called it WIRL Project. I knew I wasn&#8217;t the only one who had been slapped in the face with this reality that nobody wanted to talk about, so I created an online place where people could cut the crap, be real, and share their stories about life. Since it&#8217;s taken off, I am super busy doing work that I LOVE, but I also have a 19 month old toddler. Sure, I get out of the house several days a week and do something for myself, but now I am faced with GUILT beyond explanation. When I voluntarily leave the house to &#8220;work&#8221;, it means being away from my son. When I&#8217;m with my son and not working, I am constantly thinking about my business; it&#8217;s the epitome of a catch 22. Who knew motherhood could cause such drama (lol)! To avoid the guilt, I try to work as much as I can while my son is sleeping. But, often times this leaves very little time for my husband and I to hang out. Oh, and date nights? Few and far between. I am used to be really fit, I don&#8217;t hardly work out at all anymore, there just isn&#8217;t time for it! I know, I know, everything I&#8217;ve talked about so far comes with the territory of being a (new) mom&#8230; the sleepless nights, the guilt, the exhaustion, the multitasking, all of that, and I don&#8217;t really know how it would have changed things if I&#8217;d known this in advance, but I still wish people would be more realistic about this transition and stop making it out to be so &#8220;beautiful&#8221;. So, back to my super power&#8230;if I had an extra 8 hours per day to accomplish &#8220;life&#8221;, I&#8217;d be much better off! Sleeping just doesn&#8217;t fit into my schedule anymore and I wish that could be the thing I &#8220;quit&#8221; doing! But, unfortunately, my son doesn&#8217;t know (or care) that I&#8217;ve stayed up late, so he wakes up at his regular time every morning, ecstatic to see me, and I go through everything all over again the next day! Don&#8217;t get me wrong, I absolutely love my son and being his mom is awesome. But, if you were to ask me about a work/life balance&#8230; I&#8217;d say there really isn&#8217;t one, not for me anyway, each day is different, yet the same, and crazy! But, I&#8217;m not going to cover it up and make my life seem something it&#8217;s not. I work, I have a life, I balance it as best as I can and I&#8217;m honest about it. That&#8217;s the best I can do right now, take it for what it&#8217;s worth.]]></description>
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		<title>What It&#8217;s Really Like to Die</title>
		<link>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-to-die/</link>
		<comments>http://www.wirlproject.com/what-its-really-like-to-die/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2015 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[WIRL Project]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Life/Leisure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Die]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Memory]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Religion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What It's Really Like]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[White Light]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WIRL]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.wirlproject.com/?p=4561</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So what happens when we die? It&#8217;s hard to figure this one out because, well&#8230;once someone dies, we can&#8217;t really ask them what it was like. But, some people have instances where they have nearly died and they lived to tell their story. Actually, some people, in a scientific sense, have actually died (for a few moments), came back, and lived on to tell their story of what it was really like. Religious or not, this article is very interesting because it unveils something we know little about. Do people see &#8220;the light&#8221;? How can they remember what happened if they&#8217;re dead? Is this all bogus? What do you think?]]></description>
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