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The Optimists Journal

Shaping Thoughts, Inspiring Change

Meet Wendy

Hi! I’m Wendy, mother of four, writer, and founder of Be Better Media. I am passionate about deep health, sustainable high performance, and human connection. As a lifelong learner, I believe that our own self-awareness is the greatest gift we can give to the next generation. This is my inspiration not to be perfect but to Be Better for myself and for them, every day. I know that it takes courage to reflect and when we are ready, share our stories so that real human connection is possible. This is what I set out to create with my blog, ‘The Optimists Journal’; my podcast, ‘What I Meant to Say’, and the interviews, videos, and other content created and presented by Be Better Media. In my downtime, you’ll find me hanging out with my kids and cats, going to yoga, and playing volleyball on the beach.

I believe that self awareness is the greatest gift we can give to the next generation.

The Optimists Journal

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Empathy, Strength & Forgiveness
One of the most common and yet most rewarding parts of parenting is to take note and celebrate the amazing traits that God gives our children.  Seeing your child have something amazing in her personality […]
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July 28, 2018
Homeward
A mouse ran across the top of the TV set and neither of us even moved.  They were irrigating the field behind our house outside of Firebaugh, a farm town on the westside of the […]
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July 18, 2018
The Heart of A Champion
I haven’t had time to write much this past week,  just a few notes here and there as I’ve been watching my kids play volleyball in Phoenix and enjoying every moment of it. My thoughts […]
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July 7, 2018
Perfectly Imbalanced
There is so much emphasis on balance in life these days, and combining balance with the ebb and flow of emotions of life is something that I have wrestled with on many days over the […]
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June 21, 2018
Extra or Enough?
I am a homebody, but I’ve moved 7 times over the course of 20 years.  Each of my four kids was born in a different place.  Every  home contained multitudes of memories, some amazing, some […]
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June 16, 2018
wendy jones
To My Original, On Her 13th Birthday
    June 9, 2005…one of the four best days of my life.  I’ll never forget the ear piercing scream you let out after the doctor coaxed you to breathe, your stubbornness was apparent from […]
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June 9, 2018
As Fate Would Have It
If we pay attention, history has a way of teaching us about our own destiny and fate.  I have always loved a good history class. I’ve been fortunate throughout my life to have had history […]
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June 6, 2018
You can either get bitter or better.
It's All Connected
It’s all connected.  I’ve seen it time and time again in my story.  One decision leads to another and I find myself creating circumstances that shape my reality everyday.  I’ve learned to correct course so […]
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May 31, 2018
Because the most important thing i have is that what you do will never define you.
What's In A Name?
I have always been an early riser. The morning is my favorite time of day and most days, as I feel the pink light and the quiet slipping away, I wish it would stay just […]
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May 28, 2018
The Long Ball
As a parent, there are so many choices that I make where my overarching philosophy about how to raise a strong, compassionate, disciplined kid are directly opposed to my kind hearted, I love my kid […]
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May 20, 2018
Yogi Thoughts
“It’s a balance between stability and mobility”, she said, as I laid on my yoga mat rolling lacrosse balls under my tight hips and inner thighs.  Yoga has become an almost daily ritual in my […]
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May 16, 2018
My Kids Are My Gift
Mother's Day weekend has, of course, got me thinking about the life long journey of motherhood and being that my oldest will turn 18 in July, I think a lot about how the law tells you […]
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May 12, 2018
Young Hearts and Old Souls
There is something special about being the youngest.  I wouldn’t know from experience but I have observed it with Matthew from the day he was born.  There is always someone, especially in a big family, […]
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May 8, 2018
Just Float
Without giving too much information, I will confess that the word "calm" is in a lot of my passwords, as a reminder for the most part.  While sitting watching one of my kids play volleyball, I […]
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April 14, 2018
My Happiness Contract
Today I opened up a fortune cookie and it read, " Don't pursue happiness - create it.”.  Seeing it spelled out so simply made me realize that although I have entered into a contract with myself […]
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April 4, 2018
Wisdom Works Both Ways
One of the first times I experienced the feeling of knowing that being a mom is the best experience anyone can ever have was when the nurse took a crying, freshly bathed and swaddled, not […]
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March 19, 2018
To Raise a Champion
In April of 2016, as my almost 20 year marriage was falling apart, I turned around to grab a ball to serve as I was playing beach volleyball at 2nd St. in Hermosa Beach. Immediately, […]
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March 16, 2018
Being a Creative
I am a creative.  I didn’t know it, or even the term, until recently.  I did know the word artist, and I never would have pegged myself for one of those because I had judged […]
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January 15, 2018
Wayfinding
“Our society often follows the wrong stars. We track celebrities as if it’s breaking news. It’s as if we’re using someone else’s map to find our way, someone else’s measurements to determine our worth, some fickled criteria like numbers […]
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January 11, 2018
His Perfect Day
He doesn’t know what mitochondria are or how they function, he doesn’t recognize the words sensory processing disorder, nervous system or adrenal fatigue.  Only a few weeks ago did he ask for the first time, […]
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December 30, 2017
Gifts
I received so many gifts in my 43rd year of life and none of them were bought in a store.  Confidence, toughness, resilience and calm were the winners this year over fear, timidity and frantic […]
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December 12, 2017
Blue Eyed Boy
As I move forward in life, I have learned that so many experiences we encounter can be a double edge sword, being used for either our growth or destruction, depending on how we choose to […]
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September 6, 2017
Defining Strength
I’ve spent a lot of time trying to measure and pass judgment on my own strength, as if this subjective thing can be quantified, and I either pass the test or I don’t.  I’m seeing […]
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August 8, 2017
To my oldest...on her 17th birthday
    As wonderful as sleepy, soft, cuddly newborns are and as hysterical and challenging as the toddler experience was, my favorite moments have come farther along on this parenting road.  Today, my oldest turns […]
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July 28, 2017
Own Your Energy
Sometimes I wonder what the world would be like if we all realized the power we each have to do good, to make choices to challenge each other to be the best versions of ourselves […]
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July 27, 2017
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Seeking and Shining
Writing brings so much clarity to life circumstances that seem so overwhelming before putting them down on paper, virtual or otherwise.   I started The Optimists Journal at a time when I was seeking connection […]
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July 22, 2017

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