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Monday, October 31, 2011

This is My Day...

This is my day.  
I will shape my day the way I want it to be.  
I will react less and plan more.  
I will not let outside influences negatively affect me.  
As a sentinel safeguards a treasure, I will protect my day.  
I choose to see the phenomenal beauty in today.
Positive Living Chic


Our days are a phenomenal gift.  We realize the magnitude...but some days get the best of us.  So when that happens, just pick yourself up again and recite your intentions about how you WANT your day to go.

You see, we all fall off track.  We all have bad days.  I am not immune to disasters, chaos, feeling overwhelmed, challenges, etc.  When this happens, I just chalk it up as a lesson learned and apply my new lessons to the next day... and move on.  

Life's lessons are sometimes a gift.  They may not feel like it, but they are there to teach us how to do things differently.  If we are hearing the lessons, we are growing.  Sometimes we don't hear and we need to repeat the lesson.


Thought of the Day:  This is YOUR day.  Don't spend it reacting to events; plan how you will spend your time.  Safeguard your day like it is the most valuable treasure.  It is.  Plan to see the beauty in today!

Have a fantastic day!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Ripples of Kindness


Influence
By:  Joseph Norris

Drop a pebble in the water,
And its ripples reach out far;
And the sunbeams dancing on them
May reflect them to a star.

Give a smile to someone passing,
Thereby making his morning glad;
It may greet you in the evening
When your own heart may be sad.

Do a deed of simple kindness;
Though its end you may not see,
It may reach, like widening ripples,
Down a long eternity!


Have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The True Miracle


‎"People usually consider walking on water 
or in thin air a miracle.  
But I think the real miracle is not to walk 
either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth.  
Every day we are engaged in a miracle 
which we don't even recognize:
 a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, 
the black, curious eyes of a child - 
our own two eyes. 
All is a miracle." 
Thich Nhat Hanh

When you woke up today did it occur to you that it - in itself, was a miracle?

We get so used to being here, that seldom do we stop and realize just how big and miraculous it all really is.  

All of the things that had to occur to make a world here with life is an amazing miracle.  The human body in and of itself, is a working miracle.  Look at all living creatures -- everything was created for a distinct reason  and purpose.  When you think of all the events that led to bringing your parents together -- and in turn their ancestors -- so you could be a part of this amazing creation, it is really astonishing.  If you have children, you are also aware of how phenomenal their existence is.    


Thought of the Day:  It's hard to realize just how miraculous life is when you are desensitized due to daily exposure.  Today, take a step back and realize just how amazing everything is.  Look at things with fresh eyes -- and express thanks for the amazing miracle it truly is!

Have a wonderful day!   

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Key To Happiness


There is only one person 
who could ever make you happy, 
and that person is you.
David Burns

I could not agree any more with this quote.  Happiness has to come from within, not from external circumstances.  Other people can not make us happy.  Materialistic things do not make us happy.  While all of these can have some type of influence, they do not determine our happiness.  If we rely on external circumstances to make us happy, then we are at other people's wills, moods, and whims.  We are weak, leaving an awful lot to chance.  Other people can of course contribute to our happiness, but we deserve a more stable foundation on which we build our life.  We need to look within.  We need to be the source of our own happiness, so our life is built on a steadier foundation.

We must rise above life's imperfections and annoyances, it's disappointments and struggles.  Life is never perfect, but if we are at peace with ourselves and know we can look within ourselves for happiness, we can connect with it.  There is an endless supply inside of us.


Thought of the Day:  The only person who can make you happy is you.  The key to being happy to is be happy with yourself.  If you're not happy with yourself, what changes do you need to make to get there? 

Have a wonderful day!

 

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Making Time for Humor

My six-year old son is without a doubt the funniest person I know.  His sense of humor seems to be unusually evolved for his age and always has been.  He never seems to run out of material and is always at it.  Unfortunately, because he's always in his mode, many of his antics can be very ill-timed.

I know all too well how difficult it can be to appreciate a face full of permanent marker the day before school pictures.  I've learned to be wary of a 3-year old who smirks when he offers you a cup of "water" and to question its contents if you don't want to drink urine.  I've learned that it's ok to laugh at a naked 4-year old who is covered with stickers, even if it is going to be an ordeal pulling them all off such delicate skin.  I've learned that underwear on heads IS funny, taking pictures will usually not come out as I intend, and to be warned when allowing said individual to wander off alone with a camcorder or camera.  I've also learned from daily experience that when the school bus is about to arrive and there are ten other things to do, he will not focus but will instead be shaking his booty, rambling loudly, showing his bottom, or anything else -- because we are in a rush.

The fact of the matter is, is that while all this is funny, there's a time and place.  The time is not when everyone is stressing to get out of the door.  It's not the day before school portraits for permanent markers on the face (or any day).  Life is busy, there's no time to pull stickers off of delicate parts...right?


Thought of the Day:  We are never too busy to take time to laugh.  Humor at stressful times is a gift, it's a delivery of reality when we need it the most. Portraits will be fine with permanent marker, stickers are ok, booty shaking is ok.  Without the urine story, what would we tell all his future dates to embarrass him when he's older?  Take time to appreciate the humor that is before you.  Always make time for laughter.  Lighten up!  Life is too short to take so seriously!

Have a great day!

Monday, October 24, 2011

9,000 Shots



"I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. 
I have lost almost 300 games. 
On 26 occassions I have been entrusted 
to take the game winning shot . . . and missed. 
And I have failed over and over and over 
again in my life. 
And that is why . . . I succeed."
Michael Jordan

Failure and success.  It's a winning combination.  Those who are successful are the ones who stick through their trials and failures in order to succeed.  Those who fail are those who didn't stick it out and did not pursue on to success.

If you are carrying on through failures, you will meet success.  With each failure, get back up and keep on trying.  You will get there.  Those who end up as a failure are simply those who gave up.


Thought of the Day:  You can and will succeed, if you keep carrying on.  Success isn't always easy and the road to it can sometimes get tiring.  Take a rest if you need to, but keep on trying.  You will get there with hard work and determination.  Success is attainable to any of us who simply refuse to give up.

Have a great day!



Friday, October 21, 2011

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Influences

People influence us -- for better or worse.  Just like our activities and habits, we need to be careful of the type of people we surround ourselves with.  If we are around people that create drama, we will be sucked into their drama.  If we are around negative people, we will feel their negative energy. Conversely, if we are around positive and uplifting people, we will become better people and more positive ourselves.

Jim Rohn puts it this way:  "You must constantly ask yourself these questions: 

Who am I around? 
What are they doing to me? 
What have they got me reading? 
What have they got me saying? 
Where do they have me going? 
What do they have me thinking? 
And most important, what do they have me becoming? 
Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?"



Thought of the Day:  Is it ok?  It is time to evaluate who you are allowing in your life.  We don't have a lot of spare time, so choose wisely those who you really want to make time for.  Don't feel bad about cutting ties with those who are holding you back or those who do not support your goals.  We all need to be on the right road that aligns with our aspirations. 

Have a fantastic day!


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Life's Imperfections


We all know that life isn't perfect, but have you ever stopped to think about how life's imperfections add to your life?

I've noticed that often an unwanted change in my day can provide something even better than my original plan.  I can appreciate that my daughter still calls the back yard the "backetyard"; I will miss it when she pronounces it correctly.  The scar on my husbands cheek from his dogbite when he was a child adds character to his face.  The shelves and towel racks that hang slightly lopsided because of my husband's or my inability to line them up correctly make me laugh.  If life were perfect, it might just be a little dull.


Thought of the Day:  Life isn't perfect, there are imperfections everywhere.  See if you can just appreciate some.  Laugh at them.  Imperfections can be a gift in disguise.

Have a beautiful day!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Attitude You Bring to Life



"Your living is determined not so 
much by what life brings to you 
as by the attitude you bring to life; 
not so much by what happens to you 
as by the way your mind looks 
at what happens. 
Kahlil Gibran

We can not always be completely in control over what happens to us.  While we can take many steps to prevent undesirable things from occurring (by being proactive, organized, and living with intention to name just a few), undesirable things can and will still happen.  They are a part of life.

However we are in control of how we choose to view what happens to us and how we respond to it.  Our responses pave the way for our future -- our future moods, feelings, days, experiences.  Our future happiness is affected by how we respond to these events.  


Thought of the Day:  It's time to examine how are you are looking at and responding to things.  What kind of attitude do you bring to life?  The biggest change one can make is how they respond to the things that occur.  Changing our reactions can grant us an unlimited amount of freedom that can allow us to be happy in life, even when situations aren't perfect.  It can help us look beyond these imperfections.  

Have a great day!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Today You Can


Something beautiful as you begin your new week.

Today You Can 
by Catherine Pulsifer 

Today you can choose to count your blessings or you can count your troubles. 

Today you can live each moment or you can put in time.

Today you can take action towards your goals or you can procrastinate. 

Today you can plan for the future or you can regret the past.

Today you can learn one new thing or you can stay the same. 

Today you can seek possibilities or you can overwhelm yourself with the impossible.

Today you can continue to move forward or you can quit. 

Today you can take steps towards resolving your challenges or you can procrastinate.

You see today the choices are up to you in deciding what you do today.


Have a beautiful day!

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Night Sky


“For my part I know nothing with any 
certainty, but the sight of the stars 
makes me dream.”
Vincent van Gogh


There is no other time nature shows off quite as much as when it displays its ever-changing masterpiece in the night sky.  While so many of us are rushing home from work, cooking dinner and preparing for the next day, the night sky is undergoing several transformations.

It begins as an artist's palette of beautiful sunset colors, and continues as the sky darkens and the constellations begin to appear.  Beautiful tree tops line its background.  Its beauty is captivating throughout all of its scenic transitions.

The night sky reminds us of enormity of life, the bigger picture.  It helps us to remember that our presence here is intentional and orchestrated by a higher power.


Thought of the Day:  Take time to appreciate the beauty the night sky has to offer this weekend.  Lay out some blankets or lie on a trampoline and gaze at the night sky with your kids or significant other.  Watch as the sky begins its transformation and really appreciate the show.  Count as the stars arrive; you will be amazed at how many more appear minute-by-minute.  Make a bonfire, roast up some s'mores, or pitch a tent in the backyard or the woods.  It never hurts to wish on a star, I can tell you that wishes do come true!  The night sky is out there waiting to show you it's magnificence -- don't miss the show!

Have a wonderful weekend!



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Priorities

I thought this would be perfect for today since we touched on attention yesterday and the cause and effect of where we place our attention.  I hope you enjoy.


Thought of the Day:  We all need to be reminded to have our priorities in order, and this is it.  Health before anything else.  Make time to work out and eat healthy.  Take time each day to do something meditative -- whether it be yoga, mediation, or just taking time to just be and enjoy nature.

Our health and peace of mind will enable us to do many great things -- but we can not do many great things without them.  I hope you'll take a minute today to put your health at the top of your priority list -- the quality of your life and the lives of everyone who loves you depends on it!

Have a beautiful day!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Attention


"Whatever you put your attention 
on will grow stronger in your life.  
Whatever you take your attention away 
from will wither, disintegrate, 
and disappear."
Deepak Chopra

From time to time, we need to check our focus to make sure it's on the important things in life.  We need to prioritize, placing the most important things at the top of the list and the lesser things at the bottom.  We need to evaluate and make sure the list is in proper order.

Just like a garden that's untended, the things in our life that are being neglected will become withered, broken, and die.  We need to be certain that we're not neglecting the things that really matter.  


Thought of the Day:  It's time to take a look at your list.  It's time to evaluate and prioritize where you will spend your focus, attention and time.  What you place your attention on in your life will become stronger.  It's time to choose what that will become.

Have a beautiful day! 





Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Greatest Gift

I have often said that the greatest gift we can give is the gift of our time to another.  If you don't believe this to be true, ask a lonely elderly person, or look at the face of a young child -- more greater than any toy is the time and attention of his/her parents.

This weekend my daughter was in a play that she had been practicing for several months.  She was ecstatic to have gotten a part on her very first audition, and had an enjoyable time performing.  However, what she talked about all weekend was the fact that her teacher showed up on opening night to watch her perform.  It truly made not only her day, but her entire weekend.  Not only did she watch my daughter perform, but she also brought her flowers.  The next day when my daughter walked into her classroom, the playbill was hanging up with a note from her teacher that said: "Great job, Rosie." Her teacher also announced to the students in class that she saw Rosie's play, and that she did a great job performing.  This made my daughter feel radiant and special. 

So often the little things we do for another can have the greatest impact.  They can encourage others, help restore confidence, motivate, and make them feel loved.  They can impact them in ways we may never realize.

Thought of the Day:  The greatest gift is the gift of your time.  You are loved and wanted by others, and your presence in their day is a gift to them.  Who can you bless with this gift today?


Have a beautiful day!

Monday, October 10, 2011

Magnification

We seldom walk around with a magnifying glass in our hands, but unknowingly, we often do in our mind.  What do you think about?  How do you process the events of your day, experiences, and life?  Is your mental magnifying glass enlarging your joyful experiences, or your undesirable ones?

The magnification you are seeing can either be holding you back or propelling you forward.  You can not be happy and positive if your negative experiences and feelings are under the glass.  Most drama is created not by true events, but by the minds magnification of them.



Thought of the Day:  Are you a magnifier?  If so, what is your mental magnifying glass focusing on and enlarging for you?  Make sure it is working FOR you, enlarging your positive experiences only.  We are what we think about.

Have a great day!



Friday, October 7, 2011

Positive Thoughts



‎"Once you replace negative 
thoughts with positive ones, 
you'll start having positive results." 
Willie Nelson

I love Willie Nelson!  He has a way of putting things that is truly simplified!

Willie is right.  We all can get negative thoughts from time to time.  It's a matter of retraining ourselves and replacing them with positive thoughts.  Once we start thinking positive, we will start having positive results.  It's all about what we think about.  Our thoughts carry much more weight than you might think.



Thought of the Day:  Is it time to retrain your brain?  We are what we think about. Don't make the mistake of underestimating the value and strength of your thoughts.  It really is as easy as Willie suggests.  

Have a great weekend!



Thursday, October 6, 2011

Live

Live with intention.
Walk to the edge.
Listen hard.
Practice wellness.
Play with abandon.
Laugh.
Choose with no regret.
Appreciate your friends.
Continue to learn.
Do what you love.
Live as if this is all there is.
Mary Anne Radmacher


Have a great day!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Hope


"Never let go of hope. One day you will see 
that it all has finally come together. 
What you have always wished for 
has finally come to be. 
You will look back and laugh at what 
has passed and you will ask yourself... 
"How did I get through all of that?"
Author Unknown

I love this quote.  Life is challenging.  There are beautiful times, and there are difficult times we all must go through.  We must realize that time is temporary.  Although it often feels like it, the difficult times will NOT last forever.  When going through difficult times, we must do what is needed to help ourselves.  We must maintain and increase our strength.  We must have hope.

Thich Nhat Hanh once said:  “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear.  If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”  I could not agree more.  Tomorrow WILL be better.  If not the immediate tomorrow, then a tomorrow in the not too distant future.  


Thought of the Day:  Time is temporary, difficult times will not last forever.  Get through your difficult times the best way you can, so you can get to the beautiful times again.  Hope is a friend.  Keep it by your side.

Have a beautiful day!

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Instructions for Life

I came across this recently and thought it was very wise and very beautiful. There are so many great words of wisdom here, I find it impossible to pick which ones I like the most.  I hope it is of some benefit to you as well.  

(NOTE:  As I was preparing this for posting, I came across some controversary stating this is not the words of The Dalai Lama, but rather the work of Jackson Brown and H. Jackson Brown, Jr., authors of "Life's Little Instruction Book."  It's interesting because there are many posters made up  that credit The Dalai Lama to this work.  Regardless of the author and the mystery surrounding it, I still find it valuable.  Hope you enjoy!)

Instructions for Life

  1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
  2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
  3. Follow the three R’s:  Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
  4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
  5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
  6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
  7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
  8. Spend some time alone every day.
  9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
  10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
  11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
  12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
  13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation.  Don’t bring up the past.
  14. Share your knowledge.  It's a way to achieve immortality.
  15. Be gentle with the earth.
  16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
  17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
  18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
  19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.


Have an amazing day!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Just Be

Sometimes, we just need a break.  We're working too hard.  We're multitasking too much.  We've given all we can as a caregiver to others, and our needs aren't getting fulfilled.  Or, we're tired and just need to rest.   Sometimes, we need to "just be."

We're not benefiting any one if we are moving too fast, working too much and stressing out.  We can't properly take care of ourselves during those times, much less be of service to others.

Taking time for ourselves MUST be a priority.  We must nourish our bodies and eat properly.  We must get enough sleep and enough downtime.  We must make time for relaxation and rejuvenation.  We must MAKE time -- to "just be."


Thought of the Day:  Are you getting enough time to "just be?"  We all need time to relax and take care of ourselves.  Only when we're taking care of ourselves properly, can we be a positive light for others!

Have a wonderful day!