Waves of Gratitude

When we stop seeing the potential in our life, life stops offering us opportunity.

2011-04-05T20:54:00.001-07:00

Cheryl Nordyke

Cheryl ~ Day 93

2011-04-05T20:52:00.001-07:00

What is right, right now?? I woke up this morning with the energy that I could do anything. Wow what a day. I was able to get so much done. I am organized and ready for the week. Additionally, I was able to create some opportunities that weren't clear this morning. Sometimes once we take a moment to see what is right right now we can then start working on what can we make right into the future. I took action and prepared for the opportunities that were available. Life allows us numerous opportunities to see the potential in ourselves and in the world. We can decide to see that or not. For me seeing that has always allowed me to smile and grateful.

2011-03-16T20:08:00.001-07:00

"When things go wrong as they sometimes will;
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill;
When the funds are low, and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but have to sigh;
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but do not quit.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you can never tell how close you are
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-
It's when things go wrong that you must not quit."

~ Unknown

Cheryl ~ Day 75

2011-03-16T20:05:00.001-07:00

Today was one of those days that it paid off to not give up. To stay true to that which I knew could be accomplished. We sometimes stop when it appears as if things aren't going the way we would like them. We state the facts and justify why this won't work or maybe why that didn't happen. However, maybe if we just dig in a little longer, ask for other ways to pursue a situation. Not be afraid to ask for help or others to step up and to commit to the process then we might change that one thing that all the signs seemed to say wouldn't work out. In a meeting recently someone implied if this would a great idea someone would have done it already. I wonder how many time that has been said and then later there it is, and the person that made the comment is wishing they would have pursued it. Just because nobody has done it doesn't mean its a bad idea or it can't be done. Follow your gut, take risks and never ever give up.

"Never be satisfied with what you achieve, because it all pales in comparison with what you are capable of doing in the future.

2011-03-15T19:33:00.001-07:00

~Rabbi Nochem Kaplan~

Cheryl

2011-03-15T19:25:00.001-07:00

I have been working on a new project for a non profit and our site should be going live tomorrow. http://www.lendusyourear.org/ is focused on offering information about non-profits and charities with the power of audio from all aspects of the organization. We will have audio from the participants, the sponsors and the volunteers. Our first inititative is the Avon Walk in which we will be going to all 9 cities and collecting audio. Each person involved in this cause has an incredible reason for being a part of this campaign. As we gather this information we will also be able to spread the word about what it has to offer. It has been a crazy few weeks leading up to this regardless it is worth the wait. Sometimes we need to be patient..

Quote by — Margaret Mead

2011-03-13T19:43:00.001-07:00

"Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals. "

Cheryl ~ Day 72

2011-03-13T19:40:00.001-07:00

We get to decide who we become. We all come from different places, circumstances and families, however where we end up and the path we take is determined by what we are willing to put into our lives. There are those that are born into great situations, however, what they do from there is up to the choices they make. Likewise there are those that are born into less than perfect situations and make choices that shape and change not only their lives, yet those of lives around them. We may not get to decide where, when and to which family we are born, however we do have the power to make choices and those choices shape our lives. Each day we can reflect on our day and recognize that what we have done and what we can do differently the next day. Happiness, success, peace, security are all the result of our choice we make and where we allow life to take us. In any given moment you can alter the path you are on and redefine where your life is taking you. Our life wasn’t meant to be lived on cruise control, it was meant to be an interactive course that allows us to navigate the path we are on and where we end up. This is my inspired thought today.

From Inspired Thoughts...Kim --Day 339; 26 to Go

2010-12-06T03:07:00.000-08:00

The world of Tumblr is down and has been for quite some time, so we're brinigng our daily blog to you through here until the problem is fixed with Tumblr....

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” Ovid

A much needed day off today. Even though it was a busy day with teaching a class at church, visiting Grandma, and a little baking (just because I had a major chocolate craving) it was a break from the normal day where I have a revolving front door with kids coming and going (not to mention the revolving refrigerator door). The highlight, I must say was a little Lifetime movie action with a plot slow and predictable enough that I could also squeeze in a little nap. I am grateful for the rest and relaxation and recharged for the week that lies ahead.

Derry Ink News Link: Ripple Effect: 'Attitude of Gratitude' propels magazine launch

2010-11-16T04:37:00.000-08:00

Derry Ink News Link: Ripple Effect: 'Attitude of Gratitude' propels magazine launch

Always See The World Through That Of A Child

2010-11-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

“What was wonderful about childhood is that anything in it was a wonder was a wonder. It was not merely full of miracles; it was a miraculous world” ~ G. K. Chesterton

I remember thinking about being a parent and never feeling that I was cut out to be one. I have 3 younger siblings that I use to help babysit in the summer and I really felt that I was more the career person. Corporate America was more the life I wanted to live. I had friends that had children and loved playing with them yet I was convinced that parenthood wasn’t for me. Regardless there I was a few years later expecting a baby girl. Over the 9 months I was her only companion I grew very close to that little person that had yet to enter the world. I imagined all the things we would do together and all the potential she would have. In less than a month that little girl will turn 18 and I love her more today than I ever imagined. G.K. Chesterton is so right; childhood can be a time lived in a miraculous world for many. It is a time that anything is possible. However, I must say I do somewhat disagree. I am 43 and I still feel it is a miraculous world. While the world may be filled with some painful events there are others miracles happening around us. Foundations like Vitamin Angles, Tom’s Shoes, The Get In Touch Foundation to name a few are giving back, educating and making a difference. In a discussion with our friend Sandra with Angel Energy yesterday we were discussing the shift in the world towards making a positive change. Individuals like these organizations and countless other individuals that make it there life work to make the world we are living in a better place not just today, but also for the next generation are creating a miraculous world. So I say that when we look for the beauty in the world, when we set out to make a difference, when we surround ourselves with individuals like Angel Energy we are living in a miraculous world regardless of our age. In this moment we are creating beauty.

Why Not Me?

2010-11-02T17:48:00.000-07:00

Eleven years ago this month I had a good friend, Diana, die from cancer. She was 31 years old and left behind a husband, two little boys and a 7-month old baby girl. I don’t know why she came to my mind today. Maybe it was because I found myself for an instant, wondering, “why me?” I don’t like when people say that and I especially don’t let my self dwell on that question for more than an instant. I think that is because of Diana. When she first told me she had cancer she said she came across a lot of people who were asking, “Why me?” She told me, “Of all the people who get sick and get cancer, why not me?” Everyone has something hard to bear at different times in their lives. The next time something wonderful happens to me and goes especially well, it is then that I want to ask, “Why me!”

“Life lives, life dies. Life laughs, life cries. Life gives up and life tries. But life looks different through everyone's eyes.” – unknown.

It Looks Different When We Get There

2010-11-01T03:55:00.000-07:00

"Being a senior in high school is the best. You are at the top, almost an adult but still get to do all the fun things living at home." ~ Cassie Nordyke

My daughter loved the idea of growing up. The thought of entering her senior year of high school was filled with enthusiasm and anticipation. While she is loving this year and all the fun that comes with it there is a different light that is shining that she didn't anticipate. That of responsibility and of growing up. With that comes letting go. The plans of Halloween in our home are always fun, there is a party and trick or treating what is not to love. Then when she and her friends went out to actually trick or treat the realization that they are too old came in. The fun of Halloween as a child is behind them until someday they have children. It is true we live our childhood again in some aspects through our children. However, this morning she had a look of sadness and the view of being all grown up seemed so different once she started to reach it. We spend our lives living towards things and miss moments we are living in. Goals and dreams are so important and we must all have them, however, we have to learn how to live in this moment, love this moment and all it has to offer for it may never be ours again and the one thing my daughter reminded me of is that "It looks different when you get there"

We Decide Our Tomorrow

2010-10-30T03:58:00.000-07:00

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” ~ Flora Whittemore

Over the past 20 years I have read many books on the subjects of self help, spiritual enlightenment, finding your purpose, and knowing who you are. I can honestly say each one had something to offer and some insight I had failed to realize. Yet now reflecting on them all, I realize they were all saying the same thing in a million different ways. We are connected somehow; so don’t tear anyone down. We are all where we are because of our life choices so stop blaming yourself or others. We can each change our tomorrow so just decide to do it and get it done. Even today as I type these words I realize it sounds so simple, yet we have learned these habits that teach us to blame others for our own circumstances. We learn, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” or ask ourselves what is the point in improving since my life isn’t that bad. Bottom line is this: they are only habits and just as we learned those we can learn new ones. I can learn something new regardless of my age. I can change the way I view life and find the good in it. I can be the person I was meant to be. No, this won’t change yesterday, however, it will begin to move you closer to being the person you were meant to be and farther away from being the person you promised you never would be. Your tomorrow is your choice and you decide slowly and surely what you want it to be and make it that.

Courtesy of "But What Do We Know"

The Price Of Expectations

2010-10-28T04:03:00.000-07:00

“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.” ~ H. L. Hunt

I have a friend that hasn’t spoken to his mother in years. In discussing with him as to why, I discovered the reason. His stepfather made a scene at his wedding and his mother had never apologized for what happened. Years had gone by and he decided he would call her and talk to her. I indicated he might want to not have expectations; just hello, how are you and see where it goes. He called and as they talked he pologized, then waited. His mother never mentioned the wedding or an apology. He felt angry that he had made the effort to call to apologize and then she didn’t. I asked him what happened to my suggestion to have no expectations. He said he had none; he did though. He expected her to apologize and when she didn’t he became angry. Love is the one thing we give and if we can do so without expectation the world will amaze us. If we have expectations, the world will surely disappoint us. We try so hard to change our habits and traits and if we can’t, how can we change the world? Your parents will make mistakes and if you become parents you too will make mistakes. Decide if you want to love without expectation and then try it. You might be amazed.

Courtesy of "But What Do We Know"

Lasting Loyalty

2010-10-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

Napoleon Hill said a, “Lack of loyalty is one of the major causes of failure in every walk of life.” It is a very different work life than it was only a couple of generations ago. I remember my grandfather going to work for the city where he was born and lived his entire life. He started driving a bus in his early 20s. It was the Great Depression and everyone in the family that was old enough worked to help support the family. Decades later he retired from the city. It was calculated that he had driven the equivalent of to the moon and back several times over. My father, worked for 25 years for the same company. The loyalty of an employee was earned by the way the employer rewarded such loyalty. There were pension plans and rewards for years of service. Times have changed along with the economics of today’s businesses, but one thing remains the same in and out of the workforce. Loyalty is still a quality to be admired.

Chart Your Life

2010-10-24T03:53:00.000-07:00

“Intelligence is not to make no mistakes, but quickly to see how to make them good.” ~ Bertolt Brecht

One of the most important lessons life has taught me is that we have to be willing to readjust our course. Sometimes we make a mistake or things just don’t go the way we had anticipated. It is these moments we define how the outcome will go. Will we find an alternate route that takes us where we want to go or we just not proceed forward? Every person has faced situations that aren’t going their way. It is not a bias situation that only some of us experience; however, those individuals that seem to have life always go their way have just become master at charting their life with the ability to adjust to the winds of life. There is always opportunity and sometimes we have to paddle up the stream and others the wind will carry us, yet in all situations there is opportunity if in nothing more than the attitude in which we face the day and the situation. Those that face it with potential will find potential.

Dedication and Determination

2010-10-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

“Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.” Gail Devers

When we dedicate ourselves to a cause, a belief, a purpose driven goal, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. I believe this because of my own experience in trying to get through school. I have a sister whose IQ is much higher than mine. We both set out to get a college degree. Her heart was not in it, and she put little effort into completing what she had started. I had the opposite going for me. Even though I was not the top student in my high school and had to work hard to get decent grades, I had one thing going for me. I stuck with it no matter what. I had obstacles and setbacks, but through hard work and dedication I was able to accomplish my goal. Believe in yourself. Have a clear vision. Dedicate yourself to the work and you can achieve anything.

What We Do

2010-10-22T03:25:00.000-07:00

“What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal.” ~
Albert Pine

When I think about why we started Waves of Gratitude I realize it was exactly what Albert Pine is saying, we were trying to do something for others. Having been put into a situation I had never been in and finding it so difficult to stay focused and not freak out over not having a job or an income I wanted something to remind me that what a think has a direct impact on what opportunities life presents me. If I could remember to be grateful for what I had then I could move towards the life I wanted to create. That was the birth of our company. From July 11 of 2007 until this moment there have been times when I have had moments of doubt, which fear has tried to step in and force me to surrender; however, I have stayed true to the course. I have realized that doors and windows have opened when I some have closed. That there have been lives affected by the jewelry we created. That we have inspired others. That there is a true value to touchstone jewelry that allows us to bridge our thoughts to our actions. 100 years from now my breath will no longer be a part of this earth; however, it is my hope that touchstones are. That people realize there is a way to remind ourselves of the thoughts we want to think in order to create the lives we want to live.

Endure to the End

2010-10-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

When we think of the word endurance, we often think of the athlete able to run a marathon. There is the short distance sprinter who may be able to get ahead in the short run, but those with endurance will win the race that continues day in and day out. In the words of Buddha, “Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.” Anything worth having is worth the hard work and endurance it takes to achieve it.

Times Value

2010-10-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

“Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci

Years ago my sister and I were sitting in the hot tub on a winter night in Arizona talking about our childhood and how time seemed to go so much slower then. As we sat there and discussed our lives we began to discover a theory. When we were ten a year was 1/10th of our life and a day was 1/3650th of our life so of course that seemed like forever. Fast forward to 21 and a day is 1/21st of our life and a day is 1/7665th so it seems shorter. Basic math teaches us the larger the fraction the smaller the size. As we live a year, a day or an hour become a smaller fraction of what we have already experienced. So time is relevant to our age. However, knowledge is also relevant. When we are a teenager we think we have all the time in the world. When we are in our mid to late 40’s we begin to realize just how quickly time does pass and that it is the one commodity we can get back once it is gone. So we tend to choose how we spend our time more. We pay more attention to what is important and less to just being a cog in the wheel. Time is a precious and we get to decide how we spend it and we get the same number of minutes in an hour at 10 or at 100. They are just a little more precious at 100.

Your Full Committment

2010-10-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

There is a peace of mind and satisfaction in knowing you believed in something and gave it your all – 110%. Seeing something through until its full potential is realized has with it rewards that may not be measured in dollars and cents or in advancement and recognition. It is what gives us the sense of accomplishment and pride. It is the epitome of integrity. It is what differentiates contentment from satisfaction. Be committed to what you know is right and what you believe in with all your heart and your heart will lead you to know how to make your dreams your reality.

In Giving We Gain

2010-10-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” ~ William Arthur Ward

There are moments in our lives when a friend is feeling down and we try to remind them of their own qualities that make them such a great person and good friend. We take time to try to understand what they are going through to help them see their own internal strengths and beauty. In those moments of selflessness we bring forth in ourselves our own internal and true nature. The desire to lift others up, to not try to compare ourselves and let our ego get in the way, but instead to help them discover within themselves their own internal beauty. In this action we bring forth an amazing quality of caring and kindness that sometimes gets lost behind our ego and our need to compete. Gratitude and giving are the core elements or our nature and reveal to ourselves and the world our true potential.

In the Sunlight

2010-10-17T07:14:00.000-07:00

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. ~Benjamin Franklin

A state of panic or anxiety is completely counter productive to accomplishing one’s goals. While pressure may prompt us to act quickly, panic and worry only prompt us to act irrationally and without intention. How do we move from an initial response of panic into one where we can be proactive, not paralyzed by fear? Stop, breathe, organize your thoughts logically and rationally, then take the first step toward your intended destination.

Where Are Our Priorities?

2010-10-16T03:29:00.000-07:00

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aid, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

This morning my daughter was running late for a 6:30am meeting she has every week. The need to be at the meeting at 6:30 requires her to pick up a friend that doesn’t have a car and be to the school by 6:25am which means leaving here at 6:00am and I woke her up at 5:55am. The normal routine in the morning is I say its time to get up at least 3 times before she even thinks about moving. This morning though when I said, “you have to get up and by the way don’t you have a meeting?” She bolted out of the bed. This caused an immediate flash back to those morning that I worked in corporate America. I would make sure I was on time. If I had a plane to catch I would be up some mornings at 3am due to my commute to the Boston Airport. As I made a pot of coffee I thought how young we start to decide that what we do for others and the time we put in is so much more important than what we do for ourselves. We can get less sleep, squeeze more into a day for our social groups, school employers and yet somehow when it comes to us waking 10 minutes early to mediate, go for a walk, and watch a sunrise we just can’t bring ourselves to do it. Where did we get our priorities so confused? When did we stop looking forward to life with expectation of the dawn instead of at the list of priorities?

No Regrets

2010-10-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. -- Mark Twain

To sit on the sidelines and watch life go by is to miss out on what might have been. Even if the dream is not realized, it is better to have pursued it than to wonder, “What if…?” There may only be one opportunity to go for something you have always dreamed of. I would rather take a chance, risk everything and fail than think about how someday I will try. We often think that at some future point in our lives, when the kids are grown or we save enough money, or lose enough weight then we will pursue our dreams. Don’t wait. Do it now. Tomorrow will come and go whether or not we decide to take action or not.

Chance Meets Opportunity

2010-10-14T03:01:00.000-07:00

“Chance favors the prepared mind.” ~ Louis Pasteur

In the pursuit of a fulfilled life there are moments that we feel as if it is going according to plan. We are rowing our boats along the course and have done everything right, regardless we are still not reaching the final destitination. If we gaze back too much at those moments in the past we will run ashore, if we stare too long at how others are doing we may run into them. Instead we have to keep our eyes fixed on our destination with an understanding that we must be prepared. Prepared for a bend in the river, a swift current or an idle current. Life isn't according to our plan, instead it those that are prepared and open to new destintations that typically exceed their own expectations. Keep an open mind, be prepared for every option and most of all, don't be so fixed on getting there that you don't enjoy the here and now.

Appearances

2010-10-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

Maybe I’m a romantic who likes the way things used to be, but I miss the days when people would get really dressed up for a night at the theater. I wonder if the dress at such events has become more casual because back decades ago, it was only the upper-class who attended and now we all have the wonderful privilege of viewing the arts. To me, a night at the symphony, ballet or a Broadway show will always be an occasion to get a little dressed up.

It is not just our attire, but everything about us that can form an impression of how we view ourselves. My mother tells a story of an admired friend who advised her as a young bride that if she couldn’t keep her whole house clean, then at least always make sure her entry way was clean and inviting. That is where visitors will form their first impression and it will show you have pride in yourself and your home. I like that advice and to this day, my whole house can be a wreck, but my front rooms are almost always “presentable.” Take time to present the best you, a presentation that shows you matter. "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

2010-10-12T19:03:00.000-07:00

William Arthur Ward said: “If you can imagine it you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”

Nonetheless, I am always surprised when I pose this question, “if money weren’t an issue what would you do” and the response is a blank stare. I always wondered at what point in life people decide that this is all there is, there is no point in dreaming, hoping, creating. Rather I will live content with whatever this may be. I am not saying to never be satisfied, if you are fulfilled with your life then maybe you have no need to dream bigger. However, I have met too many people that wait until the final curtain to say “what if?” There is no need to wait. If you have dreams then consider the possibilities. If you have a passion to do something why not just sketch it out on paper. Ask yourself, if money weren’t an issue what would I want to do with my time? Would I want to give back, pursue a hobby or coach a team? There are a million small ways we can begin to make a difference in our lives and begin to pursue our dreams and fulfill our purpose. The one sure way not to do it is to stop dreaming, stop imagining. Within each of us there is a seed of what we can do to make a difference here and if that seed reaches its potential is totally up to us. Ask yourself if money weren’t an issue what would you do? Afterall what is the worst that can happen, you pursue and dream an it comes true. Better then not considering it and then wondering "what if"

Greatness in Simplicity

2010-10-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

Winston Churchill said, “All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. “ Simple words can have such strong meaning and bring to mind some profound images. When I think of the words Mr. Churchill described as simple, I think about the fact that they cannot be confused with anything else other than what they are and how they make you feel. There is no doubt what it means to be free, just, having honor, or a sense of duty. Anyone who has had mercy shown them or felt hope in the day knows the purity of emotion that comes from those words cannot be mistaken as anything else. When looking for something great, don’t be misled thinking it has to be something complex or complicated. Great things are simple, plain, and easily expressed.

Action Creates Reactions

2010-10-10T12:21:00.000-07:00

"The mark of a good action is that it appears inevitable in retrospect." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

I was speaking with someone this week that was looking for a new career. In our discussion I asked if money weren’t an issue what would you do and he responded cook. I asked if he had thought about having a business that involved cooking and he told me about receipts he had created that had been inspired by his grandmother. As we talked I realized how far we are from how we are meant to live. We grow up and get jobs to make money and forget about pursuing our passions and hobbies. The next thing we know our kids are grown and our lives our half over and we wonder where did time go and what are we going to do with the rest of our lives. However, we can start today. What is it you love to do? Take my friend, he could put together a menu, a business plan and start looking for a place to open a restaurant. There is no cost to lay the idea out on paper. No cost to move towards what if and then you never know a door may open you never imagined. I flew to LA to meet with a Film Producer about our products, a week prior the idea of that had never crossed my mind. The outcome of that trip has yet to be decided however, I took the chance I opened the door. When we start to take action doors will open that make it seem as if it were always meant to be

Everyday Traditions

2010-10-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Traditions are not only for the holidays. Each day we routinely go through our day, doing things in somewhat the same manner. This consistency of family time, dinner time, and our pre-bedtime routine will become the traditions our children will perhaps one day carry into their own families. As I think about this, I think of the importance of creating this legacy of traditions based on my values that I want to pass down to my children. There are the Sunday dinners, the family birthday celebrations and the long weekend traditions. To some on the outside they may seem routine and warn out, but to our family they are the bonding traditions of childhood and memories of tomorrow.

Hold Guides Us

2010-10-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

“Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.” ~ George Iles

Each of us must take our own path and in traveling that path the amount of darkness we encounter will vary. It is the darkness that makes us appreciate the light. When we are in the darkness we sometimes forget that it only needs to light for you to see your way. Claude Debussy said “Music is the silence between the notes.” The pause between the keys allows us to hear the music to feel the vibration of the rhythm. We must remember that our most aware moments are in silence it will help us to remain hopeful. To hold on to what can be with an open heart to how it will be. Hope is the core to all potential in life. If enables us to dream, to believe, to care, to love, to risk. Hope is the foundation of all that is possible, the seed that grows into our lives and braches out across the years and others lives.

With Purpose & Passion

2010-10-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to give your whole heart to something, to know it is right without any doubt or reservation? I believe that it means you are so totally committed to what you really want that you lose the desire for anything that will take you away from it. It is passion and focus rolled up in one and it has the power to drive you directly to whatever maters most. When you find your passion, there is nothing that can keep you from it and there nothing that distracts you in another direction. “Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.” – unknown

Friendship In Family

2010-10-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

Everyone wants to know they are needed. That in some way they have made a difference in someone else’s life. Take the time to share your feeling with those that have been there for you.

One of the things in life I have found to be most difficult is to tell family how much they mean without it sounding planned or rehearsed or insincere. I’m not talking about your spouse or children, more your siblings or parents. We assume for the most part they know how we feel. After all, they have been in your life from the beginning. Yet there is never a perfect moment to say thanks for making my childhood more fun and mischievous; for the memories you would never want to remember, and those you couldn’t bear to forget. For being the one I looked up to when it seemed there was nobody else to believe in. For keeping me true to myself and the stories of the past from becoming too disproportional. For the push when I didn’t need it that helped me to be tough. For the smile when I didn’t deserve it to help me know life will always work out. For the courage to know when to leave, by doing it first and doing all you set out to do. I learned from you to go out on my own and you always supported my choices. In your eyes you see the same person you have always been, but in my eyes I see so much more than that. You once were my big sister and today are my dearest friend. Find your words and share them.
"Courtesy of But What Do We Know"

Into The Light

2010-10-05T17:23:00.000-07:00

"We all get lost. Whether it's in sadness, love, peace, or chaos, it doesn't matter. Just to know how it feels, and to realize what it's like to finally find your way again is what's important. And when you do find your way, you know it. You feel it. Like the suns warming rays, like the mists of the oceans, you can tell. You have found your way out. And nothing can stop you from moving on." – Elaine Berndt

My friend’s daughter who is 15 wrote this when she was 11 years old. I think sometimes we underestimate the depth of thought and feeling by children. We all come to this world with an eternal soul, some perhaps more mature than others. Earlier today Cheryl posted something on Facebook asking our followers why they keep a journal. For this young girl it was the way to reflect on feelings much more poignant than she might have been able to express verbally. The message of this quote is quite profound too. Certainly everyone can relate to the painful feeling and then the warmth, elation or peace that comes from finding your way out of it.

Time Lost Is Gone Forever

2010-10-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

I can not purchase it and nobody has more than anyone else so I must use my time wisely and make the most of it because once it is gone I can never get it back.

It amazes me how quickly time passes. As a child I used to wonder what adults meant by time rushing by. To me it was like every movement of the hands of the clock were going in slow motion. I am not sure exactly when it went from wondering such things as is this day going to end, to realizing that when this day ends it will never come my way again. Yet, somewhere in the last thirty years I have come to appreciate more the value in a moment. I’ve come to understand what wasted time means and to want to use time more carefully in order to become the person I was meant to be. To stop saying I’ll do it someday and to just do it. No matter what the outcome, I will make my dreams my reality. I will change the things I don’t like in myself even if only gradually becoming who I am meant to be a little more each day. Until one day I realize I lived my life on purpose; I fulfilled my dreams. I will stop blaming and start acknowledging that I got me where I am and I have the power to change or improve that.
"Courtesy of But What Do We Know"

Freedom of Choice

2010-10-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

“Liberty is obedience to the law which one has laid down for oneself” -- Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Often people associate being obedient as being restricted from something they really want but in reality, it is liberating. A child who is obedient to a loving parent can be spared some of the dangers or heartache of disobedience. Sometimes the natural consequence is unavoidable. There are certain laws of nature and science, for example, which are completely objective in their consequences. If you don’t give yourself the proper rest or nutrition the body will become weak and eventually sick. When we obey the laws of the land, we retain our liberty from the consequence of a fine or imprisonment. When we adhere to a set of moral principles, either defined by our choice in religion or our own sense of right and wrong, we are free from the consequences of making mistakes that could negatively alter our lives. It is in a way a higher sense of freedom to choose to be obedient to the laws governing life. It is that obedience that gives us the ability to lay down the law for ourselves as the French philosopher Rousseau describes. It is that obedience which has as its prize liberty.

Instict To Follow Intuition

2010-10-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

“I feel there are two people inside me - me and my intuition. If I go against her, she'll screw me every time, and if I follow her, we get along quite nicely.” ~ Kim Basinger

Today I realized this strange ability I have had my entire life which my teenage daughter also has. It is the ability to have the truth revealed to us. Throughout most of my life I would have information come to me. Some of it was data I really needed however other times it has been information I would rather not know. When chatting with my daughter about this ability she has now come to realize she has I think we can chalk it up to intuition. When I follow my intuition I find that I am granted information. Again some of it is good, some bad, however, all information. What this has allowed me to do as a parent is to know when something is up with my daughter and address it. This has enabled us to discuss potential life altering situations prior to them becoming life altering situations. What it has done for my daughter is taught her to trust her instinct. This is something most of us don’t learn until much later in life, so to learn it at the age of 17 is a huge jump start on navigation of our lives. See we are born with intuition and then our parents, teachers and friends tell us what to think, how we should feel, what to do, and we silence that voice that would normally guide us. If you listen to the voice that says go the long way home, only to realize you avoided an accident, or stay late at work only to get that call from the client that closes that deal you have been working, then you find yourself feeling blessed or lucky. If you fail to listen to that voice that guides you then you may be one of those that feel as if you are always swimming against the current. Life and people all have their own agendas and it isn’t our place to tell them what their agenda should be, rather it is our place to align ourselves with individuals that also follow their intuition and are in alignment with our core values. In doing so we have less of the, “Oh man” intuition moments and more of the, “Wow am I lucky” intuition moments.

2010-10-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

Everyone at one time or another in their life has felt they were wronged. It may have been on a large or small scale, but in order to move past it one thing must occur. There needs to be forgiveness.

I heard a news story years ago about a woman who had been kidnapped. She was beaten, tortured, raped, and starved for days and then left for dead on the side of the road. The ordeal left her blind. The interviewer asked her how she dealt with the anger she must be feeling at having been treated this way. She said she forgave her attacker. She stated that he took 72 hours of her life. If she did not forgive him, then he would take more of her life. Forgiveness not only heals, it allows us live our life. If we choose not to forgive we cannot move forward and we allow the person who wronged us once, to continue to hurt us. This applies even if, and maybe especially if, the person who has wronged us feels no remorse or is not asking for the forgiveness.
In light of recent news about bullying and how that has led to teens and young adults feeling so much pain they take their own lives, forgiveness is needed even more in this world. If we can teach our children that what others say about them doesn’t make them who or what they are, and to forgiving those who bully, maybe then we can give them the confidence to not let what others do and say affect their own actions.

An Education On Hope

2010-09-30T05:03:00.000-07:00

According to Webster Dictionary the definition of HOPE is; 1. to wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment 2. To have confidence: TRUST, to expect to desire.

Examples of hope would be: I hope you do well on the test. I hope he/she likes me or asks me out. I hope you feel better soon. I hope we win the game.
Hope is the core everything we do. We awake and go about our day with hope. We hope to be on time, for no traffic, for a promotion, for understanding, for patience.

Where does hope come from? I believe we are all born with hope. As babies we saw something and tried. We tried to roll over, to crawl to walk and to talk. Then somewhere in life people begin to remove our hope. You will never make the team, if so-and-so didn't. You will never get into that school. You will never fit in.

This week on the Ellen Show she called out for us to do something about bullies that have resulted in several teen suicide cases this month. We had one in our town. A 15-year-old decided to end it. Why? Because in his mind there was no hope.

What if our schools taught hope? There are countless individuals like Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield, Deepak Chopra to name a few that are centered on if you believe it, you can achieve it. There are countless true stories of the underdog team that wins. Why?Because they never lost hope. If we could teach our youth to have hope, to look for the potential, we would breathe a new life into them. In 2008, my brother-in-law took his life. He had a family, money, a career, and no life-threatening illness. Yet he had no hope, no purpose. Life is so large if we live it. There is no way we have time to experience all there is if we live to be 100, but definitely not if we end it at 15, 18 or anywhere under 100.

If you know someone that has lost their hope, help them light a flame of hope. Help them find something to move towards in their life to give them hope. Breathe hope into someone that has lost theirs. “Hope is to purpose as air is to life.” ~ Cheryl Nordyke

Deep Roots and Expanded Wings

2010-09-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

"There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children... one is roots, the other wings." Steven R. Covey

In a CBS news report by Leslie Stahl a couple of years ago, she reported that scientists have been able to use our DNA to trace genetic roots back hundreds of years. Genealogy has been reported as one of America’s most popular hobbies. Knowing where someone came from is important to many, but more important is the knowledge of where we are going. My mom grew up as an Air Force brat and moved from place to place. Yet, they still considered Florida home since that is where they returned to any time they could. I, on the other hand, lived in the same house from the time I was 10 until I went off to school. My parents are still there. It is home. It is where my roots are. It is where the memories my family has of all of the holidays and Sunday dinners and birthday parties. But roots is not about being planted in a specific location, it is about being planted next to people who know you, love you and share a common bond. It is about knowing who you are as a person and how you relate to those around you. It is having the security of your past to propel you into the future you are creating.

What Is A Dream Without Action

2010-09-28T04:32:00.000-07:00

"Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in." ~ Andrew Jackson

What sets those that dream big dreams and those that accomplish big dreams apart is action. At some point the dream propelled them to action. Not every action created the result that they wanted so then they stepped back and considered the situation and took another action. Action is the bridge from what we want to do to what actually gets done. Individuals like Walt Disney, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford to name a few took several tries to reach the results they wanted. However, they never stopped learning and taking action. We all dream of what we can do, where we can live what we can accomplish. Then we come up with reasons why that will never happen to us. We are too old, don't have the right education, aren't experienced enough. So we take a dream and cover it with doubt and then wonder how is it that our dreams can't come true. At 60 years old Allen Moore became the oldest football player at Mississippi's Holmes Community College. He had a dream to return to being kicker in football and decided to take action on his dream. So the idea of we are too old has been removed. In 1707, Henrietta Johnston begins to work as a portrait artist in Charles Town (now Charleston), South Carolina, making her the first known professional woman artist in America. For every situation there is a first. Fear of the first is only another reason to not take action. Action even the smallest step begins to move us from what we dream of doing to what we do. Is there a dream you have? If so is there something small you could do to begin to move you in the direction of that dream? If so why not do it.

Keep on Trying

2010-09-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Calvin Coolidge said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

Persistence really does pay off. It may feel at times like things are not happening according to the timetable that we have in our minds, but I have every confidence that things happen at just the right time for us. Sometimes there are steps along the way and delays that give us experience, teach us important lessons, strengthen us, and prepare us for the pending success. It isn’t easy to wait. We may not understand the purpose in having to wait at the time. Hindsight is 20/20. It may seem harder to achieve our goals than we thought it would be. We don’t often know the reasons until after the fact. All I do know is that most things in life that are worth having are worth working for and yes, sometimes waiting for.

Everything Starts From The Inside

2010-09-26T02:58:00.000-07:00

“Faith sees a beautiful blossom in a bulb, a lovely garden in a seed, and a giant oak in an acorn.” ~ William Arthur Ward

The bulb planted in the soil will break its container and follow the sun up through the soil to bloom into a beautiful flower. The acron is destroyed when it emerges as a seedling and trasverses the hard earth to reach the surface. Nature is our teacher. She gives us rebirth after a storm in the forest strikes lightening and burns. She paints a rainbow after a hard rain. Sometimes nature needed the fire to clear the earth, or the rain storm to quench the soil. The fire started within the lightening strike and the rain strom from within the cloud. For some reason we have come to believe we are who and where we are because of outside circumstances. That it is who are parents were, where we were born, who our teachers were or are friends were that makes us who we are. The reality is it is within us all to be great. To emerge through life regardless of our circumstances and grow into a beautiful flower or a strong and vibrant tree. We have the power within ourselves to reach towards the stars and the sky and spread our branches or peddles wide. We need to release the notion that somehow we are a victim of our circumstances and understand when we take control of who we are and where we are in life, then and only then can we begin to break through and become our full potential. It all begins with faith in what we can do and action on that faith. You are beautiful and strong from the inside out. Let yourself reach that potential. Begin today from within to become all you can be.

Seeing Beyond Appearances

2010-09-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

There is a story of a couple that moved to a new neighborhood. Each day for weeks the woman would look out her window and comment on how the neighbor didn’t know how to do the laundry right. She was hanging dirty clothes on her line. This went on day after day with the same comments about how the woman next door didn’t know how to get her laundry clean. Then one morning it changed. The woman looked out her window and exclaimed, “Finally, she figured out how to get her clothes clean!” Then she wondered out loud to her husband about what could have changed. Her husband said, “She didn’t change anything. I just went out and washed our windows.”

Wayne Dyer said, “Judgments prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.” Everyday we need to make judgments. We need to judge whether or not it is safe to pull out into the traffic or whether or not we should allow our children to go someplace or do something they have never done before. Those kind of judgments based on reasoning are intended to keep us safe and on the path we have chosen. It is when we judge others whom we are merely observing and have no direct impact on our own lives that we put ourselves at risk of hampering our own growth as a person because we are putting too much emphasis on what others appear to be rather than on areas where we need to change ourselves.

Say Yes To Your Life

2010-09-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." ~ Nelson Mandela

There is a TV Show called Say Yes To The Dress that I watch with my daughter. Brides go into the store with their family and friends to pick out that perfect dress. They show what she is looking for in a dress and a little information on what the party she has brought along with her is going to contribute such as financially or input on the dress. There are numerous occassions where the bride comes out in a dress that she thinks is the perfect dress and someone in the party has nothing good to say about the dress. After some give and take the bride trys on other dresses. Eventually if it is a successful experience the bride finds one that makes the party happy, yet also brings tears realizing that the dress she thought was perfect was nice but she would have been settling had she not looked a little longer. As the mom of a young lady I have tried to teach her that all relationships take work. However, one should consider if in the beginning you are working to much then one of you is trying to change the other one. Like that dress that highlights all your features there are relationships that do the same. That is the yin and the yang to each other. When you are young life is about having fun, discovering who you are and what you want to do with your life. Don't settle for something that requires you to change who you are or that you are trying to change who they are. The reality is a bird and fish can fall in love but where would they live. Life offers so much potential, don't settle.

Of Infinite Worth

2010-09-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

"At this very moment, you may be saying to yourself that you have any number of admirable qualities. You are a loyal friend, a caring person, someone who is smart, dependable, fun to be around. That's wonderful, and I'm happy for you, but let me ask you this: are you being any of those things to yourself?" ~Phillip C. McGraw

What kind of value do you put on a human life? The Forbes 400 top richest people report recently came out and there are people who are said to be “worth” billions of dollars. As I look over the list I see what kind of impact these people have made on the world, some of it because of the financial abundance they have acquired. Then there are others, unknown to the entire world, with very little material means, that are of infinite worth. They too may make a contribution in another’s life that could not have a dollar value placed on it. Everyone born into this world is of priceless worth. Sometimes it just takes the validation of others or the acquisition of assets to feel that way. What if each person we encountered left our presence feeling as if they were of great value to us. What if we looked at them and our thoughts immediately went to seeing the positive in them and recognizing what they contribute to this world. What if each person could look in the mirror and realize their own worth without being told or shown by others. If we all could have that kind of understanding about the worth of a human soul without having to prove it or have it validated by others, then it just may be a much more peaceful world. Let’s start one person at a time -- you.

Find The Beauty

2010-09-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” ~ Joanne Kathleen Rowling

Today we seem to find more of what is wrong with the world then what is right. We turn on the news, sign on to a computer, open a browser on our phone, listen to the radio; it doesn’t matter what it is there is something that has happened coming at us 24/7. There was a time when after midnight all you had was white noise. When you could leave your home and not be subjected to what was wrong in the world unless you picked up a paper. While technology is an amazing tool that allows us to offer our products to everyone in the world from the comfort of our own homes, it is also the very thing that is impacting so many lives, and not always for the better. Each time we listen, read or see the news we decide how we are going to process that information. Are we going to let it consume us or are we going to decide to know what is going on in the world without feeling we have the burden of the world on us. News, information, knowledge are all positive things to be aware of, however like anything in life, too much is not a good thing. Especially if we allow it to bring us down. This evening on my drive home I was amazed at the beauty of the Harvest Moon. As I looked up at it I realized, the men and women protecting our country, the local authorities, the doctors and nurses that care for so many all have the same bright moon. Life is a flash of lightening in the sky that is here and gone before you know it. Surrounding us outside of all the negative information is a world of beauty and wonder. Take time to witness the beauty in the world. Make a choice to see your own beauty. Live this life you have been given be thankful for those that protect us, respect those that work insane hours to keep us alive and healthy and most of all respect and appreciate the beauty of your own life and the value it plays in so many lives you may not even know.

Busy in a Good Way

2010-09-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

"Once you have a clear picture of your priorities- that is values, goals, and high leverage activities- organize around them."-- Stephen Covey
We’ve all heard the expression before that if you want to have someone do something for you and get it done right and on time, ask a busy person. Why is that? It may have to do with the fact that busy people must be well organized in order to get anything accomplished. Or it may be that really well organized people are able to take on more and are therefore busier. (A chicken/egg scenario if ever there was one…) Organization helps avoid costly mistakes, allows us to accomplish our work better so we can enjoy our free time more, and in general, I believe makes us a happier, more peaceful person. Removing the unnecessary stress of disorganization has a ripple effect for good. When we are all disheveled we tend to take out our panic and stress on those around us. When we are organized those around us can also be taken up in a feeling of calm.

Fill Your Time Up

2010-09-20T20:22:00.000-07:00

Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” ~ Jim Rohn

Have you ever been to a sporting event or concert that wasn’t sold out? You look around and think they are paying the same amount for the lights, entertainment, why not drop the price and fill the place up. Maybe you thought you knew friends that would have attended had the tickets been better priced or a discount. Sometimes events sell out within minutes and yet other times they don’t. As an event owner you realize that this space that is left empty is lost revenue and there is more than the money lost from the ticket, the ancillary items like t-shirts, food and beverages. However if you can capitalize on the situation and offer a promotion to fill the seat then you stand the potential to make money in other areas. Life is the same way. We get this day, these moments and we can leave them empty with what didn’t happen or what didn’t go our way, or we can fill them up with the potential of what they can be. Like an event center the time the performers are on or the athletes are playing there is the opportunity to earn something. Our minutes in our lives are the potential to develop our lives to make memories and to live. If we fail to see the value in the minutes, to make the most of them even if some aren’t worth as much as others we are only missing out on other potential opportunities to earn more out of our lives. We all get the same 60 minutes, 24 hours and 365 days the difference is how we fill the seats.

Does It Really Matter Who Is Right?

2010-09-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

"Did you ever notice how difficult it is to argue with someone who is not obsessed with being right?" -- Wayne Dyer

Many years ago I had a struggle with a roommate over the silliest thing. We lived in an apartment with a mailroom and one key per apartment. My roommate had put the key on her ring and would check the mail when she got home from work each day. That bothered me and I would get so upset over the fact that I couldn’t get my mail when I wanted to, which was when I got home from work about an hour before my roommate. The logical solution I thought would be leaving the key in the apartment so that who ever got home first could get their mail. It did mean an extra trip back up the stairs and out to the mailroom. She was not open to this suggestion and slapped the key down on the table. This “problem” bothered me so much that I would even call home about it. Seems so silly now of course. On one occasion when I was complaining to my mother about it she asked if being right (not that there was a right or wrong answer necessarily here) was more important that our friendship. She said if it was, then by all means fight for it. It quickly put things into perspective and I realized if it was that important for my roommate to carry the mail key, then I could wait an hour for my mail. In any argument we need to ask ourselves if it is more important to be right than to keep the peace and keep a relationship. In most cases I am sure we will find that there isn’t really one person who is absolutely right. From your perspective and from their perspective there are often two right answers.

Release Your Doubt

2010-09-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

“When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt” ~ unknown

The most wonderful part of life is the beauty in the potential. When we stop growing and learning we cease to see the potential a new day can hold. We surrender to our doubts and assume that life is what it is today and that is all it is. Life is so much more than even we can imagine. There is so much potential to live a life that is on purpose where we do what we love instead of what pays the bills. The movie the Shift by Wayne Dyer focuses on that point in our life that we realize life is more than obtaining things. It is more about who we are with and what we do with our time, how we give back. Life has so much beauty and potential. If you ever have doubts take an hour. Watch the sunrise in the early morning as a new day approaches. Witness the sunset as a day comes to a close. Walk out into the night sky and lye on your back and watch the stars and the moon. Sit in a park and listen to the tress in the wind. Stand in the rain or open your window during a thunderstorm. Life is amazing and the key to living an amazing life is to never have doubt in how amazing our life and our experience here can be.

From Thought to Reality

2010-09-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

“He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality, and will never, therefore, make any progress” – Anwar Sadat

This is a message from a man who may have been believed to understand the Law of Attraction well before his time. He was the president of Egypt from 1970-1981 and I don’t recall much conversation during my early teen years, when he would have said this, about the fact that what you think is what you will get. In reality the concept is as old as time…”For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” It just didn’t have the label for the process that is becoming so well-known today. For those who may not be believers, just look at all the other names this and similar concepts may have gone by: “Self-Fulfilling Prophecy,” “Self-Actualization” and so forth. I would challenge anyone who doesn’t believe yet that your thoughts lead to actions and actions lead to achievement to give it a try. It goes far beyond the idea that if you just think it, it will come. Thinking is the predecessor of action. Action makes thoughts a reality.

Realize That Life Is Meant To Be Lived

2010-09-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

“The human race has only one really effective weapon and that is laughter.” ~ Mark Twain

Tonight my daughter had her senior corn roast and bonfire and then some friends came over after, let’s say more than 20 less than 35. As I am upstairs typing this blog my downstairs is full of teenagers laughing and having fun. It makes me smile and realize how time changes things. Just over 2 months ago she was broken hearted thinking the boy she had dated for over a year could hurt her so badly. She was confident she would never be okay. As I glace beside my bed at a photo of my daughter at 2 and my grandmother that raised me I remember how much it hurt to lose her. To not have her to talk to every day to lean on, I didn’t know how I would make it. Now I talk with her often, and know she is always with me in spirit. Time allows us to realize the loss we felt is due to the love we felt. The love was a gift and the end is just part of what happens in life. It is how we let those ends affect us that determine if we have a life of fun and happiness or a life a pain and heartache. See the gift life is, that each day is an opportunity to experience life to live. Live it.

Where Do You Want to Go?

2010-09-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked.
‘Where do you want to go,” was his response.
‘I don't know,’ Alice answered.

‘Then, ‘said the cat, ‘ it doesn't matter.’” Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Before we can start on any journey we need to know where we want to end up. In fact, knowing where you want to end up is really all that matters, because often there are many roads that lead there. One may be easier, better marked by those who went before you than another. Another road may not get there as quickly. It may be full of potholes and the going may be slow, but eventually you will get where you want to go, as long as you keep your destination in mind. There may be others who have arrived at where you want to be. They may know what roads were best for them, but it may not be the right road for you. We never know who we may meet along the road we have chosen that needs us at that moment in time to guide them on the journey with us. For that reason we are often prompted to go down a road that has us wondering why we had to go this way. Every road that leads us where we want to end up is worth whatever it takes to travel it.

Living A Creative Life

2010-09-14T05:13:00.000-07:00

“Ineffective people live day after day with unused potential. They experience synergy only in small, peripheral ways in their lives. But creative experiences can be produced regularly, consistently, almost daily in people's lives. It requires enormous personal security and openness and a spirit of adventure.” ~ Stephen R. Covey

I would say I have been blessed my entire life. Not by the amount of obstacles or set back I have not had to face, rather by the way that every time I am in the midst of what seems like a dead-end or a setback something better comes along. While initially many would disagree that isn’t the case, however if you analyzed the entire situation from finances to independence and value of our time and who and how it is spent then it would be 100% correct. I went through a divorce and became a better parent. I went through a bankruptcy and came out more financially aware and responsible and purchased my first home as a single mom. I lost my grandmother that raised me and have learned to open my heart and expand my family. I have moved 3300+ miles to find a new career and new friends. I had my job eliminated and started a business, the one we own today. We have faced setbacks, over promised commitments by vendors and yet when we open our minds and our hearts we continue to find individuals that believe in the value of our products and what we are trying to do. From all of this I have had an amazing adventure and meet some amazing people. I have had time with my daughter that I never had over the last 3 years that is now in her senior year of high school. I have written an eBook and met with a film senior vice president. I have lived a life that is focused on continual growth and expansion and own a company that supports that mission. I believe Mr. Covey was so right when we open ourselves up anything is possible.

Change

2010-09-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

Frederick F. Flack said, “Most people can look back over the years and identify a time and place at which their lives changed significantly. Whether by accident or design, these are the moments when, because of a readiness within us and a collaboration with events occurring around us, we are forced to seriously reappraise ourselves and the conditions under which we live and to make certain choices that will affect the rest of our lives.” Think for a moment about a significant change in your own life. Did you resist or did you embrace it with excitement and hope? Change will come and whether we accept it or not. Sometimes we need to be pushed into a different situation in order to grow. With change comes growth and with growth we are one step closer to discovering the potential within us.

To Get We Must Give

2010-09-12T04:18:00.000-07:00

“To receive everything, one must open one's hands and give” ~ Taisen Deshimaru

Everything starts with gratitude. When we are grateful for what we have now, we are able to open ourselves to more. There is something in everyone’s life if only your breath that you have to be grateful for. Start there and then look outside yourself. See the sun that rises and sets for you. See the moon and the stars that shine at night for you, the rain that falls to offer water for you. When we recognize the smallest of things we have in our lives to be grateful for we will notice more opportunities as well. When we take inspired action towards those opportunities then we are offered even more to be grateful for. When we offer assistance to those that we can help instead of just what we are trying to accomplish we open more opportunities. Life can be as big as we want it to be, but it has to start with gratitude and the willingness to give thanks to where we are and where we can be.

Celebrate Our Differences

2010-09-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” There are many different people in the world all with their own set of values and beliefs. It is this kind of freedom to think and have an opinion on a subject and free will that is part of our divine inheritance. When we can listen to the thoughts and ideas of others with an open mind and practice tolerance for the way people choose to live, think and worship, we can learn to celebrate the diversity in the world instead of condemn others who believe differently than we do. Someone once said that diversity is the one true thing we all have in common and that we should celebrate it each day.

Our Dreams Are Woven Together

2010-09-10T03:51:00.000-07:00

“Our life is composed greatly from dreams, from the unconscious, and they must be brought into connection with action. They must be woven together.” Anais Nin

Every person has dreams, goals things they want to achieve. Then there are those that seem to have every wish come true. You may wonder how it is that life seems so easy for so many and so hard for others. When life doesn’t go according to plan we naturally look for blame, for somewhere to place the disappointment. Speaking from experience the sooner we can accept we are where we are based on our own choices and that there are other opportunities awaiting we just need to be open to them, the sooner we can shift our life. Dreams are only dreams unless we take action. A friend Nathaniel Hansen told me over dinner do what you can do now. There is something you can do to move you towards that dream, I submit to you to find what that is and do that. This is the key element we must approach it like making a quilt. I may not have all the pieces the ones I have now I can begin to weave those into something and as I need more pieces and stay open to opportunity and take inspired action and the next best step I will eventually have a beautiful quilt.

Determination

2010-09-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

“You've done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” - Ralph Marston

It takes just s much energy to be negative – maybe more – as it does to be positive and it may improve your health. The Mayo Clinic recently conducted a study on the impact of having positive thoughts go through your head. Their conclusions included an increased life span, lower rates of depression, greater resistance to the common cold, reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and better coping skills during hardship. In general, they found that people with a positive attitude took better care of themselves physically and avoided things that are harmful to the body. Their recommendation is also to take notice of the “self talk” – that ongoing stream of thoughts that run through your head. Make a conscious choice to replace negative thoughts in this stream with positive, optimistic thoughts. Positive thinking will create more positive thoughts, less stress and an overall happier, healthier life.

Follow Your Heart, Follow Your Dream

2010-09-08T03:12:00.000-07:00

"When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place." ~ Anonymous

Throughout history we have been taught that in order to achieve great potential we must be willing to never give in. Walt Disney went bankrupt, several times. Thomas Edison experimented with over 6,000 materials to use as filament in a light bulb before he found the one that worked. The Wright Brothers didn't fly on their first try. Ford Motor Company planned to sale 100,000 cars in a year and sold only 100,847 in three years. Hollywood told Fred Astaire "Can't act, can't sing, slightly bald but can dance a little.

Every person I have listed went on to follow their heart and succeed beyond what anyone had ever thought possible, outside of themselves. We have a power without our passion. A drive and a will that overcome obstacles, look for ways to make things happen and move ourselves and things in a tireless effort if we are following our heart. If someone says it's a great idea but, it may be just that. Consider this, IPad, Iphone, Texting, 4G networks were all just an idea once. Today they are a household name. Technology has advanced because of those individuals that have proven an idea can become a tangible thing.

What is your dream, what is your passion? Are you taking steps, reaching out through a variety of channels to make your dream a reality? If so then quiet the voices that say to give up and give it your all instead. You will reach something, maybe not the goal you had seen, maybe a better one.

Opposition

2010-09-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. ~Kahlil Gibran

There is opposition in all things. In order to know joy, we must know sorrow. If we didn’t we would not realize the fullness of joy. To know health, we need to know its opposite of illness or pain. The whole spectrum of human emotion is based on this simply principle that to recognize how wonderful life is, we must have at least a little taste of the contrary.

We Create Our Live One Day At A Time

2010-09-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

“You will achieve grand dream, a day at a time, so set goals for each day / not long and difficult projects, but chores that will take you, step by step, toward your rainbow. Write them down, if you must, but limit your list so that you won't have to drag today's undone matters into tomorrow. Remember that you cannot build your pyramid in twenty-four hours. Be patient. Never allow your day to become so cluttered that you neglect your most important goal / to do the best you can, enjoy this day, and rest satisfied with what you have accomplished.” ~ Og Mandino

In honor of Labor Day consider the above quote. If this week we try to take our work one day, taking action on the next best step and not allowing ourselves to become overwhelmed with what we can’t get done. Realizing that in doing today what I can do to the best I am able to do it is better than to spend today worried about what I am doing the day after tomorrow. Life has no guarantees there will be anything beyond this moment I have right now. Live in this moment, act in this moment so that we may create our future moments.

Practice Makes Perfect

2010-09-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Very few people are born with their talents fully developed. I would even venture to say that no one is. There are many born with gifts that are left inside of them because for one reason or another they don’t feel compelled to share them. Maybe they are afraid they will not be good enough. Maybe their excuse is that there isn’t enough time for something that isn’t directly related to making a living or caring for our families. There are probably as many excuses as there are talents lying in hiding with which the world may never be blessed. I, for one, am grateful to all the masters of art, literature and music for how they enrich my life, but I am even more grateful for the still unknown talents that make my world a little better. They may not have been discovered for their gift, but their gifts mean the world to those in their world. Benjamin Franklin said, “Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?” You may not be the best, but you will never know what you have until you develop it to the best of your ability. Dave Weinbaum puts it as, “If you can’t excel with talent, triumph with effort.”

The Secret I Just Learned

2010-09-04T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last 15+ years digesting books by amazing people, books on how to view life, ourselves and the universe. I love a good fiction book don’t get me wrong. My passion however has been those that allow for self discovery. Whether it was based on my position as a Business Development Director and books by Jack Canfield, Stephen Covey or the author of How to be a Rainmaker or the ones that go deeper into our soul like Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer or as of recent Deanna Davis and Kevin Hall. I have consumed them like a wonderful dessert after a fantastic meal. Each of them offering insights from their perspectives tied together in a beautiful package with examples and lessons from those they have studied or met.

On a plane ride recently while feasting on one of these works of art I had an epiphany. My love, my passion is words. Allow me to clarify, I do not have a desire to know every word or necessarily understand every word. What I love is the power of words in everything, a book, a lecture, a song, a play, a movie, a story or a conversation. Words to me are the voice of our thoughts. They bring to life our emotions, ides, feelings, hopes and dreams. The illuminate potential out of darkness and begin to create the foundation of what can be, from what was never there.

Each of us has a voice and with that voice has the potential to create and design something magnificent. Each of us has a power to shape our lives and impact those we encounter into something that upon reflection we are proud of. Never underestimate your own potential or the power of your words. Seek knowledge from that which inspires you. Find your own secret passion and then share it with the world. Take time to realize the one thing that can not be purchased ever, is a moment that has passed. So live each moment with that knowledge.

The Divine Within

2010-09-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

Every person is of worth to this world and to the lives of those around them simply because they exist. The word “Namasté” is an Eastern greeting which literally means, “I salute the divine within you.” I can think of no greater honor to receive or to give than to greet someone or be greeted with Namasté. If we can look at everyone we meet through the eyes of someone who believes that every human being is divine in nature, then we will be able to look past shabby clothing or sharp voices and see the good in each person. When this Hindi greeting of Namesté is given, the hands are clasped in front of the heart and the head is slightly bowed. The gesture is symbolic of reverence and respect for the person being greeted. What a different world it might be and can be if we can come to view everyone we meet as divine.

If I Believe I Can Then I Can

2010-09-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain." ~ Emily Dickinson

Technology feeds us data 24/7 and most of it is negative. It doesn't matter how much technology has changed or we have progressed in every aspect at the core we are still striving for the same thing. To feel as if we made a difference. To know that somehow we matter to someone and that someone matters to us. To see that the time we have spent here has been about more than getting ahead. Each day we are graced with sunrise is another opportunity for us to make a difference in the lives around us as well as our own.

There are so many little things we have the ability to do that can have an impact on those we encounter. Leave each person feeling better for having met us, listen to understand and with your full attention. Take time to enjoy your life and be there for yourself and those that matter. Recognize your own gifts and fulfill them. By fulfilling our dreams we enable and inspire other to do the same.

Change and Grow Stronger

2010-09-01T05:01:00.000-07:00

C.S. Lewis said, “It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad. “
Change can be difficult to accept, but as with the analogy of a bird, we can never really fly unless we learn to leave the comfort of the egg. We need to hatch and sometimes that isn’t easy but it makes us stronger.
Once, when observing baby chicks being hatched I a kindergarten classroom I saw the children wanting to help the chicks along by pulling away a piece of the egg shell. They could see the little beak trying so hard to break through and struggling to escape. The wise teacher told the children that if they helped the chick break trough the shell then it would never be strong enough to survive once it was freed. It was that very struggle that made the chick strong and independent.
We all have our shells to break out of at times. We need to leave our comfort zone in order to grow. The struggle to accomplish the change is as necessary sometimes as the change itself. It makes us stronger and more independent. If, like the bird we are content staying in our shell, we will surely “go bad” from lack of development.

A Clear Perspective

2010-08-31T06:49:00.000-07:00

Ellen Glasgow said: "No life is so hard that you can't make it easier by the way you take it."

Each person has obstacles to face in life. I have been in the room with individuals that were multi-millionaires and with individuals that couldn't make it to the next paycheck. Each person had their own individual situations to face.
For some it is finances, for others it may be finding their purpose or happiness. If I were to try to specify the individuals that I had been in the company of that seemed to have it all. Their finances were okay, they had good relationships and they seemed to be fulfilled as individuals I would describe them as this. People that realized the responsibility of their finances as their own, the willingness to contribute to a relationship is a two way path and the fulfillment in life comes from internal love and the desire to make a difference in this world through a variety of different venues. The success of our lives and the level of happiness and fulfillment we reach are up to each of us individually. See the beauty in a challenge and the doors it may open to a new world you may have never explored. Life has a way of taking us places where more and more of the beauty of life is revealed to us with each step

“For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? .”

2010-08-28T22:54:00.001-07:00

James Allen

Accepting Abundance

2010-08-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

When you go through live just getting by, you may not be completely open to abundance in your life. We see this all around us. People will stay in a situation that is less than what they are capable of having, being or doing just because it is known and comfortable. Even when opportunities for greater abundance come along they just don’t seem to seize them. Maybe it’s fear. Maybe it’s a feeling of not being deserving of abundance. Whatever the reason we can all overcome those obstacles and learn to accept that not only is every human being on the Earth entitled to abundance in their lives but they are already born with it. The challenge then is to recognize it and enjoy it. A prayer written by Emmett Fox and entitled Accepting Abundance reads in part:

“Today everything that I AM and have, that is Good,

is increased.

I identify everything I do with success.

I think affirmatively.

And with all my prayers, I accept abundance.

Whatever I need, whenever I need it,

wherever I need it, for as long as I need it,

will always be at hand.”

Accept that you can have all that you need, ready and plentiful whenever you need it.

Abundance of Peace

2010-08-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

It does not take a large bank account, a beautiful house or fancy car to have an abundance of peace. Peace is something that is found within us by the way we choose to view the world. Peace is found in knowing there is enough in the bank account for your needs or being able to happily adjust those needs to match its balance. An abundance of peace is found in a home filled with warmth and family you love and loves you, not in its furnishings or location. Peace is found in knowing you have a way to get where you want to go, even if it doesn’t have leather seats. It’s about where you choose to go in your mind. There is not an abundance of peace in trying to be something for someone else or in keeping up with the Jones’. Peace comes from keeping up with your own dreams and recognizing when you have achieved them. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” -- Buddha

Comfort in Abundance

2010-08-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

For most of the people able to access this blog there are many comforts in life we enjoy in abundance. By reading it you have Internet access and the electricity to power it. Most of us turn a faucet and have plenty of clean water in any temperature we want. We wash and dry our clothes in automatic machines. We go to sleep in a bed with clean linens and warm blankets. We enjoy an abundance of comforts. It isn’t until there is a power outage or when we are disconnected from these niceties that many of us fully appreciate the comforts we call basic but others may find as luxurious. It is a matter of perspective. Tonight when you flip a switch and lights come on or you press a button on the refrigerator and get some ice cold filtered water, take a minute to be grateful for the abundance of comforts you enjoy.

Abundance of Memories

2010-08-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Too often in life we make plans that “someday” we will go on that ski trip or climb that mountain or take the kids on a special vacation. Someday sometimes doesn’t come. Before we lose the opportunity we need to change our thinking to “today, I will…” and then do it before it is too late. My dad had a good friend who worked hard his whole life saving for retirement. He had so many plans of what he was going to do once he retired with all the money he saved and time he would have. He died of a heart attack 3 days before his retirement. It is a story that is all too common. Live for today and make memories out of every day life. Plan for the future but don’t plan as if it is a guaranteed possibility. Live for today and create your abundance of memories.

Abundance of Knowledge

2010-08-14T03:55:00.000-07:00

"One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child." ~ Carl Gustav Jung

We are surrounded with knowledge. Our world today provides us knowledge via books, television, pod casts, the Internet and our phones. We have access to so much information at any given moment that any challenge we face there is someone to learn from. Additionally, we haves so many teachers at are fingertips that 15 years ago we wouldn't have had. Through Social Media we can find experts or individuals with knowledge in almost any area. In many situations we are able to interact with them and get not only the answer to our questions, however the human touch.

However, let us not forget one of our greatest teacher is within us. Our past allows us to learn from where we have been and what we can do. It motivates us to never go there again or to go beyond what we have already accomplished. It empowers us to know that we can handle situations that at one time we would have never thought possible. Our past and those that have taught us are a powerful source of knowledge to refer back to and use at our own will. There is an abundance of knowledge at your fingertips. Where will you go next.

Abundance of Fun

2010-08-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

In today’s society we have daily distractions that remind us constantly of our obligations regardless, if it is the things to do around our house, at work, with family or friends. Our lives are going at such a fast pace from one obligation to the next that sometimes we forget how to just have fun. In some situations we are in the middle of something that would be fun but are distracted by the next thing on our list. Since the only thing we know for sure is that we have the moment that we are in, we need to learn how to live in our actual moment rather than going over what we haven’t done or what we need to do. Fun is all around us. It can be catching up with friends, watching old movies, taking road trips, or anything that makes our heart feel joy. For each of us this is different. Fun is not connected to our check books. Think back to your childhood, some of the most fun we had as children were the things that cost almost nothing. Whether it is playing make believe, hide and seek, going swimming, the beach, when we were young we seemed to always know how to have fun. Within each of us that child still lives. Find what makes you smile, laugh, or want to relive a moment. Today, just go do that, and have fun.

The Abundance Inside Us

2010-08-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.” When people think of abundance it is easy to think about what you have. We are all born into this world the same. We have nothing but our bodies, and it is our parents who have all of the belongings they used for our benefit to clothe and feed us and keep us safe. As we grow more independent, and we provide for ourselves, it is easy to get caught up in trying to acquire more “things” – things like cars and houses and all that goes in them. We acquire more or nicer clothes to make us feel good about the way we look. I once heard that we spend the first half of our lives acquiring stuff and the second half trying to get rid of it! True abundance however can only come from within. If we do not feel satisfied with what we have within in us, then we will never be satisfied with the material things we surround ourselves with. I think with a certain amount of personal growth and understanding and maybe even maturity we come to understand that we have within us all that we need and we just need to learn to recognize it.

Opportunities in Abundance

2010-08-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

Opportunities are all around us in great abundance. Why is it then that some people can see the opportunities for what they are while others fail to recognize them? Is it that some people get more changes or do they simply know and understand an opportunity when the see it? How then can we learn to recognize and the abundant opportunities we are all equally entitled to? We can start by first being open minded. If we shut the door on the opportunity before we explore it a little more, we will miss its potential. What might appear at first to be uninspiring may turn into the opportunity of a lifetime. Second, we can look for opportunity in every situation. If the door is closed on what we thought was the right direction for us, then try looking for the open window. It was once said that opportunities don’t come along stamped with their value on them. We never know what they may bring until we act on them. If we cannot understand the opportunities when they come along, then we miss out on the true potential they hold.

Abundance of Potential

2010-08-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

Don Williams, Jr said "What we aspire to be is more than what we are yet less than what we are capable of.” There is so much potential that surrounds us. Sometimes it is obvious and other times it is more suddle regardless there is potential all around us. There are books, individuals, mentors to name a few of individuals that are able to empower us. We have a limited potential only because we wish to believe we have a limited potential. However, when we open our minds to the possibilities of unlimited potential we allow ourselves to discover teachers that we wouldn't have otherwise discovered. If we think in terms of abundance and potential we are allowing ourselves to move in that direction. It is like being in a car, we couldn't drive or work and home at the same time. We can't think limitations and attract abundance.

Abundance of Love

2010-08-09T04:09:00.000-07:00

Carl Gustav Jung said “The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely” This however, is the key to having an abundance of love is to first love ourselves. Our lives take us to many different places and around many different people. The one thing we all share is that we are always with our self. If I love myself and respect myself then what types of individuals am I going to surround myself with? People that will love me also. Love is something that only grows as we give it. The more love we give the more love we have. So if we give ourselves love, remembering there is an abundance of love to give then we will attract back to us more and more love. When we put ourselves down or withhold love then we will draw in individuals that will do the same. Life is a wonderful an amazing journey that can change at any moment it is up to us. We can begin to love ourselves to find things in others to love. If we learn how to put our attention on the things in life we want to attract rather than the things we don't want to attract we can shift our lives. There is an abundance of love in the world and within ourselves we just have to focus on that. It all begins within ourselves.

Abundance in Our Friendships

2010-08-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

Think about the times in your life when you’ve really needed your friends. I know for me they have rallied around in times of tragedy but they are also there to celebrate occasions big and small. I remember as a little girl in Brownies we would sing this song, “Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.” I don’t think that there is ever a time when we can’t make room for a new friend. As we go through experiences together, they grow not only in value to your life but bring richness and abundance to all of its individual experiences. There are different friends I call upon at different times. Some come through when least expected. The kind of friends I treasure most are the ones where even if we have not spoken or seen each other in a long time, we can pick right up where we left off. Then there are the friends that are there everyday that we may sometimes take for granted. As I reflect on all of my friends I recognize the blessing in having many who understand me and are there for me at just the right times. They know when to step in and when to step back and let me figure things out on my own, always there to listen with openness and understanding when I’m ready to talk. Friends don’t only come through in the difficult times but are also there to make the going a little easier day in and day out.

Live and Experience the Abundance

2010-08-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

John Petit-Senn said, "Not what we have but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance." How very true. Over the years we have done many things as a family that didn’t cost us anything financially but created some of our best memories. We would go to the park or beach or rake up a big pile of leaves and jump in them. As the kids got older, we had fun fishing at a local pond or hiking in the state park. Some of the most abundant memories are just shooting hoops and the boys learning from their dad some tips he learned while playing basketball in high school, college and the Air Force. Even the vacations that we took together mostly involved experiencing something new with extended family.

There were of course the splurges on those trips, but it always makes me smile when I think of what my family wants to do the next time we return. It wasn’t the themed amusement parks or tourist attractions of the country’s major cities that were on the “must do again” list. It was the small, simple, and even least expensive places we went that seemed to hold the majority of the good memories – the backyard campfires, swimming at the lake, or looking for alligators on the U of F campus. All it took was being surrounded by family and friends to enjoy the abundance of life.

Abundance In The Little Things

2010-08-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic day. I woke up early and because I own my own company I worked for 2 hours before I left for the beach with my daughter. It has been a very busy summer so this was the first time my 17 year old and I had time and the weather was cooperating that we could go to the beach. We walked for a little over 1.5 hours along the sand bars and talked about everything. Senior year, college, friends life you name it we talked and laughed. Then we hopped in the car and stopped at one of the best ice cream places in that area. We drove home and were able to enjoy a little down time and then got ready for a night out with family friends. Again, the ability to work in between these events allowed me to enjoy the day without missing anything important I needed to do. We went and watched Step Up 3D and the dancing and movie I absolutely loved. Then we went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant where they cook your food at the table our friends son had never been so it was even more fun and the food was amazing. We went home I opened my PC and an author we love Deanna Davis had read our ebook and loved the material. I needed to get her some information so I stayed up until around 1am to get the work done. My day cost me $65 dollars in total not that much for an abundance of memories, sharing time with family and friends, opportunities and all I was able to take from it. Abundance some times comes in the little things that add up to the most amazing parts of our lives.

Find Abudance In All You Do

2010-08-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

"Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.” ~ Epicurus

Life for each and everyone of us brings different challenges as well as different joys. When we take time to know ourselves to undestand what makes us feel fulfilled as a person we are better able to position our lives to include individuals that share some or our core values as well as joys. When we are able to spend time doing what we enjoy we are able to live a life that is more fulfilled. There are so many opportunities to have a life that is lived as wide as it is long. The key is to know yourself. To know how you can live an abudant life and then to do what it takes to make that happen. Find joy in yourself and your life. Live your life in abudance.

Abundance: It’s Not Just About the Money

2010-08-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

Most average, middle class people go through times in their lives when finances are really good and other times when finances are not so good. I remember thinking at one point when I was a stay-at-home mom and we were a one-income family that when my husband reached a certain level of pay, we would be financially set. That point came and we upgraded out lifestyle a bit but then there was the wanting for more – for the next financial milestone. On the other hand, we had friends who we know had a much lower income but who seemed so content with what they had. They, in fact, had more discretionary income because of choices they made. So abundance is not necessarily about income. To me it is more about the freedom to choose how to use our resources so that we achieve the goals we want and enjoy the abundant life.
To have financial abundance is all a matter of perspective. I ask myself on occasion if all my basic needs are met. Yes, they are. Then next question I ask myself is am I able to do some, if not all, of the things that come with having financial abundance. Again the answer is yes. If we can have every necessary need met and still be able to enjoy the extra or find a way to have the things we want – whether or not that takes money – is in fact enjoying a level of abundance. Wayne Dyer said it perfectly when he said, “Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.”

Abundance in the Realm of Finite Time

2010-08-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

To have abundance is to have more than enough, more than is needed, above and beyond the basic. This can be something negative or something positive. For example, an abundance of anger or stress can lead to bitterness or an abundance of rich foods indulged in too often can lead to weight or health problems. Must most often we think of abundance as something that is good or positive. We think of having plenty and some to spare. Applying this to the way we spend our time can lead to abundant satisfaction, maybe even a greater level of peace. Susan Taylor said, “We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly. . . spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.”

Focusing on the good, many of us find that we have an abundance of activities usually all worthwhile and fulfilling in some way. Some are really good, but some are better. Then there are the best. Our time is finite and we have to choose which of these abundant activities is most deserving of our focus, heart, and time. In some cases less is more. When we are less busy being busy, we are able to give more to our most important and best activities.

Abundance of Love

2010-08-02T05:29:00.000-07:00

There was a time when the thought of acknowledging that I love myself seemed kind of silly. I loved my family and friends and had never put to much thought into loving myself. Then I went through a bit of a bumpy patch and in the process ended in the office of an amazing individual. As I sat there we went through a variety of topics he asked me who I loved and who was my best friend? As I thought for a second I named off what I considered a nice size list. Then he looked at me with a little confusion and opened a drawer. He handed me a mirror and asked what I saw? Of course the answer was myself and he then made a comment that I have taken with me from that moment and never forgotten; "The person in the mirror needs to be your best friend and you need to like and love that person first. If you love and like that person you will respect them and by doing that you will bring into your life people that will love and respect them also." I remember thinking that is so simple, if I am trying to have people in my life that don't love and respect me then why are they in my life. Since then I now love and like myself, now I am not saying I don't make mistakes and irritate myself sometimes. However, my actions, choices and decisions are all based on doing what will allow me to like and love myself. By doing this I have more love then I know what to do with and I am able to share it with others. Love in abundance is endless the more you give starting with yourself the more you have to give.

An Abundance of Gratitude

2010-08-01T21:26:00.000-07:00

According to the dictionary abundance is a plentiful supply. Most of us think of abundance in terms of finances and wealth. For us at Waves of Gratitude we think of abundance in terms of potential opportunities, or in terms of time with family, or the quality of our lives. For us abundance is not meant to necessarily describe the financial situation we are in as much as it meant to represent our mission statement: To be abundantly grateful for the opportunities in our lives to make a product that is intended to make a difference in other people lives and to be grateful for each and every customer, fan, blog reader, mentor, author, spiritual entrepreneur and fan we have made thus far. We know that the abundance of those individuals in our lives is what is going to see our product make a ripple effect of positive energy. Abundance is our dedication this month. It describes the core belief of gratitude. The more you give of gratitude the more abundance of gratitude you have. This is our commitment to find abundance in the core values of our company and to share them with each of you. Please feel free to make any suggestions we love to hear from each and every one of you.

Inspiration Surrounds Us

2010-07-29T13:35:00.000-07:00

This last monday I went to a concert for one of my daughters friends band. While there another band played that was very good about trying to build their fan base. Curious about how successful they were the next day I looked them up on youtube. I watched an interview with one of them and was inspired. Nick the member of the band was talking about how the lyrics to one of their songs came to him while in the shower. The funny thing is we had been talking about how all of our great ideas seem to come to us while we are in the shower. A litttle research proved that there is a scientific reason for this. The end result is that if we want to be inspired, it is all around us. It is just a matter of being open to it. Find something every day that inspires you.

Finding Your Inspiration

2010-07-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Inspiration sometimes seems to come out of the blue. When it does, it is exciting and moves you to act. But what about those times when you need some inspiration and it just won’t come. You think about what you need to accomplish but it takes more effort than it ought to. There are ways to call up inspiration when you need it.

Part of opening up to inspiration involves quieting the mind. Deanna Davis, PhD, in her book, The Law of Attraction in Action, talks about using different forms of meditation to quiet the mind and make room for inspired thoughts that lead to inspired actions. She writes about the idea that meditation does not need to have a formal method or process, but can be any activity that quiets the mind. Some may use yoga. Some may meditate lying down, sitting upright or standing in the shower. The important concept is to quiet the mind from the random thoughts that enter at will so that the inspired thoughts can enter in.

The challenge: find what works for you. Where can you find quiet and stillness? For a young mother that may be behind the locked bathroom door. For the empty nester, it may be a quiet spot in a sunny room. For those who juggle their home life with work and volunteering it may be the car ride. Turn off the noise whether that is TV, the radio or the commotion of a busy family and just breathe. The inspiration will come to the quiet, organized mind.

3 Steps to Inspired Success

2010-07-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

Drive and ambition may help us get ahead in our careers or “win” wherever we compete, but motivation often comes from inspiration. Inspired action is a term used by author Deanna Davis in her book, “The Law of Attraction in Action.” (Penguin Group 2008) She states so perfectly that,

“Real and lasting change and success always emerge by first choosing your state and then setting a clear intention for what you want to achieve. They require something more, though, to actually yield results. That ‘something more’ is inspired action.”

We can be busy throughout our days, frantically running from here to there and at the end of the day feel as though we have accomplished nothing. We were busy, no doubt, but were the actions moving us forward or just around in circles? Inspired success comes from inspired action. If each of our actions were purposely made we would surely move around less and accomplish more. Here are three simple steps that just may help you start to make your movement more meaningful and productive and your satisfaction at the end of the day more complete.

Have a plan. It may be a “to-do” list or just a mental note about what is most important to accomplish that day.
Return often to your plan throughout the day. This is a good way to check if the actions you are taking are related to what you had planned for your day. If not, then think about if they should really have a place interrupting that plan and get back on track.
Review. At the end of the day, take inventory and set priorities for the next day.

This is a method used by many gurus and experts on time management, Law of Attraction, and other types of practices for achieving goals and to help you live the most inspired kind of day.

Quote book

2010-07-12T19:34:00.001-07:00

Waves of Gratitude Inspired Quote Book

Where Do You Get Your Inspiration?

2010-07-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

Artists and musicians get their inspiration from life so where do we get our inspiration for our life? What inspires you to live life the way you do? Each decision we make and each step we take toward our dreams is inspired either by something we surround ourselves with or something from within. Sometimes our surroundings or situations are negative to we have to find the inspiration from within. Learning to find the inspiration when we need it is something we can practice and ultimately perfect. The key is gratitude and taking the time to look for the good in anything. It exists. We just need to find it.

Smart & Trendy Mom's Social Parade

2010-07-02T08:03:00.001-07:00

Join us and tons of other INSPIRING bloggers!

A Legacy of Inspiration

2010-06-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

Everyday inspiring people begin to create their own legacy. There legacy may not be as widely known as those who become famous, but to the people whose lives they touch it is an indelible legacy. I read a blog today about this type of legacy and was so moved by his story. He may never know the impression it made, but that is often the case with those who are unknowingly creating a positive legacy.
The man’s name is Matthew Sanford. At age 13 his family was in a horrible car accident which killed his father and sister and left him paralyzed from the chest down. He went for many years just trying to accept his disability. He finished high school and college but found himself living in a state of depression. One day all of that changed. He met Jo, a yoga instructor with no prior experience working with people with paralysis. Slowly the yoga moves were able to integrate the mind-body connection to a point that Matthew for the first time since the accident was able to get a sense that his legs were again part of his body and regain a feeling of wholeness. Today Matthew has a non-profit dedicated to helping disabled and able-bodied people alike develop their own mind-body connection through yoga. It is this type of inspiring person that increases my awareness of gratitude and is a legacy of hope.

You Are Leaving A Legacy, Is It The Legacy You Want?

2010-06-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Nature reminds us of its power. The Grand Canyon demonstrates how over time water can erode and shape the hard surface of the earth to create canyons. We are all like water; we have the ability over the course of our lives to leave a mark. The fact is that each of us is creating a Legacy. We interact with others and in doing so affect those we interact with. Like the water flowing through the base of the canyon is constant over time that flow has an affect on the earth’s surface.

The first step to creating a Legacy that you want is to become aware of how your actions, and non-actions affect those you interact with. If you are the person that smiles and offers a kind word, holds open the door and overall is a respectful person you are leaving a legacy. At the same regard, if you are the person that is always negative, never holds the door and just doesn’t care you are leaving a legacy.
We create a Legacy by who we are and what we do or don’t know. Armed with this knowledge, wouldn’t you rather leave a Legacy that makes a difference? Wouldn’t you rather be the person that made a difference? You have the power to leave a beautiful Legacy.

The Ups and Downs to Becoming a Legacy

2010-06-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

If our actions are not in line with the type of legacy we want to leave, we can make the change. The legacy may ultimately be the fact that we were able to recognize our mistakes, correct them and move on. It doesn’t matter if we discover this at 14 or at 40.There are many people who altered their course in order to create the legacy we know them for today. Change is always possible.

There are countless stories of famous people who started out to follow their dream and then ended up bankrupt and needed to redefine their businesses and alter their course in order to be the person and the legacy they ultimately became. The story of Milton Hersey is one of persistence. He had no formal advanced education but studied hard as an apprentice in a candy store. His first attempts and selling chocolate failed and his company went bankrupt. He worked on an idea he had to use fresh milk to make caramel and in 1900 sold his Lancaster Carmel Company for $1 million! Walt Disney failed at his first attempt to be an advertising film maker. His company failed in 1923 but by 1928 he had reinvented his company with the creation and introduction of Mikey Mouse and the Walt Disney Company. A legacy does not earn their title by never failing, but by never giving up.

Our Life, Our Legacy - The Reverend Billy Graham

2010-06-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Reverend Billy Graham said, “The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives.” It doesn’t matter what our religious or spiritual beliefs are, it is easy to admire the legacy that Billy Graham is creating for doing good in the world. I have always respected him as a minister of mankind, ministering to the minds and spirits of people who grow from his words, example and encouragement.

William Franklin Graham, Jr. was born in 1918 and began his ministry at a young age. He is retired now from making public sermons, but he created a legacy of being a spiritual leader for people of all different denominations and has prayed with every president from Harry S. Truman to Barak Obama. Billy Graham, known for his charisma, certainly had his critics and I think that is an important distinction to make in thinking of people and their legacy. It is not always the people that are the most widely accepted or popular who make the biggest difference; in fact it is often just the opposite. What the Reverend Graham did was take a stand on what he believed and defend it without wavering. A legacy such as the kind of legacy created by Billy Graham is often someone who makes us take notice, take a deeper look at ourselves, contemplate how we feel about matters, and even take a stand we might not have otherwise.