Hope Transforms

Just when the caterpiller thought the wold was over, it became a butterfly ~ Unknown

There are moments in life that it appears things aren’t going the way we had planned. If we look at history there are numerous examples of individuals that transformed from failure into success.


Henry Ford In 1899 the young mechanic and engineer started the Detroit Automobile Company with the backing of three prominent politicians. Ford hadn't quite mastered the innovation and production techniques that would eventually make him rich, though. Over the next two years, Ford proved to be too much of a perfectionist, and his plant only produced 20 cars as he painstakingly tinkered with designs.

The enterprise went bankrupt in 1901 and reorganized into the Henry Ford Company later that year. Ford eventually left that group and finally got things right in 1903, when he founded the Ford Motor Company.

Walt Disney His name may be a stalwart brand today, but early in his career, Disney was just a struggling filmmaker with too many bills. In 1922 he started his first film company with a partner in Kansas City, Kansas.

The two men bought a used camera and made short advertising films and cartoons under the studio name Laugh-O-Gram. Disney even signed a deal with a New York company to distribute the films he was producing. That arrangement didn't work out so well, though, as the distributor cheated Disney's studio.

Without the distributor's cash, Disney couldn't cover his overhead, and his studio went bankrupt in 1923. He then left Kansas City for Hollywood, and after a series of increasingly successful creations, Disney debuted a new character named Mickey Mouse in 1928.

Sometimes we have to be willing to keep trying to risk everything to discover success. As the butterfly leaves behind what is was in order to become a butterfly. We must sometimes let go of what we have to get what we want. Hope transforms.

Optimism & Hope

Hope and optimism go hand-in-hand. The dictionary.com definition of the word optimism is as follows.


op•ti•mism op-tuh-miz-uh m

–noun

1. a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.

2. the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world.

3. the belief that goodness pervades reality.

An optimistic approach to all problems can keep us in a state of hope. If we can search for and find goodness in all situations we can find hope.

There is a fable about a set of identical twins. One finds hope in all things, the other is the opposite, a true pessimist. The worried parents took the twins to a psychologist and followed his instructions. On their next birthday they put the twins in separate room to open their presents. The optimist was given a box for manure. The pessimist was given the best toys and gifts – a computer, toy car, etc. When the pessimist opened his gifts he was sure the computer would just break and the car wasn’t as good as the one his friend had. They looked in on the optimistic child and found he was thrilled with his huge box of manure. When asked why he was so happy with that gift, he replied, “Where there is this much manure there must be a pony!” Hope is being able to find the source of every good gift.

Remembering Hope

History can teach us so much.  The one thing it can teach us the most is that hope has power.  Throughout our own history there are moments when life wasn't going according to plan. When we had doubt over how a situation would work out.  There are periods of time that we doubt we will ever be happy again.  That life will offer some ray of sunlight behind the emotion we are feeling at any given moment.  However, if we move forward and have hope it always does. 

If we move on to history we again see hope.  In almost every battle there are periods of doubt will we win?  Periods of time when the economy seems to be at its worst.  Then there is a shift and things swing back around to the positive.  Life teaches us if we have hope and move towards that hope there is almost always another path to take.  A new opportunity.  So in moments of doubt, reflect on your history.  Realize that things can always get better if you remain hopeful. 

Our Purpose, Our Hope

Earlier this month we compared hope to our purpose and recognizing that purpose as being as vital as the air we breathe. When I was reading a magazine article about Mike Rowe who started the series “Dirty Jobs” I learned that he began exploring the dirty jobs other people did to make everyone’s lives more pleasant. He decided to do this because his grandfather was one of those men who could do anything. He could fix what needed repair whether it was electrical, mechanical, plumbing related or all of the above. Mike Rowe felt that this kind of honest, hard work so important to us all, and the people who completed it, were not given the credit they deserved. Talk about purposeful work! Where would we be without the sewer repair guys or the chicken farmers of the world?

Our own work may not be as dirty, but we all hope it will be as meaningful. Mike Rowe talked about his own transition from working for a paycheck to loving the work he does so much that he rarely takes a day off. May we all find meaning in our work – our vocation or our mission– and have hope that our purpose for doing it has an equally meaningful place in the lives of others.

Hope To Find Our Own Greatness

“How do we inspire ourselves to greatness? We must exceed our own expectations.” ~ Invictus

As children we are taught to believe. Believe that reindeers fly and elves build toys. Believe in the Easter Bunny, Fairy Tales and that someday we could be anything. It is possible to be a famous actor, the president or a major athlete. We aren’t given limitations; instead our dreams are encouraged through stories, movies and dreams.

Somewhere this all disappears. We are taught about limitations and are flooded with news about what is wrong in society. We begin to doubt what life has to offer and even worse we begin to doubt ourselves and our own potential.
“I am the master of my fate the captain of my soul.” ~ Henley, William Ernest

However, there is hope. Inside every successful person is a person that overcame their own doubt. They realized they were the master of their own destiny and the captain of their own soul. They focused on what was possible not impossible. They took action toward attaining their dreams and with each action a new opportunity was born.

Our success is within our own hands. It is up to us what we do with it, the choice to pursue our dreams with all our heart. To be open to the potential opportunities that arise or to find reasons we must settle. To find opportunities or to look for what is wrong instead of what can be. Hope inspires us and enables us to become the person we are meant to be.

The Tides of Hope

Hope may come in cycles like the tide.  Sometimes it seems far off and there is a stretch of beach between it and the waves that it seems out of reach. Other times hope is high on the shore and catches up to us like the incoming tide that encroaches on the dry beach.  But just like the beach we may have to walk out a little further to reach the waves of hope and sometimes it finds us.  Whatever the case, hope is within our reach and that which gives us despair can be washed away if we find the hope.

positively present

positively present

Hope Illuminates

In every life there are moments of darkness and doubt. There are minutes, hours or days that we may be faced with fear. Like darkness that weights us down and keeps us from seeing. Every life, ever moment no matter how dark it may seem has the potential to touch a life. A flicker of hope can illuminate something larger than anyone could have ever imagined possible. Organizations like Make A Wish and Susan G Komen were born from someone finding hope in a moment of darkness. Today these organizations have illuminated millions of lives. Hope is that flicker when you wonder how I will do that says “you can do it’. Hope is that flicker that when you are scared says “you are not alone” Hope is that flicker that if given a chance grows into a flame. Hopes smallest flicker can illuminate and encourage others. Hope is that flicker that enables you to pursue a dream. Hope is that flicker that lights life’s path and upon reflection we see the power of hope to illuminate.

Hope To Inspire

One of my favorite things is movies.  I love them, especially the ones that take me away and enable me to believe in something we may have otherwise lost hope in.  Movies can inspire us to believe in love and hope to find the love they have in the movies.  Movies can capture a sensation of victory at the potential and hope for victory.  Movies can inspire us to believe in our dreams and create hope for the potential for our dreams to become reality.  Then if we look at the movie itself.  Long before there is a screen play there is an individual or individuals that hope to see their ideas on the big screen.  They take an idea and follow their hope until they make it reality.  The writer had an idea of a movie that could make the audience feel, laugh or cry.  They had hope that what they had in their minds could be translated to paper and then through actors and actresses to film.  Movies begin with hope, they can give hope and they can create hope.  That is why I love the movies. 

Enough Hope to Laugh

Hope is when you can laugh more than you cry. They say that laughter is the best medicine, but I believe hope lets you have moments of that all-healing laughter. There was a transition to my grieving the loss of my husband when people would ask me how I was doing. At some point I was able to realize I had happy moments where I could laugh again.

The opposite of hope is despair. Despair is a natural feeling to have when your whole world gets turned upside down. I have a good friend who refers to her life as a snow globe and when something traumatic happens it’s as if someone picked up her world and shook it. Then, just as the flakes settle, there would seem to be something else that would shake it and turn up the calm blanket on the bottom of the globe. With hope, we see the shake ups as disturbing our world but know that there will be a peaceful rest when the dust settles.
The real milestone I reached in my personal global shakeup was when I reached the point where I realized I was laughing more than I was crying. Hope in a future that can be as good as the past and hope in today being better than yesterday is how we heal, grow and ultimately thrive.

Hope From Letters

Today I was doing some spring cleaning and came across a box with hand written letters. Some of them were 15 years old and written by my grandmother. I spent the majority of my childhood with my grandmother. My grandparents adopted me when I was 11 years old so they were my parents. As I removed the letter from the envelop and read her words I felt as if she was there with me, her letter filled me with sadness that she was gone and hope. I wonder if 15 years from now we will open an email and have that same nostalgic feeling. We all know the answer to that question, of course not. There is an art to letter writing. It allows us to reflect on days that have passed.
There were receipts, words of encouragement and the simple tone of her letter. As I read them I felt blessed to have her in my life and to have her letters with me. I appreciate the time she took to send them and I am grateful to still have them. If there is someone in your life that you love and have something you want to share, consider a hand written letter. You never know, years from now those words may offer hope and inspiration.

Symbols of Hope

Symbols have played an important role in people’s lives since the beginning of time. In Old Testament times there were frontlets worn on the forehead or arms to remind the people of covenants. Modern Christianity uses the symbol of the cross for a hope in Christ.

There are symbols throughout nature that give us hope: sunrises welcoming the new day, flowers and trees blooming in spring to let us know the winter is past, a baby being born with hope for a new, exciting life.

Symbols of hope come in many forms and are personal expressions of what we hope for in our own lives. The engagement ring is symbolic of hope in a wonderful life with the one we love. Our Branches of Hope is symbolic of the strength and beauty of women similar to that of the Cyprus tree that has weathered the elements and emerged stronger and more beautiful. Whatever symbol of hope you have, look at it often, touch it and remember that there is much to be hopeful about.

Silent Hope

Hope can be the sole purpose of an action that we aren’t even aware of; it can be completely silent. Recently I was listening to a high school senior explain her dream career. She had every detail planned out, from the college she would attend to her graduate degree in 5 years, to her intern positions and the first step she would make towards her dream career. Her inspiration was an individual that was a VP at 26 and she had researched his path, his degree program, intern positions, and promotions. He had supplied silent hope.

Have you ever heard about something on the news, in the newspaper, or in a conversation and thought, “I could do that?” It may have been a place to vacation, a promotion, or investment. Have you ever watched someone do something, enter a marathon, change careers, or start their own business and been inspired to considered it for yourself? Buying my first home was a risk I took after an acquaintance who was also a single mom purchased her first home.
People, their stories and life offer silent hope to other people they are not even aware are watching. Individuals witness events, or hear about them and are moved to try something they have only dreamed of and consider a change they may have never considered. Have you ever asked yourself what silent hope your life demonstrates to someone else? What dreams have you inspired? My daughter’s base line for marriage is our close friend’s parents. They embody her dream of what marriage after 50 years is. The love, respect and appreciation they have for each other after all these years instill a hope for a life she wants to have.
We may not be aware, however, our lives are an example of hope to our children, friends, family, and beyond. We buy a new car, redo a room, take a vacation, or get a promotion. These things are examples to others of what is possible. This is silent hope.

What Children Teach Us About Hope

There is something about the way a young child sees the world that can make us believe in anything at all. Children seem to believe in miracles even before they happen. They believe that if they wish for something hard enough it will come true. Children have hope that when they blow on a dandelion or see the first star at night their wish will come true. Children know in their hearts that if they find a four-leaf clover they will have good luck. They put faith in the results of blowing out all the candles with one breath. Don’t stop believing just because the there are more candles to blow out.

Hope and Faith Go Hand in Hand

Faith is believing in something where there is not hard evidence. Sometimes the proof comes in a tangible form at some point, but often it is more obscure. Hope on the surface can seem like wishing for something to be true or happen a certain way. Deeper down, hope is more like faith– knowledge in your heart that things will be the way you want. George Iles is an author, editor, biographer who said, “Hope is faith holding out its hand in the dark.” Some people refer to is as taking the first step, a leap of faith, or stepping off the edge. What ever way you see to it, it is still all about believing and then acting upon that belief.

When we started Waves of Gratitude, there was faith in the good we could provide, hope in each piece falling into place as needed and then there was taking those steps to achieving what we believed could happen. We are still in the process and hope is still as strong as in the first days of development. There were times when hope waned and it took faith in what we were doing to push through the fear. Today hope prevails. Hope will always prevail and turn believing into knowing if we don’t let the hope slip away.

Hope Is Our Heartbeat And Our Breath

May is the month of commencement speeches which are typically given by individuals that have achieved some level of success in their life. The commencement speak is meant to acknowledge the work that has taken place in order to graduate while still inspiring the audience of what lies before them. At the heart of these speeches lives “Hope” for what the future holds.

Every time an athlete steps into the game they are filled with anticipation of their opponents. They are ready to meet the challenge and do what is necessary to win the game. What sets the best apart from the rest? What propels the underdog to win? What enables a grown man to pursue the dream of his youth? Again one word “Hope”

May is the beginning of what many refer to as the wedding season. Brides have dreamed of this day from the time they were little girls. They have planned the perfect dress, the most beautiful cake and the most charming and honorable husband. They are filled with fear and happiness of what is to be and what they are leaving behind. They have rehearsed every detail and calculated exactly how the day will unfold into the perfect day. What motivates this effort and planning besides love? “Hope” that this is only the beginning of the beauty and love their life will hold.
Hope is at the root of every thing we do. It enables us to move forward and take risks. It inspires us and those around us. It lifts ours spirits when life knocks us down. “Hope” is our core in life; it is our heartbeat and breathe wrapped up together.

Hope Floats

“Beginnings are scary. Endings are usually sad, but it’s what’s in the middle that counts. So, when you find yourself at the beginning, just give hope a chance to float up. And it will!” - Hope Floats -1998

I recently heard a speech in which the speaker was saying that sometimes we just need to “let it go.” It was intended to remind people that they need to not get caught up in petty grievances and let the hard feelings go. I took it a little differently, probably because I didn’t feel like I was holding on to any kind of grudges or feelings of being wronged. Instead I took it that when we have things happen to us that are beyond our control, we need to feel what we feel and then move on.
It can be scary to start new and let go of something that is familiar, even if that something is a negative feeling. If we are used to harboring those feelings, then they are what feel normal and right. On the other hand, we do find it sad when a good thing comes to an end. Hope can pull us to begin something new and helps us better handling the end of something good. With hope, ever ending becomes a promising new beginning.

Hope For Forgiveness & Second Chances

There isn't a human I know that hasn't made a mistake. Done the wrong thing, said the wrong thing, it is part of life. The key is to know when we make a mistake and then hopefully have a way to make up for it. Hope motivates us to take a chance and try to correct the mistake. That by making an effor to do the right thing we can restore what has been hurt by our wrong. If you are the person that has been wronged forgiveness is a very important part of life. To acknowledge none of us are perfect. If you are the person seeking forgiveness then we have to be patience. While we may want to correct our mistakes and move on sometimes we need to step back and allow those in our lives time to determine how they want to move forward. However, niether party had the right to make the other person feel like less of a person.  We must stay hopeful that if not now sometime in the future we will be able to rebuild what is lost and hurt.

When Hope is Needed Most

Hope is needed most when we feel the most hopeless. I got a letter today from an old college friend that I hadn’t heard from in more than 2 years. She had just gone through a bad divorce (is there really any other kind?) and with the stress and pain of it all she had actually gone into a comatose state for 3 days last summer. I can only imagine that kind of pain. I have suffered loss, but not the pain of someone I thought was completely devoted to me choosing to leave. What makes the difference between being able to cope or not? I believe it is hope. Believing in or having a hope in the future being better and that one day merely surviving will turn into thriving is the catalyst to overcoming our toughest trials. Have hope in the future, believe with all your heart in our own abilities to overcome and take their first steps toward making whatever changes in your thinking is necessary.

Hope ~ For Hope In Return

We often reach out to others to help. We offer to be there to assist people that we feel can use some help. Sometimes this is to a total stranger sometimes it is to close friends or family. We open ourselves up and give without any expectation except that we hope. We hope that if someday we need something they or someone else will be there. We hope that if someday we need a big hug someone will give us one. We hope that our willingness to be there for another person to care and put their needs on our list will enable us to matter to them. In essence we give hope in exchange for hope. Hope propells us to take risks, to put others first to care when otherwise we may not have. In the ends sometimes our hopes with those we give to so willingly are not fulfilled. My suggestion, hope that instead of passing that hope back to us they passed it on to someone else and keep hoping. Hope is like a big hug, it lifts the spirits of those that give and receive.

The Need for Hope

“All I need is the air that I breathe and to love you…” I have always loved this song by The Hollies. It implies that the most vital needs are both the physical need for air and the emotional need for love. I might add that we also need hope. Hope helps us get up on the morning after a long, dark night. Hope allows us to see a future that is better than our present. Hope keeps us motivated to see past the obstacles and work through the challenge. Hope recognizes that everyone can change for the better.

Some things to remember when you feel hopeless:

• The only person you need to compare to is your past self.

• Effort counts for a lot more than you may realize in most situations.

• The world will never run out of hope; we can always find more if just one person believes something is possible.

Basic human needs for air, love and hope are what make life not only possible, but worth living.

Hope Provides Us Purpose

I remember hearing Wayne Dyer speak about not letting yourself die with the music still in you.  I remember when I heard it a conversation I had with my grandmother years earlier about our calling, our natural passion for something.  She had always felt her passion was to go abroad and help others.  To be a type of Mother Teresa.  Instead, she had done the normal thing, get married and have kids.  She did pursue her mission to help others by becoming a minister.  However, in the end she felt she had missed her purpose.  I remember her telling me to never think it was too late.  If there is something in you that you know you were meant to do go out and do it.  Life is funny, it doesn't have a rule book or a step by step guide for assembly.  However, there is one main secret I have seen through the years.  That is the pursuit of ones passion or purpose.  For Randy Pausch it was to share his life with as many people as he could while he still could.  For Lance Armstrong it was to win the Tour De France.  For Mother Teresa it was to help those in needs.  While living a life of purpose we find the work we are doing to be are passion and it seems less like work and becomes more fulfilling.  I have always felt blessed.  Behind every obstacle there is a lesson, an opportunity or something that upon reflection benefits my life.  My gift is to find the solution, the opportunity that lies within the mess.  For me blogging, find inspiration on a daily basis is something I could do forever.  In order to do this we have to have at the core of all of it Hope.  Hope that our purpose or our passion will have value.  Just as the void between the notes makes the melody, hope within our purpose connections us to why we are here and allows us to fulfill our place.  To find our music and not take it with us when our time is done.  Hope is at the core of everything.  If is the heartbeat of our lives.

What is my purpose?

Why am I here? What is it I am supposed to do? What is my purpose? These are questions most of us have asked at one time or another in our lives. Alfred North Whitehead said, “Our minds are finite, and yet even in these circumstances of finitude we are surrounded by possibilities that are infinite, and the purpose of life is to grasp as much as we can out of that infinitude.”

We may not fully understand our potential because the mind can only think in finite terms of a beginning and an end. Because of this we may be putting limits on our purpose. A purpose in life may have finite moments. We may be called upon to fulfill a need at a particular moment and once that is done, our purpose in that role is too. Maybe we are meant to move from one purposeful act to another, one after another until that moment of infinitude.

There has been research over the years that indicates that older people who still feel useful and needed live longer and happier lives. In a 2009 interview with Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, FAANP, professor in the Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore, she states, “I think we often push older adults to do mindless activities when we should be encouraging activities that help them live in communities. People want to feel needed, so the idea is to give people jobs and responsibilities that they can feel good about when they complete them successfully. You might give a patient the job of clearing the table in his or her assisted-living facility. Or you might encourage a patient to deliver the mail or take the dog for a walk, whatever it is that can make that person feel needed — and that they're completing meaningful activities.” We all have seen both sides of it. There are those who retire from their job and no longer know what they are supposed to do and basically sit back waiting to die. There are others like my grandma Francy who at age 93 still volunteers, participates in clubs, finds ways to cheer others up with cards and phone calls.

We can find purpose in our lives on large and small scales every day. It does not matter how old we are, where we live, if we are married or single, have children at home or live alone. What is your purpose for today?

Hope In Every Situation

Hope is the ray of sunshine around a cloud promising to peak through so your BBQ goes according to plan. Hope is planning the perfect prom day and waiting for it to go according to plan. Hope is forgiveness when you have said words that hurt. Hope if the offer for a new job that you aren't sure about. Hope is the baby that is on its way of and the dreams for their future.

Hope is the morning when you have lost a loved one. Hope the big win that gets you noticed. Hope is front of stage for your favorite band. Hope is that time heals all wounds. Hope is the championship for your home team. Hope is the all is clear test when the treatments are through. Hope is the that she will say I do. Hope is their happiness when your child moves out. Hope is the memories when your parents are gone. Hope is the stillness before the dawn. Hope is the food on the table to eat. Hope is a night without bombs. Hope is a home with heat. Hope is the dream you finaly pursue. Hope is that life always has you. Hope is the storm doesn't ruin the crops. Hope is the flame the ignites the fire. Hope can move mountains and make mircles happen. What are your HOPES??

Finding Hope

There may be situations where we tell ourselves it is "hopeless" or we have no hope that it can be better. With hope being as necessary to our lives and well being as air, we must find the hope or we couldn't go on very long. So take a deep breath and realize there is always hope.

Hope has the power to create a change when all seems all. There is no better example than the Red Sox and their 2004 which that had not been able to do since “the curse” was placed on them. They had not won a World Series since 1918. The Red Sox were down in the 2004 series 3 games to 0. They came back to win 4 games straight and their first World Series win since 1918. What changed? There were no major changes in the line up. The coaches were the same and despite a tough Boston fan based they started winning when many thought there was no hope. Somewhere in the course of or prior to game 4 there was a shift. Could it be that an entire team of grown men collectively decided they would not give up? Could their mindset really affect their performance? I believe so. The power of the mind and the willingness to have hope against all odds really can change bring a change in the air.

If the Red Sox can do it, then why couldn’t each individual make such a shift in their own outcomes? So take a deep breath and realize there is always hope.

We are dedicating May to Hope.

Hope:  [hohp] the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for; to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence; to believe, desire,

Pur·pose: [pur-puh s] the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc. ; an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal; determination; resoluteness.
Each of us has a purpose a reason for being. For some of us we know that reason early on for others of us it is a gradual discovery. Regardless of when this realization happens in order for us to fulfill our purpose we begin with hope. That feeling that we can and will fulfill that purpose.
Hope is to Purpose
As Air is to Life
Air allows us to breathe, to live to experience life. Hope allows us to know, to believe that what we are meant to do we can do. Hope gives us the strength to fulfill our purpose, to pursue our dreams.

Share
|

Some of my best moments were in a single breath, lost swept away. ~

Cheryl Nordyke

Cheryl ~ Day 116; 249 to Go

Sometimes life takes us down a path we never intended to go and what we find as we travel this path are opportunities we never expected. Introductions to a world we never thought possible. I know sometimes it may seem as if life isn't moving as we want it, yet if we keep our minds open we may be surprised to what life presents us. I never would have planned the last 30 months of my life would go as they have. I have experienced more moments of facing my fears than ever before in my life. Yet I have also had some of the best moments of my life. I have learned to appreciate that true value of time. To understand that the sand never stops moving through the hour glass and this moment right now this breath will never be mine again. Breath in life breath out love. Breath in appreciation breath out gratitude. Breath in the gift of life and breath out the memories of the moments. These are my daily inspired thoughts.

Respect our Earth.

To me, nature is an obviously omnipotent force with the upper hand, and we are guests. As long as we are graceful, appreciative lodgers, the earth remains healthy and wondrous.

KT Tunstall

Cheryl ~ Day 112; 253 to Go

48 years ago the idea of Earth Day was born. Until then there was no organized day to dedicate the appreciation of our planet. Of all the things we have to be grateful for I think one that we all tend to take for granted is our Earth. It isn't until nature reminds us of it's power do we even recognize that we are on this big beautiful ball traveling through space. We have deserts, valleys, mountains, rivers, waterfalls and oceans. We have sunrises and sunsets, rainbows and rainfall. Our Earth is so much apart of our lives and I am very grateful today and everyday for all the Earth provides us. This is my daily inspired thought.

Gratitude Wave Necklace

Today I wore the Gratitude Wave made by Waves Of Gratitude. Everytime someone complamented my necklace or I looked down at it I thought of all the things to be greatful of. Wearing this necklace truly reminds me to smile and find the positive in life and what it has to offer.

Cheryl ~ Day 111; 256 to go

So there is this website I discovered a few weeks agot called 1000 Awesome Things and the persont that wrote it has a book out called "The Book Of Awesome" and just the cover makes me smile. Basically his site is dedicated to finding the awesome things in life. So today I run into the supermark to pick up a few items like bread and milk and there in the front of the produce section are these BRIGHT RED STRAWBERRIES! One of the downfalls to moving from California to New England was the limited access to fresh fruit and produce all year like I had there. However, the site of those STRAWBERRIES made me smile. I immediately thought of his website and that made me smile even more. Then my daughter and her boy friend come home and he's like "guess what I did today?" I'm like okay "what?" He said "I sharpened a pencil and the first try it came out perfect, and I thought AWESOME." I realized this one man with this one blog has created a ripple. I had shared the site and some of his blogs with my teenage daughter and now not only was I noticing what was AWESOME but them as well. He started a Ripple of appreciation and gratitude and it has spread to me and then down to my daughter and her boyfriend. Never under estimate the power of one positive action in this great big world. This is my daily inspired thought.

“Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.”

By unknown

Cheryl ~ Day 110; 256 to go

There is something to be said for laughter. I know I have talked about this before, however, I must say it again. Tough day, didn't go according to plan at all. Had a very long to do list and barely made a dent. Then decided to be completely honest and lets face it nobody wants anybody to be completely honest. Then my evening ended at "Young Frankenstein" broadaway. Needless to say 3 hours latter there is a smile on my face and the reality is that my to do list not getting done didn't stop the world. However, the 3 hours with my daughter and her boyfriend laughing at totally inappropirate parts of the play made me realize that this moment 10, 15 or 20 years from now will make me smile when I think of it. The reality is our lives are woven over time with a combination of laughter and tears and those are the things that matter. This is my daily inspired thoughts.

Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.

by Eleanor Roosevelt

Cheryl ~ Day 109; 256 to Go

Sometimes there are moments when we try to analyiz a situation to understand it , or to find out what we have done to cause a change. At work, in a relationship with family members. There are times that no matter how much we try to understand why things are changing or what we have done wrong it isn't about us. There is nothing we have done wrong. The truth is we seldom know the entire story to things that happen within our immediate circle let alone understand those outside that circle. We have to sometimes put ourselves first. Do what is best for us and if those in our life or situations come back around again to where they once were then they were meant to be that way. However, we each must respect ourselves and not allow ourselves. In doing this we will attrack those to us in our lives that will also respect us.

Cheryl ~ Day 104; 261 to Go

There are times in our life we are required as a friend to be the person that listens and allows them to vent. To not judge or input our opinions. To be supportive and understanding. Then there a moments we see the person we admire slipping away. We see the turmoil they are going through winning and taking them with it. It is a tough call and doesn't always work out for the best, however, there are these moments we need to stand up and point out some tough things. Typically friends in this position have slipped into the role of the victim. They have given control of their lives over to the situation. All they need is a hand out reached to say own where you are. When you own your problems you give yourself the power to fix them. When you are the victim the outcome is dependant on factors outside of your control. Having come from a family that had playing the victim down to a science I knew I didn't want to be a repeat of history. So I acknowledged early on that when we own where we are in our lives then we have the power to change where we are in our lives. Once given this power we then need to change our thoughts and see the life we want. Visualize your life and then you can begin to create it. These are my daily inspired thoughts.

Cheryl ~ Day 103; 262 to Go

Dishes, why is it a great meal has to come with dishes. It's part of our life. We have a great meal wth friends and family and when it is over there they are the dishes. There are many things in life like dishes, they keep coming back. However, the key to dishes is to tackle them early and get it over with. That is the key to many other things in our lives. The things we hate that we want to aviod, just because we don't deal with them doesn't mean they will go away. They actually just pile up and create a mess. So like dirty dishes face them head on clean it up and when it is all done there is nothing like a kitchen that sparkles. The same is true for our hearts and minds, clean out the dirty dishes and there is a sparkle where once there was greasy build up. Under there is hope, inspiration and creativity.

Cheryl ~ Day 102; 263 to Go

There are moments we all face that it seems as if we are barely hanging on . That life seems to want to smack us around just to see how much we can take. Then just when we think it's going to get better here comes another smack. Here it is we all get smacked around, some of us more than others. However, here is what I know. My dear friend is approching the 2 year mark of the loss of her soul mate to a heart attack prior to the age of 50. I can actually see the pain in her eyes when she talks about the plans they had. I watch her struggle with defining the rules as a single parent in a role not made by choice and wish that I could somehow help. Then there is that light, that shins when she talks about the love she had for him and the memories of him. That love that she had for 14 years. I know I have never known the love of spouse that they had and realize that pain that deep can only come with love that deep. Within the hurt was the blessing of the love. Our lives all end in death, what matter is what we do with the living part. Are we going to just hang on, is that what our loved ones would want for us is that what we would want for them. Part of the healing process however, is accepting that today, it hurts to much and I am going to honor this loss and tomorrow I will begin again the living.

There are little signs of light that can guide us if we are attentive enough.

Monday's Inspiration

The Edsel was introduced by the Ford Motor Company in 1957. The sales goal for its first production year was 100,000 to 200,000 cars. Falling far short of this, Ford sold merely 100,847 cars over the entire three years of Edsel production. While fewer than 6,000 Edsels survive today, Ford reamins teh second largest automaker in the world. "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." ~ Henry Ford

73 YEAR OLD RECIPIENT OF EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE AWARD ANNOUNCED

At Waves of Gratitude, we accepted nominations from December 16, 2009 to January 15, 2010 for the Expressions of Gratitude Award designed to recognize individuals that express gratitude in their lives with extraordinary personal style. We are still accepting nominations for the second Expressions of Gratitude Award through April 30 and are pleased to announce winner Pat Wharton of Edmond, Oklahoma. Pat, age 73, was nominated for the Expressions of Gratitude award by her granddaughter Brandi Brown, also of Oklahoma. Congratulations Pat and Brandi.

Pat Wharton, Expressions of Gratitude Award Winner

Waves of Gratitude founders Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Wierman deliberated between many deserving nominations to the Expressions of Gratitude Award and selected the winner, Pat Wharton, for maintaining an unwavering focus on gratitude through many losses: her home at age 6, her older brother at age 10 and her father at age 30. Brandi wrote of her grandmother Pat,

“She is the truest definition of gratitude with grace.
It is from her that I have learned what it truly means to
 be grateful everyday for even the simplest of life's blessings”.

Pat, the Expressions of Gratitude award winner, received a stylish solid sterling silver Branches of Hope Pendant with a Swarovski clear quartz crystal on Genuine Black Leather, a necklace to honor her lifelong commitment to expressing gratitude. Inspired by the strength and magnificence of the Cyprus tree, the Branches of Hope pendant by renowned jewelry designer Jessica Fields is the signature piece in the collection of Inspired Jewelry by Waves of Gratitude. The jewelry is designed to give people the opportunity to wear symbols of gratitude that are both beautiful and meaningful.

We’d like to thank participating individuals who nominated someone special for expressing their gratitude with extraordinary personal style and invite everyone to visit our Inspired Thoughts blog to join Waves of Gratitude founders on their journey of 365 days of uninterrupted blogging in 2010 to share everyday joys, challenges, struggles, and triumphs while striving to find gratitude and inspiration through it all.

Don't forget to nominate someone special for the second Expressions of Gratitude Award before April 30, 2010.

New Gratitude Jewelry for Yoga Enthusiasts

Waves of Gratitude founders Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Wierman collaborated with renowned jewelry designer Jessica Fields to develop the Yoga Wave, a two-piece solid sterling silver pendant that embodies the movement and powerful stillness that yogis and yoginis experience when they step onto the mat.

The Waves of Gratitude Yoga Wave Necklace

The solid sterling silver Waves of Gratitude Yoga Wave is a beautiful, fluid and sculpted form perfect for any yoga enthusiast because it so closely aligns with the lifestyle and philosophy that inspires a unification of mind, body and spirit.

Waves of Gratitude co-founder Cheryl Nordyke, a yoga enthusiast herself, says, "Yoga has been there for me through some very difficult times. It has helped me remain centered. When I wear the Yoga Wave I am reminded that my practice isn't only on the mat."

The Waves of Gratitude Yoga Wave Bracelet

The Yoga Wave is the latest addition to the collection of Inspired Jewelry that includes bracelets, necklaces and earrings – all solid sterling silver and designed to remind people about the importance of expressing gratitude.

The Yoga Wave is part of the Create-A-Wave Collection which includes six unique wave-inspired pendants: the Health Wave, the Strength Wave, the Nature Wave, the Accomplishment Wave, the Gratitude Wave and the Serenity Wave. Each pendant can be worn separately or in unique combinations like the Waves of Gratitude Yoga Wave bracelets and Yoga Wave necklaces.

Visit the Waves of Gratitude website to view and purchase the Waves of Gratitude Yoga Wave necklace and the Yoga Wave bracelet. Save 15% with coupon code YOGA.

You can also visit Waves of Gratitude on Facebook, Twitter or Flickr and follow the latest news on the gratitude blog Inspired Thoughts, the fashion blog on Tumblr.

Like Minded People - A Radio Interview with Waves of Gratitude

Waves of Gratitude founders Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Wierman were interviewed on 99Rock Views from the Valley. Katherine asked Cheryl and Kim about their favorite part of starting Waves of Gratitude.

Their answer? Cheryl and Kim didn’t talk about procuring an angel investor in a down economy to start Waves of Gratitude or launching www.wavesofgratitude.com to give the world beautiful and meaningful jewelry and apparel designed to symbolize gratitude.

Cheryl and Kim’s favorite part of starting Waves of Gratitude is working with like minded people who have a positive energy level. Hear what they said on 99Rock here.

Waves of Gratitude Wedding Favorites

Celia Milton, a wedding officiator from New Jersey, recently recommended Waves of Gratitude Inspired Jewelry as "wonderful bridesmaids’ gifts or mothers’ gift".

Wedding favorites selected by Celia from the Waves of Gratitude Inspired Jewelry collection:

Waves of Gratitude Branches of Hope necklace

Buy it now here

 Waves of Gratitude Gratitude Wave Bracelet

 Buy it now here

Celia says, "Every wedding ceremony I write with my clients speaks of gratitude; how could it not!  Finding your life partner, your Anam Cara, is a search that almost all of us undertake, and when our search is rewarded, we can’t help but feel grateful." Read Celia's full article recommending Waves of Gratitude Inspired Jewelry here.

Don't forget to visit www.wavesofgratitude.com to view and purchase the collection of Inspired Jewelry and Apparel designed to give people the opportunity to wear symbols of gratitude that are both beautiful and meaningful.

• Waves of Gratitude on Twitter
• Waves of Gratitude on Facebook
• Waves of Gratitude on Flickr
• Waves of Gratitude on Tumblr

"Best of the Best"

The Waves of Gratitude Gratitude Wave Necklace has been featured as the "Best of the Best"- "a great gift for the women in your life whom you are grateful for" according to PiedmontParent.com.

Waves of Gratitude Gratitude Wave Necklace

Buy it now here

 

Piedmont Parent, a comprehensive and well-respected local source of information for approximately 34,000 parents in the triad area of North Carolina, noted that the Waves of Gratitude Gratitude Wave Necklace is a perfect gift for wife, mother, sister, grandmother, etc. 

See the Piedmont Parent article here and don't forget to visit www.wavesofgratitude.com to view and purchase the collection of Inspired Jewelry and Apparel designed to give people the opportunity to wear symbols of gratitude that are both beautiful and meaningful.

• Waves of Gratitude on Twitter
• Waves of Gratitude on Facebook
• Waves of Gratitude on Flickr
• Waves of Gratitude on Tumblr

Front Page News

Waves of Gratitude founders Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Wierman were featured on the front page of the New Hampshire Union Leader. Read the article about how two moms designed a collection of Inspired Jewelry and Apparel to give people the opportunity to wear symbols of gratitude that are both beautiful and meaningful.

Read the article here and don't forget to visit www.wavesofgratitude.com.

www.wavesofgratitude.com

This post was the post I used to verify my blog on Technorati. My Technorati Claim Token: Q39NCBSAVVFR

WAVES OF GRATITUDE PARTNERS WITH NEW ENGLAND WALKERS FOR KNOCKERS

Waves of Gratitude is a company that sells Inspired Jewelry and Apparel designed to symbolize the importance of expressing gratitude at www.wavesofgratitude.com. As a company that believes in giving back to those affected by breast cancer, Waves of Gratitude is partnering with The Get In Touch Foundation and New England Walkers for Knockers to raise awareness and find a cure for breast cancer. $3 from each sale of the Large Branches of Hope necklace will be donated to each group.

Buy now

www.wavesofgratitude.com

The Waves of Gratitude partnership with New England Walkers for Knockers (NE-W4K) is a Win, Win, Win for everyone: customers who buy the large Branches of Hope necklace get a beautiful sterling silver pendant symbolizing hope at 15% off the regular price with coupon code NE-W4K at checkout and a Gratitude Wave to keep or give away, NE-W4K earns $3 per sale for the Walk and the Get in Touch Foundation (GIT) also receives $3 from each sale.

The New England Walkers for Knockers team has participated annually in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer – Boston since it was established in 2007 by Brenda Smith. With encouragement from family and friends, Brenda gathered a group of individuals from the ages of 8-65, both female and male, to raise more than $18,000 in that first year. Since then, the "New England Walkers for Knockers" team has raised almost $57,000.00 to date towards finding a cure for Breast Cancer. The NE-W4K goal is to raise money towards finding a cure for breast cancer and also raising awareness of the preventative measures that can be taken to help detect the disease as early as possible.

The Get in Touch Foundation was established by Mary Ann Wasil Nilan in 2004 to encourage women of all ages to “Get In Touch” with their bodies as part of an ongoing crusade to educate them about the importance of early breast cancer detection. Mary Ann has won The Oprah Magazine CoverGirl Giving Beautiful Back Award and can be seen in the February issue of O Magazine.

Waves of Gratitude has set a goal of donating $150,000 to The Get In Touch Foundation while helping to reach team fundraising goals with the New England Walkers for Knockers. Individual participants in breast cancer walk fundraisers are encouraged to contact info@wavesofgratitude.com about the steps necessary to join Waves of Gratitude in spreading the word about Inspired Jewelry and Apparel to apply $3 of each Large Branches of Hope sale toward individual or team fundraising goals.

Join us today!

• Waves of Gratitude on Facebook, Twitter,  Flickr and LinkedIn
  
• The Get In Touch Foundation on Facebook
• New England Walkers for Knockers on Facebook
  

We Declare 2010 the Year of Gratitude

Waves of Gratitude founders Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Wierman believe that the expression of gratitude has the power to change the world. With that thought in mind, they are declaring 2010 the Year of Gratitude and launching their new blog “Inspired Thoughts” with 365 days of uninterrupted blogging about the subject they hold so dear.

“The purpose is to show our followers that we are just like them. We have everyday joys, challenges, struggles, and triumphs and through it all we strive to find the gratitude and inspiration in these experiences, that’s what keeps us strong” says Cheryl. Kim adds “What you’ll see is the real deal as we relate our day’s experiences and reflect upon and find the inspiration and gratitude that will make us better the next day.  We invite you to travel with us and look forward to your comments and insights and hope that together we can all grow from this experience.  Let the journey into 2010 begin!”

Visit “Inspired Thoughts” today to get inspired and visit wavesofgratitude.com to buy the Inspired Jewelry and Apparel and wear the symbols of gratitude created by Cheryl and Kim that are both beautiful and meaningful!

Why Get In Touch?

The Get in Touch Foundation was established by Mary Ann Wasil Nilan in 2004 to encourage women of all ages to “Get In Touch” with their bodies as part of an ongoing crusade to educate them about the importance of early breast cancer detection. Mary Ann met Waves of Gratitude co-founder Kim Wierman at the Make Mine a Million Conference.

“At the conference we were learning about how women’s attitudes about money and their earning power were affected by the women in their lives,” Kim recalls.  “I stood up and told a story about my grandmother wrapping her spending money in aluminum foil and putting it the freezer and then telling my grandfather it was cheese she was putting in her purse in case she got hungry while she was out.  Mary Ann approached me at a break to tell me how the story really made her laugh, but it was her incredible story of survival, hope and faith during her battle with breast cancer that touched us and prompted us to follow her progress and reach out to her almost a year later.” Their immediate connection back in 2008 resulted in an amazing partnership now.

In an effort to share their gratitude for early breast cancer detection and prevention, Waves of Gratitude will donate $3 from every purchase of a signature Large Branches of Hope necklace to the Get In Touch Foundation through February 28, 2010. Individuals who want to purchase the necklace can visit the Waves of Gratitude website to learn more and get a coupon code to receive 15% off any Large Branches of Hope necklace. Pictured below is the Large Branches of Hope necklace with Rose Quartz Swarovski Crystal. also available with Clear Quartz, Aquamarine, Ruby and Amethyst Swarovski Crystals.

The Get In Touch Girls' Program & Daisy Wheel© teaches girls in grades 5-12 the importance of, and how to do a breast self-exam for life with the proprietary and effective 8-step Daisy Wheel through lectures in open community settings that facilitate comfort and discussion.

Mary Ann Wasil Nilan (pictured above) says, “The Get In Touch Foundation® is delighted to have been chosen by Waves of Gratitude to be a recipient of their philanthropic commitment to making a difference in our world! Each dollar that Waves of Gratitude donates to Get In Touch means one more Daisy Wheel© makes it into the hands of one more girl. Kudos to Waves of Gratitude for joining us in our mission to “change the world one girl at a time!”  Hope Lives!”

“With each Large Branches of Hope necklace purchase, you are affecting the lives of three girls” says Cheryl Nordyke, Waves of Gratitude CEO.” Kim Wierman adds, “We are so excited to give back to The Get in Touch Foundation. I am grateful for Mary Ann’s strength and inspiration, and I know she is going to affect so many people."

Get more information about The Get In Touch Foundation at www.getintouchfoundation.org. Don’t forget to visit www.wavesofgratitude.com to get your 15% off coupon code and tell all your friends that they can help Waves of Gratitude give back by giving the gift of a beautiful and meaningful Branches of Hope necklace available exclusively from Waves of Gratitude.

Recognize Someone’s Extraordinary Life TODAY

At Waves of Gratitude, we couldn’t think of any better way to celebrate the spirit of the season, reflect on 2009 and start 2010 on a positive note than thinking about the people in our lives who express their gratitude with extraordinary personal style.

That’s why we created Expressions of Gratitude, an exclusive Waves of Gratitude award given to one lucky individual nominated for expressing their gratitude with extraordinary personal style.

Nominate someone TODAY to give them a chance at winning the exclusive Waves of Gratitude Expressions of Gratitude Award. Use this link (http://wavesofgratitude.com/nominate.php) to nominate someone by submitting their name and a brief description of how they expressed their gratitude with extraordinary personal style.

One deserving Expressions of Gratitude nominee will win the exclusive Waves of Gratitude Expressions of Gratitude Award on January 15, 2010. To remind the winner about the importance of expressing gratitude, they will receive a stylish solid sterling silver 1 1/4" Branches of Hope Pendant with a clear Swarovski crystal on an 18" Genuine Black Leather necklace (Retail Value: $104.90).



Don't forget to nominate someone who has expressed their gratitude with extraordinary personal style (either yourself, a friend, family member, or colleague) before January 14 at 11:59pm EST for the exclusive Waves of Gratitude Expressions of Gratitude Award.

Gift Recommendations from Waves of Gratitude

Looking for a perfect gift for that unique friend, colleague or family member? The Waves of Gratitude team makes your holiday shopping experience easy! With just a few clicks, you will have a printable GIFT CERTIFICATE that will help you take care of everyone on your list.

• Who reminds you of HOPE? Give them the WAVES OF GRATITUDE BRANCHES OF HOPE pendant on a bracelet or necklace. Waves of Gratitude also created the HOPE Signature Top. 

• For YOGA enthusiasts, try the WAVES OF GRATITUDE YOGA WAVE necklace or bracelet. The solid sterling silver piece combines the Health and Strength Waves to make a beautiful, fluid and sculpted form that aligns with the lifestyle.

•  Try the WAVES OF GRATITUDE DANCING WAVE necklace or bracelet for those that love to DANCE, or DANCE to the beat of their OWN drum.

•  Who has made a MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT this year? Remind them to express gratitude for their accomplishments with our ACCOMPLISHMENT WAVE on a bracelet or necklace.

• Give nurses, doctors, or all-around HEALTH enthusiasts the WAVES OF GRATITUDE HEALTH WAVE necklace or bracelet.
  

Recommend the items we recommend, pick your own gift from our website, but ultimately give THEM the choice with a Waves of Gratitude Gift Certificate.

Don't forget to visit www.wavesofgratitude.com to give the gift of gratitude this holiday season.

Visit the New Waves of Gratitude Website

We are proud to debut the new Waves of Gratitude website and new image at www.wavesofgratitude.com. We encourage all our readers to visit the NEW website to view our beautiful and meaningful Inspired Jewelry and Inspired Apparel.

http://www.wavesofgratitude.com

Waves of Gratitude was founded by Cheryl Nordyke and Kim Wierman on the strong belief that everyone should have the opportunity to “wear” symbols of gratitude that have style and meaning. The mission of Waves of Gratitude is to offer products that inspire people to remember the importance of expressing gratitude.

"After finding myself unemployed for the first time at the age of 42, I went searching for a piece of jewelry to remind me to be grateful regardless of my situation," said Cheryl Nordyke, CEO.  "When I was unable to find anything that spoke to me, Kim and I decided to create our own products that inspire and express our gratitude."

To view the new website and new image of Waves of Gratitude, go to www.wavesofgratitude.com.

For press inquiries, email pr@wavesofgratitude.com.