Becoming a Woman of Purpose

Season of Nonviolence - Day 3

2012-02-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 3 of the Season of Nonviolence – 64 Days of peaceful wisdom honoring the lives and nonviolent principles of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez.

Nonviolence begins with learning how to be less violent and more compassionate towards ourselves. We learn by building the courage to speak and act with respect, honor and reverence for our own being.

Eleanor Roosevelt has urged, "You must do the things that you think you cannot do." Practicing these 64 Ways will challenge you to do things that you think you cannot do.

Day 3: APPRECIATION

Life isfilled with opportunities to express appreciation, yet how many times do wepass up the opportunity thinking "oh, I'll tell them later." When we tell someone that we appreciate them,we are promoting nonviolence.

Today: I will write down ten things that I appreciate about myself and mylife. I will tell at least one otherperson what I appreciate about them.

Season of Nonviolence - Day 2

2012-01-31T11:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 2 of the Season of Nonviolence – 64 Days of peaceful wisdom honoring the lives and nonviolent principles of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez.

Day 2: SMILING

Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said “If, inour daily life, we can smile…not only we, but everyone will profit fromit. This is the most basic kind of peacework.”

Today: I will share a sincere smile with everyone Imeet, knowing that my smile contributes to peace.

Season of Nonviolence - Day 1

2012-01-30T11:24:00.001-05:00

Today, we begin the Season of Nonviolence – 64 Days of peaceful wisdom honoring the lives and nonviolent principles of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez.

Day 1: COURAGE

"Ican shake off everything if I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage isreborn."

~ Anne Frank

Today: I will light a candleto symbolize my commitment to accept the courage to practice 64 Ways of livingnonviolently.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2012-01-27T11:00:00.000-05:00

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart andtry to love the questions themselves. Do not now seek the answers, which cannotbe given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is tolive everything. Live the questions.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

“In order to stay awake and be able to create a future thatreflects our goals, we need to question the present. We need to question everychoice we make and look at the positive or negative consequences of our actionsif we are to align our daily actions with our deepest desires.” ~ Debbie Ford,The Right Questions

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Have you remained faithful to your heart's desires for this year?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Be Gentle and Honor Yourself

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

How many times did you take something personally today? How many times did you hear something and you attached your name to it?

Why do you want to feel miserable?

Why take on other people's stuff?

What would you life look like if you let other people's stuff alone and took care of your own stuff?

No matter what you do, there will always be other people!

And, as long as there are other people, there will always be other people's baggage.

So, instead of trying to find a matching set...

...forgive yourself, let it go, and move on.

Stop taking things personally.

Nothing is about you… except you.

Enough said.

Create Your Life Consciously

2012-01-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

"Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you." ~ Richard Bach

"There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go." ~ Richard Bach

Are you consciously creating your life or are you a victim of your circumstances? You may not have any control over your circumstances, but you have control over how you think about those circumstances. You can either scream, stew or get angry or you can determine to make lemonade out of lemons.

"I have always believed that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value."~ Hermann Hesse

Become a conscious creator!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"How will you keep your goals and intentions top of mind?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Envision Your Goals

2012-01-18T10:00:00.000-05:00

"Sometimes it's the smallest decisions that can change your life forever." ~ Keri Russell

What do you want your life to look like? What do you want to be, to do and to have?

This is where you can begin your process of setting your intentions or goals. Envision what it is you would like your life to be. Make the decision that this is what you want. STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

What would it take to make that happen?

What small steps can you take every day to reach that desire?

Taking small, consistent action will move you towards your desired intentions.

“You cannot make progress without making decisions.” ~ Jim Rohn

Remembering Dr. King

2012-01-16T12:24:00.000-05:00

“The ultimate measure of a (wo)man is not where (s)he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where (s)he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It is very easy to be joyful and even peaceful in moments of great consolation; those moments when everything is seemingly going well. But our true tests and teachers come in moments of great desolation – moments of adversity and sorrow.

Most of us know how to conduct ourselves when times are going great; but in those times of challenge and controversy, we rarely know how to steer the ship. But it is in those times when our true character emerges; all of the masks fall away and the rawness of our true self comes through.

When the storms of life come knocking at your door – and they surely will – know that it has come to test your resolve, to see what you are truly made of.

“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has had to overcome while trying to succeed.” ~ Booker T. Washington

Friday's Purposeful Question

2012-01-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"How are you FEELING your goals and intentions?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Feel Your Goals!

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-05:00

"If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes." ~ Andrew Carnegie

When setting a goal or an intention, make sure that it ignites your passions and draws out positive emotions. There is no point setting a goal that you are not excited about; or you won’t be happy when you have received it. Think about what it would feel like once you have your desired goal or intention. Get full of the feeling of being, doing or having it.

Just for today, feel your goal!

Blessed are the Peacemakers

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Bless those who remind you of your unfinished business.

When there is conflict and strife in your life, instead of pointing fingers at others, STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

“What is my part in this?”
“Why is this conflict showing up for me at this time?”
“What is my next inspired action in this?”

Answer: Bless and thank those who showed you what you need to work on and go work on it!

Do you want peace or do you want to be right?

Choose peace, it’s simpler!

What's the Use of Worrying?

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-05:00

“Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” ~ Author unknown

STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

What do you tend to worry about?
What does worrying do for you?
What's the benefit of worrying?

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.” ~ Winston Churchill

“There is a great difference between worry and concern. A worried person sees a problem, and a concerned person solves a problem.” ~ Harold Stephens

Friday's Purposeful Question

2012-01-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"What are your three BE words for 2012?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

BE Grateful!

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

“Gratitude is indeed like a gearshift that can move our mental mechanism from obsession to peacefulness, from stuckness to creativity, from fear to love. The ability to relax and be mindfully present in the moment comes naturally when we are grateful.” ~ Joan Borysenko

“If you start focusing on what you have and what you're grateful for, you will then begin to see more.” ~ Oprah

One of the things that help me to live a life of purpose and passion is remembering; remembering the people, events, and situations in my life that make me a woman of purpose. The daily grind of life can zap us of our positive energy and make our immediate world look dark and gloomy. These are the times when the memories must kick in and lift us out of the spiritual abyss. When I remember to remember, I am filled with gratitude.

Being grateful keeps me in the present moment. When we get caught up in the muck and mire, we tend to step into a time that is not our own. In the present moment, we know that we can make a choice. Knowing that I still have the ability to make conscious choices gives me abundant hope. In making the choice to focus on what I have right now and not on what I should have, or should be, or should do, is a chance to celebrate my living on purpose. Living on purpose means living fully in the present moment; not staring at a past that we can do nothing about, or worrying about a future that is not promised to us.

Living in gratitude not only makes me smile – which releases happy, love endorphins, but it helps maintain a spirit of positive energy within and around you. Think of a time when you were in a state of absolute delight. What was your immediate world like? Delightful, right? Life can be delightful more than we believe because we do have the power within us to live in a perpetual state of gratitude.

How do you live gratefully?

Remember.

Remember what and who you have in your life and give thanks for them.

Live on purpose with gratitude,

Who Do You Choose to BE in 2012?

2012-01-02T12:15:00.000-05:00

"If you want to be happy, be." ~ Leo Tolstoy

This week, we will discuss your beingness for the new year. I have found that the best way to create the life of your desires is to begin with your “I AM.” Who do you want to be in 2012? Your “I AM-ness” is extremely powerful because what you add to I AM gets added to you.

I am sure you have said something like, “I am so stupid,” or “I am so fat,” or “I am such a retard.” Sound familiar? It is true that labels follow you wherever you go; but it is even crueler when the label is created by you. “I AM” is the name of God; and you are a divine expression.

I know many of you cannot see yourself as a divine expression because of past programming. Well, it is time to de-program and renew your mind to the truth of who you really are. When we fail at relationships, at jobs, at finances, at whatever, it is not because of the relationships, the job or the finances; it is because we are not being who we were created to be.

If you want to have a peaceful life, then embody peace. Whatever you choose to have, you must first be.

So, just for today, STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

“Who do I choose to be in 2012?”

Is it peaceful… more patient… healthy… prosperous… compassionate… loving… wise… fill-in-the-blank…?

"God has given you one face, and you make yourself another." ~ William Shakespeare

Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T10:35:00.000-05:00

Here's wishing you a very peace-filled and prosperous 2012!

Happy New Year!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-12-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"What are your three biggest intentions for 2012?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Create Your Own Story

2011-12-28T20:31:00.000-05:00

“Before I was born in this physical body, a whole society of storytellers was already here. The story was ongoing, and from their story I learned how to create my own. The storytellers whoa re here before us teach us how to be human.

First they tell us what we are – a boy or a girl – then they tell us who we are, and who we should or shouldn’t be. They teach us how to be a proper woman, a decent woman, a strong man, a brave man.

They give us a name, an identity, and they tell us the role that we are playing in their story. They prepare us to live in a human jungle, to compete with one another, to control one another, to impose our will, to fight against our own kind.

Of course I believed what the storytellers told me. Why would I not believe them? They filled me with knowledge, and I used that knowledge to copy their style and create my art in a similar way.”

~ From The Voice of Knowledge by Don Miguel Ruiz

*****
We are all storytellers. The trick is to discern which story to live out.

Do we live out of our own stories – they lies, the judgments, and the beliefs we have accumulated throughout the years?

Do we live out of the stories of our families, tribes, cultures and clans – with its own set of beliefs that we have bought in to?

Or, do we choose to create a new story for ourselves – story that begins with the premise that we are unique, unrepeatable, wonderfully-made divine beings?

Comedian Joe E. Louis once said we only live one life, but if we work it right, one is enough.

The poet Mary Oliver called it our one, wild, precious life.

How will you choose to create your one, wild, precious, unrepeatable and unique life?

It's your choice... so choose wisely!

You Are What You Think!

2011-12-26T13:08:00.000-05:00

“Your life is what your thoughts make it.”

~ Marcus Aurelius

We may or may not be able to change or control our circumstances. Yet, we are able to change and control what we choose to think about them. It is we who assign it the label of positive or negative; good or bad; pleasant or painful.

The meaning we assign a certain circumstance is what gives it life. If we don’t like our circumstances, then we need to assign it a new meaning – change the way we think about it.

We have the power to choose a new thought – a thought that will bring us inner peace and purpose.

Make it a peaceful and prosperous day!

Merry Christmas to All!

2011-12-25T09:05:00.002-05:00

Here's wishing you all a blessed and safe Christmas!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Who is your most nutritious person of 2011?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Always Do Your Best

2011-12-21T17:28:00.000-05:00

"Action is about living fully. Inaction is the way that we deny life....

A good example of this comes from the story of Forrest Gump. He didn't have great ideas, but he took action. He was happy because he always did his best at whatever he did. He was richly rewarded without expecting any reward at all. Taking action is being alive."

From The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz

Whatever action you take, just do your best,

Appreciate Life!

2011-12-19T15:16:00.002-05:00

"Whenever you're facing any form of resistance, gratitude has the power to quickly dissolve it. This is true whether the hindrance comes from inside of you or outside of you." ~ Peggy McColl

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~ John F. Kennedy

When you are appreciating life, life appreciates. If you are not appreciating, then you and your life are depreciating. Become a divine appreciator; be grateful for everything.

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

Aprreciating YOU!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-12-16T17:26:00.004-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

" What are your top three intentions for 2012?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

It's Not About YOU!

2011-12-14T18:30:00.002-05:00

The second of the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz:

"Don't Take Anything Personally"

I was on the NYC subway one night, forced to listen to one side of a cell phone conversation. The subway was elevated outside, so perfect opportunity to use some of those free minutes! Yikes!

Anyway, the sister was hollering at another sister about being offended that this dude thought she was 28 years old!

"How dare he! Do I look like I'm that old?" she shrieked.

I would love it if someone would offend me like that ~ but I digress!

My first thought was why was she taking the offense. And this is the topic of this post, which ties in with the second agreement ~ not to take anything personally.

If I handed you a bottle of poison, and you took it and not only took it, but drank it. Who dies, me or you? No, this is not a trick question.

I handed it to you. You could have refused to take it. Not only did you take it, you ingested it, meaning you made it about you. That was your choice.

You also have the choice to say, "No thank you!" Ever heard of those words? Well, use them and relieve yourself of the drama.

Just for today, don't take the offense and stop taking things personally!

Failure or Divine Redirection?

2011-12-12T12:32:00.000-05:00

"If you must begin then go all the way, because if you begin and quit, the unfinished business you have left behind begins to haunt you all the time." ~ Chögyam Trungpa

A prosperous mindset is about looking at what others call obstacles and seeing opportunities. Only you can deem yourself a failure. As the saying goes, there is no failure, only feedback.

What would have happened if Thomas Edison considered himself a failure and quit? We would probably be sitting in dark rooms, or rooms lit by candlelight still. Who knows? The point being, Edison never gave up. It was his divine mission to create a new way to light a room. He was passionate about it, so failure was never an option. When interviewed, Edison said he didn’t fail, he found 10,000 ways that won’t work. It was this kind of mindset, a prosperity mindset, that made Edison the pioneer he was created to be.

What kind of mindset do you have? A prosperity mindset or are you into scarcity thinking?

How do you deal with failure? Do you see it as failure and want to quit? Or, do you see it as feedback and press on until you achieve your goal?

It’s all about mindset. As Henry Ford said, if you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right!

Just for today, think about how you think about failure. Try turning it around and you will soon find that failure will work for you as Divine redirection.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-12-09T13:42:00.001-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

" Have you fully prepared for the coming of Christmas?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

The Gift of Peace

2011-12-07T13:07:00.001-05:00

Novelist and poet Christopher Morley once said, "When you give someone a book, you don't give them just paper, ink, and glue. You give them the possibility of a whole new life."

One of the possibilities is the possibility of inner peace. Not only can a book transport a person to a far off land, to another time, a different space, but it can also give the gift of inner peace – a respite from the harried and hurried life they are all too familiar with.

When you need to give a gift and have no idea what to give – give the gift of inner peace. Give a gift certificate to a favorite bookstore or to Amazon.com. It’s the kind of gift that will forever be appreciated and cherished.

Give the gift of peace!

Be Happy On Purpose!

2011-12-05T14:26:00.001-05:00

Just for today, make the decision to be happy.

How? Change your focus. Focus is power.

If you focus on what's wrong, you will find it everywhere.

If you focus on what's right, you will find it everywhere!

Focus on what's working in your life.

Focus on how far you have come.

Focus on your ability to think, feel and attract.

Focus on someone or something you love.

So, just for today, deliberately focus on something or someone that makes you feel good.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Imagine you are at a New Year's gathering. What would you want people to notice about you?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Maintain Peace by Silence

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

"Drawing on my fine command of the language... I said nothing." ~ Robert Benchley

Sometimes in order to keep and maintain peace, silence is the best plan. STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

* Does it have to be said?

* Does it have to be said NOW?

* Does it have to be said BY ME?

"We must have reason for speeches but we need none for silence." ~ Wisdom Proverb

Speak only if it's an improvement to silence!

What Habits Are You Cultivating?

2011-11-28T12:09:00.001-05:00

Human faults are like garden weeds. They grow without cultivation and soon take over the place if they aren’t thinned out.

Habits are formed so slowly that most of us don’t realize what is happening until the habits are too strongly entrenched to be broken. Seldom can one pattern of behavior be eliminated without replacing it with another. It has been said that nature abhors a vacuum and will always find something to fill a void. The best way to thin out the “weeds,” or faults in your character, is to identify those traits with which you are dissatisfied and replace them with their positive counterparts. If you have a tendency to lose your temper, for example, find a replacement for your anger. Neutralize it with a positive expression or affirmation, such as, “No one can make me angry unless I let them. I will not let anyone else control my emotions.”

~ Wisdom From Napoleon Hill

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"As we move into the final weeks of 2011, what do you still need to accomplish this year?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

To all my friends in the U.S., I wish you a safe and blessed Thanksgiving Day!

Sing Your Own Song

2011-11-21T12:55:00.001-05:00

"Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of time, you are incomparable." ~ Brenda Ueland

Great forces are directing you to conform to the patterns of your society. You have DNA that has been handed down from generation to generation, coding repeated behaviour patterns into your being. You have archetypal energies setting the standards for how you behave as a man or a woman, as husband or wife, as father or mother .... You are immersed in consensual reality, whereby the world around you reflects societal understanding of how life has been and is to be.

At the same time, you have an even greater force within you inspiring you to wake up and recognize the reality of who you are. This force, the creative power underlying the entire universe, is urging you to create brand new standards of reality.

The status quo is blind to our creative power. Create a brand new world for yourself, one that meets your deepest needs, and you will help raise the quality of consciousness of the entire world.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." ~ Gandhi

~ Wisdom from Higher Awareness

Be Blessed!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-11-18T11:00:00.000-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"What deep questions are you grappling with right now?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Stop Taking Everything Personally!

2011-11-17T14:54:00.001-05:00

Of don Miguel Ruiz’ Four Agreements, Don’t Take Anything Personally is, I believe, the most difficult to follow.

As don Miguel explains, we tend to think everything is about us, when in fact, it is not. We must learn to let go of our own belief that we must react to everything that is directed at us. We have not been called to police the universe. Everything is not about me. It is a hard enough job taking care of my own business; I don’t need to delve into everyone else’s business as well.We all have our own stories, and we all operate out of our own stories and realities. Yet, my story is just that: my story. It is no one else’s. This holds true for all of us. When someone says something to us, whether positive or negative, it is from their own reality, their own story; and has nothing to do with me.

This particular agreement has been absolutely life changing for me personally. When I finally wrapped my brain around the fact that whatever was said to me or about me, had nothing to do with me, I was liberated. I have also learned to no longer “take offense” from other people. When someone offends me, I can choose not to take the offense, and let it go; because again, it is not about me.

And if you are constantly offended by other people, think about how many times you offend other people. I can hear you saying that you don’t mean to offend anybody. Well, does anyone mean to offend? If you are in a relationship with someone, platonic or intimate, who constantly offends, then it is time to rethink the relationship. Someone you are not in relationship with, and has no vested interest in, should not cause you distress. If it does, then ask yourself why? What button has it pushed and why do you have the button in the first place?

Also, think about your part in any distressing situation and ask yourself, “What is my part in this situation?

Stop wearing your heart on your sleeve, and stop taking things personally ~ it is not about you!

Be A True Friend

2011-11-16T14:33:00.001-05:00

If you call on your friends only when you need something, you will soon find yourself without friends.

There is a great deal of wisdom in the old saw, “If you want friends, be a friend.” Friendship means giving without expecting anything in return. Busy, successful people are not searching for new friends. If you want to be their friend, you must make the effort to befriend them. Let them know that you are interested in them as people, not in what they can do for you, and you may find that you have made a true and loyal friend. ~ Napoleon Hill

Your Divine Imagination

2011-11-14T12:05:00.001-05:00

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions." ~ Albert Einstein

Napoleon Hills said, “Fear is faith in reverse gear. Fear is a negative belief in something, and belief is the very foundation of faith. Faith is a positive mental attitude in action. Your mental attitude is the sum total of your thoughts at any given time.”

When we were children, we had no problem activating our wonderful gift of imagination. We could imagine anything. I remember when my family would purchase a large household item, like a new television or a washing machine. I was enthralled with the big box that it came in. That box became my fort, my playhouse, my spaceship, my doll house, you name it. And I had no shortage of ideas for what to use that box for. Unfortunately, we were talked out of using that magnificent gift. We had to grow up, be realistic, and get our heads out of the clouds.

But I have some amazing news for you. You still have that gift – yes, it is still a part of you, and you have the ability to activate it anytime you choose. And you want to know something else? You do activate it, quite frequently. The difference is instead of imagining what you do want, you imagine what you do not want, and thus creating a reality that mirrors your imagination. Instead of focusing on your dreams and intentions, you give excessive amounts of attention to your fears and worries. And guess what shows up in your life? You bet! More of your fears and worries.

Just for today, STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

“What am I giving most of my attention to right now?”

Especially if you are not feeling well emotionally.

Remember, your thoughts precede your feelings; so if you are not feeling okay, then check in with what you are thinking about. You have the ability to choose a different thought; one that is more pleasant; thus making you feel better. Be proactive with your thoughts and your imagination. Use them to create the life you desire.

Here’s to dreaming in color!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-11-11T10:17:00.001-05:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Are you living your life on your own terms or by someone else's design?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Live Life On Your Own Terms

2011-11-10T12:26:00.001-05:00

Remember that no one can hurt your feelings without your cooperation and willingness.

No one can cause you to have any kind of emotional reaction without your first giving them permission to do so. You alone are responsible for your feelings and emotions. When you know what you plan to do with your life, you will not allow annoying situations to deter you from your goals for long. If you set ambitious goals for yourself and work enthusiastically toward them, you will quickly realize that you don’t have time to allow petty annoyances to upset you and keep you from your objectives. ~ From Napoleon Hill

Only you have the power to feel a certain way, think a certain way and behave a certain way. Unless you are held at gunpoint, you have that power. Otherwise, you are a victim of your own circumstances; and victim mode is never empowering.

So, just for today, exercise your power and live your life on your own terms!

Sharing Joy

2011-11-08T11:21:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share this bit of wisdom from the Daily Word:

Joy
I am thrilled with the joy of living.

Have I been merely existing rather than knowing the full joy of living? To experience the transformative power of joy, I let the Christ Spirit move in me. I act from Christ consciousness and allow it to inform my thoughts, lighten and lift my vision, and create about me an atmosphere of peace and happiness.

Joy is a result of interest and awareness, of active appreciation and creative expression. I take time to be interested in my neighbor's welfare and offer a helping hand. I see the beauty of nature and hear music in the hum of the day's activities. I recognize the Christ in myself and in others. I let my soul be thrilled and exalted as I actively and purposefully take joy in living a full and complete life.

~ From the Daily Word

Re-purpose Your Obstacles

2011-11-07T13:39:00.000-05:00

“When opportunity comes, it appears in a different form and from a different direction. That is one of the tricks of opportunity. It has a sly habit of slipping in by the back door, and often comes disguised in the form of misfortune or temporary defeat. Perhaps this is why so many fail to recognize opportunity.

“Before success comes to most people, they are sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and perhaps some failure. When faced with defeat the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit.” ~ From Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

I found myself picking up this book this past weekend and re-reading this particular passage. I have read this passage dozens of times, but needed to read it again. Especially when I am faced with anything that seems like an obstacle or a setback.

Instead of seeing every obstacle or defeat as just stumbling blocks strategically placed to ruin your day, look for the opportunities in them. As Hill said, most people will see these temporary defeats as just give up, not looking beyond them for the lessons, the blessings, and the testings.

So, just for today, STOP, TAKE A BREATH, and ASK:

“How can I see the beauty in everything and everyone that crosses my path?” Especially the not so beautiful!

Learn to turn your obstacles into opportunities!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-11-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Are you choosing to live a life of peace, happiness and joy, or a life of misery and despair?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Which Will You Choose?

2011-11-03T13:24:00.001-04:00

"There are two ways to look at life and the world. Wecan see the good or the bad, the beautiful or the ugly. Both are there, andwhat we focus on and choose to see is what brings us feelings of joy orfeelings of despair." ~ Lloyd Newell

One way to look at life and the world will bring youhappiness, peace and joy. The other way will bring sorrow, gloom and doom.

It is all about choice. You have that power – to choose.

You can either choose peace or you can choose this – this,being gloom and doom.

Choose wisely.

Live Your Own Dreams

2011-11-01T10:34:00.000-04:00

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." ~ Steve Jobs

Your dreams are yours. Your life is yours. Only you can live it. And it is up to you to make the choices that will create the life you desire.

Just for today, make wise choices about your present and your future will become a lot brighter.

Happy All Hallow's Eve!

2011-10-31T10:41:00.002-04:00

Haunted Houses

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.

We meet them at the door-way, on the stair,
Along the passages they come and go,
Impalpable impressions on the air,
A sense of something moving to and fro.

There are more guests at table than the hosts
Invited; the illuminated hall
Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
As silent as the pictures on the wall.

The stranger at my fireside cannot see
The forms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear;
He but perceives what is; while unto me
All that has been is visible and clear.
[...]

So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
O'er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends,
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-10-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Where in your life are you speaking out negative words? What are you going to do to change that?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

The Power of Your Word

2011-10-27T11:56:00.002-04:00

Miguel Ruiz says:

Be Impeccable With Your Word...

Speak with integrity.

Say only what you mean.

Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip aboutothers.

Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

And, I might add -- speak only the language of positivity; avoid using negative words.

Ask In Faith

2011-10-26T14:22:00.000-04:00

I received this from The Daily Word and it really resonated with me. Thought I would share it.

Faith
I ask in faith and know that it is given.

There is no spiritual test I need to pass to receive what I desire. I do not need to beg or plead to God. I need only look inside myself, connect with Spirit and know with faith and gratitude that my needs are being met.

Through prayer I connect to Spirit within. I have faith that the wisest answer, the right and perfect situation and abundant blessings are forthcoming. I prepare the way and do any work that my inner guidance leads me to do. I then let go and allow everything to unfold. My life is unfolding just as it should, and I am exactly where I need to be.

My faith is strengthened as I pray and give thanks. I connect in faith to Spirit within and know that all is well.

Focus... Concentrate... Meditate

2011-10-25T12:39:00.001-04:00

Meditation is simply directed concentration, and involveslearning to focus your awareness and direct it onto an object: your breath, aphrase or word repeated silently, a memorized inspirational passage, or an imagein the mind's eye. The benefits of meditation are numerous, and include:

Helping lower blood pressure
Decreasing heart and respiratory rates
Increasing blood flow
Enhancing immune function
Reducing perception of pain and relieving chronic pain due to arthritis and other disorders
Maintaining level mood
Bringing awareness and mindfulness to everyday aspects of life

A simple form of meditation that can be practiced by anyoneis to walk or sit quietly in a natural setting and allow your thoughts and sensationsto occur; observing them without judgment.

~ From Dr. Andrew Weil

Wisdom from Earl Nightingale

2011-10-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

Invest in Your Future: A Time to Study
By Earl Nightingale

If you feel your life could stand a change for the better. If things seem to have gotten into a rut with nothing much happening. There's a cure available that anybody can afford. Works like a charm. You begin a program of study.

Start with history, world history. It's the most fascinating story ever written, and it'll spark ideas. Check out a good book on world history at the public library or buy one from your bookstore. Then study world religions, another fascinating study. The average person in our society knows almost nothing about the great religions of the world, how they began and what they teach. As a rule, he knows practically nothing about his own, the one in which he was raised.

After getting started on that, start on philosophy. Read the great philosophers. You can find books with digests of the teachings of dozens of the world's wisest people. After you find yourself sailing along pretty well in philosophy, tackle economics, another fascinating study. All the time, incidentally, you're acquiring a first-rate education, and you'll wonder why you didn't find the same subjects interesting back when you were in school.

I believe I can guarantee that once you start a program such as this, you'll find yourself in the most interesting world you've yet inhabited, and you'll never stop. You'll be constantly amazed and delighted about what you learn. And you'll wonder why everyone else doesn't know how much fun, how rewarding it is, to start getting a real education.

Add to the study of history, religion, philosophy, and economics, the study of English. And if you ever master that very tricky subject to the point where you can say what you want to say with ease and fluency, tackle a foreign language. But don't ever be bored. If you find you don't know what to do in the evening or on a Sunday afternoon, a book on any of the subjects I've mentioned will fill the time interestingly and rewardingly. In fact, you will have invested a few minutes or an hour or two in yourself, in your mind and your future, and it's the kind of investment you can't lose.

Your mind controls your life, present and future. Now there is no way that a life can be better, or more enjoyable, or richer, than what is stored in the mind. People will say, “Well, I took those subjects in school," as though you can finish with a subject in a year or two, complete it as you would a fence. You could spend a lifetime studying any one of the subjects I've mentioned and still find it a rich source of unending enjoyment and discovery.

There is no such thing as an educated person. You don't finish an education and put a cork in it. Either you're becoming educated or you're not. The trouble often stems from an unfortunate memory of unrelieved boredom in school. Maybe you were too young to take a real interest then; maybe it wasn't presented in an interesting way. But the subjects themselves are interesting to anyone who takes the time to poke around in them. And for the person who has never tried, well, it opens up an entirely new world, a whole new world of interest and charm and excitement.

Take a look at your private library. Are there books on history, philosophy, religion, English, and economics? If not, take my word for it, they'll represent the best investment you've ever made in time and/or money.

We all need time to think

Norman Cousins, in an editorial for the Saturday Review, observed, “We've been concerned for some years with the lot of underprivileged people throughout the world. But we have yet to do anything for one of the most underprivileged of all, ourselves.

“We have more food than we can eat. We have more money per person than anywhere else in the world, with 6% of the population, we hold 80% of the wealth. We have bigger homes, bigger TV sets, bigger cars, bigger theaters, bigger schools. We have everything we need, in fact, except the most important thing of all, time to think and the habit of thought. We lack time for the one indispensable for safety of an individual or a nation.

“Thought is the basic energy in human history. Civilization is put together not by machines but by thought. Similarly, man's uniqueness is represented not by his ability to make objects, but to sort them and relate them. Other animals practice communications; only man has capacity for comprehension. Displace or eliminate thought, and the species itself has as little claim on survival as the dinosaurs with the four-foot skulls and the pea-sized brains. The impotence of the brute alongside the power of the sage is represented by thought.

“We seem to have no time for thought. The paradox, of course, is that we are busy doing nothing. Never before has so much leisure time been available to so many. Leisure hours now exceed working hours. But we have a genius for cluttering. We have somehow managed to persuade ourselves that we are too busy to think, too busy to read, too busy to look back, too busy to look ahead, too busy to understand that all our wealth and all our power are not enough to safeguard our future unless there is also a real understanding of the danger that threatens us and how to meet it. Thus, being busy is more than merely a national passion; it is a national excuse.

“The real question however, concerns not the time or lack of it we provide for thought, but the value we place on thought. What standing does thoughtfulness enjoy in the community at large? What great works of contemporary literature assign importance to thought or make heroes of thoughtful men? Action, accumulation, diversion, these seem to be the great imperatives today. We are so busy increasing the size and ornamentation of our personal kingdoms that we are unaware that no age in history has had as many loose props under it as our own."

It's interesting, isn't it? How much time do you spend in thought? How much attention to thought is paid in school? In the home? In your home?

People acknowledge that they want more. It is impossible to think with the mouth open. And as long as we live, we will never learn anything of value when we are talking or yelling or demanding. What is needed, most assuredly, is more quiet, reflective, creative thinking. Lincoln once said, “The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves."

On a national and individual basis we need to define our priorities, organize them in the order of their importance, and attack them with creative thought, realizing that we need new solutions to new problems. We need to set aside a time each day for thought.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-10-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"How are you allowing other people's opinions get to you?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Whose Party Are You Attending?

2011-10-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

“Truth or fiction, you don’t have to believe anyone’s story.You don’t have to form an opinion about what someone says. You don’t have toagree or disagree. Just listen. Themore impeccable a person is with the word, the clearer the message will be, butthe words that come from another artist have nothing to do with you. You knowit’s nothing personal. You listen and you understand all the words, but thewords no longer affect you. You no longer judge what other people say becauseyou understand what they are doing. They are only letting you know what isgoing on in their virtual world.” ~ From The Fifth Agreement

Remember, you don't have to attend every party you are invited to ~ especially if it is about them.

How Are You Being Treated?

2011-10-19T13:10:00.000-04:00

“Generally speaking, we share responsibility for the way weare treated. If we want to know what impact we are having on others, we needonly to examine their responses to us.” ~ C. Terry Warner

You teach others how to treat you.

Yes, that bears repeating.

If you are constantly on the other end of someone else’s negativity,then why are you staying on that end?

You don’t have to attend every pity party you are invitedto.

You don’t have to attend every anger fest you are invitedto.

You have a choice. Get up and walk away; go to the ladiesroom, go watch a movie on YouTube, go make a cup of cocoa and meditate.

I havedone all of the above, thank you very much. I have made the conscious decisionto not be party to anyone else’s negative vibes. I still love you, but I willsee you later!

Save the drama for yo’ mama! Cause I don’t want to hear it!

‘Nuff said.

Treat Trouble As A Friend

2011-10-18T14:36:00.000-04:00

“Trouble creates a capacity to handle it....meet it as afriend, for you'll see a lot of it and had better be on speaking terms withit.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

I love this quote! It reminds me so much of The Guest Houseby the Sufi poet Rumi. Trouble, adversity, pain and grief are companions on thejourney of life; and we had better know how to deal with it when it arrives.Don’t fight against it, it will only persist and get worse. Just let it come,deliver its message and be on its way.

The Guest House ~ Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

How do you treat your guests – the pleasant and the not sopleasant?

Blog Action Day Is World Food Day

2011-10-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers inposting about the same issue on the same day. The aim is to raise awareness andtrigger a global discussion around an important issue that impacts us all.

For 2011, our Blog Action Day coincides with World Food Day, so the topic ofdiscussion for this year is food.

One of the issues very dear to me is food waste and hunger in America. Theamount of food wasted in the United States is staggering. The U.S. generatesmore than 34 million tons of food waste each year. Paper is the onlymaterial category where we generate more waste, but we also recycle more.

Since we now throw away more food than anything else, that means we arethrowing away a lot of our money. Often, simple changes in food purchasing,storage and preparation practices can yield significant reductions in foodwaste generation. Not only will this reduce waste, but it will make your fooddollars go further. Food waste cost savings have even greater potential atcommercial establishments. Saving food means saving money.

Then, there is the issue of hunger. In many ways, America is theland of plenty. But for 1 in 6 Americans, hunger is a reality.

Many people believe that the problems associated with hungerare confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, orcertain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.

Right now, over 50 million Americans -- including 17 millionchildren -- are struggling with hunger. We all know and are in contact withpeople affected by hunger, even though we might not be aware of it.

Poverty is forcing millions of Americans into a hungercrisis. Their hunger emergency is defined by food insecurity, which is the lackof access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needsfor an active and healthy life. Families find themselves buying cheaper andless nutritious food, or cutting entire meals out of their diet, just to makeends meet. Increasing over time, this pattern leads to chronic malnutrition,affecting children and families in profoundly destructive ways.

"[Hunger] weakens families, and prevents our nationfrom reaching its full potential." Hungry children are not able to playand learn like other children, and are therefore less likely to becomeproductive adults. Compromised health can lead to both short- and long-termproblems; children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Hungryemployees are less productive and more likely to make errors, putting their jobat risk, which further perpetuates the poverty cycle.

Everyday, I visit the HungerSite and click on the tab toallow staple food to be distributed to those in need. I have been clickingeveryday since about 1997.

Awareness is the key to change. You cannot change what youare not aware of.

Information provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyand the HungerSite.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-10-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"How do you use your pain and hurt to help another?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Live In the Moment

2011-10-12T16:38:00.000-04:00

"Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, non-judgmentalawareness. It is cultivated by refining our capacity to pay attention,intentionally, in the present moment, and then sustaining that attention overtime as best we can. In the process, we become more in touch with our life asit is unfolding." ~ Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn

In the present moment, there are no fears, no worries, andno doubts. There is only peace and non-judgmental awareness.

You have powerful choice – to live in the past with regrets;to live in the future with worries; or to live in the NOW!

Which do you choose?

Healing With Hurt

2011-10-11T13:21:00.000-04:00

Using Your Pain to Help Others

You can channel your pain into helping others and spreadinga tide of curative energy throughout the world.

Pain is a fact of being and one that permeates all of our lives to some degree.Since the hurt we feel may be a part of the experiences that have touched usmost deeply, we are often loathe to let it go. It is frequently easier to keepour pain at our sides, where it acts as a shield that shelters us from othersand gives us an identity—that of victim—from which we can draw bitter strength.However, pain’s universality can also empower us to use our hurt to help othersheal. Since no pain is any greater or more profound than any other, what youfeel can give you the ability to help bring about the recovery of individualswhose hurts are both similar to and vastly different from your own. You canchannel your pain into transformative and healing love that aids you in helpingindividuals on a one-to-one basis and spreading a tide of curative energythroughout the world.

The capacity to heal others evolves naturally within those who are ready todisassociate themselves from their identity as victims. In fact, the simpledecision to put aside the pain we have carried is what grants us the strengthto redeem that pain through service. There are many ways to use the hurt youfeel to help others. Your pain gives you a unique insight into the minds ofpeople who have experienced trauma and heartache. You can draw from thewellspring of strength that allowed you to emerge on the other side of apainful experience and pass that strength to individuals still suffering fromtheir wounds. You may be able to council individuals in need by showing themthe coping methods that have helped you survive or simply by offering sympathy.A kinship can develop that allows you to relate more closely with those you aretrying to aid and comfort.

Helping others can be a restorative experience that makes your own heart growstronger. In channeling your pain into compassionate service and watchingothers successfully recover, you may feel a sense of euphoria that leads toincreased feelings of self-worth and optimism. Your courageous decision toreach out to others can be the best way to declare to yourself and the worldthat your pain didn’t defeat you, and in fact it helped you heal.

~ From The Daily OM

It is from my own daily issues with chronic pain and all of my losses in life that has paved the way for the work I do with women in transition and those dealing with grief and loss and pain. And it has definitely helped me in my healing process - and continues to do so every day.

Expect Abundance

2011-10-10T12:27:00.000-04:00

“Whatever the mind is taught to expect, that it will build,produce, and bring forth for you.” ~ Catherine Ponder

Everything is created twice – first in the mind, then inyour reality. Everything in your environment was first a thought in someone’smind – the furniture, the appliances, the myriad of stuff.

However, there are some intangibles that are in yourimmediate environment as well that you may not wish to speak of; like the lackof money, an illness, a botched relationship. These were created in your mindas well, then made manifest in your reality.

You may be saying, “I don’t want this illness!” Or, “I don’twant this debt!”

Notice, illness and debt is what you speak, so illness anddebt is what you get!

Instead, speak out what you do want – unlimited wealth andwellness. Allow these concepts to linger in your mind, then watch them manifestin your reality.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-10-07T11:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions.

So, what questions are you asking?

Don't know what to ask? Begin with the Be/Do/Have Questions:

Who am I?

What do I want to do?

What do I truly desire?

Your New Self

2011-10-06T12:26:00.000-04:00

“Even though you are different, people assume you are thesame; they hardly notice the change unless you express yourself. But at acertain point, you no longer play their game. You don’t take on theiraddictions, and you don’t join in their gossiping. You no longer care so muchabout their drama, about their anger, their jealousy, because you know they aredreaming. And you know they don’t mean it when they tell you something unkind.”~ don Miguel Ruiz

George Bernard Shaw once quipped that “the only man whobehaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew every time he seesme, while all the rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fitthem.”

This is profound wisdom! When you grow and change, most ofthe people around you won’t notice the change and will go on treating you asthey always had. If at all possible, when you begin your transformation, youmay need to also change your associations. As Jim Rohn said, you are theaverage of your five closest friends. If you have left behind negativity,gossip, anger, and slander, but your friends still live in that space, thenguess what? You will revert back to that way of being.

I believe this is why the recidivism rate is so high. When aperson is released from prison, instead of going to new surroundings to begin anew life, they go back to the life that encouraged the behaviors thatincarcerated them in the first place.

When you make a transformational change, you must do it allthe way. The Master Teacher once said that no prophet is honored in his nativetown. This is because everyone knew them before and will not accept the transformation.

Check out the movie, Now Voyager, starring Bette Davis andClaude Rains. One of my all time favorites. Charlotte (Davis) goes through a radical transformation –physically and emotionally. The most brilliant move on Dr. Jackwith’s (Rains)part is not to allow her to return home right away; but go on a cruise to feelinto her new self.

So, just for today, if you are shifting into a new way ofbeing, go on a cruise and feel into your new self!

Choose Peace

2011-10-05T11:15:00.002-04:00

“Most of us are waiting for the day when we’ll do better,when we’ll have everything we want, and when we will become the people we mostwant to be. But as you know, that day doesn’t just magically arrive. That dayis a choice.” ~ Debbie Ford, The Right Questions

Are you still waiting for that day to magically appear? The daywhen you will have everything you have ever dreamed of? Well, as Debbie stated,that day is a choice; actually a series of choices over the course of time. Choicesyou make to remain peaceful and loving or become angry and bitter. Yes, that isa choice; that is your choice.

A Course in Miracles states that you can choose peace or youcan choose this – meaning whatever chaos and turmoil is around you. Just becausethere is chaos around you does not mean you have to join in. You have a choice.You can choose peace. You can choose serenity. You can choose to be who youwere created to be; not who you are coerced into becoming.

Everything is choice. You have that power and that right. Exerciseyour right to choose. And, choose wisely.

The Lie of Blame

2011-10-04T10:16:00.000-04:00

“Blame is the lie by which we convince ourselves that we arevictims. It is the lie that robs us of our serenity, our generosity, ourconfidence, and our delight in life.” ~ From Bonds That Make Us Free by C.Terry Warner

One of the vicious cousins of fear is blame. When you blamesomething or someone outside of yourself, you stay in victim mode. If itis someone else’s fault, then you can’t possibly do anything about it. This keepsyou stuck. This also robs you of your power, your freedom and your life.

You cannot control another person’s actions but you cancontrol how you respond to those actions. This is where you have full andcomplete control and responsibility. You can choose to react out of fear or youcan choose to respond out of love.

Remember, when you point the finger of blame, there are three fingers pointing right back at you!

The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

Your Secret Thoughts

2011-10-03T12:22:00.000-04:00

“The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, thatwhich it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of itscherished aspirations. It falls to the level of its unchastened desires - andcircumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.” ~ James Allen

We each have a tendency towards the negative in life. If youreceive fifteen compliments and one criticism – which would you focus all yourattention on? Yes, the criticism; totally ignoring the fifteen compliments.

Why is this?

We have been conditioned to focus on the negative and those negativethoughts, unfortunately, become our reality.

In the Book of Job we hear Job saying, “What I feared hascome upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.”

Proverb wisdom tells us that as a man thinks in his heart,so is he.

We must choose to consciously focus our attention towardswhat we do want to be, to do and to have. This must become habit if we are tohave the life we desire.

So, just for today, choose to focus on the compliments andnot the criticisms.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-09-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"How are you empowering and encouraging others as well as yourself?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

In Memoriam: Wangari Maathai

2011-09-29T11:35:00.001-04:00

“Every person who has ever achieved anything has beenknocked down many times. But all of them picked themselves up and kept going,and that is what I have always tried to do.”

“You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them,and you help them understand that these resources are their own, that they mustprotect them.” ~ Wangari Maathai

Wangari Muta Maathai (1 April 1940 – 25 September 2011) wasa Kenyan environmental and political activist, and a Nobel Peace Prizerecipient for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, andpeace." Prof. Maathai started the Green Belt Movement in 1977, workingwith women to improve their livelihoods by increasing their access to resourceslike firewood for cooking and clean water. She became a great advocate forbetter management of natural resources and for sustainability, equity, andjustice.

Forgiveness Leads to Inner Peace

2011-09-28T17:43:00.001-04:00

"Learn forgiveness. If you are the person who has beenwronged, always remember that you have the power to forgive. No one else cangive this power to you. Amazingly, by releasing resentment or negativefeelings, you are the one who benefits most of all." ~ Cheryl Hitchcock

Forgiving does not mean condoning; but it does mean innerpeace. Holding on to resentment and bitterness only creates inner turmoil foryou – not for the other person. It is like drinking poison and waiting for theother person to die from it.

So, just for today, create inner peace – forgive!

Chart Your Course

2011-09-27T13:59:00.000-04:00

“If you were planning a road trip across the country, wouldyou leave without having a map? Or would you look at the map once and thenforget about it? If that was your strategy, you might never arrive at yourdestination. But if you were absolutely committed to arriving at yourdestination in the shortest time possible, you would study the map carefully,charting out your route for each day. And if you made a wrong turn along theway, you wouldn’t spend five years beating yourself up. You would pull over,look at your map, and get back on track.” ~ Debbie Ford, The Right Questions

Think about planning your day, your week, your year likeplanning a road trip. You have got to strategically plan starting with whereyou are right now and ending with where you would like to be. Like planning aroad trip, you must begin right where you are now. You cannot plan your tripwithout noting your starting point. From your starting point, you can plot yourdestination point.

So, just for today, stop, take a breath and ask yourself:

“Where am I right now?”

“Where would I like to be – six months from now? One yearfrom now? Five years from now?”

Then, study your map and chart your course. Happy sailing!

Become A Peacemaker

2011-09-26T14:17:00.001-04:00

If you must meddle in human relationships,

try to be a peacemaker.

You will find that you don’t have much competition.

When faced with a conflict between others, most of us are more inclined to walk away from the situation than to become involved. If we do allow ourselves to become a participant, it is usually by adopting the position of one at the expense of the other. Of course, such behavior does little to resolve the dispute and may in fact exacerbate the problem. But when you make a genuine attempt to help resolve the situation, you should not be surprised if you’re the only one. We are all complex individuals with feelings and emotions we often don’t fully understand. Sometimes the mere involvement of a disinterested party is enough to help resolve the dispute. Make sure, though, if you are the one in the middle that you don’t allow yourself to get into a position where you must choose between the desires of one person over the other. Work toward a compromise that best suits everyone’s interests.

~ Wisdom from Napoleon Hill

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-09-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"What is one small thing I can do right now to share my gifts and talents with another?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Have a super imaginative weekend!

The Wisdom of Sharing

2011-09-22T13:06:00.001-04:00

Imagine a worldin which we all shared our gifts and bounty with each other rather thanfocusing on self preservation.

There are many variations on the story of stone soup, but they all involve atraveler coming into a town beset by famine. The inhabitants try to discouragethe traveler from staying, fearing he wants them to give him food. They tellhim in no uncertain terms that there's no food anywhere to be found. Thetraveler explains that he doesn't need any food and that, in fact, he wasplanning to make a soup to share with all of them. The villagers watchsuspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a cauldron with water. With greatceremony, he pulls a stone from a bag, dropping the stone into the pot ofwater. He sniffs the brew extravagantly and exclaims how delicious stone soupis. As the villagers begin to show interest, he mentions how good the soupwould be with just a little cabbage in it. A villager brings out a cabbage to share.This episode repeats itself until the soup has cabbage, carrots, onions, andbeets—indeed, a substantial soup that feeds everyone in the village.

This storyaddresses the human tendency to hoard in times of deprivation. When resourcesare scarce, we pull back and put all of our energy into self-preservation. Weisolate ourselves and shut out others. As the story of stone soup reveals, indoing so, we often deprive ourselves and everyone else of a feast. Thismetaphor plays out beyond the realm of food. We hoard ideas, love, and energy,thinking we will be richer if we keep to them to ourselves, when in truth wemake the world, and ourselves, poorer whenever we greedily stockpile ourreserves. The traveler was able to see that the villagers were holding back,and he had the genius to draw them out and inspire them to give, thus creatinga spread that none of them could have created alone.

Are you like one of the villagers, holding back? If you come forward and shareyour gifts, you will inspire others to do the same. The reward is a banquetthat can nourish many.

~ From The Daily OM

Making Conscious Choices

2011-09-21T15:40:00.001-04:00

“Our choices affect our mood and the way we feel aboutourselves. They influence the quality of our relationships with ourselves,others, and the world. For every action there is an equal and oppositereaction; this is the law of cause and effect. No action goes unnoticed. We mayfool ourselves into believing that our actions do not matter, particularly ifwe think no one will know or that no one is watching. But all of our choicesimpact our futures.” ~ Debbie Ford, The Right Questions

There is never an effect without a cause and there is nevera cause without an effect. Every decision you make, there is a consequence. Evenif you do not make a decision, that is a decision and will result in an effect.

Just for today, think about the choices you are making. Thismeans making conscious choices, not choices made by default. Every choice youmake leads to the results in your life.

Interfering Fear

2011-09-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

"Don't letwhat you cannot do interfere with what you can do." ~ John Wooden

More often thannot, we allow what we cannot do stop us from doing what we can do and what isours to do. What is the interfering factor? Fear!

We become paralyzedby overwhelm and don’t do what we know we are able to do. This, unfortunately,is quite common.

If we can take oureyes off of the fearful thing we cannot do long enough to focus on what we cando, we will begin to see much more productivity in our lives.

So, just for today,focus on what you can do and not on what you cannot do!

Eyes of Faith

2011-09-19T15:39:00.001-04:00

“God always provides what we need, but we must be ready toopen our eyes and see it.” ~ The Midrash

Do you see with human eyes or with spiritual eyes? Are youseeing your present and your future with the eyes of faith?

When you look with the eyes of faith, you are far-seeing andclear seeing. When you merely see with human eyes, you only see the limitationsand the obstacles.

Just for today, begin seeing with spiritual eyes – with theeyes of faith – to create your bright and brilliant tomorrow.

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-09-16T09:30:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Where in your life are you allowing your feelings to become who you are?"

"It is not the answer that enlightens, but thequestion." ~ Decouvertes

Feelings Are Not Facts

2011-09-15T13:13:00.000-04:00

“When we’re stuck in troubled feelings, we believe that allour feelings are true – that is to say, we believe that by our emotions at thatmoment, we are making accurate judgments about what’s happening. If I’m angrywith you, I’m certain that you are making me angry.”

The fact is “though we truly have these feelings, they arenot necessarily true feelings.”

~ From Bonds That Make Us Free by C. Terry Warner

No matter what happens in your life, you will have somefeelings about it. And, we tend to believe that it is the events that happenedthat caused those feelings. This is not true. Before we have the feelings, wehave a thought about the event; it is from that thought that our feelingsarise.

If we think something is awful, we will feel awful about it.If we think something is wonderful, then our feelings will follow. The key hereis to not allow your feelings to control how you behave; because from thosefeelings come the behaviors. If something is awful, acknowledge it and thenmove on. By the same token, if something is wonderful, acknowledge it and moveon.

You will begin to see that life becomes more peaceful, morecalm and much more agreeable.

A Heart At Peace

2011-09-14T16:02:00.000-04:00

At every moment of the day, you are either living with aheart at peace or a heart at war. To know which you are, simply ask yourselfhow am I being with those I come in contact with. If you treat everyone as aperson, as someone with fears, dreams, sorrows and joys, then chances are youare at peace with them. If, on the other hand, you treat everyone as an object,as an obstacle to climb over or move aside, then chances are you are at warwith them.

If you are being peace, then it is easy to see the fruits inyour life. If your heart is at war, then it is still easy to see the fruits – andthey are most likely rotten!

So, just for today, be at peace, have peace in your heartand bear good fruit!

Use Your Wonderful Imagination

2011-09-13T12:46:00.000-04:00

"The man who has no imagination has no wings." ~ Muhammad Ali

Imagination is a tool of the soul. Our imagination gives us the opportunity to 'try on' new qualities and perspectives in our life. Through imagination, we can explore our past, problems, patterns, processes, plans, perceptions, principles, passions and purpose to uncover new possibilities.

Without imagination, we stay stuck in the realm of the material, the past, the superficial and the literal. We remain one-tracked, instinctual and one-dimensional.

Our imagination comes from the soul, subconscious and senses. Only through our imagination can we become multidimensional, experience more love, create more beauty, manifest more results, change our conditions, rewrite the past, and connect with divinity, purpose and others.

"You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'" ~ George Bernard Shaw

"Reason can answer questions, but imagination has to ask them." ~ Ralph Gerard

~ From The Inner Journey

The Fifth Agreement

2011-09-12T18:52:00.000-04:00

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-09-09T10:00:00.001-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"What are you speaking and creating in your world?"

“You can tell whether a woman is clever by her answers. Youcan tell whether she is wise by her questions.” ~ attributed to Naguib Mahfouz

Affirm the Good

2011-09-08T13:28:00.000-04:00

“Thoughts of jealousy, fear, worry, and anxiety tear downand destroy your nerves and glands bringing about mental and physical diseasesof all kinds.

“What you affirm consciously and feel as true will be mademanifest in your mind, body and affairs. Affirm the good and enter into the joyof living.” ~ Joseph Murphy

So often I hear folks speaking about what they do not wantin their lives: they don’t want debt; they don’t want sickness; they don’t wantto be alone. Your subconscious mind does not speak in negatives. So when yousay you don’t want something, your subconscious mind does not recognize that.

Speak out what you do want instead of what you don’t want. Ifyou don’t know what you want, then flip around what you don’t want and startaffirming that. So, if you don’t want debt – what do you want – you wantfinancial abundance. If you don’t want sickness – what do you want – you wantabundant health in mind, body and spirit.

On the same note, keep your mind stayed on things of peace,love and serenity; lest you bring ills to your mind, body and spirit.

Be An Overcomer

2011-09-07T17:13:00.000-04:00

I will fight my battle
and I will feel pain,
and I will have no loss
and I will remain;
and I will stand proud
and I will be strong,
and I will shed my light
and I will sing my song;
and I will win
and I will cry,
and I will spread my wings
and I will fly.

~ Keith Perks, Cancer Survivor

Life Gets Better by Change

2011-09-06T11:44:00.001-04:00

"You must constantly ask yourself these questions:

Who am I around?

What are they doing to me?

What have they got me reading?

What have they got me saying?

Where do they have me going?

What do they have me thinking?

And most important, what do they have me becoming?

Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?

Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better bychange." ~ Jim Rohn

Happy Labor Day!

2011-09-05T11:38:00.001-04:00

To all my friends here in the U.S.,
here's wishing you a safe and blessed Labor Day!

Friday's Purposeful Question

2011-09-02T08:00:00.000-04:00

Author and teacher Byron Katie says that when you questionyour stressful thoughts, the freedom that comes out of that graces the worldfor all of us.

The quality of your life is determined by the quality ofyour questions. So, what questions are you asking?

"Don't letwhat you cannot do interfere with what you can do." ~ John Wooden

"What are you allowing to interfere with what you need to do?"

"What are you willing to do about the interruption?"

“Life is an unanswered question, but let's still believe in the dignity and importanceof that question.” ~ TennesseeWilliams