Remember

For love of country they accepted death...

~James A. Garfield

Remember
Today is a day to stop and remember. Before you set out for your BBQ, before you celebrate a Monday off from work and before you run out to the stores to catch a good sale, let us all remember for a moment what this day is all about; those hundreds of thousands of men and woman have given up their lives to serve our country. Many of them, too many, have lost their lives in the hopes of preserving ours. They had hope and dreams like we all do. They had a vision for their life just as we have a vision for ours. They gave the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. It's time to pause and remember them. It's time to send a prayer to all of our armed forces, those still with us and those who have passed, and to their loved ones. Today is not about the biggest burger you can consume or about the coupon in your pocket. Today is about those who live everyday fighting for our freedom. Maybe if we all can send some love and peace to them, from our soul to theirs, we just may be able to heal the world and bring peace to everyone. Maybe it can be them next year, home celebrating with their families and getting ready to go to a BBQ.


A beautiful video tribute to our troops from a Veteran. Please cut, paste & watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=oxBpUFtrXs8&feature=related

Carpe Diem

Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think.

~Chinese Proverb

Carpe Diem

What are you waiting for? More time? More money? More stability? Well guess what, times a wasting while you're busy waiting! Get up, stretch, dust yourself off and get going. No more thinking about what you want to do. Now is the time to actually do it! Life is meant to be lived, enjoyed and loved. I am sure you have a list of things you would like to do or would like to learn but you have been putting it off for some time now. Well here is your permission to start. Don't wait for the "best" time to do something for it may never come. You need to make the time for that in your life which you want to enjoy. That's what life is ultimately meant to be ~ a life filled with happiness that you create. So go on, get going! Create something magnificent.

Flow of Life

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),
It's always our self we find in the sea.
~e.e. cummings

Flow of Life

Have you ever felt like you were a bystander in your own life or even felt that you were on a "holding" pattern waiting for something to take you in another direction? We are constantly waiting for life to happen to us but what we fail to realize is that it is happening, we are just not going with the flow. We bury our heads in the sand or we stick our feet so far down that we become immobile. But guess what, life hasn't stopped, we have. Well it's time to get unstuck! Let's dust off our swimmies and leap back into life, our lives again. Let's not wait for change to happen, let's be the change!

(picture taken by my sister Colleen)

Toxic People

You do not have the right to quit trying.

(The universe wobbles when you do.)
You have the right to quit Toxic People.

(They're contagious.)
~Dr. SunWolf

Toxic People
We all have people in our lives that create such a toxic environment for themselves, whether it be friends, co-workers or family members. We are constantly trying to "change" their perspective but usually their opinions do not change and we are left feeling drained and miserable. Well it's time to back away from these relationships. When you surround yourself with a toxic person, you deplete your mind, body and spirit of goodness and abundance. That is not fair to you or to your life. It is time to start cleaning house! Take inventory of who your healthy relationships are and the one's that are not doing anything for you but causing you great pain. This does not make you a bad person, it makes you someone who values your time, your energy and your life. The more you can distance yourself from a bad situation, the better you will feel. Don't you deserve that?

Listening

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

~Epictetus

Listening

One of the greatest gifts we can give anyone is the art of listening. As human beings we really want just a few simple things from life and one is to be heard. We want to know that our voice, our opinions and our feelings matter in this lifetime. When we give people a chance to find their voice, more often than not, they leave the conversation feeling fulfilled and we leave feeling truly connected to another person. It's not easy at times to quiet our own thoughts and words but the more we can truly open up our spirit to those around us, the more life opens up to us as well. It is amazing what can be learned when we just open our ears wider than we open our mouths!

Judgments

When nobody around you seems to measure up, it's time to check your yardstick.

~Bill Lemley

Judgments

How easy is it for all of us to judge everything and everyone throughout the course of the day. From what a person is wearing or what they look like to who they hang around with. Judgement is swirling all around us and so in turn we have become judgemental as well. But where does it end and who says that what we "perceive" is correct? Why do we feel the need to be so against each other? It's time to stop and really think about your words and actions today. Pay attention to how many times you stop to judge someone else or a situation. Instead of choosing to go with the judgemental thought replace it with a loving one. You will see that as you stop judging others, you will also stop judging yourself so harshly too. For when you are gentle with a persons soul, you will find yours there as well.

Strong Foundations

Except during the nine months before he draws his first breath, no man manages his affairs as well as a tree does.

~George Bernard Shaw, Maxims for Revolutionists, 1903

Strong Foundations

Trees are magnificent to look at. They represent strength and beauty. They start from a tiny little seed and grow into a majestic creature. They don't do this by fighting their way to the top, not caring about who they crush along the way or by being threatened by another tree! They grow strong because they take their time, they grow in spurts and rest when needed. They reach as high as they can without disturbing the life growing around them. They enhance the scenery, not take away from it. The most important thing a tree does is to build a solid foundation. It's roots are strong and extend wide. It's grasp is firm yet it's nature is gentle. May we all take a lesson from a tree. Let's take the time to build a strong foundation, yet rest when needed. Let's reach as high as our potential will allow without overshadowing those also growing around us. Let us be the beautiful majestic creatures we were meant to be ~ thus we have ultimately learned from a tree!

Honesty

We tell lies when we are afraid... afraid of what we don't know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.

~Tad Williams

Honesty
How free we would all be if we could just be honest, not only with each other but with ourselves as well. How many times do you take on a project or say that you will help someone out when you really do not have the time or the energy? How many times do you put someone else's needs above your own? How many times do you do something just because you feel obligated but you know it will not be fun for you at all? Well it's time to take a step back and finally be honest with yourself. Take back the reins of your life and start making decisions based on what will be best for you and your needs. That's not being selfish, that's being self-less. Start practicing saying “no” to others and start saying “yes” to yourself!

Patience

How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras teach patience to its young?

~Paul Sweeney

Patience

Where would we all be without a little bit (or a lot) of patience? It's so hard at times to wait for the right opportunities or moments to happen. Sometimes we wish life would move at a faster pace! But by wishing this, we are not embracing the lessons that we are supposed to be learning during this "waiting" period. Patience is just a way to give you enough time to figure out if what you "wish" for is truly what you want or would be in your best interest in the long run. So today, before you push for something to happen, take a stop back, give yourself a dose of patience and see how much clearer you are able to see things!

Children

Children make you want to start life over.

~Muhammad Ali

Children

Oh the lessons we can learn from children! We spend so much time thinking about the next project, task or job that needs to be done that we fail to realize just how much of our lives we are missing out on by not being present in the moment. If you ever watched a child you know that they live their lives in nothing but the present moment. They live each second in a state of awareness. They cry if they are sad, they laugh if something is funny, the dance around if they are feeling joyful and they ask such simple yet profound questions, more often than not, that put us right in our place. Take a moment to remember what it was like to be a child and be aware of only what was happening in your world right now. The more you get back to your inner child, the greater peace you will have throughout your day. Seeing your life through the eyes of a child is the greatest gift you can give yourself. Try and spend the entire day in each moment and let if fill you with joy and love.

Nature

I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.... People think pleasing God is all God care about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.

~Alice Walker,The Color Purple, 1982

Nature

How perfect and glorious nature is yet we tend to drive or walk right past it, not even noticing its existence. What a shame! All of nature is in harmony with each other and there is a perfect balance within itself. Yet we cut it down, stomp on it, drill in it, throw waste on it, pave through it and destroy it in order to find our own harmony as a society. Well it's time to stop and smell the roses ~ literally. Understanding and caring about nature, in all forms, will not only benefit our world but it will bring you closer to yourself. When you find balance in nature, you find balance within yourself. Nature is a natural healer for your soul so find a way to spend some quiet time amongst the beautiful trees or by some amazing waves today. Let nature offer you the peace you have been desiring and in return start to see nature for what it truly is, the most beautiful resource we have.

Letting Go

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

-Leonardo da Vinci

Letting Go

Our lives tend to be full of so much clutter, both emotionally and physically. Now is the time to focus on your physical space. New opportunities and growth cannot come into your life if there is no space for it! Take the necessary time to clear out those closets, organize those drawers and donate those items you no longer need to a shelter or non-profit organization that can certainly use it to help others. The more you can let go of your emotional attachment to material things, the lighter you will feel. Start decluttering your space so that abundance can flow in!

Worthiness

I'm not old enough to play baseball or football. I'm not eight yet. My mom told me when you start baseball, you aren't going to be able to run that fast because you had an operation. I told Mom I wouldn't need to run that fast. When I play baseball, I'll just hit them out of the park. Then I'll be able to walk.

~Edward J. McGrath, Jr., "An Exceptional View of Life," quoted in Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen, 1993

Worthiness

We are all capable of living such full rich lives. Due to our experiences and learned beliefs, somewhere along the way we tend to start to see ourselves as "less" than. We decided that we are not worthy enough to be truly happy, to reach for our dreams, to be successful or to try new ventures. Now is the time to stop playing these false messages in your head. The only person that is stopping your from living a fulfilling life is you! You are worthy of laughing, you are worthy of making the most out of your life and you are worthy of loving yourself and others without any apologies. There is only one you so start acknowledging that powerful person within and go live your dreams!

Intuition

Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's. ~Billy Wilder

Intuition

Why do we always "feel" the right thing to do before we think about it? So many of our decisions are based on partial knowledge (at best) but more often than not our feelings never fail us. We all have that inner knowing or gut feeling that is meant to guide us but so many times we choose not to listen to it which leads us into unhealthy situations. Today make a conscious effort to be in tune with your inner compass. Let it be your guide and see how your life starts to change in positive ways. Always trust yourself, for you ultimately know best!

New Direction

We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.

~Harrison Ford

New Direction

Where would we be if our lives never changed? Change occurs all of the time, some we rejoice in and some we may not but change forces us to grow as individuals. We are meant to experience so many things in this life and by refusing to grow with the flow of life, we can get stuck, frustrated and shut down. Today is a day to embrace the newness in your life. Whether it's new friendships, a new job, a change in your spiritual direction or just a new way of looking at a current situation, start to see how this new beginning can ultimately lead you into a direction that enhances your life. It can be scary but understand that the greatest leap of faith starts with believing in yourself and that you are capable of far more than you could ever imagine.

Wellness

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds

if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.
~Doug Larson

Wellness
Why is it that we take care of our material items (like our cars, phones, homes, etc.) much better than we take care of our own bodies? We spend countless hours making sure everything around us is in order except ourselves! We know what we should be eating, how much sleep we should be getting and how much exercise we need to be doing but we rarely make the effort to put these thoughts into action. Does it take time and energy to change old habits? Of course it does but so does everything else. We spend years going to school for the reward of a degree. Why is our own wellness any different? Stop looking at your health as something you need to put on your to do list. Realize that the more you intergrate wellness into your life, the more connected you will become to yourself and to those you love. Now that’s a change worth striving for!

Tranquility

Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.

~Oprah Winfrey

Tranquility
Does it feel that your life is on autopilot lately? You run all day long and at the end of the day, you are not even sure what happened or what you really accomplished! We spend so much time "just getting by" that we forget to stop and listen to what our bodies and souls are trying to tell us. Well today, and this weekend, carve out some time for yourself. It could be a walk around your neighborhood, treating yourself to a massage, going for a bike ride in the park, taking a sea salt bath (they are great for purifying your body and getting rid of toxins), or doing something that makes you feel more connected to you! True peace comes from the knowledge and practice that your body and soul need to be taken care of. The more you care for yourself, the more you become in tune with your spirit and thus the more you can truly care for others.