Calmness

(Picture taken by my sister Colleen at El Morro Fort in Puerto Rico)

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world

and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.

~Elwyn Brooks White

Calmness

It can be quite challenging to remain calm and focused in the midst of any negative situations that may arise throughout the day. Sometimes it seems too easy to join in on the gossiping, bickering, or fighting that is taking place between friends, at home or even in the work place. By participating in these situations though, you are bringing nothing but chaos and dis-ease into your body. Let's compare these volatile situations (and that's what they are) to the great ocean. There are plenty of waves and rip tides occurring at the surface of the ocean due to weather conditions but you go a few feet down and what do you find, a state of complete and utter calmness. Let us learn from this great body of water. There are many scenarios that occur around us that can easily get us swept up into a state of negative emotions or even chaos. If we join in, we too become a raging storm but if we remain calm, center ourselves and keep our emotions off of the surface, we will not be affected. By not participating in these negative situations, you will bring much needed peace into your life and allow only positive situations to occur around you. Stay focused, stay calm and make it a point to walk away from any situation that will ultimately not bring you joy, peace or love.

Learning

I am learning all the time.

The tombstone will be my diploma.

~Eartha Kitt

Learning

We never stop learning. Whether we are continuing with our formal education or learning a new hobby, we are always growing intellectually as individuals. We tend to embrace this type of learning. What we need to also embrace is that we are constantly learning about ourselves too. You are not the same person you were two years ago, 6 months ago or even two weeks ago. Is that wrong? Absolutely not! Where would you be if you didn't learn and grow? Learning doesn't stop when you are considered an "adult" either. Growth needs to happen in order for us to find our voice, our passions, our talents and in essence or true potential. Before your head hits the pillow tonight, think about all that you learned about yourself on this personal journey. Acknowledge your growth, how far you've come and fall asleep with the peace in knowing that you are on your way!

Confidence

People are like stained-glass windows.

They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,

but when the darkness sets in

their true beauty is revealed

only if there is light from within.

~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Confidence

Almost every day you are presented with doors, opportunities if you will, that can change the course of your life. The key to embracing these changes is to move forward with confidence. Too many times we second guess ourselves, our talents, our skills and what we have to offer to this world. We have let other people dictate how we feel about ourselves and more often than not, we have let this become our truth. Today is the day to change that. Today is the day to feel that power rumbling within. Feel and see yourself succeeding in all of your endeavors. It's time to embrace your talents and your worth. Start believing in your own personal truths and walk through those doors of opportunities with confidence!

Releasing

I keep the telephone of my mind open to peace, harmony, health, love and abundance. Then, whenever doubt, anxiety or fear try to call me, they keep getting a busy signal - and soon they'll forget my number.

~Edith Armstrong

Releasing

We, as human beings, spend so much of our day in a state of worry. We are either overcome in thinking about what has happened in the past or are currently worrying about the state of our future. If worrying were a hobby, most of us would be experts by now! The more we consume our minds with thoughts of things that "could" happen or "did" happen though, the more we block ourselves from enjoying what's currently in our lives. This also causes us to block positive changes from occurring as well. See, life is like a vacuum. It will fill your life when there is an opening but there can't be an opening when you are constantly filling the space with worry and fear. That blocks real movement and causes joy, peace and love to stay at an arms length away. Today, start giving yourself permission to release these emotions from your mind. Purge out the worry that has consumed you. Surrender your troubles to the universe and watch how it answers back with love.

Joy

Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming

but we can choose which one to surf.

~Jonatan Mårtensson

Joy

Where would we all be without a little (or hopefully a lot) of joy in our lives? Life is way too short not to enjoy it. We are meant to feel so alive and present in every single glorious moment we are given on this earth. Can some days be so much tougher than others? Why yes it can! Can life be chaotic and overwhelming? That would be another resounding yes! Can life seem unmanageable at times? You bet your little tush it very well can but that does not give us permission to be miserable human beings when there is so much joy surrounding us. Take today to really look around you. I mean, stop and really open your eyes to look at your blessings. Maybe you have a roof over your head. Maybe you are in good health. Maybe you have reliable transportation. Maybe you just won some money from a lotto ticket. Maybe you just got some good news about a friend or a family member. Maybe you just found 5 bucks in your pocket. Whatever the reasons, I'm positive you can find more than one thing to be joyful and thankful about today. Remember, life is way too short to only see and dwell on what you don't have. Stop wasting your time and energy (because that's what you are doing) and open up your heart and eyes to all of the wonderful things that are literally right in front of your face. Go forward today in the joy that is not just around you but that IS you!

Love

Forget love -

I'd rather fall in chocolate!

~Sandra J. Dykes

Love

Oh, love! Just the word stirs up a lot of emotions. Love is the most powerful feeling we have. It has caused us great joy and great pain in our lives. It has moved mountains and waged wars. It has taught us more about ourselves, sometimes more than we ever wanted to know. Love is a funny thing. You can't run or hide from it; love will smack you when you least expect it. There are many layers to love and it take on many different forms. How many times have you loved or more so, how many times have you yearned for a great love? Well the wait is finally over. It's time to fall in love and not just with anyone, the most special person of all. You have known this person your whole life. They have been right by your side in your happiest and darkest moments. They have seen you at your best and at your worst. Have you guessed it yet? Yep, that's right. I am talking about you ~ self love if you will. You can not truly love another soul on this planet until you first love yourself for the awesome person that you are. Realizing the wonder and talent you possess and what you can contribute to this world is the greatest love you can ever find. Once you embrace this idea, then your heart and soul will open to love from other human beings in the way that it should. Your love will be pointed in a healthy direction and you will be able to truly connect with another soul. Maybe it's someone that's been in your life for a long time or maybe it's someone brand new waiting to love you. Remember though, first truly love who you are and then someone will be able to love you the way you should be loved ~ unconditionally.

Peace

Let us love the world to peace.

~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book

by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

Peace

We strive so much to find peace and yet it escapes us daily! We all yearn to be at peace, to feel totally content and serene and yet it seems that something happens each day that gets us off course. Well maybe we keep looking for peace in the wrong places. See, peace is something that you can only truly find in one place, within. When you look for it in any other place, you will inevitably find the opposite. We think that if our lives are in order, our errands are all done, we are all caught up at work, we can then be at peace. It's time to flip that notion on it's head. First we need to find peace inside of ourselves and then we will find that every situation we find ourselves in, we are looking at it through a quiet mind instead of in a fury of emotions. How do you find your peace within? Well, it takes some time. You need to give yourself permission to let go, to stop trying to control everything. You need to be able to let yourself off the hook and other's too. You need to start to see life and yourself as one unit, all working towards the same goal. When you can feel yourself connected to everyone and everything without judgement, then you can find true peace. Surrender to life and finally let your soul, mind and body be at peace!

Signs

Remember, if you’re headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns!

~Allison Gappa Bottke

Signs

There are signs everywhere, literally. We are guided by signs all day long. Whether it's when to stop at an intersection, how to get to the destination we are looking for or a huge billboard letting us know what airlines is best to fly, we seem to let signs point us in our desired direction all day long. These signs are pretty blatant and in your face. There are also other kinds of signs that have so much more meaning to us but we seldom "see" them or "listen" to them. The signs I am referring to are the one's that guide us on our life's purpose. Whether it's a gut feeling, someone calling you from your past or hearing a song on the radio that seems to be giving you an answer to the question that's on your mind, these more subtle signs are all around us. A lot of times we question these signs because they are not as prominent as the one's we are used to seeing but understand that they are much more powerful. We usually ask the universe to give us another 'sign' so that we are 100% certain it was meant for us. The thing is, you already know that the 'sign' you were just given does have great meaning. You know that it was not a coincidence that you heard that song, spoke to a old friend about something that's been on your mind or a complete stranger stopped you and had to tell you something that related to a situation you are currently going through. By embracing these types of signs, you will direct yourself on your true life's purpose. Stop looking for a flashing neon sign to tell you what you should do next, for the answer has already been impressed upon or shown to you. Realize that these signs are significant and don't push them aside. The more you let them guide you, the more you will stay true to yourself as well as find true happiness.

Side Note:

Today is the Summer Solstice, first day of summer and the longest day (15 hours of light) of the year. It's a time of great change and shifting. Enjoy the newness in your life and the changes that are about to take place. Happy Summer Solstice!

Go!

A nod,

a bow,

and a tip of the lid

to the person

who coulda

and shoulda

and did.

~Robert Brault, A Poem Missing the Word Woulda

Go!

Now is the time to move forward. Now is the time to put into action all that you have been researching, thinking about, discovering and wanting to start but for some reason or another, you have waited. Consider the wait now over and it's time to charge ahead. You have been working so hard at changing the course of your life or focusing on aspects of your life that you want to change and now is the perfect time to put what you have learned into action. Do not let one more day go by without reaching out towards your goals and dreams. Embrace this new adventure. Ready, set, now go!

Humor

(my former student Schadrac, on our trip to the Mystic Aquarium, who always makes me laugh and see the brighter side of life!)

After God created the world, He made man and woman. Then, to keep the whole thing from collapsing, He invented humor. ~Bill Kelly, "Mordillo"

Humor

Today is a day to find the humor in life and oh boy, can life be funny at times! Everyday some funny things happen around us or someone says something that makes us laugh out loud. How wonderful it feels to connect to ourselves, to someone else and to feel truly alive. Nothing does this more than true laughter, you know, the kind that comes from deep down and can't be contained. Let's stop taking everything so seriously and realize that there is much to laugh about. Humor lets us keep perspective on all of the situations happening around us, even when they are tough. By allowing yourself and others to laugh, finding the joy in any circumstance, you are ultimately healing your soul and theirs. So what are you waiting for? Go embrace the humor in life without any reservations and surround yourself with those who make you smile the most!

Perspective

The reverse side also has a reverse side.

~Japanese Proverb

Perspective

Our lives are constantly shifting. Nothing stays the same long enough, even when we want it to. Sometimes we get a bit "comfortable" and when something happens that shakes up our world, it can put us in a tailspin. If we take a look at life from a different perspective though, we understand that everything changes and so must we. If we look at the landscape around us, there are peaks and valleys. With every high achievement, there is a valley near. With every beautiful day, there is a thunderstorm behind it. Life is ever shifting in order to create balance. We need to start to shift our perspective as well and realize that whatever situation you are currently in (good or bad) it will change. That is the rule of life. Remember to take a look at your life from the bigger viewpoint and realize that no matter what situation you are facing, this too shall pass. Do not cling to the moment if it is really good or believe that situation will never get better if it is bad. By not holding on to these feelings, we give ourselves permission to just be, without any judgements or fear. Let yourself feel and embrace the change that is constantly swirling around you. When you do, you will see yourself in a whole new light. You will know that no matter what is happening, you are safe and secure!

Freedom

Freedom is nothing else but a chance to be better.

~Albert Camus

Freedom

Have you ever longed for that sense of freedom? You know, the feeling that you can do anything, be anything, and that the world is at your grasp. Maybe you have had moments where you felt that tingle deep inside or quite possibly you have not felt that feeling in a very long time. Well now is the moment to reconnect and get that sense of wonder in your life back! Too many times we feel "imprisoned" by our situations and do not see a way out. The truth is that every moment in our lives we have the chose to feel "stuck" or we have the choice to be “free”. Freedom is not a life situation; it is a feeling, a state of being. Freedom comes when you truly learn to let go; when you realize that every second of the day you choose your life path by your words, thoughts and actions. If you are unhappy with the circumstances, then it's time to change your situation. Let your guard down and start making decisions that will ultimately benefit your life. It’s time to be free!

Time Out

If we would only give, just once, the same amount of reflection to what we want to get out of life that we give to the question of what to do with a two weeks' vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days.

~Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Time Out

Maybe you've been running yourself too much lately or have been on the go for far too long but now is the time to take a well deserved time out. You cannot go through life without taking some much needed rest, well you can try but the results are not favorable! Exhaustion will overwhelm you when you do not take care of both your body & soul and right now you are being signaled to slow down. This time offers you a space to reflect on why you have been pushing yourself so hard lately. Are you obtaining the results that you are seeking? Is this hard work getting you to your next step or are you just allowing yourself to be distracted from your life's purpose? Realize that the more you let yourself recharge, the more you will receive clarity on the answers to those questions regarding your life that you have been seeking. So today, or maybe even for a few days, give yourself a time out, rest and reflect. It just may change your whole perspective!

Thank You

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?"

~William A. Ward

Thank You

These are two very simple words yet they hold so much power behind them. How many times a day do you actually take the time to stop and tell someone Thank You? How many times do you think, "Oh, I should call them and say thank you" or "I should send them a note and tell them how much their kindness meant to be" but we don't always follow through. Saying thank you to someone makes you stop for a moment and recognize the good in another human being. It's a time when your soul can connect to someone else, if even just for a moment. Think about a person in your life that you need to thank and say it to them right away. Do not waste another minute, let them know how you feel. Life is too short to put things off for another day!

I would like to personally thank you all for taking the time to read the Daily Pearl. Your support has meant so much to me. I'm sorry this one is being sent so late but I am currently on a weekend retreat with my college students and this is the first time today that I had a chance to sit down in front of my computer (and I'm about ready to go to bed). I also want to wish a Happy Birthday to my middle sister Karen today. I love you so much Karen and I am so grateful to have you in my life as well as my oldest sister, Colleen. Feliz Cumpleanos!

Perseverance

The greatest oak was once a little nut

who held its ground.

~Author Unknown

Perseverance

Now is not the time to give up! You heard me correctly. Life gets hard, sometimes it's so unbearable that we are not sure which way is up or down, but that doesn't give you permission to become complacent or immobile. Life wants you to take action, to be a participant not a bystander. You have too much to offer to this world to shrink away from it. Find that courage that lies deep within and let that give you the strength to keep on going. There is a light on at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes the tunnel is a lot longer than you had expected but understand that in the times of great challenges, you have the opportunity to start again. Give yourself permission to try something a different way and forge ahead into a new beginning. For today, continue to take action and have faith that your perseverance will get you through into a brighter tomorrow.

Mistakes

As long as the world is turning and spinning,

we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes.

~Mel Brooks

Mistakes

Let's face it, no one is perfect, not even you. Every day we trip up, make a few blunders, send out an email with typos (or daily pearls), call someone by their wrong name or add an extra zero at the end of our check book balance. The truth is mistakes happen and it's about time you let yourself off the hook! What would life be without making mistakes? We would never learn how strong we are. We would never learn how gracious and kind-hearted people can be. We would never know the true meaning of perseverance and we certainly would not understand humility. We would also not laugh as much either. Mistakes do not define us; rather it's what you learn from them that molds your character. So today, don't let your mistakes shake your foundation. Learn from them and continue to move forward!

Anger

Get mad, then get over it.

~Colin Powell

Anger

It seems that we, as human beings, hold on to things longer than we should and one of the most detrimental is anger. When someone says or does something that we feel has wronged us or attacked our character in any way, we instantly get angry with them. It's normal and okay to have these feelings about the situation because you are hurt but after you let yourself feel the anger and frustration,you must let it go. Most of us harbor and hold on to anger for far too long. We trick ourselves into thinking that staying angry at someone or a situation that was created will somehow make it better. Guess what? It only makes the situation far worse than it needs to be. Anger is toxic for our mind, body and soul. Nothing good or productive can come from anger. When you choose (and it is a choice) to stay angry, you choose not to live your best life. You choose not to see all the joyful things around you. You choose not to engage in life with your whole heart and spirit. You are choosing anger over love. Why would you ever give someone else or something else that kind of power over your life? It's time to acknowledge any frustration or hurt that you are currently feeling and find a constructive way to release it. It's finally time let it go for good.

Affirmations

You DO know what to do.

~Louise L. Hay

Affirmations

There is nothing more powerful than your words. When you truly understand this, you also understand that every negative thought you have about yourself, whether you say it out loud our not, either can build you up or break you down. How many times a day to you say to yourself, that was so stupid, I can't do this, I hate my job, I am not good enough, I need to lose weight, why can't I do anything right, and so on? Too many times a day would be my guess! By saying these words to yourself, you have been planting seeds. But the seeds that are growing are negative and hurtful and will not give you peace or put you on your life's path. It's time to change those seeds and infuse some daily affirmations into your life! What is an affirmation? It's a statement (or statements) affirming the positive in your life, even if you don't truly believe them just yet. Affirmations will help you start to change that broken record of negativity and replace it with positive statements. You say your affirmations in the morning before you get out of bed and at night before you sleep. You say them when you are starting to have any negative thoughts about yourself or when you are in a tough spot and need some extra help. You will find that by saying these positive statements to yourself over and over again, a wonderful thing starts to happen, you start to believe them! You will become more joyous, more peaceful and the world will start to open up to you. So today start choosing to plant seeds of hope. Water yourself daily with positive words and reinforcement. Watch these seeds of love take hold and grow in your life in so many ways. Here are some daily affirmations to get you started. Pick and choose any that ring true for you or make up your own.

• I am in the process of positive changes.
• I am safe, secure and in perfect balance.
• I experience love wherever I go.
• I now create a wonderful new job.
• I love and approve of myself.
• I trust the process of life to bring me my highest good.
• I deserve the best and I accept it now.
• I am the love and beauty of Life in full expression.
• I accept myself as beautiful and loved.
• I love and appreciate myself.
• I communicate with ease and with joy.
• I trust the process of life to bring only good to me.

All of these affirmations are from the book, "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L. Hay. This book changed my life and got me started on my journey. I highly recommend you picking up this book to learn more about yourself and how affirmations can transform your life as well.

Obstacles

(picture taken by my mom, Sue)

Maybe you don't like your job, maybe you didn't get enough sleep, well nobody likes their job, nobody got enough sleep. Maybe you just had the worst day of your life, but you know, there's no escape, there's no excuse, so just suck up and be nice.

~Ani Difranco

Obstacles

The sun in shining, the birds are singing and you are feeling pretty good about almost everything. Just when you get a little comfortable and start to breathe a sigh of relief, BAM, life throws an obstacle right smack in your path. Sometimes this new challenge feels like a small speed bump and at other times it may feel like you're looking at Mount Everest. What are you going to do, run the other way or put on your climbing shoes? An obstacle, whether perceived to be big or small is not really the issue. It's your attitude and approach to the situation that will ultimately determine the outcome. The only thing in life you ever have true control over is your reaction to what is happening around you. The more you can look at the challenges you face as a means to get to know yourself better, the more you will be able to persevere through with your head held high and your strength intact. Remember the greatest challenge is not getting through the bump in the road, it's learning what you are made of along the way!

Wisdom

Rule #1: Use your good judgment in all situations.

There will be no additional rules.

~Nordstrom's Employee Handbook

Wisdom
We would all like to think of ourselves as wise creatures! We have been educated and have had life experiences. This should mean that we have earned some sort of acknowledgement that we know what we are doing, right? Well, hold on just a second. There is quite a difference between being knowledgeable and having wisdom. Being knowledgeable of course has its own merit. We went to school, maybe even college and maybe even went on to receive a higher degree. This means we know a lot of "stuff" but have we become wiser? Not necessarily. We have become more knowledgeable but the wisdom I am refering to cannot be learned from a textbook. Having wisdom means we have truly opened ourselves up to the world, we see the bigger picture in all that we do, and we understand that every thought, every action, every word we speak changes the world for the better or for the worse. It's the ultimate understanding that we are connected to everyone and to everything. It is the deeper knowing that only we can shape our existence. This deeper understanding is our guide to the world, to each other and ultimately, to ourselves.

Detach

Some think it's holding on that makes one strong;

sometimes it's letting go.

-Sylvia Robinson

Detach

There may be a situation going on right now (or several) that you feel so tangled up in you can't really see the way out. You're emotionally drained and everyday you try to "figure" out how to get out of this tangled web. Well it's time to stop looking for an answer on how to detangle yourself and control your situation and instead just detach yourself from it completely. What will happen when you finally let it go? Well only then can it start to fix itself. By releasing your firm grip, you give yourself permission to be at peace and isn't that really what you have been desiring all along? When you detach yourself from what's going on, you leave room for the universe to come in and resolve the situation. Life is waiting for you to release your worries, frustrations, anger, resentment and confusion. You just have to have a little faith and be willing to finally let it go. Are you?

Dreams

(Picture taken by my mom, Sue)

I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long.

If we're in each other's dreams, we can play together all night.

~Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes~

Dreams

Have you ever had a dream and felt that it was real? Well maybe it was! Dreaming is a powerful tool our soul uses to guide us, to give us answers to the questions that we seek and opens us up to a world of possibilities. Dreaming is not just something that randomly happens to us when we sleep, it is more than that. Our dreams are meant to teach us more about ourselves. Don't believe me? Start keeping a dream journal next to your bed (which can be a small notebook) and when you wake up in the morning, quickly write down everything you can remember about your dreams, even if it seems small and insignificant to you. If you tend not to remember your dreams, put it out there in the Universe (through prayer or whatever path that makes you feel connected) and ask that you are able to remember your dreams. After a while of writing them down, you will start to see themes and patterns to your dreams that will help guide your actions and decisions when you are awake. Stop seeing dreams as "short films" separate from your life and start seeing dreams for what they are meant to do, guide us in the direction of our greater purpose. Sweet dreams everyone!