Fun

There aren't enough days in the weekend.

~Rod Schmidt

Fun

When was the last time you really had some fun? If you even had to think about the answer then it means it has been way too long! Today is about doing something that brings a huge smile to your face and surrounding yourself with people that make you laugh and feel alive. Many of us spend way too much time being serious and not having enough playtime in our schedule. Life is meant to be fun, not stressful. We make it crazy for ourselves so it's time to jump off that hamster wheel and let loose. Go on and enjoy yourself today and don't feel bad that you are having fun!

Inspire

Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.

~Life's Little Instruction Book, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Inspire

We all need to be inspired! Inspiration is the key to keeping us motivated on our journey. It helps keep us going despite the daily obstacles that get thrown in our way. You can draw inspiration from many different places but the question is, what really inspires you? If it's a person, have you told them (if you can) that they have made such an impact on your life and dreams? If it's a song, have you listened to it lately and sung along? If it's a place, have you visited it recently? Inspiration helps us stay positive while we reach for our dreams and goals. It gives us a clear vision and it acts as a barrier toward negativity.

It's so important to have some daily inspiration. It's also so important to inspire another soul. What are you doing in your life or what kind of influence do you have and are you using it to inspire others? If not, why not? What is holding you back from inspiring an individual or even a group of people? Your gifts are meant to be shared so stop holding back. You never know when something you say or even do for someone else can change the course of their life for the better. So be bold today; go out there and find your inspiration and on your way inspire someones else too!

Fears

The wise man in the storm prays God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from fear.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals, 1833

(picture by my mom, Sue)

Fears

What are you afraid of, I mean truly afraid of? I'm not talking scary movies here or anything like that. What in your life are you afraid of that has been holding you back from living the life that you dream about? Are you afraid of failing, not getting the results you were looking for or maybe, just maybe, you are afraid of actually succeeding. You, along with everyone, have a dream for yourself. You have the inherent knowing that you were meant to do something great. Some of you may be on your path and taking some baby steps, not quite certain if you are confident yet. Others of you have derailed your dreams because of other people or because somewhere along the way it got too difficult to continue. But how is anything truly good going to happen if you allow yourself to be stuck in your fear all of the time? What good has that been doing you? Not much I bet. So let's go. Face your biggest fears and watch how quickly they disappear. Usually our fear of fear is really our biggest obstacle. Don't let anything hold you back from your vision, least of all the fear to truly be successful.

Being Honest

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

Being Honest

It's so hard to be honest with ourselves. I mean really honest on what we are feeling, what we are doing with our lives and who we allow to be apart of our journey. Most of the time we don't even realize that we are not being truthful to our own spirit. We give excuses for our actions hoping that maybe if we "want" it to be different, it finally will be. But what if we were just honest with ourselves and acted accordingly, no matter how scary it may be? If we actually let go of our fears, we just may open the door to major life changes coming through that will make us much more fulfilled. We all need to take inventory of our lives. We need to take a look at what's working and what is not. We need to be honest about our feelings and make sure our actions start to match what our gut has been trying to tell us all along. It's time to stop shying away from how we honestly feel and start to embrace it, make those tough decisions to fix it and walk forward knowing that you truly are deserving of only the best.

TLC

If your teeth are clenched and your fists are clenched,

your lifespan is probably clenched.

~Terri Guillemets

TLC

Gosh are you tired! With all the running around, taking care of family, working late hours and going at a non-stop pace, you are finally feeling its toll. Well it's time for some major TLC for yourself! Slow it down and make sure you are doing what's right for you while your body is trying to play catch up during this time. You can only go so much before collapsing and then you aren't good to anyone including yourself. You deserve to rest, you deserve to relax but above all, you deserve to treat yourself like you treat everyone else, with some TLC. So for today (and maybe even for the rest of the week), be kind and gentle to your body and soul so that you can be feel like yourself again!

Music

Music expresses that which cannot be said

and on which it is impossible to be silent.

~Victor Hugo

Music

Music plays such a big role in our lives. It can make us want to get up and dance crazy. It can make us want to slow dance with someone we love or it can move us in a way that nothing else can. There is just something about hearing a song that can put into words exactly how we are feeling and what we are thinking that speaks to us more than anything else. Music lifts peoples spirits. It can touch us so deeply that it makes us cry or it can even inspire us to finish our workout! So for today, at least for a while, tune out everything else but music. Play your favorite songs. Dance to your favorite tunes. Sing along to the radio as you ride to work. Find some old school songs that will make you happy and download them from itunes. Whatever you choose to do today, make sure music plays an important role. Don't forget, music is what connects us to the Universe and to our Angels.

Comfort Zone

We are all such a waste of our potential, like three-way lamps using one-way bulbs.

~Mignon McLaughlin, The Neurotic's Notebook, 1960

Comfort Zone

Today is the day to get out of your comfort zone. Whatever you have wanted to do but have been too afraid to do it, well not anymore! Stepping out of our comfort zone makes us push our own limitations (or the ones we think we have) and shows us that we can do much more than we could ever fathom. All we need to have is a little faith in ourselves and confidence in our own abilities and with that, anything is possible. Stepping out of our comfort zones means that we realize our potential is endless. We were not put on the Earth to just exist. Your life is more meaningful than that. So today, have some fun, break out of your shell and prove to yourself that if you set your mind to it, you can achieve it.

The Human Spirit

(picture by my mom, Sue)

The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.

~C.C. Scott

The Human Spirit

You really don't know how fragile life is until something happens right in front of your eyes and you realize that it can be taken away at any given moment. You also don't know what you are truly capable of handling until you are put in the situation, usually when you least expect it. The most amazing thing can happen though, you most likely will rise to the challenge and even surprise yourself.

Yesterday I watched a terrible accident unfold before me. A young man on a motorcycle was hit by a car and landed a few feet away from where I was. Before I knew it I was out of my car, immersed in the center of the accident trying to help this young man laying in the road. You don't know what you are made out of until you are truly tested.

Here is what I learned in under a half hour:

• I learned that you can connect with strangers in an instant.
• I learned the power of holding someones hand in the midst of fear and pain.
• I learned that it's okay to take charge if no one else is going to.
• I learned that angels have many different shapes and forms.
• I learned that staring into someones eyes can be the best way to show compassion.
• I learned that your human spirit can talk to you and guide you through a situation.
• I learned that there are countless words to use to comfort someone.
• I learned that smiling can be the most powerful tool you have, that and a cell phone!
• I learned that not everyone around you will react, you need to help them react in order to help.
• I learned that an ipod can withstand a beating.
• I learned that miracles can happen in an instant despite a horrible experience. (his backpack ended up coming between him and the road when his helmet came off)
• I learned that you can still be wondering if a total stranger is okay as you lay in bed in the safety and comfort of your own home hours later.
• Most of all I learned that even though our lives are fragile, our human spirit is not.

Know that you are capable of even more than you think! Believe in the power of your spirit and let it guide you in every situation you come across.

Tomorrow

Pile up too many tomorrows and you'll find that you've collected nothing but a bunch of empty yesterdays.

~The Music Man

Tomorrow

How many times have you said to yourself, "I will decide that tomorrow" or "I'll call that person tomorrow" or better yet, "I will take care of that tomorrow". Well the question is why? Why wait to do something that you need to do or want to do today? What is stopping you from just accomplishing it? The answer is always the same, you! You are the one putting off your desires, your goals and your dreams for no good reason. Not anyone else. The more you wait for "tomorrow" to come, the less time you spend truly living. Life isn't waiting for you to embrace it. The flowers are still blooming, the weather is still changing and life is still scurrying around you despite the fact that you have decided not to engage with it. Well let's go! It's time to get up and start putting your words into actions. Stop waiting until tomorrow because one day you will realize that you've run out of time.

Loss

(dedicated to my precious friend, MBL)

A human life is a story told by God.

~Hans Christian Andersen

Loss

Who really knows why we must lose the most precious things in life but it seems to be a part of our journey. Loss of an item, a job, a relationship or even a loved one can be absolutely devastating. It may paralyze us for a while. We may questions who we are, what we believe in or even how we feel about ourselves. It can be the hardest thing to ever experience. If we can learn that loss is not an true end though but a beginning to a new chapter in our lives, we can then start to heal from the hurt and pain. We are supposed to love, despite the loss, and believe that there is a lesson in everything we experience. Loss is not meant to stop us from living; it is meant to get us to expand our hearts even more. It can also make us aware of things that we never were open to before.

Space

(picture by my mom, Sue)

Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled

retreat than in his own soul.

~Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Space

There are situations going on in your life that are confusing. You are not sure anymore which way to turn or which path to take. Before making any decisions, it's time to take a step back from it and give it some space. Sometimes you can't see the solution to a situation because you are looking to closely at it. Most of the time you need to create some space from it in order to gain clarity and peace. Space gives us permission to breathe, to release tension and above all, it gives us time to find the answers that are usually right under our nose. Take some time to evaluate what in your life you could use some space from and give yourself permission to retreat for a little while. You'll be surprised to see how quickly things come into focus when we just step back for a bit.

Miracles

(photo: from irishtimes.com)

33 Chilean Miners rescued on Tuesday night & Wednesday

(photo: from msn.com)

"There were 34 of us down there, not 33.

God was there and never left us"

~ spoken by a Chilean Miner pulled to safety

"I have been with God and I've been with the devil. I fought between the two. I seized the hand of God, it was the best hand. I always knew God would get us out of there"

~Mario Sepulveda, the second miner to be pulled from the mine.

Miracles

Do you believe in miracles? I hope you do now! The the last 36 hours have opened our eyes to what's possible with hope, faith & an unwillingness to give up. The 33 Chilean miners did not stop believing in life even in their darkest moments and they have reminded us all that neither should we. Life is full of challenges, some larger than others, but it's how you view them and the approach we take that can either manifest a miracle or just the opposite in our own lives. Miracles are just that, the unexplainable wonders that happen right before our eyes. Miracles make us remember that we are all connected and that there is a higher force in charge. Take a lesson from these courageous men; don't ever stop believing in the possibilities of what you can accomplish when your resolve and fight are too strong to be ignored. Now go on and live your life to the fullest. Always keep your eye on the miracles that are unfolding in front of you and don't forget to be grateful for them!

Power

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ~Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles," 1992 (commonly misattributed to Nelson Mandela, 1994 inauguration speech)

Power

The passage above is one of my favorites. I could try and rephrase it but why? I started to write the Pearl and this passage came rushing into my head. It was clear that I needed to step aside today and let Marianne Williamson speak to you. I hope this passage speaks volumes to your spirit as it always does to mine. :)

Enough

Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak;

sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go.

~Author Unknown

Enough

Knowing when to say when is very important. Maybe you have been holding on to something for far too long waiting for it to change. Maybe you have been staying in the same place when you know you should have left a long time ago. Maybe you have been wishing that something was different yet time has shown you otherwise. Well, you deserve more. You deserve to be happy in all aspects of your life. By not saying "enough" to situations, you are letting other people or things dictate your life and that's not fair to you. When you raise your expectations, make sure that everyone and everything in your life rises up to meet you or else it's time to say when! Life is way too short for you to slow yourself down. It's time to remove the hurdles and walk forward fearlessly.

Positivity

The Constitution only guarantees the American people

the right to pursue happiness.

You have to catch it yourself.

~Benjamin Franklin

Positivity

A little bit of optimism never hurt anyone. You can either look at a glass half empty or half full or actually, you could just be happy you have a glass to hold at all! Deciding to look on the brighter side of things will help you realize that with life's ups and downs, there is always something that can make you smile. Don't waste anymore time complaining about what you don't have and look at what you do. Usually the best thing in your life is closer than you think. Take a step back, look around and open your eyes to the positivity that surrounds you. It just might send your life in a better direction.

Recoup

One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief

that one's work is terribly important.

~Bertrand Russell

Recoup

Go ahead and pour yourself a glass of wine, put your feet up and go watch your favorite movie. You have worked so hard this past week and deserve to take the weekend for yourself. Do something that makes you happy. Do something that makes you feel like a kid again. Do something that gives you joy and gets you reenergized for the week to come. I believe gelato is calling my name this weekend. What's calling yours?

Goodbye

Before you can break out of prison, you must first realize you're locked up.

~Author Unknown

Goodbye

There are situations in your life that are not working for you anymore. There are things cluttering your space that no longer bring you joy. There are people that you are surrounding yourself with that are not helping you grow. Well now is the time to start releasing these negative influences in your life and learn how to gently say goodbye. Letting go of a certain situation, person or even clutter is not easy but the more you can release these toxic (and that's what they are) aspects from your life the more open you will be to the right situations coming in. You can't move forward until you can move past. So for today, think about what aspects of your life you need to finally let go of and say goodbye. It's hard and challenging yet it will be the most freeing thing you can do for yourself to get your life back on track. Saying goodbye isn't easy but it's the doorway into your future.

Find Your Voice

The difference between a smart man and a wise man is that a smart man knows what to say, a wise man knows whether or not to say it.

~Frank M. Garafola

Find Your Voice

Each of us has a voice inside waiting to be heard. We are full of life experiences, opinions, insights and knowledge yet most of the time we judge ourselves, put down what we know and belittle our opinions. Well enough! You have a voice and it's time you start acknowledging that you have something worth saying. Don't let your voice get stifled, cut-off, muffled or stomped on by somebody else's louder opinion. Remember, it's not about being the loudest, it's about having something of substance to say, trusting in yourself and following through by saying it allowed and not just in your head. This is your life, no one can tell you what it's like to be you so don't let them. Don't allow someone else to speak for you anymore. This life is about one person - you!

Now this Pearl comes with caution. Finding your voice does not mean trampling on someone else's voice either. You can find your strong voice and still be serene. You can find your strong voice and not cut people down. You can find your strong voice and not spread rumors or gossip about people. Understand that finding your true voice comes from the purest place in your soul and needs to always reflect the light that's inside your spirit. So go on, find you voice and change your life (and the world) for the better.

Fresh Start

God gives us dreams a size too big

so that we can grow into them.

~Author Unknown

Fresh Start

Fall is here and the air is so crisp that you can almost smell a fresh start. You may be feeling a little restless but that's only because the time for some major changes are upon you. Whether these changes are small or large enough to steer your life in a new direction, you need to embrace them and look at each one as a breath of fresh air. Change can be scary because you don't know what will happen next but what you can be certain of is your ability to rise to the occasion and to know that most of the time change happens to get you to a better place. Sometimes you are forced into a fresh start, other times you choose it for yourself but either way a new beginning is what's needed to get you out of this rut and into working on your life's purpose.

Reverse Thinking

We are always getting ready to live but never living.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Reverse Thinking

When things aren't going your way it's time to try some reverse thinking! Most of us wait for something to happen in order to get our lives on course but most of the time life is waiting for us to just make a decision first. Maybe you've been waiting for the perfect moment to go back to school. Maybe you've been waiting for enough money to expand your family. Maybe you've been waiting for that perfect job to finally settle down. Maybe you've been saving for a vacation you wanted to take four years ago. Whatever the case may be, understand that while your waiting for life to happen, you are missing out on the life that is right in front of you. It's time to take a bold move. It's time to leap without a net. It's time to stop making excuses and start making concrete decisions. It's time to take control of your life. It's time to reverse your way of thinking and realize that sometimes life just wants you to make a decision or a solid movement and it will answer you back profoundly. So go ahead and create a life that is truly meaningful and ultimately fulfilling.

Open Your Heart

Open your heart - open it wide;

someone is standing outside.

~Quoted inBelieve: A Christmas Treasury

by Mary Engelbreit

Open Your Heart

There are no more excuses, no more reasons left and no reason not to. It is time to bring down those walls you created around you and open your heart to life and to love. You have gotten stuck and feel like "how do I get out of this?" Well the answer is right in front of you and it has always been; start opening up your heart to those around you, to situations around you and to yourself. When you start to feel trapped, when you you feel like nothing is going right, when you have shut your emotions off from the world, you have closed the door to your heart. Your heart is the pulse of your soul and by closing it off to everyone and everything, you are also closing it off from growth and from experiencing the love that life has to offer. You have so much to give and life has so much to give you back in return but you have to be willing to open your heart as much as possible. So don't delay, open your heart up today!