What are we Thankful for?

We are entering in the holiday season and one of the best times of year for truly realizing what life is all about and being thankful for many things. I am blessed to have a wonderful family that I truly love and like. I like spending time with my family and look forward to the smiles, laughter and love. I am thankful for my wonderful friends and the great times we have had and will have. I am thankful for returning to California so quickly and the amazing opportunities that have presented themselves to me. I am thankful for meeting so many new and warm people in the last year and all the experiences I have had and will have. I am thankful for the opportunity to grow and be inspired. I am thankful for hopefully making a difference in a few people's lives and vice versa. My heart is full of love, especially in this time with many folks unemployed and having to reassess their lives. Last year at this time, I found myself in that situation and I think it really took that humbling experience to really see what is important in life and to truly see what to be thankful for. Life is a gift with much to be thankful for everyday!

Appreciating our Friends

We meet many people in our lifetime and some have a major impact, some a minor impact but everybody we meet shapes who we are. There are those childhood friends that you haven't seen in numerous years and when we see them again, we have an immense appreciation for their friendship. And when we get older, we really just look at the good in the person and though they may not be perfect, it's a completely different outlook than when we were kids. And then we have friends that are very close and over time, grow in different directions with their viewpoints, opinions, etc. A good friend is one in which each person can grow separately but not apart. But there are times, when perhaps we need to reevaluate our circle of friends to ensure that the cohesive balance remains intact and our friends add happiness to our lives and not unnecessary stress. Being a long time friend to someone who you need to pull away from can be very sad and almost like a divorce. But just like any change, it takes courage to recognize the need for change and appreciate the past, but then make changes for the better in the now and the future. There are so many people who can add much to each of our lives and it's up to us to be open to these little gifts!

What is our reality?

Our reality is what we want it to be. It's up to us to create what we want and the leave all else behind. Do we want our reality to be hectic? Then you will create such. Do you want it to be calm? Then you will create such. There are people who have much drama and others who have little drama. Coincidental? No, it's the reality you want to create and it's ever so empowering to realize we have the control and not others. Once we envision what we want to change and really hold on to that thought, things start to change to your vision. It doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen. We don't live in the past or the future, but the now which are stepping stones to your future. The thoughts we have today create our future! It's so empowering once we know we are in control and not others. If we give permission for comments to upset us or to be afraid, we will be. But if we do not give permission to be upset or afraid, we won't. Sounds simple and it is. Trusting in ourselves and doing what we feel is right and having peace within is a solid armor!

The last year...

Life is very interesting and takes so many turns for ultimately the better. Every obstacle has a lesson to be learned and once we get through it, we see why that obstacle was put into our paths. The last year has been quite an interesting journey and one with my own obstacles. In the last year, I was laid off, obtained a great job in Florida and now coming back to California. If somebody would have told me that was going to be my path last year, I would have laughed and said there is no way I could get through such change and upheaval. But here we are, one year later and tackling new challenges and being excited about such change. In the last year, I've grown and still growing through experiences and changing everyday. The intentions are always good, but the outcome sometimes has its issues, so I learn and I change. Change is a good thing and feedback is our reality check which is great! I am grateful for the obstacles, opportunities to grow, reflecting on how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family, friends and workplace. I feel truly fortunate and appreciate everything I have, everyone I meet, every lesson to be learned and look at everyday as a little blessing.

Who we are

Who we are seems to be challenged everyday and it's up to us to glide through everyday with not questioning who we are. As we smile, write and say good things, think good things, there are those that try to bring us down a notch to be part of their way of thinking. It's tempting to be wrapped up in what is not right versus thinking of what is right. It's far easier to dive into misery and remaining unchanged than to think positively and towards solutions. Those folks who are perpetually unhappy do affect me and others which is due to the fact that we all want everybody happy. Is that a realistic expectation? It could be, but it's up to each individual person to make that choice and not up to me or anybody to force those to be happy. So, it can be a reality if we all wanted it to be. So, I continue to envision the kind of environment I want to live, work and play and everyday work towards that goal. If it happens, that's great! If it doesn't, I will continue to strive for it!

Happy Birthday America!

Happy Belated Birthday America! I was inspired to write as I had a nice relaxing stroll through my neighborhood while watching the wildlife abound and the golfers having a relaxing time on the golf course. People were outside talking to each other and some were on their patios sipping their morning coffee! It was nice and then I got on my computer to read some news which I have to say was depressing, especially how some writers keep pounding in our heads how horrible it is to be an American and that America is horrible this, horrible that. I often ponder if the negative folks out there are conspiring daily to pull the other optimistic folks down? But, what is fantastic, is that an optimistic person can choose to be up or be pulled down. I'm not quite sure why people like to invoke fear in others when it's unnecesary? Now, do I think everything is rosy right now? No, the housing market is hurting and I have been very, very much affected by this, gas prices are high and people are sort of wondering what's going on. But, this is not the first time that markets have corrected, gas prices have soared, etc and it will not be the last time either. What is the positive? The housing market correcting allows the prices to fall so people can actually truly afford housing. I write this as I have personally been affected by about $250,000 myself, so it hurts, but will get through it. Gas prices being high sparks innovation and alternative fuels. I have no doubt that this is a fantastic wake up call and someday soon, there will be some little genius who figures out an alternative source and changes the world for the better! It's coming and this situation forces us all to change which is a great thing! The economy will correct and we will definitely be in a better place! I sure wish I could read about it more!! Am I proud to be an American? Yes and I'm proud to be part of humankind regardless of nationality!

A saying that hit home!

I read a saying today that was so right on point at some time in our life. The saying was, "God sometimes slams a door in our face in order to have us walk through another." That is so true and really parallels the lemons to lemonade saying. Basically, when we abruptly or over time reach a point in which we must go forward with what we have, we are forced to go down an unfamiliar journey which usually turns out to be wonderful. We leave a part of us behind the proverbial door that was shut, but are elated when that wonderful door opens for us again and brings along all the inspiration we all have inside us! When going through our journeys, we all doubt we can make it through, but over time, we always do and come out stronger and happier with another experience to draw upon. There is so much around each one of us to be happy and grateful for, its just a matter of seeing all the wonders that are around us everyday.

Simple Pleasures

Are the best things in life free? Many times they sure are! I am inspired to write this on a lazy Sunday afternoon writing outside on my patio and amazed at all the wildlife in my backyard and being appreciative of so many things.

So what are those simple pleasures? A lazy Sunday afternoon with not a care in the world, a dragonfly buzzing around while a butterfly dances in the breeze. A pond filled with teaming wildlife with the fish and turtles frolicking around. The birds singing and hearing laughter by the neighbors. Hearing a fountain trickle in the background. A caterpillar sitting comfortably while waiting for his transformation into a lovely butterfly. A quick thunderstorm that reminds us of how ominous nature is and giving the earth a little sip.

Remembering good times with family and friends and looking forward to great times to come. Being thankful for the people in your lives and the wonderful home you have. Small gestures of gratitude given to you and being sent by you. Looking at puffy clouds that bring a calmness to one.

There is plethora of small pleasures that make us feel lucky to be alive and appreciative of all we have.

Giving and receiving smiles is such a wonderful pleasure and it's free yet brings so many returns. A simple smile is contagious and automatically makes a person feel better! This pleasure may bring somebody out of a funk and you don't even know it. I love these little free treasures!

A saying I read today

"Create the kind of self you will be happy to live with all your life." This saying resonated in me because the person you are with 24/7 is yourself! So why not be the person who you can live with day in and day out? Some of us look at others and think about emulating that person. Now, perhaps there are some things that are truly not you, but for the most part, why can't we change to be who we feel is the best person we can be? The answer is, we CAN! We have control over some many things including many health issues, internal turmoil, relationship turmoil, and everything else. Once you decide that things are going to change, they will! Does that mean that you get healthy the next day, your relationships are all wonderful and life is perfect? No, but it means that this is the day you change. And it might mean perhaps things get a bit worse before they get better, but it's almost a guarantee that if you really want things to change for the better, you will succeed!! And I think one of the key points, don't do it alone......

Re: It's all good!

How do we know what we are supposed to do? When we are living a life that is moving along smoothly free of stress and anxiety. Knowing that one can handle all situations that come of our way and have an inner peace that all is good! We go with the flow and are not swimming upstream. There are people who live this day in and day out and usually people can sense that amazing energy and flock to be around the person with a true inner peace. They almost have an armor but actually they have no armor but just a knowing which is tougher than armor. To me, this is the ultimate to strive for and the barrier for most of us is to truly letting go. Letting go and trusting it's all OK and it's all good!!

Keeping centered

There are many situations and people in the world who may attempt to knock people out of balance. I think these are a tests to ensure we keep improving to stay in balance and be content and happy with who we are. They are situations and people who will continue to question one's actions or words, but again, I think these are tests for our self improvement and to really understand who we are and who we strive to be.

Encountering new people or new situations is a very exciting time with new opportunities to meet interesting people and learn from others. And sometimes we may have a person who we like but perhaps they may not feel the same towards you. And that's OK. Most likely there are 99% who like a person and then 1% who does not. But we focus on that 1% instead of appreciating the 99%. Who knows, perhaps the 1% can teach us the most?

It's an ever changing landscape and that is what makes each day unique and great to be alive!

All is well

When we look around at the good, we tend to see only good things and obviously the reverse of this statement is true as well. It seems that life would be far more enriching if we all choose to see the good is all situations versus identifying all that is bad in the situation. Like a new relationship, we tend to see only the good even though what we think is bad is there but we are only seeing good. Then over time, we start seeing and fixating on the bad. What happened to the good? It's still there, but we trained the mind to see things differently. We can train our mind to think whatever we want. Is everything easy and rosy? No, but we can take challenges and see this as a time to grow and learn and train our mind to see the good. The bottom line is that life is good and we create our own environments and circumstances by our thoughts.

Life is an adventure

Life is such an interesting and wonderful adventure. The more we go with the flow of life and let it just happen, the easier it is. What trips us up is when we start thinking about the past and worrying about the future instead of just living the now. When we think about the past, which we have NO control over since it's in the past and worry about the future almost creating a self fulfilling prophecy, we create resistance which creates the stress and the fear. What would happen if we had NO fear or stress in our lives? We would all be happy fearless beings. Can we have that? I say yes, it's all within each and every one's control. Now is that saying throw all caution to the wind? Heck no! But it means to enjoy the now, enjoy and be thankful for the life you have today and stop and smell the roses. Everybody has a huge list of things to be thankful for and once we concentrate on what we are truly thankful for, miraculous things continue to occur. We control our thoughts and our actions and nobody else. This is empowering! We are accountable for all that happens which means we can start being in control of all the great things we can all have! If something goes wrong, look at yourself and see how it was created and change it. Yep, it's that simple. Will the change occur overnight? Perhaps not, but it's like planting a seed, it will germinate, sprout and grow into a blossoming garden and if tended to correctly, will be free of weeds. A weed will sprout, but like any garden the key to a healthy one, is to routinely weed the garden and not let it become overgrown. So, watch your thoughts and actions and if there is a weed, pluck it and keep the healthy thoughts flourishing!

Who do you seek approval from?

It seems that most of us seek approval from somebody or something whether it's family, coworkers, society or other entity. We all crave acceptance and some folks may worry about what other people think of them. It seems the person that we need acceptance from the most, is only ourselves. When we truly accept ourselves then everybody's opinions is just that, their opinion. If you are happy with yourself and truly like and love who you are, you will always be safe and secure. Sometimes we can take what somebody says about us and perhaps learn from this and change our approach. We are always learning and growing as individuals and if we learn from all our experiences, then that is what it's all about. The ultimate goal for all of us is to truly accept ourselves and how can you test this to see how you feel? Perhaps look at yourself in the mirror and say it to yourself out loud. Is it easy to do or is it uncomfortable? That will tell you alot about how you think and feel. It seems that the people who are truly at peace are the ones who really love themselves and don't let other's opinions create fear, anxiety, worry, etc. Is that attainable for everybody? ABSOLUTELY!! It's just a matter if each of us want to change ourselves or not. We all have the ability to do so right now!! How empowering!

Being happy in any location

We all get nice and comfy in our familiar surroundings and thoroughly enjoy visiting other places since we are on vacation and enjoying life. Then there are times when we are required to leave our comfy surroundings and venture into unfamiliar territory. Sometimes we are down right excited and other times we are apprehensive. But there is beauty in every town with warm people, interestings tidbits, and fun things to do. Surroundings do not make a person happy or unhappy, it's the person that makes themselves happy or uphappy regardless of location. It is true that some places have more energy and excitement but many others have a calm and serene feel. It depends on one's mindset how they choose to look at their surroundings and see the positive. Focusing on the positive naturally enables us to look at the wonderful surroundings we live in and being grateful for such a wonderful environment. And the added bonus is always loving where you visit or if you have to move, loving your new town!

A saying that made me smile

I saw a saying yesterday that definitely brought a smile to my face that is definitely on target for some of us!

The saying was, " For peace of mind, resign as general manager of the universe." For me, I interpret that as many of trying to control all aspects of our lives which creates a bit of anxiety at times. Instead, it is much easier to relax and let things take their natural course. Now, we have some control over this course with our thoughts, words and actions, but instead of trying to rush the natural progression of things, just watch it unfold. It's our natural tendency to want to control, rush, lose patience, etc, but I think there is a different time clock out there for all of us and instead of resisting this time clock, just go with the flow and see what happens. Is this difficult to exercise patience? Yep!!! But just like any habit, you can break old ones and create new ones.

One little added tidbit, I appreciate it when I've heard that people have read my blog and it brought a smile to their face! So, thank you for reading it and hopefully you enjoyed it!!

The warmth of a fire

Talk about one of life's simple pleasures that brings about feelings of obviously warmth, but also of security, safety and an all is well feeling. A little fire whether it's built the old fashioned way with logs or simply the flick of switch and instant fire, it brings about those same feelings. It's like all of one's worries are vanished and life is really, really good! Sitting next to a fire, which I do often and receive great pleasure, is one of the best things accompanied by some good reading, a nice hot drink, listening to music, good conversation or just having in the background with a group of good friends or family. A what is great about the treasure of a fire is that for the most part it's inexpensive and still brings about the amazing feeling of calm, peace and happiness. Just another thing to appreciate in life!

Is there a limitation on many wonderful things can happen?

When things are going really well for us, sometimes we have a tendency to get nervous because we think something bad is going to happen shortly since these wonderful things happening won't last forever. So, some people get nervous and start thinking about what could go wrong....and guess what, it usually does go wrong. It seems logical that we should think things will continue to go well and expect the best to happen. That may create some sort of vulnerability for some, but why not expect the best? It's always curious to me when I hear, I'm going to expect the worst and hope for the best??? When we send out that message, it is like a self fulfilling prophecy. We have all the control over what environment and circumstances we want to create and it's just a matter of changing the way we think to keep receiving wonderful things in our lives. This is an easy concept, but difficult to execute because we are conditioned to be fearful or stressed or wanting more or whatever it may be. To really not be hesitant and letting your guard down all the time, every minute of the day and everyday makes some of us nervous and until we reprogram our thinking, we are not fully taking advantage of the wonderful gifts that ALL OF US are entitled to. ALL OF US can be on top of the world at the same time with abundant and happy thoughts. Thinking wonderful thoughts bring about wonderful things!!

The backyard delights

It's the middle of winter and many plants are dormant and life slows down a bit so it makes me appreciate that much more when I see vibrant signs of life! In the summer, I am accustomed to seeing my hummingbird friends feeding on the natural delights in my yard, but unfortunately, their food supply is a bit short in the winter, thus seeing less of my favorite birds. With that said, I still hear them chirping at me and coming about 2 feet from face to say hello which always bring a smile to my face. But there are more new friends that I've been noticing, most notably a little ladybug that suns itself on my BBQ. I love that little bug since you don't see too many in the winter. The buzz of a bumble bee is a nice treat which I did hear and see last week. All these little sounds and sights are reminders that though things are dormant, they are very much alive! Another one of life's simple little pleasures that are everywhere, everyday!

The mind is like a parachute

I used to use the term, "The mind is like a parachute, it works better when it's open." and of course, my managers used to smile at me when I would recite this! It always made the meetings more upbeat. But this saying is very true. When we are open to everything and really see everything, it opens up a new world for people. Now, perhaps we don't agree with all that we see, but if we don't judge it immediately and just contemplate what we are seeing with non judgemental eyes, our creative minds take over with the endless possibilities and this is how we find our true purpose and niche! When we are open to everything, we meet interesting people, different ways of thinking, different professions, and a chance to continually grow and learn. We have an endless capacity to grow which is amazing and something to take advantage of. The world has so much to offer, it's up to us to capitalize on this! Yes, the world is your oyster!!! Walk with a little smile and happiness in your eyes and you'll naturally meet some wonderful, interesting people! Like I've said in my earlier entries, you never know what is around the corner and what life has to offer each and everyday! Be excited about the day and look forward to it and it's amazing at what happens!

What do you want?

We all have our wish lists out there and many of us wish and wish and wish that we could be slimmer, richer, happier, etc. We put that control with someone or something else and don't realize that WE have the power not somebody or something else. Once that power is shifted to you, it's amazing what happens. When we start thinking that we have all those wonderful things NOW and not wishing in the future and think in the NOW, NOW, NOW and feel those things in the NOW, things start to happen. Not every night, but it triggers little steps towards the desired outcome. It's easy to get off course, but no need to get frustrated, just jump back on track in thinking in the NOW and how it feels. Lo and behold, each day it gets a bit easier. And what happens on the journey? Feelings of doubt, fear, worry, anxiety, etc.....but these are just friendly little reminders that you need to get back on track. You will know when you need to get back on track because your body tells you!! That is a wonderful thing!!! Can you imagine if you didn't have any indicators when you were off track? If you are feeling tense, racing heart, headache, etc, yep, that's probably your indicator that you're off track! No need to fret, just take that deep breath, relax and start thinking and feeling in the NOW.

Change is a great thing!

I've written about change before and inherently, most of us do not like change and frankly do not change until something forces us to leave that cozy, comfortable and often times non satisfying state. When we are in a less than favorable situation and deep down may want to change, we usually do not for fear of the unknown and at least the current situation is predictable and we know how to manage it. But, then you get that hit on the head and the bag of lemons handed to you and lo and behold, you are forced to change!!! Personally, my bag of lemons was given to me recently and at first I had a little smile on my face.......but then the dreaded fear of the unknown showed its ugly head and brought along its pals, worry and anxiety!! Then another friend joined in which was panic. And guess what, nothing got done except headaches and a pity party! But the universe has a way of tapping you on the shoulder to leave the party that is comfortable and predictable and brings about the beginning stages of CHANGE. After a while, and with constant focus and practice, relapsing into past thinking and pulling it back to the present, I now KNOW and trust that all will work out. It is a very enlightening experience and one that I don't feel all the time, but now know how to get back to that extraordinary feeling. It is living in the now and not the past. It is seeing in your mind what you want to be and do, it is being appreciative for all the wonderful things you have, it is about feeling good and knowing that everyday is fantastic and you never know who will meet, who will call you, who will e-mail you to change your whole life. And to be excited about the next moment, the next day, the next person you encounter. It's basically keeping your mind as open as it's ever been! For me, this has been my lemons to lemonade. I am very much continually marching on my journey and one that will never stop. This hiccup in life has been a true eye opener and very enriching experience! Life is better when we don't resist and let things flow naturally. Life is better when we assume the best, life is better when we truly know all will be OK and life is better with enriching people in our world. We are good and we all, everyone one of us, deserves the best! And the bottom line, when the mind is open, Life is FOR us!!

You never know what the day will bring

An interesting thing happened today and one in which I had to address a topic that made me feel a bit uncomfortable but turned into a memorable event! I wanted to get my haircut and went to the same place that I've been going to for 2 years. When I visit this little friendly salon, I do not request the same person since I forget every one's names and I usually get my haircut on a whim anyway. Over the past 2 years, I've seen a hairdresser who didn't appear to be very friendly and I always thought she would be sort of cold. Lo and behold, guess who had time to give me my short due? Yep, the cold hairdress! So, my scalp is very sensitive and I asked her to be wash my hair gingerly as it sort of hurts my head. And my scalp sometimes has small sores on it which makes cutting my hair a bit of an unpleasant experience. So, after I told her this, we started talking about detoxing the body and how your body tells you when you are too stressed in the form of physical ailments and such. We totally clicked and had much of the same thinking on things and it was an absolutely enlightening conversation and experience for me!! You talk about something that was going to be unpleasant turn into a very pleasant experience!! I had a big happy smile after our talk and as I was paying, a lady with short fine hair said, "You're hair looks so good, I want my hair cut like yours!" And then she complimented me on my red fleece jacket and how nice I looked! It's amazing how great things happen when you are inspired or feeling really enriched!! It was truly a pleasant surprise and I know it was no accident. The bottom line is that you never know who is going to cross your path from day to day and all kinds of wonderful experiences that are going to happen day to day! So, keep your eyes open, it's amazing what you can see.

Re: 2008 is here!

2008 is here and ready to shower abundance for us all!! I recently stumbled across a book and DVD that had a profound affect on my outlook on just about everything and has brought a balance that I knew I was searching for. It's truly amazing how you change your thinking just a bit and how different it makes a person feel. I have always been very aware of what people say in terms of the words they use to get a feel for if they are either a glass half full or half empty person. Do they use the words, "can't", "won't", "try", "hope" or words and phrases that suggest they do not have control? When we start listening to people and ourselves, we start understanding why circumstances happen to us or others. Removing certain words and changing phrases around has a remarkable impact on one's outlook!! The bottom line is that when we are positive inside and speak in a positive fashion, great things manifest themselves!! What we think about is what we manifest. If we think happy thoughts, we usually encounter happy people, if we are grateful for things around us, we usually get even more things to be grateful for, if we are in a constant state of wanting, we manifest more wanting! The Universe listens to you and your thoughts and responds appropriately!! For those that may think this is hocus pocus, give it a shot sometime and for those who already realize this, isn't it absolutely amazing!! Think truly happy, loving thoughts all day and everyday and your will be amazed at what starts happening.....miracles, miracles, miracles.