Sunday, November 22, 2009

Gratitude because.....

“We count our miseries carefully,
and accept our blessings without much thought."

~ Chinese Proverb


I have met countless people who can describe in detail why something is unpleasant for them, why something isn’t working or what is going wrong in their life, and yet their gratitude is only a single word or short phrase. Does being able to explain in detail the reason why you have gratitude for something make a difference in the energy behind it? I went on a quest for answers.


Some people I talked with had long laundry lists of gratitude,but they seemed to talk more about their problems and complaints. Others had shorter lists, and shared beautiful stories with me about each items on their list.


I met people who had similar items on their gratitude list and different responses to my question: “you are grateful for this because…..?”


One woman I met with had written “I am thankful for my health” on her gratitude list. When I asked her “You are grateful for your health because…..”, her answer was a sharp: “Well! Because I just am, and I am insulted to be asked why!.” It reminded me of when my parents would tell me do to something and when I asked why I heard: ” because
I said so”. This answer didn’t help me to understand.

In contrast, I met with Nancy who also had written on her list “I am thankful for my health”. When I asked “she was grateful because….” what she told me was: “I am thankful I have my health, because that means I can take care of my kids. I brought these beautiful children in the world and they depend on me. When I have my health I can enjoy them and take care of them. And that make me feel such a deep feeling for love and life, that I call that a grateful feeling.” In order to feel the depth of her gratitude Nancy believes that she must be willing to know why she feels gratitude. Anything less, to her, is simply lip service.

I find that every time I do this exercise I find new feelings around each incident I list in Gratitude. Several other people shared with me how doing this exercise made a difference in their feelings of gratitude.

“He who knows others is learned;
He who knows himself is wise.”

~ Lao-tzu, Tao te Ching


For this Thanksgiving season, do this for yourself and see if there is any difference in the depth of your feelings of Gratitude.

Write down a few things on that you are Grateful for.

And then continue the sentence with: because…..|
See what you can discover with your because.



"The important thing is not to stop questioning our reasons
Never lose a holy curiosity.”

~ Albert Einstein



(c) 2009 excerpt from book: Stress Out, show stress who's the boss

Focus on the reasons to complain = stress

Focus on the reasons for gratitude = happy


More happy = less stress


www.StressOut-book.com

.








.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Stress Out - show stress who's the boss

Stress is a constant in our lives, such a constant that we actually don’t realize we are under stress, we think it’s “just part of life.” Traffic jams, deadlines, eating on the run, we stress when we have bills to pay, job changes, endless chores and too many errands.

Our job has stress, not having a job has stress, it’s stressful maintaining your weight, having a relationship is stressful, not being in a relationship is stressful, family responsibilities are stress, and all those other demands on you can be huge amounts of stress. Not to mention those people who really get on your nerves.

Our energy is drained, and we feel helpless. Health surveys report that over 70% of people feel stress everyday. You are not alone.


But is there anything that can be done?

Yes! Ther
e is help!

Just like you, I n
eeded answers. I certainly didn't have them all, in fact, on some days I didn't think I had even one. I searched.... listened to experts, created polls and surveys, talked to strangers - people like you and me.

This book is more than just my words or experience, it is a joint effort of several authors who share their expert advice and experience PLUS stories and testimonials from individu
als interviewed during my extensive search for solutions to teach stress who's the boss.


Buy this book and benefit a charity
Read this book and benefit yourself


http://stressoutbook.com

Portion of proceeds benefit charity of your choice and you get to choose the charity and get the donation in your name.
Special discount through November 21st.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Helping children who lost a parent to breast cancer

Lorraine Jackson was diagnosed with very early stage breast cancer when she was 40. Because of the cancer’s early detection, she was able to be treated with radiation. Doctors explained that had this happened to her only 10 years earlier she would have needed a mastectomy.

At that moment Lorraine personally realized how important education and medical innovation are to effectively treating cancer patients.

Spark of Inspiration

During her treatment, Lorraine met other women undergoing treatment for cancer, many of these women were mothers. While fighting for their own health, these mothers were also concerned about their children, and their children's future, especially if they didn't survive the cancer.

This experience inspired Lorraine to start The Lorraine Jackson Foundation. Since 2005, the nonprofit has provided mentoring and college scholarships to children who have lost a parent to breast cancer through their Pearls of Hope Scholarship Program. All students who receive a scholarship from us are students who have a lost their mother to breast cancer. "One lost her mom when she was 11 months old, and another when he was 5. Some students have lost their mother while they were in high school, " Lorraine says.

To make the scholarship awards even more impactful, California Dollars for Scholars matches the amount of each scholarship awarded within their collegiate partner program. But the Lorraine Jackson Foundation doesn’t just provide financial support. It also pairs each student with a mentor who will stay in touch throughout their time in college and beyond.

Increased Need
There has been an influx of scholarship applicants this year, which Lorraine attributes to a growing need in the community to help children who have lost a parent to breast cancer. To date, scholarship recipients have gone on to matriculate at a variety of institutions from UCLA to the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

www.PearlsofHope.com

Pearls of Hope® is a registered trademark of The Lorraine Jackson
Foundation, a California 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Pledge your donation to Pearls of Hope®




Proceeds from Stress Out book benefit selected charities.

Buy the book -
benefit a charity

Read the book -
find benefit for yourself.


Contact us to get find out how to get your favorite charity in the Spotlight of the Week.


Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Life can be as sweet as you make it

How to find love in loss

Can we find sweet moments amid life changes? This month’s Spiritual Cinema Circle volume brings a message of love and hope within life’s difficult moments. Starring Kristen Stewart (Twilight) and Bruce Dern (Monster) the feature, Cake Eaters, is a coming-of-age drama all ages can relate to. This heart-felt story explores the new (and old) connections between two small-town families. A young woman with degenerative disease feels she has no time to lose in becoming a woman while a widower struggles to reconcile with his sons. Sparks fly as young love story begins and a longtime romance comes to light.

Start My Free Trial


Now for a limited time only you can receive Cake Eaters and The Gift (the first original film series by Spiritual Cinema Circle, co-produced by Steven Simon) plus 2 additional films FREE* when you sign up for a trial membership of Spiritual Cinema Circle
.




  • Try the first month for FREE* and then pay just $21 (the price of 2 movie tickets) monthly!

  • NO RISK — Keep the movies and cancel your membership at any time

  • EXCLUSIVE — Get the filmmakers’ perspectives during engaging discussions with Stephen Simon (director and producer of Academy Award-winning What Dreams May Come)

  • BONUS feature — Enjoy inspirational interviews with Louise Hay, Jack Canfield, Neale Donald Walsch and other thought-leaders, only available to club members

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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Happy National Women's Friendship Day

National Women's Friendship Month first began as National Women's Friendship Day in 1999 (celebrated the third Sunday in September each year).

Following the 10th anniversary of National Women's Friendship Day in 2008, it became apparent that one day just wasn't enough, so the celebration was expanded to the entire month of September beginning in 2009.

"All women find strength, comfort and inspiration from their girlfriends," said Melanie Schild, Executive Director of Kappa Delta and the brains behind the creation of the celebration. "In a time of increasing demands, we want to encourage women to take the time to nurture and celebrate these important relationships."

Plus a landmark study by UCLA suggests that friendships between women are special. They shape who we are and who we are yet to be. They soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really are. But they may do even more. Scientists now suspect that hanging out with our friends can actually counteract the kind of stomach-quivering stress most of us experience on a daily basis.

"Until this study was published, scientists generally believed that when people experience stress, they trigger a hormonal cascade that revs the body to either stand and fight or flee as fast as possible," explains Laura Cousino Klein, PhD, now an assistant professor of biobehavioral health at Pennsylvania State University in State College and one of the study's authors. It's an ancient survival mechanism left over from the time we were chased across the planet by saber-toothed tigers. Now the researchers suspect that women have a larger behavioral repertoire than just "fight or flight.

"In fact, says Dr.Klein, "it seems that when the hormone oxytocin is released as part of the stress response in a woman, it buffers the fight or flight" response and encourages her to tend children and gather with other women instead. When she actually engages in this tending or befriending, studies suggest that more oxytocin is released, which further counters stress and produces a calming effect. This calming response does not occur in men, says Dr. Klein, because testosterone- which men produce in high levels when they're under stress- seems to reduce the effects of oxytocin. Estrogen, she adds, seems to enhance it.
(Yay - finally estrogen is a good thing.)

The famed Nurses' Health Study from Harvard Medical School found that the more friends women had, the less likely they were to develop physical impairments as they aged, and the more likely they were to be leading a joyful life. In fact, the results were so significant, the researchers concluded, that not having close friend or confidante was as detrimental to your health as smoking or carrying extra weight!

Click these links to read more about the National Women's Friendship Month and the UCLA study.

Celebrate!!!!!


Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Power of the Number 9

"Today is the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 2009, which means there's magic in the ethers all around you!

In Feng Shui, the number nine represents happy and prosperous conclusions that bring completion to certain cycles of our lives before embarking on a new path.

The reason that this number holds this mantle is because it's the last of the single digit integers before you get to double digits that can then be reduced back down to a single (10 = 1+0).

So, on the Feng Shui Magic Square called Lo Shui, the number nine is associated with transformation, recognition and rewards.

It's also the only number in calculation that will always reproduce itself. For instance, 9 x 2 = 18 with 1 + 8 hearkening back to the magic nine.

There's all sorts of mystery surrounding this number: on the ninth day the ancients buried their dead. The Romans honored their dead every ninth year and it was at the ninth hour that Jesus was said to have died. Hebrew teachings state the God has des cended to earth nine times. There are nine planets in the solar system and the nine is associated with mankind itself. It's the number of force and energy and its purest form denotes ambition and domination over all.

On this day try to do one or all three of these next things in order to gain the most magic you can from the energies swirling all around. Knock on your front door nine times, visualizing opportunities and advantages coming through that same space. Put nine yellow roses in the center of your home, and then light nine red candles in the 'Fame' area of your main floor.

Any one of these adjustments will put you in touch with the miracles surrounding this number, but enacting all three will put you in position of strength, power and fulfillment.

Here's to a day dedicated to the number nine, it's a total 10 in my book!

Ellen Whithurst
The (Self) Empowering Lifestylist
(one of the co-authors in the upcoming book: Stress Out)

Monday, September 7, 2009

Stress Out is coming soon!

It's approaching fast!

Stress Out will soon be here. Just in time for solutions for holiday stress and great gift idea too.

I am so excited that one chapter is by Ellen Whitehurst. You may have heard her name through ivillage.com, monster.com, Redbook, Woman's World, Natural Health or even Donald Trump. Her wisdom on Feng Shui and Astrology are published monthly in several publications and websites. And now she is going to be sharing her wisdom in this book.

This book is timely - STRESS is one of the biggest complaints heard daily - everywhere - and people are searching for answers.

Not to say the answers haven't always been there, but this book will be a resource of many choices, from many perspectives. A selection of tools and techniques from both experts in their fields and stories from individual experiences are included in this book.

Stress relief answers in each chapter that can be learned or applied immediately, and a great resource section of products and services from the co-authors, our affiliates and sponsors.

Gotta say - I'm excited. (and trying to keep from being stressed)

Ellen is only one of the empowering co-authors, stay tuned as I introduce you to some of the others as we move forward.

For now - keep breathing. It's kinda important.

Wheeeeeee.......

P.S.

"If you want to lose weight, go to a skinny doctor." Zig Ziglar

As we interpret from Zig's quote, it's more than just talking about it; it's actually putting your words into practice; and then being able to explain it well enough that someone else can benefit as well. That is why this book is a combination of expert advise and personal experience stories.








*Self Investment Publishing is not affiliated with Zig Ziglar or any of his organizations. This quote is used under Fair use Law and full credit is given to Zig Ziglar.





Sunday, August 16, 2009

Naptime Anyone

This bridge is on the Old Donner Pass Highway . It has a spectacular view of Donner Lake and Donner Pass on Route 80.

A bear was walking across Rainbow Bridge (Old Hwy 40 at Donner Summit,Truckee) on a Saturday in September 2007, when two cars, also crossing the bridge, scared the bear into jumping over the edge of the bridge. Somehow the bear caught the ledge and was able to pull itself to safety.











Authorities decided that nothing could be done to help Saturday night so they returned Sunday morning to find the bear sound asleep on the ledge.

After securing a net under the bridge the bear was tranquilized, fell into the net, lowered, then woke up and walked out of the net.





























Authorities then guided him back towards the wilderness and out of the present danger.











There is a moral to this story you know; this old bear made a wrong move and found he was hanging by his nails.

Somehow he was able to pull himself up onto the ledge where,Yep, he took a nap and sure enough Spirit took care of the situation while he was asleep.

The moral of the story is that when confronted with a bad situation, sometimes the best solution is to take a nap and let Spirit take care of the rest.


"When you come to the edge of all the light you know,
And are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown,
Faith is knowing one of two things will happen:
There will be something solid to stand on
or you will be given wings to fly."
~ Barbara J. Winter © Gibson Greetings

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Even Eagles Need a Push

Encouragement can come in the form of a kind word or written note that has the power to change a life forever.



Click the link below and enjoy watching the movie, Even Eagles Need A Push, for a message of encouragement that can push your life from ordinary to extraordinary.
Even Eagles Need a Push


Sunday, August 9, 2009

STRESS OUT



Are you STRESSED !?

Stress is a constant in our lives—

 such a constant that we actually don’t realize we are under stress, we think it’s “just part of life.”

It’s everywhere!

We experience traffic jams, deadlines, eating on the run, We stress when we have bills to pay, job changes, endless chores and too many errands. Our job has stress, not having a job has stress, it’s stressful maintaining your weight, having a relationship is stressful, not being in a relationship is stressful, family responsibilities are stress, and all those demands on you can be huge amounts of stress.  Not to mention those people who really get on your nerves.

Stress!! It’s there!  It’s everywhere!

Is there anything that can be done? There are so many recommendations for reducing stress, but what really works? Something you do everyday may be different that something you need to do when the stress gauge rises.

We wanted to find answers, tools and techniques which were actually being used and could be shared so more people would have choices on how to work with, manage and embrace the stress in their lives.

“If you want to lose weight, go to a skinny doctor.” Zig Ziglar

As we interpret from Zig’s quote, it’s more than just talking about it, it’s actually putting your words intro practice. And being able to explain well enough that someone else can benefit as well.

Barbara Kramer, a professional event planner is a co-author in the book STRESS OUT. She uses a visualization technique when someone adds stress to her day.

Visualization is a technique where you close your eyes and imagine yourself in another place.  A place where your stress leaves you. Barbara says that this is easy and offers a suggested visualization the next time someone really gets on your nerves and see if it helps you.

You take a minute and close your eyes, take a very deep, slow breath and imagine yourself sitting by the side of a beautiful flowing stream of cool water.  Then let your visualization continue as you see yourself walk into the stream and splash around in the water.  Your stress begins to leave you.  You look around at the beautiful scenery, the open sky. You look down at your hands in the water and see that your fingers are tightly around the neck of the person who has been aggravating you as you hold their head under water. Now doesn’t that make you feel better.  

Barbara quickly says that her intent is not to actually harm another person, but this visualization releases her from the stress hold she feels from the other person’s behavior. Then she can move on to more healthy and actual solutions.

For long term healthy results, Barbara gives two powerful examples of visualization techniques that can not only shift stress energy, but will also stimulate your creative thinking, which brings about solutions that you can put into action. Someone reading Barbara’s chapter might also be looking for a event planner than can function well under the pressure.

We all have stress. It’s is a really term that is commonly used to describe the symptoms your body has in response to increased tension.

The "stress" which people complain about, or that which makes them function less well, is a feeling of tension or pressure  that you experience when you feel that the demands placed on you appear to exceed the resources you have to deal with them.

Believe it or not, a certain level of stress is good and is normal to help you deal with the challenges of life. Too much stress, on the other hand, causes your body to react in unpleasant ways. It can even kill you.  It is more than being a simple medical condition.

Stress is your body's response.;  a combination of physical, mental, and emotional feelings resulting from pressure, worry, especially worry about those things that never finally happen, or worry over guilt from the past.

Stress is anxiety, guilt, the lack of taking responsibility for your own life and the results. It’s frustration, a feeling of loss of control, and (a big one) is our attempts to control others. If they would only change, then we wouldn’t have to, and since they won’t oblige, we’re stressed.

Relaxation techniques rather than fighting against stress can be another method to maintain balance in your life.

No matter how many times you’ve been promised la-la land by certain helath and energy workers or what you’ve heard from Zen Buddhists and transcendental meditators about “just say OM”; relaxation can be hard work under certain circumstances. A couple of those circumstances could be when your blind date comes to the door in a straightjacket or you show no reflection in the mirror. Other more real circumstances occur in your life everyday, so valid relaxation techniques are necessary and STRESS OUT book intends to offer as many choices as the pages will hold.

Surprising as it seems, some stress does have positive outcomes.  "Good stress" If you are an athlete, good stress can give you the energy you need to excel in a physical competition. If you are a computer programmers, good stress could stimulate your thinking.  If you are a music composer's , good stress could stimulate your creative energy.  

Good stress can give many people the energy to solve problems and to finish hard work. In basic terms, stress is an aspect of living that can be beneficial when it motivates you, encourages change for you or inspires you, but can be the opposite when it does not. Your body is actually designed to deal very well with pressure, excitement or stress while working towards a goal or working through a challenging event; and after the accomplishment of your goal, or the event passes, your body has the need to relax, slow down again and recharge itself.  

It is only when this pressure, or this stress, becomes so continuous and intense that you are unable to relax and you feel distressed." You feel out of control, you are no longer able to handle the demands made on you, and your body begins to feel unwell. Too many people go to their Doctors every year with unspecific symptoms of not feeling themselves.  

The key to managing stress is achieving the right balance of forces between tension and relaxation.  

Samuel Patricks, an Attorney, and another co-author in the book STRESS OUT, had a heart attack at a very young age. Too young. He now uses the stress of physical exercise to keep himself healthy physically and emotionally. Not just any exercise, he runs marathons; and not just any marathon – he runs in marathons where he can raise money for his favorite charities. So an additional positive stress motivator he places on himself is his financial fundraising goal. He sees it as a win-win. Plus after a marathon, his body has spent all of its stress. He is ready to relax and recharge.

Readers of his chapter may be motivated by his example to do something that helps their stress level while they are helping someone else.  Someone looking for an attorney will read something more personal about Mr. Patrick that they won’t find on his C.V, which will motivate them to consider him for their legal work.


So many times we treat our automobiles better than we treat our mental and physical bodies. That vehicle we travel in everywhere is out physical body and it needs great care to continue to function properly.

You probably wouldn’t think of jump starting your car in the morning, cold start without fuel and running it hard all day.  Never shutting off the engine leaving it running, even when not going anywhere. You probably wouldn’t think of running your car engine at its optimum, in high gear, constantly revving the engine for more power, driving it continually with no service break.  If you do, then you know, that if you did this to your car, it would start to break down. And  it would  become less reliable, and then it would rapidly begin to break down, usually at the most inconvenient times.

Yet, many people jump start their days; run themselves in high gear, overheated, under fed and poor fuel, over accelerated constant push and no breaks. Then we wonder, why we are feeling so poorly and less effective? !

Unrelieved stress can take an emotional as well as physical toll, in the form of anxiety or depression or high blood pressure and heart disease.  If unattended, stress can seriously your damage physical health; psychological well-being; and your relationships with your friends, family, and co-workers. It’s never too soon or too late to start decreasing the effects of stress in your life.

There are dozens of ways you can  work with and through stress and maintain a healthy life regardless of the external events. These can include acupuncture, biofeedback, EFT, energy work, exercise, humor, hypnosis, meditation, music, NLP, nutrition and so much more and new methods are being proven in people’s lives every day.

STRESS OUT book will be on the shelves in the all 2009, and it will be used as a fundraising tool through many companies. Our goal is for this book is to be detailed, duplicatable tips, tools and techniques that the readers can use to reduce, manage or use their stress to enhance their personal or professional lives. This book is a focus on how to create peace, harmony and healthy energy that can assist a person to not be a victim of stress.

We are still accepting so-authors who have a proven tool or technique that they use. We are looking for people who want to gain prestige as a published author*, extend their marketing reach and build their brand in a non-sales, no-hype niche marketing program.

Click here for more information about the STRESS OUT book and the BENEFITS of being a co-author in this proven marketing program.  

* Many companies will help you get published; no other company does what we do to market our authors.


Namaste'



Thursday, August 6, 2009

Congruence and Gratitude

“You can tell a person,
not by what they say they are gratitude for,
but how they respect
what they claim to be grateful for.”
~ Mrs. Donna Priscott~



My mother was of my greatest examples on how to live life with honesty and integrity. This quote was one of her favorite sayings. Long after her passing, I remember every time she said it to me. She wanted me to learn that people don’t just see what I say, they learn who I am by how my actions match my words.

If I expressed gratitude for something then I needed to show respect for it and protect it just as I would anything else that was important to me.

My parents were married for over 50 years. My Mom said a gratitude prayer every day for her marriage and relationship with my Dad. Every day she worked to make sure he knew how much she meant that. She never looked at another man and she always made sure our home was a happy place for Dad to come home to after a long day at work. She was grateful for her two kids, and she spent time teaching us how to be our best, learn our best and present our best.

When I gained over 60 pounds excess weight in college, and the doctors prescribed medicine for high blood pressure, she didn’t ask me why. She asked me if I was grateful for my healthy body and if I was then why was I carrying the extra weight that was having a negative effect on my health?
When my bother experimented with drugs in High School she asked him the same question.

She simply told us to make a choice and live by our words. My choice was to ether give up saying gratitude for a healthy body or give up the unnecessary weight. Her message was empowering and not judgmental, even though I knew she didn’t approve our behaviors. Mom taught me best by her example. I hope I can be as good a Mom as she was to me.

Are you congruent with your gratitude?

Are you showing respect to your gratitude by your actions?

If yes, what are you doing?

If no, what can you change?


***


Contributed by Veronica Davina, for inclusion in the book: The “G” Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude, Author Sumner M. Davenport, Self Investment Publishing, #ISBN 9780981523859







Sunday, August 2, 2009

National Friendship Day

Human beings are social creatures who respond to the love and affection of others. Genuine friendship has been valued as one of the most important things in life. To celebrate friendship and the blessings it brings us, it was deemed fit to have a day dedicated to friends and friendship and the first Sunday of August was declared as a holiday in US in honor of friends by a Proclamation made by US Congress in 1935.

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;
they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."
~ Marcel Proust ~

I offer you this gentle reminder of friendship. Part of this has circulated the internet for years. Many of the quotes you may have already seen or heard. When I found it in my files this morning, it was the timely reminder on a perfect day.

"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving
for my friends, the old and the new."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.

In 1st grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and who held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.

In 2nd grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully.

In 3rd grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours.

In 4th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to switch square dancing partners in the gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck "do-si-do-ing " with Nasty Nick or Smelly Susan.

In 5th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.

In 6th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went up to Nick or Susan (your new crush) and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't be embarrassed.

In 7th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who let you copy the Social Studies homework from the night before that you did.

In 8th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball but didn't laugh at you when you broke out into tears.

In 9th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who would go to a party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being the only freshman there.

In 10th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with during lunch.

In 11th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't be grounded and helped you find a date to the prom.

In 12th grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college or university and assured you that you would get into that college or university, or helped you deal with it when you didn't make it.

At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed a big smile on the outside as they congratulated you.

The summer after graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you sneak out of the house when you couldn't deal with your parents, assured you that now that you and Nick (or you and Susan) were back together, you could make it through anything, helped you pack up for university and silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind. And most importantly sent you off to college knowing you were loved.

"In prosperity, our friends know us;
in adversity, we know our friends"
~ John Churton Collins ~

Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you the better of the two choices, holds your hand when you're scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, makes time for you, overlooks your mistakes, helps you to deal with pressure from others, smiles for you even when they are sad, helps you understand how priceless you are, and most importantly loves you.

I am deeply grateful, today and everyday, for my genuine friends. With them I have discovered and enjoyed many of lifes blessings.

"A real friend is one who walks in
when the rest of the world walks out."
~Walter Winchell ~

No matter where we go or how our lives change, we never forget those who walked with us and supported us in getting there.

"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me; I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend."
~ Albert Camus ~

There's never a wrong time to pick up a phone or send a message to show your friends you miss them or care about them.

"The most beautiful discovery true friends make
is that they can grow separately
without growing apart."
~ Elisabeth Foley~

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Studies show we need 12 laughs a day to stay healthy.
You will laugh out loud watching this free movie of quotes and photos that bring them to life.

Contribute to your good health- get your share of laughs today !

A few of the humorous quotes:

"I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not so sure"
"I've exercised with women so thin, that buzzards followed them to their cars" ~Erma Bombeck
"I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on." -Roseanne Barr
"Insanity doesn't run in my family, it gallops" - Cary Grant

It may require you to disable your pop up blocker to launch this video to play.


Laughter Movie


If that link doesn't work, click here



Friday, June 26, 2009

The Shadow Effect

The shadow is dark, its sensitive, it can be dangerous...

Things we lie about not only to others but to ourselves...

The shadow shows up in many ways: drinking too much, writing bad checks, eating cake in the middle of the night after 3 days of dieting...

Hundreds of Million are living in denial of their individual shadows.

People who express self righteous morality are usually the ones with the darkest and deepest shadows.

We see it in the media all the time.

We see it in our neighborhoods, We see it in our friends, We attempt to hide it from ourselves.

The cost of ignoring a self destructive pattern is that you will self destruct.

If you haven't cleaned your house, you will be in trouble.

These were excerpts from Debbie Fords new Movie. The Shadow Effect, A Journey from Your Darkest Thought to Your Greatest Dream

Prepare yourself for a chilling inquiry into the conflicting forces of darkness and light that compete for attention within every human being. Debbie Ford, #1 New York Times bestselling author and internationally acclaimed expert on the Shadow, presents a visually stunning and cutting-edge documentary that will inspire you to uncover the wisdom in your wounds, the blessings in your misfortunes, and the gifts that are waiting to be claimed where you may least expect them . . . in the dark.

Ford reveals the method, secrets, and meaning of your shadow, the parts of yourself that you dislike and disown, the past that you regret and repress and the pain that you attempt to bury, and shows how it persistently rises from its grave only to thwart your happiness and oppose your greatest potential as a human being.


The intention of this powerful movie is to assist you to step out of the darkness of your smallest thought into the brilliance of your greatest dream. THE SHADOW EFFECT

With appearances from some of the most brilliant and evolutionary thinkers of the 21st century, including Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Mark Victor Hansen, James Van Praagh, and others, this world-class cinematic experience pulls no punches as it traces the stories of individuals who have met with some of life’s harshest experiences—war, child abuse, racism, a German concentration camp—but learned how to face their terror, heal their wounds and meet their higher, heroic selves in the process. Visually beautiful and highly stylized, with vignettes and special effects that dramatize the concepts and the real life stories, this film unveils the fascinating story of why we do what we do, fear what we fear, and why good people do bad things. THE SHADOW EFFECT will leave you breathing a little deeper and feeling more compassion and kindness for your own dark, conflicted, or repressed urges. It may even inspire you to make the most life-altering step of all—to embrace your entire self.

Step out of the darkness of your smallest thought into the brilliance of your greatest dream. Be the first to have a copy of this powerful movie either on DVD, special interactive 2-DVD set, or click the button for more information to watch the trailer.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Network Miracle

My friend Michelle is focused on opening a spiritual spa in Costa Rico. She sent me this update. Her commitment, her belief in her self worth, and her faith in her Spiritual support may be an inspiration to others so I am sharing her words here:

I was attending my monthly business networking meeting held at various local businesses. This meeting was hosted by a deluxe assisted living facility in Venice. The first miracle was the luxurious spread they provided us for breakfast complete with chefs making our custom omelets to the beautifully carved ice sculpture.

Every meeting there is a drawing from the business cards for lovely prizes. Often they are things/services that I’m not interested in and I wish them for the person whose life will be enhanced most in receiving them. However, on numerous occasions there are prizes I desire and I say, “That’s mine” or “I want that!” Yes, they’ve picked my card 99% of the time that happens. Today I wanted a gift for a very silly reason. I wanted the gift bag it was it. The bag was all sparkly and pretty and I’d run out of bags to gift people things in. The prize happened to be a bottle of wine (not something I’m big on) and a bottle stopper with a beautiful silver heart….the heart will stay with me for a while

Everyone gets a chance to stand up, introduce themselves and their businesses. I stood up and said, “For all those who have been following my Spa Retreat progress…..manifestation, I thought it was Costa Rica but recently Panama has been presenting more powerfully. If anyone has any leads or ideas, please let me know.”

At the end of the meeting, a gal who worked at the assisted living facility, Julie *, came up to me and said, “I live in Panama”. She has homes here and there. She asked what areas I was considering. Trying not to be too specific and open, I said, “kind of around the west side, near Costa Rica.” Julie says, “I live in Bocas Del Toro.” She couldn’t help but notice my eyes getting bigger than saucers. Bocas Del Tor has been in my mind for months. Bocas info and pictures were on my desk that very moment. She said she could connect me with the various spas around and I could stay at her apartment. We agreed to get together later that evening at her place.

So I’m going to my new angel’s place to talk business and possibilities. Lo and behold, thanks to my morning’s winnings, I even have a gift to bring….a lovely bottle of wine! I arrive at Julie’s condo right at the beach on Venice Island and her husband Dan* answers the door. It was kind of interesting as he is all dressed up….in swim trunks! As I enter I see she is wearing a bathing suit herself. I’m thinking, “She’s totally comfortable in the midst of luxury and totally down to earth too – I like these people!” My first feelings couldn’t have been more right. We talked and laughed for hours feeling like we’d known and loved each other forever.

Turns they have all the connections I could possibly dream of in Panama. Dan is in construction and knows about properties, building and dealing with “the system”. Julie has holistic training, knows how to go into the rainforest to get plants for cooking and healing. She gave me some soap she made that smelled good enough to eat. She showed me her hand-crafted jewelry made from sharks teeth and shells. Layer after delightful layer of complimentary information unfolded.

So, I had all sorts of choices. I could go now, stay at their place and flounder on my own…..not good timing anyway (legal stuff not quite finished here). I could go with Dan in August when he prepares the way for Julie’s effortless arrival. Or I could go with Julie in September effortlessly flying in with her. I won’t need to know how to call a taxi or even where my apartment is. I’ll just have an Angel to guide me around, show me the ropes and introduce me to all sorts of cool people and adventures. I choose Door 3, thank you Universe!

So, I’ll be dancing off to Panama in September to live and scope out areas for the Spa Retreat. I’ve been doing plenty of virtual traveling and now it’s time for me to really see and feel the areas. Then I’ll be able to provide more info for the Spa Retreat Birth Plan to present to my potential financiers. They are beautiful people but a little more “practically” minded than I. The Universe will provide and my Angels and Fairies are always taking care of me aren’t enough for them.

More adventures later……







Michelle Hazelwood has contributed to the elevation of the planet through motivating, training, and sharing the personal benefits of fitness with men and women throughout the United States since 1982.

Offering a high level of expertise to the Personal Training profession, Michelle brings years of certified qualifications to her clients. You can learn more about Michelle through her website: Universal Wellness










Monday, June 8, 2009

Happy Birthday - Make a wish


Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers”
~ Garth Brooks ~


In his hit country song, Garth Brooks tells a story of a man who encounters his high school flame years later when he is at an event with is wife. Reflecting back he remembers how he begged God for this high school fling to be his everlasting love, and he promised eternal gratitude if this prayer was granted. At that reunion, he saw how the woman he loved so deeply, who was now his wife would never have been in his life if that previous prayer had been answered the way he begged it at that time. In that moment he was genuinely grateful for his unanswered prayer.

Today is my birthday, and undoubtedly my friends will take this opportunity to make every old age joke they can remember. We will enjoy laughter over dinner and dessert. Someone will make sure the appropriate number of candles is lit on the chocolate cake, and a fire extinguisher is close at hand.

Ever since I was a child, at every birthday party I have attended, the ritual is for the birthday person to make a wish when blowing out the candles. I wonder how many people make wishes for things they absolutely desire. As a child I believe I did, and some of my wishes actually came true.

What if, everything you had every wished for over the smoke of a blown out candle actually came true for you?


Are there some of these wishes that you can be genuinely grateful for to
day because they didn’t come true?

Partial excerpt from book:
The "G" Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits

 

Excuses Be Gone
A Life-Changing Book from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer!

Excuses Begone! How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits.

In this groundbreaking work, Wayne presents a compendium of conscious and subconscious crutches employed by virtually everyone, along with ways to cast them aside once and for all. You’ll learn to apply specific questions to any excuse, and then proceed through the steps of a new paradigm.    Pre-order Nowand you will receive a FREE 2-hour workshop download so you can immediately begin to draw connections between your own life and Dr. Dyer's teachings. PLUS, with each order for Excuses Begone, you will automatically be entered to win a trip to MAUI for Dr. Dyer's weekend intensive

Within the pages of this transformational book, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer reveals how to change the self-defeating thinking patterns that have prevented you from living at the highest levels of success, happiness, and health. Even though you may know what to think, actually changing those thinking habits that have been with you since childhood might be somewhat challenging.

If I changed, it would create family dramas . . . I’m too old or too young . . . I’m far too busy and tired . . . I can’t afford the things I truly want . . . It would be very difficult for me to do things differently . . . and I’ve always been this way . . . may all seem to be true, but they’re in fact just excuses. So the business of modifying habituated thinking patterns really comes down to tossing out the same tired old excuses and examining your beliefs in a new and truthful light.

In this groundbreaking work, Wayne presents a compendium of conscious and subconscious crutches employed by virtually everyone, along with ways to cast them aside once and for all. You’ll learn to apply specific questions to any excuse, and then proceed through the steps of a new paradigm. The old, habituated ways of thinking will melt away as you experience the absurdity of hanging on to them.

You’ll ultimately realize that there are no excuses worth defending, ever, even if they’ve always been part of your life—and the joy of releasing them will resonate throughout your very being. When you eliminate the need to explain your shortcomings or failures, you’ll awaken to the life of your dreams.

Excuses . . . Begone!

Hay House, Inc.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

The Power of Appreciation

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it
is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”
~ William Arthur Ward



This week as I sorted through my usual stack of catalogs, coupons, flyers, advertisements and bills, all delivered to me through the (good old fashioned) US snail mail, I found something else. Something that added joy to my day.

I received in a handwritten thank you note from my friend and colleague Michelle Hazelwood. When I listed her in one of my regular e-zines, I didn't tell her. I did not doit hoping for a thank you, I did it because I believe in her and the integrity of the work that she does with other people (Note: I have received other gestures of thank you from other people mentioned in my e-zines, however, Michelle went an extra mile and today she is my One)

Michelle's handwritten thank you note did two things:

(1) simply conformed that what I believe about her is true and
(2) gave me a good feeling, which comes back again every time I see her note on my desk.
and her note is now page one in my Kudos binder.

Sending notes of Gratitude used to be an expected social behavior. In those days people who didn't send them usually didn't find themselves receiving future invitations or gifts.

Zig Ziglar, one of my all time favorite mentors shares a story on his website about US President Theodore Roosevelt, and notes that his life story indicates that he was not only an extraordinarily successful man, but surely one of the busiest and best organized ever. However, with all of his"busy-ness" . . . he still retained some of those human qualities that made him so successful. Simple example: He never forgot to thank others who did things for him.

I had the good fortune of meeting Ziglar in my early 20's, and the opportunity to shake his hand and thank him personally for the lessons I had learned from his book See You at the Top Recently, through his son, I was able to send Zig a detailed thank you letter of how his words helped me blaze the trail of my life since I first met him over 30 years ago.

I admit it took time to write my thank you letter, as I'm sure it took my friend Michelle more than a few seconds to write her thank you note to me. As I wrote the thank you letter to Zig, I could feel a powerful energy rising in me. After sending it, all day I felt lighter, more enthused, more creative and some of the challenges on my To-Do list seemed to be accomplished with more ease.

Peoples attitudes about expressing "Thank You" have changed. Some people write long gratitude lists, but keep them to themselves. Some people will send a quick Thank you in an email reply or an e-card, and some still do take the time to write a heartfelt thank you note.

Ziglar also taught me about the Notes of Appreciation I wrote about in my book, The "G" Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude. Even a short written thank you note, especially to someone who doesn't expect it, can change two lives that day - theirs and yours. That one positive action is powerful.

Sometimes the best way to find time in our day is to take time to write a genuine thank you.

I recently received a handwritten thank you note from a reader of my book, and she concluded her note telling me that she was now inspired to write thank you notes to all her children. I have asked her to write that on the Gratitude Spot blog so other people may be inspired by her words and actions.

Here's an experiment you may want to add to your day and see the power it has in your life:

ONE-A-DAY


For the next 7 days, write a sincere heartfelt thank you note to one person in your life. Just one!

The next day, one more.

Only one a day.

One or all of four things will happen:
(1) You will find more people to thank than you first thought you had;
(2) you may want to do more than one a day. (resist the temptation);
(3) you will discover something new about yourself;
(4) you will feel a shift in your energy, your feelings and sometimes your physical body.

Today, Michelle is my ONE.

I look forward to reading how One-A-Day made a difference in your life.


NOTE -
One of the bonus gifts offered to people who bought the book, the "G" Spot, the ecstasy of life through Gratitude - was a set of custom greeting cards by renowned artist Juliane. Refer back to the link you received when you purchased the book and get your free greeting cards so you can start your ONE right away. if you have lost your bonus gifts link, contact me.