Friday, December 31, 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Cheers to a new year and 
another chance
for us to get it right!

Be safe, my friends.
xo, Connie

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

When you give to others, you give to yourself . . . .

When you love others, it is YOU who will have an amazing life. Give love to others through kindness, encouragement, support, gratitude, or any good feeling, and it comes back to you and multiplies itself, bringing love to every other area of your life, including your health, money, happiness, and career. Give negativity to others, through criticism, anger, impatience, or any bad feeling, and you will receive that negativity back - guaranteed! And as the negativity comes back, it multiplies itself, attracting more negativity, which effects the rest of your life.

Trying to change another person is not giving love! Thinking you know what is best for another person is not giving love! Thinking you are right and another person is wrong is not giving love! Criticizing, blaming, complaining, nagging, or finding fault with another person is not giving love! And get this!!!.....looking for the things you love in a relationship more than noticing the negative things, will appear as if something incredible has happened to the other person. . . . all because you chose to focus on their good. How great is THAT? You win! You now get to enjoy the positive about that person! Why would you choose anything different?


You can't receive anything in life unless you give it first! Whatever you give, you receive, so it's not about the other person at all:  it's all about you! 

You have to be happy to receive the happy versions of other people!

Partial text from the book
The Power

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Monday, December 27, 2010

Time to move on! . . . .

Happy Monday!  I don't know about you, but as much as I love Christmas, I always feel such a sense of freedom when it's over. I know it's because my mind is finally free to think about something else. In my house, I do it all when it comes to the tasks at hand during Christmas.  I lose myself in it. I decorate the tree, I do all the shopping, wrapping, candy making, decorating and menu planning. I'm not complaining.....I love it, and I'm blessed to have the time to do it. I make sure all my senses are immersed in the spirit of what needs to be done, and I do it.  So today, my mind is free! Do you feel that way too? Ahhhhh, feels good. Time to move on! First things first....saying good-bye to those few extra pounds that snuck up on me the last few weeks. And guess what? I'm not waiting until New Year's to start because quite frankly, January 1st is no more a chance to start over than it was 5 minutes ago! Are you starting to think about your New Year's goals? I'd love to hear what they are! 


Photo via Google Images

Saturday, December 25, 2010


Merry Christmas!


Photo via Google Images

Friday, December 24, 2010


and it's Christmas Eve!

Wishing you the warmth of home,
and the love of family.
Merry Christmas everyone!
xo, 
Connie



Photo by Jodi Miller 

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

"To promote the highest development of mind and soul, a sunny disposition is indispensable; the brighter, the happier, and the sweeter the disposition, the more easily and the more rapidly will any talent develop; and it is a literal truth that a sunny disposition is to the talents of the mind what a sunny day is to the flowers of the field."
-Christian D. Larson

Graphic by Pennywishes via etsy

Monday, December 20, 2010

Love yourself first . . . .

We are each responsible for our own life. No other person is or even can be. You might have experienced things that caused you to judge yourself unworthy, but it is important to know why and how you were programmed to feel the way you do so you can do the work of changing the program. That is one of the most important challenges of your life ...... to heal the wounds of your past so you don't continue to bleed. Until you do, you are literally dragging the weight of your past into your present. And that makes it nearly impossible to move forward.

If you're holding anyone else accountable for your happiness, you're wasting time. You must be fearless enough to give yourself the love you didn't receive. Begin noticing how every day brings a new opportunity for your growth. How buried disagreements with your mother show up in arguments with your spouse. How unconscious feelings of unworthiness appear in everything you do and don't do. All these experiences are your life's way of making itself whole ...... sometimes whispering, often screaming. Pay attention. Every choice gives you a chance to pave your own road. Keep moving. Full speed ahead.

From the book
What I Know for Sure
by
Oprah Winfrey

Photo via Google Images

Friday, December 17, 2010

Delivering holiday smiles . . . .

Yesterday, a friend shared a story with me about how she had received an anonymous gift, and what that felt like for her. It was a complete surprise to her, and the more we talked about how it came about, the more we felt inclined to pass it on. We realized how simple it would be to keep it going by passing that feeling on to someone else, and agreed to pay it forward. Later that same day, I met with another friend, shared the story with her, and she too wanted to be a part of the challenge.  And so it begins. We plan on delivering holiday smiles anonymously. Pass it on! Make a promise to yourself that you'll give something away (anonymously or not) without expecting ANYTHING in return.

I promise, the ultimate rewards are the warm feelings that come from the act of giving!


Happy Friday!
Have a great weekend !

Photo via Fossil

Thursday, December 16, 2010


Graphic by HoneyBoo via etsy

Wednesday, December 15, 2010


Go out and give some today!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Walk your talk . . . .

Does what you do match up with what you say you believe? Do you believe in forgiveness, yet judge others harshly? Do you say you hate gossip, but rejoice when you hear of someone else's downfall? Are you intolerant of certain kinds of people, yet proud of your own moral superiority? There is an old quote by Dag Hammarskjold that reads "It is more important to understand the ground of your own behavior than to understand the motive of another." 

It is wise to know your own heart and be willing to face your own truths before you demand it of others. 
Photo by Rodney Smith

Monday, December 13, 2010

Gift idea . . . .


Happy Monday!
Make it a wonderful week!

Friday, December 10, 2010

For your viewing pleasure . . . .


Beauty comes from within,
but sometimes,
well, you just have to enjoy the view.

Happy Friday!
Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Photo by Joel Rhodin via Agent Bauer

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Bring it on . . . .

If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying, "Here comes number seventy-one!"

-Richard M. Devos


Photo via Stylist REBECCA VAN REHN

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Permission Granted . . . .

You have permission to be who you are. You have permission to love what you love. You have permission to be with the people you wish to be with and to do the things you want to do. You have permission to ask questions, to experience all the pains and pleasures of your life.

You have permission to listen to your body's needs and to meet those needs. You have permission to explore your inner heart. You do not have to separate yourself into airtight compartments labeled body, mind, soul, spirit. You have permission to be a whole person, not a fragmented collection of miscellaneous parts.

You do not have to twist yourself into a pretzel to become someone you are not. You don't have to squeeze yourself into a tight little box to fit someone else's expectations. The universe has given you permission to be yourself.

Breathe a sigh of relief. 
Allow growth and change to happen. 
You have spent too much time beating yourself up for the wrong reasons. 
It will be all right.
Permission is granted.

From the book 
The Art of Encouragement
by
Candy Paull

Photo by Joel Rhodin via Agent Bauer

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Monday, December 6, 2010

Happy Monday! . . . .

We have a choice! We get to choose to be happy, or to continue to blame the world for our misfortunes. Give it your best shot today. What do you have to lose?
People generally think that it is the world, the environment, external relationships, 
which stand in one's way, 
in the way of one's good fortune. . . . 
and at the bottom is always man himself 
that stands in his own way.


-Soren Kierkegaard


Graphic by HoneyBoo via etsy

Friday, December 3, 2010


The fire is the main comfort of the camp, whether in summer or winter, and is about as ample at one season as at another.  It is as well for cheerfulness as for warmth and dryness.  
-Henry David Thoreau

Happy Friday!
Cozy up and have a lovely weekend!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Words can destroy . . . .

Once you have spoken,
even the swiftest horse 
cannot retract your words.
-Chinese proverb
When speaking, speak with vision, clarity, and kindness. Be positive. Instead of concentrating on the problem, look for the solution. Focus on the good, the true, the beautiful. Look for possibilities and see the potential in each person, each situation. Focused for good, your positive energy has great power. Tell the truth. Say what you mean instead of making easy promises that mean nothing. Keep your word. Be kind and generous. Let your language be filled with loving words instead of critical judgement.

What we call each other
ultimately becomes what we think
of each other,
and it matters.
-Jeanne J. Kirkpatrick

Once again,....
From the book
the Art of Encouragement
by Candy Paull

Good book!!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Love in action . . . .

When we learn the art of encouragement, we learn to see the good in ourselves as well as in others. Before we can give to others, we must have something to give. Real encouragement that makes a lasting difference is visionary. It is the willingness to imagine a good fortune, the choice to believe in a better world. It is not critical, tearing people down and nitpicking at their faults, but instead valuing their uniqueness and seeing potential that they may not be able to see for themselves. Stop weighing and measuring others, looking for perfection. There is no such thing as perfection in people. Real encouragement sees us as we yearn to be seen. Yes, there are faults, problems, evil - but there is an original vision that our deepest hearts know is the true vision. Real encouragers are willing to be fools in the eyes of cynics because they have great vision, like Martin Luther King, Jr., who dared to say to a country, "I have a dream . . . " They dare to dream first, then find ways to make the dream come true. Yet they do not force their patterns or desires on others. When the world with all its pressures takes the heart out of us, we need to hear that someone cares for and believes in us - and we need to do the same for others.

Find a way to encourage someone today and act on it.

-Share a nurturing meal.
-Write cards and letters for no reason.
-When you are thinking of someone, pick up the phone and call.
-Say a few kind words.
-Say thank you.
-Say it with flowers.
-Take time to listen to a friend.
-Smile.

"We know God wipes away all tears, but it certainly feels good when He uses human hands."
-Mary Paulson-Lauda

From the book
the Art of Encouragement

by Candy Paull

Tuesday, November 30, 2010


A No. 2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere.
-Joyce A. Myers

Monday, November 29, 2010

The Standard Hotel - NYC . . . .

I have been blessed to be able to travel over the past few weeks, enjoying the beautiful weather in Miami, and the comfort of the wonderful spa hotel there called The Standard. This past week I have been at The Standard in New York City, and once again, completely impressed and wanted to share with you. This ultra-hip boutique hotel is smack-dab in the middle of the Meatpacking District of Manhattan just north of The West Village, and is within walking distance of many galleries, restaurants, and one-of-a-kind boutique shops. It has several swanky bars, its own beirgarten, the infamous Boom Boom Room, and a penthouse nightclub called Le Bain where celebrities are regulars, and my son is a bartender. . . . (he is quite possibly the only way I got through the tight door policy the last few nights, although you should definitely give it a shot.) This place is the epitome of a New York night club complete with a huge mirror ball, a fog machine, and a beat that makes it hard to stand still.  It is a 2-story club on both the 18th floor, and the rooftop and has million dollar views of Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

The Standard New York features floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and every room has views of the Hudson River and either Midtown or Lower Manhattan. The rooms are small, no surprise...this is New York after all, but the space manages to hold an extremely comfortable queen bed, and killer bed linens.

This hotel is very hip, and can become quite lively, especially at night as the lobby lights are turned down, and the music is turned up. It is definitely geared toward the young, fashionable,  exclusive in-crowd, so it was definitely high-spirited and was a fantastic spot to people watch.

The lobby

Room with a view

One of the larger rooms with amazing bathrooms

The Standard Grill - bar/cafe'

The Standard Grill - restaurant

Copper penny floor in The Standard Grill restaurant

The rooftop bar

The Boom Boom Room

Even the urinals have views

Hall to the elevators

The Standard New York
848 Washington  (at West 13th St.)
212.645.4646

Friday, November 26, 2010

Holiday kick-off! . . . .

Yesterday I attended the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade along with thousands of other spectators who lined up along the streets of New York City. It has always been my own tradition to watch it on TV from the comfort of my own home while I prepare our big Thanksgiving meal, but this year we decided to experience it ourselves. What a festive time! Kanye West and Gladys Knight performed along with many others, while Spiderman, Buzz Lightyear, and The Pillsbury Dough Boy floated along overhead. The parade always ends with Santa Claus waving from his sleigh as if it gives us the official o.k. to begin our shopping, put up decorations, and dive in to the Christmas holiday. 

Kanye West

Buzz Lightyear

Smurf

Spiderman

So today is known as Black Friday here in the U.S., which is traditionally the kick-off of the Christmas shopping season. It is a favorite time of year for some, and the most stressful for others. So for those of you who find yourself stressed at this time of year, let me share a few quotes with you that may help you deal with all of the anxiety that comes with having to face the huge crowds while shopping, or that pressing feeling of having to find the perfect gift.

This one from Donald Westlake says, "As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded by December's bad weather, it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation, and people to whom we are worth the same." 

Here is one by Harlan Miller that states, "Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmastime with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don't quite know how to put our love into words."

Bobby, a 7 year-old boy says...."Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."

And my favorite........
Christmas gift suggestions: 
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.
-Oren Arnold

Happy (Black) Friday!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams . . .

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams . . .
Follow your heart

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