Who's with me? . . . .

Alright, let's do this. Let's make someone's day today. Wanna? Make a point of giving 3 sincere compliments today! Imagine the impact that we could have on someone who needs a  self-esteem boost. Perhaps it will be someone who just needs that little extra nugget of confidence to hang in there. Or the teenage girl who is struggling with self-esteem on a daily basis. We have the power to make daily life a little bit happier for each other! Nothing is more effective than sincere, accurate praise! I shop at the same market several times a week, and always notice one checkout clerk who always seems a bit down. She does a good job, is quick and efficient, but she rarely makes eye contact, and  just seems to be going through the motions. I wasn't a stranger to her; she has seen me in there often enough, so I complimented her the other day and her face lit up! I saw a side of her that I'd not seen before. As I was leaving, I turned around and winked at her, and she was smiling from ear to ear. That smile made MY day! So, I'm making it my personal goal to give at least three compliments per day. Just because. Who's with me? This could be fun!

By the way......you rock!

"A compliment is verbal sunshine."

-Robert Orben

Happy Friday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo, Connie

Believe . . . .

Got laundry? . . . .

The quote above, to me, is the only way to live your life. I'm sorry to tell you this, but laundry and daily chores are very much a part of life. What attitude are you sporting when it comes to daily chores? If you're living your life dreading your routine, grumbling about your daily chores, I promise you, you are making it harder on yourself than it needs to be. We really do have a choice! Your attitude will determine the way you perceive our world, and what life dishes out to you. And I'm sorry, but life dishes out laundry! The secret to enjoying a typical day is how you choose to approach it. If you are dreading your day-to-day duties, try a different approach! We know we can't change the fact that we have daily responsibilities, but we can certainly change the way we think about them. We can either begin by making ourselves miserable, or we can put on our favorite tunes, and dance our way through. The amount of work is the same.

"The world is a playground,

and life is pushing my swing."

-Natalie Kocsis


Photo by Katy Weaver

The Whale . . . .

If you read the front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around as if she was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

"We hope you are fortunate enough to be surrounded by people who help you get untangled from anything that binds you. And may you always know the joy of receiving and giving love to animals around the globe."

-Global Animal

 

Smile . . . .it's Friday!

A laugh is a smile that bursts.

A smile is the most beautiful curve 

on a woman's body.

Smile like you mean it.

Wrinkles should merely indicate 

where smiles have been.

I've never seen a smiling face

that was not beautiful!

A smile is a curve 

that sets everything straight.

Pure Pleasures of Summer . . . .

Flip flops & toe rings.

Sparklers.

Convertible hair.

Ice cream trucks.

Watermelon.

Beach umbrellas.

Rockers and porch swings.

Bike baskets filled with your favorite things.

Beach kisses.

...and enjoying the end of another beautiful day.

Photo via Google Images

A fond farewell . . . .

One week ago today, television producer Sherwood Schwartz died in Los Angeles. He was 94 and best known for creating Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch. He wrote the theme songs to both programs.  Following his death, a farewell letter titled "A Conversation at the Gates" was given to The Hollywood Reporter from the late writer's family. Mr. Schwartz had asked that they  publish this letter upon his death.

A Conversation at the Gates

One day in the not too distant future, I will find myself standing in front of the Pearly Gates.

I knock.

A pleasant voice calls out, "Who's there?"

"Sherwood Schwartz," I answer.

"One moment," says the Voice. "I have lots of Schwartzes on my list."

"Did you say Sherwood?"

"Yes, Sherwood Schwartz. I was born November 14, 1916. My parents were Rose and Herman Schwartz."

"Yes, yes, I have it right here. Your parents loved you very much."

"I loved them very much as well. I lived with them until I got married."

"To Mildred, according to my records," says the Voice.

"Yes. I never believed in love at first sight until I met Mildred. I always thought 'love at first sight' was just poetic babble."

"That's what they all say until it happens to them."

"I loved Mildred with all my heart for over sixty-nine years. I'm sure she loved me as much as I loved her."

"She did," says the Voice. "And you had four children, Donald, Lloyd, Ross and Hope."

"Four wonderful children," I couldn't help adding.

"All of them quite different, but all of them talented, and hard-working. I'm pleased I was able to watch each of them reach certain goals."

"You sound very proud of them," says the Voice.

"Mildred and I were always very proud. We took good care of them when they were young, and they took good care of us when we got old."

"I see they each have two children; Donald, two girls, Lloyd two boys, Ross two girls, and Hope two girls."

"All of them talented and industrious, like their parents," I say.

"All well-educated in different professions: Medicine, Law, and Entertainment."

"I see you also have four great grandchildren. Two great granddaughters, and two great grandsons."

I say, "You keep very good records."

"I have to," says the Voice. "People keep coming and going all the time. You've been pretty busy yourself. After college you started writing and you never stopped."

"That's because writing isn't a profession; it's a disease. And it's accompanied by a disease that's even worse.....re-writing."

"I know all about that," says the Voice. "You're not the first writer to knock on my gate. But at least you were successful. Many writers are not."

"That's true. I've been well-rewarded with plenty of money for me, for my family, and for my many charities."

"A good life I would say," says the Voice, "with plenty of awards and honors."

"And plenty of hard knocks from critics," I reply.

"That comes with the territory," says the Voice, "but you've had lots of compensation. Not just money; thousands of fan letters you've received from people all over the world, thanking you for entertaining them with words that brought them a smile or a laugh, sometimes when they needed it the most."

Then the Voice continues apologetically, "I didn't mean to keep you waiting outside the gate. Go ahead: Ask. Ask what they all want to know when they knock at my gate: Am I going to Heaven or not?"

"That's what I was going to ask when I got here," I say, "then I suddenly realized something when we talked, Heaven is where I've been since the day I was born."

A fond farewell,

Photo via The Hollywood Reporter

"Forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past 

could have been any different."

-Oprah Winfrey

No worries . . . .

Be your own best friend . . . .

You may tell yourself that life is good enough, but if it could get a whole lot better, wouldn't you want to know that now rather than find it out later? I promise you that at this precise moment next year, if you choose, your life could be better  than it is right now. The choice to improve it is wholly and undeniably yours. When chores, routine existence, and just playing it safe become your only purpose in life, there is no doubt that personal growth becomes hampered. If your life isn't working the way you want it to, you have the option to change that. Do you wake up every morning to see how many chores and favors for others you can heap upon yourself? Please don't go through your days ignoring what matters to you. I'm challenging you to take the steps necessary to put yourself in the position of determining the course for your life. It's as simple as just being there for you; about being your own best friend.

"Our lives begin to end
the day we become silent
about things that matter."

-Martin Luter King, Jr.

Partially compiled from a Self Matters calendar

What's your hurry? . . . .

Your body is a living sculpture,

and you're its artist.


Photo's via Google Images

Happy Monday!

Make it a great day!

xo


Photo via Patterson Maker

Pure Pleasures . . . .

Long, comfortable silences between close friends.

Being next.

Napping. . . just because you can.

Giving (or receiving) puppy kisses.

A few hours of this.

Packages that show up on your doorstep that you forgot you ordered.

Brief eye contact that communicates volumes.

Happy Friday!

Have a lovely weekend!

The need to be right syndrome . . . .

Have you ever seen the quote, "I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong." I just recently came across that one, and it reminded me of a  situation in which I found myself bantering back and forth with a friend about something that wasn't even important, and certainly wasn't worth the friction that was beginning to build. In this particular situation, I honestly believe I wasn't wrong, but I was up against someone who would fight tooth 'n nail until the end trying to prove otherwise. I backed off fairly early in the debate, not wanting to ruin a perfectly good shopping trip. Using the above line might have been a lighthearted way to end that debate. Darn, it's just like me to think of these great lines AFTER the fact! Do you know someone who has an attachment to being right? I sometimes wonder what it would take for people to give up their need to be right. Sometimes I feel as though their desire to be right is quite possibly interfering with what it was you were discussing to begin with! I guess there are several explanations as to why some people just won't let it go, but I honestly believe that it's just a matter of a fragile ego not wanting to be seen as being vulnerable or imperfect. It's frustrating, and I don't mean to try and dissect the whole situation, but today I'm thinking that there is so much to learn, if we can just give up the need to be right.

"Confidence comes not from always being right 

but from not fearing to be wrong."

-Peter T. McIntyre

33 Ways to Stay Creative . . . .

1.  Make lists

2.  Carry a notebook everywhere & USE it

3.  Write

4.  Get away from the computer

5.  Pay attention

6.  Quit beating yourself up

7.  Take breaks

8.  Sing in the car

9.  Take photographs of things that inspire you

10. Know your roots

11. Listen to new music

12. Be open to new ideas

13. Surround yourself with creative people

14. Get feedback with an open mind

15. Collaborate

16. Don't give up

17. Practice, practice, practice

18. Allow yourself to make mistakes

19. Go somewhere new

20. Watch foreign films

21. Count your blessings

22. Get lots of rest

23. Take risks

24. Break the rules

25. Do more of what makes you happy

26. Don't force it

27. Learn a new word every day

28. Create a framework

29. Stop trying to be someone else's perfection

30. Got an idea? Write it down

31. Clean your workspace

32. Have fun

33. Finish something