Be what you want to see . . . .

If you want to inspire others, be inspiring! There is no question that it motivates us when we see someone doing something on their own. They have taken the necessary steps to do what it takes to get something done. For example....you look out your window and see your neighbor planting flowers, cleaning up their yard, or painting their fence. That's inspiring. You pass by the gym and see your friend walking out, and notice that she's several pounds lighter than the last time you saw her. That's inspiring. I love being inspired by others! Nothing gets me going faster than that. I'd rather be inspired than fixed....do you know what I mean? If someone is telling me that I should be doing something, it is somehow NOT the motivation I need to get it done. But, inspire me, without saying a word, and it's a done deal! People would rather be inspired, than fixed. So if you want to inspire someone, BE what you want to see.

"It is difficult to inspire others 

to accomplish what you yourself 

are not willing to try."

-Unknown

Maybe happiness is this:

...not feeling like 

you should be somewhere else,

doing something else,

being someone else.

One step at a time . . . .

Your dreams are the expression of your heart and soul! They are about getting in touch with what matters most to you. You can bring more of who and what you love into your everyday life. It's YOUR life, and although life is short, the way we live it, each and every day, can make it joyful and fulfilling. Ask yourself what dreams a person with your life's purpose would want. Then listen for the answers.

Be unstoppable. You can have the life you want, the one that works for you. The possibilities are all waiting for you to let them happen, to produce extraordinary results, to make your life the magical experience it was meant to be. 

Listen......the funny thing about the goal-setting process is that when you set a date to do something, 

either you accomplish it 

or you move the date.

Happy Friday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

From the book

Making Your Dreams Come True

by Marsha Weider

Photo by Gandee Vasan

Start with I . . . .

What does it take to fully inhabit your life? It takes realizing how important the I, is. That means you. Let me explain.......

This is not about other people, it's not about changing the world in big ways, it's not even about doing great things---rather, it is about doing small things that give you life, bring you joy, help you inhabit the stories of your days---and, by extension, help change the world and the lives of others around you. To fully live, you must be present in the biggest way possible. 

It is so tempting to start with They instead. If only They would let me. If only They would see my value. If only They would stop expecting so much (or so little) of me.

Stop.

Great change does not come when we present our case to the king and believe he will all of of a sudden "get it," or when we leave it to His Majesty to give us what we want or need. It won't happen. Permission, change---whatever you want to call it---it doesn't come to us when we sit and wait for it, or when we ask for official sanction. If Rosa Parks had waited to pull together a National Bipartisan Task Force on Bus Seating, she'd still be standing at the bus stop, and so would a lot of other people. Great change doesn't come with official endorsement. It just never has. Change occurs at the edges, without permission.

Why do we give up our power to the very people who took it away in the first place? Why am I waiting for permission? Why am I letting other people measure my worth? What stories do They tell about me that I've started believing?

Stop saying They.

There's no doubt work needs to be done on the systems---the organizations that measure appreciation in cubicle sizes, and there's no doubt we sometimes don't have the power to make those changes ourselves. But many times we can't wait for the systems that created the mess to fix themselves. We can't wait for the conditions to be right for change. It will take too long. We cannot give our power away to the people who took it from us in the first place. Put your arms around your own life. Find the change you can make and make it. 

Start with I.

From the book 

Life is a Verb

37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally.

by Patti Digh

Why do we close our eyes when we pray?

When we dream?

Or when we kiss?

Because we know that

the most beautiful things in life

are not seen,

but felt by the heart.

Say good things . . . .

Photo via weheartit

-Ellen Burstyn

Happy Friday!

Have a lovely weekend!


Photo by MAT NEIDHARDT via One League Artists

Be someone's highlight . . . .

Shall we make a new rule? How about.....Always try to be a little kinder than is necessary. I promise, it's not that hard. Some people might respond to that saying, "I'm busy. I don't have time to go out of my way", or "It's just the toll booth operator.....I only have 10 seconds with the guy. What kind of difference can I make?" Well, for one, you can plan ahead. If you know you're going to be traveling, and passing through a toll booth, as you hand the guy your $1.25, hand him a package of life savers with a smile and tell him to enjoy. Or be kind to the guy behind you, and pay his way. Five minutes later when he catches up with you, you'll get a nice smile and a wave from him as he thanks you. Now there's a warm fuzzy for you.  There are so many ways in which you can be the highlight of someone's day. 

• If you're headed to the grocery store, call your neighbor to see if they need anything.
• Be extra generous with a tip when you've experience good service.
• If you're making zucchini bread, make an extra batch and share it with someone.
• Put a coin in an expired parking meter.
• Buy donuts for your co-workers.

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."

-Albert Schweitzer

You're it!

Be someone's highlight today!

Cover me. I'm going in! . . . .

I had the pleasure of sitting on the beach yesterday with one of my favorite people, my sister-in-law. We were talking about getting things done and why it is harder for some more than others. First of all, let me tell you, she rocks. She has 3 children, 10 & under, and is pregnant with her 4th. She's extremely busy, but this is one woman who can get stuff done. I know when my kids were home, I too was able to juggle more than my share of daily tasks. So why is it, now that I have all the time in the world, that it seems to be harder to organize my time? I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that.....I tell myself that if I don't get it done today, I will have the time tomorrow. But this task is wearing on me. William James once said, "Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task." And this is one task that I want behind me. It's time to purge my closets! No big deal, right? Get in and get it done. But I find myself walking in, and walking out. Several weeks ago I wrote a post about owning it, and this is one project I need to own. No one's going to do it for me, and I can already feel the exhilaration of having it behind me. That is, by far, the biggest reward.  Do you have a project looming over you that you've been procrastinating about? Remind yourself of the wonderful feeling of having it complete, and just do it. So cover me......I'm going in!!

"Procrastination is, hands down, 

our favorite form of self-sabotage."

-Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby

That wonderful motivator . . . .

I have posted many times on this blog about facing your fears, and have even referred to the phrase 'no fear' many times, but we all know that having some fear in your life is a huge motivator! In business, when you fear your competition, it motivates you to work harder, build a better team, or provide better customer service. In life, fear can protect us from danger. It makes us more aware of our surroundings, keeps us on our toes, and hopefully helps us make smarter decisions. So when I talk about 'no fear', I am referring to that wonderful motivator that will force you to get out of your box. Unfortunately, it is so easy to get stuck in that box! We develop habits that prevent us from moving forward....trying new things....or taking reasonable risks. When you let fear suffocate you, it can prevent you from making any changes in your life. Don't forget.....life is meant for you to experience it! It is there for YOU! Use those pesky fears as your motivator! Allow them to move you forward, not hold you back!

"The greatest mistake you can make in life

is to be continually fearing

you will make one."

-Elbert Hubbard

Happy Monday!

Make it a great week!

Happy Friday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Fake it 'til you make it . . . .

Celebrities always look so confident, don't they? I have so often read articles in which many of them confess that they do not feel as confident as they seem. We all suffer from low self confidence from time to time. There will always be days when we are just not feeling it. But it truly is all in our minds. It's about the way we perceive ourselves, and the ability to feel it lies essentially in our own hands. How cool is that? If you see yourself as an attractive person who is capable and energetic, others will see you the same way.

Believe in your abilities! Give yourself credit for what you do. The more you value that, the more you will build self-assurance in what you have to offer. 

Be grateful! At the end of every day, write down three things that you are grateful for, and make it a habit to appreciate life! Being grateful churns out happiness, which leads to a more confident person.

Take care of yourself! If you look good, you'll feel good. Period.

Fake it 'til you make it! If you act like a confident person, you are more likely to become that person. Positive self-talk will help you build the self confidence that you yearn for. Stop criticizing yourself. Remind yourself that you are beautiful and talented until you believe it. 

"No one can make you feel inferior 

without your consent."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

For what it's worth . . . .

It's never too late to be whatever you want to be. There's no time limit; stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

-Benjamin Button, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Trusting your instincts . . . .

As I was returning home on the plane yesterday, I was reading several articles about Intuition in the August issue of O Magazine---the topic in which Oprah dedicates this issue to. I understand that "gut feeling" that she refers to; the one we have when we are trying to make a decision about something; and the knowing that you really should listen to those feelings. But I wonder just how much we really listen to that inner voice. Do we brush away those feelings all too often? One article begins by saying, "Someone is trying to tell you something, and that someone is you. Your Intuition is the wisest adviser you'll ever have, and what it says---about what you should do, what you should not do, and how you should live your life---can change everything." Do you hear that voice? Or better yet, do you listen to it? It says, "It's not always easy to hear your inner voice---especially when a certain louder, pushier, and seemingly more sensible presence wants to drown it out." That's the hard part.....when we ignore our gut and go with the pushier voice! You then later realize that you made the wrong decision.....asking yourself, Why didn't I trust my gut? If you haven't read any of these articles, trust me, grab a copy of this issue! It's one decision you won't regret. You'll find lots of great advice on how to go about listening more often...... 

• Wisdom is sensory, not verbal. When something's wrong for you, you'll feel constriction and tightness. The wise choice leads to feelings of liberation, even exhilaration.
• When you feel your body begin to let go of tension, you know you're headed in a wise direction.
• Intuition is more like a muscle. You develop it the more you use it.

"So next time you don't know what to do, 

do nothing. 

Get quiet so you can hear the still, small voice---

your inner GPS guiding you to true North." 

-Oprah Winfrey


Photo via Sunday in Bed

Enjoying the journey . . . .

Today is the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun for me! It's my birthday and I plan on enjoying the ride! We are all very good about sending happy birthday wishes to others, but I can't think of any reason why we wouldn't want to do the same for ourselves! Today I have taken a moment to think about all the things I wish for myself, and what a perfect day to remind myself of  those wishes. What do you wish for yourself? 

May you always follow your passion. Never stop striving to remain healthy. May you always find a way to make others happier. Never stop believing that life is oh-so-good. May you always feel loved. Never stop smiling on the inside. May you always believe in yourself, and remember to Enjoy the ride.

"The more you praise

and celebrate your life,

the more there is in life to celebrate."

-Oprah Winfrey

"Weekends do not count unless 

you spend them doing

something completely pointless."

-Bill Watterson

Happy Friday, my friends!

Show 'em what you've got! . . . .

I hate to break it to you, but people aren't always really happy for you when you succeed. Please don't let them control you with jealousy. If you let them, they will define you in a way that is convenient and nonthreatening for them,..... which is completely unfair, don't you think? Don't let them dampen your spirit or your passion just because it works for them! You are alive for a special reason and that reason is to be the best that you can be. Do not allow anyone to take that responsibility from you, especially not for the sake of their own comfort. When you were a child, you couldn't stand up for your own authenticity, but you sure can now! The real you is set apart by all that is within you...... confidence, hope, optimism, joy and purpose. Show 'em what you've got!....... Rawr!

"Jealousy springs more from love of self 
than from love of another." 


-Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Whatever it is you're facing today that has you apprehensive, I wish you strength & courage. May you have the audacity to approach it with the fearlessness that is deep within you. Remember......Own it! 

xo, Connie

"They can't hurt you unless you let them."

-Unknown