Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you know the silence when you haven't the answer to a question you've been asked, or the hush of a country road at night, or the expectant pause of a room full of people when someone is just about to speak, or most beautiful of all, the moment after the door closes and you're alone in the whole house? Each one is different, you know, and all very beautiful if you listen carefully.

-Norton Juster

"Silences make the

real conversations between friends.

Not the saying

but the never needing to say 

is what counts."

-Margaret Lee Runbeck

Keep your eyes peeled . . . .

How would paradise look to you? Would there be lots of smiles and laughter, abundance and plenty, kindness and thanksgiving, peace and goodwill, health and harmony, love and joy? Would there be a worry in sight? Did you notice that all of those elements, every singe one of them, exist on earth, here and now? Moreover, is there a single thing in that list that hasn't, at one point or another, existed in your life and times? There's no denying it; at some point in your life you've touched paradise. And chances are just as good, if you keep your eyes peeled as this week unfolds, you'll notice that you're there right now.

This is as good as it gets. 

You make the difference.

Via Mike Dooley


Photo by
Joanna Blusiewicz

Happy Friday!

(Choose to look closer this weekend!)

xo

Are you always running late? . . . .

You know you need to be somewhere in an hour, but you always end up losing track of time, often because you think you can squeeze in one more thing before you leave. It never fails. It took you longer than you thought it would, traffic's bad, and now you're late. Aaargh! It's such a common stressor! 

It is always my intention to be on time; early as a matter of fact, but it doesn't always work out that way. It helps when I put myself in the shoes of the person I'm meeting. I imagine how they feel, sitting there waiting for me. I know their time is just as important as mine, so I don't want to seem disrespectful. Not to mention that it may look as if you're completely unorganized. If you're habitually late, it can even make you look selfish, and can begin to damage your relationships. Now, with the luxury of texting, do we feel like we're off the hook if we can send a quick note saying we're on our way? It's true that it can relieve a little bit of anxiousness, but for me, I can still feel my heart rate begin to rise when I can't be there on time.

We live in a busy society....that's no secret, but I'm thinking we're just overbooked! Instead of scheduling 10 things a day.....try 8. Remind yourself of the reality of just how much you can truly get done.......productively. Allow more "in-between" space when scheduling your day. Assume everything will take longer than planned, because most likely, it will. Give it a try. You may even be early for a change! You'll be able to catch your breath, and that's always an awesome feeling!

"How did it get so late so soon?"

-Dr. Seuss

What is it about New Year's resolutions that cause people to discard them so quickly? Is it because they feel it's just another promise they make to themselves that they know will be broken by the time March rolls around? It's so self-defeating to think of them that way! I came across a quote recently that said, "A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other." Oh my goodness, that is SO true for SO many. I've already noticed that the gym isn't quite as busy as it was on January 2nd! But it doesn't have to be that way! I have a sign that I keep in my sight that says, "Do something today that your future self will thank you for." I love that! That is such a huge motivator for me because I KNOW that "that future" will be here before I know it! You have to at least BEGIN to do something differently if you want change in your life. How can your life be better a year from now if you don't even get started? Doing nothing is the easy route. Do you come home tired every night and end up on the sofa? Don't do that! Starting today, don't do that! As someone who exercises a minimum of 5 days a week, I too am often tired when I begin my workout, but I promise, it doesn't take long before I am feeling so much better, completely energized, and mentally stimulated. Require more of yourself! This much I know.......nobody's going to do it for you. Be accountable for the decisions you make every day. Dr. Phil McGraw says....."Starting now, begin each and every day of your life with the question: 'What can I do today to make my life better?' Ask it, answer it, and then do it, every day."

If you continue to do what you've always done,

you will continue to have what you've always had.

If you do different,

you will have different.

Happy Friday!

Have an awesome weekend! 

I believe in you . . . .

Those 4 words are such a gift! It is the best way to let someone know you're pulling for them, you're proud of them, and you believe in them! It is a treasured expression of faith and confidence in the human spirit. Spoken softly and sincerely from the heart, those four words or their equivalent have probably sparked more dreams, ideas, and discoveries......awakened more artists, inventors, and leaders.....united more friends, families, and colleagues....and inspired more companies, communities, and countries than any others. Each of us knows how it feels to dream and to doubt.  Stephen Crane once wrote, "Our doubts are our prison guards." What a gift to be able to release someone from the confines of doubt, and to give them hope! 


Someone saw something in you once. Whoever it was had the wisdom and foresight to see your potential, to bet on your future, to catch hold of your dream. In the game of life, maybe we should always be strong enough and sure enough to go it alone. Maybe it shouldn't matter whether someone else believes in us or not, but it does. There will always be lots of experts who can give us all the reasons why we shouldn't, we won't or we can't. That's why we cherish those rare individuals who are there to remind us why we should, why we will, why we can.

From the book

I Believe in You

by Dan Zadra

"People must believe in each other,

and feel that it can be done

and must be done; 

in that way we are enormously strong.

We must keep up each other's courage."

-Vincent van Gogh

"Foolish, selfish people are always thinking of themselves and the result is always negative. Wise persons think of others, helping them as much as they can, and the result is happiness. Love and compassion are beneficial both for you and others. Through your kindness to others, your mind and heart will open to peace."

-Dalai Lama

So.....

what are you waiting for?

What's your rush? . . . .

End-of-the-day questions . . . .

Asking ourselves questions and answering them honestly is something we can all do to understand ourselves better, and to help us realize that we can do SOMETHING every day to make the world a better place. But sometimes we get all wrapped up in our own little world.....walking through our day with blinders on. It doesn't take a lot. Asking ourselves these simple questions can help bring awareness as to how we are spending our day. Are we doing what we can to be kind? To forgive? To try a little harder? Below is a quiz from Dr. Leo Buscaglia's book Born for Love that will help point out ways in which you can show more love to others. Remember, you can re-take this quiz any time. This is one quiz you can never fail!

Is anyone a little happier because I came along today?

Yes___ No___

Did I leave any concrete evidence of my kindness, any sign of my love?

Yes___ No___

Did I try to think of someone I know in a more positive light?

Yes___ No___

Did I help someone to feel joy, to laugh, or at least, to smile?

Yes___ No___

Have I attempted to remove a little of that rust that is corroding my relationships?

Yes___ No___

Have I gone through the day without fretting over what I don't have and celebrating the things I do have?

Yes___ No___

Have I forgiven others for being less than perfect?

Yes___ No___

Have I forgiven myself?

Yes___ No___

Have I learned something new about life, living or love?

Yes___ No___

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."

-Leo F. Buscaglia

In life,

you can only ever be scared,

when you believe in limits.

You can only ever feel lonely,

when you stop doing things.

You can only ever become bored,

when you no longer follow your heart.

And you can only ever get overwhelmed,

when you think the illusions are real.

Whew!

Who knew it could be so easy

to get back on track!

Via Notes from The Universe

Too much stuff . . . .

I'm in the process of collecting winter coats right now for my favorite local charity, and as I'm cleaning out my closet, I'm asking myself, "how much stuff do we really need?" We tell ourselves that we might need it someday, but that "someday" never comes. I mean honestly, if we don't absolutely love it, or if it doesn't serve a purpose, why are we hanging on to these things? So I've made a decision. I'm going to spend the first quarter of 2012 getting rid of things in my home that I will no longer need "someday." 

So, I'm heading into my kitchen this weekend to get rid of any small appliances that I no longer use, all those plastic food containers, (I've switched to all glass anyway), pots, pans, dishes or cookbooks that are just sitting on the shelf. I mean, really.......I go online to search for recipes! I don't need all those cookbooks! 


I want to live lean and clean! I want to simplify, and I can feel my mind clearing already!

Are you overwhelmed with too much stuff? 

"The ability to simplify 
means to eliminate the unnecessary 
so that the necessary may speak."

-Hans Hofmann

It works! . . . .

I hope this doesn't sound corny.....

We all have grumpy days, right? I had a grumpy day yesterday. I can't even tell you why. I just woke up that way. I went to yoga, which was awesome as always, so I felt a bit better, but still wasn't feeling myself. After yoga, I hopped on my elliptical to get my cardio session in, turned on my favorite music, and (okay, here's the corny part), I reached as deep as I could and mustered up the biggest smile. My elliptical is surrounded by mirrors, so I looked in the mirror, and smiled. Not just a grin, but a huge, happy, ear-to-ear smile. The more I smiled the happier I got! I could feel my whole outlook changing. My self-inflicted misery disappeared! I ended up laughing at my grumpiness, asking myself...."what's your problem? Get over it!" What a difference it made in my entire outlook, and the rest of my day.  I apologize if that sounds corny, but it works. I promise.....it really works!

......and it feels good too!

"Sometimes your joy is 

the source of your smile,

but sometimes your smile 

can be the source of your joy."

-Thich Nhat Hanh