"What a grand thing

to be loved! 

What a grander thing still,

to love!"

-Victor Hugo

Next time you're stressed . . . .

....take a step back, inhale and laugh.

Remember who you are and why you're here.

You're never given anything in this world

you can't handle.

Be strong, be flexible, love yourself,

and love others.

Always remember,

just keep moving forward.

27 years . . . .

"A long marriage is two people 

trying to dance a duet 

and two solos at the same time."

-Anne Taylor Fleming

Happy Anniversary to my husband.

Thank you for the dance.

xo

You are beautiful already . . . .

"To the people who love you, you are beautiful already. This is not because they're blind to your shortcomings but because they so clearly see your soul. Your shortcomings then dim by comparison. The people who care about you are willing to let you be imperfect and beautiful, too."

-Victoria Moran


Photo by Alexander Benz

Photo via Sunday in Bed

Love what you do . . . .

Loving what you do isn't about having the perfect job, the best home, or the smartest kids. And it's not about having a life without problems. In fact, it's not about having it all. It's about doing. When you focus on what you do and not on what you have, you do it better, you have more fun, make a difference, touch more lives, and feel a sense of fulfillment that only doing can give you. The greatest irony, however, is that life becomes easier when you're having fun. This doesn't mean you have to learn to enjoy what you're doing. Things change, and so might what you decide to do from time to time. But it does mean that wherever you are today, you can start focusing on the doing and have fun making a difference in the lives that you touch.

-From the book Choose Them Wisely

"When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, the circle of Creation is completed inside us, the doors of our souls fly open and love steps forth to heal everything in sight."

-Michael Bridge


Happy Friday!
Have a lovely weekend!
Photo via .la douleur exquise.

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

Photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat

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

A little etsy ♥ . . . .

I am loving the work of this graphic designer that I discovered on etsy.com.  Please allow me to introduce Susana Parada, the artist behind Parada Creations. She states in her profile that she believes that every single person should have one piece of art in their home that makes them smile. I would say it is fairly easy to find one in her collection..........

And everybody needs a a little extra Love! 

(in 35 languages)..........................

Great work, Susana!

From Brooklyn with love . . . .

I came across this sweet video clip via VSL (Very Short List), which is a collection of distinct, free, must-see, one gem-a-day e-mails. VSL writes.....watch Danny & Annie, an animated web video about an elderly couple from Brooklyn that will, in five minutes, show you true love (and possibly make you cry).

Just watch . . . .

Happy Friday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Via Notes from the Universe

Photo via Melanie Acevedo

Via Notes from the Universe

What signals are you sending? . . . .

Imagine that all your actions, including the comments that you make, are like drops of water falling into a pond. The ripples they make represent the signals that you send out to the people around you. As the waves hit the bank they turn and come back toward you. Most of the time, by sending out goodness, we can expect goodness to come back to us. I understand that this doesn't happen 100% of the time. We will always encounter those who choose to keep their best behavior to themselves. But I have found that if you live your life this way, the rewards are much greater than you expect.

If our thoughts are dark and our view of life is bleak, only the dark and the bleak will find us. Make a point of focusing your mind on positive thoughts. View your life as full and rich. Learn to trust and love all that you have and all that you are. It is then that the waves of goodness will come splashing back and shower you with the warmth and love that you desire.

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

-Mother Teresa

No regrets . . . .

Photo via Banana Republic

Graphic by beverly.13's via flickr

Give good . . . .

Happy Friday!

Have an incredible weekend!

Photo via Google Images 

You will know when you've been touched by a beautiful soul. . . .

I recently read someone's description of a beautiful soul.  I loved it, and wanted to share. . . . "A beautiful soul comes with a beautiful mind. It is someone that is selfless, compassionate, genuine and pure. Their inner beauty shines, and you feel comfort and warmth in their presence. When you have been touched by a beautiful soul, you will know....they will be the one that you will always remember, with much fondness, love and admiration." Isn't that beautiful? I have a friend with a beautiful soul, and that, to me, is an absolutely perfect description. It is my hope that you too, are blessed to have someone who's soul touches yours.

"Your own soul is nourished

when you are kind;

it is destroyed 
when you are cruel."

-King Soloman

Photo by Alexa Singer 

LovethisLife...

LovethisLife...

is about celebrating the moment

and that we're not guaranteed or owed another day

and how cool it is that what we hide

can actually be the fuel towards our glory

and that it's not so bad being proven wrong

LovethisLife...

is about welcoming the blind turn

and the possibility

that there's no such thing as coincidence

and that empathy is incredibly sexy

and that it's never too late

to pick up a guitar or a paintbrush

or to make an amend or to make a new friend

LovethisLife...

could be about rekindling a past flame

or igniting a new one

or shapeshifting from a dreamer into a doer

or savouring the caress of a love long gone

LovethisLife...

means whatever it is you want it to mean

because

LovethisLife...

is a celebration of you and your path

LovethisLife...

'cuz it could go at any second

you rock.

-David Culiner

-Photo via One Eyeland

Give the world your best . . .

Photo via Lerkenfeldt Photography