Great Reminder

I love this story and thought it was something to share that shows the different views on life.  Tap into your strengths and live your life with intention!

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Are you Coffee?

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hardboiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I?

Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain.. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Diets are OUT!

Here we are 25 days into the New Year.  You decided to go on a diet for your resolution.  How are you doing so far?  I wonder how many people have let their "resolutions" go already.  It does take dedication and focus but aren't you worth it?  You do so much for others but forget the most important person, YOU.  And another thing... did you noticed that the word diet has the word DIE in it?  Definitely not my kind of healthy.

I am on the journey back to wellness myself; trying to tone myself back up and change my eating habits as it had gone to the wayside over the years.  As I research ideas and thoughts on the Net, I come across a lot of interesting tips and tricks to get help with becoming and staying healthy.  I thought I would share my findings with you as you go on your journey to well being with me.

Everyone has voices that run in their heads, from the time they were born to where they are now in their lives.  They have been told what to do, how to be, how to look and where they should go in life by family, friends, teachers, everyone.  In order to get on your own path, you need to quiet those voices and find your own way.  The question becomes, how do I do that?  You need to realize those voices for what they are... old, broken records that do nothing to help you now.  You have kept them playing too long and now is the time to stop them.  Start by having something written by your bed that is positive about you.  When you wake up, take the time to really stretch your body instead of jumping out of bed.  Stretch your arms; your legs; your body.  While laying there, pick up the paper and read it to yourself a few times.  Then hop out of bed and start your day.   You will find that over time, your attitude changes and you start to feel different about yourself and your abilities.

Self-criticism is not good especially if you continue to reiterate it inside your head.  You need to change the message to be positive and stop the negative.  Messages such as:  "I am unique."  "I am special."  "I am a gift to the world."  "I am connected to all and all is connected to me."  "What I do is for me and for my well being."  Keep repeating and eventually, you will believe it and it turns you around.

One thing most people do when things get tough, is quit.  Why? Stop doing that to yourself.  Instead of quitting, why not try substituting instead.  Find a hobby that keeps you busy instead of eating.  Find things to do that keep you active an hour a day.  Laugh more.  Dance more.  Sing more.  Do anything more but keep active.  Heck, pick up a steamy romance and read that, rather than eat.  Over the years, we have learned to stop listening to our bodies and eat when we are bored.  Purposely replace your three meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner with 5-6 smaller meals every 3 hours.  You will find that your body burns it faster and you have more energy throughout the day.  Make sure to eat healthy foods more often than processed or fast foods.  More blogs to come on that topic.

One last thing... I have bad news, peeps.  You are not perfect.  There!  I said it.  I mean, come on... no one is.

We waste time stressing over trying to be perfect when that will never happen.  Why not use that time more constructively and be a better version of you each day?

Say you started your lifestyle change with your weight and in the last couple weeks you lost some weight.  Celebrate your loss by finding something to do that is special and memorable for you.  Buy a really nice calendar and write great messages to yourself on it when you accomplish a small triumph.  Start a journal and write how you feel to get the negative out and write a lot of positive thoughts so you can read and re-read to youself.  Perhaps you can buy a charm bracelet and every time you lose a specific amount of weight, buy a new charm to add to it.  It is not only pretty but when you get to your goal, you have a pretty bracelet that reminds you of your accomplishments.  Mind you, this might not be a good idea for the guys but you never know!  LOL

However you decide to make healthy lifestyle changes, be positive, make good choices and be well.  Having people around you that are positive and supportive, no matter what you are doing is a huge boost and definitely impacts you in a positive way.  Most important is to be sure you include doctor visits to be aware you are on the right track and have no other health issues.

With gratitude, love and laughter...

Wish Upon a Star

'When you wish upon a star; makes no difference who you are...' that is how that song starts and it has been a favorite of mine since my childhood.  Have you ever whispered a good wish when you were young and then one day, without pursuing it, it came true?

As children, we didn't make goals like adults do but we held secret wishes inside of us that we whispered into our pillow, whispered into the ear of our best friend or looked at a star and said out loud or inside our heads if people where around; 'star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, wish upon the star so bright.'  Such innocence in the simple verse and gesture.  We thought it, believed it would happen and recited our wish.  But the important part was that we were able to just let it go because as children, we just knew it will happen.  We just believed.  To our delight, without any work, it comes true.

Now as adults, we make goals.  Goals that are written down; where we formulate a plan of attack and figure out how we will put action to it to get is done.  Making goals can be hard work sometimes but in the end, it is worth it because of how we feel accomplishing something and completing a goal.

Wishes, on the other hand, are just pure thoughts.  Nothing to write down, no plans to formulate and no action needed to make it happen.  We just think it, believe it, say it and let it go.  It seems silly making a wish as an adult but somehow when we do it, it takes us back to our childhood and makes us feel younger without the every day stresses.  There is magic in how it plays out and it reminds us that sometimes, when we make a wish, it does come true.

I think we need to get back to the simple things like making wishes.  It brings the magic back into your life and takes us back to those carefree days.  What is wrong with that?  So next time you see the first star of the night or you are in front of your birthday cake with all those candles, stop and close your eyes,  make a wish you really feel, believe it will happen, then let it go out into the realm of magic and see it come true.

Hearing The Call

We give a lot of thought to decisions that we have made or make in our lives, wondering if we are in the right place, the right job or with the right person.  How do you come to the right answers for those questions?  Do you talk to your friends and bang it out with them, listing the pros and cons?  Or do you allow yourself to sit and listen to what is inside of you and hear what is being said from your inner voice, your soul?

Recently, a friend said he wanted to move to California from Connecticut and I thought, why would he want to do that?  I want to move back to Connecticut from California.  So that got me thinking... I like California but I love and miss being in Connecticut.  I feel a pull there.  Not sure where it comes or why but I feel it every day.  Every year, I make it a point to go out and visit a couple times, to just be there.  And I realized that is what he feels for California and he made the decision to come out here.  Good for him and welcome!

He explained that he gave some thought to it and just thinking of it, it felt right.  When he made that announcement on his Facebook page, the amount of good tidings for his move seem to reinforce his decision as if the Universe was agreeing with his inner voice.  Of course, there will be people who will miss him but because it is a good decision, they are happy for him.

I think it is time for people to get right with themselves.  Listen to what is being said inside and make the choices to move, change or just re-align with what is right for them.  We have to live this life, might as well be the right way, the right place and the right timing.

My suggestion is that you take some time to meditate on what you want, forming a question and asking your inner voice for guidance.  Eventually, the answer will come forth and you will get reinforcements (signs) for your decision.  It may be by a thought that pops into your head unexpectedly; a sign from the Universe while you are going about your day.  Stop and hear the call so you know that you are headed in the right direction for you.

Getting YOU Ready for Change

It's Sunday, we are coming out of our holiday coma and vacation is pretty much over.  Ok... breathe in deep and slow through your nose... then hold for a count of five... now release it slowly through your mouth.  Ahhhh... feel better?

You're probably sitting on your couch, watching football and thinking about tomorrow.  Back to the grindstone... Right?  Hey, sound a little more enthusiastic!  Maybe changing your attitude will change how you feel going back to work.  I know for some of us, we like what we do for a living, so we look forward to going back but I know that for most, it is just something you have to do to pay the bills.

So, what is going to change this year to be different?  To grab your passion?  To make life more fun?  Have you made that list of goals or dreams to attain this year?  For the next 5 years?  Even the next 10 years?  Yeah, yeah, I know, far fetched but why not?.  Even though it is good to live in the moment, it is also good to look forward to what is coming or decide where you want to go and what you want to be.

If you have your list ready to go and want some help, guidance or just a remnder, contact my friend, Mike Eck, of Super Hero Revolution, who is giving you a chance to send him a list of your goals within the 6 key life areas of Spiritual, Mental, Relational, Physical, Financial and Career and he will act as your mentor to keep you on track as well as give you some guidance to where you could possibly make some changes.  Best deal to start your year!

Another friend is explaining the Six Keys to Manifestation in one's life and will detail each step for you to use in your life which I think you will find it interesting.  Check out Dallas Cyr's blog at Passion4Change and continue to check back as he posts updates.

I have given you some good leads to get your life on track and both of my friends are serious in wanting to help people to become the best they can.  They life their words so it is not just them talking a good talk, but really showing their passion for wanting to make a change in the world.

I hope that you take time to think seriously where you want to be and what you want to be doing, get your list of goals/dreams together and start to live that life you so dream of.  Make it happen and make is happen today!

Getting Unstuck

Happy New Year!  Here we are at the end of another year as well as another decade.  A time when we look at the future with new eyes and see the potential in our lives.  Time to wipe the slate clean and start all over, so to speak.  Are you ready to make those changes you have been thinking about for years?  What stops you?  Do you quiet that inner voice inside of you when it tells you to break free and reach for your dreams?

I got thinking about this and wondered if others were thinking they were stuck as I was but also not sure how to make the change or get out of the rut they are in.  Honestly, it is baby steps... but YOU have to take that first step.  Once you take the first step, the next one gets easier until you have a good stride going.

I thought about where I want to be in the next decade and how I want my life to look like.  I don't necessarily need to be a millionaire.  I know, I know... it is everyone's dream but why?  Living comfortably and being able to travel a bit while you work is nice, too.

The expectations of how you look if you own a house, drive a nice, expensive sports car and wearing designer clothes is what society dishes out and people fall into it.  With that comes the huge credit debt that people cannot handle and then where are they.  Stuck in that rut again.

Me?  I am comfortable in jeans, shirt and my Uggs boots.  Don't get me wrong.  I love going out on the town, dressed to the nine and having a good time but that is not me every day.  But I concede that it might be your dreams and that is good, too.  But the question is, what are you doing to get that dream?

Seriously... think of the day you will die.  Lying in a bed, surrounded by loved ones... what will be your last thought?  What life movie will go through your head as you slowly fall asleep in this world?  Will you look back and think you didn't do a thing in life that was fun, exciting or just adventurous?  Will you think you didn't travel enough or didn't finish school the way you wanted?  Will you think back and wonder why you didn't take a risk and fully live?  Living fully doesn't mean that you have to make a huge difference in the world... but if you do, even better.  What it means is that on that last day, you can smile and say, you did all that you wanted and are at peace within yourself.  You have no regrets about what you did and where you are.

So now, let's focus on you being stuck... what to do?  Well, first of all, what DO you WANT in your life?  Write themdown.  Prioritize them.  Make a plan on how you will attain each goal or dream.  Decide which one you can do now and ones that will take longer.  Now at this point, think to that day in a bed and what you want to see in your mind's eye.  Believe.  Have faith.  Focus on the dreams.  Be determine that you will get there and attain them.

Don't tell the world about it but share it with a friend or two or even better, with a mentor who can guide you or at the very least, cheer you on.  And big thing here... celebrate the small steps that you have accomplished.

Life is beautiful and how you live it decides how your life movie will look at the end.  Don't let petty things get you down.  That is not to say to discard your responsibilities like paying your bills or going to work but when you have attained one goal, your perseption changes and you start to move closer to the next one, then the next one until you realize, it is time to make more goals and dreams because you finished the ones on your list and you look back and realize how much you have done in your life at the point.

Keep your heart light.  Keep an open mind.  Let the bad in as well as the good as it has something to teach you.  Think of all that was accomplished thus far and know that you can do it.  Give yourself reasons why you CAN do it, not reason why you CAN'T.

With that said, I wish you a joyful new year filled with fun times, laughter, unconditional love, compassion, goals and dreams galore.