Category: Life

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Life

It’s Okay

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It’s okay to be afraid

Of the things we don’t understand.

It’s okay to feel anxious

When things aren’t working our way.

It’s okay to feel lonely…

Even when you’re with other people.

It’s okay to feel unfulfilled

Because you know something is missing.

It’s okay to think and worry and cry.

It’s okay to do

Whatever you have to do, but

Just remember, too…

That eventually you’re going to

Adjust to the changes life brings your way,

And you’ll realize that

It’s okay to love again and laugh again,

And it’s okay to get to the point where

The life you live

Is full and satisfying and good to you…

And it will be that way

Because you make it that way.

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Categories
Life

Love Sweet Love

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Let Love Shine Here, There and Everywhere

What the world needs now

Is love, sweet love –

It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.

What the world needs now Is love, sweet love

No, not just for some, but for everyone.

Look, we don’t need another mountain

There are oceans and rivers, enough to cross, enough to last

Until the end of time.

Lord we don’t need another meadow

There are corn fields and wheat fields enough to grow.

There are sun beams and moon beams enough to shine

This I know, if you want to know.

What the world needs now

Is love, sweet love

It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of

What the world needs now Is love, sweet love

No, not just for some, just for everyone

It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of

What the world needs now Is love, sweet love

No, not just for some, but for everyone.

(From ” What the World Needs Now”  Lyrics by Hal David, Music by Burt Bacharach)

Consider what you are doing to show love where you are.  Think of the difference your life is making at this very moment that can shine a light on others.  Be a source of support, compassion and acceptance. It just takes one person at a time…one thought at a time…one action at a time to create momentum.   May our collective consciousness be a source for abundant love.

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Entrepreneurs Life Professional Development

Action Over Intention

Woman In Shopping Mall Using Mobile Phone

Do these statements sound familiar? “I meant to call you.” “I intended to finish the project before the weekend.” “I’m sorry I forgot your birthday.” I had every intention of being on time.” “I’ve been wanting to take a class, write a book or volunteer.” The truth is we all mean well. The reality is even the most sincere intention has no value without action. The world is full of dreamers. It lacks doers. Intentions are a barometer of what is possible. Actions are putting your intentions in motion. Action, not intention, creates results. The expression, “Action speaks louder than words” is familiar to all of us because it’s so true. Telling me you’re going to do something and not carrying it out is intention, not action.

We measure someone’s character not by what they say, but rather by what they do. Action, on the other hand, always brings results. Results are measurable. Our lives are shaped by what we do consistently. Think of those times you put your dreams into action. How did you feel? Many people don’t actually do what they know needs to be done. Every time you put momentum behind your plan you are already ahead of the crowd! We learn by doing. It’s easy to sit up and observe what’s happening. What’s difficult is getting up and taking action. The stronger your conviction, the stronger your action.

For any intention to become a reality it has to be launched into orbit. To get ahead you have to get started. While the majority of people have ideas; only a minority do something about them. Thinking about what you want to do or hoping something will happen, gets you nowhere. If you don’t make things happen, things will happen to you anyway -without your consent. What have you intended to follow through on? What have you told yourself you were going to do but neglected to implement? What keeps you from moving forward? Every action is a step that will increase your strength, your skill and your confidence.

Getting started has its own reward; action energizes. It strengthens one’s resolve to do more. Putting your thoughts into action requires focus and determination. Begin where you are and go where you want to be. Implement a plan and get started. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Do what you’d rather not do to prepare for what you want. Choose performance over promise; choose action over intention. There is no better time than right now.

What is your plan?

Categories
Life

Tomorrow Starts Now

Close-up Of Businesswoman Writing Schedule In Calendar Diary

In a moment of brilliance (at least, I thought so) I got to thinking about how every minute, every thought and action collectively creates tomorrow!  There really isn’t a break in time from one moment to the next.  Life is a continuous cycle.  Man created a ‘calendar’ with its defining segments so we can keep track.  Reality is, however, that our week, for example, doesn’t actually ‘stop’ at midnight on Saturday evening and ‘resume’ a moment later with a new day we label Sunday!

What are you doing now (aside from reading this blog)?  What are you thinking?  What is your plan for the day?  What action(s) are you intending as today’s hours pass by?  If you accept that, in fact, the tomorrow you face is actually the result of what is going on in your life, you just might consider the consequences of everything you think and do.

For example.  Are you honoring your commitments?  Are you taking care of your health?  Are you valuing your relationships?  Are you serving others?  Are you living in integrity?  Do you believe you make a difference?  If your answers to these questions fill your heart with joy and well being, then you are truly insuring that tomorrow will bring you even more fulfillment.

What does it take to insure that your ‘tomorrow’ is what you want it to be?  Live with the end in mind.  Know who you are.  Know what you want.  Be willing to do the work to get the results you deserve.  Life is a gift.  It’s not an accident.  We didn’t create it.  We got it for free.  The question is this.  How much do you really value the gift of life?  What can you do now and in the days ahead to insure your life plays out with overflowing gratitude?  Be blessed.  Bless others.  You are worthy of amazing tomorrows.  It really is in your hands.  Be all you can be!

I welcome your comments, feedback.  Do you have a different spin on this?  Share it in the comments below!

 

Categories
Life

Ten Ways to Empower Your Soul

Beautiful fit woman in bikini and bright shorts sitting on sandy beach with eyes closed enjoying harmony of sea and sunlight.

In 1999, (20 years ago!) a friend gave me a gift – the following booklet on empowering one’s soul.  I recently came across it and thought you, too, would appreciate this simple wisdom.. Sometimes, even the basic lessons of life can have the most profound effect.  Consider beginning today to enhance and enrich your life and the lives of those you touch.

Ten Ways to Empower Your Soul by The Himalayan Institute

One:  Simplify!  Simplify! Overcome by clutter?  Overweight? Mind and senses on overload?  Uncomplicate your life by remembering this simple adage:  “Less is more.” Drop the unnecessary and nonessential. Avoid gossip, useless clutter, overindulgence.  Cultivate cheerfulness, neatness and a positive attitude. Dress simply, eat simply and practice simplicity in thought, speech and action.  Simplify, simplify as you seek a higher purpose in life.

TWO: Choose a Direction – Racing from one commitment to another, over-scheduling, trying out one self-improvement method after another, can leave you tired, confused and unsure of what to do next.  It’s time to decide what’s important. Slow down! Let your mind become clear as you refocus your intentions. Make conscious choices. Always choose the best possible option. Be unwavering as you choose a direction for your spiritual and worldly life and let life’s distractions pass you by.

THREE: Transcend the Ordinary. If your life lacks spontaneity and surprise, your zest for life has probably fizzled.  Unleash the power of your imagination! Walk down a different street. Transform frustration by cultivating patience and kindness.  Smile at a stranger. Experience the world with a beginner’s mind. Remember that life is a gift and enjoy each moment.

FOUR:  See the Light.  Do you feel like you’re existing rather than living?  On the brink of boredom? Expand your inner and outer vision to look for beauty and delight in yourself and the world.  Choose to be cheerful. Practice being positive. Share your energy by reaching out to help others. Respect and love yourself, your companions and your world.  Let your inner self shine and radiate light.

FIVE:  Meditate.  Mind full of scattered thoughts?  Feeling disconnected from your self?  Meditation is the answer. Give yourself a few minutes each day to sit quietly.  Calm the body and mind. Take notice as you become less affected by the turmoil of life.  Through meditation you can return again and again to the center of your being. Meditation gives you the best of life.  Love your practice. Doesn’t your spiritual life deserve a few minutes every day?

SIX:  Be Fearless.  When you’re full of anxiety and fear, be bold!   Watch your emotions and breathe deeply as you release tension, anxiety and fear and let them float away.  Without condemning yourself or others, correct your misstates and move on. Life in the present moment rather than in past of future thoughts.  Avoid procrastination – do what needs to be done at the moment it needs to be done. Become fearless and happy.

SEVEN:  Wake Up!  If you’re walking blindly through life and have tunnel vision, it’s time to wake up!  Our habits deplete or enhance vital, creative energy. Start now to cultivate good habits.  Practice breath awareness daily. Take a brisk walk to invigorate body and mind. Set aside time for relaxation.  Stretch. Laugh with your loved ones. Learn to see every moment as a chance for new and refreshing opportunities.

EIGHT:  Eat for Life.  We live in an overfed and under-exercised society.  A simple, balanced diet keeps us healthy. Choose whole foods.  Prepare them with love. Eat slowly. Chew food thoroughly. Take time to taste the food you’re eating.  Whenever possible, eat your main meal at noon and a light meal for dinner. Don’t eat between 7 pm and 7 am.  Give thanks for your food and your life.

NINE:  Keep Good Company.  Just as good food makes you healthy, good company makes you cheerful and uplifts your spirit.  The greatest blessing on the spiritual path is the company o fellow aspirants. Cultivate the friendship of those you aspire to emulate.  Keep good company to become good company.

TEN:  Be Flexible.  Backaches, headaches and indigestion can be signs of being stressed out and uptight.  Don’t sweat little things. Compromise when possible. Exercise your body – consider yoga, dance, hiking, bike riding, swimming.  Exercise your mind – read, reflect, expand. Watch your life change.

What speaks to you the most? How do you incorporate these principles into YOUR life?

Categories
Entrepreneurs Life

The Treasure of a Journey

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The following message is taped over my desk: It was given to me by a friend. “If you knew where the treasure is would you enjoy the journey as much, or, would you miss things along the way by focusing on the treasure?”

It’s been my experience that regardless of the outcome I anticipate, sometimes the fulfillment comes from implementing a plan rather than actually achieving the goal! Think about a time that you planned a surprise, arranged the details for a vacation, the years you were in college to earn a degree, overcame a job loss or spent weekends looking for the perfect home to purchase.

While every journey of value has its challenges, how meaningful would reaching the destination be if there were no stories or excitement related to the experience? A significant part of getting what you want is in the road taken to achieve it.

While intellectually this makes sense, if you are like me, I get impatient. When will my plans come together? How much longer must I wait to achieve the rewards I desire? Why is it that the closer I get to something I want, a challenge shows up creating a set back? Are road blocks treasures in disguise? Do we willingly learn life’s lessons or are the lessons we learn the result of our having to alter our course to reach our destination?

The reality is that there is no end to one’s journey. It simply continues day to day, as one experience follows another. The journey embraces the people who impact us, circumstances and changes we can’t control, the choices and decisions we make and the effect of those actions over time.

The road is comprised of trial and error, risks and opportunities, pleasure and disappointment. Through it all, we learn and grow as we move closer to our destination. I encourage you to be patient with yourself and the universe. Take time to experience your journey and enjoy the treasures along the way.

Categories
Life Professional Development

Happy New Year:  We All Need A 25 Hour Day!

Woman with clock over face on bright red background. Time concept

Why does time management continue to be an ongoing topic?  Why have literally hundreds of books and articles been written on the ‘how to’ of managing one’s time?  What will it take to finally come up with a working solution to the never ending struggle of getting everything we want to accomplish done in the time allotted? We all know the scenario – time for family, work, personal space, recreation, spirituality, community and so on.  We’ve all seen the pie graphically divided into pieces and regretfully acknowledged which pieces take up the greatest percentage of our lives and which need improvement. I suspect that were we to vote collectively, work would win hands down as to which part of the day consumes us the most.

As for me, there is no good news or revelation.  There’s nothing I’ve discovered to insure your success in having a balanced life or that you will stick to your priorities and feel better about the way your time is spent.  Of course, I can say to myself, “I’m determined to give more time to my family as they are my #1 priority.” Or, “No matter what, I’m exercising every day with no excuses.” The truth is, managing time is easy to say and difficult to achieve.  If it were easy, we wouldn’t need to dwell on finding solutions. Would an extra hour in the day really be the answer?  Not likely!

What can I possibly share with you to shed light on this topic?  Having tried a variety of different approaches over the years, the strategy that helps me the most is being  a ‘list person’. In order to complete what I want to accomplish daily, weekly and monthly, I write tasks down and check them off when finished.  My motto, “If you want something done, you have to do it or hire someone else!”  Not only does my list include everything related to work, I also identify work out days, time w/friends, family and time for myself By getting into the routine of writing commitments down, it quickly becomes obvious what is and isn’t getting done.

For me, this one step of writing plans down – ‘The List’ frees me up to focus what I need to.  You have to start somewhere. Otherwise, the circle never stops – no time – out of balance – stress – and everything else that gets in the way from being in control.  While we all could use an extra hour every day, the real issue is not more time, it’s time better spent. If you think making lists and delegating will help you be more productive, give either or both a try.  What have you got to lose when, in fact, you just might find the extra hour you so desperately need? It’s a New Year. Make finding that extra hour part of your resolutions. You never know the outcome unless you give it a try!

Categories
Life

Living Your Legacy

19670666 - grandmother with granddaughter sniffing yellow flowers in the park

Your legacy is the reflection of the impact you’ve had on the hearts you’ve touched  Your legacy is your life’s journey The only difference between each individual legacy is its circle of influence.

Have you ever given thought to YOUR legacy?  Do you lead your life with purpose and passion?  Perhaps you’re thinking that only ‘famous’, ‘well-known’ individuals leave their legacy at passing.  The truth is all of us are shaping our legacy as our lives unfold. We create our legacy through the way we show up in the world and how others remember us.  What you do on a consistent basis produces the compound effect that shapes your living legacy! I hope you find this encouraging. I hope you see this reality as a shift in both your thinking and in your behavior.  I hope you recognize how powerful you are and the difference you make. This concept – Living Your Legacy – is all about YOU. It always is and always will be. The way you live – the way you embrace relationships – that is what your legacy is today and will be throughout your lifetime and thereafter.

“Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said.  A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made.  Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die and when people look at that tree or that flower you planed, you’re there.  It doesn’t matter what you do, we said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that’s like you after you take your hands away.” Ray Bradbury

Sitting alone with my thoughts at my keyboard gave me ample time to reflect on not only the meaning of legacy, but also the indicators of its existence. One’s legacy doesn’t have to be big or wide. It doesn’t have to be global. Any individual who comes from a loving place has the opportunity to leave his or her legacy. Believe in yourself and know that you help shape the world by being you.

Categories
Life

There’s Always A Last Time

20560266 - beach travel - woman walking on sand beach leaving footprints in the sand. closeup detail of female feet and golden sand on kaanapali beach, maui, hawaii, usa.

At the end of August we pulled away from our underground parking space and our apartment home for 4 years, and headed South toward Tampa.  After 23+ years in Atlanta, Phil said the following: “Say goodbye to Atlanta”. My eyes filled with tears. We began our married life in Atlanta.  Prior to our move to Georgia, I had said, “Goodbye” to 30 years in suburban DC. There was, however, something about this particular farewell that really hit me hard.

I wish now that ‘Last Times’ would come with big signs that say, “This is the Last Time.”  Then we’d know to savor them no matter how inconsequential they might seem at the time. All of us experience last times. Yet, how many of us actually take moments to reflect, appreciate and hold onto those moments?  Instead of embracing and planting a vivid picture of a last time, if you’re like me, you’re rushing on. We think there will be a hundred other times, exactly like a particular one, so you keep moving rather than fixing the experience in your mind so you can vividly recall it again at a later date.

We think there’ll be other chances just like this one. Life is so busy with so many things to do that I think I’ll savor it next time, or maybe the time after that. How could I possibly know that this particular moment, this experience or this embrace wouldn’t recur again. No second chance, no revisiting what previously occurred.  It’s over and I missed it and it’s gone forever.

With this being the month of Thanksgiving and my birthday,  and as I get older (74 in just a few days), I look back and wish I could relive those days I could’ve said “I love you” more often, hugged tighter, acknowledged and appreciated with greater heart and captured the essence of any possible ‘Last Time’.  (If I had only known)

As I write this, we’ve just returned from a few days (never enough) visiting family in Hartford and Manhattan.  I hugged & kissed my mom (95+) tighter and more often than usual, expressed abundant gratitude for my family to several we visited during our stay and chose to let the time stand for something real by increasing my awareness.  Reality being what it is, I can’t know if I’ll see my mom again. I don’t know when I’ll get to hug my brothers, their families, my daughter or grandchildren again. I just don’t know and pray that this visit was not the last one.. ‘The Last Time’.

Consider the times you value with as much love as you can.  Remember to focus on and embrace important moments. Consider the joy of doing what you can when you can, then facing the pain of regret for having left opportunities pass by.  We don’t get warning signs that shout, “Beware – This Is The Last Time.” All we can do is hold tight to what is important, acknowledge those we love and appreciate and recognize the gift that life offers by being in the moment.  Life/time go on with or without us. Let’s leave positive, indelible imprints everywhere we go and in everything we do. May our ‘Last Times’ be ones to celebrate and remain forever planted in our mind’s eye because we embraced what we had when we had it… ‘For The Last Time’.

 

Categories
Life

I’m Fine!

While I take great pleasure in sharing my own thoughts and experiences here on my blog, every now and then I come across someone else’s ideas that have value worth relating.  Here is my overview on something I read recently. The title is “It’s Fine” We all use this phrase more than we probably realize. For example, “How’s work?” “It’s fine.”  “How are the kids?” “They’re fine.” “How are you?”  “I’m fine.” Of course, I’ve responded numerous times with “It’s fine.” Maybe our answer is simply out of habit.  Maybe we give the ‘It’s fine” response because we think the person asking us really doesn’t want to know what’s actually going on.

The bottom line is that many of us simply accept situations that are ‘just’ okay.  It takes time and courage to change the status quo, to share what we’re handling because it’s unsettling or because opening up with anything other than ‘it’s fine’ may show our vulnerability and weakness.  Responding with “It’s fine” may be one way of protecting ourselves from the truth.

Of course, there is another way of looking at this scenario.   I know I’ve held back from really sharing my enthusiasm and good fortune with someone because of what I know about their situation.  Telling someone your kids are great, your job is awesome or anything else that brings you joy if that person is hurting feels awkward and insensitive.  Seems to me that, being “fine” with what’s going on in one’s life has become an acceptable and standard response.

If, however, you are not fine with the direction of your life, than what is holding you back from making necessary changes?  Is it fear? Is it complacency? Is it lack of energy? Do you possess the courage to change what’s not favorable?  Do you doubt your resilience? Maybe take a moment to think about the last time you faced a personal challenge. How did you handle the situation?  If it wasn’t “fine” what did you do to make it better?

When we settle for less than we want, we trade the possibility of a great future for the reality of an adequate present. We all have the capacity to go from something that’s “fine” to “great”!  And, isn’t “great” what we want our life to be?