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Faith not Fear

Published on May 19, 2016May 19, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

l778594751 It is funny how life keeps sharing the same lessons and you still find yourself wondering what you are missing from the experience. I have been going over some of my old blog posts and found a couple within the last three years that included some personal feelings. I was writing down the situations in which my husband was looking for work and how it was affecting me. I began to laugh to myself, noticing the very familiar feelings that I am having today. My husband has decided to leave his current job in pursuit of something better suited to his desires.

I am a big believer in doing something you enjoy, so I am very supportive of the move, but with any change comes a bit of discomfort, feelings of being lost and unsure where to go. I walk around my house wondering if I should be preparing to move, I look at my daughter and wonder if I should plan summer camps and fun activities or if it will all be in vein. It is “limbo” and I handle the feelings, but it is hard to not get sucked into the demanding mindset where you begin looking at the sky and saying, “What are we suppose to do!” I find myself constantly praying as I drive around looking for any “sign” or direction. I truly know God could deliver an answer at any time, so why not now!

I know, I know, “patience.” But, as I strive for patience, I also feel torn between “need” and “want.” It is not bad to need or want an answer, so I can then begin to move in a direction. That has to be better then sitting by wondering which direction to go. Sitting at the cross of two paths is fine, but isn’t it better to know which one to take and then begin. NOt just sitting and wondering, right?

Many people have their own thoughts, “God sometimes wants you to decide,” or “things will work out.” I know things will “work out” but its the in-between that is hard on me. The in-between is suppose to be that space where everything is clear. Like in meditation, there is always mention of “the space” “the gap between” so why is it so hard for me to be in-between. Why can’t I just go with the flow and wait for it to all work out?

So, today I am going to go on a personal pilgrimage of the online world to find some tips to help me get beyond the mundane of waiting, to move forward in some direction that will help my family. Wish me luck!!

TIPS TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS: With anything you choose, you need to begin with making good choices, right? Right. My husband has made some great choices and it has led him to big learning and great opportunities, but in the last couple jobs there was more stress, which then affected his health and happiness.

The human mind hates uncertainty. Uncertainty implies volatility, randomness, and danger. When we notice information is missing, our brain raises a metaphorical red flag and says, “Pay attention. This could be important…” -Psychology Today

Value is in the eye of the beholder: How much is a gallon of water worth? This question makes me think of the show “Alone” & how after a week everyone is valuing water, cheeseburgers, beer, etc extremely higher than if they were at home. They are valuing these things much higher than what others may take for granted. Always make decisions on your own: Sure, factor in other people’s opinions, but bear in mind that they may value things (very) differently. Blindly following other people’s advice may lead to disastrous decisions — even if they are based on “sound” advice from people with the best intentions of helping you.
Know your goals before choosing: It may sound obvious at first, but it all boils down to your goals — knowing what you want out of the decision.But establishing a clear picture of your goals for decision making is not always trivial, and I don’t think people invest enough time to do it properly. This rings very true for me. When my husband took his last position I was very worried about the role & how it truly sat with him and his values. I know now that you need to make sure your values are in line with what you choose to do. When you align your actions with your life purpose and personal values, then it is much easier to know the direction that is right for you. -Self Improvement Saga
Try the PrOACT Approach to Decision Making https://litemind.com/decision-making/ [Problem Statement / Objectives / Alternatives / Consequences / Tradeoffs] (1,2,3, from -litemind.com)
WHY-Ask yourself “why” of what you have chosen to do and weed out poorly made plans.
Set aside time to reflect on your decision. Sit with it.
Ask yourself, “Will this decision be the right one for everyone involved? Is this choice good for me? Is this choice good for my family?”
Imagine having made the decision. Imagine choosing one path & then the other. How do you feel? Go within to see how it makes you feel.
Let go of the fear. Know and understand there is no “right” decision.
Follow your gut instincts. If you have to talk yourself into something, it is usually going to lead to a bad situation.
Take action. Any good action or direction trumps inaction. How will you move forward if you just continue to sit at the fork in the road

LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF DIRECTION

I laughed to myself as I came across this sign on the internet. I know it may sound funny, but I believe in signs. I have had experiences where passages in books, intention cards, magazine pages have not only been inspired, but answered my prayers. I know you may be skeptical, but here are a couple links to my stories–enjoy–https://yourhappyplaceblog.com/2013/01/02/tap-into-the-vision-for-your-life/

https://yourhappyplaceblog.com/2013/03/13/looking-for-the-gift-of-grace/

Funny article that said–Here is the sign you have been looking for. “Sometimes you have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting. Have faith that things will work out, maybe not exactly how you planned–but perfectly.” -unknown

Great article http://www.possibilityoftoday.com/2012/03/29/here-is-the-sign-you-have-been-looking-for/

Faith-Based-Motivation-Everything-Will-Work-Out

Life Lessons

Published on May 12, 2016May 12, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

The following are daily “life lessons” I have been sharing with my daughter & her friends on the way to school. It’s a great way to begin the day. Enjoy!!

THE RACE: Talked about the Jesse Owens story: The film, ‘The Race’ has been out for awhile, but it is a great story of determination, living by your own morals, finding your purpose & letting it guide your life. Jesse came from nothing, but was a hero to many because of the segregated world he lived in, but was able to over come through his skill and drive through sport. A couple of the life lessons: there is always good if you take the time to look for it. His coach did not care about race, he cared about pushing yourself to your best. In the Olympics Jesse became good friends with one of Germany’s best athletes, Luz Long & the two prevailed against the discriminations of the world by embracing one another & walking the track arm in arm as true brothers. “It took a lot of courage for him to befriend my in front of Hitler,” Owens said. “You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn’t be a plating on the 24-karat friendship I felt for Luz Long at that moment. Hitler must have gone crazy watching us embrace. The sad part of the story is I never saw Long again. He was killed in World War II.” [Hitler had him sent to the front line]

SAY THANK YOU: Be grateful for your parents & tell them Thank you for all they do to take care of you. I think everyone takes things for granted, but when you are a teen it is especially easy to take for granted one of the greatest gifts–parents. One of the girls in our car has a mom who works at 3am in a donut shop and then does hair, while raising 4 kids. The other girl is one of six kids whose mom just had two babies under the age of 1.5. These moms world are a whirl-wind of directions, so a simple Thank you means a lot.

We all have people in our own lives we take for granted, so it is a good reminder to say THANK YOU for those we love and all they do each day for us.

IT’S A MATTER OF ATTITUDE by: Unknown

Read this, and let it really sink in… Then, choose how you start your day tomorrow…

Jerry is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.

When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, “If I were any better, I would be twins!” He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant.

The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, I don’t get it! You can’t be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?” Jerry replied, “Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.

I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

“Yeah, right, it’s not that easy,” I protested. “Yes, it is,” Jerry said. “Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It’s your choice how you live life.”

I reflected on what Jerry said. Soon thereafter, I left the restaurant industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Jerry did something you are never supposed to do in a restaurant business: he left the back door open one morning and was held up at gun point by three armed robbers. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him.

Luckily, Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local trauma center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.

I saw Jerry about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, “If I were any better, I’d be twins. Wanna see my scars?” I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place. “The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door,” Jerry replied. “Then, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live.”

“Weren’t you scared? Did you lose consciousness?” I asked. Jerry continued, “…the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read ‘he’s a dead man.’ I knew I needed to take action.” “ What did you do?” I asked. “Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,” said Jerry. “She asked if I was allergic to anything. ‘Yes,’ I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, ‘Bullets!’ Over their laughter, I told them, ‘I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.’”

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything.

For the LOVE of horses

Published on May 9, 2016May 9, 2016 by goforthegood11 Comment

Yesterday my cute family took me to see the beautiful cirque inspired horse show, Cavalia for Mothers Day. It was incredible to watch the grace and beauty of the horses, the imagery, the intense riding, and the amazing training that has been put in to create such a show.

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The above image was one of many images from the Cavalia show that showed the love and training these people have for these horses. This woman was guiding these horses and they followed her every move and listened to every command. It was amazing and I had such an immense appreciation for this particular moment because I know how hard it can be to control your energy and get what you want from the horses. I sat there in awe at her clear desires and how the horses just followed. It was incredible.

This scene in particular touched me, it reminded me of a day where I spent time working with five different horses, trying to learn and understand their energy. My experience taught me how in tune you need to be with your own energy, so you can then project it on to the horses and have them follow you. It was a hard lesson for me to learn. To read my full blog post on my experience https://yourhappyplaceblog.com/2014/04/10/a-few-horses-a-lot-of-life-lessons/

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After the show we were able to go back stage and see the horses. Time and time again I saw the horse groomers brushing, petting, stroking the horses noses with such love and care. I talked to a couple of them, but one in particular was having a sweet moment with one of her horses. I said sarcastically, “You don’t have any favorites do you?” She smiled a big smile, “I love all my horses, but there are definitely some that you have something special with.” She put her face next to the horses and you could see the affection they have for one another. It was genuine LOVE. So sweet.

It was an amazing show & if you get the opportunity to see it, I highly recommend. It is beauty, magic, lovely music, incredible horse work…priceless. Here is a TINY taste.

Cavalia-Odysseo-Scottsdale-Opening

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Cavalia

Here are some other great videos and images on the LOVE of horses. Enjoy. Everyone can be inspired by the power and beauty of these majestic animals. They speak freedom, the wild, carefree spirit, running because that is their calling.

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One last personal horse story:

I was instantly drawn to the giant black horse that resided next door. At first it was his size that brought me in. But then as I watched him, he had a wildness that I could relate to, or on some other level needed and understood. I would watch him run wildly as though something inside him needed to be free. He would run faster and faster until there was no more room to run.

He wasn’t like a typical horse that stood motionless or meandered slowly, he was a vibrant spirit, unchangable in heart and soul. I connected with him instantly.

As a child I loved the movie, “The Black Stallion” and there was something about this horse, this black beauty, the running, the need for freedom, the need for friendship that drew me to this beautiful creature. I knew nothing about horses and had been on a horse maybe twice in my life. I felt like a little kid eager to get close and giddy at the thought of it.

I began to notice that no one spent time with him and that he was never fed, so my plan was to entice him with a large red apple. He was definitely untame and had not been around people for awhile. It took some time for him to trust me. I threw apples over the fence to get him to come closer, and slowly he began to see that I meant no harm. I went through dozens of apples before the glorious moment when he allowed me to touch his nose. It was a thrilling moment of friendship and trust. I was immediately hooked–visions of me riding bareback like the boy in The Black Stallion raced through my mind. I wanted the freedom that this beautiful horse could give me.

Then in an instant he bolted off and our moment together was over. My reality set in. He was a wild one and not even my wild one. But I could have one thing; the beautiful moments to watch him run, seemingly free, like a horse with a herd to run with. It was as if his heart could soar, though he was like a caged bird.

Over the next year my affair continued and he began to trust me more and more. I noticed through the winter months that no one was feeding him and my heart yearned to take better care of him. I talked my husband into asking our neighbor if we could buy him. The cost was $250. That may not seem like much for a horse, but for a young couple paying $400 in rent, to buy an unrideable, wild horse it was expensive and definitely not realistic. But that is how you know someone loves you…they buy you a wild, unrideable horse because you see something in that horse, something that changes you, something you need.

We came to find out his name was Sundance. Even his name was beautiful and freeing.

Every moment I spent with him became a dance of trust and he was not willing to give up the lead. Things were definitely on his terms. His trust was not given freely and there was something admirable in that. He had a wild fire within him, an almost telling nature of the need to be free. He was the epitome of every horse you see in the movies that yearns for freedom, the wild, depicted as ‘untamable’ and should be ‘put down.’

That fire was one of the things I loved about Sundance. It was something I believed we had in common. I could relate to this need of being unchanged and untamable, and that is why I was drawn to him.

My whole life my dad told me I was stubborn like a thoroughbred and that stuck with me. I always thought, “what is wrong with that??” and when I came to know this magnificent creature I began to sense what my father meant. Sundance definitely was stubborn and unchangeable, but his wild stubborn sense is one of the things that made him beautiful.

I began to embrace my own strengths as I watched and learned what I began to admire in this horse. I began to see myself clearly through seeing such strength and beauty. This horse was my symbol of myself, the yearning to be free, to find my voice, the need to truly trust someone, the awareness of the limits that held me from my true self, and the untamable nature that is me.

Shortly after we purchased Sundance our neighbor decided to put six mares in the pasture next to Sundance. Sundance became restless and agitated and I couldn’t figure out why. I watched him as he ran the fence back and forth where the mares were. I began to see his desire to be with them and his need to be with the herd he so desperately longed for. The mares were not my neighbors, so Sundance had to be isolated from them. I could see his desperation, but there was nothing I could do.

A few days later I came home to see Sundance wildly running with the mares in their field—I panicked not knowing how he had been able to get to them. I ran over to the fence and noticed some large scratches on his side and reality struck…he had jumped the six foot fence that was topped with barbed wire, with no thought of fear or harm.

My admiration soared to a whole new level. He was a horse of unstoppable determination and will. WOW! I knew nothing would stop him and this confirmed my feelings…

There is within each and every one of us an unchangeable desire, a desire that is placed within us to do unstoppable things with our lives. We must listen to the words that play from our heart because there is a natural truth yearning to be set free. We must find our inner calling and become unchangeable in our direction. We must seek our path and allow our thoroughbread to truly run free.

Do not let society tame you with its ideas of what should and shouldn’t be. Listen to your heart, for it knows your right life. Seek to find the wonder, seek to find your spontaneity, your inner yearnings. Let go of what is holding you back, whether it is the fear or doubt, do not let the illusions of this world hold you from your true spirit.

Let it run free.

So, what was so wrong with being like a stubborn thoroughbred???

Thank you Sundance. Thank you Dad.

O Happy Day!

Published on May 2, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

happiness OH Yeah!! I thought the world needs a little more HAPPY, so I thought I would share with you some great things to bring you and your world a little more HAPPY.

I am dedicating this to my brother, who needs a little more HAPPY today. Love you Bro.

I LOVE SOULPANCAKE & I LOVE this!! Enjoy. You can’t help but smile. Go out and give some high fives, hugs and happiness.

de531944023f8a42ffbe178bb7995ee8 What are the good things in your life?? I know there are some…blue sky days, rainy days, being able to watch your son play soccer, warm showers, having a job, being able to walk, being able to talk, to smile, family, freedom, your parents, pets (even though sometimes you don’t love them), having a home, to breathe, jokes, sunshine, clean water, nature, indoor plumbing, today, music, your mind that can think & learn, electricity, a car, being able to hear the birds in the morning, thrift stores. smile. smile. Now, you think of some.

I know life may feel heavy right now, but I know your son is ‘happy because you exist.’ I am too. There are more people than you know.

images What can YOU do to be HAPPY today?

Keep a ‘Happy Diary’ Harvard University happiness expert Shawn Achor has noted that simply writing down a few things you’re grateful for each day is one of the simplest and most powerful boosters of well being. It apparently worked for Angeline Lee: “Going through a fairly rough patch, I was really down and just couldn’t see any silver lining. One of my friends suggested keeping a happy diary, so writing down the single best thing about the day every day…I was at the point where I would have tried anything, so I started off writing on Post-it sized notes and putting them in a box.” -inc.com

Actively Express Thankfulness: According to one study, couples that expressed gratitude in their interactions with each other resulted in increases in relationship connection and satisfaction the next day–both for the person expressing thankfulness and (no big surprise) for the person receiving it. (In fact, the authors of the study said gratitude was like a “booster shot” for relationships.)

Of course the same is true at work. Express gratitude for employee’s hard work and you both feel better about yourselves.

Another easy method is to write down a few things you are grateful for every night. One study showed people who wrote down 5 things they were thankful for once a week were 25 percent happier after ten weeks; in effect they dramatically increased their happiness set-point.

Happy people focus on what they have, not on what they don’t have. It’s motivating to want more in your career, relationships, bank account, etc. but thinking about what youalready have, and expressing gratitude for it, will make you a lot happier.

And will remind you that even if you still have huge dreams you have already accomplished a lot–and should feel genuinely proud. -aabacosmallbusiness.com

Listen to music: “You should listen to music that you like listening to. That has a substantial effect on your mood. Your brain literally lights up. There is no other stimulation like music to arouse the brain. -Prof Dolan

Get out in nature: Being in nature decreases stress, makes you happier and less brooding, it relieves attention fatigue and increases creativity, helps you to be kind and generous, makes you feel more alive-see the full article with scientific studies to prove the positives http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_nature_makes_you_kinder_happier_more_creative

Get good sleep: People with insomnia produce higher rates of stress hormones than others, according to new research. This puts their bodies in a hyper-aroused state that can make it difficult for them to wind down. The inability to sleep causes more stress, which can have a devastating impact. People who don’t get enough sleep can become depressed, and that causes insomnia. Inversely, more and better-quality sleep can make you feel happier. -besthealthmag.ca

Sit outside for 5 minutes. The SUN is so good for you! Sunlight increases serotonin levels which in turn may make you happier.

Exercise: Exercise has such a profound effect on our happiness and well-being that it’s actually been proven to be an effective strategy for overcoming depression. In a study cited in Shawn Achor’s book, The Happiness Advantage 1, three groups of patients treated their depression with either medication, exercise, or a combination of the two. The results of this study really surprised me. Although all three groups experienced similar improvements in their happiness levels to begin with, the follow up assessments proved to be radically different:

The groups were then tested six months later to assess their relapse rate. Of those who had taken the medication alone, 38 percent had slipped back into depression. Those in the combination group were doing only slightly better, with a 31 percent relapse rate. The biggest shock, though, came from the exercise group: Their relapse rate was only 9 percent!

You don’t have to be depressed to gain benefit from exercise, though. It can help you to relax, increase your brain power and even improve your body image, even if you don’t lose any weight. -blog.bufferapp.com& huffingtonpost

Compliment someone or just SMILE. People will be happy to see you coming. A smile is a simple way to connect with those around you–even strangers.

Avoid the news & watch less TV: Unhappy people spend more time watching TV, according to a study in the Social Indicators Research journal. -popsugar

Try something new: pick out a fruit or veggie you don’t know at the grocery store and try it. Watch a Ted talk on Youtube. Put a different, fun screensaver on your phone. Take your phone out at lunch and take pics. Sign up for a free online course in something you are interested in. “And having a new experience is really important. The great thing about new experiences is they actually slow time down. It’s why life feels so slow for children because they are experiencing new things all the time. So if you want to slow down time then have as many new experiences as you can.” -Prof Dolan

The walk-in-the-door rule “When I was in a dark period, I instituted a simple rule that changed my life,” explains social marketer Brad Einarsen. What was it? “When I arrive home from work, he says, “the very first thing I tell my wife is the best thing that happened that day.”-inc

Help someone: Whether you do a random act of kindness, volunteer, give high-fives, make a dinner, spread some love…it all goes around…everyone is happier [the giver and the reciever]

Pursue a goal: Pursuing goals, though, does make you happy. According to David Niven, author of 100 Simple Secrets of the Best Half of Life, “People who could identify a goal they were pursuing(my italics) were 19% more likely to feel satisfied with their lives and 26 percent more likely to feel positive about themselves.” -aabacosmallbusiness.com

Great article on 10 scientifically proven ways to make yourself happier–check it out. interesting https://blog.bufferapp.com/10-scientifically-proven-ways-to-make-yourself-happier

Another article that lists 300 reasons to be happy. Things to love about your life. http://www.yourlifeyourway.net/2011/09/19/300-reasons-to-be-happy-things-to-love-about-your-life-now/

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I hope you have a happier day today. Be Happy. Choose Happy. xoxo -H

Great Stories

Published on April 26, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

I LOVE a great story. You can never share enough of the ‘good stuff’ that puts a little positive perspective out there. I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did.

New+York+New+Jersey+Continue+Recover+Superstorm+bZDA4KrliNJl If you missed the May Oprah magazine, you missed a great story I want to share by Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat Pray Love). Enjoy.

Some years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritated–with one another; with the rainy, sleety weather; with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here.

But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom. “Folks,” he said, “I know you’ve had a rough day and you’re frustrated. I can’t do anything about the weather or traffic, but here’s what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus. I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Don’t take your problems home to your families tonight–just leave ’em with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, I’ll open the window and throw your troubles in the water. Sound good?”

It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People who’d been pretending for the past hour not to notice each other’s existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious?

Oh, he was serious.

At the next stop–just as promised–the driver reached out his had, palm up and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared up–but everyone did it. The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop too. And the next. All the way to the river.

We live in a hard world, my friends. Sometimes it’s extra difficult to be a human being. SOmetimes you have a bad day. SOmetimes you have a bad day theta lasts for several years. You struggle and fall. You lose jobs, money, friends, faith and love. You witness horrible events unfolding in the news, and you become fearful and withdrawn. There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but don’t know where to find it.

But what if you are the light? What if you’re the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for?

That’s what this bus driver taught me–that anyone can be the light, at any moment. This guy wasn’t some big power player. He wasn’t a spiritual leader. He wasn’t some media-savvy leader. He was a bus driver–one of society’s most invisible workers. But he possessed real power, and he used it beautifully for our benefit.

When life feels especially grim, or when I feel particularly powerless in the face of the world’s troubles, I think of this man and ask myself, What can I do, right now, to be the light? Of course, I can’t personally end all wars, or solve global warming, or transform vexing people into entirely different creatures. I definitely can’t control traffic. But I do have some influence on everyone I brush up against, even if we never speak or learn each other’s name. How we behave matters because within human society everything is contagious–sadness and anger, yes, but also patience and generosity. Which means we all have more influence than we realize.

No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminated–one bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river.

-taken from Oprah, May 2016 by Elizabeth Gilbert

Happy Earth Day!

Published on April 18, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

Happy Earth Day 2013 Kayaking the Loxahatchee River

Earth Day is this week, so I wanted to share some great things you can do and know to help make a positive impact on our world. Yeah!

DID YOU KNOW?

Styrofoam takes 50-100 to begin to break up in the environment! Yikes. That is a long time. Make sure you think twice about buying this cheap stuff because it is really hard on our planet.

It takes 400-500 years to begin to break down water bottles, so make sure you recycle them. It takes 100-200 years for aluminum or tin cans.

Make sure you recycle glass bottles because it takes even longer for them to break down. They are like a manmade stone that never goes away. They have not even been able to determine how long it takes.

Did you know fishing line is one of the worst things we can leave behind. Fishing line not only takes 600 years to begin to break down, but many animals get injured by swallowing the line or getting tangled in it.

-learned about these things at a Las Vegas aquarium

A FEW LITTLE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE WORLD

Turn off your lights when you are not using them.

Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.

Take a shower instead of a bath.

Turn off electronics when you are not using them.

Plant a tree.

Ride your bike or walk.

Do not litter. Help clean up litter in a park or beach.

Create a wild habitat by building a bird house.

Shop online equals less energy use and fewer carbon dioxide emissions from your car.

Telecommute or Carpool.

Throw away less food by planning weekly meals.

Take your leftover meal home from the restaurant. Don’t waste it.

Don’t be afraid to buy something used. When you buy a shirt that is gently used you are reducing your carbon footprint on the planet.

Buy a water bottle and reuse it.

When purchasing new appliances look for the Energy Star label.

Park a little further from the store and walk.

EVERY little change will add up to make a BIGGER difference in our planet. It can start today with YOU and one little step in a proactive direction. So please, turn off the water while brushing your teeth, don’t buy styrofoam, clean up your parks and beaches & remove any fishing line…little steps to big changes. Thanks. -H

You can also go see Disney Nature’s Newest Film that comes out on Earth Day. It looks amazing. Check out the trailer. Disney usually donates some of the money if you go see it within the first week it is released.

Life Lessons

Published on April 5, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

I have been driving my daughter and her two friends to school each morning and found it to be a great time to share some daily life lessons. These girls are thirteen, at a pivotal age where everything and everyone around them is defining who they are becoming, who they are listening to and who they will follow. I figured this was a perfect opportunity to share with them good things every morning to start their day.

I figured maybe some of you may enjoy a few daily life lessons you could share with those you love–enjoy! I am going to put a few at a time and then post them, so take what you like and share them while you are driving your kids to games or dance lessons or share them around the dinner table or bed time. Good things are always good for the whole family. The whole world! Enjoy and share the inspiration.

GET GRATEFUL: This morning I shared with them a video clip of a girl who got cancer when she was nine & had to have her leg amputated, but what they did with part of her leg was inspired. Check it out.

I also shared with them the story line of the movie, “Miracles from Heaven” which shared the story of a ten year old who got really sick from her lower intestines becoming paralyzed and how hard it must have been for her to not be able to eat real food. She had to be tube fed (through a tube down her nose) or supplemental pills.

I then shared with them how my niece (age 12) had just been to the dentist and was told she had 4 teeth that were like that of an 80 year old person and she would need to anticipate them falling out.

The Life Lesson: get grateful that you have a healthy body that can eat, that can run, walk, dance, rock climb, jump, and is capable of anything. We often take that for granted and waste our time, sit on our butts and don’t get outside and walk or take a bike ride or try something new. We take for granted our healthy bodies. I challenged them to remember that next time they were complaining of going on a walk or not wanting to do something active. They need to get grateful and get going!

EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE: Life Lesson–You don’t have to do anything…you don’t have to be happy, you don’t have to be sad. It is a beautiful freedom to feel, be, do, say and become anything we want. We have a choice every day to decide the direction we want to go in–positive or negative. We decide how we react to any situation and we decide what we learn from every situation. We have a choice every single moment of our lives.

Velcro Story Swiss amateur mountaineer George de Mestral loved the outdoors and his daily walks with his dog. What he didn’t love was the burdock seeds that clung to his wool pants and his dog’s fur. He found the burs incredibly annoying until the day he wondered why they stuck. By profession, George de Mestral was an engineer and inventor. He examined one of the burdock seeds under a microscope and was astonished by what he saw. The bur consisted of hundreds of tiny hooks that grabbed into the loops of thread in the material of his pants. This fool-proof, nature-made fastener became the inspiration for Mestral’s 1948 invention Velcro®.

Velcro® sales were somewhat slow the first couple of years, but Mestral never gave up and concentrated on tweaking his product to perfection. By 1955, over sixty million yards of Velcro® sold in that year alone making the inventor a very wealthy man.

So besides sharing with you this fascinating little piece of history, what’s the point? Attitude is the point, and the importance of having a good one. A person’s attitude toward their circumstances, toward their relationships, toward themselves, toward the planet, toward everything and everyone they come into contact with shapes their world and in turn, hands them their next set of circumstances and relationships. If a person’s attitude is negative, they will experience the circumstance or relationship as negative. In short, they will see nothing but “weeds.”

If a person’s attitude is positive and they are willing to look for the positive within every circumstance and relationship no matter what, then they will make Velcro® out of the weeds.

Adopt a Velcro® attitude about life and “stick” to it! Copyright Mary M. Bauer.

A MATTER OF ATTITUDE:

Thomas Edison’s laboratory was virtually destroyed by a fire in December, 1914. Although the damage exceeded $2 million, the buildings were insured for only $238,000 because they were made of concrete and thought to be fireproof. Much of Edison’s life’s work went up in spectacular flames that December night. At the height of the fire, Edison’s 24-year-old son, Charles, frantically searched for his father among the smoke and debris. He finally found him, calmly watching the scene, his face glowing in the reflection, his white hair blowing in the wind.

“My heart ached for him,” said Charles. “He was 67–no longer a young man–and everything was going up in flames. When he saw me, he shouted, ‘Charles, where’s your mother? When I tolld him I didn’t know, he said ‘Find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this again as long as she lives.”

The next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”

*taken from Chicken Soup for the Soul 3

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same. -francesca reigler

Life Lesson: No matter how bad things may seem or how hard life may get, your attitude makes all the difference. Thomas did not focus on all he had lost, he found great value in beginning again. It was how he chose to look at the disaster.

Well, continue to look for my posts called, ‘life lessons’ and enjoy the tidbits, the stories, the life lessons that inspire us daily.

Enjoy your day!! -H

SPRING is a rebirth for the Mind, Body & Soul

Published on March 28, 2016March 28, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

199360-Colorful-Hello-Spring-Quote “SPRING is a time to find out where you are, who you are, and move toward where you are going. ” -Penelope Trunk

SPRING seems to breathe new life into everything. You walk around a store and see color everywhere, you walk out into your yard and see the first yellow daffodil’s that seem to sing SPRING.

Spring seems to wake up the soul and fill in the empty spaces with plans and projects, with new beginnings, with spring cleaning, with hope like a bud blooming on the trees outside the window. Everything whispers, grow.

Here are some tips, tricks and ideas to wake up the soul, stretch beyond, open spaces, and make room for the new ideas, dreams and soul seeking things you need right now!

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YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH. YOU ARE BEAUTY. INTELLIGENCE. LOVE. LIGHT. YOU ARE DIVINE.

Some great tips for your MIND. BODY. SOUL. HOME…balance is better

IDEAS TO NOURISH YOUR SOUL: Take time to be alone, to be quiet. Read–something that will enrich your mind and heart. (a few personal favorites: The Heart of Goodness, The Seekers Guide, Zest for Life, Wayne Dyer, The Untethered Soul) Write–journal things you are grateful for, begin a personal blog to express where you are in life & get feelings out, or write letters to yourself. Write to find your true voice, to set your feelings free and be able to understand yourself a little better on a personal level. Get Creative–what artistic avenue may help you tap into a deeper part of you. Do you have a hobby or passion that lights you up? Find some way to express yourself creatively [photography, painting, wood, collage, etc]. Get out in nature–take a walk through a park, look at flower petals up close, sit under a tree, touch the smooth lines of a pebble, listen to water, watch the clouds. Nature has a calming, soothing affect on us. Get in tune–listen to music that soothes and comforts through the rhythm and flow of the melody of music. It has a power and influence that you cannot over look. Music takes us to memories, it records moments within our lives. You can feel what feels right for you at a specific moment. Listen to what your heart needs. Breathe deeply–take at least five deep breaths and let go. LOL–share jokes, watch a comedy, be silly because laughter really is a great medicine for stress and releases hormones that help us feel better.

IDEAS TO NOURISH YOUR BODY: Sleep–make sure you are getting 7 to 9 hours . Stretch–to avoid soreness, aches and pains. Exercise—according to Dr. Mercola eighty percent of Americans fail to meet the recommended amount of exercise, which is 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous-intensity activity each week…along with twice weekly strength-training workouts. Drink more water–You are suppose to have eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals a half a gallon a day. Make one small change–switch out a soda for flavored water, eat an apple or try a fruit or veggie you have never had. Sun Me–Get out in the sun for a little vitamin D (at least 15 minutes) Try Walnuts–I keep hearing how walnuts are so good for you because they stimulate the brain and nervous system. Don’t eat so fast–This is a big one for my family. We ‘inhale’ our food. Chew, take your time and savor your food. Tap into your scents–lavender calms, Cinnamon reduces nervousness, Orange & Vanilla are an antidepressant, etc. Spray, light a candle, use infusers or oil, but use the power of the aromas.

IDEAS TO NOURISH YOUR MIND: according to HuffingtonPost here are 10 things that benefit our brains–Tired is better?–Your brain does creative work better when you’re tired. That is probably why many ideas often happen in the shower. Stress–can actually change the size of the brain (and make it smaller). Stress is very bad for the brain, so do all you can to avoid it! [ie: get enough sleep, eat healthy, limit alcohol and don’t smoke, exercise, try to have a good work/life balance] Multitasking— is literally impossible for your brain. When we think we’re multitasking, we’re actually context switching. That is, we’re quickly switching back and forth between different tasks rather than doing them at the same time. Research shows your error rate goes up 50 percent and it takes you twice as long to do things. Take a nap–short bursts of sleep are actually really useful to improve memory, solidify memories, better learning, and more. Vision trumps–Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10 percent of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65 percent. Pictures beat text as well, in part because reading is so inefficient for us. Our brain sees words as lots of tiny pictures, and we have to identify certain features in the letters to be able to read them. Meditation can rewire the brain for the better–causes less anxiety, more creativity, better memory, increased compassion, decreases stress, improves memory skills… Exercise is good for your brain–there is a link between exercise and mental alertness, in a similar way that happiness and exercise are related. Best foods to boost brainpower according to bbcgoodfood.com–Wholegrains, Oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, Blueberries (improves short term memory loss), Tomatoes, B vitamins, Blackcurrant (vitamin c), Pumpkin seeds, Broccoli, Sage, Nuts (vitamin E)

IDEAS TO FIND MORE PEACE WITHIN YOUR HOME: Your home should be a safe haven, a sanctuary for the soul, a place where you are lifted and renewed. Here are some ideas to create more peace at home. According to health.com you need: Cut the clutter–“Remove anything that causes you stressful thoughts,” says Janice Sugita, author of The Feng Shui Equation. Add watercolors–“Certain hues bring on calm: Blue attracts creativity & prosperity, and green creates a feeling of new life in a room,” Sugita says. Embrace space–an overstuffed room can make you feel tense, so leave about 2.5 feet of walking space around the furniture. Invite nature indoors–Open blinds to let in natural light, and place plants around the room, “Plants bring new life, growth and oxygen to a space, ” Sugita says. Have specific times each year to de-clutter— Clutter can add feelings of tension & when you have space and clear out excess you have a more peaceful mind and body. Energy drain--Make a list of things that drain you around the house & then begin one by one to take care of them.

I hope this post has helped you find ways to nourish your mind, body, soul and home.

It’s Spring, a beautiful time to renew

Peace to you. -H

Easter in full bloom

Published on March 17, 2016March 17, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

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Easter is that time of year where you try to think of how to make it magical and memorable with the true meaning of the holiday. I am going to seek and find a variety of ideas that will make your Easter beautiful in every way.

Little Details that make holidays memorable: There are those little things that make you think of certain people in your life. My daughter has a grandma that has always made yummy, homemade braided bread for special times of the year. We thought it would be fun to make a braided bread basket and fill it with colorful eggs to remind us of special memories with her. We love her so.

Making special intentions this holiday will make Easter even more memorable. Whether you buy new easter clothes, a special ‘last supper’ meal or have a spiritual resurrection egg lesson, decide on a few little things to make this year special. It is all in the details of your day.

The Colors: Easter brings Spring and Spring is full of new growth, birth, green grasses, butterflies, flowers…there is color everywhere and after a stark winter, color is good. I love decorating my front porch with a fake green tree that is covered in silk butterflies to ring in the new color of Spring. My table is adorned with an arrangement of long, green grasses with fluttering butterflies and an Easter Lily. I have a long ribbon that I hung from my ceiling fan & clipped 7 various bright butterflies. Add a little color to your home.

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Martha Stewart had some fun candy jars that were full of color that would be darling anywhere, especially a kitchen counter or table.

I also came across a fun paint chip garland idea. Umbrellas are always a fun addition to Spring.

Creative egg decorating: What about emoji eggs! What about covering eggs in fun stamps! What about fun tattoo eggs for kids! We LOVE the fake, white eggs that you can decorate and then keep from years to come. Chalk eggs are also a fun thing. There is also a white paint pen you could add fun designs to your brown or colored eggs. You could also do clear glue over plastic eggs and wrap them in thin yarn. Fine tip colorful sharpie markers can add all kinds of fun details to your eggs–add names, doodles, patterns, etc. You could also use nail polish that you have around the house to create fun patterns and designs. Washi tape is also a fun accent to add to eggs.

Fun for an Egg Hunt: What about putting confetti and a fun fortune in some plastic eggs for your kids to find. I also thought Disney Mini Tsum Tsum toys, mini pets, mini toys would be perfect to fit in eggs for the easter hunt. What about mini nail polish or $1 bills for teen age kids. It might be fun to put foam letters in the eggs that spell out fun words. A cute idea from kidsactivitiesblog suggested creating ‘Bunny Munny’ & have that in some of the eggs, so then the kids can buy items from the ‘Bunny Emporium.’ I LOVE doing glow in the dark egg hunts. We put glow sticks in the eggs with candy & the kids have a ball. Turn it into a scavenger hunt–ie:find four blue eggs, two chocolate eggs, 5 pink eggs, one striped, etc.

Fun Foods: I funny idea from country living–Hatching hard boiled eggs. What about easter basket cupcakes or the chef mix bird nests. Every year we buy the hostess snowballs and make bunny faces with paper ears, licorice whiskers, gumdrop or jellybean eyes. Deviled eggs are always a yummy treat, but who don’t you use your colored eggs to give them a little flare. There are lots of fun recipes out there to make the holidays fun!

Putting Jesus in the details: I have done the resurrection eggs which are wonderful. [there are DIY ideas & some great kits you can purchase on Amazon] I have also read different books each season that tie in Christ or the meaning of Easter [The Legend of the Sand Dollar, The story of the Easter Robin, The Legend of the Easter Egg, Benjamin’s Box to name a few] I also like thedatingdivas idea to have a Sunrise Breakfast on Easter to remember Jesus rising from the tomb. [they have 100 other ideas–a couple I added here that I liked–here is a link http://www.thedatingdivas.com/holidays/easter/100-ideas-for-a-christ-centered-easter/

I just came across a fun idea to take a nature walk with your family & look for specific items that coincide with special meaning of Easter–here is the link http://ourjourneywestward.com/the-easter-story-nature-club/

Here is a printable for a Good Friday Nature Walk from theunlikelyhomeschool

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5egQGIihLhBM1RqOS1LQWRGT0k/edit

I also like the Resurrection Scavenger hunt idea from fancy shanty http://i1.wp.com/fancyshanty.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Resurrection-Scavenger-Hunt1.jpg

Celebrating Lent (Lent is a period of fasting, moderation, and self-denial traditionally observed by Catholics and some Protestant denominations. It begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday. Many Catholics believe that giving something up for Lent is a way to attain God’s blessing.) I read someone’s idea of celebrating Lent (even if you are not Catholic) I like the idea of taking the full time or even if you had your family ‘sacrifice’ something for the week before Easter. Have everyone give up something [ie: TV, Sugar, Soda, Games, etc) for the week & have it symbolize remembering the sacrifices Jesus made for us.

Dye one egg Red (we always do the first one red by leaving it in the pink then the orange dye for a long time – I lived in Bulgaria for a while and that was the tradition there – the red represents death and the egg represents new life – great symbol of death and life coming together). -idea taken from powerofmoms.com

Service messages from happyhomefairy.com–Write phrases like “Jesus thinks you are Egg-ceptional!” or “You are Egg-stra special” with colorful chalk on someone’s driveway. Deliver a large chocolate bunny and deliver it to someone with a note that says, “No Bunny loves you like Jesus!” Drop an Easter Lily on someone’s doorstep with a note that says, “Joy comes in the morning…”-Psalm 30:5 She also has a whole Easter printable of “Joy Journey” activities you can do for Easter–I printed them & figured I could do our favorite 10 within the next week. I put each idea in a plastic egg & marked them with numbers. A fun way to put a little extra Easter spirit into the week ahead.

Science Experiment: Place a white carnation flower in a vase with water. Add a dozen drops of red food coloring to the water. Wait. The carnation will gradually take on the color of the dye. Read 1 Peter 1:18-19 and discuss how Jesus took our sins upon himself when He died on the cross. -happyhomefairy.com

Well, I hope these ideas get you thinking of ways to make this Easter full of JOY and I hope a feeling of LOVE will bloom all around you in everything you do.

-Peace to you. H

365 New things to Learn

Published on March 14, 2016 by goforthegood1Leave a comment

“My true safety lies not in keeping myself out of danger by avoiding the risks of fully engaging in life, but by remembering that no matter what life brings me, I am strong enough, smart enough, loving enough, vital enough, interested and curious enough to handle, learn, and grow from it.” -I am a woman finding my voice, Janet Quinn

Top Stress Busting Tips: 1. Take three deep breaths–5 seconds in, 5 seconds out–to slow your heart rate and the pace of your stress hormones. 2. Copy a cat: Stretch and then shake it out. 3. Sing a favorite song. You’ll breathe more fully and the increased oxygen will do your body good. 4. Hang your head forward as if it were a heavy ball, then move it slowly to the side, back, side and front. Repeat. Circle around twice in the opposite direction. 5. Sit up straight. When your shoulders are back, you open up your chest and breathe more freely. 6. Hold the hand of someone you love. Skin-to-skin touch is calming. 7. Pop a piece of gum. Chewing loosens the jaw, where you often store stress. 8. Take a mental break–focus on a photo of a loved one, a goal or a favorite place. 9. At work, walk over to someone’s desk to talk, take a break, force yourself to move. It will relieve physical tension. 10. Smooth on hand lotion. The smell and feel is wonderfully distracting. 11. Say a prayer–it’s one of the most potent antidotes to stress. Connecting with a higher power helps you gain strength and clear your mind. 12. Use your whole body as you yawn. The deep exhalation is relaxing and the stretch loosens your muscles. -taken from Women’s Day

Interesting & FUN Animal Facts: Sea Otters hold hands when they sleep so they don’t drift away from each other. [So sweet] We could all take a lesson from that. What if we all went to bed holding hands– what a difference that would make. Would our connection, love, affection, care last longer? It is an interesting thought. Maybe just holding hands a little more often may bring the same results. Hold someone’s hand and spread a little love.

If you lift a kangaroo’s tail off the ground it can’t hop. A baby spider is called a ‘spiderling’ A small child could swim through the veins of a blue whale -taken from thefact site.com

A group of zebras is called a “zeal” & can run 40 mph. The Native American culture refers to the zebra as a symbol of balance and sureness of path.

Humans are not the only creatures who laugh–Dogs & Cats do too.

The world without Hitler: Something to think about. How our world would have been so changed. I learned that he almost drown in 1894 (he was 4) as a young boy in the waters of the River Inn in Passau. It is likely that Hitler airbrushed the incident out of his life history. Being rescued by a boy who went on to represent a religion he despised would not have sat well with the myth he had built around himself of being called by destiny to save Germany.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2082640/How-year-old-Adolf-Hitler-saved-certain-death–drowning-icy-river-rescued.html

Laughter: Heavy laughter can strengthen the immune system & releases positive endorphins. According to imbd.com the movies that make you cry of laughter are: The Hangover movies, Superbad, The 40-year old virgin, Pineapple Express, Harold & Kumar(s). Zombieland, American Pie (s), Road Trip, Horrible Bosses, 21 Jump Street, Due date…

I LOVE YOU in a variety of languages: Ti amo (Italian) Yo Te amp & Te quiero (Spanish) Je Taime (French) Wo Ie Ni [woah-eye-nigh] Chinese Aishiteru [Aye-shee-ter-u] Japanese Ich liebe dich [ick-lee-bah-dik] German

Website EVENCOOL.COM has 45 links of all sorts of things you can learn (from talking like a pirate to how to knit) COOL ART. COOL FACTS. COOL NEWS. COOL STUFF

25 Secrets for a better life by even cool.com Relax. Smile more. Do what you Love. Have goals and dreams. Travel. Be curious. Get good at something. Help others. Remember peoples names. Choose friends wisely. Don’t burn bridges. Get fit. Drink water. Think positive thoughts. Read. Be honest at all times. Start your day off right. Take a rubber band to negative thoughts. Learn to be unaffected by the words of others. Forgive. Learn to control your mind. Learn to control your emotions. Make good first impressions. Keep your brain sharp. Develop charismatic personality.

Have a beautiful day!