I’m a true patriot, love the 4th of July and all it stand for.  Besides the family BBQ’s, fireworks, and Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless The USA” being played on everyone’s radio in my neighborhood, I love that I can have my life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a country where we have the freedom to speak, work and live however we choose.

I get to choose.  That is freedom.

I get to choose success or failure, I get to choose employee or entrepreneur, I get to choose what I spend my money on, I get to choose my friends, I get to choose where I live and what school my children attend, I get to choose what religion I want to believe and practice, I get to choose where I spend my time and with whom and I get to choose who I want to represent me in government by voting.  So I am truly blessed and grateful to be an American because I get to choose, so let freedom ring!

This week, we welcome a New Year into our lives. This is a good time for us to see what we need to let go of, what is to be kept and improved, and what we wish to bring into our lives.  For me this is a time for quiet contemplation, setting and writing ones goals, meditation and relaxation.

What will the new year bring for you?

Will you challenge yourself to new heights?  Will you ignore the fear that is so pervasive in our world today?  Will you go with certainty or will you question every thought and action?  A new year challenges us all, gives us a chance to wipe the slate and start again.  My wish for you is to follow your heart, be open to receive and trust that you have all the answers.

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Did you ever just have one of those days when technology failed you and you sent everyone on your list 12 emails in a row  like one massive spam and you wondered how will I explain this one?  And another task you were working on for months didn’t come together as expected and you had to disappoint those who had supported you?  And that envelope that “had to” get in the mail today was forgotten until after 5:00pm and the last post office pick-up was 4:30pm?

Life just happens and everyday doesn’t always run as smoothly as you planned.  The question is, how will you react?

Are you the freak out type and you let everyone know that your day isn’t perfect ?

or are you the quiet, sulking type who pouts when things don’t go your way ?

I’m now the Laugh Out Loud type (LOL) because sh*t happens and I find most people are very forgiving.

So next time your day makes an unplanned detour, how will you react? Remember, tomorrow is another day to start again.

“I’ve have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning”

- J.B. Priestley

Abundance is a concept often debated in spiritual and
entrepreneurial circles.

Entrepreneurs commonly use the catch-phrase “thinking
BIG,” but they really mean the same thing.

Abundance is tough to define because it’s one of those
unique ideas that must be experienced to really be
understood … it can’t just be explained.

Yet the most encouraging part of adopting an abundance
mindset is how it can connect you to people with totally
different set of beliefs and values.

This week I listened to some amazing people talk about abundance, Jack Canfield who spoke about the importance of visioning yourself in the way you want your life to be, he spoke of rituals of visioning such as writing your goals on 3 x 5 cards you carry with you and look at during the day, he talked of building a dream board placing pictures (envisioning tool) of where you see yourself and then feel what ii is to be in that place and he spoke to being grateful for where you are and what you have now in your life.

I listened to Richard Branson, owner or Virgin Atlantic Airlines. Wow, what an interesting guy. He never gave up on his dream of building a better airline even when people told him he was just a old rocker!

One of my favorite set of speakers were David Morelli & Marci Shimoff, they spoke about how you stop focusing on fear insread focus on the path you want to go and “feel” what that is like.  Here are a few tips they offered to raise your abundance thinking;

1. Be Open to receive abundance, breathe deeply and you will become more open physiclaly

2. Create space for new by cleaning out old energy, Marci suggested a simple task of getting rid of 27 items a day for 9 days, things that no longer serve you which tells the universe you are open to receive

3.  Step back out of fear to have the possibility of something else. You can do this by daily meditation and visualizing your negativity and old beliefs leaving your body and being grounded back into the earth or out into the universe

4.  Practice gratitude, every day find things you are grateful for and the many blessings you currently have in your life

5.  Giving – will raise your happiness level, volunteer or give to someone else in need

Where do you get stuck?  Most be people get stuck in “I’ll be happy when……”  instead learn to be happy now, this moment.

I’m learning to change my abundant thinking and I hope you will too.

BY THE WAY, YOU CAN STILL LISTEN TO THE REMAINING SPEAKERS THROUGH JULY 30TH   FOR JUST $1.00, CLICK THE PICTURE BELOW

This past weekend I attended the National Conference on Widowhood in San Diego, CA.  You may be thinking, why would anyone want to gather with a bunch of people who are probably wearing black, morbid and crying all the time.

Well, as a widow myself,  let me demystify the myth of widows/widowers  -  the attendees were primarily women (there was one brave man) ranged from the ages of 25 to about 75, came from 28 states and 6 countries.  There were no black veils or gloves and yes a few tears were shed but the bond of a group that all experienced the same loss of a spouse was incredibly empowering.

The conference sponsored by The Soaring Spirits Loss Foundation provided educational seminars and social gatherings all with the intent to empower, strengthen and provide hope for the future.

This event truly exemplified the mission of Circle of Strength - to  inspire, empower and have more fun.  The buzz around the conversations were about life… about life cut short and a life well lived and about what is yet to come.

The grieving journey is hard, it is painful and it takes time.  But most people on this journey seem equipped to make their life work in meaningful ways.  I have found more optimism among widowed people than most others, because if they lose their worldly possessions it doesn’t compare to the loss of their spouse.

The lesson learned in general was that a group of like-minded or life-experienced people can be powerful, empowering and provide great strength.  Look for a group of like-minded people in your area, check places like Meet-up.com, or a business associations or a business network group in your area.  Check out community education in your area, they offer short classes in many topics from cooking to learning computer skills.  The point is, there are many ways to connect and be empowered by people, no need to feel alone – so broaden your connections and get out and be inspired!

In following with my goal of sharing inspiration, I thought the following was worth sharing and for you to take a minute to read, kind of puts the day back into a perspective of gratitude for where we are right  now and knowing it is perfect!

Breathe, life is good

Memorial Day is that day we set aside to honor those who have served in our military and died.  Regardless of our political opinions on war and the military, today let us all honor those who had the courage to serve this country with honor.  I thank you.

MY DAD

On this memorial weekend many people honor and pay respects to loved ones who have died.  I accompanied my Dad to visit the graves of my Mom, my grand parents, aunts and uncles.  We reminisced   about fond memories, shared a laugh or two as well as a private reflection.  I smiled as my Dad brushed off the dirt from the headstone where my Mom was laid to rest, pulled a couple of weeds and replaced old flowers with new.  He spoke a few words out loud to her and I was sure she was listening.

As we drove out of the cemetery I was deeply moved by the hundreds of flags I saw waving in the wind honoring those who died in service of our country, and all the beauty of the new flowers brightly adorning a site where someone was remembered.

ME REMEMBERING MOM

Whatever rituals we choose to honor our loved ones who have died, it’s a time to give pause and thanks for those people who have shared your life.

As I took my morning walk communing with nature which I find very inspiring, I was working on feeling good and my intention for the day was to be positive and move forward with some things I have been vacillating about.  To shift into a space of positive energy I decided to think about all the things I really, really love.  For instance, I do love nature and being outdoors because I love the smell and the sounds around me.  I love travel and visiting new places as well as visiting old friends in cities I haven’t been to in a while.  I love food, I love to cook and prepare wonderful meals for family and friends.  I love to watch hour after hour of food TV!  I love to read and can while away the hours getting lost in a book.  I have come to love the art of creative writing, just finished a twelve week class on writing. I feel inspired to be a story teller.  Anyway, now that I’ve shared some of the things I love, today remember what you love. Bring yourself into a place where you can day dream about what brings you joy and inspires you. I promise you will have a better day for it.  Be inspired!

I have been buying daffodil’s all spring, I love the bright yellow color and the feel of spring it adds to my house. Here is picture of a bunch in my kitchen.

You’re probably thinking about now that JoAnne has lost her mind and is writing about daffodil’s, or you’re thinking it must be a slow news day and I can’t find anything to write about.  Well, neither is true. I just happened to receive a wonderful slide show called the Daffodil Principle that most of you have probably heard of, originally written by Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards, it’s been around for more than ten years as a source of inspiration for those who want to make something beautiful of their lives. I want to share with you again because it inspired me and I want to remind people that  “There is no better time than right now to be happy”

For all of my friends in California, go see the Daffodil Garden, it is located in Running Springs in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Please take a few minutes click  the link to begin. (the page arrows are at the bottom left of the screen to view each power point slide)

Recently met Kim Valentini, the founder of “Smile Network International.”  She is a delightful woman, reserved but with a spark in her eyes.  Kim like many of us reach a stage in life where we search for more meaning and fulfillment, and for Kim that meant making a difference in the lives of children with facial deformities. After witnessing impoverished children in developing countries, with cleft lips and palates, she decided to make a difference. That difference became the non-profit Smile Network which Kim says started in the closet of her son’s bedroom.

Through local efforts, Smile Network International develops international partnerships that enable volunteers to build trust in foreign countries. These global relationships provide Smile Network the opportunity to conduct surgical missions and to impart dignity and quality of life to individuals whose medical needs may otherwise go untreated. All Smile Network surgeries are provided free of charge.

Kim & Peruvian Child

Kim is truly a woman of strength and you can help this great effort. Go to the Smile Network and make a cash donation of any amount, and please visit the Wish List, because I bet we all know someone who can provide things on the list.

P.S. Smile Network has moved from the bedroom closet to their headquarters located at;  420 North Fifth Street, Suite 970 | Minneapolis, MN 55401 | (612) 377-1800