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!
I had said many prayers following up with positive affirmations in an effort to shake myself from this self-imposed fear and frustration.
As I headed down the street this beautiful sunny morning, I made a conscience effort to be in this moment alone and as I breathed in the cool morning air I asked for guidance from my angels and whomever else in the universe was listening to release my fears and that I was open to receive this moment and this day alone.
The most magical occurrence happened moments later, as I turned the corner I noticed a red winged black bird flying rather low over my head and it started to circle around me, I looked up and my first thought was, wow is that bird going to drop a poo on my head?
I proceeded to take a few more steps and the bird continued to circle me, flying low and around my head numerous times. I stopped, this time my intuition said the bird is telling you “I am listening, I hear your prayers.” I continued to take a few steps and the bird again continued to follow me and now an overwhelming feeling of peace and comfort arose through my body, now I was sure it was a sign that the aloneness I had been feeling and the wondering if my prayers had been heard were validated. I felt tears well up in my eyes as turned and acknowledged the bird who has so persistently followed me. As I silently murmured a thank you for the sign the bird flew off.
As I continued my walk, I was listening to a motivational recording on my Ipod and thought; they must be talking to me! The conversation was so compelling and spoke to a multitude of things that have been on my mind recently. I thought to myself, this morning is just amazing that so many of the answers I was seeking came to me while I was quiet and conscience of this moment.
A short while later as I approached my driveway I stood still once more, taking some deep breathes, smelled the newly cut grass, listened to hear the birds singing so beautifully and I was filled with gratitude that I had chosen to spend forty minutes just being in the moment.
Our friendships are the patchwork of our lives, I for one can recall the best and worst times in my life and I always had good friends at my side.
As a woman I define myself as a daughter, mother, entrepreneur, mentor and friend. I often ponder thoughts on friendship because my personal friendships have always been an integral part of my life. I am blessed to have a continued friendship with my high school gal pals for the past 35 years. I was filled with glee when my friends were there to celebrate the happiest times in my life and there to hold my hand and let me cry following the death of my husband. Yes, my friends have truly created this patchwork I call memories.
I now wonder how we have gotten to a place in life where we sacrifice real face time with our friends for social media interactions on facebook and twitter? In some ways the technology of connecting with old friends and making new friends is an amazing medium, we meet new friends and follow our other friends instantaneously without leaving our desk. But even with all the advances in technology I continue to ask myself have we given up the time to actually meet friends in person because we’re too busy and now social media is easier?
We women need friends for physical and emotional well-being and I for one don’t get all my nurturing needs met through social media. I miss my girlfriend time and look forward to getting together in person. If you’ve been lured into the facebook routine perhaps its time to reconnect with your friends for some in-face time, create some rituals that will be fun to commit to such as monthly night out, or once a year commitment to meeting a great friend who lives across the country reconnecting someplace in the middle for a weekend of fun.
Sometimes friendships fall apart despite the efforts to stay connected, I wonder if this simply is the ebb and flow of life, like the saying goes “sometimes people are with us for a reason, a season or a lifetime.”
Today I honor the memory of my mother who went to heaven this very month, five years ago. I think of her often and all I learned from her.
- She taught me to love books, to embrace learning and that you were never to old to learn.
- She showed me the value in being a good steward and lending a hand up to people who needed our talents.
- Mom steered my ship so I could see possibilities along the horizon of life and encouraged me to stand up for myself as a girl and than a woman. I am sure this is why I am so passionate about empowering girls and women to find their passion and purpose.
- I learned to love art, music and photography. She nurtured my creativity.
My Mom was a pretty incredible force in my life and I am eternally grateful for that. I miss her everyday and if I could magically be grated one wish it would be to see my mother in perfect health and to spend one more joyful day with her.
Mother
If I could give you diamonds
for each tear you cried for me.
if I could five you sapphires
for each truth you’ve helped me see.
If I could give you rubies
for the heartache that you’ve known
If I could give you pearls
for the wisdom that you’ve shown.
Then you’ll have a treasure, mother,
that would mount up to the skies
That would almost match
the sparkle in your kind and loving eyes.
But I have no pearls, no diamonds,
As I’m sure you’re well aware
So I’ll give you gifts more precious
My devotion, love and care.
~ Author Unknown
I recall so clearly thinking this must be heaven because in January I could drive my car with the windows down and wear open toed shoes year round. To my great astonishment, people weren’t quite as nice as the folks in the Midwest, I greeted everyone with a smile and a warm Hi how are ya, for awhile I wondered why they looked at me in such a freakish way. I came to realize Californians kept to themselves more than us Midwesterners. I was hired immediately for work, something I kept hearing about the Midwest work ethic that people seemed to like. There were some nights I cried myself to sleep wondering what I had done moving so far away from my support system, but life was good and I was blessed with new friends before too long.
I took further risks during my life in California, eventually started three businesses, not all were successful but I never gave up or gave in, I persevered. Eventually I met the man of my dreams and married, sadly he died in 2005 as did my dreams. Taking another risk, I decided in 2007 to sell my house, my business and once again move back across the country back to the town I had left so many years before. I started my life over at 51 years old, no job, no dreams.
I learned alot about life through death and even though risk taking is in my blood, risk taking is about living, it’s about saying yes to life.
So in 2008, I was asked by a friend back in CA who was running for a state public office if I would come out and work on her campaign. I thought about it, for a couple of days and thought why not? I closed up my house for 4 months, left my cat with my Dad and headed back to California to work and live. What an amazing experience this risk taking is, because it has taught me to truly live life and be open to opportunities. So yes, every risk I have taken was worth the experience I gained from it. I believe life will present me with more opportunities to risk the comfort of my home and life to expand once again.
Here is a poem that I love that inspires me to continue taking risks in life;
Risk taking is free
“To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is to appear sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk exposing yourself
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd
is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure.
But the greater hazard in life is to risk nothing,
They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they simply cannot
learn, feel, change, grow or love
chained by certitudes, they are slaves
who have forfeited freedom.
Only a person who risks is Free.”
christina henry
Before 1970, women’s history was rarely the subject of serious study. As historian Mary Beth Norton recalls, “only one or two scholars would have identified themselves as women’s historians, and no formal doctoral training in the subject was available anywhere in the country.” Since then, however, the field has undergone a metamorphosis. Today almost every college offers women’s history courses and most major graduate programs offer doctoral degrees in the field. Whoo Hoo, this is something to celebrate!
Ladies, I hope you celebrate your own achievements because we all have a story and we have our own history to share. I hope that you share your life’s history with your daughters, tell them how different life was for girls & women in the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s and so forth.
I share this article by Gail Collins, the first female editorial page editor for the New York Times, as she recounts the amazing women behind the cataclysmic changes in women’s rights over the past 50 years. CLICK HERE to read the amazing story of 5 women who changed history for women.
And think about the amazing women in your life, in your circle – those who inspire, support and push you along to greatness. Be sure to tell those women how much they mean to you and how grateful you are to have them in your Circle of Strength.
A few days ago I attended a benefit fundraiser called “Experience The Dance” which is named for the foundation, Sara’s Dance Foundation located in Minnesota. The proceeds from this benefit are to build a first of its kind dance wellness center for women recovering from cancer treatment or living with a serious illness. It will be a place where they can reconnect with their inner beauty and freely discuss and embrace the changes in their bodies, minds, and souls – where women can come together to celebrate their unique life steps.
The event included a red carpet entrance where each attendee was escorted into the ballroom by men in tuxedo’s where she received a glass of champagne and welcomed into the event. There was shopping, a silent auction, mini spa services, food & dancing.
I was moved to tears over the slide presentation about Sara Johnson-Turpin, the inspiration for Sara’s Dance Foundation, a young, vibrant and beautiful woman. She lived to dance. During her courageous battle with Acute Lymphoma Leukemia (ALL) she celebrated life with grace and beauty. Sara was 22 when she lost her battle with cancer…
Cancer survivors were given pick boa's
Then, any woman in the crowd who was a cancer survivor was welcomed to the stage, each was presented with a pink boa and her journey was celebrated and cheered by all the onlookers…..yes, this was a celebration of life.
My sister in law Nancy and my friend, Kimbra were up on that stage and as I clapped I also said a prayer of thanks that they survived!
Sister in law-Nancy, Friend-Kimbra
One day The Dance Wellness Center will be built and the vision of a few dedicated women will be a reality.
The evening was a true circle of strength, women strengthening one another in a common cause -
“A small group of committed people can make a difference and change the world”
~Margaret Mead
Do you feel invisible to the world, wondering if anything you do makes a difference?
I will admit I have those feelings. Every month I send out a newsletter with the sole purpose of inspiring or empowering just one women to live in her greatness and I wonder if I am yelling into cyber space – is anyone listening? Sometime do you just feel invisible?
I want to share with you a fabulous video a friend shared with me that poses the question about invisibility.
A friend emailed this to me and I thought it was worth sharing the ideas in the 2010 HANDBOOK
Sometimes we need to be reminded about simple and inspiring ways to live a more meaningful life, that what the following ideas do for me.
Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours..
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree…
Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
Happy New Year one and all, remember Happiness Matters!
Check out the popular Happiness Matter T-Shirt from the on-line store! CLICK HERE
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.
“Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!
This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!
I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!”
~William Arthur Ward