the silver lining is known as a hopeful or comforting prospect in the midst of difficulty, it is literally the presence of light that surrounds and defines a cloud.
This is my silver lining
Once uponall the time, something challenging happens, followed by something amazing...
It seems the years come and go faster and faster, and while we chase the future trying to catch up, a lot of things seem to get left behind. Around this time of year everyone scurries around trying to catch up on their vices before swearing them off in the new year. "This is the year I'm gonna... lose weight, get a new job, exercise more, be happy, etc." We begin to focus on all the things we can't do anymore, all the sacrifices we have to make, and convince ourselves this is the year we can... well, for a few weeks anyways... then we decide we'll try again next year. I can't tell you how many times I've made the same new years resolutions... but I can tell you I've never managed to see them through. I start strong, but I seem to always let myself off the hook, and go on as if nothing ever happened. The year on the calendars may change, but somehow the same old fears seem to find me here, again.
Fear. Around this holiday it has been used by marketers and gyms everywhere to try to get people roped in. Somehow it has been established that in the New Year there needs to be big changes... or else. Fear, I have looked it straight in the eye and seen what it can do, and yet it still gets me when I least expect it. It's that time of year again, and as I started thinking about how I wanted to go into 2011, my old fears stopped in for a visit. The fear of failure, the fear of not being able to change the things I should, the fear of becoming complacent... and then something drastic happened. Love won.
All of a sudden as I looked at all the amazing things that I have in my life and realized... I don't need to focus on change, only growth; change is a natural bi-product of that. I don't need to get rid of anything, just enhance everything; things that no longer fit will naturally fall away! Most of all, there is nothing I need to fear, when I decide to do everything out of love!!!
As I was surfing around the world wide web the other day, I found a great video from Brian Johnson that gives great advice on how to set yourself up for a year to remember... I highly recommend taking the time to listen to his words of wisdom:
So as the time is upon us to prepare for the year ahead, let's move forward with the things that inspire us and challenge us... let's do a year end clearance of all that fear left over. Last year gave us everything we need to make this the best year ever... After all:
"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." ~Hal Borland
Today's Silver Lining:
"Our rights, our wrongs, a moment, a love, a dream aloud, a moment, a love, a dream aloud, so stay there, because I'll be, coming over, and while our blood's still young, it's so young, it runs and we won't stop until it's over, won't stop to surrender." Sweet Disposition- by Temper Trap
So I've been living on a bus for three weeks, and it has been a whirlwind of fun, happiness, amazing people and vodka... not to mention a couple hangovers. As I've been able to have a bit of a break and have some 'me' time again, I've remembered just how valuable that is. So often it is so easy to get caught up in what is going on around us, in other peoples stuff... that we forget to stop and look at ourselves, to take care of what we need. We can easily get caught up in what others need, how they feel, why they do things a certain way, what they're doing. We can start to act based on what we want for them, or what they want, rather than what we are actually doing. Whether it is something we want to have, be, or hide from... it is only us who can make it possible for ourselves.
It's funny, traveling around on a bus that delivers happiness, I get asked a lot how one delivers happiness. Everyone is intrigued and wants to know what is done to go out and bring happiness to others. I stepped back and thought about what exactly it is we are doing... going to children's hospitals and chatting, going to businesses and chatting, going to universities and chatting... you get the picture. Of course we bring books to everyone as well, so they can read up on what inspired our movement... but it is our interaction that is ultimately responsible in supplying the inspiration for them to do so on their own.
So how do we deliver happiness? Well, simple. We. Are. Happy.
Don't get me wrong, we all have our moments, but when you are a part of something bigger than yourself and in an environment where happiness rules... it's contagious. For real... There was actually a study done that showed that emotions are in fact contagious- both positive and negative. Every time you feel an emotion it spreads to an average of 6 people. So, what's the best way to make people happy? Be happy. Make yourself happy. Surround yourself with things you love, get yourself gifts, eat food that makes you feel nourished, dance, sing, do heel clicks, hula hoop, play video games... and then when you've filled your cup full of all the happiness you can handle, know that at least 6 other people will catch the virus of your efforts and be able to fill theirs on your behalf ;-) And when your cup starts to get a little low, you can catch the vibe from someone else and fill it on up again!! Trust me, happiness is catchy stuff...
Cheers, to a glass all the way full of happy!
Today's Silver Lining:
"Hello, world, here's a song that we're singin',c'mon get happy, A whole lotta lovin' is what we'll be bringin',we'll make you happy. We had a dream we'd go trav'lin' together, We'd spread a little lovin then we'd keep movin' on, Somethin' always happens whenever we're together,We get a happy feelin' when we're singin' a song." C'mon Get Happy- The Partridge Family
We all make mistakes, it happens. We can do thousands of things right, but at some point we all have to mess up... so why does it seem like such a huge failure when we do?
I was supposed to send something out for work, that honestly I didn't even know for sure if I was supposed to handle or not... so I had just kind of forgotten about it. At the last minute it was brought up and I took responsibility for it, and it became this big deal. I tried to fix it and now it's a big mess and I'm the one to blame. I hate feeling like I let people down. In fact that's why I don't like to make decisions on where to eat, or what to do, because I don't want anyone to be disappointed, and I know I'll be happy with whatever. Now I have that horrible feeling of letting people down... ick!
So, where's the silver lining?
Well, it's all around me. I messed up, but the best thing I can do is own up to it, feel this icky feeling, and allow it to remind me that I never wanna feel that again, so to be more on top of things moving forward. I can apologize, and move on. Let go of the blame, and allow myself to be less than perfect, because it is through my mistakes and flaws that I'm being used perfectly for every situation I'm in, and growing into whatever I need to become next. Through my mistakes I'm learning lessons that are making me better and better... woohoo!!
Ironically, I was looking for song lyrics and found this article, that actually quotes my boss, about celebrating your mistakes!
After reading it, my huge mistake, feels like a huge gift... I mean, at least now everyone knows I mess up... hehe ;-))
As my mother always said, "You can't cry over spilled milk." (okay, I cried a little bit, but I stopped, lol) So now, I'll just clean it up and grab some OJ... and maybe add a shot of vodka ;-))
Today's Silver Lining:
"I'm only human, Of flesh and blood I'm made, Human Born to make mistakes, I am just a man, Please forgive me, The tears I cry aren't tears of pain, They're only to hide my guilt and shame." Human- by Human League
I seem to wander a lot. I embrace change, and to me home is... well, wherever my heart is.
I've gotten pretty good at adjusting to wherever I end up, and I guess that will be put to the test as I embark on a three month journey on a bus... a bus delivering happiness... moving to a different location every couple days. So with so much movement, so much change... how do I stay where I am?
I was reading through old journals in my storage unit today and I stumbled across a funny line,
“Every time I find the meaning of life, it changes.”
Funny how true that is. It seems just when you think you've figured it out, you have that "AHA" moment of clarity... something happens, and it's all gone. Those answers, those moments of clarity are just that... moments. They come when the questions that you currently ask are explained, but inevitably there are always new ones! After many attempts to find a meaning, I've realized that we give it meaning by what we do... so rather than looking for a final answer, I have instead been creating meaning in whatever I'm doing. Who knows, maybe that's not the answer either... but the pursuit of growth and evolution is what's exciting. Action is what makes me feel alive and inspired... it keeps me grateful. And when I'm grateful, I'm able to be where I am... so no matter where I end up, it always feels like home.
So, here I am, home sweet home!!
Today's Silver Lining:
"I'll wear my badge... a vinyl sticker with big block letters adherent to my chest, That tells your new friends I am a visitor here...I am not permanent, And the only thing keeping me dry is, Where I am, Where I am, Where I am." The District Sleeps Alone Tonight- by The Postal Service
Moving... never sounds fun... never easy, but it sure feels good to move on! I moved everything out of my apartment in Vegas into a storage unit, and though it was 110 out, and there were 3 flights of stairs to trek down, the highlights were surprisingly positive!!
1. It only took 4 carloads to move everything I own.... awesome!!!
2. My storage unit plays lots of Billy Joel and Chicago... lotsa singing along!!!
3. Threw my mattress down the stairs... realized I can do anything!!!
4. Used the cart as a skate board to roll my mattress into the unit... fun!!!
5. Looking inside my unit makes me happy... it's so pretty!!!
6. Did all of it in a pink tutu... classic!!
So... things are always how you create them. Moves can be quick, empowering, even fun, if you make them that way!!
And as I sit here now, so grateful for everything and everyone in my life, I'm totally sure of one thing... I'm movin in the right direction!
Today's Silver Lining:
"And It seems such a waste of time, If that's what it's all about, Mama, If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out. Mmm, I'm movin' out. Ooh-hoo, uh-huh, mmmm, You should never argue with a crazy mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mind. You oughta know by now." Movin' Out- by Billy Joel
"Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed".~ Mahatma Gandhi
Oh so true... funny how I've been realizing this more and more. It's a tough thing, this greed stuff. I've seen many different sides of the coin, and I can understand all of them. People always wanting more, better, first... fighting against others as if there's not enough... not enough what? I-phone 4's? Cars? Boyfriends? Jobs? Food? Time? We may tell ourselves that, but there is more than enough of everything... (yes even I-Phones, lol!) I see so many people stressed, (and have been through it many times myself), where they feel the need to keep something for them self in order to have it... where they feel threatened by someone else who is similar to them, or who is talented at all. I can think of many times where I've felt if anyone else takes my idea, or job, or cute boy, than I would have to go without... and that's no fun!!
The truth is, we're all on the same team people! We're in this together, and there's plenty for everyone!! If someone else takes something I had my eye on, than they're giving me an opening for something better for me. How many times have you wanted something so much one moment, only to find out it wasn't what you wanted in the next? If you don't get what you thought you wanted, chances are, whoever does, is taking one for the team!! The more we work together to get things, the more we will have... and even realize, that we don't really need much after all! There's plenty of air and water and food and all that jazz to go around... there's plenty of hugs and high fives and big smiles for everyone too... and the more you give, the more you get!!
I have finally realized how to have it all. I now know that I can have anything I DON'T want!! That's right... anything I DON'T WANT!!! When I just let it go and trust that I can have anything... than I start to become open to all types of things that are so amazing... things I didn't even know I wanted until I got them... things way better than anything I could have asked for! I skip the wanting, the competing, the anxiety over losing something that's not even mine... and go straight to the gratitude part!! (which is the best and most fun part anyway!!) It never gets any less amazing when I get each one of these super cool gifts from life either... in fact it keeps getting better!! I have everything I've never wanted!!
So, you can have it all... what don't you want?? ;-))
Today's Silver Lining:
"Gotta make more money, Gotta get gotta get there faster than the rest, Knock 'em off the ladder, If they even seem to stand a chance, The big picture, Gotta big white cloud, the big picture, is starin' at me, Starin' at me, Why do I feel so threatened that somebody else will, Take what's mine, Babe it's only rented,
No one really owns the merchandise. What about what I want, Somehow it got lost somewhere, Inside." The Big Picture- by Tori Amos
As I open the lid to one of many boxes surrounding me, I see a smile from a summer long gone on an old Polaroid.... I find a pair of 70's sunglasses some random guys in Vegas gave me on my way to California. I now have a fresh new smile on my face as I remember that time.
I have always filled my shoe boxes up with scraps of things that I never wanted to forget. Funny the things I hold onto... the things that now represent my connection to something once so profound and real.
Cards, notes, photos, ticket stubs, dried flowers...
to anyone else they would seem like useless rubbish, but to me they are clues to how I got here.... Stripes on my heart that I may have forgotten how I earned until I once again browse through my collection of reminders. Pieces of paper that represent wounds long healed... scars that I now have grown fond of. Wisdom from my earlier days that seems advanced beyond it's years... doodles of dreams that now resemble a story being told in my reality...
memories of moments past that seamlessly transformed into what I am now.
I have everything I need from them, they have become all they ever will... yet I can't seem to say goodbye to many of these old parts.
Letting go has never been one of my strong suits... why start now.
I like my tattered notes and discolored photos stained from ink... I like all of my old love notes and failed housing applications... they may be things of the past, but they keep me aware of how I got here... and so, they're going with me into summers yet to come.
Today's Silver Lining:
"The places that we lived, the living that we did, the places we were put, the things we were giving, the things that they took, they took away our pride, and if they didn't, take our lives, they took away the things that made us feel alive, oooo what have we become, what have we become, oooo how did this become, how did this become." Anni Kookoo- by Xavier Rudd
Life is calling us. Love beckons us to come.
It seems risky to walk towards it... closer to the edge, because we don't believe we can fly... until we do... then try to stop us... there's no way to fall out of that kind of love.
I'm soaring higher than ever...until tomorrow.
See you among the stars.
Today's Silver Lining:
"I'm looking to the sky to save me, Looking for a sign of life, Looking for something to help me burn out bright, I'm looking for a complication, Looking cause I'm tired of trying, Make my way back home when I learn to fly...Fly along with me, I can't quite make it alone, Try and make this life my own."
Learn to Fly- by The Foo Fighters
Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It's about that time again... time for change. Time to let go, to let it be and wait and see. No matter how many times I move on... no matter how many times things keep getting better... no matter how many times I say goodbye and hello... goodbye never gets any easier. Life is a choice though, and I choose to keep going... never really knowing where, always happy when I get there.
People always ask me how I do it, why I do it... and I guess it's as easy for me as whatever everyone else does is for them. It's just where I am, and where I'm going... and even without really knowing, I always feel the wind blowing me on my way, hear the signs calling me onward... and this time is no different. As I was packing up my apt today, a Tom Petty song started playing...
Today's Silver Lining:
"Broken skyline, which way to love land, Which way to something better, Which way to forgiveness, Which way do I go. It's time to move on, time to get going, What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing, But under my feet, bad grass is growing, It's time to move on, it's time to get going." Time To Move On- by Tom Petty
(hard to find this song, this guy has some random stuff in his apt, but it works, lol!)
Sometimes in life it's hard to see things as they are. We'd rather see them as we want them to be... or as we create them to be. We get stuck in our patterns... in our minds, in our routine. Things that don't fit into our story we dismiss as wrong or bad. We don't allow ourselves to do as we feel, but rather what we think. We worry, we conform, we repress and stress.
Things are always changing, evolving and growing... but it's a struggle to let go, and go with the flow.
There's no way to know it all... but as things happen, whatever you need to know, you will. There's no picture perfect ending... no right way to do things... and as I was listening to this song today, I realized something...
"We're never gonna survive, unless we get a little crazy"
We need to break the rules, the habits, the lines we follow. We need to take chances, fall... and get up and fall harder. We need to feel it all, try it new, learn again, be free. We need to love so immensely and intensely despite the fears that tell us to hold back, to wait a little longer, to slow down... because things are only speeding up. We need to trust ourselves and know that we can only create, and never destroy our lives... every risk, every move, every passionate embrace, is what makes up our world... and in order to survive we really do just need to go for it... and maybe even get a whole lotta bit crazy!
Today's Silver Lining:
"In a world full of people there's only some want to fly, Isn't that crazy, No we're never gonna to survive unless we are a little crazy, No no never survive unless we get a little bit, And then you see things, The size of which you've never known before." Crazy- by Seal
No matter where you go, here you are,
No matter how you grow, you're never far,
From where you were and still will be
From who you is for all to see.
If you always seek, you never hide,
The question burning deep inside,
An answer alone can't fully provide,
We seek the journey not the ride.
So saddle up and run run run,
Faster faster towards the sun,
Be the light, stay shiny gold,
Because the new is still the old.
Truth is never scary when,
We see that it has already been,
So choose the love, don't store the fear,
Because if it's there... then it is here.
Today's Silver Lining:
"I'm on the pursuit of happiness and I know everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold, I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good." Pursuit of Happiness- by Kid Cudi
I know, I know, this is such a hippie thing of me to say, but really people, when are we gonna realize that money is whatever we want it to be, it's our energy. However you feel earning it, is how you're gonna feel spending it, and what you're spending it on depends on how you feel about spending it. It's only here to help us get what we need, not to ruin what we need to produce more of it...
Lately it seems that everyone wants to talk about money... how to make it, how to save it, why they never have enough... what it feels like to be rich... Well, I guess it depends on how you define "rich"...
Today's Silver Lining:
"Money it's a crime, Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie, Money so they say, Is the root of all evil today, But if you ask for a rise it's no surprise that they're, giving none away." Money- by Pink Floyd
"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."~ Zen Proverb
Many times we try to avoid pain. We close off from anything we think may bring it, so we never have to feel. We use our mind to attempt to find an answer for our heart, when our heart is the answer. It will show us anything we need to feel, to go to where we are. We think out of fear, and try to plan accordingly... however, often times fear disables action, so we get stuck suffering, unable to move through the pain.
If love is a verb... fear must be a noun. Love is action, change... flow of energy. Fear is lifeless, suffocating... defined. Love inspires risk, growth, truth. Fear prohibits these things. When pain comes, it is easy to stop and think, to choose fear... but in time we can see that there are growing pains involved to blossom. In fear we remain trapped in our seed... in love we can embrace the pain, and keep pushing beyond it, allowing ourselves to emerge and evolve beautifully and blissfully.
There's no need to think of an answer... trust your heart... love in pain... go with it and grow with it. (and trust me, it will go!)
Today's Silver Lining:
So, let go, let go, Just get in, Oh, it's so amazing here, It's all right, 'cause there's beauty in the breakdown, It gains the more it gives, And then it rises with the fall, So hand me that remote, Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow? Such boundless pleasure, We've no time for later, Now you can't await, your own arrival, you've twenty seconds to comply." Let Go- by Frou Frou
As I sit here sipping my yummy cup of tea, I can't help but feel courageous as I read the tea bag's message:
"one of the best actions we can take with courage, is to relax"
I'm doing it right now! Strangely enough, it's not always an easy thing to do. Even when we take time to rest, we don't always necessarily relax. We're still wound up... thinking about things to do, things we did, things we want, where we need to be... but yet here. we. are!
Relax: v- To make lax or loose, To make less severe or strict, To reduce in intensity, To relieve from tension or strain
When we relax, we let go... and let flow. It doesn't mean you have to be sitting on a tropical island... you can relax anytime, anywhere, by just taking a breath in and out, and loosening your grip on your mind. As Sydney J. Harris said:
“The time to relax is when you don't have time for it.”
I was listening to a speaker today, who also spoke about the power of relaxation. She was saying that when we are not in a state of relaxation, our ego is in control... that when we are acting from our truth, we feel relaxed. Love that!! We are relaxed, when we think we aren't!! There is a Chinese proverb that echos this:
"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are."
Letting go of our ego, letting go of our mind, does take courage... it takes faith to be ourselves as we are, and not what we think we should be based on years of knowledge. But relax... you're amazing!
Today's Silver Lining: "Relax, There is an answer to the darkest times. It’s clear we don’t understand but the last thing on my mind, Is to leave you. I believe that we’re in this together. Don’t scream – there are so many roads left. Relax, take it easy."
n. - A series of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations occurring involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep; A state of abstraction; a trance; A wild fancy or hope; A condition or achievement that is longed for; an aspiration; One that is exceptionally gratifying, excellent, or beautiful.
v. - To have a deep aspiration; To experience a dream of while asleep; To regard something as feasible or practical; To daydream.
Dreams have so many different meanings to so many people... and mean so many things even to a single person. They are experienced at night, in our hearts, and absolutely come true sometimes!! According to Cinderella, (one of my first and favorite explanations of a dream),
"A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you're fast asleep. In dreams you lose your heartaches, whatever you wish for, you keep. Have faith in your dreams and someday, Your rainbow will come smiling thru. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true."
Love that... so simple and sweet! Also as a girl, I learned from Row, Row, Row, Your Boat, that, "life is but a dream." I believed these things, and lived as if anything was possible... as if life was a place to make any wish my heart made come true... Then, I was told I needed to stop being such a dreamer, and eventually I began to believe that.
Now I have a much more broad spectrum of what dreams may be, and much less of a firm belief of what they are. I've been told dreams are silly, and also that they're powerful... that they're strange and also informative. My own interpretation of a dream has continued to shift, and evolve... and as I continue to learn about the word and look at it's many hats, I really want to be able to answer the question of what I believe a dream is now...
I breathe in and breathe out to let go of what I've been told, and as ask myself what it truly is for me. And as I go to my heart, which is my trusted source/ higher self/ guide... I hear my answer...
"A dream is whatever you dream it can be... and you are dreaming your dream up whenever you are connected to your heart's purpose"
Lovely. Sleeping, sitting, laughing, dancing... when I am connected to my true source, my heart, I am dreaming!! Interestingly enough, a wise person recently said to me, "May your dreams reveal your dreams." ;-))
And so... as it was beautifully put by Amos Lee, "People tell me to keep on dreaming, That's just what I'm gonna do."
Today's Silver Lining: ( her feather earrings were so ahead of their time... go girl!!)
Some times it feels like I'm stuck forever and ever, But, I'm going higher, Closer to my dreams, I'm goin' higher and higher, I can almost reach, Some times you just have to let it go (Let it go, let it go) Leaving all my fears to burn down, Push them all away so I can move on, Closer to my dreams, Feel it all over my being, Close your eyes and see what you believe." Closer- by Goapele
Every little thing you do, from brushing your teeth, to getting your sink fixed is part of your story... and your story may be the only one that matters to someone... So, what are they reading?
How was your day today? What did you do? Did you make someone smile? Did you change someones life? Did you make yourself smile?
I pulled over a cop today...
Okay, in all fairness he pulled me over first, but he was so nice and helpful, that as he drove off I decided to chase him down... I then continued to pull him over to say thank you, and gave him a copy of Delivering Happiness. I told him he deserved it since he had delivered happiness my way with his great attitude! He told me I was the first person to ever chase him down... and one of the few that was happy to see him!! He said it was nice to know there was someone out there who actually appreciates him... I said it was nice to know there was a cop out there who was understanding! He told me he'd remember those words the next time he was having a bad day... Who knows, maybe that paragraph I wrote will save someone else a ticket, or even just make him smile... either way it's the little things that can make a BIG difference.
Did you know that FDR suggested everyone donate a dime to polio research, and raised 25.5 million dollars? Crazy! He never lived to see the cure, but he helped to create it with a small request!! He used his story to help create happy endings for many others. All he suggested was a dime...A little bit goes a long way after a while...
Every word of your story matters... and every word is a choice... so what kind of story are you creating for people to read about??? ;-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Do I have to tell a story, of a thousand rainy days since we first met, It's a big enough umbrella, But it's always me that ends up getting wet. Every little thing she does is magic, Everything she do just turns me on, Even though my life before was tragic, Now I know my love for her goes on." Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic- by Police
So the other day I was driving and I had my GPS system on to tell me where to go. Along the way I decided to stop off to grab a bite to eat, and when I did, it began recalculating. I kept taking wrong turns to go to where I was headed, and it kept recalculating every time I did. When I got back on the road, it recalculated again, to get me back to where I was headed, and I followed it to my destination.
What's the point... well it got me thinking about life... surprise, surprise!
In life, it is said there is a master plan... destiny if you will, but that we all still have free will. I always had a hard time understanding how that was possible. The GPS helped me understand the concept more clearly. We all have a GPS guiding us to our set destination in life... it tells us where to turn, and exactly where we need to go... however, we are the ones driving. We may take pit stops, avoid highways, pull over for a while to rest, and when we do, life recalculates accordingly. Learning this, I've realized there are no wrong turns, time limits or ways to get lost... because life will always recalculate from wherever you are and continue guiding you along your way... ;-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"Walking 'round The Room Singing Stormy Weather, at Fifty Seven Mount Pleasant Street, well It's The Same Room But Everything's Different, you Can Fight The Sleep But Not The Dream." Always Bring the Weather- by Crowded House
I'm sorry for neglecting you while I was jet setting from NY, to Napa and LA.
It was a whirlwind of friends, fun and lessons in life. There's too much that has come and gone to begin to tell the tale, but in short, I saw the light... again. It's always when and where you least expect it.
So thanks to life for letting me live it... I'll be back soon with more.
Today's Silver Lining:
"Well, I ain't always right but I've never been wrong. Seldom turns out the way it does in a song. Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right." Scarlet Begonias- by The Grateful Dead
I've been working a lot lately, and not having as much time for the things I had been doing regularly... yoga, healthy eating, blogging... hehe!! The more I've allowed myself to put these things off a day, the harder it gets to do them at all. I noticed even when I was busy and got home at 10 and went and did the things I needed, I had more energy and motivation to do them. Then, tonight I read this amazing blurb from the incredible Brian Johnson:
"Jack (Chicken Soup for the Soul) Canfield has a great line. He says: '99% is a bitch. 100% is a breeze.' Classic. Are you looking to start a new habit? That thing you just *know* you could be doing that’d totally take your life to the next level if you did it consistently? Might be meditating, exercising, journaling, reading more, eating well or some other empowering habit you could add to your life. Or, you might be trying to *stop* an old habit—might be no longer yelling at your kids or zoning out in front of the TV, aimlessly surfing the Internet, smoking, drinking, whatever. If you’ve failed to make a habit either stick or go away, I’d be willing to bet that you had a 99% (at best) commitment. But, as Sir Canfield tells us, 99% is a bitch. 100%? That’s where it’s at."
Yes. YES. YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
Makes so much sense, 100% is so much better! I mean think about it... if you were to get married, and someone told you they'd be 99% committed to you, you'd probably wanna rethink your decision! It's close, but there's always that one little percent there to think about and pester you. If you're gonna do it 99%, why not just go all the way with an itty bitty one more percent? It's like when someone leaves that last sip of OJ in the fridge... it's not enough to quench anyones thirst!! You breathe 100% of the time... so it is doable ;-)
It sounds like a lot at first, but when you start doing something all the time, it becomes something that you want to do more!! The more you're spending time on things that feel good, the better you feel... so when you're doing at least one of those things everyday, you'll feel good everyday...seems pretty simple, eh?!
What's something that you've been doing 99%?? Bump it up to 100%, go for it... when you don't have the option to bail out... well, it's not an option, hehe!! So, go all in... don't leave a sip of OJ in the bottle for later, drink it up now!! ;-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"I'm Starting With The Man In the Mirror, I'm Asking Him To Change his Ways, And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer, If You Wanna Make The World, A Better Place, Take A Look At Yourself, and Then Make A Change." Man In the Mirror- by Michael Jackson
Weird: adj- Of, relating to, or suggestive of the preternatural or supernatural, Of a strikingly odd or unusual character; strange. Of or relating to fate or the Fates.
I have been using this word a lot lately when it comes to many of the things that have been happening in life. There have been so many things falling into place, aligning themselves and creating situations that are so perfect, yet totally random, that all I can say is weird. Looking at the definition, it seems to be an accurate fit to many of the things that life has been creating.
Chance meetings with old friends at the exact time you are both in town.
Having to be at an event at the exact place that someone just told you about.
Your password for your google account showing up as it's homepage theme.
Doing exactly what you want to be doing, without even meaning to...
Weird. Fate. Odd.
And totally normal.
I can't help but keep noticing more and more how easy life is supposed to be! Not that there aren't tough times, or lessons to learn the hard way... but when you let these things happen, when you go with the flow, some how even the hard work gets easier. When you do what feel right for you, trust yourself, accept your strengths AND weaknesses, everything suddenly becomes necessary. The more I let go, and let flow... the more I realize that life is supposed to be this incredibly awe inspiring! I mean, everything just works so perfectly... the plants grow, the birds fly, babies are born, our breath comes and goes, time ticks on... and that is pretty miraculous!! The earth spins, the stars shine, the oceans tides go in and out... and no matter what we choose to do, all of this somehow keeps going. What's even more amazing is that to top it off we can fall in love, save lives, change lives, live lives we create... we can assist in these miracles!! What a gift, that we can either choose to use or put in the closet. As Albert Einstein so beautifully put it:
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
So how's life for you?
Hopefully full of weird little miracles! ;-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"It’s not that unusual when everything is beautiful, It’s just another ordinary miracle today, The sky knows when it’s time to snow, Don’t need to teach a seed to grow, It’s just another ordinary miracle today. Life is like a gift they say, wrapped up for you everyday, Open up and find a way to give some of your own." Ordinary Miracle- by Sarah Mclachlan
Well, a big thank-you goin out to the universe!! I am grateful for this amazing ability to change my life, by just thinking it so!! Just knowing this changes my thoughts!! When you think you are powerful, you are... you are!!
I love my notes from the universe I get each day!! It's free to sign up if you wanna be inspired, and it's also supercoolhappyfun!! You can even make a vision board, which I LOVE!!! The link is:
I'll leave you with one more note the Universe sent me that I absolutely adore... ;-)
From really far out in space, do you know what you look like?
A star.
A super star!
Love you like crazy glue,
The Universe
It's official, I'm a star... And to put it in the words of one of my favorite SNL characters, Mary Katherine Gallagher... "Superstar!!"
Today's Silver Lining:
"Hey, look me over, Tell me do U like what U see? Hey, I ain't got no money, But honey, I'm rich on personality, Hey, check it all out, Baby, I know what it's all about, Before the night is through, U will see my point of view, Even if I have 2 scream and shout, Oh baby, I'm a star! Might not know it now, Baby, but I are, I'm a star! I don't want 2 stop till I reach the top, Sing it! (We are a star!)" Baby I'm a Star- by Prince
"To be or not to be, that is the question."~Shakespeare
I ran across this quote today and it made me think of an earlier time in my life, where I believed the quote was, "To be or Nottoobee, that is the question." Furthermore, (and I have no clue where this part of my belief was created!), I thought Nottoobee was a magic gnome who lived in the enchanted forest near Santa. So, in my innocent mind, the meaning was something like, are you just gonna let it be, or ask Nottoobee. When I heard this, it would make me think... "Ohh, I should ask Nottoobee about this, because I can't just let it be." Even writing this now, I can't quite make sense of it, but I can still remember how much sense it made to me at the time... how smart it made me feel to understand this.
I had many beliefs like that as a kid... things I was so sure about, things that made total sense, things that I understood. As a child, when you believe something silly like that, it's cute, encouraged even. You're allowed to dream, to believe in fairies, to have fun... to believe in your own possibility! My kindergarten teacher had an accent, and when she said "Lord," I thought she was saying, "Laura." So everyday when we stood in a circle to pray, and everyone would ask for prayers for their grandma, pet hamster and brother, and my teacher said, "Lord please pray for them," I heard, "Laura please pray for them." So I would say okay softly, and go home and pray for them... it seemed totally normal to me because I just thought I was really good at praying and so I was the one that could help all these people. I believed in myself that much ... so why does that have to change as the years go by?
Well, I know the obvious answers... experience, growth, google... but can't we evolve with a smile? Why are we expected to be so serious, have all the answers, and never fail... I mean that sounds like no fun at all!! Amma always says,
"Have the attitude of a beginner, and the innocence of a child"
Wow!! So good!! There's always something new we can learn, always!! Things are always changing, and if we have this attitude, we can be open to learn and grow with them. Children are often looked at as those us older people can teach, but we can also learn a lot from them!! I swear sometimes I think I've learned a lot more from kids I've tried to teach, than they learned from me!! They have that beginner mindset still, that belief in things, they aren't afraid to listen and learn and be wrong and see what is, rather than what should be. It's so amazing to see that in anyone!
So maybe we should all spend more time with that inner child... the one that questions and looks at everything with awe and big eyes, that can find fun in a paper bag and believe that they are a superhero!!Here's a great example of just how great life can be as a child... I'm going to start doing this daily!! (For now, I have fairy wings in my car, bubbles in my purse, and a smile on my face... and if there's something I'm not sure about, I still remember I can always ask Nottoobee!)
Today's Silver Lining: "Love - Devotion, Feeling - Emotion, Don't be afraid to be weak, Don't be too proud to be strong, Just look into your heart my friend, That will be the return to yourself, The return to innocence. If you want, then start to laugh, If you must, then start to cry. Be yourself don't hide, Just believe in destiny, Don't care what people say, Just follow your own way, Don't give up and use the chance,To return to innocence." Return to Innocence- by Enigma
When you have more in your past, and further to look in your future, it's sometimes confusing to really get a clear grasp of now. What matters now? What is the moment? There's a great line I heard from an old Meatloaf song, that isn't the silver lining, but is definitely golden!! It says:
"But it was long ago and it was far away, Oh God it seems so very far, And if life is just a highway, Then the soul is just a car. And objects in the rear view mirror, May appear closer than they are."
Beautifully put. The soul is just a car... I love that!! And looking back at things, even when they seem so long ago, always makes them appear closer, because we can still see them... and trying to look ahead, we can't tell what we'll come up on next!!
I am constantly questioning everything... saying the same things over and over with different words... but these things eventually evolve as they need to. Our beliefs serve us as they need to, right or wrong, good or bad, late or early, wet or dry... none of these dualities matter as much as the awareness they bring us... the reality they elude to. We can never be too sure of what exists for others, because we aren't riding in their car... our judgements are never really an accurate map!! So regardless of what we are soooooo sure of where we are right now, eventually it will be an image in the rear view mirror, as we ride on down the highway of life in our dream soul!
Today's Silver Lining:
"First the earth was flat, but it fattened up when we didn't fall off, now we spin laps 'round the sun, all the gods lost, 2-1, a host of heaven pointed out to us from light years away, we're surrounded by a billion galaxies, things are not always, things are not always how they seem, will you be ready' will you be ready'" 2 1- by Imogen Heap
“Some things you have to do every day. Eating seven apples on Saturday night instead of one a day just isn't going to get the job done”—Jim Rohn
I've been slowly falling out of some of my good habits... I tend to have a habit of doing that!! ;-) I stopped going to yoga as much, eating as much raw food, writing in my blog...ahem... oopsie!! However, I could see a difference in my level of happiness... it wasn't even a huge slip... maybe a week, but the happiness just wasn't as bursty, laughing out loud for no reason, can't control the urge to smile alllll the time, as it was when I was habitizing!! Today I was back in my routine... and whadda ya know... instant results! Sooooo happy for no reason! To top it off, I even had an amazing dinner from whole foods in red rock canyon... which just gave me even more of a boost because it is soooooo beautiful there.
The more I read, and live life, lol... the more I realize how important our habits are. We are what we do... just the act of constantly doing something that makes you feel good can change your life!! In a book called TED, by David Emerald, he says,
"It is the baby steps you take, the everyday things you do, that eventually lead to the manifestation of your outcome."
It doesn't mean we have to make drastic changes all at once, in fact those can be like fad diets and make things worse because they come and go!! However, if we keep up little nuggets of goodness everyday, they become a whole bowl full of happy habits!! As Aristotle said:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Love, love, love that!! When you look at examples of people who represent excellence, they are people who are constantly doing what they're good at!! Olympic athletes don't have one really great intense session and expect to win gold, they train daily... it is part of their habit. The more you do something, the less you have to think about doing it... it just becomes a part of your routine. So what do you do everyday?? Are there things you do that you may not realize have become habits? Complaining? Snoozing? Slacking? :-) Are there little things you could do, that would become habits of happiness? Smiling... alot?????? :-D
Bottom line it doesn't matter what you do everyday... but what you do everyday matters!!!! ;-)
Today's Silver Lining:
"If you want to sing out, Sing out. And if you want to be free, Be free. 'Cause there's a million things to be. You know that there are. And if you want to live high, Live high. And if you want to live low, Live low. Cause there's a million ways to go. You know that there are. You can do what you want. The opportunity's on. And if you find a new way. You can do it today. You can make it all true. And you can make it undo. You see. Ah, It's easy. Ah You only need to know." If You Want to Sing Out- by Cat Stevens
What am I doing? It's an answer that's always changing for me, and one that usually takes a bit of explaining and still never quite makes sense to people... but today I found a new answer that explains it perfectly. At the moment I'm enjoying what I have, embracing change, allowing it to create whatever happens next, and being grateful that i have the freedom to do all of the above!! I'm happy where I am, but still movin, doing what I need to do, but also what I want to do... in short, "I'm livin my life like it's golden!"
Today's Silver Lining:
"I'm holding on to my freedom, Can't take it from me, I was born into it and it comes naturally, I'm strumming my own freedom, Playing the God in me, Representing His glory, Hope He's proud of me! Yeah! Living my life like it's golden, Living my life like it's golden." Golden- by Jill Scott
You cannot do wrong and feel right. It is impossible! ~Ezra Taft Benson
The way we are made to work is really quite simple... we are naturally in tune with everything we need for survival. We are programed to feel a certain way, so that we instinctively respond based on that feeling... but these days we are being programmed to rely on thinking instead. We don't question touching a hot stove, we can feel pain, so we don't touch it. Things that harm our bodies cause pain, things that help our bodies feel good. It's the same with our emotions, they are there to help guide us into things that are in tune with our highest good, and help alert us to what isn't... yet somehow we seem to question these feelings if they don't match what we think we want to do.
Look at the rest of the things around us... trees, animals, the sun... they all just do their thing. A tree just grows, it doesn't question where the water will come from, or try to put it's roots somewhere it thinks may be a cool spot, it is just growin with the flow. Everything else survives and adapts to change without having to worry, because that's what we're made to do... grow and evolve with everything else around us. I was reading a book today that says,
"As another ancient sage once said, 'The pathway is smooth. Why do you throw rocks before you?'”~ Susan Jeffers quotes from Feel the Fear…And Do It Anyway
We create our own obstacles sometimes by placing these fears in our minds. Rather than trusting ourselves, we allow fear to trick us into thinking there is a way that something could go wrong. The thing is, no matter what has hurt us in the past, or what we fear may hurt us in the future... we were born totally able to handle it!! Our feelings are there for a reason, to be our guides, and allow us to experience everything we need. She also says:
"You are innately designed to use your personal power. When you don’t, you experience a sense of helplessness, paralysis, and depression—which is your clue that something is not working as it could. You, like all of us, deserve everything that is wonderful and exciting in life. And those feelings emerge only when you get in touch with your powerful self." ~ Susan Jeffers quotes from Feel the Fear…And Do It Anyway
I love that!! I couldn't agree more. Anytime those feelings come up they urge us to want to change something in order to end that feeling... they motivate us in a strange way to go towards something that will work better for us. When we don't feel good about something, chances are, we're right!! Another great way to look at this is from Byron Katie:
"Your nature is truth, and when you oppose it, you don’t feel like yourself. Stress never feels as natural as peace does."~ Byron Katie quotes from Loving What Is
Ever notice how the things that seem to make us feel peaceful and happy seem to be treated as a bonus to the other stressful, less appealing things we feel we have to do? Well, it's okay to always feel good with what we're doing... in fact it's our nature to follow the good! If something isn't serving us anymore, we're feeling detached from it for a reason. Oprah is a great example, she says:
"We create stress for ourselves because you feel like you have to do it. You have to. I don't feel that anymore."
Ever notice how even things you like to do can be stressful when you feel like you have to do them? Forcing things always creates those feelings of discomfort because we aren't paying attention to what's in flow. We need to keep in check with our feelings... just like we do with the weather. We make sure we know if it's hot or cold so we can dress accordingly...in the winter we bundle up to keep warm, to prevent us from feeling too cold. Most of the time we aren't going to wear a bikini out in the snow, and if we do, we'll most likely freeze and suffer from that decision! Check your feelings... are you excited? stressed? happy? These feelings are our thermometer so we can gauge how to act accordingly. So remember, trust how things make you feel... just like you can't be warm wearing a bikini in the snow...
You cannot do wrong and feel right. It is impossible! ~
Today's Silver Lining:
"It's not hard to understand, Just follow this simple plan, Follow your heart, Your intuition, It will lead you in the right direction. Let go of your mind, Your Intuition, It's easy to find, Just follow your heart baby." Intuition- By Jewel
Economy-shmonony... blah, blah, blah. Yes, money many be tight for many people out there, but let's be real, we just keep buying new versions of the same crap anyways!! We always have everything we need, even if we trick ourselves into thinking otherwise... we're very adaptable creatures! A friend showed me a great video today where someone was giving out Free Hugs, and it got me to thinking... of all the things that are free to give and readily available. I decided I'm going to be giving out free gifts all week, so look out people... if I see you it may as well be your birthday because I'm loading you up with goodies. Here's my top 10 list of free gifts to give to friends, family, or your favorite Starbucks barista... because it's all about living and giving the present, hehe!!
The Best 10 Free Gifts Ever (well at least on this blog, lol)
10. a wink
9. a knee to tie your shoe on
8. a cool nickname
7. knock knock jokes
6. courtesy laughs
5. high fives...(had to keep with the whole 5 theme!)
4. smiles
3. compliments
2. hugs
and, the top one is..... drum roll.... cowbell......................
1. dance moves... I mean come on, who doesn't love to watch someone dance?!! I don't know about you, but I'm always grateful when someone is willing to share their moves with me, and so I will be giving out free dance moves, (I usually charge)... so you're welcome in advance!!
Today's Silver Lining:
"And I'll take you for who you are, If you take me for everything, And do it all over again, It's all the same, hours slide and days go by, Till you decide to come, But in-between it always seems too long, Suddenly but I have the skill, yeah, I have the will, to breath you in while I can, However long you stay is all that I am." All the Same- by The Sick Puppies
Possible: adj- Capable of happening, existing, or being true without contradicting proven facts, laws, or circumstances; Capable of occurring or being done without offense to character, nature, or custom.
So, that's what we are told to believe we can do... things that have been done, that are already known, that don't go against proof... but if we only stay within these possibilities, how can we ever create new ones??? I don't understand how a lot of things work, I just know they do because of experience... because I've tried them and they've become part of my reality. Now many things in my life that once seemed impossible, are all possibilities I am being presented with.
It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. ~Robert H. Schuller
Today I found a note I had written myself that simply said: "All I want is to spread happiness to everyone in the world." Haha, oh, that's it?! Just to make everyone in the world happy!! Sounds impossible right!?! Well, here's the even funnier part... I also realized that's exactly what I'm doing! I'm working for a new book called, Delivering Happiness, by Tony Hsieh and I am literally packing and sending this book to people all over the world... thus literally delivering, Delivering Happiness, to people all over the world! It wasn't quite what I pictured I'd be doing when I had written that, but in a strange way, it is exactly what I wanted to give people, some real, honest to goodness happiness! And that is just what this book does, in so many ways!! The book itself is a bundle of stories that will bring anyone who reads it not only some good laughs, but some insight on the psychology of happiness as well! It shows many things that seemed impossible at the time, and the persistence and attitude that made them not only possible, but profitable! It gives people examples of how to overcome things with a smile, and a few things to avoid preventing those smiles from being turned upside down :-) Since the book isn't actually being released until June 7... all the copies I'm delivering are advanced copies people have won, so ya know that's a happy little treat! Then to top it off, I put little notes inside the book sometimes encouraging a happy dance... or a happiness fortune, such as: "Happy is he who gets advanced copies of good books... whoo hoo, that's you!" I'm tellin ya folks, it doesn't get much happier... people are gettin really happy out there... and you could be next, so warm up your smiles!!
The thing is, I wrote that actually believing it was possible, not trying to figure out how... rather just trying to do it little by little... and now book by book. When you just try things that seem impossible, they suddenly become... well, more than simply possible... incredible!
There is nothing impossible to him who will try.~Alexander the Great
It is so true... anything you try, even attempt, is instantly not impossible anymore, it is now an option, a dream, a lesson... it exists, because it is being learned through experience. When you look at things this way, when you try doing what others may not have found yet, you realize....
Failure is impossible. ~Susan B. Anthony
I still look at things everyday that seem like they should be impossible to me... that I can talk to my parents in Florida on skype through a computer and we can see and hear each other... I mean, that seems like it should be impossible! The fact that we can fly through the sky in an airplane and get to places in hours, that used to take people decades... that's amazing!! Thinking about space and all the galaxies beyond and lifeforms that exist, (the fact that I'm an super dork and watch too much PBS!), seems unimaginable!! Yet, all these things are proven through trial and error... key word TRIAL, or TRY-ALL!!
We are an impossibility in an impossible universe. ~Ray Bradbury
Yet we are here. You are here. I am here... Impossible... or I'M-Possible!!! The world is amazing, life is amazing and as I learned from reading Delivering Happiness, and now experience through delivering, Delivering Happiness, (the fact that I'm delivering, Delivering Happiness, never gets old, lol),
It's kind of fun to do the impossible. ~Walt Disney
It doesn't matter what you do, where you are, what got you here, how impossible it may have seemed... Here you are, and as for what happens now... well, the possibilities are endless, and so are the impossibilities!!
"Who's to say, What's impossible, Well they forgot, This world keeps spinning, And with each new day, I can feel a change in everything, And as the surface breaks reflections fade, But in some ways they remain the same, And as my mind begins to spread its wings, There's no stopping curiosity, I want to turn the whole thing upside down, I'll find the things they say just can't be found, I'll share this love I find with everyone, We'll sing and dance to Mother Nature's songs, I don't want this feeling to go away." Upside Down- by Jack Johnson
So today's the day to celebrate moms and say thank you for all they do. I thought about doing what I always do, sending a gift with a card, thanking my mom for how amazing she is, for ALWAYS being there, no matter where I happen to be in my gypsy life.... for always supporting all of my many ideas and dreams, and for always being my voice of reason when I'm at a loss for words... for showing me what love is through the way she lives every moment of her life, and teaching me the many uses of a wooden spoon, lol! ... but instead of telling her the same things again, I'd thought I'd take a different approach.
Most of my life I just thought that all mom's had to be this compassionate, it wasn't until much later that I realized it was a choice... That all she gave up for me and did for me was from her heart, not the mandatory mommy handbook. I've struggled with being different since I was a kid, going off the beaten path, and following my dreams... rather than the footsteps that society tells me to follow. I've lived in many places, had many friends come and go, been betrayed, ridiculed, questioned and doubted by most... but never by her. Even when I thought my dreams were unrealistic, she was the one to tell me to go follow them anyways!! She always had a way to to keep me inspired even when I was across the country ... and somehow all the random cards she sent would arrive in the mail, just when I needed some words of encouragement. She always helped me feel like I could do anything... and reminded me that she was proud of me for trying, no matter what the outcome. She is the reason that I was never afraid to leap, was because I knew it was ok to fall with her there to encourage me to get back up. She never tried to make me into what she thought I should be, or worried about what others thought of who I was... she always embraced and encouraged me to be who I am!! I know that it's not an easy task, listening to all the doubts, trials, and confusion that come along with my journey... but she is always on the phone as long as it takes for me to see the light and process through those things. And as I travel and move and evolve into new ways of thinking, she is always there, and allows me to change without judgement, showing me what true love looks like. The solid foundation my faith in life is built upon was created by her example and wisdom. Life is tough, but it's a lot easier knowing there's someone out there who loves you and believes in you no matter what... she would have to feel the immense gratitude for her in my heart that grows with each breath, to ever really understand just how much I appreciate/adore/admire/love her!!!!!
So this Mother's Day my wish is for her to feel the same way. To know that I believe in her no matter what. That she can do anything she dreams of, go anywhere she has ever imagined, and continue to embrace all of life's beauty. To remind her of how amazing and talented she is, and how much better the world is because she is in it. To encourage her to never be afraid to try something new or take a chance. To know how proud I am of her and all she does. And to know that regardless of any choice she ever makes, I will love her and stand beside her just as she has always done for me!!!
Here's to the most amazing mother, who's always encouraged me to be me, while reminding me I'd always always have her... thank you for this and all of the amazing lessons you've taught me, and for always reminding me what's important! I love you so so very much, you are the sunshine that always creates my silver lining, forever and always!!!
Today's Silver Lining: (play the song, then scroll down... it's my ghetto version of a video, lol)
(Mom's widom...This is why I am able to be who I am...)
Yesterday, when you were young,
Everything you needed done was done for you.
Now you do it on your own
But you find you're all alone,
What can you do?
You and me walk on, walk on, walk on
Cause you can't go back now.
You know there will be days when you're so tired that you can't take another step,
The night will have no stars and you'll think you've gone as far as you will ever get
But you and me walk on, walk on, walk on
Cause you can't go back now
And yeah, yeah, go where you want to go
Yeah, yeah, be what you want to be,
If you ever turn around, you'll see me!
I can't really say why everybody wishes they were somewhere else
But in the end, the only steps that matter are the ones you take all by yourself
And you and me walk on, walk on, walk on
Yeah you and me walk on, walk on, walk on
Cause you can't go back now
Walk on, walk on, walk on
You can't go back now.
And the song my mom always plays for me I'd like to play for her... Mom, I hope you never lose you're sense of wonder, and I hope YOU dance!!!!
