Perfect Timing

I look at some of the things in my life and think, "Wow, that happened at the perfect time."  I also look at somethings and wonder what would happen now if I was to do that again.  They say timing is everything... but I think everything is on time. We may wish things could just happen now, or that we could put life on hold sometimes... but as the saying goes,

"Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward."

Things may seem to happen at the worst time or the best time, but the fact of the matter is, they always happen at the perfect time.  Think back to some of the best stories you tell... they probably involve some unforeseen circumstance that at the time seemed like the end of the world, but now has all worked out.  If you look at the thing in your life that you would classify as the biggest disaster, disappointment, or heartbreak... you could probably stem 3 or more great things from that... Because it's all necessary.

It's just like baking a cake... the flour, raw eggs, salt, butter, sugar, baking soda, etc. don't taste so great on their own, nor would you want to indulge in many of them as they were... but... once they're all mixed up and popped in the oven for a while, they come out tasting like a dream!

Such is life my friends.  Cakes need a lot of boring flour to make up the consistency... we need a lot of seemingly boring stuff to make up our fluffy, yummy life.  When things seem to take to long, we have to trust that they're still not quite cooked yet. When we put things into perspective like that, and think of the universe, God, whatever you wanna call that force, as our baker... we have to trust that anything that's added into our lives is necessary for our recipe, that today's icky baking powder, is just a small ingredient in our delicious life... and that everything is being mixed, beaten and baked at the perfect time ;-)

Today's Silver Lining

"And in the daylight we can hitchhike to Maine, I hope that someday I’ll see without these frames, And in the daylight I don’t pick up my phone, ‘Cause in the daylight anywhere feels like home, I have five clocks in my life, And only one has the time right, I’ll just unplug it for today, I’ll just unplug it for today."  Daylight- by Matt and Kim

What Would You Do?

If I wrote a blog each hour, I would have a crazy spectrum of feelings, thoughts and beliefs... because in each moment things can change so much.  However, there are those certain things that seem to be consistent.  It is the core of your belief structure that the others stem from, so what's at your core?  I read a great quote by Wallace D. Wattles that says:

"Whatever you habitually think yourself to be, that you are. You must form, now, a greater and better habit; you must form a conception of yourself as a being of limitless power, and habitually think that you are that being.  It is the habitual, not the periodical thought that decides your destiny."

So if thoughts become things... it's those thoughts that you're always thinking, even without thinking, not the ones that just pop in for a quick visit.  It's those thoughts, because you believe them... and chances are you believe them because of some experience.  We have thoughts all the time that come and go, but when something happens that affects us, we tend to remember it more.  When we do things, and begin to see results, good or bad, we tend to believe them.  So, while you may have some thoughts that are silly at the time... it's what you do with them, that becomes believable.

Today's Silver Lining

"Ghosts in the photograph never lied to me.  I'd be all of that.  I'd be all of that.  A false memory would be everything. A denial my eliminent."  Take Me Somewhere Nice- by Mogwai

What Do You Think?

It's amazing, the power of the mind.  The things it remembers, creates and destroys.  If we don't control it, it consumes us.  It makes up our world by what it thinks about... so it is up to us to make up our mind.

Everything we see, smell, touch, read, drive by, do... everything... goes straight to our head.  It is stored there with everything else, and filed away according to what else is up there.  So while sometimes we may not understand where thoughts come from, or how feelings can be so strong... we can be sure that it's something we put in our head at some point.  The good news is, we can all choose what we think.

Yes, it may be extremely difficult at times, but it is always entirely  possible.  When we are feeling off track, out of whack, or in a rut, we can put good things into our mind.  Now it may take some time for them to process through... the other hopeless thoughts may linger for a while, but when you are filling your head with how you want to be... well, you are.

Inspirational quotes, or sayings may seem silly at first, or awkward and hard to hear, but after a while... they start to become a part of your thoughts.  They start to become what you believe, so that who you are can keep on keepin on.  When you try to make a conscious effort to put good things into your head everyday, good thoughts are sure to follow .. At least that's what I think ;-)

Today's Silver Lining

"You know you're gold, you don't gotta worry none, Oasis child, born and so wild, Don't I know you better than the rest, All deception, all deception from you." Zebra- by Beach House

Head of Your Class

It is challenging to be alive.  I don't care who you are, what you have or do, there is always something to overcome... but that's what reminds us we're still actively living .  It always seems that just when you start to feel like you've got it all figured out, something inevitably comes along that changes that... but that's a good thing.

Life is like school, once you learn something, you move on to the next.  First you learn numbers, then addition, then multiplication, then algebra... and so on.  Looking back from your algebra homework, the numbers seem so obvious.  If I was to point at the number 8 and ask you what number it is, you wouldn't think twice.  However, at one point, that would've been a tough one for you.  Now imagine if I tried to teach you that that was the #8.  You'd probably get annoyed, and bored... because you already know that.  Life is no different. We all have to start with the basics and keep learning and working our way to the harder stuff, and no matter how hard it gets... there's always harder stuff!  We all learn different lessons, at different speeds, but we're always learning.  Somethings may be harder for one person than the next... somethings may take years to fully understand... and there may be some lessons you never even make it to, in this lifetime anyway.  The point is, it's all part of the lesson plan we are assigned to.

 I was talking to a friend today who is feeling lost, frustrated, and hopeless... like things aren't getting better, that after all this time, life is still hard.  I myself have struggled with these same feelings.  Why do I feel like no matter what I do I'm still here?  Why is it that every time I feel like I finally get where I need to be, something happens?  What is it that will make me happy?  How do I get there?  Well... I am here, and so are you.

Wherever you are at this moment is exactly where you are supposed to be.   If you think someone else's plan is any easier... maybe they're still in 2nd grade and you're in college, but you can trust they're having to do their homework too! Whether you're struggling through a tough equation, or feeling good about an essay you just got an A+ on, you are in the middle of your lesson plan at all times.  I know it's hard to accept, especially when you feel like whatever lesson you're working on is one you've tried over and over and are about to give up on... but that's the thing about life's lessons... you can't give up until you get it... and you can't look at anyone else to compare notes, because we're all in our own class.

What you can do, is just know that you will get it eventually, and go easy on yourself... and others. You can tackle a little at a time, knowing that with each try, be it a failure or success, you're still learning.  You can take a break if you're tired of working on something, and clear your head by going on to something that you enjoy.  The difficult lesson will be there waiting, whether you like it or not ;-)  You can also be compassionate to others by accepting whatever lesson they're working on, rather than judging them... and helping them if you can. After all, even though our lessons are very different, we're all still learning!

Today's Silver Lining

"You went to school to learn girl, Things you never, never knew before, Like "I" before "E" except after "C", And why 2 plus 2 makes 4, Now, now, now, I'm gonna teach you, Teach you, teach you

All about love girl, All about love, Sit yourself down, take a seat, All you gotta do is repeat after me, A B C, It's easy as, 1 2 3, As simple as, do re mi."  ABC- by The Jackson 5

The Falling of Love

Sometimes in life love seems so strong, that there is no way we can imagine ever seeing it fall apart. Then things change, time passes and intentions fail. Before you know it, that which was once strong and new is weak and falling.

I experienced this over the weekend. The sign I have in my apartment, made up of the letters "L-O-V-E," kept falling down. It had been happening before, but I somehow managed to get the sticky part to stick again. Now however, I had lost the "L,O, & E" so all that was left was the V. That's when it hit me. Though I could restick the letters temporarily, they kept falling faster each time, and more frequently... if I wanted a different result I had to try something new. So I did. I went to the store and got new adhesives and replaced the old ones. Simple. And it worked.  The thing is... It's up to us to pick up the pieces and find a new way to make them stick, rather than to keep trying what isn't working anymore.  I don't know why it took me so long to just do what now seems so obvious.  Maybe because it was easier to just re-stick the letters real quick... Maybe because I didn't care enough to go and get something new... Or maybe because I thought that love isn't supposed to fall apart.

That's something I've learned more and more lately... often, it is only our old beliefs that keep us from new opportunities, or from making old ones last. We are so determined to keep trying to restick our love together over and over regardless of how many times we watch it fall, rather than take a new approach with something that works.  Things sometimes lose their stickiness, but if we care enough to do what it takes to make them stay put, and can simply try something different... we'll never have to lose hope when we see love fall apart.

Today's Silver Lining

"Say you gotta put the good with the bad, happy and the sad, So will u bring a better future than I had in the past, Oh Cause, I don't wanna make the same mistakes I did, I don't wanna fall back on my face again, Whoa, whoa, I'll admit it, I was scared to answer love's call, Whoa, whoa, and if it hits better make it worth the fall, (When it comes around), Sometimes love comes around, (Love comes around)

And it knocks you down, Just get back up, When it knocks you down."

Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday

"If not now, when?"

A quote that sounds all high and mighty, too profound for it's own good... but yet is oh so true.  I've been a procrastinator for most of my life, so I know how easy it is to put things off for the right moment, or until tomorrow... I also know that tomorrow never comes.  I look at so many things in my life that I have put in the hands of tomorrow, to realize they are now dreams of yesterday.

When I look at all the things we dream of in our tomorrows however, I realize what tomorrow is... hope.  Knowing that the sun can come out tomorrow, can give us the hope we need to get through today.  It gives us the inspiration to keep going, to get to that ray of hope we seek ... the thing is, what if the sun doesn't come out? Then what?

That's what I've been trying to figure out lately. When I was so excited yesterday because the sun was finally gonna come out tomorrow, and then today I'm still left in the grey, then what?  Well, what I discovered, is that while we can use tomorrow to inspire us... we cant have any expectations from it.  While tomorrow can supply hope for today, yesterday can supply wisdom for today, so you know how to handle any weather.  Rather than waiting for the sun to come out, take what you learned yesterday, and dance in the rain... with hope for tomorrow, but because it's today :-)

Today's Silver Lining

"Just thinkin' about tomorrow, Clears away the cobwebs, And the sorrow, 'Til there's none! When I'm stuck with a day, That's gray, And lonely, I just stick out my chin, And Grin, And Say, Oh! The sun'll come out tomorrow, So ya gotta hang on 'til tomorrow, Come what may."

Something Fishy

In life there are those dream jobs, places to live and people that we spend so much time drooling over and building up in our minds.  We think, "Once I get a new job, life will be paradise," or "If I could become famous, all the things I would do."  The thing I've learned, over and over again... is that often when those dreams become reality, we are not satisfied.  We are left looking to those things, waiting for the joy they are supposed to bring, and that is where the disappointment begins.

I had a recent reminder of this.  I had gotten what I thought was my dream job.  From my title, to my coworkers, to the job itself, there was nothing in this world I could think of that was more perfect.  I was so excited!  "This is it," I thought, "I have manifested my perfect life, and now I get to enjoy the fruits of my labor."  As I began my new job, I was still me, but as I began to look to it to make me happy and meet my expectations, I became less and less connected to me, and more and more disappointed.  Pretty soon, I was frustrated, and rather than doing MY best, I was doing the best I could in those circumstances.  Rather than staying true to myself, and my beliefs, I followed the crowd and did what they did at a detriment to my own well being.  Rather than stepping up and thinking outside of the box, I did what I needed each day... all the while waiting for my dream to step in and change things for the better..  By the end of it, I was disconnected and disappointed.  As I sat there looking at the ruins of my dream, I wondered, "Where did I go wrong?"

As I was reading a quote by Russell Simmons, it finally hit me.  

"Your purpose is to act on the resources God gives you. If God gives you a bucket of fish, you have to distribute those fish. If you don't, they're going to rot, attract a bunch of flies, and start stinking up your soul."

God had given me the fish, but rather than distributing them, I was busy celebrating them.  I kept staring hopefully at the bucket of fish waiting for them to do their job, when they were actually there for me to do mine.   Eventually, they did smell, and attract flies, then I had to get rid of them because they were only making things worse.  Rather than loving what I had by using it, I admired it and waited for it to love me... oppsie!

It is often easy to blame the things in our life for not making us happy, but when you look at it from this perspective, it is hard to blame the fish, for my lack of action.  Yes, the fish smelled, and attracted flies, but I kept the fish and watched as they rot, rather than putting them to use.  There is another quote from Russell Simmons that summed up what I took away from this:

"The key ingredient to any kind of happiness or success is to never give less than your best."

One of the four agreements as well, it's the simple act of giving your best, that feels good.  Your best, is not my best, or his best, or what something says is best... it's your natural state, and when you're doing it, you love it!  In fact, that's what love is, doing... not waiting.  When life gives you lemons, take em and do your thing with em.  Whether it's lemonade, a margarita, or a pie... use em up your way... but use them for something you love!  

So if something's getting a little fishy in your life, don't forget that it's up to you to do something to keep things fresh!  God can send us a bus, but it's up to us to get on it... And when you do get on the bus, don't forget to enjoy the ride on your way to the fish market! ;-)

Today's Silver Lining

"Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air, I know I can count on you, Sometimes I feel like saying, 'Lord I just don't care' But you've got the love I need to see me through, Sometimes it seems that the going is just too rough, And things go wrong no matter what I do, Now and then it seems that life is just too much, But you've got the love I need to see me through."  You've Got the Love- by Florence and the Machine

Sweeter Than a Spoonful of Sugar

According to Mary Poppins, "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."  Well in my life I've certainly found things are much easier to handle with a little something good to accompany them.  A song, a friend, a cupcake, a silver lining, (hehe) ... adding a little sweetness to anything always makes it easier to swallow.  Yet somehow, in todays busy world, we often forget the power of a spoonful of sugar.

Amy Martin hasn't forgotten though... the founder of Digital Royalty is doing a cartwheel a day for 365 days as her daily dose of fun. 





 Alana Golob's daily sweetness is a heel click.  Taking the time everyday to do something to make you smile can really help with those tough times... So what's your daily dose?


  


There's a great quote by Aristotle that says, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."

When we make it a habit to treat ourselves to a dose of joy everyday, we become joyful!  So give it a shot, have a daily dance, moment of thanks, or high five... the options are endless, and so are the benefits... and that is sweeter than sugar!  (What's my daily dose?  Come back tomorrow and find out, yayuh!)

Today's Silver Lining

"Pick me up, oh, from the bottom, Up to the top, love, everyday, Pay no mind to taunts or advances, I take my chances on everyday, Left to right, Up and down, love, I push up love, love everyday, Jump in the mud, 

Get your hands dirty with, Love it up on everyday."  Everyday- by The Dave Matthews Band

This video is pretty awesome if you have time!

Do What You Do

I read a great article today on how finding your passion is sometimes not the best practice in finding your career. It says that rather than stressing on trying to figure out a deep answer to the question of passion, look at what you do now.  Wow, what a simple, yet overlooked practice!  Here's the article if you're so inclined...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/8349119/Think-Tank-Ever-felt-like-your-job-isnt-what-you-were-born-to-do-Youre-not-alone.html

It's so often we are told to find our passion, look for a calling... but seldom are we ever reminded to take a look in the mirror.  I find this to be one of the most beneficial things one can do.  I remember when I graduated college, I got a bookmark that read, "Happiness is not getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you've got."  It always stuck with me.  If I wanted to be happy, I'd have to utilize whatever was given to me at the moment.  Whatever you have now, do now or see now, is everything you need... for now.  The way you view these things, use these things and invest these things will create what you have next.  Walking as far as we can today, will give us a better head-start for tomorrow... but there is no place you'll end up without taking steps to get there.  So where are you headed right now?

Sometimes it's easy to get caught looking only to the future, but when we stop to look at where we are now, it gives us a better idea of how to get there from here.  And when you look at what you do, it helps you to see how you got where you are... by doin that thing you do!

Today's Silver Lining

"You, Doin' that thing you do, Breaking my heart into a million pieces, Like you always do, And you, Don't mean to be cruel, You never even knew about the heartache, I've been going through 

Well I try and try to forget you girl, But it's just so hard to do, Every time you do that thing you do." That Thing You Do - by The Wonders