99% of the Time It Works Everytime...

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

That's Weird!

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

 

Being a Super Star

 

Changing what you have comes from

changing who you are.

And changing who you are comes from changing what

you think.

...

Which is why I made the latter so easy.

-The Universe

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:

http://www.tut.com/theclub/

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

The Fountain of Youth

"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

The Rear View Mirror

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

Habits of Happiness

“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

The Golden Rules!!!

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