Discover Your Happy Universe.........

"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper"  ~ Eden Phillpotts

When I read this quote I felt it's meaning right away. I believe that once we open our heart and mind to certain things(and not to mention our eyes) we notice so much more.

For example, on my quest to maintain inner peace and calm, I "see" more clearly things that help facilitate me on this journey. I have become aware of books,  classes and most importantly other people that feel a similar way! I gravitate towards the positive energy and vibe that will bring me towards my personal sense of peace.

Just as the positive energy empowers us, the negative energy can bring us down and deplete us. It is so beneficial to stay focused on the positive and you will see more of it bestowed upon you....as resilience is strengthening us for the not so good times. 

Choose to surround yourself with those who are on a similar path and journey....Heartfelt, giving and genuine....relationships where you can each be yourselves. One of being able to see the good and share kindness, while making a difference for others.

Now this is not to say we must fake positive when things are crappy.....that's when we need to be genuine also, and find support from our family and friends(or what I like to say our "go to tribe") We all need to know we have one...build one!

Troubles and heartache can be many, but how we perceive it lies within us. Some days are easier than others, that's for sure. Holding on to the belief that we are each the most powerful participant in our lives, can encourage us each and every day.

So let's get to sharpening our wits, and watch as we begin to experience all the magical things the universe has to offer.....and what we choose do with them.

Be mindful Dear Readers that each day holds the amazing possibility to be so much more than "just another day". 

Cheers!

*Special note: this is a reworked post that I previously published, that spoke to me again today ~

What's On Your List Today...........

                                                       Zachery Holme

Words That Make Me Smile

Whimsical

Compassion

Sparkle

Kindness
Family 

Unity

Icicles
Serendipity
Flamingo
Believe

Catching Up...........

               I stray just a bit today from my traditional style of posting ~
                ....... after all that's what a personal blog is all about right ?


Last week I had the extreme pleasure of chatting with a friend that I only see a few times a year, but we email through out just the same. In an effort to pick a date to visit we messaged back and forth. At one point she wrote "I'm around today if you want to give a call so we can figure something out".

I called and not only did we plan a time to visit we talked for over two hours.....It was just the best! We originally connected in a playgroup when our first born sons were around three years old, now we chatted about their first few months of college. We looked back at who they were then and the young men they have become. Which traits are still present and play a role in choices they make today. We continue to encourage each other as we did back then.  "Will he ever eat vegetables" has transitioned into "how involved should I be"? 

It was comforting to talk, reassure and encourage each other at this particular phase of motherhood. We both agreed that we learned a lot with our first and that we became more confident with our second. (both boys as well)


Our friendship has grown, as our sons have gotten older.....each maturing with age.

As we hung up we decided we needed to do this more often. Later that day I sent her an email saying how much I enjoyed our catching up, on the telephone.....who knew?!

Etreintes mon ami ~

Feel the Vibration.................

People say "what is the sense of our small effort"? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time". ~ Dorothy Day

I believe in tiny efforts that share kindness. It is so easy to get caught up in "life" that this important fact fades away. This week I am dedicating myself to stay focused on kindness and how it can touch the lives of others!

There is great power in numbers. There is a vibration that can be felt and momentum builds, when people work together.

Join me this week won't you, as we touch the lives of others through simple acts of kindness. Mail a "thinking of you" note to a friend, call a family member that time has slipped by from, step aside and hold the door for the person behind you.....while greeting them with a smile and hello.

I'm even thinking about leaving sticky notes with words of happiness, randomly in stores while out on errands this week. Can you picture it on the news "several people have reported finding words of encouragement and kindness while shopping. Smiles are being reported through out. Anyone with information is asked to notify the police"...........we can make a difference one brick/sticky note at a time.

Get Your Oxygen Here..................

When I originally started this blog I felt it's true calling would find me and I would be able to define the direction I wanted it to take. Three months in, and that is not the case. I continue to enjoy multiple avenues my thoughts take me and where the writing leads me.


Thinking it over this morning before sitting down to write, I realized there is a common direction of my blog...... "KINDNESS".  My postings follow a path of my journey of happiness and peace within myself and in turn seeking the goal of sharing it with others ...and so on and so on!

I truly believe we need to have peace within before we can begin to share kindness in our day to day encounters with others. It is so important we take care of ourselves, so we may share peace, kindness and joy with others, knowing that it will come back to us ten fold.

Something I like to do is take 10 quiet minutes for myself....alone with my thoughts, three deep cleansing breaths, and I picture my "happy place". Well, mine is I am sitting in a field of tall grass & wild flowers while the wind is blowing. OK tad bizarre I know, but it feels that there is no stress there and it clears my mind. Of course now that I think about it, I never considered garden snakes & bees....hmmm I may need to change my happy place. But you get what I mean right?? Take the time to nurture yourself, so you are able to bring to the surface the kindness that you have within and can share with others.


The airlines have it spot on when they instruct mothers to place the oxygen mask on themselves first so we can take care of our children.

It is time for us to truly breath and know that oxygen is within reach!

Ode To Joy......................

"The greater the level of calmness of our mind, the greater our peace of mind, the greater our ability to enjoy a happy and joyful life".   ~ Dalai Lama

I know this to be true and it is something I strive/work for in my daily Life (I just feel Life deserves a capital "L"). It doesn't just happen...nothing worth having rarely does. I must say I think calmness can be learned or at least something that gains momentum the more I practice it. 

With my belief that calmness fosters calmness, I participate in guided meditation, seek out things to read that create serenity for me and encourage my thinking to lean on the side of peacefulness. 

I have established a mental checklist of sorts...... is this situation worth the energy I am giving it right now? Will it matter tomorrow? Could it be looked at differently and from someone else's point of view? (remember I have teenagers) Not that I have to understand theirs, but acknowledging there are other ways of thinking of things besides mine (hard to imagine but true...heehee) is very enlightening.

So having these tools in my arsenal provide a safety net for me when things start to go a little haywire....and goodness knows they do. I must say though, those turbulent times are further apart as I incorporate the above strategies into my way of living. 

Warms my heart when I think about this journey I am on, and yes! I am enjoying my happy and joyful Life!

This I Know For Sure.....

Every once in a while I like to take note of the things I know for sure...Now seems as good of time as any. 

                          Orange juice AFTER I brush my teeth..not a good idea

Putting the electric blanket on an hour before I go to bed...good idea

Giggles and belly laughs make things feel better

Silence can be golden

       Using a clothespin on socks in the laundry saves a lot of time sorting

There is goodness in all of us

Long chats with my BFF is the best therapy session ever

White lights on grapevines visually warm a room

   The smell of a just picked tomato on a hot summer day is just the best

Tea and toast brought to me in bed is a great way to start the day

     My teen son initiating a hug and not being the first to let go.... priceless!



I Do...........

Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so. Noam Chomsky

After reading this quote in my email this morning, I realized it speaks to my own beliefs. For me optimism and hope are often interchangeable in my mind. With each day as I awaken I do a mental check list of what the hours ahead hold for me. Throughout the process is an energy of the unknown and the possibilities that are open to me. I like that !

I am so aware that I must take charge of the path I want my Life to go on. I believe this is made up of tiny gestures, moments and choices I make.  And quite often it is my lifeline when things are going less than wonderful. I dig up the optimism and hopeful thoughts that have drifted from the front of my mind and I continue on my journey.

I share this reminder of optimism and hope with you because I know at times the overwhelming and almost choking feelings that can over take us feel like they won't be leaving anytime soon.

We must remember within us ARE the answers. How far we have to dig to find them, well that varies from day to day. (ok even minute by minute for me sometimes).

As I say to my boys "Believe in You .......I do" !

It's a New Year.................

For reasons that escape me, since a very young age I have liked "even" years rather than "odd".  They sound better to me and feel more natural to me. You don't have to understand it.....I certainly don't,  it's just how it is.

So I welcome 2012 with open arms!

I am not a big resolution person. Understandably, since I don't like pressure or not sticking to something. (never had a chance right)?? Rather I decide on various aspects I would like to include in my life. My thought is "if I do it a little, it is more than before I started"......Then I've accomplished it....Yay Me!

This year the things I want to incorporate into my life actually conflict with each other...go figure, talk about challenging.

I would like to get up to speed with technology in areas of increasing visibility of my blog. I take comfort in thinking perhaps in some slight way my words can enlighten, inspire or validate someone in even a small way.

The second focus I would like to embrace in my life is simplifying!  Mentally and physically. Creating personal inner peace that can then be shared with others.

So I've got my work cut out for me and I'd like to share my progress or lack of, as I go along.  No promises!

It's a new year that's looking pretty "even" right now, but deep down I know it may turn "odd" pretty quickly.

Cheers!