Tag: deep breath

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Storm Tonight?

Storm Tonight1

It appears that we continually ask ourselves whether we should prepare for the next storm, the next storm, the next storm.  This painting suggests that it might serve us better to look for the beauty in movement.  Focus on the colors, the joys, the hope of life and we just may draw that sort of experience to ourselves.  In other words, let go of your concerns that continually imagine bad things coming in the future, and enjoy what is right in front of you.  It is possible to live in a bubble of well-being.

 

This photo is available at Art.com in a 36″ x 48″ poster, framed or unframed.

art, Dreaming, Excellence, Poetry, Self-Imrovement

Does Excellence Stand On Its Own?

ExcellenceIt seems to me we try to reach a state of excellence by waging wars on whatever stands in its way.  I look around and see what’s wrong with the picture.  And, while I’m looking for what’s wrong, I totally miss what is right.  The more I war against poverty, drugs, bad behavior, mistakes in others, it seems the more poverty, drugs, bad behavior and mistakes are around me.  I am immersed in anything but excellence.

That is until I stop my little finding faults campaigns and stop waging war on anyone or anything.  It starts with acceptance.  It starts with stopping in my tracks.  Breathing.  Pausing.  Sh-sh-sh-ing.  Stop!

In the silence of the pause, I realize that excellence is all around me.  Everywhere.  In everything.  In me, even!  My job is not to find fault with bad, bad behavior in the world.  My job is to discover excellence within everything and everyone in the world….even myself.

Hope you join me in this quest for excellence today.  Thank you!

Education, Non-Fiction, Self-Imrovement

Dear Students Returning To School Today

Here it is, the first day back to school today.  I remember the new outfit, the anticipation.

I also remember the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach at the unknown events that might occur in a world I was not creating but was expected to fit into.  It was a bit scary.  Okay, sometimes it was a lot scary.  A lot of the time I shrank down inside myself and watched the clock.  It was not until I found something within the school day that interested me that I could survive.  Sometimes a drama club or an art class or finding some activity that was meaningful to me, made me feel more at ease.

At any rate, know it isn’t easy to meld into a bigger pot of people apart from your family.  Hold on to the fact that you will have a home to return to at the end of the day.  Try not to blame your family for all the bad things that happened during the day.  Instead, examine what part you played in experiencing these irritating things to happen during the day.  Think of ways you could change your actions and reactions that might change the way things are happier tomorrow.  The most important thing is for you to create situations that make you happy.  You can do this!  Talk with your family and friends about school, but know in the end you have to make choices that are good for you to succeed.  Keep looking for the treasures that are hidden just for you within the school day.  And, if you still cannot find them, talk to your parents and let them know you need help in fitting in.  You may need to talk to them more than once, so don’t give up.  Keep talking until you feel comfortable at school!

One last thought.  In a way, going to school is preparation for going to work in the future.  Most likely you will be required to work in order to contribute to your family’s needs.  You may as well find solutions now for your uneasiness.  It will make a big difference to your life when you are older. Take a deep breath, or several breaths during the day and find your treasures hidden within your day.

I salute you who are returning today.  I wish you well. Trust in your reactions and be kind to yourself as you venture out into the world outside of your family!

Non-Fiction, Self-Imrovement

September 1, 2014 – Some thoughts

 Even when you are having fun,

life slips by.

Even when you sulk around,

life slips by.

Even when you fall in love,

life slips by.

Even when you are sick and frail,

life slips by.

There’s no way to stop the time

you have in this one body.

You might as well hug yourself

and live in wondrous ways.

There’s no way to stop the time

you have in this one body.

So accept it well and live

today with all the secrets,

adventures, and

gifts to you alone.

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books, Non-Fiction, Self-Imrovement

Getting to Happy in Real Time

Happy EnergyBe your best, happy friend.  That may sound a bit funny to you, but it holds some great advice.  We all know that deep, quiet satisfaction is the very stuff we are made of.

Peaceful happiness is available to us at all times.  There is never a moment that it is not available.  Everything you need is in the quiet of you.

One of the tools for locating the happiness within is to listen to the sound of each breath, become aware of your heartbeat. What a loyal friend is your heart!  Consider your age. How many years has your heart been beating? It is estimated that over an average of a 66-year-lifespan the heart beats 2.5 billion times.

The heart beats and your lungs exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen to nourish your blood supply whether or not you think about it.  These systems are available to you free-of-charge throughout your lifetime.  So is peace, joy and happiness.  Happiness is always available to you, free-of-charge.  There is no external thing, like a new house, a new job, new clothes, a new friend or loved-one, that can bring you happiness because you already own an unlimited supply of happiness.  It is the fabric of who you are.  You are the energy of happiness!

You can restrict your flow of happiness with negative thoughts just like you can cover your airways to prevent oxygen to enter your body.  If you cannot experience happiness simple remove the clamps of negative thinking.  Pay attention to each breath and realize there is more to you than you ever imagined. Take a moment to still all thoughts and reach inward to your best friend, you.

Let go of the negative concerns, strategies, pseudo-defences that restrict your happiness.  Let go, become aware of your breathing until you can sense the happy energy that wishes to bubble up into your day’s reality.  Ask yourself often today, “How do you feel?” .  As you practice each day, you will become aware of the negative impediments you have placed on your well-being.  Little by little, remove these restrictions and get to “Happy” in “Real Time.”

books, Non-Fiction, Self-Imrovement

Balancing Work and Play

You know the old saying, “All work and no play makes John a dull boy.”  Even when you love work, work is work.  It is possible to lose your balance.  And  contacting your core of happiness is dependent on a healthy balance of work and play, light tension and relaxation.

If you find yourself in moments of frustration or irritation, this may be a sign for you to check around you.

Describe how you have spent your recent days

    •  Who have you spoken to?
    • Are your thoughts heavy? Are you carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders?
    • Are you worried about the future? about the past? Have you momentarily lost your connection with the present?
    • How many hours have you sat in front of the TV? the computer? What did you feel?
    • What did you do to express yourself? How did you feel?
    • What were you thinking that made you feel sad? irritated? frustrated?

Once you get a report on what has taken place in the last day or two, you will begin to see the balance or lack of balance that only you have control over.  Take a breath.  If you have been out of balance, try one of the following.

    • Play catch with your dog.
    • Play Words with Friends
    • Send your family a homemade gift even though it is not the holidays, a birthday, anniversary, etc. Send a gift for no reason at all! You’ll feel better.  It’s like magic!
    • Take a walk and if you have a dog take your dog along. See how many flowers you can name. Bring your camera along and take pictures to share with your family and friends when you get back.
    • Go to the park.
    • Find a few friends and play Settlers of Cattan.
    • Take a shovel and dig in the garden.
    • Rearrange your closet and get rid of the things you can’t wear anymore.
    • Watch a funny movie.

Most of all, if you have been a little down lately, chances are you have not been that good to yourself. Once you give yourself a break and balance out, your natural inclination will turn back to well-being and happiness.

Peace.

*Available at Amazon.com now:  Aunt Barbara’s Powerful Little Book of Comfort

Non-Fiction, Self-Imrovement, Uncategorized

New Beginnings Today and Everyday

Just like a canvas, this empty box of nothingness is just waiting to be filled with typewritten words, ideas that have never been put together in quite the same way. All artistic expression comes from nothingness and mysteriously emerges into something-ness!  It is what I am doing right this very moment.

The same can be said for each morning. With awareness, there is always an opportunity for new expression, greatness.

I’ve often wondered why we require sleep each day. What is it that takes place when we are unconscious? You can answer by giving me a lot of scientific and biological reasons why sleep is required, but I believe there’s more treasure in the answer.  What is the deeper reason? Is there a hidden opportunity for me?   Am I not given a clean slate in life each day to express whatever I like?

Right now I am rested and ready to take on the adventure of the day.  What opportunities to learn new things, meet new people, solve new puzzles and challenges await me?  I am filled with hope upon awakening every day.  Today will be a most wonderful memory tomorrow!

Here are two ideas for making each day a new beginning:

  1. Wake up with the idea that your job today is to find three happy surprises.  Decide whether your surprises will be discovered at play, at exercise, at work or at home.  Know that you will need to write down the discoveries at the end of the day in order to win this game of life.  Can you feel yourself getting more enthused about the day?  And, so you should, because you definitely are in for three happy surprises and you don’t want to miss them!
  2. Wake up knowing that today is different from any day you have ever lived.  First feel your feet and notice how different they feel to you. Stand on the floor and walk from heel to toe and become aware of the fact that you can walk.  Decide you are going to walk with a new awareness today.  Make a plan to walk to three new places that you have never walked before.  That can be a walk around the block at lunchtime, or a walk around your house with a new awareness of gratitude for your surroundings, or even a walk through a store with new insights into the amazing choices that are awaiting you down each aisle.

With a slight positive slant on your day, you will find your day filled with wondrous experiences this very day!  Each day you are given a clean slate with which to enjoy and to express whatever is within.  Go ahead.  Dance through today with a bright, new attitude of expectation!