I Believe...

I Believe:
We are never too old to initiate a new career
We should have fun aging; after all it's just a number
We should not be afraid to start something new
We should always have faith in ourselves
Have no regrets!

Inspiring and Motivating for a Sunday

Here is a piece from a fun little book called "Keep Believing in Yourself and Your Special Dreams". It's a book of inspiration and motivation.
"When the task at hand is a mountain in front of you...
It may seem too hard to climb.
But you don't have to climb it
all at once
just one step at a time.
Take one small step...
and one small step...
then another...
and you'll find...
the task at hand that was a mountain
in front of you...
...is a mountain
you have climbed."
written by Ashley Rice

I DARE YOU...

I DARE YOU
No, I double dare you...

to be different
to love yourself
to love what is inside of you
to NOT follow the crowd
to inspire someone who needs it today
to feel good
to BE good
to do the right thing
to 'hang' with the right crowd
be productive
be yourself
to watch an inspirational movie
to live every day to the fullest
to help an elderly person cross the street
believe with all your heart
LOVE with all your heart!

Laura Vanderwill

"Laughing Matters"

I read that some studies have shown laughing does really matter. "This is especially true when taken with a healthy dose of optimism." This piece today actually comes from my health booklet mailing (Wise Woman), and does not give the author of the write up for the article. I wish it did so that I could reference it, or book mark it to read more on the topic. So, I will quote it. Here it is...

- "We feel better after a good laugh
- It relaxes our muscles, reduces tension and boosts our immune system
Optimistic, humorous outlook helps persevere in the face of adversity (pessimistic attitude, by contrast leads to feeling helpless)
- We generally become optimists or pessimists in childhood and carry those attitudes through life (these attitudes shape us and even influence our physical health and longevity)
- Our bodies healing systems respond to positive attitudes and emotions"

Now, question is, can you change from pessimist to optimist? The answer is YES!!! It will take a lot of practice and positive self-talk, but it can be done.

I believe where there is will there is a way!

"Defining things that happen to you:
If it's good...
1) Give yourself credit. Identify what you did to make that happen.
2) Think how your strengths can also influence other areas of your life.
3) Consider it a sign of more good things to come.

If it's bad...
1) Recognize it's not your fault and has no bearing on future events.
2) Work to find the humor.
3) Pop in a funny movie.
4) Remember you can do better next time.

The more you practice healthy thought patterns, the more automatic they will become"

Finding Your Inspiration

Had to share this...
Okay, so since I never really looked, I was thinking to myself last night, hmmm...I wonder what really defines inspiration? So, I went to the online sources, and this is the first thing I clicked on. I thought it was a really good read, and I think it all goes right back to knowing yourself, liking yourself, and trying to stay positive. I thought everyone might like the review it too. ENJOY!

Ten Ways to Find Your Inspiration

The word inspire comes from the Latin word for inspirare, which means to breath upon or into. When we inspire others, we're living from our higher selves. When we're being inspired, we expand beyond what we previously were, or know our selves to be. Our lives have new breath. Our soul and our actions are one.
1. Know what inspires you. Go back to your memories and recall when you felt most inspired. What was the common thread amongst the different times when you've been inspired? Was it a quality about another person or your self? Was there a theme to the times when you've been inspired, or have been inspiring? Was it an action that a person took - or that you took? Think about what's inspired you in the past. Look to see what's missing now.
2. Learn to live with ambivalence while striving for perfection. Inspiration lives between the two spaces of ambivalence and perfection. Inspiration speaks to the best within our selves - ambivalence is the messiness of our lives, the life process. Perfection is the ideal, while ambivalence is its application. Inspiration is what moves us forward in life - through the ambivalence and towards the ideal.
3. Take a break from your life. Go to a movie or hike a mountain to its highest vista. Surround yourself with the sound of the rhythm of water, while the warmth of the sun energizes your body. Move your body so you feel its life. Keep your focus on nothing other than your experience. Live in the present.
4. Inspiration isn't only what's done TO you. Being inspired requires an openness of heart and spirit. Create an environ- ment that supports an open heart, so that inspiration blossoms in your life. Just as a flower needs soil and water, so too does inspiration need openness of heart and spirit. Inspiration can't exist without this.
5. Sometimes we fall before we stand. Don't beat yourself up when you fall from grace. Life is a process and isn't static. When you fall, don't beat yourself up for falling. Acknowledge the fall and it's impact on your life. At some point, you'll take action and stand up. Trust the process.
6. Divert your attention. Forget about the joys that inspiration brings, and live from another domain. An inspired life isn't only about inspiration. It's also about exhilaration, about passion and living life fully. Do something completely different than you normally would. Strike up a conversation with someone you typically wouldn't, and approach the conversation with naivete, openness and depth. There's a good chance that inspiration will come to you when you're least looking for it.
7. Surround yourself with what inspires you. If a certain type of person inspires you, follow and nurture the attraction. Trust what inspires you, and let it guide your actions. If a Wagner opera inspires you, surround yourself with it's music so you feel completely at one with the music, and with what inspires you. Lose yourself in what you love and be inspired.
8. Get outside of yourself. Though you think you know what inspires you based on past experiences - this doesn't mean that you can't be inspired by something new that previously didn't effect you. Live in the present and pay attention to what tugs at your heart. This will give you a hint to newer sources of inspiration.
9. Grace + openness + life + soul = inspiration. Create a formula consisting of the ingredients that define inspiration for you. We all have different perceptions and experiences of inspiration. Define what it is for you.
10. Inspiration is a quality and a state of being. To be inspiring to others is to be self-generative and inspiring to our selves. How can you be more self-generative? One must live in a state of being that allows for inspiration to take root. How can you cause and create your own source of inspiration? Where are you self-generative in your life, and how can you be more self-generative?

Copyright © 2001 by Jan Gordon.
http://www.qualitycoaching.com/Articles/inspiration.html

Most Inspirational Video of The Year! -From CBS News

Okay, I watched this about 5 times already. I know it's not the best clear view, but you have to see it. Brought tears to my eyes, and sent chills all through me. This has got to be the BEST video I have seen in a very very long time. Talk about inspiration. This kid has to be so incredibly happy!!! How exciting. What a wonderful video.

Had to share this one too

Here is another I found on blogit site. We definitely need more people like this.
Was Posted by mariaki:

Angels without wings...
We all have someone in our lives; sometimes two or three
That are very special; we should count ourselves lucky
You know the ones I speak about here
The people you hold so close and dear

Always offering a shoulder to cry on without hesitation
Ready to discuss all things and offer some solution
Friends who are never too tired or busy to listen to you
Encourage your dreams and whatever you wish to do

Who tell you whenever you do wrong
As quickly as they would sing your song
Who praise you when the occasion arises
Chastise you without fear of reprisal

These are the people we need more of
Angels without wings sent from high above

I hope you all have a superb weekend my friends; many blessings from a chilly night in CY

My Wish For Everyone Today:

The Gift of Keeping Smiles Up and Stress Levels Down

Follow You Dreams, Do What You Feel is Right & Be Happy!

I posted this today on my other blog site, and thought I would share here as well.

I know some of the bloggers that I have been reading are leaving the site.
It made me stop and think about A LOT of things over the past couple of days. Thus, I couldn’t think of anything to even write about yesterday for the first time in 30 days!
I personally have been doing A LOT of thinking and A LOT of soul searching over the past few months as well. I still have a long way to go, I may be slow sometimes, but I’ll get there eventually!
So, I came across this today, and thought it would be appropriate to share with those who can relate, and / or those who will no longer be writing for us.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference."
--Robert Frost

I have to add that I for some reason ALWAYS take the road less traveled.
Hmmmm......maybe that's a good thing???

"About Perception"

I recently posted this blog on blogit.com after reading what straightforward had to say today.
It made me stop and think too...
"Some say perception is everything. Others say perception is NOTHING! Do you really know someone by simply looking at them? Or is that just like saying "You can't judge a book by it's cover"?I guess it goes back to NOT JUDGING PEOPLE!!! Note: It really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about me/you...I believe - "We are who we are, and we each need to be happy within ourselves before we can be happy with anyone else!!!! " - everything else is irrelevant"Happy Valentine's Day!
by Laura Vanderwill 2/14/08