Laughter

Laughter is a tranquilizer with

no side effects.

Arnold Glasow

As we heal we learn to laugh at ourselves with love. We begin to see all the wonderful oddities and contradictions in people - little faults that endear others to us. We see that striving to be perfect is going far beyond the call of duty, and we discover that life does not need to be a duty, that it can be enjoyed. Life can be fun.

We were given the gift of laughter to help us survive the tribulations of living. The healing effects of laughter can't be underestimated. A laugh a day may be exactly what's needed to keep the doctor away!

Laughter is healing. I want to learn to take myself less seriously.

You grow up the day you

have your first real laugh

at yourself.

Ether Barrymore

Source unknown . . . content taken from an old journal

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Do It Anyway

Since I have had a case of the blahs and have been

 writing negative posts, I thought I would post

 something positive from Mother Theresa.

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

(Mother Teresa)

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The Turning Point

Rest periods and vacations break our work routines. They help SHIFT OUR THINKING from its habitual, stuck patterns. They create the SPACE FOR ENERGY AND CREATIVITY to flow. They give us TIME FOR REFLECTION, so we can step back and look at what's happening in our lives with greater detachment. We become more sensitive and aware.

Source:  Higher Awareness

I need to give myself a break.  

There is no one in this world who is
 more critical of me than me.

Today has been a turning point for me.  
I need something to believe in and
 I fear it is gone.  

Hope is what always keeps me hanging on.  
Where did it go?

Although retreating into a solitary cocoon

is not the answer, it is what I want
 to do at this point in time.  

Did I lose my fight today?

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Good for something?

You may be good, but what are you good for?

You've got to be good for something. 

You've got to be about some project, some task

that requires you to be humble and obedient to

the universal principles of service.

~Stephen R. Covey~

Do you ever wonder?

This week's theme is going to be change and
transformations.  I need one!

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Compassionate Conduct

You may be highly attentive to the needs of others today and thoughtful in your personal and professional relations. Strong feelings of compassion can lead you to be more considerate of the feelings of everyone you encounter. This empathetic awareness can manifest itself in your attitude and the tone of your voice, causing you to speak more gently and act more kindly. You may find that you have more patience than usual and are comfortable helping people who are in need in the various spheres of your life. As you make decisions pertaining to your future today, you will likely feel compelled to consider how your choices will affect your not only your family and friends but also your colleagues and the individuals you encounter on a day-to-day basis.

The compassion you feel can inspire you to become a kinder and more considerate individual. A harsh manner is often the result of simple thoughtlessness—we may carelessly pursue our own ends when we have not thought about those who will be affected by our decisions. When you are mindful of how the people in your life feel and conscious of how your actions contribute to their well-being, your demeanor will become more gentle. You’ll be more apt to express yourself calmly and considerately and to lend aid to all in need of your assistance. Your willingness to treat others’ concerns with the same seriousness you treat your own will demonstrate your thoughtfulness. When you allow your compassion free expression today, you will be mindful of how your words and deeds help or hinder others.

Source: The Daily OM

The above excerpt is an old horoscope

from Daily Om that can be for anyone

on any day.

Patience (or impatience) and compassion work hand in hand in the way we come across to someone else.  The choice of words used can either cut like a knife, especially if thrown around with harsh thoughtlessness or demonstrate loving concern if presented with compassion and patience.  Sometimes the same words used with a different tone or inflection make the difference between night and day as far as how we are perceived.

They are only words, as portrayed in the song, Words | The Bee Gees, but how we present them can bring everlasting smiles that will steal someone's heart or words you can't take back which leave an impression that makes another want to run away and never come back.

Love is caring about the feelings of the other person.

Choosing the behavior of compassionate

 conduct is always the best practice!

Lyrics

Words | The Bee Gees

Smile an everlasting smile
A smile could bring you near to me
Don't ever let me find you gone
'Cause that would bring a tear to me
This world has lost it's glory
Let's start a brand new story
Now my love right now there'll be
No other time and I can show you
How my love
Talk in everlasting words
And dedicate them all to me
And I will give you all my life
I'm here if you should call to me
You think that I don't even mean
A single word I say
It's only words, and words are all
I have to take your heart away
You think that I don't even mean
A single word I say
It's only words, and words are all
I have to take your heart away
It's only words, and words are all
I have to take your heart away

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Your true calling

Life ends not when you die, but when you stop believing in your true calling. Your true calling isn't something your friends, parents or lovers want you to become. Your true calling isn't living vicariously through someone else. And most certainly your true calling isn't working just to "make a living" and "get by".

Your true calling is that soft voice within you urging to be creative. Your true calling is your vision of a better life. Your true calling is your Creator whispering to you who you really are.

One day we will all breathe our last breath. The only difference between those of us who will live a fulfilled life in the flow of their true calling and those of us who don't is this: know that you are already dead, die to your fear and give up everything except what whispers to you in the quiet hours.

Follow your vision, do what makes you happy - it is your birthright to live in joy. But it is 100% your choice whether you do or not.

Say no to your fear. Live your true calling. Set sail and don't look back.

Source:  The Daily Love

That soft voice is telling me to get my craft and sewing room cleaned out and organized so I can get on with the next phase of my life!!

The incremental changes I have made since I became a widow so long ago has brought me to where I am today . . . happily remarried and retired with too much time on my hands.  

So much progress!!  Most people would be thrilled to trade places with my life circumstances.

Finding your true calling is what I routinely refer to as following your bliss or finding your authentic self.  

After a lifetime of a fulfilling career and numerous self-employment business ventures, I finally have that chance to sit back and figure out what following my bliss is all about.  

I've pretty much worked all my life to be at this place in life and I honestly don't know what to do with the time, although I am overwhelmed with so much to do.  

Confused?  It really is pretty simple!

What needs to be done will bring me to what I have perceived my true calling is . . . being creative and making money with my imagination.

One little thing gets in the way . . . overwhelm!  Too much time on my hands gives the illusion of having forever to get it done and put it off until "tomorrow" . . . procrastination, another culprit . . . they are partners in crime!

It would be so easy to just get started and do a little bit every day.  But overwhelm and procrastination has taken care of that by stacking boxes in front of the closed door to the room that needs the help.  

Where do the boxes go?  O.M.G., I'll have to clear out another area to make room for them . . . blah, blah, blah and so on and so on!

I need a professional organizer on an extremely frugal budget!!

What amazes me is how an article can attract my attention and inspire me to write about a particular subject, but once I start writing, where it goes is comical!  I've gone from true calling to overwhelm and procrastination!  

This is the way my mind works . . . sometimes a bit too fast, then I get distracted!  I make it so easy for myself to procrastinate . . .

Is it any wonder I have too much time on my hands?

Figuring out the goal . . . my true calling . . . has been the task we have worked on recently.  That was difficult enough since the goal involved both The Captain and I.  Now that is done, we are currently working toward getting there, running into my old buddy procrastination and overwhelm which is like a virtual brick wall.

Which all brings me to a recurring theme of my life and this blog . . . JUST DO IT!  
LOL . . . OK . . . I'll start tomorrow!

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Cultivating trust

Trust is something that is earned through our actions. Cultivating a sense of duty both to ourselves and to others not only allows us to act in a way that garners the respect of the people we come into contact with, but it also makes it easier for us to accomplish the things we wish. 

By being someone who can be trusted, we demonstrate that we are accountable for our own actions. Once others trust us, they will be much more receptive to our thoughts and ideas, which will help us move ahead in our professional lives. By being someone who is trusted, you will foster greater confidence in you among others today. 

Source: Daily Om

I've noticed our society in general lacks an

 attitude of being accountable for personal

and professional actions.

While working in the corporate world, I realized that no one is perfect and should not pretend to be.  What we can strive for is to do the best job that we can do, own up to mistakes made and move on.  It would amaze others when I would bring a mistake up instead of trying to cover it up before it was discovered.  That is too much trouble and reminds me of having a monkey on your back that you can't shake off.

When I briefly worked for a company who constantly promised deliveries they knew they could not deliver, I am the one who had to deal with the unpleasantness of giving the customer the bad news.  

No matter how I tried to convince management to be realistic with the customer and actually deliver before the promised date, they just didn't get it.  I could not work there . . . management's attitude toward their customers really bothered me.

They were cultivating distrust with their customers and probably the main reason they didn't last long in the marketplace.  Consumers do not appreciate being lied to . . . that is what it realistically comes down to.  They will not reward you with loyalty and continued business!

What is wrong with dealing with personal and professional situations honestly?  As far as I'm concerned, it is the best policy.

It is what it is . . . one of my favorite sayings.

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