Get out of your own way!

"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one's own sunshine."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

There have been way too many times in my life I've been my own worst enemy.

Negative thinking shadows me even though I make a conscious effort to think more positively.  Maybe it is in my genes or a learned thing from childhood.

Why do I expect to be disappointed all the time?  

So I won't be disappointed?

That doesn't make sense!!

Past experience contributes to the expectation of disappointment.

Unrealistic expectations are also a culprit, resulting in disappointment.

A childhood learned thing?

My dad never allowed me to feel achievement.  It happened all the time . . . before I'd reach a goal that he'd set, the bar would be raised.  It made me a perfectionist of sorts, expecting way too much from myself and others.

Seems like I've spent way too much of my life getting out of the shadows and into the sunshine.  Realizing it all is making it easier.  

Get to know yourself to realize why you react to life the way you do . . . it is the first step to getting out of your own way.

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Opportunity in the middle of difficulty

In the course of life, we are often taken through difficult life circumstances.  Sometimes it seems to be a roller coaster that never stops.

‎"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."

 Albert Einstein

The other day, I posted this quote on my Facebook page.  Some commented that finding opportunity in the midst of difficulty is hard.  My response was "I've seen so much difficulty in my life that I learned valuable lessons from . . . as a result I look for opportunity when confronted with difficulty."

There is another saying that I think about often . . . "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade."  Opportunity exists everywhere, you just have to keep an open mind and seek out the good from the difficulty.

When it comes to health issues . . . a serious issue can be a wake up call to change the way you conduct you life.  It could be the prelude to something even more serious.

There are warning signs everywhere . . . pay attention to them, they can be future life difficulties.  Use those signs as an opportunity to make the necessary changes in your life.

Have a beautiful day filled with peace, love and happiness :)

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Appreciation of the bumpy road

 Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it. 

 (Groucho Marx)

Life is precious . . . it is short . . . 

every second counts and ticks down the ones that are left.  

When you realize how important every moment truly is, the quote from Groucho Marx makes so much sense.

Sometimes it takes a bumpy road to get to that place of understanding.  

I'm grateful for all the bumpy roads I have faced in my life, although many of those roads left me feeling scared like things would never be right in my life again.  But they were . . . it is what was meant to be.

Embrace the hardships of life, they can make us appreciate

everything good that follows.

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Love's Fire

Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love. Then for the second time in the history of the world, we will have discovered fire.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

He set the world aflame,

And laid me on the same;

A hundred tongues of fire

Lapped round my pyre.

And when the blazing tide

Engulfed me, and I sighed,

Upon my mouth in haste

His hand He placed.

Rumi

When I think of romantic love, I think of fire.  

Love is fire that takes on its own life as

 in an uncontrollable wildfire.

It is all-consuming . . . and isn't that wonderful?

The fire of love can make us move the proverbial mountain.

Awesome chemistry between two people that is as a wildfire

is also as gentle as a peaceful breeze.  

It is everything good that life has to offer.

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Who is in control?

"If you're always in a hurry, always trying to get ahead of the other guy, or someone else's performance is what motivates you, then that person is in control of you."

Wayne Dyer

Most of us have role models or those people we admire . . . some of us have even had the awesome experience of having a mentor.  However, there is a fine line between admiration and competition.

True happiness comes from being your authentic self . . . being true to yourself . . . just my opinion.  If you are too busy trying to achieve all that the guy next door has and you can't afford it or attain that level of success, you aren't truly living your life.  It is a set up for failure.  I'm not talking about just settling for whatever comes around . . . go after YOUR dreams, not someone else's dream or reality.

Why can't we just be happy with what we have been blessed with and do the best we can do . . . not worrying about what the other guy has or doesn't have?

Ambition for the right reasons keeps our true dreams and desires alive that will ultimately bring happiness resulting from achievement . . . however, misguided ambitions driven by mere competition can leave us feeling disappointed and empty if it is not a true desire.

One of life's lessons since becoming a widow that absolutely changed the philosophy of my life is to realize that what I do in my life should be done because it is a real desire of my heart, along with the opinion of other people not driving my decisions.  It is my life . . .

We will ultimately be judged by society and our peers no matter what we do . . . don't give them control over your heart's desires.

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An eye for an eye

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." 

Martin Luther King Jr.

I must admit that I am feeling some guilt for my delight at another human being's death, no matter how evil Osama Bin Laden was.  Of course he deserved to die . . . and yes, I am so proud of our awesome military forces.  It just makes me feel creepy to be so happy about death . . . it was a great day for America and the world in general.

When I started thinking about this, my thoughts went back to 9-11-01 and how outraged I was at the celebrations in the streets of some countries.  They were delighting in the death of innocents who were going on with their everyday lives . . . not knowing they were about to take their place in history.  

It made me ponder the philosophy of "an eye for an eye" in everyday life.  

In general, I walk away from controversy since I am generally a peaceful person.  However, back me into a corner and I will fight back like an alley cat with no remorse or second thoughts of regret.  

When it comes to world events . . . I am hawkish . . . the "eye for an eye" philosophy seems perfectly reasonable to me.  

Events like 9-11 are like poking a stick in a hornet's nest.  You don't poke it unless you expect to be poked back in return . . . it is nature's way.

I'm still feeling guilty over doing the "happy dance" with the crowds celebrating in the United States.  Having had a day or so of thinking about this, it reminds me of the song "ding dong the witch is dead . . ." and feeling a little creepy and have thought about the quote by Martin Luther King . . . still doing the happy dance.  I truly believe justice has been served, just as I believe in the death penalty for those who deserve it. 

Just had to think out loud since I am feeling a bit hypocritical at the moment.

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Time stood still

Feeling grateful towards someone or something in your

life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate

and value into your life. 

Christiane Northrup

We often experience life's bumps in the road and last week was one of those times for me.  

It is so difficult when someone you love has a health issue emerge that could have serious implications.  While I'm already grateful for all that I have been blessed with, I'm feeling extra grateful.  Good news was received as far as Diamond Lil's tests are concerned.  

Extreme relief would be an understatement.

As she underwent a surgical procedure last week, it felt like time stood still.  What was expected to be a short recovery time turned into hours with no idea of what was going on.  There was only one other time in my life that I experienced the sensation of everything going in slow motion. 

Her smiling face was a welcome sight when we received the call to go back to the recovery area.  I was never so grateful for her sparkling smile that released the helpless feeling that had consumed me.  Mommy smiles can be magical . . .

The remnant of grief from losing many friends and family members is the fear of more death.  Of course it is silly to think that life and death won't continue to happen, but confronting it is way out of the comfort zone and teeters on the edge of the panic zone.

I'm grateful for passing that bump in the road!


Have you ever felt that sensation of everything going in slow motion and time standing still?

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