Adding Value, Not Just Noise

Morning!

Happy New Year, it's 2010—that’s pronounced Twenty-Ten. Not sure who is making these rules but this is what I’ve heard. Another thing I’ve heard all my life is, “If you don’t have something nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” When I read some of the comments on line, I would have to conclude that most people have either not heard this bit of wisdom or have chosen not to subscribe to this thought. The raw meanness of some people just continues to surprise me.

After a story about the accidental death of a child, I found comments blaming the parents, others saying the child deserved it, somehow linking the death to the Obama administration or being the fault of the Republican Party, and let’s not forget the obligatory links to the alleged Angelina Jolie sex tape or some dating or magic weight-loss solution site.

What, may I ask, is wrong with people? Could it be the anonymity that encourages people to spew whatever small thought is residing in the depths of their little minds or see it as an opportunity to give their totally unrelated business venture a plug? Frankly I don’t know, and really I don’t care. What I do care about is that the new year is already in full swing and if there is any truth to the rumor that the world is going to end in 2012, then we’ve got a lot of work to do before meeting our maker.

Let’s start by altering that time-worn saying I mentioned to “If you don’t have something of value to say, then don’t say anything at all," because 'nice' suggests giving feedback that is less than useful. It's okay to disagree, but spend time on your post supporting your position and ideas instead of bashing. Even if you agree, say why and support your position.

Let’s all be mindful and ask ourselves before we post, “Am I adding something of value to this conversation or am I just making noise?

Comments of value are welcome here.

Leap of Faith Challenge

Morning!

Staying safe is nice. It's comfy and cozy, but even a baby knows it must try new things that don't always feel safe. Observance of a baby can teach us everything we need to know about life.

They laugh when they are happy, cry when they are not; they learn quickly and don't stay stuck in a moment. They don't hold grudges or feel stupid and are always open to learning something new.

Think about what it must take for a baby to learn to walk. They constantly fall down and yet they never give up. They just jump out there and try until they get it. If they get hurt, a few minutes later, they are trying again. This is the way we should live life.

It is almost the end of the year. We don't have to wait until January to resolve to do things differently. Let's start now taking those baby steps toward something we really want to do. Imagine your joy on January 1st when you know you are not just making those empty resolutions. You know you have already started taking baby steps and it won't be long before you are walking strong.

I am challenging myself and you to take a leap of faith toward the life you really want to live. As Oprah says, "What kind of life do you want and how close are you to living it?"

I am taking the leap. How about you?

Lions and Tigers and Quotas Oh My!

Morning!

November is National Novel Writing Month. During this month, a contest called NaNoWriMo encourages fiction writers to write a 50,000 word novel by midnight, November 30th. Now I am not a fiction writer but I am writing a book and I feel inspired by this contest to not only write more but also, to write more often than I have up to now. In fact, I've given myself a minimum quota of 1000 words per day.

I can't tell you how much this quota has helped me. Now let me clarify that meeting such a quota does not mean you are necessarily writing anything of quality, but it is forcing you to write, to pull out all stops and the end result is that even if you have a bad manuscript, the bottom line is that you have something to edit. If you write nothing there is nothing to edit and your mind piles on even more excuses for not writing. I in fact had put my book on hold, but I am happy to say, I've pulled it out and am working diligently on it.

So I offer you a bit of advice that in some form, was handed down to me. If you want to get something done, create a quota. If it is writing, how many words did you write today? If it is to get a job, how many resumes went out today? If it is to lose weight, how many calories did you eat today? You get the picture. The days results must fit in a very small space. The numbers will tell the tale in the end and can even predict the future. There is no space for stories or excuses.

Set your quotas and watch how even after just a few days, your life begins to change and if you are interested in participating in NaNoWriMo, visit www.nanowrimo.org.

Grounded or Anchored?

Morning!

Dreaming is essential to life but you should also be grounded in reality. Yes, you want to follow your dreams but the reality is you’ve got to achieve them in the now. Some people let that thought kill their dreams. Those people might as well have an anchor tied to their ankle. They let life define them instead of designing the life they want. Their conversations are full of words like but, I can't, that’s impossible--you know the drill.

There are others that dream of pie in the sky, but there is nothing in the now that says they are working toward getting the ingredients let alone baking the pie. They are blowing in the wind like a runaway balloon.

And then, there are those that are grounded and at the same time dreaming a conscious dream. They can see the dream and yet, they ground themselves knowing or learning what they need to do to reach it. When the opportunities present themselves, they take them. The best visual of this is imagining that you are a small child standing on a bus looking up at the strap and when you see how high it is, you know you've got to grow before you can reach it. Get it? You've got to grow to reach your dreams. Now untie that anchor and do something today toward the life you dream about.

Get grounded.

To the Ladies: Your Power Awaits!

Morning!

Whenever I look up at the sky, I am totally blown away. I mean one minute I am walking along in my little world thinking that me and my problems are so big and my little band-aid solutions are all that is and I look up and BAM!

I am reminded. Here is the sun heating us from 93 million miles away with these clouds that hang in the sky like solid, immovable mountains and yet can dissipate like a puff of smoke. The moon, the stars and the alignment of the planets with no visible means of support, dynamic in themselves, but then they work with each other with a mathematical precision, and never fail in this precision, day after day since the beginning of time. The messages there are many and powerful—an endless wellspring of wisdom from a source much greater than ourselves.

I believe that we, as women, are more in touch with this sky show than anyone or anything on this earth. Our cycles are ruled by the moon. Our moods are affected by planetary alignments and we are as magical and mystical as the universe itself yet we don’t see it. As a result we don’t believe in ourselves--and I am no different than you.

I, a proclaimed writer, have words for everyone else; especially when I see someone is in pain. I dispense them like a salve or an invocation to soothe, heal and motivate. But what people don't know is that my words are messages to me as well. I believe they come from the same source as that interplanetary, mathematically correct design and spill into my head. And don’t look at me funny because I am not special in this—you’ve got it too—you just need to listen. It is how I started writing because I didn't really know what else to do with them. I too am amazed at their power especially when I see that someone is physically moved by them to feel or do something differently.

While looking for a document, I came across an old recording of an interview of me from the Valder Beebe Show (www.valderbeebe.com). Her tagline is "Changing the way we look at things so the things we look at will change." She is an amazing woman who is a source of light and positive thought in the world that interviews people who are doing things that she finds interesting. At the time, I was working my business and had put out a press release about a partnership I was forming with another entrepreneur, Charlene Turner. That seems so long ago right now, but I digress…

One of the things I talked about throughout the interview was my experience with women and their lack of belief in themselves, no matter how educated, skilled or accomplished they are. The last question in the interview was, "What do you know to be true in your heart?” My answer was, "What I know to be true is that if women realized the power they possess, right now, without doing anything else other than believing in who they are, and what they are, some very potent and powerful things would be accomplished in their lives and in the world." Whoa--this is something I needed to hear right now, and I am the one that said this!

I mean this is truly not a coincidence. I have been examining the word belief with a magnifying glass because I know that a lack of it will stop you cold just short of success every time. It is impossible to accomplish something unless you believe that there is even just a remote possibility that you can do it. It doesn’t matter whether it is to earn a certain amount of money, accomplish a task or start a business. Let’s break down the meaning of belief: “a state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing.” Now you can sit there and count up all the reasons why you can’t believe in yourself, or you can sit there and count up all the reasons why you should. Which case do you want to make?

Look up ladies! Your power awaits.

What's Your Pleasure?

Morning!

Found my Ipod after months of thinking it was gone forever. It was under the passenger seat in my car--go figure. This is a first generation Ipod Shuffle. You know the one that is about 4 inches long with no bells and whistles? Well in spite of that, it brings me the most pleasure. I mostly take it when I am flying. It relaxes and soothes me like a baby with a pacifier.

Every now and then I play it around the house and always wonder why I don't do that more often. It really doesn't take much to make us happy and yet we don't take the time to reward ourselves with the small pleasures in life--a walk on a beautiful day, looking through old photographs, dancing to old tunes (can't say records any more).

There are so many things we can do to enjoy life and be happy that don't require spending any more money than we already have, don't require gas, and don't require anything but our attention to the moment.

What's your pleasure? Go enjoy it right now!

What's Holding You Back?

Morning!

It's hard to let go of the controls of where your life is going, but that hold might be holding you back from the greatness you are entitled to.


Did you ever think about that? When we need to soar, we may not have all of the tools needed to get it done. But if we allow the universe to support us, we will have everything we need when we need it.

Let's go!