Kindness Counts for Me

I love being unconditionally kind. It is part of my essence. When we show compassion and kindness to others, we ultimately spread our unique beautiful energy throughout this universe. Make it a part of your day—“random acts of kindness”!

I Widen My Lens

 
We live in a conditioned world, based upon our own soul, our upbringing and our own experiences. If we truly want to grow, we need to work on removing our blinders. Even if we don’t agree with what we see nor hear, we must be open to differences of opinion. Widening our lens (and shifting our perspective) helps us to learn, understand and become more tolerant of differences so we can become more compassionate.

Forgiveness Sets Me Free

 
The sincere act of forgiving another person who hurt us is probably one of the most challenging things to do. When someone intentionally or unintentionally causes us pain, we often want to react with anger, distain, revenge or sadness. But what is most important to understand is that forgiving that individual actually ends up freeing us from that painful karma. And our forgiveness must be real, heartfelt and with a willingness to let go of the harm, ill intention, distress or pain he/she may have caused. Forgiveness frees us from being a prisoner of our own harmful negative emotions.

My Patience Prevails

 
Ah…patience….its the ticking clock…we all have one, right? The interesting thing about patience is we never know in advance when exactly what we are waiting for will actually arrive. We often seem to live and die by schedules, deadlines and celebrated life events. But having patience is a quality that embraces time and teaches us to WAIT! And in the end, once we learn how to stop resisting the ticking clock of time, what we are waiting for or working towards seems to beautifully unfold ☺ if we are ready to receive it.
 

My Smiles Go Miles

 
Sometimes the ultimate gift of giving is just giving a huge smile to someone else who is in pain, going through a tough time or just having a bad day. Sometimes our smile for no reason can even make happy people smile even more! But real smiles convey a message that words sometimes cannot. Smiles are free. Smiles are contagious. Smiles go miles!
 

I Put Power Behind My Purpose

 
We are all here for a purpose. We have heard it before, but now it’s time to start believing it. The soul within each of us is so very special, and it will guide us (if we listen quietly) to how we can expand our own life and live it with grace and passion. But every soul purpose requires power, belief, intention and action. Don’t leave your soul purpose written as statement in your journal. Make it happen. Put the Momentum of Action (MOA) behind your purpose to turn it into a reality.

I Don’t Take Myself Too Seriously

 
Life is intentional and meaningful but it can be playful as well. Part of living life is to enjoy it—have fun with it! If we take life too seriously, we will fall into the cracks of dullness and doldrums. Laugh at yourself and your mistakes. No one ever said we can’t achieve our meaningful goals and have fun at the same time. Lighten up….it does a body good! ☺

My Laughter is Good & Free Mind-Body-Soul Medicine

 
Free medicine? Is there such a thing? You bet….its all about our own body’s ability to heal itself. Its true, but it must be done in tandem with many other ways to promote great health. Laughter produces dopamine, endorphins, and other super great hormones to make us feel good. It also reduces cortisol (a stress related hormone). Laughter simply makes us feel good all over. And laughter is contagious—so feel free to share it!
 

My Age is Just a Number

 
Yes, we all have a chronological age based upon the year in which we were born. But health experts know that there can often be a huge difference between our chronological age and our biological age (based upon significant life biomarkers such as our weight, heart rate, muscle mass, ability to move, perception of our age…) Don’t ever tell yourself (or let anyone else tell you) “you are old”. Yes, our cellular re-growth slows, but it is not determined by our date of birth…it is determined by our lifestyle and other factors. Our chronological age should not necessarily predetermine our abilities nor capabilities. Don’t let the year of your birth scare you into thinking you are not capable of achieving your goals, living your dreams or feeling young and vibrant.
 

I Live Without Regrets

 
To regret (definition): to feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done, especially a loss or missed opportunity).

Sometimes people do things they wish they hadn’t or don’t do things they (later) wish they had. Living without that “regret” cloud is possible, but it will take practice at our choices and our actions/behaviors. We all need to work at making good choices which not only benefit us in the short term, but also in the long term. We need to practice being discerning and weigh our choices—how do/will they affect others? And when we make the decision/choice, we must give it our full intention and attention. If we choose NOT to do something, we must not look back. If we choose to move ahead/forward with a choice, we must work hard at it and give it our “all”. When we live with regret, it causes our body harm. The negative emotion regret causes can “eat us up” over time perpetuating chronic disease. Who needs THAT?
 

Music Moves Me

 
Born and raised in Detroit, my love of music began at a young age. When I was in 4th grade, I was so inspired by my teacher who would bring her guitar to class on Fridays. We would listen to her strum and sing. And of course, I begged my parents to buy me an acoustic guitar and lessons. I ended up with a beautiful handmade Martin guitar (priceless) which I still own today. Whether you play an instrument or just listen to the music of others, it evokes a range of emotions. Today I am inspired by many genres of music because they all have a unique way of making me feel. Music can soothe me or invigorate me…but it always “moves” me.
 

I Am Humble

 
I welcome coming to know all hearts and souls. I am blessed in all I possess-material things, relationships, wisdom, intuitiveness, intelligence and sense of self…. No person from any religion, race, or socio-economic class is “less than” me. Nor are they greater. We all have a place, a purpose on this beautiful planet.
 

Observing Nature Teaches Me

 
Nature has her way with me. I am fortunate to be surrounded by a gorgeous forest preserve, so I get to enjoy the daily antics of squirrels, deer, possums, skunks, coyotes, hawks and a plethora of other birds and smaller creatures. I am fascinated to silently witness their behavior. They all seem to get along and are respectful and tolerant of each other’s space and differences. However, they all know and respect ranking order. I have learned from their gentleness and tolerance, yet they have a protective nature which ensures survival of their species. In summer, I also watch the magnificent blooming of plants in my garden. There is no pushing involved. They just bloom when they are ready. Many lessons here on many levels….
 

If I Don’t Water My Garden, It Doesn’t Grow

 
I am a gardener at heart (it “grounds” me—no pun intended) and I create a lovely flower garden every spring. But the truth is, my garden is really not just about growing flowers or plants. My garden is simply just a metaphor for most anything I desire to grow in my life—some of which are much greater than a flower garden. Whatever we want to grow in life (a career, relationships, self development) we must nourish. This requires our desire, intention, time and attention.
 

I Chart My Own Course

 
From the time we entered pre-school or kindergarten until sometime in our early twenties, we were probably guided by parents, teachers, peers or other mentors. Most probably their assistance was given to help us maneuver through the twists and turns of life and the challenges which we might face (or have already). Some of them gave us their opinions or advice on what we should do for a career, how/where we should live, what we should believe or how we should spend our time. Advice and opinions of others have value. But ultimately, we all must decide for ourselves where we feel most comfortable, valuable and productive. Some identify this feeling with their “calling” or simply their “life purpose”. I enjoy charting my own course. And in doing so, I accept responsibility, accountability and consequence of my life choices. As I set sail for my next excursion of life, I realize that I always have the choice to re-route if I need to. Charting our own course offers us freedom.
 

I Learn From My Challenges

 
Challenges: we all have them and probably will continue to. Big or small, they are just a part of life. As we learn more acceptance of how the ups and downs of life work, our challenges seem to diminish. However, I am always willing to learn from my challenges. I have had some pretty hurtful and painful ones, but I am determined NOT to allow these ripples and rifts to steer me off course. With every challenge, I ask myself, “What am I willing to learn from this?” (take note of the word, “willing”). Most of the take-a-ways from life challenges will be personal to you---to your journey and to your own self growth. Learn the lesson, or it simply repeats itself to you in another form, in another relationship, in another experience.