The Sweet Spot

“The place between your comfort zone and your dream is where life takes place.” ~ Helen Keller

Life can sometimes become so hectic even crazy that we can begin to feel we’re not really living, just existing like shadows of our former selves. When this happens we need to start living between the spaces of our life.

There is a space between the situation that is happening, or one we fear is going to happen, and how we are reacting to it. That space between the two is the stillness and the balance where we should be living. It’s the place to be when life gets out of control and we start stressing.

“When you let go, you create space for better things to enter into your life.” ~ Steve Maraboli

When we’re not trying to live in that chaotic zone of our life, we are better able to move forward and have the life we really want. We become more creative, joyful, and feel gratitude for life.

When feeling stressed try closing your eyes. Now take a deep breath through your nose and exhale softly through your mouth. Visualize the problem. See your negative reaction to the problem. Imagine a large space between the two. See yourself going into that space and feel the calm and balance washing over you. This is your sweet spot where your life is meant to be lived.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response, lies our growth and our freedom.”

~ Viktor Frankl, Auschwitz survivor

Find that power and start living a more balanced and happy life.

Who Will You Be?

“When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm’s all about.”

~ Haruki Murakami

This pandemic has been our storm, and I wonder who I will be when it’s over.

Who will you be?  You have learned to go without certain essentials, making do with what’s available. Some of you have paid a heavy price in losing loved ones, businesses and jobs.

Do you think about and cherish the people in your life so much more, and have become patient and less judgmental toward others? Aren’t you just so grateful for each and every breath you take and think about the importance of caring for yourself, instead of always being at war?

If going through darkness changes a person for the good then it can’t be all bad. We should all be looking at our life and life in general in an improved way. No fear should reside within us. We are pioneers in a brave new world, learning to do things differently, and hopefully better. Let’s not forget about this planet. How we care for our Earth and its beings will come back to us, and maybe already has not in a good way. This pandemic might be a big warning to get our act together.

So … Who will you be? For me, I just hope that I’m a better human.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ~ Rumi

Nostalgia

“That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.” ~ Emily Dickinson

It’s so hard to find positive quotes on nostalgia. The very definition is “Sentimental longing for the past,” and most quotes have to do with that longing and a kind of sadness. I like what Emily Dickinson had to say about nostalgia.

Nostalgia came about for me when my two granddaughters spent the night. Since they are thirteen and very busy with friends etc. I don’t see them as often as I used to. The room that they sleep in—which was once their mother’s room, has some toys and fragments of things that go way back to when they were really little. Since I don’t know when they’ll be coming back to spend the night, I thought we’d take the opportunity and see what they wanted to keep and what to give away, or recycle.

I found my memories dancing around of endless times playing with dolls with them. Board games, coloring books, old purses and things they made that now they have no use for. So much stuff that in the past they would have never let go. But I didn’t feel sad. I just felt amazed at how mature they have become, and how lucky I am to have played with them all these years. The stuff animals that once belonged to their mom, and books that I had read over and over, plus the very loved doll house, they want to keep. These items are over forty years old, and it’s special to know that maybe there will be a whole new generation enjoying these toys.

Of all the things I’ve experienced in life, I’ll have to say that the gift of raising my two daughters and being a grandmother I am most grateful for. Those times were not always easy. In fact, many times they were difficult. But I’m thankful for the good, bad, and the ugly of it all. That’s what life is really about. You learn to flow through it all and be grateful you’re alive to do so.

“Nostalgia is simply the result of aging and liking the life you’ve lived. Be happy you can feel it—it’s a good sign.” ~Anthony Marais

Put a positive spin on nostalgia. Whatever you’ve experienced in life be happy for it all. The bitter with the sweet moves our life along. No one ever said it was going to be easy, and that’s where expectations should be thrown out. Indeed, tomorrow is promised to no one.

Cherish all that comes your way, and let your heart feel warm and full that you got to be in the game of life this far. How lucky you are.

Flowing in Winter

 

“The moon has awoken with the sleep of the sun. The light has been broken, the spell has begun.” ~ Midgard Morningstar

Allow yourself to flow into the darkness of winter and feel the light within you of kindness for all. This is a time for great reflection and gratitude. May you all find peace and beauty surrounding you, and may the holidays bring you together with the people you love and hold so dear.

 

Thank You

Those really horrible times caused by hateful people in your life, be thankful for it all because the people and the pain you went through taught you the best lessons: Forgiveness, and that you are worth and deserve so much more.

The beautiful days and kind people all around you, be grateful for it all because without those days, and special people, life would be dull without the sparkle.

When tragedy and sadness invade, hold on tight with the knowledge that you will get through it all. Don’t let the joy of living rush out the door. You will learn that you are stronger than you ever imagined, and you will know for sure what is really important in your life.

Every day is filled with learning lessons about yourself and life. Some of it is hard and hurts to the core. Embrace it all and say, Thank You, for the rich journey you are traveling on.

I would like to say thank you to all my wonderful friends here at WordPress. Thank you for all your support. I am grateful and appreciate each and every one of you!

 

Moods

 

“Acknowledging the good that is already in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

Moods can be good and they can be super bad. We all get into funky bad moods from time to time, but the important thing is to get ourselves out as quickly as possible. Life is stressful at times and we can end up going down a dark rabbit hole if we are not careful. When I saw this quote by Eckhart Tolle I thought, yes, this is what I need to do to get out of a mood that really isn’t me and one I’ve been entertaining for a few days too many.

I know from experience that practicing gratitude, and thinking about all the good that is already in your life does bring about abundance at least in the way you feel about yourself and your life. So does getting in touch with nature. It’s the sweet little things in life that bring us the most joy, but most of the time we are too busy chasing our tails to notice.

Try squishing your toes in the wet sand and feel carefree. The beach always does it for me, but if that’s not possible, go outside when it’s dark and look up at the sky letting the stars fill your eyes. Everything seems so small and petty when you look up at the night sky. Play with water in the ocean, pool, and even in the sink and let it delight you. There is something about water that does it for me. Smell the flowers in the garden and become renewed. And if you can, get into a car with a convertible top, and put that sucker down letting your hair blow wherever as you drive. All of this and so much more can remind you that yes, you are alive, and should be enjoying every second of your life. Well, maybe not every second, but most of your time on this earth.

Don’t let life get you down. Focus, be mindful, and spend more time loving being alive than in a funky bad mood.

Who Are You?

“Knowing yourself is the best knowledge to have.”
~ Adella Gonzalez

Have you ever looked into the mirror and wondered who is that person looking back at you? Having never seen herself before, my little cat friend thought it was another cat she was seeing and took issue with her reflection by hissing and having a terrible time. Well, you might not go that far, but do you know who you are?

Plenty of people will tell you who you are, but it’s best not to listen to them. The quote by Adella Gonzalez says it all because once you get to know yourself there’s no stopping what you can do with your life.

When we’re trying to find ourselves, we feel so lost; an alien on this planet. Sometimes even like failures. We don’t know where we’re going and certainly not happy about where we’ve been. Everything about us just seems wrong. That’s a terrible way to live and a big waste of time.

You can’t find yourself in someone else. No one can complete you … only you have the power to do that. Sometimes people get married and have children to fill that void of not knowing who they are. And maybe for a while it works. But life is always in flux. People come in and out of your life. Divorce, death, and children grow up and away. One day you’ll find yourself alone with the stranger that is you.

Look into the mirror and accept what you see. The bad, the good, the ugly. All the parts that are you. Allow yourself to grow and learn, but be kind to yourself when you fail because fail you will. Some humans are smarter, funnier, and better looking than you, but so what? They are not you, so stop comparing yourself to them. Practice kindness and gratitude to bring out the deep beauty that lives inside your Spirit.

Embrace this person who is you for there is no other like you.

“The ultimate truth of who you are is not I am this or I am that, but I am.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

 

Warm Caring Thoughts

In your anger, think about Forgiveness.

In sadness, see the possibility of Hope.

Feelings of envy, why not be Grateful? 

As loneliness surrounds you, let Acceptance come in.

When anxiety takes hold, strive for Peaceful thoughts.

Playing around with cruelty? Give Kindness a try.

And when you find yourself grieving for the loss of someone you love, please let there be Loving arms to hold you close.

Wishing you all Warm, Caring Thoughts in a world that sometimes hurts.

Remember, you’re never really all alone.

It’s Still There

When tragedy hits whether it happens to us personally, or we are spectators of a horror that we can’t comprehend, we lose our bearings and nothing makes sense anymore, and beauty seems to go out the door.

But, the beauty and the sense of our lives are still there. It’s all around us and all we have to do is open our eyes to see.

It’s there in the small baby we hold so close taking in the sweet smell of a new life and fresh beginnings of hopes and dreams.

Our loved ones who accept us for the beings we are, and hold us tight when our world is falling apart.

We hear it in the giggles and laughter of children at play going about their day feeling safe and loved without a care or worry in the world.

The sunrise and sunset that begin and end our long days bring us the sense and beauty that we belong to each and every day.

It’s there in the elderly hand we hold giving love and support as once we were given when small and everything was so new.

Let us not forget the furry family members that grace our homes. Always listening and showing us unconditional love no matter what.

The warm sun bringing gratitude to our hearts, and each rainy downpour enticing us to jump into puddles. And, oh yes, the tiny snowflakes that tickle our noses making us feel so alive and wanting so much more.

We see the beauty and sense of life in the magnificent trees and colorful flowers that paint our days, and the delightful singing of songbirds that make us stop for a second and take notice.

Nature always teaches us about our lives even sometimes brutally, but its beauty and strength takes our breath away and makes us better in so many ways.

When we get lost from things out of our control we need to remind ourselves that yes, beauty and sense are still there. Just open your eyes and see it’s all around you and me.

 

Random Acts of Kindness

Many of us in the US are still in shock since the election. And now Thanksgiving is on its way. Some of you may wonder, “What do I have to be thankful for?” It’s hard for so many of us to see our country go the way of evil and hatred. It seems like an unthinkable, horrible, nightmare where there’s no escaping. This new incoming administration makes me think of the characters from Star Wars: Darth Sidious the emperor, aka “ Dark Lord of the Sith,” and his side kick, good old Darth Vader.

It has now become politically correct to be a racist. What a chilling thought. Yes, it’s hard to see and feel thankful when we sense the darkness approaching, but thankful we must be. We have to give gratitude that we are still a diverse and free society, and we must be mindful to keep it that way, and everything else we hold dear to our hearts.

After signing all the petitions until your eyes are blurry and maybe even marching in protests you still don’t feel empowered, try practicing random acts of kindness. It can be something so small as smiling at a complete stranger, or giving a child a much needed hug. Maybe you could run an errand for an elderly neighbor, or give a co-worker a ride, or volunteering. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you expect nothing in return, and it comes from the heart. And that smile for the stranger may go farther than you could ever imagine.

Love is empowerment, and random acts of kindness will always trump hatred. So get out there and make caring contagious, and be grateful that you can.