The Rules of Being Human

You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for as long as you live. How you take care of it or fail to take care of it can make an enormous difference in the quality of your life.

You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time, informal school called Life. Each day, you will be presented with opportunities to learn what you need to know. The lessons presented are often completely different from those you think you need.

There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error and experimentation. You can learn as much from failure as you can from success. Maybe more.

A lesson is repeated until it is learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it (as evidenced by a change in your attitude and ultimately your behavior) then you can go on to the next lesson.

Learning lessons does not end. There is no stage of life that does not contain some lessons. As long as you live there will be something more to learn.

“There” is no better than “here”. When your “there” has become a “here” you will simply discover another “there” that will again look better than your “here.” Don’t be fooled by believing that the unattainable is better than what you have.

Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself. When tempted to criticize others, ask yourself why you feel so strongly.

What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you create with those tools and resources is up to you. Remember that through desire, goal setting and unflagging effort you can have anything you want. Persistence is the key to success.

The answers lie inside of you. The solutions to all of life’s problems lie within your grasp. All you need to do is ask, look, listen and trust yourself.

~Author Unknown~

The Artist's Way - Personal Date Ideas

In our lastest ezine we shared some ideas for "taking yourself on a date" and just enjoying life. Here they are...

•Find a piece of poetry, drag out the watercolors and "paint" the poem. Letting the words pick the colors and shapes.
•Get a movie you really want to see.
•Spend a complete morning (or evening) in a bookstore.
•Blow soap bubbles . . . maybe get one of those gigantic bubble hoops.
•Take a long, luxurious bubble bath with music playing and the lights out. Light some scented candles or incense. (Don't forget to turn off the telephone!)
•Build a Lincoln Log house.
•Go to the playground (don't forget to wear your fastest sneakers !) and swing, go down the slide, merry-go-round, climb the jungle gym (ALL the way to the top), sit WAY up on top of the jungle gym and sing "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" or "Sittin' on Top of the Jungle Gym."
•Get a blanket and lay down outside and count stars or try to spot constellations.
•Plant a butterfly garden (to attract butterflies).
•Get some chalk and draw all over the sidewalk.
•Play the oldies station on the radio--YOU are the vocalist, and a comb or brush is your microphone.
•Is there a stream nearby? Sit on the edge, remove shoes, let the watercaress and massage your feet, write a letter to a friend, or just sit and think. Bring your MP's, or a journal, and if an idea hits you, write it down.

Please post any ideas you'd like to add. Your idea might just inspire someone else to nurture their spirit this week!

A New Perspective

For the past several months I have been having dreams with the same theme over and over again. The circumstances are always a bit different but the theme is the same. I am incredibly stressed and uncomfortable and I need to get back home - back to where I came from. Sometimes I am on vacation, sometimes I've moved to a new location, sometimes I have an apartment, sometimes a house, sometimes others have come with me, sometimes I am alone, once I had my dogs and then I lost them and was afraid to leave for fear I would never find them again. Sometimes I am traveling by car, sometimes by plane. Sometimes its a really long trip that never seems to end, sometimes I can't seem to get my trip started.

I have been pondering this dream and what it is I need "to get back to" and was afraid I would never figure it out and then I had another one. This one had me at a resort type place on a beautiful beach with palm trees all around. I saw the sunrise and the sunset. Still I wanted to get home and there was such an urgency to it.

Every morning when I wake up, I get a single message from the Universe to help me move forward or gain clarity in some area of my life. The morning after this last dream my message was this: "Why the need to go back? What is wrong with moving forward?"

This put an entirely different spin on my dream. I know that where I am going is uncertain and feels like I'm not on solid ground some times but I also know that the future holds more than I could ever dream of - and it's just waiting for me to embrace it - to be open to receiving all of it.

If there is something in your life that you are having a hard time getting clarity on, try looking at it differently. It never ceases to amaze me what we can see when we look at something with fresh eyes - a new perspective.

The Simple Things

Have you ever taken a step back from your life and realized just how off track things have gotten with your priorities?

My 13 year old daughter and I went to Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago. One of our stops was a Deer Park. Among seeing other animals there, we had the delight of walking through this park with over 100 tame deer. This picture is of my daughter with two of the deer who followed her along most of the path once they figured out she had food:).

As we mingled with the deer, she told me it was the best day of her life so far. At 13, feeding deer was the best day of her life. A simple, inexpensive activity meant so much to her and it wasn't even located at Ridgedale or the Mall of America (her previous favorite locations). The best part was that I got to spend it with her. It was the highlight of my week, my month, my year...

It is easy to find pleasure in the simple things in life if we take the time to look for them. They are hidden in the most unexpected, fantastic places. Don't wait another minute - seize the day and fill it with things that make you smile, things that make you laugh, memories that last a life time.

Quote for the Day - Abundance

Let not your mind run on what you lack as much as on what you have already. Of the things you have, select the best; and then reflect how eagerly they would have been sought if you did not have them.

Marcus Aurelius, 121-180Roman Emperor, Philosopher and Author

Quote for the Day - Accountability

Many people are held back by their lack of understanding of what true discipline takes and what real freedom it gives. True discipline takes heightened awareness and self mastery.

~Rhonda Britten Change Your Life in 30 Days

What Wonderful Word Best Describes You Today?

Is it "fabulous"? Is it "energetic"? If you're feeling down today, pick a word you'd like to feel like today! It's your day - create it. Use this word as your mantra. Repeat it over and over throughout the day. Have fun!