21 Suggestions for Success

I stumbled upon this one morning about two or three years ago. My husband had taken me out to a trendy little restaurant for breakfast. When I went to use the washroom, there was this poster hanging on the wall. There is much wisdom in the words from this author!

21 Suggestions for SUCCESS

by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

1. Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.

2. Work at something you enjoy and that’s worthy of your time and talent.

3. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.

5. Be forgiving of yourself and others.

6. Be generous.

7. Have a grateful heart.

8. Persistence, persistence, persistence.

9. Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.

10. Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.

11. Commit yourself to constant improvement.

12. Commit yourself to quality.

13. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.

14. Be loyal.

15. Be honest.

16. Be a self-starter.

17. Be decisive even if it means you’ll sometimes be wrong.

18. Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.

19. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.

20. Take good care of those you love.

21. Don’t do anything that wouldn’t make your Mom proud.

The Beauty that Surrounds Us

I discovered this yesterday by accident, looking for something else. But it is fitting for my blog so here it is. It depicts in a number of videos, the beauty that surrounds us that often we miss because we are too preoccupied. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. http://www.timescapes.org/

Invictus

Invictus
by William Ernest Henley
~written in 1875 and first published in 1888, it originally bore no title.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

My Ode to Joy

The following combines two of my favorite things... Beethoven's Ode to Joy (which on occasion I have full blast on the stereo)... and the Muppets. I assure you I love my fair share of classical music, and I am not trying to make fun of the great man who bought us this masterpiece. However, we all need to laugh at times too. Jim Henson (a genius in his own right) and his Muppets do just that- bring joy in the form of laughter instead of music. Combining the two is a strange combination, but it satisfies more than one "joy center" in my brain at the same time. I hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpcUxwpOQ_A&feature=related

Finding your Bliss...Again

As children, bliss seemed to be around every corner. There were new things to discover, and the old things just never lost their charm. Moments of magic seemed to lurk in corners just waiting to be unearthed like a pirates treasure. Though it may have been only a rock or a bug, it seemed that this bliss would last forever...

And then we grew up. Bliss became harder to attain suddenly- buried under bills, responsibility and laundry. But bliss is still there to be found and revelled in. We have just forgotten how to "see".

As adults we tend to complicate things. Expecting more wow, we miss the simplicity of much of the bliss that lies all around us. It may be that butterfly that lands quietly beside you, the stranger that holds the door open and smiles, or the laugh of a baby. But all to often we get so caught up in our busy lives that we fail to see those small things that are meant to be noticed and savored.

Finding bliss in tiny things will not make your adult responsibilities disappear, but it will enrich your daily existence elevating it from the mundane. More importantly, you will feel more connected to life once again and most likely happier. All this plays into lessening stress levels too! So if you spot what could be bliss, don't analyze it to death- just enjoy.

I will share something that I discovered today- it is beautiful. May it be inspiring.
"The Mountain" http://vimeo.com/22439234

Dimming of the Day

I love this song. I discovered it for the first time watching the movie The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. It is sad yet beautiful. It reminds me that we need to allow others to help us carry our burdens- whether it is a long day with the kids or the helplessness of illness. And though those around us may not be able to "fix" what is wrong, we need to embrace the care that is offered instead of pushing back in weary frustration...or more often as women, become self effacing and hide ourselves away to unburden those around us and deal with "it" on our own. Whatever your style, if we do not allow our loved ones the opportunity to support us when we are in need, we risk alienating them and being drawn into the vicious circle of "I am alone in this." 

Dimming of the Day

by Richard & Linda Thompson

This old house is falling down around my ears
I'm drowning in a river of my tears
When all my will is gone you hold me sway
I need you at the dimming of the day

You pull me like the moon pulls on the tide
You know just where I keep my better side

What days have come to keep us far apart
A broken promise or a broken heart
Now all the bonnie birds have wheeled away
I need you at the dimming of the day

Come the night you're only what I want
Come the night you could be my confident

I see you on the street in company
Why don't you come and ease your mind with me
I'm living for the night we steal away
I need you at the dimming of the day
I need you at the dimming of the day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4LICp91MmY&feature=related

The Rainbow Connection

This is one song that I continue to find meaning in, throughout my life. It may have been a "child's" song at one time, and to a degree remains so...but it has also withstood the test of time in my life and grown with me. It has obviously inspired many more than just me, because it has been sung by everyone from Willie Nelson, Sarah Maclachlan, The Carpenters, the Dixie Chicks, to Jason Mraz.

The Rainbow Connection

Why are there so many songs about rainbows

And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
when wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that
and someone believed it,
and look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
the lovers, the dreamers and me.

All of us under its spell,
we know that it's probably magic....

Have you been half asleep
and have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
the lovers, the dreamers and me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSFLZ-MzIhM

The Seasons of Our Lives- Spring

Spring is upon us- a time of rebirth and renewal. As individuals we often fail to include ourselves in our own renewal process, preferring at times to stand on the sidelines of false security. Though we may want to buffer ourselves from tragedy, life inevitably brings change both good and bad. It is our choice how we choose to react to life changes- and as with spring we can choose to renew our spirits or remain in the ashes of our personal disasters. So here is to spring. Rebirth. New growth. Flourishing as individuals- partaking in all that life brings.

Disney's Fantasia 2000, Firebird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FWq17CT6Cs

A Bit to Get Started

As you can see, I somewhat forgot about this blog that I had in the middle of the night years ago, gotten the itch to write. At that time blog was a foreign word that my daughter had to explain to me. I had intended to do more with this blog, but soon it became orphaned and completely forgotten...life got busy, as it often tends to do.
Well now that I'm back- I intend not to abandon the blog, but run amok with abandon on the subjects that interest me- essentially LIFE in all it's variation, complexity, beauty, and perplexing qualities. From my reading list you can see that there are many different things that draw me and inspire me. There is more than I have listed, but it is a start- and a way of you the reader getting to know me a bit on an initial level.
At my core I find life and the universe we live in awe inspiring. Even in difficult times life has a way of teaching, directing and pushing us- occasionally carrying us kicking and screaming to our intended destination. Sometimes we can't see the good outcome on a difficult path. But it is there. If we look. Sometimes it is in small ways, but even small steps in the right direction get us to our final destination. Time and time again in my life, I have managed to find a silver lining in some very dark and tragic clouds. There is always hope even when even that seems impossible.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao-tzu, Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC)

I will leave you to look at the link May You Be Blessed. I first viewed this 5 years ago, when I was newly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It was sent by a friend who did not yet know of my condition, but it came at the perfect time in my life. (I find that often happens- these seemingly accidental coincidences...) It is so beautiful, touching...hopeful. You may cry. I cried and cried when I first saw this- but tears are not to be feared. We all need to cry sometimes. But though you may cry, this movie comes from a deep place of hope and appreciation of our own place in the universe. May you be blessed... http://www.mayyoubeblessedmovie.com/