Living Out Loud

Count your blessings

(a Thought for the Week)

"When a person thinks about the things, people and experiences that they're grateful for, their awareness of the good in their life increases, and they start to feel good. What you focus on increases, so the more you feel good about all there is to be grateful for, the more will show up." ~ Jamie Smart

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation." ~ Brian Tracey

"Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play." ~ Og Mandino

"An attitude of gratitude can fend off any sad- itude." ~ Karen Salmansohn

Celebrate your Life

(a Thought for the Week)

"Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think." ~ Horace

"This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy." ~ Susan Polis Schutz

"I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself, and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part." ~ Shirley MacLaine

"May you live all the days of your life." ~ Jonathan Swift

All is well, no matter what it looks like

(A Thought for the Week)

"Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution." ~ Deepak Chopra

"A jug fills drop by drop." ~ Buddha

"Your joy is divine and so is your suffering. There's so much to be learned from both." ~ Wayne Dyer

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be." ~ Douglas Adams

"Life has to be lived forwards, but it only makes sense backwards." ~ Rod Briggs

"All is well, no matter what it looks like. It's all happening perfectly." ~ Susan Jeffers

You can view my Thoughts archive here

Step into the field of all possibilities

(a Thought for the Week)

"Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security." ~ John Allen Paulos

"Impossible is a word humans use far too often." ~ Jeri Ryan

"Our aspirations are our possibilities." ~ Samuel Johnson

"Relinquish your attachment to the known, step into the unknown, and you will step into the field of all possibilities." ~ Deepak Chopra

Seize the day, dammit!

(part of the Happy Friday series)

5 tips by Karen Salmansohn

If there is an honest conversation you need to share, DO IT. Today! Live without regret. Speak from your heart. Know: the better your communication with others, the better your life. Know: The more love you have in your life, the happier and more meaningful your life.

Believe in FORGIVENESS AND FORGETNESS. Stop carrying grudges. They simply weigh you down. Indeed, Carrie Fisher said it amusingly well when she said: Resentment is the poison you swallow hoping the other person will die. Today think about who you need to forgive, and let go of these bitter attachments.

Appreciate the people you love, by letting them know what you adore about them. Live with Emile Zolas philosophy in mind: I CAME INTO THIS WORLD TO LIVE OUT LOUD. Today share with friends and family the specifics of what you appreciate about them. Count your blessings out loud to them.

In "The Tibetan Book Of Living and Dying," author Rinpoche warns about the Western tendency for ACTIVE LAZINESS, our need to cram our lives compulsively with a myriad of unimportant activities, leaving little time to confront what really matters. He jokingly renames the petty projects we call our RESPONSIBILITIES as our IRRESPONSIBILITIES. Today ask yourself how might you edit down your TO DO LIST to a WHAT MATTERS MOST TO DO LIST? Are you finding time to be with the people you love -- and the time for doing the passions you love?

Give back to the world. I mean this both in the obvious ways of altruism and volunteerism -- which are essential to creating a happy, meaningful life. Plus, I also mean this in those the less obvious -- but still important ways -- of giving of yourself -- your true self -- your heart, thoughts, talents -- share it all. After all: Everything that is not given, is lost. Every thought and feeling we ever have, every beautiful sight we ever see, every material possession we own, every talent we possess, will ultimately be lost. UNLESS WE SHARE IT.

Today ask yourself how deeply and intimately you are connecting with those most important to you? Which brings to mind a favorite metaphor - the one about the pebble in a pond. It's as if each of us are tossing the pebble of ourselves into the pond of life, and ripples are created. If we hoard ourselves - our love, our thoughts, our feelings, our insights, our words, our gifts, our talents - we will make a very little splash, and the ripples will soon end. But if we give fully, with abandon and abundance, the ripples will go out infinitely, overlapping and intermingling with others.

With this in mind, ask yourself: What kind of ripple do you want to be? Seize the day, dammit!

You can subscribe to Karen's not your ordinary newsletter here

Desiderata

(part of the Happy Friday series)

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,
even to the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career
however humble;
it is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you
to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit
to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

by Max Ehrmann

It's all about Now!

(a Thought for the Week)

"If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments." ~ Anne Morrow Kindbergh

"Let us wipe out the past, trust in the future, and rejoice in the glorious Now." ~ William R Evans III

"Do it now! Today will be yesterday tomorrow." ~ E.C. McKenzie

"Don't worry about the future, the present is all thou hast. The future will soon be present, and the present will soon be past." ~ William R Evans III

"You will never experience the earth with all its wonders in this time again. Don't wait for one last look at the ocean, the sky, the stars, or a loved one. Go look now." ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

You can view my Thoughts archive here

Laugh...

(part of the Happy Friday series)

"Our five senses are not enough for ideal living. We need to use our sixth sense: our sense of humor." ~ Chuck Gallozi

Do I have to sell this one?

Surely not...

But just in case:

• Laughter releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones which aid a sense of relaxation and promote a sense of well-being - ie. laughter makes you feel happier.

• "Laughter is the best medicine." It lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones and boosts your immune system.

• Laughter dissolves tension, anxiety, irritation, anger, grief, and depression - ie. laughter makes you feel happier.

• Laughter lowers inhibitions, allowing the release of pent-up emotions.

• Laughter helps people to bond with one another.

And that's just the tip of the ice-berg. I'm sure you could rattle off your own very long list of benefits.

But before you start thinking about horses and carts, and chickens and eggs, let me say that you do not have to be on top of the world to indulge in a bout of laughter. You just have to distract yourself from whatever else is occupying your attention and engage in an activity that generally makes you laugh.

So, hire an entire series of your favourite sit-com on DVD, buy a good joke book, or indulge in some really silly antics with your very best friends. Whatever floats your boat, just be sure you laugh as much as possible.

No excuses now. "Just do it!" ~ Nike.

And to get you started:

When Grandma Goes to Court

Lawyers should never ask a Mississippi grandma a question if they aren't prepared for the answer.

In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand. He approached her and asked, "Mrs Jones, do you know me?" She responded, "Why, yes I do know you Mr Williams. I've known you since you were a boy, and frnakly, you've been a big disappontment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a big shot when you haven't the brains to realise you'll never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I do know you."

The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, "Mrs Jones, do you know the defense attorney?"

She again replied, "Why yes, I do. I've known Mr Bradley since he was a youngster too. He's lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can't build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him."

The defense attorney nearly died.

The judge asked both counsellors to approach the bench, and in a very quiet voice said, "If either of you idiots asks her is she knows me, I'll send you both to the electric chair."

Happy laughing : )

All is well

“All is well, no matter what it looks like. It’s all happening perfectly.”

This is an affirmation offered by either Louise Hay or Susan Jeffers. Apologies for not being certain where I borrowed it from, but I do use it on a regular basis. It helps me to stay grounded in the present moment, and to stop worrying about how things may or may not work out in the future.

It also helps me to remember that there is a blessing disguised in every challenging situation and experience. I am reminded to look for the silver lining, instead of feeling sorry for myself. (Though in all honesty I have to admit that I do usually indulge myself in a small bit of self-pity for a while too – you move through your negative feelings more quickly when you allow yourself to feel them rather than repress them).

“Along with the sunshine, there’s gotta be a little rain sometimes.” ~ Lynn Anderson

For growth in nature, both sunshine and rain are required. For our own growth this is just as true. We need ups and downs. Without the downs, we wouldn’t appreciate the ups. Because they have a tendency to stop us in our tracks, we’re also a lot more likely to become introspective and learn from the downs. And those lessons empower us to create more and more ups in our lives. And so, it is all good!

“Life is a rollercoaster, you just gotta ride it.” ~ Ronan Keating

The secret to enjoying a rollercoaster ride is to relax, knowing and trusting that you won’t crash-land but will slowly start to ascend upwards again. Eventhough it feels scary, you are perfectly safe. It’s the same with everything you experience in life. When hitting a scary or rough patch, don’t struggle or resist it. Relax, trust that you are safe. Accept the present as it is, knowing that this too will pass.

Everything is temporary. And everything serves a purpose, even if it is not immediately evident where the path you’re on is taking you. All will be revealed in good time, and you may be delighted as well as surprised by where you end up.

As Louise (or Susan?) reminds us, all is well – no matter what it looks like. It’s all happening perfectly : )

"Shine" your way to happiness with uplifting music

(a part of the Happy Friday series)

I’m sure if I did a search I could find numerous studies out there that have proven the effects of music on our moods. But I’m not going to go to that trouble because I’m also fairly certain that you’ve all experienced it for yourself.

The point I am going to try and sell on though, is the importance of the lyrics as well as the tone of the music. You really do want both to be uplifting!

When the music itself is upbeat, your spirits are uplifted. That’s what you already know. But if you’re not a dedicated follower of the Law of Attraction, you might not be aware of the importance that lyrics have also.

All of your words are very powerful. What you say about yourself and your life is a vibration you are offering to the Universe and you’re going to attract like energy back. Words that you express with feeling will manifest in physical reality with greater speed. When you sing to upbeat, uplifting music, the lyrics you’re reciting offer a very powerful vibration. So be careful that the lyrics you’re offering reflect what you want in your life!

Choose the songs you sing out loud to with great care.

Last summer I started a project here called Songs to make your Heart sing. I wanted to make a compilation of songs that did just that for me, and I asked for help in coming up with as big a list as possible. Afterwards I made my own personal choices from the list taking not only the music but also the lyrics into consideration. Why not ask your friends to help you do something similar? Or if you want a kick-start check out the playlist suggested by those who took part in my project.

My own nomination for the playlist was Shine by Take That. Click below to see the video. The lyrics are further below. I think they are fabulous, and I always sing them from the perspective of my Higher Self (she who knows and trusts that all is well) speaking to my Ego (she who resists the present moment rather than accepting it).

For me, it creates a wonderful shift in my energy and my thought process. Why not try it and see for yourself?

You, you're such a big star to me
You're everything I wanna be
But you're stuck in a hole and I want you to get out
I don't know what there is to see
But I know it's time for you to leave
We're all just pushing along
Trying to figure it out, out, out.

All your anticipation pulls you down
When you can have it all, you can have it all.

So come on, so come on, get it on
Don't know what you're waiting for
Your time is coming don't be late, hey hey
So come on
See the light on your face
Let it shine
Just let it shine
Let it shine.

Stop being so hard on yourself
It's not good for your health
I know that you can change
So clear your head and come around
You only have to open your eyes
You might just get a big surprise
And it may feel good and you might want to smile, smile, smile.

Don't you let your demons pull you down
'Cause you can have it all, you can have it all.

Hey let me know you
You're all that matters to me
Hey let me show you
You're all that matters to me.

Hey let me love you
You're all that matters to me
Hey let me love you
You're all that matters to me

So come on
See the light on your face
Let it shine
Just let it shine
Let it shine.