Tag: Holidays

‘Tis The Season To Be Love!

Now today is Christmas – some of you have already opened your presents, others of you are just getting around to it and yet still some of you haven’t even woken up yet. And then many of you are from other walks of life and so today isn’t as meaningful to you as say others days this month. To all humans, I say – HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

This time of year, no matter what faith system, or lack thereof we may be a part of – we all have one thing in common – this time of year above all else is about LOVE. Loving our Creator, loving ourselves and loving our friends, families and strangers.

Today – and the Holidays (and hopefully EVERY DAY) is a reminder to BE the presence of LOVE on the planet. That is what life is about. We come together this time of year because we truly can’t make it alone.

I think the greatest gift we can give ourselves and others is the gift of Love. Not in some sappy romantic comedy kind of way, no. In a real kind of way. Love isn’t Love if it’s not Love in action. By Loving ourselves, we let others off the hook. We are no longer trading for Love – that is to say, you do “THIS” for me and then I’ll do “THAT” for you. That isn’t Love – that’s horse-trading. Many times though, we have conditional Love because we do not feel as if our needs are going to be met. But when we accept the Love of The Uni-verse in our lives and then express that Love to ourselves, get busy being of service to others and adding value to their lives with our creative gifts, then all of a sudden we have MORE than enough LOVE to give away.

And then, we let other people off the hook for our own happiness – they feel that and we begin to lighten each other’s loads. When we take responsibility for our own happiness and choose to give Love away, we are giving the greatest gift that we could ever give. Because this is why we were born. The Uni-verse breathed life into our lungs because It gave us a gift to give to the world. When we live a life dedicated to being of service and giving that gift, we create miracles in our lives.

So perhaps today we can create a new habit that will come with us into the New Year – let us BE the presence of LOVE in our lives and in the world. Let’s take responsibility for our own happiness, no longer blame others and instead BRING what we feel is missing from life. Let us stop trying to get or take Love and instead set our aim on how we can serve and express our gifts to the world, so that we make the world a better place for someone else – and in doing so we will also be making the world a better place for ourselves.

Let us discover what makes us happy, what makes us come alive and then go out and DO it so we can show up to those we LOVE FULL-FILLED and pour that Love on to them. Let’s take the conditions off of our Love and instead give it away freely, knowing that we only get to keep what we give away, anyways.

May today, this Holiday Season and the New Year bring you Love, bring you JOY and bring you a sense of clarity for what makes you happy – and may you have the courage to walk out your Faith and truly be the presence of Love on this planet – you are the happiness you’ve been looking for.

Source: ‘Tis The Season To Be Love!

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How To Live NAMASTE

the sexy santa assistants were there to take a...
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Sandra Olic shares this…

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and Namaste!

Some of you may not know what the word Namaste means or just know it as the salutation yogi’s use to greet each other and when saying goodbye, and perhaps you are wondering what it has to do with the holidays. The meaning of the word Namaste encompasses the spirit of the holiday season, no matter what religion we may or may not practice- The divine, spirit or light in me recognizes the same in you; we are one. The gesture for Namaste is two hands placed together at the heart as we bow the head to the heart, to Love.

The holidays are a time of year when we are collectively vibrating at a higher level because at the heart of all of the presents, holiday parties and festivities lies life’s greatest healer- Love! It truly is a wonderful time of year. Peace, kindness, joy, generosity, appreciation and togetherness are overflowing…

Could you imagine if the spirit of this magical season lasted all year? I’m convinced we would all be much happier and healthier (minus the holiday eating and drinking of course).

Make it a point to connect with people you love regularly, even if you are busy. Life will always be busy but Love isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity and time is one thing that is so easily wasted yet impossible to get back.

Show your appreciation of the people in your world all year. Tell them, write it in a card, make them a meal or give them a small token of appreciation. Sometimes people don’t know how special they are to you until you let them know. Why wait all year to do so?

Spread the holiday cheer all year. The holidays are a time when most people’s level of friendliness goes up a notch and maybe they smile and chat more than usual. Keep smiling!

Source: How To Live NAMASTE

Sounds good to me!

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The holidays…

isolation and chaosMore healthy thinking from Melody Beattie…

Sometimes, the holidays are filled with the joy we associate with that time of year. The season flows. Magic is in the air. Sometimes, the holidays can be difficult and lonely. Here are some ideas I’ve learned through personal experience, and practice, to help us get through difficult holidays: Deal with feelings, but try not to dwell unduly on them. Put the holidays in perspective: A holiday is one day out of 365. We can get through any 24-hour period. Get through the day, but be aware that there may be a post-holiday backlash. Sometimes, if we use our survival behaviors to get through the day, the feelings will catch up to us the next day. Deal with them too. Get back on track as quickly as possible. Find and cherish the love that’s available, even if it’s not exactly what we want. Is there someone we can give love to and receive love from? Recovering friends? Is there a family who would enjoy sharing their holiday with us? Don’t be a martyr; go. There may be those who would appreciate our offer to share our day with them. We are not in the minority if we find ourselves experiencing a less-than-ideal holiday. How easy, but untrue, to tell ourselves the rest of the world is experiencing the perfect holiday, and we’re alone in conflict. We can create our own holiday agenda. Buy yourself a present. Find someone to whom you you can give. Unleash your loving, nurturing self and give in to the holiday spirit. Maybe past holidays haven’t been terrific. Maybe this year wasn’t terrific. But next year can be better, and the next a little better. Work toward a better life—one that meets your needs. Before long, you’ll have it.

God, help me enjoy and cherish this holiday. If my situation is less than ideal, help me take what’s good and let go of the rest.

Beattie, Melody (2009-12-15). The Language of Letting Go (Hazelden Meditation Series) (p. 371). Hazelden. Kindle Edition.

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Bono, Christ and Christmas

Bono

As you celebrate Christmas, consider who we are celebrating.  Music legend Bono puts it best when talking about Jesus Christ.  In conversation with Michka Assayas he says, “Jesus being God isn’t farfetched to me. Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: He was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets…but actually Christ doesn’t allow you that. He doesn’t let you off that hook.  Christ says, ‘No. I’m not saying I’m a teacher, don’t call me teacher. I’m not saying I’m a prophet.’ I’m saying: ‘I’m the Messiah. I’m saying: ‘I am God incarnate…’

So what you’re left with is: either Christ was who He said He was or a complete nutcase…I’m not joking here. The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me, that’s farfetched…The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled.  It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of heaven.”

Source: Bono, Christ and Christmas | All Pro Dad

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Tennessee Christmas

I’m not from Tennessee, but for decades Christmas doesn’t begin for me until I hear this song…

I’m very grateful we’re celebrating a tender ‘Tennessee Christmas’ with most of our immediate family in Wisconsin tonight…

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12 Tips To Assure You Enjoy The Holidays (Not Just Endure Them)!

Merry Christmas!Here in the midst of the holiday season, we’re so busy attending to others’ needs that it is all too easy to forget to take care of ourselves. While buying presents, cooking, and hosting our families and friends, we often push aside our own needs and desires. While the holidays are a wonderful time to be together with our loved ones, they can also be extremely busy and sometimes emotionally fraught, making the expression of self-love all the more important.

Forgetting to love ourselves can lead to seasonal blues, stress and anxiety. And while we may think we’re helping others, we are actually setting a negative example, especially for the children in our lives. Watching mom, uncle or grandma neglect him or herself is not a model we want our children to emulate.

Self-love does not, however, have to be left out of the holidays. I’m delighted to share these tips to help you navigate the holiday season in a way that is loving and considerate of yourself. I’ve developed these techniques through my own experiences and my work as a Body Image mentor and life coach. Following this advice helps my students remain calm and focused during the holidays.

Source: 12 Tips To Assure You Enjoy The Holidays (Not Just Endure Them)!

Go to the source if you’d like to get the 12 tips in detail and Happy Holidays to you…

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Getting through the holidays…

Christmas lights on Aleksanterinkatu.

These thoughts from Melody Beattie are helpful to me…

For some, the sights, signs, and smells of the holidays bring joy and a warm feeling. But, while others are joyously diving into the season, some of us are dipping into conflict, guilt, and a sense of loss. We read articles on how to enjoy the holidays, we read about the Christmas blues, but many of us still can’t figure out how to get through the holiday season. We may not know what a joyous holiday would look and feel like. Many of us are torn between what we want to do on the holiday, and what we feel we have to do. We may feel guilty because we don’t want to be with our families. We may feel a sense of loss because we don’t have the kind of family to be with that we want. Many of us, year after year, walk into the same dining room on the same holiday, expecting this year to be different. Then we leave, year after year, feeling let down, disappointed, and confused by it all. Many of us have old, painful memories triggered by the holidays. Many of us feel a great deal of relief when the holiday is ended. One of the greatest gifts of recovery is learning that we are not alone. There are probably as many of us in conflict during the holidays as there are those who feel at peace. We’re learning, through trial and error, how to take care of ourselves a little better each holiday season. Our first recovery task during the holidays is to accept ourselves, our situation, and our feelings about our situation. We accept our guilt, anger, and sense of loss. It’s all okay. There is no right or perfect way to handle the holidays. Our strength can be found in doing the best we can, one year at a time. This holiday season, I will give myself permission to take care of myself.

Beattie, Melody (2009-12-15). The Language of Letting Go (Hazelden Meditation Series) (p. 370). Hazelden. Kindle Edition.

This is me — “Many of us, year after year, walk into the same dining room on the same holiday, expecting this year to be different. Then we leave, year after year, feeling let down, disappointed, and confused by it all. Many of us have old, painful memories triggered by the holidays. Many of us feel a great deal of relief when the holiday is ended.” — This year, I have healthy boundaries around the holidays and I’m not walking into that dining room and I feel relief already…

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Merry Christmas…

…from our family to yours!

It’s time to ‘hunker down’ and enjoy a quiet Christmas at home with 5 of our 6 boys present. I wish you all the happiness that can bring to you and the people who are important to you…

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Holiday triggers

A Christmas tree inside a home.

One year, when I was a child, my father got drunk and violent at Christmas. I had just unwrapped a present, a bottle of hand lotion, when he exploded in an alcoholic rage. Our Christmas was disrupted. It was terrible. It was frightening for the whole family. Now, thirty-five years later, whenever I smell hand lotion, I immediately feel all the feelings I did that Christmas: the fear, the disappointment, the heartache, the helplessness, and an instinctive desire to control. —Anonymous

There are many positive triggers that remind us of Christmas: snow, decorations, “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bells,” wrapped packages, a nativity scene, stockings hung on a fireplace. These “triggers” can evoke in us the warm, nostalgic feelings of the Christmas celebration. There are other kinds of triggers, though, that may be less apparent and evoke different feelings and memories. Our mind is like a powerful computer. It links sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste with feelings, thoughts, and memories. It links our senses—and we remember. Sometimes the smallest, most innocuous incident can trigger memories. Not all our memories are pleasant, especially if we grew up in an alcoholic, dysfunctional setting. We may not understand why we suddenly feel afraid, depressed, anxious. We may not understand what has triggered our codependent coping behaviors—the low self-worth, the need to control, the need to neglect ourselves. When that happens, we need to understand that some innocuous event may be triggering memories recorded deep within us. If something, even something we don’t understand, triggers painful memories, we can pull ourselves back into theby self-care: acknowledging our feelings, detaching, working the Steps, and affirming ourselves. We can take action to feel good. We can help ourselves feel better each Christmas. No matter what the past held, we can put it in perspective, and create a more pleasant holiday today. Today, I will gently work through my memories of this holiday season. I will accept my feelings, even if I consider them different than what others are feeling this holiday. God, help me let go, heal from, and release the painful memories surrounding the holidays. Help me finish my business from the past, so I can create the holiday of my choice.

Beattie, Melody (2009-12-15). The Language of Letting Go (Hazelden Meditation Series) (p. 369). Hazelden. Kindle Edition.

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Crap You’re Leaving Behind In 2011 (And What To Take Into 2012)

English: Fireworks over Copenhagen the night b...
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Good stuff from Terri Cole…

New Year’s allows us to clean the slate. To help gain clarity on what needs to go and what needs to come with you to make 2012 AMAZING, I want to share with you a New Year exercise I used to give my clients.

Create THREE separate lists:

1. CRAP YOU ARE LEAVING IN 2011
Write down experiences, feelings, people, circumstances… anything that you do not want to drag with you into 2012. Share this list with a trusted friend who will witness without judgment. Then, burn the list so the energy attached to it can be released back into The Uni-verse and out of your experience.

2. GEMS YOU ARE KEEPING FROM 2011
Write down what you learned from your experiences, good and bad, but especially from the ones on list #1. Once you honor what you learned, you won’t need to repeat the crappy situation. Even the worst situation has a gem. You just have to be willing to look through the crap to find it. Hold onto this list.

3. WHAT YOU ARE CREATING IN 2012
Write what you want to create for yourself: how you want your life to look and feel. This list should be written in the present tense and include all areas of your life: love, health, family, wealth, friends, career, fitness, spirituality, etc. Marinate, meditate and think on what you have written. Put this list where you can see it on a daily basis. When you look at this list, feel the feelings of having these things. By conjuring the feelings, you become a magnet that will draw the experiences to you.

It is a proven fact that writing down your intentions gives them a much better chance of actually coming into being. Create some time and space to creatively write your lists. Invite some friends to your manifesting party and make it fun!

We are the architects and engineers of our life experience, so commit to creating your best life in 2012!

I’m interested in what your resolutions are, what experiences you need to release, and what gems have you gleaned from various situations. I’m also here to offer any advice and be your biggest supporter in making 2012 spectacular!

Source: Crap You’re Leaving Behind In 2011 (And What To Take Into 2012)

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What Christians Can Learn from the Occupy Movement

An interesting perspective I wanted to share…

2000 or so years ago, a radical preacher and healer spoke out against the powers of his day. “They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” (Matthew 23:4) Jesus was speaking about the Pharisees, but he could have easily been talking to business people who exploit the public, as well as the politicians who protect them. He also had some pretty harsh things to say about money and those who hoard it.  (Matthew 6: 24, Matthew 19:23, Luke 12: 13 – 21, Luke 16: 19-31)

Besides tapping into the discontent of many Americans, Occupy Wall Street is doing some other things churches would do well to emulate. For instance, #OWS is very decentralized and democratic. While they have organizers, they seem willing to put everything to a vote, including what and where to protest. Listening to their members and empowering them to take up the banner in their own communities has helped the movement spread like wildfire. And when the press and celebrities show up at their rallies, they are greeted without fanfare and treated like normal people.

While it often feels like Washington only listens to people who can afford lobbyists, church leaders can be just as guilty of cozying up to the rich and powerful. “… they love the places of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplace and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’ (Matthew 23: 5 – 7) Big denominational organizations pronounce official edicts on morality, and mega-churches put their charismatic preachers on pedestals.   These top-down hierarchies can often rob the church of the untapped potential in their pews.

From the beginning, #OWS has been fiercely anti-advertising and anti-consumerism. Inspired by the protests taking place in Egypt, it was Adbusters who originally floated an email about a march on Wall Street. (Adbusters produces ads that challenge misleading corporate messages). For many of us, the notion of not selling out is appealing. After a lifetime of being told that happiness can be ours for the price of a cell phone or car, many are no longer buying the lies.

People are hungry for an alternative to the never-ending cycle of consumerism, and churches can draw a starker line between the love of God and love of the world. Christmas is the most obvious way religion has been co-opted by capitalism, but money finds many more subtle ways to creep in and corrupt the most well-intentioned plans. Jesus never seemed angrier than when he drove the moneychangers from the temple. (John 2:14 – 16) That’s a pretty strong message that God will not be bought.

Finally, Occupy Wall Street is using peaceful methods to protest the powers that be. The fact that they have been evicted from various public areas only makes them more sympathetic. And when they are willing to go to jail or endure physical hardship (such as the Marine, Scott Olson), it engenders respect. This is essentially the same method that Martin Luther King and Mohandas Gandhi used to protest — both of whom were influenced by Christ and his peaceful (except for the moneychangers) ministry.

When was the last time Christians linked arms to protest anything? Many of us have missed meaningful opportunities to let our voices be heard.  While martyrdom isn’t required for most modern day believers, we are called to make sacrifices. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  (Matthew 9:23)  Not only is speaking out being true to your convictions, it also offers a beacon of hope to others. The world is attracted to people who are passionate enough to live out their beliefs in the open and out on the streets.

Source: What Christians Can Learn from the Occupy Movement. ~ Jeff Fulmer | elephant journal

What do you think?

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Give the gift of connection and relationship

Pile of gorgeous gifts
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I found another great blogger this morning — Lee Horbachewski of SimpLee Serene. Here’s a recent post I liked…

No matter who you are, what you look like, what you do, where you invest your time or how you celebrate the season, you need connection.

  • Accepting people for who they are.
  • Knowing what’s going on around you.
  • Being present right now.
  • Connecting with full attention and pure intention.

It all sounds wonderful doesn’t it?  So what stops our society from doing and being this?

Busy, busy, busy, go, go, go, buy, buy, buy and dare I say it judge, judge, judge…

What if the biggest gift you can give someone you love is you: your time, your love and your acceptance?

I invite you to consider for a moment what it would feel like to experience quality time with a friend.   How would it feel to receive a surprise visit, a phone call, a real life connection?

I invite you to press STOP right now on the busyness of life and what should be done.  Connect with YOU in this moment, now think of the special people in your life…  Do you know how they are feeling?  Do you know what’s going on in their life?  When was the last time you spoke to them?  When was the last time you saw them?

Show someone you love, that they are special.

Show someone you care, and give the gift of connection and relationship.

And as always this begins with connecting with YOU.

Source: Give the gift of connection and relationship by Lee | SimpLee Serene

If you like this, there’s more at the Source. Add her blog to Google Reader like I did and keep your holidays happy…

Open-mouthed smile

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What is ‘healthy giving’?

Christmas gifts.

“It is giving that holds the giver and the receiver in high esteem. It is giving based on a desire to do it rather than from a sense of guilt, pity, shame, or obligation. It is giving with no strings attached. Or it is giving based on a clean, direct contract. Whether it is giving of our time, efforts, energy, comfort, nurturing, money, or ourselves, it is giving that we can afford. Giving is part of the chain of giving and receiving. We can learn to give in healthy ways; we can learn to give in love. We need to keep an eye on our giving, to make sure it has not crossed the line into caretaking. But we need to learn to give in ways that work for us and others.”

Beattie, Melody (2009-12-15). The Language of Letting Go (Hazelden Meditation Series) (p. 360). Hazelden. Kindle Edition.

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Best Christmas ad of the season?

h/t @rontite

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Strategies for dealing with family drama…

Gemma Stone has some great thoughts on dealing with the drama that sometimes accompanies the holidays…

Gemma calls out a strategy and tactic that I have been using recently with some positive results, although I did not realize it was called ‘non-violent communication’.

“When something ‘dramatic’ come up” she says “use this four step communication process.

1. When I see/hear…

2. The story I tell myself about that is…

3. What I feel is…

4. What I need/want/like is…

Here’s what it might sound like,

“When I hear you raising your voice, the story I tell myself is that you don’t respect me and I feel hurt. What I really need is for us to speak to each other with kindness.”

Let’s say your attempt at influencing the family drama is an epic fail. Don’t lose hope (or storm out), you can always control your internal environment.”

Step 2 is new to me, but I have been working with “what I see, what I feel, what I would like to see” and that has been helping to de-escalate some of the drama in my life and I agree with Gemma that it is a valuable tool…

Go to the source of the article to read the rest of Gemma’s thoughts on the topic and I strongly urge you to follow her blog for more great thinking like this…

I have also found great comfort and help in Melody Beattie‘s works on Codependency; Codependent No More, The ‘Codependent No More’ Workbook, and The Language of Letting Go. Recently, I found this in The Language of Letting Go and it helps me to better understand the concept of using boundaries and healty detachment to remain sane during the holidays…

When we don’t ask for what we want and need, we discount ourselves. We deserve better. Maybe others taught us it wasn’t polite or appropriate to speak up for ourselves. The truth is, if we don’t, our unmet wants and needs may ultimately come back to haunt our relationships. We may end up feeling angry or resentful, or we may begin to punish someone else for not guessing what we need. We may end the relationship because it doesn’t meet our needs. Intimacy and closeness are only possible in a relationship when both people can say what they want and need. Sustained intimacy demands this. Sometimes, we may even have to demand what we want. That’s called setting a boundary. We do this not to control another person, but to gain control of our life. Our attitude toward our needs is important too. We must value them and take them seriously if we expect others to take us seriously. When we begin to place value and importance on our needs, we’ll see a remarkable change. Our wants and needs will begin to get met. Today, I will respect the wants and needs of myself and others. I will tell myself, others, and my Higher Power what I want and need. I will listen to what they want and need too.

Beattie, Melody (2009-12-15). The Language of Letting Go (Hazelden Meditation Series) (pp. 355-356). Hazelden. Kindle Edition.

On the topic of detaching in love, Melody recently wrote this…

Few things can make us feel crazier than expecting something from someone who has nothing to give. Few things can frustrate us more than trying to make a person someone he or she isn’t; we feel crazy when we try to pretend that person is someone he or she is not. We may have spent years negotiating with reality concerning particular people from our past and our present. We may have spent years trying to get someone to love us in a certain way, when that person cannot or will not. It is time to let it go. It is time to let him or her go. That doesn’t mean we can’t love that person anymore. It means that we will feel the immense relief that comes when we stop denying reality and begin accepting. We release that person to be who he or she actually is. We stop trying to make that person be someone he or she is not. We deal with our feelings and walk away from the destructive system. We learn to love and care differently in a way that takes reality into account. We enter into a relationship with that person on new terms—taking ourselves and our needs into account. If a person is addicted to alcohol, other drugs, misery, or other people, we let go of his or her addiction; we take our hands off it. We give his or her life back. And we, in the process, are given our life and freedom in return. We stop letting what we are not getting from that person control us. We take responsibility for our life. We go ahead with the process of loving and taking care of ourselves. We decide how we want to interact with that person, taking reality and our own best interests into account. We get angry, we feel hurt, but we land in a place of forgiveness. We set him or her free, and we become set free from bondage. This is the heart of detaching in love. Today, I will work at detaching in love from troublesome people in my life. I will strive to accept reality in my relationships. I will give myself permission to take care of myself in my relationships, with emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual freedom for both people as my goal.

Beattie, Melody (2009-12-15). The Language of Letting Go (Hazelden Meditation Series) (pp. 352-353). Hazelden. Kindle Edition.

Whatever you take from this, I hope it leaves you feeling better about the holidays and better equipped to deal with some of the drama that may pop up along the way…

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The Economy’s Effect on the 12 Days of Christmas

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via visualoop.tumblr.com

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The No New Gifts Holiday Challenge

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Are you ready to participate in the mad shopping frenzy that we partake in every year, not only on Black Friday but all holiday season long?

Are you ready for an incredible burst of spending, for racking up credit card debt, for the stress of buying things for everyone on your list?

Are you ready to consume an insane amount of resources, to have a huge impact on the environment, to work long hours to pay for all that?

Yep, it’s the holiday season again, and with it comes the worst season for consumerism ever.

I say, let’s opt out.

My family and I are issuing a challenge to all my wonderful readers, to the world: The No New Gifts Holiday Challenge.

via zenhabits.net

I think Leo is on to something here — follow the ‘via’ link to read the rest of the article…

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THIS Is The Opportunity Of Your Life Time!

Great thoughts from Mastin Kipp…

We have an opportunity in this moment to go beyond all the conditioned thoughts of the world, our friends, family and the like and step into a world that WE create from the inside out. We have an opportunity to heal from past wounds – now seeing them for what they truly were – lessons in growth and Grace showing us how to become more of who we really are. We have an opportunity to gain certainty that the future will be better than the past by living our Faith that The Uni-verse is FOR us and never against us. We have an opportunity to shine brightly, which will help to guide out Path as well as help others shine.

None of this can happen without a fundamental shift in our minds – from fear to Love, from blame to gratitude.

In the US – tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Many people from all walks of life – different religions, political beliefs, skin color and financial tiers will all come together for the common purpose of family, community and gratitude. We tend to hyper focus our thoughts on the things we are grateful for this time of year and it’s truly beautiful. But the real beauty, the true Thanksgiving is not about eating turkey, tofurkey and seeing your family for possibly for first time this year. Thanksgiving is something that lives in our hearts.

When we give Thanks for the Giving of our lives, we step out of lack and into abundance. We didn’t create this Uni-verse. We didn’t even create the air that we breathe. How many things around you do you get benefit from that you didn’t have to create for yourself?

If we want to live our dreams, if we want to have real Love in our lives, if we want to get to the end of our lives and have truly LIVED – Gratitude will get us there. Gratitude comes from an internal awareness that you are already whole. It comes from the internal knowing that the more you know, the more you realize that you don’t know – and so we are grateful for ALL experiences in our lives, because they have come to teach us. Being grateful means having the capacity to look around and see abundance – no matter what the minds of humanity proclaim. There is abundant sun, air, water and food for most of us. We – in the Western world – live more abundantly that 2/3 of the planet that live on less than $2/day.

Being grateful means stopping and getting out of your own story and helping someone in need. Nothing brings us joy like being of service to others. And it’s a pattern interrupt that takes us out of the drama of our lives, our story, our problems and puts the focus on others.

Being grateful is the first step towards being truly rich. We can manifest lives of magic if we give the events of our lives an empowering meaning filled with gratitude – today and every day. This is a journey my friend. Let us carry this Holiday spirit that we feel with us through the Holidays and make gratitude a way of life.

Do you have the spiritual power and ability to be grateful for it ALL, every day and carry that with you through your whole walk on this planet? We need you to be as grateful, loving and turned on as possible, because, my friend, THAT is how the world will change!

via thedailylove.com

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10 Ways to Be Your Wife’s Hero

Author: Bagande
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At the mention of watching a chick flick, many husbands will make excuses as to why the couple should watch something else.  They simply do not want to watch the mushy, romantic films.  Many husbands wonder how their wives are so captivated by the emotional drama found in chick flicks.

Women watch chick flicks for the hero.  Just like how they loved fairy tales as little girls and dreamed of their very own prince.  Wives may gush about how wonderful the fictional hero is from their favorite movie, but they do not actually want that guy.  They want you, their husband. They want you to be their personal hero, the prince who sweeps them off their feet.

  • Be her rescuer and protectorAccording to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, one of a person’s greatest needs is the feeling of safety and security.  To be your wife’s hero, she wants you to be that person who makes her feel safe.  This role of rescuer/protector is easier than what the action movies make it out to be.  Simply be there.  If she falls down, help her back up.  If there is an insect or rodent, put it outside or kill it.  Be there when she is scared and be there to wipe away her tears.
  • Romance your wifeLove your wife and remind each other why you fell in love in the first place.  Let your wife know that she is lovely; her feminine heart needs to hear that.  Here are 10 Ways to Romance Your Wife.
  • Set the example as the spiritual leader in your houseBe the spiritual leader in your household for your wife and your kids.  Take the family to church and pray together.  As you and your wife grow closer to God, you will also grow closer to one another.
  • Support herEveryone faces battles of some form in life.  Be there to support your wife when she faces her battles.  You cannot always fight them for her, but you can stand by her.  Sometimes she may need her own personal hero to stand up for her.
  • Listen to her, but don’t try to fix the problemAs a husband, you will hear all about your wife’s problems and annoyances.  She shares these things with you to have someone listen.  You don’t need to fix her problems unless she asks you to.  Just listen.
  • Spend time togetherWomen get jealous of other women whose husbands spend a lot of time with them.  The material things long hours in the office can buy are nice, but ultimately your time is more valuable to your wife. It is also important to spend time together as a family when you have children.  Spending time together is essential to maintaining a healthy marriage and family.
  • Pay attention to detailWomen are more detail oriented than men.  Try to pay attention to little details.  Notice new haircuts, compliment new clothes, and learn facial expressions.  Dates are also very important.  Remember important occasions such as anniversaries and holidays.  Plan ahead for them in order to make reservations or find the perfect gift.
  • Give her a breakOnce you and your wife have children, the dynamics change some.  Your wife will occasionally just need a break and a chance to escape from everything.  Volunteer to watch the kids while she has a girls’ night or takes a nap.  Or arrange a sitter so the two of you have a chance to get away together for a date night.
  • Commit to your wifeIt is not just enough in a marriage to love your wife.  You need to commit to her to demonstrate that love.  The most important thing is to be there; do not be an absent husband.  When things get hard in life or your marriage, do not run.  Work through things together.  Overcoming obstacles together will strengthen your marriage.
  •  Appreciate herLet your wife know how thankful you are for her.  Take note of all the little things that she does and thank her for doing them.  Let her know how important she is to you.
via allprodad.com
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My declaration of independence

Icon from Nuvola icon theme for KDE 3.x.

Click the icon below for the audio version…

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference.” via en.wikipedia.org

This independence day, I declare independence from…

  • Trying to manage the unmanageable…
  • Anger and resentment related to the first item…
  • Substances that stimulate or depress…
  • Anything that’s keeping me from being a more authentic me…

I’ll give myself 30 days and I’ve entered these issues into Habitforge to help keep me on track. July is going to be a hell of a month — you may want to wait until August to talk to me…

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Why July 4th is NOT exactly the day of US Independence

The belltower atop Independence Hall in Philad...
Image via Wikipedia

Historically, the legal liberation of 13 original colonies took place on July 2, 1776, in a closed session of Congress. However, the Second Continental Congress took two more days to modify the famous of American documents, delaying the final approval of Declaration of Independence by two more days.

Although the Declaration of Independence managed to get the Congressional approval on July 4, 1776, it was not made public until July 8. Thus the first Independence Day was celebrated on July 8, 1776.

The Declaration of Independence was read on July 8th, 1776 by Col. John Nixon. He, less than a year later, would be made a brigadier general of the Continental Army.

The day saw summoning of citizens to Independence Hall for the very first public reading of the US Independence Declaration, by ringing the bells of Philadelphia, including the Liberty Bell. This breaks yet another American myth regarding the ringing of Liberty Bell.

Contrary to the popular misconception, Liberty Bell did not ring on July 4th, 1776 to mark the US Independence day. Americans had to wait four more days, till July 8th, to listen to the Liberty Bell as well as the public reading of Declaration of Independence.

via ibtimes.com

My birthday falls on July 8th which would appear is the best of all American holidays according to historical fact…

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