A Life Plan.....

 “Much of the pain in life comes from having a life plan that you've fallen in love with, and when it doesn't work out you become angry that you now have to pursue a new life plan. If you want to tame your inner demons, you must not become too attached to any particular life plan, and remain open to there being an even better, happier life plan.”

Do Not Complain Against Life.....

"Do not complain against life. If you're suffering, remember that nobody goes through the land free from pain, the same way that a student can not make your course without submitting to year-end exams. Prove you're ready, supporting with patience and resignation that the tests are submitted. Everything that happens has its reason for being, and the harm arises where an asset."

Live Better Today.......

"We were all meant to be idealists … not blind optimists, but rather true believers in all that is always possible for us.

Don't let the challenges that come your way or anything else that has happened cause you to become a cynic or question your ability to actually accomplish what you want.

We never want to lose touch with the part of ourselves that believes in possibilities and is inspired and... motivated by the fact that so many possibilities always exist for us.

In order to accomplish all that you were meant to, in order to live in this world in an amazing way, in order to feel fulfilled, you need to have your idealism in tact and working at all times.

Live Today Better than Yesterday."

Happiness......

“Happiness consists of living each day as if it were the first day of your honeymoon and the last day of your vacation.” ~Leo Tolstoy

If you knew this would be your last day, would you waste time worrying about everything you might not finish on your to-do list?
Would you spend today dwelling on that minor disappointment?
Would you hold a grudge about that fight or misunderstanding?
Would you hesitate to tell the people you love just how much you care?
Would you be hard on yourself for your mistakes, imperfections, or struggles?
If you knew this would be your last day, would you make amends, or make a change, or make a point, or make a difference? Would you do something, or say something, that you’ve been waiting to do or say?
Would you look at something you always see with a new sense of appreciation?
Would you listen to people with a stronger focus, taking in every last word?
Would you say yes to what you really want and no to what you don’t?
Would you give yourself every opportunity to enjoy the people and things you love?
Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and then see this day anew. Wipe the slate clean. Take the pressure off. Put a smile on. Today is a new opportunity to be who you want to be and do what you want to do.

“It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward.” ~Proverb

Sometimes it can be challenging to operate with complete integrity in business—particularly because bigger and faster can be seductive.
Case in point: I have a strong aversion to many traditional marketing methods, as I find much of it to be psychologically manipulative.
I feel it’s wrong to sell people things by playing to their deepest fears and insecurities, and implying my book or product will be the magic bullet they’ve been waiting for all their lives.
I also feel uncomfortable with the idea of personal branding, since a brand is an idea or image of a product or service, and human beings are neither of those things. We may sell products or offer services, but we are not commodities—even if consumers often buy based on who is selling to them.
But statistically, products and books presented as ultimate solutions, by individuals with polished personas generally sell better.
Now you might not hold the exact same perspective as I do, but you likely have your own set of beliefs and values that inform the decisions you make professionally—and they may occasionally hinder your progress.
When we act in complete integrity, we often end up advancing at a slower pace.
I remember when I was 23, knee-deep in a corrupt multi-level marketing company, oblivious to my team’s unethical practices. Everything changed the day I heard our leader suggest we look for “ignorance on fire”—new recruits who never questioned, but merely plowed straight ahead on the path of most profitability.
Thinking and questioning can slow progress—but maybe slow progress is exactly what we need. Slow progress allows us to adapt as necessary, learn at each step of the journey, and ensure that we’re honoring our ideals and actual desires, instead of pushing ourselves blindly in the pursuit of success.
I realize this idea isn’t universally applicable. When it comes to advancements that save lives, I absolutely support rapid progress. They couldn’t possibly come out with cures for cancer fast enough.
But when it comes to our own personal goals and ambitions, sometimes the most satisfying results come from a slow but steady journey with unwavering commitment to what we believe is right. ~Lori Deschene form 'Tiny Buddha'

A Clear Mind.........

".......A clear mind can inspire your brightest days. Resolve any conflicts that might be clouding your view. Settle negative thoughts that cast a shadow on your state-of-mind. When we simplify our life the most luminous of days will appear before us......."

Choose......

"No matter how hard your past, you don't have to keep carrying it around with you. So, how to do drop it? What you focus on persists because you're feeding it energy with your thoughts. Change the channel and focus instead, in this present moment that is you now, on what you want instead of what you don't want. You have the remote control to your brain. Choose."

Only a "Why Not"....

"There isn’t a “why” that you have to answer to when it comes to your happiness.
There is only a “why not”…
Your happiness waits only for you."

"Life should not be a brief candle for you. It should be a splendid torch that you got hold of for the moment. Make it burnt as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations." ~ Anuttara-Samyak-Samboddhi.

I Pledge.....

I pledge to teach my children that no matter the color of a person's skin, they feel, think, and love the same way she does. i pledge to teach my children that a bank balance will never show a person's true worth. i pledge to teach my children that a family is made of people who love and care for one another and that may include one parent, two parents, grandparents, two moms, two dads, or any combination of the above. i pledge to teach my children that to allow another to be bullied or abused is to join the bully and the abuser - she must stand up as tall as she can no matter who she is up against. i pledge to teach my children that she matters no more and no less than any one else on this earth. i pledge to never stop teaching her ♥ ~Kathy Szeckley, my beautiful "sister"

You Were Born......

You were born with potential.
You were born with goodness and trust.
You were born with ideals and dreams.
You were born with greatness.
You were born with wings.
... You are not meant for crawling, so don't.
You have wings.
Learn to use them and fly.

~Rumi

The Secret of Attraction

"The secret of attraction is to love yourself. Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others. They are open to gestures of love. They think about love, and express their love in every action. They know that love is not a mere sentiment, but the ultimate truth at the heart of the universe."  ~Deepak Chopra

I believe.....

"I don't believe you have to be better than everybody else. I believe you have to be better than you ever thought you could be."  ~Ken Venturi

Watch......

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; for it becomes your destiny.

- Upanishads

Dear Lord........

"Dear Lord, help us to turn to You not only in sadness
but also in joy. We know You give us both good times
and bad to draw us to You and help us grow.
May we learn to trust You in all seasons of life. Amen."
 

Not Enough......

"Positive thoughts are not enough. There have to be positive feelings and positive actions."

We are Blessed......

"We are blessed with another day, another hour, another minute to live.
We can sit in silence or live out loud.
We can contemplate or take our next step.
We can… we will… we do… as we choose.
Make your choices count today… because they are yours."

There Is A Joy.......

"There is a joy that's triggered by something happening. But, there is another joy inspired by something within. Inner joy that's not determined by outer circumstances is a holy diamond beyond value."

Today is a Day Love Created.......

"Today is a day that Love created, but which the fear-mind would turn into a constant stream of pain and neurosis. Every moment, we make a choice which voice we will listen to. We choose consciously or subconsciously, but we do choose. So let's bolster each each today with a collective choice: not only to choose love, but to pray that everyone else who reads this has an easier time choosing love as well..."
~Marianne Williamson

Rise Up.........

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."
— Siddhārtha Gautama

When You Look at Yourself.....

"When you look at yourself or others through judgment and assumptions you are unable to see the true inner value and uniqueness; the heart of the person lies veiled in a blanket of fog. Clear away those judgments, assumptions and pre-conceived notions; open up your perceptions, and see the awesome beauty and truths about yourself and others..." ~ K.Brixey

Dear God........

"Dear God,
Please melt the walls
that separate me from others,
imprisoning me within myself.
Please heal my wounded places
... and free my heart to love.
Help me connect to others
that I might isolate no more.
I know, dear God,
that when I am alone, I fear;
and when I fear, I self-destruct.
What I suffer now
and have suffered before,
dear God,
may I suffer no more. 

Amen." ~Marianne Williamson
 

Focusing Your Energies.......

"As you begin your day, discover the difference between what you really want for your life and what the world says you want. One is all about gratefully looking within and finding all you ever need or desire; one is about looking for outside sources to complete you. The greatest peace and satisfaction you will ever find already exists within you. It is your choice where you focus you energies"... K. Brixey
 

Never Forget.......

NEVER FORGET HOW SWIFTLY this life will be over, like a flash of summer lightning or the wave of a hand. Now that you have the opportunity to practice dharma, do not waste a single moment on anything else. — Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoch

Don't Be Trapped......

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” ~ Steve Jobs

Stunningly Beautiful......

"How we look is not important. How we behave is. Regardless what we look like on the outside we are the most stunningly beautiful people every time we lead with our peaceful, kind, patient, and loving hearts." `Regina Cates

Learning self-love.....

"Maybe I'll learn self-love fully in this lifetime, maybe I won't. But I have lea...rned three things: to commit to loving myself no matter what, to take care of myself when I am hurting, and, most importantly, to be grateful for my life-lessons and the teachers who make me face them."
~ Sue Patton Thoele

Keeping your eyes and thoughts on love....

"We can be so afraid of the unknown and the lack that could potentially show up, that we are scared of going into the void of the unknown. But, you see, we live in a kind and compassionate Universe who will always take care of us. It may be painful to recognize and come to terms with the choices we've made and the effects of our choices, but, if we keep our eyes and thoughts on Love, soon enough that pain will turn into awareness, bliss and joy."

Expectations:

"If you live by the expectations of what others will give, in regards to what you giveto them....you will set yourself up for disappointment. Focus on the positive at this moment, "today". Don't let the lack of immediate feedback and encouragement discourage you. Be understanding and patient. You don't know what the others are thinking, going, or dealing with. Don't assume. Expectations can sometimes put a lot of pressure on others. It can scare them or make them feel overwhelmed. If you continually give without expectation, pressure, and frustration...it eases the mind of others. it allows them to relax, trust and be "willing" to give back to you in the future. So just keep giving, be patient, and in the mean time, focus on your "present" positives. Do this and you will build appreciation, love, trust, and respect in the mind of others. Lead them to appreciate you and "want" to...rather than feel pressured and "need" to. Let go of expectations. Remain positive and relaxed despite situations not going as you "expect" or "want" them to. If you do, you will be pleasantly surprised suddenly, when you "expect' it the least." ~Simply Positive, 8-21-11

Perspective......

 ‎"Perspective is a personal choice just like being happy is. No matter how difficult the experience is you are living it is has the potential to change your life… because it gives you the ability to make better choices going forward. Easy, maybe not. Simple, Absolutely!" - C.Maloney., from 'Simple Steps, Real Change'

I Will Continue........

‎"I will continue believing, even when people lose hope
I will continue to love, while others sow hatred
I will continue to build, even when others destroy
I will continue talking about peace, even in the midst of a war
I will continue to illuminate even in the midst of darkness."

Continue Believing......

"I will continue believing, even when people lose hope
I will continue to love, while others sow hatred
I will continue to build, even when others destroy
I will continue talking about peace, even in the midst of a war
I will continue to illuminate even in the midst of darkness."

Some of my Favorite Inspirational Quotes......

"Never regret. If it's good, it's wonderful. If it's bad, it's experience......" ~Victoria Holt

"Learn to be happy with what you have while you pursue all you want." ~ Jim Rohn

"It's very difficult to remember sometimes that your very worst moment or day is still better than anything some people might ever experience in their entire lifetime. Refocus and BE GRATEFUL."

"When I tried to control or change someone else, or get my own needs met by someone else, or be validated for how I felt or who I was, I was really placing the responsibility for my happiness and contentment with lifwe on other people. That was not fair to them and most importantly, it was not fair to me. Not to mention it never worked."

"I am bigger than anything that can happen to me. All these things, sorrow, misfortune, ad suffering are outside my door. I am in the house and i have the key...." Charles Fletcher Lummis

"When the sun rises on this new day....Remember it also rises on a new opportunity for you to live your life as you choose. Decide today to be true to yourself, committed to happiness and kind to others."

"When we lead with love we know that there is no competition....and plenty for everyone. Others may not be in the same place but better that we live by example then to follow unhappiness."

"Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint." re-quoted from my very beautiful friend, Patricia Parker

"The true meaning of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson

"You're the only one who knows when you're using things to protect yourself and keep your ego together and when you're opening and letting things fall apart, letting the world come as it is- working with it rather than struggling against it. You're the only one who knows....." Pema Chodron

Deserving happiness......

"Whether you are the person that you want to be or a work in progress remember that you deserve to be happy. No one can take that away from you.
When you realize that in every moment you have the ability to change your life to be what you want it to be…the only opinion that you need to care about is your own." - C.Maloney

Shades of Grey.....

Emerging from the Grey Ways We Numb Ourselves

Numbing yourself prevents you from confronting your issues and keeps you from ever finding resolution or peace.

We are born equipped to experience a complex array of diverse emotions. Many of us, however, are uncomfortable confronting our most powerful emotions. We may shy away from delight and despair and deny life’s colors by retreating into a world of monotone grey. We may numb ourselves to what we are truly feeling. It’s easier to suppress our emotions than to deal with them, so we may momentarily turn to pleasures such as alcohol, food, sugar, shopping and too much television. We may even numb our hearts. While it’s normal to temporarily seek distractions as a means of coping with intense emotions, numbing yourself prevents you from confronting your issues and keeps you from ever finding resolution or peace. When you are numb, there is no pain or powerlessness, but there can also be no joy or healing.

The activities that numb you may seem harmless or pleasurable, but using them to numb yourself diminishes the quality of your life. Numbing yourself so that you don’t have to feel intense emotions can often satisfy a surface need while blocking your awareness of a deeper need. You may find solace in food or shopping when what you really need is spiritual nourishment. The less you feel, the less alive you feel. Your feelings add vividness to your experiences and serve to connect you to the world around you. It is possible to disavow yourself of numbing behaviors a little at a time and once again taste life’s rich flavors. When you sense that you are engaging in a particular behavior simply to deaden your emotions, stop and ask yourself why. Examining the feelings that drive you to numb yourself can help you understand what is triggering your desire to emotionally fade out.

With each numbing activity that you cut out of your life, you’ll find yourself being more aware and experiencing a greater emotionally acuity. Senses once shrouded by the fog of numbness become sharp and acute. Traumas and pain long hidden will emerge to the forefront of your consciousness and reveal themselves so that you can heal them. You’ll discover a deeper you—a self that is comfortable experiencing and working through intense emotions with courage and grace.
Taken from today's "Daily Om"

Suffering

"Suffering will in time lead to deeper strength and love, and betterment of life, even in face of difficulties ahead. Temper aloneness, longing and grieving. There are kind, good, loving friends in this world to glean hope and help from. Greater peace can be found, with skillfulness. Find strength and care from loving...kindness, insight, friends, action, and time. Up comes the Sun."
Giancarlo

Today is more........

"Today is more than just the beginning of a new week…
It’s the beginning of a new time in your life to be the person that you want to be...
This day, this hour, this minute… Now!
It’s your time… what are you going to do with it?
Take a step… for you!" - C.Maloney

Don't let.........

Don't let the lessons, the experiences of the past dampen your enthusiasm for beginnings. Just because it's been hard doesn't mean it will always be that difficult. Don't let the heartbreaks of the past cause you to become ...cynical, close you off to life's magic and promise. Open yourself wide to all that the universe has to say.

Let yourself begin anew. Pack your bags. Choose carefully what you bring, because packing is an important ritual. Take along some humility and the lessons of the past. Toss in some curiosity and excitement about what you haven't yet learned. Say your good-byes to those you are leaving behind. Don't worry who you will meet or where you will go the way has been prepared. The people you are to meet will be expecting you. A new journey has begun. Let it be magical. Let it unfold.

All parts of your journey are sacred and holy. Take time now to honor the beginning. Melanie Beattie.

The Things That Save Us.......

"Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime, We are saved by hope.
Nothing true, beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; We are saved by faith. Nothing we do, can be truly be accomplished alone; We are saved by love. No virtuous act is as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as from our own; We are saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness."

Power

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any." Alice Walker
Remember, you have EVERYTHING you need, right now, at this very moment and in every moment hereafter, to be, have and achieve everything you've ever wanted. You just need to BELIEVE it!

Asking Questions........

"The answers to who we are, what we want, and how to create our best life are within us. Everything we need is waiting patiently for us to stop asking other people and to start asking questions to ourselves."

"Live in This Very Moment......"

"Live in this very moment and live this moment to the fullest.
The past is over... and we can't go back.
The future hasn't arrived... and we can't predict it.
When we focus on time... we miss living in the now...
Which is all that we have.
...And when you do... there will be no regrets." - C.Maloney

"It's YOUR Choice....."

"Sometimes we take a step and the world falls down around us...
And sometimes we just need to take that step so we can rebuild on a more solid foundation.
We can spend our time agonizing over the fall
Or we can start building a better life.
It's your choice..."

"Our Deepest Fear......" (This is one of my favorite quotes and bares repeating)

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is 
our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most...We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people 
permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
           - Marianne Williamson, American author and lecturer

Keep Movin'

"Even when the road gets rough…
Keep going.
Even when you’re tired…
Rest… then go again.
Forward movement is progress.
...A step back is a lesson.
And every step brings you closer to your dream.
Keep moving!"

WORK

"You don't get it by      STARING
  You don't get it by
      WISHING
  You don't get it by
       DROOLING
   You don't get it by
       HOPING
   You don't get it
       EASY
   You get it by
       GETTING OFF YOUR ASS
       WORKING FOR IT
       EVERY SECOND
       OF EVERY DAY
       FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!

I AM YOUR DISEASE by ED......

I AM YOUR DISEASE
You know who I am, you’ve called me your friend
Wishes of misery and heartache I send
I want only to see that you’re brought to your knees
I’m the devil inside you, I am your disease.

I’ll invade all your thoughts, I’ll take hostage your soul
I’ll become your new master, in total control
I’ll maim your emotions, I’ll run the whole game
Till your entire existence is crippled with shame

When you call me I come, sometimes in disguise
Quite often I’ll take you by total surprise
But take you I will, and just as you’ve feared
I’ll want only to hurt you, with no mercy spared

If you have your own family, I’ll see it destroyed
I’ll steal every pleasure in life you’ve enjoyed
I’ll not only hurt you, I’ll kill if I please
I’m your worst living nightmare, I am your disease.

I bring self destruction, but still you can’t tell
I’ll sweep you through heaven, then drop you in hell
I’ll chase you forever, wherever you go
And then when I catch you, you won’t even know

I’ll sometimes lay silent, just waiting to strike
What’s yours becomes mine, cuz I take what I like
I’ll take all you own and I won’t care who sees
I’m your constant companion…I am your disease.

If you have any honor, I’ll strip it away
You’ll lose all your hope and forget how to pray
I’ll leave you in darkness, while blindly you stare
I’ll reduce you to nothing, and won’t even care

So, don’t take for granted my powers sublime
I’ll bend and I’ll break you, time after time
I’ll crumble your world with the greatest of ease
I’m that madman inside you…I am your disease.

But today I’m real Angry…you want to know why?
I let all in recovery, entirely slip by
How did I lose you? Where did I go wrong?

One minute I had you…the next you were gone

You just can’t dismiss all the good times we’ve shared
When you were alone…wasn’t it I who appeard?
When you sold those possessions you knew you would need
Wasn’t I the first one who stepped in and agreed?

Now look at you bastards, you’re all thinking clear
You escaped with your lives when you found your way here
Only fools think they’re winners when admitting defeat
It’s what you must say when you’re claiming that seat

Go ahead and surrender, if that’s what you choose
But, I’m not giving up, cuz I can’t stand to lose
So stand in your groups and support hand in hand
Better choices will save you…leaving me be damned

Well, be damned all you people seeking treatment each week
Be damned inner strength, however unique
Be damned all your sayings, be damned your clichés
Be damned every addict, who back to me strays

For I know it will happen, I’ve seen it before
Those who love misery will crawl back for more
So take comfort in knowing, I’m waiting right here
But next time around, you’d just better beware

You think that you’re stronger or smarter this time
There isn’t a mountain or hill you can’t climb
Well if that’s what you’re thinkin’, you ain’t learned a thing
I’ll still knock you silly if you step back in my ring

But you say you’ve surrendered, so what can I do?
It’s so sad in a way, I had big plans for you
Creating your nightmare for me was a dream
I’m sure gonna miss you…we made quite a team.

So please don’t forget me, I won’t forget you
I’ll stand by your side watching all that you do
I’m ready and waiting, so call if you please
I won’t let you forget me…I am your disease.

Do Not Let the Fire Go Out....

"Do not let the fire go out, spark irreplaceable spark in the hopeless sweeps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.....It is real.....It is possible....It's yours."- Ayn Rand

Run

I'll sing it one more time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have no choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardley speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice and say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you raise your voice and say

Slower, slower
We don't have time for that
All I want's to find an easy way
To get out of our little heads

Hush hush my dear
We're bound to be afraid
Even if it's just for a few days
Making up for all this mess

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear.........always.

Lyrics by Snow Patrol

Dedicated to my sweet, amazing Jonathan. Because he believed I now believe. Thank you.

Live your dreams or change the world.......

"If you expect to change your life, live your dreams or change the world you have to move beyond your complacency.

You have to reach beyond where you are right now to get to anywhere that you want to go.

You have to reach... It takes effort... Your effort. And it's up to you........"

"Promise Yourself"

‎"Promise Yourself .........

To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
...to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel
that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best,
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself
that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words but great deeds.
To live in faith that the whole world is on your side
so long as you are true to the best that is in you. "
— Christian D. Larson

On loving yourself........

"If I wait until I become perfect before I love myself, I will waste my whole life. I am already perfect right here and right now. I am perfect exactly as I am"- Louise Hay

Who Am I Without Ed?

"Who am I without Ed? We have been together for so long that I am afraid of what my life might look like without him. What if my life is actually worse without him? Sure, things are not exactly great with him. Okay, I admit that things are horribly miserable with Ed, but at least I'm thin. I would definitely rather be thin and miserable than fat and miserable. What if being recovered just means that I'm going to gain weight and be fat and miserable?" from 'Goodbye Ed, hello Me' by Jenni Schaefer.

Okay. So now you have it. The ugly truth. I have an (E)ating (Disorder). I am an anorexic. Yes. You heard me write. I have finally said it out loud. I am a restricting anorexic who, at age 41, has just discovered that for more than half my life (my first memory of hating my body came when I was a junior in high school- 1987). That means I have been suffering from my eating disorder for 24 years of my life! Sure. It didn't start out so bad. I hated my atletic body. I wanted collar bones that stuck out like my girl friends. I wanted sinuey arms. I didn't want my muscular legs. I hated my arms. I wanted to look like them. Not me.

At first my disgust with my body just kind of hung out in the background- like a lion waiting to pounce on it's pray- rip it to pieces; utterly destroy it; devour it until there was nothing left. So Ed festered ever so quietly inside my head- waiting for the perfect moment to strike. So there I was, a recent graduate from college. The year was 1993 and something just changed. No longer was Ed hanging out quietly in the depths of my mind. He was quickly taking over my mind- my every thought. He was devouring Lisa like the lion devoured his prey. I began restricting my food. I blamed it on stress; anxiety; depression over a terribly emotionally abusive relationship. It wasn't something I was INTENTIONALLY doing. Why would I do that to myself? I was smarter than that. Purposely restricting my food intake was what vain, shallow girls did. I was not vain. I was not shallow. Why would I choose to do that? Well, little did I know, I had no idea that I was doing that to myself. I was clueless. Ed had taken over. He was nice and comfy in my mind. He had settled in and was not going anywhere. His voice was so loud. So clear. He told me what to do and I did it- or didn't do it if you want me to be honest. I simply began to stop eating. Rather quickly my weight began to drop. My best friend looked at my new body in horror. "What is wrong with you? What is going on? Your legs are like sticks. What is going on?" She pleaded with me to tell her what had happened to me. What had caused me to lose all that weight? What was going on? "Nothing" I reassured her. Ed had hold of me like I was some puppet he was controlling. He told me what to say- how to rationalize my new body- and I was able to get away with it. People believed me. they bought into it. I bought into it. I simply offered up my excuses and they actually sounded valid. I was safe- for now. Nobody was going to challenge me. I made sense. After all, they trusted and believed in me. What I said COULD be true, right? Of course. Lisa has never had an issue with her body. She is just recovering from a broken heart. She'll be okay. But I wasn't. I would continue to get sicker and sicker. My eating was now disordered and as I have recently learned, once your eating becomes disordered, you will never be able to eat like a 'normal' person again. Ed has taken hold and he is going to keep you his hostage until you either die from a heart attack one day, take your own life because the pain is just too much or, if you are lucky, I mean REALLY lucky, until the day you tell Ed your relationship is over- you are breaking up with him and you choose to go get help.

That is where I am at. I have thought about the second option- but I have three of the most perfect, beautiful babies in the world. I don't want to be without them and besides, I am too much of a coward to actually go through with that. Of course, I may not even be given that choice. I could drop dead tomorrow from a heart attack and it would all be over. The reality of this fact is terrifying beyond belief. I feel like this walking time bomb. At any moment I could go off. My body can choose to make the choice for me. It could be over like that. No energy needed on my end. Just gone- like a light bulb that has been burned out. However, I like to think that I have come to the point where I am choosing to tell Ed to go to hell. That I am not going to listen to him anymore. That I am going to take my life back and there is nothing he is going to be able to say about it. Okay. I said I would LIKE to think that. I am fighting with every bit of strength I have left in this war torn body to be able to tell Ed to fuck off for once and for all and never look back. But I am quickly learning it is not that easy. Ed isn't going to let me go without a fight. And I know I am in for one hell of a fight. But as God is my witness, for today, for this moment, for those three beautiful angels, I am going to defeat that bastard. I am through being his slave. I am through feeling like a piece of shit that doesn't deserve anyone's love because I am so unworthy and worhless that nobody else could possibly love me like ed does. Well i am saying bullshit to that. Screw you Ed! I am not going to allow you to control my every thought and move anymore. i am not going to allow you to keep me feeling depressed and empty, and unlovable, and undeserving of real happiness. I am ending this now. Today. I am breaking up with you Ed. Consider this relationship over for good. I am taking my life back and there is NOTHING you can do to stop me. Go crawl back to hell where you belong. I am going back to the land of the living and you have nothing to say about it anymore.

Life needs both.....

"Life needs both: thorns and roses, days and nights, happiness/unhappiness, birth/death. BE A WITNESS to it all and you will know something that is beyond birth, beyond death; something that is beyond darkness and beyond light; something that is beyond happiness, beyond unhappiness. Buddha has called it peace."
- The Dhammapada

Your Light....

"Your light is seen, your heart is known, your soul is cherished by more people than you might imagine. If you knew how many others have been touched in wonderful ways by you, you would be astonished. If you knew how many people feel so much for you, you would be shocked." - Neale Donald Walsch

Conquer yourself...

"It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell."
— Siddhārtha Gautama

Your own light....

"Doubt everything. Find your own light."
— Siddhārtha Gautama

On Healing...

"The first step in my healing was giving me permission to do so. I gave myself permission to stop viewing myself as a victim. I gave myself permission to forgive myself and others. I gave myself permission to stop living from ego. I gave myself permission to connect with and live from Spirit. I am the one who healed me by giving myself permission to do so."

The power of yoga.........

I am not a journaler. I have tried it a few times but what can be a saving grace for many has proven to be a source of moving backward and remaining chained- feeling like there is no escape- as I see myself begin to focus even more on my problems- the very things the journaling is supposed to help get out of my head and into a place where it can be dealth with and then let go. A source of healing and moving forward. Not one of remaining stuck- a prisoner of my own thoughts- moving even farther into a place of darkness. Well, here goes one more attempt at using the written word as my savior, not my foe.

There is so much I am trying to come to grips with right now. I just received a divorce in mid-January, moved to a new home, taken on a new and extremely stressful job, am almost soley responsible for the care and well-being of my three young children- not to mention half a mortgage, half the utilities, health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, a car payment, car insurance, pre-school, kid's activities, food, clothing and the ever rising price of gas. I am in therapy- and have been for years- trying to deal with the issues that have put me in some very dark and terrifying places. Places where I felt like I was going to shrivel up and disappear. Places where I felt my very soul slipping away and feeling utterly powerless to do anything about it. However, in the midst of my struggling, I have been blessed with three tiny miracles that give me the hope and courage and motivation to keep on keeping on. Right now I do it for them. Right now I don't care enough about myself to do it for me but I realize I cannot be the mother I want to be- the mother they so deserve until I begin to fight the fight for myself.

Since getting my divorce, I have been hit with the fact that I suffer from both anorexia nervosa and bi-polar II disorder- both of which have very high fatality rates. I am struggling with every fiber of my being to process this information and come to terms with my diagnoses. I am in therapy. I am seeing a psychiatrist. I am about to begin a program for eating disordered individuals that includes seeing a dietician and following a meal plan and I am scared to death of it all. I am terrified because as a mental health counselor, I know the seriousness of these disorders. I know the odds of full recovery. I know the possibilities that lay ahead it I don't gain control over my demons. I have not been able to come to terms with the fact that this utterly damaged person is me. That person in the mirror- the one staring back at me is sick and weak and in need of help. I have always considered myself a warrior of sorts. I have been through hardship after hardship- things most people will never have to deal with- and I have always persevered and come through that dark tunnel into the light. I can honestly say that these are the darkest days I have ever known and despite my utter refusal to let go of hope, I am finding it harder and harder to wake up every day; to take a breath and keep on breathing. I know I have no choice. Nothing, and I mean nothing is going to take me away from my babies- these three loves of my life. But the guilt and the discust and utter helplessness I feel as their mother is enough to make even the strongest want to throw in the towel. But, I keep going. I wake up every morning, take a deep breath, thank whatever higher power has kept watch over me all these years and then make the decision to get out of bed and fight the fight.

Why am i writing all of this? Why am I confessing my deepest, darkest, most mortifying secrets on my yoga blog? Because I don't believe I would be able to keep moving forward if I didn't have the power of yoga behind me. Getting on that mat.....losing myself in the breath and the movement....receiving the motivational messages from my teachers that I AM strong; I AM worthwhile; I AM beautiful, inside and out; and, in my perfectly broken state I am actually perfect.  Yes, Yoga has given me an inner strength and the drive to endure- even in the worst of circumstances- because I am worth it and I deserve to find that inner happiness, that inner light that we all posess inside of us. Patanjali was dead on when he wrote in his Yoga Sutras, "One of the principle foundations of yoga is that we are perfect as we are, a SHINING LIGHT or gem that is merely clouded or dusty. Through the process of yoga, we polish the brilliant gem of the Self and are free to shine as we are meant to."  I will continue to get on that mat and polish that gem- however deep it lies in my body until I too have uncovered my true Self- the Self that knows she is worthwhile; the Self that knows she deserves happiness; the Self that knows everything is going to be okay because i already posess all I need inside me to become that warrior once again and shine that light like it's never shined before.

Shanti, Om, Namaste~
Lisa Curran Gray, CYT 200, Shining Light Yoga

Walk.....

Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
...Bring the Earth your love and happiness.
The Earth will be safe
when we feel safe in ourselves.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Walk.....

Walk and touch peace every moment.
Walk and touch happiness every moment.
Each step brings a fresh breeze.
Each step makes a flower bloom.
Kiss the Earth with your feet.
...Bring the Earth your love and happiness.
The Earth will be safe
when we feel safe in ourselves.

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Ego Boxing....

"Ego boxing with others is not the answer. When we stoop to another person's negative behavior we have actually given our power over to that person. The result of ego boxing is quite the opposite of what we 'think' we are accomplishing. There is no great mystery to changing the world or to our being happy and peaceful. We are patient... with impatient people. We are kind to the unkind. We are forgiving of those who are wounded and take their pain out on us. We lead with the loving values of our heart regardless what anyone else chooses to do. That takes mastering our ego, not someone else's." `Regina Cates

We are ALL Beautiful....

Don't look at me

Every day is so wonderful
And suddenly, i saw debris
Now and then, I get insecure
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down
So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends, you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The piece is gone left the puzzle undone
That's the way it is

You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down
Don't you bring me down today...

No matter what we do
(no matter what we do)
No matter what they say
(no matter what they say)
When the sun is shining through
Then the clouds won't stay


And everywhere we go
(everywhere we go)
The sun won't always shine
(sun won't always shine)
But tomorrow will find a way
All the other times

'cause we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down, oh no
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down
Don't you bring me down today

Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today

Lyrics by Christina Aguilera

Dance as if...........

dance like no one is watching

Submitted by: ruthie

Author: unknown

We convince ourselves that life will be better after
we get married, have a baby, then another.
Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough
and we'll be more content when they are.

After that, we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our
spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer
car, are able to go on a nice vacation,or when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.
If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have
and treasure it more because you shared it with someone special,
special enough to spend your time with...and remember that time
waits for no one.

So, stop waiting

--until your car or home is paid off
--until you get a new car or home
--until your kids leave the house
--until you go back to school
--until you lose ten pounds
--until you gain ten pounds
--until you finish school
--until you get a divorce
--until you get married
--until you have kids
--until you retire
--until summer
--until spring
--until winter
--until fall
--until you die

There is no better time than RIGHT NOW to be happy.

Happiness is a JOURNEY, not a destination.

So -- work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.

"There's a hole in my sidewalk......."

This is one of my favourite poems about life, it’s titled “There’s a Hole in my Sidewalk“, by Portia Nelson

Chapter 1.
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost…
I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I cant believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in… its a habit.
But, my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
Chapter 4.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5.
I walk down another street.

This is a great analogy, which for me, describes the process of change the we all experience as we journey through life……… let’s take a closer look…..
Chapter 1 is where we initially find ourselves, we have a identified that we need to change, “I fall in. I am lost…” but have not taken responsibility for, “It isn’t my fault“. This is the first step in the process of change is to recognise that we have a problem.
In Chapter 2, we fall in the hole, we cannot believe that we’ve fallen in the same hole one more time! We still haven’t taken full responsibility for changing, “it isn’t my fault.” and “It still takes a long time to get out.” Why do I keep falling in this hole? Who’s doing this to me? If other people would just do things in the right way my life would be much easier.
In Chapter 3, we finally realise that we’re part of the problem and decide to take personal responsibility for our situation, “It is my fault. ” and “I get out immediately.“. We realise that we did something, or failed to do something, which has caused us to land in the same hole again. We recognise the pattern and begin to ask questions such as, “what am I thinking and doing that causes me to land in this hole?” Instead of looking for ways to change others we begin to look for ways to change ourselves. We finally accept personal responsibility for falling in the hole!
In Chapter 4 we begin to change our thinking and behaviour and soon we’re have new and different experiences. You have gained a bigger perspective and a deeper understanding of yourself.
In Chapter 5 we have grown and matured, we’ve moved on, we’re waling down new and more interesting streets…!

Seeking a Miracle

"If seeking a miracle, there is no need to look far for you are the greatest miracle of all. a dynamic creation who is positively perfect in every way. miracles can be found everywhere. begin looking within."

Coosing to Heal......

"People who heal choose to. We choose not to allow our past to negatively impact our present. We choose to turn and face what we need to deal with in order to be free. We choose to find out what is on the other side of suffering. We choose to believe we can, instead of we cannot. We choose not to give up or give in. We choose to keep going until WE win."

The Mind-Body Connection to Conquer Challenges

Written on February 21, 2011 by Beginwithin in Begin Within, Mind-body Healing, Techniques

Mental Emotional Physical

We all have a physical body, emotional body and mental body and they all influence each other. I’m sure you’ve had the experience where alot of mental stress (mental) makes your irritable (emotional) and exhausted (physical), or when eating too much sugar (physical) and made you feel agitated (emotional) and not thinking straight (mental). There are many examples you can think of where it’s clear that one body is affecting the others.
You can use this to your advantage. If one body is feeling down, use the other two bodies to bring it back up. For instance, if you are down-in-the-dumps emotionally, use your physical and mental bodies to bring yourself back up. Instead of sitting glued to your seat in a slumping position, change your physiology!  Stand up, push your chest out and takes deep breaths. Instead of telling yourself how miserable you are, change your thinking!  Tell yourself what you want, not what you don’t want.  “I can change this! It’s just energy and I can bring it up again.” Think of a time when you felt really, really good or think of something  you really love to do. Start thinking of everything you are grateful for, and it will be impossible to stay in a slump.
If you’re mentally stressed, use your physical and emotional bodies to help it relax. Take deep breaths, think of a relaxing time at the beach or in a spa. Feel yourself there and and bring back that physical and emotional state.  Realize that everything you are doing, you’re doing in the present moment, right now. Feel your body, feel the air against your skin, feel your breathing.
If you’re physically ill, use your mental and emotional bodies to enhance your health. Visualize your body healed, deeply feel how wonderful you feel in good health. Remind yourself how your amazing body is healing on many levels and encourage it. Your immune system will respond. Your vitality will go up. Your subconscious will know what to do and be fully inspired to heal.
As you go through your day and encounter challenges, ask yourself what your three bodies are experiencing and use them to help each other. The more you do this, the more mastery you will achieve and the more empowered your life will be.

Live Like You Were Dying

A professor once told my class, “In order to live your life to the fullest, you must think about your death every day.”
At the time, I felt too busy to think about my death because I was consumed with law school applications and endless deadlines. But the words came creeping up to haunt me one day.
After I graduated, I moved to Boston to work at a law firm downtown before attending law school the following year. I wanted to be a lawyer because I thought it would be a lucrative, challenging career, allowing me to live what I thought would be a “fulfilled life.”
At first, I was thrilled to be a full-time employee at a law firm, but as time passed, I realized that id didn’t make me happy. And I was surprised. For so long I thought it was what I was meant to accomplish. It was hard to consider that perhaps it wasn’t the right path for me.
I just wasn’t happy at my job. I felt like I was missing the days and living for the weekends. I worked from 8-7, I never saw my friends, and my relationship was crumbling.
I expressed this issue to many of my co-workers, and most of them said something along the lines of, “That’s life.”
Still, I felt certain the “real world” didn’t have to make me feel so unhappy and unfulfilled. I also knew that it might be hard to change directions, but if I didn’t, I would never feel any different.
Suddenly, like a ton of bricks, my professor’s words came to me, and for the first time I thought about death.
Immediately, I thought of my Uncle David who died when I was younger. David was living in Los Angeles, pursuing a career as an actor. When I reached middle school, he died of AIDS. He was 38 years old.
Being young, I had always thought about how his death affected my family, particularly my grandmother, but I’d never thought too much about what things were like for him before he died.
In retrospect, I imagine he felt he was living his life fully, even though it got cut short. He had found the courage to use his time to do what he really loved.
Any of our lives can be cut short without warning—but we can decide whenever we want to use our time to reach for our dreams. That’s a fulfilled life.
Looking back, I realize I’d doubted my choice to go to law school, but I was afraid that if I didn’t see it through, I would have wasted a lot of time. What crazy logic, when you think about it: To avoid admitting I’d wasted time, I was willing to keep on wasting it.
Once I realized I wanted to make a change, the next step was to start dreaming. That was the easy part. Since I was in high school, I wanted to start a company called How to be a Redhead with my sister, Stephanie.
It would begin as an online community for redheads with future plans of a beauty line. The two of us have always had a very special connection. It could be that we’re both feisty, spunky, natural-born redheads, but we believe it goes deeper than that.
We believe our mission in life is to do something together, as one. And that’s just what we did.
My first step was to leave the law firm. It was one of the easiest decisions in my life because right then I didn’t have a single reservation, not even about the financial risk. I knew I only needed my sister’s support and my belief in what we can do together.
Suddenly, our best friends rallied around us to help.
Photographers, wardrobe stylists, hair stylists, artistic directors, business entrepreneurs, and web designers all came together for us. I never would have imagined we’d have this type of support, and I wouldn’t have known until I asked for it. It was amazing!
Though the future is uncertain, I now feel energized and alive when I wake up, knowing I am doing something I love with someone I love.
I imagine my Uncle David would be proud because we are living our lives following his courageous lead.
If you find yourself in a place where your days feel mundane or you feel unfulfilled:
Think about that inevitable moment when you’re looking back on your life. It gives you a better perspective what’s really important. Suddenly it’s less about what you feel you should do, and more about what you really want to do with the time you have.

Take time to reflect. When I was struggling with my job and the choice to attend law school, I meditated and practiced yoga daily to reflect on the areas of my life I wanted to improve. These exercises helped me gain the strength and courage to make a major change in direction.
Follow your intuition and listen to that little voice inside of you. It is there for a reason.  Life can be a gift, but it’s one we need to give to ourselves.

On Bad Choices

"People we care about often make bad choices. Sometimes the choices they make land them in jail, or bankruptcy, or a seemingly never-ending pit of despair. We cannot change anyone else but us. Regardless what choices other people make that negatively impact their lives we are not obligated to suffer with them. Loving ourselves is choosing not to trade our happiness for another person's misery." - Regina from 'Romancing Your Soul'

Managing the Challenges in Your Life

"How do you manage challenges in your life? Fight, resist, whine, ignore, confront, accept, embrace, get busy, become stuck, surrender, create, adjust, persevere? It seems as though the most successful people see challenges as a natural occurrence in the human experience and then choose to rise to the occasion. Their inner Warrior heeds the Call to Action."

Inspiration for the day (and everyday hereafter.......)

"Don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something. Not even me... Alright? You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period."

Pursuit of Happyness Scene

www.youtube.com

"Do not pursue the past.
Do not lose yourself in the future.
The past no longer is.
The future has not yet come.
Looking deeply at life as it is.
...In the very here and now, the practitioner dwells in stability and freedom.
We must be diligent today.
To wait until tomorrow is too late.
Death comes unexpectedly.
How can we bargain with it?
The sage calls a person who knows"

For that which you judge......

"For that which you judge, judges you; and that which
you condemn will condemn you. Yet that which you see
for what it really is will see you for what you really are.
And therein will be found your peace." – Neale Donald Walsch

True Practice

"Intelligent practice always deal with just one thing: the fear at the base of human existence, the fear that I am not. And of course I am not, but the last thing I want to know is that. I am impermanence itself in a rapidly changing human form that appears solid. I fear to see what I am: an ever-changing energy field. I don't want to ...be that. So good practice is about fear. Fear takes the form of constantly thinking, speculating, analyzing, fantasizing. With all that activity we create a cloud cover to keep ourselves safe in make-believe practice.
True practice is not safe; it's anything but safe. But we don't like that, so we obsess with our feverish efforts to achieve our verison of the personal dream. Such obsessive practice is itself just another cloud between ourselves and reality. The only thing that matters is seeing with an impersonal searchlight: seeing things as they are. When the personal barrier drops away, why do we have to call it anything? We just live our lives. And when we die, we just die. No problem anywhere."

- Charlotte Joko Beck
(Everyday Zen)

The Truly Good

"When you think everything is someone else´s fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy. Pride leads to violence and evil. The truly good gaze upon everything with love and understanding." - Dalai Lama

How to heal your inner child

It doesn’t matter how old you are, there is a little child within who needs love and acceptance. If you’re a woman, no matter how self-reliant you are, you have a little girl who’s very tender and needs help. If you’re a man, no matter how macho you are, you still have a little boy inside who craves warmth and affection.
As children, when something went wrong, we tended to believe that there was something wrong with us. Children develop the idea that if they could only do it right, then parents and caregivers would love them, and they wouldn’t punish them. In time, the child believes, There is something wrong with me. I’m not good enough. As we grow older, we carry these false beliefs with us. We learn to reject ourselves.
There is a parent inside each of us, as well as a child. And most of the time, the parent scolds the child—almost nonstop! If we listen to our inner dialogue, we can hear the scolding. We can hear the parent tell the child what it is doing wrong or how it is not good enough. We need to allow our parent to become more nurturing to our child.
I have found that working with the inner child is most valuable in helping to heal the hurts of the past. At this point in our lives—right now—we need to begin to make ourselves whole and accept every part of who we are. We need to communicate with our inner child and let it know that we accept the part that did all the stupid things, the part that was funny looking, the part that was scared, the part that was very foolish and silly—every single part of ourselves.
Love is the greatest healing power I know. Love can heal even the deepest and most painful memories because love brings the light of understanding to the dark corners of our mind. No matter how painful our early childhood was, loving our inner child now will help us to heal it. In the privacy of our own minds we can make new choices and think new thoughts. Thoughts of forgiveness and love for our inner child will open pathways, and the Universe will support us in our efforts.- Louise Hay

Love is.......

Love is patient and kind,
Love is not jealous, conceited, proud or boastful,
it is not arrogant, selfish, irritable or rude.
Love does not keep a record of wrongs.
Love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth,
Love never gives up, and its faith, hope and patience never fail.
Love is eternal.

 1-Corinthians 13:4

What makes you beautiful......

"What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful." ~Brené Brown

Self-worth.....

"Self-worth comes from one thing -- thinking that you are worthy". - Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

On Being Happy and Serving Others

On Being Happy and Serving Others

"Happiness is not an individual matter. When you are able to bring relief, or bring back the smile to one person, not only that person profits, but you also profit. The deepest happiness you can have comes from that capacity to help relieve the suffering of others. So if we have the habit of being peac...e, then there is a natural tendency for us to go in the direction of service. Nothing compels us, except the joy of sharing peace, the joy of sharing freedom from afflictions, freedom from worries, freedom from craving, which are the true foundations for happiness.

"And once we have the condition of peace and joy in us, we can afford to be in any situation. Even in the situation of hell, we will be able to contribute our peace and serenity. The most important thing is for each of us to have some freedom in our heart, some stability in our heart, some peace in our heart. Only then will we be able to relieve the suffering around us."

Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Buddhist teacher, interviewed by Ram DassSee More

There is no Test....

"Through the silence in my dead ear, I can almost hear the future whisper to the past: it says that this is not a test and everybody passes."

Three Things to Teach......

I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
...Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate towards yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.

- Lao-Tzu

Breaking Patterns

"When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge." Baron Baptiste via Yoga Sukha Shala

Altering One's Attitude

"The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude." - William James

Imprints

"Every step we take, every life that we touch, every choice we make leaves an imprint on the world. Positive or negative? The choice is ours."

The Greatest.......

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
...The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

- Atisha

My Ultimate Goal...........

"Love and fear cannot exist within me at the same time. So, I had to learn to love myself to eliminate the fear that was preventing me from creating the life I really wanted." - Blessings, Regina from Romancing the Soul