Choose: (verb) 1. to select 2. to decide or prefer 3. to want; desire 4. to be inclined.
I’m often amazed at how the Inspirational word of the week seems to choose me. This week is no exception.
This weeks word started with a lady-friend pulling the Oracle card of Choice while a group of us all sat around the kitchen table of another friends house. She looked at it and remarked that it didn’t seem to make any sense to her. I didn’t want to seem over-bearing so I didn’t say anything at the time. Everyone had chosen their own card with their own message from Grace. (Mine said “Shine, Step into the light. You’re a gift to the world). As I put the cards away I glanced at what my lady-friend’s card said. “For every action there is a reaction. Choose wisely.” Well, that sure made sense to me!
Without going into detail, later that evening as I was sitting around the table, another couple of ladies inadvertently insulted me. I had to quickly choose how I would react to it. At the time, I simply pretended it didn’t bother me (of course) and let the conversation move on to something less painful. However, later on, as I talked to my husband about what happened, I decided to use the really intense energy I felt from being hurt and ‘boomerang’ it into finishing my You’re the Boat project. It took me two full days and a dozen pin pricks, not to mention a really gnarly splinter, but I did it!! Take a look...
I’m very pleased with how well it turned out and I’m especially proud of myself for finally getting it off of my dining room table!! Now I can set about getting pictures made for my book and workbook, as well as finishing up the writing of the book. It will be done before my birthday the beginning of next month. Pinky swear!
Most especially, I’m glad I chose to react to being hurt with an act of creativity, not destruction or anger. Neither of those reactions would have made me feel nearly as AWESOME as finishing my project did!
The next sign for the Inspirational word of the week came yesterday in a blog post from Dr. Lissa Rankin of Owning Pink. She wrote
“I want to help you - I really do - but I need to do it by filling myself up first. When I do, the abundant life force I wilI generate will spill over so others will benefit from it. When there’s a surplus of life force, everybody wins. If I let myself wind up depleted, everybody loses.”
Her powerful declaration to fill herself up first, felt to me like Moses’s tablets when he came down from the mountain. Absolute truth. I wish every single person on earth would make the effort to choose their own health and happiness over trying to please other people. Actually, when you think about it, taking care of yourself and filling yourself up first can save the world! It’s that creation of healthy life force spilling over that heals everyone. So taking care of yourself really well doesn’t have to make you feel guilty! Look at it as your contribution to saving the world! Huzzah!!
Last night, just before shutting off the computer for the day, I saw a lady-friend post a link to Eckhart Tolle’s ‘Uncourse‘. I’ve been fascinated with Eckhart Tolle, but never actually read any of his books, so I decided to look into the course. It’s free, so I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It was really easy to sign up for and within minutes I was looking at the first section of the course titled “Choices, Choices”. I’ve already been through the first question and instead of writing more about it, I’m just going to let you, my friendly blog reader, choose whether you want to look into it for yourself, or not. However, I will offer you just this little nugget of wisdom from Mr. Tolle…..“All choices eventually bring you into wakefulness”. So whether you choose to look into it or not, you still have made a choice bringing you closer to wakefulness. Your welcome!
This morning, as I sat down to do my meditation with Susan Piver, her e-mail was titled “Choosing a path”. Now, the signs from the Universe are becoming just outrageous so instead of heading straight into the meditation, I chose to watch her video where she described why she chose the spiritual path of Tibetan Buddhism. She describes how she had the revelation of knowing that Buddhism was for her when her teacher said “The only possible spiritual path for a person is your own experience.”
“Well, of course!” she said. “That’s what I already believe!”
And I completely agree. Nobody else can save our souls. Our souls don’t need saving. They just need to grow.
Finally, as I was checking FaceBook this morning, I saw this quote from Marianne Williamson that summed it all up.
“Everyone you meet is either your crucifier or your savior, depending on what you choose them to be.”
Every single day we choose to grow or not. It’s just as simple as that.
The lessons we need to learn in order to grow are woven into the experiences we allow ourselves to have. When we trust Grace to guide us in the right direction, we learn to see how everything we’ve experienced has lead us to be exactly where we’re supposed to be. Right here. Right now.
So what do you think, my friendly blog reader?
What are you choosing? How have your choices enabled you to learn and grow?
I’d love to read what you think in the comments below.
Have a wonderful week, and I’ll be back next Monday with the Inspirational song of the week.
Aspiration (noun) 1. a strong desire, longing or aim; ambition. 2. objective or inclination. 3. breath.
I chose this word because of something my dear friend Heidi wrote on FaceBook this morning…
“I have allergies to certain words, like, oh, the word ‘resolution,’ which in the next few days will be bandied about like that tired joke your uncle always tells while passing the mashed potatoes… I’ve been sensitive to the R-word for many years now, although I didn’t know it right away… I first suspected my allergy when I noticed how my insides tightened in response, as if they’d been washed on hot by mistake. These days I much prefer the word ‘aspiration.’ I especially love its softness and how just saying it implies my next breath.”
Just saying the word aspiration feels good. It implies energy without force. An offer of assistance without judgment. A challenge without aggression or anger.
Aspirations open up the possibilities for growth and healing.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do in 2012. I, too, have ‘issues’ with resolutions. They always somehow imply that I have to fix myself, that I’m not good enough, or that I haven’t been trying hard enough. As I look back over 2011, I’ve noticed that I was working hard enough. In fact, quite a bit too hard sometimes. Instead of easing into the next steps of my business, I was trying to do too much all at once. I complicated things, piling more and more on my projects until it just felt overwhelming. (My poor Boat has just gotten bloated and needs to be thinned out. That’s another thing I need to do in 2012. Pare it down to the essential ideas and then just get it published.)
All the while, my hard work wasn’t bringing in any money, which embarrasses me to no end. Ugh!
Last week, I had the good fortune to talk with another friend from FaceBook, Jackie Walker. I told her a bit about what I do and then we talked about my aspirations for making money with my business for 2012. We talked about the work I do with the DDA, as well as all the writing I do on my blog and my book.
Jackie pointed out that I already have everything and everyone I need to create a vibrant, successful business, I just need to bring it all together. But instead piling everything on all at once, perhaps it would be easier to create inspirational classes based on simple ideas. Specifically, instead of trying to inspire someone with the entire You’re the Boat analogy, maybe think about doing a class with just some of the ideas from the Boat. Jackie asked me what advice my ‘past me’ would like to ask from my ‘current me’. That really helped me come up with some simple ideas… like Confidence class, Easing your mind and ‘Do you know what you need? class. The past me would have LOVED to have someone like me to come in and talk about stuff that would help me get on track. And the simpler the better. Back then, I was very hyper, stressed out and defensive. Throwing too much at me all at once would have been a disasterous waste of time. I needed short, sweet doses of help. Small nuggets of goodness I could ingest at my leisure. Lessons to tape up on my bathroom mirror to think about as I brushed my teeth.
Now I get it.
The most important point is to get inspiration out to the people who need it. Quickly.
I need to stop waiting for everything to be perfect. Simple is good.
So what I’ve decided to do is put together the Current Inspiration Catalogue of Classes. I’ve got a rough draft drawn up with more classes to come, as they’re needed. The classes I’ve put together so far are….
Confidence class It starts with desire and finishes with a rhythm.
Cultivating sunshine You’ll want to share it with your friends.
Do you know what you need? Find out in this class!
Drop the drama A daily practice.
Ease your mind Simple steps to peaceful living.
Feed your soul With5 ingredients you already have at home!
Success class See what success looks like in your life.
Make your own magic class Because faith in yourself is the strongest magic there is.
How I see this working is people will bring me in to their homes, much like they would the Arbonne lady, or the woman from Tastefully Simple. The host/hostess will be in charge of snacks and drinks, as well as bringing in the guests. Hosting would make them eligible for a free hour of life-coaching with me.
After everyone arrives and gets settled in, then I would do my presentation, which would include a worksheet/hand-out for folks to write on and take notes. We take plenty of time for questions, laughter and chatting. Then after we’re done with the ‘class’ part, we can do an art project, like playing with clay or coloring mandala’s, filling in the Soundtrack to the movie of your life, or making magic wands, just to name a few.
My aspiration is to make it a fun, delight-filled event for everyone.
I’m planning on starting with my network of friends here in Michigan and then I’m thinking about using Skype to expand out to other people.
So, what do you think, my friendly blog reader?
Would you want to host a Current Inspiration party? Can you see yourself having a bunch of friends over to have fun and feed your soul’s? Which class would you choose?
I’d love to know what you think in the comments below!
xoxo Pam
p.s. The price for each person would range from $10 to $45 per person, depending on the art project.
Space (noun): 1. the unlimited realm in which all objects or events occur. 2. gap; blank between two things. 3. freedom to do what a person wishes to do for his or her own personal development.
I remember when I was about 10 or 11 years old, on Christmas morning after all of the presents had been opened, looking at my pile of gifts. I had gotten everything I had asked for that year, so there was quite a bit to carry into my room. Although it’s embarrassing to admit, I specifically remember thinking “Now where am I going to put all of this crap?”
Ugh.
All of those gifts, all of the anticipation and all of the joy turned to ‘crap’ because I didn’t think I had enough space to fit it all.
I’m sharing this with you, because I think it really illustrates how important space is to a happy, healthy, fulfilled life.
It’s not that I didn’t appreciate the gifts. I did. I just didn’t know where to put them. Eventually I put everything away, but only after I got rid of other stuff.
Have you ever thought about that, my friendly blog reader?
Making room for the stuff you really want, requires getting rid of the stuff you don’t?
In order to feel comfortable, we need ‘elbow room’ not just physically, but mentally too.
We need wide open spaces. Room to make the big mistakes.
It takes time and effort to concentrate on letting go of what is NOT important, in order to clear a path for what IS important. We need to be curious and mindful about what we want filling up our lives.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our reponse. In our response lies our growth and freedom.” Viktor E. Frankl
Have you ever seen a root-bound house plant? Take a look at this one…
Notice how the roots are all tightly bound together in the same shape as the pot? And the leaves are droopy and pale? :(
That’s because the plant has out-grown the pot.
Now imagine our minds are like that pot, our souls are the plants and what we love is the soil. In order for our souls to grow and expand into full consciousness, we need to keep our minds open, giving our roots plenty of room to grow.
“Being rooted means being connected to your core values. Because core values are the source of passion and purpose in your life.
When you’re connected to and living your core values - your life has an intrinsic sense of meaning and purpose. Then, even if you’re physically tired, you’re not exhausted - you’re tired and happy. There’s a bone - deep satisfaction that comes from allowing the energy and inspiration of core values to move through you into the world.”
If I could give you anything this holiday season, my friendly blog reader, I would give you the space you need to really focus on what matters most to you.
I would remind you to stay rooted in your values and open to the flow of Divine energy. To savor your life and serve your people.
If I could, I would set up a play-date* with you so that we could create room in your life for what you really, truly love.
Because you deserve it! You deserve to be joyful and fulfilled. Not just now, at Christmas time, but all year long.
I hope you’re enjoying your holiday season!
I’ve got more than 50 boxes of candy to make over the next few days, so I’ll be standing at the stove, stirring and singing, thinking about all of the smiles of the happy people who will get to enjoy my home-made English toffee (made with pecans and semi-sweet chocolate) and Peanut Brittle!
As a special gift to you, my friendly blog reader, I am going to give away a boxof candy to the first 5 people who e-mail me their name, address and a list of their top 5 favorite ways to make space in their lives! Send it to pambelding at gmail dot com.
Spreading joy, like honey on a biscuit!!
xoxo Pam
*p.s. I’m working on putting together a coaching program for folks who would be interested in working with me. If you’re one of them, please contact me at pambelding at gmail dot com , so we can set up our play-date!
Today is Monday, which means it’s time for the Inspirational song of the week.
I find myself singing this song all the time now, but instead of singing, Let it snow, I’m singing, Let it go.
Let it go, let it go, let it go….
There’s so much to do, right now. Candy-making, shopping, wrapping, decorating, cooking, cleaning, writing…It’s way too easy to get overwhelmed and freak out! But I know if I do, I’ll just end up sabotaging myself and making things worse.
I want to spend my time cultivating joy!
I want to savor how handsome my son looked in his new tie during his first Holiday concert. (I’m such a proud Mama!)
And the other night, after dinner, when we all drank egg nog, listened to Christmas carols and decorated the tree. All three of us!! And then we went downstairs and watched National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Good times!!
These are the times that make Christmas time special, not stressing out, worrying about the fact that I still need to finish ALL of my Christmas shopping, as well as make and box 50 boxes of candy! Not to mention the wrapping and sending….
Although I’m terribly sorry I missed posting yesterday and last week, I’m absolutely grateful for this opportunity to come back to you, my friendly blog reader, to share what’s been happening.
Over the past week, I have been incredibly overwhelmed blessed to have so much going on in my life.
I truly enjoyed spending the Thanksgiving holiday with my darling husband and wonderful son. It was just the three of us for dinner, but we had lots of friends come to visit us through-out the weekend. Garrett even had 2 sleep-overs! We played games, like Jenga and Apples to Apples, and on Saturday, we watched Michigan crush Ohio State! Go Big Blue!!!
For the past couple of months, I’ve also been helping to put together Christmas in the village, which is next Saturday from 2pm until 6pm. On Friday morning, I went out shopping with Debbie and Kora. They picked me up at 5am so we could be at Michael’s by 6am. They helped me pick up all of the supplies for the Kids crafts table in the Fire Hall. The kids will be making reindeer hand-puppets out of brown lunch bags, construction paper and jingle bells, as well as foam ornaments and Readers Digest christmas trees. Thanks to Lisa Dwyer at National Home Lending for sponsoring it and to the kids of the Brandon National Honors Society for volunteering to run it! It’s great to have their help!!
Since Santa Claus and all the kids and parents waiting to see him need more room, we’re going to put them in the Old Town Hall and move all of the Santa’s Shop vendors into the Fire Hall this year. That means all of the 15 vendors plus the kids crafts are going to be in where the fire trucks usually sit. The floor is uneven because of the drains in the center, so we will use some shims to make sure everyone’s table sits flat. (Sitting down in the picture on the left is one of the vendors, Art Lawrence, who has been a vendor at CITV for the past few years. He’s not only talented, but sweet and funny!) Although GOB gymnastics was planning on doing their demonstration in the Fire hall as well, we’ve arranged for them to move into the Christ the Shepherd church right across the street. They’ll have a lot more room to show off their moves and it’ll be a lot less noisy for them and the folks watching them. Santa’s Shop opens at 2pm and the parade starts at 3pm. The parade runs down Mill Street and then ends at the Fire hall. With all of those people coming in at once, it’s sure to be exciting! I’m planning on taking some video during the height of the madness fun so I can share it with you, my friendly blog reader.
Another thing that happened over the weekend was the article that came out in the newspaper about my involvement with Occupy Detroit, as well as a letter-to-the-editor (which isn’t available on-line but was printed in the paper, complete with MY photo of the Occupy Detroit site) that infuriated inspired me to write a response. (In the letter, a local resident insulted the people of the Occupy movement, quoted ‘research’ from the Wall Street Journal about the ‘truth’ behind the movement as well as other lies based on nothing more than what he’s heard from tv and radio).
Here’s the letter I spent 2 days crafting (with help from my girlfriend Carrol Solo! Thanks Honey!! xoxo)
Dear Editor,
I would like to thank the Citizen newspaper for giving credibility to the Occupy Movement by printing both the interview with me, and the letter to the editor from David Rowe of Atlas Township. I applaud Mr. Rowe for expressing his First Amendment right to freedom of speech, and I would like to point out that this same right protects the people of the Occupy Movement. Although I’m thrilled to see the Citizen and Mr. Rowe taking an interest in civic engagement, I would like to ask Mr. Rowe and the rest of the Citizen readers “What would be a better way to use your energy to make a positive difference in the lives of the people around you?” There is no question our country has problems. However, wasting time and energy spreading rumors and incendiary gossip only amplifies those problems. Obviously Mr. Rowe is passionate about his beliefs, but what our country really needs right now are people with a strong desire to find solutions as well as the determination to turn them into reality. The answer lies in speaking well and often of the people, opportunities and events within our community. “Are you ready to go out and find something good to look forward to and then share it with others?” Your children and grandchildren deserve your very best efforts. Give them a chance to see you building strong relationships within your community in order to protect their future. Allow them the pride of seeing you stand up to protect the principles this country was founded on, such as equality, freedom and economic justice. That’s what our country needs the most and that is what the Occupy Movement is really about.
I’ve submitted it to the Citizen, but now it’s up to them to decide whether they will publish it or not. I’ve done my best and at this point, that’s all I can do.
I’ve been trying to stay in the flow with everything I’ve shared with you, as well as the normal day to day, cooking, cleaning, shopping, and writing. I’m working to stay balanced, keep my Boat* afloat and savor my life.
Taking my walks and doing Yin Yoga have definitely helped me stay focused, as well as remembering the struggles I’ve had in years past and the lessons they’ve taught me. I’m grateful for the chance to have made it through them and I appreciate everything they’ve shown me about myself and what I really want from this life.
I don’t expect to live an easy life. That would just be boring. Like playing tic-tac-toe. If there’s no challenge, there’s no fun! And I do so terribly want to have fun!!! When I finally grow old, I want to be able to look back at my life and know that I did my very best to enjoy my life and that I shared that joy with as many people as possible! Including and especially you, my friendly blog reader. xoxo
I hope you have enjoyed todays post!
In order to continue to offer you quality inspiration, I’ve decided to only post once a week until after the Holidays. I can’t tell you exactly when to expect it, but you can be assured that each post will be from my heart.
Have a fantastic week! And if you’re in the SouthEast Michigan area, I would LOVE to see you at the Christmas in the Village this Saturday from 2pm until 6pm! Pop into the Fire Hall and say Hi!!
xoxo Pam
*p.s. Speaking of the Boat, I’ve discovered 2 more parts to it!!
1. The Port-hole, which is something or someone that allows you to look out beyond yourself, as well as deep within. For example, becoming a parent, moving, changing careers, exercising, meditation, reading the Bible (or something like it), and writing a blog, just for starters.
2. The Buoy, which is something or someone that helps you get your bearings and lifts you up. For example, a trusted family member or friend, your favorite book, movie, song or a safe place.
Funny how these two things can sometimes be interchangeble!
I need to put these into the book and the workbook, as well as onto the project (which is sitting on my dining room table just waiting to be finished). All in good time!
She writes books about self-nourishment and self-trust. She leads retreats and writing work-shops and still finds time to write inspiring blog posts. She is one of the most open, natural, authentically funny people in the world. She has helped me learn to focus my precious energy and appreciate every moment I have.
In a nutshell, she is my S/hero.
I received an e-mail from her last week that really made me stop and appreciate how truly loved and supported I am and we all are.
Here’s a little bit to help you understand why….
“… something far bigger than you exists - let’s call it life. The wonder of life being lived all around you, the wonder of life living through you.
What I’ve come to know with my entire being is an essential act of savoring & serving is to access this larger-ness, this far bigger and other than me-ness, to draw on it like you would a well, a library, a power cord, an ocean, a heart the size of the universe and beyond. Or as my friend Rick Hanson says in his new book Just One Thing, “These gifts are freely offered; no one can possibly earn them… Let yourself accept these gifts. It would be rude - ungrateful! - to refuse them.”
I’ll go one step further: let yourself be filled, loved, infused and inspired by them. Draw on them like a tree draws water up from the earth.”
What a beautiful feeling to wake up to!
With all of the other crap filling up my in-box, it was really nice to find something like this.
Jen Louden is the essence of goodness. She has dedicated her life to being a tremendously positive influence and that’s why she’s my Inspirational person of the week.
Here’s a video of her I found on YouTube that really showcases her genuine desire to help people to help themselves.
Do yourself a favor and go check out her website. You’ll be glad you did.
because you’re here, looking for inspiration and a healthy, positive message to carry with you out into the world.
You’ve made the choice to look for the good and it shows!
Your smile mirrors the love of God.
Your sense of wonder creates a pathway through your heart toward a happy, fulfilling life.
Your expressions of joy and laughter reflect the pure Divine energy that has resided within you since the beginning of time.
(Spreading joy like honey on a biscuit.)
This is the essence of your true power.
Your focus upon the possibilities in your life, as well as the steadfast vision of your best day, gives everyone a chance to see a life worth looking forward to.
Thank you, my friendly blog reader, for sharing the best part of yourself with me and the rest of the world.
Thank you for being the Inspirational person of the week.
I truly love and appreciate you!
I’ll be back later this week with the Inspirational word of the week.
xoxo Pam
p.s. Thanks to Desiree Adaway for sharing this quote on Facebook this morning!
“You have an opportunity this day to affect someone’s life for the better. Watch for it. Someone is needing something from you, and they are going to come right to you to get it. Someone — friend or stranger, I don’t know — will cross your path in the hours ahead, looking for the most important gift you can give them: uplift for the soul. Your job: return them to themselves. Find a way to allow them to feel good about themselves again.” Neal Donald Walsh
Today is Monday, which means it’s time for the Inspirational person of the week.
You have to see this. Go check out this link Death & Taxes and watch the video.
Jess Bachman, is a 31-year old graphic genius.
What he’s done is take the entire federal budget and turn it into a 24″ x 36″ poster that describes in detail where all of our tax dollars go.
Go look at it. Buy it. Get inspired by it.
Think about how drastically our world can change when information that was once hidden under thousands of pounds of paper, can become easily accessible to EVERYONE.
I’ll be back later this week with the Inspirational word of the week.
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” Dalai Lama
I’ll be completely honest. I’m here to inspire you.
Although what I’m about to tell you isn’t easy, in all fairness, it needs to be shared in order to start the healing process our country so desperately needs.
For years the ‘news’ corporations have been breeding mistrust and cynacism. Although they say they’re “Fair and Balanced”, their main interest is holding on to your attention. By pointing out everything that’s wrong and scary and then amplifying it, their power comes from keeping your energy stifled and stagnant.
Your frustration and anger proves them right.
Your fear of doing something wrong stops you from doing anything at all.
Your silence empowers them to take advantage, and so they have.
So the question is, how can you get news without television?
You need a ‘news’ diet.
Instead of stuffing yourself with the lies and propaganda so easily found in your television set, you need to go out into the real world and talk to real people about what is really happening. That’s where the news is. Just like eating junk food is never going to make you feel satisfied, sitting behind a television screen is never going to feed you what you really need, because what you really need is to be engaged.
Get out of your own head. Go outside. Talk to people. Give up the idea that you’re right and everyone else needs to change because that’s exactly what created these problems in the first place.
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi
The OccupyWallStreet movement is a non-violent demonstration bringing together people who are interested in the peaceful exchange of ideas in order to create a process to address the problems we face and generate solutions accessible to everyone.
“Human solidarity, empathy with one’s fellow person, is our guide. Democracy and consensus, our compass.” Even Rohar of OccupyDetroit media
I was at the first General Assembly of the OccupyDetriot movement last Friday evening. My friend Heidi convinced me to go, and I can’t tell you how glad I am that she did. (Thanks Heidi xoxo) I was absolutely amazed and thrilled to see well over a thousand people gathered in Grand Circus Park. Although we saw a couple of mildly heated exchanges, the people around them were quick to dispel any violence. No one was screaming or cussing. There was no spitting or fighting.
What I did see what a very orderly exchange between the facilitators and the people of the event.
See it here for yourself….
I was indeed “inspired by the process, modeling the society they wish to create”.
The People’s Mike method was fantastic! Although I’ve been to many, many meetings in the past, this one was different because it left me feeling empowered and excited to help. By the end, although I was tired and my throat was sore, I felt exuberant at the same time. So I talked with a couple of people from the Arts & Culture work group about my ‘You’re the Boat’ analogy. They thought it would be a great idea to share it not only with their group but with Education as well. So I will, after I’m done building the new Boat. (It’s coming along nicely, btw).
The working groups is the other part that truly inspired me. According to the minutes from the General Assembly meeting that first night, they are……
Media = To create media that will show what we stand for.
Food & Comfort = To keep our community fed & comfortable.
Education = To define the economic situation in America.
Legal = To help demonstrators who are taken to jail. Although they won’t pay your bail, they will help you contact your family and friends.
Direct Action = To plan, train and engage in non-violent direct action in order to achieve political, economic and social goals outside normal government channels.
Student = To address student debt collectively and start study groups in occupation @ local colleges and universities.
Information = A free library at the Park
Arts & Culture = Because we all need to keep our spirits up during the Revolution!
Outreach = To bring in more people and organizations to the movement.
All of these working groups have a few people in them, but need many, many more volunteers in order to be most effective. I would love to join each and every group, however, that would burn me out and then I couldn’t help anyone. So, I’m planning on trying to make it down there once a week to bring supplies and inspiration. I’ll also be writing about it here on my blog and sharing it through-out the internet.
My friend Heidi really loved the rally and wants to support the movement too, but with her job and family, she doesn’t know when or how. I’m sure there are a lot more people like her, so what’s the answer? How can you and Heidi help?
Speak well of the movement. The demonstrators need your support, as well as your faith in their mission to make a difference in this country.
Stop rumors that there are ‘angry mobs’ and instead talk of the multitude of different kinds of people coming together.
Share your belief in what these demonstrators stand for, such as democracy, freedom, accountability and equality for all Americans.
Send them good vibrations, as well as blankets, food, water, tents, heaters, and books.
Most importantly, try to focus your energy on the solutions to the problems in this country, as well as the vision of a future we can all look forward to. And when you get distracted by the details, problems and drama, try again. Please.
Remember, We are all in this together.
So, my friendly blog reader, I hope this has inspired you to understand that there is still hope for our country.
You can make a difference. Start now.
xoxo Pam
p.s. I’ll be heading back down to OccupyDetroit later this week to bring supplies and inspiration. If you are in the SouthEast Michigan area and have something you would like to donate, please let me know by contacting me at pambelding at gmail dot com.
p.p.s. For more information about the OccupyDetroit movement, check out their website at www.occupy-detroit.us.
I was thinking about writing about Steve Jobs, for the Inspirational person of the week.
However, after seeing all the quotes in papers and social media and reading so many articles about him all over the internet, I figure most of you are probably feeling inundated by it all too.
So instead, I did what I think Steve would have wanted me to do instead of writing more about him.
I focused on really, really savoring my life and the people in it.
Last Thursday I took the day off and went out on the boat with my friends. The leaves are changing and the weather was absolutely perfect without a cloud in the sky. We floated around the lake and just talked and laughed, soaking in the true wonder and beauty all around us.
As we started to head back in, Raise your glass by Pink came on the stereo. I’ll never forget how we sang it all together, smiling and laughing all the way home.
That’s when I decided to put together another soundtrack for songs of prosperity.
I’m often amazed at how the Inspirational word of the week seems to choose me. This week is no exception.
.
The next sign for the Inspirational word of the week came yesterday in a blog post from Dr. Lissa Rankin of Owning Pink. She wrote
Last night, just before shutting off the computer for the day, I saw a lady-friend post a link to Eckhart Tolle’s ‘Uncourse‘. I’ve been fascinated with Eckhart Tolle, but never actually read any of his books, so I decided to look into the course. It’s free, so I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It was really easy to sign up for and within minutes I was looking at the first section of the course titled “Choices, Choices”. I’ve already been through the first question and instead of writing more about it, I’m just going to let you, my friendly blog reader, choose whether you want to look into it for yourself, or not. 
However, I will offer you just this little nugget of wisdom from Mr. Tolle…..“All choices eventually bring you into wakefulness”. So whether you choose to look into it or not, you still have made a choice bringing you closer to wakefulness. Your welcome!
Now, the signs from the Universe are becoming just outrageous so instead of heading straight into the meditation, I chose to watch her video where she described why she chose the spiritual path of Tibetan Buddhism. She describes how she had the revelation of knowing that Buddhism was for her when her teacher said “The only possible spiritual path for a person is your own experience.”
Finally, as I was checking FaceBook this morning, I saw this quote from Marianne Williamson that summed it all up.
