Respond: (verb) 1. to reply or answer 2. to react. 3. to correspond.
Thanks to Dictionary.com.
With the passing of my husband’s grandmother last week, we heard a lot of people respond to hearing the news “Oh, I’m so sorry.” We appreciated their thoughtfulness, but weren’t very surprised. That’s what people say when they’ve heard of a loved one’s death. It’s good manners and shows respect.
It’s nice to know how to respond to something. To have an answer already figured out so that when the time comes, you feel confident that you will be able to handle the situation with grace and finesse.
That’s what protocol and etiquette are all about. The ability to respond to a person or a situation without causing insult or harm. As nice as it is to create peace with the other people around you, too much focus on saying ‘the right thing’ can make life very stale and boring.
The best we can do is be aware of what is happening around us and think before we react.
That’s not always easy. In fact, it’s downright impossible for some folks. They’ve convinced themselves that they ‘are’ a certain way and their responses are so deeply ingrained in who they believe they are that they won’t be held responsible for what they say or do.
You can recognize them because they say things like “She/He made me _______.” or “I always______. or “I never______.”
photo credit google images
There’s no remorse because there’s no thought behind their actions. No responsibility for the damage they cause. They wander through life oblivious to the fact they they’re giving their power away every single day. Everything that goes wrong is someone else’s fault. Nothing that happens is their own responsibility. They know everything because they never move out of their comfort zone. They live a small, ’safe’ life becase they’re afraid of being wrong. They’re afraid of failure and they can’t stand the idea of looking stupid.
I know this to be true because I used to be one of these people. For a long time, I was afraid to stretch out past my comfort zone because I might make a mistake, insult someone and end up sad and alone. So I only did things I knew I was good at. I only went places I knew were safe and talked to people I already knew. Although I was basically alive, I was stagnant and stuck. I was unhappy and bored out of my mind.
My Captain (and Havi’s Destuckification Station) helped me move past my fear. Actually, not even move past it, because seriously, I still feel fear, but now I use it as fuel. The uncertainty I feel when I’m doing something new feels very different from the dread of living a stale, stagnant life. It’s uncomfortable, but more like the feeling of anticipation than mortal danger. Learning to trust myself to handle what comes up is where confidence comes from.
I know I was given this gift of life for reason. Appreciation and gratitude for this adventure have pulled me toward a much more fulfilling life. I’m learning new stuff and meeting new people every day. Although I absolutely still make mistakes, at least now I try to do my best to take responsibility and apologize when I need to. My mistakes are simply lessons that are helping me grow. And since I’ll never stop growing, I can look forward to making more mistakes.
My responses are my responsibility. Response +ability = responsibility.
With awareness and time, when we acknowledge our patterns and do our best to learn from them, we can grow past where we are into who the world needs us to be.
So, my friendly blog reader. How are you responding to life?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
xoxo Pam
p.s. I’ve been working on the Occupy Ortonville website. If you’re interested, click the link to take a look.
p.p.s. Brene’ Brown has a fantastic piece of wisdom. When she’s about to walk on stage, or talk to someone new, she’ll remind herself “Don’t shrink. Don’t puff up. Just be your sacred self.” Then she takes a breath to center herself and continues on. I’ve tried it and it absolutely works. Give it a try for yourself. I’d love to know it works for you! Best of luck! xoxo
(verb) 1. to be solicitous 2. to be concerned 3. to make a provision or look out for 4. to have a liking, fondness or affection.
Thanks to Dictionary.com
For those of you who are new to this website, I’ll start by telling you a little bit about myself. I’m a 43 year old wife, mother, artist, writer, speaker, volunteer extraordinaire. In between doing laundry, dishes and floors, I work with the Welcome Wagon, the Ortonville DDA and Occupy Ortonville, not to mention I’ve just finished writing a book called You’re the Boat and I’m in the process of learning how to self-publish. I write on this website twice a week to practice becoming a better writer and more enlightened human being.
I do all of these things because I care.
I care about helping my community.
I care about being a good role model for my son and nieces.
I care about building a better, healthier community for my family and friends to live in.
I care about giving people something fun to look forward to.
I care about having a lasting positive influence with the time and energy I’ve been blessed with.
As you may have noticed, I have a lot of energy. Too much, some might say. And a few years ago, I would have agreed. All of this energy was causing me to feel anxious, stressed out and worried that I was making a mess of things. I felt like I couldn’t control my mind and it was driving me kinda crazy.
It all finally came to a head when I was home-schooling my son, in preparation for our year long adventure to live in Brazil. Home-schooling wasn’t nearly as much fun or as easy as I had hoped it would be. To be kind, I was making a mess of it and I knew it. As I was hooking up my dog to take our walk one day, I asked God (the Universe, the Source, the Force, the Divine….) How am I supposed to get through this!? The very next thought that came to my mind was… “You know, your attitude is a lot like the rudder on a ship. If you keep it adjusted appropriately, you can get where you need to go, but if it gets stuck, then your just going in circles, frustrating yourself and everyone else around you.” For the first time in weeks (months) I felt good, open and hopeful. My curiosity was peaked, so as I took my walk, the rest of the Boat came to me. Everything on the Boat stands for a part of my life. Of course, my attitude is my rudder, my heart is the ship’s wheel, the sail is my soul, the mast is my strength and the Crow’s nest is my forethought (just to name a few).
I went back home and drew out the Boat with my color crayons.(see it in the picture above) It showed it to my husband and son and they liked it. I taped it up above my desk where I could see it every day, as a reminder to keep my attitude adjusted.
We moved to Brazil and the analogy helped me get through the day to day. It wasn’t always easy, or fun, but I didn’t ever get back to feeling like I didn’t have control over my mind. Whenever I got overwhelmed, I would practice adjusting my rudder. I would take a walk, get a drink of water, have a snack, turn on some music and dance, or make some art. It really, truly helped.
While living in Brazil I finally quit smoking. (Yeah!!!) After 20 plus years, it was pretty tough but it gave me an opportunity to do something different with my hands, so I took up writing. At first, it was just lists and inspirational quotes, but then I thought it would be a good idea to practice by writing out the Boat analogy into words.
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I used that as my goal. It took me almost a week to write it, but I soon realized that I had missed a couple of pieces when I first wrote out the analogy. My first Boat didn’t have a Captain or ropes. The Captain is our guide. The Universe, the Source, the Force, God, Allah, whatever we call it doesn’t matter. Just knowing we’re loved and supported does. The Ropes are our self-discipline. It connects the Sail to the Mast, just like our self-discipline helps connect our Souls to our Strength. If we don’t have self-discipline and faith in ourselves, our souls can’t propel us forward in life.
The very best thing the Boat analogy has taught me is that I’m never done learning. Ever since I first started writing about the Boat, I’ve discovered more about life as well as about myself. In the analogy, the ship’s wheel symbolizes our heart. In order to be guided toward the life we’re looking forward to, we need to be open-hearted. When I asked “How am I supposed to get through this?” that first day, I was opening up my heart and asking for guidance. That was the single best lesson I have ever learned in my life. To be open-hearted is to be open to learning and guidance. It was only when I thought I knew it all that I was frustrated and freaking out.
Writing the analogy into a book has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It’s taken over a year and proven to be very eye-opening because there are more pieces that have come as I’ve continued writing. The Anchor, the Safe Harbor and the Cannons, just to name a few.
The book is written and now I’m working with a graphic designer to finish putting it together. I’ll be publishing it into an e-book within the next couple of months. Then I’ll start doing inspirational presentations again, spreading the world that there is hope, we are not alone and that our Captain loves us and wants us to feel supported and happy.
If I could give you one piece of advice today, my friendly blog reader, it would be to stay open to guidance. Ask for help. Don’t think you are all alone in your troubles. Your life is God’s gift to the world. God cares how you feel and wants to help you live a happy, fulfilling life. Open yourself up to the possibility that you do have control over your own attitude. Every day is another chance to try. You deserve happiness, peace and success.
I hope you’ve enjoyed todays post.
What do you care about? Why do you do what you do?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
xoxo Pam
p.s. My family and I are heading out to New Jersey to attend the funeral of Grama Betty, my husband’s grandmother. I’ll be back later next week with the Inspirational song of the week.
Reveal (verb) 1. to make known; to disclose. 2) to display; exhibit. (noun) 1. a disclosure or revelation.
photo credit google images
This word invokes a very different reaction depending upon how you’re feeling.
If you’re fearful, this word creates feelings of worry and anxiety.
“What if something bad happens?!” “What if somebody finds out?!”
Whereas, when you’re happy, this word brings about feelings of good fortune and progress.
“What do I get to look forward to?!” “How can this help me?!”
The main difference is confidence. If you’re feeling powerless, this word feels oppressive, overwhelming and ominous. You see it as a challenge.
If you’re feeling powerful, this word feels strong, welcomed and encouraging. It’s an opportunity.
So, what was your reaction to the word? Did it make your stomach tighten as your hands started to sweat? Or were you thinking about what you get to look forward to?
The only person qualified to make you feel more confident is YOU. You do that by opening yourself up to learning new things. Figuring out what makes you feel alive and happy and then going after it. Practicing and putting in the time it takes to get better. Doing the work. Confidence comes from within you. When you are willing to do what it takes to develop yourself and your life, a better life will be revealed. If not, it won’t. It’s as simple as that.
I can’t make you more confident, my friendly blog reader, but I can try to help you see how important you are.
No matter where you are, or who you’re around, your spirit is revealed through your words and actions. Your energy influences every single thing, every single moment of your life. Whether you were aware of it until now or not, it’s absolutely true.
photo credit Emmanuelle Lambert on facebook
You are here on this planet because God (the Divine, the Universe, the Source, the Force…..) needs you to be. You were made to be just exactly who you are. You are not broken. There is NOTHING WRONG with you. Sure, you might need some development, but fundamentally YOU ARE ALREADY PERFECT.
You were born with the power to develop into exactly who you are supposed to be. All you need to do is allow some space between who you are and who you want to be. That awesome, wonderful person you love, respect and admire already exists within you. You just have to grow into him/her.
Notice what happens when you let go of thinking about what you have to do and start thinking about what you get to do.
Savor this opportunity to be alive and believe the best in yourself. You deserve the very best life has to offer.
What will today reveal about you?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
xoxo Pam
photo credit to life goes on FaceBook
p.s. “Just because the road ahead is long, is no reason to slow down. Just because there is much work to be done, is no reason to get discouraged. It is a reason to get started, to grow, to find new ways, to reach within yourself and discover strength, commitment, determination, discipline. The road ahead is long and difficult, and filled with opportunity at every turn. Start what needs starting. Finish what needs finishing. Get on the road. Stay on the road. Get on with the work. Right now you’re at the beginning of the journey. What a great place to be! Just imagine all the things you’ll learn, all the people you’ll meet, all the experiences you’ll have. Be thankful that the road is long and challenging, because that is where you’ll find the best that life has to offer.”
Control (verb) 1. to exercise direction over; command. 2. to hold in check; curb. 3. to eliminate or prevent the spread or flourishing of. (noun) 1.regulation or domination. 2. check or restraint.
Thanks to Dictionary.com for the definition.
You may not realize this, but I have a bit of a temper. Maybe it’s the red hair, or the Irish heritage, but either way, I’ve ended up with a hot head. Now, fortunately, as I’ve grown older and wiser, I’ve realized that I need to control my temper. This hasn’t been easy and I’ll freely admit that I’m far from having total command over my thoughts and feelings, but at least I’m aware of the fact that I need to think before I speak or risk hurt feelings or worse.
My point today is that we ALL have the ability to control our minds. Whether or not we realize it and take control is another story all together.
photo credit google images
Imagine a really nice muscle car, like a 1967 Pontiac GTO with a 389 cubic inch V8. Vroom, Vroom, baby!!!
Pretty nice, huh?!!!
Well, it is nice and very powerful, unless it doesn’t have a steering wheel. Without a steering wheel, it’s still beautiful, but pretty much useless.
Same thing goes for our minds.
Unless we choose to control our thoughts, we’re at the mercy of our feelings.
Our feelings are like the weather. Although we need to be aware of our feelings, they don’t define who we are.
Think about it. Our feelings can change from day to day, minute to minute. They can be effected by hormones, food, music, sunlight and a thousand other variables.
We’re much, much more than our feelings. We’re spiritual beings, using our body’s and mind’s to get around in this material world. We’re each valuable, intelligent people with talents, skills and experiences that make us unique.
For example, when I feel threatened, I have a tendency to get angry and defensive, a completely understandable, but useless reaction. Becoming angry and defensive doesn’t fix anything. It doesn’t build anything helpful or create harmony with anyone. In fact, it actually destroys life and everything that makes life worth living.
Instead of getting angry and defensive, it’s a much smarter choice for me to be open and honest and speak up about my boundaries. Knowing myself and becoming aware of what kind of life I want to live is my best protection. Although it takes effort, (because it takes effort) practicing awareness and mindfulness makes me stronger. When I feel stronger, I’m less likely to react negatively. Eating well, taking my walk and practicing daily meditation are also key factors in helping me feel stable and strong.
Our challenges create opportunities for us to learn how to control our thoughts and reactions. We can either become resentful and find someone or something to blame, or we can face our challenges and grow. The choice is ours to make. Our character is defined by how we learn to react to our feelings.
Remember, we can only carry one kind of thought in our mind at one time. We can’t be angry and kind, or compassionate and insulted. We can’t find solutions by blaming someone else for our problems.
“You become what you think about all day long.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
We have some very large challenges facing our generation. The first step to fixing them is learning how to control our reactions to those problems. Self-awareness, patience and compassion will help us move forward. Letting ourselves get stuck, angry and defensive won’t help anyone or anything at all.
What do you think, my friendly blog reader?
How are you reacting to your challenges these days? How are you learning to control your thoughts?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
(verb) 1. to calculate the monetary value 2. to consider with respect. 3. to regard or esteem highly.
(Thanks to Dictionary.com for the definitions)
photo credit google images
I got this note from a gentleman named Walter Simmer that I met at the Occupy Ortonville meeting last week.
“When I think of the 99%, I think of dandelions. A tough scrappy little flower that grows where the 99% live and is excluded from posh gated communities of the 1%. Perhaps its universality could be morphed into the symbol of unity for all the 99%. Again, from me, a passive but powerful message like special credit union checks and special license plates. Imagine the symbol of dandelions outpacing the peace sign everywhere. Take a bouquet of dandelions to any meeting in a makeshift jar. What a message!”
I absolutely love his analogy. It makes perfect sense to use it to describe the 99%.
According to Wikipedia, this tough, scrappy little flower is found all around the world and used for culinary and medicinal purposes. They’re extremely healthy to eat and even beneficial for gardens.
The dandelion plant is a beneficial weed, with a wide range of uses, and is even a good companion plant for gardening. Its taproot will bring up nutrients for shallower-rooting plants, and add minerals and nitrogen to soil. It is also known to attract pollinatinginsects and release ethylene gas which helps fruit to ripen.[19]
Dandelions are beautiful and rugged, not afraid to bloom, even in the harshes environments. No matter how hard some folks try to kill them off, every year they keep coming back, as bold as ever.
photo credit to google images
I want to be more like the dandelion. Tough, scrappy, bold and resilient to what anyone else thinks of me. I want to remember to get rooted in how truly valuable I am and to reminder everyone else around me (including and especially the folks of the Occupy Movement) that we are all worthy of respect. Our place on this planet is a gift from God. We’re honoring God when we acknowledgeand appreciate that gift and use our energy to have a lasting positive influence. Instead of getting overwhelmed at how big our challenges are, we need to remember to have faith that just doing our best is enough to make a real difference.
Tell you what, I’ll remind you if you help remind me, okay?! Good!
Speaking of having a lasting positive influence, the next Occupy Ortonville meeting is scheduled for next Sunday, April 29th at 10am at the Old Town Hall. (Here’s an article that went into the local newspaper about our first meeting.) We’ll be working on building our committees and planning our direct actions. If you’re interested, feel free to contact me thru this website or come on down to the meeting.
I’m also still helping to put on CreekFest and the Beets, Beats & Eats farmers market starting up in June. If you’re a vendor who sells hand-made, home-made local Michigan products, or you know of someone who is, please contact me thru this website or e-mail me at pambelding at gmail dot com. If you or someone you know has a small or home-based business and you’re interested in promoting it, consider being a part of the Coffee Club Expo at the Clarkston Methodist Church on May 31st from 4pm until 8pm. Click the link to find more info.
And last but not least, we’re having another Cash Mob!! If you are in the South East Michigan area and would like to be a part of something really fun and rewarding, let me know and I’ll contact you with more information about when and where our next Cash Mob event is going to be. (It’s still a secret to the store owner, that’s why I’m not posting it yet!)
So what do you think, my friendly blog reader?
What helps you remember how valuable you are?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
Have a great week and I’ll be back later with the Inspirational song of the week.
(I’ve been very busy putting together the Occupy Ortonville training this week. We held it this morning at the Old Town Hall. Overall it went very well. We had 32 people show up, despite the stormy weather. I couldn’t get the training video to work, but my darling husband managed to pull up a movie that helped illustrate what we were trying to get across. Basically, I just had to completely wing it. There were a couple of rough spots, like when a gentleman walked out because he was just so frustrated that we were all completely wrong and that if we would just listen to him, he already had all of the answers. And we did have a tendency to get distracted with the details, problems and drama. But in the end, most everyone feel heard and hopeful to be working with a group of people toward a common goal; to help restore the economy and the morale in this country. Thanks to my girlfriend Molly for helping me bring everything together and keeping it going smoothly. And a special thanks to my darling husband for his technical wizardry and moral support. I really do love you both. xoxo)
Home (noun) 1. residence of a person, family or household. 2. the place in which one’s domestic affections are centered.
Where our domestic affections are centered. What a nice way to say it!
I was trying to think about what is really worth fighting for. What is worth going out beyond my comfort zone, putting myself and my reputation on the line. What is it that I’m protecting when I decided to host the Occupy movement?
Well, I can tell you it’s not the oil companies or the banks or even the politicians. Especially the politicians.
What I’m fighting for most of all is my home. Not just my domicile (although I love my house, don’t get me wrong). I’m fighting for my home. My darling husband and wonderful son. My friends and family. My community filled with people, businesses and events that I look forward to being a part of every single day. When I go to a meeting at the DDA to help put together an event, I know that I’m not the only person who gets to have something fun to look forward to because of it. Hundreds of people get to come out and share their skills and talents, their products, and their families. Everyone gets to have fun and be a part of something wonderful.
It’s that feeling of being loved and accepted. That’s the feeling that I’m fighting for. That’s what makes Ortonville my home.
photo credit google images
I love my life. It’s not always easy, but it’s absolutely worth fighting for.
Just ask any soldier who’s gone off to war. They’re not fighting for the Republicans or the Democrats. Their fighting for the best interests of their families. Their fighting to protect their home.
The Occupy movement is about holding politicians and corporate interests accountable. How we do that is what our next step is all about. (In case your interested, the next meeting is April 29th at 10am at the Old Town hall)
I don’t know how all of this is going to turn out. I just know I want a happier, more stable country for my son and future grandchildren to grow up in. After all, this is their home too.
Have a wonderful week. I’ll be back on Wednesday with the Inspirational song of the week.
xoxo Pam
p.s. In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the video of Caine’s Arcade. A short movie about a brilliant kid and the people who came together to make him feel special.
This entire blog is dedicated to the recognition and pursuit of inspiration. I’ve been writing it over the past few years to create a place to find a stable source of inspiration so that YOU, my friendly blog reader, can go back out into the world, feeling better, stronger and more willing to share your awesomeness! Thank you so much for being here and sharing your energy! I love you!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxooxoxo
Just ‘cuz I don’t know now, doesn’t mean I won’t know then. Just ‘cuz I don’t know how, doesn’t mean I won’t know when.
Are Loved and supported!
“A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”
- Roald Dahl
You are exactly enough.
Just go LIVE.
Feed your Soul
Because your Soul feeds the whole world.
So go take a nap, take a walk or a take a bath. Make some art, make a decision or make a phone call. Write a song, write a book, or write a poem. Tell your story, tell the truth or just listen to one.
Most importantly, go look deeply into the eyes of that beautiful person looking back at you in the mirror every day and say
“I love you! I always have and I always will forever and ever and always.”
Because I do.
I really, truly, deeply do.
I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s blog post, my friendly blog reader!
So, How are you going to feed your Soul?
I would be THRILLED to read your thoughts in the comments below!
I don’t want to go into specifics about what he said or even why he said it. That would just bring him more attention and that’s the last thing he needs.
Earlier this week, I signed a petition asking our local talk radio show to remove Mr. Limbaugh from their regular programming. Like usual, I posted on FaceBook a link to that petition with a quick note saying simply, “I signed this.”
A couple of people commented back, one of which was a neighbor lady friend of mine asking “Isn’t radio, T.V. and all forms of media free speech? We also have the right and CHOICE to change the channel? Right?”
Now, I guess I could have just let it go.
And I did for a while.
Well, at least I tried to.
But the more I thought about it, the more it bugged me that this woman, someone I’ve had in my home, who is seemingly intelligent and good-hearted, would rather defend his ‘right’ to maliciously attack a woman, (in fact all women who use birth-control) than stand up and demand respect for her. For us.
So, after a few hours of stewing on it, I came back to FaceBook and saw that another friend of mine had agreed with me. YEAH! It was nice to see my friend write I agree with you Pam. People like Rush Limbaugh should not be allowed on radio or tv. Negative freedom of speech is part of the reason there’s so much hatred in the world. Everything that comes from his mouth encourages the negativity!!!!!!!
Now I realize we live in a country where we are supposed to be allowed to say anything we want, to anybody, about anything, right?! But what about slander, or libel or defamation of character? Where is the line? Who draws it?
Well, my friendly blog reader, I can’t just sit by and allow Rush to abuse his position by maliciously slandering and insulting Sandra Fluke, who showed tremendous courage and character, testifying about something she had a great deal of knowledge about. So I finally posted….
Thanks. Although I absolutely agree that we have the right to change the channel, Rush shouldn’t be allowed to abuse his position. We need to hold him accountable for his words and actions. He’s malicious, slanderous and demoralizing to the people (especially women) in this country. His only agenda is to be hateful, divisive and vulgar.
BTW if this makes you uncomfortable, I’m sorry. However, I can’t in good conscience allow Rush and the people like him to blatantly disrespect me, my gender and my country. (end rant)
“That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong.” William J. H. Boetcker
Sure, It’s easier to just shut up and let them talk, but if we don’t stand up for ourselves and demand respect, we’re encouraging them to keep talking.
You might disagree with me. This post might even make you uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that you decide to stop reading my blog.
Instead of fighting over Rush’s insulting repetoire, we need to start to bringing our citizens back around to speaking to each other. That’s how we can make our country stronger. And that’s inspiring.
I’ll leave you with this quote I found on FaceBook this morning…
“I was going to die, sooner or later, whether or not I had even spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silences will not protect you…. What are the words you do not yet have? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? We have been socialized to respect fear more than our own need for language.”
I began to ask each time: “What’s the worst that could happen to me if I tell this truth?” Unlike women in other countries, our breaking silence is unlikely to have us jailed, “disappeared” or run off the road at night. Our speaking out will irritate some people, get us called bitchy or hypersensitive and disrupt some dinner parties. And then our speaking out will permit other women to speak, until laws are changed and lives are saved and the world is altered forever.
Next time, ask: What’s the worst that will happen? Then push yourself a little further than you dare. Once you start to speak, people will yell at you. They will interrupt you, put you down and suggest it’s personal. And the world won’t end.
And the speaking will get easier and easier. And you will find you have fallen in love with your own vision, which you may never have realized you had. And you will lose some friends and lovers, and realize you don’t miss them. And new ones will find you and cherish you. And you will still flirt and paint your nails, dress up and party, because, as I think Emma Goldman said, “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.” And at last you’ll know with surpassing certainty that only one thing is more frightening than speaking your truth. And that is not speaking.”
~ Audre Lorde
What do you think, my friendly blog reader?
Are you still with me?
As long as they are respectful, I would LOVE to read your thoughts in the comments below.
xoxo Pam
p.s. BTW, I’ve agreed to host the Occupy Ortonville 99% training on Sunday, April 15 from 10am til 1pm. If you’re nearby and would like to attend, feel free to go check out the FaceBook event here https://www.facebook.com/events/211969828903122/
When I wrote out this list, as I was writing, I had the Walk the Line Soundtrack playing on the kitchen stereo. The song Get Rhythm was playing and the lyrics fit right in to the message I was trying to get across.
Get rhythm when you get the blues
C’mon get rhythm when you get the blues
Yes a jumpy rhythm makes you feel so fine
It’ll shake all your troubles from your worried mind
Get rhythm when you get the blues
Basically, don’t let the depressed, sad, overwhelmed feelings take over.
Find a rhythm to help pull you through. Just like the ocean doesn’t have to work at creating every single wave, the rhythm of a good song can help you get through the rough patches of life.
It’s really your desire to feel better that can help inspire you to find the right song. In fact, this website is filled with them! Just click on the window that say’s music to start browsing.
So to recap…..
The first step to building your confidence starts with the desire for a sense of possibility. Confidence comes from the realization that there’s a possibility to succeed. Your desire to feel good, healthy, strong, smart, and successful is God’s way of guiding you toward a happy life. Remember, desire is like a hungry cat. It doesn’t stop until it’s got what it wants. Stay open to the desire of the sense of possibility and you’ll be facing in the right direction for the second step.
When we encourage compassion and accountability (especially for ourselves) we help make the world a better place. When we take good care of ourselves, and enjoy our lives, we feel better and stronger, more willing to reach out and help other people. God created us as a gift to the world. We honor that gift by treating ourselves and others well. And when we hold ourselves accountable, we enable to Universe to work through us, to help serve humanity.
We serve humanity when we promote motivation, communication and education. People, all people, are willing to cooperate when they’ve been properly motivated. When they know they’re actions are appreciated and integral to a successful outcome, people are generous with their time and energy. It’s only when we try forcing them to obey that we create hurt, fear, frustration and anger. We build relationships based on trust and cooperation when we communicate our highest intentions and educate ourselves (and others) about what kind of life we hope to create. Our shared vision creates a path toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
That doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Looking at the reality of our challenges can be very overwhelming, to say the very least!!!
That’s when we need to break things down into small, simple, do-able steps. Instead of worrying about stuff we have no control over, it’s far more effective to focus our energy on the next minute, the next breath, the next baby-step. To acknowledge our Creator and trust ourselves to know that we’re on the right path. Worrying about what’s up ahead doesn’t help anyone. It only steals the energy out of today. Now is the only thing (along with your attitude) that you really have any control over.
Photo credit Google images
And then get a rhythm. When you get the blues, come on get a rhythm…….
I hope you’ve enjoyed this series, my friendly blog reader.
I would LOVE to read your thoughts in the comments below!
I’ll be back later this week with the Inspirational song of the week.
xoxo Pam
p.s. We had our very first Cash Mob at Willow Pointe this past Saturday afternoon and it went very well!! We had 12-15 people walk through the door and overall about 2 dozen people that day. We even had 8 people make it to the After-glow party at MacPhee’s.(see the picture, taken by MacPhee’s owner David Adair) Our next Cash Mob will be sometime in the middle of May, but we’re not sure where yet. If you’re interested in being a part of it, just contact me at pambelding at gmail dot com.
p.p.s. We also had Night at the Races on Saturday Night! Blake and I ran the bar while more than 50 people came out to bet on horse races and party with their friends! It was a ROCKIN’ good time!! All of the profits go to support CreekFest, our River Day festival dedicated to promoting the health of our ‘cool jewel’ Kearsley creek. For more information about CreekFest and the Ortonville DDA, check out our website at www.downtownortonville.org
For a long time I was one of those people that just had to be right all the time. It didn’t matter what the conversation was about, if I knew the answer or (God forbid) caught someone voicing an opinion I thought was ‘wrong’, I just had to make sure they knew that I was RIGHT, dammit! And I was persistent. In fact, my first marriage was a constant battle to be right over and above all else. It was a completely miserable existence, one I’m glad to be done with.
Over the years, I’ve discovered that being right really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’ve learned that criticizing people and their opinions is just a cover-up for insecurity, and a desperate need to be recognized. At best, all I was ever left with was a hollow victory that drove people away. I’m terribly embarrassed and sorry for all of the hurt feelings I’ve caused over the years. I’m doing my best to recognize my patterns and actively trying to change them.
Calvin & Hobbes
So, instead of focusing on being right all the time, I’ve found it’s much more productive and WAY more fun to recognize the joy of life. To focus on the good in order to create the best life this world has to offer! And the returns are fantastic!! Laughter, smiles, relaxation, courage and joy have taken the place of alienation, shame, guilt and frustration.
“If you only focus on being right, you miss out on everything else that’s left to look forward to.”
For instance, in my new job. I’ll admit there are parts that I’m really not fond of, like wearing make-up every day and making phone call after phone call only to be told no, over and over. Ugh. However, the parts that I do like, my co-workers, meeting new people, getting out of the office and choosing my own schedule help to make up for the other stuff. I’m not saying there aren’t days that suck. They do. But over all, I know that I’ve been given a chance to help my family and my community. I help my family financially and my community by linking local businesses with the new home-owners moving in to the area. I enjoy feeling productive and helpful and that helps me get through the tough days.
Laughing Pam
I feel much more confident now. Since I’m treating people with kindness, respect and admiration, most people reflect that attitude back to me. For those that don’t, I try not to take it personally. After all, I know where they’re coming from. I used to be there too.
How do you recognize enjoyment in your life, my friendly blog reader?
I’d love to read about your joy in the comments below!
xoxo Pam
p.s. I’ll be back next week to wrap up the Build your Confidence series!
Because you can when you take a situation and break it down into smaller steps until it’s do-able.
That’s the secret.
You, my friendly blog reader, have the power to be really, truly effective.
You can make a difference in your own life as well as the lives of the people around you, but you have to realize that’s what you want in the first place. To make a difference. Your energy and influence are always at your disposal. The only difference is whether you’re using them for doing the work, or pouring them down the drain of worry.
If you’re looking for an excuse to not do something, you’ll always find it. If you want to put the responsibility of fixing problems onto someone else’s shoulders, then you get to be the victim. That’s the power and purpose of overwhelm.
Look at politicians. They use the power of overwhelm all the time because they don’t want to change anything. “The system is broken. The Government is the problem” they tell us, They talk about how screwed up everything is and then distract us with even more problems when in reality, they’re the ones who broke the system in the first place in order to exploit it. They’ve got the upper hand because they stole it.
If you look at it all at once, this situation looks impossible.
So what can you do about it? Where’s the simplest place to start?
The first step toward change is to acknowledge the need to change in the first place.
What if the possibility existed that you could be effective? (Because it does and you can be)
What would make you feel better, right now, this very minute? Take a deep breath and clear your mind. Relax your shoulders, put your feet flat on the ground and take good long look around at where you are right now.
You’re already exactly where you need to be in order to be accountable for your actions.
You have the power to feel strong, calm and confident.
You’ve just got to realize that’s what you’ve been looking for. The power to feel strong, calm and confident comes from within you. It’s already there, just waiting for you to use it.
Instead of giving in to the feeling of overwhelm and futility, try doing something. Something simple but effective.
For instance, pick up the phone and with your voice strong, calm and confident, call your politicians.
Use your power to let them know what you want. Tell them what you want to see, what you expect from them and that you’re looking forward to holding them accountable when it comes time to vote.
See how that feels.
Nice, huh!?
Breathe and take the next step.
Maybe you’ll want to start volunteering in your community.Or whatever it is that helps you feel strong, calm and confident. Effective and powerful.
The power is yours when you take it.
What else could you do that would make you feel really, really good?
What does a brighter future look like in your life?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
xoxo Pam
p.s. Next week we’ll talk about the power that comes from recognizing enjoyment.
p.p.s. I’m helping to pull together a Cash Mob for Willow Pointe in Ortonville. Although I had to convince the owner Grace that there are indeed ‘No strings attached.” I told her ” It’s just a chance for us to show our support and love for you and your business. Just be ready for us and be willing to accept our love and money. It’s something different, but it’s guaranteed to be fun”. We have 19 people signed up so far! The after-glow party is at MacPhee’s pub. We get to sit around and chat about how much fun it was and where we want to ‘Mob’ next. Come join in the fun if you can!!
We’re taking baby steps to fix the economy. Starting from right where we are. It’s do-able.
*Hello, my friendly blog reader!! Instead of writing the Inspirational word of the week, I’m writing about the Build your confidence series. The past two weeks I’ve written about the first two steps, 1. Desire a sense of possibility. And 2. Encourage compassion and accountability. You can click the links to read about them. Today we move on to the third step.*
Promote motivation, communication and education. (photo credit Google images)
Motivation (noun) providing an incentive to act.
Communication (noun) exchange of ideas, information, or feelings.
Education (noun) acquiring knowledge, developing the power to reason and preparing oneself for life.
The other day I was talking with a lady-friend about her frustration with her 17 year old daughter. They’re not getting along well (to say the least) and although both of them hate the situation, neither of them knows how to change it.
Unfortunately, this is not an unusual case. I’ve been there (although not with a 17 year old) and I’m sure you probably have at one time or another, as well! Many people live in situations where they’re terribly unhappy, but feel stuck and unable to change it. Although I’m not a religious person, I consider this Hell on Earth. To have the energy of life but not the ability or confidence to direct that energy in the ‘right’ direction.
This third step of the Build your confidence series directly relates to where you energy needs to be focused in order to get beyond the stuck pattern of frustration, anxiety and worry.
When we aim our energy toward motivating ourselves and the other people around us, we create an up-lifting feeling, and a healthy mood. One that encourages and supports a healthy spirit, instead of crushing it.
By communicating our best intentions and educating ourselves (and others) about what kind of life we hope to create, we create a path toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
Do you know what motivates you? Have you even thought about it? Do the people around you know what your best intentions are? What motivates them? (here’s a link to Dan Pink’s fascinating book Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. I HIGHLY recommend it!!)
I can’t tell you what motivates you. That’s not my place. (It’s Dan’s)
What I can do is tell you what motivates me.
Photo credit Brenda Timmermans
I want to use my energy to help people focus on the full enjoyment of all things. In order to do that, I write this blog, volunteer in my community, work with the Welcome Wagon, read Oracle cards, spend time with my lady-friends and walk 4 miles every day, smiling and waving to people on my trip around the lake. I aim to cultivate a healthy, happy home life so that my wonderful son will grow up to believe that he can have one as well. I enjoy my life and hope that in so doing, other people will see that it’s possible and be inspired to enjoy theirs as well.
The next step in the Build your Confidence series is to Encourage compassion and accountability.
Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate suffering.
Accountability is to be responsible and answerable for your actions.
As always, the Universe is always trying to help me understand the lessons I most need to learn. This week, the lessons were all about practicing what I preach and encouraging compassion and accountability. I decided to adjust my posting schedule to Wednesdays and Fridays in order to accomodate my new work schedule. I did this because I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed out by trying to stick to the original Monday and Wednesday schedule.
Photo credit Google images
During the week, I thought to myself, “What possibility exists in this situation? “ To which I answered. “The possiblity exists that I can write my blog posts without feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.” Then I asked myself“What do I really want the most?” I answered,“Well, I want to write this Build your Confidence series to help my people (and myself) to feel better, stronger and more effective.My ultimate desire is to have a lasting, positive influence.” By simply changing the posting days, I’m now able to focus on taking care of my responsibilities during the week, and still finding enough time to create fun, helpful blog posts.
When I’m exhausted and frustrated, I start making excuses and doubting my ability to be effective. Something needs to change, and the only thing I truly have the ability to change is myself. I need to remember to be compassionate with myself, treat myself well, eat healthy, get exercise and plenty of sleep. Only then, when I’ve given myself enough time to take care of myself and my responsibilities, do I feel confident and more willing to serve my Captain and Crew. The truth is, I’m more confident because I AM more effective when I’m well-rested, well fed and exercised. We all are.
For example, I was cooking chicken breasts this past week. I couldn’t fit them all in the pan at once, so I cooked 3 and then set them aside to cook the other two. Once I was all done cooking, I went to cut into the meat and noticed that since they had been allowed to rest, the chicken breasts were very juicy and tender. Delish!
Photo credit by Kevin L. Williams and Lin Workman
God created us as a gift to the world, to help make the world a better place. We honor that gift by treating ourselves and others well. And by holding ourselves accountable, we enable to Universe to work through us, to help serve humanity.
So, whenever we take a moment to savor our lives, rest and recuperate, it’s a miracle.
Whenever we choose to get up and exercise instead of laying in front of the television, it’s a miracle.
Whenever we reach out to help someone else just because we can, it’s a miracle.
Whenever we adjust our schedule so that we can create something fun and beautiful, it’s a miracle.
It’s not up to me to tell God how to make the miracles happen, just to recognize them when they do.
What do you think, my friendly blog reader?
How does compassion and accountability help you feel more confident?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
xoxo Pam
p.s. I’ve had 2 people book Magic Wand classes this week!! Looks like March is getting filled up already! Feel free to contact me if you’re in the South-East Michigan area and interested in taking a class!!
p.p.s. I’m also looking for vendors for our CreekFest and BB&E events here in Ortonville, starting in June. If you, or someone you know makes stuff and would like to sell it at this event, please contact me at pambelding at g mail dot com.
Instead of writing the Inspirational word of the week, I will attempt to write about the first step toward building confidence.
It’s been rough week for me, my friendly blog reader. My husband was gone for a few days. My son had an unexpected snow day on Thursday. I worked a LOT and finished up the week with a stress/hormone induced migraine. I’ve had the headache for 3 days now. (The Universe is teaching me a lesson in humility, in order to give this post more truth and flavor. I appreciate it but Geez! ) Writing this post is a challenge, but that’s really what this whole “Building Your Confidence” series is about, how to face challenges.
I came up with this list a couple of winters ago when my darling husband was headed off to live in Israel for four months while my son and I stayed home in Michigan. The first week he was gone, I sat down and with a great deal of help from my Captain, wrote this list to help me stay focused on getting through the next 4 months.
Desire a sense of possibility.
Encourage compassion and accountability.
Promote motivation, communication and education.
Make it simple and small until it’s do-able.
Recognize enjoyment.
Get a rhythm.
Instead of letting the daily fears and doubts pull me off track, this list has helped give me a healthy way to direct my energies. Every day I see this list taped up over my desk as a reminder that a good life is a process, not a state of being. It’s a direction not a destination. Building confidence takes time and dedication. How I focus my energies every single day will eventually create my life. It’s up to me to decide what I really want and then go get it.
“Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you’re going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.” Oprah Winfrey
The first step starts with desire. Desire doesn’t sit in a corner waiting to be noticed. Like a hungry cat rubbing on your legs, desire gets noticed, Dammit!! Desire is consistent and persistent, a perfect platform upon which to build confidence. Whenever you feel you like your losing your confidence, come back to your desire. It’s the key to opening yourself up to the possibility of success.
What is it that you really, really want most of all?…….
You might be afraid to name it, for fear of being dissappointed.
Yeah, I get that. Truth it, that’s just your ego talking.
Your real true self wants you to be happy, peaceful and successful. Not fearful, frustrated and cynical. Try letting go of the fear, just for a moment.
Seriously, take a full minute and just do it…..let it go……
Open yourself up to desire a sense of the possiblity that you, YES YOU, can be happy peaceful and successful.
Although your ego will struggle at first, your true self will get stronger the more you open yourself up to its guidance.
Being confident doesn’t mean you’re never afraid. (hardly!) Confidence comes from the realization that there is a possibility to succeed.That sense of possibility changes your attitude from hope-less to hope-full. Steer into that hope-full desire as you lean toward the possibility for success. You don’t have to know exactly how it’s all going to work out. Life would be boring if you did.
Think about it. How often do you want to play tic-tac-toe? Unless your 4 years old, you’ve probably given up on it because it’s too easy. It’s boring.
Well, the Universe has given you the biggest, most fun puzzle of all time, your life!
So think about it, my friendly blog reader?
What do you want most of all?
I would LOVE to read your thoughts in the comments below
I’ll be back next week with the next step……encourage compassion and accountability.
xoxo Pam
p.s. Just ‘cuz I don’t know now, doesn’t mean I won’t know then….Just ‘cuz I don’t know how, doesn’t mean I won’t know when.
Offer: (verb) 1. to give, make or promise 2. to present for acceptance or rejection 3. to propose for consideration 4. to present something as an act of worship or devotion. (noun) 1. a proposal or bid.
Oh my goodness, I’ve been very busy lately, my friendly blog reader!
When I accepted this job a couple of weeks ago, I knew it would offer me a chance to make money (which is a fantastic thing!!) and to have a lasting positive influence on my community. Although I realized this position would be a Stretch for me, I knew I was on the right track was when I read the mission of Welcome Wagon is…
“To help people find their way.”
That clinched it.
I’ve always considered myself the welcome wagon. Since I’ve moved something like 19 times, I know what itfeels like to be the new kid on the block. I know how good it feels to have someone reach out and offer help and guidance, to light the way and embrace you with open arms. So whenever we’re living out of the country, we invite everyone (at least the ex-patriates) on project to our place for holidays, or even just hanging out on Friday night. Whenever I see new neighbors, I always make a point to stop in and introduce myself and welcome then to the neighborhood, no matter what country I’m in. That’s graciousness.
When I accepted this job, I knew it offered not only money and influence, but also challenges.
For instance….
In order to get everything done at home and at work, I’ve had to really focus on and prioritize my time. The major housework (like vacuuming and dusting) has taken a back seat, and so has reading and commenting on other blogs. I’ll have to find some time over the weekend to make time for cleaning and social-media. The really good news is that my darling husband and wonderful son are offering to help out more now since I’m working. That’s kindness.
Since I needed new clothes for work, my lady-friend Molly (pictured on the left) offered to take me shopping and even helped me figure out what all I needed to build a career wardrobe. We spent 3 hours at the resale shop in Rochester! And since it was my birthday the day before, she even bought me lunch at the Rochester Mill! We had an absolute blast and I can’t thank her enough for her time and patience!! (Love you, Molly xoxooxxo !!) That’s generosity.
On Saturday evening, my Support Ho’s were kind enough to pull together a birthday celebration for me, complete with offerings of chocolate cake and presents!!! I’m such an incredibly blessed lady!!
As I’m learning my new job responsibilities, I’ve promised myself NOT to get mad, criticize or call myself names when I make a mistake. I’ve never done anything like direct marketing before, so it’s all new to me. Fortunately, my boss Lisa and new co-worker Barb are both very good at offering kudos and atta-girls, so that helps a lot. This new job is offering all of us a chance to stretch out and expand our horizons. Although we’re struggling, it’s in a good, growing way. That’s bravery.
Most importantly, in order for anything worthwhile to be truly meaningful, the offer of it has to be accepted and appreciated.
That’s where life happens.
So, what do you think, my friendly blog reader?
Have you had any offers lately?
What are you offering?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below!
Light (noun) 1. something that makes things visible. 2. luminous energy. 3. radiance from a particular source.
(verb) 1. to ignite 2. to turn on or brighten 3. to illuminate.
(adjective) 1. bright; well-lighted 2. pale, or not deep in color.
Today is my birthday, my friendly blog reader!! I’ve been so busy this week with my new job, that I haven’t had a chance to write about the Inspirational word of the week until now. I’m so glad to be able to sit back and enjoy this time to write. It’s a gift I give to myself and I hope you enjoy it as well.
Last week I was absolutely blessed to be able to help out my lady-friend Mary Kalocsay. She needed some help cutting in and painting some walls on her job in a gorgeous home in Goodrich. I happen to be extremely proficient at painting, (I’ve painted every wall in my house, so I’ve had a lot of practice) so I was more than willing to help her out. I spent 19 hours in 4 days painting light blue in 2 different rooms. Benjamin Moore Ashley, Windchill and Steel Away. Light blue is the color of patience and understanding. Although my body was sore (boy, and how!) my mind and soul were just absolutely blissed out and zen from staring at these beautiful colors for so many hours at a time. My mind felt light and happy.
Just yesterday, on FaceBook I saw Lisa Firke post this quote from an interview with Bill Murray. “Do you ever feel pressure to keep things fun on set? ” to which he replied
“I feel that pressure in life. Actually I don’t feel like it’s a pressure, it’s sort of an obligation – not to entertain and be funny but to have a certain levity. I don’t mean in terms of just being jocular, I mean that there’s got to be a lightness in your way. There has to be a lightness; you have to be as light as you can be and not get weighed down and stuck in your emotion, stuck in your body, stuck in your head. You just want to always be trying to elevate somehow.”
That really spoke to me.
To be as light as you can be and not get weight down and stuck in your emotion, your body, your head.
To elevate.
I really needed that reminder this week. My new job is challenging, in a good way because I really like working with new people, but challenging, none the less. This quote reminded me to not take myself so seriously. To lighten up and enjoy the chance to try something new.
“It’s good to be doin’ what I’m supposed to be doin’ with the people I’m doin’ it with.”
I saw this prayer on FaceBook this morning and I just knew it was a message from the Divine……
“Dear angels, Thank you for helping me lighten up and see the many gifts that are before me. Please help me release any worries, and fill my heart with faith that everything is going exactly according to a wonderful Divine plan. I don’t have to know all the behind-the-scenes details of this agenda. I simply need to keep my heart open and joyful, and be willing to receive all the good that you bring to me each day.” Doreen Virtue
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, my friendly blog reader.
I wish you a most wonderful weekend, filled with light, joy and happiness!
Have a marvelous weekend and I’ll be back on Monday with the Inspirational song of the week.
Open (adjective) 1. accessible 2. free of obstructions 3. clear
“Keep an open mind. The influence of grace is often found in unexpected places.” Cheryl Richardson
I’ve had a most interesting day, my friendly blog reader, although it started out normal enough. I got Garrett off to school and then walked with Mary and Tootsie around the lake. It was while I has having coffee with my lady-friends (support Ho’s) at MJ’s house that I noticed things were definitely changing. For one thing, MJ is remodelling her kitchen so we all sat in her living room to drink coffee and chat. She told us she’s not only working on her house, but having Lasik done on her eyes this coming week! Fantastic news!! Then Brenda started talking about her meeting with the real estate agent to buy a building in downtown Ortonville so she can open up a coffee/computer cafe! Huzzah!!! Debbie filled us in on the Village’s plan to bring sewers into downtown! Wow!!! All very strange and wonderful stuff! Then I told them about my appointment to meet with my friend Lisa about an opportunity for a job. Yes, a real job! With the Welcome Wagon! How perfect for me, they all agreed!
So after coffee I went in to listen to Lisa tell me all about the position. She was just finishing up a phone call as I walked in the door, so the timing seemed perfect. As she talked, I could feel how passionate Lisa is about this job, helping new people feel welcome and giving businesses an opportunity to grow. As I listened to her, I paid close attention to my stomach and my shoulders. Usually when something isn’t quite right, my body will give me physical clues to help me decide. I felt calm and comfortable the whole time. Even when the paperwork seemed a little bit confusing, I thought to myself ”I’ve done complicated things before. I can learn this“. This job seems like a really good fit. So when Lisa asked me “So what do you think?” I didn’t even hesitate. I told her “Sounds great! I’m in!“
So we shook hands on it, to make it official. Lisa beamed at me because she’s so excited to get me on board. And although I was feeling nervous about how I’m going to factor this new position into my life, I’m thrilled to be working again after all these years.
Of course there’s all sorts of things I could worry about, timing with Garrett’s school and karate, finding time to write and get my book published, getting dinner on the table, wearing work clothes and make-up all the time again. But I’m not going to let it stress me. This is a good opportunity and it really feels right. Of course it’s going to be a challenge, but that’s where growth happens. I’m open to that!
So, my friendly blog reader?
Are you noticing changes or opportunities?
Are you keeping yourself open to grace?
I’ve love to read your thoughts in the comments!
Have a wonderful week and I’ll be back on Monday with the Inspirational song of the week.
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.
Benefit: (noun) 1. an advantage 2. a payment or gift, as one made to help someone. 3. an act of kindness; a good deed.
As I was writing last weeks post, I must admit, my friendly blog reader, that I was little bit nervous about putting my heart out on the table like I did.
However, once I finished, I realized that it was exactly what I needed to say. I was very pleased and in fact, the post got quite a few positive responses! WooHoo!
That’s just one of many benefits of living an inspired life.
When doing something is scary, as long as it comes from your heart, you can be assured it will turn out well. You just have to be persistent and have faith in yourself.
So that’s what this post is about today……the benefits of living an inspired life. I’m not exactly sure how this post is going to turn out, but I can assure you that I’ll do my very best to let the energy of the Divine speak through me. That’s the best I have to offer.
Being inspired means you learn to trust the energy (the Universe, the Divine, the Source, the Force, God or Allah) that supports you to help yourself and others. It starts by asking for help and then most importantly accepting it when it comes. It may not be exactly what you expected, but help always come through. You finally begin to understand that you’re not alone. You’re loved and supported just for being who you are. You’re purpose on this planet, is to be happy, and by being happy and dedicated to expressing that happiness, you create the life you’ve always wanted. Everyone who see’s you and watches you live a happy, fulfilling life will be inspired by you.
You discover the power you need to follow your dreams and fulfill your purpose doesn’t come from you but through you.
Living an inspired life gives you a sense of relief that your needs will be met. Funny thing is, you start to realize that you need a lot less than you thought you did. You find more satisfaction in doing small, but significant things, like reaching out to help other people, making art (whatever your art is) and smiling and laughing with your family and friends. You can see how your energy benefits other people and then comes back to you. None of these things take money, but they all fill you up, way, way up. You no longer have to waste time trying to find someone else to give you what you need to be happy.
You become your own happiness.
The Divine creates opportunities for us to grow and stretch, to transform ourselves. That transformative process can be very uncomfortable. Think of a snake shedding it’s skin. It rubs against rocks and tree trunks to relieve the itching. There’s no sin in that. It’s just part of the process. Being inspired allows you the compassion and patience you need to not take that pain and discomfort personally. It’s just ‘growing pains’. Instead of focusing on the pain, you focus on the sweetness of life, the laughter of children, the warmth of a sunbeam and allow it to soothe your soul. You find ways to comfort yourself, like yoga, meditation, exercise, dancing, singing and laughter because you want to offer the best of yourself. You realize you get what you give.
Living an inspired life gives you the tools you need to get past the discomfort, to look past the doubts and resistance to see the bigger picture.
“Life is lived on the edge where every day we learn how to think bigger because we fly higher where we can see possibilities that persistence will yield.”
The more you give yourself over to living an inspired life, the faster you’ll see the benefits. And your Crew will see the benefits too. They’ll see the sparkle in your eye and the bounce in your step. They’ll feel the benefit of your energy whenever you walk into a room and look forward to being around you. By allowing the energy of the Divine to flow through you, you’ll become more clear and effective. You’ll experience more laughter and less angst. You’ll grow into the person you always hoped you’d become. And that’s the best benefit of all!
What do you think, my friendly blog reader?
Do you live an inspired life? Would you like to?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.
If you’re interested in life-coaching with me, or hosting a Current Inspiration party, feel free to e-mail me at pambelding at gmail dot com.
xoxo Pam
p.s. Do yourself a favor and go check out Tammy Vitale’s website . She’s a full-time artist and a phenomenal example of someone living an inspired life!!
Appreciate: (verb) 1. to be thankful for 2. to value or regard highly 3. to be fully conscious or aware of 4. to increase in value
I got this message from God on FaceBook yesterday…
“Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.”
As I was writing up the curriculum for my Feed your Soul class, one of the first things that came to me was the need to Appreciate your gifts.
I’m not talking about that sweater you got from your mother-in-law. (although it would be nice to say thank you). What I’m talking about is that special something that makes you stand out from everyone else. That thing that makes you tick, brings a spring to your step and a twinkle in your eye. That gift from God that allows you to go out and be AWESOME!!
“If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire.” St. Catherine of Siena
(Thanks to Desiree Adaway for sharing this quote on FaceBook!)
But it’s hard.
Because we don’t really want to stick out. We don’t want to have people point at us and say “Wow, you really think a lot of yourself, don’t you?!” We don’t want people to think we’re pushy, arrogant or narcissistic, so we hide our gifts. We dull down our shine in order to fit in. We down-play our awesome so we don’t make our friends and family uncomfortable.
Of course, when I say ‘we‘, I’m talking about me.
I know what my gifts are. I have a talent for observing people and situations and then explaining ideas in simple terms. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone tell me “Wow, that’s a really good analogy.” or “Yeah, that makes sense.” I could buy my husband a really nice dinner with a great bottle of wine! Plus tip!
I’m intuitive, kind, funny and compassionate with a strong desire to be a part of the solution to the problems on this planet.
When I get a chance to really stretch out and be completely myself ……. ‘OH Yeah! I feel like I could move mountains!!!
But (and there’s always a but) if I let my little light shine too brightly, my friends and loved ones can be embarrassed and uncomfortable. If I’m in the wrong place around the wrong people (read ‘business dinner’) then I feel like I need to shrink back, to ‘dumb down’ so I don’t hurt anyones feelings.
I think, to really appreciate my gifts, I need to harness them. To give them a regular, steady outlet so that they don’t ‘leak out’ at inappropriate times. (Just like walking my dog. As long as she’s walked, she behaves wonderfully, but if she doesn’t get out, then she acts up.) I don’t want to force myself on anyone, because not everyone needs or wants to hear what I have to say. But some folks do. They really, really do.
That’s why I’ve decided to start offering life-coaching and my catalogue of classes. I’ve decided to become more open about the fact that I want to inspire people. There, I said it.
I want to inspire people.
I’ve been waking up in the mornings, literally bolting out of bed with the undeniable urge to coach, teach, reach out and help people. I truly appreciate that energy. It’s my gift from God. In order to show my appreciation, I’d like to share that gift, my gift, with you. If you are one of the people who likes and needs some inspiration, then PLEASE get a hold of me. E-mail me at pambelding at gmail dot com. I can help you.
Or if it’s not you, then maybe someone you know could use a good, healthy dose of encouragement. Do us both a favor and send them my way.
I would sure appreciate it!!
So what do you think, my friendly blog reader?
Do you know of someone who could use some inspiration?
I’d love to hear what you think, either in the comments or by e-mail.
With the passing of my husband’s grandmother last week, we heard a lot of people respond to hearing the news “Oh, I’m so sorry.” We appreciated their thoughtfulness, but weren’t very surprised. That’s what people say when they’ve heard of a loved one’s death. It’s good manners and shows respect.
The first step to building your confidence starts with the desire for a sense of possibility. Confidence comes from the realization that there’s a possibility to succeed. Your desire to feel good, healthy, strong, smart, and successful is God’s way of guiding you toward a happy life. Remember, desire is like a hungry cat. It doesn’t stop until it’s got what it wants. Stay open to the desire of the sense of possibility and you’ll be facing in the right direction for the second step.
