Giving Thanks

The Buddha said "Happiness never decreases by being shared" so be sure to share your happiness and appreciation with everyone around you during this wonderful Thanksgiving holiday weekend (there's something right there to be thankful for; your weekend starts two days early!).

My inaugural post for this blog back in the summer of 2007 began with the words of a song called "Thank U". The writer was inspired by the gratitude she felt since her trip to India. Today I post the lyrics again and wish you the happiest of holidays!

How 'bout getting off of these antibiotics
How 'bout stopping eating when I'm full up
How 'bout them transparent dangling carrots
How 'bout that ever elusive kudos

Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence

How 'bout me not blaming you for everything
How 'bout me enjoying the moment for once
How 'bout how good it feels to finally forgive you
How 'bout grieving it all one at a time

Thank you India
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence

The moment I let go of it was the momentI got more than I could handle
The moment I jumped off of it
Was the moment I touched down

How 'bout no longer being masochistic
How 'bout remembering your divinity
How 'bout unabashedly bawling your eyes out
How 'bout not equating death with stopping

Thank you India
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity
Thank you, thank you silence

- Alanis Morrisette

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melody Beattie

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
- William Ward

It's About Time

At one time or another, we've all wished for a 25th hour or a 8th day of the week. So many things to do, but too little time, right? Well, time is the great equalizer; every person has 24 hours in a day. No one has more and no one has less. We are all given the same amount of hours in a day. But how do we most effectively use that time? It is a finite resource. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. So, here are some interesting thoughts on TIME.

"The bad news is, time flies. The good news is, you're the pilot." - Michael Althsuler

"Time is what we want the most, but what we use the worst." - William Penn

"While we are postponing, life speeds by." - Seneca

"Until we can manage TIME, we can manage nothing else." - Peter F. Drucker

And one of my personal favorites:

"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift. That's why it's called the present."

And as Jim Croce put it "If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to do, is to save every day 'til eternity passes away, just to spend them with you. If I could make days last forever, if words could make wishes come true, 'Id save every day like a treasure and then, again, I would spend them with you."

And as one of my favorite singers of all time, Eva Cassidy, so eloquently sang, "(if) Time is a healer, then all hearts that break, are put back together again, 'cause love heals the wound it makes."

And as far as managing our time and avoid the procrastination trap? Well, the great folks over at Thought for Today, said it best:

"Complete everything. A task left undone remains undone in TWO places; at the actual location of the task and inside your head. Incomplete tasks in your head consume the energy of your attention as they gnaw at your conscience. They siphon off a little more of your personal power every time you delay. No need to be a perfectionist, that's debilitating in an imperfect world, but it's good to be a 'completionist'. If you start it, finish it... or forget it. Do it .... or dump it!"

To read my earlier posts regarding procrastination, click HERE and HERE.

I'll Be Happy When & Best Kind of Friend Part II

''The great Western disease is, ‘I'll be happy when… When I get the money. When I get a BMW. When I get this job.’ Well, the reality is, you never get to when. The only way to find happiness is to understand that happiness is not out there. It's in here. And happiness is not next week. It's now.'' - Marshall Goldsmith

THE PEOPLE WHO CARE . . . . . .

The following, is an old favorite of mine:

Take this quiz:

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
6. Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

Easier?

The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Please share this with those people who have made a difference in your life. And remember, happiness is NOW.

Quote Worthy

On Monday, my sister shared a great quote with me via email:

"It is not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."

Who is the person behind this succinct, yet very powerful quote? It is none other than writer, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, transcendentalist and local "celebrity", Henry David Thoreau. (Well, local, if you live in eastern Massachusetts!). This also brings to mind another Thoreau quote which is, perhaps not as immediately thought provoking as the quote above, quite inspirational:

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined."

Lots of us get caught up with the mundane chores and obligations of life, then we get stuck in the drudgery and lose sight of our goals and our dreams. We think more negative thoughts, than we do positive ones. So remember, your thoughts become your reality and the world is a mirror. Thoughts become "things". So, instead of thinking of all the things you don't want, focus on the things you do want.... have a goal-oriented and dream fulfilling imagination....which leads me to my next quote:

"Your imagination is your preview to life's coming attractions."

So take it from someone who led an amazing life; the above quote was made by none other than Albert Einstein!

A SHOUT OUT

This weekend, inspiration was in abundance! My best friend graduated with his MBA from Suffolk University's Sawyer Business School. Though most students were from New England, there were some people from all over the globe, including a graduate from a country I had not previously heard of: Burkina Faso (that's the country's name, not the student's!). It was very inspirational to see so many people who had accomplished so much, through much commitment, dedication and good-old-fashioned hard work and perseverance. Congrats to my pally-poos! VERY PROUD OF YOU!

Another inspiring event was the Keiko Matsui concert at Sculler's Jazz Club. I first became acquainted with Keiko's exceptional music back in the mid-1990s, when Boston actually had a decent smooth jazz radio station (which has now been off the air for about 8 years, sigh.....). Keiko is an amazing pianist from Japan. I hadn't seen her perform since 2005, so it was a real treat to see her again. She is so talented as a songwriter and musician and her live band is also truly gifted. I especially enjoyed the saxophonist. It was very nice to hear Keiko's inspiration for her various songs; recent trips to South Africa and Russia and Ukraine acted as muses for some of her latest songs. As soon as I got home, I downloaded "Black River" from iTunes. If you live on the west coast, you'll have ample opportunity to see her live in June. Check out her website for details by CLICKING HERE

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Yes, it's 2008 already. Another year has flown by! What are my wishes for 2008? Well, my wishes, desires and goals on a daily, weekly, monthly basis are very consistent; good health, peace, balance, happiness and to live mindfully and with passion. What do you want? Sure, we all have goals and people still make resolutions every year at this time, but forget about what you "should do"...... what do you want to do? We spend much time and negative energy and worry on composing lists of what we think we should do or what others expect of us or trying to keep up with the status quo. How about spending time focusing on and pursuing what we want to do, what nurtures us, what truly brings us joy? When you pursue something with passion, you usually succeed. When you pursue something you don't truly want, typically it's a half-hearted, passionless effort, which results in, (surprise!) failure. Once again, remember what Paulo Coehlo says in "The Alchemist",

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you achieve it."

Try not to think of resolutions, but rather, goals. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly goals. Set measurable, specific goals for yourself and check in on your progress. When you say "I resolve to eat better", how do you measure whether you're achieving that? You can't. How about saying instead "My goal is to eat 5 servings of vegetables per day" or "My goal is to have only one cup of coffee per day". You can measure your progress and your results, which in turn, will keep you on the road toward success.

As I stated earlier, my consistent wish, desire, goal is to have good health, peace, passion, balance, mindfulness and happiness. These are actually generalizations. To reach these goals, I need to break them down in to more specific measurable goals. When goal setting, you must also consider the obstacles you will encounter and how you will overcome them. Think strategy! Another must for success is support. How will you find support in helping you achieve these things? What kind of support works for you? An online support group? A likeminded friend or family member to check in with? A book or weekly podcast? Your church? A local community group that meets every Wednesday evening? A professional coach? Find the support you need to help you realize your dreams.

And remember, BELIEF is crucial. You must believe you can have what you want!

Create goals for all the various areas of your life:

• Finance
• Career
• Relationships
• Health & Fitness
• Fun & Recreation
• Personal Growth
• Contribution / Legacy

And finally, some quotes to help you maintain your motivation;

"A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline."

"Many fine things can be done in a day, if you don't always make that day tomorrow."

"If you want to have what you have not, you must do what you do not."

And from Stephen Covey:

"The best way to predict your future is to create it."

Many blessings and best wishes for a peaceful and passionate 2008! Do something that brings you joy every day. Create your future and love it!

With love,

Kathleen