Keep on Dancing!

I have to confess that I am a reality television watcher. 

Oh, that was hard to confess. 

 I think mostly it's because I like to watch people, try to figure them out...what makes them tick, so to speak. 

Not that I watch many of the shows, I have only a select few. 

One that I watch off and on is "Dancing with the Stars". I did decide earlier this month that I would cut back on my television watching and do more of the things I think I never have time for like more meditating, reading, sketching and so forth. 

Well, last night I was surfing, just putting time (wink, wink) and came across the season premiere of said television show. I was going to turn it off because I wanted to be faithful to my vows....however...Cloris Leachman was on, and with her being 82, I just had to watch to see how she fared. 

 She did very well considering her age. She is more of an entertainer though and that was what was priceless about it. I thought it was so fantastic that there she was, at 82, continuing to enjoy life and continuing to learn new things. She is having fun and she looks marvelous. Good for her! 

I live across from a lodge where elderly people reside. My mom works with many of the tenants. It's so sad to see that, for some of them, they've lost their will to live. I understand how it happened for many of them, but it still saddens me, nonetheless. 

I think Chloris Leachman is an inspiration for many of us to keep finding our joy in life. 

Keep trying new things. 

Keep smiling, even when the going gets tough. 

Living life, being the best person you can be, is key to happier and healthier "golden" years. 

So, for now, I'll have to set my vows aside to watch her, because she makes me smile, giggle and admire her all at once. She's opened my eyes to the possibilities for me as I continue to age....hhmmmmm...ballroom dancing when I'm 82.... 

Why not?.....M

Bus 9 to Paradise

I was at a used bookstore today and found a whole bunch of books that I had read years ago. 

Most of them were by Leo Buscaglia. 

I certainly recommend reading any one of his books. 

He talks about loving, loving ourselves, loving each other and how to be a decent human. He even taught Love classes in a university. How cool is that? 

The book I'm re-reading is called Bus 9 to Paradise. He starts out by saying how wonderful it would be if we could just hop on a bus that would take us to Paradise. 

The trouble is, Paradise means a different thing to each of us. 

What is your Paradise? 

Do you even know? 

Where could you go that would be the ultimate Paradise for you? 

For some, a sunny beach at a tropical destination is their Paradise. Someone else might find their Paradise hiking in the jungle. Others might find Paradise at a ballet, or a football game, or cozying up with a good book in front of a roaring fire. 

What does Paradise mean to you? 

For me, it really is metaphor. Paradise really is a state of mind. 

If all is going well in my life and I am balanced, I can find Paradise in various places. 

Mostly, it is finding the quiet and serenity that fill me with calmness and peace. That is Paradise for me. 

I don't find that peace in my day very often. Not because it's not available...mostly because I don't necessarily take the time to find it. 

Why do we do that? Why are our days so jam-packed with stuff that we can't even take 15 minutes to find our balance and our Paradise? 

Maybe that's why we think Paradise lies in exotic places or in activities that occur outside our daily lives.

It's a shame really, isn't it? 

Paradise is this close to me and I don't take the time to bask in it. 

I know that I don't get to travel very often, so if I was waiting 5 or 6 years to get to Paradise, I would sure feel cheated for those years. And I'd probably be miserable, grumpy and unhappy for most of those years as well...just putting in time....waiting for happiness....waiting for Paradise. 

Maybe we need to look for mini-Paradises. 

Those activities or locations closer to home that can feed our souls until we can actually travel or go somewhere. I believe we could. If we just looked a little closer to home, we could find places, people and activities that would lift our spirits. 

Reading is one source of Paradise for me, that I know, so I can't wait to start reading my book. 

The passage on the back says "Step onto Bus 9 with Leo and open yourself to a life-affirming journey to paradise. Buscaglia offers refreshing, detailed advice on looking around us and finding delight in the simple things--in food, in flowers, in music, in dance, in art, in memories, in our families, and in loving." 

Oh, I'll probably be up all night reading...... M

Musterbating

Isn't that a risque title?! 

There's a story behind that, of course. 

I was talking with my friend and fellow EFT-er, Karen, the other day. We were talking about the Law of Attraction. 

I'm sure many of you have heard about the movie and book called "The Secret". And you probably have your own opinion of it. 

I quite enjoyed it. I do think it only scratched the surface on the power of thought, but at least it did that. 

I know a few people who have manifested a few things using "The Secret's" methods. My mother was one of them. 

On some level, I've been using the Law of Attraction my whole life, but didn't realize it. When I wanted something so badly, I thought about it all the time. I imagined myself having it and, eventually, I got what I was desiring. 

It seems to be a little more difficult now that I'm older. I have a lot of "Yes, but's...." that stand in my way. 

I'll think of something I want and then I'll have a slew of thoughts as to why I can't have it. It's all part of the power of thought. 

I also enjoyed "The Secret" because it guides people to change their thought pattern, if anything else. 

Instead of thinking about all the nasty and crappy things going on in their lives, it helps them to start focusing on something positive and that in itself is a wonderful thing. 

Why not focus on what's positive? It changes your energy levels and gets you out from under the dark gloomy clouds that hang over your head. 

Changing thought patterns can be tricky, however, and that's what Karen and I were discussing. One of the affirmations we were using is "I can't wait until...I lose weight; I have more money; I am more successful; etc" 

Sounds pretty good, pretty positive... doesn't it? 

Well, according to Michael Losier's book, "Law of Attraction"...we were wording it all wrong. I

f you want to know more about it, check out his book. It is simple, easy to read and easy to understand. It all boils down to the power of thought. That's what my title is all about. 

When my friend Linda and I went to Vegas a few years back, we went to Hay House's "I Can Do It" conference. Loretta Laroche was one of the keynotes. She is a stress comedienne and oh, so funny. By the end of her show, she had all 2000 of us standing up, holding hands and singing "That's Amore`" at the top of our lungs. Talk about energy that night! 

One of things she shared was how we "musterbate" and "should-on" ourselves all the time. 

And we do. 

How many times a day do you say "Oh, I should ....do this, or go there or have done that" and so on or how many times do you say "I must do that, go there, have done that" and so on. 

We beat ourselves up by saying those words. 

All they do is create more guilt in us...and don't we have enough guilt already, without adding to our pile? 

Changing negative thoughts and negative internal dialogue, I think, is crucial to our good health and demeanor. After all, if we don't love ourselves, it makes it pretty hard to let others love us. It's not easy, some days, though. We are only human, after all. 

But just take the time, each day, to notice how you speak to yourself. Notice the negative things you say and try to change it into something positive. Put reminders up on mirrors or in your car or on your computer. It really does help and it eventually becomes second nature to think and talk more positively...and what a difference that will make on the circumstances in your life. 

Now, while the Law of Attraction is the "Law of the Day" right now, I think that we need to remember the other "Laws" of life that are just as important. 

I'll talk about this law more in my newsletter at some point because to me, it's one of the most important Laws that we could follow and it is the Law of Forgiveness. 

Forgiveness can change your whole life...it will make you healthier, happier and more joyful. Try it and see.

Another is the Law of Graciousness. How about that one? I think that's a Law so many people have forgotten about. If we all had and gave a little more graciousness in our lives, imagine the impact it would have in our homes, in our communities, in our schools....in the world. 

But I'll save that for my newsletter. 

In the meantime, just as a reminder, stop musterbating and shoulding on yourself. R

eplace that with graciousness and forgiveness for yourself. It's a start and it feels pretty darn good! Be kind to yourself and that kindness will pay forward many times over. 

Let me know how you make out!....M

Never Stop Learning

I saw that title in a magazine I was reading today. 

Never stop learning. 

What simple advice! 

I often get asked the question, "Is there anything you don't do?" 

For those that don't know me, I am a Jill of all trades and then some....or so people say. Someone once told me that I never stay with one thing because I am never satisfied. I did think about that for a minute or two....but I don't think that's it at all. 

I enjoy the challenge of learning new things. Once I master something to my standards, I move on to something new to master. I'm always learning. 

How can I not? 

There is so much to learn! 

There is so much to read! 

I'm often teased, as is my aunt and cousin, because I often start a sentence with....."Hey, I read that......" 

I believe learning is an essential ingredient to the well-being of people. 

If you close your mind to the limitless possibilities that exist out there, you may be closing the door to some wonderful opportunities! Some of my dearest friends are people I have met while taking a class of some kind! 

There is nothing wrong with improving yourself.....and there are so many fun and exciting ways to do it! 

Even just reading a book is a form of learning. I do have a couple of friends that haven't picked up a book in 20 years, so if reading is not your thing, there is an endless supply of classes that one could take, even if it's just a photography class, a cooking class or a painting class. Or take in a workshop at your local library or school...the newspaper is usually full of all kinds of workshops, I'm sure you'll find one that will pique your curiousity. 

Never stop learning...it's wonderful advice for you and wonderful advice for you to pass on to your children. 

Let them see you reading a great book or learning a new skill or taking a class. Never stop learning...it may just change your life.....M 

 FYI...I can't sing and I don't know how to cook very well......