The Message - The Power Of Love

Sometimes I find little scripts of paper lodged in a book or a pocket where I have scribbled a message on. Sometimes it is just the message that I need at the time. Sometimes it is just the message for someone else and it reappears at just the right time.

My Mom and Dad had been married for over 50 years. I asked my Dad one day how he managed to stay in love with the same woman for so long. He said, "It's your Mom. She taught me how to love. She taught me the meaning of laughter. We've been playing a game for over 50 years and it's our secret." Then he told me how he would write a message of I love you and hide it somewhere and she would find it and then she would write a message that said I love you and he would find it. Sometimes it would be in his suit coat when he went to work or in his lunch sack or on the toliet paper. Once he wrote it in the sugar container.

After my Dad died, my Mom thought her life was over. They had been high school sweethearts and had been married for so long that having Dad arround was like a part of her. I tried to keep her busy and do things like my Dad with her. One day about six months after my Dad died, I came over to her house and found her sobbing. When asked what had happened she said, "I found a note from your Dad that said I love you. Even in death he still remembers to tell me how much he loves me."

After I went home, I found a small package that he had given me that I had been too busy to unwrap, I unwrapped it and found a little paper weight for my desk that says, "I love you."

Keep the message of the power of love going. You are worth it, because I love you.

The Touch Of The Master's Hand

I found this and thought of my grandfather and how he made me learn this poem in teaching me the strings of life. I hope it will empower you and give you courage in your life. ~~~

Twas battered and scared, and the auctioneer Thought it scarcely worth his while To waste much time on the old violin, But he held it up with a smile."What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,"Who'll start bidding for me? A dollar, a dollar - now who"ll make it two _Two dollars, and who"ll make it three?

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, Going for three". . . but no! From the room far back a gray-haired man Came forward and picked up the bow; Then wiping the dust from the old violin, And tightening up the strings, He played a melody, pure and sweet, As sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer With a voice that was quiet and low, Said: "What am I bidden for the old violin? "And he held it up with the bow;"A thousand dollars - and who'll make it two? Two thousand - and who'll make it three? Three thousand once, three thousand twice And going - and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understand -What changed its worth?" The man replied: "The touch of the masters hand." And many a man with life out of tune, And battered and torn with sin, Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd. Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine, A game and he travels on, He's going once, and going twice -He's going - and almost gone! But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd, Never can quite understand, The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought By the touch of the MASTER'S hand. ~ Myra B. Welch

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"The Master's Hand" was written by Myra Brooks Welch, called "The poet with the singing soul." She came from a very musical family and she loved playing the organ as a young girl. In 1921, she heard a speaker address a group of students and became filled with light. The "Touch of the Master's Hand wrote itself in 30 minutes!"

She sent it anonymously to her church news bulletin as she felt it was a gift from God, and didn't need her name on it. It's popularity spread like magic. Finally, several years later, the poem was read at a religious international convention - "author unknown." A young man stood up and said, "I know the author, and it's time the world did too. It was written by my mother, Myra Welch."

It was then her name, as well her other beautiful works of poetry became known worldwide. All of her poetry told of the rejoicing she had in God's love.

What the world did not see, was the woman who created these masterpieces was in her wheelchair, battered and scarred from severe arthritis, which had taken away her ability to make music. Instead, her musical soul spoke through her poetry.

She took one pencil in each of her badly deformed hands. Using the eraser end, she would slowly type the words, the joy of them outweighing the pain of her efforts. Her words, a joyous expression of the wonders of life, by a singing soul that was touched by the Master's Hand.

As a friend turned to leave her home, Myra patted the arm of her wheelchair and said, "And I thank God for this!" Imagine being grateful for a wheelchair! But her talent lay undiscovered prior to her wheelchair days. Rather than becoming bitter, she chose to let her handicap make her better, and a wonderful new door opened for her.

Use Your Influence

You may not see yourself as a person of great influence; but trust me, you are! We all influence others every day. We either leave them with negative or positive influence. Whom do you influence? Obviously, your family first. You set the tone in your home. If you are calm, encouraging, laughing, and hopeful, these contagious attitudes will spread through your family like a healing balm. If you are angry, anxious, fearful and demanding, these contagious attitudes will spread through your family like a disease.

You also influence other people, like your co-workers, friends and acquaintances. As your character becomes apparent to others, your light will shine like a stain glass window. You never know its beauty until darkness sets in and the light from within shines through. During depression and beyond, your light will shine out of you in the most natural and loving way. As it does, many of those around your field of influence will find inspiration, love and light out of the way of depression. Spread your influence of joy and peace where ever you go.

Go For The Finish Line Goal!

Have you ever watched Olympic runners in a race? They have trained until there is not an extra ounce of fat on their bodies. They are prepared. They are totally ready and totally focused on the goal of winning the race. Life is a race but it is not how fast you finish, it's that you finish it. You do the best you are able and you are a winner. You are not going to lose to depression.

Think like a champion. I want you to operate like a champion. Your are quite literally running the race of your life. The course is challenging for you to follow, but you are not alone. There are over 89,000 Americans diagnosed with depression each year. The numbers grows even more when you add the numbers of the rest of the world. There is a crowd cheering you on every step of the way. You may not see them, but they are there lurking in the shadows. "Go for it!", they shout. "Get up! You can do it!", they yell when you stumble. And who is yelling louder than anyone? I am. I've been there. I know the fog of depression. You can be lifted from the brink of disaster. If I can make it, so can you! Others are saying if you can make it, so can they. Together we can make a difference.

A Perfect World Doesn't Exist

Human beings are prone to blow it. A perfect world doesn't exist. I hate to break it to you nobody is perfect. So quit trying to act perfect. Don't expect perfection from anyone else. Fact of life. It is part of the Strings of Life. Computers aren't either. What is put into us is bound to come out of us. No matter how hard we try, garbage in is garbage out. If you surround yourself with negativity, anger and fear, then you will expel negative thoughts and depression. Surround yourself with positive people, positive music and positive books and movies and you will find little by little you will create positive possibilities and happiness. Empower yourself with inspiration and joy. Begin the mind healing.

Don't try to give your children, your spouse, your friends and co-workers the impression that you are perfect. Learn to be real and truthful. Seek forgiveness when you have erred. Forgive others for their shortcomings. Together we can make a difference! Live joy!

Are You Prepared?

Were you ever a boyscout or girl scout? What kind of general would send his soldiers into battle with no weapons, no strategy and no information about the enemy operations? He would either be cruel or stupid. Our motto is "Be Prepared."

Your Creator is your Commander in Chief and wants you to be prepared. Life on planet Earth is quite literally a daily battle. Depression attacks daily. It is a battle between good and evil, right and wrong, truth and lies. You will need to arm yourself to stand against the enemy.

Read and listen to positive possibilities and stories. Listen to and seek the truth. Live right. Turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts and actions. One step at a time. Meditate on happiness, peace and truth. Empower yourself with joy, inspiration and laughter. Be prepared for daily battles of anger, anxiety, panic attacks, depression and defeat. Never give up! Never, never, never give up!

Hold That Thought

One of the first things you teach your young children is how to cross the street safely. "Look both ways for traffic and hold tight to my hand," you say.

The traffic that threatens the safety of young people today includes some very deadly realities: violence, drugs, depression, teen suicides, teen pregnancies, and religious cults.

How can your children cross the street of life safely? How can you cross the street of life safely? You need to know about the potential dangers. No need to get hysterical and overstate the case. Just calmly make the statements. Be sensible. Hold the thought of happiness within you. Know that rushing out into the traffic of life leads to death, but holding on to truth and happiness leads to life and joy.

Can you relate to that? Every day take 30 minutes to dwell on happiness thoughts. Empower yourself with those thoughts.

Hold that thought!

You Are the Boss

Some days are good day, some are bad days. Some days when the work seems endless, when your boss is demanding and your loved ones act ungrateful, you may feel like running away from it all. I know, I've been there. Listen. You can look at your job on two levels. On one level your serving people IE (boss, customers, employees, co-workers, family members). On a higher level you were created for a special purpose. Your Creator picked you to do this job and will give you the strength to get it done. The Power that created you will strengthen you.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to be the boss and show others how to find joy. Not with anger and force but with love and inspiration. Every morning, meditate and ask your Creator to assist you in courage, peace and joy. Ask your Creator to empower you, equip you and help you fulfill your assignment. Paying the price to be the boss isn't easy but it is worth it.

Hugs in an attitude of gratitude,

Dancing To Your Heartbeat

Everyone has a little hero within them. How do you feel when a hero comes to town? Pick your favorite hero who was just crowned with their greatest achievement. What happens? Do they have a procession with people dancing and singing their praises. Can you imagine you having that triumph. Picture it in your mind. It is within you.

Don't just sit around acting pious. Don't let depression get you down. Fill your heart with joy and lead others to it. Everyone you meet is affected with what you have. Will you leave them with depression or inspiration. Don't fall into the trap of trying to act respectable. When you feel the strings of life playing your heartsong, I want you to dance to the music. I want you to have a parade and be at the front, with your head held high, dancing with all your might.

Hugs in an attitude of gratitude,

The Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.



So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.



What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!

The struggles and hardships that we have endured have made us what we are today. We are where we need to be at this point in our lives so that we can move forward with ease.

Like the bird that learned to fly with a broken wing. The bird learned to do what was thought to be impossible. The courage that brought us through all the trials and tribulations of the past is the same courage that will push us toward our victorious life ahead. We are victors not victims.

One day, my Mom was outside in the yard feeling down after the death of my Dad. Butterflies flutter around her garden all the time.

This one day a butterfly attacked her and tried to keep her from going through the path that she had chosen. She laughed because she was so much larger than a little butterfly.

She started back on the path and again, the butterfly attacked her chest to keep her from her path. This time she took a step backward to see why this butterfly would attempt to do such a feat. Then she notice that another butterfly laid in the path where she would have walked.

The butterfly on the ground was apparently injured and the other butterfly was trying to muster all the courage to give the other butterfly precious moments of life. Mom changed her course.

A few days later, Mom saw two butterflies fluttering around her. I don't know if it was the same butterflies or not. What matters is that she learned to have butterfly courage to go on through a difficult struggle and those butterflies taught her that life is too short not to enjoy each precious moment. Out of our struggles comes new life!

Creating Happiness

How important is teaching children to obey? Children gain a sense of security from knowing where their boundaries are. Teaching obedience is lovingly creating boundaries. When you teach your children to obey, you are leading them into a greater sense of security.

It is the same with adults. As an adult, sometimes we have gone beyond our boundaries. When we have stretched our boundaries beyond the limits, depression creeps in. Depression steals our joy. Depression causes us to be lonely, cast off, tired, angry, anxiety-ridden, and feel sabotaged.

You have a choice. You have the power to chose to resist your teachings and feelings. If you were taught with loving care, the confidence will return when you empower yourself with the knowledge that you know to be the truth and live within those boundaries. You have a choice to accept happiness or depression. The confidence you have will far outweigh the temporary resistance. Stick with a loving plan to discipline yourself. As you stick with your plan, confidence will strengthen. Create happiness thoughts and let joy flow through you.

When you feel worn down and tired of the inevitable struggle that comes with depression, know that you are worth the effort. Know that your efforts are worth it.

Let Joy Flow Through You

Your Creator is never far away. Do you live your life in the truth of that reality? Or do you act as though your Creator was some self-centered celebrity who stays holed up in a ritzy penthouse apartment far away from you and your everyday problems. Trust me, when you are dealing with problems, you're dealing with a very down to earth friend who really cares.

You only have to remember that love surrounds you and all you have to do is accept the fact. There are no conditions to that love. The Power that created you has an indwelling love for you. So when you need courage, wisdom, peace or strength, remember that love abounds. I know what you're going through, I've been there. I'm only a heartbeat away and so is your Creator. Give gratitude for your inspiring love. Affirm your love.

Close your eyes and meditate on goodness, and let love, peace and joy flow through you.

Hugs in an attitude of gratitude,

What's Playing In Your Mind?

Your mind is a little like a movie cinema that runs the films of your thoughts, your values, your beliefs and your life. If you could do a cat scan of the minds of people passing by, you'd see a variety of movies. Some would center on a fresh exciting new day open with lots of possibilities. Some would be the faces of loved ones. Some might even reveal a joyful mental dance. Others would be self-centered dreams of greed, pornography, trash of a misguided culture, fearfulness, loneliness and depression.

What's on your mind today? Try making a journal of pictures, drawings or paintings of your thoughts for several days or a month. Cut out pictures that you like out of a magazine and paste them to different pages. In this way, you will see what your subconscious mind is thinking. If the themes of your movies have been envy, fear or lust; cleanse your mind by mediating on good possibilities. I've had several people tell me they were amazed when they started keeping a picture journal. Your mind gravitates to the things that is on the mind of the subscious. Your movies will turn to peace and joy.

Keep Your Mind On Good Thoughts

There are hundreds of books, magazines article and seminars designed to help you live your life in a positive state of mind. Although some of them are written or presented by someone claiming to be a good person. Be careful of what you do read.

You were created by your Creator and know the truth. The truth is free. Those that are wolves in sheep clothing are those that are trying to pull the wool over your eyes. You have two eyes and can read. You know in your heart if something is the truth. Listen to your heart. If you read or hear someone say something that you do not feel good about; question it. Seek the truth in all things. Seek the truth not just because you want it to be a certain way but because it is the truth. When you read and hear positive possibilities, your mind will begin to seek positive when negative is thrown in your way.

Don't attempt the latest fad or just because your friends are on the trend. Look for guidance through the maze of self-help literature that is out there. Your Creator will guide you when you ask for the Creator's help. Your subconscious knows the truth and will seek the truth. Seek affirmations that are good for you and you will find peace and tranquility. Empower yourself with things that are true and inspire.

Let Your Heart Dance

Someone once defined joy as peace dancing. Can you relate to that? Imagin a joyful child. See how they dance for joy. Hear the sounds of laughter.

Unlike happiness, joy is not influenced by what 's happening around you. It's an inner assurance that you are the blessed controller of all things. It's a grateful realization that you were given by your Creator . . . an unbounded love that can never be taken away.

When you are dwelling in joy, there will be no room for fear or depression. Your face will wear a new expression. Your head and your heart will know a new serenity. Let go of anger, anxiety, panic and fear. Cultivate a new feeling of joy. Let your peace rise up in joyful dance. Dance to the music you hear in your heart. Let the abundance of joy flow through you.

Don't Worry

Worry is an enemy that arrives on your doorstep disguised as a friend. When you're in trouble, Worry says, "Stick with me, kid. I'll help you deal with this." Worry brings his friend, Depression and Anxiety. The longer worry sticks around, the more depression and anxiety will loom.

What a lie! Worry never contributes anything positive. It's a circular thought pattern that only leads to more worry. In the end it leaves you with a knot in your stomach and no plan of action.

When you hear the knock, knock, knock of worry at your door, don't answer it. Instead think of positive possibilities. Meditate on good possiblities. Empower yourself. Ask for the help of your Creator. Trust in your Creator. The Power that created you has the power to guide you to safety. Count your blessings. Be grateful for the little things in your life. Ask your Creator for a solution, and peace will stand guard outside your heart to keep worry off the premises. Ask. One step at a time. You will notice, that depression and worry will leave to have peace and happiness surround you with laughter.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Laughter is the best medicine. It is free...readily available to us whenever we remember a funny story or act in a silly way. Or maybe we see something in life, on TV or at the movies that is magnified in are own lives. Just watch our children or grandchildren. Like the time, my granddaughter hit the aquarium with her head and she said, "The fish bit me." If we are lucky, we continue to share our laughter with our family, friends and those we come in contact.

We talk about fun things or going somewhere that is fun for us. How many of us actual take the time to find humor in each day or laugh about anything? How many of us schedule into our today list a time for fun. It's important to work, but don't forget to play. We feel less stressed and feel more at eased when we laugh. Laughter is contagious. Don't think so? Try laughing and see what happens. It is like a drop of water that causes a ripple effect that courses through the depth and breath of water. Just as our words positive or negative can makes such an impact on the people around us. Our laughter can plow a course through the universal depression. It can inspire hope and reduce the number of suicides.

Of course, it is also important to allow ourselves to stay balanced. My motto is work hard, play hard.

Living a life of positive thinking and laughter is bound to have you feeling happier and more successful throughout your day-to-day routine. In fact, those that make positive thinking and laughter a key goal in their lives tend to experience more daily success and more happiness than anyone else. Visualizing goals and going after them are a key component to positive thinking. Keeping a light attitude towards life is a great way to keep laughter as the soundtrack to your life and have things looking a little bit brighter. When it comes to a healthy state of mind and body, positive thinking and laughter work hand in hand.

Having daily happiness and success are all about developing a habit. You'll need to start making a few changes in your life if you want to experience positive thinking and laughter on a regular basis, and you'll want to create an environment that encourages both those qualities, too. This may sound like work, but don't worry; it can actually be a lot of fun! One of the first things you'll want to do in developing your "happy habit" is to change the way you look at things in your life. Keep the focus on the bright side and think of the good side all the time. You may find that your mind will try to drag you down and look at the negative things in life more often than you'd like, but you have the power to change that focus and keep it on positive aspects. If you try to make your first thoughts about the bright side of the situation, you'll find yourself well on your way to developing your "happy habit". I'm checking on you and I'm gonna tell Santa!



Live, love and laugh!

Hugs in an attitude of gratitude

You Are The Dream!

Be in the moment enjoy the day!

The greatest support we can have is mindfulness, which means being totally present in each moment. If the mind remains centered, it cannot make up stories about the injustice of the world or one's friends, or about one's desires or sorrows. This is the day that you are alive. This is the moment that you are in.

Beyond this moment, nothing else exist. Take responsibility for this moment. Enjoy it. Savor every precious thought, every moment before it slips away. Take time to smell the roses and other beautiful flowers along the journey.

Watch a sunset. Pay attention how much pleasure you experience. The best thing that can happen is that we learn from our experiences and the worst thing that can happen is that we fail to learn from our experiences. Enjoy the moment.

Engage in some activity that you would like to do. How did it make you feel? What did you learn about yourself? Did you make a mistake? Remember it is the journey that makes life worth living. . . nothing is set in stone or frozen. It is like dust in the wind. Dare to dream.

All your hopes and dreams are real right now. All your possibilities are ready to be lived. Everything you've ever done has led you to this point. You are more fully alive, aware, experienced and prepared than you have ever been. What matters is not how old or how young you may think you are. What matters is making the most of this moment you now have.

What matters is not how much or how little you may think you have, how fairly or unfairly you may think life has treated you. What matters is that you make the most of who you are.

This is it. This is your moment to fill with the best you can imagine.

Live it with love, with purpose and joy.

Hugs in an attitude of gratitude,

Lessons for Truth, Justice and Creativity

Within every human being exists an infinite supply of creativity, strength, and fight for justice.
You are capable of more than you know.

Let me tell you about a real life person. Her name is Lynn Boudreaux.

Lynn was born a few minutes after her twin sister Donna on February 4, 1961. Shortly after birth, Lynn was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Doctors told her parents that she would not be able to talk, and she would never be a student in a regular classroom. Her parents were great believers in possibilities. They worked with their daughters. Their Mom was a music teacher. By the time Donna was 3, she was not only talking up a storm but had a thirst for vocabulary. Lynn had a language that only she and Donna could understand. One day, while their Mom was getting breakfast ready, the most beautiful music came out of the piano room.

Their Mom told Donna to get off the piano and come to breakfast. Donna came. The music continued. The Mother looked puzzled at Donna because she knew it was too early for her students, and said, "Who's that playing on the piano?"

Donna went into the piano and said, "Mother get in here, because you're not gonna believe me!"

When the Mom arrived, she dropped her jaw. There sat, Lynn, playing the piano; looked up and smiled. The subconscious mind had listened to the Mother giving the other students lessons and though she had never had one lesson, was able to play the piano. In fact, I believe it was one of Mozart's pieces that one of the students had been practicing for an upcoming recital.

Lynn continued to amaze her family and friends.

When I met Donna, she was a little embarrassed about introducing me to Lynn. Because Donna was so beautiful, every boy wanted her and because of her twin sister, many didn't. Even back them I was trying to be supportive and give her possibilities and empowerment.

I don't know what happened to them. Some people come into to our lives and leave footprints on our hearts. We are touched by everyone we meet. Anyway, I thought of them today and decided to write about it. In loving memory!

Are you a success if you play it safe your whole life and never dare anything unless you are guaranteed victory?

When you set milestones, it is important to set many smaller milestones that coincide with it. Even if you fail to reach your deadline for one milestone, you will still succeed at many, and you will build your confidence to a much higher level. Give yourself empowering reasons for getting up when you feel down.

There is a champion inside YOU.

What can you do that will inspire you to unleash it?

Keep On Keeping On.

Live Your Dreams.

Hugs in an Attitude of Gratitude,

A Strum of the Heartstrings

Bam! The door slammed as Janice stormed out of Darrell's office. Darrell had shot down the proposal, just as Janice had feared. Just like every time before. "Why is he so obsessed with control?" Janice seethed in resentment. "How many times am I going to have to fight this battle?"

Feelings can be powerful disablers when our wishes aren't being realized. Like in this story there was a history that poisoned Janice's unconscious beliefs about her chance to bring about her desires. Until she could become aware that she unintentionally self-sabotaged, she was confused and disappointed by her results and left feeling powerless and angry. Feelings are influenced by our expectations, which are based on our beliefs. If we are experiencing what we want, then we feel happy and life is good. If we are experiencing something that we do NOT want, then we feel that life is dealing us lemons.

What if feelings are directives - self-generated decisions, based upon beliefs that cause what we experience? Like many fundamental truths of life, we often have the cause-effect relationship backwards. We sometimes feel that if we work harder, we'll get a raise; if I love you, you will love me; I would be happy if I had a new ... Sound familiar.

It's easy to understand the fallacy of the first example. To get a raise, you generally need to work harder FIRST. Working is the cause - a raise is the effect. Raises don't cause work. When did you last see someone work harder after getting a raise - beyond a day or two? You may not always get a raise by working harder, but it's highly unlikely you'll get one any other way.

The second example: I'll love you back if you love me first, turns love into a bartering tool. We're afraid of being vulnerable, so we insist that the other person step out on the limb first. Is that really love? Love isn't something we get from another, it's a personal choice to become loving. It's a way of being first, then it's a gift you share. The one who insists that their partner love first is dealing in fear, not love. And even if the partner does express love first, it's unlikely that that love will be felt by the other. Love is born internally (cause) or it's never experienced (effect).

The last example may be the hardest to challenge. I'll be happy when I get what I want. We are surrounded every day by the message that our happiness depends on external circumstances. If we don't have the car we want, the house we want, the clothes we want, the job we want, etc. - if we feel we are lacking whatever we believe causes happiness, we feel unhappy.

Because our life did not meet our wants or expectations, we chose to feel badly. Our feelings are a result of what we tell ourselves it means. Some hide or run away from those feelings, while others take action and change things. In both cases the is reactionary - giving power to the circumstance without understanding that the circumstance is an effect, not a cause. The cause was the combination of expectations, personally-determined meanings, and erroneous beliefs that our quality of life is determined by our circumstances.

If you take power over those feelings and direct your result it is like an artist or writer. You are the artist, life is the canvas. You have the power of the pen to transform your life. Life is your agent fulfilling your commands. Through the thoughts and feelings you choose, you direct life to become. To be what you want. No longer a puppet controlled by someone or at the hands of thoses who would defeat you. You will often feel amazed and manipulated by what you learn. Believe me when I say, you ignited the effect by changing. You have the power to change.

Dream the live you were meant to dream!

The Courage to Find Happiness

Some days are good days, some days are bad days. Have you ever awaken with the dread of getting out of bed? You know it's going to be a bad day. Every nerve in your body is screaming "Bad day! Bad day!" Well, I have.

After my car accident, there were times when I had tossed and turned all night with nightmares, my body ached, I felt the black hole was swallowing me and if I got out of bed I was walking into a dark cloud of fog.

It took courage just to get out of bed, to attempt one more day to find a little something to be happy about. Courage is what you didn't know you had when everything else was saying run.

The Internet was a lifesaver for me. I found lost friends. I got in touch with them on the Internet and made new friends on the Internet. Maybe I couldn't move around much but I could connect a little on the Internet. My friends and my new friends sent me notes, chat, prayers and jokes. It got me to smile and then to laugh. A little here and a little there. Suddenly I felt connected.

Being connected to at least one person during a time of depression is extremely important. Depression hurts because you feel isolated, you want to run and hide, you want to throw the covers over your head and never come out. I know, I've been there.

Other things you can do is to change your routine. Drive a different route to work, switch your right and left hands for everyday activities, eat dessert first, and wear your pajamas to work. Wait, no, that last one will get your family giving you worried looks for sure? So wear a hat to work or out shopping. Probably it will be different and people are nice to you when you wear a hat. I opted for a bright colored one or a big floppy one.

Drink water. If your body is a little dehydrated, it can contribute to your depression. Sodas depeat the body of water. I had to learn to like water too. Now I love it.

Whenever negative thoughts come to mind, try to turn them into to positive thoughts. I'm not saying your problems are over, but simply looking at the world through rose-colored specs means that half your problems will look like exciting challenges, and the other half you'll probably realize aren't problems at all, just the strings of life.

The thing you must do the most is fight to have courage to connect with someone, to try again. Who knows when the next blow could be the blow that vanishes the dragon.

Now get out there and dance like I've said before to be fluid with your body exercises every nerve in your body as all nerves pass through the neck. Connect with the music. Music is to the soul like a bandaid is to a cut. Life's too short not to dance and have fun.

Hugs in an attitude of gratitude.

Am I Blue?

I was reading an article this morning about the Blue Zone. People who live in these areas tend to live longer. Although the Blue Zone is not a physical zone like eastern time zone, it characterized the zone in terms of the people who lived in those areas. They found they tended to huddle together. Makes sense, birds of a feather flock together. One of the most important asset you will every own is your health!

These people tend to eat a healthier life-style by adding more fruits, vegetables and nut (almonds, cashews, walnuts and macadamia nuts). They enjoy the aging process no matter what age they are and interact with others in a relaxed or less stressful way. They find little activities to do all day to keep them busy. They take time to enjoy their sanctuary. Not eating right can contribute to your blues.

Some may think the secret to longevity lies in strenuous physical activity, such as running marathons or triathlons or pumping iron. Four things people can do that can potentially increase life expectancy: Create an environment that encourages physical activity, set up your kitchen in such a way that you're not overeating, cultivate a sense of purpose and surround yourself with the right people.

These are long-term fixes that have been shown over and over to add more years of life to you not life to your years.

Makes sense to me to enjoy life! Have a good day!

Dance To the Music

Some days are good days, some days are bad... sometimes we can be so busy that we forget moving our body is even an option. Some of us remain seated at our computer for hours every day, sit in a chair for hours in pain or rush from task to task with robotic precision. When we are caught up in crossing items off our to-do lists, we tend to neglect all the opportunities there are to enjoy our lives in the process of living. If this is true for you, begin looking for opportunities to move.

Bad days. . . just go for a walk even if it is just indoors and turn yourself around. Put on some music that your heart can't help but jump for joy. It is healing the heart. You might try dancing or moving about freely as you clean your home or in the garden or with your children. Children love to play this! Sorry no country music for this. In dancing, even slow dancing, our bodies adjust, realign and start to become fluid with the rhythm of life. Our mood lifts and we feel more connected with the world around us. Every nerve in our body flows through our neck. So if, we're rigid our bodies become rigid. If we are fluid, we are in a tune with life.

So come on and dance like no one is watching!

The Power of Now

Thoughtful retrospection—either oral or written—can help you focus on life's meaning and prepare for upcoming transitions, while leaving a history for future generations.

Upon reaching their middle and older years, men and women often look back on rewarding and warm moments, touching times, and challenging experiences. By making a conscious decision to contemplate the past, adults can reshape their perceptions and expectations and leave a legacy for other family members.

Looking at accomplishments and unresolved issues, the things that make a person what they are today, comes with the decision to harvest the wisdom of a lifetime and appreciate the lessons learned.

You can relive your happy moments. Have you ever noticed a child as they discover something for the first time? It is completely spellbinding.

Do you have any of those memories? If you do it every day for at least 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes before retiring to bed for 30 days, you will find you will feel better. Your mood will have lifted. Then your mind will start attracting you to similar experiences to make new happy moments.

Why am I telling you this you ask? Because, everything was a great "joy to discover," and there was so much of it to do. Each time, it was so incredible that you were constantly looking to find these discoveries. The power of living in the now is so incredible. Spend some time with a small child, and relive your earliest memories with them and through them. This is the reason I am telling you this.

Recapture the wondrousness of discovery. It is so cool to have the great memories, and to remember the happiness that you felt, and that is the reason to continue to create your future memories, but live in the present. Life is still an awesome thing to discover at any age. Spend some time with a small child so that you can remember how to do it.

Enjoy living in the present. Life is a beautiful thing, don't waste it by living in the past. Your mind will take you to unbelievable moments if you let it.

Have a good day!

Breathe life

For the most, we tend to live in either the past or the future and rarely in the now. We scorn our failures of past and look with anxiety and fear that the future will bring the same, yet we totally forget about right now.

Forget about what happened or what's going to happen. Today, right now, just do your best, be the best you can be. Breathe life into the today. Live it, love it, and enjoy ever second of it.

Don't worry about the past or the future. If you pay attention and live fully in the now both of those will resolve themselves.

If right now is the best time for you to learn, then seize the day, don't put it off.

Activity is Therapy

Research shows us that positive mental exercises can lift depression, even major depression. Some ways to put us in a happier mood: Will Rogers once said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

I know sometimes it feels like ‘I don’t want to do anything.’ A few minutes can turn in to hours, hours turn in to days, weeks, months and even years. So when you feel the darkness coming on, that’s the time to do something.

If we were never depressed, we would not be alive - only physical non-living things don't get depressed. If humans were not capable of depression, we would not be capable of happiness or excitement. Some things were meant to depress us such as death and things related to death. It's a matter of how long and how deep we're depressed. When you examine yourself, take in to account your capacity for depression.

Depression tends to turn us away from doing the ordinary things of life. In doing little things we find inspiration and that is taking control against depression. We must take these baby steps to find inspiration. If, however, we do little things just to fight depression we will only deepen our despair. When our spirit leads us to do something, the moment that we do it, depression vanishes. As soon as we arise, we enter a higher pleateau in life. Try it! Listen and do the little things again.

Little things make a difference. Activity for as little as 10-15 minutes can make a difference.
1.) Try going to a different room to get a drink of water. Take a sip or two of water in each room for 10 minutes. Make a game out of it. Our bodies are made of water and need to be replenished. Movement makes a difference.
2) Go for a 10 minutes walk.
3.) Try 15 minutes of stretching.
4.) Do 10-15 of gardening or painting.
5.) Clean a room or corner for 10 minutes.
6.) Go for a 10 minutes swim.
7.) Find a hobby or group you can join and go do it for at least 10 minutes. There are usually groups that play 42, dominoes, checkers, bingo, etc. or volunteer your time at a retirement home – there are many people there that want someone to play a game with, play the piano, sing, put a puzzle together or just talk to. They are happy to have someone.

Other things you can do to improve your mental state are to eat a good breakfast, avoid negative people and don’t snooze when your alarm goes off in the morning. Get on up! You mentally start your mind on the right track when you do. Positive thoughts increase your immune system as proven by recent research. So whenever you see yourself having a negative thought, try to rephrase it to a positive thought. Make a plan for the next day so you have a reason to get on up.
Reward yourself in the morning for getting up with a special tea, coffee or breakfast treat for getting up. Chart your activities at the end of the day. Count your activities – one point for each activity. See how many points you can get each day. Chart to see your improvement. The only one you are competing with is yourself.

Activity is therapy!

Something To Think About

Some people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be possibly your roommate, neighbor, professor, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger, but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to when you open your heart.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things. Make every day count... Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.

You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets. Most importantly, if you love someone tell them, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store. And learn a lesson in life each day you live.

Change of Habits

Whenever you have a negative thought see if you can think of solutions. Focusing on the seemingly impossible problems you have in your life will not help you solve them any quicker. It brings you down faster. Watch how quickly a child will try to find a possitive solution. Try to do the same.

Watch some cartoons or read a funny story. Always try to make time in your day to find a way to laugh. Make sure you get your belly to laugh every day.

Listen to music that relaxes you or uplifts you. Giving yourself energy through listening to music you like is an important part of developing your “happy habit”. Music is to the soul like a bandaid is to a cut.

Read or listen tobooks, anything else that inspires you. This will keep your thoughts positive and will help you stray into negativity.

Try to make other people happy. Volunteer to do something for someone else and see how you feel better. In doing something for someone else, you take you mind off your own problems. Doing at least one task each day for the express purpose of making someone else happy will help create and spread your “happy habit”.

Be happy for others in their happiness and don't envy their happiness. It's hard, sometimes to see other people feeling happy if you are not. Instead of feeling envious of them, just feel happy for them. It is great to surround yourself with lucky, fortunate people. Keep positive company around you. If you surround yourself with genuine people with positive attitudes and laughter, you will find that you will catch some of that energy. Joy is contagious, as is laughter.

Focus on your accomplishments and not the things you didn't accomplish, within reason. Focusing on goals you have met will help you develop plans to meet new goals.

Focusing on your goals can be complicated, but with a plan in place to visualize your goals and accomplish them properly, you might find that achieving goals can actually be fun. Of course, many people don't know how to make a plan to meet their goals and, instead, struggle with all of the negative feelings. Don't let negativity break you down. Instead, use your energy to find ways to step towards what you wish to have in life and make it happen.

Have a good day!

Look for the light!

Look for the light! When darkness sets in and you can't seem to find your way look for the light and keep your eye on it! The light will guide you safely thru as long as you keep focus.

There is nothing to gain about what we do not have. If we would have peace, then let us accept ourselves as we are with our own limitations and start from there. History shines with names of people who did this.

We cannot remake ourselves, but do the best we can with what we have. Accept ourselves.
Robert Louis Stevenson never had a well day in his life but he refused to bow down to low spirits and left a rich legacy of literature for future generations.

Helen Keller who was blind refused to face the shadows but instead chose to face the light so the shadows would fall behind her.

Sir Walter Scott was lame but it did not deter him. He accepted it gracefully and his biography reveals an enthusiastic, well-intergrated, radiant being.

There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. - Carl Jung

Life is just one damned thing after another. - Elbert Hubbard

Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep. - Fran Lebowitz

Life is something that everyone should try at least once. - Henry Tillman

Life is like playing a violin in public and learning the instrument as one goes on. - Sammel Butler

Life isn't fair. It's just fairer than death, that's all. - William Goldman

Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering - and it's all over much too soon. - Woody Allen

Life is a zoo in a jungle. - Peter De Vries

Never - never - never give up! Never reduce yourself to a robot. Accept yourself and be on your way!

The fortunes of life are ever-changing so we are called upon to constantly change. Accept and adjust yourself to have peace in your life. Happy people are like that.

Life is still what you make it.

Be good to yourself and keep your eye on the light

You Are Not Alone

Brooke Shields, actress” It seemed to me that I already would never be again happy, as though I am failed in a large black hole”.

Gail Porter“It awfully, awfully, awfully. One and a half years passed, I knew before, that I had depression after births of child “.

Goddard Trish,” A danger threatened me, that I will be deprived children, when I may need conduct five weeks in a psychiatric clinic. There is such variety of depression - depression of smiling man. It is simple something frightful - this was just my case”.

Linda Hamilton, actress“Periods of depression were simply terrible. As though fall in a hatch and can not heave up a lid and get out”.

Melinda Messenger, model” I wanted itself to put to death. I cried constantly. I thought: “As would be healthy, if a motor-car failure happened and I was broken up to death”.

Melanie C, former soloist Spice Girls“I test fear constantly, that depression can return, but I try all doing is correct. I try to sleep enough, because I know that sleep is needed, that it is normal to function, and I must correctly feed and engaged in physical exercises”.

Sarah Lancashire, actress“From 20 to 30 I had the lost years. It is cruel illness, because you can not hide it in any way “.

Ruby Yоrкs,“Depressions are very cyclic, they are one time in five years. When I appeared on television, I was self merriment, it can not be imitated. Depression comes as a plague”.

Richard Dreyfuss, actor“I said a doctor: you will examine me, I not all right, I behave wrong”.

Sinead Okonnor, singerI have a manic-depressive psychosis. A basic symptom was constantly sounding in a head voice which talked, that I put to death itself”.

Jack Di, comic actor “Depression - it that always appeared in my life, but now I learned with it to be celebrated. It is sorry that it did not happen many years ago, because it indeed facilitated my existence”.

Kylie Minougue, singer“At first all be well, and then all of it is suddenly closed. It is sufficient reason for uncertainty and depression. I usually began to cry”.

Cathie Prays (Dzhordan), model“I was complete psychopath. I felt that there is something in me, that I am unable to control”.

Rassel Grant,“It is a labyrinth from chaos. Sometimes gets to the point where already however you, you living or died”.

Nil Lennon, footballer“Feel, as though go on a long dark corridor, and does not know when light will appear”.

Keysha Byukanan, singer“At depression it is possible to enter and go out from depression state, so that is incomprehensible, it passed already or not. Sometimes I began without cause to cry”.

Ben Mudi, musician“I was in terrible depression, I felt a complete unlucky person - as a leader of group, as professional, as man”.

Jim Kerri, actor“I long time sat on prozake. It, maybe, in certain moment showed me out of cork-screw, but some people accept it right through life”.

James Dynes of Bredfild, Manic Street Peachers“I grew into a quite despairing and aggressive man, I could not communicate with people. ”

You are not alone. Thousands of people share your feelings. We can unite to bring about a better tomorrow.

I have a dream that one day I won't hold my breath every time I tell a person that I suffer from depression, that I won't feel shameful in confessing my mental illness.

I have a dream that people won't feel the need to applaud me for my courage on writing and speaking publicly about my disease, because the diagnosis of depression would be understood no differently than that of diabetes, arthritis, or dementia.

I have a dream that the research into genetics of mood disorders will continue to pinpoint specific genes that may predispose individuals and families to depression (like the gene G72/G30, located on chromosome13q), just as specific genes associated with schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder have been located and identified.

I have a dream that brain-imaging technology will continue to advance in discovering what, exactly, is going on inside the brain, that a neurological perspective coupled with a biochemical approach to mental illness will develop targeted treatments: new medication and better response to particular medications--that we can cut out that painful trial-and-error process.

I have a dream depressives won't have to risk their jobs in divulging their condition, that employers will respond more empathetically to the country's more than 8.9 million working depressives, that the general public willbe more educated on mental illness so that it doesn't cost this country more than $44 billion each year (like it does now).

I have a dream that families, friends, and co-workers will show kindness to depressives, not reproach them for not being stronger, for not having enough will power and discipline and incentive to get well, for notsnapping out of it, for not being grateful enough, for not seeing the cup half full, for not controlling their emotions.I have a dream that tabloids and celebrities like Tom Cruise won't lump allegations of Britney Spears' taking antidepressants into the same category as her 24-hour marriage, all-night clubbing, and pantylessphotos--that our world might be more sophisticated and informed than that.

I have a dream that people will no longer use the following terms to describe persons with mental illness: fruity, loony, wacky, nutty, cuckoo, loopy, crazy, wacko, gonzo, nutso, batty, bonkers, ditzy,bananas, and crazy.

I have a dream that spiritual leaders might preach compassion to persons with mental illness, not indict them for not praying hard enough, or in the right way, or often enough, and that judgmental new-age thinkers who blame all illness on blocked energy (in chakras one through seven) might be enlightened to understand that although alternatives may help they do not cure.

I have a dream that health insurance companies will stop serving Satan, and read a medical report every now and then, where they would learn that depression is a legitimate, organic brain disease, and that thosewho suffer from it aren't a bunch of weak, pathetic people who can't cope with life's hard knocks.

I dream that one day depression won't destroy so many marriages and families, that better and faster treatment will work in favor of every form of intimacy.

I have a dream that suicide won't take more lives than traffic accidents, lung disease, or AIDS, that together we can do better to reduce the more than 30,000 suicides that happen annually in the United States, and that communities will lovingly embrace those friends and families of persons who ran out of hope, instead of simply ignoring the tragedy or attaching fault where none should be. That people will protest to stop suicide as more people die from suicide than any war.

I have a dream that one day depression, bipolar disorder, and all kinds of mental illness will lose their stigma, that I won't have to whisper the word "Zoloft" to the pharmacist, that people will be able to have loud conversations in coffee shops about how they treat their depression (in addition to the excellent dialogue we have here on Lighthouse of Halo).

Mostly, I dream about a day when I can wake up and think about coffee first thing in the morning, rather than my mood--is it a serene one, a panicked one, or somewhere in between?--and fretting about whether ornot I'm heading toward the black hole of despair or the shadow of death. I dream that I'll never ever have to go back to that harrowing and lonely place of years ago. That no one else should have to either. But if they do (or if I do), that they not give up hope. Because eventually their tomorrow will be better than their today. And they will be able to dream again too.

I dream of having a glowing vision of the future that helps you tackle the core beliefs about yourself -- such as doubts about your own worthiness for success -- that have held you back until now. So as you peel back the curtains around your core self, you become ready to tap the source of all change and success-self-love, and forgiveness for past failures. Together we can make that dream come true. I'm here for you and you are there for me. Together we help each other. Self-love doesn't happen by luck or the grace of God. You have to create it. These are among the most important elements of it.

* Honoring yourself and who you really are. Love is your birthright. As Teilhard de Chardin said, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience."

* Telling the highest truth, which is that we are powerful beings capable of creating joy and success or pain and suffering in our lives. We are not destined to be victims. We have the power to choose, and thispower is both the greatest responsibility we have and the greatest opportunity.

* Honoring who you are becoming. Self-love involves recognizing that you are constantly evolving and growing to become a more powerful and more loving being.

* Honoring your feelings and responding to those feelings. Remember, feelings are important signals, and even the so-called negative feelings of anger and fear serve the important purpose of alerting us to theobstacles in our life.

* Recognizing that the universe is literally made of love. "If we will just open ourselves to receive, like flowers opening to the sun, then everything is possible," says Glenda Rice, hypnotherapist and life coach based in Houston, Texas.

When things go wrong or goals don't materialize, most people blame their past, their parents, life in general or God. We are even encouraged to do this by friends and family who are well-meaning. We also devote agreat deal of energy to settling for what is, without recognizing what we can become.

All the great wisdom traditions speak of the unlimited power we have within us. Both quantum physics and psychology offer proof that our thoughts create our reality. Yet, many people strenuously object to the truth that we create our own reality.

Some argue that it's not loving to tell a sick person they had anything to do with creating their illness. Yet, by not owning their power when they are sick, they are consigning themselves to a life of being a victim of any virus or circumstance that comes their way. This powerlessness is the source of most depression, and it leads to more illness and problems such as overeating. However by owning their power, they have the ability to overcome it. I have seen the black hole and I have come back to the light.

It is more honest and even more loving to gently help people recognize the power they have to create their reality, including failures. I have seen one that was in the fog for over 13 years accept the day she decided to be depressed and came back to the light. Once we do that, then we must forgive ourselves for the painful experiences we have previously chosen in our lives. "I don't know all the parts of me that are creating the failed relationships, but I am willing to learn about them."

Only by seeing how in the past we have allowed problems to control us, and forgiving ourselves, can we really change and be free to go forward in life feeling more powerful, able to create the success and happiness we want. We have the right to make the most of what we have. We can't always control what happens but we can control how we react to it.

Forgiveness is not only a form of self-love, it is completely an inside job. First you have to own your mistakes. Here is how.* Imagine a future where you totally love yourself and have totally owned your power.

* Reach for an understanding of why you would choose limitations in your life. We are often taught by family and life experiences that being weak, sick or helpless is the way to get attention or help. Look at your own and other peoples attempts to get acceptance, attention and love. Ask yourself, what was I taught about being lovable? About being powerful and responsible for my life?

* Then forgive yourself for having made mistakes. Imagine how your future self would forgive you for a mistake.

* Then you can consciously create better methods for getting the acceptance, attention, love and success that you want.

Together we can make a difference for guiding the process of forgiveness and empowerment to make our dreams come true.

Hugs in an attitude of gratitude,