Set Your Mind On Good

Set Your Mind On Good
by Annie Tornabene



Set your mind on good when you are facing trouble all around. If your mind keeps finding negative thoughts, it is because more negative (stinking thinking) is surrounding you. So if you find more good to input your mind, more good will be created around you and in you.

If you live with perpetual hope, then you will notice peace, joy, love and tranquility are dwelling more with you. Set your mind on good.

Stinking thinking only creates more worry, fear, anxiety and depression. So set your mind on good; surrounding your life with peace, joy, love and tranquility. You will find more treasures than your mind can empower your life.

Together we can make a difference with understanding depression and healing the tears and hurts by setting your mind on good. We can live our best life now.

Celebrate Life

Celebrate Life
by Annie Tornabene


Celebrate life. Be glad for a new day. Be in an attitude of gratitude for a new day.

How long has it been since you felt victory in your life? How long has it been since you loved your life? How long has it been since you felt gratitude for your life... your strength ... you thankful heart? The power that created you has he power to heal you. Acknowledge that power. Give victory to that power. Empower your life with possibilities. That power brings comfort, encouragement, and hope. Celebrate life to bring tranquility, peace and love into your life.

Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and living our best life now with a the activity of celebrate life.

Getting To Know You

Getting To Know You
by Annie Tornabene

Getting to know you is just what the doctor ordered. Blues, depression, loneliness may be helped with thoughts of happiness and friendship. Sometimes just getting to know someone makes us feel connected. After all we are all connected and impact each other's life whether we realize it or not. You may think happiness will come with material things or relationships. Usually, it doesn't.

All too often the problems we see in others are the problems we see in ourselves. If you think someone is looking at you in a strange way, it may be that you walked in with an attitude. Try a different perspective and see what happens. Getting to know you may be your cup of tea.

Happiness comes from peace and joy of your positive attitude being shared with others. The more you give out the more that comes your way. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and getting to know you in a positive light. Little things make the difference in loving your life.

Say Hello

Say Hello
by Annie Tornabene



Loneliness is just a crime that doesn't need to be in this world any more. Are you lonely? Take a walk...see a smiling face... say hello.

To say hello may be the most frightening thing you are facing in a world of loneliness. So you feel your skin start to tighten.. your heart beats fast and your start to hyperventilate... Would it be better to experience a little anxiety and find a friend or experience a lifetime of loneliness?

Maybe you are one of those lonely people who do not fully comprehend how much you mean to the world...your sufferin is shared with the world. Rejoice and the world will joyful chime in and feel the impact of they great mysteries of your life...the happiness...the sorrow...the tears...the cheers...the debt of despair and the loneliness of sorrow without relief.

Try saying hello with a positive thought in mind. See what happens to your grief and woe. Look for the good and you will find that happiness and love are sitting beside you.

Sometimes we have to see things through the eyes of a child to realize all we have to do is say hello and maybe we find a friend. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and learning to say hello.

Attitude of Gratitude

Attitude of Gratitude
By Annie Tornabene


Good Morning Friends,

I got to reflecting during the night how friendship is something to be extremely grateful for. Friendship is the light of the world. This month is Gratitude Month and we all need to take time to reflect on things in our life that we are grateful.

Learning to be thankful for what we have today, and the turmoil of our past, empowers us with courage, hope, optimism and joy that help us reach toward our goals.

Sometimes it has been difficult to accept our turmoil, disappointments and defeats with an attitude of gratitude. There have been times in my life that I wondered how in the world this could be good for me. How could my Creator have allowed this to happen? How could I live another day like this? How could I have allowed that person into my life? How am I going to survive? How am I going to overcome this? What good could possibility come from this?

One day my Grandmaster made me sit down during my meditation time and make a list of all my enemies, those people who have hurt me in the past and anyone with whom I had tension. I had to find something about each person I could be thankful for. The results were amazingly profound. Even when I was only a few names down the list, I started realizing how much resentment I still harbored toward the people I named. I thought I had released that anger against them. It took real effort to hold on to that anger subconsciously, and it was putting physical strain on my body. Oh, I could hide it consciously, but inwardly it was ripping my insides out. As I found something to be grateful for about each person, I felt the pressure releasing bit by bit. I found relief.

I realized that by holding on to that subconscious anger, it was causing my mind to relive endlessly that turmoil and thus the mind was focusing on negativity rather than the positive that would bring me health, happiness and joy. I realized that because of that person, I learned to change for the better. Finding an attitude of gratitude about our enemies and those people that we have difficulty with, we learn to end the mental war and make peace with our past. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a present.

Acknowledging some measure of gratitude for each person allows us to live in the present with an inner peace and hope. It teaches us to set healthy boundaries with people in our present. It reminds us how far we've come. It helps us feel good about ourselves when we realize that we have overcome obstacles. It helps us make life affecting decisions. It helps us appreciate the good in our lives. It helps us realize that the thorn in our side has been removed and we have grown to flourish. In spite of the tears, the smears and turmoil, we thrive.

In an attitude of gratitude, you, my friend, are the light of the world in a world of darkness. Thank you for being my friend.

Smiles

Smiles
by Annie Tornabene







Smiles. Ever notice them? Sure you have, without thinking you probably returned the smiles. Smiles are contagious. You can't help but put on a smile when you see smiles.

Trying smiling. What happens? You notice your mood changes. Even my daughter has learned when I'm feeling blue, all she has to do is smile and it's better than magic. It's better than taking a pill. It flows from within. It turns the frown upside down.

When you smile, you notice that life is too short, we have to break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, truly love ourselves and each other, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance... and smile.

Meditation

Meditation
by Annie Tornabene





Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the strife of everyday life keeps us busy with so many distractions and other things. We tend too not have time for meditation. Now days we have so many distractions and creature comforts that we don't realize how distracted we have become. We say we are too tired, that we will do it tomorrow. Let's just chill out and watch TV. Have you heard yourself say that?

The next thing you know, two maybe three hours have gone by and our mind is filled with a bunch of stuff ... a bunch of garbage ... useless mind wandering stuff. I've even had those days where I did that and was more depressed because I didn't feel anything. I went to sleep and my dreams were a mixture of what I had watched on TV and distortions of my life. Crazy dreams! Haven't you ever wondered where some of those crazy dreams came ... what brought them on?

The most important thing for meditation, at least for me, is silence. Just to be still and know... to get my mind to settled down, to be at peace with myself .... to get my mind to focus. Every fiber in my body comes to rest. It is a way to reorganize my hectic and chaotic thoughts... to feel love and gratitude ... to unwind. The hardest part is getting into the routine ... of integrating it in our lives. When I first started meditation, my wind wanted to wander because I was in so much chaos. Now, it's like a little baby when it's fussy. I remember when our oldest son had his first baby, when he would get fussy, my husband would rock him and walk with him and he would just cry more. Then I would come home and pick him up and within two minutes he would fall fast asleep. It was as if he said, "Mom or Grandma has got me, so I am safe." He felt comfort in my arms. Our minds are like fussy babies. When we learn meditation, our mind learns, "Oh, safety is here, I can rest." When my mind becomes unruffled, my body starts to soothe.

After meditation, it is a perfect time for me to do a little yoga and bodyflow ... to stretch those muscles so I don't have all those little aches and pains from the nerves being bottled up and stuck in one place. You know what I'm talking about. Oh yeah, it hurts to move them, but it hurts worst not to move them. It is as if our bodies were made to flow ... not too fast ... just easy movement. I do this twice a day ... first thing in the morning and last thing in the evening. Sometimes, when things get too hectic, I will do it during the day also. And of course, sometimes I need a two minute meditation just to get me back on track.

All week we have been talking about keys to understanding depression. Meditation is one key that helped me. The effects of meditation doesn't happen overnight, but I found in the long run, I was feeling better along with the other things that I have talked about. No one said it would be easy, just that it would be worth it. Together we can make a difference in living with peace, tranquility and joy. Empower your live today with love and gratitude.

Perseverance

Perseverance
by Annie Tornabene





I will do whatever it takes to live my life to the max. I will keep on keeping on to overcome the storms of life. Perseverance is my way of life because I focus on positive results no matter how long it takes.

Denis Waitley said it, "Toughness gives you the resilience to keep pressing on, even if your determination and optimism are lagging." Jim Rohn said, "It takes time to build a corporate work of art. It takes time to build a life. And it takes time to develop and grow. So give yourself, your enterprise, and your family the time they deserve and the time they require." You can live every single day in love, peace and joy! How do you do that? Perseverance.

One way is to embrace your future by perseverance and determination to live your best life now. When everything around you is crumbling, when you’re facing the storms along the strings of life and your attitude on life will be determined by your "hook-up." (What you do when the storms in life come your way.) If your hook-up is grounded in an attitude of gratitude and you are determined to persevere whatever it takes to live your best life now; joy, peace and love flow through you to empower your life. That empowerment enables you to have perseverance in the face of adversity. That empowerment helps you understand depression and overcome the obstacles in life. It's another key to understanding depression. Together we can make a difference with perseverance.

Choose To Be Happy

Choose To Be Happy
by Annie Tornabene




Today I Will Choose to be Happy

How many of you are stuck in a dark fog of depression because you did not choose to be happy? Wow, that was like a shot between the eyes. Or it was for me when I first realized it.

It's time to wake up and smell the roses. If you're not smelling the sweetness of life, it's your stinking thinking that you are smelling. After my accident, I blamed the car, the driver, etc. It was if this hadn't happened or if that hadn't happened... none of it was me. I just sat there day after day getting darker and darker and more depressed. Then one day one of my friends told me about the days which turned into years, she had been in depression and how she decided one day that she was tired of being depressed. She told herself that she was not going to be discouraged, she was not going to be depressed. From that day forward she was going to be happy. She talked to me like I'm talking to you.

What do you mean, I have a choice? You don't understand, I can't move...I have a horrible disease...I've been ... Oh yeah, I know all the excuses. I tried them too. It's not what has happened to us, it's our reaction to what happened to us that makes the difference. You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be depressed. Which do you want?

After my accident, my Mother would tell me to smile. I couldn't smile. She would tell me to stop frowning. I couldn't change the look on my face. True the accident had altered some things in my life but it was my reaction to them that made the difference. When I decided to quit sitting there, my life changed from within.

It wasn't easy. I took each step with great effort ... each tiny little baby step and sometimes just a little wiggle is all I could muster. Sometimes I had to fake it in order to make it. Looking back, I see how far I've come. There were days that I felt like I took two steps backwards but I was still farther ahead than I was. Sure there are bad moments, but they don't keep me held hostage to the heavy mist of dark fogs of depression. I choose to be happy. No I may not be manic happy but I choose a happiness from within that brings me joy, peace, tranquility, contentment and a little laughter. The setbacks in my life are never as bad as my bad days in depression. I look back with pride at how far I've managed to come. It almost seems like a dream now. What am I talking about ... it was a nightmare.

Oh sure, when the doctors tell me things that I must go through, I stop for a moment and think "how can I handle this?" Fear sits in for a moment and then I think, I've been through far worst. We sometimes have to push fear aside and choose to be happy about the situation. Being depressed about it certainly doesn't help! I know because I've tried it. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. It is certainly better to be in control over the choices I make. Each choice I make makes me stronger. It's a great feeling not be on an emotional roller coaster ride.

Every day you can choose to be happy... wait a minute... you can choose to be happy every moment of every day! The choice is yours. Choose to be happy that you are alive. There are no guarantee in life so live your best life now. No one else can make me happy. It is simply a choice - my choice and my choice alone. That goes the same for you too. Live for today! Everything you do for yourself today makes for a better tomorrow. No matter what! Your choice will make a difference. Together we can make a difference because we choose to be happy!

Remember to say to yourself as many times as it takes, "I will greet each day with laughter, I will smile at every person I meet and I will do everything in an attitude of gratitude. I will choose to be happy." You may not make it everytime, but you'll still land among the stars.

A Decided Heart

A Decided Heart
by Annie Tornabene


I Have a Decided Heart

A key to understanding depression is to have a decided heart ... a heart full of passion... a reason to live ... a reason to endure the struggles along the strings of life. Buddha said it so simply that I had to repeat it here. "Your work is to discover your work and then, with all your heart, to give yourself to it." And so it is, our reason to live is to discover what makes us happy ... what are we passionate about and then dedicate our life to it.

If we are passionate about our life, then we jump out of bed in the morning and are eager to begin the day. In other words, we look forward with great anticipation to do what we do... our free time as well as our job. The happiest and most successful people in the world are those with a purpose for living. They are driven by their passion. Can you name some of those who you feel have or had a decided heart? I'm sure you can name a few... such as Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, Max Lucado (after all he wrote, A Purpose Driven Life), Joel Osteen, Oprah and I'm sure there are sprinkles of CEOs as well as others.

Not always what we are passionate about makes us the most money. Money doesn't buy happiness. Follow your heart and the money will follow is what I heard as a child. I think that really means that if you follow your heart, you realize money is not as important as other things in life. The only power money has is the power we give it. When you are passionate about something, you give it the power to drive your life. It's that passion that sparks life from within when you are exhausted and have worked your fingers to the bone. It's that passion that enables us to endure hardships and struggles in the strings of life. A decided heart brings peace, joy and contentment to our lives.

Maybe you are sitting there thinking, "What am I passionate about?" "What drives me?" "What gets my mojo going in the morning?" "What keeps me going and going and going?" No, it's not the Energizer Bunny.

You can find your passion by meditating. The best way to get to know yourself is to get quiet and listen to your heart's desire. As Shakespeare said, "To thine own self be true." This may take a little time.

Take a week or so to reflect on your reactions to the things around you such as television shows, newspapers, conversations, books you read, and any other stimuli that causes you to react in a passionate way. If you come across something that has been of interest to you for a long time, make a note of it. If something grabs your attention, make a note of it.

What are you really good at? What specific quality do you possess? Whom do you admire? Why? Who do you know that is doing something you would love to do? What's stopping you? What would you do if you were given the choice to do anything in life you wanted? How could you make this world a better place? The choice is yours.

Look around you, what do you collect in your home? Do you collect old photographs? Do you have a green thumb? We tend to hold on to things we love, so, what's in your closet? What are your hobbies?

Once you get involved in something, you'll either want to stick with it and grow your knowledge, or you'll lose interest and move on to something else. Keep in mind that our passions change throughout life. We are constantly growing, expanding, and wanting more. Some passions remain the same for a long time, and some come and go on a fairly predictable basis. Don't worry if your passion changes. Some passions are there for a season and others are there for a reason. Have a decided heart and go for it as long as your passion is there. Sometimes all you need is a season break and the passion stirs again.

Anything you attempt will get you closer to discovering your long-term passion. And some people are great at starting projects and getting others passionate about completing the projects. My Grandfather was like that. He would go into an area and start building a church. After the church was built and going, it was his time to move on. It was time for someone with the passion to develop it from there. That's OK too.

Right now, just focus on getting centered on what you want to do at this point in time no matter what is going on around you. Just start moving those feet, one step at a time. Take a step of faith into the light. Your leap of faith may show others how bright life can be. Feel the fear but step out anyway. You will never know how wonderful life can be until you have a decided heart that empowers you with peace, tranquility and laughter. You can make a difference.

When we spend time doing what we love to do, it is no longer work but empowerment beyond our wildest dreams. The results are worth it because you are worth it.

Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and living our best life now with a decided heart for our future. We will stay the course no matter what it takes because we have a decided heart. Do you have a decided heart?

Wisdom

Wisdom
by Annie Tornabene





Do you ever feel blue or down and don't know what to do? Do you wish you could find the magic code or wisdom secret to living a victorious life? Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of every day life, we get caught up in every day strife. There is a key to understanding depression. It is understanding that we need to seek wisdom. Wisdom is having gained the knowledge, understanding, experience, discretion, and intuitive understanding, along with a capacity to apply these qualities well to our lives and to those surrounding us. It is the judicious application of knowledge we have learned from our past as well as from others and their past.

Maybe that is why they say you learn wisdom with age. Some of us though go through life repeating the same problems year after year, day after day ... never learning from our past ... never picking up bits of wisdom from others and only experiencing a problematic life. Maybe that is because we never change anything. What is holding you back?

Erik Erickson stated wisdom was the last stage of his eight-stage theory of psychosocial development. Erickson's theory states each stage in the strings of life are in the form of internally-generated questions or tensions. Erickson claimed that in the last stage of human development, each of us must resolve a psychological conflict between integrity and despair. He proposed that attaining wisdom is a favorable resolution and product of this conflict. I don't know if I agree with Erickson about it being the last stage but I would say it is a key that we must learn.

Confucius stated that wisdom can be learned by three methods: by reflection of the past, by imitation of others that have had a similar problem and by experiencing the strings of life without the benefit of wise counsel. Some of us know the third one all too well. As I learned, sometimes you have to fake it before you make it ... imitation of others that have traveled the dark cloud of depression. This one you must be careful because some of those that have traveled that path have chosen the wrong path. Therefore we must choose our friends wisely. Hum? Friends of a feather flock together.

Wisdom, according to Christianity, Judaism and Islam beliefs, is represented by the sense of justice of the lawful and wise counsel. Wisdom consists in manifesting a clear character, loving the people, and abiding in the highest good. I believe all beliefs are consistent in knowing that wisdom is a mature integration of appropriate knowledge, a seasoned ability to filter the inessential from the essential.

Take control of your life by taking an active part in living and loving your life. If you play a passive role, you will be doomed to repeat the sorrows of yesterday. However if you take a stand, the robbers and naysayers will start to flee. You are learning wisdom. Let them know they no longer have control of your life. That you intend to live a life of victory. You can do it!

Take time to meditate for it lets you listen to your heart and spirit and reflect on the past and form your future. See your light from within burning brightly.

Love your life. For with love, all things are possible. Live, love and laugh for they invite peace, joy and tranquility to flow through and around you. Wisdom flourishes with love and laughter.

Don't be afraid of taking a step forward - even just one baby step at a time. The journey gets easier with each step you take. Have courage. Have no fear. As Helen Keller said, "I do not want the peace that passes all understanding, I want the understanding that passes peace." Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and passing on peace with wisdom that we have learned.

The Attitude

The Attitude
by Annie Tornabene



I wish I could say that my teaching in school was made like this man, Zig Zigglar. Unfortunately they were not. However, I did get a lot of positive forces from people like him outside of my schooling and Zig Ziglar was one of the most influential forces in my early development and career over thirty years ago. I didn't realize it at the time, but the things I heard him say and the things I heard my Dad say about him as he read his books helped change my life and my decisions in what to major in school.

His ability to strike a piercing chord in everyone who desires positive change in their life, has made him a master in the field of personal development. His perseverance and determination to living the natural laws, has made a remarkable difference in thousands of lives throughout the world. He doesn't just talk the attitude ... he walks the attitude ... he breathes the attitude ... he lives the attitude. That's what I'm talking about. You gotta walk the talk and talk the walk.

It doesn't matter how rich or how poor you are... depression hits us all. We are all subjects to emotions because we are human. It doesn't matter if you are just a little blue or if you've been down for years. It just matters that you get back up. So what if we've hit a bump in the road. So what if we've been hit by a storm... Things happen ... life changes. We will survive and do even better next time because we have the attitude.

Someone told me the other day, how much I had changed in the last ten years... how far I had come ... I wasn't waddling in pain... I didn't seem depressed.... I wasn't Taz (Tasmanian Devil)! I stepped back and smiled. Yeah, I was in pain but I've learned how not to let it affect me. The day I chose not be depressed anymore, was the day my life turned around. Sure, I have bad days but I don't stay down. I'm not gonna let anger rule me. I'm not gonna be discouraged. I'm not gonna be depressed. They can take everything from me. I will always have what someone else wants. I have me. I have my life and I'm in control of my life. I have the attitude. No one can take it away from me. I have the power! Do you know what I'm talking about?

Maybe you're not depressed but not living your full potential. You can learn this too. It is stuff we need to hear to empower ourselves with the attitude that our life matters. We do make a difference and together we make a difference in learning to live with the right attitude - The attitude of gratitude and abundance

Walking A Tightrope

Walking A Tightrope

by Annie Tornabene

Does just daily living leave you feeling a little stressed out? Headlines loom of world hunger. International conflict. Political unrest. Drugs. Violence. Everywhere you turn you see poverty on the rise. Maybe you look at your cashflow and wonder how you are going to pay all the bills. Maybe you have other issues that are causing you to feel like you are walking a tightrope. Sometimes it feels like you are walking a tightrope and you are afraid the net is not under you. Do you ever feel like that? If you feel like that, you are not alone.

Whatever situation you are in the world, you can feel confident that your Creator has a net of protection for you. Our paths have crossed for a reason. I can throw out a lifeline to assist you but it is up to you to grab hold. Remember the anchor holds the lifeline to safety. Only by considering and practicing the true law can we escape from this sorrow-piled mountain in the world in which we live. We are all one tribe on this planet we call Earth. We are all brothers and sisters and interconnect with each other. No one is alone walking a tightrope on the strings of life. Focus on the good around you. Take a deep breath and be still. Slow down and you will see that all is under control.

What you focus on is what you are attracting. If you focus on negativity, negativity finds you. If you focus on poverty, poverty finds you. If you focus on abuse, more abuse finds you. You got the picture? Therefore, change your focus and you will find that the new focus finds you. Together we can make a difference to living an abundant life. The abundant life is better than walking a tightrope. For more help contact us. Let's work together to live a more empowered life...an abundant life. Love the life you are living. Please take our survey.
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Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Hit Me With Your Best Shot
by Annie Tornabene

Sometimes we feel like nobody notices all that we do. We feel nobody knows how deeply we love. Nobody know how hard we try. Little acts of kindness never go unnoticed. Someone is always watching. You may not realize it, but someone is watching. They may not tell you, they may not be thankful for all that you do, but they notice. Don't worry, be happy that you are able to do those little acts of kindness, that you are able to love so deeply.

Turn your fears into little steps of faith. Trust in our Creator. No excuses, no fear, no boundaries. Forget about the past. Forget your resentment. Live in the present. Allow abundance to flow through you. In an attitude of gratitude be thankful for all that you are able to do. Be thankful for this moment to love. Don't worry about the approval from others. Live your life to the fullest. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. It is your life!

When you least expect it, someone will notice and it will come back to you when you least expect it. The expecting it blocks the flow of abundance. Take a deep breath. Let go of your fears. Let go of your worries. Your Creator is always by your side, no matter what good or bad. Meditate and talk to your Creator--talk, laugh, cry, scream, sing. You'll discover that you are never alone on this journey, and knowing this is vital in getting wherever you want to go.

Turn those stinking thinking to positive and move forward in your life. You'll be saying hit me with your best shot. Nothing can get you down. Trust that everything you do is notice.

Saying Goodbye

Saying Goodbye

by Annie Tornabene




My nephew didn't get to come to his Granddad's (my Dad) funeral two and a half years ago because of the distance and cost. My how time flies. Since he's been down here, I've tried not to say anything about Granddad. Being a curious boy, he has asked many questions about Granddad. He instinctively knew not to ask the questions around my Mom or his new Grandfather (PappaSam). I don't know if his parents said something to him before he came down or how he figured it out. However, I am thankful.

One day, he asked me when we were in the car, "Where's my Granddad?" I thought he was referring to PappaSam and told him where is was.

He said, "No, I love my new PappaSam, but I miss my other Granddad."

"I miss him, too," I said, then added, "Remember he died."

"I know, but where did they put him. Remember I couldn't come down for the funeral."

"Oh, you want to know where he's buried?" I said.

"Yes, can we go there?" he said.

It was getting close to dusk but I thought the cemetery was still opened. So we hurried over there so he could see. I pointed it out and brushed a few leaves off the headstone. He notice several of the markers had flowers and Granddad's didn't. I guess the keepers remove the flowers or in one of the storms we've had recently they blew away and the vase was turned back into the marker. He said he wanted to get some more flowers for the grave. I told him we couldn't now because the cemetery was closing but we would another day.

Well, out of the clear blue on Sunday afternoon, he reminded me that we were suppose to get flowers for Granddad's grave. You know kids are better at reminding you of things than any PDA or Blackberry or any reminder. So we went to pick out some flowers and he wanted a lei too. He remembered that from being in Hawaii. Then we had to pick up some duck feed too.

We went to the cemetery. He said he wasn't sure how to say goodbye to Granddad. Many of us find it difficult to say goodbye to someone who has died. I remembered an episode of Magnum PI where Magnum's Granddad died and he had to help his nephew say goodbye too. We talked about how death is like the butterfly in the cocoon. My Great Grandfather told me this when I was three on the day he died. It has helped me throughout my life. So we talked about how much we loved Granddad and how blessed we were to have him in our life. We said we missed him, but we believe that we will see him again someday. We talked about how even though we could not see him, the love we have for him is still in our hearts and will always be there. We put the flowers in the vase and then he put the lei on the headstone. We sat silently for a few moments.

We got up and got the duck feed out of the car. He said that Granddad was lucky to have been buried in such a beautiful garden. His site overlooks the duck pond. There are majestic oak trees and flowers all around. He said that Granddad was blessed to have the ducks and trees all around. We fed the ducks and had a wonderful time.

Death is not reserved for the privileged few. All of us at one time or another will experience the loss of a loved one - it just part of the strings of life. Just remember after the death of a loved one, to find that thread that survives death. Love survives death. Love is eternal. My Dad told me in many of the talks we shared before his death, how every day of his life after his parents died, he thought of them but remembered their love. I have thought of my Dad everyday since he died but it is his love that keeps me going. Your love will continue throughout and remain in you heart. Cherish it. Honor it. Have you said goodbye to your loss and found your thread that survives their death? Together we can make a difference in understanding depression.

Shake Your Boody

Shake Your Boody
by Annie Tornabene

Some days I'm in pain so much that I just want to sit there and not move. Or when a dark cloud looms over me, I think I will just sit here. When I sit; nothing happens. I slip into greater darkness of depression and I hurt more. Our Creator created us to move. Our bodies are not solid and unmovable like a board or piece of wood. Our bodies were created for movement. When our bodies remain still, they become stiff and inflexible.

When we move our bodies become flexible, increase blood flow and oil our mind so it can send messages to the rest of the body. In my water aerobic class, I find that movement is easy. Parts of my body that are difficult to move out of the water, float and move easily with the water and flotation devices. The gentle movement are easy on the body. I feel energized and empowered after class. I feel like I can conquer the world. I feel energized and empowered. Not only does exercise lift the dark clouds of depression, it makes me feel like I have a sense of accomplishment. It helps me want to get out and do things. It is a key to finding a reason to living positively.

A heart-driven, purpose-driven life is the source of immense power, solution and positive abundant living. The most important step you will take in your journey in the strings of life is finding your true purpose in life. Once you find your purpose, you will begin living an abundant, extraordinary life with greater happiness, more contribution to your world, greater prosperity and living the life you dreamed. A good book to read is Max Luccado's A Purpose Driven Life.

Are you ready to live the abundant life? Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and living an abundant life.

War Zone

War Zone
by Annie Tornabene

You feel like you've had a bad day? If you heard sirens blaring, rockets going off and people screaming, you would think you were in the middle of a war zone. Wouldn't you? You would be running to prepare for battle. Well millions of people every day are in a battle over depression. It's a battle in their mind. You may be one of those facing a battle or battles in your mind right now. I know I have felt like sirens and rockets were glaring and everything anyone said sent me screaming. Looking back at it, I wonder how I made it. Ever feel like that?

This story makes my point:
Nine year old Joey was asked by his mother what he had learned at Sunday school.

"Well, Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. When he got to the Red Sea, he had his engineers build a pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely. Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio headquarters for reinforcements. They sent bombers to blow up the bridge and all the Israelites were saved."

"Now, Joey, is that really what your teacher taught you?" his mother asked.

"Well, no. But if I told it the way the teacher did, you'd never believe it!"

Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and overcoming the obstacles that block our paths to the abundant life. Just like the song says, "so you go for a walk and turn yourself around." This could be the day that you turn yourself around. Yeah, things may look bad, but it doesn't have to. Everyone gets down sometime, it's a matter of how long you stay down. You got to get back up. Or maybe you feel like you have never been up. It doesn't have to be that way. There is a better way. Take one step of faith; just one baby step, in turning yourself around. Then keep on keeping on.

If you think about it, I'm sure you can find at least one moment in your life when things didn't look so bad. What was it? Was it yesterday? Last week? Last month? A year ago? Maybe it was when you were a child? Whenever it was, I want you to hold that thought. Remember how it felt. Remember how you felt? Remember what you said. Remember what you heard. Remember what you saw. Did you have a taste in your mouth? What were you holding? Visualize doing it again today! How would you feel? What would you do? I don't care how silly you think it is; no one is going to know but you. You grab hold of that thought and cherish it. Together we are going to make more of those happy abundant thoughts in your life.

It's easy to look at past events and see the successes in your life. Sometimes when you are in the war zone of your mind, your mind forgets about those happy, successful times. It is up to you to bring those happy moments back to life. Prisoners of war have told me that what got them through those really tough days was visualizing times when they weren't in battle. If you keep your mind on the battle, it's difficult to have positive thoughts to help win the war. If you stay focused on happy moments, then your mind starts seeking more happy moments to give you.

Think about your dreams, your hopes, your ambitions. We're all looking for a transformation in some area of our lives. I don't care how big or small your dreams, hopes and ambitions may be, if they're ever going to come to life, it will be because you took those baby steps of faith to turn your life around. The day you realize that you have the power to make a difference in your life as well as those whom you come in contact. If you wait for it, it will probably elude you like a butterfly. If you take seemingly insignificant steps, you will find that you have been empowered with a force within you that will take you places you've always wanted. Your mind is like a computer seeking the results of what is put in.

The question is how long are you going to wait to take those baby steps. Sure it may be tough at first. Maybe you fall down but you pick yourself up and take another baby step. It could be the one that leads to your breakthrough to living the life you dream. . .the abundant life. Make today the day you put away all fear and anxiety to begin empowered living unconditionally abundance in your life.

Are you ready to start living abundantly? Are you ready to get out of the war zone? If you need help, contact me. Together we can make a difference. To email me click here.

The Makeover

The Makeover
by Annie Tornabene

I was reading in Glamour Magazine and realized how much depression is like having a makeover. People who knew me a few years ago would agree. The beauty makeovers that transform a lady who thought she had no beauty transformed into a really beautiful person decked out with flattering clothes and makeup highlighted just in the right spots. That's what I'm talking about.

I was looking at some pictures of me then. I would fly off the handle at the slightest problem. I was always expecting the worst. I was always growling. My pictures show a person that was bitter and heavily overweight. I can't believe I was ever that large. lol The depression was the darkest and they said I was suicidal. I guess it's true, the darkest hour is just before the dawn.

A makeover in depression transforms the character, strengthens the integrity and purifies the motives. In understanding depression, you have to learn to trust in our Creator. Let our Creator empower our makeover. Meditation allows the mind healing. It relieves anxiety and worry. It allows tranquility and peace to enter into every fiber of your being to give you the freedom to live the life you dream and allow possibilities to appear in your subconscious mind that you can react to. Joy and laughter enter into our being. One day you wake up and find that happiness has taken over.

For me, meditation was the biggest key. Oh I had prayed before, but prayer is me asking or telling my Creator my problems. In meditation, it is our Creator communicating with us. If we focus on the light, the Light gives us strength and brings solutions along with peace and tranquility to accept what things cannot be change, the courage to change the things that we can and the wisdom to know the difference.

I start the day with a 20 minute meditation and end the day with a 20 minute meditation. During the day I may have several 2 minute meditations to help keep me focused or reclaim myself when thing seem to becoming unraveled. I was telling someone yesterday how much the 2 minute meditations have helped me. I've learn how to trust in my Creator's inner wisdom and honor my worthiness to receive this gift. I have become empowered with unconditional love, an empowering force of the law of attraction and joy and happiness have become my friends. I find every day a reason to live and laugh. Remember, I'm just like you. When I remind you, I am reminding me.

Our Creator designed the earth to be self supporting - everything is interconnected and all things were created to be of service to each other. Generosity to the poor and reverence for our Creator's wisdom is not separate from any part of our lives. It becomes us as we live in an attitude of gratitude. The makeover transforms us to see the beauty within ourselves. Enjoy your makeover. The beauty and light from within shines bright on the outer person.

Click here to hear Dr. Wayne Dyer on meditation.

Looks Like We Made It

The storm has passed and once again, we find we made it. My nephew was disappointed that the storm wasn't any worse. After all the preparing, the storm wasn't as bad as we had anticipated. Just like our own personal storms of life; it wasn't so bad.

During the storm, I saw squirrels running in the trees and flying through the air trying to find safety. I saw these tiny little animals grab a branch and swing their bodies to the next branch. It was amazing. These little animals were really strong. You see, the greatest strength lies not in that which is big and mighty but rather in that which has the ability to flex and bend.

The mighty oak is not as strong as is the willow. When any adversarial force presses against us, the key to survival and harmony is flexibility or to resist resisting. Watch the willow in the wind. It will sway back and forth with the force of the wind, not against it. This does not mean that you just give up. It means in order to survive and thrive, you learn to bend with the strings of life not break. Check the trunk of the willow as the wind blows hard on it.... it is firmly planted in the ground. So too, can you be deeply rooted and planted firmly, yet allow yourself to flex and bend and flow with the forces and energies that come into your world. If you try to go in a certain direction with anything, and something just seems to be resisting, just flow with it and you will find another way.

Want to heal the world? Realize world peace? End poverty? Start being flexible with your life, in your world. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression, one person at a time. When we as human beings learn to share space and time with one another, wars will end and so will hunger and poverty. The problems in the world today are all the result of a lack of flexibility. Flexibility is selfless; it gives and takes a little. Stubbornness is selfish and ignorant. Sometimes we find that we can get more accomplished with learning to give a little. By being flexible, you will learn more and be happier. The more flexible you get, the stronger you will be, and the more in control of your life you will be. Who knows, maybe one day you will find that you are flying through the storms of life with the greatest of ease. And maybe one day, humanity will find itself harmonizing on one planet.

Blessed Or Stressed

I am too blessed to be distressed. ~ Annie

In the hustle and bustle of life, men and women are becoming more stressed or worried over the little things. What can you do? What kind of attitude are you carrying? What do you want? Are you happy dragging around? I don't think so. First of all realize, that most of the little things you worry or become stressed over never happen! Taking baby steps forward, leads to action. Action means that you are moving in a direction. You can always change direction.

Low impact exercises like yoga and bodyflow help relieve those little physical blocks within the body to help the whole body be less stressed. It also helps clear the mind so you have have more positive thinking and rid yourself of stinking thinking. You get things off your mind without realizing it.

Eating sweets causes stress. So instead of picking up a candy bar pick up a handful of strawberries or some walnuts or almonds. They fight the stress hormone.

Remove all clutter from your home, car and office. All the stuff that is out of order, the stuff that is out of place, the stuff that makes you feel bad. Change it around make you feel better and less stressed. It will keep your mind on other things.

Take time to meditate. It will allow you to be calm and focused.

Read some good reading material. Good things in allows good things to come out of your mind. You need not be stressed anymore! You are too blessed to be distressed.