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.

Memories Of The Heart

Memories Of The Heart
by Annie Tornabene


Locked in between the creases of our mind are memories of the heart since before we were born. Research shows us that we can remember things while we were still in the womb. Seldom do we acknowledge that memory and our early life that had a hand in shaping who we are today. Phobias, fears, anger, anxiety, self-limiting beliefs, creativity can manifest itself in your life without you knowing why.

One man that I knew had a fear that no one else in the family had. In therapy, he realized his Grandfather had the same fear. His Grandfather had been around most of the time while his Mother was carrying him. His Grandfather died just before he was born. Through therapy, it is believed that his Grandfather made audible statements that were heard by the unborn child and transferred those beliefs and fears. Discovering those can help you release those fears, phobias, anger, anxiety, etc. and begin to make your own life. Memories of the heart can be mended.

Envision your body being filled with a healing white light, love, joy, tranquility and peace. Remember that nothing you see or hear will harm you. Ask yourself what you hope to achieve through you discovery and connect with your inner vision. Observe what you see without judgment. When you are done, think about how what you experienced relates to your present life. There may be beliefs from your memories of the heart that you are still operating under but are now ready to let go of. The significance of your memories of the heart may not be immediately obvious until much later.

Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and living our best life now by letting go of unnecessary memories of the heart.

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.

Are You Crazy?

Are You Crazy?
by Annie Tornabene


"Are you crazy?" There have been times when I thought I must be crazy to think like this... And there were times when I heard someone say that to me, 'Are you crazy?' There were times when I would have thought it was an insult, but today, I think it is a compliment. Why, you ask?

To be crazy means I'm a little out of the ordinary. Well with all the things I want to accomplish, I have to be out of the ordinary. Think of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein. They all had to be out of the ordinary. I'm sure they heard 'Are you crazy?' many times. Even Elvis Presley must have heard, 'Are you crazy?' a few times. This craziness is a good thing.

You see our conscious mind is like our Mother constantly nagging us. It's there for our protection...to keep us safe. It goes on and on like a stuck record, oops, I dated myself before CDs. with the same stinking thinking over and over again. But even a lie that is told repeatedly can become true. "Who do you think you are? You can't do that! You're not good enough. You're bad. Something awful is going to happen. You're stupid to think that." These are just a few of the more popular tracks the mind likes to repeat constantly. No wonder we get depressed. So you need to be a little crazy ... out of the ordinary... to go BEYOND the fear that is holding you back. Your mind has heard the words, 'NO" and "Don't Do That" ever since you were born. The stinking thinking has been played more often than the positive input. So why wouldn't you get depressed? It's time to stop the stinking thinking and be a little crazy.

So to create a little craziness with positive changes in your life, you really need to be out of your ordinary mind. All you have to fear is fear itself and for that you are crazy. To be crazy is going beyond the ordinary...it is stepping out of fear...it is pushing the barriers beyond the wall...it is thinking for yourself outside the box.


Anything that resonates as "not safe", your mind will automatically dismiss as impossible and sabotage you every time. The problem is that it is operating from programming the ordinary mind. The ordinary is safe. The ordinary just follows and does not think for itself. So it's time to break the pattern. Don't just follow the leader. Think for yourself. It is going against mainstream that is your only hope of salvation of creating your best life now.

If you feel depressed, anxiety, worry or in any way out of place with peace, love, joy and abundance, stop and think of what is going on in your head. Listen to the chaos and start to pluck out what really matters. Some of that nagging chaos is absolutely false - although your mind believes it 100%. So ask yourself these questions and write down the answers which is a critical part of this exercise.

• 
  What am I most worried about?


• 
  What is the worst thing that could happen to me?


• 
  What is my biggest fear?


• 
  What would happen to me if my biggest fear came true?
  

Are any of these reasons serious enough for you to be depressed, not sleeping at night or completely stressed out? Problems present themselves and then amazingly enough solutions seem to manifest as well. Problem, solution, problem, solution, problem, solution. That pretty much is the pattern of life from what I can see. It's when we buy into our mind's fear spurred along by the ordinary addiction to fear, that we can start to believe that THIS TIME the problems are bigger than ever. So what if they are, then the solutions THIS TIME will be bigger than ever. How excitingly crazy is that! Seriously, I am discovering in my life right now that big problems require big solutions and they manifest just like little solutions occur for little problems. Why worry? I am fascinated to see how all this chaos in the world is going to play.

The United States will have a first for their President next week - a first oldest man, a first semi-black man, a first female Vice President... you see they are all first no matter which way you vote or who wins. A generation that has grown up in an unrealistic economy may realize some core values in life that have been buried way too long. We may discover that our Creator goes a long way to keeping us together in tough times.

We are in for some big shifts like we have never seen in our lifetime. Together we have an amazing opportunity to be pillars in a potentially very different world. This is a wonderful opportunity to be the leader you were born to be. This is your time to really shine your light for others to see. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and living a crazy best life now.

Here's what you can do starting today. Encourage others. Laugh daily. Give lots of hugs. Send positive thoughts out to the world. Focus on love, joy, peace and abundance. Stop watching and listening to stinking thinking. Get your mind into crazy positive thinking and into your heart. Step out of fear and into a place of love, hope and peace. When you do that, you will be delighted how amazing you can live your best life now. Are you crazy in an attitude of gratitude?

Poverty: Mind, Body and Soul

Poverty: Mind, Body and Soul
By Annie Tornabene

When you hear the word poverty, what comes to your mind? Do you envision the economic crisis? Your empty bank account? A poor hopeless and homeless person sleeping on the park benches? Maybe you think of a third world county where they are hungry or areas of America where they are starving, cold and desolate? Poverty: Mind, Body and Soul.

Sure any of these can strike a cord of poverty. But there is a poverty that reaches far beyond these simple needs and pierces the heart and mind. There is a poverty that is within our very touch. There is a poverty that we pass every day. This is the epidemic filling our world that needs our touch… You may pass this poverty every day. You may be a victim or hostage of this poverty. Poverty: Mind, Body and Soul. What do you do? Do you do something about it or do you simply walk on by?

There is a world of poverty that is oppressed with the isolation of love, loneliness, confusion, rejection, despair and desperation. You can have all the wealth in the world and live in poverty. It lives within us all. No man is an island. No one can live with the isolation of love, loneliness, confusion, rejection, despair and desperation. I’m sure you have felt it a time or two. Poverty: Mind, Body and Soul … Tears of a child when they didn’t understand why their Mother was suddenly taken away. Or the pain of an unfulfilled dream. Maybe you have felt the pain of isolation and the void of love. Have you ever wanted someone to talk to, someone just to listen to your cries, someone to give you a hug, a smile or a warm touch? Then you have felt the pain of poverty. How deep did you feel that poverty? The poverty of the mind and soul reaches further than the poverty of the pocketbook. What matters most in life? What really counts? In the words of the John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!!”

If you have riches of the mind and soul, you have a treasure that is worth far more than gold. You have a peace that passes all understanding… a light from within…a warmth of unconditional love fills your life … a glow of tranquility in the mist of chaos and a dream that keeps you alive in a world filled will confusion. This wealth gives us what we need to sustain life. Sure money helps but not as much as these… friendships, time, love and listening. Greater wealth has no one.

Take a step … reach out a hand.. To your fellow man … co-worker or child. Lend an ear and take time to listen and you will find that it is returned maybe not from the same person but there is someone else willing to lend you their ear. I am always here for you. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and fighting the war on poverty: mind, body and soul. Love our life and live our best life now.

From Tears To Hope

From Tears To Hope
by Annie Tornabene

Inevitably, we all experience highs and lows in our lives. One moment of yesterday is filled with tears turn to hope for tomorrow. As the Grandmaster stated in Kung Fu Panda, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a present - that's why they call it a gift."

Some days are filled with bewilderment, despair and anxiety. Some days are filled with laughter, peace and joy. I'm sure you have had days like that. Everyone has them. It's how we deal with them that makes the difference in going from tears to hope or going from hope to tears.

Sometimes when I am facing the stormy strings of life, my spirit cries out,“ Why? Why!?!” Why am I stuck in this mess? Why am I deserted? Why have I been for gotten? Why have I been left behind? Sometimes we think our way of doing things are best only to find out that the mess has been multiplied. Our Creator wants no one to be left behind. Our Creator wants us to go from tears to hope...to pick up the pieces and find a new tomorrow.

Sometimes, it takes a little meditation ... to be still and listen to the voice from within... not the anxiety-ridden voice, but the calm, still voice of our Creator... the One that guides us safely. Not a prayer ... for prayer is where I do all the talking ... begging ... crying. Meditation is where I do the listening and giving gratitude for all the little things in my life. Sometimes it's a big step to learning to be still and quiet.

If it wasn't for the lighthouse, I wouldn't be here today. I can speak with the voice of experience. I've been there. I've been on the stormy sea of life... with tears flowing down my cheeks ... with a heart heavy from defeat, loneliness and hurts. In the midst of chaos and turmoil, the stillness and quietness of meditation turns me from tears to hope. The stillness and quietness turns every fiber in my body ... every single cell into alignment to receive the message from my Creator. I turn from trembling and fear to one of peace, tranquility and joy. I may not have the answer, but I feel the peace that my Creator wants me to live my best life now...that my Creators wants me to turn from tears to hope. My Creator wants no one to be left behind. My fears and worries are all dissipated. I have been empowered. I am ready to take a new step forward. I am back on track. I have gone from tears to hope.

The same applies to you. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and turning our lives from tears to hope.

A Forgiving Spirit

A Forgiving Spirit
by Annie Tornabene




I will greet each day with a Forgiving Spirit.

I'm often asked "How can I move on?" You can't move on without a forgiving spirit. Forgiveness is the mental, and/or spiritual process of ceasing to feel resentment, indignation or anger against another person or persons for a perceived offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution. Love is an act of endless forgiveness that becomes a habit.

Moving on, new year celebrations and other similar events are a chance to start over. Starting over often involves forgiveness; both giving it and getting it. Neither one of those is easy, but both are doable.

Forgiving someone means that we find the courage to go beyond ourselves to a place that helps us see those who have hurt us in a new way. It means that we must confront the past and commit to a new way of thinking and behaving. That's a hard cup to swallow.

There are steps that will help make it a little easier. Remember nothing is impossible. The only thing you have to fear is fear itself. Fear will try to talk you out of forgiveness because unforgiveness feeds on fear. Fear has been it's teacher... it knows no other way to survive than living a life in fear and unforgiveness.

Forgiveness only applies to the first person. What I mean by that is that you can only forgive what you have done or someone has done to you. You can't forgive what someone did to someone else or they did to someone else. It is strictly personal. If you are not involved, then stay out of it. You can not force another person to forgive. Each person has to make that decision for themselves.

Don't waddle in your forgiveness. When you have decided to forgive someone (that includes yourself), make the statement and let it go. Hanging on to it or to keep nagging about it only means that you haven't been willing to forgive. Don't start listing all the problems at once. Take one at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself or the other person with all the mistakes. I've seen couples try to ask for forgiveness for a thousand mistakes - listing them one by one until the other person is overwhelmed. It's not the time or place to explore the problems. It is simply the time to ask for forgiveness in a forgiving spirit. Some mistakes can be bundled together and sometimes you can just say "Forgive me for all my mistakes." Love is the endless forgiveness that becomes a habit. Love your life. Love the other person. Every time fear pops its ugly head to remind you of the past wrongs, bring love in... think or say "I love you." The same goes for when someone apologies for their mistakes, accept it and let it go reminding yourself to send them love. Each time you do this, it will strengthen you in a forgiving spirit.

Remember none of us are perfect. We have all made mistakes and in a forgiving spirit, we move on. We do not want to be held hostage to our past. A forgiving spirit brings us to a better tomorrow ... a new relationship with the other person and our self. When I learned to forgive myself for past mistakes, it was like a different person. Because I became a different person. The key to forgiveness is to be able to look beyond all the problems, all the faults, all the mistakes and love them and/or yourself anyway!

If you are not ready to forgive, tell the other person that you will need some time but you want to begin a new level of relationship. Remember forgiveness is not the end but the beginning.

Forgiving yourself with a forgiving spirit is the act of beginning to move on ... to live again.

In starting a new beginning and moving on, celebrate that moment with a hug, a smile, a toast or even a dinner. You have made the first step, however small it may be, you have made the first step to moving on in a forgiving spirit.

Remember to forgive those who do not ask for forgiveness and most importantly, forgive yourself. Do whatever it takes to forgive in a forgiving spirit with an attitude of gratitude. No one said it would be easy, just that it is worth it. Together we can make a difference in learning to live with a forgiving spirit in an attitude of gratitude.

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?

Take Action

Take Action
by Annie Tornabene



Fumbling through some old books, I found a book called Adrift 76 days lost at sea by Steven Callahan. It caught my eye and I began to read it. Adrift and lost at sea is much like being in the mist of a dark fog of depression ... at least I saw the similarities.

In 1981, Steven was sailing by himself from Spain to Antigua. (Ok, so it wasn't a ship as big as this one ... it's the only picture I could find.) Somewhere west of the Canary Islands, he notices that termites have eaten into the mast. He takes action and lowers the sails. It was a good thing that he lowered the sails because a storm came through. If the sails had been up, the boat would have been toppled and most likely sank at that moment.

After the storm past, he noticed the boat was sinking. So he had to take action. He managed to grab the life raft, a knife, his emergency duffel bag, a piece of the mainsail, and a sleeping bag. Luckily he had read other books about people being lost at sea such as, Staying Alive, 1974; Survive the Savage Sea, 1973; and Sea Survival Manual, 1975. He took action and was prepared before he started his journey. He followed the advice of others that had gone before him in similar journeys. This was the first account of anyone surviving alone for so long of a time.

He endured hardships, depression, anxiety, loneliness, cramped living space, hunger, pain and thirst, yet he creatively had determination and perseverance to take action to survive. Sharks, barracudas, doradoes and storms faced him daily. If he hadn't gone through this hardship, this storm, he would have never discovered the treasure. How many of us could survive under these conditions in stormy waters?

Many of us are having difficulty doing the same thing on dry land much less stormy waters. It is no different. Not to say that he didn't bravely face and take action or discredit his experience. Depression is much like facing stormy waters on a lifeboat lost at sea. The only difference is that nobody knows you are lost at sea in the mist of a dark fog of depression. They think because they can see you that you are not battling for your life. They don't see the stormy waters.

They don't see that you are adrift in your mind and lost at sea. They don't see you struggling to find your way in the misty dark fog of depression. They just see you sitting there. I know, I've been there. The more we sit, the darker the fog becomes until all about us is darkness. I don't know how long I sat there before I noticed a tiny pinhole of light. I didn't know if it was a light at the end of a tunnel or a tankard coming to blow me away. A key to understanding depression is to take action. Get up. Take a walk. Turn yourself around. Do anything even if it means just wiggling your little finger. A little wiggle today means two little wiggles tomorrow. Each step of the way is a day of victory. One baby step at a time.

I know something compelled me from within to take action. Get on up. Go toward the light. It was a lighthouse that guided me safely in. The Lighthouse of Halo is here for you too. Do you have your SOD Emergency Kit? If you don't, contact me and I'll help you get one. For those who don't know what a SOD Emergency Kit is. . . it is Survival of Depression Emergency Kit. Together we can make a difference in battling the stormy sea of depression and take action.

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.

A New Day

A New Day
by Annie Tornabene


Good Morning, Sunshine! It's the start of a new day.

Whenever oceans rise, thunder storms and howling winds are all about me, I will put my trust in my Creator and know that my Creator is protecting me and keeping me safe. I know that with the help of my Creator, I will rise above the storms.

I will be still and know that all is under control with the Great Creator. I will not fear for the Creator is within me. The Power that is within me is more powerful than any storm that I may face. Peace and tranquility are mine for a new day!

I will remember our Creator. For our Creator gives us the Power to obtain abundance so that our Creator may have glory and honor. Our Creator has promised us abundance for a new day. So in an attitude of gratitude, I will give the honor and glory to our Creator.

Our job, should we decide to accept it, is to be thankful that our Creator creates amazing success stories through us. Therefore, in an attitude of gratitude, we are to be the best success stories. Together we can make a difference in living a new day to the max and understanding depression. What successes do you have?

Victor Or Victim?

Victor or Victim?
by Annie Tornabene


Do you feel like a victor or victim? Do you wish you could find the magic code or the secret to living a victorious life now? Some times in the hustle and bustle of every day life, we get caught up in every day strife. Then it is easy to take on the role of the victim instead of the victor. Don't do it!

You were created to live a victorious life. Don't let anyone rob you of it. Take control of your life by taking an active part in living and loving your life. If you play a passive role, there are those who would take advantage of you and pretty soon you'll be the victim. However if you take a stand, the robbers and naysayers will start to flee because they don't like people living victorious lives. It makes them feel uncomfortable. They notice the difference between living a life out of control and living a life in control. 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. See your light from within burning brightly. Do these things and it will burn brighter.

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.

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. Victory is yours.

Between being a victor or victim, a victor is better. You deserve to live your best life now. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and living a victorious life. Let each step we take cry out in victory.

What Is Within?

What Is Within
by Annie Tornabene



Are you struggling with negative thoughts? Depression? Anger? Anxiety? Hatred? Fear? What is within you? Take a good look at what is within you.

You are like a stain glass window that you never realize its true beauty until darkness sets in and the light from within shines through. How beautiful is you stain glass window that is within you? Is the light that is within you barely a spark of light? Is it almost dark or does you light shine brightly from within?

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a present. Every day of you life should be an empowering affirmation of you best life now. Love your life. Each step you take, every though you have and every action you make needs to ring true what is within you. Love, love and laugh. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and expressing what is within your life.

Grain Of Sand

Grain Of Sand
by Annie Tornabene

Have you ever seen a pearl? Probably you have. You admire its color, its glimmer, and its smoothness. It all started with a tiny grain of sand. A little grain of sand logged in the clam. It irritated the clam but he turned it little by little (one baby step at a time) into something beautiful.

That little grain of sand became a beautiful, radiating pearl - a priceless gem. So can you. Those troublesome, irritating things that get under your skin. Those rough edges of anger, anxiety, fear and other issues can be smoothed and polished.

Don't worry if you feel that you are not finished. Just take one baby step at a time. It's the process that you are working on turning that grain of sand into something beautiful not the completed product that is important.

Be patient. Enjoy peace, tranquility and laughter. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression with a grain of sand.

Are You Weary?

Are You Weary?
by Annie Tornabene



Have you ever been in a situation where you felt no matter what you did everything was falling apart? Or maybe you found every time you open your mouth, something negative was coming out? Without even thinking you hear yourself tearing a co-worker or family member down or criticizing their work. You feel the anxiety, the anger, the fear. Then you realize what you are doing. Wow, an eye opener!

You were created by your Creator for the utmost good. You were created to give out goodness. That is why when you do something good for someone else without concern for yourself you feel good. You feel the peace and tranquility. Wow what empowerment.

When you go against giving goodness you feel weary...you feel depressed. Are you weary?

When you give out goodness you will find peace and tranquility flowing through you. Life doesn't have to be exhausting. There is a better way! Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and weariness. Live, love and laugh. Get refreshed and live your best life now.

Abundant Living

Abundant Living
by Annie Tornabene

I'm Rich...... This morning I searched my wallet. It was empty. Then, I checked my pockets . I found a few coins . I then searched my heart and found you. Then, I realized how rich I really am... Thanks for being my friend and e-mail buddy! May you be as rich as I am!

Have you ever realized how rich you truly are to have at least one friend? My daughter told me today that we were rich. I thought of friends that had mansions. I was thinking of material wealth and said no we're not. Then she smiled at me and said, "We're rich in love." My heart melted. She was right. It doesn't matter how much money a person has. It doesn't matter how fancy the car. It doesn't matter what clothes we wear. Who really cares about those designer labels? It doesn't matter how big the house is. What matters is that we love one another. We have abundant living.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. If you have more health than illness, you are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day. If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 700 million people in the world. If you can attend a church or religious ceremony without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world. If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in depression and downtrodden. If you are reading this on your computer, you are among the 1% who has that opportunity and more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

You have a friend that was thinking of you. You have abundant living. In an attitude of gratitude, be thankful for the abundant living you possess. Allow abundant living to flow more readily in your life. Be thankful for the abundance that you are enjoying and living. Be thankful for the little things and the big things will take care of themselves. As they follow the little things.

Family Ties

Family Ties
by Annie Tornabene


Growing up the first contact we have with anyone is our families. Whatever experience we have, it begins with the family. Some of us had good experiences with family. And some not good experiences with family. Some of us didn't know we had bad experiences with family, we just thought that was the way it was. It was not until later in life, when we experience other families that we notice our family may be dysfunctional.

If the family is sick, meaning dysfunctional, co-dependent, alcoholism (you don't have to drink to be an alcoholic - it could pass for generations), family abuse, violence, racism and sexual abuse, the family can get used to this and think this is normal. In other words, the families are asleep. They don't know that there is a better way. It takes one member to be awakened to say the buck stops here. They may become a nuisance and irritate the rest of the family to wake up.

A big fear that many dysfunctional members have is being afraid to love. It is one of the most basic needs we have, yet for many growing up in a dysfunctional family, it was the most frightening. They end up searching for love in all the wrong places. It is how they keep safe from being hurt. Many freak out once someone shows real love to them. They say they are getting too close. They run and try to hide.

I dated a guy like this. Every time we started getting "serious", he would break up with me. It never lasted very long. He would start missing the love that I had and call to start the "game" all over again. His daughter is the one that calls me "Mom" because she said I was like a Mom to her. She said everything she learned about real love came from me. She is married to a wonderful man and has three beautiful children that call me Grandma. She felt her Dad missed out. I dated her Dad for seven years before I finally said, "Enough is enough." I told him he had a yellow streak down his back. And he has spent his entire life running from love.

For individuals like this, the fear of love and inability to trust had deep roots in early childhood. Many feel that if you love them, you will leave them, reject them, hurt them, smother them, or you may even try to kill them. This unconscious fear grows into their adult life. One lady told me that is why she became depressed. She thought by being depressed, she could hide.

Withdrawal is a downright dirty way to fight. It can be a form of passive hostility, self-pity, or self-justification. It can be caused by a fear of conflict, a fear of being dominated by the other person, a fear of love and trust, or any of a number of other reasons. However, when one party withdraws, there is no possible chance for resolution. It's even worse when both parties withdraw. Snow White came from a dysfunctional family and lived with a man named Grumpy. See you are not alone.

It is never too late to learn how to love and trust. It is never too late to awaken the family. You can't always choose your family, but you can choose your friends. You can include your circle of friends as your family. Family ties are important to keep us growing...to keep us moving in the right direction...to keep us remembering we are human. If your family ties are dysfunctional, start new family ties. The buck stops here. You can't do anything but learn from the past. The past is a bucket of ashes. Dump the bucket out and begin a new day of living a fuller more fulfilled life. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression.

Toxic Emotions

Toxic Emotions
by Annie Tornabene

SEXY & HOT COMMENTS



Have you ever felt the venom of anger? The bitterness of fear? Or the sting of hatred? All of these emotions are toxic to our bodies just like poison. It's like going pass a chemical plant that is releasing toxin gases into the air. It makes it hard to breathe. Have you passed a chemical plant like that? It takes your breath away.

Then why to we rob ourselves of precious moments of life with these toxic emotions? It's not the emotions that are bad for us, it is how we deal with them. These toxic emotions let us know that we are human, we all have them. These emotions are toxic subtle energy. If you hold it in, they fester in your system, eating you alive, or else exploded. I'm sure you have heard of at least one or two who have made the headlines. They were seemingly quiet people who suddenly snapped and took revenge. I remember having days like that. Maybe you have too.

I remember one day being so frustrated with insurance companies and pharmacies after my accident. I yelled and screamed at the pharmacy because my pain medicine wasn't ready. Finally I snapped and screamed, "What do I have to do to make someone notice that I have a problem? Kill someone? Or kill myself?"

Everyone in the store heard me. Everything got quiet. The pharmacist was trying to keep me calm. That was a wake-up call for me. I realized I had to start monitoring my emotions. It was not healthy to allow my emotions to get so far out of control. I had to learn to diffuse my emotions before they got to that point.

I had to learn to identify the source of my emotions. What was the trigger? On a scale of one to ten, what was the level of anxiety that I was feeling? Impulsive and unconscious emotions were ten and mildly agitated was a one or two. I had to learn to slow down my reaction.

You can 't run or hide from your toxic emotions, but you can slow down your reactions. In the heat of the emotions is not the best time to try and correct the problem. Otherwise, you're like a snake coiled to strike at it's victim. No one wins but damage is left behind from the toxic emotions. If you can avoid confrontation and allow the emotions to cool, you can calmly talk out your problems and come to a peaceful resolution.

I learned when I was feeling these emotions, I had to take a deep breath and remove myself from the situation at least by the time it got to a four. Sometimes I didn't notice I had the emotions until it got to a three. Then had to quickly rate it and realize that I had to have the courage to get out while it was on the rise. Taking a deep breath helped me slow down my toxic emotions. It gave me time to think what was the source of my feeling and what was the rate of it. Most of the time, 24 hours made a big difference. After 24 hours I could look at the situation a little different and was more realistic about the outcome. I could write about it in my journal which didn't hurt anyone or I could do a painting which again didn't hurt anyone.

Some of my paintings have become known as the suicidal paintings. My family learned when I was painting one of those to get out of my way while I was painting. After I got the emotions out, I was calm and could talk to them. If they interfered while I was in that mood, they were liable to get blasted.

Sometimes after I wrote about it in my journal or did a painting of it, I could see the humor in it. I learned to laugh about the problem and about how quick I was to coil over the problem. Does any of this sound familiar?

I learned to meditate to help me stay focused; to allow peace to enter into my life. Those two minute meditations became calming for me. They became my lifesavers. The longer meditations helped me start and end the day in peace.

I learned to drop my fears and human emotions into our Creator's hands and watch them sink from sight just like a drop of water into a pool. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and toxic emotions. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.