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?

Be Patient

Be Patient
by Annie Tornabene

Click to Pass On

Looks like we made it! We just had to be patient and wait out the storm. So it is with life. We need to be patient, our Creator isn't finished with us yet. Be still, have patience. Know that all things are possible but it takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day. Any great masterpiece has taken time. The great artist, Leonardo da Vinci painted three Mona Lisa's before he finally painted the Mona Lisa that we know today.

Each stroke of the brush was done with patience and care. He was reminded to be patient and not rush. Taking time with a Master's touch makes a difference.

When we take our time, we complete our task. Remember its not how fast we do it, it's just that we complete it. If we rush through it, it may only get half done or we have to do it over. So be patient.

When you are tempted to call it quits, be patient. All things work together for the better. Time is on your side. You see things in a different viewpoint tomorrow. Some of the things that you worry and fret over never come. So be patient.

Give love a chance to grow. Build on your successes. Take one step at a time. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression and learning to be patient. Love your life and be patient.

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.

Monday Morning Blues

People write me all the time telling me how much they stressed out on Monday - like the song says, Monday, Monday can't stand that day -- just because it was "Monday."One lady said she thought every Monday she was pregnant because she had morning sickness on the way to work. I wrote him back and asked her why? She said "I get so nauseated on the way to work now cause I can't stand it there! I feel like I'm gonna get sick even as I get ready for work!" And that's a Crappy way to start the week, I thought. And this woman's NOT alone!!

It's estimated that about 65% of ALL people suffer from what's known as "Monday Morning Blues." This means that about 65 out of every 100 cars you see on the drive to work have a driver at the wheel that feels sick enough to turn the car around and just go home, put on that old T-shirt and be stress-free!

I've had people tell me that doing mundane thing around the house on Monday sends their blood pressure through the roof. I suppose no matter who you are, obstacles and challenges will be tossed in your way. Stressful situations happen to all of us and pressure is a personal thing. Remember it's not what happens to us, it's how we react to what has happened.

It can be our stumbling block or our stepping stone. You can't control the universe, but you can control your thoughts and reactions. The key is to acknowledge and confront our fears, our anxiety and our worries because when we do, and we begin to realize that we are capable of handling them. You are the master of your own fate. Your mind controls your body so you control your mind. Good things in, good things breathe out. Don't get stuck, you take control and take those baby steps forward. The more you do it, the more confident you will become and your mind healing will chase those Monday Morning Blues away.

Doing our daily mind healing rituals is just as important as our physical rituals. Maybe even more important. If you believe you can, then you can. Do whatever it takes to chase those blues away and have your best life now. It helps in clearing the chaos of your mind and in cleaning out the cobwebs. If you need talk, just email me or IM me. Together we can make a difference in understanding depression. Be happy, don't worry!

Creating Happiness

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

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

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

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

Don't Worry

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

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

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