Mahatma Gandhi

 

It's What You Learn That Is Important

 

No Regrets

 

A Good Analogy...

 



Learn to Appreciate the Value of Time

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane..

To realize
The value of one second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when
You can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend or family member:

LOSE ONE.

The origin of this letter is unknown,
But it brings good luck to everyone who passes it on.

Remember....
Hold on tight to the ones you love!!!!

 



Things You Need Need To Stop Doing...

The Power of Color by Kenneth Linge

 

http://www.lifebuzz.com
30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself.   #10 Is An Absolute Must.
http://www.marcandangel.com/

Marc and Angel, two passionate writers, life-hackers and “admirers of the human spirit,” have come up with an amazing list of 30 things to stop doing to yourself. If you like their list, make sure you check out their site and sign up to their amazing newsletter.

#1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.

#2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.

#3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.

#4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

#5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.

#6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.

#7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.

#8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.

#9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.

#10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.

#11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.

#12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.

#13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.

#14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.

#15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others are doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.

#16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”

#17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.

#18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.

#19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.

#20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.

#21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.

#22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.

#23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.

#24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.

#25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.

#26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.

#27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.

#28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.

#29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.

#30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.
This is such a beautiful list, and we all are guilty of some of these. The best thing to do is just remember each day to appreciate and reflect a bit, even if it's only a few minutes.

Share this amazing list by clicking below.

Perhaps they are not stars...

Doradus Nebula
Looks Like a Celebration in Space

 

"Perhaps they are not stars,

but rather openings in heaven

where the love of our lost ones

 pours through and shines

down upon us to let us

know they are happy."

 

~ Eskimo Proverb

 



Why can't we be more like a dog?

 

 

"Dogs are my favorite role models.  I want to work like a dog, doing what I was

 

born to do with joy and purpose.  I want to play like a dog, with total, jolly abandon. 

 

I want to love like a dog, with unabashed devotion and complete lack of concern

 

about what people do for a living, how much money they have, or how much the weigh.

 

The fact that we still live with dogs, even when we don't have to herd or hunt our dinner,

 

gives me hope for humans and canines alike."

 

~ Oprah Winfrey

 



The Opposite of Chaos

Serenity Nebulas



Cosmos is a Greek word

for the order of the universe.

 

It is, in a way,

the opposite of Chaos.

 

It implies the deep interconnectedness

of all things.

 

It conveys awe for the intricate

and subtle way in which

the universe is put together.

 

~ Carl Sagan 

 



Strengthen Your Child's Immunity

 

When The Sun Goes Down, Remember...

 

Edguardo on Needing a Vacation

 

Advice from A Flight Attendant

The Blog

  

How to Make Your Flight Attendant Like (Maybe Even Love) You

by George Hobica

 

Syndicated travel journalist and founder of Airfarewatchdog.com

Posted: 03/19/2014 2:33 pm EDT Updated: 03/19/2014 2:59 pm EDT 

 

Maybe you don't want to please your cabin crew next time you fly. I know, I know, it's their job to be nice; you're the customer, they're the employee. But if you're good to them, they'll be extra nice to you. So here's how to charm them.

1. Say hello! If a flight attendant greets you upon boarding at the jetway, say hi back. Don't just ignore them. A simple "good morning" or "good evening" does it. How would you like to greet 20 people in a row and be greeted by silence? Well, that's what usually happens.

2. Listen to the safety demo. It's just polite. Put down your iPad and Kindle. When was the last time you really listened? If it was more than a few years ago, it's time for a refresher. At the very least don't talk loudly to your neighbor when a flight attendant is standing in front of you trying to keep you safe.

Related: Things they don't tell you in the safety demo

3. Headphones off! Take your headphones off when they ask you what you'd like to drink so they don't have to repeat it three times. How would you like it if they were wearing headphones when talking to you? It's the Golden Rule.

4. Be specific when ordering. When you ask for coffee or tea, specify milk or no milk, sweetener or not, without being asked as in, "I'd like coffee with milk, please" or "I'd like coffee, black." Not only does it make their job easier, but everyone on the plane will get served more quickly.

5. Same for cold drinks. "I'd like Diet Coke, no ice, please" or "Water, with ice and a slice of lemon, please."

6. Say please and thank you. As in the examples above, say please and thank you when asking for and receiving something. Again, common courtesy that will get you treated extra well. A flight attendant once told me "We thought you were company" (meaning that I worked for the airline) because I was so polite.

7. Magazines! Donate copies of your current magazines to the crew. After you finish reading this week's US Weekly or GQ, give it to your flight attendant. Flight attendants love to read magazines when they're off duty or on break.

8. Treats. It's perfectly permissible to bring a little tasty treat for your crew. Just make sure it's safety-sealed -- not your homemade muffins, which might be considered a safety hazard. I bring boxes of Walker's Scottish shortbread or factory-sealed chocolates. They're always a big hit and you may be rewarded with a free cocktail or maybe even get reseated in the exit row. It happens!

9. Pens! People are always asking flight attendants for pens, whether to complete immigration and customs forms or to simply do the crossword puzzle. Bring a few extra cheap pens, bundle them up and give them to your crewmember. It may not be as enjoyable as a box of chocolates, but they will surely put them to good use.

10. Wheels in! Try to put your carryon bag with wheels or handles facing in before commandeering twice as much space putting it horizontally. And, for Heaven's sake, don't put your jackets or tiny bags in the bin. That takes up space for larger items that have to go there, and these smaller items easily can fit atop existing bags once everyone has boarded or underneath the seat. Flight attendants will tell you that boarding is the most stressful part of their job, and by exhibiting an ounce of courtesy and common sense, it helps the entire plane get on the way more quickly.

11. Stay out of the aisles. Make your best effort to stay out of the aisles when the carts are brought out or when the plane is boarding. Try to use the bathroom before boarding or after takeoff, but if the crew begins their service, it is best to stay seated. The carts are heavy and awkward to maneuver, and there's no reason to become an obstacle to them unless absolutely necessary. And if a crewmember reminds you that the seatbelt sign is still illuminated, remember that they are just doing their job.

12. Stay out of the galley! Sure you need to stretch your legs and all, but galleys are tiny and your flight attendant doesn't want you there.

13. Tell the airline. If a flight attendant offers exceptionally nice service, most airlines have a mechanism for recognizing them. Ask for their employee number and note the flight number.
Where will all this kindness get you? No, you probably won't get an inflight upgrade (although flight attendants do have the ability to offer them if there's room). Maybe the crew will forget to charge you for your cocktail. Maybe they'll reseat you if the child behind you is wailing like a banshee. I've been offered a bottle of wine at the end of the flight on more than one occasion. But sometimes being nice is its own reward.

 

Follow George Hobica on Twitter: www.twitter.com/airfarewatchdog

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-hobica/how-to-make-your-flight-a_b_4994388.html

 

            

Calming the Inner Chaos



 

www.huffingtonpost.com

 

The Blog

 



 March 21, 2014

Adrienne Austermann
Creative Professional, Author/Illustrator: The Sleepy Star
 
Calming the Inner Chaos

 Posted:  03/21/2014 8:20 am EDT    Updated:  03/21/2014 8:59 am EDT  

One day, while driving alone in my car, I caught myself turning down the radio because it was interfering with the conversation I was having in my own head. The simple turn of a radio knob was all I needed to realize it was time to realign my priorities and find a way to calm the chaotic inner state I was unintentionally harboring. It's been over a year since that day, and with a conscious daily effort (some days being more successful than others) I have squashed the chatter and have gained a renewed sense of self, and a greater state tranquility.

The following steps encompass values and traits that you too can foster to help achieve this goal.

1. Live with intention.
 Make your actions matter. Living with intention simply means to be mindful that your actions are purposeful with forward movement that can lead to positive results.

2. Live with authenticity.
 Living with authenticity is to not let others define you. Don't worry about "fitting in" or being judged. Resist bowing down to superficial external pressures. When who you are, is in conflict with who others expect you to be, you are on a direct path to depression, anxiety and unhappiness. If you are always pleasing others, you are most likely neglecting yourself. Listen to your inner voice, notice what makes you smile, what is it about that moment that grabs your attention? Remain true to yourself by acknowledging and utilizing your unique gifts throughout your life.

3. Shed your expectations of others.
 News flash: You are not entitled to anything and no one owes you anything. Furthermore, people will not always treat you the way you would treat them. People are flawed, but flaws are pathways to growth and character so embrace them. Do not let the negative behavior of others, negatively impact yours. Always choose love, even when it's the harder choice.

4. Practice empathy.
 If it doesn't come naturally to you, work to develop it. Step out of yourself and imagine what another person's situation would be like from their perspective. Think about the challenges they are facing. Even if someone else's struggles seem trite to you, they may very well be a painful burden to them. Acknowledging another's emotional state is a simple gift of validation we can give often and freely, and giving is a step to greater personal happiness and inner peace.

5. Forgive.
 Forgiveness is a gift you can give to yourself. You deserve to be free of the weight of resentment and anger. You won't forget. There is a lesson to be learned when others hurt you, and that lesson will subconsciously become part of your protective instincts.

6. Foster creativity.
 Always look at life with the wide-eyed wonderment of a child. Observe, question and re-imagine the way things can be. Our unique thoughts and expressions are accomplishments to be proud of and pursued with passion.

7. Let it go.
 Don't obsess, over think, or keep reliving situations looking for an answers you may never find. It is a complete waste of precious time and energy. The "why" of something doesn't change the end result, and the result is what your are left to deal with. When there is no obvious lesson to be learned, the "why" becomes irrelevant. Learn to accept when you can't understand and move on.

8. Don't abandon your dreams.
 It's okay to temporarily put them on the back burner when life tells you it has other plans. Just keep your ideas simmering in that creative "gray zone" and plan to take action when the time better presents itself. Until then, focus on things to be grateful for now, and look for things that you can do to help others. There is no peace living in a constant state of worry about trying to achieve something.

Take a break if you have to, then come back to pursue your dreams with a renewed sense of passion.
Change is hard and it requires a consistent effort. Sometimes we cling too tightly to the familiar, even if it's an unhealthy state. With that in mind, desire and strength can lead to action. When you are ready, act, do so with intention.

 Follow Adrienne Austermann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@aausti
 

Acceptance

Flowering Quince


" Sometimes you'll put up a good fight and lose.

Sometimes you'll hold on really hard and

realize there is no choice but to let go.

Acceptance is a small, quiet room."

~ Cheryl Strayed

 

International Happiness Day Is Today

 
The International Happiness Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly on June 28, 2013 and is celebrated on March 20th. 
The following quotes are about happiness.

 *  "The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise.  It is not that we  seize them, but that they seize us." 

~ Ashley Montagu

*  "True happiness involves the pursuit of worthy goals.  Without dreams, without risk, only a trivial semblance of living can be achieved."

~ Dan Buettner

*  "Happiness, not in another, but this place...not for another hour, but for this hour."

~ Walt Whitman

*  "Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure, nor this thing nor that, but simply growth."

~ W.B. Yeats

*  "Growth itself contains the germ of happiness."

~ Pearl S. Buck

*  "Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing.  For to miss the joy is to miss all."

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

* "Happiness is in your ability to love others. "

~ Leo Tolstoy

*  "The capacity for uplift is part of what makes us essentially, euphorically human."

~ Jessica Winter

*  "I've come to believe that seeking happiness is not a frivolous pursuit.  It's honorable and necessary.  And most people forget even to think about it."

~ Goldi Hawn

*  "Doing what you were born to do...Thant's the way to e happy."

~Agnes Martin

*  "We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day."

~ Henri Nouwen

*  "The constant happiness is curiosity."

~ Alice Munro

*  "Live with a whole heart."

~ Bren Brown 

 

 

FIRST DAY of SPRING. CELEBRATE!

 



A Bank Named TIME

 

 



Your Choice

 



If we...

 



An Elder's Wisdom

 



Smile

 

"Smile every chance you get.

 

Not because life has been easy,

 

perfect, or exactly as you had anticipated,

 

but because you choose to be happy

 

and grateful for all the good things you do have

 

and all the problems you know you don't have."

 

~ Author Unknown

 

Important Rules for Dogs

 

The dog is not allowed in the house.

 

Okay, the dog is allowed in the house,

 

but only in certain rooms.

 

The dog is allowed in all rooms, but

 

has to stay off the furniture.

 

The dog can get on the old furniture only.

 

Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture,

 

but is not allowed to sleep

 

 with humans on the bed.

 

Okay, the dog is allowed on the bed,

 

but only by invitation.

 

The dog can sleep on the bed

 

 whenever he wants,

 

but not under the covers.

 

The dog can sleep under the covers

 

 by invitation only.

 

The dog can sleep under the covers every night.

 

Humans must ask permissions to

 

 sleep under the covers with the dog.

 



A Strong Woman is ...

 

Painting by His Excellency Joan Marti Alanis
29 November 1928 - 11 October 2009

 



How Our Pets Love Us!

 

 

Happy St. Patrick's Day



The Universe



Inspired by a quote by Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn

 

 

The Cosmos

 

Cosmos is a Greek work for the order of the universe.

 

It is, in a way, the opposite of Chaos.  It implies

 

the deep interconnectedness of all things.

 

It conveys awe for the intricate and subtle way in

 

which the universe is put together.  ~  Carl Sagan

 



Real Men

A World of Knowledge & Entertainment

 

 

"What an astonishing thing a book is.  It's a flat object made

 

from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted

 

lots of funny dark squiggles.  But one glance at it and

 

you're inside the mind of  another person, maybe

 

somebody dead for thousands of years.  Across the millennia,

 

an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head,

 

directly to you.  Writing is perhaps the greatest of human

 

inventions, binding together people who never knew each other,

 

citizens of distant epochs.  Books break the shackles  of time.  A book

 

 is proof that humans are capable of working magic." 

 

~Carl Sagan

 



Remember When We Thought Life Was Simple?

Cowboy Up by June Dudley

"Life is really simple,

 but we insist on making it complicated."

 

~Confucius

 

Science & Spirituality

SCIENCE & SPIRITUALITY



~ Carl Sagen
 

His Name Is Not Reggie.

Something That Tears At My Heart...

 

 

"I have been witness to much in my life,

but nothing tears at my heart, and makes my soul

weep, more than abuse to other beings.  Any beings."

 

~ A.D. Williams

 

Inside the Divine Pattern

Discovery of Truth, Wisdom, and Prophecy

Anthony Douglas Williams

ISBN  978-0-9808938-0-9

~Printed In Canada~

 



Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

 

 



Purity of Heart

 

"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how he regards cats." -Unknown