I will Hope and dream!

Today I welcome my next "Guest Blogger" Rachana Shakyawar she writes a wonderful blog called "Humming Today" please check it out.

I will Hope and Dream!

He said, “Hope and dreams are incentives of life”…and those little words just echoed my life!

How beautiful was it seeing that these little words, “Hope and Dream” are so much interlinked and liberating! I hoped to happen and dreamt to dare!
I silently prayed, wished and expected someday my aspirations shall come true. I had no perfect sketched picture to view but I knew, “if I hope, I already have”! And I kept that high spirit.
Hope and dream have been ever since the beginning. It brought change, a beautiful magic with it. A series of miracles and high drive in imagination in the group of thoughts! While I was dreaming, I was discovering me in every aspect. The varied options I had and ability to cope and overcome all the hurdles. The defeat and disappointments were not the end but the new fresh beginning, it was understood only then. It was hope and dream in combo that motivated me every stage.

A power of dreaming came with an ability to view what we liked and hope it to happen, the change as we loved it. We worked hard...focused and with the dedicated sincere step by step we reached our goal, our target, and our dream! To dream has been an act of being fearless and is infinite! A dream supported with a pat of hope, an optimistic belief of gesture.

But many times you come to a juncture of life when you feel you dream hopelessly like a loser. Perhaps, you might have! But great thing would be if you move with the aspiration and turn the tables round, you will see that a loser was being just so temporary stage of life. It was the dreams and hope that actually sailed you safely away from the thunderous fall every time. It gave you a reason to smile and a reason to firm up your beliefs. Every challenge in your life helps you to grow. It is the hope and dreams that gave you a chance of change for better a choice to make and create a motivation to value the worthy thoughts and ideas you got. Perhaps, it was not at all about only you what you got…it was about what you got and could contribute to the well-being of others…directly or indirectly.

A man perhaps by profession a doctor had a dream to owe a big hospital for the Cancer patients. Though, the dream was his, his dream could serve many-many longing families of the Cancer patients with better facilities and medicine. Perhaps, he hoped for the best and dreamt indirectly for everyone.

Never give up when you still have something to give…hope and continue to dream. Do not dismiss your dreams…and lead a fearless life to expect the change and a chance in sight.

Only hope can heal the pain and the haunting moments. When you are hurting, your strength shines through the hope and dreams! Such is the power of hope and dream. Even if you think you are getting selfish, it will still serve and sparkle for all and sundry.

Hope is the outcome of self-confidence, circumstantial benefits, and courage to conquer whatever you choose. Dreams are not your self-seeking wants, they are just beautiful norms that’s brings a genuine smile on your face and on other’s too if shared. We cannot control any of them but strive and thrive to optimistic lane.
Life is not a race; Life is a sweet journey of joy to be savor and cared with hope and dreams the purpose of life..!
I learned something valuable from every trip and every turn I made, I’m no more afraid to make mistakes. I learn from the choice picked and chances created in life..! I don’t hold back but hope, Dare to dream and don’t doubt your beliefs!

We all will not live forever..
We will not last eternal..
What we create, paint, dance, say words..
Perhaps will share our dreams..
And hope till the last breath..
And it will be THE WILL behind the hope and dreams that will last forever!

~Perhaps well said… “Hope is a waking dream. (Aristotle)”

Rachana - ~ Hotel Management Graduate. MBA (HR & Tourism) A Learned Chef by Nature. A Beauty Painter by Mood. A Stunning Dancer by Birth...

I have an odd mix of emotions and practicality, perfections and common sense.
Lover of humming Butterflies, colours, chocolates
Who fears of unknown
Who needs little appriciation in sincere words with a tint of charm over the top
Who gives sharp feelings for taste, time, hearing and sense of smell.
Who would like to see bloom and bliss with rachi creations..
Resident of Incredible India with One Billion votes.
A Complete Unconventional "Creation"..!

The smallest things

Sometimes I'm amazed at beauty of our world. It seems to me at times to be so big & diverse. Of course, slowly we've taken over more & more of the "wild" & natural spaces in the world, if we continue there won't be any place we can go that brings us back to nature. Yes, I could make this piece a political statement of how we need to protect our natural world but that's not what I write about. I only mention how big the world is to give you an understanding of how the smallest thing can be so important.

I've written a lot the last few days about how busy my life has been & I've tried to explain how I stay focused in the current moment even through all the noise in the busyness of my life. I try to relate these stories to help you understand how important it is to stay focused in the current moment.

When things get busy in my life, I always try to take time to focus on the littlest things around me. I can lose myself in the beauty of a flower. I can find joy in watching the birds in my backyard. I can find the wonder in the way the wind moves the tree branches. Yes, I love nature but to me it's through focusing on the smallest things that I can return to the joy I have inside.

All joy begins with the love we have inside & sometimes when life gets busy, we just need to rediscover the joy we have inside. For me that journey always begins with focusing on the beauty around me & paying attention to the smallest things that come into my life. Sure, "things" in your life can bring you joy & people in your life can bring you joy but this kind of joy is only a fleeting feeling that disappears quickly after the "thing" is over or gets old or when the person leaves or the moment passes. The joy we have inside is always there. It's just a matter of tapping into that deep well of joy we have inside.

When life gets busy we tend to get caught up in the busyness & forget the things that brings us joy. I have discovered that in this busy time is when I need to reconnect with my soul (true self) more then any other time. This connection with my soul is the doorway to the wealth of love & joy I have inside. Each of us is a truly loving being & it is only because of our disconnection from our soul that we search for love & joy outside of ourselves.

Our connection to God/universe is all encompassing & the depth of love we have inside is amazing to discover. The key is to take the time to discover it. Let go of the past, move beyond the filters we create & discover the joy & love you have inside!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested in being a guest blogger contact me at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day:"When things get the busiest in our lives, take time to appreciate the smallest things & rediscover the joy you have inside!"

Shall we dance?

Life has been odd lately. I wrote last Thursday on just how busy things have been & the truth is they haven't slowed down at all. I actually appreciate the busyness because I believe all movement in life is good movement. I know others will disagree with that thought but it's ok, I've just learned in my life that all movement, even negative movement, leads to new things. I love the discovery of new things & I believe strongly in change. I think we all need to embrace change as it will happen with or without us. I told Heidi the other day that to me, right now, I feel like I'm in a snow-globe & every time I think things have settled down someone shakes the globe again & mixes everything up.

It's truly been an odd few weeks & as I have learned to do, I take time to reflect on the events of my life & try to find some pattern or reason that I can learn from these events. As I was reflecting on the events of my life I started to think about dancing. I like the analogy of life being a dance. A dance that can change at any moment & a dance that can have many partners.

You see at times life can be as simple the box step, gently flowing across the floor with your beautiful partner. You're leading the way as things unfold before your eyes. Then at times life can be like a freestyle, moving to the beat the way that you feel is correct. You may be on your own but you're just enjoying moving your body to the music. For me, right now, life seems to be a Tango. It continues to entice me with every step but there's never anything beyond the dance.

I continue to dance with the universe & wait for things to unfold before me. I know when the timing is right that all this movement will lead to the perfect opportunity. My life has been a glorious dance & I enjoy the beauty of it with each step I take. I love to listen to the music & feel where it moves next. Enjoy the dance of life & live it to the fullest in each step you take.

Till Tomorrow,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers. If you're interested send me an email at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "The beauty of life is like a dance, it unfolds with each step we take. Enjoy the movement & feel the music of life!"

When life gets busy

Wow, it's been busy. I use to have a very busy life. During tax season I've put in as many as 80-90 hours a week but since I've been off for a year now life has slowed down. Overall I'm very happy for that. I've learned to really enjoy my time but the last couple of weeks have been crazy busy! I have no complaints I've been doing a lot of good things & I've been enjoying my daughters visit but it dawned on me that when life gets busy it's harder to stay focused in the current moment.

I've written many times about how life is about living in the now & enjoying every moment of everyday. I've learned to do this almost automatically. Just enjoying where I'm at & what I'm doing without worry about what's next. Even when I've had things planned I never worried about them, I just enjoyed where I was at. Then the last 2 weeks happened & I became busier then I've been in a long time. Did I lose living in the moment? Did I create expectations about what will happen next?

No, what I discovered is that even in the busiest times you can can enjoy the moment you're in. It's not easy. You can get swept away with all the busyness. But with practice it is possible. I've really enjoyed the past couple of weeks & in addition to living in each moment, I enjoyed looking back at the end of the day & reflecting on the things I did & what I learned from the day. This is a daily practice we can all do & allowing yourself to stay open to the lessons of each day can move your life to new heights!!

Trust that even in the busiest times living in the current moment is the best way to be. Practice letting go of the list of things that are yet to come. Focus on where your at & what your doing & enjoy!! Life is about living & it unfolds in every moment of everyday...don't miss out. Enjoy your life today!!

Till Monday,

Hugs,

Bill

PS I'm still looking for more guest bloggers. I would love to help promote your blog. If you're interested email me at: timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Even when life becomes extremely busy you can slow down & enjoy the moment your in right now. By staying in the current moment you will discover more joy in your life."

My Journey

This week I introduce another guest blogger; Tony Anders. Tony is a great friend that writes a wonderful blog called: "Artisan of the Human Spirit" Check out Tony's blog & enjoy this wonderful post.

My Journey........

Joy was always out there- the key words being "out there." Interestingly as I was invited to post on Journey to Joy, I had a blog brewing on this topic. I was always sure that even in the storms, in the peril, and through the pain, joy awaited.

I look back and have found many times when I was able to find joy. As a young lad, I could always seem to find a bunch of it every Christmas morning. A trip to the mall to get my new school clothes would definitely fit the bill. A puppy. A new bike. Ice cream.

Joy was simple, abundant and obtainable. I didn't have to look far, travel much, or struggle to find those things that brought me joy. They seemed to simply manifest. Maybe that is why I did not spend much time looking for it. It appeared like the morning sun.

I have always been blessed growing up to have a roof over my head, food in my belly, and loved ones surrounding me. However for some reason, once my life's odometer turned into double digits, the usual difficulties of teenagers set in. Daily struggles became as predictable as pimples on prom day and joy seemed to prove to be a bit more elusive.

"I don't have enough for the Jordache jeans, so I guess I have to wear Wranglers."

"Dude, can you spot me a few for gas money?"

"Why don't girls like guys who are in the chess club?"

Ah, yes - the big issues. It sure was rough being a teenager in America. Joy seemed to runs away as fast as we chased it. Broken hearts, scratched CD's, and parental dictators made the world a cruel and formidable opponent.

Fortunately the distance between here and joy was often narrowed with dances, football games, and handwritten notes passed in the hallways allowing us to forget the “doomsday” that was yesterday. Sometimes.

Adulthood - the point where we finally get to celebrate our liberation and make our own choices. We are now free to make our own decisions forgetting that the bad ones can be as useful to our growth as the good ones.

We go from being parented to parenting. I have often said: "Kids and golf - the most fun you can have being pissed off!" (I adore my kids)

We don’t have to ask for money anymore, yet now we have to earn it. This pungent ingredient in life's mix is often the machete that severs our tether to the security of our dock. This coveted item often causes some of the most joylessness in our lives. Whether it be abundance or abandon, money can paradoxically hide the path to joy like no other.

It is often the "things" we seek joy in that are often the things that contain the least amount of it. Titles, adoration, money, power, toys, and treasures are what many place as the true north on their compass in their journey to joy. This compass has a wavering polarity held in place by the magnetism of our soul.

I have found in my journey to joy, the further I searched, the further I ventured, the longer I traveled, the further I distanced myself from that which I sought. The more I cast my eyes down the road, the harder it was for me to see what was right in front of me.

The lighthouse we seek to lead us to joy must first have a beacon burning inside of us. We will then see the lights that shine, often illuminate the path to the same place. It illuminates the spaces closest to us.

It is in these familiar spaces we reconnect with our soul. Joy is not as much "out there", as it is inside of us awaiting release.

Once the beacon is lit, we then see bathing in that light, those around us who support and love us. The joy and wealth in life is found in our relationships and our ability to recognize them.

Joy is not found in a destination, but the path we tread upon and those we venture with.

In our journey to joy we should not resign ourselves to the exclusive appreciation for those people, and experiences around us currently, but to continue to open ourselves to the new experiences awaiting us. Both the pleasant and the punishing cultivate the people we become along our way.

Along your journey, find solace in the fact that in your preparation, you are going to encounter potholes and bumps. You will encounter things that test your emotional shock absorbers. However it is with gratitude and appreciation for those you journey with and encounter along the way that make your journey to joy a soul nourishing adventure.

Thanks for walking in my journey with me! Return here often for friends to accompany you in your journey as well. Godspeed...





Tony




After spending a quarter century in the beauty industry, Tony realized his passion had shifted from what was happening on the outside of people to what was occuring on the inside. Years of listening to other’s stories led him to seek a deeper spiritual understanding of how all things are connected. Tony’s own challenges and experiences give his writing a warmth and compassion, and are shared through the perspective of a “regular guy.”
Tony is an active blogger and a published author and his work can be found on:
http://artisanofthehumanspirit.blogspot.com/
and on his website:
http://www.tonyanders.com/

Soccer & Life

With the end of the World Cup & with my youngest daughter in town for a soccer camp, I started to think about some of the similarities between life & soccer. I'm not going to go into great depth here but whenever something comes into my head the best way to get rid of it these days is to write about it.

To give you a little background. I coached my eldest daughter's team for 3 years & have continued to watch soccer off & on for most of my life. I don't claim to be any kind of expert but I least of a fair idea of the game.

1. Field Vision - To be a good soccer player you need to see the field well & anticipate what's going to happen next. In life being able to look beyond your current view & pay attention to the world around you, can open your mind to the messages God/universe is sending you. By opening your mind to those messages, you are able to anticipate & adapt your life as needed.

2. Team Play - In soccer it's possible to score a goal without any help but most of the play is dependent on assistance from the other player's. In life, finding the people who will assist you can be life changing. These people could be anyone that give anything from moral support to being a mentor at your job. We all can use a little assistance here & there. On the other side of the coin, we should always give assistance to others. It is in give that we truly open our heart to love & in giving we will always receive.

3. Fair Play - In soccer if you don't play fair, you get a yellow card & two yellow cards you're kicked out of the game. In life, if you don't play fair, you might have some short term gains & get the things you think you want in life but eventually karma will make you pay for taking advantage of others. Treat everyone in your life with love. Open your heart to the world & you will find joy!!

Some people believe that life is game & we have to pay it to win. I believe life is about the journey. Enjoy the ride by enjoying every moment of the journey.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

PS I am still looking for guest bloggers. If you'd like to be a guest blogger please contact me at Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Soccer & life have many similarities, enjoy every moment of the game & your life will unfold before you."

Joy is more then just a word

I've written a lot in this blog about "Joy" & my journey to discover more of it in my daily life. As I began writing this blog, I started to observe my life more closely over the past year & one thing has become abundantly clear to me; to many Joy is just a word. It's something to shoot for. It's a dream, it's not really obtainable.

To me Joy is a part of my daily life. Does this mean everything goes perfectly? No not at. I have good days & bad days just like everyone else. I have doubts & concerns but I've learned that joy can be found even in the times that aren't perfect. Life is rarely perfect & if you search for perfection in your life you'll be disappointed. Every life has it's up's & down's even the best of them. The trick is to not get caught up in the down's & to enjoy the up's. I've learned to not dwell on things when they aren't going well. I've learned that by changing my focus, in difficult times, to what I can learn from this situation, generally smooths out the difficult situation & makes it better.

We have the ability to change everything in our life. All it takes is a change in focus. If we can look at life differently then how we're looking at it now....everything changes. The great thing about changing your focus is that you can do it over & over again & the world will change around you. You are the director of your life. Don't blame others for the life you have, it's all up to you.

Discover the joy in every moment. Create the life you want to see. Everything is possible, just believe in it.

Till tomorrow,

Bill

Quote of the day: "Joy is the way to live your life. Discover the joy in everything & live a more joyful life!"

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers, if you'd like to write a guest blog contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

What's Important to you?

My friend Tony Anders wrote an interesting blog on "Who am I?" yesterday & it got me thinking about how we define ourselves. He had many interesting thoughts about how people define themselves but I also believe that people define themselves by what's important to them! So I started to explore this question in my mind & I thought I would share the 10 things that are the most important to me. I'm going to exclude the obvious: Wife, Kids & Family. I hope you like this list & I would love it if you'd leave me "What's important to you" below (in no particular order).

1. Getting a job - As many of you know it's been over a year that I've been unemployed & although I'm not hung up on not having a job, I believe it's time to find one again.

2. Self Growth - The best thing about not having a job is that I've had time to truly explore who I am & continue to grow through the work I do on myself.

3. Be Love - I continue to work on loving everyone that comes into my life & trying to radiate the love I feel out to the rest of the world. When someone challenges my love, I try to understand why this person is a challenge & grow through the challenge.

4. Be Sustainable - Heidi & I continue to work on doing what we can to be more natural with local products & recycling, etc. I believe if we all take even small steps we can make a huge difference in the world.

5. Help Others - I have been volunteering since I was very small but as my work-life got very busy over the past several years I didn't have time to volunteer or help others. I have rediscovered the joy of volunteering the past year & I'm currently involved with many groups.

6. Be an instrument of peace - I have learned in my life that war is unnecessary for the most part & the differences between us make us unique, they aren't something to fight over. Through dialogue & understanding we can end war in our lifetime & have a world filled with peace.

7. Continue to write - I have discovered that the process of writing this blog has been very fulfilling not only because of the wonderful comments people leave but because it's helped me give thought to things that are important to me.

8. Be with Nature - I have truly rediscovered my love for nature. It's always been & even when my life has gotten busy I would go back to nature to reconnect but with the limited budget I've started camping again & truly appreciate being back in nature & the earth. I will never allow this connection to go away moving forward.

9. Exercise - Along with reconnecting with nature I have truly enjoyed my daily bike rides & our increased hiking. I will continue to push myself forward with these small joys in my life even when I am able to get back to work.

10. Be the change you want to see in the world - This is the most important to me. I want to be able to help change the world even if it's in a small way. I hope to always be an example going forward & when I falter I want to learn from the experience & become a better a person because of it.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into what's truly important to me. I do find joy in every moment but I also understand that I still have much to learn in my life. Life is an amazing gift & I appreciate the opportunity to become a better person everyday. Thank you for being apart of my journey.

Till Monday,

Hugs,

Bill

PS I am still looking for Guest Bloggers. My hope is to help introduce people to your blogs/thoughts. If you'd like to be a Guest Blogger drop me an email at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

"Did Pooh ever use the word 'holistic'?"

This week I welcome another guest blogger Dawn Sievers. Dawn is a great writer & a good friend. She is one of the founders of the Authentic Blogger group on Facebook & she writes a blog entitled Healing Morning. Enjoy her blog and then see her bio at the end!

"Did Pooh ever use the word ‘holistic’?”

How's that for an opening statement?! That was a reply to a post of mine on the Facebook page of a girlfriend who is suffering a lingering, nasty recovery from swine flu...current incarnation, bronchitis. I posted earlier with one of my favorite standby quotes of, "Think, think, think," said Pooh, "wondering what we can do from a holistic perspective to blast that out of you?" The second part of the quote is my own ad lib, but the beginning is pure Pooh.

I was delighted with the follow up inquiry about Pooh's possible use, or non-use of such a word as holistic, and thus, a blog was born. I am a firm believer that Pooh and all his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood are much deeper than we see at first glance. Pooh was born out of inspiration from A.A. Milne's son, Christopher Robin's stuffed animal collection (yes, my friends, there really is a real Christopher Robin!) and grew into a worldwide, beloved storyline. I suspect that many Pooh-isms were also inspired by A.A. Milne's little boy, as they speak with childlike clarity and wisdom we often lose as we grow up.

So, back to this holistic Pooh business. Has anyone recently looked up some Pooh quotes? If you haven't, I strongly suggest you give it a whirl. Just type "Winnie the Pooh quotes" into your search engine and prepare to laugh, feel warm inside, maybe get choked up here and there.

"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday."*

....and....

"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to
watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."*

....and...

"Some people care too much; I think its called love."*

Methinks that A.A. Milne was a crafty soul who possibly chose to slip very deep messages and thoughts into the world of Pooh, perhaps to touch young hearts in a positive manner and hope they would take those thoughts with them into adulthood. Fast forward to today and here I sit, typing away about Pooh and holistic health. Okay, no, Milne didn't write the word "holistic" in any of his works about Pooh, but as a child, Pooh captured my mind with his unique way of thinking, and clearly it stuck with me. I still think Pooh, if I could sit down and talk with him for a spell, would have very deep thoughts to share on holistic health! That's my take on it....

*all Winnie the Pooh quotes taken from http://www.great-inspirational-quotes.com/winnie-the-pooh-quotes.html

Here is the link to the original post: http://healingmorning.blogspot.com/2009/09/did-pooh-ever-use-word-holistic.html

And here is Dawn's writing bio:

Dawn is a Freelance Technical and Creative Writer and Social Media Management Consultant. She's worked as a professional writer for over 15 years, she ventured into the world of blogging in 2009. Healing Morning is a forum to give voice to her musings on a wide range of topics, with the common theme focusing on healing, spiritual and holistic concepts. A positive, uplifting and oftentimes humorous tone runs through her words, and she chooses to write about moments that capture her heart, cause her to ponder deeply, and encourage her to think differently as a result.

“Writing is how I make my living; it is how I help others both professionally and personally, and it is how I express myself in the most rich, vital manner. I consider myself blessed and fortunate to be able to touch the lives of others with my writing.”

If you enjoyed this post, you can find more at Healing Morning blog. Dawn is also a contributing writer to Writers Rising blog, at http://www.liveandinspire.com/ and http://www.vividlife.me/ website. She can be reached for writing and social media consulting services at http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com/

Feeling Lost

Have you ever had the feeling of being lost? Where everything in your life seems to be just not in step. Where any choice you make seems to be the wrong one. We all have times in our life when we feel totally disconnected with everything in our life. When you're going through those times it's difficult to believe that there's an answer that will help you get your life back.

I've had times in my life that I have felt completely connected to everything. Where every move I make is the easiest simplest decision I could ever make & I've had times where I've felt completely lost. As I've grow in my spiritual development I've learned how to smooth out these extremes. Don't get me wrong they still happen to me but I've learned over the years how to move beyond the feeling of being totally disconnected or completely lost quicker then I could in the past. Here's the steps I've learned to take:

1. The most important step is to not get down on yourself. Understand that life like nature is all about cycles & we all go through ups & downs so forgive yourself for feeling lost.

2. Observe what is happening in your life, sometimes during this "lost" time there are very clear messages that God/universe is trying to send you. If you pay attention to the messages sometimes that alone will bring you back to feeling connected.

3. Take time to connect to your true self (soul) understand what you're feeling & rediscover the love you have inside. Love will often lighten your mood & bring you back to a connection with everything.

4. Reconnect with nature whether it's taking a walk in a park, spending time in your garden or escaping to a national park. There is a deep & meaningful connection between all of us & nature. By taking the time to reconnect with nature we connect with everything & this connection will lead us back from being lost.

These steps are only the beginning but they are a great way to lead yourself out of the feeling of being lost. There are always things to be learned from everything we go through in our life. The key is to understand this & to move forward in the current moment. Many times this lost feeling can be a shadow of our past & by staying in the current moment we can reconnect with who we truly are & what we want in life.

Till tomorrow,

Hugs,

Bill


Quote of the day: "When you feel lost in your life, take time to acknowledge what your feeling. Rediscover the love in your heart & reconnect with everything."

Down the rabbit hole

How far down the rabbit hole of self discovery are you willing to go? In this day & age we rarely take the time we need to understand who we truly are. We are pressured by the people around us to "suck it" & move on. So, for most of us, no matter what we've been through, we bury the pain & move on. We move forward without ever looking at what's happened to us & often we are thrown back to the same feelings over & over again in our lives. We wonder why we aren't able to manifest the things we want in our life & our life is never as fulfilling as we'd like it to be.

Does this sound like you? This was me for many years. I have mentioned before that I grew up in a family of 5. I have 4 sisters so I'm the only boy. I went through some big crisis in my life when I was fairly young including a car crash that broke my younger sisters back. Because of the crisis I had to deal I was always regarded as someone who excelled in these situations. I seemed to think clear & quicker then most people in the crisis situations I had to deal with. This sounds wonderful but the downside of it was that I would bury how felt to get through the situation & most of time once the crisis was over the feelings were buried so deep that I never really looked back on them.

I struggled often in my younger life to find out what I really wanted in life. I was outwardly successful (having a good job, etc) but inside I was a mess. I was grasping for anything to give meaning to my life. Don't misunderstand I was still a very happy person & I had a pretty good life but once you got beyond the surface I didn't really know who I was or what I wanted. So I started to take time to get to know me & as I did this I realized that many of the things that happened to me in my life were based on the same feelings or in the same patterns. I discovered that in order to move forward in my life I needed to learn & grow from everything I'd been through. Part of this learning was acknowledging the feelings I had & trying to understand why I felt the way I felt.

This self discovery can be painful but through the process of feeling the emotions & understanding where the feelings come from you can move beyond the feelings & onto a better life. God/universe wants to help us learn & grow. God/universe wants us to become the person we truly can be. Because of this if we avoid the lessons God/universe sends us, those lessons will be sent back to us again & again. It is only through the process of self discovery that we able to move onto a better life.

Take time to look deep inside yourself, acknowledge all the feelings you've hidden away in smallest places of your heart & soul. Learn from these feelings & allow your life to grow into a more joyful life.

Till Tuesday, have a great holiday weekend.

Hugs,

Bill

I am still looking for guest bloggers. I would like to have Wednesday's be guest bloggers day on my blog, if you're interested contact me at Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Take the time you need for true self discovery. Learn & grow through the things you've experienced & begin to lead a more joyful life."

Gateway

Today I welcome my first "Guest Blogger" Erana Leiken. I have enjoyed Erana's blog "Just doing my thing" for a longtime now. I was introduced to her through the "Authentic Blogger" group on Facebook.

Erana Leiken, principal of Tiger Marketing, is a marketing and PR consultant and freelance writer. She also teaches communication courses at the University of Phoenix and Web marketing and interactive content for the Art Institute of Phoenix. Formerly an NBC reporter, magazine editor, and Web business writer, she is writing creative nonfiction and doing Web consulting.

Please welcome Erana & be sure to check out her blog.

Gateway

By Erana Leiken

I close my eyes and breathe deeply. As I take deeper, longer breaths, in my mind, I am transported.

I stand before an arch looking at the path that takes me into a golden field on the way to the garden, my beautiful, tranquil garden.


I follow the path to the water and the secluded garden where my guide awaits.

It is a spiritual retreat, and only I have access. It is an inner resting place I have created when there is nowhere else to go.

Life’s pressures and stresses are not allowed in my secret garden.

Once I am there, I escape the cares and weight of life. My guide is always there …when I am afraid, uncertain and alone. We are connected. We sit beside the water, and my guide listens to my doubts and apprehensions.

I know I can rely on my guide to help me when life is too much, and I need refuge. This is our time and place, an inner world untouched by others where there is peace and comfort from external reality.


In the garden, I am comforted by my gentle guide. We are detached from the material world.

In this oasis of meditation, I transcend responsibilities, worries and anxieties.

In my garden I am calm. I am safe. I am free.







Copyright © Erana Leiken, 2009 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://justdoingmythingcom.blogspot.com/
Archway photo by Maureen McGarrigle

Rose colored glasses

I have often been asked if my positive attitude about life is really just looking at the world through rose colored glasses. My answer is always the same, "No" I see the pain, the ugly human behavior & the need to grab power. I understand all of these things, I just choose not to focus on them. I've been hurt in my life & I've known pain & bad times but even in those times I've found the joy in each moment as I move forward in my life.

Life is about choices & you have a choice in each moment that you live. You can choose to accept all the negative that surrounds you or you can acknowledge the negative & move beyond it to place of joy. The choice is really up to you. Your life is really your own choosing. Don't blame others for your misfortune. Understand that what happens in your life is your own creation. This can be a difficult lesson to learn especially when bad things continue to happen to you but it is a lesson that you should learn.

I'm not saying that there aren't random bad things that happen to everyone from time to time. What I'm saying is that by understanding how we create our life we minimize these bad things & bring more joy into our life. We can't control much in our life but we can allow the God/universe to create the life we envision. Our biggest challenge is allowing not controling. We become very attached to our dreams/intentions & the more we're attached the harder it is for the God/universe to create what we envision.

To me detachment works like this; I want a job that is fulfilling & that pays enough for me to be able to pay my bills. I then allow God/universe to create the circumstances for this intention to be created. You can be more specific but the key is to allow God/universe to create the path to the fulfillment of your intention & to not be attached to the results.

Take time each day to create the life you want to live. Let go of the negative in your life & live a more joyful life today.

Till tomorrow,


Bill

PS I'm still looking for guest bloggers. I would love to hear from more of you so I can promote your blog here. Contact me at Timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "Life is about choices, choose joy & you'll discover more joy in your life!"

The Gulf Crisis

I try to avoid the headlines. My vision for this blog has been to discuss the ways I've learned to live a more joyful life. I've varied a few times because when I can't get something out of my head I truly need to write down my thoughts. I thank all of you for indulging me when I've moved a bit off topic!!

The crisis in the Gulf continues to have a greater & greater impact on so many things (fishing, tourism, marine life) that I left it was time to address it. I have become a little more involved with this cause in the positive way I try to deal with everything in my life. On Saturday I was involved in a phone call creating positive intentions to help the Gulf. (Here's the link if you want to listen). I have also become very involved with a new group that Deepak Chopra has started called "Collective Creativity" . The idea behind this group is to come together to & creativity come up with solutions for the current Gulf crisis but also for bringing the Earth back into harmony. Deepak leads the group with an 8 point plan on how you can help right now.

I ask each of you that reads this blog to let go of the negativity involved in this crisis. Look for positive solutions. Look for ways to help & get involved. I am a strong believer in the human spirit & I believe & know that together we can do anything. Remember that thoughts create things & if we all get mired down in the negative we will create more negative events around this crisis.

I understand that there is a lot of anger involved with this crisis but anger will never solve anything in life. Anger only helps to destroy what has already been built. There's more then enough blame to go around for everyone involved in this crisis but I ask for you to let go of the anger & the blame, focus on the positive things you can do to help. Envision the recover of this area that has just begun to recover from Katrina.

The negativity that surrounds all of us on a daily basis holds us back from leading a truly joyful life! Let go of all the noise, come together in love. Release the need to be right all the time & instead become apart of the solution. I believe in the human spirit, I've seen what can be accomplished when we come together & I know the best of us shines through when the need is the deepest. Join me in bringing the world together & the earth back into harmony!!

Till tomorrow,

Bill

I am still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested please email me at: Timberwolf12345@gmail.com.

Quote of the day: "When things look the darkest always reach for the light. Together we can make a difference, start today!!

Exercise & Spirituality

The longest hike that Heidi & I went on in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park recently was Bote Mountain. The hike turned out to be a total of 8.5 miles, on it's own that doesn't sound too bad but to reach the top of the mountain we hiked up 3,000 feet in a about 3.5 miles from the parking lot. The day was hot & the humidity was very high again. I was carrying a framed pack with our water, lunch & my camera in it....probably 20-30 pounds. The difficult part of this hike was that there were no switchbacks so we literally hiked straight up the mountain.

On the way up we enjoyed the scenery very much but were annoyed by a bunch of flies/gnats that seemed to continue to fly around our heads. As we hiked I thought about my deep connection with nature & the beauty all around me but as I began to get tired I started to understand why exercise (like yoga) is connected to several of the worlds religions. The endorphins that are released from physical exercise lift your mind to a new & amazing place. It allows you to move beyond the EGO & into a deep spiritual place.

I use to be a pretty good athlete when I was younger & although I had experienced this release of endorphins when I was younger the body/mind connection has never been clearer to me then in the last year. Exercise has become a bigger part of my life over the past year. I currently ride my bike between 18-25 miles a day & Heidi & I hike with the dogs about 4 miles a day. I have experienced this body/mind connection often in the past year but never to the extent I felt it on Bote Mountain.

I wish I had a bunch of great pictures to share from this journey but the sad part of our climb was that there was never a clear vista to look upon. We did see some lovely views through the trees but nothing that came out well in pictures. We sat on the top of the mountain for a long time & ate our lunch (a bunch of granola bars). As we sat there I reflected on the wonderful feeling of accomplishing this great climb & I began to realize the extent of this body/mind connection.

So, what's the point of this blog? Take care of your body, exercise & eat well. Your body is the shell that holds your spirit & the better it works, the easier it is to connect to your spirit. Exercise is one way to move beyond the EGO & listen to your true self (soul). The connection to your true self is the most important connection you can make & whatever helps you reach this deep level of yourself I encourage you to do.....for me exercise & silence are the two easiest ways to get there.

I hope you have a great weekend!!

Till Monday,

Bill

PS I am still looking for guest bloggers, if you're interested in writing something for my blog contact me at timberwolf12345@gmail.com

Quote of the day: "The deep connection to our true self can be realized through daily exercise. Take time to grow the body/mind connection & discover the joy in your soul."