Category: Uncategorized (Page 158 of 158)

Everyone likes receiving gifts. I think. I do. I especially like surprise gifts. When someone says to me, “I have a gift for you,” and it’s not even my birthday or Christmas or any other holiday. I get really excited. I realize that makes me sound boring, but it’s true. Or they say, “I know it’s not anything big, but I thought of you and I got you a little something.” I get giddy. For more than one reason: First of all, it’s not really about what the gift is in the end. It’s the thought. The effort. It’s the fact that this person actually took time out of their day in lieu of all they have going on in it and purchased this item because they thought it would bring me joy. Because they had a billion other choices they could have made in that moment but they pulled money our of their wallet or purse to spend on me. That’s really neat. I know I’m sounding really hokey right now, but it’s true.

If we can all find pleasure and appreciation for the small things in life then our big world may not seem quite so scary and overwhelming at times. It might just bring you some joy. A smile. Or dare I say . . . some laughter.

You want to get real crazy? Go out of your way today and buy, create or give someone you care about or don’t even know a gift. Tell them you were thinking about them when you saw it. Look them in the eyes and connect with them when you say those words. See how they react.

Maybe the best gift you receive is from the gift you just gave away.

I believe breathing is a very simple way of grounding us, keeping us centered and bringing us back to – or keeping us in homeostasis (our optimum functioning state). In particular nasal breathing. There are a number of benefits to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth. It can be a challenge to do, especially when you are sleeping or when exercising, however I think the overall benefits are well worth it.

Proper breathing is also very important. A deep steady breath in through the nose, filling your lungs from the bottom – as you will see your belly expand as well as the bottom ribs – until your lungs are full and then releasing the air – through the nose as well – exhaling twice as long as it took you to breathe in.

Try that 3 times in a row throughout your day. You will feel relaxed, revived and grounded all at the same time.

We all have a choice to how we react to tragedy, loss, adversity or unwanted results. Not failure. Unwanted results. We have a choice of how to react after our successes as well. Gloating because of a victory may seem to be the right thing to do in the moment, but you could choose to continue to learn, grow and evolve from your temporary moment in the sun. It’s up to you.

When you wake up in the morning you can choose to go through your day being offended by someone cutting you off in traffic or you can choose not to because you bless them hoping they get to their destination in time as they are obviously in a hurry. They just cut you off. You can choose to have a glorious day no matter what transpires.

What I have found to be true is once you choose – let’s say to have a great day – everything else falls into place. I don’t take the small hiccups quite as serious. I have a bit of separation from that result. Why? Because I chose to have a great day! I don’t have time for the other stuff.

We make hundreds of choices throughout a day. Think about making a choice that propels you to a place you want to go, not a road to no where. No one wants to end up there. The power to choose how you lead your life is one of the most powerful parts of free will.

Choose wisely

I used to think I had an abundance of time when I was younger. Too much sometimes. I didn’t know what to do with it all. The sheer volume of it seemed almost exhausting. The events I was looking forward to couldn’t come soon enough and the tasks I didn’t enjoy took too darn long to get through.

I’m not quite sure what I was rushing to get to. A place? The age of 18? 21? 30? Graduation? Leaving home? Getting married? Where was I in such a hurry to get? To this day I cannot answer that question.

There is one thing I have come to realize: Time is the most precious resource I have. Hands down. And I have taught myself to cherish every moment. Not without some slip-up’s. You want to slow time down, go for a long run. Workout. Do an abdominal workout. Hold your breath. This helps me. Any activity that helps me stay in the moment without going on auto pilot. I catch myself not remembering the drive to the office some mornings. Or at least parts of it. How is that possible? I’m driving after all.

Whether learning how to play an instrument, reading a book, taking on a new endeavor or just getting out of my comfort zone, I do my best to slow down the hands of time, stay in the moment and enjoy every minute. Good or less than good. At least I’m still here.

We all have a limited amount of it here on this earth. Choose wisely how you spend it. From the people you are with to the activities you engage in. It goes fast. Hang on.

But what do I know.

When I was young – around 10 or 11, I didn’t have the the guts or the developed mind to shield myself from kids my age or even older who weren’t good for me. I remember not feeling good at times when hanging around certain “friends.” They didn’t treat me with respect, they always had to be right and everything was a competition. It took me a long time – well into my 20’s to completely eliminate the people in my life that were not inspiring me to be the best I could be. But once I did, that made all the difference.

Now that I’m married and have children of my own, I am very selective with whom I spend my time. Especially if it’s not with my family. I love to inspire others, so naturally I like to be with people who inspire me. People who make me laugh and listen to what I have to say without interrupting because they genuinely want to hear my point of view are quite nice to be around. I like to be with people who question the status quo but aren’t cynical. People that are willing to take a risk of looking at the other side of the argument no matter how foolish they may look in the end. I like people who can admit they’re wrong and don’t judge you if you are. I like people who want you to succeed in whatever you do because there is always enough to go around. I like people who push me to be better by what they do everyday, not by just using their words. I like to be with people who don’t care what others think about them as long as what they do makes them happy.

Here is what I know: life is short on this earth. I have found that I’m open to all kinds of people and I never know when I’m going to connect with another person. And the more I look for those connections with beautiful people the more I will have. We can learn so much from one another if we’re just willing to listen. Stop talking. Put down the phone. Take a moment to pause before that next task and look around you. Find someone you can connect with. Someone who is healthy of body, mind and spirit that you can enjoy their company. A person that feels good about themselves and about you.

Those are the people I like.