Who is someone in your life that has been a big source of inspiration?
In the last few months I have changed my entire life around. I exercise regularly. I dive into books and research topics that I love. I debate with people (friendly debates of course) about issues that are important to me. I meditate twice every single day. I write every single day…which is a gift because it allows me to get all of my emotions out…in a constructive manner. I have found that in my words and in my desires that I have found a place of much needed peace. I took my parents out to dinner the other night and when we were finished we went back to their house to visit for a while. My dad was in the other room watching Fox news (which is no surprise if you knew my dad) and my mom and I sat in the family room just chit chatting back and forth. She said to me that she has seen a change. She noticed that I am no longer angry. Her timing of telling me that was so surreal because that same day while driving to their house before dinner I thought to myself how less angry I was nowadays. My parents were always my punching bag (not literally of course) because I had all of this built up self-loathing and resentment toward things that in the end I had complete control of. As we sat there talking I could feel the love and the understanding just deflecting from each one of us.
My meditation and my lifestyle changes play a huge part in the person I have become. I told my mom the other day that I love the person I have become and for the first time ever I mean it. I love my passion, my determination and my drive. I have moments of weakness and self-doubt but they no longer control me.
During this time of change, I have been able to make some new friends. I filtered out those that were not positive in my life (those that exuded nothing but negativity) and I welcomed in new people that have challenged me and have driven me to work harder than I ever have. I have one friend in particular that I must mention. Let me back up though and tell you that this friend of mine has two female roommates that I have also formed close friendships with. I feel lucky to know all of them because they are all so different but they all stay positive even if things aren’t always going quite right. I love that about all of them. My friend May is the one that I need to mention. Out of the three roommates, she is the one I see the least because she is nonstop on the go. She is pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree, working at a bike shop and she just started training to be a beach lifeguard. Let’s just say she stays really busy….and saying that is an understatement.
May is 22 years old. I am 33. A lot of people would think that an age gap like that would mean that we share no common ground. May is wise beyond her years though and her dedication to so many things draws people to her. In all of my life I am not sure if I have met someone with as much determination as my friend May has. May has competed in several triathalons (and winning has happened many times) and she is training to do a HUGE Iron-Man competition. She rides her bike way over 100 miles per week and dedicates her every Sunday to training which includes running a whole lot of miles, biking even more miles than that and swimming laps until she is ready to drown. While doing all of this, and even some days I am sure she is absolutely exhausted and cannot push herself anymore, she does it with a smile and she does it with love in her heart.
I met May through my roommate because they work at the bike shop together. We would see each other in passing but nothing ever really became of it for the first few months. I went through a break up in late October and after spending a little time by myself I knew that I needed to get out and just push myself. I got myself back into the gym. I started eating healthier. I not only researched Transcendental Meditation but I took the entire course (and couldn’t be happier that I did) and I made myself get out and start being around more people. I contacted May and her and her roommates invited me over for a Girls Night Dinner. We had an absolute blast and I saw such great qualities in all three girls but the qualities that stood out in May were this aura of kindness and non-judgment. May ALWAYS sees the good in people and gives people the benefit of the doubt. Some people may see that as being naïve but I admire it because she chooses to not give in to hateful spewing and dislike of people. I admit that sometimes I do that and regret it after it is all said and done. May has made me more aware of myself when I do this and I love that even when the most annoying person is around her she is going to smile and be nice. She knows there is no benefit in being a bitch.
I wanted to write about May because I wanted her to know that she really does inspire me and I wanted to thank her for coming into my life. For me life has been this long learning process and there have been some bumps in the road and I still have things to figure out…through any and all of that May has always been a great friend. Her spirit is so inviting to everyone. I know she will be VERY successful in life because she does not give up…if she wants something she will get it. Having someone like this in my life is just what I needed. Is there someone in your life that has served as a source of inspiration/motivation/determination?
“Nothing can stop the man/woman with the right mental attitude from achieving his/her goal; nothing on earth can help the man/woman with the wrong mental attitude.” -Thomas Jefferson
“The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur.” Vince Lombardi
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” Tommy Lasorda
“The longer I live, the more I am certain that the great difference between the great and the insignificant, its energy – invincible determination – a purpose once fixed, and then death or victory.” Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton
“Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” Michael Jordan
Today is Mother’s Day! I didn’t want to go on a long rant on here because I want everyone that possibly can to spend the day with their mom’s or their children or those that they love. I am so beyond lucky to have the mother that I do. My mother is this incredible woman that has more love to give than anyone I know. I have never met a kinder person that has such goodness in every part of her being. I always have shied away from confrontation and it was my mother that has taught me that arguing and fighting are never going to solve anything. I am who I am to this very day because of her. I wanted to share a story I found online pertaining to the relationship between mother and daughter. I hope so many of you are able to enjoy this day with your mother and if not I hope you have loved ones close by to spend time with or at least talk to on the phone. Have the most wonderful day! If you have time I would love to hear stories about your mothers….why she is special. I think this essay could hit home for a lot of people…I know it surely reminded me of me and my mom :0)
The Found Essay: Letter from a Mother to a Daughter*
“My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago.” Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl? When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way. Remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair, and dealing with life’s issues every day. The day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient, or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel sad—just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you, my darling daughter.”
What is something that undoubtedly always makes you cry?
It is almost inevitable that whenever I see a video or hear a story about a parent returning home from serving in the military overseas and surprising their families I will end up being one big ball of sappiness. The water works will be in full effect!
I am a supporter of peace over war but that does not mean that I do not have the greatest respect for the military. The individuals that serve in all branches of the military have such a great pride in their country that they are willing to put their lives on the line in order to protect our freedom as a nation. That is way beyond admirable to me. I do not believe fighting solves anything but I do understand it. I have never been strong enough physically or mentally to even consider making the military part of my life. I find it so noble that a man or a woman is willing to leave their families and travel to some of the most unsafe places in the world to fight in a war in order for the people of their country to stay safe. These people have such strong beliefs and convictions and even though I may not be able to relate or able to completely understand….I have such an unbelievable amount of respect. These people are not harming others just for pure pleasure or killing just to kill (which happens every day on our own soil by your average everyday Joe). These people enter the military for many reasons and I doubt that many of those reasons would be selfish. Even if a person were to enter the military in order to get their college education paid for, I do not find that to be a selfish deed. Bettering oneself, in my opinion, is never selfish.
I wanted to share videos of military homecomings because although they always make me cry like a baby, they completely touch my heart and they allow me to remember the people that are so important to me. My parents have season tickets to a local theatre (The Alabama Theatre) and I have gone to the show with them a few times. At the end of every show they always play the song God Bless America and they ask all previous and current military members to stand up. I looked around the room and saw men and women in their 70’s and 80’s stand up and immediately the tears started to form in my eyes. To love where you live so much and to be willing to fight for the people of your country (friends, family and strangers alike) and to risk your life day in and day out is beyond admirable to me. It is selfless…for most not all. Not all people will have the best motives but a great deal will and I choose to give people the benefit of the doubt before assuming they are only doing something for selfish reasons. Seeing the good before the bad has made this world a much more pleasant place for me.
To my readers, I would really love to hear your stories about your military experiences or the experiences of your children. If you have lost any loved ones in a time of war, I send you so much love and I believe that even though your heart may ache, you feel such an overwhelming sense of pride. Please send me your stories because every day I ache to get a bigger perspective on life and want to remember what is truly important. I hope you enjoy the videos. :0)
I am a woman! I am a STRONG woman! I am a determined woman! There are dozens and dozens of issues that I would voice my opinion about and fight until I could not fight anymore. I feel this connection though to my womanhood and I feel the fight in me. By no means do I feel like a victim or am I trying to trump men. I just absolutely love to see women work until they can work no more and fight for everything they believe in….yes, husband and family included if that is their dream.
While I write these words I can almost see my dad’s eyes rolling in my mind. I have never asked my dad if he thinks that men are dominant to women. I think I have never asked because I was unsure if I really wanted to know the answer. I love my dad with every part of my being but there is a HUGE generation gap between us (he is 74 and I am 33). Times have changed and our viewpoints just don’t seem to match up on a lot. He may never express it (which I respect him for) but I have a sneaking suspicion that my dad thinks the woman’s place is in the home….cooking, cleaning and taking care of children. This is what he knew for a large portion of his life…this was the role of most women at the time he was growing up. He has now raised a daughter that has none of those interests whatsoever. I was the child to always push the envelope and fight societal norms as hard as I could.
I am proud to the point of it being almost painful to be a woman and I am more proud to be a woman with passion and determination. This entry is not a man bashing entry and one to debate which gender is greater. This entry is to take pride in my genetic makeup and all that I hold within me because of this genetic makeup. I think it is AMAZING that my body is able to develop another person inside of it….to provide the nutrients it needs in order to survive the 9 months in the womb. I am unsure if I want kids but how wonderful is it to know that a woman’s body can be the home for another human life. I love stories of women that follow their passion and stand up for what they believe in. It would be very easy to just look at myself and live in my own bubble but I feel this need to study and to learn about women of other cultures. I feel blessed to have the life that I have but I still want to be a part of making other women feel important…to feel safe…and to feel beautiful. Women of other countries may never know what capabilities they have and what beautiful creatures they truly are because they live only knowing a certain way of life. I love to read the stories of women that rebel because their internal feeling tells them that being a wife (most likely in an arranged marriage) and a mother is not what they want. I love when a woman (especially a woman no one would expect) takes a stand and fights for the rights of all women. Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for women that are wives and mothers. I believe we all have something in us that draws us to what we want in life. I would be a wonderful mother if that day were to ever occur but it is not something I am naturally drawn to. Some women are and I adore that maternal instinct.
A woman is strong when she encompasses all that she is. She follows her dreams and her passion and she is a natural born leader (sometimes without even realizing it). The owner of the restaurant that I work at is one of these women. She was born and raised in Indonesia and came to live in the United States about 19 years ago. I stood talking to her last night and asked her how women were treated in her country and she told me that they were not treated well. A lot of women were married off in their early teen years and really did nothing with their lives except being wives to their husbands. They were expected to stay at home and produce babies and many women endured beatings almost daily. In knowing my boss, she is so different from any of these women she described. I don’t know if she is quite aware of what strength she has but she undoubtedly is one of the strongest women I know. She moved to an entirely different country, away from all that she ever knew. She married an American man but unfortunately that relationship didn’t last. Instead of returning to Indonesia, she opened a business. She started her own restaurant. She has had ups and downs in the restaurant business but she pushes and pushes and pushes to try to achieve success. She does all of these while being a single parent to two beautiful girls that are 6 and 8. In my opinion, this is the perfect model of what a strong woman is. Being a strong woman does not necessarily mean you have to stand on a platform and have your voice heard to the entire world or inventing something that people just can’t live without. Being a strong woman means never giving up….even when you feel like there is no point to continue.
I started reading pieces on some of the most powerful women in the world yesterday and I was amazed as well as honored to be a woman. I wanted to share some of these brief stories of these women with my readers. To all of the men, if you have read this far I want to thank you. I have no animosity toward men and I praise you for your big feats in life. I just wanted to take this opportunity to open my arms and my heart to all of the women out there in the world….to the women that think they aren’t good enough or pretty enough or they just don’t think they can achieve their dreams…..I wanted to tell you that all of that is wrong. Each one of us women has a strength inside of us (in some of us it is hidden a little bit deeper than others) that can guide us to everything we could ever imagine. It is important to remember that along the way there will most likely be obstacles and we will find ourselves with bumps and bruises….it is those times that you are able to value your hard work. I love all of my female sisters, mothers, cousins, aunts and friends…..that includes every woman in the world. I hope you are able to embrace your outer beauty as well as your inner beauty and always go in the direction of your dreams. Always remember…you are way more powerful and stronger than you think! :0)
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-Present)
Before Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, there was just one woman cloaked in the black robe of the United States’ highest court. Fulfilling a campaign promise to break that gender barrier, President Ronald Reagan nominated Sandra Day O’Connor in 1981. The former Republican Arizona state senator was unanimously confirmed by Congress, ending 191 years of the court as an exclusively male institution. Though she was nominated by a Republican President, O’Connor did not always tow the party line. In her 24 years on the bench, O’Connor was often the court’s crucial swing vote, determining 5-4 rulings on important cases involving abortion, affirmative action, election law, sexual harassment and the death penalty, among others. Her tenure was especially meaningful for the woman who, though she finished third in her class at Stanford Law in 1952, could not find work at a law firm upon graduation due to her gender. She said upon her confirmation, “I think the important fact about my appointment is not that I will decide cases as a woman but that I am a woman who will get to decide cases.”
Corazon Aquino (1933-2009)
Cory Aquino had no political ambitions of her own until her husband Senator Benigno Aquino was assassinated in 1983. Almost instantly, she became a unifying force against the autocratic President Ferdinand Marcos and ran in the 1986 presidential election. The ruling powers declared Marcos the winner, but a series of peaceful demonstrations along with backing from the church finally put Aquino in power. Her sudden ascension as the first female President of the Philippines was the battered islands’ first step toward democracy. Weathering both coup attempts and corruption charges, Aquino was unable to push through much of the social reform that her supporters had hoped for. But when she stepped down in 1992, she still stood tall as the people’s choice.
Coco Chanel (1883-1971)
Coco Chanel revolutionized women’s fashion in the early 20th century by introducing a looser, more comfortable silhouette that freed women from the corsets and frills that then dominated the apparel industry. Born into poverty in Saumur, France, Chanel worked as a cabaret singer before opening a hat shop in 1910 with the financial backing of a lover. She soon turned her attention to clothing and became the first designer to create with jersey — a cheap fabric used in men’s underwear at the time — and bring a menswear aesthetic to women’s clothing. Chanel’s tweed blazer and skirt, two-toned ballet flat, little black dress, costume jewelry and quilted bag with chain strap remain staples in the fashion pantheon, and contemporary labels introduce reiterations of them season after season. In 1923, she launched Chanel No. 5, marking the first time a fashion designer had forayed into fragrance. She closed her shops at the beginning of World War II in 1939 and did not return to fashion until 1954, when she debuted bell-bottoms. Chanel died in 1971; Karl Lagerfeld has served as head designer of the house since 1983.
Hillary Clinton (1947-Present)
When her husband ran for President in 1992, he famously told American voters they would be getting “two for the price of one.” Hillary Clinton had been a fierce advocate for victims of child abuse since her law-school days, and throughout her tenure as First Lady, she became a leading voice on the global stage on behalf of women in the developing world. And while many political wives are content with being a behind-the-scenes adviser, Clinton decided in 2000 to embark on a second career, this time with her name on the ticket. As New York Senator, she won over a state skeptical of the Chicago-born, Arkansas-reared celebrity by leading the efforts to boost funding for the recovery in lower Manhattan after the Sept. 11 attacks. She also staked her claim as an authority on military affairs, gaining the trust of the armed forces and several Senate Republicans. Indeed, when she became Secretary of State in 2009, her vision for a military escalation in Afghanistan won out over competing plans. And while her attempt to become the first female President of the United States came up short in 2008, she paid no attention to her supporters who asked her not to join the cause of her Democratic competitor, Barack Obama, saying that wasn’t why she had “spent the past 35 years in the trenches.”
Marie Curie (1867-1934)
Two-time Nobel laureate Marie Curie discovered polonium and radium, founded the concept of radiology and — above all — made the possibility of a scientific career seem within reach for countless girls and women around the world. The first woman to receive the Nobel Prize and the first female Professor of General Physics in the Faculty of Sciences at the Sorbonne in Paris, Curie was beloved by her colleagues for her calm, singular focus, lack of pretense and professional drive. Her work with radiation is now part of the most sophisticated cancer-treatment protocols in the world, though she herself succumbed to leukemia after decades of daily radiation exposure.
Indira Gandhi (1917-1984)
She was the nation’s daughter, brought up under the close watch of both her father Jawaharlal Nehru, who was India’s first Prime Minister after decades of British rule, and her country. When Indira Gandhi (no relation to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) was elected Prime Minister in 1966, a TIME cover line read, “Troubled India in a Woman’s Hands.” Those steady hands went on to steer India, not without controversy, for much of the next two decades through recession, famine, the detonation of the nation’s first atomic bomb, a corruption scandal and a civil war in neighboring Pakistan that, under her guidance, led to the creation of a new state, Bangladesh. By the time she was assassinated, in 1984, Gandhi was the world’s longest-serving female Prime Minister, a distinction she holds to this day.
Margaret Mead (1901-1978)
Of her life’s work, cultural anthropologist, museum curator and feminist scholar Margaret Mead once said, “I have spent most of my life studying the lives of other peoples — faraway peoples — so that Americans might better understand themselves.” Mead’s professor and mentor Franz Boas is credited with the concept of cultural relativism in American anthropology, but it was Mead who truly eradicated the concept of the “savage” through her extensive fieldwork in the Pacific. Mead began taking notes on her observations of human behavior after her mother encouraged her interest in studying the development of her younger siblings. This ability to record breathtaking amounts of longitudinal data helped her garner a Ph.D. from Columbia in 1929 and become a curator of the American Museum of Natural History in 1934. Her seminal book, Coming of Age in Samoa, helped many Americans understand the universality of their own experiences for the first time.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
“The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” Rosa Parks would go on to say about her decision not to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Ala., bus on Dec. 1, 1955. This wasn’t the first time the seamstress had chosen not to give in. Parks had been an active member of the local NAACP chapter since 1943 and had marched on behalf of the Scottsboro boys, who were arrested in Alabama in 1931 for raping two white women. But it was her simple act of refusal, a move which landed Parks in prison, that set in motion the Montgomery bus boycott and kicked off the civil rights movement. So when the bulldogs and water hoses were unleashed a decade later in the streets of Birmingham, the protesters knew to stand their ground. “Over my head, I see freedom in the air,” they sang.
Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
As wife of the 32nd President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt challenged and transformed the historically ceremonial, behind-the-scenes First Lady role. She increased her public presence by participating in radio broadcasts, authoring a daily syndicated column, “My Day,” and holding weekly, women-only press conferences (she was the first presidential wife to do so) to discuss women’s issues, her daily activities and breaking news. Along the way, she became one of her husband’s unofficial advisers and informants, lobbying for civil rights policies to assist the poor, minorities and women, helping to formulate New Deal social-welfare programs and pushing for the creation of the United Nations. Following her husband’s death, Roosevelt continued her humanitarian efforts as a member of the first American delegation to the U.N. and helped develop the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UNICEF. In recognizing Roosevelt’s legacy of advocacy for the underprivileged both nationally and abroad, President Harry Truman famously dubbed her “First Lady of the World.”
Margaret Sanger (1879-1966)
Every sexually-active person who doesn’t think twice about parenthood can thank Margaret Sanger. As a nurse on New York City’s impoverished Lower East Side, Sanger spent much of her time treating women who were injured during botched illegal abortions. As a result of this, she became convinced that contraceptive control was the primary avenue to freedom (and out of poverty) for women like her mother, who died young after giving birth to 11 children. Though she was born when contraception was illegal, by the time of her death, at 81, Sanger had founded the American Birth Control League — later known as Planned Parenthood — and masterminded the research and funding for the first FDA-approved oral contraceptive, Enovid.
Oprah Winfrey (1954-Present)
Daytime television host, businesswoman and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey overcame an impoverished childhood in rural Mississippi to build an eponymous media empire. The Oprah Winfrey Show, which has won multiple Emmy Awards and is broadcast in 145 countries, is the most successful daytime TV program in history. Winfrey’s unparalleled influence on culture — often called “the Oprah effect” — has boosted lesser-known authors onto the New York Times best-sellers list while reviving America’s interest in classic literature (John Steinbeck),
turned obscure products into household brands (Spanx, Ciao Bella), and helped a whole battery of other personalities become full-fledged media powers of their own (Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray). Her 2008 endorsement of Barack Obama was worth 1 million votes to the then candidate in his primary battle with Hillary Clinton, according to one study. Oprah has also dabbled in acting, garnering Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for her role as Sofia in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple. Beyond television, Winfrey is the co-author of several books and the publisher of O, the Oprah Magazine. After 25 years as the queen of daytime talk on network television, Winfrey, in partnership with Discovery Communications, is set to launch OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, in January 2011. Godmother of the confessional media setting and unquestioned arbiter of self-help and spiritual trends, Oprah’s influence on broader pop culture is peerless.
When was the last time you were moved/felt truly touched?
I keep having to push the topic aside of what I was going to write about because something else comes up that I feel that I have to talk about. Yesterday was a day like any other…nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. I say this but there were two things that happened yesterday that I needed to share because they completely moved me and melted my heart. I am unsure of why we are here on Earth or whether or not everything truly falls in place the way it is meant to or if we all serve individual purposes. I would like to think there is a meaning for all of us and even if we never find out what exactly it is, we are still able to live the majority of our lives in a state of happiness. I felt today that these two things fell into the place when they did to make me appreciate life just a little bit more.
So, this afternoon I took the girls that I nanny out for a walk as I do every day after they eat lunch. We pretty much follow the same route every day, meandering through the local church parking lot and into various neighborhoods. When I was leaving the house today and pushing the stroller out of the door with the girls in tote I could faintly hear bagpipes. The closer I walked to the church, I realized that it was coming from there. There is a cemetery right next to the church that we pass on our walk. I thought to myself that there must be a funeral service going on and I debated whether or not to even take that route. I decided that I would and if I got closer and saw that there were a lot of people I would turn around and take a different route. The closer I approached the cemetery I noticed that there was not a group of people. In the distance (not far distance but far enough that he wouldn’t notice me stop and look), a man stood in front of a grave stone and played the bagpipes. I stood there watching him and as his one song ended, he kneeled on the ground, kissed his hand and placed it against the grave stone. He stood up and continued to play. I stood there in complete silence and felt the tears swell up in my eyes. I was truly touched by the actions of this complete stranger. I assumed that the person that he was playing for was his deceased wife but in thinking about it I really don’t know. It could have been a child that died fighting in the war or even one of his parents. No matter who it was, it was very obvious how much love he had for this person and I found it so beautiful the way that he took time from his day to spend doing something that would mean a lot to the person that had passed. It was a moment that made me realize how important the people are that I have in my life and even after they are gone, I want to not forget them. I want to honor their lives in some way or another….in a way that would represent the special bond that we had. That is what this man was doing and I felt so honored to have witnessed this. A part of me feels like I just happened to be in the right place at the right time but in the moment, as cheesy as this even feels to say, I feel like I was meant to be there. It was an exceptional moment to witness and I feel so lucky to be able to hold onto this memory.
The second thing that I viewed today was not quite as lucky as much as it was just plain moving and inspirational. I am a HUGE fan of Ellen Degeneres and I am a Facebook junkie as most of you already know. So, of course I am a fan of Ellen’s fan page. I was scrolling her page today just to check out what daily funnies she had offered up. I came by the video that I have posted below. I will not give it all away because I want you to watch the video. I will just tell you that the story is of a woman that was deaf until 8 days ago. She had a very expensive surgery and has now regained hearing. I realize that Ellen has a boatload of money and she can donate to anything she chooses but there is something about her that just seems like such goodness to me. She just exudes love and kindness. Ellen could do anything with her money and to choose what she decides to use her money for is so amazing to me. I know other celebrities do the same thing but I admit I have a soft spot for Ellen….she just seems like such a real, genuine person and I admire her courage and her strength. Check out the video below and let me know what you think. And also, I would love to hear stories from your lives….what is something that has happened to you or you have been a witness to that touched your heart? What was that one instance that made you feel so lucky to have experienced it?
Our lives are made up of a series of moments and sometimes those moments just fly right by and we don’t even have a chance to look back. I realized today that sometimes I just need to slow down and look around because beautiful moments happen way more than I thought. There are beautiful people that have stories to tell but we will never hear them if we don’t ask about them. There are beautiful places to be seen but we will never see them if we don’t make the time. There are random acts of kindness happening around every twist and turn but we won’t even notice them if we keep going at a wild pace. Today I realized that I don’t want to miss out on the beauty that surrounds me every day. I want to hear the stories of my fellow blogger and learn about my new found friends here in the virtual world. I hope your day is filled with great surprises that make you smile! All of my love! :0)
I received an email the other day from a fellow blogger. I had a completely different topic to talk about today then I remembered what day it was. I was honored to receive this email because I felt like I made a new friend from afar. I wanted to copy the email in the post:
Hi Diane,
You’re going to think I’m a little wacky for sending you such an email as this, but I got the notification that you’ve just subscribed to my blog – and I wanted to say THANK YOU. Really, heaps of thanks. It makes my day to know my words are being shared with others and to come across blogs that inspire me – which yours definitely has!
I feel like I’ve been at a loss all this time without your blog. I love the concept of what you’re doing and the honest thoughts – very, very encouraging.
I wanted to invite you – on the off chance that you haven’t chosen your “question” sometime next week or even the week after – to join some blogging friends and I in a link-up… blog posts about dreams and how they enrich, fuel and motivate our lives. But also how they change, how they come true, and how we struggle to reach them. Next week, on 9 May (8 May in the U.S.) several of us are posting blogs on our sites about this very topic.
From one blogger to another, I wanted to invite you. I actually think it could a fascinating question — How do our dreams change with age? or What dreams do you have for your future? or anything really….
There are no rules only that the topic is “dreams.” Could be shared about in the form of photos, words, songs, or (in the case of your beautiful blog) a question. In doing this link-up, we (as bloggers) hope to remind all of our readers and each other how important sharing our deepest hopes and desires is… for support, for honesty and for accountability.
That’s the idea. So on the 8 May next week, two posts will go up — one of them on my site (and the other a friend’s blog) with a tool that will allow you to easily add the URL of your “dreams” post, displaying for everyone to see and hopefully will bring new readers to your blog, too.
Please feel no expectation to do this or pressure. Just a friendly invitation.
Thanks again for following my blog and I am determined to read yours often.
We believe dreams are made of the same filling as hope, joy and love – the things that give us breath to run, faith to believe, and a heart to sing. When we dream, nobody imposes limitations on us, and that which can be imagined and hoped for can be so.
We’re writing about dreams this month because we believe when we share our dreams, we are dared to chase them. These dreams have inspired us, changed us, and fuelled our love for life and God. They’ve moved us jobs, continents and through relationships. They remind us that everything is possible.
Will you take the time to write and remind yourself of your dreams and hopes this month?
So here I am. I could not pass up the opportunity. This complete stranger asked me to be a part of something that I think it so beautiful. Our daily lives become chaos with one million responsibilities and sometimes we forget to dream. We forget what we hope for ourselves. As most of you know I try my hardest to live in the moment….to live in the NOW!! I do, however, believe in keeping dreams alive. We dream because we want things in life. We want to push ourselves just a little but further than we ever thought possible.
When I dream I dream BIG! My dreams are not only for myself though. My dreams are for my friends, my family and the world as a whole. Not all dreams come true but in my lifetime my goal is to try to achieve as much as I possibly can in order to make my life and this place called Earth just that much better.
I just finished my first meditation of the day and the thoughts came in and out during the meditation….the natural process of thoughts. I love this time of meditation because it is almost unexplainable. I can feel the negativity and the stresses expelling from my body but I am absorbed with creativity and desire. I think about the challenges I want to take on. I think about my dreams and my wants.
Today I kept flashing back to a scene in my head of sitting in a big auditorium or classroom with a group of young girls and women and discussing the trials and tribulations of life. One of my dreams is to make this scene an actual reality. I dream to be a “motivational speaker” (for lack of a better title) and travel to different areas and speak to young girls about their hopes and dreams as well as those things that they believe are holding them back in life. I dream of talking to young girls about the flaws they see within themselves and strive to help them find and focus on their strengths. I dream to mentor young women and guide them in a direction where they see hope and they see so much opportunity. I dream of a world made up of strong and successful women that have worked so hard to achieve their dreams. I dream of a world of equality between the genders, races and creeds. In my lifetime I will probably never experience this but I dream to be a part of the process to try to get there.
There are an endless amount of dreams I hope to happen in my future. I dream of learning different languages and visiting other countries with the ability of communication with the people of that culture with ease (or even just being able to speak with people of different ethnicities in this country). I dream of making a documentary that allows people to see the beauty in this world when all we ever see on the news and media is violence, hatred, and chaos. I dream of learning to play the piano and escaping to this art form when I am feeling a need for creative outlet. I dream of learning to paint and learning the art of photography. I dream of visiting a foreign land and stepping far outside of my comfort zone to see how other people live. I dream of publishing a book(s) and seeing my name in print in various newspapers across the country.
I told you…when I dream I dream BIG!!! I dream of my future as being a place of continual inspiration. I spent enough years living a life that was not right for me. I didn’t believe in possibilities and now that this all I believe in. I dream of a life in which I can help change lives for the better.
Dreaming is so important because in my opinion it is who we are. Dreaming is our ultimate wants in life and they are that “entity” that has the power to push us to achieve those dreams. I watch documentaries a lot and I purposely find articles and books with an inspirational tone (even when they are stories of poverty and death of a child, etc) because they push me that much more the better my life and also give me the desire and the need to help others in their times of need. Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time and I want to be a person to offer my helping hand….even if it is to a perfect stranger. I dream of a world in which we can all do this for each other. I dream of a world in which we can ride ourselves of the “ME ME ME Syndrome” and become an actual UNITED nation….a UNITED world. I dream of the world seeing differences as an opportunity to learn instead of an opportunity to fight. Beating and killing others to try to make them think and do as we do will never solve anything.
I could go on forever about my dreams….what I have said above is so minimal in comparison to the big and small dreams I have within myself and the dreams I have for my future. I hope this answer was up the alley of what my new virtual friend was looking for. I hope all of my readers never stop dreaming and never stop believing in this beauty they have within themselves.
What is something you have accomplished that you never thought you would?
I love those moments in your life when you are able to smile to yourself knowing you have done something good….a moment of feeling proud of yourself. In the past those moments came few and far between because I gave myself no credit and constantly belittled myself. I could do something amazing and instead of patting myself on the back and appreciating my accomplishments I would say, “I should have done this or I should have done that.” Nothing was ever good enough because I was living by someone else’s rules…I don’t even know who’s rules they were but they certainly weren’t mine.
Today is a different day. The last 6 months have been completely different. I decided on a whim (unsure of where it exactly it came from) to make my life my own and to appreciate even the smallest of accomplishments I made/make. Just today I went to the grocery store and when I parked my car there was a lady next to me that was about to push the cart back up to the store before she left. I grabbed the cart and told her I would be happy to take it for her. I didn’t need to do that. In the past I probably would have just turned my head the other way and just went about my business. This very small gesture made me proud of the person that I have become. I was able to help someone else that didn’t even ask.
I have made mistakes just like everyone else in this life but I have also made big comebacks. This may sound like some super cheese but the one thing that I have accomplished that I never thought I would was to love myself. For the first time in my life I love everything about me…I love my imperfect body and my imperfect teeth. I love my awkwardness and my ability to giggle in uncomfortable situations. I truly love everything about myself because it makes me this unique creature and I have learned that my outer appearance has nothing to do with who I am. I have this want and desire to emit happiness and kindness because it is what I feel. I love myself because even though I may screw up, I know that my intentions are always good. I know that when I love….I love until it hurts and I want the people that I love to never have to experience pain or heartbreak…I know it is inevitable that they will but in my heart I know that if I could take it away I would.
Loving yourself seems like such a simple concept and in most people’s eyes it wouldn’t really be considered an accomplishment but if you were to ask people all over the world if they truly loved themselves I think you would hear the word NO a lot more than you would expect. I have many accomplishments under my belt…I have lost 65+ lbs and have maintained and continue to lose weight, I quit drinking to be healthy (no drinks in 18 months), I have planned youth service projects and have been featured on the local news and in newspapers, I have met various state representatives and fought for the rights of children and youth. These are amazing accomplishments of mine and I am proud of myself for what I have done but they hold no comparison to loving the person that I am to this very day. There is no feeling that could compare to being able to no longer believe life would be better if I was thinner or smarter or had more money. Nothing is better than seeing the beauty in everyday and seeing how you are part of the value of that beauty.
My words may sound corny to some but I have encountered so many people (young and old) that have no sense of self-worth. Too many people in this world do not believe in themselves because they have not been reminded enough times of their youth. In order to truly believe something, in a lot of situations, you need to have it repeated over and over again. If someone is told over and over again that they are worthless or need to lose weight or they will never amount to much….they are going to believe it. I am so happy that I have lost weight and I am finally starting to feel comfortable in my own skin but my weight whether it is 140, 180 or 250 is never going to define me and the lower the number goes on the scale does not equal happiness. It took me from about 6th grade to just about 7 months ago to realize that. The happiness I am experiencing is not from the weight loss….it is from the pride I have in myself for pushing through the hardest times and choosing a lifestyle that I knew would be much healthier for me. The happiness is a feeling…it is not the goal itself.
A couple of months ago I revisited some of my past writings and there was a trend. I was constantly writing in a state of misery. I was writing about how much I loathed myself and how much life was unfair and how ugly I was and how fat I was and so on and so forth. The words spewed nothing but negativity and I couldn’t even believe that was me. I started this blog and was determined to serve as an outlet for inspiration and motivation. Not all of my entries are happy go lucky and some of the topics can be downright sad but the message is always clear….I want to inspire people to love themselves and to be able to look at themselves and see goodness and see beauty and see hope. This world can be an ugly place if we allow it to be but we are lucky enough to have the choice to shape our own paths. After 32 years, I was sick of hating myself and blaming myself for everything and blaming society and everything else in the world for my depressive state. I was done and over with that and once I came to that decision….happiness and determination were the only choice. If I wanted something I was going to get it….even if it was going to come with blood, sweat and tears. There is nothing better than working so hard at something….to the point of absolute exhaustion….and seeing an end result that can bring you to tears. Most of my friends in my daily life and those on Facebook know I am a positive affirmation/motivational junkie. I will have people post positive quotes on my wall and I have even been asked for words on advice on weight loss or how to get out of a funk. I don’t have all of the answers for everyone but I am always willing to give a helping hand….because in the past I have needed a helping hand and I know in the future I will need one again. Anyhooooo, a friend of mine posted something on my wall today because she knew it was something that would inspire me….and that it did. I chose to post it below in hopes that it inspires you too. I hope you are able to look at this video and remember it during the times when you think that things are impossible….nothing is impossible if you don’t want it to be. To my readers, I want you to know how much I appreciate you. I read comments that you leave me and your insights and kind words have meant more to me than you even know…I have needed you all in my life and I feel truly lucky that you are here now (even if it is in just the virtual sense). I hope you all love yourselves because you are all beautiful people all in your unique and wonderful ways! I send you all of the love I can to fill your hearts! Thank you again for being a part of this wonderful journey of mine called life! :0)
Music is everything. I am always amazed at how I can go from a feeling of blah to happiness in mere moments when music is turned on. There are thousands of songs that can jerk my memory and bring me back to a time spent with family or friends. There are two in particular that the lyrics just pluck the strings of my heart. The first song’s lyrics mean everything to me and this song I have held onto for long over a decade. It is a song that makes me fall in love with people…the people around me that have shown me the way through life and have made the journey so much better. The second song…I looooove the lyrics but it brings me back to a time when I had some of the most fun. I was still living in NY and I had an amazing group of friends. We were together ALL OF THE TIME!!! My really good friend Brad and I woke up one day and just traveled 5 hours together to see Dave Matthews Band and on the car ride this song was played over and over again (and surprisingly it’s not a Dave Matthews Band song). I remember hanging out in my apartment having endless conversations with my group of friends and this song playing on repeating in my bedroom so everyone could hear. Both songs are from the same band and it is funny because that band is Phish and although I like Phish I certainly was not a Phishhead! I would never tour with Phish and I never went to their concerts. These songs however just have stuck with me throughout the years and I love that they can bring me back to a time that was one of my most favorite. Below I left the lyrics as well as a couple of youtube videos for you to check out the songs. What song(s) lyrics touch you or bring you back to a time you will never forget???
Waste Lyrics
Performed by Phish
Don’t want to be an actor pretending on the stage
Don’t want to be a writer with my thoughts out on the page
Don’t want to be a painter ’cause everyone comes to look
Don’t want to be anything where my life’s an open book
A dream it’s true
But I’d see it through
If I could be
Wasting my time with you
Don’t want to be a farmer working in the sun
Don’t want to be an outlaw always on the run
Don’t want to be a climber reaching for the top
Don’t want to be anything where I don’t know when to stop
Can you tell me about an incident of a kind act done by a complete stranger?
This weekend is a hectic one. I have a college graduation party for a friend that I am so proud of. She is working to be an Early Education teacher and there could not be anyone more perfect for the job. In my life I have been on the giving and receiving end of kind acts done by perfect strangers. I decided here to share a story that nearly brought me to tears while trekking along on the elliptical at the gym (This is not my story or anyone I know…it was a piece I found while surfing around online). I wanted everyone to read this and enjoy their Saturday with a big smile on their face. I hope you enjoy as much as I did. :0)
A Little Boy At A Big Piano
Author Unknown
Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.
Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door
marked “NO ADMITTANCE.” When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on
the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw
her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.”
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.
That’s the way it is in life. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful flowing music. But when we trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life’s work truly can be beautiful.
Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”
For 365 days I answered a different question. I spent one year discovering myself more than I had my whole life. Every question remains on this blog and I hope that you do revisit each question starting at #1.I have decided from here on out that I am going to let the creative genius out as it comes. I do not believe in forced art...it must come natural. I am 34 years old and still discovering myself. I have moments of great peace and wellness and times of sadness and confusion that boggle my mind and exhaust my body. It is the latter that I have a hard time accepting and sometimes I need a palette to spill all of my thoughts and feelings out to make me feel better. So here I am. As readers I hope you are able to relate and I hope you enjoy the journey.
It's a New Day... 