Worlds Colliding

You know the feeling… your heart, your head, all reason and logic drop into the pit of your stomach. The onset raises your blood pressure and drops your optimism. The aftermath leaves you feeling beat up and helpless… Somewhere in between those two, you tell yourself to breath, you run through everything you were taught in a desperate attempt to think outside the box.

The absence of life is the ultimate devastation – but dealing with life’s hurdles is a damn close second. Ominous words like courage and strength are tossed around almost effortlessly, but the real meaning of those words is near impossible to fathom at that moment. How do you deal with news that’s life-altering but not life-ending? When you can’t get past the twisted stomach, the tsunami in your brain – how do you become a survivor of bad news? Some people turn to faith, others turn to chemical numbness. Some get up and trudge on without even stopping to dust themselves off. And yet there are others that simply give in, curl up and mentally disappear. But the fact of the matter is - something will happen.

Sometimes we have to sacrifice things, events, and even dreams because of life’s setbacks. How do you focus on the little good things that will have to carry you through the larger bleak picture? If the pieces don’t even look like they’re from the right puzzle, how can you create a picture out of it? Where do these heroes we hear of find the strength to overcome obstacles? When you don’t have money to hire help and family means everything to you, where do you find that inner strength to put everything on hold and step up to the plate? How do you stay focused on the many good years to come when the near future feels like a solid concrete wall in your way?

I guess you step back, swallow hard and look for guidance. Somewhere… somehow. You tackle what you can one piece at a time. You do your best to look to your family for support, and most importantly- you laugh. You try to explore new, simpler opportunities to have more fun than you would normally. You overcompensate in the simpler pleasures hoping it overflows into the rest of your life, and in a sense, you deceive yourself. You allow yourself 15 minutes of pity party when your thoughts take over your mood, then you force yourself to continue to reach into your right brain to find that motivation to get back on track. You fight against the urge to withdraw from all those who love you and you remember to hug when you really want to lash out. You tell yourself that the future will be brighter after it’s all said and done. You stop asking “why bother” and “is it even worth it” and you focus on new dreams. You stop punishing yourself for what is already done and begin strategically laying out how to unfold a future that is better and brighter than the course you were originally on.

Here’s some ideas that a few of us have tried. If you find yourself at an event that probably wouldn’t have been your first choice (like a grunge concert), try to find one thing positive about it to really enjoy your outing – like an instrument that sounds good to you and focus on just that sound… If your days of spa pampering have disappeared into a thing of the past, try to enjoy your routine haircut for the refreshing affect it can have. If you find that your spoiled pooch now has to be bathed at home rather than at the Doggie Style Salon, make a bonding event of it – let your daughter take a swim with the puppy as they both work the lather into crazy bubbles.

You find acceptance within yourself and don’t ever admit defeat. You force a smile in the midst of it all and eventually that smile will come naturally once again. Then you reach for the TUMS and begin again.

Waves of Life

We are so much like waves in a countless number of ways. Not just in strength, determination & consistency. We embrace and at the same time recoil. We reach out to the white sand and retract as we get there. We know what we want but hesitate along the way.

Have you ever observed a child growing up? They feel safe and begin to explore. They go further until the vulnerability sets in then they return to the safety of their home. Like waves in a rising tide, a little further each time. Stretch. Reach. Achieve. Regroup.

Adults are the same. Some adults choose to live like a tide pool, reaching a bit, then swirling aimlessly without stretching themselves any further. Others are like a tsunami, stretching too far, too hard, too fast causing devastation in their wake.

Life is a beautiful harmony of wavelike motions. Caress the sand, take calculated risks. Don't take your goals by storm then fizzle out to nothing after something gets in your way. Don't destroy those bridges that have gotten you this far! Set goals and reach for them. Regroup. Try again. Stretch.

Fears, insecurities, excuses all hold us back from reaching our goals, dreams & potential. Admit your fear and your dream. Glide up onto the beach. Focus on your dream. Regroup when you go astray. Try again. Over and over, flowing closer to your goal. Up onto the beach further and further toward your goal each time.

Take the opportunities afforded to you and carve your path. Build your own castle grain by grain. Don't give up. Be the waves- relentless and strong! Stretch, reach, achieve, regroup.

Giving Back...

We often hear that it’s good to give back… to humanity, to your neighborhood, to a family member or friend. We’ve been hearing a lot lately about sending donations to Haiti. The devastation there was immense, but then we look around our own cities and realize that there’s also a different type of devastation within our own communities it’s a lot to take in. Where do we begin to right the abundance of wrongs? How do we, as individuals, tackle these hardships? Are the people most affected even helping themselves or do they even want our help? How do we decide which hardship warrants what little extra time, money or energy we may have available to give?

Sometimes we give out of obligation or because of a disaster, and sometimes because we’re offered an incentive or to make ourselves feel good. Life is full of trade-offs and sometimes it’s nice to do something just because. Maybe there won’t be an immediate gratification other than knowing that you’ve done something for someone else who never expected it.

We’ve all seen the folks down on their luck at intersections with signs. In fact, I’ve heard friends tell me that they help those with the cleverest wording on their signs… We’ve also heard that some of those people actually make more money than we do! What should we believe? Should we help? Another friend has limited strength to volunteer, yet donates money to feed people in his community. He believes that the food bank he contributes to is doing its best to help people. He believes in that organization. We never really know if the organization we chose to support handles their donations correctly or helps in the most efficient way. Oftentimes that thought sticks with us when we’re asked to help out, and frankly, that’s sad.

The decision of who to help, or how, has to be something you’re comfortable with. But how can we honestly sit back, do nothing for anybody and complain that the world is not getting any better? Whatever drives you to help someone, follow that inner voice.

However you feel comfortable helping another soul – human or animal, please do so. We chose to help the homeless people that do not try to intimidate us. We usually offer to feed them rather than give them money… this is how we feel comfortable. Maybe that’s too much interaction for you. That’s ok. How about buying an extra can of food at the grocery and dropping it into a food drive bin, or donating your child’s outgrown tennis shoes? There are so many small ways that we can make a big difference.

This weekend we are working for Habitat for Humanity in Maui. We’re looking forward to this adventure. It’s our way of showing our appreciation for a community that always welcomes us and provides us with creative inspiration. It’s not a lot of our time or money, but it will help a lot of people.

What other little ways can we all help people? One little action per month by 100 people will affect more than 1,000 lives each year. That’s a lot for very little.

Technology's Playground -not just for Kids Anymore!

I'm sitting on a 6 hour flight next to a lovely older lady (did I mention older?) eagerly attempting to figure out her DigiPlayer rental. Now, for us whippersnappers, it's second nature to jab at the small circular power button, plug in our headphones, manipulate the screen-based conventional menu choices and voilà! We're plugged into the virtual environment and our surroundings dissolve away. But what about the generation BEFORE ours? Many from the IBM Selectric generation have no interest in exploring the realm also known as cyberspace, with it's limitless virtual capabilities. It's confusing or even scarey for some.

We raise our kids & teach them language skills & nurture their youthful, artistic talents. But you know, it's kind of fun to have the tables turned & be watching the generation before us embark on a learning curve to master a language/art or virtual community that we've been part of for years. We’ve grown up with the latest technologies; however, these technologies have grown after our parents.

There was a point when I can recall my Mother announcing that she & my father were finally willing to bring an answering machine into their home. Up until that point, they'd insisted that technology like this wasn't necessary.

Since that day, I've seen them dive enthusiastically into surround sound, Dolby digital, flat screens & digital cameras. Technology blossomed and with it their creativity. Through their photographs and amazing scrapbooks, we are all included in their adventures- ambitiously trekking the Great Wall of China, bravely swimming with stingrays or even loping on camels in the desert. What amazing journeys to be able to share with us!

So one day with their willingness to embrace Cyberspace, a wirelesss router entered their castle gates and much like the historical Trojan horse, it brought within it a virtual world filled with exciting, and somewhat scary opportunities. Shopping no longer requires long lines, and the probability of finding that perfect, unusual gift was increased ten-fold. Rental movies, pizza & even groceries can be ordered online. Relatives can see & hear each other for live gatherings while being virtually anywhere, anytime. Amazing how my parents, and many others, have gone from answering machine tapes to iPhones in a few, short decades...

I love the good morning text messages that my Mom has now mastered, the "live" camera phone video feed from my father of my daughter's gymnastics... With the revolution of Cyberspace, the possibilities are endless. I love it that previous generations have their own Facebook Groups and online discussions. No one has to be Lonely even if you're alone. You can always have a friend in your pocket, no matter your age!

(By the way, in case you were wondering, we did help the nice gal and she was smiling broadly as she toasted her success with a small bottle of champagne before falling fast asleep to whichever movie she had so laboriously picked out... LoL )

Pointless or Straight to the Point?

How many times in life have we thought something seemed pointless, silly, or a waste of time? How many times have we been pleasantly surprised or at least able to find the humor in the whole event? A good laugh is very healthy so let’s get straight to the point.

We decided that we would like to meet some new friends (you never can have too many GOOD friends but always be sure to limit the number of energy-suckers). It is just as difficult to meet friends as an adult as it was as a child. Like children, we spend the majority of our day with a specific group of people, whether that is at work or at school. Granted that with this group of people, you have a minimum of one thing in common and thus always have something to talk about around the coffee pot… but how many coworkers do you have enough in common with to socialize away from work?

OK, so you ask, where do you find those good friends that you wouldn’t mind being stuck in a broken elevator with for 4 or 5 hours? The kind of friends that don’t need constant entertaining or babysitting? The ones that share the same amount of dork factor and similar interests, beliefs, or concerns…

We racked our minds and scoured the internet. We found an internet site where virtualized communication brings about real world meetings – strangers become friends based on similar interests… photography, kids, orientation, sports, etc… Much the same as other social networking sites in that you have a bio and can add pictures and comments, but different in that sex doesn’t appear to be foremost on everyone’s minds – at least not outwardly. Here’s the most uncommon part about it… Say for example you are going to go bowling next Saturday afternoon. You’d really prefer not to bowl alone but you’re a closet bowler and don’t dare let your coworkers know this about yourself. You can go onto this website and post your event. Other closet bowlers, newbies and league members alike then have the ability to RSVP that they would like to participate with you. You don’t know each other and maybe don’t even live in the same town… But you know two things – you both like bowling and you’ll both be at the alley on Saturday. Score! The possibility of a new friend! Technology at its finest.

But what happens when you attend an event where you feel like a fish out of water? OK first off, you can leave – there’s the door, make a quick exit excuse and be gone.

Or…

Stay and try something new. Take a deep breath and look around the room – if you look close enough you might see others with labored breathing or darting eyes. Hey, there’s something you have in common with those folks right off the bat – you’re both nervous! Strike up a conversation… You also might start to have a little fun. (Uh oh… fun AND friends?)

My point is this… make an attempt. Get out there. As pointless as it may feel, go to a gathering that maybe you wouldn’t ordinarily attend. Walk into that room of 50 other strangers, attempt to shout loud enough to make conversation with the person next to you and who knows what will happen. If it’s really that bad – LEAVE… Walk outside, go around the corner and laugh. Have a wonderful laugh that you made a solid attempt. It’s never pointless to try.

Make Relationships Count

Relationships come in many flavors - the kind that you instantly connect together and it doesn't dissolve even though miles or time come in between you, the kind that need constant nurturing and eventually become exhausting, the kind that are equal in both the give and take, and everything in between.

My favorite type of relationship is the one that is an entity all its own. We know to take care of ourselves and take care of each other, but we must also take care of the relationship. When 2 people are in a quality relationship, they tend to automatically think of the other first which in turn has their own needs met as well. You feel like you are the most special person in the world and it comes naturally. You also both know that each have to put effort into that relationship to keep it vibrant, alive, and most importantly, passionate. Feed it, love it, put time & energy into it. You can't expect a relationship this great to sustain on its own.

It's the most amazing feeling to have someone know you so well that they anticipate your desires... When they actually take the time to think ahead to your needs you can't help but feel like a princess! When both parties in the relationship do this on an ongoing basis, it becomes natural and automatic to make the other person feel like a million! But it takes work. Keeping a relationship like this requires thought, consideration, passion and attention. Without the effort, it will become one of the other types of relationships, and some are just plain overrated for what you out into it.

Think about what you WANT out of a relationship and what you're willing to PUT INTO IT. Don't think that if you start off strong that the relationship will survive without an ongoing effort from both parties. If the effort isn't fun, then maybe it's not the right relationship. Talk to each other and learn more about each other every day. A great relationship like this will encourage you, personally, to grow leaps and bounds! It's worth the effort!
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"Not only does having strong relationships make it far more likely that you take joy in life, but studies show that it also lengthens life (incredibly, even more than stopping smoking), boosts immunity, and cuts the risk of depression." - Gretchen Rudin

Using Janus to Motivate

I often wondered why people make New Year’s Resolutions. What’s so different about January first compared to June first or October first or better yet, the beginning of spring planting – March 23rd ? Why aren’t there typically resolutions throughout the year? How did this tradition get started and why are these resolutions usually comprised of self improvement ideas? So I did a little research to determine if there’s any validity to this seemingly pointless midnight insanity.

Back in 153 BC, Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances, became the symbol for New Year’s Resolutions. He was a mythical Roman king with 2 faces – with one he could see backwards into the past year and with the other he was able to see forwards into the upcoming year. Romans celebrated the new year by looking for forgiveness from their enemies and good fortune the following year and passed around treasures bearing Janus’ resemblance.

I’ve been thinking about these resolutions a lot since we just rolled into 2010. I think we should all invoke the resolution concept in our daily lives. We should look to our family and friends for support just as the Romans did on New Year’s Eve.

Sometimes it’s really tough to make ourselves complete something that may be challenging or unpleasant. Whether that’s to lose 5 pounds, finish a project, start an exercise routine or develop an idea… We start out strong, hyped and motivated… but it’s so difficult to maintain that pace!

One of the hardest things to do is let people know the goals we’ve set for ourselves. Here’s the THEORY: if we put ourselves out there and let people know what we’re trying to accomplish, we can lean on their support and encouragement to keep us afloat when our motivation waivers. However, here’s the REALITY: sharing with others exposes our vulnerabilities and we know that once we say it out loud, if we fail it will be public knowledge. It’s different if we fail secretly.. shhh, no one needs to know! But failing in front of others exposes parts of ourselves that prefer to hide in the shadows.

Set yourself up with a group of friends or family that can be trusted with your secret ambitions. Share with them and get them involved as a support system for your goals – and do the same for them! Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve to make a resolution. This is the month of Janus (January), why not today?

Sieze Every Moment for What it Can Offer

Seize every opportunity to make a new friend, inspire some old friends and better yourself… Where you least expect to find enrichment will be rewards and riches galore. Allow yourself to be receptive at any moment so that you don’t miss out on life’s great unexpected pleasures. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. I look forward to hearing about the wonderful gifts life provides for you!
“Whenever you fall, pick something up.” ~Oswald Avery

Humor is the Best Medicine

Some days it just doesn’t feel like anything is going to make you feel better… not a video game, your favorite song or even an animated discussion amongst your inner selves. Darn it if it doesn’t feel like every black cloud is circling over your very own doorstep. I’ll bet reading A Different Spin On Life is the LAST thing on your mind, but I hope you will visit at the worst of times as well as the best…

Those days are a royal pain in the patootee. I have them and it feels like no one can do anything right, no matter how hard they try.

Sound familiar?

Deep breath, change the subject… Force yourself to focus on something more entertaining! Find a reason to laugh… pull out the old high school yearbook if you must – pictures of hair taller than 3 inches always makes me laugh! If you can’t find something to laugh at, do something silly – bring about that dork factor! Call me if you can’t find someone to be silly with! But by all means, please take a breather and laugh!

Weathering the Storms

Most of us live our lives like a big oak tree where our roots have been set deep in the ground for years. This isn’t always a bad thing because it gives us comfort and provides us with a feeling of safety and contentment. I’d much rather be an oak tree when a storm hits than a sapling that’s still discovering itself. But what happens when something comes along and shakes our branches- will we fall if we give up our deep rooted opinions and practices to try a new approach? Even as an oak with our deep-seated habits, we still get ruffled for sure! So how do we prepare ourselves to weather storms more easily? What do we do when it feels like nothing is going right and all the positive self talk in the world can’t fix things?

Why not try dividing the big problem up into more manageable chunks? Look to your friends and family for support. And oddly, what I find that works best for me and my friends is to make some progress on the chunks, then get away from it for a few minutes and stretch ourselves creatively or physically. Lose yourself in an EA Sports game on the Wii, take some crazy photographs and post them for us all to enjoy, tackle some zombies on Left4Dead or take your puppy for a walk! Whatever you enjoy doing, lose yourself in it for a while and let your right brain tackle the chunks. You’ll be amazed at how your perspective of the problem will change and the new ideas that will flow into your mind.

But to make this work, you have to be willing to let go of your deep-rooted ideas of how to tackle a problem. You have to be willing to let your creative side flourish in order to come up with a new approach. Give it a try. You’ll be amazed at how well you weather the storm!

Ultimate Gift Exchange

Ah… Christmas… birthdays… baby showers… Valentine’s Day… Easter… So many commercialized gatherings that involve… you guessed it, PRESENTS!

Now who doesn’t love a present? We try so hard to keep the focus on how good it feels to GIVE a present, don’t we? But, honestly, it really does feel good to receive a present. It’s that feeling of inclusion and worthiness that’s built into the whole gift exchange concept. That’s one reason why we participate in the annual Christmas gift exchange, especially the ones where you don’t know who you’re giving to. We may hide behind the shroud of obligation, but come on now, it’s fun and you know it.

We also know that it’s not because we think we’ll get something we’ve always wanted. It’s just nice to be part of the collective whole and feel the acceptance. Gift exchanges are ideal, because it solves everyone’s need or desire to get a gift and doesn’t leave anyone out. Gifts don’t always need to be something tangible.

There was an amazing movie made a few years back called, “Pay it Forward”. If you haven’t seen it we’ve put a link here to make it easier for you - you can buy it for as little as $1! Please click on the link, get it and watch it.

Let’s apply the lessons we learned from “Pay it Forward” with that wonderful feeling we‘ve all felt during gift exchange holidays. What if we gave our love and support willingly to each other as intangible presents? We can all feel included and inspired. Just like in a gift exchange, we should turn to one another around us and offer encouragement. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch someone blossom in their own creativity. To use an old cliché, it’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Will you participate?

Magical Inspiration

Many moons ago I wrote passionately almost every day. But life got busy and my left brain took over, pushing out any possibility of creative thoughts. The only writing I did involved project plans and in-depth technical proposals. Life became consumed with left brain activity. My creative energy slipped away. I started missing it, like you’d miss the companionship of a favorite pet. But I couldn’t write anymore. My creative energy was gone, vanished, *poof*.

Right on cue, our Merlins stepped into the picture. They shared with us a fairytale land with beautiful sunsets and sunrises. They granted us passage into their peaceful groves and nurturing company. With their encouragement, I wandered the land, transfixed by inspiring angels and vegetation. My left brain went into submission and my right brain awoke. I felt truly inspired!

But upon returning from our vacation, I realized that to keep awakening my right brain was going to take a great deal of work. But how do you teach yourself to express creativity? I am a logical person and inspiring my own creativity was harder than earning any degree in college. It wasn’t just a matter of finding inspiration, but the creative light had to be illuminated. Where to begin?

I looked again to our Merlins for guiding light. I was given an assignment. Read and participate in the self-paced workshop by Julia Cameron. The book is called, The Artist’s Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. It’s absolutely wonderful. If you want to rediscover your creative side, click the link on the left and buy it. It’s an investment in YOU! As the author states, “I teach people to let themselves be creative.” We all have bountiful creative energy traveling along within us that can become dormant. This book helps you rekindle the right side of your brain for whatever outlet you choose – writing, drawing, photography, gardening, sculpting, cooking…

As our daughter got older, I willed myself to begin writing again, geared at entertaining her. We wanted to encourage her to read. I would write short stories about her experiences while exercising a few creative liberties to keep her laughing while she read. I would write while she was falling asleep and the next night she would read to me the story I had written the previous night. I had refound my inspiration and a captive audience who didn’t notice little grammar errors or strange punctuation. She was not a critic but a receptive audience and that encouraged me to keep writing.

I want to thank and congratulate our Merlins for their most recently published masterpiece and I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Please check out their new novel at http://www.nicoleandrobertdaines.com/ …

Inspire yourselves! Inspire each other! Contact me if I can help motivate you. Share here about what you would like to try and create. You will never be anything other than encouraged here on this blog. Learn new ways to tone down your left brain and let your right brain flourish!

Life's Rollercoaster

Not every day is roses, caviar and million dollar ideas. In fact most days don’t even consist of watching the Hallmark channel or taking a bubble bath… Most days are more along the lines of a SpongeBob cartoon, or for those more familiar with the previous generation of cartoons – a Tom & Jerry rerun. We get up, go through the motions of our day, hope for the best, and before we know it, the day is over and we are mentally preparing for the thing that inevitably comes called the next day. We can’t solve world hunger in a day and therefore spend little or no time thinking about how it’s possible to contribute to that cause. So what is the one cause that we can make great headway on each day?

Ourselves: Always available, always prevalent, always accessible.

I will assume that I’m not completely alone here in that I do try to make time to better myself and be a good friend. There are just some days that I feel like I’m on the dropside of the world’s largest roller coaster. Is it possible for someone to be happy and upbeat ALL the time? I can’t answer that because I know I am not one of those people. Maybe it’s best if we have some drops so we can better appreciate the entire ride? Again, I couldn’t tell you for sure.

So what do we do on these days when we’re not in the mood to raise the roof or consciously challenge ourselves? Some play Left 4 Dead, Café World or other strategy/simulation video games. Others surf the web or watch drama and sitcom reruns. This is still a subconscious way of helping ourselves out of the dropside of the roller coaster by resting up our inner selves for the next uphill ride on that same life rollercoaster. We shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. The more we’re rested and receptive to change, the more change will just naturally happen.

We can ride the rollercoaster freely and enjoy all aspects of it. We’ll coast through the dropsides and be encouraging and excited as we go uphill. We’ll rest and recuperate and then charge ahead and make a difference - first in ourselves and then in our communities and the world.

Repeat What You Know Works!

If you watch kids closely, you’ll see they find absolute enjoyment in repetitious events. They watch the same cartoon over and over, mouthing the words they’ve memorized many times before. Have you ever wondered why?

Our daughter reminded me of this phenomenon this morning when she begged to go to the Seattle Aquarium, yet again. She’s been there so many times that she provides the guided tour through the fish and other swimming sensations for us.

This repetition is enjoyable for a couple reasons: the comfort of knowing what will come next and the sensation of instant gratification because they cannot fail in doing what they already know how to do. It is an immediate accomplishment.

Who among us can say that they don’t have days that a sense of accomplishment and a sense of comfort wouldn’t be welcome? Children’s thought processes can be less complicated because of their simplicity in finding pleasure. Why don’t we follow that concept?

Why not try a simple approach at turning around a bad day. Remember how kids find pleasure in doing something they already do well or do often? Try something that you have found enjoyable in the past. Lose yourself in that moment and let it help your own mood lighten. Feel the satisfaction and pride of doing something well and let that emotion carry into the rest of your day.

The Dork Factor

We all have an inner child… some are sleepers and others might dominate too much of the time. But gosh if they aren’t fun to play with! I live by this philosophy- we spend our “growing up” years learning how to be ethical, contributing adults. So once that’s mastered, we are entitled to spend a portion of our adult years enjoying more simplistic fun like we did as a child. Around here we call that the Dork Factor – allowing yourself to let your guard down and be silly for a while.

Are you one of those folks that think silliness is beneath them? Lighten up! It’s a blast!

The best way to increase your dork factor without completely embarrassing yourself is to find yourself a Mentor – that would be a true child – under the age of “Mom, you’re embarrassing me”. We have the greatest mentor in the world. She’s 8 going on 28. Until you meet her, you can’t begin to understand how amazing she really is… it’s not just how bright she is, it’s how perceptive she is. She can read your emotions and brighten them. She brings out the childlike energy in all of us! It’s fantastic!

One benefit to having a Mentor is that strangers will think you are entertaining the Mentor – rather than knowing that the Mentor is truly entertaining YOUR inner child! Isn’t perception grand?

The dork factor is what allows us to sit in the sideyard under the tangerine tree, spitting seeds for distance. It also allows us to try out goofy voices and complicated face scrunching, or gets us to wear outrageous socks with our pants suits! The dork factor may also come into play when the music finds us dancing and jumping around… Most importantly, it allows us to laugh and enjoy the simplest pleasure. For that moment, life becomes less complicated. You are truly living in the moment. It’s important to have these moments… it helps relieve stress, keeps you from taking life too seriously and reminds us that it’s ok to be a kid again.

Give it a try… but one bit of caution. Seek out like-minded individuals before practicing your dork factor to keep yourself out of trouble. Let me know what you’ve done to exercise your inner child lately, I really want to know!

Have a Wii Bit of Fun

Do you remember Christmas, 2006? That was the year that your neighbor’s grandma ran you over with her shopping cart as she raced to the game aisle in hopes of being one of the lucky few to take home a Wii. That was the year that scalpers chose to buy up as many Wii’s as possible just to double the price to desperate shoppers on the Internet.
Have you played a Wii yet? I had probably played a total of an hour of video games in all my life up until that magical day in 2007… It would be too dramatic to say that my life was transformed into castles and royalty, but my living room has!
     If you haven’t heard about the Wii yet, where’ve you been??? The Wii by Nintendo uses tv remote-like game controllers that wirelessly send signals to the system. Games like golf, bowling and boxing are played with full body motions like in real life, giving you a workout that no previous type of video game offered.
     You can do yoga with an interactive instructor combined with a camera that tracks your movements, race cars against real people around the world, play trivia and game shows and even learn to play a musical instrument. The Wii has brought video games to a whole new level.
    So why am I blogging about the Wii? Simple. It has the power to not only unite a family, but also rejuvenate your spirit. It challenges your mind and your body.  You may think you’re too old or just don’t like video games. But have you tried a Wii? I’m not backing down here… Rent one, try it
     Physically handicapped or housebound folks can now golf 18 holes easily from their living room. Grandparents can play soccer with their grandkids on a rainy day. Stay-at-home parents can work out without a babysitter. Families can bowl without breaking the piggy bank each time. Get my point?

     So this is where I stand… ready to golf, ready to cycle, ready to wakeboard. Where do you stand?

Take Back Your Mind!

     We have this thing in our heads that represents only 3% of our body weight, yet it uses 20% of our body’s energy. Scientists used to believe we only use 10% of its power; however, now the belief has switched in that they believe much of our brain is active MOST of our waking moments. If this is the case, why do we choose to have 20% of our energy being spent on mundane tasks by leaving work and switching into mental hibernation?
     We feed it TV, commercials, social gaming and networking websites. *chomp chomp chomp* We eat it up and most of us don’t even realize how many HOURS we spend absently allowing other influences to guide our brains…

Take back your mind!

     After realizing this about ourselves, we’ve made a conscious effort to try and add some sort of value to our “off duty” time. I know some of you feel like you don’t want to be mentally challenged 18 hours a day. OK, how about 12 or 14? How can I convince you that you are worth it?
     Here’s something to think about. Isn’t there something you’ve always wanted to be better at or learn more about? Try to spend at least half an hour each day in pursuit of something meaningful to yourself, and only yourself. We can all find half an hour – after the kids are in bed, when the house is quiet, or first thing in the morning before everyone’s awake and demanding your attention. Will you really suffer that much if you lose a half hour of sleep, tv or games??? How much could you potentially gain by investing a half hour in yourself?
     Maybe you’ve always had an interest in photography and have that dusty Polaroid laying around. Pose your spouse and have some fun! Or maybe you’ve always wanted to be able to draw your stick figures doing more than standing there waiving – practice! You know that rusty pole in the side yard- haven’t you wanted to learn to pole dance? Get busy!
     The point is this… we are all smart- the fine folks at John Hopkins say we are, and there’s no reason not to believe them. We all had aspirations at one time and some of us are lucky enough to still realize what those were. We can never be too good, but there’s no harm in trying! How will you spend your half hour each day?

Instant Memory Makers

Have you ever noticed how every culture on every continent expresses some range of emotions through music? No matter your personal preference, I think we can all agree that music can be inspirational, romantic, or even get you pumped up! Music drills into our minds and stays there. How many times have you caught yourself thinking about a catchy song you’d heard much earlier in the day? That’s because the beat, the words, the melody – something was “catchy” to you and stirred an emotion that maybe you weren’t even aware of at the time. I often hear a particular song and it reminds me of an event or certain time in my life. I like to think of these songs as instant memory makers – they make me smile or laugh.

We all use music in some way. We may have a playlist special for the gym to keep us moving, a well worn CD that’s been played so many times it’s a marvel that it hasn’t worn out or in the least, a favorite radio station we listen to while commuting. In our household, music is on most of the time, and it’s not uncommon to stop what we’re doing and dance – all of us, dog included. We tango, two-step, waltz, laugh and act silly…. It’s empowering!

All music is a manifestation of someone’s inspiration. In other words, you may not like it but someone, somewhere does! Try to open your mind to new music and what it may inspire in YOU. Some music you may not even be able to understand the words, but maybe the beat is catchy or the melody makes you smile and tap your toes. You might not become their number one fan, but maybe you’ve found a new inspiration. Some music might make you feel hostile, so change it… but at least you’ve given it a try. Wasn’t it our parents that used to nag us about “trying something once”? Or how about, “if you don’t try it, how do you know you don’t like it”?

Here’s another homework assignment. Try to listen to 5 songs each day that you might have never considered listening to. Your goal is to find a couple new songs that make you feel like you want to get up and take life by the horns! Whether it’s the message or the feeling it inspires in you… download it, turn it up and LIVE!

We’ve put an MP3 player in the right sidebar to make this assignment as painless as possible. If you prefer to surf in your own “tunes” store, here are 6 songs from different genres that clicked with me to get you started. Please add your favorite songs to this blog so we can all experience them!

“Say Hey” by Michael Franti & Spearhead

“Better in Time” by Leona Lewis

“Never Gonna Be Alone” by Nickelback

“Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Buble

“Fireflies” by Owl City

And our family’s favorite “drop everything and dance” tune:

“Gettin’ You Home” by Chris Young

Look through Reality to Find Invincibility

There are many times in a day that can twist and turn your thought process to negativity- a problem arises without an easy solution, an overheard comment makes you feel less of yourself, or an overwhelming situation leaves you feeling helpless. There's only one way to beat this head game - take hold of your emotions and lead them where you WANT TO BE. Look through the reality of the moment and tell yourself you're invincible.

Sounds corny? Sounds too easy? Maybe, but it works. It takes very little time and if you're willing to consistently stay with it, you'll see amazing results. Outside forces will have less impact on your well-being and your performance in life will excel!

Many times each day, and every night before I go to sleep, I talk myself up. Think about it, if you're not willing to tell yourself how great you are then why should anyone else? The night before I have to confront a complicated problem, I fall asleep repeating to myself that I am smart and that the answers will come easily to me. The next day I genuinely feel more relaxed, more in control of the situation and more competent in my responses.

Take the time to tell yourself you're great, you're invincible, you're smart and that all the correct answers you need will come to you easily. However you phrase your mantras, keep them simple and specific.

There will be times that the overwhelming feeling of failure will cloud your ability to feel anything other than negativity. This is the absolute, most important time to reassure yourself! Again, if you don't want to be your own best friend, then how can you expect anyone else to want that roll?

This theory is much the same as talking yourself down from a ledge, or should I say, talking yourself up to the challenge! Best wishes for an amazing tomorrow!
DP

Tehniques for Achieving Our Best Selves

We've spent the last couple years overcoming hurdles and staying focused on the positive. We're having a great time - LIVING our lives! We will be blogging many ideas we've tried or ideas that seem worthy of being tried in the hopes of creating a different spin on this thing called life.

We'd love your input for ideas to try or stories you can share about how you have put a positive spin on your own lives. We'll share our hobbies and how we've integrated both unique and inexpensive activities into our lives to help us get through the hard times and flourish in the good times!

Together we can help each other rise above it all and really enjoy life! Isn't that the point? Thanks for joining us, we look forward to traveling this journey with you!