Over this past few weeks I have been blessed with many miracles...so much so that I felt drawn to share this morning, enjoy!

Many years ago when I moved to Texas I was introduced to a woman my mom had known for many years thru business.  She lived close by where we were and was very open and welcoming, over the past 5 1/2 years we have become friends ourselves.  She loves to travel and always returns with photos and souvenirs of locations around the world....we enjoy learning thru her adventures.

Just last month she shared with us that her granddaughter was coming to visit for several weeks and as she and my daughter are only a year apart, she asked if we could get them together.... I loved the idea....little did I know the experience I'd be blessed with in saying "yes" to her request.

Her granddaughter arrived and within the first week we went to the house so the girls could meet and swim.  Within SECONDS they connected, jumped in the pool and anyone walking in on the site would have thought they had known each other for years....neither of them judged the other... neither religion, hair color, size or shape mattered at all, they became fast friends....each accepting the other for who they were.

This past week the girls have been taking hula lessons from a local woman who is from a family who has been dancing hula for many generations....they walked into this adventure with smiles on their faces, not knowing how it will all turn out...regardless, they made it FUN!  They danced, they giggled, they made funny faces and all the while learning different parts of the hula dance, as they tripped over their own two feet, stepped on each others feet, went left when the teacher went right and so on and so forth...the main thing is they keep moving forward and made it FUN.

Today was the last of their hula lessons and as they arrived this morning they were giddy with excitement, ready to put on their hula skirts and lei's and dance the morning away.   They dressed in green grass skirts, bright colored lei's and with each of them sporting a fresh yellow flower in their hair.  As they took the "stage" (the living room floor) they were grinning ear to ear.  Taking their positions, waiting for the music to start and then BOOM!  the sound of the waves crashing down on a Hawaiian beach filled the room and they began to dance....it was beautiful!

I'm not sure if they made mistakes in the routine as I was simply mesmerized by how far they had come in 5 short days, smiling and moving to the music as if nothing else mattered.  And when it was over, they laughed and giggled some more....it was just plain old FUN!

This is how life is meant to be....

Taking steps out of the box, dreaming the dream (big or small) and moving forward towards achieving it bit by bit, day by day.  We don't all do things perfectly, and sometimes the fear of not being perfect is enough to stop us in our tracks...it's a pitfall we can overcome if we so desire. 

Michael Jackson was once quoted as saying "People can always have a judgment about anything you do.  So it doesn't bother me.  Everything can be strange to someone."  

He is so right....it doesn't matter what others think, feel or do as they are not living your life, release those who try to inflict their judgment upon you, for it only matters what you think of yourself.  Take a step outside of the box, reach for something that brings you pleasure and remember that only you can live the life of your dreams...so take a few steps today, dance the dance and enjoy the happiness you so rightfully deserve. 

Life is meant to be an adventure to enjoy....what are you waiting for?

Be healthy, be focused and be the best you that you can possibly be!

In gratitude,
Caryn

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After watching "Seven Pounds" again the following thought come thru my mind....(for those who haven't seen the movie, it's well worth the rental)...

We have prisons full of individuals who have intentionally taken the lives of others, why is it that we cannot sentence them to make "amends" (not that it will ever replace the person who was taken) by taking their life and using their organs to give life to others? Understand I am referring to those who have INTENTIONALLY gone out and taken a life, not those who killed someone by accident.

Of course there are those who believe that organs carry with them some of the individuals personality...would that prevent you from taking a life-saving organ from someone who had committed murder?  Would you want to know where the organ came from or prefer to keep it anonymous? 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that in regards to those who are observers of religions who don't believe in removing organs from the body would not fall into this category...after all if they did, would they also believe in murder?  Probably not, so we'll exclude those people from this discussion.

So, in a nutshell, an intentional murderer, instead of being put into prison and costing the tax payers money while they receive 3 squares, education, roof over their head, exercise time, library and much, much more (as I spent 5 years working in a men's prison...it's really not that bad), they'd be sentence to give back by being put to death in a controlled environment and their organs given to those who need them to survive.

I welcome feedback and thoughts on this idea....if you'd like to voice your opinion, please be respectful, that's all I ask.

Be healthy, be focused and be the best you that you can possibly be!

In gratitude,
Caryn

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Who is making your rules?  The life that you are leading...who is telling you what you should and should not be doing as you move along the road of life?  Is it you?  If so, and if you are not happy with where you are, then you have no one else to blame but yourself for the unsatisfied feelings you have.  If it is not you, then the questions becomes why are you giving others the right to dictate how YOUR life moves along?

Just a few days ago I was at a pool with my daughter and as she floated along on her raft, I sat reading and watching the scene unfold.  Two older girls (tween age) were running around, chasing each other in and out of the pool as part of their own made-up game.  At one point, one of the girls got out of the pool and moved to an area where the other girl could not "catch" her.  The first girl giggled and was laughing about the fact her friend could not get her "ha, ha, I win" was her comment.  To which her friend replied "no way, you can't go over there, that's out of bounds and you loose if you don't get back in the pool in 10 seconds!"  Now, these rules were totally made up, but the giggling girls suddenly stopped laughing and with a serious expression on her face said "that's not fair, that's not the rule, you can't do that!"  To which the other girl replied "watch me" and she turned her back to her friend and began swimming to the other side of the pool.  The looking on the giggling girls face was sad for a moment, then she jumped back into the pool and swam to her friend, who promptly turned around and with a smile, splashed her while saying "I win, I win!" and off they went.

The point is this...life is a game and all games have rules...
The question is this...who's rules are you playing by?

Where is it written that you can only work in a specific field, or earn a certain amount of income, or drive a certain type of car?  Who's rules are these? 

Are you holding yourself back because you feel you may not deserve to create the life you really dream of? 

Take a moment, close your eyes and let your mind drift to wherever you'd like to be in life...allow yourself to dream the dream daily and eventually the Universe will respond with the avenue you require to reach your destination...

Life is an amazing game....make your own rules and play to win the big prize you deserve!

Be healthy, be focused and be the best you that you can possibly be!

In gratitude,
Caryn

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Each morning as I awake I open my mind to the possibilities of what I can create today...  the decision is always mine to make...

Many have asked me over the years how I have moved forward from a life of starvation into a life of prosperity and abundance.  The answer is step by step and day by day.  If I had been asked to share at the time it was happening, I'd have no answer to provide.  I had a vision, a dream and a desire to be in a healthy place, where those who surrounded me were full of love and understanding.  By having this vision embedded deep into my heart and soul, I was redesigning the world I lived in and in just a few short years went from living in a harmful place to living in a beautiful world, with loving individuals. 

Most importantly I began to like and love myself which is now reflected back at me by those who share my world.

As Steve Jobs discussed in the commencement speech he gave several years ago, life must be lived moving forward while connecting the dots in hindsight.

This has been my personal experience. In my 20's during the time I was in a very rough relationship with an individual who was controlling, negative and living in fear.  It was a difficult and sad time in my life.  At the time I could not have possibly known that this one individual after moving out of my life, would return years later and be the catalyst for a series of life changing events.  What I know now is that although the experience was difficult to live thru at the time, I did survive and in a strange twist of fate directly related to this individual, years later I was introduced to several others who are positive, like-minded, creative people who continue to bless my life daily.

Life is what we create...  I choose to live focused on each day being a blessing and a clean slate to create upon...

Just last year I decided I was not pleased with the landscape I was viewing each day as I looked outside of my home office window.  I began to create in my mind the vision of what I'd like to see each and every day...  As time went by the vision became stronger and within a short period of time the day came when I found myself standing at the edge of my vision.... and today here is what I see when I look out thru my home office window:

We are each an artist, the world is our canvas...so I ask you as you arise this morning, what will you create today?

Be healthy, be focused and be the best you that you can possibly be!

In gratitude,
Caryn

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Our journey of life is about progress,
not perfection.
It's not about doing one thing
100% better -
it's a matter of doing 100 things,
1% better each day.

Progress is evolutionary
not revolutionary,
and most days we measure our progress
in inches,
not miles.

What matters most
is showing up for your life
whether you feel like it
or not.

Ask yourself,
"What two or three little things
can I do today
that would move me forward?"

You'll be amazed
at how much distance
you can cover
by taking it in increments.

The little things add up;
the inches turn to miles;
and we string together our efforts
like so many pearls.
Before long,
look what you have -
a whole strand!

Ah... beautiful.

***********************
The Best Way Out is Always Through
The Power of Perseverance
Hardcover gift book
128 pages, 6.75" square
By BJ Gallagher
http://www.simpletruths.com/
*************************

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Just recently I caught a glimpse of the media attention being paid to Jon and Kate Gosselin and I will share my two cents as I think this is an appalling situation which is being made worse by the general public.   Yes, I can easily understand the fascination with parents raising 8 children...heck, I have one and it's a day-to-day adventure, I cannot imagine having 8 to handle.  But somewhere along the way, over the course of 5 seasons the focus has gone from a mom and dad raising a family of 8 within 3 years, to the drama of who's sleeping with whom, what type of personality does Kate have, why does Jon tolerate being treated the way Kate treats him and what color nail polish will Kate wear next?  I mean, really people....who cares?  Apparently a lot of people.....as it was reported that the Jon and Kate show has had a huge increase in viewers with their opening episode last month.   

I have not walked a mile in Jon or Kate's shoes, but I do have sympathy for the kids...they didn't ask to be brought up on television and they certainly didn't ask to have cameras in their home for the majority of the day, taping them and all their adventures.  Yes, there will be no shortage of home videos as they grow, but what will it do to them in the long run?  Are they having the normal experiences that little children have?  I personally doubt it. 

Rumors of the parents sticking it out "because there are college funds at stake" sounds ridiculous unless they had the worse financial planner in the world..... 

Let's call it like it is...they are getting paid a lot of money, receiving perks, endorsements and all they have to do is allow people to follow them around with cameras all day long....the reality is that most people would do what they are doing....and yet, they act surprised and upset when a little drama is thrown into the mix? 

What I find interesting is that there is apparently another show hitting the airwaves that follows a family of 12....so is it possible that this "Jon and Kate drama" is in reality a way to bump viewers and ratings?  hhmmmmm.....I wonder how many people are buying Jon and Kate plus 8 on dvd at $50 a shot?  And the books she has written are selling like wild....would this all be happening if they were still the plain old mom and dad with 8 kids from PA sans the drama? 

The reality is that we'll never know the true story....and for many of us (like me) it really doesn't matter...but I do wonder about the kids and who's watching out for them? 

I welcome any thoughts and feedback....what would you do if you were Jon or Kate?

 

Be healthy, be focused and be the best you that you can possibly be!

In gratitude,
Caryn

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For a long time I wondered "why me?" as I felt my life was spiraling out of control....from one abusive relationship to another...enduring years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of individuals who cared only for themselves...

I didn't understand it then (as it was happening) but I understand it now (years later)....I was attracting pain and suffering to my world.  During this time I was an anorexic and actively bulimic.....and at the height of my illness I stood 5'7" and barely 100 pounds.  What I was putting out was that I didn't deserve to be loved and cared for as I was not even loving or caring for myself.   Self-respect is key and I have learned many a lesson over the years, the most important is that others will treat us in the same manner in which we ask to be treated.....

Today I am happy, healthy,  surrounded by amazing people and loved beyond my wildest dreams....unconditionally...as that is what I deserve....

So I encourage people to decide what they are worthy of, to care for themselves at the highest level possible and to be good to themselves....as you will receive it back many times over....

Enjoy the blessings that make up your life and create some new ones each day!
 

In gratitude,
Caryn

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