Tell Me More

2010-09-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Last week I went out with my girlfriends for dinner. They are both newly single and it has been a long time since we've all been together. We had a lot of catching up to do. We had a beautiful dinner and had lots of laughs. They shared stories of all of their dating adventures and how exciting it was to be free again. They talked about how they don't know who they are and how fabulous that was. At the end of the night, they wanted to keep the night going by going out some more. I had worked all day and it had been a busy week. When the server came to bring us the bill and asked what we were up to, I told her that they were going out and I was going home. She asked me why? and I told her that I was tired and the thought of coming home to my family and having a hot bath sounded more delightful to me than going out to a loud bar. The server gave me a sad look and said "oh that's so sad" and for a moment I actually felt lame for not going out with my girlfriends. I thought "I must be getting old". However, when I got home and cuddled with Lucy my dog and my daughter while my husband ran my bath, I thought this is so much better than going out - for me. I didn't have to validate, or explain or make anyone wrong for the choice that I made. Just as my friends didn't have to for the choices they made. This situation made me think...why as human beings do we always feel like we have to validate our choices in life.

Life is for living, however we choose individually to experience that. All of our experiences will be different as we all have different wants, needs and goals in life and isn't that fabulous? However, on this night I was reminded to be in the moment and be so grateful for the life that I have and all of the people in my life that I am fortunate enough to be loved by.

Camp Season

2010-08-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

Ah...Summer has finally arrived in lovely BC. It's hot and sunny...and every Summer, we all start to think about being outdoors and camp season. However camp season for me means something a little different. As some of you know, that I used to work for a personal development company for almost 5 years. Every season, they have 4-5 day camps outside. These camps were truly amazing, it was like going to Summer camp when you were a kid, but with many life changing kick ass lessons along the way. I've personally taken many of these camps and they have changed my life. So its very exciting when I think of all of the new participants every season that are beginning their journey.

Some people say, "well why do you have to take a course to learn something or to personally grow" and I think it's like anything in life. You don't have to "do" anything, you don't have to choose to learn, grow or understand. life is all about personal choices and even learning or not learning is a personal choice. We are always given oppurtunities to learn from every situation whether in the moment we percieve it as a good or bad situation. I try to live my life with this philosophy, and see the lessons that are presented to me. But was we all know if you don't get the lesson, guess what...you'll have to take it over again just like in school, you get Summer School, so I guess in a way that is what camps are all about, a reminder of the lessons you may have forgotten in life. For those of us that have been fortunate enough to have taken the camps, I wish you all the best in your lives. To keep yourself challenged, stay within your integrity and have honour within yourselves and your spoken word. For those that have no idea what I'm talking about, it's okay...you'll get also get your lessons somewhere in life. Because that is the the real beauty in living, its all about learning and getting back to who we really are but forgot long ago.

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

- Marianne Williamson

Memories

2010-06-23T19:23:00.000-07:00

I've been married for over 21 years. I know....it's a long time and it rarely happens anymore. There are very few people I know that have that much history together. I've heard that many times. It's one of my most proudest accomplishments actually. It's not that its been always a piece of cake but it is our success and we've worked together to make the relationship successful on our own terms. So you can imagine all those years, that I've seen my share of Christmas presents. Pajamas, work out videos, you name it, I've seen it. Many Christmas's ago my mother in law Jean, gave me her silver flatware set. It was actually her mother's so Brent's grandmother's original set. So not only was it an antique but passed on from his own family. It really touched me as she said she wanted to give it to someone that would appreciate it. Who would have know how much I came to appreciate that silver, many years later.

On another occasion, Jean gave me her mother's entire China set. All the dishes that her mother used and then gave to Jean. At first I didn't want to use the dishes as I didn't want to ruin them. They were so beautiful and delicate, same as the flatware. I used to take it out on special occasions such as Easter and Christmas. Then one day I came across an article that was about a daughter that had to clear out some of her mom's personal items when she had passed away. The article said that there were many beautiful things that she never knew her mom ever even owned and for sure never ever used. She came to the belief that her mom was also saving it for the "right" occasion and unfortunately that never came for her mom. The article made me think, why wait, what am I waiting for...these beautiful things that have been passed on to me to use! not to bring out twice a year from my pantry. So I took the dishes out to use as my regular everyday dishes. I use them for every meal and when I use them I often think about the meals that Brent's grandmother would have prepared for her family. I think about their hopes and dreams and what kind of life they had. I hope that by using these dishes at every meal, my family is also incorporating our energy and our lives in to these dishes. I doubt that the entirety of these dishes will be passed on to my daughter as they are starting to chip here and there. However, I do know they will be well used and loved in our time. And if for some fortunate reason, there happens to be one or two pieces left over, like a special tea cup or a gravy boat, I hope that Sofie will remember all of the wonderful meals we had as a family and know that her mom sees each meal with her family as a special day and thinks every day should be celebrated.

One Last Time

2010-05-21T18:44:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a beautiful red velvet chaise lounge for my special room that my husband designed for me. Its where I go to meditate, read and just be. I love the space and energy of the room. The only problem is that I have a ginger colored cat of 11 years named Butterscotch aka Butters that also loves my red couch. I would often find him napping on my couch or find little wisps of orange fur indicating Butters was there. This made me very annoyed, so I would shoo Butters off the couch and eventually I had to put a slip cover on the couch to ensure Butters wouldn't sleep there or at least leave little batches of orange hair.

Unfortunately Butters has been missing now for over a week and I don't think he'll be returning home or sleeping on my red couch again. I think he's gone forever and I can't tell you what I would do just to see him sleeping on my couch for one more time. I dedicate this month's blog to Butters, as a way of saying thank you and good bye. Butters was a part of our family.

We all have experiences and things in our lives that we may like, even love such as our families, friends, pets. Sometimes we have things we dislike to do such as dishes, laundry and cleaning windows. The thing is there will always be a last time where it will be your last experience and you won't know when that will be. You can't know, that's not how life works. There is no schedule or crystal ball we can look in to the future to see that final last time.

We all know the quote "Live every day as if it were your last and then some day you'll be right. .." but do we really take that approach? I like to say that I try but I don't always. If you knew that the next time you went to the gym would be the last, would you really moan and groan about having to go? or if you knew the next family reunion that you didn't really want to go to would be the last time you saw your relatives, would you complain about wasting your time? I've been blessed with a beautiful family, including our four legged kind as pets. We've laughed, argued and grown as a family. I would have never thought that I would learn such an important lesson from Butters. Thank you Butters, you will be missed and we love you.

Consider some of the things and experiences that you may like or dislike in your life and then really think of how you would feel if its your very last time. Enjoy all the moments that make up your life.

Creating Space

2010-04-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have a very full life. I am a mother, partner, and a daughter. I live with my husband, two teenagers, a dog and two cats. Enough said. I decided I needed some time for myself.

I recently reintroduced myself to yoga which I take at my local community centre. I have been taking it religiously twice a week for two months now. Something very special started to happen besides the calming effect that yoga has for me. I started to feel new space, space between my ribs, and along my muscles, and especially in my mind. I started to think about all aspects of space and how it affects us. As a society I notice the tendency is to be unapproachable, closed off and indifferent. It seems somewhat difficult to engage people in conversations or to connect. In today's world, our teenagers, have cell phones, ear buds, Ipods and they graduate to adults who have blackberries and bluetooths. We text and instant message each other in the same building. We tweet instead of speak. All of these tools we have to communicate instantly are great for the sake of progress, but at what cost? It takes away your ability to connect at a deeper level spiritually and consciously with everyone including yourself. It creates the opposite of space - anti space. It creates, chatter and distractions. It closes you off to the possibility - endless possibilities to connect with people, nature and spirit. We have an army of citizens closed off, unattached and unconnected. Space can give you the opportunity for beautiful things to happen, if you let it. If you are open to creating space wherever you can, just see and observe what happens. Whether you create space to have conversation with a stranger, or create space in your body or mind, just notice what happens when you give your self a chance. Try it out and let me know what you notice.

It's All About Perspective, What Do You See?

2010-03-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

I went for a run this weekend, I saw a blind man giving his daughter a piggy back ride. He clearly knew where he was going and they were both in the moment and having a great time together. This made me think, he didn't need eyes to tell him where he was going or that it was a beautiful sunny day outside.

I saw a young child, about 1 year and half old toddling about. I thought, well this young boy sees the world through his innocent eyes and only at his height level which is about 2 feet. Just try and imagine yourself when you were two years old and what you saw and felt. Things like bad news and concern are just not a 2 year old's reality.

Sometimes we are physically forced to only see certain things, that are within your optic view based on our own physical limits. But what I know is we always have an option to choose what we see. Do we want to focus on the imperfections of each situation or look at the beauty instead? How do you interpret the world, what do you choose to see in every moment? It is possible to reframe the way you see things.

Today my friend's daughter, Lauren Cummins is having a fundraiser put on for her and her family. Lauren has lost her vision since she's been 2 and she's had quite a challenging 4 months in and out of ICU. Yet Lauren stays positive and strong and inspires everyone she meets. Lauren chooses to see with her heart. I read Lauren's blog daily, as she inspires me to be grateful and live in the moment.

http://www.laurensvision.com/
http://www.laurensvision.com/30112.html

I write this month's blog and dedicate it to Lauren. Lauren is a trailblazer and she knows what is important in life and celebrates it every minute. We could all learn a lot from Lauren.

So the next time you are out for a walk or at work, take a look around your environment and consciously think about what you are choosing to see. See if it serving you and if its not see if you can create another view or way of looking at it. Remember life is beautiful - if you choose it to be.

I choose life in all of its incredible splendor.

Connecting and Community

2010-02-28T17:50:00.000-08:00

It's a very exciting time in my city. It's opening ceremonies for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Our city and country has banned together to represent and share in this monumental lifetime event. Its almost impossible not to feel pride to be a Canadian and why should we not? we are so blessed to be Canadian and all that it represents. Last night I had the opportunity to be invited as a guest to one of aboriginal shows featured for the Olympics. The band's name is Black Arm Band from Australia. http://www.blackarmband.com.au/ They played along with the 33 members of Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Canadian Jazz section. It was an amazing storytelling emotional evening. The whole night was featured around aboriginals and indigenous communities and their stories. The Australian band was invited by our Four Host Nations people. It was so beautiful to see the four different First Nation's bands all connect together in the spirit of the Olympics and to invite another group to share their story. It was a beautiful web of connecting and sharing as a community.

The topic of community has come up more than a handful of times this last month and I knew I had to write about it. I have a friend at work that is in a drumming circle and every time she has class, she comes back re-energized and full of life. She feels connected and part of her drumming community. I have another friend that has committed to a 30 day yoga challenge and she loves it so much that she's going for her 2nd month now - so she's going for 60+ days of yoga. I see the light in her face by participating in her yoga community.

We are all connected in one way or another. By work, friends, family, the variables can go on endlessly, however how we CHOOSE to connect as a community is a by conscious choice. What I have learned is that we all need to connect and feel like we are a part of community, no matter how big or small. Its part of our ancestral ties, we yearn to be connected. I think this is part of going back to basics and getting connected again with our brothers and sisters, however that may look like for you individually. This is what the world needs right now. I ask you to take some time to ponder your connections and community and see how you can expand on your current ones and maybe step out of your comfort zone and grow your community and then tell me about it! I'd love to hear all about it.

I'm personally expanding my community this week. My good friend Cheryl and I will be leading our very first vision board workshop for a group of young women ages 10-16. My 13 year old daughter and 2 of her friends will also be participating. I'm very excited to connect with these young women.

Shiny and New Year - Welcome 2010!

2010-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

I took the month off of December from blogging. I commit to writing once a month, by starting my blog on the 15th of each month. That will ensure it's complete and ready to send to all of you by the end of each month.

Well...new year, new decade and a rare blue moon. So many exciting pieces to this new year. I wish you all a very successful and joyous New Year. 2010 feels different to me as it does to many. Doesn't it feel different to you as well? There were so many challenges in 2009 as well as many groundbreaking events. I think 2010 was much anticipated and welcomed. During my chill time in December, I started to think - how is this year going to be different for me? both personally and professionally. I thought if I just go along with the ride of energy and think 2010 is somehow going to be magically different just because it's a new year, decade or any other reason, I'll be sadly disappointed at the end of 2010 and wondering where did that year go? 2010 for me is about creating a plan, taking action and enjoying the fruits of my labour. It's all about energy, no matter how we dice and slice it. Its all an exchange of energy. So I'm committed to taking action. As you can see in my starting paragraph I committed to starting my blog on the 15th so that it'll be done by the end of the month. I've taken the time to plan my year with specific intentions. I have monthly contributions with my good friend Cheryl and we will give back either with time or money back to the community. I can see on paper how this year is developing and its already making a huge difference in my life and others. I've also secured a domain for a non profit organization that I will be creating, doaworldofgood.org where people can come together and do good acts and join forces to make this world a better place and bring the energy to a higher consciousness and level. A site to be inspired and contribute globally.

So that's it folks - its all about energy. Mine and yours, how much do we want to put in to our day to day tasks, as well to our bigger projects. How much energy are YOU going to exchange in 2010 and how will that look like at the end of the year in reflection?

Green Christmas

2009-10-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know that Halloween is just over and now I'm already thinking of Christmas. But I am very excited about Christmas this year and do you want to know why....of course you do! It's because I'm going green this year and I want you to be excited too. What that means for me is:

No purchasing of presents (only handmade items and only if I really feel compelled to give. There are so many other ways of giving, spending time with loved ones, baking cookies, or donating my time at charities. Since there will be no presents, I won't be bothering with wrap, tape or gift boxes either. I will not be sending Christmas cards, imagine how much waste is created on just cards alone? just imagine the dumps with everyone's cards in them, what a waste. I think I'll stick with Christmas emails instead. So this year really is a time to celebrate. For me its my understanding of a true traditional Christmas, going back to basics of what Christmas means for me. Being grateful for what I have, and thinking of others, and spending time with loved ones. I've already had my conversations with friends and family about having a green Christmas. It was such a delight to see how freeing it was when permission was given to them to not buy, or spend resources on a holiday that many feel so many added pressures. I can honestly say this is the first time in my life that I truly am looking forward to Christmas in an entirely different way. I invite you to participate in any way you that you can in having a green Christmas.

Here are some creative ways to enjoy Christmas without the waste:

1-Get a living tree and make sure you recycle in the chipper after you're done or buy a potted tree and replant in the garden after wards
2-Don't use plastic/paper plates
3-Use recycled wrapping paper if you must or be creative and make your wrapping paper out of newspaper or recycled paper
4-Give experiences, not gifts
5-Use efficient LED tree lights
6-Reuse your old carrier bags when shopping or use a cloth bag or a bag for life.

What Christmas Means for the Planet

If we don’t watch our consumption over the holidays, it can mean real consequences for the environment. Recycling is the best way to show your environmentally friendly Christmas spirit.

1. Without recycling, up to one billion Christmas cards and as much as 83 square kilometers of wrapping paper could end up in landfills

2. Excessive consumption will kill the planet. It is estimated that the pollution from the manufacturing, transportation, use and disposal of Christmas gifts is greater than that caused by automobiles each year

3. Christmas lights left on for ten hours a day over only twelve days will produce enough carbon dioxide to inflate 12 balloons

All these damaging effects can be avoided if everyone pays attention to consumption over the holidays.

Your Heart Knows What is Beautiful

2009-09-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

As I gaze at my beautiful 13 year old daughter Sofie, her skin is smooth, her eyes are so bright and hair so shiny. I reflect on my own journey of aging and ponder the concept of beauty. Beauty is such a personal matter of opinion. In different parts of the world, there are such contrasts of what beauty should look like. In Africa, women wear long metal plates that basically stretch and elongate their necks so they have a giraffe like features. In Maurita, they find larger women ideal and no self respecting Mauritian man would marry any woman that was skinny in comparison with our North American ideal where you can never be too thin or rich. In Asian culture, flawless, pale white skin is the ideal. In Brazil, it's the ever longing search for a perfect nose, plastic surgery is rampant everywhere in South America, especially Brazil. Women as young as 16 are getting plastic surgery procedures.

In fact in most of these cities, they start the "ideal" of beauty at a very young age, sometimes as early as 5 or 6 years old. These beauty ideals are forced upon their daughters, so that they will have the most opportunity as they get older to be beautiful and be attractive to men and possibly marry. It's what was done to them and what will continue to happen to their granddaughter and so on and so on. Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming the mothers, its what they know and they are trying to give their daughters the best chance they can, really no different than what I am doing as a mother. Especially in some countries where marrying a man is really your only survival mechanism.

I personally think knowledge is beautiful and what I understand from my own journey is that beauty is not just from the eye of the beholder but what we are taught, told and what we pass on to our daughters, and others we come in contact with. I'd like to set an intention for all of us, to start telling ourselves and others what we feel is beautiful. I won't even begin to tell you what or how that should feel like, that is completely up to you. Make up your own ideals of beauty. Instead of looking with your eyes and accepting what is told to us to be beautiful by the media or by society. Feel what is beautiful, feel it deep within your heart, I think if we all start feeling beauty instead of trying to create it, we will all be in a much better place in the future.

What are you practicing for?

2009-08-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Last few weeks I've been thinking of the word "Practice". In the dictionary it refers to it both as a noun and a verb. As a noun it is described as habitual or customary performance or repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency: Practice makes perfect. Makes sense right?

As a verb the word practice means to perform or do habitually or usually: to practice a strict regimen or to follow or observe habitually or customarily: to practice one's religion.

Whether you use the word practice as a noun or a verb, to me it is the same thing. I find it very interesting that as human beings we are constantly practicing whether we are conscious of it or not. We may practice not smoking, or practice going to the gym, or practice financial freedom. What dawned on me is the word practice in itself is so sacred and important and what I did not realize is that EVERYTHING we do is a practice. How we treat each other, what we put in our mouths, how we think and feel. I think if we all took the approach that each activity that we do or not do is a practice and take it on as an important ritual. This way of thinking will change everything we do. Why is it just our yoga or meditation is a practice? I want to take the same sacred attitude and discipline towards my relationships with my family as I do with my exercise practice.

So I leave with this month's departing words and thoughts - What are you practicing for?

Instant and Immediate Change Now - YOU have the Power!

2009-07-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

Everyone gets chain email every day in their email boxes. You know the kind, that go on about rainbows and fairies and for the most part, I don't even open them. They always ask you to send to 10 of your friends and you'll get some sort of good luck etc...Well one day, my friend sent me this one and something in the title made me want to open this specific one. I didn't open it right away, in fact it was days before I went back to open it. It's called "The Wooden Bowl"

______________________________________________________________________________________

The Wooden Bowl

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now,
a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and
failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.
When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.
'We must do something about father,' said the son.
'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.
He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.
' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family.. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things:
a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life..'

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands.You nee d to be able to throw something back sometimes.

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you
But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others,
your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

______________________________________________________________________________________

The following night, as usual my husband and I walked our dog Lucy. This particular evening I saw an elderly Asian man, struggling to get out of his wheel chair at the park. Something drew me to see if he needed help. I went to him and asked him in Chinese if he needed assistance. He said no in an abrupt way. I said okay, and went on my way. The next day, I saw him again at the park, and I went and said hello to him again. He was more approachable this time. This continued for the week, every time, our conversation lasting a bit longer and we got to know each other more each time. I told him about my family, and how my mom was also struggling with her walking and that I would bring her next time to meet him. The following day, I brought my mom to meet him. The man in the park then told my mom, how happy he is to see me every day and how he looks forward to our talks. He says that most people just ignore him because he's old and in a wheel chair. He said it touches his heart to know that I took the time everyday to get to know him. He even brought me a bag of plums as a present. My mom then told him that I have a huge heart and that I've always been like that. This was a huge surprise to me, I never knew my mom felt that way about me. This entire process was such a huge awakening to me, because in this moment. I realized that just by my friend sending me that email story - the wooden bowl and by the actions I took by thinking, feeling and doing. Lives were changed - instantly. We do not know the impact we have on others, by what we say, do or feel. But what I do know is that we do have the power to impact lives on such powerful levels.

We are constantly talking about change and how we want to see change in the world and how we are awaiting for a better time and place. The fact of the matter is that YOU are the change you are waiting for in this world. It begins now, with how you think, feel and do. Isn't that exciting and fabulous?

Here's my August challenge to you. Go speak to someone that you wouldn't normally speak with, break out of your comfort zone. Do something nice for someone you don't know and see what happens. It'll fill your soul and make your heart sing and ultimately make this world a better place for all.

Conciousness

2009-07-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

I was chatting over the weekend with some friends on the topic of consciousness and sustainability. My friend is a warden for inmates in prison. She kept saying we live in sick world. I can understand how she may feel that especially given the environment that she works in. We went on to discuss how basically we live in a world where most of us are asleep or anesthetized to not feeling anything. We are in instant gratification mode and only want new things without really thinking of how it impacts the earth or each other, which in the long run affects our quality of life and our children and their children. Now listen, those that of you that know me, know that I'm not a tree hugging hemp tshirt type of girl. You know I love to shop and I have more shoes than Carrie from Sex and the City. But we all have to start somewhere and I think when we live unconsciously, whether its not respecting mother earth or taking action to live in a more present mindful state, we all lose. Each and every one of us has an impact by what we do, say and think. That's really powerful. When we are aware of that and make more conscious decisions we all participate in making this world a healthier place both mentally and physically. So do your part, think about where your food comes from. Walk to the grocery store instead of driving. Recycle those wine bottles, there are a million ways to help out, it just starts with being awake. Will I continue to buy shoes.....what do you think?

Stimulus Package

2009-06-01T11:37:00.001-07:00

There has been so much talk about the economy and the crisis that we are all facing. I'm sure you have all been a part of it or heard about it - unless you've been hiding under a rock in a cave for the last year or so. Governments all over the world are trying to ease the situation by introducing stimulus packages. Billions of dollars are being introduced in to countries to ease economic recovery.

As I was enjoying the beautiful sunshine this weekend and thinking of what topic I would write for this month's blog. I thought of the stimulus packages what the purpose is for - stimulating economy. Then I thought what the world also needs besides stimulating the economy is stimulating our souls. Where's the government funding for that? We certainly hear about it on the media when things are bad but rarely do we have programs or support to make things better or good. So this month's blog is just to make you feel good. That's it, I'm not asking you to donate time or money. Just think about what I wrote and think how you can be a part of the stimulus package for the soul. How can you stimulate your own soul and how can you positively impact someone else?

Please enjoy this video that stimulated me to write this blog and share it with you!
Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k

Cycle It Forward!

2009-04-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

I had the honor of meeting a wonderful speaker last month at Soul Power Seminar in Vancouver. His name is Brock Tully. Brock is an amazing 61 year old man that has a heart that is larger than his mission …Cycle it Forward, Brock is working to raise awareness for a kinder world.

http://suprememastertelevision.com/bbs/board.php?bo_table=fgg&wr_id=6%3Cbr%20/%3E
http://www.brocktully.com/

Brock's mission is to:

* To create a Culture of Kindness that inspires each of us to be kind and to
* become the change we wish to see in the world.

Certainly Brock is doing this one pedal push and kind word at a time. Brock, is a veritable Ghandi - a man who has given his life in pursuit of spreading the simple but power message of kindness. Brock travels from city to city speaking to schools and anyone that will give him the time and listen.

Brock will be celebrating the end of this journey on May 8th
http://kindnesscycle.ning.com/xn/detail/2231496:Event:4904

If you've not had the fortune to see this amazing human being, make sure you come out and take your family with you. I'll be there with mine.

and remember to be kind to yourself as well as others. Sometimes we forget that.

Orange Day March 27-April 10

2009-03-30T13:58:00.000-07:00

Magnolia and Cherry blossoms are anxious with bloom in our city. It's been a heck of a cold and wet Winter brrrrrrrr. We are all ready for some sun and warmth. It's coming, reallly.... Cherry blossoms always remind me of Spring and Easter. For some of us this means its a time to share turkey dinner with loved ones. But let's pause for a moment and not forget the ones that are not so fortunate. Their lives are not so different from yours, maybe just some circumstances that have lead to current situations. Union Gospel has been helping feed the needy for many years and they are expecting to have over 3500 hungry people attend this year. So what is Orange day and what does it mean to you...it means Union Gospel wants you to get out and enjoy the city in a way that you are spending little or no money and the money that you save, can be donated towards Union Gospel to feed those hungry mouths. We all know we live in challenging economic times, but think of how much harder that is to the population that is already unemployed and homeless. So discover Vancouver - ride a bike, instead of driving. Make your coffee instead of dropping $5.00 for Starbucks and see how much you can give. It all makes a difference - here’s how far some change will get you: $0.32 (the price of an orange which will be given with every meal), $32.90 (10 full meals from UGM). Challenge yourself and see if you can get a group of friends or co-workers and either volunteer or donate some money. I promise you - it will make a difference not only for them but also for yourself.

Check out how you can help Union Gospel help others and then let me know of your experiences and how it felt to help out.

http://www.ugm.ca/blog/UGM1_03270901.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/uniongospelmission

Starting Out

2009-03-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Well I joined the world of Social Media today and created a blog. My very first blog. I wanted to see how this worked and how through Social Media I can impact the world in a powerfully positive way. My intention is to use this blog for good and not evil, as we have way too much of that anyways in this world. Recession, shootings, job losses, illness - ENOUGH. I will research and post articles on what good is happening in the world. I hope through this vehicle you will be inspired to do good in the world and know that there is hope for us all.