Life Secrets of the Butterfly, as told to her young
Fear and love feel the same when first you feel them. Fear is like moving from a flame, Love is like flying into it. Love will make you do things only a silly fool would do, but only if it is true love. True love may appear to hurt, but it will never injure you. It may stir the senses, but never leave you senseless. True love will call you to places that you never knew existed. True love is a stream that always runs in the driest times. Beware the spider, true but the strongest web is woven by…
The 6 Gifts of Life
Life has offered me six most valuable gifts that I carry with me wherever I go. Because of these gifts, I can say, I am proud to have lived this life and proud of everything I have accomplished. 1. Scars Every scar shows the quality of strength. When you see someone with scars, know that they have an amazing story to share. His or her strength to keep moving forward and overcome what gave them the scars is of great value to themself and to everyone he or she comes in contact with. It takes strength to know they can…
Destination Awesome
Use Your Pain to Find Awakening
The view through my lens is that we human beings, regardless of race or religion, hold a deep longing that is fundamentally one and the same. The differences we see with our body's eyes are the great humor of Life. Our deepest desire is to have a true, intimate experience of living. And we are often led to that deepest experience by some inexplicable pain. Indeed, our moments of loss and despair smooth the rough edges of ego and create an opening in the heart for growth and self-discovery, forging inner faith. In the words of Nobel Peace Prize nominee…
Guess What? You Are NOT Broken!
You're not broken. I don't care what "issues" you think you have, what "patterns" you seem to be living, what "childhood traumas" you believe are the cause of your problems. All of those are simply theories about why things are the way they are. And worse, they're not even good theories. Oh, sure, they're compelling stories -- like a good book or an engaging movie -- but that's it. Your relationship with your father causing relationship problems now? Just a theory made up by someone trying to make a name for themselves or fill up a workshop. Having relationship problems…
Unwavering Strength
Staying On Target Despite Obstacles
If there is a light at the end of the tunnel, do you see it as a train getting ready to hit you, or do you see it as your ticket to a better life? If I were you, I would hop on that train. In almost every instance, it will take you to a better, happier place. If the road you are traveling is paved with a) detours, b) brick walls, c) closed doors, d) distractions, and e) personal issues, don't give up! Think of these things as speed bumps -- glitches or annoyances. Things happen for reasons you…
Turn Your Challenge into Triumph
What would you do if you came face to face with death and then received a miracle? Miracles often make themselves known when we face life's challenges. Life is a journey. Sometimes it's fast and exciting; at other times, it can be trying and painful. It is through the hard times that we grow and realize the people and causes that bring us the greatest fulfillment. It is during these times that we have an opportunity to see our life through a different lens, one that brings us closer to our true purpose and reveals different perspectives and priorities. I…
8 Lessons Learned from Adversity
I have realized that it is often through the darkest experiences where we become the most enlightened. To shun these experiences is to remain foolish. To embrace them is to quickly ascend. At the age of twenty-six, I discovered that three of my four children were profoundly disabled with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic disorder for which there is no cure. What followed became the darkest period of my life. Here are the lessons I have learned from the darkness. I hope they will bring you further into the light. 1. I've learned that to bear another's burdens is to…
Your Personal Emergency Kit
While I was tramping through the Kenyan bush some years ago with my new wife, our safari guide gave our small group specific instructions as to what to do if we encountered certain dangerous animals. "If an elephant charges our crew, everyone has to scatter--they won't bother to chase a lone person." In my head I mapped out what direction I would run and what I would do if my wife tried to team up with me. (Scold Laura nicely, and then run the other way.) "If a rhinoceros charges you, run in a zigzag pattern to confuse them--their eyesight…
Step out of your comfort zone, and then applaud yourself for your bravery.
From Women Will Save the World by Absolute Love Publishing
The Universe Has Your Back
Many years ago, I'd been living what I'd thought was the 'right life'. I was in a corporate dream job and living with the man I'd thought of as my dream man. Then I realized I was living in someone else's dream. After many sleepless nights, I ended my relationship, moved out, quit my job, and did a lot of soul searching. At first I didn't know what I was experiencing was positive change. I thought I was a victim of drama. Lots and lots of drama! Then what happened was truly magical. The path appeared before me and I…
Finding the Upside When Life Takes a Downside
What do you think of when you hear the word upside? Simply speaking, it is something positive that follows a downside. It is the promise or potential of a given situation. It's finding some clarity in the midst of chaos. Once the dust settles in your life, there is a little light or glimmer of hope that appears. But you have to be willing to reach out and grab the opportunity, nurture it and turn it into something meaningful. For example, I had a downside experience - a severe stress fracture in my leg, which laid me up for many…