Tag: Holidays

Merry Christmas!

On this beautiful Christmas Eve, I'd like to share a small gift with you. This is my very favorite Christmas carol, Silent Night. This version was recorded by my daughter, Carly, a few years ago on her holiday CD. I'm happy to share it with you, in the hopes that it brings the spirit of Christmas into your home this Christmas Eve. Turn down the lights, light a candle, turn up your speakers, close your eyes and just listen. Soak it in. I hope it touches your heart as you have touched mine. Our Christmas wish for you.... May you…

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Be Grateful on Thanksgiving – and Every Day!

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday as it serves as a reminder of the importance of gratitude. Since 1621, our ancestors in the United States have been celebrating Thanksgiving. Historically, throughout Europe, festivals were held after the harvest to give thanks and celebrate together as a community. Native Americans also celebrated the harvest season. We continue the tradition today nearly 400 years later, but for most of us, when we hear the word Thanksgiving, we usually think of turkey and stuffing, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, football and gatherings with family and friends. We all know that Thanksgiving…

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What Baby Steps Will You Take Today?

If you're anything like me, with the New Year ahead of us, our minds are now turning to the things we'd like to accomplish in the New Year and to our resolutions. With the close of one year, it seems natural to look at our accomplishments and our outstanding goals and dreams. Sometimes that reflection can bring a feeling of excitement, and sometimes it can create a feeling of overwhelming proportion when the mountain ahead of us appears too large to summit. It's critical when looking at any large task to remember one thing. You first learned to walk by…

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Tips to Get Through the Holiday Blues

For some, the holiday season is a joyous occasion. For others, holidays bring to the surface feelings that are the complete opposite of Christmas cheer, usually unwrapping sad reminders that may start as early as Halloween. The holidays can be a roller coaster ride of emotions for many. Below are some steps to a smoother journey through the holiday season. A lot of people consider the holiday season one of the loneliest times of the year. Many of my clients who come to me for counseling ask whether they are the only ones who feel this way. Coupling this with…

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Remembering a Leap of Faith

Today is the first full day of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, celebrated in the Jewish religion. Many of you may be asking, "What is Hanukkah?" According to Wikipedia, Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil". According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil…

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What I Learned from My Father

Happy Father's Day! On this special day, I want to honor my dad, Gordy Goodwin, who passed away on May 20th, 2012. Through the years, here's what he taught my siblings and me. In honor of Gordon Goodwin - 1932-2012 - with gratitude for a life well lived. Make God a priority in your life. Have faith that God is always with you and know that you are never alone. Live your faith and let your life serve as a testament to your beliefs in such a way that others will want to be like you. Walking the walk is much…

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Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day! When you think about that statement, it seems like somewhat of an oxymoron, wishing someone a happy day celebrating the fact that they have to work. Labor Day was originally created to celebrate the labor movement, dedicated to the social and economic achievements of the workers. It honors the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of the country. Yet, if you ask most people, they would prefer to never have to work another day in their life. According to a 2013 Gallop Poll, The State of the American Workplace, 70% of Americans described themselves as…

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School of HP: Fathers Are Special!

Fathers are a special breed They are there to guide and lead To inspire and protect Point out cause and the effect Separate the wrong from right Show when it’s OK to fight Be the man who’s standing strong And kiss the boo-boo so it’s gone Fathers play so many roles They help us achieve our goals While sometimes forgoing theirs Because all they do is care So today, we as a nation Offer thanks in dedication As collectively we strive And give our dads the Highest Five!

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Honoring Those Who Have Fallen

Today we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States. When we hear "Memorial Day", most Americans think of it as the beginning of the summer, a day filled with picnics, parties, warm weather and fun times. Yet when we look back to the origins on this holiday, the way we celebrate it is quite different from the original intent. According to History.com, Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the American military. First observed in 1868 as Decoration Day, it was designated for the purpose of strewing…

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What We Learned From Our Mothers

Happy Mother's Day! Chances are, she taught you how to tie your shoes, kissed the boo boos when you fell down and believed in you when no one else did. On this Mother's Day, we celebrate the woman that not only made our life possible, but the one who did her best to help us be the best person we can be - our mother. As a tribute to all of the great mothers, we've compiled some of the many things we've learned from our mothers, as shared from more than 100 folks on Twitter. (Check out our blog to read each individual…

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Wishing You a Wonderful Holiday

On this beautiful Christmas morning, I wish you peace and love. May you be blessed with a heart that understands abundance and always have plenty to share with others. May you be kind to others and experience kindness in return. May you know that you are not only good enough, but already perfect, just the way you are. May you share compassion, knowing that everyone else is also doing the best they can. May you trust in the infinite wisdom that is there for all of us, and realize that you are a part of something so much greater than…

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‘Lost’ Loved Ones

During the holidays, many of us become acutely aware of “lost” loved ones — family members, friends and colleagues who are no longer with us in physical form. So, instead of experiencing the holidays as a fun and festive time of year, we wind up feeling sad, lonely or even overwhelmed by a sense of grief and loss. I understand. And yet, I know with every fiber of my being that life is eternal. Those loved ones who are no longer in their physical bodies are not gone. They are simply not here in the same way that they were…

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Stressed Woman

5 Personal Practices That Put Anxiety Out of Business

Always strive to remember that there is neither one thing practical, nor wise, about any state-of-self that punishes you; even when, as in the case of anxiety, it sweetly promises to release you once you've done its bidding. So, regardless of circumstance, know that the following is true: All anxious emotional states are secretly against what are your own True best interests. This means more than may be considered at first glance. Pernicious and pressurized feelings not only compromise your physical health and happiness, but in your unconscious cooperation with their torment and tyranny, these anxious feelings also steal from…

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Become Your Inner Grinch this Holiday Season

After one too many Black Friday Sales, the Grinch ended up with his heart two sizes too small. Luckily, you don’t have to. Because even Mr. Grinch… the mean one, the one as cuddly as a cactus… was able to change. Even Grinch, during the holidays, was able to open his heart—so big that it busted right out of his chest. The secret? He started giving. He started practicing seva, or service to others—and in the end, he returned the tree, the toys, why… even the roast beast to all the lovely Who’s of Whoville, as they sang their Who…

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Home for the Holidays

The holiday season has become more meaningful than ever.  Since we now live in a global community, families can only gather during special occasions.  Although many of us are fortunate to have a family to spend the holidays with, many others are less fortunate.  Some are lucky to experience the holiday spirit thanks to the generosity of friends.  Still, others have managed to find solace from within their hearts since they have no other place to go. Regardless, the kitchen remains the most important room in the house in the coming weeks. Whether a modern-day designer kitchen, an efficiency kitchen…

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Flying on Veteran’s Day

My husband's eighty-nine-year-old father passed away at the end of October. His memorial service was held in Corpus Christi on November 10, 2012. We flew there for the service. My husband is a pastor, and he conducted a memorable celebration that honored his father’s life. I’m new to his family, and it was a privilege to watch his siblings and his offspring interacting. It had also been a privilege to know his dad very briefly. We flew home the following Monday, and the head of our flight crew was an exceptional woman named Mary Hannold. A former teacher, she is…

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Open

By B. Lynn Goodwin. I know I've shared a gratitude list here before, but I always think of November as gratitude month. Maybe that’s because it’s the month of Thanksgiving. Or maybe it’s because so much in nature goes dormant, but I get to keep going on. This used to be the month when my high school actors performed the fall play, sometimes a drama and sometimes a comedy, but never a musical. Later my college students were putting together the student directed one acts in November, working frantically to have them ready to perform during the first two weeks…

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Begin the New Year on an Energy High

Most people tend to get run down from all the holiday festivities. This time of year is when the body and mind are exhausted and ready for winter rest. Rather than tax your system even more, take this opportunity after the holiday rush to relax a bit and allow the energy that you’ve sent out to family, friends, loved ones create a tone of positive and sharing energy for the following year. Here are some tips to keep your energy high and healthy after the holiday festivities: Take daily baths with salt and a favorite essential oil (lavender, rose, or…

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A Mother’s Day Tribute- 100+Tweets of Gratitude to Mom

Happy Mother's Day! As a tribute to all of the great mothers, @InspireMeToday reached out to our friends on Twitter and asked this question... What's the #1 thing that your mom taught you, that you are the MOST grateful for? Just reading the tweets as they arrived, I smiled, laughed, shook my head in agreement and most of all, felt warm inside with the outpouring of such love for our Mamas. Enjoy it and share it with you mom or anyone else you know who has a mom. :) Here's what more than 100 folks who responded had to say....…

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Cornocopia

My Thanksgiving Gratitude List

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am feeling very blessed. I took a few moments to make a list of what I am most grateful for and wanted to share it with you, in the hopes that you'll be inspired to create your own "Gratitude List". It's always good to remember how much we all have to be grateful for... Happy Thanksgiving with love! My Gratitude List (not in any specific prioritized order): My husband and our family Koda, our amazing dog, and his unconditional love and affection Deep friendships Our amazing InspireMeToday.com community Hot chocolate (can you tell it's -9…

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Valentines from the Universe

Yesterday afternoon I took a break and went for a walk with my dog Koda along the shore of Flathead Lake, where we live in Northwest Montana. Flathead Lake is the largest lake west of the Mississippi- about 12 miles wide by more than 30 miles long. The shoreline of this alpine, mountain lake is very beautiful, covered with rocks of all shapes and sizes. I needed a break from what could have been a stressful situation, so I went for a walk to play on the beach with Koda and reconnect with nature. Walking along the beach I started…

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