tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71810930547063338992024-03-13T23:05:00.097-09:00The Road: Prasthana-trayaThis is my journey ~PrasthAna means "system" or "course" in the sense of a journey; traya just means "threefold." It refers to the three sources of knowledge of the Self (shabda), nyAya prasthAna, shruti and smRRiti.( My translation of the three sources of knowledge of the Self: mind, body soul.)Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-54962587838186486402020-09-21T14:30:00.004-09:002020-09-21T14:30:24.989-09:00Getting Naked...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia62VE2JLtFRTtzNRQGj3OvyoqfaH5oVTvW7-QpNoR-1BMxi30ooa7MSnSLT1RqaaJ6fxzcEKKlRxRWSHe6ECfV_Sftq6e5KKTElJ6ifuUgfbS_KcoxhPwW4bxGTN0uiNo9wrpwm-vbkWq/s3332/IMG_7977.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3332" data-original-width="2798" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia62VE2JLtFRTtzNRQGj3OvyoqfaH5oVTvW7-QpNoR-1BMxi30ooa7MSnSLT1RqaaJ6fxzcEKKlRxRWSHe6ECfV_Sftq6e5KKTElJ6ifuUgfbS_KcoxhPwW4bxGTN0uiNo9wrpwm-vbkWq/w538-h640/IMG_7977.jpeg" title="going naked..." width="538" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">going naked....</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /> Do you know that skin is the human body's largest organ? Funny we tend to forget about this fact. Adults carry some eight pounds (or 3.6 kilograms) and 22 square feet (which is 2 square meters) of it according to an article I read in <a href="http://bitly.ws/9NFv" target="_blank">National Geographic</a>. </p><p>I always knew that if you have health issues it usually shows up in your skin. For instance, when I use a shampoo/conditioner in the shower that my body doesn't quite agree with it shows up on the skin on my back. This leads me to do more research on the chemicals in our skincare and shampoos et cetera. After a while, I grew numb to this and because my job leads me to work in the beauty industry of sorts I ignored that. Not to mention I began to assimilate into what society deems as more acceptable and beautiful. I was once again doing acrylic nails, painting my toenails with nail polish, and using various synthetic chemicals created for perfumes and beauty products that claim to help me not age but are hormone disrupters and countless other things that are definitely not good for you.</p><p>I began to follow <a href="https://darinolien.com/" target="_blank">Darin Olien</a> and listen to his podcast after watching Down to Earth with Zac Efron. It is an American web documentary series on Netflix. It stars Zac and Darin and revolves and focuses on themes of travel, life experience, nature, green energy, and sustainable living. </p><p>My husband at this point would say "You're rambling." or "what are you trying to tell me?" But sometimes you can't just dump information on someone without explanation. So I apologize if I've already lost your attention but please bear with me. It's all relevant. </p><p>On Darin's podcast his guest last week was <a href="http://bitly.ws/9NFH" target="_blank">Suzanne Sommers</a> followed by <a href="http://bitly.ws/9NFJ" target="_blank">Fatal Conveniences: AntiAging Skincare: The Youthfulness Scam</a>. Have you seen pictures of Suzanne? She's rocking hot for 73 and she's doing it with her skincare line and speaking truths about the dangers of what you are putting in your body and on your largest organ. Whatever she's doing must be right because she's smoking! I just spent $50 bucks on nail dip powder with all these chemicals that I don't want I don't to put on my body anymore. So here it goes. I'm going through the beauty cabinets in my bathroom and office and tossing them. I'm not going to run out and buy something completely different just yet I'm going to make a slow transition. I took off the fake nails and nail polish. I'll finish up the skincare line I'm currently using and start to research better options. </p><p>Here is a good place to start: </p><p><a href="https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/" target="_blank">EWG </a>— EWG's Skin Deep cosmetic database gives people practical solutions to protect themselves and their families from everyday exposures to potentially toxic chemicals in personal care and beauty products. Skin Deep, launched in 2004, lists easy-to-navigate hazard ratings for nearly 70,000 products and 9,000 ingredients on the market. The U.S. government doesn't review the toxicity of products before they are sold and companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient they wish with regard for how safe they are.</p><p>I never recommend people to just jump in just because I believe so passionately about something. I learned this from doing and giving Reiki. Baby steps are best. Start where you feel comfortable and grow from there. Let your self-intuition guide you. You want to succeed. Not fail. Though some people learn more from failure. I happen to be one of those people. I learn every time I fail and I learn how to change to be better next time. But in reality, not everyone learns the same way so trust yourself. Trust the process and always be growing — and trying getting naked, your skin will probably thank you.</p><p>ps. be sure to share or subscribe and follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/redelephantreiki/" target="_blank">IG</a> </p><p><br /></p>Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-83621269185162938232020-09-17T15:46:00.000-09:002020-09-17T15:46:04.496-09:00Lost... Weather the Storm<p> I was driving to the store this past week and passed the local elementary school. The fence was lined with dozens of leis and a sign that said "In loving memory of _____ " There were numerous masked people standing around dropping off more flowers and lei. I wondered if it was another tragic victim of COVID. I hadn't heard anything about it in the news. They are very efficient for reporting COVID deaths (with underlying health issues) but that is another topic altogether.</p><p>The detective in me, upon getting home went to look up the name on any social media site. The face that greeted me was a young woman with two small children and a husband. She did not appear as if she had any underlying health issues as she was lean and looked in optimal health. I showed the picture to my husband and told him about the memorial at the school. He glanced at it briefly and had me repeat the name. Seconds later he said, "WAIT, what?! What is her name? What does she look like?" It just so happened that he actually knew the young woman. He did some digging on his own and discovered she indeed was a COVID tragedy but not in the way you would expect. Her parents shared the following:</p><p><i>Yesterday, 9/11, we lost our beloved daughter. She was 40 years old and was a teacher at ______. She didn't have COVID but we feel she was a tragedy of COVID. Her fear of COVID changed her from an outgoing, fun-loving to a somewhat isolating person. The stress and anxiety of distance learning being a grade-level chair, and distance learning coordinator took its toll on her. And of course, being the caring person she was — worrying about family added to her stress. She didn't eat well, had trouble sleeping, felt dizzy, at times had trouble breathing, and had panic attacks. When she went to the ER she was sent home the same day. Yesterday morning, her husband couldn't wake her up or revive her. It is a roller coaster of emotions—devasting, sadness, disbelief and denial, internal strife thinking what we could have and should have done — right now we are almost numb to anything. </i></p><p><i>Keep your families safe & close,</i></p><p><i>Her parents</i></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/redelephantreiki/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1368" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdlCkDVDHaNxpzhEnDIT4LuYHb6BnhjRhVNUvdgPfDc3Rg8qw-gFl0w4GTbCYmVrFmB9pCCuFPlYJjmfyEUPt1FhnzDaICJcgruXywe3g5RxiaPQduaUp7GX-iWw3DTKWauZ5BfXX7pCe-/w640-h638/EF72AB68-988D-47E4-914E-CDAED7A03F5C.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>To be honest I didn't know this person and even though I didn't it still brought me to tears. All the potential in the world in a single bright shining human being gone. Weathering the storms of this life can beat you up. You can feel like a single island, alone. We need to reach out to those who we love. Make sure that you and they are getting outside and getting grounded or as it is commonly known as "earthing." It's a real thing. Grounding neutralizes the free radicals we experience every day. Free radicals are generated through inflammation, infection, cell damage, trauma, stress, and toxic environments. You will feel better. Talk, be open and real. When you ask someone how they are doing? Mean it. When someone asks me how I'm doing my question back to them is, "Do you really want to know?" It makes them stop and think. I don't mean it in a sarcastic way just a way to get people to stop and think.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gUfLi4mtiBsaKB0XQ0gJgs3Q1-B9zuxS3tcGYRtc2NTTCO8WY_nZVqrawQFqRNOplPOUMnYsMdcoEbf_jHPL96wQcNliWVGBmKYfGTy1rC3iYUmWz6hUzUIkHY4gnVCRYX8Cy3rcbEhg/w480-h640/IMG_5272.jpeg" width="480" /></span></div><br /><p>Here is a link to a wonderful article by Dr. Dave Brady on the <a href="https://www.fibrofix.com/blogs/news/health-benefits-of-grounding-earthing" target="_blank">Benefits of Grounding/Earthing</a>. Be sure you are getting out there and communicating with the ones you love especially now in a the age of COVID where isolation is the mandatory norm. Educate yourself to become healthy mentally and physically. If you need a reiki treatment. Contact me. I turn no one away even if you can't afford it because I believe if we are looking out for one another we become better, stronger, and healthier. I hope you follow me on this journey. Be alert, be mindful, keep your families and friends safe and close because you may never realize what struggle they are going through. </p><p>Don't be lost...<br /></p><p><br /><br /></p>Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-78291599174201356582020-09-16T11:38:00.003-09:002020-09-16T11:41:00.381-09:00Life in Plastic, It's Fantastic....<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsY0g8CVrheR6gY5d5baWK1_w-dYrRaaZGzKzsAsoh9Xa-qT9C-bvAOc3f-yf9_MRuQcYVErZMjKtc03_zuIvW7TaaTHW6RLAF-A7OTy0MD0ZzbqeDqhsCSC2CZ8abKr7WO6_0Ji9zJ-0Y/s857/IMG_7830.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsY0g8CVrheR6gY5d5baWK1_w-dYrRaaZGzKzsAsoh9Xa-qT9C-bvAOc3f-yf9_MRuQcYVErZMjKtc03_zuIvW7TaaTHW6RLAF-A7OTy0MD0ZzbqeDqhsCSC2CZ8abKr7WO6_0Ji9zJ-0Y/w560-h640/IMG_7830.jpeg" width="560" /></a></div><p><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: inherit;"> When I think of plastic many things run through my head. Mainly disgust at how reliant we are on the said topic. I have always felt I'm pretty conscious and mindful of my plastic consumption. I fish plastic I see floating in the ocean when I paddle and when I come off the water and other various sundries. (Today I retrieved a fishing pole still stuck to something at the bottom of the ocean. Mind you it was off the shore but we are talking in the middle of the channel. But that is another story for another time.)</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: inherit;">I'm a regular listener of Rich Roll's Podcast and the last episode I listened to was <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/37T54s6VDAW6KJWT7poeyI" target="_blank">"Prophets Walk Among Us.</a>" Now like I said previously I think I'm pretty mindful of my single-use plastic but as I stood in the kitchen with my grocery purchases. I realized just how much single-use plastic I really do consume. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: inherit;">When I'm at the beach other surfers, beachgoers thank me for picking up trash yet they make no effort to do so themselves. They turn a blind eye. I thought if I do more and say less that would be enough. You know the old age adage, "Actions speak louder than words." Well personally, I think it's bullshit. I can't relegate myself to doing more without saying more. My little dent in picking up trash on a beach or not buying bottled water is not near enough. I want to do more... maybe not say less because we need more people to be conscious and mindful. And let’s face it actions speak louder than words is not enough. There needs to be a balance of both.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt7NdVzRmFrR3singRjHtfVMmivkjdB7mHi7WJ01HaSgmjUXltLnqMu9kY-OTXfc_waXXA8BEptU-M2DiYS-oCmNXEH2rJa0hR4eF-3cTi92pRALYCzKQYjd8UY_Yz8IQtBm4IDZ1CnS3/s2048/CZCC6555.JPEG" style="background-color: #d9ead3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimt7NdVzRmFrR3singRjHtfVMmivkjdB7mHi7WJ01HaSgmjUXltLnqMu9kY-OTXfc_waXXA8BEptU-M2DiYS-oCmNXEH2rJa0hR4eF-3cTi92pRALYCzKQYjd8UY_Yz8IQtBm4IDZ1CnS3/w480-h640/CZCC6555.JPEG" width="480" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><br /><span style="color: #262626; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: inherit;">This is Barbie... I found her sunbathing naked in the sand on the shore. (I put flower clothes on her for those that are body sensitive and sunglasses... she may have been drinking because I found her next to an empty bottle of Vodka and because she had bloodshot eyes.) I'm sure she was trying to get her daily dose of vitamin D to help and de-stress and ground down but unfortunately, she's made of plastic so it kinda defeats the purpose. I made up all kinds of scenarios about her when I found her only to be laughing like a crazy woman out loud mind you, which made me stop when someone shot me a concerned look. The song ran through my head for days.... </span></p><b><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="color: #202124; font-size: 14px;"><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world</span></div><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Life in plastic, it's fantastic</span></span><br style="color: #202124; font-family: roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere"</span></b><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #202124; font-family: inherit;">Well although apparently, Barbie has no issue of removing her clothes I would have to strongly disagree about the <i>life in plastic, it's fantastic part</i>. It's not fantastic. It's damaging to us and to our environment and with all that is happening in our world, we have the opportunity to slow down and be more mindful of our consumption of things that really don't serve us, to be better stewards of the Earth and what we've been given.</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #262626;">I know I’m only one person. I don’t have the coveted blue check next to my name on IG. I’m not considered an influencer and my blog only has 4 followers... I think. Lol. But I can be a difference. You can be a difference. So for 30 days, I challenge you to be mindful of your plastic intake. Start somewhere. Anywhere just start. Baby steps. Let me know how you’re doing. I’ll be letting you know how I’m doing.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #262626;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #262626;">I realize my IG is about reiki and healing but I believe that transfers to so many other areas in your life so it is relevant. It’s a real journey. Not just pretty pictures on Instagram. Though it helps. Lol</span></span><span face="-apple-system, system-ui, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #262626;">.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">Subscribe to my blog and follow me on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/redelephantreiki/" target="_blank"> IG - Red Elephant Reiki</a></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwnss0f__zA_kN91U_SS2cW1MC1nuDf-ilBAP5MtJpSHXkf7Bl-EjcKeRX1Ocg7OdNx6XR_r-GUeqNxPMyWWMgW1pKLdEgPFnEGr4KbuVhsPWauzSyOMQ0808O_Wh2s4phaFoC8IRF0g0/s915/IMG_5142.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="915" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDwnss0f__zA_kN91U_SS2cW1MC1nuDf-ilBAP5MtJpSHXkf7Bl-EjcKeRX1Ocg7OdNx6XR_r-GUeqNxPMyWWMgW1pKLdEgPFnEGr4KbuVhsPWauzSyOMQ0808O_Wh2s4phaFoC8IRF0g0/w640-h640/IMG_5142.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;">I love the artwork of </span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; margin: 0px 0px 6px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #d9ead3;"><span face="Greycliff, sans-serif"><a href="https://sarah-eisenlohr.com/" target="_blank">Sarah Eisenlohr.</a> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have this urge to do just this when I go to the beach sometimes, lol.</span></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /></p></div>Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-48351629030771232952020-09-13T16:32:00.004-09:002020-09-13T17:28:47.766-09:00Lost & Found<p> I've been away for a while doing soul work and for whatever reason, call it serendipity or just doors opening and closing, I stumbled upon my old blog. Revisiting it was like coming home. The anticipation of everything I expected it to be but didn't happen, accompanied also with the fact I've grown so much since then and the realization of it's what needed to happen in its own way. Not forced by me or anyone else.</p><p>Since my last post here I have become a Reiki Master, something that I do besides my other job. (The image below is a shameless plug for my IG account - click on it and please follow.) Found my way out of the darkness. Cleaned up my life and simplified it even more than I thought I already had. Got rid of the things that no longer served me and perhaps never did. The truth is the journey is never over and it is a road we follow till the day we die. I use reiki at work, every day, on clients and staff if they ask or someone mentions it to them. The girls at work act as if I have a magical power but I don't.</p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/redelephantreiki/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnTemr45j24Pf1jLmAcHb8FK2X5L2NCLrprVUGVqdQt9ii7hCu5wSBU1-1mRI-wYz4ZyobHE9synEqh6pwcCH9oKQZtCwxRNNouTCV1dyasMfd7VSZFuyAiU0I50bK_EXWm4g2ErbdMS_r/s320/Screen+Shot+2020-09-13+at+2.44.13+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><p>I have returned back home to Hawaii. While I was grateful for the time on the mainland I was more than happy to return home. But now the tides have shifted once again and I can taste change in the air. I'm not sure which way it will take me but I trust it will take me exactly where I need to be.</p><p>I haven't picked up the proverbial pen to write, approxiamately eight years and yet I feel the ache and longing to do so. To mark the occasion I purchased a fountain pen and a bottle of Noodlers Ink from <a href="https://www.penboutique.com/" target="_blank">Pen Boutique</a>. I had to dumb down my first selection in fountain pens because while my taste runs in the thousands of dollars I could not afford nor justify the first pen I was drooling over (the price tag was $5965.00), I almost choked but happily settled for one that was more in my price range, the Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen ( a mere $13.50 perfect for beginners.) Though now I realize the ink I purchased may not be compatible with the writing instrument I purchased but I regress. In the digital age, I hunger for putting things on actual paper. It is a lost art I fear. We write with plastic pens but not for anything of substantial value. When was the last time you penned something? Wrote a letter? I want to write a story on paper with a pen that the average joe doesn't write with. Yes, I may have to transfer that to my laptop but the act of writing on paper is my way of slowing down and absorbing the process. It is my way of grounding down. Don't get me wrong — I love my laptop and the convenience of it. Balance is key.</p><p>When I'm not busy offering reiki, making made attempts to write or paint I can be found at Drybar Hawaii. Where it's just a blow out. It's a concept men don't necessarily comprehend but one that women understand and get. I've had women question the relevancy of it but after one blow out, the light goes on. As I get older its a concept and a luxury I enjoy. I have few luxuries that I indulge in but this is one that I do, thank god I work for them because honestly, I wouldn't do it. It's a complete abuse of power. When I go into work I try to find who needs work on their blow outs so I can have one. Don't worry I make sure they are compensated. </p><p>I'm an avid listener of <a href="https://shows.acast.com/the-rich-roll-podcast/" target="_blank">Rich Roll's</a> podcast introduced to me by Scott Estrada a health coach that I worked with when I was a magazine editor for Standup Paddle Magazine and Samata Magazine. He's been fantastic at coaching me through health issue and alternative solutions (Scott that is.) One day I was listening to and episode of Rich with Darin Olien. My curiosity was peaked because due to being stuck at home, on furlough from work I've been doing a lot of Netflix and I saw the preview of Down To Earth with Darin and Zac Efron. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.app.goo.gl/uJ9GPRMT2WJNMUrx9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5wgpB5dP2kY65ebFBcj5jxZc-1763x9J4LPQw85Ut48-mZxL5EFnqsFSS0V2LBQsLs8XDLGy9j4ZZ9pECGkXZP9uBj9h7-qthsQRprYCzhUOzA7vzVnFjbrF7iz9elUlgh0oeO8hki85/w400-h224/download.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not a Zac Efron fan —well, not till now. The series was intriguing but Darin's message was moving and while I'm health-minded, their travels and explorations made me more conscious to practice this even more. The message is moving. It seeks me to change. So I've begun to listen to <a href="http://bitly.ws/9IGn" target="_blank">Darin's podcast on Spotify.</a> Follow along by clicking the link to be challenged by change.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzWEGUm5AApCTXzur6PqfOoPNOc3IpK8d_cwqoDajKDzoMGjNw_QQUSkezE8vt1XKPSDDlEOJ-JwjEbph2V_Q_3nDvGpX7h-22vnJ2hljh1kqO19CUkzz1w03l1p9m_F_fCt1nkHRcxGG/s714/56A9F760-CCC9-438B-A147-55DEF39EAEAE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="714" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzWEGUm5AApCTXzur6PqfOoPNOc3IpK8d_cwqoDajKDzoMGjNw_QQUSkezE8vt1XKPSDDlEOJ-JwjEbph2V_Q_3nDvGpX7h-22vnJ2hljh1kqO19CUkzz1w03l1p9m_F_fCt1nkHRcxGG/w400-h400/56A9F760-CCC9-438B-A147-55DEF39EAEAE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the most sacred spots I have is my time on the water. I wake up around 4 something-ish to find myself doing some breathwork and hydrating my brain and body before heading to the beach for a two or three-mile paddle. It's the silence in the dawning morning and watching the rays of light colour the skies in shades of golds, pinks, blues, and reds. It's the way my paddle blade slices the water and the sound of the board moving along powered by my energy. It's the morning friends I see — the occasional shark or seal but more commonly the honu and various fish. It is my time to connect with the Earth, to ground down, it's where I feel closest to God. My God is not the one I find in a religious establishment but the creator of Heaven and Earth who has given me a task to be a good steward of all that is before me. I was lost but now I'm found. It feels good.</div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-41605527479959244662014-07-04T07:31:00.000-09:002014-07-04T07:33:23.148-09:00She Let Go.....<h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfyKzYWGu-IOZBU4RaDl3Q4L_60OcnSqZhjBkIr_hsIBo5f6TE2hqUQ_2NzCbLyvDsKrrB0iNkoWuby6RSXcXe9EwhBlxJ0KSgHldiwoS5lxONO_A4YA_-r0FLhuQXdx7NqxC3BHykZA2/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #fff2cc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfyKzYWGu-IOZBU4RaDl3Q4L_60OcnSqZhjBkIr_hsIBo5f6TE2hqUQ_2NzCbLyvDsKrrB0iNkoWuby6RSXcXe9EwhBlxJ0KSgHldiwoS5lxONO_A4YA_-r0FLhuQXdx7NqxC3BHykZA2/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG" height="640" width="422" /></a></div>
<h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go.</span></h3>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<strong style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.</strong></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of the fear.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of the judgments.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of the committee of indecision within her.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t ask anyone for advice.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t read a book on how to let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t search the scriptures.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She just let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of all of the memories that held her back.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t promise to let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t journal about it.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She just let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t call the prayer line.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She didn’t utter one word.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">She just let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">No one was around when it happened.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">There was no applause or congratulations.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">No one thanked her or praised her.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">No one noticed a thing.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">There was no effort.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">There was no struggle.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">It was what it was, and it is just that.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">In the space of letting go, she let it all be.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">A small smile came over her face.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore…</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #343434; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; margin: 16px 40px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 13px; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<strong style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">~ <a href="http://www.lightworkersworld.com/2012/01/she-let-go-a-poem-by-rev-safire-rose/" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff3300; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">Rev. Safire Rose</a></strong></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
To all the dear wonderful sweet women I know and even if you don't think you are sweet and wonderful..... LET GO!<br />
<br />
with grace & purpose,<br />
<br />
LucyGirl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-30111195315178938802014-06-18T16:16:00.000-09:002014-06-18T16:16:23.103-09:00Michael Fukumura - Own Your Tomorrow<span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #646464; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Michael Fukumura went from being a government lawyer in Washington, D.C. to a yoga instructor and surfing fanatic in San Diego. This is the story of why he left.</span><br />
<br />
This is a video clip of my yoga instructor. He is the one that really showed me how to connect and ground myself in yoga and a large part of my practice has been influenced by him. I know little background about him but this video to me was priceless. I appreciate all he has taught me and influenced me with. I hold him in high respect and gratitude. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/originals/ownyourtomorrow/93491995">http://vimeo.com/originals/ownyourtomorrow/93491995</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
NamasteGirl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-4297153899945273162014-05-26T05:22:00.000-09:002014-05-26T05:26:17.358-09:00Young PersonThis video clip by Henry Rollins is sage advice, one that I wished I would have had as a young person. Share this with a young person who may need to hear this today.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CNgrxgmcwck" width="560"></iframe>Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-85203588237531142782014-05-06T21:08:00.000-09:002014-05-26T05:24:11.068-09:00Simplicity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1SToMVpMFu2C4EYScRFqHJcBnOomTwiqflc12RPKz9DuVh_LVzUmRu9l-TOo5oAEjahO8mxgbeTXHGEn5INx3YxpxFSzJMQWE2PF7Ibs7mzikodJgCNC33k0MAxLjlqLgMrIlP659RRh/s1600/IMG_8914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1SToMVpMFu2C4EYScRFqHJcBnOomTwiqflc12RPKz9DuVh_LVzUmRu9l-TOo5oAEjahO8mxgbeTXHGEn5INx3YxpxFSzJMQWE2PF7Ibs7mzikodJgCNC33k0MAxLjlqLgMrIlP659RRh/s1600/IMG_8914.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I want to live simply. I want to sit by the window when it rains and read books I'll never be tested on. I want to paint because I want to not because I've got something to prove. I want my body to fall asleep when the moon is high and wake up slowly, with no place to rush off to. I want not be governed by money or clocks or any of the artificial restraints that humanity imposes on itself. I just want to be, boundless and infinite.</div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-44379399852665415852014-02-27T19:22:00.003-10:002014-02-27T19:22:52.551-10:00A Testament of True Love...Okay, I haven't been here in a while.... Life has been busy.... work has been busy.... and writing has been sacrificed to make way for personal time of meditation and staying balanced. However, a business associate shared a post on FB that bears passing along so I've managed to wander back and remember forgotten log-ins and passwords to repeat the story. Be mindful. Be present.<br />
<br />
<br />
As Told by Trish Meyler~<br />
<br />
<div class="mbs _5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 5px;">
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_53101a48399f92c90819196" style="background-color: #fce5cd; display: inline;">
This has been an emotional week on many levels. Yesterday I witnessed the purest, truest love that I will never forget. Waiting in the lobby of Kaiser, (my meet your new doctor appt.), I heard a man, probably mid to late 60s say to a woman, "Nancy. Nancy, where are you going? Come sit down over here." She slowly kept walking while looking down at her feet, step by step and sat down in a different chair. He let it go and waited in his seat. He proceeded to pick up a magazine <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">from the table next to him and as he was reading she slowly, quietly got up and walked across the room and before he knew it she was standing right in front of an elderly man, mid to late 80s. I watched as the man held his hand out and she placed her hand in his. Her husband, quietly apologized to the man as he got up to bring her back to the seat next to him. The man kindly shook his head and smiled and said, "Oh, no sorries." As Nancy sat back down she lowered her head into her hands and begin to sob. Her husband just rubbed her back and sweetly said, "You're ok love, you're ok." The woman sitting next to them, that had a few conversations with the husband during all of this, of which I couldn't hear, said to Nancy, "Let's go for a walk", and they did. She talked softly to Nancy, and showed her the mosaic tiles on the wall, talked about how beautiful they were and told Nancy that they reminded her of a quilt. Nancy just walked slowly and never said a word. During the walk her husband received a phone call from a friend and he told his friend that he was at Kaiser with Nancy and explained to him that Nancy had Alzheimer's, that it wasn't good and was quickly getting worse. He said that it was ok, they were ok, that it's "life". Of course at this point I'm bawling, trying my best for no one to notice. They took two laps and the lady walking with Nancy sees me and stops and asks if I'm ok. All I could think was, oh I am, please just keep walking, I'm sorry to distract you and I don't want to upset Nancy. She then asks me if I need a hug. Little did she know she was a part of why I was crying. At the end of their walk Nancy's husband helped her softly sit back down and he told her, "I've loved you a long time Nancy. A long time. I will love you for always."<br /><br />Life is too short, love with everything you've got.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="_5ys3" data-ft="{"tn":"H"}" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14.079999923706055px;">
<div class="clearfix _5pb_ _2-ha mvm" style="float: none; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; width: 398px; zoom: 1;">
<a ajaxify="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=656600047734912&set=a.122442584483997.17977.100001547694506&type=1&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-frc3%2Ft31%2F1956757_656600047734912_916491272_o.jpg&smallsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-prn1%2Ft1%2F1622105_656600047734912_916491272_n.jpg&size=1849%2C2048&source=12" class="_5pc0 _2-ha _5dec" data-ft="{"tn":"E"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=656600047734912&set=a.122442584483997.17977.100001547694506&type=1" rel="theater" style="border: 0px; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: none; position: relative;"><div class="uiScaledImageContainer _5pc3" style="background-color: #fce5cd; height: 354px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 320px;">
<img alt="This has been an emotional week on many levels. Yesterday I witnessed the purest, truest love that I will never forget. Waiting in the lobby of Kaiser, (my meet your new doctor appt.), I heard a man, probably mid to late 60s say to a woman, "Nancy. Nancy, where are you going? Come sit down over here." She slowly kept walking while looking down at her feet, step by step and sat down in a different chair. He let it go and waited in his seat. He proceeded to pick up a magazine from the table next to him and as he was reading she slowly, quietly got up and walked across the room and before he knew it she was standing right in front of an elderly man, mid to late 80s. I watched as the man held his hand out and she placed her hand in his. Her husband, quietly apologized to the man as he got up to bring her back to the seat next to him. The man kindly shook his head and smiled and said, "Oh, no sorries." As Nancy sat back down she lowered her head into her hands and begin to sob. Her husband just rubbed her back and sweetly said, "You're ok love, you're ok." The woman sitting next to them, that had a few conversations with the husband during all of this, of which I couldn't hear, said to Nancy, "Let's go for a walk", and they did. She talked softly to Nancy, and showed her the mosaic tiles on the wall, talked about how beautiful they were and told Nancy that they reminded her of a quilt. Nancy just walked slowly and never said a word. During the walk her husband received a phone call from a friend and he told his friend that he was at Kaiser with Nancy and explained to him that Nancy had Alzheimer's, that it wasn't good and was quickly getting worse. He said that it was ok, they were ok, that it's "life". Of course at this point I'm bawling, trying my best for no one to notice. They took two laps and the lady walking with Nancy sees me and stops and asks if I'm ok. All I could think was, oh I am, please just keep walking, I'm sorry to distract you and I don't want to upset Nancy. She then asks me if I need a hug. Little did she know she was a part of why I was crying. At the end of their walk Nancy's husband helped her softly sit back down and he told her, "I've loved you a long time Nancy. A long time. I will love you for always."
Life is too short, love with everything you've got." class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="354" src="https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/p320x320/1622105_656600047734912_916491272_n.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: none; min-height: 100%; position: relative; width: 320px;" width="320" /></div>
</a></div>
</div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-85693420553130878572013-09-14T06:56:00.000-09:002013-09-14T06:56:05.034-09:00the crazies' manifesto<em style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></em>
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><i>This is not my post. This came to me via Andrea Balt who is the Co-Founder/Editor in Chief of Rebelle Society. It spoke to me right where I needed it.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><i>It reminded me crazy can be a good thing. May this touch your hidden piece of crazy in your soul and invoke you to bring it forth....</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><i>Lucy</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><i>p.s. When listening to the video be sure to turn the volume up WAY loud or you might thing something is wrong with the sound but there isn't, wait for it and read the words after while the music plays. Om Shanti.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 27px;"><i><br /></i></span></span>
<em style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“‘There’s a good kind of crazy…’ he insisted softly, reaching out to wrap his warm hand around mine. ‘It’s the kind that makes you think about things that make your head hurt, because not thinking about them is the coward’s way out. The kind that makes you touch people who bruise your soul, just because they need to be touched. This is the kind of crazy that lets you stare out into the darkness and rage at eternity, while it stares back at you, ready to swallow you whole.’” (<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rachel Vincent)</em></em><br />
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h6 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: right; vertical-align: baseline;">
</h6>
</blockquote>
<h4 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear Crazy,</strong></h4>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">If you’ve ever been swallowed by the same eternity — posing as darkness, posing as undomesticated, unscripted, messy you… or if you’re just the foolish kind that jumps off cliffs with no parachute, even though it hurts, because… well, because it’s the right and truthful thing to do…</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">And if, say you’re <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2012/10/25/rainer-maria-rilke-on-the-art-of-being-alone/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">somewhat lonely</a> – though not alone, somewhat sad — though not broken, and somewhat tired — though wide awake and restless, please stand up.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Take a deep breath. Clear your throat. Look your Self in the eyes. Place your hand over <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/08/16/slow-down-my-beaten-heart/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">your beaten heart</a>. And let’s declare our independence from the norm.</span></div>
<h6 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But first, press play. ‘Cause Crazy without Epic is… just Cray.</em></h6>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="youtube_sc fluid widescreen" style="border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; height: 0px; line-height: 24px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 25px 0px 332.28125px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="inner block" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 357.28125px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 590.734375px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="yp" frameborder="0" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YepXjM0OhSE?version=3&wmode=transparent" style="border-width: 0px; height: 357.28125px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 590.734375px;" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1.</strong> I will remember what it was like to be born, and all the beautiful things I used to point at before I could speak them. I’ll reinvent curiosity and memorize delight.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2.</strong> I will forgive, because no one survives. I’ll keep the bruises but get rid of the blue. I’ll kiss my Judas back. (I have my own crosses to carry).</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3.</strong> I will believe in ghosts and fairy tales. And elves and science fiction. I won’t declare a world impossible until I’ve tried to build it with my hands and when my pulse shakes like a leaf, I’ll say <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2012/09/02/25-inspiring-startup-tips-for-entrepreneurs-dreamers/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">sure, let’s, why not</a></em>.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4.</strong> I will fight with <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/05/20/the-writers-manifesto/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">the sword of my tongue</a>, not my fists. I’ll also fight with my silence and lips. And turn all my blood into metaphor and blossom my way into fierce cherry trees.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">5.</strong> I will <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/04/12/a-pocket-guide-to-love-21-essentials/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">love like it’s the end of the world</a> and the house is on fire. And if it’s not, I’ll bring the matches. I’ll love even when I don’t, or when I lose, or when love’s fleeting like sunsets or thick like bone or long or heavy or boring, like this Book of Life I’m never done reading and writing.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6.</strong> I will live every day like it never happened before or like a tune to a song still unwritten. And I’ll record every hour on my face, and in this short-lived human dilemma, I’ll try to <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/07/17/30-questions-to-ask-before-you-die/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">be in all my pictures, heartbeats, adventures and wrinkles</a>.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7.</strong> I will dream up my reality. <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/03/22/obey-from-mass-propaganda-to-inverted-totalitarianism-and-the-true-meaning-of-rebellion/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">I won’t be reasonable or realistic.</a> I’ll write sideways on lined paper and I’ll always put heart over matter and imagination over knowledge.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8.</strong> I will create a thousand planets from scratch, and then I’ll add them to the Milky Way so I can help expand the universe. I’ll <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/04/26/creative-rehab-seven-myths-about-creativity/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">make up a new language</a> out of dust and come up with a hundred different ways to say your name.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9.</strong> I will be honest rather than loyal. Because to get through <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/01/09/not-your-usual-sadness-cocktail/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">the dark forests of life</a> you need a lamp, not a shadow, and trust is not a blind soldier but the soul’s one and only chief of staff.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">10.</strong> I will be wild and untamed. I will believe in wolves. I’ll be insane, uncivilized, emotional and personal. And I will take the ring to Mordor <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/07/05/how-to-be-afraid-and-do-it-anyway/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">even if I don’t know where Mordor is</a>. I’ll be the child I left behind. I’ll be the door <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">and</em> key to me.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">11.</strong> And when I come to die, <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2012/09/19/how-to-recycle-a-compostable-heart/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">the only thing I will regret</a> is leaving all my stories, unfinished, on your chest. But I should hope to live in such a way, that time would breathe me out and back into your lungs, until there’s no more <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">me</em> or <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">you</em> or <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">words</em> or <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">why</em>.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-37961959499322389602013-09-06T00:16:00.000-09:002013-09-06T00:21:53.779-09:00Today I am a Success Story.....<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm not sure if I mentioned this but I work on my laptop seemingly sometime around the clock it's required by my job.... though I'm not sure if you can call my work a job. You see I work for the man I love. Yes, it's work, yes - it's a job but basically I'm a "His Girl Friday" This really has nothing to do with what I'm going to say but I thought you may need some background atmosphere.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I work on my laptop constantly and let's face it sometimes I get distracted. Did I mention I have ADD? On one of my very recent distractions I began doing research on rings. I like unusual jewelry and am looking for a unique piece for my right hand. It is then I came across the work of Ashley Weber. Her work is amazing, original and everything in between. I made an inquiry about her work and we connected through Instagram where she saw my images and made a comment on one. I ended up checking our her blog site and this was the first post I read of hers. The impact was monumental.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div id="main-wrapper" style="float: left; overflow: hidden; width: 600px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<div class="main section" id="main">
<div class="widget Blog" id="Blog1" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding: 0px 0px 1.5em;">
<div class="blog-posts hfeed">
<div class="date-outer">
<div class="date-posts">
<div class="post-outer">
<div class="post hentry" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 0.5em 0px 1.5em; padding-bottom: 1.5em;">
<div class="post-body entry-content" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVN4XmTYFOTcOVxl5GHmzW9Gu0oomfvcahBM3IQkX7pW0pSvMONur5vpdWtjXSGp9_q56c2p2KXyiKPZysPrAJ1ZPpI8WRHVH3S9Bngh9JWmWsYyR0K9PZjBfVFbAb05doetM6Kgo2w86/s1600/100_0575ww.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #78b749; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVN4XmTYFOTcOVxl5GHmzW9Gu0oomfvcahBM3IQkX7pW0pSvMONur5vpdWtjXSGp9_q56c2p2KXyiKPZysPrAJ1ZPpI8WRHVH3S9Bngh9JWmWsYyR0K9PZjBfVFbAb05doetM6Kgo2w86/s400/100_0575ww.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 4px;" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
A few years ago, I was a different person.<br />
Fueled by something that had only grown larger by the day.<br />
Three stamps from going postal.<br />
<br />
A few years ago I was not only unhappy, I was angry.<br />
Fire ran through every vein.<br />
Toxic thoughts and something so painful I could hardly hold on.<br />
My whole world- something burning, something molten, mind run by an indescribable demon that I had let myself fall victim to.<br />
I gave in, gave up, gave way too much.<br />
<br />
I failed to see the sprouts of life growing from in between the cracks of concrete- the perfect geometry of a succulent- the survival instincts written deep in the bones of the animals around me.<br />
I was so lost, so deep in my pain, that I walked through life with my eyes closed.<br />
What I could see was black and white, and what I didn't know, didn't exist.<br />
<br />
It was one day on vacation, driving with a friend, that I said... this is it.<br />
Things are going to change.<br />
Things <i>have</i> to change.<br />
<br />
Today I am a success story.<br />
A survivor.<br />
A girl looking through the 8 eyes of a spider at every tiny, beautiful thing.<br />
Today, the world around me is more giving, more glorious, far more vibrant than I could ever even begin to believe.<br />
---<br />
<br />
As another friend of mine preaches to me daily, "Success is deliberate."<br />
If you truly want something you wont make excuses.<br />
You'll fall and you will rise.<br />
You'll look to the sky instead of down at your feet.<br />
You'll hold on with both hands <i>and</i> your heart.<br />
And you'll keep swimming.<br />
You will swim no matter how deep you sink.<br />
Because you want it.<br />
You honestly and wholeheartedly want it.<br />
<br />
That day I instilled in myself<b> the power of positive thinking</b>.<br />
Rejecting the negative.<br />
Refusing the ugly.<br />
Relinquishing the past.<br />
<i>Never</i> looking back.<br />
<br />
And today, I am here.<br />
Today, every color within me shines.<br />
Today...<br />
<br />
I am happy.<br />
Genuinely, perfectly, undeniably, happy.<br />
--------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Thank you to everyone who has ever supported me.<br />
Thank you for reading my words.<br />
Thank you for understanding that I too, am human.<br />
Thank you for letting me be honest.<br />
Thank you for letting me leave my past behind.<br />
<br />
You are appreciated far beyond words.<br />
<br />
xo<br />
-A<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="clear: both;">
</div>
</div>
<div class="post-footer" style="margin: 0.75em 0px;">
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="post-author vcard">POSTED BY <span class="fn">ASHLEY LAUREN WEBER</span> </span><span class="post-timestamp">AT <a class="timestamp-link" href="http://ashleyweber.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-few-years-ago-i-was-different-person.html" rel="bookmark" style="color: #e1771e; text-decoration: none;" title="permanent link"><abbr class="published" style="border: none;" title="2013-08-20T13:09:00-07:00">1:09 PM</abbr></a> </span><span class="post-comment-link"><a class="comment-link" href="http://ashleyweber.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-few-years-ago-i-was-different-person.html#comment-form" style="color: #e1771e; margin-left: 0.6em; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">9 COMMENTS</a> </span><span class="post-icons"><span class="item-action"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=5688705122757133619&postID=796194204823640558" style="color: #e1771e; text-decoration: none;" title="Email Post"><img alt="" class="icon-action" height="13" src="http://img1.blogblog.com/img/icon18_email.gif" style="border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5em !important; padding: 4px; vertical-align: middle;" width="18" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="post-icons"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="post-icons"><a href="http://www.ashleyweber.com/" target="_blank">Ashley's Blog</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ashleyweber?ref=shop_sugg" target="_blank">Ashley's Etsy Shop....</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="post-icons"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; line-height: 1.4em; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="post-icons"><br /></span></div>
I was speechless.... someone else just wrote about me. My life. I am a success story. I did go postal- I survived and the thought that struck me after reading Ashley's words made me realize that as women we are not alone. We don't love ourselves. We try to get love by making our significant other love us or our children love us or pets or whatever is the most important thing that consumes our lives when simply, we should love ourselves. Then maybe we wouldn't have the expectations we have of everyone else. </div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
My man left on a business trip today. I told him "I love you." He automatically said, "I love you too." I stumbled a little over my words, Firstly- wanting to get them out right and secondly I didn't want the airport police to tell me "Get a move on." But I managed to say it. "I don't want you to say I love you just because I say I love you. I don't expect it." He said, "Okay." I turned to get in the car with the realization that those words alone were freeing. I don't need anyone to tell me they love me. I can love them with no expectations. I smiled from the center of my being. I smiled even more when I heard him say from behind me with emphasis, "I love you too - understood?" I responded with simply, "Understood." I think I smiled such a dumb ass smile all the way home.<br />
<br />
When you can actually implement the words you write on the pieces of paper plastered on your fridge or bulletin board or whatever you use for inspiration even your Facebook Page. When you actually DO IT not just see it, read it. That scary step of change is BIG, it's LIFE CHANGING. But you can. You can be a survivor. </div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
"Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene." A.C. Benson</div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
You can't just get the warm fuzzies, and press the like button you have to change. Don't be afraid. Take the leap. You can do it!</div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
Namaste,</div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
Lucy</div>
<div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BnYy-piaYoa_J_eYB51MwUcLkQw_eoQY3xDua4X8gsaZKMMY4S3ZgElaofHiG0kEAx-bulRhK-0QRpiybczLhDqyPQaqqlCTaP1fAveJfVwAysEPrtwlqvSUqKiYcoWl48lcMEyDH7qn/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-09-06+at+2.00.52+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BnYy-piaYoa_J_eYB51MwUcLkQw_eoQY3xDua4X8gsaZKMMY4S3ZgElaofHiG0kEAx-bulRhK-0QRpiybczLhDqyPQaqqlCTaP1fAveJfVwAysEPrtwlqvSUqKiYcoWl48lcMEyDH7qn/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-09-06+at+2.00.52+AM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Ronin-X</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-18098858681501982872013-08-22T09:39:00.000-09:002013-08-22T11:35:42.915-09:00Ichiro Is My Hero....<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95w8ufi12G4cKQn2ntEIymAwqNp8EtUU9o90n-bhM1scW-k4L_r_5UUCx-WixwGH0od_UUd__TS7AEkIjpp9fL54ZkMIIBXjW-eENwoaCxpryIhV8HN5ohC7E1eIChM6qMvk6REIHwCr6/s1600/Ichiro+4000.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95w8ufi12G4cKQn2ntEIymAwqNp8EtUU9o90n-bhM1scW-k4L_r_5UUCx-WixwGH0od_UUd__TS7AEkIjpp9fL54ZkMIIBXjW-eENwoaCxpryIhV8HN5ohC7E1eIChM6qMvk6REIHwCr6/s400/Ichiro+4000.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Debbie Wong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> "Suzuki Reaches 4,000 Hits As Yankees Gain in Playoff Race"</span></h2>
<div>
These were the headlines that hit me when I opened up a copy of the New York Times this morning. I had already watched the game on ESPN the night before. Now for some of you this may seem like I'm totally running in the other direction with this post since it's regarding sports and all but it really goes beyond that. I've watched Ichiro languish, so to speak, in Seattle with the Mariners. I was a little surprised and honestly felt a little betrayed when I found out he switched teams- especially to the Yankees. (I'm not a huge A-Rod fan.....) but really once I thought about it, it made sense. He wanted to be part of a winning team after all he played for the Mariners for 11 years. He did his time and he tried. So now those of you that aren't sports fans are saying, "Get to the point already."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ichiro Suzuki exudes himself as a very humble man. (point #1) Maybe it's his Japanese culture, I'm not sure but he definitely is the opposite of A-Rod. He expressed he was quite surprised when his teammates poured out from the dugout to embrace him, forcing the game to be halted for several moments. He made attempts to stop the celebration but heck it's the Yankees and frankly the Yankees do whatever they want.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The second thing that struck me is when they conducted his interview. He addressed the press in his native tongue, in Japanese. he used an interpreter. He is very proud of his heritage. His impact to his homeland I can see being phenomenal. He didn't try to fit into American standards and speak English, not that he can't but he was true to who he is and he's very comfortable with that. (point #2)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of course I don't know him personally but what I see of his demeanor in the public eye, looks good. Humility and a strong sense of self. That is a good role-model!</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGwDzTIAwtziVJfjTavxgJouvcbjMpLIqV3LiO35-qTXMwJbbK36cufSbGBLUs5gQ-sZIRx68CiU039QQdutmuMkg1jzJf1wIOd3W5EyMt7Trq7OV_jfskUepDjsilLyT6zric2vCs2OJ/s1600/ichiro_4000.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfGwDzTIAwtziVJfjTavxgJouvcbjMpLIqV3LiO35-qTXMwJbbK36cufSbGBLUs5gQ-sZIRx68CiU039QQdutmuMkg1jzJf1wIOd3W5EyMt7Trq7OV_jfskUepDjsilLyT6zric2vCs2OJ/s400/ichiro_4000.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Debbie Wong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-71297509556872967332013-08-21T17:04:00.001-09:002013-08-21T17:04:41.183-09:00a self-made 12 step program for living an authentic life....<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_28697" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px auto 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 345px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><img alt="Photo: Tumblr.com." class="size-full wp-image-28697" height="415" src="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-07-03-at-09.49.21.png" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="335" /></span><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Photo: Tumblr.com.</span></div>
</div>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/07/25/a-self-made-12-step-program-for-living-an-authentic-life/" target="_blank">Troublemakers...copied blog via Tanya Lee Markul (one of my favorite bloggers- she adeptly puts into words about living an authentic life)</a> </span><br />
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h3 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us commence with a few wise words from Mr. Timothy Leary:</em></h3>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Admit it. You aren’t like them. You’re not even close. You may occasionally dress yourself up as one of them, watch the same mindless television shows as they do, maybe even eat the same fast food sometimes. But it seems that the more you try to fit in, the more you feel like an outsider, watching the “normal people” as they go about their automatic existences.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For every time you say club passwords like “Have a nice day” and “Weather’s awful today, eh?”, you yearn inside to say forbidden things like “Tell me something that makes you cry” or “What do you think deja vu is for?”. Face it, you even want to talk to that girl in the elevator.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But what if that girl in the elevator (and the balding man who walks past your cubicle at work) are thinking the same thing? Who knows what you might learn from taking a chance on conversation with a stranger? Everyone carries a piece of the puzzle. Nobody comes into your life by mere coincidence. Trust your instincts. Do the unexpected. Find the others…” </em></div>
</blockquote>
<h2 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 28px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Scary beginnings, sad endings and all the meaningful stuff in between.</strong></h2>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I’m thinking about getting out. I’m antsy and have itchy feet. I’m gonna do it. But it takes time, right? I mean, I can’t just up and go, change or do — or can I? Can you? May I?</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">For me it’s not really about getting away or going on some worldly exploration, at least not right now. I just want to go deeper into the experience of an authentic life — <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">right now in these shoes or better yet in bare feet.</em></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">So, what’s the formula and how I do I put this secret into practice?</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I’m up for anything. A new dance step, a more confident voice. I’ll even brush my teeth with my less dominant hand while sending sentiments of love to all the lefties of the world. I’m ready to detoxify, love-ify, sanctify, practice, apply and fulfill with a conscientious and diligent attitude — the padawan’s ageless steps for living an authentic life.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Are you with me?</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A few more ponders, question marks and little corporate digs:</strong> How do we get real, step out of the matrix, the simulation, the computer programming? How do we escape The Truman Show? How can I be sure my values are my own? How do we leave our mundane routines yet still survive? How do we stop Dow, Exxon Mobil, Wal-Mart or The Coca-Cola Company from dictating our lives? By the way, do people still believe that Hershey’s is actually chocolate?)</em></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_28701" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px auto 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 480px;">
<a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-06-28-at-13.16.29.png" style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo: Tumblr.com." class="size-full wp-image-28701" height="239" src="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-06-28-at-13.16.29.png" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="470" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Photo: Tumblr.com.</span></div>
</div>
<h3 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I recognize the loop – I’ve just been going round and round and round. </em></strong></h3>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I’m sure you’ve heard someone else’s broken record declaration of he said this, she said that, that’s the reason why I’m doing this or why I can’t do that, but I’ve realized that the real question is: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">can you hear your own broken-record-speech?</em></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How do I turn it off? It’s hurting my ears! </em></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Once I heard my own quadrupled platinum recorded compilation of what ifs, buts, ands, and incessant blame — that frighteningly keeps on playing even without batteries or electricity — I found that all signs lead back to one place. Yes, it all circles back just like a boomerang to Me.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I’ve also recognized that this self-depleting album comes with a range of multiple-choice reactions: A) Secret denial B) Find it repulsive and resort to self-deprecating behavior in order to bury it and not admit to it and C) Don’t know what to do about it so procrastinate and do nothing — enters: mind-numbing self-medication.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Who’s in charge of the life preservers?</em></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The good news is, there’s actually an option D) but you have to really, really want it. It is: <strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Figure It Out.</strong></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_28702" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px auto 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 377px;">
<a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-06-28-at-13.17.28.png" style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo: Tumblr.com." class="size-full wp-image-28702" height="129" src="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-06-28-at-13.17.28.png" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="367" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Photo: Tumblr.com.</span></div>
</div>
<h3 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">R.I.P. Old Self. You Served a Great Purpose.</em></h3>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">As much as I love original recipes, formulas and programs, I often find that along the way, and after much experimentation, failures, tantrums and tears, I have to write my own. I feel that in a way, all of these books, teachers, scholars, gurus and Universal Principles want us to do just that. Through their own sharing of wisdom, experience, and love, they want you to discover your own… <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">dance with me?</em></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So, here are mine. My 12-step program for living an authentic life.</strong></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #1 – Do You.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Have no apologies for who you are. If you fit in, great. Perhaps you found your tribe. If you don’t fit in, don’t beat yourself up about it. If you feel like the people around you aren’t speaking your language, perhaps it’s time to explore new flocks. Be brave and true to who you are — wearing unnecessary masks just to fit in or avoid facing the reality of YOU can make life feel hopeless and imprisoning! Even in a crowd of faces, it’s easy to feel lonely if we aren’t being ourselves and if the people around us don’t appreciate who we are.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Take back your right to be you in front of everyone and in every situation. When you are yourself, you not only invite others to do the same, but you become a bright watch tower for the people you’d wish would find you.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” ― John Muir</em></div>
</blockquote>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #2 – Let Wildness In.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Stepping into the wilderness does wonders to the vibrational energy of our bodies and our nervous systems. There’s a subtle reassurance that everything you need to know, you already know and everything you don’t know may eventually be revealed in time without struggle and without desperation.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The wilderness strips us of competition and comparison and invites us into a state of peaceful awe. It also offers a reflection of our individual relationship with life versus being just a mere part of the human race. Who are you without people? You may just find this answer in the wild. It’s powerful medicine.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“When you get the blanket thing you can relax because everything you could ever want or be you already have and are.” – Bernard Jaffe, I Heart Huckabees</em></div>
</blockquote>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #3 – Hear the Voices.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Open up to your life’s purpose and your heart’s deepest desires by listening to the voices inside of you. There’s a lot of dialogue going on — some incessant, some nonsensical — but if we learn to listen more sincerely, we’ll discover that a deeper, all-knowing conversation is happening. It takes practice to hear this guidance as it takes practice to hear your heart’s desire, to trust your gut and to listen to your intuition.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Pay attention to the whisper and the serendipitous moments that remind you of what’s important to<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> you</em>. Keep listening and keep following the signs. You have the ability to live a life that’s true to who you are and a life that you really want.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Listen like your life depends on it.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts.” </em><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">— Rita Mae Brown</em></span></div>
</blockquote>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #4 – Take the damn risk already.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Make choices that put yourself first — above everything and everyone else, even those you love and cherish the most. If you don’t take care of yourself, if you don’t do what is best for you, your relationships will eventually suffer. Trust in the fact that doing what is best for you <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">is</em> best for everyone even if it doesn’t feel like it at first. Sometimes sacrifices have to made. People will get hurt and there will be losses, but the rewards gained from following your heart are absolutely everything in comparison.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Do something difficult for no other reason than that you like to do it.</span></div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_29639" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px auto 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 316px;">
<a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-07-15-at-12.04.01.png" style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo: Google Images." class="size-full wp-image-29639" height="392" src="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-07-15-at-12.04.01.png" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="306" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Photo: Google Images.</span></div>
</div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #5 – Believe.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The secret formula: Believe in yourself and people will believe in you. Don’t give up due to predefined perceptions and limitations of yourself. Don’t give up because of the perceived effort. Millions of people give up before they even get started. They fail to realize their potential and give up as soon as they reach the first hurdle. Why? They don’t believe in themselves.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">If you don’t believe in yourself you will end up throwing away your creativity and ideas. On the other hand, if you believe in yourself, you will no matter the outcome, find success even in what you perceive as the greatest of losses.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” — Anais Nin</em></div>
</blockquote>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #6 – Use your body and love who and what you are.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">It’s never been about the symmetry of your face or your body. It’s about the light that shines from within.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Have you ever witnessed a person that has been in a tragic, body deforming accident who has come out stronger, more compassionate and yes, even more beautiful? Their light shines so bright that after just a few minutes, you don’t see their asymmetry anymore, you simply feel and connect with their light.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">If you see yourself as mere looks, if you believe your worth is merely skin deep, others will see you and judge you the same. Aren’t you more than that? Remember, no matter what you do, your looks will eventually fade. What will remain is the fire that burns within. Stop smothering it with delusional judgements and superficial shape chasing. Stop holding yourself back from life because you don’t believe you look good enough.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Self-love exercise: go look in the mirror and tell yourself: <strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You never ever were more beautiful than you are right now. Believe it.</em></strong></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Use your body in every way that you know how. Allow the intelligence of your vessel to reveal and share with you the secrets of the Universe — the secrets of You.</span></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #7 – Defy your genetics.</strong></em></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Evolve from the base point you’ve been born into. Don’t allow the limitations of your parents or their parents deter you from your path. See it all as potential to evolve your bloodline, your genetic makeup, your life to a place where neither you, nor your ancestors, have ever gone before. YOU hold the torch.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">If you are the black sheep of the family, be grateful. The path can be lonely, but know that you broke free. Celebrate this freedom.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You</em> are the architect of your existence.</span></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #8 – Integrate into wholeness.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Accept all parts of your life. All parts. This is one of the deepest healing elixirs you can ever offer yourself. Allow it all to integrate — your mind with body, your body with spirit and your entire being with all of the experiences of your life. Accept your irrevocable wholeness. When you accept what has been, what you thought was and what is, you loosen your grip on delusions, limitations and stale beliefs that hold you back. What’s left? Space. Space and room to expand into the shape you are naturally, wholly and fully with a deeper sense of truth, wisdom and compassion.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div class="youtube_sc fluid widescreen" style="border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; height: 0px; line-height: 24px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 25px 0px 311.4375px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span class="inner block" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 336.4375px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 553.6875px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="yp" frameborder="0" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_Dz_nQYwkl4?version=3&wmode=transparent" style="border-width: 0px; height: 336.4375px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 553.6875px;" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #9 – Paint a spectrum of love for all.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Serve and be accepting of others — of what they want to create, what they want to be and what they envision. Remind them to do everything it takes not to fail. Remind them that the bad that comes along with the good is the journey and the most beautiful, most fulfilling experience anyone could ever have. Offer and support a new way of living, thinking, creating, even working — listen and be open to the ways of others.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Have conversations that make you smile and ponder. Offer solutions that bring us closer together versus farther apart.</span></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #10 – Take the time to do nothing.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Clear the slate. Erase the chalkboard. Wash it all clean. Don’t do anything. Just let everything be as it is. No matter how it is, no matter what your mind is screaming or what confusion you have in your life, for a few moments or as long as you can each day, let it be. Doing nothing and sitting still, helps us recognize all the ways in which we don’t let go. Explore the profound, beautiful simplicity and subtlety of doing nothing… and all the challenges it endures.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">In the most simple instruction from Andrew Cohen: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">take a seat, be still and don’t do anything.</em></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">In the words of The Beatles: <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Let it be.</em></span></div>
<div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_30830" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px auto 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 4px 0px 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; width: 472px;">
<a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-07-24-at-11.41.24.png" style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Photo: tumblr.com." class="size-full wp-image-30830" height="431" src="http://www.rebellesociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Screen-shot-2013-07-24-at-11.41.24.png" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="462" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 4px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Photo: tumblr.com.</span></div>
</div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #11 – Seek connection versus perfection.</em></strong></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Living an authentic life stems from your ability to be self-aware and genuine in the ways in which you express, react, dance, share, create, listen, etc. — in other words, how you connect with yourself and the world around you. Authenticity also heightens from your ability to be aware of when you are being and/or reacting inauthentically.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Being authentic develops a connection with who you truly are, your real essence, and liberates you from the superficial pressures and expectations of always trying to be perfect.</span></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Step #12 – Recognize that you already have everything you need to be you.</em></strong></h5>
<div id="abw" style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div id="abb" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div id="abm" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div id="abc" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Clear away the small minded and limiting ideas of who you are that keep you bound and feeling small, hopeless, even unworthy. You already have everything — <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">everything</em> you need to be you. In the present moment, you have very clear goals. There is much to be done as you are right now.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Discover the clearing, discover the openness and the deepest part of your own Universe. Tap into your unlimited energy and passion to follow-through.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">**</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Living a life of authenticity is a path of personal evolution – and as with any journey, it’s up to you.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
<div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Thank you and I love you.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-9991185409957996252013-08-17T20:40:00.000-09:002013-08-17T20:40:14.750-09:00What do you use to quantify your self worth?We have so many gauges we can buy into:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Likes on your Facebook page</li>
<li>How many friends or followers you have on Facebook</li>
<li>Likes on your latest Instagram post</li>
<li>Dollars in your bank account/savings account/IRA/401K</li>
<li>Credit score</li>
<li>The amount left on your student loans/house payments/car payments</li>
<li>The number on the scale</li>
<li>The number of social events you attend in a season</li>
<li>The of children you have</li>
<li>GPA</li>
<li>The number of colleges you've attended</li>
<li>The letters and/or numbers after your name</li>
<li>The zip code you live in</li>
<li>The number of rooms/bathrooms in your house</li>
<li>The number of clients you have</li>
<li>Your acquisition/retention numbers</li>
<li>The number of miles you run/swim/bike/paddle</li>
<li>How many yoga poses you can perform</li>
<li>The number of pounds you've lost/bench pressed</li>
</ul>
<br /><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dMp9Gth8sL7F8RkqNq4tyzbb_gbwKWXb1jRdNNFSceO8o8bhzdjPjaxUI95y7YGGLBLcGJvps0gcGkjOVsZbMNrD5cuRyhXcak09M6WL0zLyUttUqOYYVl36RgcUxwAabZsB3WyodzLL/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-08-17+at+9.34.32+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0dMp9Gth8sL7F8RkqNq4tyzbb_gbwKWXb1jRdNNFSceO8o8bhzdjPjaxUI95y7YGGLBLcGJvps0gcGkjOVsZbMNrD5cuRyhXcak09M6WL0zLyUttUqOYYVl36RgcUxwAabZsB3WyodzLL/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-08-17+at+9.34.32+PM.png" width="397" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: @kenindianamerican (Instagram)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The list could go on endlessly but you get the point. When we look for self-worth, we want to quantify that in a value, we tend to think when we reach that point it defines us. We may even go so far as to say we have reached "enlightenment" or have moved into an understanding of light. In the journey it is so often asked of us to trust the move into lightness but if this is really a journey it's not only about the light it's about the dark-- about not only trusting our lightness but our heaviness. It is not what we have that quantifies our worth but at finding at what that is. We have to look at our darker side to find what really matters and where the light is. This poem written by German poet Rainer Maria Rilke expressed it in these words.<br />
<br />
How surely gravity's law,<br />
strong as an ocean current,<br />
takes hold of even the smallest thing<br />
and pulls it toward the heart of the world.<br />
<br />
Each thing--<br />
each stone, blossom, child--<br />
is held in place.<br />
<br />
Only we, in our arrogance,<br />
push out beyond what we each belong to<br />
for some empty freedom.<br />
<br />
If we surrendered<br />
to earth's intelligence<br />
we could rise up rooted, like trees.<br />
<br />
Instead we entangle ourselves<br />
in knots of our own making<br />
and struggle, lonely and confused.<br />
<br />
So, like children, we begin again<br />
to learn from the things,<br />
because they are in God's heart;<br />
they have never left him.<br />
<br />
This is what the things can teach us:<br />
to fall,<br />
patiently to trust our heaviness.<br />
Even a bird has to learn that before he can fly.<br />
<br />
<br />
So if you want to fly, explore what makes you heavy and then-- <i>FLY!</i><br />
<br />
<br />Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-6071483311001519932013-08-14T09:06:00.001-09:002013-08-14T09:11:08.804-09:00VOTE FOR ME!! VOTE FOR ME!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaSJ3uhjIpP_BdA1jlBmQbdWgOCs0HnVewfzZ_t1_Pn7-rXsZwBhrNQ-MI-7dwi-VltDV1zbVcrjSOSNTb6xCHzU9EWT1lDr-JNkMzWSvSiRSaZ_W0nWYON24XUAw3HkKmbvQtDL-C5kL/s1600/outdoor+retailer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnaSJ3uhjIpP_BdA1jlBmQbdWgOCs0HnVewfzZ_t1_Pn7-rXsZwBhrNQ-MI-7dwi-VltDV1zbVcrjSOSNTb6xCHzU9EWT1lDr-JNkMzWSvSiRSaZ_W0nWYON24XUAw3HkKmbvQtDL-C5kL/s320/outdoor+retailer.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: @easyeastsales</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>190</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1085</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Standup Paddle Magazine</o:Company>
<o:Lines>9</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1273</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">I work for a couple magazines, both that are sister publications.
In the time in which I have been involved with this industry I'm amazed
at some of the things I see; for instance one of the other magazines (not our publications but another publication altogether) has an
award ceremony where people in the industry are nominated as "top
xxx" of the year (I don’t wish to go into details or point fingers). Then
these people go forth and ask everyone to please vote for them. Now I
have an issue with this, especially as I deepen my practice on and off the mat.
It's not like these men and women are kids.... in high school.... these
are GROWN men and women in the industry but it leaves me feeling like we're
back in high school. VOTE FOR ME! VOTE FOR ME! Not to mention these are people
who I would think have balance in their lives especially since this industry is
based on water and balance. It's a lifestyle but they are still missing the
mark. It makes me realize that people are so very insecure and unsure of
themselves that they need other people to feed the fragile ego that they have.
What does this accomplish for them? Does it help them in anyway? Do they
help others? I have seen how they try to portray themselves in front of the
camera so to speak but I know them beyond that and its shameless and sad
really.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I truly started my practice in yoga whole-heartedly it was
out of a sense of complete brokenness. I had self-destructed and was
desperately trying to put the pieces back together to show that I was whole
again. Everything was extremely painful. The strength I have on and off the mat
and the space that I've created in my body is a result of a lot of hard work,
mostly a lot of letting go. We hold so much emotion in the body. Practicing yoga is releasing and that is why it is so difficult! Not
because we move in different ways or inhale to lift this and exhale to lower
that, but because it causes us to be still and mindful and look at WHO we
really are. It's not just scratching at the surface of what you don't want to
see; it's unveiling all the fears and judgments you have about yourself buried
deep inside. It's connecting to what's really true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">And yes, along the way I might pick up
some strength and flexibility and ACTUALLY be able to hold paperclip pose
longer then 30 seconds- this is a bonus. It's not why I keep returning to my
mat every damn day. It's not the purpose of my practice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">When I move deeper into a pose and then
push deeper still I move deeper into self-love and self-acceptance. I build my
strength to balance steadily in whatever pose I'm in and I build strength to
face whatever the world throws at me and when I release that tension from
whatever part of my body is holding on to it, I release fear, frustration,
sadness and my ego. I have the realization that I have nothing to prove... to
anyone. And when I learn to surrender on the mat, I learn to surrender off the
mat, to surrender to the present moment. That it is not wholly about me but
about others and being mindful. This is the practice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">No one can do it for you-- you are going to
have to do the work yourself but it's attainable right here, right now and you
can't get it because someone else voted for you. Don't hold back. You alone can
make the difference.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;">Maturity is not when we start speaking BIG
things, it is when we start understanding small things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>309</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1763</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Standup Paddle Magazine</o:Company>
<o:Lines>14</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>2068</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-75936852291596888752013-08-07T07:06:00.001-09:002013-08-07T07:06:28.817-09:00The word "SORRY"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4RNGA2xlcVMwbnlx19iM9sajnazAZh7nCXkaKZuaQWSKoJ_vu7yiNgO3l9l9N7R6Pn_iPmiHTBNPRd5zzGhyphenhyphendWj-9ueyDczc164TiJBA7MPIZZu3Q4SE54cNJlwcTnXudpBisS4t-q2P/s1600/21636_426955147413162_1850566325_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4RNGA2xlcVMwbnlx19iM9sajnazAZh7nCXkaKZuaQWSKoJ_vu7yiNgO3l9l9N7R6Pn_iPmiHTBNPRd5zzGhyphenhyphendWj-9ueyDczc164TiJBA7MPIZZu3Q4SE54cNJlwcTnXudpBisS4t-q2P/s400/21636_426955147413162_1850566325_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-12883690550765409592013-08-05T19:43:00.001-09:002013-08-05T19:43:28.351-09:00No One Owes You Anything....<h4 style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #353535;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-weight: normal;"><i>I just recently discovered Harry Browne. According to Wikipedia, Harry Browne (1933 - 2006) was a free-market libertarian writer and investment analyst who was the Presidential candidate of the United States Libertarian Party in 1996 and 2000. He was also the Director of the American Liberty Foundation. Now I'm not sure what kind of man Harry was outside of what I've read about him but he wrote the following letter to his then nine-year old daughter. The letter was dated December 25, 1966. I do not know what others think or will think of this letter but frankly for me it is a thought provoking reminder of expectations I attach to people, outcomes and situations and the potential blame we assign when we don't receive what we have desired.</i></span></span></h4>
<h4 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></em></strong></h4>
<h4 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="border: 0px; color: #353535; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Harry’s letter to his daughter:</em></strong></h4>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s Christmas and I have the usual problem of deciding what to give you. I know you might enjoy many things — books, games, clothes.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But I’m very selfish. I want to give you something that will stay with you for more than a few months or years. I want to give you a gift that might remind you of me every Christmas.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If I could give you just one thing, I’d want it to be a simple truth that took me many years to learn. If you learn it now, it may enrich your life in hundreds of ways. And it may prevent you from facing many problems that have hurt people who have never learned it.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The truth is simply this: </em><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one owes you anything.</em></span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h4 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Significance</span></em></h4>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How could such a simple statement be important? It may not seem so, but understanding it can bless your entire life.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one owes you anything.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It means that no one else is living for you, my child. Because no one is you. Each person is living for himself; his own happiness is all he can ever personally feel.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When you realize that no one owes you happiness or anything else, you’ll be freed from expecting what isn’t likely to be.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It means no one has to love you. If someone loves you, it’s because there’s something special about you that gives him happiness. Find out what that something special is and try to make it stronger in you, so that you’ll be loved even more.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When people do things for you, it’s because they want to — because you, in some way, give them something meaningful that makes them want to please you, not because anyone owes you anything.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one has to like you. If your friends want to be with you, it’s not out of duty. Find out what makes others happy so they’ll want to be near you.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one has to respect you. Some people may even be unkind to you. But once you realize that people don’t have to be good to you, and may not be good to you, you’ll learn to avoid those who would harm you. For you don’t owe them anything either.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h4 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Living your Life</em></span></h4>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one owes you anything.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You owe it to yourself to be the best person possible. Because if you are, others will want to be with you, want to provide you with the things you want in exchange for what you’re giving to them.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Some people will choose not to be with you for reasons that have nothing to do with you. When that happens, look elsewhere for the relationships you want. Don’t make someone else’s problem your problem.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Once you learn that you must earn the love and respect of others, you’ll never expect the impossible and you won’t be disappointed. Others don’t have to share their property with you, nor their feelings or thoughts.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If they do, it’s because you’ve earned these things. And you have every reason to be proud of the love you receive, your friends’ respect, the property you’ve earned. But don’t ever take them for granted. If you do, you could lose them. They’re not yours by right; you must always earn them.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h4 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 22px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">My Experience</em></span></h4>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A great burden was lifted from my shoulders the day I realized that no one owes me anything. For so long as I’d thought there were things I was entitled to, I’d been wearing myself out —physically and emotionally — trying to collect them.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one owes me moral conduct, respect, friendship, love, courtesy, or intelligence. And once I recognized that, all my relationships became far more satisfying. I’ve focused on being with people who want to do the things I want them to do.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">That understanding has served me well with friends, business associates, lovers, sales prospects, and strangers. It constantly reminds me that I can get what I want only if I can enter the other person’s world. I must try to understand how he thinks, what he believes to be important, what he wants. Only then can I appeal to someone in ways that will bring me what I want.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And only then can I tell whether I really want to be involved with someone. And I can save the important relationships for those with whom I have the most in common.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s not easy to sum up in a few words what has taken me years to learn. But maybe if you re-read this gift each Christmas, the meaning will become a little clearer every year.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I hope so, for I want more than anything else for you to understand this simple truth that can set you free:</em></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<h3 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No one owes you anything.</em><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></h3>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">What do you think? How did this letter make you feel? Leave your comments below.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjbEvTv6xwi2HczHc5W-CvQeREk1NEdocx-GQw-ejrNrnMzLTM6BztaMbI0_Xn9zA-rjeno_rai36Dn0SoNby_A0VH51VKmP0P4fMt0wi7r3v6axSBgSSTW1tch_GJTZ-qI0IToPkC1Rf/s1600/IMG_0083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #fff2cc; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjbEvTv6xwi2HczHc5W-CvQeREk1NEdocx-GQw-ejrNrnMzLTM6BztaMbI0_Xn9zA-rjeno_rai36Dn0SoNby_A0VH51VKmP0P4fMt0wi7r3v6axSBgSSTW1tch_GJTZ-qI0IToPkC1Rf/s400/IMG_0083.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">For a child who was afraid of heights in a matter of one day<br />accomplished the talent of ascending and descending freehand bouldering.<br />photo: Lucy Lucille</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-37135490482588188782013-07-27T07:44:00.001-09:002013-07-27T07:44:37.619-09:00Stand<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Stand YOUR ground today. Stand on your truth. Stand on your wisdom. Stand on </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">your principles. Stand on your clarity. Stand on your compassion. Stand on your </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">flexibility. Stand on your serenity. Stand on your love.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNn70t21RPYzWtTtAqPNPi9yEVYWvXXgqm_SOTNZ3iurEJVbLEZZHqrxAc9dcktEvNmFRZA_TfOHDINYFMsjBjmz2nB4aGBfCieBtu5aNrkglb8E2iZRejJZjcN3qu16o3hr9R2k1P2a5r/s1600/IMG_5475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNn70t21RPYzWtTtAqPNPi9yEVYWvXXgqm_SOTNZ3iurEJVbLEZZHqrxAc9dcktEvNmFRZA_TfOHDINYFMsjBjmz2nB4aGBfCieBtu5aNrkglb8E2iZRejJZjcN3qu16o3hr9R2k1P2a5r/s320/IMG_5475.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Lucy Lucille</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: grey; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-55439329975018401862013-07-23T11:45:00.000-09:002013-07-23T11:45:10.854-09:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7pMQ3CKzP64lcr8UIZd9cBraQfZqW66CJIPg5q3G0U9gzrPEZjnoWJfFNH1LOCycpe4hV9GWx47rRznZeB3bWzHZQAWBBD9X3nsamY60LK_FPeQSisY1sMOeOFJgnldpRgdFPfAg31hO/s1600/534795_514696105268328_427213336_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij7pMQ3CKzP64lcr8UIZd9cBraQfZqW66CJIPg5q3G0U9gzrPEZjnoWJfFNH1LOCycpe4hV9GWx47rRznZeB3bWzHZQAWBBD9X3nsamY60LK_FPeQSisY1sMOeOFJgnldpRgdFPfAg31hO/s400/534795_514696105268328_427213336_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Many years ago I use to do Shotokan karate. Here is just a brief background of what Shotokan actually is: S<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">hotokan training is usually divided into three parts:</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><i style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kihon" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Kihon">kihon</a></i><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">(basics),</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><i style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kata_(martial_arts)" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Kata (martial arts)">kata</a></i><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">(forms or patterns of moves), and</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><i style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumite" style="background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Kumite">kumite</a></i><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">(sparring). Techniques in</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><i style="line-height: 19.1875px;">kihon</i><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">and</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><i style="line-height: 19.1875px;">kata</i><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">are characterized by deep, long stances that provide stability, enable powerful movements, and strengthen the legs. Shotokan is often regarded as a '</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_and_soft_(martial_arts)" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Hard and soft (martial arts)">hard</a><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">' and 'external' martial art because it is taught that way to beginners and coloured belts to develop strong basic techniques and stances. Initially strength and power are demonstrated instead of slower, more flowing motions. Those who progress to brown and black belt level develop a much more fluid style that incorporates grappling and some</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido" style="background-image: none; color: #0b0080; line-height: 19.1875px; text-decoration: none;" title="Aikido">aikido</a><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">-like techniques, which can be found in the black belt katas.</span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><i style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Kumite</i><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">techniques mirror these stances and movements at a basic level, but are less structured, with a focus instead on speed and efficiency.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">So the point behind all this is </span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #333333;">Martial Arts is so very similar to Yoga. I see many Yoga postures as Martial Arts moves. The warrior's way is a way of fight against the limitations and narrowness within oneself, and those external limitations. Sometimes I fight within myself everyday. The fight to win. "I AM going to get in this pose. I AM going WIN at this or that, whatever the battle might be in my head; when instead I should be accessing how best to get the destination with as little force as possible. Patience, persistence, humility, gentleness. The constant drip of water on a stone will eventually wear a depression into it. A consistent practice will get me into the pose I hunger for, rather than forcing it and causing self injury. Consistent meditation and prayer, will keep me better balanced and growing, then always asking for what I want or what I think I need. Though there are times when we do need to ask. </span><b style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Be MINDFUL.</span> </b><span style="color: #333333;">It's a phrase I use often.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 18px;">I am not saying there is anything wrong with wanting to win. Being competitive is healthy, just evaluate the path to winning. Don't be ignorant in your journey.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; line-height: 18px;">Lucy</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-15580355582932905092013-07-22T10:51:00.002-09:002013-07-22T10:52:18.950-09:00Move forward.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeLLXOnfX81DirX3bH_pD4TpSEMoD0K9CVLwcZNg32bUqNfOxP7cML7s4rtC-NQxvL4ZCDWiXzT7RDA_ureXsuIS2F5kbGqJ0WrdWioqyElmrhLYVlRYQ6323adupWfX5HeksmjiNACrD/s1600/1002312_10151750439006963_1828953866_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZeLLXOnfX81DirX3bH_pD4TpSEMoD0K9CVLwcZNg32bUqNfOxP7cML7s4rtC-NQxvL4ZCDWiXzT7RDA_ureXsuIS2F5kbGqJ0WrdWioqyElmrhLYVlRYQ6323adupWfX5HeksmjiNACrD/s400/1002312_10151750439006963_1828953866_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-75176438029415848522013-07-21T10:00:00.001-09:002013-07-21T10:00:05.014-09:00Alive<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggST2rtNZYuzIy174HHmjT-ljuUBwZK5_rAvzPCFr4KHZJ4d7-qU2XYj7JClVrpWzdHsXKjafkzQABkVJHYhBZdSIonORdlsnSoNHTqTLcCM2c4luA6VS88v4apdBZE8LJVWNfxnusBYW0/s1600/IMG_5313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggST2rtNZYuzIy174HHmjT-ljuUBwZK5_rAvzPCFr4KHZJ4d7-qU2XYj7JClVrpWzdHsXKjafkzQABkVJHYhBZdSIonORdlsnSoNHTqTLcCM2c4luA6VS88v4apdBZE8LJVWNfxnusBYW0/s400/IMG_5313.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo credit: Lucy Lucille</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to be guided by older-ups. I want babies to be born where old people die. I want to be sandwiched in the middle of a messy togetherness.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />I want to be warned before I do something stupid. I want to be forgiven when I do it anyway. I want wisdom to be tapped out on my eardrums and not Googled. I want transitions to be recognized by fire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />I want gifts to be educed from children and teenagers and adults and I want to mean something to my community. I want to get drunk on substance morning and night.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want to hear your dreams. I want to raise a revolution for <span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="color: #990000;">gentleness</span></i></b>.</span> I want to call out the bullshit on consensus reality. I want billboards along the highways with validations not some shit that society tries to sell you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I don't want to be another faker. I don't want to show you my good side and hide my humanity and flaws. I don't want to dole you out my<b> <span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">SELF</span></b> in digestible status-chunks. I want to challenge you in long drawn-out rituals and still find you interested.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I want to feed you seventeen course meals made with spices I crushed. I want to recite you circular poems, each beginning cutting a deeper grasp. I want to make you feel something, even if it's awkward. I want to sing songs which are ancient and new.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I want to find places we've never been. And then, I want to return there, but backwards.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I want to shuffle up words so we don't sleep through them. I want to learn things and then be splashed into never forgetting. I want to make you feel seen. I want to hold your pounding heart in my gentlest of hands. I want to make your thing feel my thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
I don't want to miss a moment. I want to dig at the bottom and find it false. I want to turn up unknown depths. I want to stand in this hurricane and sing the sweetest, most naked song you can bear. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #990000;">I want to be</span><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"> </span><i><span style="color: orange; font-size: x-large;">alive</span></i><span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;">with you.</span></b></div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-21135567084743593702013-07-21T02:04:00.001-09:002013-07-21T09:18:37.034-09:00To Tell The Truth....<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiovlm5MgG9FZ1nHYBDbLxuh09RK03tAd3WT-DfbgZomhW1Vljt9Sb0MSLb09PwowTziv7errpWzrVOQTE4RWPZ68oglutNx31pFUvppFhSA2jFFZfh8L3msXIyA3ce4V36CCkbFsVZls_/s1600/Hear+No+Evil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiovlm5MgG9FZ1nHYBDbLxuh09RK03tAd3WT-DfbgZomhW1Vljt9Sb0MSLb09PwowTziv7errpWzrVOQTE4RWPZ68oglutNx31pFUvppFhSA2jFFZfh8L3msXIyA3ce4V36CCkbFsVZls_/s320/Hear+No+Evil.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo provided by: <a href="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp14yisXIy1qh1pcco1_500.jpg">http://tayrawrdactyl.tumblr.com/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Einstein said it best, "Tell the truth and you won't have to remember anything."<br />
<br />
As well someone else told me, "By telling the truth you are honoring the fidelity of the moment."<br />
<br />
I haven't always been a truth teller and frankly I haven't always liked myself that much either. It is upon closer examination that the two go hand in hand. The less I liked myself, the more I lied. On the other hand, the more at peace I am, the more truthful I become.<br />
<br />
I have lied since I was quite young. Kindergarten when someone in class mentioned I had slanty eyes and that I was different. So when the teasing began I made up things I thought would make others like me better and it grew from there.... literally. My parents use to quote the bible to me; such verses quoted from the holy text, "Be sure your sins will find you out," and, "the wages of sin is death". Yet it did nothing to deter me from my path. Who cares? I thought. No one will ever know. The lies get worse as I got older. I formed a habit and when faced with an unfamiliar situation there was always the comfort zone of a lie. After all people liked me better when I lied and I liked myself less and less. I had come to allow my lies to define me; without them I was boring, I was no one. Without them no one would ever believe me or love me.<br />
<br />
The clutter that ran through my head was a constant buzz, unceasing and there was no peace no matter how much I tried to find it, I couldn't because everything was a lie. Then I hit the brick wall and I hit it hard. <br />
<br />
I don't ask anymore, "Am I doing this right?" I don't search for validation from others and I speak with honesty. I have peace for the first time in my life.<br />
<br />
Sam Harris in his essay on <i>Lying, </i>said the following<i>,</i> "To lie is to erect a boundary between the truth we are living and the perception others have of us. The temptation to do this is often born of an understanding that others will disapprove of our behavior. Often there are good reasons why they would." For us to experience true integrity we must not feel the need to lie about our personal lives. There is no vulnerability in being honest, in integrity itself, vulnerability comes in pretending to be something you are not.<br />
<br />
Honesty is a gift we can give to others. It is also a source of power and an engine of simplicity. Knowing that we will attempt to tell the truth, whatever the circumstances, leaves us with little to prepare for. We can simply be ourselves. Recovery is a process but the road begins with one's self. Stop lying to yourself and you will stop lying to others and in that exchange you will find yourself and peace.<br />
<br />
Namaste,<br />
<br />
LucyGirl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-27632792156009249382013-07-07T18:21:00.001-09:002013-07-07T18:21:42.174-09:0040 Days of Yoga: Breaking Down the Barriers to a Home Practice<div style="text-align: center;"><b>"What does it mean to <i style="color: red;">practice at home </i>every day?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">It means you move, mindfully.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It means you breathe, mindfully.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It means you simply be, mindfully.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The what of practice ceases to be important, as the how supersedes everything else. Because the <span style="color: red;">how is the yoga.</span>"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You want a home yoga practice, but you don't have one. Why is that? Perhaps you think you don't have enough time or space, the people in your life don't support you, you don't know what to do or you feel guilty about spending time doing something just for yourself.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This book had me hooked after the review I read by Sara Foley.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">You will find that <i>Forty Days of Yoga </i>teaches us that they are not reasons but excuses and those excuses stop us from from having the kind of practice we need, that we benefit from on all levels. If you are looking for that space you most desperately need on all levels, this is a book that would benefit you. It is a practical tool.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I know I am a bette person because of my practice. It has taught me discipline. It has taught me how to be mindful. I am more present. More aware. I love everything there is about yoga, and this book is a wonderful way to get started on your own. Enjoy the journey!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb2ZMbN6wUqLobZIqS-osB7cQ_BUPjC1UepLLu06fOw04w8R05cac9w2j2VOg2rzkJsqM7tXzrOsPu5wEpBbt2yVhhVof901MuIY_qBxqx5E7RFoV583F06VQL68eu6b7pLeh3A8VHLWt/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-07+at+8.04.55+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJb2ZMbN6wUqLobZIqS-osB7cQ_BUPjC1UepLLu06fOw04w8R05cac9w2j2VOg2rzkJsqM7tXzrOsPu5wEpBbt2yVhhVof901MuIY_qBxqx5E7RFoV583F06VQL68eu6b7pLeh3A8VHLWt/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-07-07+at+8.04.55+PM.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-68392380054210308822013-07-05T19:20:00.001-09:002013-07-05T19:21:28.471-09:00YOGA IS NOT.....<div style="text-align: center;">
Yoga is NOT about being bendy.....</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's about showing up to your mat consistently not knowing what is going to happen and being okay with that. It's about rehabilitating yourself and not believing the "experts" when they say you are too injured or too old. It's about believing that you can do anything even if it's the most scariest impossible thing you could ever dream of. It's about uncovering who you really are. It's about being kind to yourself so that you can then be kind to others. Yoga is about discovering that most of the crazy thoughts in your head are not true. It's about being healthy without pushing yourself to your limit. It's about slowing down to get strong. It's about breathing and moving and smiling on the inside. It's the hardest thing I have ever done, but also the best....</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbT3TuersU8L9FysLtthlult_S8ZCQbMETzF5LrsRCk6mqQ-sz3jn9kCR0dgarntdGOR4VgIAe4x-c4ReD2tRM0u5Ho2LqiZ-jSyQMC50JkRFWxXwYzu8nDAKb4O1l2JWqYoPrE9pUGzCd/s1600/IMG_5308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbT3TuersU8L9FysLtthlult_S8ZCQbMETzF5LrsRCk6mqQ-sz3jn9kCR0dgarntdGOR4VgIAe4x-c4ReD2tRM0u5Ho2LqiZ-jSyQMC50JkRFWxXwYzu8nDAKb4O1l2JWqYoPrE9pUGzCd/s320/IMG_5308.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181093054706333899.post-30944519647647720642013-06-05T07:48:00.001-09:002013-06-05T07:57:06.408-09:00Fight For Your Life...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Not that I cannot come up with my own things to write it's just that Kirk Hensler said this so right!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So do something. Do anything but sit there and feel sorry for self or feel helpless, or feel apathetic. Fight for YOUR life!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
~ Lucy</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQdk59ANXauzo-aTZml3S4PiOZW1u1cQQnOfSfI43ZrRXvrIFur-qi-vP7bs8xIiXuS3cNPo_Hd4Z8cC00fOrn709RQKojH74xxxWWfrL4uG6517Kv7g_r-7s2WqfAaUjmsBfH35KqCVE/s1600/Brad-Pitt-fight-club-body-1024x655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQdk59ANXauzo-aTZml3S4PiOZW1u1cQQnOfSfI43ZrRXvrIFur-qi-vP7bs8xIiXuS3cNPo_Hd4Z8cC00fOrn709RQKojH74xxxWWfrL4uG6517Kv7g_r-7s2WqfAaUjmsBfH35KqCVE/s320/Brad-Pitt-fight-club-body-1024x655.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Fight Club screenshot)</span></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Do you ever feel like other people are always letting you down? And that you’re surrounded by idiots? Even worse, that nobody will be honest with you?</span></em></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">It’s probably because you’re overly sensitive and they are afraid to be themselves around you because they are worried that you’ll fly off the handle and have a meltdown. Loosen up a bit for god’s sake and give people a chance to communicate with you.</span></div>
<h6 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Emotions are like friends. We have to accept them or we won’t have any.</span></h6>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The idea of what we’re supposed to feel like dominates what we actually feel like. We are ghosts in our own bodies.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I think about performing a simple squat. I bend my knees 90 degrees and hover my ass above an imaginary chair. And then my legs start to burn and I act like I have just been shot 6 times in each thigh. I build up a big story in my mind that the burning is so awful and I am a victim of some great crime. I will do anything to not be squatting anymore. I want out and it’s all a bunch of mind games really, my little self-doubting thoughts taking over because I’m tired and scared of failure so I’ll let anyone talk me into quitting. But really my body could physically squat for minutes, maybe hours longer.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Sometimes I tell my students that I will give them bundles of cash if they can hold a posture for a minute. Or I’ll make it a competition. As soon as this happens they all act like they’ve just taken loads of steroids and can kick the shit out of any physical challenge I put in front of them.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">But no challenge or money means they have to do it for themselves and since people don’t generally give a shit about themselves they quit as soon as their brains get the first indication of a fight from the doubting side of things.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I get mad at them for this. I think about walking around the room and screaming in their face and karate chopping them across the shin. But really I just want to give them the little push they need to be self-governing greatness.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Sometimes we quit on ourselves and then go home; and when we get home we don’t like who we are.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Animals will fight until the death but humans find any excuse possible not to fight at all. And I’m not talking about bare knuckle brawling; I’m talking about fighting for anything. There’s nothing wrong with a good struggle, or burning thighs that make you second-guess yourself for a moment. Taking a good look at yourself in these situations will only help you move forward.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Doubt is great. Fear is great. It means we get to prove to ourselves why we matter. We get to stare doubt in the face and give it a dirty-ass look that would scare a terrorist. It’s there because part of us wants us to be miserable, so we can have pity parties and blame everyone else for our own problems. And most of our lives we have let that small-minded fearful talk run the show.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The thing is, fear and doubt are the biggest cowards of all. They can’t stand up to us; we’re way too fucking crazy. Let’s stand up and show them how crazy <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">we</i> are. We’re strong enough to torture ourselves every day by living a half-assed, borderline miserable lives—I think we’re strong enough to sit our asses down in a squat for a minute or two and not give in to the first thought that gets us out of a battle.</span></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Challenge is growth. No challenge is stagnation, Prozac, and hours of television every night. It’s fucking miserable and it’s killing your soul. You should be arrested.</span></h5>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I should be able to come to your house and smash your television on the ground and take you away and unlock you up somewhere near a tree or a body of water and give you a pen and a notepad and tell you to start writing and not stop until you know what inspiration feels like. And you know that it comes from inside of you and not outside of you. You don’t need anyone but your goddamn self to realize who you are.</span></div>
<h6 style="border: 0px; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Is it because we are afraid that when we’re tested we won’t have what it takes to pull through? Are we scared that we’ll fail and nobody will like us anymore?</em></h6>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">First of all, nobody cares about us that much, they are too busy worrying about their own damn problems. The world can be ours to experiment with if some other people want to spend their time burying their head up their ass.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Who really cares enough about failure to let it run their life? That’s old news. The most successful people in the world fail every day, and they learn to love it. It’s learning, it’s living. It’s so simple I want to reach through your screen and slap you in the face.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Get up and start doing the things you know you should be doing. I don’t care about your family or your job or bills. It’s all going to pass you by one day, maybe tomorrow.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Animals don’t quit because they don’t care what they look like; they care about surviving. It’s not an option whether or not they give their best effort, irrespective of what other, gossipy animals might be whispering behind their backs. Animals don’t give a fuck, they are going for it.</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; color: #5a5a5a; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19px; margin: 1.5em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fff2cc; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We aren’t fighting for our survival the way we should be. We’re humans and we’re just a little different than other creatures. Food, water, and shelter take care of our cells but not our souls. In order to survive we need to take care of our body but also <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/04/17/the-art-of-daydreaming-imagination-precedes-reality/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">our imagination</a>. If we don’t feel the painful beauty of life every day then we are (slowly) committing suicide. We are letting our souls die and our bodies won’t be far behind.</em></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">I think we care too much. <a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/05/13/nonconformity-101-show-me-your-true-face/" style="border: 0px; color: #990606; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">About the wrong things.</a> We care too much about our feelings, about other people’s opinions, about politics, and about Taylor Swift. And I’m certain we care too much about feeling sorry for ourselves. It is some kind of spell that we are afraid to break. A lot of people live under this spell to avoid the work that lies ahead of them in their quest to be happy.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">We’re all tired of the game. We’re just waking up in the morning and mailing it in. Our hope is diminishing. But at the first sign of rebellion we become wide awake. We remember it’s not buried too deep. It just needs a little push. Just a nudge.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Don’t wait for it. Someone else is waiting for you to do it. Just be the one and do it already. You won’t be alone and you’ll know exactly what to do once you start.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><a href="http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/06/05/fight-for-your-life/" target="_blank">http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/06/05/fight-for-your-life/</a></span></div>
<br />
<br />Girl Fridayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16556680602635931120noreply@blogger.com0