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It’s amazing that today’s cable and internet has not 300 channels, but thousands of choices.
And we are bored, constantly flicking from one to the other, using P-I-P (Picture-In-Picture) and checking our phone, news, social media, in between.
Notice if you are waiting - for an appointment, for a train or plane, for your husband to get to the restaurant, your children to get out of school - you tend to reach for your phone. To distract yourself from waiting.
We used to people-watch. We used to ponder, and imagine, and enjoy the scene around us. Now we distract ourselves, even though the distraction is basically boring. Digital screens satisfy the same neurons in our brains as do opiates. Addiction.
That pushes out imagination, creativity, and true learning.
Most people are distracted right now.
A life can be full, filled with deep focus and purpose. Or it can be shallow, filled with entertainment and distractions.
What if you focused on learning and creating, instead of on being entertained and distracted?
What if you found your relationships more fulfilling and joyous? What if you felt excitement instead of boredom. What if you found yourself growing instead of in mediocrity?
Your level of happiness and joy will rarely exceed your personal development.
The happiest people are lifelong learners.
Give up the life of quiet desperation for one of fulfillment.
Love,
And we are bored, constantly flicking from one to the other, using P-I-P (Picture-In-Picture) and checking our phone, news, social media, in between.
Notice if you are waiting - for an appointment, for a train or plane, for your husband to get to the restaurant, your children to get out of school - you tend to reach for your phone. To distract yourself from waiting.
We used to people-watch. We used to ponder, and imagine, and enjoy the scene around us. Now we distract ourselves, even though the distraction is basically boring. Digital screens satisfy the same neurons in our brains as do opiates. Addiction.
That pushes out imagination, creativity, and true learning.
Most people are distracted right now.
A life can be full, filled with deep focus and purpose. Or it can be shallow, filled with entertainment and distractions.
What if you focused on learning and creating, instead of on being entertained and distracted?
What if you found your relationships more fulfilling and joyous? What if you felt excitement instead of boredom. What if you found yourself growing instead of in mediocrity?
Your level of happiness and joy will rarely exceed your personal development.
The happiest people are lifelong learners.
Give up the life of quiet desperation for one of fulfillment.
Love,
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On a flight, the flight attendant was giving the safety lecture before take-off. She explained, “When retrieving luggage, open the overhead bins carefully because “Shift happens.”
(Laughter and chuckles.)
But, then, don’tcha know, at the gate, one dude hurriedly opened the overhead bin to grab his bag and run, and the wheels of a folding stroller fell out of the bin, almost hitting a lady below. Dude had the quickness to catch the stroller wheels.
His reaction to the “shift that happened,” prevented an injury.
In life, lots of “shift happens.”
The outcome is generally determined not by what happened, but rather, by how you perceive it and react to it.
It’s only 10% what happens, and 90% how you react to it.
This week, shift the way you feel and watch what happens. Instead of worry, feel curiosity; instead of fear, feel brave, instead of retribution, feel forgiveness; instead of giving up, persevere.
“Shift” will happen. 90% chance you can make it better.
Love,
(Laughter and chuckles.)
But, then, don’tcha know, at the gate, one dude hurriedly opened the overhead bin to grab his bag and run, and the wheels of a folding stroller fell out of the bin, almost hitting a lady below. Dude had the quickness to catch the stroller wheels.
His reaction to the “shift that happened,” prevented an injury.
In life, lots of “shift happens.”
The outcome is generally determined not by what happened, but rather, by how you perceive it and react to it.
It’s only 10% what happens, and 90% how you react to it.
This week, shift the way you feel and watch what happens. Instead of worry, feel curiosity; instead of fear, feel brave, instead of retribution, feel forgiveness; instead of giving up, persevere.
“Shift” will happen. 90% chance you can make it better.
Love,
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Life is so-o-o-o much better when you do.
Are you in the 5%?
Think about the simple things you can do every moment of every day that carry you toward your goals.
Jeff Olsen calls them the “Slight Edge - like taking a few dollars out of your paycheck, putting it into savings and leaving it there. Or, doing a few minutes of exercise every day - and not skipping it. Or, eating foods you know are healthy. Or reading 10 pages of an inspiring, life-changing book every day. Or, taking time to tell someone how much you appreciate them. Doing these consistently every day, for weeks, months, years, will yield very big results. Simple, easy things - the Slight Edge”.
95% of folks do not follow this secret to a successful life! You can. Start now.
Be in the 5%: It is the tiny decisions you make, every minute of every day. Keep making the decisions that take you to your dreams. Don’t let up. Keep it up!
Love,
Are you in the 5%?
Think about the simple things you can do every moment of every day that carry you toward your goals.
Jeff Olsen calls them the “Slight Edge - like taking a few dollars out of your paycheck, putting it into savings and leaving it there. Or, doing a few minutes of exercise every day - and not skipping it. Or, eating foods you know are healthy. Or reading 10 pages of an inspiring, life-changing book every day. Or, taking time to tell someone how much you appreciate them. Doing these consistently every day, for weeks, months, years, will yield very big results. Simple, easy things - the Slight Edge”.
95% of folks do not follow this secret to a successful life! You can. Start now.
Be in the 5%: It is the tiny decisions you make, every minute of every day. Keep making the decisions that take you to your dreams. Don’t let up. Keep it up!
Love,
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Get Ready!
Actually, to a large degree, we get what we expect. Things become much more to your liking when you expect the best instead of the worst.
Focus all your forces, physical, emotional and spiritual, on expecting the best.
“People are defeated in life, not because of lack of ability, but for lack of wholeheartedness. They do not wholeheartedly expect to succeed. Their heart isn’t in it.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale
Put your whole heart into it. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat.
Then be ready for what will happen next.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Success is not an action but a habit.“ ~ Aristotle
Wait. Watch for it. Bam!
Love,
Focus all your forces, physical, emotional and spiritual, on expecting the best.
“People are defeated in life, not because of lack of ability, but for lack of wholeheartedness. They do not wholeheartedly expect to succeed. Their heart isn’t in it.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale
Put your whole heart into it. And repeat. And repeat. And repeat.
Then be ready for what will happen next.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Success is not an action but a habit.“ ~ Aristotle
Wait. Watch for it. Bam!
Love,
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Yes, you are indeed. If you awoke this morning, to life, you are in the school of life.
Remember your teachers - favs and not? Remember the substitutes? Sometimes they were nice and easier than your regular teacher, and sometimes they were awful.
And your regular teachers… I remember my fourth grade teacher was my favorite - sweet, kind, ice cream every Thursday afternoon, and learning was wonderful with her! Then there was Mr. Hightower - he was a hard teacher.
Your life school has a hard teacher; his name is Experience. He gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards. No curve.
If you aren’t having challenges, pain, hardships along your schooling, you might want to ask, “God, don’t you trust me? I’m enrolled; I’m ready.” Because in these hard teachers and tests, comes your education in the School of Greatness.
On your way to Great, say thank you frequently. Double major in Greatness and Gratefulness.
Love you, Classmate,
Remember your teachers - favs and not? Remember the substitutes? Sometimes they were nice and easier than your regular teacher, and sometimes they were awful.
And your regular teachers… I remember my fourth grade teacher was my favorite - sweet, kind, ice cream every Thursday afternoon, and learning was wonderful with her! Then there was Mr. Hightower - he was a hard teacher.
Your life school has a hard teacher; his name is Experience. He gives the test first, and the lesson afterwards. No curve.
If you aren’t having challenges, pain, hardships along your schooling, you might want to ask, “God, don’t you trust me? I’m enrolled; I’m ready.” Because in these hard teachers and tests, comes your education in the School of Greatness.
On your way to Great, say thank you frequently. Double major in Greatness and Gratefulness.
Love you, Classmate,
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I know, that within you now, is the divine ability to manifest or attract everything that you need or desire.
How, you may ask?
By being what you need or desire.
Simple as that.
Be the solution to, the embodiment of, your need. And voilà!
"If you want to be happy, make someone else happy. If you want to find the right person in your life, be the right person. If you want to see change in the world, become the change you want to see.” ~ Deepak Chopra
To you, to you, to you, as you give to another, and another and another,
Love,
How, you may ask?
By being what you need or desire.
Simple as that.
Be the solution to, the embodiment of, your need. And voilà!
"If you want to be happy, make someone else happy. If you want to find the right person in your life, be the right person. If you want to see change in the world, become the change you want to see.” ~ Deepak Chopra
To you, to you, to you, as you give to another, and another and another,
Love,
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A fire walker (not at a Tony Robbins seminar).
It is an amazing fact that our minds rule our physical senses.
When I did the fire walk with Tony Robbins, my belief was that I would feel i was walking on cool moss.
And as I walked on glowing coals fresh out of the fire, I felt cool moss. (After that first ‘crunch’ of the coals, I noticed only cool soft moss.) I felt what I believed I would feel.
In police lineups, people often identify the wrong person, and they feel absolutely sure, even in later face of DNA evidence, that they are right.
The eyes see what is believed.
Believe in love, believe in joy, believe in purpose.
This week, let your mind help you see love, joy, purpose!
Love,
When I did the fire walk with Tony Robbins, my belief was that I would feel i was walking on cool moss.
And as I walked on glowing coals fresh out of the fire, I felt cool moss. (After that first ‘crunch’ of the coals, I noticed only cool soft moss.) I felt what I believed I would feel.
In police lineups, people often identify the wrong person, and they feel absolutely sure, even in later face of DNA evidence, that they are right.
The eyes see what is believed.
Believe in love, believe in joy, believe in purpose.
This week, let your mind help you see love, joy, purpose!
Love,
- Published on
I grew up loving to read. As much as I loved "Nancy Drew" books, and aspired to be capable as she was, I voraciously read "Sue Barton, Student Nurse" and "Cherry Ames, Student Nurse" books. My course was set. I would be a nurse.
Oh, how I wanted to be like the nurses in the books, my starched white uniform swishing as I walked purposefully to and from patient care, my heart full!
And nursing was, indeed, a joyous, romantic, incredible experience, as I practiced for about 10 years, the last four while in dental school.
On the first day of dental school at the University of Kentucky, I remember asking God to let me live long enough to become a dentist and be able to provide dental care to patients. I couldn’t wait. Again, heart full.
Interspersed were the days of difficulties, doing dental procedures for the first time - or even the 20th time - and being scared, worried, unsure, just like in nursing.
And there were the days when I was overwhelmed with what I “had to do.” Somethings I wished I didn’t “have to do.” Just like in nursing, in raising children, in life.
Yet, how many people would so love to have the opportunity to do what I’ve gotten to do? How many would be so thrilled to be a dentist, to be a nurse?
“Replace the phrase ‘I have to’ with ‘I get to’ whenever you catch yourself starting to complain. So many activities we complain about are things others wish they had the chance to do."
~ Marc & Angel
In your gratitude for your life, thank God for the opportunities!
In gratitude for you and the opportunity to share with you,
Oh, how I wanted to be like the nurses in the books, my starched white uniform swishing as I walked purposefully to and from patient care, my heart full!
And nursing was, indeed, a joyous, romantic, incredible experience, as I practiced for about 10 years, the last four while in dental school.
On the first day of dental school at the University of Kentucky, I remember asking God to let me live long enough to become a dentist and be able to provide dental care to patients. I couldn’t wait. Again, heart full.
Interspersed were the days of difficulties, doing dental procedures for the first time - or even the 20th time - and being scared, worried, unsure, just like in nursing.
And there were the days when I was overwhelmed with what I “had to do.” Somethings I wished I didn’t “have to do.” Just like in nursing, in raising children, in life.
Yet, how many people would so love to have the opportunity to do what I’ve gotten to do? How many would be so thrilled to be a dentist, to be a nurse?
“Replace the phrase ‘I have to’ with ‘I get to’ whenever you catch yourself starting to complain. So many activities we complain about are things others wish they had the chance to do."
~ Marc & Angel
In your gratitude for your life, thank God for the opportunities!
In gratitude for you and the opportunity to share with you,
Nursing school class graduation photo. Dr Chris is back row, second from the left.
Dr Chris Baker as a teenaged candy striper back in her hometown of Houston.
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Every single person in your life is there for a purpose.
And guess what? That purpose always has something to do with love.
There is a reason for everyone you meet. Even passersby. Some will offer you the chance to give them love - a smile, a “hello”.
Some in your life will test you. Some will use you. Some will teach you. Some will love you. Some will encourage you.
“Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.” ~ Deepak Chopra
The ones that bring out the best in you are the ones to keep around.
Surround yourself with your best people. And then, in gratitude, give love to everyone you meet.
Thank you for being my teacher, my muse, my joy.
Love,
And guess what? That purpose always has something to do with love.
There is a reason for everyone you meet. Even passersby. Some will offer you the chance to give them love - a smile, a “hello”.
Some in your life will test you. Some will use you. Some will teach you. Some will love you. Some will encourage you.
“Whatever relationships you have attracted in your life at this moment, are precisely the ones you need in your life at this moment. There is a hidden meaning behind all events, and this hidden meaning is serving your own evolution.” ~ Deepak Chopra
The ones that bring out the best in you are the ones to keep around.
Surround yourself with your best people. And then, in gratitude, give love to everyone you meet.
Thank you for being my teacher, my muse, my joy.
Love,
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Today, with our amazing availability to information / media - computer, phone, tablets, and probably least of all, print media - you are inundated with words that can become your repetitive thoughts.
And too many of these words are negative.
Repetitive negative thoughts worm themselves into your subconscious mind and show up in dreams, in background chatter in your conscious mind, and in worry, and even, worst of all for your health and joy, in anger!
We are what we repetitively think!
“Everyday we have plenty of opportunities to get stressed, angry or offended. But what you’re doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let things upset you.” ~ Joel Osteen
It takes work to change those repetitive negative thoughts. How about you:
Remember, you are always in control of your thoughts - so choose to feel confident and adequate rather than angry and insecure.
Love,
And too many of these words are negative.
Repetitive negative thoughts worm themselves into your subconscious mind and show up in dreams, in background chatter in your conscious mind, and in worry, and even, worst of all for your health and joy, in anger!
We are what we repetitively think!
“Everyday we have plenty of opportunities to get stressed, angry or offended. But what you’re doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let things upset you.” ~ Joel Osteen
It takes work to change those repetitive negative thoughts. How about you:
- Stop - just stop - looking at negative media.
- Start reading great books - try “Twelve Pillars” (by Jim Rohn) to fill your subconscious mind with great happy stuff and success thoughts.
- Take a walk every day and breathe in nature.
Remember, you are always in control of your thoughts - so choose to feel confident and adequate rather than angry and insecure.
Love,