thought for this day...

Commit to Kindness.
For TODAY
Promise your Self
that no matter WHAT
Kindness will prevail.
No
Matter
What.
At the end of this day
check in with your
Heart.
Does it feel
different?
Do
YOU
feel different?

Just for TODAY.
Commit to KINDNESS.

{and, perhaps, after you check in with your Self, and feel the difference, you may wish to commit, again, tomorrow. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, 'k?}

Hate Is NOT The Answer

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good (wo)men to do nothing."

I know it's terrifying. I feel the horrors of this energy too. The United States is a mess. A complete and utter mess. Still, I keep Hope in my heart. Hope. Because Hope is better than keeping terror. Or hatred. Or anger. I keep Hope in my heart so that it may keep me. We can not allow the ignorance of the few to corrupt the Knowing of the many.

We MUST NOT.

So, while it may be a bit on the short side, today's missive is meant to keep you, ALL of you, from drowning in the chaos of recent events. It may only be "the second hundred days", but we can, and MUST, keep ourselves focused on the GOOD. While it may seem there is more evil than good at the moment, it is only because of media, both broadcast and social. Do not ignore what you feel. Do not deny what you CAN do. But please, please, PLEASE, stay in HOPE.

Act when you can. Write and march and do whatever it is that you feel will contribute to the GOOD. Keep kindness in your daily Life. Reach out to strangers. Open a door. Let that maniac who just cut you off go on his angry way. Don't cuss him out or wish him ill. Simply hold a space for Hope...for him too.

I realize this sounds pretty PHOOOFEEE. I don't care what it sounds like. All I wish is for us to KNOW that there is more Good than Evil. For all of us to be KIND.
And Mindful.
And HOPEFUL.
Action without hatred. 

PLEASE.

Something Else...

There's a whole lotta Ick goin' around right now. In the U.S., there's the horrifying Presidential campaign. In the midst of all that, there's also the reports of police brutality and citizens on both sides of the fight making things worse than they already are. There are hurricanes and flooding and then the "usual" crimes that seem to be front and center because everybody and their grandmother has a SmartPhone, at the ready, just waiting for the next thing to film and get their fifteen minutes of fame.

And that's just the U.S.

The world seems to be flooded with images of despicable people doing unspeakable stuff. All because this generation of tech wizards are looking for an easy way to make a buck, get their faces on the news, and maybe a contract for yet another ridiculously stupid "reality" show, with nary a stitch of talent to be found.

Ick. Ick. ICK.

But then....

There are those who somehow manage to find the Joy, despite the horrors. Those people who refuse to allow the Idiots of the world to dampen their spirits, taint their beliefs, get buried in bullshit.

WHO will NOT let this crap change their hearts.

It is for those of you who are in this latter arena, those of you who march onward, with your beautiful hearts and your unbreakable spirits and your generous acts of Kindness. YOU, Dear Ones, are the lights that won't ever go out. You are the glimmer of Hope that keeps the hopeless from jumping off the nearest cliff. You are the chosen ones...because you MAKE THE CHOICE to be who you are. For you, I open my arms and offer this:

NOTHING can stop us if we will just BE Kindness.

No.Thing.

I thank you all for your beautiful hearts and your cheerful smiles and your loving hands.

You are, each and every one of you, Treasures.

Carry On ~

YOU First!

Not sure how it happened, but somehow I've gone from daily postings to .... weekly???!!! What the...#!%@??? Well...a few things have shown up that suddenly slapped me awake. One of them being that I finally saw just how much some of those 'social networks' can really mess with your whole groove. It gets to be this kind of addiction...like you have to check in and see who's got what going on. Something else? It is SO not me. I've never been into ongoing dramas or soap operas or the latest gossip crap. So what's with the social network thang?, I asked myself. And sooooo....

I've taken a good, honest look at a whole bunch of stuff. Rather than being all harsh and impatient with myself, I've chosen to be gentle about it. Just have a look, Honey. Don't be pointing fingers or chastising yourself. Just have a look.

There was a time when this kind of observation was impossible for me. I was far too judgmental about it. And wayyyyyyy too hard on myself. No longer. Nowadays, I have made the promise (to myself) to be "impeccable with my word".

{Aside: from the book, "The Four Agreements", by Don Miguel Ruiz. Pretty cool stuff. And a super short read. Take what you will, and leave the rest.}

Being impeccable with one's word is all about being KIND to one's self. Being as gentle with one's self as you might be with an infant. Gentle. Loving. Kind. Patient. Using your words to love who you are...and then (you can) love the rest of the world. Your words have so much power. I've known this for eons. And I've said it in at least a hundred articles/postings/etc. over the course of the last several years. Here it is again:

Your words are your WAND.

Many of us have no trouble at all being kind to others. Some folks find it easier to be kind to strangers, but not so much to those closest to them. Another one of those things I've never really understood. But that's not the point. The point is, most folks find it pretty easy to be kind to anyone but themselves. And that, my friend, is one very good lesson to learn. There is far too much contradicting energy going on when we are kind to others but not ourselves. Kinda gives me this image of one of those big score boards....where points get cancelled out. Kind of a negation of good deeds. What I'm trying to say (albeit in a back-assedward kinda way) is that you must start your kindnesses with YOUR SELF. It's not about being narcissistic. It's about HONORING the YOU that is you. It's about filling your own cup so you can fill someone else's. It's about putting the oxygen mask over your face so you'll be conscious to put one over your child's face.

YOU FIRST.

This is a very challenging lesson for many. It's been one of my biggest. And I was always pretty self-centered (as a child. Me. Me. Me.). But I didn't know the difference between "getting my way" and "serving myself". There's a mighty big difference between the two, ya know?

So then...the result of all this investigating is this:

I WILL write daily. Because I love to write. Because it serves others. Because it is what makes me feel that I'm using the gifts I have been bestowed and wish to honor those gifts. I shall no longer disrespect the time I've been granted to use these gifts. And I will honor who I am...right now and into the days that come...because I DO matter.

And so do YOU.

'nuff said.

the wonderful factor

Most of us have heard about "Gratitude Journals". Some of us use them, some of us don't. Some of us use them for a while, then get sidetracked and dismiss it. And some folks think they're dumb. Whatever the case may be for you, I thought I might offer up another option...especially if it's a challenge for you to do this wonderful exercise.

I read something that got me to thinking about gratitude...and how sometimes it's hard to see just how much we have to be grateful for. You know that whole mystery about the chicken and the egg? ("what came first...."). Well, I read this little snippet and it kinda reminded me of that. Here's what the snippet read:

"Think of something you've done in the last 24 hours that in some way has contributed to making life more wonderful for somebody. Now, how do you feel when you are aware of how that act contributed to making life more wonderful for somebody? And every time I ask that question to someone, they have a big smile on their face."

Even as I read this, I felt the grin spread across my face, down into my heart...and on through my body. So I got to thinking, maybe instead of 'trying' to do a Gratitude Journal, you could start your day like that. First thinking about what you have done in the past 24 hours to increase the Wonderful Factor. Then to sit for a bit and think of what you can do today. 5 minutes. That's all it takes (maybe less!). To lie there in your cozy bed for 5 minutes and think of ways you could increase the flow of Feel Good Energy. Now...if that's still a puzzler, here are some ideas for ya:

~~~While you're out and about today, whenever you catch someone's eyes, SMILE. You don't even have to say anything. Just give 'em a big ol' grin.

~~~Open a door for someone. And then...smile.

~~~Let that person whizzing my you on the road go ahead of you. Just slow down and let 'em in. And then...smile.

~~~Help that elderly lady with her groceries. Offer to put them in her car for her. Or push the cart to her car. Or let her get in front of you in the checkout line. And then...smile.

~~~Send somebody a card. For no particular reason. You can get really fun cards at Trader Joe's for a mere 99 cents. Before you seal it, draw a smiley face. (you didn't think I was going to forgo the smile part, did ya?)

~~~Buy (or bake) some cupcakes. Put them in a box and go to your nearest car dealership. (stay with me here!). I know...most folks loathe car salesman...but listen up...those guys work their butts off (I know. I used to sell cars. It's a horrible way to make a living. You have NO idea what kind of boneheads run those joints, nor how much one must fight to be real with their customers. It's a nightmare!), and most of them (even the ones who ARE honest and real and have integrity) are treated so poorly by everyone, it's a miracle they're not homicidal maniacs. So then...drive on over to the car dealership and hand out some cupcakes. I kid you not, you WILL feel wonderful doing it...and so will they. (don't forget the smile!)

~~~If that's too much of a stretch, bring those cupcakes to a nursing home. Talk about WONDERFUL! Oh yea. You'll be doing a Happy Dance on your way back to your car. (Need I mention the smile again?)

~~~Pack a sack lunch. You know...sandwich, cookies, an apple, a bottle of water and maybe a little happy note to go inside the bag. Then toodle on down to the nearest corner where the homeless hang out. Whoever walks over to your car first...give them the sack lunch. And a smile.

~~~Write a letter to someone you love. Tell them how wonderful they are. Tell them how much you appreciate their presence on the planet. Put some sparkly confetti in the envelope. Don't sign the letter or put a return address. Send it anonymously. In this case, the sparklies are your smile.

You get the idea, right? It doesn't have to be anything huge. A simple, genuine smile is all it takes. The more you do this kind of stuff, the more your own Wonderful Factor increases. And it spreads out and out and out into the world, one little smile at a time. Corny? You betcha. Effective? ABSOLUTELY!

P.S. One more thing to note: if you will begin this practice today, and do it every day for 21 days, you will have created a new 'habit'. Because that's all the time it takes to create a habit. 21 days. After that, you might just find that Gratitude Journal something you don't want to live without. And that, my friend, is what Joy is all about.