Taking a Vacation

"It's time to take a vacation!" After the holidays are over -- don't you sometimes feel as though you need a vacation -- just to recover?

Recreation and renewal are extremely important to maintaining a balanced and happy life. I sometimes feel as though we get caught up in the "rat race" too much. I returned from a trip to Hawaii in mid-December -- and it became extremely clear that our society is out of balance. After stepping off the plane, I was just about run over by 10-15 people rushing this way and that with their luggage -- pushing and shoving. No one looking at each other or smiling. No happiness. No friendliness.

It felt very sad to me. Coming from the warmth and openness of the Hawaiian Islands -- back to the rush. What a contrast.

Anyway, I'm very easily caught up in the "thick of thin things" myself -- and have to remind myself to quit working at 10-12 hours per day rather than the 16-18 hours I typically work. So, for New Years -- I've set goals to have mini-vacations throughout the year -- to take breaks and have more fun. Otherwise, life just passes us by.

So, if you feel as I do -- you can change it -- take a vacation, take a step back, look at your life and really ENJOY!

The Secret - Oprah

Hi all,

I wrote a little while ago about The Secret -- as shown on Oprah. And I've had a few comments about how the Law of Attraction works. I just wanted to share a little success story.

Two days ago, it seemed like everything was going wrong in my life. My TV went out. My laptop crashed (with 2 weeks of a huge project going with it, and irreplaceable journal entries). I have been looking for a new roommate and the only ones who have responded to the ads don't speak English. Money has been tight. I've been very sick with pneumonia and bronchitis for the past 2 months. Taxes are coming due. My back and neck have been really bad from an accident 2 years ago, and the pain was becoming unbearable.

Needless to say, things were not feeling very good in my life. I didn't want to focus on the negatives, but they seemed to keep popping up, demanding my attention.

But I want to bring good things into my life. I want to create and have good energy and focus on the many, many blessings that I have.

I got up yesterday morning and decided "Today is a new day". I am going to deal with each thing today one at a time, and not let myself get overloaded, and not worry. I'll just do the best I can and think about how blessed I am.

The day started with my sister-in-law calling me out of the blue. She thanked me for a bed-skirt I gave her last week. She told me that she had been feeling sad and kind of neglected, and had been thinking that she really wanted a new bedskirt. It was something she wouldn't buy for herself, and she hadn't told anyone that was what she wanted. But then out of the blue, at a family gathering, I told her, I'm not sure if you would want this bedskirt, but it's too big for my bed and I thought I'd give it to someone who might need it. She was so happy. So, she called me to thank me -- and to express her appreciation that the Lord knew her, knew what her heart desired, and it was just a small and simple thing -- but it told her that she was loved. It also reminded me that just a small thing can make a huge difference in someone's life. One little phone call reminded me that I am appreciated.

I was so grateful for that call. Sometimes I think we get so busy in our daily lives, that we forget to appreciate each other -- to express gratitude! I want so much to remember and let people know how much they mean to me.

Well, then I ended up going to the Business Expo at UVSC. I decided "I'm going to win something!" I made some great new business contacts, got a free ticket for the event (including lunch), and had a great time. I came home and had a phone call -- I had won a prize! (A golf bag! -- and not that I golf -- but I'm auctioning it off and will probably come out $100 richer). Very cool. I was so happy that I won something! -- I'm still waiting for the call telling me that I won the spa trip! :-)

I took my laptop in and they told me it was likely my hard drive had crashed (thus, losing all my data). I decided that the Lord knew best, and if I had to redo things then I would make it better the second time around. It was also going to cost a few hundred dollars to fix. BUT the guy asked if it was under warrantee -- I certainly didn't think so. It was a hand-me-down laptop (about 3 years old) -- but he looked it up and YES!!!! It was covered. I felt so blessed!!!!

Later the repair shop called, and my hard drive was fine -- it was just the logic board which needed to be replaced. So by next week, I should have a working computer and all of my data back. Again, I felt so blessed!

I really learned yesterday -- about The Secret and how it works. I think it's a daily thing -- reminding ourselves about what to think about, what to focus on, and remembering our blessings. Even the little things... it changes us. It may not change the problems... but it changes us -- it changes our experience. It changes if we can be happy even when there are problems.

Anyway, I know this is a very long post, but I wanted to share my little success yesterday with the principles behind The Secret.

I would love to hear any of your success stories! Please feel free to share. :-)

Negative Thinking

"The most handicapped person in the world is a negative thinker." Heather Whitestone, former Miss America...she is deaf.

There is someone in my life right now who I suppose would be considered a negative thinker. No matter what good things happen in her life, she focuses on the bad. Her job is never right. No one can do what she wants them to do. Everyone surrounding her is incompetent. Negativity permeates.

I have found that that negative thinking creates negative energy. It has come to the point where I no longer wish to spend time with her. I hope she does well in her life. But I wish to surround myself with positive energy and supportive friendships. I hope she will change her paradigms and change her thought processes -- because until she does that, she won't be happy and her relationships will continue to let her down.

I believe in the Law of Attraction. How can we change our own patterns and attract people into our lives who will support us, will see the good in others, will believe in us and our dreams and who will be happy for us when we are happy?

It comes down to what we think about and what we focus on. I have been trying to visualize (with emotion) my ideal life. It's easy for me to identify my perfect relationship, and I'm working on the wealth and physical goals. When I think about what I want in life, I have tons of energy and a smile on my face. It's exciting to think about what's coming. I keep telling myself "Good things are coming!" and I get excited to see what's coming next.

I am excited for my next relationship, for the next big idea for work, and to finish my novel. I can't wait to create the environment at home that I can see in my head. It's so much fun.

And, there is no room for negative thinking in building my dreams!