The End of the World?

Did I truly believe the world was going to come to an end on May 21, 2011? NO. I am not exactly certain why there are people who obsess over this kind of stuff and feel the need to instill fear in people. Haven't quite figured that out and to be honest not certain I even want to waste energy trying to.

I have spent the last two years of my life focusing on living a life of purpose ...living my passion and focusing on what brings me joy. I am comitted to not allowing my career to create a stress in my life that takes me back to a place in time where I was losing control over myself. I am comitted to working hard on maintaining a healthy lifestyle where good nutriution and exercise have become part of my new daily routine ..it isn't a chore it is a welcomed inspiration. I am comitted to healing past hurts and looking deep inside myself so that I may use the experiences in my life to help others and to be a better person each and every day. I am committed to maintaining an open mind that will allow me to have the courage to enjoy and experience new adventures. I want to enjoy watching my son grow as he begins to step out on his own..and to revel in the warmth of family time and time spent with friends that I love and adore.

There are days when these commitments to myself can seem daunting but I have learned to trust my body and myself enough to follow the path it leads me down. I am a thinker always have been , always will be and there are days when my mind never seems to stop. I have accepted that role..quite enjoy it actually! It allows me to question, to explore and to learn.

Do I need to worry about the world ending ...NO. We are all going to have the face the harsh reality that our life on this earth will eventually come to an end someday..until that someday comes I think I will use my energy to focus on the next healthy dish I can have fun cooking!

I prefer to Imagine and live with hope...it serves no purpose to live in fear!

In the opening lines of a new poem I wrote called The World is Changing..."The world is changing before my eyes as rulers crumble and leaders rise"

..the world..our world..your world..my world..is forever changing ..don't waste time wondering when it end...embrace it while you still can!

Dreams to Remember!

"I've got dreams to remember" what a super way to start a Sunday morning! How many people out there have dreams I wonder? I have to believe everyone!

Today is just as good as any to enjoy those dreams whether you are remembering..have decided to take action and make your dream come true or are in the midst of living your dream!

Whatever stage you are in..never be afraid to dream!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if9rI9BoUas

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have the strength, patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world" Harriet Tubman

What Easter Means to Me- Happy Easter Friends!

As I was enjoying my morning cup of java I began to reflect on the meaning of Easter. I have to admit I am not one for the rules of the church but I do consider myself religious. I do believe in a higher power and I believe in the spirit of what that belief instills in the heart. I'm certain everyone has their own meaning of Easter but since this is my blog I will share the feeling from my heart! lol

I like to keep things simple so when thinking about what this weekend represents for me it is about rebirth, coming alive , love, forgiveness, sharing and compassion. So the story goes, in the end Jesus sacrificed his own life to save others. He didn't think twice about it..it was his purpose.

I believe if you keep this thought in your heart then you embrace the meaning of Easter and it is carried throughout the year. What a beautiful feeling to have and to treat others with. It is a reminder that we are human and we all have our quirks but each of us is wonderful in our own way . We all have the opportunity and strength to make changes, embrace changes and enjoy change. Most of all ...once you love, forgive, and have compassion for yourself ...it is easy to share and extend all those magic qualities to others!

What a perfect season to celebrate Easter..a season where everything comes alive after the harshness of winter..a reminder to us all to enjoy new beginnings, and to come ALIVE and enjoy all the colour in life! Each year we are given the opportunity to see , learn and embrace this message until one year you truly "get it"!

Whatever your meaning of Easter is to you...may you enjoy time with family, friends and sneak in a little chocolate too....that is always fun!!!

Do YOU Enjoy Saving Money?

I was recently introduced to the latest craze on the internet that I have to say intrigued me. With the economy the way it is and the increase in prices of just about everything from food to utlities the average income family is having to really pay attention to spending. I know it certainly forced me to make some changes in how I spend my hard earned dollars!

Remember years ago when paper coupons were a big thing and people would check the papers and cut out any coupon that would offer a savings , if you could save 10% on a tube of toothpaste why not?

With the facination of the internet now so prevelant in everyday life becoming one of the leading marketing channels for business , we now have WagJag, Groupon, Koopon and Redtag hitting the stage in full force.

These on line sites are offering huge saving opportunities for consumers on just about every type of item you can think of. It is a win-win situation all around..business owners are advertising gaining new customers by the dozens, consumers are being offered huge discounts and the Wag Jag's of the world are captilizing on an innovative idea that seems to be working.

Before you charge off to buy something..take a moment and check out these sites..you can even set it up so they email you the deal of the day in your area. Deals that crossed my computer were as high as 75% off and greater. The product line is vast from resturants, spa's, kids activities, clothing, trips, life experiences, general intrest lessons in photograhy, bartending etc.. It truly is facinating and it is the real deal!

Come on who doesn't love to save money?

http://www.redtag.ca/

http://www.groupon.com/

http://www.wagjag.com/

http://www.koopon.ca/

Enjoy!!!

You Can't Avoid Stress but YOU can Manage It!

If there is one thing I have learned is that stress can take it's toll on you mentally, physically and emotionally, especially if you don't learn how to manage it. No matter who you are , you have some form of stress in your life at some point,that is the simple reality of life. In the last few years , experiences in my life have taken me down many stressful situations and in some cases I have not made the best choices and mistakes I made a few. Stress made me sick, physically and took its toll mentally. Luckily, I chose to learn from those experiences as I am an optimistic person by nature. I am happy and excited to say today my life is much different.

I am confident when I say my experience has taught that you can manage stress and instead of buckling under the pressure you can rise to the challenge. How is that possible? Well, in my opinion it comes down to how you look at things..and that has to do with your attitude. How we think has a huge impact on our life.

If there is one thing I can say with absolute certainity if you want to stop letting stress manage you , you have to learn to manage it and you have to change the way you approach situations. It all starts with YOU and you willing to make changes.

Here are some tips to help you change your mindset:

1. Start looking at yourself as a problem solver. Rather than wallowing in the issue at this stressing you out..seek ways of solving and believe you me there are always ways!

2. Stop being the victim. Its easy to be the victim but it serves very little purpose after awhile and it is much more useful to feel empowered than feeling disempowered. It is easy to sit and complian and blame everyone else for what has happened. You have to take accountablity for your actions. Whether you dealing with financial, health, relationships you always have a choice and you can control how you react to any situation. It is hard, believe me I know.

3.Look on the bright side. Focusing on the positive side of things is calming and far more productive. Taking a pessimistic view point naturally puts our bodies in a threatening state. Faced with any type of problem rather than catastrophize it , think of positive solutions.

4. Enjoy change. Whenever change is occuring it can be scary and create anxeity. When you view change from a negative viewpoint stress levels can escalate. Thinking of change as a reality of life and exciting helps embrace it in a more non threatening way.

5. Learn to Say NO. Women are often the worst for some reason. We tend to want to be all things to all people. There are times when we have to take a step back when we are feeling a little overwhelmed and be ok with saying NO. You know and understand your energy and time so protect it and use it wisely!

6. Set goals both short and long term. Goals help to organize and bring focus and clarity into our lives. I can't stress enough the importance of this and when you have a clear purpose in life it becomes easier to take charge and manage any stress that enters your life.

7. Strong Relationships. It has been proven that those who manage stress the best have strong support systems. It is important to have people in your life who encourage you, believe in you, listen, want what is best for you and allow you to be who you are.

8. Practice.Hey I know this doesn't happen overnight. We are all human and with any new skill it takes practice. So each time when faced with a new stressful situation if you keep practicing a new way to handling the situation you do start to feel the shift. You will slip from time to time, that is ok. The important thing is being aware!

It is so empowering when you learn that you can manage stress and it doesn't have to manage you!