Half Full Friday & Aloha Friday question of the week!

Tweet

"There are three things that a child can teach an adult:  To be happy for no reason; to be always busy doing something;  And to know how to demand - with all one's might - what one wants." - Paulo Coelho

Half Full Friday is a series of weekly posts that Eye Girl originally started in June 2009.  Now the it is hosted by Sprinkles at Wyldechylde.  We believe that a lot of our happiness is determined by our attitude about the things that happen to us. So by participating, we are deciding to see the glass as half full, instead of half empty. We are choosing to concentrate on the positives, instead of dwelling on the negatives. Our Half Full Friday posts are a way to do just that. They are a list of the things in our life that have brought us happiness over the past week. We are determined to find the something good in every day. Are you?

Laughter, joy and happiness is healthy for you. They say laughter is the best medicine. It can cure illness and extends life. A good laugh boosts the immune system, relieves depression and stress, relaxes all the body's muscles, is good exercise for the heart and helps prevent heart attacks, it cleanses the lungs, and provides an overall sense of well being.

We don't need to wait for someone else to bring us happiness - happiness is a choice we can make at any time we want. You can choose to look on the good side of things and take life more lightly, or you can choose to think gloomy and sad. It's up to you. Life is the movie you see through your own eyes - it's up to you how you take it.

Let there be

more joy and laughter

in your living.

~ Eileen Caddy ~

For the next week, we challenge you to keep a list of at least one thing that brought you happiness each day.  This is what I'm Happy for this week:

• I'm happy for being alive!  Yes, alive.  I had a total of 5 (small, yet scary just the same) gas leaks on my New furnace last weekend... with 2 of my sons home sleeping.  So glad I came back home after running local errands (instead of driving to the 'city' for groceries) Saturday morning.  This was the 3rd time since my furnace was put in.  Thank goodness I am extremely sensitive to smells. 

• I'm happy that my son had a good first week back at college!

• I'm happy the baby shower we gave a co-worker went very well!  She's having a boy.  Very excited & Happy for her.

• I'm happy for the positive energy I have and used to get a great deal done in the last week!

• I'm happy I'm close to having my entire basement cleaned out!  Goodwill 'loves' me! lol

• I'm happy my oldest son is coming home again this week to spend time with his brother!

•  I also want to say Thank you to Jules, for the frying pan picture!!  Loved it!! :-)                        

"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost." ~H. Jackson Browne

It's also "ALOHA FRIDAY" Everyone!!  If you want to join in the fun? Post your own question on your blog and leave your link at the Aloha Friday post at An Island Life. Then you can visit the other participants if you wish...It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends or see what people are thinking about this week and join in a conversation or two if you like.

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance." ~Franklin P. Jones  

My question:  What is something a child/children have taught you?

My answer:   Most Adults are filled with fear of the unknown in each day... instead of anticipation and excitement that children have.  We are not born with 'fear'.  We are born Happy and wanting to try new things without fear holding us back!  You can see that with Children.  They don't have fear... they are Happy until they are filled with fear.  By the time we are Adults, we have... sadly, turned that all around.

"You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing. What?! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long? Never in his life will he be so busy again." ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

Love & Hugs!
~ Coreen

Every Monday Matters - Thank a Firefighter!

everymondaymatters.com

 Tweet 

FACTS

There are over 1,149,000 firefighters.

72% of firefighters are volunteers with 70% or more of fire departments 100% by volunteers.

More than 118 firefighters die in the line of duty each year.

1.6 million or more fires are reported annually.

Fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined, with over 4,000 deaths annually.

The U.S. has one of the highest rates of death due to fire in the industrialized world.

TAKE ACTION TODAY
When you see firefighters in uniform, walk up and thank them for keeping you and your community safe.

Get out of the way: pull your car to the right when you hear a siren or see a fire truck with its lights on.

Organize your friends, co-workers, neighborhood, or child’s class to create and deliver thank-you cards to your local fire station.

Become a Jr. Fire Marshall (for kids).

Develop a fire escape plan for your home.

Donate to firefighter benefits and causes.

Minimize your risk of fires — install smoke detectors, keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, don’t overload power plugs, clear brush from around your house, and don’t flick your cigarette butts.

YOU MATTER
Every day firefighters put their lives on the line to save people and property. Many of these firefighters are volunteers, so let’s “pay” them by showing our appreciation, thanking them for the valuable service they provide, and letting them know that we are very aware of the significant positive impact they have on our communities. Firefighters, whether paid or not, make an incredible difference in our lives—so let’s make a difference in theirs.

Get Out Safely: A factsheet on fire escape planning
Firefighter Cancer Support Network
Smoke Detectors: Reviews
U.S. Fire Administration for Kids


These people are true heroes!  Especially for both myself and my sons... from personal experiences! :-)
I have always lived in rural areas where our firefighters are always Volunteers & have had several calls over the years for both small fires on the farms I've lived on. I've also had volunteer rescuers save my youngest son's life Twice! The first time when I went into pre-mature labor 10 weeks early! The second time when my son was 3 years old and accidentally fell in our back yard. A freak accident in which my son's tooth went threw his face. He may have bleed to death if it weren't for the volunteer squad. I had never seen so much blood before and we lived almost an hour from the hospital! I still know and Value all those volunteers back home!!
:-) ~ Coreen
What is the Every Monday Matters program?

Monday used to be the least favorite day of the week, but that is changing. EMM is based on the idea that every Monday people can make a difference in their life and the lives of those around them. No matter how big or small the actions, they matter. And not only do people have the power to make change, they have a social responsibility to do so. Not out of guilt, but out of an appreciation for every living thing in the world. Together, each person can make a difference in the world and raise the collective consciousness, thereby creating a legacy worth participating in…one Monday at a time.
For more information about the EMM movement visit: http://www.everymondaymatters.com/
 

Life is too short Not to be Happy now!

Tweet

"As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do." ~Zachary Scott

By madobox

"Begin doing what you want to do now. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand, and melting like a snowflake." ~Marie Ray

I'm taking a break this week from my usual 'Half Full Friday' post.  Although I am personally doing well, it has been a very sad and tragic week in our metro area.  First was a school shooting yesterday resulting in the death of an assistant principle who helped so many young people.  Her 59 birthday would have been today and 100's of former and current students came out today to pray together and to sing her 'Happy Birthday'.  What a tribute in spite of such a tragic, senseless situation. 

Then this morning a young man was critically injured in a horrible accident while working with the railroad.  I haven't heard what his current status is, but I am praying for him, his family and whoever's mistake caused the accident.  So sad for everyone involved, all the way around!

Finally, there was yet another senseless shooting this afternoon in which an man was killed for no apparent reason.  Again... so tragic, senseless and incredibly sad for the families involved.

All of these recent events have lead me to think about my own life and the lives of those I care about more than ever.  I've been thinking about those of us who 'wait'.  'Wait' to call someone they want to... for whatever 'good' reason they have.  'Wait' to tell those they care about... how they feel.  'Wait' to see the people that they care about. 'Wait' to be Happy... to be Loved... to do what their hearts are tugging them to do.

The sudden deaths of people we know personally and those we hear about on the news, should remind us all that life is very short... too short not to follow our hearts and find amazing happiness 'Right Now'!  Happiness that we all deserve!

So if you miss someone... call them.  If you want a hug from someone... go see them.  If you wonder how someone feels... ask them.  And above all.... if you love or care about someone... tell them... today!  Because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow or even a second chance.  Only the chances and opportunities we have right now... this very day, at this very moment.  Think about it and above all... follow your Heart and be Happy... today! :-)

Some Interludes of Life:
"This is dedicated to my wonderful friends and family who enrich my life with the treasure of their being.  May your soul decisions always be made with your heart, and not with your head."

There are moments in life when you really miss someone that you want to pick them up from your dreams and hug them. Hope you dream of that someone.

Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want in life.

When one door of happiness closes, another opens. But we often took so long at the closed door, that we don't see the one which has been opened for us.

It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.

A careless word may kindle a strife; A cruel word may wreck a life; A timely word may level stress; A lovely word may heal and bless.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along the way.

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we should know how to be grateful for that gift.

It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone special.

It's OK not to say goodbye... if you really don't want to.  It's also OK to leave the door open... if you want to.

Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched and those who have tried. For only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives.

Love comes to those who still hope even though they've been disappointed, to those who still believe even though they've been betrayed, need to love those who still love, even though they've been hurt before.

It hurts to love someone, and not to be loved in return but what is most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let that person know how you feel.

The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past. You can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back. Don't expect love in return, just wait for it to grow in their hearts but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

There are things you love to hear but you haven't yet.  And there are things you'd like to say but you haven't yet.  Say what you need to say first... and maybe, just maybe you'll hear what you want back.  Either way, you'll feel better being honest and speaking from your 'heart'.  

"Now is not the time for regrets...it is a time for dreams to come true. To do those things one has been putting off. Time to move forward and embrace life with all your heart!!" ~ added by SueAnn from SueAnn's Journey

Hypnotherapy 101 ~ By S.K. Smith

Tweet 



holisticlightawakenings.com

 Are you looking for direct access to your subconscious? Do you want to deepen your own self-understanding and change the habits or tendencies you don’t like about yourself? Are you prone to stuffing your face when you are upset? Do you have a few too many drinks when you are overwhelmed? Do you lash out at the very people who love you most when you’re disappointed in yourself? Hypnotherapy could help you change these self-destructive behaviors.

Contrary to popular belief, being hypnotized does not give anyone else (namely, the person doing the hypnotizing) the power to alter your consciousness. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Hypnotherapy teaches you to master your own states of awareness. In the process of what is essentially a very deep, guided relaxation, you are led to the root causes of your behaviors and habits (i.e., smoking, overeating, abusive relationships), and opened up to the possibility of replacing them with newer, healthier ones.

Here’s how it works:

We Are the Sum Total of Our Experiences
When something happens to us, it sticks — at least in our subconscious. As a result, we learn a particular behavior in response to the occurrence. Then, each time something similar happens (read: we feel rejected or abandoned, we fail at something or get too vulnerable to someone) we repeat the same reaction. Thus, unhealthy habits and behaviors are formed.

The Power to Change
These are exactly the problems hypnotherapy aims to change. In some types of hypnotherapy, a trained therapist will guide you to remember the instigating event (the one that brought on that first reaction). From there, they can help you to separate that memory from the learned behavior, and change the way you react going forward. You’ll start by reframing the problem in question, becoming relaxed, and letting go of your negative thoughts. Then, your therapist will help open your mind to the desired goal with concrete suggestions.

A common example? If quitting smoking is the goal, your therapist will suggest that you now strongly dislike the taste of cigarettes. Then, you will return to your usual state of consciousness/awareness, and with your therapist, reflect on the experience.

Mind-Body Connection
The reason this works is that during hypnosis you become deeply relaxed, your blood pressure and heart rate are lowered, and even your brain-wave activity changes. Basically, you’re physically at ease but mentally focused, which makes you highly responsive to suggestion. Some people are more responsive than others to hypnotherapy. It’s been said that you truly have to want to change for the process to have its full effect.  ~ By S.K. Smith
 

The 7 Lies We Tell Ourselves.... By: Eric J. Leech

 Tweet 

Lushpix Stock Images

Humans are great liars, telling an average of 1,000 lies per year to others – but the number of lies we tell ourselves is much higher. People often don’t even realize that they’re lying. It’s almost a protective reaction to help us feel better about ourselves and the world around us. While some people think that this reaction is quite innocent, the seven lies I’m about to introduce you to can actually be quite harmful.

Lie #1: I must have the love and approval of others. Many people desire the approval of others, but it’s a hurtful lie when we build our lives around satisfying others, without taking our own needs into consideration.

Lie #2: Happiness is caused by external events I have no control over. Believing that we have no control over our own happiness sets us on the road to unhappiness. This is the lie that tells us that good things only happen to lucky people, and we just aren’t lucky.

Lie # 3: Things must be the way that I want in order to be happy. We all have goals in life, but when the outcome of your goals dictates your happiness, you are no longer living with reasonable expectations.

Lie # 4: My happiness is defined by my accomplishments. Many people’s egos urge them to believe that their value and happiness are defined by their accomplishments in life. This may include a raise at work, a softball championship, or winning an argument with a spouse.

Lie #5: To be liked/loved, I must be agreeable. Some folks just can’t say no. Perhaps they’ve said it a time or two, seen the resulting disappointed faces, and vowed to be a yes person. The problem here is that we end up giving up our own life to enhance that of others. While this may appear to be truly generous, it is mostly destructive.

Lie #6: If I had time, I’d… People are always telling themselves that they don’t have time to do the things they truly want to. There are two problems with this. One, this is often an excuse designed to give us an easy way out of our fears of failure, and two, if we are truly that busy, you need to heed the advice in Lie #5.

Lushpix Stock Images



Lie #7: A little white lie never hurt anyone, including myself. This is one of the biggest lies of all because it perpetuates unhappiness. If you try to protect yourself from life by lying, you are only hurting yourself worse. Sometimes in life we must experience pain and disappointment to find true success, love, and happiness. Life wouldn’t be worthwhile if it was easy.  By: Eric J. Leech



What are your favorite lies that people tell themselves… or should stop telling lies?

 

Every Monday Matters ~ Eat Healthy

Tweet 

everymondaymatters.com

FACTS

Annual costs for chronic diseases in the U.S. is big money:

          $117 billion for obesity

          $73.4 billion for high
          blood pressure

          $448 billion for heart
          disease and strokes

          $50 billion for weight-loss aids, diet foods, supplements,
          and weight-loss medications—and obesity is still increasing

79% likelihood exists that an overweight child will become an overweight adult.

75% of adults don’t eat the recommended daily 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables.

Snack consumption by children has increased 300% from 20 years ago.

400,000 people die annually from poor eating habits and laziness.

French fries are the most eaten vegetable in the U.S.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

If you suffer from or have a family history of any of the afore mentioned chronic conditions or diseases, consult your family physician for dietary counseling.

Although every individual is unique in his or her dietary needs, here are some ideas to help all of us:

Eat more dark green vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, low-fat milk products, and lean meats.

Eat fewer foods with refined grains and sugars; reduce your intake of fatty foods with empty calories; and eat smaller portions.

          Eat slowly so that you will feel full before you’ve overeaten.

          Don’t reward yourself or children with food.

          Limit snacking.

          Develop a routine and eat at similar times each day.

          Drink plenty of water.

          Eat to live; don’t live to eat.

YOU MATTER

You deserve to be in good health. For most, diabetes, hypertension, and other obesity-related chronic diseases are preventable by simply eating healthy and exercising. You will feel better than ever both mentally and physically—the only way to really live. If you don’t want to do it for yourself or your wallet, do it for those who love you. Just start…one day at a time.

Healthy Recipes and Meal Ideas

Interactive Meal Planner

Beef, It's What's for Dinner

Eat Slowly to Stay Slim

Got Milk.com

What is the Every Monday Matter's Program?

Monday used to be the least favorite day of the week, but that is changing. EMM is based on the idea that every Monday people can make a difference in their life and the lives of those around them. No matter how big or small the actions, they matter. And not only do people have the power to make change, they have a social responsibility to do so. Not out of guilt, but out of an appreciation for every living thing in the world. Together, each person can make a difference in the world and raise the collective consciousness, thereby creating a legacy worth participating in…one Monday at a time.

For more information about the EMM movement visit: http://www.everymondaymatters.com/

 

Happy New Year!!!

Tweet

A happy New Year! Grant that I

May bring no tear to any eye

When this New Year in time shall end

Let it be said I've played the friend,

Have lived and loved and labored here,

And made of it a happy year.

~Edgar Guest

myfashionlife.com

My Happy New Year wish for you

Is for your best year yet,

A year where life is peaceful,

And what you want, you get.

A year in which you cherish

The past year’s memories,

And live your life each new day,

Full of bright expectancies.

I wish for you a holiday

With happiness galore;

And when it’s done, I wish you

Happy New Year, and many more.

By Joanna Fuchs

Happy New Year, Everyone!  I hope all of you had a Wonderful, Safe New Year's Eve!!   Last year seemed to fly by... at least for me it did.  Although I thought 2010 would end differently that I had imagined a year ago, it was still a Great year!  

Today I planned, made list and organized some things in preparation for an even better 2011!   I feel calmer and more confident than ever.  Completely sure of what I want to do with my life and even more sure of the people I want in my life this year.  I believe that 2011 is the year I will find 'complete' happiness and fulfillment in all areas of my life!  I can feel it... in my heart and soul... I can feel it!!! 

I hope and pray that all  of you find what you are looking for in 2011!!!  Thank you all for being a part of my 2010!!  I appreciate and love you all so much!!

Hugs, Blessings & Much Love,

Coreen