Inner Beauty

"For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others."

~ Audrey Hepburn

The Trouble Tree

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farm house had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire had caused him to miss an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pick-up truck refused to start.

As I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. When we arrived he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked to the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles; he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed by the tree and my curiosity got the better of me.

I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied. "I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, they don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So, I just hang them on the tree when I come home in the evening and then I just pick them up again in the morning."

"Funny thing, though," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remembered hanging there the night before."

The Seven Wonders of the World

A group of students were asked to list what they thought were the present "Seven Wonders of the World." Though there were some disagreements, the following received the most votes: 

1) Egypt's Great Pyramids 
2) Taj Mahal 
3) Grand Canyon 
4) Panama Canal 
5) Empire State Building 
6) St. Peter's Basilica 
7) China's Great Wall 

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student had not finished her paper yet. So she asked the student if she was having trouble with her list. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, and then read:  

"I think the 'Seven Wonders of the World' are:   

1) To See... 
2) To Hear... 
3) To Touch... 
4) To Taste...

5) To Feel... 
6) To Laugh... 
And
7) To Love." 

The room was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are truly wonderous! 
A gentle reminder: 
The most precious things in life cannot be bought or built by man.

Manifesting my dreams into reality....

"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny. " ~ Gandhi

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness." ~ Dalai Lama

"Make a gift of your life and lift all mankind by being kind, considerate, forgiving, and compassionate at all times, in all places, and under all conditions, with everyone as well as yourself. This is the greatest gift anyone can give." ~ David R. Hawkins

"There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way." ~ Buddha

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." ~ Wayne Dyer

"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them. " ~ Thomas Merton

"Just like a sunbeam can't separate itself from the sun, and a wave can't separate itself from the ocean, we can't separate ourselves from one another. We are all part of a vast sea of love, one indivisible divine mind. " ~ Marianne Williamson

"As we cultivate peace and happiness in ourselves, we also nourish peace and happiness in those we love. " ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

"Though you may travel the world to find the beautiful, you must have it within you or you will find it not. " ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life Affirmations

"During my life journey on this planet I shall start each day with these affirmations…"

I am capable. I am worthwhile. I am beautiful. I am lovable. I shall accept both my strengths and my weaknesses for they are me. I shall never again believe the "lie" that if I make a mistake, I am a mistake.

My mistakes are the learning tools that I shall encounter on my life journey. When I learn from my mistakes, I give them meaning. When I give my mistakes meaning, I can begin to forgive myself, I can begin to heal.

I shall not use my mistakes as excuses to give up on me - my mistakes are not me.

I shall seek the wisdom to nurture my heart, mind, body, and soul so that I may feel more centered

• providing an energy reserve that allows me to climb the mountains in my own life
• providing an energy reserve that allows me to love and support others who are climbing a different mountain
• providing an energy reserve that allows time for friends, play, and celebration of life.

I shall allow myself to feel capable - so that I may seek excellence.

I shall allow myself to feel sadness - so that joy may return.

I shall allow myself to feel joy - so that I may be revitalized.

I shall allow myself to feel afraid - so that I may find courage.

I shall allow myself to feel alone - so that I may know me.

I shall allow myself to feel beautiful - so that I may feel free.

I shall allow myself to feel lovable - so that the loving may seek me.

I shall allow myself to feel pain - so that I may heal.

I shall allow myself to feel worthy - so that I may fulfill my purpose.

When I am centered, I see the perfection in the world, myself and others.

When I find the world to be imperfect, I will take responsibility for painting it that way.

I will look into the heart of a rose, or the eyes of a newborn baby and again know perfection.

I take responsibility for creating my own life story through the choices I have made; to blame others is to give away my personal power. Who will I allow to write the next chapter of my life?

I shall seek the courage to believe in a God or Higher Power who will laugh with me in the sunlight or cry with me in the darkness.

I shall make a small difference on this planet through the work I do - when I leave I will have done my share.

I shall live, love, laugh, and learn on my journey.

Look to Nature

Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful.  Everything is simply happy.  Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance.  Look at the flowers - for no reason.  It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are.  

~Osho

Letting Go

Two monks were returning to the monastery in the evening.
 It had rained and there were puddles of water on the road sides. 
At one place a beautiful young woman was standing unable to walk across because of a puddle of water. 
The elder of the two monks went up to her, lifted her in his arms, and left her on the other side of the road. 
 He then continued his way to the monastery.
In the evening the younger monk came to the elder monk and said, 
"Sir, as monks, we cannot touch a woman ?"
The elder monk answered, "Yes, brother".
Then the younger monk asks again, 
" But then Sir, how is that you lifted that woman on the roadside ?"
The elder monk smiled at him and told him 
" I left her on the other side of the road, but you are still carrying her. " 

What I wish I would have known when I was younger....

~ When God closes a door, he opens up a window.

~ The grass is not always greener on the other side.

~ Some lessons have to be lived not taught.

~ Storms always clear up and the sun will always shine again.

~ That trust is something earned, not handed.

~ Everyoone you meet will have an impact on the path of your life.

~ Smoking is not cool!

~ Bad haircuts will grow out.

~ Tantrums don't solve anything.

~ You will find your soulmate, eventually.

~ The truth will always come out.

~ Your eating habits will eventually catch up to you.

~ Respect yourself first.

~ A true friend never leads you into danger.

~ A true love never will abuse you.

~ Life goes fast enough. Stay young and enjoy it.

~ The "nerds" somehow look really good after high school.

~ Nothing good could come out of being out after midnight.

~ Life isn't a contest or beauty pageant. Everyone is beautiful and talented in their own way. You just need to find it in you and let it shine!!

Finally.....

Love like you've never been hurt, Dance as if no one were watching, Sing as if no one were listening, And live every day as if it were your last.