Comment if you wish to be added. I'll decide from there. If I add you, go here to find out a little bit more about me.
- Mood:
determined
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amused
- Mood: amused
- Mood: amused
But I swear to God, if there's another Scooby Doo story in this one, I'm throwing it at the wall.
I like the cover, though.
Some humor via ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
darkladyothsith
- Mood: amused
sad- Mood:
shocked
Sneak at peek at Sea World San Diego's Shamu!
Edited to add: The cam runs 9am to 5:30pm Pacific time, and the shows are at 11am, 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. The 3pm show is only on Saturday, it seems. Tune in at those times and you may see some tricks!
Gratitude
I see the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Today, you get a video, because I simply can't say it better than this:
As I go around with my camera and get back into photography, I'm continually amazed at how beautiful our world is. And I always come back to the realization that there's really nothing better in the world than my husband's smile. A little thing that's not so little, really. :)
Today, take a few moments to appreciate the things that you usually don't think about: listen to the wind in the trees; watch a bluejay hunting for food; people watch and think about the amazing variety of people that there are; pet a cat and concentrate on how soft its fur is; look at a flower at it moves with the breeze... the possibilities are endless. Have a wonderful day!
- Mood: peaceful
Compassion
When I develop a bigger perspective, I gain compassion for people.
Most of the time, I'm relentlessly forgiving towards people. If someone snaps at me, or someone is thoughtless, I usually try to see what might be going on to make them be like that. For example, if a sales clerk is short with me, I wonder what happened before I got there that might have ruined their day.
I've tried to do this with the world in general, but I find that "the world in general" often depresses me, because there's so much negativity. I find it better for me--and more effective--to take things one person at a time. I may not be able to affect the world, but I can affect a single person. And that's really the best place to start.
I'm put in mind of something that John Denver said during one of his concerts... basically, he said that you personally don't have to save the world, that all you have to do is what you can, and when others do the same, something wonderful will happen. So I guess my "bigger perspective" is to see what individuals can do when they put their minds to it, because the sky really is the limit, even if you start small.
Today, take a vow to be compassionate. If someone's rude to you, don't return rudeness to them--smile and take a deep breath, and realize that you too have had your bad days when you were also deserving of compassion. Think of what a wonderful world it would be if more people could practice this skill.
Quiet Mind
Every moment I spend in quiet contemplation brings healthy balance to my busy, over-stimulated life.
This is something that I try to do every day. I usually spend my lunch hour sitting outside. I do bring a book, but I spend a good amount of time staring off into space instead of reading. I take walks on my breaks. I find that if I don't do this, I get pretty tense during the day. I'm naturally a rather solitary person, so I need my "alone time" every day. (That doesn't apply to my husband, however... he can be around as much as he wants.)
I still want to learn to meditate. I think the Women's Center will be offering another basic meditation class this fall, and I hope to get into it this time (it fills up fast).
You know, I'm finding that the daily thoughts are already getting repetitive... this is pretty much what I wrote about late last week. I may switch over and start writing about the concepts from the actual Don't Sweat the Small Stuff book. Any opinions?
- Mood:
contemplative
Abundance
The only limit to my financial success lies in my limited thoughts.
Well, this one's a little tougher nowadays, given the state of the economy. So instead of shooting for the moon in this instance, let's look at little ways you can increase your money in positive ways, with an eye to where it may lead.
One of the things I do is my reviewing. That gets me my monthly book money. :) It's small but quite worthwhile. And if I want to build on it, all I need to do is put more time in my website and set up donations through the site. *shrugs* It's up to me how much work I want to put into it. (And admittedly, I need to put more work into it... I'm coming out of something of a doldrum recently...)
How about arts and crafts? Knitting yields useful items, as does cross stitch. There are still craft fairs that go on throughout the year... or you could start a small home business selling what you make. Same goes for photography (prints, bookmarks, cards, etc., and this is something I'd like to do), woodworking, beading, etc. Depending on what you choose, this could also be a good way to save money--working on crafts as a pasttime instead of being tempted to go out.
Something many people miss is that even doing small things--or even volunteering--can lead to other opportunities. Think long term every now and then.
Find something that you love, do it, and see if there are any ways to turn what you love into something that can help support you. You really have nothing to lose but a little of your free time. Be creative! Think of the clever things you see on a regular basis and think "Wow, I wonder where they got that idea?" You can do it too!
Today, take a moment to think about how you might creatively increase your finances... or perhaps how you might creatively spend less. See how many ideas you get. Don't worry if they seem silly or "out there". You never know when or where inspiration will strike!
Kindness
The more kind and gentle I am, the more positive energy I bring to my home, my job, and the world.
Just by the fact that it's Friday, I think some positive energy is being put out there!
Let's brainstorm some ways to bring positive energy to your life today.
Smile at the cashier when you go to the store or to get coffee, even if they're not cheerful to you. They might just be having a bad day and need someone to care.
Drop a note to a friend just to say hi.
Hold the door for someone with full hands.
Compliment a co-worker on their outfit or on a task that they've done.
Pet a dog/cat.
Sign the petition protecting our state parks. (Yes, I'm still on that.)
Offer to run an errand for your significant other or for someone you work with.
Give a hug.
Be forgiving to yourself.
How can you bring more positivity, light, and love to the world today? Think about it, and then go out and do those things. When it comes down to it, the people that we know are the most important parts of our life--let's not forget that!
Abundance
The ceiling of my prosperity is defined by my thoughts. I choose to think big.
Boy, do I ever. I keep thinking that I can change the world, that one person's words can actually make a difference. Here's hoping.
My problem is actualizing my thoughts. I tend to overwhelm myself and then freeze up and do nothing. It's something that I'm working on, slowly but surely. These little daily posts are actually helping, believe it or not. I have to remember to keep thinking big, but to also think in manageable chunks. Not as easy as it sounds.
It's also a good thing to keep negativity away from myself while I'm in this process. It really cuts into the energy I try to put into keeping my goals high.
My own goal? Well, I want to get into good writing habits such that my website will become something useful. I want to get people into reading, and I want them to realize what a beautiful state California is despite our troubles. I want to inspire both imagination and conservation.
Those are my goals.
Quiet Mind
I take time to rejuvenate myself in silence
The world is too noisy. I do this all the time. It's why I walk in the Arboretum and watch the ducks and herons. It's why I get out of the office on my breaks. It's why I read a lot. Silence is golden. If I get the chance, I'm going to learn to meditate.
People talk too much, and rarely do they take the time to listen. I run into this far too often. I've gotten into the habit of talking far less than I used to. I still talk a lot to my husband, but that's about it. This also forces me to think more about what I DO say, which is always good. Too many people open their mouths (literally or figuratively) and don't really think about what they're spewing out there.
Nature is great for silence. One of the main reasons I go to the ocean is to sit and watch the water. No music on the MP3 player, no chattering people, no phones ringing... just the sounds of wind and water. Sit there long enough, and you can watch the rhythm of the tides and the turning of the day. It's a humbling experience. Another way to find the particular brand of silence that nature provides is to lay on your back at night and watch the stars for a few hours. Eventually, you'll tap into the turning of the sky and feel like you're pinned to the earth below it. Go to a redwood forest and listen to the wind in the treetops. Head to the mountains and sit by a lake or a waterfall. Find a meadow and sit where the tall grass blocks out your view of everything else.
Today, find silence (or discover it if you haven't already). Get to a place where you can leave the noise of the world behind for a while. Take that silence into yourself and see what it can do for you.
- Mood:
tired
Kindness
The secrets of love reveal themselves to me when I act with kindness.
Again, today will be short, due to imminent raging migraine. I think that as often as not, kindness helps us understand such emotions as tolerance and patience instead of love. Oh, love can certainly be in the mix, but I think that oftentimes the choice to display kindness is a conscious choice over more negative emotions. How many of us can honestly say that we, without any effort, display loving kindness all the time?
There is so much negativity in the world today that I think that before we learn to love, we must first learn to be patient and see past the negativity. For example, say I go to a store and run into a grouchy clerk. My first instinct is to wonder what kind of day they've had that might get them to that point... that's the patience and tolerance. And sometimes, it's that very patience that gets people past the negativity--most of the time, people just want to be understood. And we can give that understanding, if we have the strength.
Now mind you, there are some things that you don't tolerate, like physical violence or malicious cruelty, but that's a whole different class of actions that are not applicable here.
So today, if someone ticks you off, see if you can dig deep and find some tolerance with which to deal with them. Who knows?... you might just be the thing that pulls someone out of the abyss.
- Mood:
headachy
Power to Choose:
I voice my love and support for others rather than assuming that they know how I feel.
I'm keeping this short today because, quite frankly, I'm not in the mood. But here's the thing: if you hear from me in some way, shape or form, I care about you. Be that an e-mail, an LJ comment, a phone call, etc. That means that I'm thinking of you. My innate shyness can crop up even with people that I know well, so sometimes it's just easier for me to drop you a short line. And it may not be hugely often. But it does mean that I'm thinking of you fondly.
And I tell my mate that I love him and believe in him and support him all the time. He's the first and only person in my life that I have been able to say such things to without reservation. Guess I just needed to wait for someone worthy of it.
Don't wait to let the people close to you know that they mean something to you. You always think you'll have time, but one day you will run out of time. Do it now.
- Mood:
blah
Problems as opportunities
I have more energy to solve my problems because I struggle with them less.
Ah, an easier one than the past couple of days! Thank goodness. :)
This one, I sometimes have trouble with. It can be easy for me to get stuck in the mindset of "Oh no, there's this problem" and not get past it into "Let's solve the problem" as quickly as I could. But then again, it's useful at this point to break down the kinds of problems that can rear their ugly little heads.
I think the most useful differentiation (for me, at least) is problems with a situation and problems with people. Yeah, they can overlap, but bear with me. Last year, Tagg had to have emergency surgery. It was not the best 24 hours of my life, as you can imagine. And with someone as nervy as I am, you'd think that something like that would have floored me. Not so. I got him to the emergency room, sat with him until he was admitted, called both of our works and arranged time off, ran home to get him some clothes and toiletries, went with him to the prep room, waited until he was out so that I could sit with him until my folks arrived to help, and got him home and settled. I did what needed to be done. The exhausted collapse came later.
By contrast, when the problem involves a person, I tend to freeze up and take no action, because I doubt myself deeply when personal interactions are involved. I know that this is a remnant of spousal abuse, and I'm working to deal with it. But the fact remains that my self esteem can occasionally tank when I'm in conflict with someone. It's been less of a problem recently, thank goodness, as I've needed to be strong in a few situations.
The thought that occurs to me while typing this is that the opportunity spoken of here could very well be the opportunity to better yourself through the resolution of conflict. The need to resolve something can give me a wonderful opportunity to examine myself and set myself on a path to becoming a better person.
It can also be the opportunity to accomplish something that maybe you couldn't before the problem occured. I'm specifically put in mind of the recent upholding of Prop 8 by the CA Supreme Court. While so many people were stuck in the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" phase, two lawyers got together and drafted a proposal that they plan to introduce to the US Supreme Court. Rather than grieve for a temporary loss, they used the impetus of the decision to bolster them... and the case may set a precedent that will allow other states to have gay marriages that might have been bogged down until now (like CA is). But if CA hadn't had the events of the past couple of days, the Federal resolutions might not have happened--or been possible. Of course, the flip side to this is the CA budget woes. With much of the state's populace putting their foot down on the issue of government spending, we have the CHANCE to turn things around here, but I don't know that we will. I can hope that things like free aid to illegal aliens will be eliminated and that we can start helping our state's legal residents, but I'm sure that's wishful thinking.
On the level of interpersonal conflict, problems can be the opportunity to examine your own motivations for your actions. For someone like me, it can be a good chance to check in with myself and see if I have been assertive without degenerating into meanness or passive aggressive brouhaha... or if I've just been too passive. I have used recent conflicts (both at work and otherwise) to practice maintaining my own self esteem, and my own trust in myself and my ability to read/handle/judge situations.
So today, I ask you to think about recent times when you've had a problem (or maybe you're in one now), and ask yourself if you worked through it with a negative attitude, or if you took the positive approach. Can you learn something from the process of dealing with conflicts? Can you use that energy to further your own growth?
- Mood: contemplative
Kindness:
In every situation, I ask myself if there is any way I can express kindness.
Oh boy... this is a tough one right now. I'm not feeling very kindly today, and I am in fact dealing with a lot of anger. I'm not sure if I should even try to address this subject today, but I've made a committment to myself to keep trying to explore these affirmations, and so I will.
Okay... *deep breath*...
*deep breath*...
*counts to ten and takes yet another deep breath*...
This is a principle that guides a lot of what I do, and it has also been one that I've had to be careful not to take too far. There's a fine line between kindness and "doormat". My first instinct is almost always to see the good in people, or at least the kindlier motivation for their actions. I look for ways to let people know that they are appreciated. I'm known as a fairly forgiving book reviewer, because no matter what, I try to find something good to say about any book I read.
I think, however, that I have confused "kindness" with "the high road" in many cases (hence the whole "doormat" issue). In essence, I often forget to be kind to myself... and that is one of my worst failings as a person. And because of that, I have little experience with balancing kindness to others with kindness to myself. I often come out the loser in any conflict between the two.
At this point, I fall back on etymology. "Kind" can mean "being good to people", or it can mean "someone like you" (as in "This is my kind of person!"). Therefore, "kindness" could be read to mean "treating someone the way you yourself wish to be treated". Kindness is basically the Golden Rule, then. "Do unto others as you would have done unto you."
So, today I ask you all to examine your actions and ask yourselves if you can find more ways to be kindly. Lord knows that we need all the kindness that we can get in this day and age. I ask you to choose kindness over selfishness, over vengeance, and over ego. The karmic debt may just come back to you someday. Put some positive energy into the world today.
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blank
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