The purpose of money

“Wealth still failed to impress him; the purpose of money was to purchase one’s freedom to pursue that which was useful and interesting.”

~ H. W. Brands, in his biography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin 1767

Today’s Lesson: “Letting Go of Attachments”
This goes along with simplifying your life. And the act of simplifying certainly helps you recognize your attachments. You’ll see what I mean when you start to give away a perfectly good suit that you haven’t worn in ten years. Suddenly that suit looks really necessary. But once you do let go, you never look back. And suddenly you are lighter and freer than ever before.

Using this same thinking will help you to not be attached to money. The greatest asset money has is that it allows us to live our lives more richer because of the free time it gives us in life. Enjoying interesting and useful time with good friends, family and loved ones. One must remember to be wise when money and free time are available in excess because they can destroy a person very easily if one isn’t careful. Go find your purpose, and then be wealthy.

An excellent idea

“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”

~ Aristotle

Aristotle

Such a poignant statement that sums up how we should truly measure ourselves. As I celebrate my 54th birthday today, I will take these words by Aristotle with me as a reminder to live my life each day as someone who lives rightly. Doing so will help me be an excellent human being who has chosen to develop habits that are conducive to a life of excellence. After all, isn’t that what we all want to achieve with our lives? Today, choose to be an excellent person who inspires others to live their life in excellence. This is a most excellent idea. 

Seeing the unseen

“Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you. Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight.”

~ Helen Keller (1880-1968) American Writer

Cover of The Story of My Life

Such a powerful statement by someone who faced so many difficult challenges in her life. This is how Helen overcame her physical “blindness” to the world around her and enabled her to see things in such a way that most who have sight cannot. Everyone is either born with or faces some deficiencies in their life, so learning how to properly overcome them is essential to living a life that is physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy. To learn how to do this, just read Helen Keller’s book entitled, “The Story of My Life” and you’ll be uplifted, overjoyed and renewed with life. Then all you’ll need to do is share your new found abundance for life with everyone you can, and you’ll see your deficiencies disappear for good. You will then become the master of your life. 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year 2013

Merry Christmas everyone! Today is Christmas, a time for people to be with their families and dear friends as they relish the time together on this day of reverence and remembrance   It’s also a time where we reflect on the year that is coming to a close and when we make promises to ourselves to make the next year better than the last.  I encourage you to make the effort during this most cherished time of the year to be a better person who makes a difference in other people’s lives. To be a person who takes better care of them self and cares for the ones you love just as much as you care for yourself. And mostly to become a person who lives a life beyond reproach and encourages others to live their life with zest and zeal, kindness, joy, and vigor.

Here is something to think about as you ponder what you can do to change your life for the better. My advice to you is to live and love in the NOW. The truth is found in the moment NOW and is soon forgotten in the mad dash for NEXT… planning, hoping, worrying, dreaming, leaving the truth unnoticed when it is right NOW to be had in all its glory and wonder.

Defining yourself

“Accept no one’s definition of your life, but define yourself.”

~ Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein

When you listen to others who tell you what kind of person you are (or aren’t), you lose something very important — your own view of yourself. Although it’s important to listen to others who critique you, it’s more important to define yourself by your own measure. You know yourself better than anyone else and you see yourself like no one else does — from the inside out. If you’re going to listen to anyone, just make sure they are people you admire, respect and trust. With their help, you can become someone who others look up to and desire to be like. Just make sure you are in control of how you see yourself, otherwise you will never be all you can truly be. How do you define yourself?

The greatest gift of all

“The greatest gift you will ever receive is the gift of loving and believing in yourself. Guard this gift with your life. It is the only thing that will ever truly be yours.”

~ Tiffany Loren Rowe

The very best gift of all is one you give to yourself. It’s one that no one can take away from you and is free to give. Because of this, you should treasure it like a room full of gold and diamonds and enjoy it as if it really were. What is this gift? It’s loving and believing in yourself.  That’s it! Something so simple to imagine doing but something that many of us don’t do at all. Be one of those who rewards yourself with the very best gift of all — self love and a belief that you can become the person you want to be. Think about how you want to wrap your gift and then surprise yourself with this beautiful gift without hesitation. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself, so do it soon. This is my gift to you.

The Eternal Gift

Finding yourself

“Life on the open road is liberty….to be alone, to have few needs, to be unknown, everywhere a foreigner and at home, and to walk grandly and solitarily in conquest of the world.”

~ Isabelle Eberhardt

Isabelle Eberhardt

Being alone isn’t the same as being lonely. Finding your way through life requires that you do it alone sometimes so that you can become strong enough to endure and bear all the burdens that life brings you. Finding yourself along life’s journey is something that makes you complete and gives you a sense of fulfillment. Take the experiences you encounter on this journey and keep them with you at all times so they can be a shield of armor to protect you from all the arrows life throws at you.  Then you’ll be able to wander this world with confidence and with a commanding presence. Now, go conquer the world with your shield and show others how to do the same.

Meaningful motivation

“When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.”

~ Greg Anderson

Find a reason to live and you will accomplish more than you could of ever imagined. Following are a couple habits you can incorporate into your life to begin living a more meaningful life:

Don’t Believe Your Thoughts
Most people believed their thoughts are the definitive truth about reality. If you think it, it must be the way it is. After serious consideration, you will realize that often you thoughts are completely wrong or just one perspective on truth. It is always good to find evidence to support the opposite of your thoughts, especially negative and limiting thoughts.

Live Through Your Values
Your core values should be the blueprint for everything else in your life. Until you make the effort to understand what your core values are and how to make them central in your life, you won’t give your values a lot of thought. But if your life is aligned with your values, then you have a purpose and guide for every decision and action.

Motivation Rose

Special thanks to Tim Coffey for use of his illustration.

Questions or Answers?

“We do not grow by knowing all of the answers, but rather by living with the questions.”

~ Anonymous

When you think about it, having unanswered questions leave us more curious than actually knowing the answers to them. What questions do you seek to know the answers to in your life? For me, the most intriguing question is: “If there is a divine purpose to our lives, then what is mine?” If I’m here for a specific purpose, then I want to know what it is so that I can accomplish it thereby fulfilling my duty as a spiritual being. I think that by knowing the answer to this question, most all of my other questions will be answered, even if in part. I encourage you to share your most intriguing questions with me that you would like the answers to. Then, perhaps we can know the answer to the question: “What is more important, the answer or the question?

Special thanks to Tim Coffey for use of his illustration.

Remember to remind

“Dedication is simply reminding yourself what you want. Then paying the price to get it… Every day.”

~ John F. Groom

Remembering what you’re dedicated to in life is vital to your success in reaching goals. We all must have something in our hearts and minds that gives us a little more patience, strength, endurance, kindness and wisdom so that we can reach the mark we have set for ourselves. Endurance comes from exercising your mind and your body. All you have to do is get up and start moving. Exercise helps you maintain your weight, it improves your cardiovascular health, strengthens the bones and increases endorphins in the body–hormones that give us energy, make us happier and help ward off stress and disease. If you don’t use the endorphins, you lose them. So, get active and you’ll find that you do better and live longer. Remind yourself of this everyday and you’ll be very glad you did.

Delicate Dedication

Special thanks to Tim Coffey for use of his illustration.

Changing me; changing you

“Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.”

~ Braude

“You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present circumstances unless you change.”

~ Les Brown

Start doing something new in your life that will improve your overall outlook on life and bring you closer to the ones you love the most. Beginning today, you can improve yourself by making changes that will make you a better person and more attractive to those around you. Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously. Choose wisely. Choose honestly. Choose happiness.

Following is a list of the Top 5 things people regretted most before they died:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Be sure not to allow yourself to experience any of these regrets. Take time to show the ones you love how important they are to you and to your well-being. Just like a flower is to a bee.

Friends for Life

Special thanks to Tim Coffey for use of his illustration.

Marry well and you’ll be well

“A mother should give her children a superabundance of enthusiasm, that after they have lost all they are sure to lose in mixing with the world, enough may still remain to prompt and support them through great actions.”

~ Julius C. Hare (1795-1855)  English Cleric

Children need lots of encouragement everyday to get through their lives. If they are blessed with a mother (and father!) who raise them up in a manner that others admire and desire, then they will most likely go on to have successful families. To accomplish this, you must “marry well.” While the phrase “marry well” is typically used to describe people who marry someone rich, I am talking about something entirely different: genetics. Apparently, longevity genes can be inherited. According to a February 2005 study in Mechanisms of Aging and Development, exceptional longevity and healthy aging is an inherited phenotype across three generations. So, for you single people out there, pick a spouse whose grandparents are still alive. This won’t make you live longer, but it might help your children. Then you’ll have a better chance knowing that your children will care for you as you get older. Bless all the mothers and fathers of the world. Let them know today that you love them for all they have done for you.

Nurturing Flower

Special thanks to Tim Coffey for use of his illustration.

New year…new you

“I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning.”

~ J.B. Priestlet (1894-1984) English Author

Start the new year with a new you by opening your mind and letting your spirit run free. Go places you’ve never been before and do things you’ve never tried. Read a new book or write one if you’re so inspired. Make new friends and rekindle friendships you that you have been wanting to renew for so long. Approach each new day as a gift that is opened with excitement and wonder as you search for the magic in the 24 hours you have to make a difference in yourself and the world around you. Be happy, healthy and wise as you go about your life in this new year. Happy New Year to all.

Thanks to Tim Coffey for use of his illustration.

Which way to progress?

Great is the road I climb, but the garland offered by an easier effort is not worth the gathering.

~ Sextus Propertius (50BC-16AD) Roman Poet

“Progress has little to do with speed, but much to do with direction.”

~ Unknown

Lose or Win?

It’s not how fast you go in life that defines progress but more about where you go while on your way there. Making the right choices in life makes all the difference between reaching your goals and dreams and ending up at a dead end. If you choose a path that leads you into a trap, then getting there no matter the speed you travel will most likely lead to trouble and perhaps, even tragedy. It’s always best to ponder over the choice of paths that are before you in life and give careful consideration to the motivation behind your choices before choosing which one to follow. After making your choice, move at a steady pace and allow yourself to make any necessary course corrections due to any detours you may encounter along your journey. Remember that the more tempting road or the one more traveled is not always the best one. Think long and hard before taking a step on to a new path. Life is accomplished one step at a time always doing your best to move forward and not go backward.

Tired of being bored?

“I’ve got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom.”

~ Angus Grossart

Sir Angus Grossart

Are you bored today with nothing to do? If you’re bored in life and can’t think of any reason to find something to do, then do something for the sake of having something to do. Then you will be busy doing something that hopefully at least makes you tired, which is one of the attributes that measure our accomplishments in life. If we’re not working ourselves each day to the point of exhaustion, then we’re not being good stewards to our body. When we exercise our mind and body we are growing and producing something that can nourish and encourage us to do other things that give us motivation to live a more fruitful life. When we utilize the resources within our body to a great extent, it enables us to accomplish much more than if we’re sedentary. Whew! I’m getting tired from just the thought of having to do all the things I have to do today and everyday after.

Silent nobility

“The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.”

~ Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish Writer

Thomas Carlyle

In nature we see a plethora of beauty – plants with colorful flowers; magnificent trees; green pastures; desert cactus; and whispering willows. Yet, we don’t really give much thought to how they actually got there as much as we do enjoying their infinite exquisiteness and allure. Can you think of anything you can do to better the world around you? How about enriching someone’s life with your kindness, generosity, and time. Maybe you are inspiring people with your artistic talents by painting the world around you with your colorful words and/or vivid images. In your life, you must do your best to initiate the same effect as nature’s beauty has on us so that others can enjoy the fruits of your secret nourishment. Are you making the world a better place to live in through your silent work?

Forgetting to forget

“We forget all too soon the things we thought we could never forget.”

~ Joan Didion

Joan Didion

How many times have you forgotten to do something very important that you thought you would never forget? Like the time when you should of called your best friend to comfort them after a tragedy. Or when you didn’t say “I love you” to someone special and then never saw them again. There are lots of things we forget to say or do in our daily grind, so you should record them either on an electronic mobile device or deep in your mind. Then you won’t be caught off guard when someone you know needs to hear the sound of your voice and comforting words. Remembering to do the things you thought you could never forget can have significant meaning to those close to you. Is there someone you should be contacting today?

Say nothing and hear everything

“Don’t speak unless you can improve on the silence.”

~ Spanish Proverb

Vision of Silence

This is a very powerful statement if you really stop to ponder it. How many of us can remain silent for the sake of not saying something that is better than the silence itself. In silence, we can find inner peace, listen to our soul, hear all the things around us, and most of all we can rest our mind. When was the last time you said nothing while in the presence of others or even when alone? Try listening to yourself today and everyday for at least 15 minutes and see yourself transform into something lovely. While in this meditative state, listen carefully to your mind and soul for an awe inspiring message that could lead you to somewhere beautiful in your life. I can’t hear you and it’s a good thing. Shhh…stop now and listen to yourself. 

Happily-ever-after forever

“It is only possible to live happily-ever-after on a day-to-day basis.”

~ Margaret Bonnano

Be Happy

Living a happy life requires a daily devotion to it. This means going to bed with the hope of a better tomorrow and acting on having a better day as you go through the motions of your daily routine. It also means waking up with joy for the chance to live another day that can make your world better and the world around you better. Life is a gift, so we must make the choice to live it with happiness, hope, health and harmony. As you live your happy life, be sure and tell all those around you how happy you are and you will soon see their happiness shine back at you. This is something that lasts forever if you give your happy attitude away for free to everyone. Being high on happiness is the best kind of high for all of us. Remember, happiness is only real when shared.

Turning the worst thing into the best

Will Rogers

“The worst thing that happens to you may be the best thing for you if you don’t let it get the best of you.”

~ Will Rogers

Think back in your life and try to remember the worst thing that ever happened to you. As you reflect on it today, can you say that is was the worst things in your life or did it turn out to be one of the best things? When something catastrophic occurs in our life, it typically remains a very ugly memory for a period of time. As time works on healing your scars from that incident, life sometimes works on turning that incident into something that makes our life better in some way. If time or life hasn’t worked out the pain or memories from that worst moment in your life yet, then give it some time and it just might turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to you.