tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46436767711621066182024-02-06T22:04:15.267-06:00Breathing Room...Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-59580716825852525102013-07-29T22:46:00.000-05:002013-07-29T22:46:00.170-05:00Desiderata<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">...be gentle with yourself.<br />You are a child of the universe<br />no less than the trees and the stars;<br />you have a right to be here.<br />And whether or not it is clear to you,<br />no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7;">~~~Max Ehrmann</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Deja vu.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I feel like I've done this dance before...over and over and OVER again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">It's the dance of one step forward, two (or three or FIVE) steps back!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">It's like the groove in the record has been worn deep and the needle is stuck.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">...and I'm the needle today.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Some days, I feel like I'm making such progress..growth, change, onward and upward...ya know?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But lately, just as I feel like I get a pretty good grip and am just about to pull myself up to the next level...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">BAM!!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I get knocked on my ass.....HARD!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In the past, these feelings have appeared just when I'm getting to the good "stuff"...the "stuff" that I don't want to deal with or the "stuff" that I don't even know is there, it's been buried so deep for so long. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When I keep going, rather than giving up, I have found that the light at the end of the tunnel is usually much closer than I expected.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But today, I'm done.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I don't want to do the work right now.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm tired of picking myself up for the umpteenth time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">When is enough, enough?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I would love nothing better than to shut off the old tapes in my head....but it's just not happening today.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">I am emotionally exhausted.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Everything seems much "bigger" than it probably is..I just can't get the proper perspective right now.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I know it will come and things will look very different soon.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In the meantime, I will try to take the words of Max Ehrmann to heart:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have a right to be here and the universe is unfolding exactly the way it should...whether I can see it or not.</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-86528541800786964962013-07-14T21:42:00.002-05:002013-07-14T21:42:48.121-05:00(Dis)comfort Zone<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvUmyN-wD_sNzP8AzdCZLvomB3ZK9gb05V7pQ-F1Wf-3w2io96QUUBylNReXPs73v0thWCZGZbmLkypYfhHQjIX4pKkrjphz-4RP4r7bmaDPFOMF2uZWcm3l5xA0nqIxnuhxtUqU3FAi-/s1600/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvUmyN-wD_sNzP8AzdCZLvomB3ZK9gb05V7pQ-F1Wf-3w2io96QUUBylNReXPs73v0thWCZGZbmLkypYfhHQjIX4pKkrjphz-4RP4r7bmaDPFOMF2uZWcm3l5xA0nqIxnuhxtUqU3FAi-/s320/images-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3061.M_Scott_Peck" style="text-decoration: none;">M. Scott Peck</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I guess I could just blame it on Mercury retrograde...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">:-)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Something is amiss and I'm not quite sure....what.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Let me just start by saying, fundamentally, all is well. Nothing is wrong, exactly....things just don't feel quite....right.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For the last several days, I have felt off.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Not quite comfortable in my own skin.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Emotionally off balance.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Out of place.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Just plain weird.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">....and the frustrating thing is that I can't attribute this feeling to anything in particular.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;">In some ways, I feel like I'm outgrowing certain areas of my life. I feel like I've just woken up in a strange place, filled with people I don't know who speak a language I don't understand.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I see people, places, & things that I recognize, but I feel less connected to them.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I don't feel like I fit in anymore.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">For many years, this feeling "apart" was normal...uncomfortable, but oddly familiar.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Then my life took a drastic change...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">After some time and a lot of work, I felt like I had found my place in my world. I felt "a part of" instead of "apart from", I felt increasingly secure in my life and confident in my own skin. For the most part, I felt grounded.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Something has shifted and I can't put my finger on exactly<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>what.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">All the changes in my life and the inner work that I have done has not made me more comfortable with uncertainty, but I have acquired tools to work with it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* Awareness is important. I am aware of my discomfort and have discussed it with people in my life whom I trust.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* Communication is critical. I'm talking about the way I feel as honestly as I can.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* Faith is key. Although I may not understand what or why this is happening, I know that I have always and will continue to be taken care of. I also believe that this will make sense at some point...just not today.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So, I share this today because one thing I have learned is that "secrets keep me sick". </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Once upon a time, I was unable/unwilling to share the messy bits of my life with others. I just stuffed them down, self medicated, and denied their existence, insisting that everything was "fine," when it was actually anything but.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today, I can admit when things are not "fine" and try to do something to change them, with a little help from my friends.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today I can sit with uncomfortable feelings without having to resort to unhealthy ways of coping with them.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today I can feel gratitude for feeling uncomfortable because I know that there is growth there. I'm stretching beyond the walls of my comfort zone and that's where endless possibilities exist.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Anything is possible.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Life is good.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">All is well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Peace & love,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">xo</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-46096940981199696592013-07-03T22:41:00.001-05:002013-07-03T22:41:31.861-05:00Celebrate.Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Life sneaks up on us every once in a while and gives us something we didn't ever know we wanted, and lights within us a love we didn't even know existed.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/425914.Shauna_Niequist" style="text-decoration: underline;">Shauna Niequist</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Grateful.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's how I would describe my current state of mind.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Blessed.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's how I would describe my life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today was one of those days that filled my heart with joy and deepened my gratitude and appreciation for my life and the wonderful people in it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Started my day on the mat. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Beautiful way to start a special day.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today was spent in the presence of a woman who is regarded as a living saint by many of her followers, and who radiates pure love. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We went to participate in darshan with Amma, the Indian guru known as "The Hugging Saint".</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What an amazing experience!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I attended this event, alone, last year, but sharing the experience with several ladies from the yoga studio made the experience richer and more special.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">We were serenaded by Lakota Indians, Mexican dancers, and live Kirtan music, as we waited for our turn to receive a hug from Amma. We spent several hours soaking up the energy of this amazing woman. The love in that room was palpable!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Each beat of the drum resonated in my heart cavity and I felt the vibrations course throughout my body. I felt like I was coming back to life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As I reflected on the experience this evening, I was struck by the timing: tomorrow is Independence Day. How appropriate!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 18px;">Today is the day to break free from all the fear based thoughts and beliefs that are holding you back from becoming who you were meant to be.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Today is the day to choose love.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Sure, you won't do it perfectly, but you can be a little better than you were yesterday. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">As a wise woman once told me, "Trying is doing."</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">And if that's not a reason to celebrate, I don't know what it!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Choose Love.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Celebrate Life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">xo</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; line-height: 18px;">For more information about Amma, click here:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c;"> </span><a href="http://amma.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">amma.org</span></a></span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-59420537308032169422013-06-25T23:29:00.001-05:002013-06-25T23:29:25.107-05:00Ready or not<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">“Once your mindset changes, everything on the outside will change along with it.” </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4491185.Steve_Maraboli" style="text-decoration: none;">Steve Maraboli</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">It occurred to me today that we are midway through 2013.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">To say that this year has been "interesting" would be an understatement...<b><i>a lot</i></b> has happened in the last 6 1/2 months. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">I've travelled to Puerto Rico and Italy (solo!), closed the chapter on some areas of my life while exploring some new ones, did a whole lotta interior work (an ongoing process!), and learned some things about myself. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Among other things, I have had the opportunity to practice setting boundaries...something that I have not been very comfortable doing in the past.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">I'm starting to become more clear about what is and is not acceptable or, for that matter <i>welcome</i> in my life. I'm refining the picture of what my ideal life looks like.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">That's not to say that I am under the delusion that I can control the events of my life....far from it! I am just beginning to really understand the concept of visualizing what I want in my life.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">As I have shared several times here, I used to be a cynical, pessimist girl. Not surprisingly, it didn't take much for me to spot the worst in any situation.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Needless to say, instead of serving as a defense mechanism,having that attitude simply attracted more of the same. It was a never ending chorus of, " See? I told you so!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">That got old real fast! But I didn't know any other way....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Fast forward a few years...I was introduced to the work of Wayne Dyer, which in turn led me to Marianne Williamson...and my life changed. I devoured the books as quickly as I could get my hands on them and it was like a domino effect. One teacher led me to another and so on and so on.....</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">My spiritual journey had begun.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">The parameters of my life have shifted since then.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">I have actually been described as a positive person who has a calming effect on others....that one still takes a bit of getting used to! :-)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">But the reality is, most days, <i style="font-weight: bold;">I AM</i> positive....if for no other reason than it feels better! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">The shift occurred by simply learning to make new choices for my life and the way I viewed it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">"I can choose peace rather than this," from A Course in Miracles, was my mantra for the better part of a year. At first, I just repeated the words over and over at work, but slowly, I began to believe them! I could choose to look through peaceful, loving eyes rather than bitter, angry ones. The choice was MINE!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Since then, I have become a bit of a pleasure junkie. I crave a life that makes me happy and experiences that make me feel good. I find pleasure in food, music, spending time with people I love, practicing yoga, meditating, visiting museums, spending time in nature.....the list goes on and on.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">I am getting reacquainted with this part of myself...I lost her there for a minute.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">But she's back!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Maybe I needed to acquire a new sense of appreciation for how my life has evolved...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">I believe I have that now and I am very grateful for it!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">So, Universe....what do have in store for me??</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Bring it!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">I'm ready!!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">Peace & love,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000;">xox</span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-75098394298295941782013-06-23T22:03:00.002-05:002013-06-23T22:03:35.340-05:00Pause<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Open your minds, my friends. We all fear what we do not understand.” </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630.Dan_Brown" style="text-decoration: none;">Dan Brown</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">This has been a pretty amazing week.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">There were a couple of situations that occurred that not too long ago, I may have handled differently. Probably wouldn't have chosen the "easier, softer way" to go about it either. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">I've learned a lot over the last several years, but I'm always a little surprised when I actually apply these skills to a real life situation. Even though my logical mind understands that I have different choices, my default reaction still kicks in from time to time. The difference these days is that I usually don't go with my default reaction....the end result doesn't turn out well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">I used to live my life <b><i>reactively</i></b>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">In all fairness, I didn't know any better. I learned how to (re)act from the people around me. I don't say that to place blame or to avoid accepting responsibility for my own actions...I just didn't have many examples of alternative behavior.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">For YEARS, I blamed other people for what happened to me and the situations in which I ended up. I just couldn't see my part in anything.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">As a result, I rarely took action of any kind that was not the direct result of something else...I was a reaction waiting to happen.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Then things changed.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Even though I've had some years of practice with this new "skill", that old behavior seems to wait in the wings until my guard is down. Thankfully, these days, that reactive stuff happens only within the confines of my mind. I don't react nearly as much as I used to....in fact, the last time it happened was several months ago.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Progress!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Life has handed me a couple of tests this week and I'm proud to say that I think I handled them pretty well.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">* I didn't react.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">* I asked for help.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">* I "paused, when agitated"...instead of saying what I <b><i>really</i></b> thought in that moment. (beware of things you say that you can't take back once you say them!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">* I <b><i>chose</i></b> not to engage.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">* I did my best to act from a place of love and compassion instead.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">As always, I am a work in progress, but I must admit it feels pretty great to see the progress in action.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">More will be revealed...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">Peace & love</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;">xo</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-47477488909711830462013-06-13T22:16:00.002-05:002013-06-13T22:16:53.544-05:00Choose wisely<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07avkS0q_XnKYUCrycsaD8gopzyUO8wQu4gSm6hjpSyLJwLGwZs1BGFXsXF0wiTrjKorWO6CG4vPnEnTYSUXz05adH8czh0Bd7-qa1IW9OqYmrtYv0LiIhRVRfPgZbkd0p2X5-JYLlE4g/s1600/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07avkS0q_XnKYUCrycsaD8gopzyUO8wQu4gSm6hjpSyLJwLGwZs1BGFXsXF0wiTrjKorWO6CG4vPnEnTYSUXz05adH8czh0Bd7-qa1IW9OqYmrtYv0LiIhRVRfPgZbkd0p2X5-JYLlE4g/s1600/images-1.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“I can choose either to be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It's all a question of how I view my life.” </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">~~~ Paulo Coelho</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">2013 has been an interesting year so far.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Lots of changes....lots of growth....some endings and some new beginnings.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Life's funny like that.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I finally feel like I'm coming to the end of the transitionary period and settling into the latest "new" phase of my life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">...and, today at least, it feels REALLY good!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I've said it before, but it bears repeating.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I don't know about you but, my memory is fickle and I need periodic (frequent) reminders of lessons learned. Sometimes learning them involved painful experiences that I would just as soon avoid repeating. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Back to business....</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So one of the invaluable lessons that I have learned is that how I view and experience my life is up to ME!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">*I can CHOOSE to view any situation as an obstacle or an opportunity.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">*I can CHOOSE to be let life happen <i style="font-weight: bold;">to</i> me or I can participate in my own life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">*I can CHOOSE to focus on the bad stuff or I can CHOOSE to look for the good stuff...and there is <b><i>ALWAYS</i></b> good stuff!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">*I can CHOOSE to focus on what I don't have or I can be grateful for what I do.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">*I can CHOOSE to be a victim or I can CHOOSE to take responsibility for my own life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">So today, I CHOOSE to view my life and my experience as the amazing, incredible gift that it is.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I wish the same for you....</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">xo</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-704206371784525532013-05-30T23:36:00.000-05:002013-05-30T23:36:31.883-05:00Tick tock......<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjWQUHDAgvnbeXya_hJb-Aald_XtAKfkWfoYA2qJHM6uTxzwbV09bQUE9SI_kDKHXcGQboeDA65dcib0vRouQmhQDwe2XlkrqO8tDVSeB1bVYrVylwwUOFYRbmeb9g0Bnw4T0MmfTRwev/s1600/hA20BB206.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjWQUHDAgvnbeXya_hJb-Aald_XtAKfkWfoYA2qJHM6uTxzwbV09bQUE9SI_kDKHXcGQboeDA65dcib0vRouQmhQDwe2XlkrqO8tDVSeB1bVYrVylwwUOFYRbmeb9g0Bnw4T0MmfTRwev/s320/hA20BB206.jpeg" width="190" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">The universe doesn’t work on your time, but it does work on your behalf.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">- Spirit Junkie</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I am of the believe that the lessons I need to learn continue to present themselves (in various forms) until I am ready/willing/capable of learning them. While willingness may be a critical component of long term change, sometimes no matter how willing I am, the lesson just doesn't get through my thick skull! I'm a smart cookie, so this tends to be incredibly frustrating.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In times like these, I pray for the remedial version of whatever lesson is present in my life....just give me the Big, Clear, Picture. No symbolism, no metaphor..just give it to me in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>BOLD PRINT.</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">So today, I got a beautiful message in the form of a quote from one of my FAVORITE spiritual teachers: Gabrielle Bernstein. You may remember that I raved about her latest book, <i>May Cause Miracles, </i>earlier this year. As it happens, I just started doing the 40 day challenge again this week with my spiritual partner in crime, <b>E</b>. Today marks Day 3 and today's affirmation states: Love did not create this.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Now, I don't believe in coincidences, so I was especially struck by the quote...and the timing of it appearing on my radar.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The way I see it, this is a gentle reminder from my HP/Divine Spirit/the Universe that everything is working according to plan, even if it's not on my schedule!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">If I stop and take a moment, I realize that there have been loads of times when I couldn't see the Big Picture, but things were going along in exactly the way they were meant to go....it was easy to see the pattern in hindsight, but in the moment, none of it made sense.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Bottom line: I am and have ALWAYS been taken care of. The Universe has my back. Any interference from me (i.e. me trying to "take control"...ha, ha, ha!) just puts a monkey wrench in the situation! I need to stop going against the current. I need to trust that everything will work out exactly the way it's supposed to....and get out of the way!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">My job is to do the footwork; I am not in charge of anything.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">My job is to choose love...always!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">And when I am in fear, choose again.</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-5747646173027070622013-05-27T10:09:00.001-05:002013-05-27T10:09:48.845-05:00For the Vets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"...saying Happy Memorial Day to a veteran is like saying have a good time at a funeral."~~~M.A.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for the men & women who have bravely served our country. It is not a 3 day weekend or a good excuse for a BBQ or the unofficial beginning of the summer season.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I often forget that.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's interesting to reflect on how the original meaning of this (and other) holiday(s) has evolved into something completely different.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now, I am not getting up on a soapbox; I need reminders just like everyone else.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The quote which opens today's blog was posted on the FB page of a guy I know. He's a vet and I was deeply struck by his post. I never thought about how this holiday must feel to the vets who served, lost friends, and are forever changed by their experiences in the field.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I cannot even begin to imagine....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So on this day of remembrance, I wanted to take a moment to say</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><i>THANK YOU</i></b>!</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-41809139919826048362013-05-22T08:31:00.003-05:002013-05-22T08:35:39.330-05:00La Dolce Vita<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Italy.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My favorite place on the planet...bar none.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I returned from my first solo trip last week...8 days in Italy: 4 in Florence (first time!) and 4 in Rome.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was an amazing experience, not without its share of surprises.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I learned some things about myself, which is the unexpected bonus of traveling alone, I guess.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I didn't expect the moments of loneliness, as I am used to spending my days off alone, following my own agenda. But I got through them, & learned to accept the feelings and not let them spoil my trip.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I didn't expect the relief I would feel by honoring my decision NOT to wait in the ridiculously long line to go into the <i>Duomo</i>, simply because I didn't want to wait in the ridiculously long line! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I decided to eat some gelato instead.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The <i>Duomo</i> will be there when I return, and maybe the line will be a little shorter next time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I didn't expect how giddy I would feel when I rediscovered the hotel that I stayed in the first time I was in Rome. It was like coming home...even though I chose to stay someplace else on this trip, I was so happy to reconnect with the neighborhood that I recognized.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I didn't expect how decadent a bowl of pasta could taste...but I sure learned that it could! The farfalle with carciofi (artichokes) and guanciale (pork cheeks) knocked me on my a**!!! It was THAT good! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>Go to <b>Ristorante Bruno alla Lungaretta</b> next time you're in Trastevere!!! Say hi to Signore Bruno for me! :-)</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I didn't expect the sense of awe I would feel in <i>Casa</i> <i>Buonarotti</i> in Florence. I swear, Michelangelo was there in the room with me!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I didn't expect to be so moved by seeing Artemisia Gentileschi's <i>Judith</i> painting, in person at the <i>Uffizi</i>. Speechless. She's pretty amazing. Google her.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I didn't expect to find a fragrance that spoke to my soul...literally! But I did. At <b><i>Aqua Flor</i></b> in Florence. Thank you Kate, for taking the time to share your passion for the elegant fragrances that your husband creates in your beautiful atelier.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I LOVE Derwish, and have worn it EVERY day since I bought it. You were right...it DID speak to me!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm still processing all the details & memories of my trip. It's surreal...in some ways, I can't believe I'm back in Chicago, but in others, the trip feels like a dream. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm sure I will have more things to share in upcoming posts...so get ready!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">:-)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ci vediamo presto!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">xox</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-27289214922719143922013-05-05T09:45:00.002-05:002013-05-05T09:45:58.572-05:00Happy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">“Be happy now, without reason - or you never will be at all.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1539.Dan_Millman" style="text-decoration: none;">Dan Millman</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's here!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's here!!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I feel like a little kid waking up on Christmas morning before going to see what Santa left under the tree. I have been anticipating this day for several months...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and the day is HERE!!!!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I leave for Italy this afternoon!!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This is the very special trip for me. I feel like I have gone through a growth spurt in the last few months...AFGO. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">*another f----ing growth opportunity, for those unfamiliar with that acronym*</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">:-)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am happy to say that I feel the shift that has occurred and can honestly say that I have (for today) learned to surrender people. places, & things beyond my control. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">***and isn't it ALL outside our control, when you really get honest about it??</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I feel like a weight has been lifted and I feel like I can breathe.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am different than I was before this process. I feel more grounded in my body and spirit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I had faith that I would be taken care of (always have been!) and I believed that things would get better (they always do!)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">How funny it is that I forget that when I'm deep in the messy part of transformational change....every single time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thankfully, transformational change is not contingent on me remembering how the process evolves. All I need to do is show up & do the next right thing. All I need to do is have faith and let go.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So today, as I board the plane this afternoon, I will do so as a new person...different than the woman who booked the trip late last year.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I feel reborn!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I feel HAPPY!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I welcome this experience with open arms, excited to discover what this trip has in store for me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I know that when I board the plane to come back to Chicago , I will do so as a different woman than I am today.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm excited about that!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm excited to discover who I am, on my own, in Italy.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm uncovering a new part of myself on this trip.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm looking forward to meeting <i>her.</i></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I think we're going to be <i>great</i> friends!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ciao!!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: cyan; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">:-)</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-16575752369329200162013-05-02T23:33:00.000-05:002013-05-02T23:33:59.728-05:00What dreams may come.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRkdnVTFhK_mRsIFdxkAgCgNIqdCf8iu2qcS6BiumUjS-zRt-S4ZnZnp_3V7iFGG9Y6GY4nANCm9n_RnU22bHzEODXDFwl4wqxo1xQeSs-6E1nq1odxCjwDVj42DddgtGeSGXCKwzRz3F/s1600/Dining-Alfresco-Venice-Italy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRkdnVTFhK_mRsIFdxkAgCgNIqdCf8iu2qcS6BiumUjS-zRt-S4ZnZnp_3V7iFGG9Y6GY4nANCm9n_RnU22bHzEODXDFwl4wqxo1xQeSs-6E1nq1odxCjwDVj42DddgtGeSGXCKwzRz3F/s320/Dining-Alfresco-Venice-Italy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Tell me, what is it you plan to do<br />with your one wild and precious life?”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23988.Mary_Oliver" style="text-decoration: underline;">Mary Oliver</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The countdown has officially begun!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am flying to Italy (via Dusseldorf)on Sunday. The trip I started planning late last year is almost here...FINALLY!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Although I have been fortunate to travel to Italy several times in the last few years, this trip is different.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">1. It's my first solo trip...ever.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">2. Aside from reserving tickets for the Uffizi and Vatican museums, I have NO set plans. Italy is going to speak to me...she's going to guide me by the hand, show me her secrets, and steal my heart.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">3.There is a "feeling" about this trip...and I'm not the only one who has it. Several people, who know me well, have told me that this will be a special, perhaps life changing trip. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I have no expectations about this trip.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I KNOW I will be eating an obscene amount of gelato and drinking an equally obscene amount of espresso.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I KNOW I will spend a decadent amount of time in various churches & museums in both cities.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I BELIEVE I will return to Chicago as a different person.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I am excited to see what Italy has in store for me.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I am excited to see what I learn about myself on this trip.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I am excited to see what life has in store for me....</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">One thing I have learned from this experience thus far is...you just never know.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Last year, I declared out loud, to myself, that I needed to go back to Italy. Not running away from the drama of recent events, but towards the next phase of my life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I set my intention, without realizing it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Even before I start packing, I can appreciate how much of a learning experience this has been up until this point.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I have learned to honor myself and my dreams.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I have learned to say a BIG, FAT, <i style="font-weight: bold;">YES </i>to my life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I have learned that nothing is impossible when you want it badly enough and are willing to do the work.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I also learned that it doesn't need to be that hard.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">So, I am crossing the last few "to-do's" off my list, getting ready to pack, and get my tush in that seat by take off time on Sunday afternoon.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Then I'm going to settle in, watch a few movies, read a little, nap a little, and wake up the next day in <i>Italia!!</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Arrivederci!!!</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Ci vediamo presto!</i></span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-22030396233902649722013-04-28T23:05:00.001-05:002013-04-28T23:13:57.232-05:00The sky's the limit...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“If you want to raise the quality of your life, raise your standards.”</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">~~~Tony Robbins</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">These days, I am doing some challenging interior work. I am indulging my creative mind and giving myself permission to dream BIG! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">I'm trying to work out in my mind what my life could look like with no self-imposed limitations. For example, if I could pack up and go anywhere in the world, I would move to Italy, no question. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">I have always had a strong connection to all things Italian: the language, the culture, the food...and of course, the men! In fact, I am leaving for my next trip to Italy next Sunday. This will be my fourth trip since 2005 and my first solo vacation ever. I'm staying in bed & breakfasts in Rome & Florence because I want to experience what it feels like to live there, albeit as a guest in someone's home. As much as I LOVE hotels and all the amenities that come along with them, I don't want this trip to be about that. I feel like this is an opportunity to "try on" daily Italian life. I'm testing the waters...indulging in the fantasy of living there someday.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">My dream come true...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">And who knows?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">No one is stopping me from fulfilling that dream but me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">Sure, I can come up with a list of reasons why I shouldn't:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;"><i>it's not practical, I'm too old, it's too risky.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">Then there's the 'other' list....</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;">you know, that one that we keep secret?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 17px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;"><i>Who do I think I am? </i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;"><i>That's for other people, not me.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;"><i>I don't deserve too be that happy.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;">Your second list might look different, but I think, if they're honest, most people would admit that have a similar version of their own.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;">Why do we do this?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;">Where do we learn that dreaming BIG is unrealistic?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;">Who says that your dreams can't come true?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;">I think it's extremely important not to get so locked into the details of what your ultimate life would look like, that you become unwilling to let life unfold. There are infinite possibilities and there needs to be some wiggle room so that opportunities can present themselves in any number of miraculous ways. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;">That said, I think the parameters of what I deem possible in my life need to expand...I need to live outside the proverbial box that I've locked myself into. Even if I never end up living in Italy, I need to honor my dreams. You never know what's waiting around the corner when you allow yourself to open to the possibilities.....</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; line-height: 17px;">Instead of saying "That's not possible for me," I need to change my response to, "Why NOT me?"</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f9cb9c; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"><i><b>WHY</b></i> <i style="font-weight: bold;">NOT??</i></span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-32008420286169167992013-04-22T08:52:00.000-05:002013-04-22T08:55:49.550-05:00Turning a corner.....<div style="text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgcqCsV5yLcF9lKEQuu2arK_JOZW2TQnApFE_hxhCF2lqvTYXV3n2wNwZQEhO_F_BEPJg56V70UMaTPZ0ggAGukBO_qq4N2BpHCoS02HEb6WxPMPR2tLp7z4czgYB8spbXOPgKZIFCirC/s320/images-2.jpeg" width="320" /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> “Weak minds lead to weak actions. A strong, disciplined mind, which anyone can cultivate though daily practice, can achieve miracles. If you want to live life to the fullest, care for your thoughts as you would your most prized possessions. Work hard to remove all inner turbulence. The rewards will be abundant.” </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">~ Robin Sharma</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">So, I am thrilled to report that I have experienced a Miracle!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">According to ACIM, a Miracle is a shift in perception.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">That's exactly what I got!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">The shift started subtly after my last post. Perhaps writing the post was the catalyst necessary to shift the focus of my attention...from "fighting the current" and pushing against the natural flow of the metaphorical river of my life, to turning to face the opposite direction. I started to ride the current of the river, to go with the flow...AKA acceptance.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">For me, acceptance and gratitude are the magic formula for a contented life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">I often forget that and frequently need to be re-minded of that fact.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">Unfortunately, pain is still my greatest motivator.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">I wish that wasn't so, but at least my threshold for pain is getting lower. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">A dear friend has been staying with me for the past week and I'm quite sure that her incredibly positive energy has been a major contributing factor! </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">For that I am forever grateful.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">She is about to embark upon a MAJOR life change...tomorrow.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">She is leaving the country to travel the world. She is also starting a blog tomorrow to document her experiences...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">Please join me in following her blog, </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">ananda423</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">.</span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">SO excited to live vicariously through her on the journey...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">She has been truly inspirational and I have had the privilege to observe the process that has led her to this point.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">It amazes me how one moment can create a shift which can ultimately change the course of your life!</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">For me, this contains a tremendous amount of hope....and possibility.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">You never know what's around the next corner..and the next and the next.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">The possibilities are endless......</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">keep moving in the direction of your heart.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">Peace and love</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; line-height: 19px;">xox</span></span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-22508340916961125092013-04-14T11:25:00.000-05:002013-04-14T11:25:37.404-05:00Lessons....and moving on<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHksr6gHwoN9l4tCMuxclANCccSjS_r8j9P4cTuR5qObdaSIJQv-FJDQX44uLLi1_-7cBffxvHZS6syYDxGq42RB9AihiL0d-vyY31tS-eXp5iMRa-ESKXFZcKnAxXLGXiXdvvJq4XsRbF/s1600/move-on-6mi2xtmn9-134813-500-309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHksr6gHwoN9l4tCMuxclANCccSjS_r8j9P4cTuR5qObdaSIJQv-FJDQX44uLLi1_-7cBffxvHZS6syYDxGq42RB9AihiL0d-vyY31tS-eXp5iMRa-ESKXFZcKnAxXLGXiXdvvJq4XsRbF/s320/move-on-6mi2xtmn9-134813-500-309.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“You take whatever works from wherever you can find it, and you keep moving toward the light.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11679.Elizabeth_Gilbert" style="text-decoration: none;">Elizabeth Gilbert</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The last few months have been full of interesting and sometimes painful learning experiences. In some ways, I feel like I've lost my footing....my trust has been shaken and I have had to walk away from people, places, and things that once were once an integral part of my daily life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As I've said before, Change is messy, uncomfortable, and scary.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And it doesn't follow my schedule.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Change is like a river....it goes along at its own pace, twisting and turning according to its own path. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's up to me whether to fight the current and swim upstream (**painful**) or to go with the flow of the current, trusting that I will end up exactly where I'm meant to be (not my default reaction).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Going with the flow does not mean that I'm going to arrive at the end of the journey unscathed...in fact, chances are that I'm going to get some bumps and bruises along the way.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But at least I'm heading in the right direction.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Fighting the current is exhausting.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It involves pushing against something/one stronger than me, something/one who is fighting me every step of the way, something/one whose goal is for me NOT to end up in the direction that I'm heading.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">My experience shows me that all bets are off when I try to do this....no tricks are off limits. Hitting below the belt is definitely allowed. That something/one fights dirty and I will never win.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Why do I continue to waste my time and energy fighting a fight that I cannot win when it's so much easier to ride the current in the direction that it's going?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Perhaps one day I will discover the answer to that questions, but today is not that day.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Today, I am willing to let go and stop trying to hold on to things/people in the past that no longer serve the person I am in this moment.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have some clarity today. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am moving forward into my future.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">People and events from my past helped to create the woman I am today...but some will not join me on this next phase of my adventure.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I don't have the strength (or desire) to carry that load another step.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am leaving that baggage right here...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and walking away.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Peace and Love,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">xo</span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-91856265984825897622013-04-07T22:16:00.000-05:002013-04-07T22:16:10.898-05:00Here comes the sun.....<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG32MJ700Bbf_AGzpu1AYSZ9HktPiRRDsoZE5o9Tb1uq8DTotTxUtvY-d_4jrOteXRmcv5zwYaXLQMzrwF33UiUu3dmp6ZIophnlvl9WbyymYrIhPfC4zdI_DO-rk0uXu5-IzS5sICPR_i/s1600/sunshine_meditation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG32MJ700Bbf_AGzpu1AYSZ9HktPiRRDsoZE5o9Tb1uq8DTotTxUtvY-d_4jrOteXRmcv5zwYaXLQMzrwF33UiUu3dmp6ZIophnlvl9WbyymYrIhPfC4zdI_DO-rk0uXu5-IzS5sICPR_i/s320/sunshine_meditation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79;">“You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That's the only thing you should be trying to control.” </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11679.Elizabeth_Gilbert" style="text-decoration: none;">Elizabeth Gilber</a></span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11679.Elizabeth_Gilbert" style="color: #666600; text-decoration: none;">t</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Well, I am thrilled to report that the insanity of last week's post is behind me!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The beauty is that very little changed regarding the situation that was consuming me...what DID change was my perspective. I was finally willing to see things differently: being happy became more important than being right.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Pain has a way of doing that sometimes...at least for me. As much as I wish I could find the motivation for change under more gentle circumstances, history has shown that pain is my greatest motivator. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">Fortunately, my threshold for pain has become significantly lower over the years. I am (generally) able to find the willingness to make the necessary changes to extricate myself from an uncomfortable situation in <i>much</i> less time than it once took.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">These days, I have a wide variety of tools at my disposal.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have been listening to several Mariannne Williamson lectures on my iPod this week. I chose to saturate myself with the wisdom contained in the recordings:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I choose to see peace instead of this. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* There is no order of difficulty in miracles.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* A healed mind doesn't plan.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">* I am not my drama.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am so grateful for the resources available to me. I am fortunate to have several trusted friends who are traveling a similar path to my own. They are my "go-to" ladies. They "get" me...and I was able to work my way through the "ick" with their love & support.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am a lucky girl, indeed!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Peace & Love,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">xox</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-2912681315577646472013-04-03T23:01:00.000-05:002013-04-03T23:01:07.440-05:00Where's my pink cloud?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwI-G_lXi8RugftXw0ZSC2-SRccYJ0WG3fBmIAMsDCmo5sVGjrnYl55ORXLz65VPfljDeRE_kdU9K3a-fLTaPVIlFtwBiDbUOcbb2paBPZXLEGfRGUVteU4i2TfccDXDAjV-fyz0Qdm6xV/s1600/images-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwI-G_lXi8RugftXw0ZSC2-SRccYJ0WG3fBmIAMsDCmo5sVGjrnYl55ORXLz65VPfljDeRE_kdU9K3a-fLTaPVIlFtwBiDbUOcbb2paBPZXLEGfRGUVteU4i2TfccDXDAjV-fyz0Qdm6xV/s1600/images-2.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">“The best we can do then, in response to our incomprehensible and dangerous world, is to practice holding equilibrium internally - no matter what insanity is transpiring out there.” </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11679.Elizabeth_Gilbert" style="text-decoration: none;">Elizabeth Gilbert</a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><i><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3352398" style="text-decoration: none;">Eat, Pray, Love</a></i></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Ever have one of <i style="font-weight: bold;">those</i> days? </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Sure, you have....we all have.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Trouble is....sometimes a few too many of them get strung together and you're left feeling like that's all there is.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">That's how I'm feeling today.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I feel like I've been getting sucker punched by Life lately...ain't that a B*TCH?!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Normally, I can use the tools at my disposal to pull myself out of a funk....things like gratitude, being of service, praying for a miracle.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I feel like I've emptied my toolbox and nothing seems to be working.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">There is some CRAZY stuff going on in my professional life...things so far beyond my control that it's ridiculous to think that I can change the situation. And yet.....I keep looking for the loophole. You know, that one that I missed? There's gotta be a way to do <i>something, r</i>ight?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Nope.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Nada.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Zilch.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">It's pissing me off because now I've let it grow into a resentment...and you know what they say about those:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">It was suggested to me tonight, by someone I trust, to recite the Serenity Prayer...as many times as it takes. Kind of like a mantra....over and over and over and over and over again.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I'm gonna give that a try. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I'll report back in a few days & let you know how THAT worked.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">In the meantime, just for the record...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">ENOUGH!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">p.s. Sorry for the rant...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">hopefully I'll be back to my blissful yoga bubble self next time.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #93c47d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Peace & Love</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-81196887242176528782013-03-08T23:17:00.000-06:002013-03-08T23:17:59.479-06:00Choose again....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3Lt5jKPtDlkFCMO8RrmWXSckmQGTbzkYcbuSdfa76yAd8jjPEUa_2lgORxUscGlFht4tLy3TFSRUDV4J647SJw3qqhyleAr6KSWUrq7KpZCEc01AGzDRS5ej87paTjq9c8No9PYeCSxa/s1600/h5DF8E6F0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM3Lt5jKPtDlkFCMO8RrmWXSckmQGTbzkYcbuSdfa76yAd8jjPEUa_2lgORxUscGlFht4tLy3TFSRUDV4J647SJw3qqhyleAr6KSWUrq7KpZCEc01AGzDRS5ej87paTjq9c8No9PYeCSxa/s320/h5DF8E6F0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">SOOO, this pretty much sums up <i>MY</i> week..</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">....and <i>YOU??</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever gonna get to the last layer of the proverbial onion. Seems like I've been peeling and peeling that damn thing forever...with no end in sight.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Emotions are funny things...I know that ridding myself of toxic and unhealthy emotional baggage is a process. Sometimes I feel like I've been running on the same rusty hamster wheel for several months now and I am ready to get ( and STAY) off!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I know from the work I'm doing that my ego is up to it's nasty old tricks again. In some ways, I could consider that <i>good</i> news, because the trickster would only be acting up if it felt threatened. That means that my commitment to choosing love over fear is shifting me in the right direction! Maybe I need to focus on <i>that</i> when I start feeling squirrel-y?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's important for me to remember that it all comes down to choice...and when I am not happy with my choice, I can always make another one. I can "start my day over" any time, right?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am so grateful for the opportunity to go deep and really explore some of the places that I've managed to keep hidden for most of my life. I realize that shining light on my dark places is the only way that I can start to eliminate them. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am especially grateful to be sharing this journey with people that I trust & who love me enough to support me through the messy bits.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i><b>Everything that happens to me is the best possible thing that can happen to me.</b>~~~Chris Prentiss</i></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-59031125533858001222013-03-01T23:06:00.000-06:002013-03-01T23:06:35.959-06:00Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVr6Lg2kfo6jQg6Iq_5aM6vpUw-1C4JDbp-WUmIB-IEXnaPdj4AU5RaMhvFIOuBKdn67cUxqxV1ty3EcpYC_p3YrXki3cChH3JCsVZAR-Fh8BMHjee1PDQ8x8XJNM521uCahfOYmq-8z0/s1600/2013-02-25+12.55.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVr6Lg2kfo6jQg6Iq_5aM6vpUw-1C4JDbp-WUmIB-IEXnaPdj4AU5RaMhvFIOuBKdn67cUxqxV1ty3EcpYC_p3YrXki3cChH3JCsVZAR-Fh8BMHjee1PDQ8x8XJNM521uCahfOYmq-8z0/s320/2013-02-25+12.55.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">“My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, and I intend to end up there.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/875661.Rumi" style="text-decoration: none;">Rumi</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">I just returned from an incredible vacation....a yoga retreat in Puerto Rico! I hadn't realized how <i>desperately</i> I needed a respite like this until I arrived at the airport in San Juan and saw my dear friend, who was my partner in crime on this adventure.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Several months ago, our yoga teacher had invited us to join her on her first retreat and, FINALLY, we had arrived! My anticipation was more intense than that of a young child on Christmas morning. I was practically skipping through the door as I exited baggage claim with my luggage, ready for the retreat to begin.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">We stayed at a private estate on the west side of the island. Although it took several hours... (and a few wrong turns!) to get there, it was absolutely worth the trip!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Pictures don't do this place justice. Suffice it to say that it was a little slice of heaven.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">For four days, we were surrounded by lush, tropical palm trees and fell asleep to the sound of the roaring waves of the ocean.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">I quickly realized how my soul needs to be in nature to feel nourished...and winter in Chicago just does not cut it! I felt the same way at Starved Rock last spring. My soul soaked it all up like a sponge. I spent the majority of the trip outside in one form or another. I meditated outside in the morning, we had 2 daily yoga practices outdoors, I read and napped by the pool. I even had a massage outside!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">On the last full day there, we spent the day on the beach. The waves were intense and there were several surfers taking advantage of them.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">While I was away, I continued the work I started in Gabby B's book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">May Cause Miracles</i>. Surprisingly, (or not) even in this luxurious setting, my ego managed to act out one morning. I woke up in Funkytown and could not shake it! Even my yoga practice was affected. Part of me wanted to crawl under to covers to wait it out, but thankfully, I shared the way I felt with my friend and even sent a long distance SOS to my MCM partner! I was determined not to let my ego ruin my day in paradise. I grabbed my book, cranked up some music on my iPod, and experienced a shift. It was nothing short of a miracle! Within a short time, I felt my heart swell with gratitude for being exactly where I was at that moment. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">I was grateful for the funky mood, which helped me to truly appreciate my surroundings that morning. I was grateful that I was able to reach out for help to people I trust and who love me enough to help me find my way off the ledge. I was extremely grateful for the miraculous shift, which allowed me to switch my perspective from one of fear to one of love.....incredible!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Such a great reminder:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">"I am responsible for what I see." ~~~<b><i>May Cause Miracles</i></b></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-13724563668239899722013-02-17T20:56:00.000-06:002013-02-18T03:01:42.334-06:00L.O.V.E.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClnVYmsA3cazeKvI2kYyMWA1WT7XoLQjwuWfBeXgrQZL9hEuMSbVw0L_Qps2xCfUiBKIFlWGCHF9Hz6uzer8NsFjZp_tIp00JjbqoW3rXqCHr54yNufYolrNn0ejm7ODWUXryJfwnwcvk/s1600/images-3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClnVYmsA3cazeKvI2kYyMWA1WT7XoLQjwuWfBeXgrQZL9hEuMSbVw0L_Qps2xCfUiBKIFlWGCHF9Hz6uzer8NsFjZp_tIp00JjbqoW3rXqCHr54yNufYolrNn0ejm7ODWUXryJfwnwcvk/s1600/images-3.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">“There is force in the universe, which, if we permit it, will flow through us and produce miraculous results.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5810891.Mahatma_Gandhi" style="text-decoration: none;">Mahatma Gandhi</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This week was all about LOVE!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I'm learning to focus on all the opportunities to live, experience and most importantly, <i style="font-weight: bold;">choose </i>love in my daily life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What I'm starting to understand is that it is <i>all about the love...</i>at least for me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I have spent far too much of my life choosing to focus on fear in all its many manifestations. I lived a life full of fear for years and the funniest part was that I was completely unaware of it! I was SO deep in denial and rooted in survival mode that I had no idea that I had built up a massive wall to hide behind. I prided myself on being a no nonsense, "don't mess with me" kinda girl...imagine my surprise when I learned years later that that tough exterior was merely a mask I used to protect myself! The ironic part was that in reality, I wasn't protecting myself at all, I was merely hiding from my life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In hindsight, I can see that there was a whole lotta fear and not much love in the way I used to live...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was a dark and lonely place to be.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I don't visit that old place much anymore, but recently, I found that I had returned and gotten myself stuck there for a bit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It was just as miserable as I remembered...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thank God I was able to shift gears and make another choice:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I chose love instead.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am so fortunate to have people in my life who are on a similar path...these folks "get" me and I am grateful that I have these ladies who I can call when I need a big, fat reality check!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666;">Sometimes I can get stuck in a rut...just deep enough that it's hard to see over the edge to get myself out. At times like that, it seems like that place is all there is...until I remind myself that there's a great big, beautiful world outside this nasty rut.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I just need a little help to pull myself over the edge.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's where love comes in...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And love is where the miracles happen.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Lovin' my life today!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Hope you are too...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">xo</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">When all your desires are distilled;<br />You will cast just two votes:<br />To love more,<br />And be happy.<br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">—Rumi </span></span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-27289688302508141012013-02-12T07:36:00.000-06:002013-02-12T07:36:57.365-06:00 Forgiveness.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b;">“Forgiveness is first for you, the forgiver...to release you from something that will eat you alive; that will destroy your joy and your ability to love fully and openly."~~~Wm. Paul Young</span></span></div>
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I once knew a man who was very badly hurt by his ex-wife. He would recount all the ways in which she had wronged him to anyone who would listen. He was holding on to a huge resentment and felt he was entitled to an apology from her. Many years had passed since they had divorced and he still had not received the apology....there was a good chance that he wasn't going to get one, but he still clung to the idea that he deserved one. Better to be right...or is it?</div>
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The lesson in this (true) story is that forgiveness is not for the person who <b><i>did</i></b> wrong, it's for the person who <i style="font-weight: bold;">was </i> wronged. If I'm waiting for an apology from someone who either isn't willing to give one or doesn't feel they need to<i>, </i>the only <i> </i>person<i> </i>who is hurt by my lack of forgiveness is <i style="font-weight: bold;">me</i>! </div>
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Resentment and holding onto grievances is like picking a scab (gross, I know...but bear with me on this)...by reopening the wound over and over again, you never give it the opportunity to heal. Forgiveness is like the antiseptic that cleans out the wound and allows it to heal.</div>
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Forgiveness is not always easy, but holding onto the resentment is more painful. One way to start the process is to the pray for the other person. While this may sound counterintuitive at first, in actuality, it allows the healing process to begin by loosening the death grip of resentment. By praying for the greater good of the other person, you're making room for love to enter. Forgiveness does not excuse or condone the behavior of the other person, but it does allow you to move forward without dragging the dead weight of the past with you into the present moment.</div>
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Check out what Marianne Williamson has to say on this topic:</div>
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An unforgiving heart is closed off to love and miracles.</div>
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Forgiveness is the key to open the heart once again.</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-80217543049060074692013-02-07T19:13:00.000-06:002013-02-07T19:13:21.595-06:00Breaking point...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999;">“We don't realize that, somewhere within us all, there does exist a supreme self who is eternally at peace.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11679.Elizabeth_Gilbert" style="text-decoration: none;">Elizabeth Gilbert</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I had a bit of a breakdown last week.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">In metaphysical circles, there is a lot of talk about the Ego and how It will stop at nothing to stay alive, especially when it feels threatened in the presence of Love. The work that I've been doing in <i>May Cause Miracles</i> seems to have stirred up my Ego and that wily bastard started fighting back!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now the Ego is not real, of course, it's simply the way that Fear shows up in my life..and show up it did.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">There was ALL SORTS of crazy talk going on in my head....lies to distract me from the work I'm doing to shift form a fear based mindset, to one of love.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The old tapes were back with a vengeance---they were playing loudly and incessantly. Isolation and depression set in and I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper... Kinda reminded me of what my life looked like a dozen or so years ago...not fun!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Thankfully, I reached out to a friend and shared the crazy with her. She reminded me that the thoughts that were consuming me were not true. She gently reminded me what <i>was </i>true and shared what the book had brought up in her. Now, I didn't realize that had been reading the book as well...there are no coincidences, right?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So we decided to go back to Day One and go through the exercises together. We started on Sunday and this time through has been a deeper, richer experience. Frankly, I'm enjoying the company!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">What I now think is that maybe I wasn't having a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">break<i><b>down</b></i> but rather a break<b style="font-style: italic;">through</b>! The work is reaching places deep inside that hadn't been accessible before...as my therapist observed, last week I was deep in the <b><i>YUCK. </i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">It's like a doing a cleanse....sometimes you feel like crap before you feel better. The toxins have to come out! </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am so grateful that I have been able to push through it...I am finally getting a glimpse of the other side. Shining a light on the dark places that I have kept hidden is scary and exhausting work...but light is the only thing that can get rid of the darkness. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">The tiny flashlight I was using by myself wasn't strong enough...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Now I have twice as much light...and a trusted companion to share the journey.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #d5a6bd; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Shine on!</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-47183940433762551232013-01-27T11:09:00.001-06:002013-01-27T11:09:19.447-06:00Shift<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;">“Where there is great love, there are always miracles.” </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ea9999; font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;">― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/881203.Willa_Cather" style="text-decoration: none;">Willa Cather</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am at the end of Week 2 in <i style="font-weight: bold;">May Cause Miracles. </i>The focus this week was on self perception. It was enlightening to see how fear creeps into the way I view myself in so many different ways...it's insidious! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As I mentioned in my last post, I was forced to stay home from work due to a back injury. It was amazing to witness how fear snuck into my consciousness....I went from being frustrated that I was in the situation to being convinced that I was going to grow old and die alone....<i>really!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Sounds crazy, huh?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">That's how fear manifested for me this week. The old tapes started up and I felt myself get pulled into the pit of my old fears...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I won't lend any power to these thoughts by sharing them here, but suffice it to say that I had a glimpse of what my future was gonna look like and it was dark & lonely.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">But wait....here's the good part!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I prayed for a miracle...to be released from the insanity of my fear based thinking.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I did the exercises in the book.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I devoted time to my meditation and envisioned myself being comforted and loved.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">And then....I felt a shift!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Yesterday's affirmation was:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>I forgive myself for having this thought.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><i>I choose love instead.</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Great reminder for me:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I ALWAYS have the option to choose love instead of whatever crazy, fear-laden, scary thought my ego throws at me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I can ALWAYS choose love.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e06666; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Let the miracles begin....</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-34121117405504867892013-01-23T08:52:00.000-06:002013-01-23T08:52:58.946-06:00Plan B<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">“Help" is a prayer that is always answered. It doesn't matter how you pray--with your head bowed in silence, or crying out in grief, or dancing." </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232;">~~Anne Lamott</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Over the last few years, I have come to believe a few things:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">* Everything happens for a reason. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">* This too shall pass.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">* One day it will make sense; today is not that day.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">* There are no coincidences.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">As I have shared in previous posts, the last few months have been a time of transition for me. After much consideration, I ended a relationship. While I don't regret my decision, it was not an easy one to come to. I prayed for guidance and I got it. Ultimately, it was the healthiest decision I could make.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">For the past several weeks, I have had issues with my back. I have (grudgingly) taken a break from my yoga practice in order to give myself time to heal. Needless to say, I am not thrilled about this!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I went to my chiropractor yesterday. Doc worked his magic and I finally felt some relief...hallelujah!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Can you guess what happened next?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I tweaked my back again trying to open the door at work! The door weighs a ton and is difficult to open on a good day, but yesterday was bitterly cold and the door felt like it was frozen shut.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I felt the spasm almost immediately....DAMN!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I had no other choice but to go home...couldn't even stand up straight.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Frustrated? Sure...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Painful? Yup!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">But here's what I realized...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I was forced to slow down and take care of myself. For many years, self care was not a priority for me. I have gotten a lot better at it, but it's still not my "go-to" thought. I don't put myself at the top (not even in the top 3) of my priority list....something or someone always comes first. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I always bragged that I had a high threshold for pain....that pride almost stopped my from getting help when my life <i>really </i>depended on it, because I was so used to telling myself that "it" wasn't <i>that </i>bad.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Sometimes it doesn't need to get <i>that </i>bad...bad is bad enough.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I mentioned in an earlier post that I had started Gabrielle Bernstein's book, <i style="font-weight: bold;">May Cause Miracles</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Yesterday's affirmation:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>I am willing to let go of my self-doubt.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><i>I surrender to self-love.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Coincidence?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I think not....</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-57178438633494149192013-01-20T00:00:00.000-06:002013-01-20T00:00:59.418-06:00The gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuk5dkpbA17KVSx38tZEWRZwBQZVEJxo16fyU1vNjRSUrDsNQzSc_7wW-wWMqvYkfxLNHN8m8k1URcdE7cDLOyoo_POYIs80qXk45vH7o52GWLdU4DkZPeDC8-5-C2kJVxBEBFazQj64l/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMuk5dkpbA17KVSx38tZEWRZwBQZVEJxo16fyU1vNjRSUrDsNQzSc_7wW-wWMqvYkfxLNHN8m8k1URcdE7cDLOyoo_POYIs80qXk45vH7o52GWLdU4DkZPeDC8-5-C2kJVxBEBFazQj64l/s1600/Unknown-1.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f4cccc; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Living well is an art that can be developed: a love of life and ability to take great pleasure from small offerings and assurance that the world owes you nothing and that every gift is exactly that, a gift. ”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3503.Maya_Angelou" style="text-decoration: underline;">Maya Angelou</a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">So I am <i>thrilled</i> to report that I have experienced a shift. I feel like I am shedding the remnants of my old life... I feel reborn.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am learning to practice the art of self love </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and to value the woman that I am becoming. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"> (I have come to believe that it truly <i>is</i> an art form...and one that can be learned at any time...never too late for that!)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am dwelling in a state of gratitude most days....I am so thankful for where I am in my life right now. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am savoring relationships with the amazing women in my life...I am so fortunate to have incredible friendships with some pretty kick ass ladies! They inspire me, support me, and continually show me what real love looks like.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am grateful that I can speak my truth with people I can trust...even when I don't have the vocabulary to accurately express my feelings. They let me find my way in a safe, nurturing, and loving environment.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am grateful to be able to surround myself with people who value honesty, respect, and integrity. Not always qualities that are easy to come by these days!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I am grateful that an old friend reminded me to keep my heart open, even if..and especially when...it seemed easier to shut down and rebuild "the wall".</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">And I'm grateful that he loved me enough to say it...and that I trusted him enough to hear it.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">Most of all, I'm grateful that I know that every experience, painful or joyful, is part of my journey. Each is absolutely necessary to move forward along the path of my life...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">I have no idea what the future holds...and I'm OK with that today.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b4a7d6;">Sometimes the best gifts are the ones you weren't expecting.... </span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href='http://www.myfreecopyright.com/registered_mcn/B8YLL_G8A9L_N3C45' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' ><img src='http://storage.myfreecopyright.com/mfc_protected.png' alt='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' title='MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected' width='145px' height='38px' border='0'/></a></div>Mariahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17587581027470545976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4643676771162106618.post-35962702247268061702013-01-11T21:17:00.001-06:002013-01-11T21:17:55.248-06:00Leap.....<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrj74DsF4d3xvxgolgfAYL71XnR-smgb5N_KSLihDUqitivYHRmp0JUxT4GYD4XyMtns_JlnLkIpxlGHNCICK8b4ipplr2A9Af8j57OqAu6sCL44fPO2DOn2Py01FMRws25rnA0so8PDfW/s1600/images-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrj74DsF4d3xvxgolgfAYL71XnR-smgb5N_KSLihDUqitivYHRmp0JUxT4GYD4XyMtns_JlnLkIpxlGHNCICK8b4ipplr2A9Af8j57OqAu6sCL44fPO2DOn2Py01FMRws25rnA0so8PDfW/s1600/images-2.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta;">“Leap, and the net will appear.”<br />― <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13229.Julia_Cameron" style="text-decoration: none;">Julia Cameron</a> </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">As I reflect on the last few months, I can see growth...however slowly and almost nonexistent it may have felt at the time. There is comfort in the familiar which causes us/me to avoid change, even when the change is the better, healthier option. When present circumstances </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; line-height: 18px;">become painful enough, I somehow manage to find the courage to change.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I remember another time, over a decade ago when I chose to walk away from the toxic routine my life had become and step into the unknown. It was not as easy transition and there was pain then too. But it was a choice that ultimately saved my life.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">I need to remember that when faced with a difficult choice to venture into unknown territory...I have <i style="font-weight: bold;">always</i> been taken care of! At times it may feel like I'm clutching onto the side of a mountain, holding on for dear life. That's when I need to remember that sometimes the best thing to do is take a deep breath...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">and...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Let...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">GO!!!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I know from experience...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f6b26b; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">the net always appears!</span></span></div>
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