Tuesday Morning Gratitude

**Due to yesterday's cable outage, I wasn't able to post this yesterday.

Well, this week's Monday Morning Gratitude, is Tuesday Morning's Gratitude since I gave myself the day off yesterday!

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.

I am incredibly grateful for the glorious weekend we had and the unbelievable weather. We deserve it, don't you think?

We had my sister's annual Memorial Day Picnic/Parade on Sunday which was a great day with family and friends. It's such a wonderfully pure holiday for us, just good food, laughter, friends and family. No stress of the holiday or out of control gift giving.

I am also grateful to have spent some much needed family time with my husband and daughter. We've been keeping such crazy schedules lately it was really nice to have some down time.

Faith marched in her first parade yesterday for karate. I was really proud! I also had the pleasure of seeing my neighbors' girls in our new high school's band, middle school band, and brownies.

I also am so grateful to our veteran's. My dad being a Marine Corp veteran--I am very proud. These men and women have such a tough job protecting our country, but they do so with dignity and honor. I extend my deepest gratitude to these unique breed of people!

May you have a fabulous week!

In gratitude,
Deanna

You are Responsible

I've been trying to be very mindful each morning on how to start my day. I take a few quiet moments to myself with my cup of coffee to be mindful of how I'd like my day to be.

As I was at my desk, I popped open my Wayne Dyer "Inner Peace Cards" and how appropriate, this is the one staring right at me:

"I am responsible for the day I create for myself. The choice is up to you. It can either be "Good morning, God!" or "Good God--morning!"

Each day as I get Faith off to school I ask her what kind of day she is going to have. She usually (now trained) responds with a booming, "GREAT!" Some days she says in a kind of ho hum way, "Good" and I say "Just good?" She responds "No mommy, GREAT!!" I am then excited for her and feel that she has her best foot forward walking into school.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend. Take the time to relax and enjoy.

In gratitude and peace,
Deanna

P.S. Thought you might enjoy a picture of me and my sister, my best friend, at her annual Memorial Day picnic. I can't wait until tomorrow!

Honoring My Gratitude

I know this may sound repetitive for what I've already written about this week, but I have to say I'm seeing a pattern this week.



I am having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my friends in my life.

Honestly, right now without them, life would be hard. We're there for each other through thick and thin--like sisters in another life. All going through similiar feelings with different circumstances. It's been the high point of my week to see that I have this to rely on. We're all at slightly different stages, with different life experiences...together making a powerful team of women.

My girls, I honor you, I love you, and my life is better knowing you. I hope when you are reading this man or woman, that you have someone like this in your life. Someone to enrich your life, lift you when your down, cry with you and cheer with you.

The comfortable and comforting people are those who look upon the bright side of life; gathering its roses and sunshine and making the most that happens seem the best.
- Dorothy Dix

In respect and gratefulness,
Deanna

The Pathway to Success

I found this lovely poem that Louise Hay included in "You Can Heal Your Life." It really spoke to me about success and I thought I would share it with you:

In the infinity of life where I am,
all is perfect, whole, and complete
I am one with the Power that created me.
I have within me all the ingredients for success.
I now allow the success formula to flow through me
and manifest in my world.
Whatever I am guided to do will be a success.
I learn from every experience.
I go from success to success and from glory to glory.
My pathway is a series of stepping stones
to ever greater successes.
All is well in my world.

This really spoke to me today as my life and successes have had many twists and turns building to this wonderful place I am at today with my work. I am grateful for every experience that has brought me here.

In gratitude,
Deanna

Monday Morning Gratitude

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend! The weather is finally turning. I know we got a lot done inside and out this weekend and it felt so good!

I thought I would start this morning with a bit of gratitude.

I woke up this morning and took some time to myself to go downstairs have a cup of coffee and enjoy the silence of the early morning.

If you happened to get our newsletter in March, I wrote a tip about having a "positive energy" or "gratitude" buddy. I am really lucky--I have a few!

One of my pals is really great at sending inspirational text messages (I am addicted to texting!!!) I sat at my computer this morning to check my e-mail and I heard a text pop up on my phone. I opened it, fully knowing who is was from and it said, "Good Morning! Make it great." What a great way to start my morning.

It made me think of how grateful I was for my friends. I must admit, I have really great friends. I really feel that I am at a point in my life where I have finally found friends who will stand the test of time, bring you up when you are down, and celebrate with you when you are up.

It's so great to have this kind of support, especially when you find someone who shares your energy. Not every day is perfect, but when you have someone to pull you up and share their energy "dust" with you when you need it--what a great feeling it is!

Do you have someone like this in your life? How do they make you feel? How do you make them feel?

Try this exercise. The energy you create can be electryfing!

In gratitude,
Deanna

P.S. Here's a picture of me and one of my buddies. Don't you just love the jewelry?!

Perserverance and Determination

My sister gave me a deck of inspirational thought cards a few years back. (She gives great gifts and cards, huh?)

I was sitting at my computer today working on the finishing touches for our latest newsletter and I decided to pull one out. Here's what I got:

Goddess of Perserverance

I ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING I PUT MY MIND TO.

Use this gift when you doubt your intelligence, your memory, or your ability to achieve your goals. Your situation is largely the result of how well you blend your logical and intuitive faculties to direct your actions. Several times a day, focus with relaxed concentration on the mental image of something you would like see come into being.

I have to say that I am someone with strong peserverance. When I put my mind to something I do it. (I am weak in the patience area!) I think however, that so much is a mind/body connection--for example, if you are trying to get in shape or lose weight--you can't have thoughts that you are fat and expect to be slim. The thoughts cancel each other out. I know--it's hard you say! It's a matter of conditioning and training your mind to connect with your body. It certainly doesn't happen overnight!

Perservere and you will see results with whatever you put your mind to doing!

In gratitude,
Deanna

Growing Pains

I have been in a pattern of growth for the past several years. I have embraced a new life philosophy and continue to learn each day. Some days it seems painful! I'm learning and dealing and dealing and learning.

I was listening to Harmonic Wealth today by James Arthur Ray. He says that your results are a reflection of you. You must grow to gain. When you have bigger gain, it presents bigger challenges. Success is messy, but so is life. It really struck me when he said that we grow the most when we are on the border of chaos and order. Wow! Did that speak to me!

I always joke with people that my life is organized (depending on the day) chaos. I have my business which I love! I help my husband with his business...both businesses--mine the baby, his 50+ years young--are in extreme growth patterns. Somedays it's quite a challenge! I have my family, my home, and everything else I seem to get pulled into to manage. Somedays it seems too much, although I would be bored without it.

When I was in high school, I worked for my uncle who was an internal medicine doctor. We had a pharmaceutical rep whose name was Tony. He was the best and would always come in an pull up a chair to chat...those were the good old days...it's not like that anymore! I will never forget what he told me one day when I was stressed and tired from school and work. He told me that I was someone who needed to constantly be busy and challenged because I thrived on it and could handle it. Without it you'll be bored he said! He was right and I will never forget it!

Right now I'm growing and dealing and dealing and growing...but knowing that I am growing to gain makes it better!

Think about your life. Are you in a period of growth? Can you remember such a time? What did you learn? What was at the end of the tunnel?

Some thoughts to ponder.

In gratitude & growth!
Deanna

The Trials of Being a Mom

My sister gave me a beautiful Mother's Day card. The artist is Mara Berendt Friedman. Her paintings honor the Feminine aspect of Spirit and draw inspiration from cultures around the world, from the cylce of the season and from universal symbols and form.

The card my sister gave me had a beautiful illustration on it. Here's what it said:

Mabuddha of Compassion

woman of mercy blossoms within every heart
tender and strong, you heal what tears apart
you offer your children love nectar pure...
easing their pain with compassion's kind cure

Ma--Mother Buddha--Awakened one, awakening

I really thought about this in light of some recent trials I've had as a mom. I often think how hard it is to be a mother today! We have so many more things to protect our children from today than even when I grew up...not to mention any physical ailments that we may have to contend with. Instinctively, though, we just do it--we do what we have to do without a thought...it's just what we do. We are protectors.

So, to all my girls out there reading this who get it and do what they are called to do as mother's--I honor you and I thank you...as this is the hardest, but most rewarding job ever.

In gratitude,
Deanna

Happy Mother's Day!

I wish you all a Happy Mother's Day! Whether you are a mom, aunt, godmother, or just a motherly friend--you should celebrate today!

The sun is shining and the air is warm. What a beautiful day it is!

I found this poem below that resonated with me about the cycle of mothers and daughters and daughters and mothers. Enjoy and be blessed today.

Mothers and daughters
Were daughters and mothers
Not so long ago.
We give and take
And take and give
Along time's endless row.
Love is passed
And love received
To be passed on again:
A precious heirloom
Twice, twice blessed,
A spiritual cardigan.

I'll put it on
And treasure it,
The me I have received,
And when the roles
Reverse again,
I'll have what I most need.

So may our love
Go on and on,
A hundred thousand years;
Mothers and daughters,
Daughters and mothers,
Through joys and other tears.

Deanna

One with Now

Being one with Now

Last September one of my dearest friends gave me the book A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. My friend truly connected with Tolle’s message so I was excited to start reading the book. I read the first chapter and didn’t pick it up again until last week. Since A New Earth is on Oprah’s Book Club I thought now would be a good time to see what all the hype is about.

Tolle wants to take us beyond our own lives to show that now we have an opportunity to birth a new, more loving world. This involves a radical inner leap of consciousness from the current identification with our ego to an entirely new way of thinking about who we are.


Well, the verdict is still out. I’m only half way through the book and to be honest…I’m not sure I grasp his message. Due to some personal inner struggles there was one paragraph that resonated with me…

How to be at peace now? By making peace with the present moment. The present moment is the field on which the game of life happens. It cannot happen anywhere else. Once you have made peace with the present moment, see what happens, what can you do or choose to do, or rather what life does through you. There are three words that convey the secret of the art of living, the secret of all success and happiness: One With Life, Being one with life is being one with Now. You then realize that you don’t live your life, but life lives you. Life is the dancer, and you are the dance.

At this moment I’m being one with Now…..

Judy

The Power of Your Words

Most of us feel that when we're complaining we're just speaking our minds--except something else is going on here, too. When we complain we are focusing on what is wrong with our lives instead of what's right.

Here's an amusing story I found on the internet to put you in the right frame of mind:

A young monk joined an order that required total silence. At his discretion, the abbot could allow any monk to speak. It was nearly five years before the abbot approached the novice monk and said, "You may speak two words." Choosing his words carefully, the monk said, "Hard bed." With genuine concern, the abbot said, "I'm sorry your bed isn't comfortable. We'll see if we can get you another one."

Around his tenth year in the monastery, the abbot came to the young monk and said, "You may say two more words." "Cold food," the monk said. "We'll see what we can do," the abbot said.

On the monk's fifteenth anniversary, the abbot said again, "You may now speak two words." "I quit," the monk said. "It's probably for the best," replied the abbot. "You've done nothing but gripe since you got here."

Realize that you create your life with the words you choose.

Judy

What a Lovely Way to Start the Morning!

This week's guest blogger is Sandi...

Good Morning. :)

This morning while lying in bed looking out the bedroom windows to the backyard and watching the birds feed at the feeders, and listening to the spring bird songs I saw something so sweet :)

First, I will share that John and I have been watching a male cardinal in our little tree behind our back fence for a few weeks...he is all alone... comes and sits in the branches and stays there for long periods of time... 10 or 15 minutes at a time... not singing.. just being quiet.. and looking all around... as if he lost his mate.. or is looking for her... especially near the end of the day just before dark... He is incredibly deep, bright red...one of the prettiest birds ever...

Today I watched a female cardinal come to the feeder...then, a few seconds later, the bright red male cardinal flew into the little tree beside the feeder. The female turned, looked at him, and immediately flew into the same little tree. Then the male flew to the feeder, while she waited on the tree branch. The male picked up a seed or two and flew immediately back to her on the branch, went over to her and placed the seed into her beak. Then he went back and got more food and brought it back to her and fed her...It was so wonderful to see! :) This went on for a minute or so.. and then they both flew off together.....

Ahhhh... don't you just LOVE spring??..... :)


Happy thoughts for a gentle spring day...

Sandi

MANIFEST Your Intentions

Treat Yourself As If You Already Are What You’d Like to Be

As you place more of your energy on what you intend to manifest, you’ll start seeing those intentions materializing. This is an example of the synchronicity of the universe working with you and your highly energized thoughts.
-Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

We’re Excited…

We were thrilled to learn today that our proposal for a program entitled, "Today's Entrepreneurial Woman" was selected by the 2008 WOW! Forum Committee.

The WOW! (Women of the World) Forum is presented by the Northwest Connecticut Chamber of Commerce. Past speakers of note have been Gayle King, Susan St. James, and last year author Jennifer Lauck.

The WOW! Forum is excited to announce that the keynote speaker will be Emmy Award winning TV Journalist, Diane Smith. Humorist, Joyce Saltman will address the audience in the morning along with the leadership panel consisting of The Honorable Anne Dranginis, American Mural Project artist Ellen Greisedeick and Patricia Mayfield, Commissioner, Department of Labor. Janet Peckinpaugh, Award Winning News Anchor and Talk Show Host will serve as our master of ceremonies for the day.

We are so happy to have this opportunity to share our experiences with others. We are manifesting our intentions!

In gratitude,
Deanna & Judy