Kids are so creative, and thinking outside the box comes naturally to them. (They’d much rather use the box as a dollhouse than think inside it!)
In this joyful little video, SoulPancake asked kids at a Boys & Girls Club to draw a picture of what the holidays would look like if they were in charge—and then they brought their holiday dreams to life.
“You have to learn to get up from the table when love is no longer being served.” ~Nina Simone
In my short life, I have left many jobs or situations. Some might call this “quitting.” Why has quitting gotten a bad rap?
Spiritual teachers and wise people often advise letting go of situations that are no longer right for you. It doesn’t seem like we’ve gotten this message. I don’t think quitting is such a bad word.
I quit my job just recently. And I feel great. Other things that I have chosen to leave: multiple jobs, a few …
“Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.” ~Pema Chodron
You wake up in the morning, it is sunny outside, and you are grateful for this brand new day. You are enthusiastic to get it started. You take a deep breath and go outside; then you see some gum in your street.
Will you pick it up and stick it to your T-shirt, or maybe even have a little taste of it? Of course not!
Please excuse the gross opening, but bear with me for a second.
So many of us have done something just like that, …
“The greatest gift you can give yourself is a little bit of your own attention.” ~Anthony J. D’Angelo
The other day, when I was out celebrating a friend’s birthday, someone asked about the best gift I’d ever received.
What came to mind was getting my parents’ hand-me-down Corolla when I was sixteen. It was my first taste of being all ‘grown-up.’ I felt like my parents trusted me enough to give me the keys to go out on my own. It gave me a sense of pride and freedom.
Aside from that, nothing else that was tangible came to mind. …
“You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce.” ~Tony Gaskins
I highly value being loyal, honest, empathetic, and supportive. I am also partial to advocating for the underdog. As a result, I have historically attempted to be a ‘hero’ in situations of difficulty, tension, conflict, or stress.
I take pride in being the person who others can turn to for support, guidance, and empathy after an upsetting experience.
When a friend was going through a troublesome period, I literally dropped everything to race to her and give her a hand. …
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
There was a time when I “had it all.”
I was in my tenth year of teaching in a small, rural school. I lived with my husband and daughter in a four-bedroom house in a subdivision in the woods. Life was routine, predictable, and secure. We made plans to fix up the house and figured that I would likely work in my job until retirement.
However, two things got in the way of those plans.
First, I felt …
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt
It’s not about you. It’s about them. It’s their loss. Don’t take it personally. It doesn’t mean anything.
Well-intentioned people have told me these things many times to soften the blow of rejection. And I wanted so badly to believe them, but how could I?
When someone doesn’t want you, it’s hard not to take it personally. They don’t want you. It must mean something about you, right?
When five college theater programs rejected me, when guy after guy ditched me, when countless potential friends avoided me, …
“As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” ~Rumi
My early life was challenging, to say the least. I grew up in a difficult home situation, which I hoped to escape through an early marriage. That marriage produced four beautiful children by the time I was twenty-one years old.
We were very poor and I hoped to get us out of poverty, but I wasn’t sure it was possible.
I’d been poor all my life. I didn’t really know what it was like to have abundance. I thought success was for “other people.” My only education was …
“If a person gets his attitude towards money straight, then it will help strengthen out almost every other area in his life.” ~Billy Graham
To pursue financial security or your dream …
You’re in conflict, right?
I know because I’ve been there myself.
People often tell us that money isn’t everything, so we assume we can sacrifice money to pursue our dreams. Somehow it will work out. At least that’s what I thought.
What do you think about money? Is it everything or not?
I quit my job when I got married. My husband was a pastor …
“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance.” ~John Lennon
When it comes to facing fear and moving past it in order to see my dreams realized, I was always advised to power through it. Do the thing that scares you, no matter how much it makes your heart pound. Take that step that makes your stomach knot up in tight balls. Do it and power through, or else miss out …
“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” ~Unknown
I know you.
You’re smart. You’re driven. You’re a “good girl/boy.” You found out a long time ago that life goes more smoothly for people who follow the rules, so you learned the rulebook inside out.
People expected things from you, and you made it your job to live up to those expectations—and probably beat yourself up inside when you fell short.
But now you’re stuck, the way anyone who has spent their life making other people happier than they make themselves gets stuck.…
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” ~Wolfgang von Goethe
I was one of the lucky few people that always knew what I wanted to do with my life when I was young.
Unfortunately, when the time came to pull the trigger and go full steam ahead toward my passion, I got talked out of the dream.
When I brought up what I wanted to do (Chinese Medicine) to people I knew, I saw them raise their eyebrows:
“Chinese medicine? How much will you make when you graduate …
“Remember your dreams and fight for them.” ~Paulo Coelho
You have a dream. Something that you’ve wanted for a long time. But that dream continues to elude you.
You blame circumstances—your daily responsibilities, lack of time, finances—or perhaps your family for holding you back.
What if none of the above is to blame for your dreams not coming true?
What if it’s something else?
Four of us performing. Our band’s name—Oracle. Thousands of fans singing along with us.
That was my dream. Our dream. And it never happened!
In the year 2000, we …
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet success unexpected in common hours.” ~Henry David Thoreau
I had dreams—dreams I thought could never be.
The dream of wanting to publish but never thinking I was a good enough writer; of being a painter but not even knowing how to hold a brush; of running a business without an MBA.
Too often in my past, I put these dreams off, waiting to feel like everything was “right”—the right timing, right environment, right preparation, right education, or …
“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” ~Buddha
One day, I’d had enough.
I heated up my yoga studio, rolled out my mat, and prepared to change this voice that I am embarrassed to admit torments me every day.
I stood at the top of my mat, closed my eyes, and tuned into my inner voice.
“I am tired.”
“I should …
“Instead of wondering when our next vacation is we should set up a life we don’t need to escape from.” ~Seth Godin
I was a senior human resources professional at the biggest company in New Zealand. I had a great team of people, a flash company car, and got to stay at the posh hotels and dine at the nicest restaurants.
I was paid more than I thought I’d ever earn, I had a house overlooking the beach, and got to vacation at some fantastic destinations. My life had all the hallmarks of success from the outside, but inside there …
“We dream to give ourselves hope. To stop dreaming—well, that’s like saying you can never change your fate.” ~Amy Tan
Pursuing dreams…
How you wish it were a smooth ride. Right?
The twists and curves you’ve encountered may have left you full of negative thoughts and doubting your ability to succeed.
In fact, you may be accepting your situation as fate and settling for defeat.
But don’t give up yet!
To keep your dreams alive, you must avoid making certain mistakes. You must realize that you’re the pilot, and you can take charge of your dreams and fly to places …
“Sometimes the wrong choices bring us to the right places.” ~Unknown
When I first quit my office job in 2012, I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do with my life. My idea bank was at zero.
But for a full year after leaving my job, I committed myself to exploring and doing the things I’d always been too scared to do.
I took acting classes, traveled, volunteered on farms, started a blog, learned about a more sustainable lifestyle, and was initiated into Reiki.
After a while I realized my problem had spun a complete 360. My idea …
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” ~ Stephen Covey
I used to be a zombie.
I don’t mean that I died and was brought back to life; I mean I used to live on autopilot. Diligently doing the right thing.
Following one opportunity to the next, onward and upward.
Until I found myself boxed into a cubicle, earning a six-figure income while my soul slowly died.
I didn’t even realize it. I just thought this was what people did.
Everyone around me was the same. They weren’t happy, but like …
“There are two ways to be happy: improve your reality, or lower your expectations.” ~Jodi Picoult
I grew up with a lot of expectations—from other people in my life and from myself. I had to finish school, do my best, finish college, get married, have children, and be a success in everything I did.
My family was supportive; however, they never really pushed me to get active. I had to push myself, and I pushed hard.
I finished high school, then college with an associate’s degree, then my counseling license, and then my bachelor’s. I got married and had a …
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