Healing Lost Relationships...

What do you do when someone who you have held close as a friend for many years moves out of your life?

Recently one of you posed this question.

In short, it's important to look at what is moving in your life. When you are in a position of spiritual growth, deep transformation and physical changes, sometimes it signals a change in relationships as well. In other words, if you are moving, maybe the others in your life aren't as ready to move. When we are evolving spiritually and are consciously working to make changes, others around us can feel left behind, neglected and even out of place or envious. Sometimes its a matter of two energies going in two different directions.

Think about two people, you and your friend for example, walking along the same path, side by side. You're going along and enjoying each others company for the duration of the journey, when you start moving faster, feeling an urge to make a change. This path simply no longer serves you. It's an uncomfortable path and you know there is more to life than this path. You are ready to make a big move.

At that moment of decision, the path forks into two paths; one that you traveled on to get here and the other is the new path that awaits you. Being curious and having outgrown the old path, you take the fork in the road. You have begun a new adventure. It's exciting and you can hardly wait to see what this new path holds for you.

After a while, having settled into your new path, you realize your friend is no longer walking the path beside you. You miss this friend and seek them out, only to find they no longer choose to walk with you. Hurt, dismayed and feeling alone, you continue on, not knowing what happened.

The friend also felt that aloneness, only it was at a time when you were excited and were facing a new adventure. They weren't able to join you, or even feel happy for you because all they could see and feel was the loneliness of being left behind.

As we spiritually evolve, we come across many forks in the road. I like to call them different levels of attainment. It's when we have learned something powerful and are ready to go on to something new. Those people who are with us aren't necessarily ready to travel to that next level with us.

The wonderful thing about this transformation is that you are always given the opportunity for new people to enter into your life. Be open to allowing someone new to travel beside you on this new path. Going backwards isn't a possibility, but moving forward can be exciting. It's the old saying, when one door closes another door opens.

My answer to the question:

When you have journeyed far with someone and it is time for you to move forward, do so with joy at your new prospects, and with compassion for those who cannot come with you. Know that they will also have someone new to walk beside them as they journey forward.

Each of us learns and evolves at our own pace and in our own time. Healing lost relationships does not mean that you can mend that which is not broken. Evolving and moving forward on your path is not a state of brokenness, it is simply another opportunity to grow and evolve.

Hold love and compassion in your heart and wish them well, but also look forward and embrace the joy that awaits you on your new path.

Many times this is a subject that is brought up in an intuitive session. If you have a similar experience or questions and would like to consciously work to move forward, I suggest contacting me for an intuitive session. The details can be found on my website: Illuminations Network

Many Blessings,
Jodie

healing relationships, soul healing, spiritual healing, relationships, Friends

The Path of Greatness Within You

If you are quick to take offense, then you'll be under the control of those who you find offensive.

If you are easily angered, then your actions will be dictated by those who anger you.

If you are obsessed by what other people think, then you will be imprisoned by their thoughts.

If you yearn for easy answers and quick solutions, you'll fall prey to people who offer you nothing but promises.

If you find the truth too difficult to bear, you'll be enslaved to those who tell you what you want to hear.

When you have the courage to think for yourself, the strength to accept what is, the commitment and discipline to make a difference, then you experience freedom.

You have true freedom to live with purpose, joy and fulfillment. Let your life be defined, not by reactions to what others do, say, or think but rather your own unique vision.

Raise your eyes above the pettiness and follow the path of the greatness that is within you.

~ Author Unknown

wisdom, Philosophy, Life

Carnival of Healing #43: New Moon Manifesting

Today is the New Moon in Gemini, and because new moon cycles are always the start of a bountiful two week cycle, I thought it was a good focus for this week’s Carnival of Healing.

Healing takes many forms, and in each form it begins with harnessing your inner power. Working consciously with cycles of timing and abundance we can enhance our healing process, bringing new and exciting aspects to life.

The moon has always been a source of life and fertility for civilization throughout history. As the moon is a source of feminine energies, it is associated with fertility, birth, abundance and new life. Each month as the moon cycles into it’s NEW MOON phase, we have a two week period of new life, fertility and abundance, while the FULL MOON cycle is the waning time that brings endings, transformation and completions. Working with the moon cycles we have the opportunity to enhance these particular energies in our lives during the respective cycles. Christopher at Intuitive Living offers wonderful insight into working with the new moon and full moon timing.

Knowing when the cycles are happening, you can take steps to enhance them. For instance, about a year ago I was introduced to a process of writing abundance checks on the new moon.

How to write your new moon abundance check:

Within 24 hours of the new moon taking place, write a check to your self, signed by “The Law of Abundance”. In the area where you usually write the $ figure numerically, write “PAID IN FULL”. On the line where you write out the $ figure in words, also write “PAID IN FULL”. Do not put on a date on the check.

Now, having written the check, put it someplace that has special meaning to you, i.e. and altar, keepsake box, etc. I usually keep mine in a small glass pyramid case that opens and I keep it in the prosperity section (feng shui) of my home. Pyramid shape is known to amplify energies. I definitely want to amplify the abundance.

Letters from New England and Lunatic Ravings from the Summit offer their experiences of writing abundance checks. They also remind us that abundance comes in many forms, not always as money. This is a powerful truth that has shown itself to me over and over since I began this practice. I have been blessed by abundance in all forms. The one thing that I have the deepest awareness of entering my life abundantly is harmony.

Harmony is that sense of peace that comes from deep within, reminding you of the blankey you had when you were little. That sense of everything being right with the world when you had your blanket is powerful.

Manifesting harmony or manifesting money may be nice, but what about manifest a mate? Phylameana offers 9 steps for manifesting your ideal mate.

“…7. Dedicate your "manifest list" with an affirmation or prayer asking for it to be fulfilled with the aid of the universe.

8. Allow it to cook and simmer. The universe has now received your request and it is left to you to trust that everything will work out perfectly. ..”

Prosperity Happens writes about 22 steps to prosperity that have been really working in her life. She’s realized healing in her life as she works through the steps, allowing her to receive, but also to acknowledge all the bounty she has.

According to Inspirational Daily there are Three Gratifying Ways to Add Abundance to Your Life. This article by Catherine Franz, focuses on 4 areas of energy reserves in your self: peace, joy, happiness and love.

What brings you peace, joy, happiness and love? At Bunny Pie, Debbie shares her love of food and cooking. I enjoy visiting her blog and checking out the great recipes she shares.

Well, there’s a variety of abundance, huh? From manifesting money, to an ideal mate, to peace, harmony and love, even yummy food, there are so many abundances in our lives to be grateful for. With the new moon upon us today, what are you grateful for? Think about it and write a list of gratitudes.

So what does this new moon hold?

According to astrologer Stephanie Austin, "The next New Moon forms on Friday, May 26th at 10:26 PM PDT. At 6º Gemini, this New Moon shifts our attention towards gathering information and making new connections. What are we ready to see? What do we need to say? Gemini, the first air sign, deals with cognition and communication. With the Sun, Moon, and Mercury in Gemini, the cosmic spotlight is also on paying close attention to how our thoughts create reality. What we are thinking, we are broadcasting....Use this New Moon to clarify and empower your intentions. Make a list of what you wish to bring in and strengthen in your life. Keep your antennae out and observe your mind closely. What we think matters as much as what we say and do."

I think gardening is my path for abundance this month. I'm making a new connection with Mother Earth. It’s going to be a gorgeous Memorial Day weekend here in Maine. Time for more planting…

In the meantime, remember all those you love, especially those who have passed on. Maybe a trip to the cemetery to do a bit of planting would be a good use of the new moon energies this weekend.

I’m off to the garden…

Blessings!
Jodie

Last week the carnival visited home at Healing.About.com, next week Phylameana ventures over to her blog site at Spiral Visions. Our Carnival of Healing hosting calendar is open, would you like to volunteer to host?

carnival of healing, Blog Carnival, new moon, Astrology, gardening, manifesting, prosperity, Success, Personal Growth, ideal mate, soul mate

The Carnival is coming to town!

I'll be hosting this week's Carnival of Healing. I haven't yet decided on a particular theme for this week. If anyone has suggestions, please post a comment.

Healing the Heart & Opening to Love

As babies, we enter this world wide open to receive, share and to have experiences. Unfortunately, if our family of origin is co-dependent, dysfunctional, critical, negative or addictive, then what we receive as love may come with lots of strings attached, family patterns and emotional baggage. Because of our naïve vulnerability, we soak it all in because we need to be loved.

When our source of love is riddled with energetic/ emotional ‘garbage’ as such, it doesn’t feel so good. It hurts. It also paves the way for our future understanding of love. Our blueprint has been imprinted with unhealthy understandings of love and it has painful feelings attached to it. We have not yet learned discernment and the ability to sort. That comes much later after the damage is already done.

Our early vulnerability can set the pattern of rigid control in later life. Because we could not control how we received, and what we received early on, now we block everything out, creating a wall around our hearts.

Our feelings, our innocence and openness have all been suppressed and closed off for our own safety. We learned the painful heart feelings before and we don’t want them to happen again- so we wall it off by setting barricades of protection and control.

Our relationships suffer. We attract the same type of partner again and again, each time upset that they are not emotionally available, when they are only a mirror reflection of ourselves.
How can we heal the heart and open to love when we remember the pain?

We have to give the love to ourselves first. We begin by listening, hearing our inner voice and whispers that come from the heart. We open and allow those trapped feelings to emerge and be expressed. We begin by loving our self.

When we give the heart the love it craves, the defenses begin to fall, the tears begin to flow and the control begins to relax a bit. We are breaking through the boundaries and are finally being nourished. We have the ability to choose how to love our self. We learn to sort the love that comes from others from the emotional strings that are attached to it.

We open to love with filters in place- ready to sort and clarify that which is being received. It makes it safer to accept the love that others offer. Once we have sorted, we have the power to choose what is worthy of receiving because it feels good, and what doesn’t. It’s up to us now.

© 2006 Jodie Foster

healing the heart, mind body healing, love, Life

Finding my Green Thumb..

The rain that we have been flooded with for the past two weeks seems to have finally subsided and the sun has been out since Sunday. So, first thing Sunday morning I was out in my back yard digging out an area for a new flower bed. It felt so nice to be out in the sun and getting my hands in the earth. It was the grounding that I needed after so much water for so many days.

I planted lavender, yarrow, snapdragons, coreopsis, columbine , rosemary, peppermint, chives, lamb's ear, onions, impatiens, and morning glory seeds. I haven't planted for the past two years and it feels good to get back to the earth in this way. I'm setting up an office on my back deck for the summer, so I will have beautiful flowers to look at while I work.

Usually I do just a few pots on the deck. Getting into the ground to do a bed is something new for me. The last time I remember working directly in the ground is many years ago when I still lived at home and helped my Mom with her gardens. She is in a new house this summer and is starting to plant some new flower beds herself. I know she planted rhododendrons and clematis this weekend and has plans for a new patio deck. She loves feeding the birds and she has several large feeders set up in her yard.

I have two feeders on my deck and have been watching the chickadees and goldfinches.

I realize that I am working to create more than just a garden or an outside office space for the summer. I am creating an atmosphere. Finding my green thumb is only the beginning. I can't wait to see what else I discover...

gardening, garden, outdoors, Nature, birdwatching, Birds

Feelings Wearing You Down?

The Mind-Body Connection:
How Three Emotions Can Make You Tired

Your energy level is a reflection of your state of mind," says Erika Schwartz, M.D., a New York City internist who specializes in treating fatigue. "If you're thrilled with your life, you'll have a lot of energy. If you're depressed, anxious or unhappy, you won't." In addition, the following emotional habits can drain your energy:

Worrying
"Fearing that something might or might not happen in the future doesn't solve the problem and it fritters away your energy," Schwartz says. A better tactic: Set worry hours ‑- say, half an hour in the late afternoon ‑- and worry your heart out about everything you can think of. Try to think of positive solutions, then put the worries out of your mind. Or schedule that dental appointment for first thing in the morning so you don't spend all day fretting about it.

Feeling guilty
"Constantly questioning what you're doing is draining," says Alice Domar, Ph.D., coauthor of Self-Nurture: Learning to Care for Yourself as Effectively as You Care for Everyone Else. How to get rid of guilt? Listen to what you're telling yourself and think of where it came from, she suggests. Did someone say this to you once? Or is this your fear speaking? Then ask yourself if it's true. If not, the guilt is likely to vanish; if it is, you can do something about it.

Not asking for help
"So many women are running around, doing so many things for others and feeling like their needs aren't being met," Domar says. "Ironically, many women don't even know what their needs are." Rx: Think about what you really want and need. Then figure out which needs your partner can meet, which your friends can meet, which your job or church can meet and which you can meet yourself. "Doing stuff for yourself isn't selfish," Domar says. "It's self-care."

Part of a larger article: 12 Surprising Things That Are Making You Tired (and How to Fight Them)

mind body, mind body spirit, emotion, spiritual healing

Hope, Heart & Healing

I don't know how many of you are aware of this.... so I thought I'd jot a note about it.

Christopher Stewart at Intuitive Living, the home of many wonderful Carnivals of Healing and astrological data, is a Medical Intuitive. He hosts a regular column called Ask a Medical Intuitive at About.com

Recently Christopher has been posting many of his responses at his blog. Check out his posts and get a feel for the type of healer he is and the work he does. If you feel drawn to his work and have particular areas in your own health and wellbeing that you would like to address, please consider contacting him for a personal medical intuitive consultation. So much more can take place when you speak with him directly.

He works by phone with clients all over the world and his healing work has personally helped me more than I can share within these words. He is a gifted medical intuitive and is a true healer. His compassionate and caring ways are felt through his energetic presence and the gentle sound of his voice through the phone lines. His readings are detailed and he provides a tape of your session along with recommendations.

Details about individual medical intuitive consultations with Christopher are available on his website at www.ClairvoyantGuide.com

If you are experiencing imbalance, physical or energetic, please contact him.

Christopher's email: medicalintuitive@comcast.net

medical intuitive, medical intuition, healing, health, wellness, ask a medical intuitive

What kind of vessel are you?

The Buddha compared people to four kinds of clay vessels. One type of vessel has holes in the bottom. We can pour in as much water as we like and it runs right out. When this type of person hears the Dharma, it goes in one ear and out the other. The second type of vessel has cracks. Though we pour in the Dharma, it seeps out slowly until the vessel is empty again. The third vessel is full to the brim with stale water--views and opinions. One can't pour anything new in, everything is already known. The only useful vessel is the fourth, without holes or cracks and totally empty.

-Ayya Khema, "Be an Island"

~ a book that I have found very helpful is "Everyday Sacred" by Sue Bender. It is about her journey to understand her own vessel. It is very simply written, but stirs deep contemplation. I highly recommend it.

buddha, Buddhism, Philosophy, dharma, Spirituality

What are you doing with your life?

This is a fabulous article for anyone searching to find meaning in their life, their work and thier passion. Please take time to read the entire article. It's long, but well worth it...

What Should I Do With My Life?

The real meaning of success -- and how to find it.

Fast Company January 2003 Page 69 By: Po Bronson

It's time to define the new era. Our faith has been shaken. We've lost confidence in our leaders and in our institutions. Our beliefs have been tested. We've discredited the notion that the Internet would change everything (and the stock market would buy us an exit strategy from the grind). Our expectations have been dashed. We've abandoned the idea that work should be a 24-hour-a-day rush and that careers should be a wild adventure. Yet we're still holding on.

We're seduced by the idea that picking up the pieces and simply tweaking the formula will get the party started again. In spite of our best thinking and most searing experience, our ideas about growth and success are mired in a boom-bust mentality. Just as LBOs gave way to IPOs, the market is primed for the next engine of wealth creation. Just as we traded in the pinstripes and monster bonuses of the Wall Street era for T-shirts and a piece of the action during the startup revolution, we're waiting to latch on to the new trappings of success. (I understand the inclination. I've surfed from one boom to the next for most of my working life -- from my early days as a bond trader to my most recent career as a writer tracking the migration of my generation from Wall Street to Silicon Valley.)

There's a way out. Instead of focusing on what's next , let's get back to what's first . The previous era of business was defined by the question, Where's the opportunity? I'm convinced that business success in the future starts with the question, What should I do with my life? Yes, that's right. The most obvious and universal question on our plates as human beings is the most urgent and pragmatic approach to sustainable success in our organizations. People don't succeed by migrating to a "hot" industry (one word: dotcom) or by adopting a particular career-guiding mantra (remember "horizontal careers"?). They thrive by focusing on the question of who they really are -- and connecting that to work that they truly love (and, in so doing, unleashing a productive and creative power that they never imagined). Companies don't grow because they represent a particular sector or adopt the latest management approach. They win because they engage the hearts and minds of individuals who are dedicated to answering that life question...

Read the Full Article

career, Work, Life, passion

Pondering Passion....

I've been thinking tonight... about what stirs passion in people. I'm not talking about sexual passion at the moment- more like creative passion and excitement.

I know I get very passionate about my work and love it when someone really makes huge progress and has a breakthrough on their healing journey. I get very excited and passionate about this.

Spending quality time with those I love dearly. That always is a passion of mine.

What else am I passionate about? Knitting, I am really on a knitting kick lately- mostly knitting socks. They are fun and don't take as long as sweaters, so faster gratification, I guess!

Dogs. My family has a beautiful girl named Bridget. She is mixed- part newfie, part spaniel and we think she has some setter and chow as well. She's all black with long hair that trails like an irish setter. She's my girl.

Unfortunately, being all black, she's hard to photograph so you can really see her features. So I've included a photo of one of my favorite type of dog- shelties. I had the honor of meeting a little shelty girl named Hannah tonight at a friend's home. She was so sweet...

These are some of the things that stir passion for me. What stirs passion in you? Think about it...

passion

Some Fun for Mom...

Here's a few fun things for Mom this Mother's Day.... check out the Cappucino Pound Cake- sounds yummy!

Mother's Day Door Knob Hangers

Mother's Day Word Search

Create a Carnation for Mom


Cappucino Pound Cake

3/4 c Oil
1/2 c Honey
4 Eggs
1/2 c Milk
1/2 c Sour cream
1 tb Creme de Cacao
1 tb Kahlua
2 c Flour
1 c Sugar
1/2 c Cocoa
2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Baking soda
1 tb Instant coffee
2 ts Cinnamon
1/4 ts Nutmeg
1/4 ts Cloves

Coffee Kahlua Cream Glaze:
1 c Cream
1 ts Instant coffee
2 tb Sugar
1 tb Kahlua

Mix together the oil, honey, eggs, milk, sour cream, Creme de Cacao, and Kahlua and beat for 4 minutes with electric mixer.

Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, instant coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and add to wet mixture, mix well.

Spread into greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour 10 minutes.
Coffee Kahlua Cream Glaze:Beat together the cream, instant coffee, sugar, and kahlua and spread over cooled cake.

mothers day, Mothers-Day, Mother's Day

What does Mom mean to you?

Here's an oldie, but a goodie...

M - O - T - H - E - R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"

"A word that means the world to me."

~ Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

mothers day, Mothers-Day, Mother's Day

Great Words ~ Great Wisdom

The Dalai Lama on Life

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others and Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

dalai lama, Dalai-Lama, Buddhism, Philosophy, Life

Scorpio Full Moon Saturday

An excerpt from...
Full Moon Reflections:In the Belly of a Duck
by April Elliott Kent

"...But at this Full Moon in Scorpio, the sign of magical, unseen forces and the power of universal support, I find myself dazzled by such a generous display of cosmic goodwill. It’s illuminating to contemplate that among the Gods of mythology, Pluto/Hades – ruler of Scorpio – was known as "The Rich One." In astrology, Scorpio, Pluto, and the 8th house have come to symbolize the world’s riches – "other people’s money," inheritance and loans, mysterious windfalls. It makes sense to consider that what we put forward from Venus and the second house must eventually find a response from Pluto and the eighth house.

And yet, it’s very hard for some of us to rely upon Scorpio’s cosmic trust fund, the enormous stockpile of goods, services, and enlightenment that sits waiting for us to draw checks against it. I grew up among farmers who worked extraordinarily hard for every dollar, and I definitely absorbed the ethos that hard work alone, not magic, would summon financial security (although none of the hard-working families around us seemed especially prosperous)..."

Read the Full Article

full moon, astrology

Releasing Old Patterns & Habits

When do you notice yourself getting in your own way?

It can happen pretty easily. It's when you unconsciously slip into denial, or when an addiction takes over, or when you go on 'automatic pilot'.

When there are unconscious patterns or habits happening within you, it's easy to remain oblivious and not conscious to what is really happening. It's easy to follow old habits and routine because you may be comfortable in it, but is that really living fully and being spontaneous?

What patterns & habits are you noticing in yourself that you would like to release? First they must be identified. With me, it's easy for me to slip into my usual morning routine and it can be 1pm before I get out the door to do my errands, etc. I've really taken notice to this pattern in me and I'm choosing to face it. In doing so, I choose to be conscious of my choices each morning.

What old patterns & habits do you have that you would like to become more conscious of, thereby working to release them?

What Are You Reflecting?

Have you looked in the mirror lately?

I mean, really looked in the mirror. What did you see? Were you surprised by the image being reflected back to you? Did it look like you? Did it meet the image you hold of yourself in your mind?

If it didn’t match, what were the differences? What was the image telling you?

What do you think the image is that you are projecting out to the world? Does it match your inner view? How has it changes from a year ago? 5 years? 10 years?

Think about the image you have of yourself. Has it evolved over the years as you have? Do you still see yourself in your 20’s even though you are in your 50’s?

So often, we lock an image in our mind of who we are, never upgrading it or enhancing it as we change in the world. We upgrade our technology, cell phones, computers, etc, however we forget to upgrade our inner view of ourselves.

Think about how much you’ve changed and ask yourself if your image is really outdated? Is your inner image stuck in the 70’s and disco, while your outer self approaches the world in the latest fashions?

Internal imaging is not only about your body image, but it is about your entire being, mind, body and spirit. Body image is such a powerful subject in the media of late with actresses coming forward to speak about their struggles with food and image.

While the pressure they are under comes so much from their industry, it is also self imposed. Insecurity about their appearance existed deep within their being and rattled their inner foundation long before the external pressure began.

Think about your inner foundation. Is it stable or rickety and swayed by the latest fashion model to be on the cover of a major magazine? If you don’t feel stable and sure of yourself and the image you have of your self, what steps can you take?

First, identify that the image is just that- an image. The image is not a real thing, but just a picture or idea you took and filed away in your memory. That snapshot has been subjected to years of media influence, family and society influences.

The snapshot is no longer a clear picture, its been subjected to many layers of distortion and became an image that resembles a digitally enhanced, high-tech animation or caricature. It is no longer the truth.

After many years of distortion, it requires clarity. Sorting through the layers may take some time and concentrated effort. It takes patience and commitment, along with a good dose of compassion and self nurturing.

As you peel away the layers, each step of the way its important to clarify the truth. Ask yourself if the image you are seeing is the core truth for your being. Listen to your intuition. Feel the answer deep within your belly. Does the belief attached to that image ring true? Is it your belief or society’s? Is it your mother’s voice you hear, or maybe another’s?

Then ask what motivates that particular image. Is it motivated to please mother? Is it motivated to please father’s image of you? Could it be motivated by attracting attention, or by not wanting to attract attention? What is the deepest motivator? Could it be motivated by aloneness and the quest to never be alone? Could it be motivated by comparison and the need to meet some fictional inner standard?

Once you have identified your motivators, you can choose to address the core issues. You can face the emotion that is connected to the belief and release it, then replace the belief with a new truth.

You define your own truths. You create your own images. You define who you are and how you choose to present yourself to the world. It’s all up to you. You are the creator of your world. Regain your power from the fears you have held within you. Call on friends, family, or counseling for assistance in sorting the facts from the fiction.

You are the only one who knows the truth for you. Others can try to define it for you and tell you who they want you to be, or you can look to others who will help you ask questions and uncover your own truth.

Seek empowerment, not mass media and pre-determined molds to try to fit in to. Seek your inner path and find the light of your own truth, then radiate that light out for the world to see.

You are a unique being with your own inner beauty and shining light. If you recognize it, own it and value it, then so will others. Let that be the new image you show to the world.

© 2006 Jodie Foster

self improvement, Self Help, Personal Growth, body image

10 Great Ways to Beat Loneliness

Are you one of the millions of people who experience loneliness?

Is it because you live alone or work at a home business all day? Over 4 million people worked from home according to the 2000 census, and the numbers have steadily risen since then. With commuter costs rising as well, even more people will turn to home offices as an economical option. Unfortunately, working from home can present other challenges. One of the most common complaints among people who work at home is the loneliness.

Working in the public and being with co-workers all day brings a sense of comradery and companionship that is missing once you work at home. While it’s nice to work in your pj’s at times, the loneliness can become a challenge for many.

How do you cope? What steps can you take to overcome it?

Here are some simple steps you can take:

• Find a local coffee shop to hang out once or twice a week, bring your laptop, have a cup of coffee, knit, etc. It helps you feel like you are spending time with others.
• Join a local group for networking, knitting, book club, etc.
• Take up a new hobby, fly fishing, knitting, quilting, boxing, etc. and then join others in the endeavor. Remember, to be interesting, you need to be interested.
• Call friends and invite them to lunch out with you- set a regular schedule for once or twice a month – don’t wait for them to call you.
• Volunteer at the local library, hospital or school. Participating and helping others is a great way to beat loneliness.
• Join an online discussion group or forum- chatting with others can relieve that sense of aloneness too.
• Get a gym membership- working out with others is fun.
• Take a class- learn something new and meet new people.
• Check the local paper for free concerts, events, etc, to participate in or attend.
• Get out of your routine by going for a walk in the middle of the day when the loneliness is apt to set in. Exercise will increase the oxygen you take into your body, helping you feel more energized and better about yourself.
• Get a pet.

It’s important to have something to look forward to each day that is not just part of your to-do list. Above all else, make it a priority to get out of the house at least once every day. Write it in your day planner or appointment book. You’ll find yourself coming back to the office feeling refreshed and invigorated, ready to go on with your day because you know you’re not alone.


© 2006 Jodie Foster

loneliness, depression, WAH, WAHM, self improvement

Homemade Goodies for Mom

With Mother's Day right around the corner, have you thought about what to do for your Mom? A very creative & talented friend of mine has put together specialty gift boxes to provide Moms everywhere with some comforting homemade treats.

Esther has formulated a unique menu that includes some different flavors and textures along with some comforting classics. There are three sizes available for order and the menu is listed below. Each will come with a personalized card, menu card, will be gift wrapped, adorned with ribbon and have a seed packet of flowers attached. UPS shipping is available for an additional charge upon request. The photo shows the small & medium size boxes.

Orders need to be reserved by May 8th- so hurry!

Prices are - Small Hat Box-$30.00, Medium Hat Box-$40.00, Large Hat Box-$50.00, plus shipping if needed.

Examples of menu selection that will be included -each will contain a sampling of these or similar recipes-Chocolate peanut butter cookies, Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, Cranberry-golden raisin biscotti, Oatmeal butterscotch cookies, Spiced almonds and walnuts, Almond-amaretto biscotti, Chocolate covered pretzels, Lemon-poppy seed crisps, Chewy molasses cookies, Lavender shortbread, Spicy brownie bites, Citrus shortbread, Caramel bars, Fruit tea assortment & sugar molded flowers with orange essence for your tea. Note: some recipes contain nuts or are baked in a facility where nuts are used.

To place an order, get more details or if have ?'s contact Esther Holden by email at eholden1@maine.rr.com.

For those being shipped they will be mailed on Thursday May 11th by UPS ground unless paying extra for faster delivery. If shipping to states close to Maine/New England most should receive in time for Mother's Day, if outside that area please email for options and time frames. All local orders will be available for pick up on Friday-12th or Saturday-13th. Payments must be received before ones being mailed UPS.

*Special* If you place an order and you pass along this e-mail to others and refer someone to Esther and they purchase a box then you will get $5.00 off the price your order when they state who they were referred by. Or if you order 2 boxes then you will get $5.00 off your 2nd box.

Please pass it along to others who might be interested too!

Esther Holden
A Touch of Comfort
Scarborough, Me 04074
eholden1@maine.rr.com

with Warm Thanks...

I have received several emails and comments (thanks Rhi!) from people checking in to see how I am feeling. I know that many of you have noticed that I haven't been actively blogging lately. In fact, many of the posts are from other authors.

It's true that I wasn't feeling my best and I needed to take several weeks of rest, but I'm finally feeling better and am back to work. Unfortunately the blog has not had as much of my attention. Hopefully I will be able to rectify that in the upcoming weeks.

Thank you again for your caring concern and I appreciate you checking on me. It's been a long month of April and I for one, am very happy to see May! I look forward to having more energy & getting back in the swing of things.

Many Blessings,

Jodie

What's Your Excuse??

Using Excuses to Avoid Fun
By Ted Schredd

Excuses stop you from having more fun, more love and more good times in your life. That’s the only thing they do. We’re presented with unlimïted opportunities to do, see and experience life. Go here, go there, go everywhere. The problem is we just can’t do everything, so we say no to plenty of potential joy.

Here are the most popular fun-avoiding excuses:

Excuse Number One: I’m too old for that. You are nevër too old to enjoy
anything; you will just enjoy different things. Besides, when exactly does
“too old” take place? At twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy?
There are seventy-year-old triathletes, skydivers, skiers, universïty
students and mountain climbers. Look, there are senior citizens kicking
butt all over the planet. Don’t let your butt be on the receiving end of
those kicks. You are only too old when you’re dead.

Excuse Number Two: My health is no good, so I’m unable to participate.
Well, tell that to cancer survivor Lance Armstrong after he won the Tour
de France. Tell that to Rick Hansen, who pushed his wheelchair around the
world. If you stop living because of your perceived restrictions, you are
the only loser. Fun people say regardless of what ails me I am going to
give it a go. They don’t believe physical ailments or disabilities will
hold them back.

Excuse Number Three: I’ve nevër tried... walking on hot coals, Argentinian
tango, speaking Norwegian, riding a camel or acting on stage, and I don’t
want to look stupid trying something I’ve nevër done before. Every minute
of every day, somebody, somewhere is doing something they’ve nevër done
before, just once. Oddly enough, it’s the only way to try something new.

Excuse Number Four: I already tried that, and I didn’t enjoy myself. When
you were a child learning to walk, did you quit because it didn’t work out
the first few times you tried it? Or do you still crawl everywhere you
travel? If you’ve given something a good effort and you still hate it,
dust yourself off and move on to the next challenge.

Excuse Number Five: I don’t have the time. Everybody has the same amount
of time. It’s just how people use it. If you say you have no time for fun,
then you just haven’t made fun a priority.

Excuse Number Six: It costs too much. There are plenty of activities that
cost next to nothing: a picnic at the park, a walk by a lake, a romp at
the playground or even a romp in the sack. If you really have your heart
set on an expensive activity, all you have to do is ask what will it take
for this to happen? Could you get a part-time job, trade some service you
can perform with someone else, borrow the equipment, buy the equipment
second-hand? Fun people don’t shut down a possibility because it’s too
expensive. Instead of saying “no” they just ask “How?”

Excuse Number Seven: I won’t know anybody. You don’t know anybody, so you
stay home, which helps you to solidify your belief that you don’t know
anybody. Fun practitioners are excited to meet new people. Maybe they can
add to their list of playmates. The only way you get to know people is to
get to know people.

Excuse Number Eight: It’s too dangerous. It’s probably ten times more
dangerous crossing the street or driving to work than most adventure
activities ever could be. If you do a little research, get some
instruction and get the proper safety equipment -- you’ll be fine.

Excuse nine through twenty-six: Life is supposed to be a struggle. That’s
childish. My dog wouldn’t approve. I have to do it the old way. I’m too
intelligent and mature to be having fun. My head is too big. But the
animals will get me. You need special training for that. They don’t sell
pork there. I can’t play with them because they’re a different religion. I
would but I’m just too fat. I’m too scared. I smell. The weather is always
bad. If only I had a million dollars, then I could have some fun. I don’t
have the right clothes. I might hurt myself. Someone might laugh at me. Or
whatever other excuse works for you.

Excuses seem perfectly valid in the eyes of those who create them, but in
reality they’re ridiculous. When you use excuses, you repel the very fun
people and situations that can bring you happiness. If you truly believe
you’re too old, what do you think will happen? You’re just going to get
older and older. If you’ve decided you don’t want to feel stupid trying a
new activity, then why bother trying it in the first place, right?

Eventually your excuses will solidify into beliefs, and unfortunately,
changing your beliefs is a little more challenging. Best to nip this
situation in the bud before the excuses harden into beliefs. So how the
heck does one stop this chronic excuse thing?

Begin by admitting the truth -- you are responsible for the level of fun
in your life. Everything that is around you -- your house, your lovers,
your job and your circumstances -- is a direct result of you and the way
you think. So many people look outside themselves to blame or excuse
themselves from their reality, but it takes courage for people to accept
responsibility.

Avoiding responsibility by making excuses takes away your personal power
and leaves you open to further anxieties. Blaming somebody or some entity
will NEVËR solve the problem. Blame the world, blame the government, blame
the farmers, blame the little goat at the zoo -- it’s all their fault.
Anything, any statement to deflect the real root of the problem. To think
that other people or the government are responsible for fixing your life
is silly. It only prolongs the inevitable fact that only you can make your
life great, fun and delicious.

The great leaders in history were always able to take responsibility.
Unfortunately, there have not been that many great leaders. Most leaders
these days just deny and deflect responsibility. They use a political
sleight of hand to retain their power and put the focus somewhere else. It
was the Republicans, the Democrats, the economy, the weather, the local
government, the FBI, the police, the whites, the blacks and on and on. We
have very few responsible role models in our political system. It seems as
if the only people in our society who think they don’t need to take
responsibility are the politicians and the celebrities.

Our culture rewards lack of responsibility. Do you remember the case of
the “I drank hot coffee and I’m suing McDonald’s”? Somebody went to
McDonald’s, ordered a coffee, drank it and found it was too hot. So they
decided to sue McDonald’s. Isn’t coffee supposed to be hot?

Here’s another example. A woman sued Universal Studios because, she said,
the theme park Halloween Horror Nights Haunted House was too scary for her
and caused her emotional distress. In a different pitiful example of
responsibility avoidance, the family of a man who drowned on a fishing
trip sued the Weather Channel for ten million dollars claiming that the
man was tricked by the station’s storm-free forecast. At Disneyland, a man
drove into his fiancée on the bumper car ride. The injured woman then sued
Disneyland and her own fiancée. OK, just one more. Some people have a
party. Guests come over and drink. The hosts offer a free cab ride but the
drunken visitor refuses. Mr. Party Pants decides to drive, crashes his
car, blames the hosts and sues.

Yes, there are plenty of situations where companies or individuals need to
be punished for unacceptable behavior. But the coffee is too hot? The
Halloween night is too scary? The weather forecast is wrong? The bumper
cars are too bumpery? Oh my God, that’s terrible. You must get a lawyer
and sue. The lawyers and litigants in these frivolous lawsuits should be
given a slap upside the head and a stupid ticket. I don’t understand why
they haven’t tried to sue God for making the cliffs too cliffy and the
tornadoes too twisty. The media help out by highlighting these stories of
ridiculous litigation. Their barrage of “blame experts” can find fault
with anyone and anything. We being the information sponges that we are
believe them word for word. Then it sets off a frenzy of copycat
litigation. If they can sue over hot coffee, what could I sue for? When
people are truly responsible, they can’t admit it for fear of being sued.
If we can’t take responsibility for drinking coffee that’s too hot for us,
then how can we ever take responsibility for our own happiness?

You have the choice to take responsibility for your life. You are wherever
you are in this moment in your life because you brought yourself there.
Evaluate your job, your friends, your lovers or lack of, where you have
been and where you are going. You created it all. Good or bad, you are
responsible. Then imagine where you would like to go. Then think of all
the excuses you have used in the past. Taking responsibility allows you
the freedom to grow. No excuse can ever justify you not discovering,
exploring, adventuring, laughing and enjoying your life. There are more
than enough roadblocks to happiness in your life. Why ensure that it won’t
happen with the habitual use of excuses?

About the Author:
Author Ted Schredd has been a fun researcher for the past fifteen years.
Ted wrote "Gramma Knows the F Word"- How adults can discover more fun in
their life - to inspire people to enjoy their lives. Available at Amazon.

Please come and visit http://www.discoverfun.com

fun, Humor, Life