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Posts Tagged ‘life’

Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/23/11)

Posted in About me, Aging, Helping Others, inspiration, Pets, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 23, 2011| 3 Comments »

As I sat at my computer working on today’s post, I could hear Romeo, my twelve-and-a-half-year-old Cockapoo, snoring under the desk. At first glance, one would think he is much younger. His blond curly coat and his small dog attitude belie his age. But upon closer observation, Romeo’s old, soulful eyes and stiff back legs reveal the truth. He is really a mellow old guy now and is such a joy to have around. With that thought in mind, I wondered if I were to see an old dog like Romeo in a shelter, would I adopt him or would I want a younger, more spry puppy? Would would you do?

#1 – Senior Dogs
Check out the Senior Dogs Project, a site dedicated to “Looking Out for Older Dogs.” Learn about the joys of adopting or fostering an older dog. According to the website, the top ten reasons to adopt a senior dog are:

1. House-trained
2. Won’t chew inappropriate items
3. Focuses well
4. Knows what “no” means
5. Settles in with the “pack”
6. Good at giving love
7. What you see is what you get
8. Instant companion
9. Time for yourself
10. Get a good night’s sleep

Another site dedicated to senior dog rescue is Muttville.

#2 – Dalai Lama’s 18 Rules for Living
No matter your age, these rules for living are worth remembering.

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:
a. Respect for self
b. Respect for others
c. 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, honourable 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.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

#3 – Reuse It

If you have multiple electrical cords and plugs under your desk or elsewhere in your house, and you don’t have a clue which appliances they belong to, here’s a helpful tip for you. Instead of throwing away those little, square, plastic clips on bread bags that have product dates stamped on them, use them to help identify the plugs. On the unstamped side of the plastic clips, indicate (with a permanent ink marker or label) where the cord originates – computer, printer, toaster, lamp, sewing machine, etc. and you’ll always know which device you’re unplugging!

#4 – Real Love Photo
Photographs can often reveal a depth and breadth of emotion that words cannot do justice. This particular photo by Anze Malovrh was one of those types of photos and it tugged at my heartstrings.

#5 – Born to Stand Out
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”
— Dr. Seuss

Enjoy this last weekend in September!

Note: The portrait of Romeo was taken by my son Adam.

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (9/16/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2011| 2 Comments »

Being pulled in many different directions is something I am used to since I’m a mom with children who still need my help from time to time. The last couple of weeks have been crazy with activity and I tried to help all three of my kids through their recent transitions. That being said, I couldn’t do everything I wanted to do for each of them or do what I would have normally done for each of them, but I did the best I could. By focusing on the many things that could be accomplished, I did not let the few “unachievable” tasks stop me.

#1 – Makes Me Think
An aging brain and over 240 posts written make it difficult for me to remember whether I’ve already shared Makes Me Think. I’m pretty sure that I have, but it is a site well worth revisiting. Reading the often inspiring and often sad, but always thought-provoking, submissions validates my beliefs that life should be celebrated and that there is inherent goodness in man. Visit the site and read some submissions yourself, but if you don’t, here are a few examples:

Today, my cab driver showed back up at my house an hour later and knocked on my door to give me back my wallet, which another passenger found in his backseat. All of my cash and cards were intact.

Today, my dad saw the tears in my eyes and asked, “You’re not crying over him again, are you?” “Just let me be,” I said. He started walking out of the room, then turned around and said, “If someone won’t lift a finger to call you, see you and spend time with you, it’s time for you to lift five fingers and wave goodbye.”

Today, I ran into my favorite teacher from high school. He was my music teacher all four years. I saw him standing in line outside an unemployment office. I own my a small production company here in L.A. that does animated graphics, sound effects and background music for TV shows, commercials, and small-mid budget movies. I grabbed him out of the line, we chatted and I hired him on the spot. He’s going to be a priceless addition to the team.

Today, my cousin and I met for lunch for the first time in almost a year. He sat across from me with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen across his face and updated me on all the things going on in his life. He said all of his hard work was paying dividends and his small business was thriving. He also mentioned that he was thinking of proposing to “the most amazing woman he had ever met.” “I don’t know how else to say it,” he said sometime toward the end of our lunch, “I’m happy. I’m finally feeling comfortable in my own skin.” My cousin lost his life in a car accident on the way home from work this evening.

#2 – Osteoporosis
Concerned about osteoporosis? Read iVillage’s list of 7 Foods that Fight Osteoporosis and then check out these exercises in Good for Your Bones: Exercises to Prevent Osteoporosis.

#3 – Arctic Light
Sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of an arctic light display as captured in a short video by photographer Terje Sorgjerd! While on this site stay awhile and watch his other beautifully soothing videos.

#4 – Make It Short
Short stories make perfect reads when you are short on time. It takes a great deal of skill to craft a short story, because the writer has far fewer words than a novelist in which to grab a reader’s attention and develop characters and plot lines. Read and appreciate the art of short story writing at East of the Web, where different genres of short stories are available to read for free. The Short Stories application for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch is free, so that you can read a short story anytime and anywhere you want!

#5 – 18/40/60 Rule
“I like Dr. Daniel Amen’s 18/40/60 Rule: When you’re 18, you worry about what everybody is thinking of you; when you’re 40, you don’t give a darn what anybody thinks of you; when you’re 60, you realize nobody’s been thinking about you at all.”
Jack Canfield

Enjoy your weekend!

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Spread Joy

Posted in About me, Community, Helping Others, inspiration, Kids, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 13, 2011| 2 Comments »

Spread joy. It doesn’t take much, really it doesn’t. There are no guidelines, no right or wrong ways to do it, no right time . . . . Occasionally, a little bit of planning is involved, but mostly it’s spontaneous. Do it and let your actions be joyfully contagious!

There is not a finite number of ways to spread joy, but here are a few suggestions:

Be Kind
When you perform acts of kindness, random or specific, you not only do something good for others, but you make yourself feel good, too! Whether your acts are acknowledged or not, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you sent positive energy out into the universe and that you may have made a difference in people’s lives. And if you are ever lucky enough to be on the receiving end of someone’s kindness, pay it forward. Don’t let the positive energy die – keep it going!

Listen
In our increasingly busy lives, we often don’t have the time or take the time to really listen to what those around us are saying. With a million distractions at our disposal, do we listen carefully enough to read between the lines or to catch innuendos? By listening to others intently, we are conveying to them that they are important to us and that what they have to say matters. Do not try to multitask, solve problems, interrupt, or even converse – just listen.

Encourage
I always say that words have power. In high school, a P.E. teacher gave me the grade of  “C” after performing the Cha-Cha in the ballroom dancing section of our P.E. curriculum. When I asked her about the grade, she said, “You have no rhythm.” For decades I shied away from dancing because I assumed I had no rhythm. Now, because I’m old and I don’t care what others think, I dance. In a world of “what ifs” I muse about the difference it might have made if the teacher had only tried to encourage me by saying, “Not too bad! With a little bit more practice, you could be good!” A word of encouragement here and there can create foundations of joy.

Share
Spread joy by sharing yourself with others. Share your time, your energy, your smile, your talents, your heart, your possessions, your money . . . . You are a multifaceted person, so there is much to share!

Reach Out
Reach out to a friend or relative that you haven’t seen in a while or with whom you’ve lost contact. Call, write, email, text – do whatever it takes to let them know you are thinking of them. Far too many excuses and assumptions prevent us from reaching out to others, but all it takes is a simple “Hello” or “I haven’t seen you in ages, but was thinking about you . . .” to reconnect.

Help Others
Helping others in any way, shape, or form is a guaranteed way of spreading joy. Yesterday in a grocery store, a disabled man in a wheelchair dropped his shopping basket and was unable to retrieve it. Those nearest to him ignored him. I went over and offered my help. The smile I received in return warmed my heart. Helping in large scale ways, such as donating and volunteering, are admirable, but the everyday small ways of helping others mean just as much.

Show Gratitude
Keeping a gratitude journal is a nice habit, but don’t keep all those good thoughts to yourself. Being grateful and showing gratitude are two different things. It doesn’t take much – a simple thank you, a little note, a small reminder to a loved one, a touch on the arm, doing something special – there are so many ways to show gratitude.

Compliment
A sincere compliment goes a long way to spread joy. Compliment someone in their workplace for good service received. Pay a compliment if you notice something different about someone. Leave positive comments for bloggers, newspaper and magazine columnists or any one else whose work you’ve appreciated. Thank your doctor for doing his best to provide you with good care. Why is it so much easier to criticize than compliment?

Celebrate
Celebrate life’s gifts everyday. Celebrate nature – spreading joy is not restricted to mankind. I receive much joy from feeding birds in my backyard. Watching them feed and bathe and listening to their songs always brings me back to the present and to a point of appreciation and celebration of life. Celebrate every occasion possible! Especially celebrate special occasions – don’t let them go by unnoticed. Don’t assume that others know you are thinking about them on their birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, etc. How can they know you are thinking of them, if you never tell them?  Don’t wait to celebrate!

After reading this post, I hope you feel inspired to go out and SPREAD SOME JOY!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/22/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

From afar their sheer beauty captivates, but up close flowers demand admiration. Flowers bring me joy. I’m drawn to them wherever I go and I can never walk past one without appreciating its loveliness. Is it the eye-catching color that begs me to stop? Is it the geometric perfection that makes me pause for closer inspection? Is it the velvety-softness of the petals that my hands want to touch? Or does the essence of its perfume send signals to me? It’s all of the above and more. I’m rarely without my camera, for I never want to miss an opportunity to capture beauty!

#1 – Houseplants to the Rescue
Plants are not only beautiful and decorative, but they can also improve the air in your home. Thanks to NASA research, here is a list of common household plants that remove pollutants and harmful gases from rooms inside your home or office space. Click on the link to read full descriptions of the plants and their care.

A. Areca Palm

B. Lady Palm

C. Bamboo Palm

D. Rubber Plant

E. Dracena

F. Philodendron

G. Dwarf Date Palm

H. Ficus Alii

I. Boston Fern

J. Peace Lily

#2 – Willy Wonka
For the love of Everlasting Gobstoppers – this year marks the 40th anniversary of the original Willy Wonka movie! Watching this movie and singing Umpa Lumpa songs with my kids always made for a fun evening. Thought I’d do well on this Willy Wonka Trivia Quiz, but not so! Either I didn’t drink enough Fizzy Lifting Drink or it’s been way too long since I sat down with the kids to watch the movie!

#3 – Treasures from the National Archives
View treasures from the National Archives, which include Victorian fashions, the Magna Carta, and documents from the Titanic, and maybe learn something you didn’t know before.

#4 – Workout Repetitions
Here’s something I didn’t know before and just read about in the most recent issue of Nutrition Action Health Letter: “To build strength, you have to use enough – but not too much – weight. Rule of thumb: if you can do at least 8, but no more than 12, repetitions, you’re using the right weight. Up to 13? It’s time to switch to a heavier weight.”

#5 – Let Go
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
~Lao Tzu

Stop to smell the flowers this weekend!

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Starting at the Bottom, Again

Posted in About me, Community, Helping Others, inspiration, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 19, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Forrest Gump’s mama always said, “Life is like a box of chocolates,” but the older I become, the more this mom views life as a series of never-ending staircases, much like those drawn by M.C. Escher. At particular phases in life, we climb metaphoric stairs and reach the top, only to find that another level exists and another staircase awaits. We learn the rules of the game during each ascent, but discover the game changes at every level.

Parenting is a good example of my analogy: you start with a sweet, little baby, but no sooner do you get a grip on exhausting infant-ways, then your baby walks, talks, and throws tantrums. Mastering potty-training raises cheers and exultations, but creates a degree of independence, which allows your child to leave the safe haven of your arms to go to school. After years of navigating through playground dramas and class projects, you warily enter the hormonally-charged world of adolescence. By the time you regain some balance after the “driving” years, your child moves on to college applications. And before you can decipher the FAFSA form, your child graduates from college and finds a job.

Recently, my youngest child and her friends reached a new level by graduating from college. With high hopes they look to the future with new sets of goals and new sets of stairs to climb. For some of them, their staircases are straight forward – graduate school. For others, the staircases are long and narrow – medical school. But for many of them, their staircases rise, twist, and turn – the path of uncertainty. In the past, a college degree usually led to a job. Not so anymore. For those looking for jobs, the ascent is made more difficult by an extraordinarily bad job market.

For example, a recent ad my daughter looked at quickly excited her, but ultimately discouraged her. It read:

Looking for an energetic, detail-oriented person. Check!
Must be organized and able to multi-task. Check!
Must be a self-starter and be willing to work long hours. Check!
Must be proficient in Word, Excel, and Power Point. Check!
Must have the ability to work quickly under tight deadlines. Check!
Must have a 4-year college degree. Check!
Must have nonprofit experience. Check!
Must have at least five years of work experience. No!

With so many bright, intelligent, and experienced competitors for so few positions, employers have a gourmet assortment to choose from. If all employers hire experienced workers, who will give the inexperienced the experience they need? I will never forget the dentist who hired an energetic, young dental hygienist fresh out of school. I am eternally grateful to him for believing in me enough to take a chance on me. Hopefully, there are other employers out there who can remember what it was like to get their first job and their first vote of confidence, and who are willing to consider vitality and eagerness over experience. My daughter, her friends, and other recent college graduates will need patience and this kind of help to get to the next level. Landing that first job, of course, puts them at the bottom all over again!

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”
Nelson Mandela

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/15/11)

Posted in About me, Entertainment, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on July 15, 2011| Leave a Comment »

One of the most wonderful things about summer is the variety and availability of delectable summer produce. Every year at this time, I utter superlatives by the bushel and go on sensory overload. Peeling the skin off of a juicy, tree-ripened peach or taking an indescribable bite of a summer tomato topped with freshly-picked basil, just makes me happy. Could life get any better?

#1 – Crafting an Exceptional Life
The Positive Thoughts site had a post titled, “How Do You Craft an Exceptional Life?” With a list of 57 suggestions, there are several that are worth reiterating:

Get serious about gratitude.
Know the 5 highest priorities of your life.
Savor life’s simplest pleasures.
Create unforgettable moments with those you love.
Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
Give no energy to critics.
Remember that leadership is about influence and impact, not title and accolades.
Be authentic.
Never miss a moment to celebrate another.
Speak less. Listen more.
Be the best person you know.
Make your life matter.

#2 – Extraordinary Uses for Everyday Items
Can’t find the end of a roll of plastic wrap? Use a piece of tape to find and pull up the edge. I learned that little tip from an article called, Extraordinary Uses for 16 Ordinary Household Items. Discover uses for toothpaste, nail polish, hair dryers, cornstarch, coffee filters and more!

#3 – Incredible World
We live in an incredible world. Here’s a collection of twenty-seven photographs of our world that only photographers from National Geographic could capture!

#4 – Obechi
Can you win it, not in a minute, but in 5 minutes? That’s the challenge of Obechi, a computer game. The game involves capturing a set amount of moving dots in a set amount of rings. Unfortunately, you must sit through a brief ad before you play, but use that time to loosen up your fingers and focus your brain!

#5 – Enough Is Enough
“He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”
Lao Tzu

Have an extraordinary weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/8/11)

Posted in About me, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 8, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Life is meant to be shared. This phrase sounds clichéd, but what would life be like if we could not share our highs and lows with others? “Sharing and encouraging joy in life” is the tagline for What About This? and is the intent behind every post written. Sharing ideas and thoughts that are helpful, inspiring, creative, entertaining, and sometimes thought-provoking has always been the goal of this blog. All of this sharing comes from a middle child, who always carefully guarded her possessions (that’s another story), but who now knows that life wouldn’t have meaning if she didn’t share.

#1 – All For Good
Looking for volunteer opportunities? Check out opportunities at All for Good by clicking on “search opportunities,” specifying what type of volunteer work you’d like to do (animals, seniors, hunger, etc.) and then typing in your location. A list of opportunities will come up within the region specified. According to it’s site, “All for Good’s mission is to facilitate volunteerism and community service. To meet that goal, we have developed a custom volunteer opportunity oriented search engine that is powered by the largest database of volunteer opportunities on the Internet.”

I’ve added All for Good to my Google home page, so I can see what volunteer opportunities are available to me on a daily basis.

#2 – Which Is Worse?
Fast food is not known for being healthy, but some fast food menu items are worse than others. Go through the short “Battle of the Fast Food Breakfasts” slide show to see how well you can recognize unhealthy food!

#3 – Reuse It!
Tired of throwing away lipstick tubes that still have lipstick in the bottom portion? Do you use a lip brush to get out every last bit? Have you found your perfect color is actually a combination of two lipsticks? My neighbor introduced me to a product called LipStix ReMix that conveniently solves these issues. By scraping out the bottom of two “used up” tubes and “cannibalizing” a partial tube of a “too bright” color, I created a whole new tube of lipstick using the kit. Not only did I save money by using lipstick that would normally be thrown away, I also created a fabulous new color by blending two shades. Plus, I even reused one of the original plastic cases to hold my newly created lipstick!

#4 – Conceptual Photographs
Unlike pretty photographs, conceptual photographs make you lean in for a closer look and, more often than not, make you think. Check out this collection called 30 Amazing Conceptual Photographs.

#5  – Joy Is An Inside Job
“We’ve put happiness outside of ourselves; we’ve put it into our job, into our bank account, our relationships. You’ve become so preoccupied with the search for happiness that you’ve actually forgotten that you’re already happy. Searching mode makes happiness external: It’s an outward-directed activity. Following your joy is an internal one.”
Robert Holden

Find and spread joy this weekend!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (7/1/11)

Posted in Creativity, Entertainment, Health, Helping Others, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 1, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Screaming Piccolo Petes, juicy cold watermelons, friends and family gathering for barbecues, and patriotic displays of red, white and blue are all things we look forward to as our country celebrates its Independence Day. Having the freedoms we have in America should never be taken for granted. So as we celebrate this weekend, let us not forget just what we’re celebrating and why we need to celebrate.

#1 – A Free Love Story
Telling a love story using coordinating split screen images is a creative idea, but what I found even more creative about JW Griffiths’s short movie was that it was shot entirely with a mobile phone. To view Split Screen: A Love Story click here.

#2 – Be Free of Stinky Fingers
If you’re entertaining this holiday weekend and plan on dicing onions and mincing garlic, try these tips to remove their odors from your fingers:

-Immediately after handling onions or garlic wash your hands with regular soap and water and then rub your fingers on something made of stainless steel.

-Wash your fingers with a mixture of salt and vinegar (or lemon juice), but first make sure you don’t have any cuts or hangnails, because it will sting!

-Wash your hands with a paste of baking powder.

#3 – Be Free of 100 Calories
“Losing weight can be as simple as cutting out a meatball here and an egg roll there.” ~Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.

Ms. Somer provides a list of 100 Painless Ways to Cut 100 or More Calories, which involves practical substitutions. According to Ms. Somer, if 100 calories were eliminated each day for a month from our diets, each of us would lose a pound of fat in a month!

#4 – The Price of Freedom
Americans have gone to war to win their independence, expand their national boundaries, define their freedoms, and defend their interests around the globe. This exhibition examines how wars have shaped the nation’s history and transformed American society.

Those words preface the Smithsonian Museum’s exhibit The Price of Freedom: Americans at War. I can think of no better way to appreciate and to celebrate our country’s Independence Day, other than to fully understand the history of the domestic and international conflicts which engaged our country. Enter the exhibit, select a conflict from the timeline, watch and listen to the brief video, look at the photos of objects in the exhibit, and then say thank you to all the brave people who fought for freedom.

#5 – To Be Free
“You can protect your liberties in this world only by protecting the other man’s freedom. You can be free only if I am free.”
Clarence Darrow

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (6/24/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Health, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Organization, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 24, 2011| 2 Comments »

Out came the pool floats! On went the ceiling fans! Out came the iced tea! On went the garden sprinklers! The summer solstice roared this week with a triple digit heat wave. Summer is finally here, but I would have preferred a little 85 to 90 degree warm-up first!

#1 – Ransom Notes
If you think you’ve seen it all, you probably haven’t! Here’s a site where you can create a message in ransom-note-style (letters cut from miscellaneous pieces of paper). Go to Ransom note generator, type in the words, and click “create.” That’s how I made the message above – “I have a heart with room for joy.”

#2 – People That Come Into Your Life
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate, neighbour, co-worker, longest friend, lover, or even a complete stranger) but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

This is the opening paragraph from a piece of writing I found on the internet. This feeling of “I know we were supposed to meet” has happened to me and, perhaps, to some of you, too. Click here to read the entire inspiring piece.

#3 – Food Journal
I am in a self-imposed M.O.G. (mother-of-the-groom) boot camp now. I have a year to get in shape for the wedding and I’ll need every bit of it, plus any other help I can get! I found this free and easy to download food journal at The Project Girl. Besides the weekly format, I also like that it includes snack and water entries. I made a little packet of the sheets for me and the F.O.G. – let the food journaling begin!

#4 – Dating Your Food
I’m not suggesting you go out on a date with your food, but rather I’m offering a method for keeping track of food purchase dates and dates indicating when items were opened. For example, do you know how long the bottle of cocktail sauce has been sitting in your refrigerator? How long has the jar of instant espresso, which you bought to make a chocolate glaze, been sitting in the pantry? As someone who likes to cook, I have a pantry and a refrigerator filled with items I use only occasionally. Since expiration dates or sell by dates don’t really apply to all products once they’ve been opened, I keep track of their freshness by marking them with a little code I devised:

1. Using a permanent marker, all items that are recipe necessities, but used only occasionally, such as jam, condiments, nuts, specialty items, pasta, baking items, ethnic foods, etc. get marked with a “P” (for purchased) and the date when they are put away for storage.

2. When items are removed from storage and are opened, they get marked with an “O” (for opened) and the date they are opened.

Following this code makes cleaning my pantry and refrigerator faster and easier, and probably more safe, since there is no second guessing to the freshness of products!

#5 – Change Gives Us Branches
“Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.”
—Pauline R. Kezer

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Words to My Daughter and Other Graduates

Posted in Helping Others, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on June 21, 2011| 8 Comments »

June, the big month of graduations, is almost gone. As the next stage of life unfolds for my daughter and many other graduates, here are a few words of advice from this mom. Although somewhat clichéd, they are from the heart:

Life is not a checklist to be checked off, nor a race to be run.

The world needs your unique gifts and perspective, so be you.

Always speak the truth, but with good intention and at the appropriate time.

Strive to seek balance in your life.

Don’t underestimate the power of what one person can do.

Know your worth – never undervalue what you bring to the table, whether in personal or business relationships.

Appreciate the gift of every single day.

Don’t let material goods define who you are.

Nothing is more important than your health and your family.

Live a life of gratitude.

Remember, there are always two sides to a coin.

Success in life is made up of small, continuing successes – it’s not a big onetime thing and there is no limit to the amount of success in life that you can achieve.

Only the attainment of your dreams and your goals determines whether you are successful.

Let your actions define your character more than your words.

Have respect – for your body, for other people’s property, for other cultures, for the planet . . . .

Live in the present – you can’t change the past and the future isn’t here yet.

Write your story – it’s your life, no one else can write it for you.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – learning from them is sometimes the only way to grow.

Have compassion – as it’s said, “What goes around comes around.”

Spread joy!

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