My Positive fixes - entry 2009-4

MUTTERINGS - FREE ASSOCIATION

This is sort of like a gazing globe for the mouth...:)

http://subliminal.lunanina.com/

Week 360

I say ... and you think ... ?

Here are my answers:

1. Interest – the money I earn on savings – Yay!
2. Chase – Manhattan, a mortgage company for homes
3. Itch – scratching that satisfies
4. Soothe – lotion effect on the hands
5. Lamp – light in the living room
6. Tutor – teacher with a personal touch
7. Nicole – one of my daughter’s friends
8. Sloth – furry mammal
9. Burn - The TV show ‘Burn Notice’
10. Bug - Ladybug

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My positive fixes - entry 2009 - 03

CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART

This is such a magical time of year. I know that not everyone celebrates Christmas but I wish everyone did. The traditions and decorations, the feeling of good will, the hope in a new beginning, a clean spirit, a joyful time are all part of this time. The true spirit of Christmas is about giving and helping and enjoying each other from the heart. I've always felt that it's important to give of oneself especially at this time of year.

My memories of Christmas extend way back to when I was about 3 years old and my sister and I were all dressed up for church. We were at a friend's home that day and got our photo taken at the foot of their huge, and I mean huge, tree. Even though the photo is in black and white I still remember some of the colors of the dresses we wore and the presents under the tree. Not much more just the image of it being a special time. My mom always dressed my sister and I like twins when were were young. It was easier I guess. We are 1 and 1/2 years apart, me being the oldest...but she was pretty much the taller one the whole time we were growing up and she still is!

I remember being so grateful for whatever we got for presents. You can't imagine how that felt unless you have been in situations when you don't have a lot of money. We played with the toys all year long and when Easter or our Birthday's came we would get presents then but otherwise we got what we needed. There was not much money to spend on wants during the rest of the year especially since there eventually were seven of us siblings, with me as the oldest. Somehow I think that made Christmas all the more special. Looking forward to seeing those presents under the tree was so exciting...however, I think it was even more fun anticipating and then walking out of our rooms on Christmas Eve after the 'angel' had come to see our presents all wrapped up. Giggling with each other as we opened our own packages. These are some of my Christmas childhood memories.

Maybe that is why my family keeps up this tradition even though we have all grown up and our children are young adults for the most part. But now, we are in a better position and we are used to just buying things throughout the year when we want them. We have more than we need, luckily we all have fulltime jobs and can do this. I know that having gift exchanges are fun and all but somehow the magic is not the same. I am so blessed to have so many things, and even though I am not rich by any means I don't really need anything. What I love is to get gifts from the heart and to give gifts from the heart. I think that is what we all love. That is what is uplifting to me. It is always so wonderful to know someone thought of you from their heart. Even the gesture of a gift to a charity from their heart on your behalf is something to cherish. I love hearing the story of the charity or how the giving was done. There are so many deserving people out there that are out of work or ill. Prayers are always good to give. I try to write a few prayers this time of year to give silently to those in need. Especially those I might know about more personally. Prayers do get answered.

In any case, thinking about this and how we feel when we know we have celebrated Christmas from the heart is exciting. Ask yourself if the gift you are giving is from the heart and if not, how can it be from the heart?..or better yet make an afformation - How is it from the heart? and make it happen.

It's almost Christmas, isn't it time for making more memories we will cherish for years to come - like this little gif made by a fellow blogger awhile ago and shared with me and many others gifts like these from her heart before she became ill and had to cut back on her sharing. Her heartfelt gift remains for me and you to enjoy!

My positive fixes - entry 2009 - 02

PINK ROSE of ELEGANCE - HENRIK EDBERG

This is my second post on my positive fixes. I feel compelled
to seek out things which are positive and optimistic. We have too
much attention on the cyniscism in the world. I feel that more
energy needs to be expended on the bright and useful thinking
surrounding us. While it's not good to bury one's head in the
sand like the proverbial ostriche it's also not good to dwell on
what is wrong all the time. That's why we have backup plans.
In any case I am convinced that a focus on the positive in the
moment will help us to avoid the negative in the moment and
thus in the future as well.

My entry today is a spotlight on a blogger who continually inspires.
I am completely impressed with this positive thinker!
Henrik Edberg is the blogger and his intention is to write
about all sorts of positive things that might help people.

He writes in the entry at this link:
http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2009/11/20/9-life-lessons-i-have-learned-from-blogging/
about his tips on blogging.

Who couldn't use some good blogging tips.

He covers 9 lessons he's learned about life
through his blogging. To wet your curiousity appetite here
are the titles of the nine lessons ----------------
(he has some great explanations for each one on his site):



1) Don't wait for Inspiration
2) More work less talk
3) Learn from people with more experience
4) You need to set limits and just focus on what is important
5) You get what you give
6) More external validation won't save you
7) Ideas and insights are fleeting
8) How you present it makes a big difference
9) Don't think about what everyone else may think

I enjoy Henrik's candor and his indepth writings. Maybe you
will too. He identified not just two or three lessons but nine!!!!!
I felt that all were great but I especially liked 1), 2), 5) and 7).
The images he chooses for his entries are always very intriguing
to me as well. Whether you agree with these lessons or not,
after reading his descriptions you might find your own life
enriched a little after visiting his blog. I know I did. I'm very much
of the thinking if just even one person is helped that is success!
It always makes me think..what if...?

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My positive fixes - entry 2009 - 01 - 3 bloggers of note

THREE BLOGGERS OF NOTE:

I sometimes visit my favorite blogs, twitters or facebooks and get some wonderful ideas and links to help satisfy my addiction to positive things. Whenever I visit a site which I think is positive or inspiring I have been trying to find a way to capture that for the future. I tend to jump around a lot so that I lose track in my travels between blogs, comments and sites sometimes and have been trying to think of ways to capture these entries for later visiting. I don't want to lose them.

Ta da! I found a way to keep that thread by periodically blogging about their blog, site or twitter. I can note why I think that the entries are a positive force and an antidote to my affliction with Positive thinking. Yes, I say it is like the caffiene for my coffee. Sometimes I need to revisit these places and when I can't find them again I feel a sense of loss. Hopefully, no longer will this be a problem as I begin to capture these visits on my blog from now on! I also love to number things. That's keeping me organized as well. Notice that this entry title is numbered Positive fix 2009-01. ( I don't think I'll get past 99 before December). (An addiction to numbers can be a bit much I admit, but I love to number things to for tracking and find them later. I have some latent Librarian desires and tendencies...don't even get me started on the Dewey Decimal system....hmmm, I haven't thought about that for a long time.)

Today I'm going to honor three sites that had blogs or ideas I thought were especially fit for getting a positive fix (besides mine of course...LOL):

1) Operation Nice - a great blog entry about doing nice things. See the link on my sidebar to the right? It says I'm very nice, with the link: http://www.operationnice.com/ I want to bring your attention to a particular entry on the blog that I connected with immediately at this link: http://www.operationnice.com/2009/10/i-did-my-assignment.html#links Melissa, the blogger made Halloween cards and candy bags and handed them out to her favorite Starbuck's employees as a random act of kindness. I connected with it because I did something little similar to this at a restaurent I went to on Halloween day. I had these little photo cards that had the cutest pumpkins on the front and some Halloween humor inside: "What is the ratio of a Jack-O-Lantern's circumference to it's Diameter? Answer: Pumpkin Pi! " After our meal and as I was leaving I slipped one of these cards on the table with a hand written 'thank-you from a customer' inside along side humor. ...I also made one out for my Physical Therpist the day before and handed it to her as I was leaving. It's nice way of both extending appreciation and gratitude.

Reading over Melissa's blog I got routed to another site whose photography and posts are most inspiring:

2) The site is entitled: 'Be yourself - Everyone else is taken' by Beth. It is a collection of photos and poems and just positive and inspiring peices. In particular is this one which caught my eye and heart: http://moredoors.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-dont-ever-want-to-judgedo-you.html Here Beth was walking along in and saw some kids having fun and laughing and figured out how to interact with them in the most amazing way with her photography. They all seemed to have fun and when all was said and done it left me smiling. You can find more on her post by Clicking on the 2009 in the right hand column of the post.

3) At the bottom of the Be Yourself site I found another link to tryout. See how my thread gets woven with jumping from one site to the next? It's all good but very time consuming. This new site is inspiring to me because I am hooked on numbers and time management ideas. I am not saying I'm especially great at this but it is a obsession of mine. Couple this with an engaging photographer and new ideas and I'm hooked. Have you ever seen a Human Calendar? Here you go: http://www.humancalendar.com/ To read about this just click on the calendar or go to http://www.humancalendar.com/about.php The link is cool because it actually changes when the calendar changes..you will see that is should be reading the current month! It is so much fun. The author/programmer Craig D. Giffin also has a human clock site: http://www.humanclock.com/ I am just too inspired.

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Passing the Purple Hat - Erma Bombeck

This is a little delayed for October but since I have had some pretty close calls with cancer I figured better late than never for this little post.

Passing the Purple Hat IN honor of women's history month and in memory of Erma Bombeck who lost her fight with cancer. Pass this on to any women that you want watched over.

These are the colours that represent the different cancers.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck (written after she found out she was dying from cancer).

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.'

There would have been more 'I love you's'

More 'I'm sorry's.'

But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute.look at it and really see it . . live it and never give it back.

STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what

Instead, let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.

If you don't mind, send this message on to all the women you are grateful to have as friends.

Maybe we should all grab that purple hat earlier. This is a disease which affects all families... no one is exempt!

This message was going around in an email but it was so positive I just decided to post it as a blog item.

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David Allen on Decision-making

Do you have trouble making decisions? That could be a real blocker. Before you can take action you need to decide. Of course, simply making decisions won't guarentee you take action but if you get in to the habit of making a decision to act now or schedule things until later you will get more done for sure. Decide to act. Here is some great thinking on decision making and getting things done from David Allen...one of the most positive forces for positive thinking I have met!

David Allen is one of the best gurus on getting things done and making decisions I have yet to encounter. His techniques are helpful and effective. His writing and speaking skills are exemplary. It's a joy just to read his material. . I'm always inspired and optimistic after reading one of his newsletter entries. His thoughts on Decision-making are profoundly simple and common sensical.

DAVID'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT


THE DUE DILIGENCE OF DECISION-MAKING

If you had no trouble making decisions, you would probably have no trouble. You'd still have challenges, but problems would be in motion toward solutions, no "stuff" would lie around draining your psychic energy, and things to be done would be funneled into a process of completion as they show up instead of as they blow up.

There is obviously a strong connection between choice-making and productive, relaxed behavior. So, what's the issue about making decisions? Why don't you immediately and easily get off the dime with a pending choice and dispatch it? Several hindering factors could be at work:


1. Decisions require thinking, which takes time and energy. Often you feel you have neither.

2. You believe if you choose, you lose. Deciding means there's something you must sacrifice. Likely you are spoiled—you'd love to pretend that you could really have it all. You may add way too much reading material to your piles, for instance, instead of limiting it on the front end.

3. Bad choices get the blame. You can't be blamed for going off course if you're not yet on the course.

4. You potentially create lurking monsters. If you got feedback from every decision instantly, you could probably handle it easier than having to make choices for which the consequences could be far-reaching and unexpected.

So, if thorough front-end decision-making is a key success behavior, and you can easily get sidetracked, can you train yourself to make them quicker, better, and more thoroughly across your life and work? Sure.

The most all-encompassing approach would be to do whatever you need to do to gain a greater sense of self worth, giving you more confidence and reducing the fear of making mistakes. But perhaps the most significant short-term factor in ensuring consistent decision-making is increasing your discomfort with not doing it. If you raise the bar internally with how much ambiguity and lack of clarity you are willing to tolerate, you'll find it much easier (necessary, actually) to just get on with it. We spend thousands of hours holding a focus for our clients to make hundreds of thousands of decisions that have been pending in their psyche and their world—from random papers on their desk to key issues distracting their consciousness.

They would not have allowed those to linger had their comfort zone not tolerated them.
So how do you raise your standards about indecision you'll tolerate? Become conscious of the inventory of choices you haven't made, but need to. Realize that executive time and energy must be committed to expedite the process, and discipline yourself to empty your in-basket regularly. Commit to bigger results that require an intelligent allocation of your limited resources. And practice, practice, practice... until you get so accustomed to the energy you experience with a clear deck internally, you just won't allow the nagging lack of choice to linger.

2009 The David Allen Company. All Rights Reserved

Please feel free to forward this message to friends, family, and colleagues, keeping our contact and copyright information intact.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please visit us on the web at http://www.davidco.com/, email us at info@davidco.com, or call 805-646-8432.

The David Allen Company407-F Bryant CircleOjai, CA 93023(805) 646-8432info@davidco.com
A Smarter Way to Work & Live®

Rainbow from October

A good day is a day with a rainbow! Seattle was dubbed the Emerald city a few years ago but a vote of the general populatons. I think it should have been called the rainbow city. We get quite a few rainbows around here. This year with all the sunshine we've been having it has been even better than most years.

What is a rainbow? Obviously it's a ribbon of light comprised of several colors. A prism in the sky made by rain and sun together. It is a dream for finding happiness. Following the rainbow to it's end for that pot of gold is an anecdote for following your dreams for your own happiness. One day when I first met my husband we asked each other a question about a wish. If you could have one wish what would it be? He went first. He said he would wish for happiness. I was impressed and immediately realized that I wanted that same wish. Whether we get money, fame, health or anything else in our lives it means nothing if we aren't happy. I still wanted all those other things and that didn't stop. But as for my wishes....happiness definitely topped the list for me. I wonder how others think about this. Why is it that happiness is the grandest wish of all?