Breaking free of the chains that bind

Isn't it funny, how we walk along in life and we sort of aquire things that try to hold us back...things that drag us down...and we don't realize how much it's slowing us down until one day, if we are lucky, we say "Enough of this crap!"and break free of it.

And the FREEING feeling...the letting go..the LIGHTNESS of it all....is just so amazing! Leaves space for new uplifting things and people to enter our world. Room for growth and liberation.

I just let go of something I had hung onto way too long and feel VERY RELIEVED today!
Have you ever gone through this "shedding" of the old? This removing the heavy chains that slowed you down? Do you do it often? Does each time bring you great new SPACE and OPPORTUNITIES?

Wishing you lots of tremendous freeing of all that holds you back!

Curl up in the Winter Garden! GREAT GREAT book !!

So if you are like me and LOVE to read, Winter, Summer, Spring and Fall, and you like modern fiction mixed with a little romance ( nothing overkill ladies, this is not harlequin!) women facing situations and problems they strive to overcome and/or some historical fiction, I have to recommend Winter Garden.

I have read about 8 Kristen Hannah books thus far and she is my NEW favorite author!

I'll add that this book starts slow (all of the Amazon reviews agree) but about 1/3 of the way through it really changes and by half way through, I found it totally and completely riveting and didn't even want to put it down to cook dinner!( Cereal kids?)

Grab a cup for coffee or tea ( or a hot of vodka if you're feeling a bit Russian( hint )) and hang out in the Winter Garden. Enjoy! Comment if you real it OK?

Ready to rock out the New Year's resolutions?!

Well, it's almost another New Year and so many of us are ready to make new RESOLUTIONS, reach for our dreams, make empowering lifestyle changes and commit to new ways of living.

Of course, some want to sit in the muck around them and make NO changes-just EXIST, rather than LIVE!!

Not everyone wants to jump off airplanes, scale large mountains and have 6 figure businesses!

But whatever YOUR personal goals are, I wish you much SUCCESS, much HAPPINESS and the ability to live in gratefulness and appreciation each and everyday.

As a Mom of 3 wonderful children, each day I wake, I thank GOD for my blessings and I work hard at being a better MOM, a better PERSON and to live mindfully and joyfully.

OF course, life can get to us, stress can put a damper on our days, but accepting it and moving through it is key right?

So raise YOUR glass and CHEERS to a prosperous and simply AMAZING New Year!!

On Christmas Eve- FANTASTICAL MAGICAL book for girls!

If you have a daughter or special girl in your life- ages 7 to 11 or so, I HIGHLY recommend a wonderful book by Ann M Martin called ON CHRISTMAS EVE

It's for everyone who BELIEVES in the MAGIC of Christmas and who OPENS their hearts to receive that special Christmas joy that only comes once a year. I read it to my daughter last year and we are reading again and it's just such a great tradition.

Read it on Christmas Eve with YOUR girl too! Amazon has overnight shipping.
Merry Merry!

Hope that Christmas magic enchants your world too!

Maybe Christmas means a little bit more

‎"Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Oh, that wise wise Dr. Seuss!!!
Though I DO get my kids some pretty nice Christmas presents , I'm not one to spend major money and spoil the crap out of them either. Lego Mind Storms is about $299. My son wants it. I told him Santa doesn't have that kind of money and even if he did, it's not coming into THIS house until we buy it on e-bay for less.

I try to instill that Christms is not about just gifts. It's about sharing JOY with our families. Isn't it really?

It's about warmth and comfort and love and peace and the celebration of a certain birth.


For less than $20 last Saturday, we went to a fun outdoor Dickens festival. We roasted marhsmallows, walked the beautiful town, grabbed a pretzel, looked at the train show, the beautiful lights and some cool recycled items,browsed game stores,watched horses pull carriages( enjoyed that clip-clop!clip! clop!) visited Santa's workshop( an old fashioned house) and just had a GREAT family day.

We drive around and ooh and aah at all the houses with Christmas lights, especially those talented men who synchronize their lights to music!

We drink Hot Cocoa by the fire and decorate our tree.

We watch Christmas shows I have been watching for my whole life that still make me smile!

We laugh. We cuddle. We fill our home with love. We savor.

We remember how blessed we are.

I hope you all take the time to SAVOR the SEASON and to make wonderful family memories together!

What's all the buzz about 11-11-11?

So we've lived through 1-1-1, 2-2-2, 3-3-3, etc, why is tomorrow more special? What is the big deal?
Well, if you've been reading and watching TV, you'd see it's an amazing day for manifesting, for change and for making miracles! The number 11 itself marks the beginning of new cycles and increased spiritual compassion. Plus it looks like a peace sign so it's good in my book! My daughter and her friends are at the age where we can't take a picture of them without them doing the peace sign in various contortions. Peace man! cool, yeah baby.

Adding to the excitement, the full moon in Taures is also called the manifesting moon . Though I can't see it through all the clouds and rain here in NY tonight! But it's there somewhere hanging with the stars!

I've written my intention and am ready to manifest ALL my dreams. Are you?
Are you going to play the lottery tomorrow too?

I really like this blog by Ellen Whitehurst -check it out here

Winter introspection-Emerge a better YOU next Spring!

It's cooling off and getting dark earlier and many of us are spending a lot more time indoors.
Isn't this a GREAT time of year for introspection?

Defined as "observation or examination of one's own mental and emotional state, mental processes,etc.: the act of looking within oneself", introspection can be a wonderful and divine time of tremendous personal and spiritual growth.

I know each Fall and Winter, I spend a big part of my day on my inner journey...so each Spring I emerge with a renewed sense of wonder, sense of gratitude and sense of confidence.

Confidence that I am at the place where I am supposed to be and am growing into a better, more whole, more loving, more imaginative, more thankful, more amazing person!

Will we ever say "Ok that's it! I'm done growing!"?
God forbid!

The growth process is endless and the people who do shut themselves off to it usually nend up having, um", lets' say ,having a life of "less" rather than MORE THAN enough?

When we recognize our growth, it spurs more growth. It enhances our relationships, our businesses, our whole being and doing and living and loving!

Working with a few mentors is a great way to get started!
me, I LOVE reading all self-growth( and biz growth) books but I do gravitate to Jack Canfield and Jim Rohn.

On a personal level, I just LOVE Lori Hamann whom I've had the pleasure of chatting with and being part of one of her online coaching programs. She runs some amazing group and personal coaching sessions as well as one of my favorite things ( for lack of a better word, it's a
"course" or an "exercise" and it's amazing, called The ButterFly Experiment.

Simply put, Butterfly Experiment is about manifesting all you desire in life to step into who you really are and to step into your dreams. See her site www.lorihamann.com
You will emerge a softer, more peaceful, more positive and more high vibe person.

Whatever your desire, whatever your dreams, wherever you are and wherever you wish to be, I wish you much fun , much joy and much growth along the journey!

I don't know what it is..........but it's AMAZING!

Have the planets all lined up or something?
Is the moon sending beams of huge change and growth for us?

This last few months have been months of change for me in so many ways. From throwing out things that no longer serve me, re-vamping my wardrobe and re-arranging furniture to letting go of a business that wasn't serving me and joining a new one to changing the way we eat!

I've started to buy 80% organic and feel so good about it. Shopping more local markets and shops.
Supporting companies I feel good about and making a supremely healthy change for myself and my kids.
As a student of nutrition for many many years, I know the benefits of fresh foods without pesticides and additives, but you know, sometimes it really takes a commitment to seek them out rather than grab the ever so convenient garbage on the market.

Business wise, I took my passion for health and wellness and ran with it and made DIRECTOR with my new company in my first month!

I switched my thinking around from " How can I make money today" to "Who can I help today"? and again, that also feels SO GOOD!

With 2/3 of the population either obese or overweight, ViSalus offers a solution called the 90 day BodyByVi challenge that I am proud to offer.
I'm on it too, and it rocks! Full of amazing energy!

And with so many people in debt as bad as they were a few years ago OR WORSE, Visalus also offers me a way that I can share how being a promoter of health and wellness can help them earn extra money without an extra boss!

There is never a better time than NOW to make a change to better health and wellness.
Physical wellness
Spiritual wellness
and
Financial wellness

I'm so excited to be part of the fastest growing health challenge IN THE WORLD! ( Over 60,000 joined us in August alone!)

How can I help YOU today?

Head over to the overview here then hop on my site to sign up for more info and a call from me . Or call me at the number on my site. Let's chat in a very non-pushy way. It's exciting how ViSalus has embraced the world of online marketing and social media!!

If you are a big part of facebook or twitter, you can promote our health challenge!

Keeping your eyes on the prize!

In network marketing and in life, We all get frustrated and have bad days.
We all have doubt that creeps in. Fears that overshadow our focus.

But when we keep our eyes on the prize, keep our focus on
what we really really really want, and what makes us feel really good, we will overcome any doubt and we will move in the direction of our dreams.

We will basically STEP INTO OUR DREAMS!

Having your own home business is having UNLIMITED potential.

No one can tell you how many hours you have to work, when you have
to start or end, what you have to wear or when you go on vacation.


It's liberating.
It can be scary.
But it is FUN!
And the freedom becomes life-changing, especially when you have children.

It's a fact that millionaires are created everyday in network marketing.

Is it easy?
Heck no.

Is it simple?
More like it.

Follow the steps of the leaders and you can step into your dreams.

Follow a passion and your life can change.

Sometimes a little soul searching........leads to a challenge

So there I was, always telling people "Listen to your heart" but *I* was not doing that. I was with a company that I lost all passion for.

So I did what someone advised me; I made a list of the few things that excite me, the few things that I do EVERYDAY even without getting any money from it.

And one of those things was reading about nutrition, health and wellness. I've been doing it over 20 years.

I take the latest supplements, eat pretty healthy, try to buy organic, practice yoga, walk.

I'm also always, let's just say, very "aware" when I see heavy people out in public eating unhealthy foods.

I want to go up to them and offer guidance.

Sometimes I want to grab the fries out of their hands and say NO!NO!NO!! ( like I do when my kids steal a cookie ,ha)

Of course I'd never do that to a stranger.

I just read that something like 40% of the population are now obese and if it keeps on this track, it could be 60%!!!
That is insane really.

I can understand being 10,even 20 pounds overweight.

It can happen pretty easily, especially as we get older.

But being 100 pounds overweight is either a medical issue or people just really eat way way way too much! and too much GARBAGE JUNK FOOD at that.

The good news is many people want to lose weight and are taking steps to do so.

I took my passion for wellness and joined a health and weight loss company that I had been watching and studying for the last 8 months.

ViSalus Sciences is on a mission to offer life, health and prosperity to all through nutritional supplements and a meal replacement shake .

I'm not going to go on and on about all I LOVE about the company and the BodyByVi challenge, but I will say that I am very happy to be part of the wellness education trend and helping people who want to help themselves.

Over 48,000 joined the challenge in the month of July alone!
it's so exciting to be able to help people lose the weight they need, avoid potential future health problems like stroke and heart disease and diabetes.

"Let food be thy medicine" and let ViSalus be the challenge and commitment you need to start losing those unwanted pounds.

Are you up for a challenge?

The calender is full- the wallet doesn't have to be empty. Summer fun ideas

Looking for ideas how can you entertain your kids on a budget this summer?

As a single Mom of 3, who loves to be out and about nearly every day ,I have my share of creative ideas for family fun.

Here's some of my favorite summer things to do.

Library museum lending passes. Many libraries are doing it and they have quite a few museums on the list. Reserve your pass and you're in free.You even can bring Grandma to some of them!

Also at the local library, I've got all 3 kids in the summer reading program, plus each one in about 3 or 4 programs. Free , educational and fun. Most libraries have GREAT programs year round that you should take advantage of.

Beaches. Well, I do live on an island and we have many to choose from. We head there a lot, either for a day or just an evening. Some are free, some are $5 to get in. Bring a picnic and the whole day is less than $20 = priceless!

Parks. Checking the local Long Island website gave me some great ideas of places I'd never been before, for parks, nature walks and even nature centers. Act like a tourist and request a local travel planner or google your state tourism website. You may be surprised at how many places you can go that you've never been before.

Sports- Many schools have tennis courts and on a coolish night, we head out and hit some balls ( not that we can hit them back to each other, but still fun and exercise to boot!)

Local towns- Living on Long Island, we have our share of gorgeous coastal towns which we love to explore. A whole day of "checking things out", from shops, to just walking, buying lunch, and people watching is really a great time for all.

Local bowling alleys often let kids bowl a game a day for free. Of course, they get you on the shoes.

Book stores- Gosh, we can spend half a day at Barnes and Noble. Great on rainy days or super hot ones since the AC is usually cranked and there are chairs to sit and read a bit.Even little cafes where Moms and Dads can get some "adult" food and enjoy some quiet browsing:-)

Local churches have VBS ( vacation bible schools) and many are free. More like a camp than a school. My kids are in 3 this summer...they are only 3 hours a day but it's a very entertaining time making new friends , playing group sports and learning some valuable life lessons about sharing and caring.My kids got slimed at theirs last year and it was the talk of the summer!

Road trips. I used to call myself the Queen of roadtrips. But the drive can get to me. Stick with 5 hours or less and you can find amazing places to discover from tubing, to museums, to quirky attractions, to theme parks. No, they are not cheap but many theme parks are offering a second day free or twilight admission free with next day purchase so you can extend the fun.

Aquariums can be costly but buying a family membership gets you in all year. I buy in midsummer and feel like I get 5 seasons -summer, fall, winter, spring and part of next summer.Often they have programs where you can get into other aquariums 90 miles or more from your house for free ( many museums do this too)so keep it in mind on trips.

Farmstands- Many have playgrounds for kids, even small animals to see or pet. A few I know also have games like ring toss, sand boxes, pony rides, etc... I grab some fresh fruit and bread to go home with and call it a country day!

Children's museums are such interesting, colorful, lively , fun places. I've been to at least 6 different ones now and the kids really don't outgrow them until 10 , or even 11.

Boardwalks- Can't think of a more summery family friendly thing to do, than meander along a long boardwalk and watch the sites, smell the foods, and just take it all in!

The train-the train! Or was that The plane! The plane! Either way- taking a train ride on the LIRR keeps my kids happy and it's not costly at all. We head into NYC for a day of Central Park, NBC store, Rockefeller Center,Times Square, Toys-r-us and lunch and I can do it all less than $60 or so.


Of course, balancing the days out with some good old fashioned days in the yard, or hanging with friends , is a definite must.

Happy summer! Make it a busy, safe and fun one that doesn't drain your wallet either ( back to school clothes and supplies anyone?)
Enjoy those summer sunsets!

Hot enough for ya?
Surely I jest.

All the people who complained of the bitterly cold winter and the barely existent Spring are now grumbling about the heat.
IS that ALL we do, complain?

I will say that I rarely complain in Summer ( my fave!!) or even Spring and Fall, but in Winter, even *I* get tired of hearing myself complain. I'm totally pitifully pathetic in the Winter.

I'd rather place my order:
I'd like a 3 season climate please, and throw in 1 small snow on Christmas Eve and let's call it Winter OK?

I know, I know, how about everything in moderation... but then I'm sure we'd complain about the monotony of moderation, if there is even such a thing.

OK, that's MY little VOTD- vent of the day.Bring on the heat and stop whining. I'm sitting next to an open window listening to some sweet "summer "rain.

Now back to my AC'd bedroom! hahahaha

Sanity, inspiration, clarity-Lost and found

Ever just totally lose it? Your inspiration, your calmness, your attention span, your clarity, your happiness, your worthiness ?
All just gone.

You feel exasperated, you feel lost, you feel hopeless, not here nor there, not ready to run, not ready to crawl into bed? The kids are running wild and you just want to run away?

We all get like that! Well, everyone I've spoken to anyway.

And we need to know where to go or what to do or how to UNFUNK ourselves.

Then , before we know it, we wake up one day and just FEEL again. We want to shout out to the world-->I'M BAAACKKK!!!

I know for me, it's the beach that does it. Luckily I live 5 minutes from the coast, and a good walk on the beach, toes in the sand and salt water in the air usually does it for me. Then a nice HOT shower( again, it's water for me) and a good night sleep and all creativity is back. I am inspired again. I feel back ON TRACK, ready to rock the world.

So I hope YOU find your source of rejuvenation.

If it's lost, remember it can be found.

Look into your heart and do what makes you feel good to re-claim the joy, the balance and the clarity you seek.

Good Bye Winter Blues

If you've got the "winter blues" still this Spring, maybe it's time to shake things up a bit!->

Want some ideas ?

raid the closets and toss what you don't use/wear

go to a new museum you've never been before

head into the city as a tourist to explore

try a new cuisine for dinner, get to the library and check out a bunch of books

try signing up for a local class

join a gym

get to the track and run

throw on a jacket and get to the beach to throw some rocks in the water with the kids

have a dance party at home by cranking up the tunes

get dressed up for "cocktail hour" at home

write a list of 100 places you want to go to

check out the local Church to see what's going on there

call an old friend you haven't spoken to in a year or more

plan a family reunion

look in the paper for yard sales and thrift stores and go treasure hunting

have a family read-aloud with a great book

get outside and walk a few miles

sign up with that business you've been looking at

get out the recipe books and magazines and plan some new exciting meals

send cards to friends "just because"

find somewhere new 2 or 3 hours from home and take a day trip

buy some tennis rackets and get to a school on the weekend

if you've never tried yoga, try it and see how alive and stretched and relaxed you feel after your practice
get some seeds and plant something in a bare corner of the yard

update your ipod playlist

plan a family game night

take a bath with candles lit and soft music on

splurge on a new skincare or perfume

eat raw foods only for a few days as a cleanse-fruit and veggies!

Whatever you choose to do;
have fun!

Restore, recharge, revive, relax and grow , learn , laugh and love!


Happy Spring

Top 10 reasons to start a YOGA practice today

For all the people avidly and religiously practicing yoga, there are still many who think they have to bend into a pretzel to benefit from yoga, or who don't fully understand the benefits reach much farther than they realize

Here's 10 reasons why YOU should start a yoga practice( as usual,consult with your physician before starting any exercise practice)

1) The "stress" factor. With the bombardment of stimulation from electronics, crowds, traffic and the hustle and bustle of daily life, yoga provides us with much needed down time. It teaches relaxation, relaxes the nervous system and offers us a quiet time to turn inward. It is extremely restorative.

2) It helps release the build up of chronic tension that we get from too much time on phones, computer and in chairs. All those tense shoulder and hand muscles, even face muscles, can now have their time to open and relax.

3) Flexibility. A huge reason to to start a yoga practice! If you used to be able to put your hands flat on the floor and now they barely reach your knees, that is simply tight muscles from lack of use. Think about it. You have let your body lose what it rightfully should be doing. You can reclaim your flexibility--It was yours to start with, get it back and enjoy it. Tight hamstrings can even lead to back pain, As you feel a gradual loosening from your practice, you will stand taller and most likely many aches and pains will subside.

4) Get the blood flowing. Improve your circulation. Twisting and bending poses boost the oxygen to the tissues and cells.

5) A regular practice can lower blood sugar and LDL(bad cholesterol) as well as raise HDL(the good cholesterol) . Any form of exercise does this.

6)The spiritual dimension of a yoga practice can be life changing. It can encourage you to adopt lifestyle changes in all areas: eating, stress reduction, and mindfulness. Yoga can also deepen ones feelings of spirituality , or connections with God, or source. It can make you learn to work through your feelings with a calm mind and help you reduce anger by increasing feelings of love and compassion. It can give you a quiet strength and confidence to face any challenge that may arise.

7)Yoga and meditation teach deep breathing. Deep breathing calms the
parasympathetic system, and in turn, can reduce stress .

8)Yoga philosophy emphasizes equanimity and compassion as well as awareness. You will often find a new outlook when dealing with others , or perhaps want to make more time to volunteer , and a solid yoga practice can improve your relationships by helping you learn to take only what you need and give more. Serving others will bring a calm smile to your face. It's Karma.

9) Yoga improves your balance. Better balance means fewer falls of course and as people age, falls can turn into major complications. Think about it. How do you want to be in your 60's, 70's 80's and beyond? In a wheelchair or walking the beach.

10) Yoga is non-competitive. You do not need to get a ball over a net, in a hoop or jump the highest or swim the fastest. Your yoga practice is individual and everyone should look different in each pose. Even each day, your poses will look different. You can ask yourself, what am I feeling today? What can I do today that is best for my body? Some days it may be a short and vigorous practice. Others a long and slow one. Some days more standing poses, others seated.

It's YOUR practice. Seize it, enjoy it, benefit from it and love it as you should with anything that can make you feel so alive, so glorious, so open and so free!

Step into your dreams!

Step into your dreams.

I just heard that expression and it knocked me back ,like WOW! YES!That's it!

All along we dream of what we want, how our lives should be , could be, will be.....
but it's like we are on the outside looking in.

When all we really have to do is STEP INTO OUR DREAMS!

Doesn't it just sound so easy?
And you know what? It is.

I'm taking a big step into MY dreams and challenging you to step into yours.

Got your high vibe on?!?

You know when you JUST KNOW?

When you are tuned in to something?

When the passion you feel comes from your heart and in turn it TURNS up your vibe and your energy?

When you just feel SO SO GOOD?

Well, THAT is exactly the way I feel now.

And it's because I joined a company that resonates with ME, with who I am and with what I believe in.

I'm not trying to sell YOU on it.

I am trying to encourage you to get out of the funk you feel. You do feel it don't you? Sort of a winter-doldrums-what-am-I-doing-I'm-in a rut-sort of thing.

or maybe an "OK, I need some excitement and I need it NOOOOWWWWW!!"

Or maybe you are not making what you think you are worth and it's dragging you down?

Life's too short to sit and wait for opportunity to knock. And when it does, will you be tuned in to it?

Make today the day to turn it all around, to act on a belief, to grab hold of a passion, to see an opportunity.....

Whatever it may be, make it YOURS and ride the wind with it!!

The Everything in moderation lifestyle diet for the New Year

Diet pills and diet drinks;

It's not just a fad, but wow, it's nuts! Last night I saw a show on TV about models and actresses and the pressure to be thin. It also analyzed the "diet "plans out there. There are some really crazy ones. I honestly can't believe people get so obsessed and crazy that they take pills and drops or shakes when the simple truth is EAT LESS, EXERCISE MORE.

and on top of that I might add, eat healthier. Why have we become a nation of super size fries and donuts and chips? Why do people circle the parking lot 10 times just to get a close spot when they could have parked and been in the mall already? Are we a lazy nation? Ignorant and uniformed? Or just plain don't care about our bodies?
I'm struggling with 5 pounds of "Happy Holiday fat"as well and know that women's bodies are more or less "programed" to store fat due to fertility but seriously, how did so many Americans get 40, 50, 60+ pounds overweight?

Trying to teach kids to eat healthy in a world where they are bombarded with commercials of chips and super sized hamburger meals is hard. So basically it's "EVERYTHING IN MODERATION" around here . You want a donut? Fine, we'll have one now and then not for a few weeks, or months. Or we'll play tennis tomorrow. It's not about depriving yourself, rather about moderation.

They'll always be the next best thing, the newest pill or drink ,the biggest MLM diet product launch, or cleanse or something but if they worked, really truly worked, would people still be overweight?

Be the artist of your life

"Approach your life as an artist creating"
As I read that quote today, I was again reminded how we are co-creators of our worlds.
When I hear people complaining daily about something, I am compelled to ask "WHY continue to be a part of that drama?"
Isn't it easier to walk away and do something that just makes us feel good to the core?!?
Actually NO.
Most people, it appears, find it easier to stay with what they do, to stay with what they have, to never step out of the comfort zone into the new zone. Change is hard. It often comes with discomfort.
However that temporary discomfort is usually a permanent growth and will turn out to be a superb move in the long run.
Growing as a person takes time.
Who we were born to be sometimes is under layers that must be stripped off one by one. Or we are "layers" as Shrek says....layers and layers of integral aspects of our true beings, our beautiful loving souls .
We just need to know how to become the best we can be. Looking inward is a place to start. Asking yourself DOES THIS FEEL GOOD? is a way to start.
So the reality is: the canvas is your life. You are the artist.It's up to YOU to help God with creating the beauty within the frames of your life.

What single mom's do

WHAT single Moms do:
we cook, shop, clean, scoop litter boxes, clean bird cages, walk dogs,vacuum ,kiss boo-boos,brush teeth, comb out lice, hold hands, scare off monsters......
we watch soccer games, dance rehearsals, batting practice,cartwheels and endless "look at me's"...

we chauffeur, drop off, pick up, make late night runs to CVS for medicine, drink our coffee black to give out the last milk to a little mouth, mow the lawn, plant the seeds, weed the gardens, vacuum the pool, wash the car(or not),get the mail, decorate the house, put up the Christmas tree, take down the Christmas tree...

we get the oil changed, lock and re-lock the doors, attend school conferences,write notes, vote, help with homework, wash hair, scrub dirty feet, read bedtime stories...

we make lunches, bake birthday cakes, plan vacations, drive 300 miles, paint the walls, sew buttons, push the swing, sweep the driveway, answer the phone, program the DVD,scrub the toilet, fill up the tank, rake the leaves, shove the snow...

we write cards, print pictures, clean the fridge,break our nails, light a fire, pay the bills, call customer service, go to the bank,answer the door, iron the clothes, put together furniture, fill the leaky tires, wrap presents...

we are Santa, the tooth fairy, the easter bunny, the teacher, the friend, the neighbor, the single Mom

WHY we do it:
LOVE

Let the Universe catch it in delight...

Did you ever want to get off the road and take the detour?
Did you ever think of going through that open door?
Do you just know that there is so much more

Did you ever feel trapped and long to be free?
Did you ever think and say “Why me”?
Do you know that there is so much more to see?

Did you ever hope and wish and pray ?
Did you ever feel like your life is one shade of grey?
Are you looking for a whole new way?

Freedom is yours starting today
Let not fear wash it away

Grab onto a passion , unleash a fear
Unhinge the door, the future is near

Paint your dreams vivid and bright
There is no wrong, only right

Be the seeker, live and learn
Teach others-make their fires burn

Throw out the keys to a wasted week
Open your eyes to the opportunity you seek

Never a day nor a night without love
Grab hold of your joy and toss it above

Let the Universe catch it in delight
Let your world be full of love and light


original content by Debra Ferrie

I am.........

I am the tree with several lovely branches.....however lovely they are, I'm ready to grow some new ones and stretch in new directions, grow new baby leaves and get stronger every year.

I am the path well taken, getting to the destination with a nice view along the way. But what if I take the path less traveled? Will the view be even more stunning?

I am the the habit, well ingrained, very comfortable. Justified. or so I said. but creating new habits is creating new growth, new effective and productive ways to do the same things.

I am the brain. Smart, always thinking. Or so it goes. But the heart needs equal time and can sweep the passions up, like the wind, and carry them effortlessly and endlessly.

I am the piano.Under your fingers I play the a delightful tune. However when you are joined by another, the meshing and melding rhythms of 2 surrounds me with the most melodious and captivating of tunes .

I am the mirror. I see only what you wish me to see. But that image can change on any given day depending on what you are looking for.

Prosperity Affirmation

This prayer was written by Will Bowen, author of A Complaint-Free World, who said it was the greatest consciousness conditioner available to attract prosperity.

They say to read it everyday for 30 days - out loud or write it down too



Prosperity Affirmation

I am the source of all wealth. I am rich with creative
ideas. My mind abounds with new, original, inspired
thoughts. What I have to offer is unique, and the world
desires it.

My value is beyond reckoning. What the world needs
and desires, I am ready to produce and give. What the
world needs and desires, I recognize and fulfill. The
bounty of my mind is without hindrance or limit. Nothing
can stand in the way of my inspired creativeness.

The overflowing power of God life energy overcomes
every obstacle, & pours out into the world, blessing &
prospering everyone, & everything through me.

I radiate blessings, I radiate creativity, I radiate
prosperity, I radiate loving service. I radiate Joy,
Beauty, Peace,Wisdom & Power. Humanity seeks
me and rewards me. I am beloved of the world.
I am wanted wherever I go.

I am appreciated. What I have to offer is greatly desired.
What I have to offer brings a rich reward. Through my vision
the world is blessed. Through my clear thinking & steadfast
purpose, wonderful new values come into expression.

My vision is as the vision of the mighty ones. My faith is
as the faith of the undefeatable. My power to accomplish
is un-limited. I, in my uttermost God Source, am all wealth,
all power, all productivity. I hereby declare my financial
freedom, NOW and henceforth forever!

Making life zestful, zingy and oh so spicy!

The only way you can grow is to continuously challenge yourself to do things that you think are beyond your capability. And not only will you find you ARE capable, you will now look further, delve deeper, reach higher and grow more than ever before! When you have a passion for life, a passion for things that bring you JOY, then life is ZESTFULLY wonderful!

When you choose to grow and learn and challenge yourself, the life is wonderfully spicy! When you open your heart to let your inner light out, you will actually make yourself glow brighter than ever before. When you choose to really dive in headfirst , grab something and embrace it, MAKE IT YOURS then it becomes a wonderful and deep experience that enriches your soul.
How 'bout a little passion today and a lot less complaining?
A little lovin' and a lot less sittin' and wishing?
A little spice and everything is nice.
Turn it up
Turn it on and whoa, whoa whoa! start BEING the joy you had only hoped for. Start spreading the light , start believing in the passion of creating!



My passions?Writing,being a Mother to my amazing kids, inspiring other Moms and helping people be successful in home business. Have I inspired you in any way? Comments welcome

Working up an appetite for life?

"As parents, we guide by our unspoken example. It is only when we're talking to them that our kids aren't listening.~"Robert Brault
Oh,wise wise wise! I LOVE this and as the Universe works, it comes at the PERFECT time.
As the Mom of 3 kids, turning 10, 8 and 4 this summer, the older 2 are at an age where they , as us Moms seem to say often " just don't listen".
Ha! Really they DO hear me, it only sounds like the teacher in the Charlie Brown cartoons- Bwah bwah bwah bwah bwah
So here I am, feeling bad for yelling again at them. Feeling as if NOTHING I say will teach them and then it dawns on me-BINGO! EXACTLY! Nothing I SAY will teach them (not at this age anyway) but the things I DO just may set a roaring- soaring -flaming crazy good example.
The way I act, the way I react, the way I love, the way I show affection, redirection,attention, the way I FEEL and revel in new experiences, the way I treat the world, and accept the gifts of friendship and joy and laughter, the way I walk in nature, or soak up a new experience.....it is all of this, that I can do silently and set an example for the 3 most beautiful beings I have ever met that I am privileged to know. It is really I who learns from them-my greatest teachers. If you have children, you know exactly what I mean. It is from them, that we truly understand who we are and we learn true love and acceptance and what gratefulness and appreciation really mean.

This is my life- A Friday afternoon in June

I'm sitting on the front step waiting for the bus. Friday's are always my favorite. It's June, the school year is almost over.The sky is blue and I'm in love with the sunshine. For some crazy reason, my daughter is inside playing "Oh Hannukah ,Oh Hannakuh" from her chorus concert last year. For some really crazy reason, the beat reminds me of a Russian dance and I get a strong and clear vision of Russian men and women in Russian hats and costume, kicking and twirling like crazy.Wow. And no, I don't even drink. Maybe I'm just dehydrated.

Gotta shake THAT image out of my head... Looking around, I notice the grass needs to be cut AGAIN , the weeds are back in full force AGAIN and my nail polish is chipped YET AGAIN on my big toes. The sun still shines. My son gets off the bus and both my other kids come out to the front porch with me. And I think to myself "What a wonderful world".....of course, then the bickering begins...one kid wants to stay home, one wants to go out, one is hungry as usual."He hit me!- She poked me! -Why does he have a lollipop?" The backpack gets tossed carelessly on the floor, I trip on a pair of sneakers and I have NO CLUE what I will make for dinner. Ah, another day in the life of a Mom. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.And tomorrow I will still have weeds, chipped polish and no clue what to make for dinner. But it's all OK. call me crazy ...Life is good!

What do you really see?

"We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."~Abraham Lincoln

Looking at your life, do you see the opportunity at every corner or just another long street to walk?
Do you rejoice that the rain will bring flowers and a greener earth or complain about getting wet?
What do you see when you look out your window? What do you see when you look into your soul?
What do you see when your child brings home their school work?
What do you see at the park? The older man and his wife arm in arm, surrounded by a 50 year love? A child full of whimsical joy chasing a dog? A new Mom overflowing with pride for her toddler?
Or just people ?

Think about it.
When you LOOK, next time , really SEE.I know it's not easy. It doesn't come naturally for everyone. But it can make your life a better place to be in and the world a better place to look at.

The note on the Fridge

It's always there as a reminder and it says:
Choose to
give more
love more
relax more
smile more
laugh more
enjoy more
praise more
accept more
thank more
share more
BE more!

Not always easy as the days get crazy, the kids fight or give me a hard time( seems like this is ALL the time now that they are 7 and 9 !), the house need cleaning.....well, you know how it is! SO I hang those gentle written reminders to myself.....smile, let the kids see a happy Mom not freaking out over spills, let them feel empowered to make choices themselves....oh, it's not always easy, being a Mom IS the hardest "job" EVER yet it's the most rewarding too.

Each night as I go to bed , I'm thankful for the things I did that made us all feel good and I vow to try to correct the ones I didn't do so well.There is no perfection, there is only doing our best.

That piece of paper will be on the fridge to remind me in the morning...

What if?

What if today you choose to smile the minute you woke up?
What if you choose to count to 5 before you speak?
What if you choose to be grateful for every little thing in your life?
What if........?

What if you choose to walk around the block 20 minutes every day?
What if you choose to drink a water instead of a coke?
What if you ate a fruit instead of a pretzel or cookie?
What if........?

What if you booked an impulsive vacation to somewhere exotic?
What if you bought a bike and rode it to the store?
What if you picked up a pen and wrote a letter to an old friend?
What if........?

What if you hung up old pictures that make you smile rather than keeping them in a box?
What if you painted your bedroom bright blue or yellow?
What if you got rid of anything you haven't worn in a year?
What if.......?

What if you get a pedicure instead of cleaning house?
What if you ASK for a massage from your spouse?
What if you set out the fancy plates for dinner and light candles?
What if........?

What if you EXPECT only good things to come your way?
What if you EXPECT things to run smoothly?
What if you choose to feel peace and love instead of fear and frustration?
What if.........?

What if you choose to ACCEPT your family for who they are?
What if you choose to HUG your children more?
What if you choose to give your kids more freedom?
What if.......?

What if you choose with your heart not your head?
What if you LOVE not lecture?
What if you choose to feel only pure JOY and Appreciation of your life?
What if?

Will today be the day for YOU?

People really are creatures of habit aren't we? And often we choose to complain each and every day about something when we can stand up and make a change. I'm not even talking huge life altering things,but just small things.

My son had a beautiful comforter on his bed. The only problem was that it was a queen and his bed is a twin. So each day, it ended up dragging across the floor. I'd go in, step on it , curse and re-make the bed. It wasn't fun. It was actually just plain dumb that I did this every single day for over a year. Maybe insane is a better word. Then last month, I walked in, stripped the comforter off, lugged it into the basement, ran to the store, bought a nice new TWIN size one, came home, made the bed and GRINNED like the cheshire cat. It is now a pleasure to drop into his room in the AM. Still, why didn't I choose to do something all that time instead of complaining, cursing, tugging and bugging my son to fix his bed.

Often we think it is EASIER to not do something, but really, it's just so much BETTER to grab the bull by the horns and make that change.

Don't make enough money? Get a new job or better yet, start one. Stretch your self imposed limitations and seek out thing that WILL make you money.

Don't like your house? Fix it to your liking, get used to it, or move. But don't complain everyday.

Dream about going on vacations? Book the trip! If not your dream one, book something to get away. Life's too short to sit dreaming. Start living!

Overweight? Eat less, exercise more. It's all a conscious decision we make.

Not happy ? Get out there and do things that make you fill you with joy. Remember your passions. Remember your "why" for having a home business. Set an example for your kids that life is what we make it and our frame of mind is what we choose to think. We co-create our realities. Our happiness comes from within, how we really feel about our lives is reflected in our choices. Are you choosing to live passionately?
Will TODAY be the day YOU make that decision to change something you don't like?

What are YOU waiting for?

Sometimes the words come at you like a slap in the face. Sometimes you really listen, really let them sink in. What are you waiting for? Like the wonderful Dr. Seuss Book "Oh the places you'll go", you don't realize that you've been stuck in the "waiting place". Waiting for someday to make your life better. Waiting for a raise, waiting for a new boyfriend, a better time to move ,waiting for the kids to get older, etc."

I'm guilty of "D"- all of the above and I'll bet that you are too.

In reading Jack Canfield's book "The Success Principles" recently, chapter 1 tells it plain and simple--each of us is 100% entirely responsible for the choices we make and the thoughts we think.

We can choose to be positive or choose to be negative.

We can complain about the wind, the sun , the rain...or smile and embrace the changes.

It is US who stay at jobs we don't like, stay in a bad relationship,stay home when we want to be away.

No one is holding a gun at us telling us to do this or that.

The choices we make are not right or wrong, they are simply choices.

However, it is wise to remember that since we have that fantastic ability to make a choice, we can choose change!

We can choose a new job, choose to sell the house, to end a marriage, to backpack across Europe.

We can choose to do things that make our lives innately better and filled with more joy.

For the longest time I have wanted to move to a new state.

Is it a case of "the grass is greener"? I don't know. But instead of focusing on NOT being where I think I'd like to be, I have made the choice to accept my decision to stay where I am NOW and to enjoy it.

Knowing that I have CHOSEN to stay suddenly puts the responsibility on ME and only ME so I am choosing to embrace my decision. Sure, I'll probably move one day, but for now I CHOOSE to live on Long Island and enjoy the beauty of the beaches around me, and my wonderful friends and family here.

Back to the waiting game....so many people are waiting for that big change.

But when we realize that we can control our lives, that we co-create our days, then we can choose to NOT wait and rather to take action toward a goal.

If you want a book published, you have to write and send it to publishers.

If you want to make more money, you have to spend more (quality) time working your business.

If you want more excitement in your life, you have to pursue your passions...take classes, go on vacations, revel in the nature around you!

Don't wait for anything, grab the bull by the horns, and start taking charge of your destiny.
You can start right now by changing your attitude and living in appreciation of all you have, From there, the sky is the limit!

From "Oh the Places You'll Go"

~headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

Surveys pay!

Would you like some extra cash or gift cards from taking fun and easy surveys?( see links on sidebar) There are several survey sites which I use and enjoy.Easy money. If you're looking to make BUG bucks, they are NOT for you. However, if you're looking to get some gift cards, some easy checks, maybe gifts, magazines, etc... they are a great way to get extra stuff for YOU!

If you're a stay at home or work at home Mom, after the kids go to bed, you can spend half an hour or so doing your surveys and before you know it, you can request payment. Some pay by check or pay pal, others in gift cards. I love getting gift cards for restaurants! When I'm out with my 3 kids, and just don't feel like going home to cook, I pull one out and presto!-FREE Lunch or dinner!

They're all FREE to sign up so why not start earning today? See links on the right

Inclusion

Do you ever feel like you think about what you don't want or don't have ( I hate these bills, I wish my house were bigger, my thighs thinner, etc) more often than what you DO have?
I think we all are guilty of this and the thing is, it just doesn't serve us to be that way. Law of attraction even says it makes us maintain what we don't want into our existence and makes no room for what we DO want.
Therefore, a shift in our thinking to what we DO want to include in our lives can radically change things. Thinking of all we have, of all we are grateful for, of all the abundance before our eyes..these are the things we sometimes forget to appreciate and appreciation brings more to us to be grateful for.
Abraham -Hicks says this:
""Hold in your mind two words, the first word is INCLUSION meaning things I would like to include in my experience. I would like to include abundance, I would like to include wellness, I would like to include vitality, I would like to include oriental rug. Anything that you are wanting to include in your experience INCLUSION .

The other word is EXCLUSION meaning things not wanted. I would like to exclude death, I'd like to exclude sickness I'd like to exclude violence. Exclusion, things NOT wanted.

The thing that we so much want you to hear is that there is no such thing as exclusion, and every time you attempt it all you really do is include in your vibration something you don't want!

You get it don't you. So what happens is you see because you've been trained to exclude, you've been trained to say" Watch out for that" "I don't want that" and all along your including that thing that you don't want. So when you say "I want more money I don't want debt" your actually including two contradictory vibrations within your vibration. You get the sense of this?"-Abraham-Hicks

So, choose to INCLUDE and ACCEPT into your reality all which is important to you: LOVE, VIBRANT HEALTH, PURE JOY, ABUNDANCE IN ALL FORMS,PEACE , etc... and you will open up your world and your family to a better view.
Blessings and peace this holiday season!
Debra

Have you ever........?

I LOVE Disney lyrics. They always tell a great story about people , earth, joy and love and they are often law of attraction focused:what you think will happen,WILL, when you believe!
I think the song below is a GREAT one for these fast paced and economically troubled times...for this month.....for the world now:


You think you own whatever land you land on
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew, you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon?
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colours of the wind?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothers
The heron and the otter are my friends
And we are all connected to each other
In a circle, in a hoop that never ends

How high does a sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know.
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon.
For whether we are white, or copper-skinned,
We need to sing with all the voices of the mountain
Need to paint with all the colours of the wind
Need to paint with all the colours of the wind

You can own the earth and still,
All you own is earth until
You can paint with all the colours of the wind.