November 9th, 2009

Is This It? What I Found Inspiring About MJ's New Movie

While I always had an affinity for some of Michael Jackson’s songs, I can’t ever say I was a huge fan. I was born in the 70’s and grew up in the 80’s so I was around when they came out. But I was more of the Debbie Gibson vs. Tiffany era. Yet, I had always been intrigued by the movie star, from brief glimpses of him through interviews and unflattering shots of him via the media. So I was extra curious when Oprah not only mentioned she had watched MJ’s “This Is It” but also said seeing it made her want to be better. “To see this great artist at work makes you want to be better at your work. You want that attention to detail. You want that kind of perfectionism. You want that kind of drive,” Oprah says.

After watching the movie on Saturday, I can honestly say I agree. I wish I had known the Michael that the movie portrayed. Someone who was a natural perfectionist who cared about his craft but never to the detriment of his amazing team of performers. To be that good at what you do, that much of a star, yet to be respectful and loving to the people who worked side by side with him, is a true gift.

Seeing his dancers cheer and clap if they were audience members not his dancers, as fans not a part of the performance, brought me to tears. Imagine having a boss that you admire THAT much. Imagine doing something you LOVE, that INSPIRES you, that makes you jump up and down and scream at the joy of it, to be grateful for having the opportunity to be a part of something greater than yourself. I think that’s something we all aspire to.

Another part of the movie that uplifted me was seeing Michael’s passion for helping the environment. It was intertwined in one of the songs he sang and what he said to his team. It reminded me about my own inner desire to help heal the environment.

This Is It left me inspired for more and got me asking, “Is this it?” Can we transform our own lives and our world so that we can go beyond the limitations of our negative thinking and heal both before it’s too late?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqeADZgjtpY]

CategoryInspirational Stories | Comment6 Comments »

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November 5th, 2009

Inspiring Links

I love to read about others inspiring stories and if you’ve found your way here, there’s a good chance you like reading them too. That’s why I decided to compile a list of sites that feature some of the best in heart warming, happy stories. It’ll lift you up during tough times and inspire you to spread your own joy in good. Happy Friday you all!

  • Guideposts: The people who publish Guideposts magazine continue to enlighten, inspire and give us the kind of stories that makes you want to do good and live better. Their stories motivate us through tough times and instill courage to help people to face every day challenges in their life.
  • Tonic: I recently found this site by chance and am so lucky I did! It’s the feel good news site that I’ve been waiting for. Tonic brings attention to stories that often go unnoticed like the bride who decided after being jilted at the altar, to donate her wedding reception hall. The lucky partiers? A bunch of surprised and happy senior citizens. Isn’t that a news story worth reporting?
  • Beliefnet.com: Okay, I admit it. I too, need inspiration. There are times when the going gets tough and when the tough gets going, I go to this site. Their gorgeous slideshows like, “10 Ways to Handle Change,” have helped lift my spirits and become a more positive person.
  • Oprah.com: How could I forget Oprah? Her shows never fail to inspire me. But her website also provides inspiration after the show is over. Articles like, “Become the Person You were Meant to Be: Where to Start,” has given me the courage to pursue my passions.

This is just a few of the sites that help inspire me. Do you have any favorites you’d like to share? I’d love to add them to my list!

Carmel

CategoryInspirational Stories, Resources | Comment4 Comments »

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November 4th, 2009

Paris Revisited: How Memories Bring Inspiration

Sorry all! I haven’t been 2inspiring lately have I? I’ve been on the road to accomplish and succeed and consequently haven’t spent enough time reflecting on what inspires me.

But what’s amazing is that even when we’re not feeling it, there are tons of inspiring things happening around us all the time. Even simple things like walking through falling fall leaves, autumn’s spine tingly chill, the faint sweet smell of dryer sheets and the tomatoey goodness in a can of spaghetti can transfer me back to childhood. Funny how magic can be found in such simple things.

Similarly, I wrote this a week ago when remembering a trip I took to Paris for the 1st time…

The fresh smell of unearthed earth.  Sounds of our newly broken in sandals traverse the cobble stone and as the occasional horn beeped shaking us into reality, we’re reminded once again that we’re in this breathtaking city.  It was that cliche standing in all its glory that spoke volumes of our present and future.  That mystical Eiffel Tower.  It penetrated deep like the sharp winds that blew dust, rain and heart break in our faces.  How could two souls as poor as we, have this opportunity?  Poor as dirt, yet touching now the soil of history right beneath our feet.  We had 12 hours and counting and we were intent on making them feel like eternity.

Paris Revisited

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October 30th, 2009

Patience is Key

When the phone stops ringing and emails grow thin, do you take this time to reflect and refocus or panic out? Well I’m with you if you say yes to the former and no to the latter. It’s extremely difficult for me to keep positive with business gets slow. I go straight from worry to panic in 60 seconds.

But here’s what I realized. Being successful at your craft takes time. And you may need that time before things get busy again. The next time you’re waiting on anything, use the extra moments to reorganize your life.

The nervous energy actually helps me work faster and more efficiently. A few days this week I actually went through all of my invoices to figure out how much I have been making in the last month. This helped me to refocus my attention on my business and to spend my energy on the business aspect of freelancing that I had neglected while I was writing.

In the meantime while you’re working on one thing, the question you needed answered or that job you were waiting for will suddenly appear.

Rabbit patiently waiting for his treat

CategoryFacing Fears, Following your dreams, Freelance writing | CommentNo Comments »

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October 28th, 2009

What's Really Scaring You This Halloween?

This post was inspired by The Urban Muse writer Susan Johnston’s post on Freelancing Fears. It got me thinking about a common theme to 2inspired-fears. Sure Halloween conjures up images of ghost, goblins and ghouls, but it’s also a reminder about some of our real fears like money and careers. This Halloween instead of dressing up like a witch, I’m thinking a huge empty wallet will be a lot more spooky.

For me, I’m cringing over non-paying clients, no clients at all and the fear that I’ll never get to check “Successful freelance writer, blogger and best-selling author” off my list of things to do before I die. Pretty scary huh?

What about you in the blogosphere? Any fears scaring you this year? Share them with me here.

Scary things on Halloweenphoto by: Brian Hathcock

CategoryFacing Fears | CommentNo Comments »

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October 27th, 2009

Life Lessons from Me Five Years Ago

I’ve been going through old emails, cleaning up years of stuff and happened upon these 11 lessons of wisdom I wrote 5 years ago! If I knew this then, how come I’m still learning them now? Anyway, here are my top 11 life lessons:

1) People will disappoint you even friends. They will never act the way you want them to. That’s okay it’s holding onto thinking that people are perfect that causes disappointment.

2) Life is hard. We need to stop complaining and learn to see obstacles as challenges and unexpected blessings.

3) You will get what you want but not the way you expected it to be. You may ask for patience and then receive a serious challenge to test your patience.

4) Everything you want in life, you all ready have, you just haven’t realized it or don’t know where to look for it.

5) To be happy, stop running towards that which you think will bring you happiness. While you are chasing that dream, you are missing the path of happiness all around. When you get to the goal, you won’t know how you got there, and will never experience the joy of appreciating where you’ve been.

6) You will never get the approval you desire from the people you love the most. That’s okay. You don’t need it. Trust in yourself and who you are and then you will know if you made the right decision.

7) Never put your whole anything into a single person. That’s way too much pressure for one person to carry. Always remember that you are special all ready. That your partner just adds to the mix never takes away or covers your true self. You’re still you and they’re still themselves. Beautiful separate. Beautiful together.

8) Don’t ever try to fit someone into your idealistic mold. It won’t fit. Believe me, the more you force things, the less you will be happy. All it leads to is a lot of frustration and suffering on both parts.

9) If you are doing something you are unhappy about, reach deep within and have the courage to let it go. You deserve happiness like anyone else.

10) People are just people. Don’t let someone have power or control of your self. You are a special individual. Don’t ever give someone the right to take that away from you.

11) Most importantly, live life in love. Be forgiving as you would want to be forgiven for all the things you have done in your life. Remember that we all make mistakes and we all our human. No matter what someone has done to you, hold on to your belief that love is universal, eternal, and can defeat all evil and hatred. Love is the end. It was the beginning and it is the end.

Tunnel

CategoryHappiness | Comment5 Comments »

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October 16th, 2009

To be, or not to be inspired, that is the question.

If you let it, life can be mundane, tedious, boring.  Every day can mesh together into one long year of disappointment and heartbreak.  And one moment becomes years of meaningless life.  On the other hand, life can also be magical, breathtaking, uplifting, inspiring.

What determines the difference between the two?

The difference is in the eyes of the beholder and what lies behind those eyes.  The ability to reach through difficulty, pain, indifference and come out the other side, hopeful and compassionate for ourselves and others.

In ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn,’ John Keats wrote these famous words, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty.”  And though he might have had a different meaning, it reminds me of something else about life that is inspiring.  It’s the moments of vulnerability, deep and often painful honesty that reveals our true humanity.  That truth itself can be inspiring and meaningful because it connects us to one another.  It delves deep into our psyche and pulls out from under it, an authentic being.  One that does not hide behind superficialities, that does not cover itself in the way we wish things were but only shows beauty in what they are.

What’s inspiring are the people that are perfect in their imperfection, that strive to be themselves, that struggle for self-acceptance, that work hard to better their lives and the lives of their family.  From simplicity and love, dwells magic and inspiration.

When heart trembles, goose bumps form and love fills in the gaps, there is life-a truly inspiring one.

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October 14th, 2009

Sacrifice, Sweat & Sweet Surrender

The S words I’m quite familiar with as a wannabe writer.  Here’s the rocky road of one dream pursuer.  It’s not always easy.  In the November 2009 issue of O, Oprah says, “What has made me successful is the ability to surrender my plans, dreams, and goals to a power that’s greater than other people and greater than myself.”

The hard part of that beautiful quote is the surrender part.  Surrendering to what is and the possibility of what life can be is in great contrast to the shallow and often shaky dreams we believe will make us happy.  What I’m learning on this very unpredictable and sometimes heartbreaking path is that success is another falsitude.  If I’m dependent on external sources, positive feedback, and even job offers to make me believe that I’m healthy, wealthy and wise, then that happiness will be short-lived.

What an invaluable lesson that is.  It is worth it’s wait in unpaid credit card bills, dreams of home ownership, and frequent trips abroad.

Here’s what’s key:  There is a big, gigantic even, purpose waiting for all of us.  We are here for a reason.  There is much truth in what Oprah says.  Maybe if we let go of the dream we think we need to be happy, we can surrender to and embrace a bigger dream.

I’m learning to not base my self-worth on the feedback I get from the outside world, which is a hard feat for a writer. But I also realized the harm that it does not only on myself, but on my future self.  To get from here to where I want to be, I need to learn how to accept every moment-even if it’s a moment I’d rather not be experiencing.

The result? I feel a whole lot lighter, more hopeful and positive about the future and willing to let life play out for itself.  I’m still working as hard as ever but also realizing that I don’t need positive responses to feel positive as a writer.

Happy Face

CategoryFollowing your dreams | Comment2 Comments »

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October 12th, 2009

Is Change Coming? And If So, Are You Ready for It?

Hawaii

There’s some things in life that we have no control over.  Things like the weather, the economy, and these days even our job situation can make us feel helpless and vulnerable to change.  But there are other things such as where we live, what actions we take on a daily basis and how we choose to be towards others that we can change.  Why is this important?  Understanding what stage you are in can help bring awareness to why you haven’t loss that weight, applied for that job or taken steps toward your dreams.  Keep reading to determine where you are in the process of change.

According to James Prochaska, John Norcross and Carlo Diclemente in Changing for Good, there are six stages of change.  The first is precontemplation.  You are considered a precontemplator if you resist change, are in denial that you need to change and externalize your problems-blaming others for them instead of focusing on yourself.

The second stage is contemplation.  Contemplators, in comparison to precontemplators, acknowledge that they have a problem and want to find a solution for it.  They are, however, stuck in limbo lacking commitment toward their goals.  They know that they want to change, and may even have steps to get there but they’d rather be thinking about it rather than acting on it.

Preparation is next.  Contemplators who deal with their fears and anxiety and take steps toward action are considered to be in the preparation stage.  Although they are committed and may have already taken steps toward change, this is also the time where ambivalence can potentially sabotage their efforts.

Action.   The stage that involves modifying behaviors such as applying and interviewing for jobs, or getting rid of junk food in the house.  It requires significant time and commitment to your goals.

Then, there’s Maintenance. Being cognizant of the gains you have made up to this point needs to be recognized as well as being aware of future challenges.  It is easy to relapse from this stage so strong commitment is imperative to keeping you on the right track.

Lastly, Termination.  If you’re breaking a bad habit or addiction then termination may either mean you’ve reached your goal and/or that you need to be sure to maintain this state for the rest of your life.  If your change was getting a dream job, or moving to another state, celebrate!  You’ve successfully reached the other side and can reap the benefits of your hard work, serious self-reflection and commitment to your dreams.

CategoryUncategorized | Comment1 Comment »

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October 6th, 2009

My Grandma's Hands

Here’s the post I’ve been dreading.  The one that’s been keeping me up at night. It’s the story of a woman I love…my grandma.

Have you ever been to a care home? Funny the name they call it.  I guess it is a home for people who need care, but if you spent any time in the ones that I’ve been to it really doesn’t sound or smell like the way you think it would.  It’s not angel food cake and chocolate chip cookies.  The way you wish all grandmas could smell forever.

It’s the putrid smell of urine and harsh chemicals that always gets me.  When I open the front door, the pungent odor tickles my noise kind of like the way pepper does to make me sneeze.  It’s the first impression I get and the last memory that stays with me after I leave.

If you haven’t ever been there, you may be surprised by what you see.  Your senses will betray you.  The sound of patient’s moaning and screaming seem more fitting in a Halloween haunted house than a home for someone you care about.  Yet, it does pull you sharply back to reality.  And the sounds, well they start to fade.  It’s the souls covered by emotionless faces that really affect me.

Surprisingly, I enjoy being there.  Maybe it takes me a few tries but when I get there even with smells that make someone like me easily nauseated, I don’t want to leave.  My grandma is there.  I wait for her.  I wait for her to recognize me.

Most of the time the waiting is torturous.  It causes my insides to tremble.  Kind of like love spewing out at the seams.  I cannot hold it in.  At my wedding my eyes were tearless but my grandma, she pours out the soul in me.

Why do I love it there? I love that she’s there.  That like the care home, my grandma’s body holds someone I love, deep inside.  That most times I see blank beady eyes in front of me but I know, she’s there, she’s somewhere in front of me.

This time I waited she had her eyes closed.  Her mind was lost.  Kind of like me in a care home.  I didn’t know what I was seeing.  I didn’t know the residents there.  I was only guided by my love for her.  She was my direction as I hoped our voice would be to her.

“Come back grandma.  We’re still here.  We know you’re still in there.”

She reached out this time.  Reached out and held our hands.  I hugged her bony shoulders and held her wrinkled hands.  Time passes.  Memories become erased. But I still remember.  I won’t let go.  I won’t forget.

I barely knew her pre-Alzheimer’s.  But I still loved her and love her in this state. I am patient the way parents are with their kids but I am only patient like this with her.

I watch now as she moves her hands like the lizard without a tail, movement with a purpose.  Threading the imaginary needle to keep them busy like they were when they would orchestrate her life, cooking, baking, sewing.  Fielding the busyness inside her mind.

She cries out when the wind hits.  It scares her.  We try to soothe her, comfort her with the arms of people who she doesn’t know.  She closes her eyes.  I wonder if to shut out the world, the one that’s so unfamiliar to her and of the people, the one that tell her they are family but she doesn’t recognize.  She shuts them out and yet there’s little peace.

My grandma.  Her hands now speak what her mind fails to communicate.  She grabs our hands and reaches out.  And I believe.  That maybe inside a confusing mind, there lies a still soul waiting patiently for love to rescue her from chaos and disorientation.  A blurring of the line between the past in the present.  She jumps between worlds in a way that we cannot participate nor contribute.

I listen like a new mother listens to her unborn baby’s heartbeat.  With love and intent.  But I listen so hard my ears hurt.  I’m hoping to hear something that makes sense.  And sometimes I do, and that gift makes me feel the kind of pure joy only love can bring.  The day is good.

Life is good.  Embrace it.  I’m fortunate.  I’m grateful.  Grandma has given me a gift.  She has opened my heart to love.  Love without communication.  Love that comes only from the reaching of one wrinkled hand to another.

Grandma's Hands

CategoryInspirational Stories | Comment3 Comments »

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