I'm curious......

What is it that PREVENTS us from feeling worthy of the feelings of happiness, gratitude, and joy? I'm not sure....I simply know that so many of us work so hard for the feelings of happiness, gratitude, and joy yet never feel like we attain them.....however they are in front of us every day!

Recently a friend and I spoke on the phone while I was simultaneously watching my 9 year old and her friends joyfully push mini-shopping carts through the grocery store...narrowly missing the tender ankles of all they passed! They were giggling with delight at their antics while I was trying to corral their energies when my friend called. I excused my laughter and explained to her the situation........she paused and asked me, "How can you possibly forget the other things you're dealing with right now and take such joy from the moment?" I responded with, "How can I NOT?"

What other way is there to be? What other way is there to function? I may have a very full plate right now of things that are not so pleasant, but should those things detract from my joy of the moment? Should what I am carrying on my shoulders keep me from enjoying the moments of what life is truly all about? Should the moments of pain and frustration when dealing with other things in my life prevent me from feeling worthy of the joy of seeing my child delight in the activities with her friends? I would have to say, "Not"!

The little moments of true joy are around us every day......the child who brings home a drawing from school.....the co-worker who stops by our office just to say hello.......the friend who calls to touch base......the teenager who stops and does the dishes without being asked.....these are all moments to stop and appreciate....yet we so often look the other way and forget that we are worthy of accepting the joy of the moment....of the experience. We get caught up in what the moment 'prevented' us from doing (such as completing a task, finishing a phone call, leaving something to the next day) that we lose sight of the fact that the moment is what made our day worthwhile...not getting the task done.......that part of the day will still be there tomorrow.......the moment of accepting the joy of the experience will not....

During a particularly trying time recently, a friend of mine was travelling to the other side of the world. We had a brief moment to catch up on the phone and my friend got me laughing.....laughing until my sides hurt...laughing until I thought I simply couldn't stand it any longer........laughing until I thought I couldn't stop!!!! When we finished our call I stopped and felt such immense gratitude.....gratitude that my friend took the time, the expense, the effort to connect with ME.....gratitude........gratitude for such friends in my life.......the gratitude of the experience truly is priceless!!

I've decided that we can make up our minds pretty much to be how we want to be.....if we want to be miserable we can pretty easily accomplish being miserable.....if we want to be sad, we can be sad.....if we want to be cynical, no problem.....why is it then that it is so difficult for some to CHOOSE to be happy? Why is it so difficult for some to CHOOSE to find delight in simple things around them? Why is it so difficult for some to CHOOSE to see the true joy and value of life? The answer? It's NOT difficult.....we just need to TRY IT!!!!!!! The more we try it, the easier it becomes!!!!

I challenge you! When faced with an obstacle this week, look hard at your options...find the option to be positive about. Find the option that is positive...not negative. Focus on the POSITIVE and see what happens......I believe it will all fall into place....you simply have to BELIEVE and be DETERMINED to make it so........YOU can make any life you imagine......Start today!!!! Start this very moment!!!!! ..........why not? What do you have to lose?

Please share with me your success!! I know you can do it!!!

Glenna

The Wonder of the Red Shoe!

Today I had the experience of watching a little girl try on red ruby slippers in the middle of a shoe department. I sat and watched and smiled as the 'Power of the Red Shoe' was as exciting for the 9 year old as it is for adult women!! There is something exilerating about looking at your feet and seeing red shiny shoes!

It's hard to explain, however I believe it comes back to the sense of personal choice. Whether we are 9 years old, 39 years old or 79 years old.....CHOOSING the red shoes to try on admist the rows of brown and black shoes just makes us smile.

Isn't this reflective of the choices we make in our daily lives? When we exercise the power of our personal choice admist the routine decisions we face every day, we smile. When we exercise the power of our ability to make a personal choice about what WE want it simply feels good! The power of personal choice feels as good as slipping into a pair of wonderful red shoes!

I would encourage you to try an experiment. On a particular day when you are feeling overwhelmed by decisions you feel are out of your control, when you are looking at the prospect of a long day of routine, when you're dreading the schedule of the day......pull out your secret weapon. Pull out your red shoes and wear them!!! It doesn't matter if they match your outfit! It doesn't matter if they're heels or flats!! The only thing that matters is that you slip them on and go after your day!!! Try it!! Let me know how it feels! I'd love to hear!!

Let me know if you felt as excited as the 9 year old trying on ruby red sparkly slippers today. Let me know if you felt armed with the knowledge of your ability to make the Personal Intentional Choice (your PIC!) and the wonders of your strength!

What PIC will you make today about other things in your lives?

New Perspectives!

Where does the time go? Somehow I just realized that it has been ten months since I last posted anything on this blog? Have I been on vacation? No...... Have I been blogging on another site? No..... Have I been simply bogged down with "life"? YES! Sometimes "life" just needs to be lived and we get so busy doing just that! It always amazes me however to realize how quickly the days and months can go by!

One of the most exciting things that I did over the past 10 months was to go on a 2 week mission trip to Africa in July. I was part of the "Mission Africa: Let Your Life Speak" team who travelled to Kenya. (You can read all about the mission and our travels at http://www.missionafricaletyourlifespeak.blogspot.com/) .

The trip to Kenya was a program designed as part of an over all goal to give 1 million people their "voice"....their COMMUNICATION voice...their ability to communicate to be able to move their lives in positive directions, change the world around them, and succeed at achieving their goals. We worked with a political caucus group in Nairobi where we provided 3 days of communication training, then traveled to the remote village of Wikondeik to work with teachers and students in an orphanage/school for a week. What an amazing experience!

It was amazing to me to interract with so many people in a third-world country where they have so little and yet they are so welcoming, inquisitive, curious, gracious and hospitable.........and return home to a country where we have so very much but hardly take the time to say "hello" to a neighbor. It was an interesting perspective!

Returning to a world of running water and electricity on demand, refridgerators full of food, clothes on every child, easy access to vehicles for transport, and attitudes of excess has been difficult. The sights and sounds of Kenya were humbling.

I have found myself wondering what additional ways I can make a difference here......what ways I can encourage my children to make a difference here......what ways I can encourage others around me to make a difference........ Make a difference today by reaching out to someone in need.....make a difference today by conserving resources........make a difference today to look for a way to give back to your community. Those small changes will make a ripple effect of change around the world! Please.....pass it on......