What are you thinking?

One good thought can lead to another. If you can't think of one, you're not trying hard enough. Anyone can complain but it takes more to rise above it. From there, you see things differently and more clearly. Live deliberately, on purpose, from what you want and you just might get it. You want peace, be peaceful, let go off what you can. It's freeing. If you want to be happy, figure out what makes you happy and be glad when others find theirs.

If you want to love your body, think of how glad you are that you are healthy. There is always wiggle room in how you think, you aren't locked in forver to your thinking today. If you steer your thoughts where you want, even the slightest, you feel relief. Everyone else may think, it's crappy out...blah x3 but you can think...anything that makes you feel BETTER. Better makes it better and so forth, even if you start thinking crappy agin, redirect. Instead of the yellow brick road, think your hot pink, leopard, aqua, purple polka dot, etc. and I'm sure ther is something good about something to focus on. A T.V. show, a trip, a meal, even those things can help or think of someone you love and generate more good vibes...you'll be surprised at the little bit of relief you can feel. Stuff comes up in life that we don't like but at soem point we do have control on how it plays out, even if it's only in our thoughts (or reactions to it.) It's not about being perfect, just about feel GOOD, to me. Even if I say, well I surrender, I feel lousy. I always pray about it, let go and let God )or whatever you feel comfortable with). Many Blessing to all and the BEST Thanksgiving EVER! I hope someone thanks you for being in their life. xoxo

*Need to be right*

I like to be right,  we all do.  But I will sometimes keep acting like a yipee dog when I know I'm wrong, I just keep going.  Knowing when to surrender doesn't mean you're weak, it means that you realize you're really not losing anything anyway.  There can be more than one right, we can all be right, and seriously who cares sometimes.  My ego, or the part of me that always needs to prove itself, loves the conflict.  The wiser, real true part of me, doesn't even say my opinion if it causes drama.  If someone's energy is such that you know there is no benefit to dicussing your differing opinions, don't bother.  My 20-something self use to get so annoyed if my opinion wasn't respected.  I thought I had to be right but really I wanted to be respected and UNDERSTOOD.  When you really think about it, it's inpossible to understand anyone's viewpoint, when you haven't lived in their shoes.  It's a waste of time and energy, I have learned this from my kids.  Arguing about what color something is, or whether that was a rude comment, oh what...nonsense.  They say don't sweat the small stuff and I get it.  This can be applied to life, family & friends included.  I just keep allowing the better part of me to shine through...biting my tongue and just sending love instead.  In the end...what matters most, the love we give or how many times we were right.  Sending love to everyone, give thanks for your blessings and may they be mutiplied.     

Keepin' it real

I complain.  We all do.  I work on these all the time.  Complaining comes from the victim consciousness, we all have played victim at some point, in our dramas.  I have felt like the kids were out to get me, they are being messy on purpose.  Saying something to kids (like don't leave wet towels on your bedroom floor) 1000x and they still do it, is somewhat unnerving.  So I can either: 1. Pick up the towels and be mad.  2. Make the kids do it and .  3.  Pick and the towels, and be happy about it.  Ask the kids to do it, in a nice way.   My thinking is I can either do it or have them do it but not let myself get unhappy.  I believe it's a choice because I know...there's a moment where I can decide. 

If you want to judge others, leave them alone, it won't make you feel better.  I always judged other, without even realizing it.  They are either better than me or not, in some way.  It's how I placed myself or understood the world.  Looking at it from a higher perspective, as I try to remember, other people are living in thier own world and doing their best.  In their world, you are wrong and they are right.  This is from their experience,  let it go.  It really has nothing to do with you.  I try to work on my need to be right or understood or heard.  I know for me, judgement and God do not exist together.  I know that judging myself and other are one in the same.  I can always send someone love when I want to judge and not waste the energy on going there. (They should do this or that).  It's either postive or negative energy that I'm putting out there and I try to tip the scales towards the positive.  God certainly doesn't want me dishonoring myself or others in judgement. 

I don't pretend to know everything but I like to share my perspective.  Love thy neighbor.  Do onto others as you would want done onto you.  As my three year old is having temper tantrum right now, I want to yell, and control the situation.  I ask him to calm down, give him a hug and work it out, teaching him a better way.  That's what I would want someone to do when I'm having a "moment."  Blessings and best wishes to everyone.

Risk and Grow

        Every day, we put ourselves out there, because life's a stage.  Unless you live in Antartica, you are doing something where we may be judged.  People can critique your clothes, your parenting, or your work.  Today, an author who is a friend, was kind enough to help me with my writing.  She gave me some great imput on the first chapter of my novel.  It sucked!  Both the contructive criticism, which was totally right, and the chapter that I wrote.  I am really grateful for her honesty and knowledge because it helped me in many ways.  She encouraged me to keep working on it and I appreciate that.  The old me (circa 2009)would have gotten really depressed, mad, and wanted to give up.  Well, I won't.  I did have a couple moments of I'm a bad writer complex, but I've read that every good writer has also.  But writers write and they get better as time goes on.  If they are lucky, like me, they have people to help and a very rich life outside of that. 

         I decided that I love seeing how I can make my writing better.  I also love learning.  Thank God for mentors, books on writing, and the growing pains of life it's given me.  In the past, I hated putting myself out there because if I wasn't validated, my self esteem would plummet.  I know that's silly but it was me.  I still think everyone should love everything I do and say, plus everything about me but...I have kids.  And they will not.  I do hope I can teach them to take a chance on life, even if no one will understand, even their Mom.  Because when you take risks, even in the small ways, you grow.  Maybe I resist the editing of my book sometimes because secretly, I fear finishing, and trying to get published.  But, I will.  No matter how long it takes, I will get it right.  I will risk rejection.  And I will grow, either way. 

Mommy magic

My mother inspires me everyday and has made me who I am.  She is the smartest, most optimistic, beautiful, loving person I ever met.  I use to make fun of her for mot watching scary movies and finding the best in people, praying for people she didn't know and now my own daughter does that to me.  My Mommy and I are very different and come from different generations but our core values of love, kindness, and God-centered life are the same, even if we do it different.  My Mom is more of a good-two shoes than me, following all the rules, and I do believe will be sainted.  If she had to have another name, it would be grace.  I felt for a long time, I could never measure up to her goodness, and now I realize I can't because I'm me.  Comparing myself is not honoring to me or her, she is shining her Light in her way and me in my way.  We are both perfect in the way we do it. 

I thank God ever day that she is my Mother and has shown me a deep faith in God, the angels, and the Blessed Mother.  She has really taught me through who she is to love unconditionally and that when you look for the best in people, you find it.  Now I may have a touch of my Daddy's Irish fire in that but hey, it adds spunk.  He's taught me how to bust people's chops and to love food.  :)  I will continue my Mommy's magical tradition of praying for people who others may think don't deserve it, always be the bigger person, and appreciate everything.  I could write a book about all that she has taught me and maybe I will.  Now, she is teaching me how to be the best grandmother in the world.  And, I can say the world is so lucky to have an Anne Glenning in the world.  xoxo

Perfection

Being a perfectionist doesn't mean you have a perfect home or everything is right all the time.  It means that inside you you seek for things to be perfect and you are not satisfied until they are.  These may serve some but from my own experience, it is better to think of perfection as being the true expression.  Doing your best is the key.  If you have kids and you are not happy until everything looks like a magazine, then you should hang out when the kids are asleep because they are typically messy creatures.  Or if I tried something and didn't finish because I couldn't do it perfect, well that doesn't sound like something I want to teach my kids.  No one would ever try anything then because you have to keep trying and learning to succeed.  It's not always on the first try. 

I'm writing a book, when my the mean voice, let's call Negativa, in my head thinks I have no business doing that.  That voice strives for perfection but will never be satisfied, it will find something to not like about me or life.  I write and read and learn, I am almost finished editing and I will send it off to find a publisher and/or literary agent.  If Negativa had her way, I would never try this, or work on my internal growth everyday, or love unconditionally, or wear something outrageous.  She's afraid.  But the real me, my truest expression of Self, the part that loves, the part that knows God, is perfect.  And so are you.  Keep trying things and if they don't work, oh well, try something else.  Believe in yourself.  Have a delicious day, all of you, who are  perfect just the way you are.  :)