Archive for the ‘do something positive!’ Category

Posted on July 10, 2009 - by Joy

Love…all the time

In the August 2009 issue of Yoga Journal, the editor’s letter begins with:

love is all there is
So why do we often wait for tragedy to show it to each other?

And she ends with, “…find a way to live in, and from, a place of love, not as a response to an event or a person, but simply as a way to be.” Three days before she wrote this, editor Kaitlin Quistgard’s nephew lost both of his legs in a motorcycle accident and has since witnessed the outpouring of help, support, and love, from family, friends and strangers.

Not to sound so cliche in light of all the mass coverage of Michael Jackson’s death, but really, when I turned on the memorial the other day, the first thing that came to mind was: Where have all these people been when he was still alive (and in need of serious intervention)? It’s sad.

I don’t mean to be a downer on a Friday, but quite the opposite. Perhaps make a conscious effort to be a person emanating with love today, even with just the simplest of things: smile to people, greet people, send a quick note to a friend or family member just to say you are thinking of them, buy a co-worker a cup of their favorite morning coffee or tea, find opportunities to give thanks and/or praise… These are absolutely simple, yet powerful ways, that could make your and someone’s day better. Try it. Give someone a reason to enjoy Friday a little more. :-)

Not sure if you know about this but you can get a free one-year subscription to the digital edition of the Yoga Journal (and a whole slew of others) at The Read Green Initiative website.

Posted on March 12, 2009 - by Contributor

Worrying is Blasphemous

Is that a hot headline or what?! This is “where” I have been for the last few days. There have been so many times in my life when I’ve felt like I was rushing from one thing to the next. In college, I remember stopping to assess all the work that I had to do, not knowing HOW it was all going to get done. I said to myself then, “Well, all I can do is… something. As long as I’m always doing something, I’ll get through it.” And I did.

I was able to let go of the worry because I came to the rational conclusion that worrying about whether or not I was going to get everything done was not going to get me any closer to getting anything done. The only productive thing I could do was… something. Any one thing. Isn’t it funny how life is cyclical? Because I am finding myself re-learning that very same lesson that I thought I learned as a senior in college… just take one step. Any step.

This time around, there seems to be an added awareness to my lesson. I’ve realized that my tendency to worry and get stressed out about… anything is due to my lack of faith. When I allow myself to think that the full burden of responsibility falls on my shoulders, I begin to tense up just like I did during that last semester in college. When I think I’m actually in charge of the HOW, that I’m going it alone, that’s when life seems incredibly and impossibly hard!

A few days ago, I re-discovered one of my favorite clips from the 2009 TED conference. It’s of Elizabeth GIlbert, the author of Eat Pray Love.

She made some amazing, compelling points about the completely misguided tendency of “our culture” to ascribe genius to a single human being. We say someone is a genius rather than having a genius (for a specific time). This talk so inspired me because I realized that I was not alone in my intuitive sense that… I am not alone!

In all of our tasks, in manifesting our life purpose, we are not alone. In fact I believe (like Liz), that each of us has been given a divine gift to share with the world. This is such a huge concept for me because the next thought of course is… why would we be given a gift to share with the world without the assistance with which to share it?! Liz says any of her creative endeavors is a partnership between her and the Divine. Yes! Me too! And like Liz, all I have to do is MY PART, which is… to keep showing up. Just take one step. Just do one thing.

So 16 years ago, I let go of worry because it was irrational. Now I let go of worry because of… faith. Every morning I get up and read the three words I’ve written on my bathroom mirror: KEEP SHOWING UP! Every day, I pray like Liz, “I’m going to do my part. If You want this project to happen, then let the stars align to make it so.” I will connect with the right people and the Universe will say “Yes!”

I’ll just keep showing up. The HOW is not my job.

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Ria Sharon is Practical Mommy on My Mommy Manual. For recommendations on travel car seats and other product reviews, positive parenting coaching, and more practical and inspired tips, visit www.mymommymanual.com