Your Life Lessons: Don't audit life.

Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

There can be lots of reason to "audit" your past life.  There could be some life lessons that you need to remember or leftover situations you may have not come to grips with?

What ever it is, get it done, and move forward.  Baggage is a terrible waste of energy and it never lets you go forward.

We only have today.  How many times have you heard that said?  Is it falling deaf on your ears?  How much of today to you want to take to relive the past? 

When you wake up tomorrow, what will you say about yesterday.  Did you spend yesterday in the past?  

Today is today - use it wisely, make the most of it for you.

Your Life Lessons - When in doubt, just take the next small step.

Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that landed the first two people on the Moon. Mission commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin, both American, landed the lunar module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC.  <Wikipedia>

Celebrating 49 years ago today, the US landed and walked on the moon.

I remember where I was - watching on TV at home as this historic event happened.  That night when the moon shined in the sky, I was wondered if they could see me. 

This mission started with small steps.  On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced his goal of putting a man on the moon by the end of the decade in a historic speech before a joint session of Congress that set the United States on a course to the moon.  It was that goal, that set thousands of steps into action.

All things in life start with a goal, and then steps to bring the idea to life.  When we feel overwhelmed by a goal, or just the number of items that  need to be done, we need to sit back a moment and start with a small step, any step.  The momentum of a step closer to the task or idea begins to build and the subsequent steps come easier.

Today - do something.  Take a step.  You'll be a bit closer and enjoy your journey in life a bit more.

Extravaganza - 37th Year

Kick off the 37th Extravaganza was last night.  I have been volunteering for NCTV, Newington Community TV to host this show,  making this 
my fifth year.

It is a great event.  It began last night with helicopter rides, the carnival, ice cream sundaes tie dye tee shirts, and a great band!

We have to be thankful as the weather last night was perfect and the citizens came out for the evening's festivities.  We were able to get some video of the folks waiting for their ride on the helicopters, we saw the carnival, listen to the band, missed the ice cream, and watched the kids make their tie dyed tee shirts.

It is so much fun to interview the kids that come to visit.  They get excited that they may be on TV.  The P&R staff are thankful that we cover the event as capture the fun and stories of what makes this event so memorable.

At the end of the event, Sandy and I, got our ride in the helicopter.  The end of the day ride, in my opinion, is the best.  There it was, the sun setting on the horizon and painting the sky.  What a lovely way to end the day.  

Feeling very fortunate...

Goodbye and Hello, the waves

"There is a goodbye in every hello, just as there is an end in every beginning. 

We all know that our inevitable finale is to leave this world, and hopefully we made an impact in this world and will leave it a better place. 

Yet, despite of death being a part of the cycle of life, still, it never fails to tear a hole in our heart whenever we lose someone we love. 

It’s just one of the hardest things humans have to go through — to grieve a departed loved one.".....

read the article here

I found this article to be helpful and hopeful in the same breath.   Beautifully written with so many contributors yet one man, wrote from the heart and from life. 

There isn't much I can add to this article right now.  I think I'll add some comments as time goes on.

Peace to all your hellos and goodbyes.

Love Actually - the ending

One of my favorite movies ....  Love Actually

What would I do without you?

When it come down to it, should we need to be in an airport to show our love for our friends and family?  Try practicing it each day - a kind gesture is all that is needed.

Your Life Lessons - Yield

Yield  - to give way to arguments, demands, or pressure, give up the struggle, lay down one's arms, raise/show the white flag.

In life, we need to yield, occasionally.  From forest vs trees, to battles vs. wars - the decision in life is to decide which is best for you.  Sometimes there are so many choices.  Making no decision is your decision.  That is where we get stuck, where baggage forms, where so much time is used to accomplish nothing.  Or is that really true?  Does the world around you change enough that your inaction allowed you to make a better decision that could have been made?

Today it is lots of questions - today I am yielding in order to let some events happen and then one of my choices will have more information - then it will be easier.

How do you Yield?

Your Life Lessons - show up!

Are you engaged in your life?

What makes you get up and embrace your day?

These simple questions and many more need to be answered if you truly wish to make your day great.

The "I don't feel like it" (said in the whiningest of tones)  is giving in and giving up.  Often times, it is more emotional than physical.  It is true that some days are weighted down with so much 'stuff' that you need to pull back, process it, and let it pass.  

On those days - it is not a free pass in life to do nothing.  Those are the days we need our inner strength, and do the simplest of activities.

One of my friends wrote a great book on procrastination.  Sometimes that is one of my favorite sports!  In it, she writes that whatever is holding you back, do something, no matter how small, no matter how insignificant, do it.  There is something to be said when you complete some task, the cross it off the list, that gets the 'feeling' reversed.  When I encounter one of those days - I make it a game, set a timer for 5 minutes and get something done and repeat.  Before long me and my day are turning around.

Today I am not concentrating on how I feel (that could be a blog post in itself), I'm up, dressed, I'm at work, and I know at the end of the day, it will be another great day.

Show up today!

Your Life Lessons - It will change

Change is always constant.

Our life's journey is exactly that, a bunch of changes.

Some changes are obvious, your hair begins to thin or grey, you are distracted a bit more, or remembering a current event is a bit foggy.

I personally like change.  Living in New England guarantees me change every three months as the seasons change. From the long days of summer, to the crisp autumn leaves, winter is especially great when we have those snowy days and then, spring, the world around me bursts alive.  

Some changes are welcomed and some are downright unfortunate.  Yet, both pass with time.  I remind certain folks about me that everyday you awake, is your day; make the most of it. 

Whatever is bothering you today - understand it will change.  I heard something cute, look at the change today and ask yourself, what will I think of it in five years?  

Get out and enjoy your day!

4th of July - Bless Her!

Happy Birthday America!

Your Life Lessons - Clutter weighs you down in many ways

Second day of July, it's a Monday and it is the start of the 2nd half of the year.  Where did the 1st half go?

There are triggers to jump start me throughout the year.  Some are weather related - springtime is to plant the garden.

Some are event related - we have a birth and wedding this year in the clan.

Then often it is just the accumulation of all of the above that triggers the "oh my" need to pay attention to the stuff in my life.

Today - pulled out a bunch of stuff from my NCTV cubby and that's my task for the next couple of days.  

Clearing out "stuff" on a regular basis lightens the load.  I did one of the upper cabinets in the kitchen (again) and found a few more items that could go to the donate box.  Went through the clothes closet and weeded out some of the pieces that I haven't worn or will not be wearing.  In the office, I went through paper files and found that 90% was outdated and needed to go to the shredder!

I was talking with my mom the other night and she is considering downsizing from the house she and my dad built. Yet she continues to lament that no one wants her stuff.  First time where two generations are downsizing at the same time and no one wants the stuff.  Life evolves, you need to rid yourself of clutter or get stuck in the past.  

Remember, when you are de-cluttering --- reuse, recycle, reduce is the way to go.

Your Life Lessons - Life is too short..... enjoy it.

She received an extra seven years of life because
she was taken care of and that she took care of another.

Your time on this planet is just way to short not to enjoy yourself.

By living each day, enjoying the day, whatever your time here, it will be great.  Not only for you, for those who have benefited from having you in their life's journey.

It is not a selfish statement - it is a way of living.  Being grateful for what you have, an amazing concept that I see around me, yet not necessarily with the generations that come after me. 

Have you learned this lesson?  Really -- take some time away from your electronics, take a walk, let nature be the music you listen to.  Breath deeply, walk slowly, notice what is around you and the miracles that happen each day - even the simplest of miracles.

Enjoy yourself ...