There are so many opportunities in this world to not, take care. To tell ourselves, “Ha! I can do what I want because everyone else is.”

Fact is, doing what we want to create happiness, joy, wealth… cannot be at the expense of someone else’s happiness, rights, happiness, joy.

We are inter-relational. We are inter-dependent. Like the butterfly wings disturbing air in Africa, creating a windstorm on the other side of the world, the small things we do here, ripple out to create impacts in the world all around us.

Take care to ensure every action, thought, word, idea you create is a ripple that creates better. Take care to ensure having what you want does not mean someone else is harmed.

Namaste.

Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold.
Happiness dwells in the soul.
                                                                                                    Democritus

Ask my daughters and they will confirm, I can be a bit of a pack rat.  Not of the ‘hoarder’ variety, more of the, ‘let’s clutter up this space because who likes empty space?’ kind.

Regularly clearing out is not a habit I’ve developed well. I am learning. Practicing. Creating new neural pathways that favour decluttering instead of cluttering up.

It can be a challenge.

Ok. Let’s reframe that. I like to make excuses for keeping things.

You know, the kind of excuse that says, Oh, this pretty gold ribbon might come in handy to wrap around a gift, or a special card.  I’d better tuck it into this drawer right here, just in case.

Or, Hmm. This paper is lovely. Really like the image on this card. I’ll save it because it may come in handy for a collage. Someday.

Fact is, that someday doesn’t come very often.

I move off of the moment of tucking it away into more things, more doings, and forget all about that ‘special’ thing I saved for moments later on when the muse calls and says, ‘You need something just like that thing you saved long ago.’

Ok. Confession. the muse calls me a lot, and she seldom calls about things I’ve tucked away for a rainy day project.

In fact, it’s not usually that I forget about the things I’ve saved. Mostly, it’s because I forget where I saved them at those times when I do remember to go looking for them. I am notorious for saving things in ‘safe’ places even I can’t find! That makes me really clever at finding safe hiding places, right?

The soul is happiest when the mind is clear.

And my mind is clearest when my environment is not cluttered up with stuff I’ve saved, just in case, or have been too laissez faire at life to bother to go through or throw out.

As I begin again to work on writing the book I’ve been working on writing for quite some time and have been stalling on getting done, I realize my office clutter has clogged up my creative process.

Time to lighten up my space by clearing out what I don’t need, don’t want and don’t know what to do with to make room for more creative thinking, and a happier soul.

What about you? Do you have spaces that need lightening up?

Go for it.

Create space for new thinking, new doing and new ways of being light of heart, mind and soul. Invite grace into your soul by creating space in your world.

Namaste.

Meeting yourself on the path to reaching your goals, taking up the call to TAKE ACTION to create the change you want to see in your life, is how goals are achieved. Step by step.

This year, I have a goal of getting fit enough so that I can run the half marathon in the summer of 2018 before my 65th birthday in December. I love running. Ran half marathons a lot and also ran the marathon. And then, life took a different direction and I forgot about the importance of being in shape and having a running goal.

I am starting out small. Getting physio therapy on a persistent issue with my left knee, losing weight by eating healthily, walking every day (albeit baby steps until my knee is in shape), doing strengthening and stretching exercises everyday and breathing deeply into my resolve to stay the course.

Each small step will bring me closer to my goal. Each advancement will keep me moving on the road towards my destination. Each hurdle surmounted will bring me closer to a place where I am ready to begin jogging again.

It’s about pace. About not biting off the whole goal in one big indigestible swallow, getting discouraged, spitting it out and quitting.

Small steps bring you to the Big Guys without dragging you back to the beginning again and again and again.

With small steps, each step matters. Each step makes a difference that builds upon the last until you find yourself so far down the road, there’s no going back, the finish line is in sight.

To reach a Big Guy goal, divide your path into small, measurable steps and take each one, day by day by day. Start out small and build upon your momentum. Feel each win, celebrate it and build it up with more and more and more.

See you at the finish line!

Gratitude is the foundation of joy. Let your gratitude out by expressing it in small and big ways. Be thankful for the blessings in your life. Be thankful for everything. Especially the people.

Last night C.C. and I held a dinner to thank those who made it easier for us to go away while my mother was in hospital, and the pets were at home.

It was a fun way to say thank you, to tell them, we appreciate you and are glad you are in our lives.

What could be better than sitting around our table connected by the common bond of our gratitude, sharing share a meal and good conversation while giving thanks. It all added up to a whole lot of gratitude, grace and joy!

I am grateful.