I believe in horoscopes…the good parts at least.
And I want to believe in the one I found in my latest issue of Harper’s Bazaar:
“Your career is on a roll in June, despite unfounded fears that you are not up to the task…”1
Wow, how did they know that I have unfounded fears that I may not be able to handle my new business career? It’s like they’re psychic…
That means it’s got to be right. Right?
I sure hope so!
I DID IT!!! I stopped dreaming about taking that first step and actually did it! And it’s such a weight off my shoulders.
Of course, in the back of my mind I’m kicking myself for taking a month to do it. Seriously, it’s ridiculous how long it takes me to accomplish the simplest task. All I had to do was make a few calls to the vendor and rewrite my order a handful of times.
It should have taken me a week at most, but instead I’ve slowly been working on it since I was struck with inspiration last month in Austin.
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10
Breathe. Just breathe. Count to ten and relaaaax.
I really have to stop beating myself up for what’s in the past and harping on all my perceived faults. Instead, I need to stay focused on my successes, big or small, because they are my motivation to keep going.
I took a big step today and I am thrilled - in case there was any doubt!!
And I’m ready for the next step.What if Lee DeWyze hadn’t auditioned for American Idol all those months ago in Chicago?
What if he had stayed in his dead-end job at a paint store and only dreamt of being on the show?
Well then he’d probably be watching the season finale on a couch somewhere, rather than onstage!
These were the thoughts running through my head tonight as I watched him crowned the latest American Idol.
For the past five months, I’ve watched Lee follow through and achieve his dreams…in front of millions of people.
It’s definitely inspiring.
And it’s made me realize that you can never fulfill your dreams without taking that first step…scary as it might be. But I’m comforted in the fact that it can’t be scarier than auditioning in front of Simon Cowell.
With that said, I pledge to take my first step tomorrow towards realizing my dreams for Live Love Life Now™.
The Moral? Stop dreaming and start doing. You’ll never realize your goals without putting one foot in front of the other.
Last month, while on vacation, I treated myself to my first massage EVER. And it was worth every penny! And boy did it cost a lot of pennies.
The end result was total relaxation, which was good because I went in there feeling a bit anxious. I didn’t know what to expect and had almost let the fear of the unknown prevent me from making the appointment in the first place.
And the unknown? Well aside from the slight uneasiness of having to wear a robe around the spa, it was heavenly. The massage was incredible and the knots in my shoulders (from years of slouchy office work) finally disappeared!
Since that time, I’ve gotten a second massage AND enrolled in a membership that automatically bills me for a discounted massage a month. And I couldn’t be happier…or more relaxed about it!
The Moral? We all deserve to splurge on ourselves once in awhile, whether it involves a spa treatment or not. Don’t worry about justifying the time or cost and just pick up the phone!“Love attending dinner parties but not confident enough to host your own yet? Let this class put your worries to rest. You’ll learn everything you need to pull off the perfect gathering from start to finish, with an amazing salad to start all the way to decadent desserts for all.”
At this point, I was intrigued by the class description but still hesitant to commit.
MENU Spinach Salad with Caramelized Pears and Goat Cheese – Pan Seared Chicken Breast with Sauce Fines Herbs – Rice Pilaf – Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic – Chocolate Mousse
Okay, I’m in!
And that is how my boyfriend and I came to spend our anniversary in a cooking class. And it was perfect. We had talked about taking a cooking class for ages but I’d always shied away from the cost. Fortunately, our anniversary gave us the perfect excuse to splurge on ourselves and it was so worth it!
We had a fabulous and sassy teacher who made the class tons of fun. There were four assistants clearing and cleaning the plates and pots all night (amazing!). And we each got to try our hand at preparing the food.
Of course my favorite part was the actual eating, which I did a lot of. So much so that I couldn’t finish my chocolate mousse, sigh.
The Moral? Don’t put off something you’ve always wanted to do because it seems like a frivolous expense. Life experiences are priceless and you’ll remember them forever.Today was the second gathering of our book club. Aside from the lively discussion, my favorite part of the meeting was the assortment of snacks: popcorn, cupcakes, Brie cheese with crackers and brownies as thick as a book.
Yummmm…my favorite kind of lunch!
And even though I finished our book selection yesterday at midnight, I promise I did not procrastinate reading it. I had actually wanted to start reading the book as soon as it was chosen last month. But, afraid that I would remember nothing for the next meeting, I made myself wait till the week before in order to retain as much information as possible.
While I still couldn’t remember all of the character names (there were a lot!), I am proud to say that I was able to contribute a lot to the discussion.
And as I sat there munching on snacks and listening to everyone else talk, I realized how grateful I was that I hadn’t disregarded the opportunity like I would have in the past.
Instead, I had chosen to Live Love Life Now™ and to try something new…and so far it’s paying off in spades.Sometimes we just have to wait. We have to wait for the check to arrive in the mail; we have to wait for the test results; and we have to wait for the way to open before we can know the way to go. Unless your issue is procrastination[1], waiting is one of the harder things to do. Anxiety will rise as we wait. We might feel useless. We might feel scared or worried there will not be enough time, money, energy, or "whatever" to last until the wait time passes.
We've all found ourselves anxiously waiting for one thing or another. The important thing to know about waiting is we create the emotional climate that enfolds it. If our minds are waiting for a better future because we dislike the present, or waiting for the "other shoe to drop" by imagining the worst, it helps to realize our minds are simply trying to fill the gap, to give us answers now before "now" appears. If we accept these ill-fated propositions of the mind, we live in an illusion and we are out of touch of what is really going on. If we are escaping - waiting for our ship to come in - we miss the opportunities this day presents. And if we fear the future, we are living that imagined reality now even though it may never actualize.
How does one avoid the anxiety of waiting? (1) By bringing the mind back to this moment and realizing the reality of what is actually going on right now; and (2) By finding something to appreciate in this moment, no matter how you are feeling. This practice actually strengthens us and equips us to meet the challenges in life. It keeps us in the only place we ever find God - the here and now. Through divine order, Spirit works things for good. Find the good in this moment. Make it a habit and you'll never be waiting for your good to show up.[2]