Right now, I am gratefully celebrating the sound of a quiet house - no TV, no talking, just the sound of the appliances humming along. It is a cold - not quite 50 degrees according to the thermometer on the balcony - clear day, and the remaining autumn colors are enjoying the last bit of glory before they hit the ground and are turned into mulch.
This past week, I gratefully celebrated family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday here in the States.
And today, as I went out to do the first round of grocery shopping for the week, I gratefully celebrated the sound of Christmas music on the radio again, with new renditions of old classics serenading me out and back.
And, as I do every time I post to this blog, I gratefully celebrate you, the readers - new and continuing - and hope that what I have posted here helps you gratefully celebrate your best life now.
One of the endeavors I am working on for the new year is a series of classes on Udemy. As soon as I get the first one fully developed and posted, I will let you know how you can register for it.
So, I am also gratefully celebrating the opportunity and ability to master new skills in order to more fully share my gifts and vision with you and the rest of the world.
If there are topics I have covered in this blog that you would like to see more fully developed in one of these classes, please e-mail me here.
I may put up a survey later on the MaXIMIze Facebook page to gather ideas as well.
Next week we will be fully in our month of Celebration!
Until next time, Namaste!
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Sunday, November 22, 2015
MaXIMIze - How Are You Sharing Thy Bounty?
Prior to the events in France last weekend, I was all set to write about Sharing Thy Bounty in the usual way - by focusing on showing our gratitude by sharing our abundance - money, things, and time - with those people and charities who embody our values and share our ideals with others.
The events that unfolded in Paris and Mali over the past week have once again reminded me that we are all human beings first and all else comes second, and that we should share our bounty with all, not just those who are just like us.
Who are you more likely to emulate - the person who gave you a hand up when you needed it or the person who turned his back and locked his gate against you?
Which impression do you want to leave with others - that you are a loving, giving person or that you are a bitter miser who gives nothing to others?
What bounty are you sharing with the world today?
What bounty would you like to share with the world today?
What does that look like? How does that feel?
I enjoy sharing my bounty of thoughts and ideas with you, and hope that what I share helps you in some way - large or small - while you are MaXIMIzing yourself and MaXIMIzing your life.
Next week will be the last weekend of the month of Gratitude and then we move on to Celebration.
Even with all that is going on in the world today, there is still so much to celebrate - big and small - and for that I am grateful.
Until next time, Namaste!
The events that unfolded in Paris and Mali over the past week have once again reminded me that we are all human beings first and all else comes second, and that we should share our bounty with all, not just those who are just like us.
Who are you more likely to emulate - the person who gave you a hand up when you needed it or the person who turned his back and locked his gate against you?
Which impression do you want to leave with others - that you are a loving, giving person or that you are a bitter miser who gives nothing to others?
What bounty are you sharing with the world today?
What bounty would you like to share with the world today?
What does that look like? How does that feel?
I enjoy sharing my bounty of thoughts and ideas with you, and hope that what I share helps you in some way - large or small - while you are MaXIMIzing yourself and MaXIMIzing your life.
Next week will be the last weekend of the month of Gratitude and then we move on to Celebration.
Even with all that is going on in the world today, there is still so much to celebrate - big and small - and for that I am grateful.
Until next time, Namaste!
Sunday, November 8, 2015
MaxIMIze - Being Thankful
As I sit at my home desk looking out over a damp street, thankful for the rain that dampness means, I wonder how many people are complaining about the rain instead of being thankful for it.
How many of us complain about things that change our plans, our world, our lives, instead of finding the good in these things - hard as that can be sometimes - and approaching them from a place of gratitude instead of impatience or anger?
Yes, there are things that truly suck - loss of a loved one or dealing with a potentially deadly disease for example. Many of us, however, complain about things that, in the long run, really don't matter. Yes, I know it is annoying, even maddening right now, whatever it is in your life. But - will it matter five years, one year, six months, a week from now? Will it matter tomorrow even, or a few hours from now? I mean really truly matter in the grand scheme of things?
The next question I have is: what energy is your reaction to this thing putting out in the world? Will the energy generated by your reaction help you or hurt you in the long run?
The last question I have is: why are you reacting negatively to this thing, whatever it is? What fears is it stirring up in you that you need to face and overcome? Is it reminding you of an incident in the past that turned out badly?
Then we flip this all on its head and change the focus to what can you find to be thankful about in this situation? What good can come from it, even if the worst of the worst happens?
Find the kernel of good and focus on it, and watch your attitude go from complaining to proclaiming, or at least accepting and moving through to the other side.
If you need an example of this, look at what former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is going through in his life right now and how he is handling his situation.
Next week, we'll discuss Sharing Thy Bounty - until then, Namaste!
How many of us complain about things that change our plans, our world, our lives, instead of finding the good in these things - hard as that can be sometimes - and approaching them from a place of gratitude instead of impatience or anger?
Yes, there are things that truly suck - loss of a loved one or dealing with a potentially deadly disease for example. Many of us, however, complain about things that, in the long run, really don't matter. Yes, I know it is annoying, even maddening right now, whatever it is in your life. But - will it matter five years, one year, six months, a week from now? Will it matter tomorrow even, or a few hours from now? I mean really truly matter in the grand scheme of things?
The next question I have is: what energy is your reaction to this thing putting out in the world? Will the energy generated by your reaction help you or hurt you in the long run?
The last question I have is: why are you reacting negatively to this thing, whatever it is? What fears is it stirring up in you that you need to face and overcome? Is it reminding you of an incident in the past that turned out badly?
Then we flip this all on its head and change the focus to what can you find to be thankful about in this situation? What good can come from it, even if the worst of the worst happens?
Find the kernel of good and focus on it, and watch your attitude go from complaining to proclaiming, or at least accepting and moving through to the other side.
If you need an example of this, look at what former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is going through in his life right now and how he is handling his situation.
Next week, we'll discuss Sharing Thy Bounty - until then, Namaste!
Sunday, November 1, 2015
MaXIMIze - Gratitude
We are now in the month of November, which means the holidays of Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving are coming in the States this month. For me, November is a the perfect month to pause and reflect on all we have to be grateful for before the material craziness that has seemingly come to symbolize the holiday season is upon us.
I sat on my balcony moments ago, writing this post in longhand (as I always do), thankful for the rain coming down right now. I looked across the parking lot and saw my new car sitting in its covered space, and am thankful for having the financial resources to buy a new - at least new-to-me - car this fall. I am grateful that am willing and able to do the work needed to move from financial disaster to financial solvency and start this holiday season debt-free except to myself.
I am thankful that I have a job I enjoy, a loving committed relationship with a great guy, and that I am in good physical and spiritual health.
I am grateful that I live in a place where I can watch the white breasted nuthatches in the tree just beyond my balcony, and enjoy the beauty of nature in the park just beyond the parking lot of the complex I live in.
I am thankful for you, my faithful readers, and for those of you new to this blog.
Right here, right now, my life is grand - and I am deeply grateful for this moment.
My challenge to you this month is to find something every day to be grateful for and take a moment to breathe deeply in that thankful feeling.
If you wish to share your daily bits of gratitude, feel free to post them on my MaXIMIze page on Facebook, where I will post the same challenge and share mine!
Until next time, Namaste!
I sat on my balcony moments ago, writing this post in longhand (as I always do), thankful for the rain coming down right now. I looked across the parking lot and saw my new car sitting in its covered space, and am thankful for having the financial resources to buy a new - at least new-to-me - car this fall. I am grateful that am willing and able to do the work needed to move from financial disaster to financial solvency and start this holiday season debt-free except to myself.
I am thankful that I have a job I enjoy, a loving committed relationship with a great guy, and that I am in good physical and spiritual health.
I am grateful that I live in a place where I can watch the white breasted nuthatches in the tree just beyond my balcony, and enjoy the beauty of nature in the park just beyond the parking lot of the complex I live in.
I am thankful for you, my faithful readers, and for those of you new to this blog.
Right here, right now, my life is grand - and I am deeply grateful for this moment.
My challenge to you this month is to find something every day to be grateful for and take a moment to breathe deeply in that thankful feeling.
If you wish to share your daily bits of gratitude, feel free to post them on my MaXIMIze page on Facebook, where I will post the same challenge and share mine!
Until next time, Namaste!
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