2010 is coming to an end and many of us have family members and loved ones that are dealing with serious issues, like alcohol or chemical abuse.   You don’t have to be a celebrity to be touched by this issue, and when we talk about Reclaiming Your Life Now, this can only be done if a person is healthy and able to make good decisions.

New Year’s Resolutions are popular, but for many of us, there are some things we must resolve now.  I can say from personal experience that my family has dealt with the issue of chemical abuse for decades with some family members. 

Once your loved one is free, it’s a cause for celebration!

Is It Time For You or a Loved One?

What I found was that when the time was right to make some changes and take action, the time was right.   My intention with this post is not to bring you down, but to show that there is a ray of hope for individuals and families that are dealing with chemical abuse of any kind.

The beauty of getting your life back is that it always involves transparency and taking responsibility.  This is a hard thing for many families, but it’s a journey, that if successful, will roll back the screen of shame and the roller coaster ride that addiction takes a family on.

Encouragement is a Powerful Thing

If you know someone who has been searching for a way to “get their life back,”  encourage them now.  Maybe it’s their time and all they need is a little push. 

The Clock is Ticking

2011 holds promise for all of us to get our life on track and get about the business we were put here to handle.  We can make an unselfish New Year’s Resolution, even if we resolve to be a source of encouragement to someone in need.   Sometimes one of the most unselfish things we can do, is to take some time for ourself and not think we can solve everyone else’s problems. 

Until the next post, the countdown to 2011 is on…so, enjoy and be safe.

ThanksGiving is my favorite holiday because it gives me the opportunity to reflect on all I have to Give Thanks for.   Sometimes we get caught up in consuming and forget about what we can give.  One of the reasons I love this holiday is all of the great food, which includes many of my favorites.  The only thing better than ThanksGiving Day is the day after with the leftovers.

As much as I love ThanksGiving, I’m thankful that my good friend, April and her husband invited us to to dinner so I won’t be spending the day in the kitchen cooking & cleaning.  I love that girl~

I’m also thankful that my team and I were able to cut costs and not lay off one of my 85 employees.  That’s something to be thankful about.

I’m thankful for my husband who I love with all my heart and for good health, a beautiful home and an income to care for us and to give to others.

I’m thankful that I could serve you, my readers, with writings from the heart.

Today’s post is simple, because as you know, I like simple. I’ve blogged about steps to make in order to bring about change and get you started on the road to reclaiming your life. I make every effort to keep it simple and doable. So, if I present 7 easy steps, I’m constantly working on a way to break it down to 5 steps or maybe 3. I came up with 1 Decision that in my mind trumps them all and here it is:

Decide to do Whatever It Takes

This sounds too simple doesn’t it?  How could I guarantee that making this 1 Decision will change your life?  Because it’s true.  Once you decide to do Whatever It Takes to get your life back and to live it your way, there is no need to stop and think about a questionable activity or to canvass your friends and family to get permission.  You’ve already decided to do Whatever It Takes.  This simple decision is very liberating and will change your life.

A Lesson From Will Smith

I recently came across a YouTube video featuring actor, Will Smith.  He was talking about his life and what turning points meant the most for his success.  Please take a moment to view this clip:

Make the 1 Decision that will change your life, help you reclaim it or live it the way you desire. Do whatever it takes to live, not just exist. Share this & comment. I’l love to hear from you.

Welcome to what I think is a very special post. Sometimes, the best lessons are the most simple ones.

So, you’re invited to take 3 minutes and 8 seconds and watch this video…guaranteed to help you reflect, regroup and reclaim what you may be looking for.

I’m writing this post today because I felt an urge to express something that is crucial to take hold of this precious commodity called, Your Life.  This post will be simple and I hope you can relate to it.

If you’ve been blessed to do much travel by plane, you know the drill, where the flight attendant talks about what you do in case of a loss of cabin pressure.  He/She then goes into the demo of what to do when the oxygen masks drop into the cabin.  Seasoned travellers usually do anything but listen to the instructions.

Yours truly, always pays attention, even though I’ve heard the speech many, many times.  Why?  Because I believe it when I’m told that if I’m flying with a child or someone who may need assistance, I must FIRST get my oxygen mask on and properly fitted before I can help someone else. So, I don’t mind sitting in the Emergency Row or reading the laminated card giving me instructions in case of an emergency.

I think we go through our lives doing charity for others and donating precious time, when we are gasping for air ourselves.  Please understand, this is not an indictment against giving, just the opposite.  I feel that we are better able to give, when we have our “mask” on first.

How do you cut through everything to put your mask on?  Here are my 3 steps:

SIMPLIFY

While this is a very personal thing, it must be done and the amount of time it will take depends on how much stuff you have to deal with.  In an effort to keep things simple, I recommend doing what I found works and that is, eliminating all consumer debt, getting clutter out of your living space, setting up a plan to pay down your mortgage, (yes it can be done), opting out of a lot of repeat offender e-mail lists, and making an old-fashioned to-do-list.  (more on this in another post)

SET UP A FREEDOM FUND

Initially, I called this a Mad $$$ Account, but Freedom Fund made more sense I guess.  This is important, not only for the 3-6 month living account financial advisors recommend, but no matter what may come your way, you’re prepared to weather the storm.

DECIDE HOW YOU WILL LIVE

Only you know HOW you desire to live and what environment will help you feel a sense of fulfillment. Once you have simplified things by de-cluttering, and gotten your freedom account funded, you’ll be amazed at the miracles that come your way.  What a great way to end 2010 and start off a New Year, on the road to freedom to living on your terms.  Until next time~

Many of us, at least the baby boomers, grew up with the childhood story of Alice and Wonderland.  It’s funny how this story has so many adult lessons for us, and today I’m using the Cheshire Cat to show a life lesson you may never have thought about.  Please allow me to break it down for you here.

Growing up, the Cheshire Cat was kind of scary because he always looked like something was up and that he knew something you didn’t know.  Call it sneaky or slick, he didn’t look like a very trustworthy character.

But, I think the Cheshire Cat looked the way he did, colorful, huge grin, raised eyebrows, see-through appearance, and always changing because he had a secret.

Secret Lesson from the Cheshire Cat

The Cheshire Cat knew how to have fun and always managed to put his own special spin on a conversation.  He knew what was going on and spoke his mind in a way to pull a certain response from others.  He mastered the art of asking great questions and rarely centered the conversation around himself, instead he turned it back to the other person, knowing that most people want to talk about themselves.

I believe we can learn from this feisty character.  As a life lesson, we would, I think benefit from being transparent, being our fabulous self, being open to question things and to be interested in others.

Sir Julian Huxley said, “Operationally, God is beginning to resemble not a ruler but the last fading smile of a cosmic Cheshire Cat.”  Click the Link to the right to read more Cheshire Cat Quotes.

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Some years ago, I saw a televsion special about a man who had this gigantic ball of string on display as a tourist attraction.  As I was preparing to blog today, I thought about this ball of string and saw a connection with life and how understanding how this ball came to be, could save your life.

We all start out in a certain environment, with a particular family, certain customs, a religious practice, or none at all, eating certain foods, observing holidays in a special way and defining what it means to be part of a group.

I think we all begin with “string” and then create a ball as we add all of these elements to our lives and wrap them to make the “person” we become.  The ball grows bigger as we move from baby to toddler, pre-schooler, elementary school student, middle school, high school, college, the world of work and relationships.

Then, we create our own family and the cycle begins as we naturally teach our children to create their “string” ball the same way we did.

I think we get too busy to really think about how our lives are woven and how it’s working for us.  But, as we focus on getting our lives “back”, we can and must unravel the string and cut away those pieces that we no longer identify with.  It doesn’t mean the customs are bad, it’s just that what worked for us, 30, 40, or 50 years ago may no longer work today.

My belief is that unravelling the ball of string, will reveal the real person inside who is capable of deciding which things work and which don’t.  If you’re feeling entangled in a world that’s not working, this exercise just may help save your life.

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Today’s post is about Alice in Wonderland and how we can learn an important life lesson from her Adventures.    I got inspiration from a radio talk show this morning as I was driving to work.  I realized that when life is at a standstill, or we won’t decide what direction to go in, it could be because we suffer from what I call the Alice Syndrome.

The Alice Syndrome

The Alice Syndrome happens when we ask someone else which way to go, never give much thought to where we’re going and end up someplace we really don’t want to be.  When we allow life to move us along, from place to place, with no destination in mind, we put our life on hold and spend our days in confusion.  During Alice’s conversation with the Cheshire Cat, here is what went on:

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to…go from here?” said Alice.

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.  “I don’t much care where -,” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.  “…so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”  (Wonderland 6:45-50)

Does this sound like you sometimes?  Not caring where life is taking you, as long as you just keep moving?  Yes, you’ll end up somewhere, but the question we must ask is:  Is this where I intended to go?  The Alice Syndrome is about indecision and apathy.  No way to live if your desire is to Reclaim Your Life.  Next stop:  A Lesson from The Cheshire Cat

What does a sieve have to do with manifesting a miracle in your life?  Please stay with me as I explore this, or better yet, as we look at this together.   By definition, a sieve is “a utensil with tiny holes, used to sift or strain liquids or other particles, (verb) to examine with care.”

EXAMINE

In my mind, the sieve is a lot like our lives. We pour lots of stuff into our 24 hours a day. We examine what goes into our lives, and using a metaphorical sieve, strain out pieces of stuff that just don’t matter.  At the end of the day, hopefully, what gets through the sieve will be what matters as we discard the rest.

DISCARD

Eventually, we must discard the “particles” of leftover stuff to make way for the miracle in our life.   For many of us, we get stuck going through the particles way too long, instead of making the decision to trash them or find another use for them if possible.

RECYCLE

If you are environmentally conscious, this is the perfect time to think “recycling.”  Recycle those things that may have some useful life, but that get in the way of manifesting miracles.  As you free your life of clutter, a vacuum is created and you have made way for a miracle to manifest.  Keep in mind that the universe loves order, not chaos.

Your orderly life creates space for your miracle.  The question is, Are You Ready for a Miracle in Your Life?  If you are a regular reader of this blog, you are participating in getting your life back already since all action begins as a thought.  If you are ready to move your thoughts into action, here are some of my action steps:

STEP 1: Check out what is in your “sieve”

STEP 2:  Remove anything that has no real value & trash

STEP 3:  Recycle things that could be of value to others

STEP 4:  Examine what has sifted through your “sieve”

STEP 5:  Keep your “sieve” uncluttered to get momentum

These 5 steps may seem simplistic, but I promise you they work.  Until next time~

My question for today is – Are you an Actor or an Extra in your own life?  If the world is a stage, what part have you chosen to play in this thing we call life?  Anyone who loves movies knows that there is always a main character, surrounded by a cast of supporting actors.  In most cases, the main character or leading lady takes the show and is most prominent.  In other words, the leading lady is the Actor and plays the lead role.  She is central to the story itself, which is what we must be in our life.

Being an Actor means you are involved, engaged and in “action” at all times.  You simply can’t be an Actor and be part of the background scenery.  The lights are on, the crowd is waiting and it’s show time.  Are you ready to step center stage and live your life?

My First Acting Role

When I was in my early teens, our school had a theater group and like all kids, I wanted to act.  After memorizing my lines and rehearsing for what seemed like forever, it was opening night for one of our small class productions.  When it was time for the curtain to go up, all the planning, memorizing of lines and practice flew right out of the window.  I and all my peers totally forgot what we were supposed to be doing.  Thank God our teachers were in the wings with cards and feeding us the lines.   We got through it somehow, but I don’t remember one thing about it except the ending when everybody was clapping.

An Actor Must Participate

An Actor has a responsibility, especially if you are the lead, which is exactly the role you play in your life.   Participation, not perfection is key.  You practice, role play, read books, attend seminars, seek professional help and a host of other things, hoping to get it right.  Reality is, there is no getting it right.  Participation will allow you to create your path as you take it.  If you forget the rehearsed lines, you may have to improvise, but you will get through it.  After all, your aim is to play the “game of life” and act as if your life depends on it, because it does.

Will You Settle For Being an Extra?

There is no reason to settle for being an extra in your own life when you could be the headliner.  When we decide to give our life over to someone or something else, we are settling for crumbs when the whole meal is waiting for us.  When you settle for being an extra, you will lose your sense of uniqueness, because your job is to fit into a mold made just for other people who are acting as fillers to the story.  This is not what we desire.

“All the world’s a stage
and all the men and women merely players
they have their exits and their entrances
and one man in his time plays many parts
his acts being seven ages”.

Actor or Extra, the choice is yours.   Do you really want your life back?  Choose to be an Actor and enjoy the performance of your life.  Until next time~