The Power Of A Smile

You know those days…when the sun comes out after days of rain or gray clouds and chill. It’s when people come outside, a lightness in their step and the biggest smiles for everyone they meet. Suddenly, you’re having the best day and can’t figure out why, until you realize it’s all the smiles directed your way. 

Feels good, increases your life-span and better than chocolates…?  So says health expert Ron Gutman – listen on and don’t forget to smile:)

What makes you smile?

The Metalsmith – Dan McComb

This is beautiful, sad and inspiring.

There’s a certain beauty in choosing to turn a life-changing diagnosis into the catalyst for even more exceptional work.

The emotions you go through when finding out that your sight is failing and your career is based on your eyesight. I can’t imagine. 

Committing to making things worth seeing while you can. Something we can all do starting today. 

Bravery!

Fragments of Time – Daniele Manoli

A piece shot in Hong Kong between 2011-2013 with her father narrating. 

His Words…

Time and people go by

Childhood memories revisit us

Light

Shade

Sea

Clouds

What path would we have chosen had we known what we know today

Search

Guess

Make mistakes

Persevere

Listen

Follow where your heart and your soul takes you

I’ve learned that I will always be a little too much to some people.

Too soft, too hard, too innocent, too powerful, not enough or too many rough edges…always something.

I may even be told to be quiet, to not bother getting involved, to just relax and not say anything, to not make waves. 

But I’ll continue as I am. I’ll apologize for the mistakes I make and for hurting people unintentionally, because that is who I am. If I apologize for being me – I’m allowing the spectators to douse my fire with their criticisms.

I can handle the discomfort of standing out, but not of cowering in shadows.  

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.  Lao Tzu

Durga - Invincible, Radiant, Powerful, Supreme, Divinely Feminine and Destroyer of Demons

Dear Old Self,

I’ve set fire to you – destroying the old demons – you’re not needed here anymore.

Making way for change and grace. A choice to grow and be strong. 

The New Self is like that – destroying all that isn’t needed to create a powerful, loving, supreme woman. A woman who is going to make a difference in the world. 

It isn’t enough to connect with my soul’s deepest desires. I have to act. My choices have to align with my desires or I risk it becoming a daydream that never unfolds into precious reality.

It isn’t enough that I know my yearnings, I must fully live the life that I know only I can.

True revolution comes from true revulsion; when things get bad enough, the kitten will kill the lion. Charles Bukowski

A short film about a fantastic journey in time, the love story of Carl Sagan and Annie Druyan and the filmmakers (Penny Lane) own story weaved in about love and risk.

Carl and I knew we were the beneficiaries of chance, that pure chance could be so kind that we could find one another in the vastness of space and the immensity of time. We knew that every moment should be cherished as the precious and unlikely coincidence that it was. Annie Druyan

Everyone has greatness in them. There is nothing humble about shrinking small so that others around you can feel bigger. 

Believe in yourself and in the power of who you can be.

Love yourself for the person you are now. 

Shed the old. Allow the new to embrace you. Evolve. 

Whatever you want to be or to do – do it today. There are so many tomorrows for everything else. 

You’ll never know your strength until you face your greatest weakness – and your only choice is to be strong. 

Dancing the Flame

When compassion fills my heart, 
free from all desire, 
I sit quietly like the earth. 
My silent cry echoes like thunder 
throughout the universe.

Rumi

“Too often the people complain that they have done nothing with their
lives and then they wait for somebody to tell them that this isn’t so.” 

“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.”

Charles Bukowski

When fear shows up, it’s a good thing – embrace it. It never shows up when you’re playing it safe. Jump in with both feet – adventures await. So take risks.

Put down the burden of your aloneness.

Taste the ashes of emptiness on your tongue.  Know that if you let it, you can taste sweetness just as easily.

Spend time letting go – once and for all. 

Are you capable of easing into the conversation that awaits you?

The stairs can take you up. The doors are ready to open.

Courage will be your wholehearted participation in life. 

Don’t think this life is meant to be lived alone. 

Just stand still long enough for spirit to find you.

Holi 

The festival that can engage people from all walks of life.

We are the end of some stories and a continuation of others and so many more only we can begin.

Begin.

There is always a new story that belongs to you. Are you leaving or have you just arrived?

Write your own destiny…