12 Signs of a Spiritual Awakening

1. An increased tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

2. Frequent attacks of smiling.

3. Feelings of being connected with others and nature.

4. Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

5. A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than from fears based on past experience.

6. An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

7. A loss of ability to worry.

8. A loss of interest in conflict.

9. A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

10. A loss of interest in judging others.

11. A loss of interest in judging self.

12. Gaining the ability to love

without expecting anything in return.

New Year, New You?

I dislike when people try to reinvent themselves at the new year. My suggestion is to throw out the big resolutions list and forget trying to turn yourself into someone new.

My advice is to be the best that you already are - be your best self.

It's a new year, which means this is a great time to reflect about the all aspects of your life.

Here's one way: divide your life into different aspects and then create the whole. This is how I like to break it down: physical, intellectual, spiritual, emotional and social. Simple, right? I think so. Maybe it'll work for you.

This is how it works for me. Maybe it'll help you to take your fragmented self and shift things around to create a better whole. I believe if we focus our thought and intention, then we are able to focus our action and outcome. Take care of all the little details, focus positive thought and watch the grace that takes place.

Physical - the obvious. Exercise and well-being. Your health. I like Yoga and walks. I like the water and the beach and the sounds of waves. Balance and health. Fresh air and taking care of my body. This means eating real food - not sugar or processed food. This is the intention, knowing we will fail and pick ourselves back up and do the very best we can, taking it a day at a time.

Intellectual - doing the work I love. It is my belief that we must do work we are passionate about and the money will come. We are always cared for. Do the work you feel called to do. I need to be involved in projects that I believe in. What fuels your desires? For me it is writing and books and communication and media. I also want to profit from my work and I embrace the financial aspect of my work. Ask for what you are worth. Don't be afraid to set your standards high. If you are willing to do the work you will make a difference. If you have ten years or more experience in a field then you are considered an expert in that area; someone needs your expertise. Get paid for your intellectual endeavors. Stop giving away your time for free. You've worked hard - reap the rewards.

Spiritual - Meditation and prayer. Quieting the mind. For me this means a daily practice with a dose of nature. Reading is a big part of my spiritual life. Conversations with friends. Deep and rigorous honesty. Listening. If I am in a good place, I always hear what I need to hear. Helping another. Find your place of grace. Try to do it daily.

Emotional - Making sure your needs get met. Getting off balance happens quickly. Be what you need first - take care of yourself first - then there is room for more. Don't look to others to fill emotional needs....take care of yourself. Love yourself first. No one else is going to complete you.

Social - Have fun. Make time for friends. Create space for those you love (or could love). Throw a little romance and spice into your life. For me I want something real. Casual conversations are fine, but I have no desire to waste time, so small talk has no place in my life. As for dating and romance - I want it all - the courting, the romance, the sparks, the passion. Won't settle for less.

What does your new year look like? This isn't a new you, but a new year and in this new year you can ask for what you deserve. You can create the life you want. Or, focus your thoughts and allow a positive life to create you.

We Always Get What We Need

Faith and grace and gratitude are beautiful themes of the holiday. I am always moved by meeting people who overcome struggle...their stories inspire. I love reading and writing and retelling stories of people helping people.....stories of beating adversity.....miracle stories....they make for good holiday reading because they force us to stop and think about faith, to feel grace and to embrace gratitude. Here is a story that has been passed down through the years and is included in Simple Miracles.
I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just seventy-five cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two.
   Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared. Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds. He did manage to leave fifteen dollars a week to buy groceries. Since he left, there were  no more beatings, but there was no food either. If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it.
   I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress. I loaded them into the rusty old '51 Chevy and drove off to find a job. The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town. No luck. The kids stayed, crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I attempted to convince whomever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job.
Still no luck.
The last place we went was several miles out of town. It  was an old root beer barrel drive-in that had been converted into a truck stop. It was called the Big Wheel.
   A lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids. She needed someone to work on the graveyard shift, which was 11 p.m. until 7 a.m.  She paid sixty-five cents an hour and said I could start that night.
   I raced home and called the teenager down the street that babysat for people. I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night. She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep. This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.
   That night when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel.
   When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money.  I averaged $2 in tips each graveyard shift. I'm not complaining; I was deeply grateful to have a job to buy food for my children.
   As the weeks went by, heating bills began to add another strain to my meager wage. The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again on the way home.
   One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires. Had angels taken up residence in Indiana?
   I made a deal with the owner of the local service station. In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office.
   I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn't enough. Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids. I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.
   On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. These were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe. A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine. The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up. When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas morning I hurried to the car. I was hoping the kids wouldn't wake up before I managed to get home and get the presents from the basement and place them under the tree.
   It was still dark and I couldn't see much, but there appeared to be some dark shadows in the car - or was that just a trick of the night? Something certainly looked different, but it was hard to tell what. When I reached the car I peered warily into one of the side windows. Then my jaw dropped in amazement. My old battered Chevy was full with boxes of all shapes and sizes.
   I quickly opened the driver's side door, scrambled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat. Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was a whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes: There were candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was a whole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items.
   And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll. As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.
   Yes, there were small miracles in Indiana that long-ago December. They hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop.

Simple Miracle:  No matter how low your bottom, a way out is always revealed. Unexpected miracles happen all the time. Keep doing the right thing and you'll begin to see your own daily miracles.

My Daily List

I've been practicing Yoga for two decades. It is something I must do. I can do 99% of the poses - minus the handstand and extended back bend. No thanks. I'll never have that hot little tight Yoga bod either - or the trendy, organic, expensive clothes to match. But I've been doing it for years and I do it to center and stretch and breathe. I do it alone. It's free and it makes me feel good.

There are things we all must do each day. If I don't practice - or at least do some basic stretches - I feel off. I like to feel good - here are a few other things I must do in a given day to feel good. I call it my daily list.

Do you have a daily list? In other words, if you don't do the things on your list you feel off (like my last blog post...I realized two things that day....I hadn't done my morning Yoga and I hadn't expressed gratitude). It's a fast downward spiral. To avoid going to that place, to avoid negative space, I must hit my daily list.

1. Make my bed (don't drink, don't smoke, try to do the next right thing....try....)...

2. Grind coffee beans & make (strong) coffee in my French press. I'm old school. I know, I should drink more green tea...oh well. Last night I had authentic Korean hot detox tea so that counts!

3. Pray. Meditate. Reflect. Be quiet.

4. Express Gratitude.

5. Help others. Even if I help only one other person it gets me outside of self.

6. Hug, kiss and snuggle with my daughters. This really should be number one. It's pretty much the thread that weaves my day, week, month, year....life.

7. Laugh. When was the last time you laughed so hard you had to pee!? I love to laugh.

8. Write. Something. Just write. Lately it's been a novel I'm working on called The Weekend at the Inn. It's getting quite erotic....who knew? Write....see what comes out.

9. Pick up clutter. I hate clutter. Call it a touch of OCD.

10. Nature. Something outdoors. Even a walk. Fresh air. Breathe deeply.

Pet Peeves

Today I am not feeling the love. So, you get a taste of my mean and nasty side. I work really hard not to let little annoyances rule my life, but once in a while I dip into the dark side.

Here is a brief blog post about what is driving me crazy today.

Tomorrow it will be something new, hopefully you’ll catch me on my sunny side.

5. Liars – Just tell the truth. Keep life simple.

4. Toilet Cell Phone Users – Lately I’ve been in the bathroom (on campus, at an airport, a restaurant, etc….) and the woman in the stall next to me has been chatting away on her cell phone. Shut the *&%( up.  FLUSH! Next time her cell is going down the toilet!

3. Excuses – If you didn’t do the work you didn’t do the work. It’s that simple.

2. Complainers – I will make the argument that complainers are the same people who are full of excuses.

1. Dating at 40 sucks! I either get the men who want to marry me after the first day or they want to have an affair. Somewhere in the middle would be really nice. A little romance even…..

Remember Thelma and Louise? You get what you settle for. If I surround myself with liars, toilet cell-phone users, excuse-makers, haters, complainers and cheaters….well then….if nothing changes nothing changes.

Little Traditions

   Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect. It is the one time of year where the entire country is geared toward appreciation and gratitude. What simple miracles are in your life today? What do you do to celebrate these miracles? Many people talk about keeping gratitude lists, but what else can you do?
     One of the ways I try to build family bonds is through traditions. Wonderful memories are created through traditions. What better time to talk about traditions than the holidays?  

Small, simple traditions are, in in fact, little miracles. Traditions bring people closer. Here is an excerpt from my new book Simple Miracles.

   Once in a while, at midnight, Tess will wake me up -- or I'll wake her up -- and we'll go do our thing together. We call it our "midnight snack." We'll run to the kitchen in our t-shirts and sweats and raid the fridge. We huddle together in bed spilling crumbs and sometimes bottles of water. She asks me to wake her up every night for midnight snack and once in a while I do.
   This tradition reminds me of a sweet coffee shoppe Skye and I walked to while on vacation one summer in Martha's Vineyard. We'd walk to the cafe' to get our morning croissant. It was called Espresso Love. What makes this memory sweet? Skye couldn't pronounce espresso so she says  "special" instead. Each day she'd ask, "special love Mama? special love?"
   Even after we left the Vineyard and said goodbye to the morning walks to Espresso Love, I still carry those "Special Love" memories. Part of our traditions include talking about stories like this one. Children love to hear stories about themselves told and retold. It helps create their living history. I love sharing these little moments with my daughters - these little moments add up to this big thing called life!

Simple Miracle: What miracle moments do you share? We have midnight snacks and special love.

New Book Release: Simple Miracles

Simple Grace by Beth Jannery | Make Your Own Book

Pay it Forward

My college students at George Mason University did something amazing this week. For an experiment in interpersonal communication, we broke into small groups and came up with ways to express gratitude. First, I read a story to the class from my new book Simple Miracles (to be released in two weeks). The story, in a nutshell, was about the concept pay it forward.

All it takes is for one person to do something nice (say something, make something, help with something, the ideas are endless) to create a positive reaction.

The students then put it to the test. The results were beautiful.

All morning I heard story after story about little one-on-one scenarios that played out through the week on and off campus and in the lives of my students. Each group of students (in 3-4 clusters) came up with a different approach, but all had the same result - they passed on love, friendship, gratitude and smiles (one group literally made construction paper smiles). Part of their assignment was to track the results and present their findings.

We all left the classroom smiling. We have more findings to report, but our project is already a success. I find the concept of creating a positive chain reaction to be an amazing thing. It was wonderful to watch it build from an idea into a tangible action.

But where did it start? The origin of "pay it forward" actually goes back to a play from ancient Athens from 317 BC, but the concept wasn't rediscovered until much later. One stunning example comes from a letter written by Ben Franklin in 1784:

I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money.

A trick indeed. This trick, concept or expression we refer to as pay it forward is meant to benefit another person, ideally a stranger. It is a form of alternative giving.

The expression, pay it forward, is used to describe the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead. In contract, typically there are two parties but there is the concept of third party beneficiaries. Pay it forward merely applies this contract law concept so that third party beneficiary be a stranger to the creditor (or obligee). More specifically, the creditor (obligee) offers the debtor (obligor) the option of "paying" the debt forward by lending it to a third person instead of paying it back to the original creditor. This, according to a clear definition I borrowed from Wikipedia.

In the end, pay it forward is nothing new. In fact, we can find examples of this alternative giving in literature. In Emerson's 1841 essay Compensation:
"In the order of nature we cannot render benefits to those from whom we receive them, or only seldom. But the benefit we receive must be rendered again, line for line, deed for deed, cent for cent, to somebody."

Then this, "You don't pay love back; you pay it forward," from Lily Hammond in 1916.

And now, a handful of new examples of pay it forward can be added to history from an energetic collection of college students in Virginia. What have you done today to make someone else smile?

Let Life Happen Miraculously

Today I had a gift. An encounter with someone who reminded me to Let Go. I hold on too tightly.

The suggestion was, "Try to let the universe and God let things happen as they should. Life is far more interesting and better by letting go and enjoying the moment."

As a result it can be incredible to "see how things can happen miraculously."

Miraculously? How could I forget?! That's right, I'm supposed to be living a life full of grace. I'm even writing a book about Simple Miracles. Yet I need these daily reminders.

I need people in my life to gently (or boldly) shake me to help me remember that I am not in control. Let Go. Beth, just let go. Have faith.

This advice brings my thoughts to Emmanuel: As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.

Now the Fall is Here Again

Listen to Norah Jones sing Shoot the Moon. Breathtaking.

Everything has its own place and function. That applies to people, although many don't seem to realize it, stuck as they are in the wrong job,the wrong marriage, or the wrong house. When you know and respect your Inner Nature, you know where you belong. You also know where you don't belong.

LIVE BY THE CURRENTS

"At the beach, life is different. Time doesn't move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun."

 Every man dies. Not every man really lives.  William Wallace

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see. John Burroughs

 If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. Van Gogh

 Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.
Louisa May Alcott

My Dreamgirls

The delusion is a kind of prison

A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty… The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self.

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive. (Albert Einstein, 1954)

Opening the Gate

Can you stand at the gate and risk it being opened. Will you step forward and let the gate swing wide? On the other side, there you are, discovering yourself for the first time.

"Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness." - Oliver Wendell Holmes 

Come into the garden,  For the black bat, night, has flown, Come into the garden,  I am here at the gate alone; the woodbine spices are wafted abroad, And the musk of the rose is blown. For a breeze of morning moves, And the planet of Love is on high, Beginning to faint in the light that she loves On a bed of daffodil sky. -Tennyson                               

Leave a few layers at the gate. Grasp the old and cold and black iron gate. Make it your own. Discover new layers.

Walk in with me.

Dear Summer, Please Don't End

Summer is meant to be spent in the sand

Summer Shabby Chic Simplicity

Beach Cottage - One day I'll live here year round

“Even the upper end of the river

believes in the ocean.”

-William Stafford


“The waves of the sea

Help me get back to me.”

-Jill Davis

“One cannot collect all the beautiful shells on the beach; one can collect only a few, 

and they are more beautiful if they are few”

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

All Good Things Will Be Yours

I like to keep it simple. I love this advice that comes from an old proverb. It goes something like this. 

 

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; love more, and all good things will be yours. 

 

Don't you just love it. 

Let me hear from you today.

Truth Is Ever Present

"Truth is perfect and complete in itself. It is not something newly discovered; it has always existed. Truth is not far away; it is ever present. It is not something to be attained....learn to listen to the voice within you...you will realize the unity of all things."
- Teachings of Buddha

Forty...Really?

This photo shows models forty and older. The article claims "forty is the new twenty." I believe it.  I was born in 1970. Translation = this summer I'm turning 40.

Forty? Really? Seriously? When did that happen? I feel 22. You know that feeling from your twenties when you felt anything was possible. I still have it. I didn't get the memo that I'm aging.

But I did get an invitation to celebrate this brilliant age. A girlfriend from high school is having a 40th birthday bash at a Malibu beach home. I'm flying out to join her for the long Memorial Day weekend. It'll be my first time in LA. I'm an east coast girl at heart.

But I was told the change of scenery will do me good. To be in a different world - to be with an old friend - to put the year behind me (as amazing as it has been) - to let some old wounds heal - to come back feeling, perhaps, less raw from the divorce.

This is a time of change. What better way to bring in a new year!

My thoughts about turning 40 and embracing this year of change? I'll break down what is important to me:

1. 40 = sexier than ever.
2. Savoring and appreciating my new home.
3. Grateful for healthy, smart and fun daughters.
4. 139 days of no refined sugar - it's a miracle!
5. Embracing change. It's all good.
6. Love my new positions (an intelligence firm & teaching communication at a university).
7. Letting go of financial fears.
8. Finding a new level of acceptance.
9. Strengthening relationships with people I love (my sister, a handful of good friends beats a roster of acquaintances any day).
10. Practicing Yoga, meditation, prayer and mindfulness.
11. Writing "Simple Grace Simple Miracles" for a fall release. And enjoying the process.
12. Living simply. Less is more.
13. Seeking Truth. Understanding, finally, what that really means.
14. Walking around the lake once a day keeps the doctors away.
15. Still dreaming about my (when the kids are grown) beachfront cottage. Always researching where this will be. Hoping to discover the perfect state, town and beach to call home. Doing this while living in today.
16. Exploring the eastern culture, incorporating further chakra work into daily living. This means a balance of the vital energy centers within the body. These chakras (for anyone interested) are - root, sacral, navel solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown.
17. Identifying character defects, apologizing for past wrongs and letting go of resentments. In other words, keeping my side of the street clean and doing the next right thing.
18. Allowing grace to enter all facets of life.
19. Facing fears.
20. Reading on a daily basis - learning something new.

I'd love to hear your list. What's important to you?
Happy birthday to my 40-year-old friends.

The Awakening

The Awakening
(Author unknown)

A time comes in your life when you finally get…when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out…ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon.

You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you…and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are…and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself…and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you – or didn’t do for you – and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and everything isn’t always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself…and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties…and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not you job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people…and you lean not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody’s punishing you and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You lean that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than you heart’s desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in you heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

New Blogs Created by College Students

As promised, here are the new blogs created by my writing class at George Mason University.

The topic and writing styles range. You are sure to enjoy them. 




Blogs in random order:

Erica  http://brownbellelikeme.blogspot.com/

Madeline  http://soro-aholic.blogspot.com/

Diana  http://sweettomorrows.tumblr.com/

Collette  http://survivingtwocultures.blogspot.com

Alan   http://1shyguy.blogspot.com/

Joann  http://eatsville.blogspot.com

Laura  http://destinationrealworld.blogspot.com/

Tamim  http://anonymousjanitor.blogspot.com

Rachel  http://rayraywould.blogspot.com/

Jason  http://thedevilsadvocate.tumblr.com/

Giulia  http://passionateacquiesce.blogspot.com/

Lexie  http://foodwithtude.tumblr.com/

Korina  http://flyfashionista.tumblr.com

Jack  http://howtoreallygetbig.blogspot.com/

Emma  http://emmannay.wordpress.com/

Masoud  http://Theblogaboutnothing.tumblr.com

Joe  http://honolulublueandsilver.blogspot.com/

Lori  http://1agentswife.blogspot.com

Charles  http://livinactive.blogspot.com/

Lindsay  http://mysearchforahigherpower.blogspot.com/

Frank  http://lifeasafreshman22.blogspot.com

Ayano  http://aibata.blogspot.com

Sometimes Life Gets In the Way

Today I sat down to write. Put my butt down in the chair. “Write,” I commanded! Not a blog entry. Not catching up on emails. Not playful dialogue for a future chapter of a someday novel.

I wrote part of the book I’m working on. It is the work I should be doing. It is the work I love. But somehow I get sidetracked and feel guilty for pursuing this passion when so much “other stuff” must get done.

My next book release, Simple Miracles, is in the final writing stages. Then it’ll go into early editing, layout and so on. In other words, I have a ton to do.

I believe in keeping at it – whatever “it” is.

Break it down

Take a bite at a time.

Do a little each day.

Carve out the time. If the time isn’t there then make the time.

Put the other things on the list on hold.

Lately the list feels endless. You know “the list” because you have one too.

The list:  
finalizing the legal contracts from a painful divorce process, meeting with a mediator, final “push” of the semester, creating exams, grading projects, just moved into a new place a few days ago, no phone service, updating my professional resume, making another list of repairs, attending kids school events, soccer stuff, new work projects, planning a trip, organizing plans with friends (healthy friendships take work too), carving out some personal time, looking for a new babysitter, summer camp forms, embracing wellness (on day 118 of no refined sugar), working on a new budget, groceries (ugh) figuring out insurance plans, finishing paperwork for new car, and so it goes….no different from your life I’m guessing.

Oh yeah, and WRITING.

Now, sometimes life does get in the way, but it will keep getting in the way if we let it. There will always be "the list."

Where is my writing in this? Keep what we love at the top of the list. My daughters and writing and wellness.

A move and a divorce are two biggies, but I won’t allow them to be excuses. Sometimes we procrastinate. Sometimes we feel fear. Sometimes we are simply tired or feel overwhelmed with meeting life on life’s terms. Worst of all, we don’t always get paid well for doing the work we love.

I need to be mindful to keep what I love most, my daughters and writing and self-care, at the top of the list. Writing my book shouldn’t come “after” everything else gets done. Neither should friends or family. Funny how “working out” tends to go last on the list for many of us too.

Meet the resistance. Pour another cup of coffee.

Face the fear.

Stay up an extra hour after the kids go to bed. Leave the dishes in the sink.

Show up.

Yes, even when life gets in the way, write!

Google Knows What You're Thinking

When I'm not thinking about grace or living a simple life, I am thinking about random bits of trivia. I know a lot of things. Critics may refer to this knowledge as random information about nothing.

Friends tease me for knowing a little about a lot. There is a joke about reporters. I can make fun of myself. It is said that reporters know a little bit about everything but a lot about nothing.

Ouch.

I never liked that. Truth is I'd rather know a little about a lot. Everything interests me. I'm always searching. I have the disease of more. I want to know more, more, more, more MORE.....

Today, when no graceful thoughts came to mind, I thought about Google.

I challenge you to find a topic, search for it on Google, and come up with zero. It is the most popular search engine. It is impossible to search and come up with nothing.

What isn't on there? If you find out, let me know.

This made me wonder what other people are thinking about - right now. So I googled it. Well, here's what the world is wondering about....today....

1. ernie sims
2. boston marathon 2010
3. oklahoma city bombing
4. boston marathon live coverage
5. chicago park district
6. okc bombing
7. cma awards 2010 winners
8. boston athletic association
9. patriots day
10. shuttle landing
11. april 19th in history
12. wbz tv
13. boston marathon qualifying times
14. jennifer viera
15. timothy mcveigh
16. columbine school shooting
17. boston marathon course map
18. administrative professionals day 2010
19. edwin valero wife
20. universal sports

I'm not sure I can find grace in this other than to say we are all searching.

Social Media Revolution: Is Journalism Dead?

People keep asking me what I predict for the future of journalism. Is journalism dead? They want to know how I see the popular social medias fitting into the next decade. They want me to tell them this is a fad. They want to feel comfortable. They want to go back to the old way of doing things.

There is no going back. It is a social media revolution. You've gotta' watch this clip. This is not a new world coming in some distant future. This is our world, today, here and now.

Why ask me? What do I know? If it is true what studies report, that it takes approximately ten years to become an "expert" about "something," then I'm considered an expert at communication, media and journalism. I have 15+ years experience in the writing world. I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. But I've yet to see anything as exciting as the communication transition we are in.

The other day a colleague compared the iPad to the invention of the printing press. Will we see a fundamental shift in the way we communicate? The answer is, yes. At least, I think so.

When I earned my masters degree in 1994, broadcast journalism and print journalism were worlds apart. I was just at the legal drinking age when I got my feet wet at CNN's investigative reporting unit. It was there that I caught the bug.

My passion for anything media has gone from being a news junkie to an inspirational writer. Now I'm teaching college students again after a decade. Throw in a little writing and consulting and editing and blogging and business journalism and no day is the same.I can't imagine sitting still.  I fit right into our ADD world.

When I taught at American University ten years ago, my students didn't have email accounts. It was rare to have a computer in the classroom. In class this week at George Mason I showed communication students the social media revolution clip you watched above that highlights how Boston College no longer gives new students an email address because email is considered passe'.

Where will my students write? Is journalism dead? How will they make money? Good questions. We'll know the answers soon. One thing I know for sure is the world of print and broadcast are no longer separate. In fact, these students will do print (maybe, although newspapers are folding here, there and everywhere), they will do broadcast, they will blog and vlog and Facebook and post and tweet and chat and im. Oh wait, they already do.

Anyone can report. One of my students filed his own story on CNN's iReports this week. He is watching to see if it will be vetted by CNN. Similar sites encourage want-to-be-reporters (unpaid of course) to file stories not getting much coverage in the mainstream press.

What this tells me is there is no complex future coming. It is already here. This is the future. We are creating it right now. It is a social media revolution. No longer are terms such as "new media" valid. It is simply "media."

The media dinosaurs from the three blind mice of yesterday really lost their way. They need to ride the revolution wave and start doing it all. If not, they will become extinct. We are no longer watching your father's six o'clock news with dinner.

Depressed? Don't be. Tina Brown gives hope to Katie Couric. She says the internet will be able to financially support journalists in the future. Right now the worlds are exploding and there is sort of this "volcanic cultural shift" but soon enough we will see a golden age of journalism.

Until then, work cheap!

The change is here. It is now. It is not scary or intimidating. It is powerful and exciting and I'm fired up.

Aren't you?

What will the world look like tomorrow? Open your eyes and look around. Scroll. Search. Click. Stream. Tomorrow is happening today.

The social media clip I shared with you asks: "Are you ready?"

Well, are you?

Blogs: Show Me the Money

Are blogs making money? Here is one view. It's from a blog I love to hate. Or, should I say, I hate to love! She has no filter. I like that. She makes money from her blog - I like that too.

We are in the midst of a crazy transitional period - what is happening to journalism, to writing, to the world as we knew it (I'm a J-School grad school grad)? It's crazy good or crazy bad. I'll opt for crazy good.

Now, show me the money.

Here is how one woman is doing it.
http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/

Holding the Key

I believe you hold the key. 

We aren't supposed to talk about politics, finances or religion. I don't always follow rules. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't utter the words "God" or "Higher Power" or "Faith."  

For me, this is the key to life. It is the key that unlocks the secret door to Truth.

All three topics - politics, finances and religion - are great conversation pieces. 

This week a friend asked for thoughts about finding God. This friend is forming a new relationship with a power greater than him (call this power God, or Buddha or Karma or Grace or Love). He is searching for ideas and I love hearing about spiritual journeys.

The search for Truth is an ongoing dialogue with many of my friends and readers. It is a popular topic, even in the mainstream. This is why books such as: Conversations with God, Faith and Will, and Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith are scooped up. We are all seeking. 

These are my thoughts and my spin. You'll find your own, unless of course we follow the old rule and avoid the conversation for fear of disagreeing. Perhaps politics, money and faith are too private to discuss openly. 

Oh well, there I go breaking rules again.

Your search is beautiful. No right or wrong answer. It is all yours. No punishing adults to tell you when you are off track. No dismissive authority figure to put you down. Just love, friendship and your own personal relationship with God (when I say "God" I mean to say "higher power" whatever it is, or will be, for you).

- It has to be my own personal experiences with God. Until I could think about my own experiences with God (not some old, worn out version) then I could begin to define my relationship.

- I needed to understand what/who I was praying to. Not a rigid definition, but my own experiences and relationship. Not defined by someone else. I had to believe. I came to believe...

- What experiences have you shared. Go back as young as a child. Not the "father-figure/authoritative God" but the moments in life where you felt a presence. Where you talked to God and you knew there was something else at work in the world. 

For me, God became a "feeling" of experiences. I could recognize
this by remembering the times when I didn't feel alone. What were they for you?

- This is your own God, your own relationship. What is the "ideal" definition of God if you could create one? What adjectives would you use?

- God is Divine Mind - in this mind there are no limitations (no authority and no right or wrong). No limitations or restrictions.

- Instead of a Father/Son or Boss/Employee relationship, perhaps there is an Eternal Good sense. Or a Pure of Heart feeling. Have you ever felt this? Not scolding or condescending but a presence of not being alone. An overwhelming sense of peace - dare I say serenity. There can be no forgiveness without Absolute Love.

- Truth. What is your truth? What is your good and bad? Shine the light on that. Acceptance is God. A prayer I like: "God, help me to see the truth. Help me to set aside everything I think I know about you so I may have an open mind and a new experience."

- These are all ways I found my own experience with God and left the "old definition" of what I thought God was, or had to be.

- I think of God as my God/me = Protector or Guiding Force/I am the Seeker of His Will Rather than a Righteous Father/a fearful child.

 
- I had to create my own conception of God. Then I could pray to this God...I came up with the following:
God is the nurturing, source of absolute grace, the conscious spirit, pure selflessness and humility, oneness and goodness and truth and ultimately love, which is everlasting and found within me and found in you. Eternal and infinite.

In essence, God is grace, presence and love within.

Finally, God is love.

I Am Living in Truth If.....

You've heard me talk about graceful Emmet Fox before. I find anything Emmet always inspiriting. Fox kept it simple, just the way it should be. In life, he said, we should live in Truth. I agree, but how do we do this? How do we know if we are on the right path? 

A friend reminded me today how living in Truth is actually quite easy. I believe many of us complicate simplicity, if that makes sense. Wouldn't it be nice if there was some sort of list (how I love my lists) to know if we are really in Truth. You see where this is going, don't you? A new checklist! Yes, it can be that easy - a checklist toward Truth.

Are you living in Truth? There is a list for this, compliments of Emmet. Take a moment to see how many of the points you hit. Do it today. Do it again tomorrow. Do it the next day....track your progress....you get the idea.

I Am Really In Truth If: 

    If I always look for the best in each person, situation and thing.

    If I resolutely turn my back on the past, good or bad and live only in the present.

    If I forgive everybody without exception, no matter what he or she may have done; and if I then forgive myself completely.

    If I regard my job as sacred and do my work to the best of my ability.

    If I take every means to demonstrate a healthy body and harmonious surroundings.

    If I endeavor to make my life of as much service to others as possible.

    If I take every opportunity wisely to spread the knowledge of Truth to others.

    If I rigidly refrain from personal criticism, and neither speak nor listen to gossip.

    If I devote at least a hour a day to spirituality, meditation and meaningful reading.

    If I specifically claim spiritual understanding of myself every day.

    If I train myself to give the first thought on waking to how I may help others.

    If I live life always doing the next right thing. Think of the Golden Rule - the important point is that I practice it whether the other person does so or not.

    If above all, I understand that whatever I see is but a picture which can be changed for the better through living in Truth.

Are you observing these points in your life? Are you living in Truth? I know there are a few glaring points I need to work on. Always be gentle on yourself, and always remember this is a journey - a search for Truth. Someone I love defines spirituality as the search for meaning in life. I like that. Hope you do too.

The author took the liberty of editing the points to keep it "even more" simple.

 

How's the "No Sugar" Thing Going?

It's a journey, that's for sure. The first month of the new year is not over and already I've felt an enormous increase in energy (some call it raw energy) and my moods are happy and authentic.

Now, here is some Basic 101 from me to you - in hopes of getting you to join my journey. So many of you have asked me how to get started. The first and easiest way to answer this question is to say: "No refined sugar."

This is the start. Well, first the desire to stop eating crap...followed by the intention to stop eating refined sugar. Once you have an initial detox from this (I did and it took almost two weeks) you may crave more fruit than you could ever imagine (I did). There are many schools of thought about this - I am the more "mild" and "flexible." My rule of thumb is this: If I'm not eating refined sugar then it is fine (for now). I increased my smoothie intake, I fuel up on apples and grapes and I chose organic dried mango from Whole Foods above and beyond anything green. But that is just for now.

Soon enough, if I can keep the refined sugar at bay, I will explore more of this beautiful, alive and fresh world of real, live and raw foods. By this I mean to say that one day I may convert - my sister Melanie is looking into it - and she has new mental clarity and alertness by exploring the world of fasts, juicing, dehydrating and sprouting.

So far this week I "admitted" to a colleague that I'm a nerd: I don't drink - I don't smoke - I don't eat refined sugar. Geez Beth, what do you do?

Well, here is a link Melanie suggested I look into. http://www.kristensraw.com/

This is what I will do. I will open more organic, clean food cookbooks, I'll devour more blogs, I'll escape into studies about detoxing the mind and body from caffiene, sugar, you name it...and I'll begin my study into living and eating Raw.
If you want to know what to do to get started right now, Kristen's Raw Website has great suggestions. I've taken the following advice and I can vouch that it works.

Start by reducing or eliminating junk food, packaged snacks, fried foods, coffee, alcohol, white sugar, and white flour. Here is the first step: Go through your cabinets and just throw them away. Don't say, "I'll just eat these but not replace them," actually toss them out. Ceremoniously, if you like. Your life is about to change.

Next to go, I believe, is cooked starches, and later, wheat (and then red meat and dairy products). As for going Raw? I will read more and get back to you.
 
For now I need to focus on: 1) no sugar 2) low carbs 3) real food 4) nothing processed 5) more omega-3's and more fish to be enough. 6) increase my Yoga & Meditation practice. For me it is a new life....for now....
 
Goal for the week: It is time to say "goodbye" to the fat and sugar-free Klondike bars in my freezer - they aren't really food you know.

Raw Food appeals to me because you have a very clear description of what you eat - nothing processed, nothing enhanced, nothing you can't pronounce and nothing dead. Sugar and Fat-Free labels help, but if left to my own interpretation I will find the wiggle room.
 
Truth be told, I really do miss chocolate, but I know how my mind works. Here is an example - This week a friend recommended Jell-O fat and sugar-free instant pudding mix. All you do is add two cold cups of skim milk, mix for two minutes and put in fridge. When the chocolate cravings come, and they do, indulge. Thing is, I do this once and it is ALL I think about. I'll work on this in February.
 
Has anyone heard of an all-chocolate diet? Hhmm, I could be tempted.
 
Next blog I'll share a few of my home creations. Be warned.