Changing Direction

We just got word about our Buddy Passes to Lima so the time is drawing near for travel!  Chris has been working really hard and I'm so glad that he will finally be able to have some down time to rest, relax, and enjoy himself. He deserves it! I know in these economic times it isn't easy to take time off for a vacation but there are some real health benefits of travel even if it's to a nearby destination.  Travel breaks the monotony, relieves stress, creates memorable experiences, enables you to meet new people from around the world, exposes you to new cultures, and provides quality time with your partner.  These are all things I look forward to whenever we have the opportunity to get away.  We will be on a shoestring budget but it doesn't matter because we will make the most of it.  I thank God for every opportunity we get to travel.  It's an exhilarating experience to get out of your usual daily routines and do something totally different in a totally dif...

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of the passing of Michael Jackson. I posted about this over on my other blog but after sitting here watching several video tributes from YouTube, I shed a few tears and decided to post a couple of those tributes here. Rest in peace Michael. You are missed by many. Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

I just took 'The Happiness Test' over at Oprah.com and scored a 90 out of 100!  If I had taken that test 7 months ago I can assure you I would have scored much lower.  So what changed?  Well, other than removing myself from a toxic environment, I changed my attitude.  I changed the way I look at things around me and stopped giving up my power.  Changing my perspective and focus has been a major factor in my happiness.  I view happiness as a choice rather than a condition.  Do you want to see how you measure up?  Take the test here and get 10 scientifically proven methods to increase your happiness.

We've made it to another Friday and I am in my cleaning mode working on organizing lots of things.  How many times have you said to yourself, "where did I put that information?", "I wish I had a better memory," or "if my head wasn't attached to my body I might forget IT!"  I have said all of those things dozens of times. In our busy lives it seems to be a never ending journey to stay organized and on task. Well, I have discovered 2 of my favorite new ways to help reduce the clutter and assist me in remembering all things big and small. One is called Evernote and the other is Dropbox . Now they both do similar things in that you can store all sorts of documents on a cloud.  For all of you non-geeks out there a cloud is where you store and even back up data so that it's digitized off of post-it notes, scraps of paper, or off of your computer to organize, free up memory, accessible from any computer, and even sharable with others. Informati...

Last night I had one of the most terrifying bouts of sleep paralysis that I've ever had.  Sleep paralysis occurs in healthy adults when you wake in the middle of REM (rapid eye movement) state, but body paralysis persists. You are fully conscious but unable to move. This paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes and you can hallucinate or hear sounds as well.  In my particular situation, I felt a presence in the room behind me.  It completely creeped me out!  I heard little noises as it was was moving things around on my bed table.  This went on for quite some time and I knew immediately that I was in sleep paralysis because I've had this before.  What made this experience even more terrifying is that after hearing the noises, I felt this presence get into bed behind me and put an arm over me and I visioned a ghostly hand dangling off my shoulder.  That is when I freaked, shut my eyes (at least I dreamed that I shut my eyes), and for...

So here I am at the 6 month mark since my " shift " ...freeing myself of my prior career and of self limitations.  I am now moving towards living my life with greater purpose.  What are some things that I know now for sure? I am not my job or job title. Meditation promotes peace. Time is truly a gift and every moment counts. My self worth cannot be measured by any salary amount. Giving is fulfilling. There are no mistakes in life, only lessons. Being rich has nothing to do with money. People mean more than things. There is no such thing as coincidence. My intuition is usually right. Emotions are okay, just don't let them rule. Love is bountiful and FREE. Celebrate my authentic self. Put God first in every decision and have blind faith in His guidance. There is always a way even when there seems to be no way. Not that I didn't know or believe any of these things before.  I've just had more time to focus on how true they all really are and plac...