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2015 February Acts of Kindness Challenge

Jan28

The February Acts of Kindness Challenge is a challenge I began on this blog last year to help spread kindness during the entire month of February.  It was such a rewarding experience for me and my family, we have decided to do it again this year!  I invite you to join us and many others in spreading love and kindness all month!  The guidelines are below.

aesopactofkindness

When I think of the month of February, the first thing that comes into my mind is Valentine’s Day.  And when I think of Valentine’s Day, I am reminded of love.  So I thought it might be fun to challenge myself and my family to spread our love this month by performing at least one act of kindness each day.  When I suggested the idea to my family, they were all really excited.  I’m sure their excitement probably had something to do with me mentioning a reward at the end if we were able to complete it, but I know the real reward will be in the experience itself.

Act of Kindness Challenge Guidelines:

1.  I  have made this February Acts of Kindness Log  for each member of my family to record our acts of kindness throughout the month.  I printed it out for each family member and put it on the refrigerator.  Feel free to download and print it out as well if you would like to keep a record of your progress. 🙂

2.  Each day in February, perform at least one act of kindness and write it down on the log.  My definition of an Act of Kindness is: any action you take to brighten someone’s day without expecting anything in return.

3.  Share your acts of kindness with your loved ones who are also participating in the challenge, or share your ideas and inspiration on February Acts of Kindness Challenge so we can continue to support and encourage each other.

4.  When the month is over, share what you learned with each other.

5.  REWARD YOURSELF!!  This is the most important step off all!  If you are taking the challenge with others, take a vote to see how you want to reward yourselves!

I invite you to join us in this challenge and spread your love.  It only takes a small act to make a big impact.  Let’s make a difference together!  “Like” the Facebook page February Acts of Kindness Challenge or join the Facebook support group at February Acts of Kindness Challenge to share your ideas and inspiration. 🙂

Feel free to do more than one Act of Kindness a day.  Don’t be afraid to write them all down.  You may already do several acts of kindness each day without even realizing it.  The point here is to become aware of all the good things you already do and realize the impact it has on others.  You may also want to try to take it a step further and do some things you normally wouldn’t do.  When we make a small effort to brighten someone’s day out of love (not obligation), we are rewarded with happiness.  Anything done out of obligation is not an act of love and will only cause you to feel resentment.  It doesn’t matter whether your acts of kindness are random or intentional, but to honor your own self-care, please make sure they are performed out of love.

As you perform more acts of kindness, you may also notice yourself becoming the recipient of more acts of kindness.  Learn to accept these gifts with gratitude.  Many times it is more challenging for us to receive than it is to give.  We may resist acts of kindness toward us because we may feel like we will owe the other person, but when you let people do nice things for you, you are actually giving them a gift.

RESOURCES

Check out this link for some great Random Acts of Kindness ideas!

Check out this inspiring 5 minute video to see how one small act of kindness can make a big impact.

“Like” the Facebook Page The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.

Check out the inspiring movie, The Letter Writer.  It is a great reminder of the impact our actions have on others, and the difference one act of kindness can make.

Don’t forget Random Acts of Kindness week is February 9-15, 2015.

kindness mark twain

If you’re stuck for ideas, a simple way to make someone’s day is to download a Care Card from You Matter.   #YouMatter is a grassroots movement that aims to promote positive mental health through acts of caring. Telling someone they matter can have a greater impact than we may know! 

There are four easy steps to participate in #YouMatter:

1) Download a Care Card from the MSW@USC blog.

2) Write a message of caring, friendship or appreciation.

3) Snap a picture of your card and share on social media using the hashtag #youmatter and tag us @youmatterbc to inspire others.

4) Give the Care Card to someone and make that person’s day!

Do YOU have any kindness ideas, quotes, videos, or inspiration you would like to share?  Feel free to leave them in a comment below or share them on the February Acts of Kindness Challenge Facebook support group.  Thank you! 🙂

Visual Quote: What Are You Doing For Others?

Jan14

MLK what are you doing for others frame

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day coming up on Monday, I am sharing one of my favorite quotes of his.  I think we all have the desire to make a difference in this world, and we have an endless amount of opportunities to do that every day.  Every small act of kindness we perform has the potential to make a huge difference in someone’s life.

How will YOU be the light in someone’s day today?

A New Year’s Resolution You Can Keep: Do You Want to Love Yourself More?

Dec29

What if the only resolution you made this year was to spend some time getting to know and love yourself so you could live a truly authentic life, using your natural gifts and talents to make the difference you were sent to make in this world? On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love yourself?  How well do you know yourself? If your answer to either of those questions is not as high as you would like it to be, I invite you to download my FREE e-book/journal to participate in my 31-day challenge beginning on January 1, 2015. You will need 15 minutes of uninterrupted time each day to focus on yourself.  Turn off the phone, television, and get away from any distractions.  Each day, you will be asked one question that will help you get to know and love yourself more. At the end of the month, the desired result will be a deeper connection to yourself, more inner peace, love, and acceptance of yourself, and hopefully a clearer vision of your priorities and where you are going in life.  You will not need to reveal your answers to anyone. If that sounds like just what you need right now, you can download my e-book/journal The January 2015 Love Yourself More Challenge  for FREE.  The e-book will only be available for free for a limited time, so click on the book cover below to download it, and join me in working toward becoming healthy in mind, body, and spirit! lym cover2 resized updated

December Challenge: Keep a Giving Journal

Dec5

make a life by what we give

Giving brings meaning to our lives.  It makes us feel useful.  When we contribute to something we are passionate about, it makes us feel like we are making a difference in the world.  It makes us feel like we matter.  As Brendon Burchard says, “At the end of our lives, we will all ask:  Did I Live?  Did I Love?  Did I Matter?”  When we give, it makes us feel like we matter.  It makes us feel alive!  And I think that is what Winston Churchill means by his quote above.

It is December!  ‘Tis the season for giving!

We all give of ourselves in some ways every day, but how often do we recognize all that we give and how it makes us feel when we give?  How often do we give out of love vs. out of guilt or obligation?  When we give out of love, we are giving because we feel a connection and we want to help others and brighten their day, and it feels so great!  When we give out of guilt or obligation (because we feel like it is expected or required), it only causes stress and makes us feel resentful because we are not being true to ourselves.

I think giving means so much more when it is authentic and done out of pure love, and that is how I want to give of myself.  To help me with this, I have set a challenge for myself to keep a giving journal for the month of December.  Each day this month, I’m going to track what I give, whether it be time, money, kindness, or even a simple compliment.  I will state whether it was given out of love or obligation, and I will note how I felt when I gave.  I am hoping this challenge will push me to give more out of love every day and spread a whole lot of love in the process.

I’ve never kept or heard of a giving journal before, but I did a little research to see if anyone else had.  I came across a very informative e-book on the subject by Frank Agin.  To find out more about keeping a giving journal and all the benefits associated with it, you can download the free e-book by Frank Agin, The Giving Journal.

Have you ever kept a giving journal?  If you have, I’d love to hear any ideas you may have. 🙂

The “Thank You” Game

Nov19

Note:  I originally posted this last year, but it is such a fun and rewarding game, I thought it was deserving of another post this year.  I hope you will play along! 🙂

feeling gratitude

One of the books that has had the greatest influence on my life so far is the book “Life Makeovers” by Cheryl Richardson.  This book is broken up into 52 weeks, and each week she focuses on a specific topic and gives advice and tips on ways to improve your life in that area. (Find out more about the book and how it has changed my life here.)

I have followed along with this book each week for the past 7 years, and my favorite piece of advice in the book comes from this week before Thanksgiving, Week 47.  The title of Week 47 is called The “Thank You” Game.  Cheryl suggests thanking one person a day for the next week.  It can be a teacher, bus driver, librarian, friend, spouse, child, a parent, postal worker, doctor, etc.  It can be anyone you come into contact with regularly that you would like to thank.  You can thank them by simply writing an unexpected note or e-mail, or by attaching a small gift like a box of chocolates or flowers or anything they might like.

We have been doing this for several years now, and it has become one of my favorite traditions!  I love this exercise because it is being done out of sincere gratitude, not obligation.  The recipient is usually not expecting anything, so they are usually very appreciative of the gesture.  It is a win-win situation on both sides.  We all love to feel appreciated, and it’s a great feeling to know your small gesture brightened someone’s day.

During the next 7 days, I am going to choose at least one person a day to thank.  Help me spread the gratitude and love this week by playing along with Cheryl Richardson’s “Thank You” game!  Who are you going to thank this week?

Meister Eckhart Thank You sunset4

Inspiration Friday: Jim Carrey’s Secret of Life

Sep19

My friend sent this inspiring video to me last week, and I thought it was absolutely perfect!

Check it out!

Have a Happy Friday and a wonderful weekend, and remember to always choose LOVE!

Book Review: Tuesdays with Morrie

Aug12

I would like to introduce you to my all-time favorite book.  I just finished reading it for the 3rd time.  It is filled with inspiration, wisdom, love, compassion, gratitude, and all things good.  I think everyone should read it at least once.

I am posting this review this week in an effort to aid in spreading ALS awareness.  As I write this, people all over the nation are dumping buckets of ice water over their heads for the ALS ice bucket challenge (which I also did earlier this week.)  For those who want to gain a better understanding of this horrible disease, I think this book provides just that.  For more information on ALS, or to donate, visit http://www.alsa.org/

And now, let me introduce my favorite book:

Tuesdays with Morrie

by Mitch Albom

August 12, 2014 060 crop

Why did I read it?

I rarely read books more than once, but this was my third time reading this book and I could read it over and over again. I was looking for a quick and easy read and as I walked by my bookshelf, this book was there and I just felt like I needed to read it again. And I’m so glad I did! Sometimes we all need a little reminder about what is really important in life, and this book does just that.  🙂

What did I think?

I LOVE this book! Tuesdays with Morrie IS my all-time favorite book! I love it because it is a very quick read, yet it is filled with so much wisdom and advice. It is a great reminder of what really matters in life – relationships, love, and compassion. Through his actions, Morrie shows us that gratitude is the key to happiness. He experiences so much loss as his body gradually withers away, yet he is happy because he chooses to focus on the things he is grateful for. I think this book is a gift to humanity, and I think everyone should read it at least once.  For those who are not into reading, the movie is very good as well!

Summary

Tuesdays with Morrie is a story of a wise old man named Morrie Schwartz who has ALS (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease). As his body slowly deteriorates, he shares his wisdom and advice on many different areas of life with his former student, Mitch Albom. They meet for 14 weeks, on Tuesdays, right up until Morrie’s death. The topics they discuss include: the world, feeling sorry for yourself, regrets, death, family, emotions, the fear of aging, money, how love goes on, marriage, our culture, forgiveness, and “The Perfect Day.” This book is a result of those interviews, and through their words and actions, Morrie and Mitch show us the real meaning and importance of love, compassion, and gratitude. Morrie wanted to be known as “A Teacher to the Last”, and that he was and still is through this book.  This book was Morrie’s gift to the world, and he and his teachings will continue to live on through it.

My Favorite Quotes from Morrie Schwartz

“The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. We’re teaching the wrong things. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it. Create your own.”

“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.”

“I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on all the good things still in my life.”

“It’s horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it’s also wonderful because of all the time I get to say goodbye. Not everyone is so lucky.”

“Everyone knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently.”

“Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”

“If you don’t have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don’t have much at all.”

“This is part of what a family is about, not just love, but letting others know there’s someone who is watching out for them. Nothing else will give you that. Not money. Not fame. Not work.”

“Learn to detach. Don’t cling to things, because everything is impermanent.”

“I embrace aging…if you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.”

“You have to find what’s good and true and beautiful in your life as it is now. Looking back makes you competitive. And, age is not a competitive issue.”

“The truth is, part of me is every age. I delight in being a child when it’s appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it’s appropriate to be a wise old man. Think of all I can be! I am every age, up to my own.”

“We put our values in the wrong things. And it leads to very disillusioned lives.”

“You can’t substitute material things for love or for gentleness or for tenderness or for a sense of comradeship.”

“You know what really gives you satisfaction? Offering others what you have to give.”

To find meaning in your life: “Devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”

“Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone.”

“Giving to other people is what makes me feel alive.”

“Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone.”

“I believe in being fully present. That means you should be with the person you’re with.”

“People are only mean when they are threatened, and that’s what our culture does. And when you get threatened, you start looking out only for yourself.”

“Here’s what I mean by building your own little subculture. I don’t mean you disregard every rule of your community. The little things, I can obey. But the big things – how we think, what we value – those you must choose yourself. You can’t let anyone – or any society – determine those for you.”

“Every society has its own problems…You have to work at creating your own culture.”

“If we saw each other as more alike, we might be very eager to join in one big human family in this world, and to care about that family the way we care about our own.

“Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a little community of those you love and who love you.”

“Be compassionate. And take responsibility for each other. If we only learned those lessons, this world would be so much better a place.”

“Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others.”

“As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on – in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here.”

“Death ends a life; not a relationship.”

Other Quotes from the book

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” ~Henry Adams

“Love each other or perish.” ~Auden

12 Life Lessons I Learned From our Dog

Jun6
Photo by Donna Bemis Photography

Photo by Donna Bemis Photography

This is our dog, Puddles.  After several years of begging for a dog, my husband and kids finally had their wish fulfilled last July.  They were so excited to take home their 2-month old puppy and welcome him into our family.  Honestly, I wasn’t so excited.  With my time already in short supply, the last thing I wanted was to take on all the responsibilities associated with a new life in the house.  I had already endured many sleepless nights when the kids were infants, and I wasn’t ready to relive those days.

So, we agreed Puddles would be “their dog” and they would be taking full responsibility for him.  For the most part, they have done that.  In the early days, my husband would wake up several times each night to take him outside.  The girls happily took turns taking him for walks during the day.  As time went on, they became less enthusiastic about taking him outside or picking up his messes.  Now, they often need a reminder that he is their dog, they asked for the responsibility, and I’m not going to do it for them.  With that said, I take him out for walks if my husband isn’t around during the day or if I just feel like going for a walk and taking him with me.

On one of my recent walks with Puddles, I realized he has taught me a lot in the past 11 months.  Here are a few things he has reminded me about love and life in general (advice most of us could probably use):

 

1.  Take the time to stop and smell the roses.  And the grass.  And the pine trees.  And anything else you find interesting on your path.  Don’t rush through life.  Slow down, and fully enjoy each moment.

2.  Get outside as often as you can.  There are so many fascinating things to enjoy in nature.  If you don’t feel like exploring, just lie down and soak up the sun.

3.  Greet your family members  as if you haven’t seen them in years.  Every time.  There’s nothing better than a loving welcome.

4.  Never pass up an opportunity to play.  Play chase, play keep-away, or just chase a ball, the leaves, a bird, the wind, anything that moves, etc.  Run around and enjoy life!  It’s good exercise, too!  Don’t take life so seriously.

5.  When life gets too hectic, go into another room by yourself, lie down, and rest.  We all need a break sometimes.

6.  Never pass up an opportunity to pee.

7.  Let your emotions show.  Especially the good ones.  Let your loved ones know you are happy to be with them.

8.  Ask politely for the things you want.

9.  One of our fundamental desires in life is to be included and accepted as part of the family.  Love and accept your family members, embrace your differences, appreciate the uniqueness of each member, and make everyone feel included as part of the family.

10.  Trust your instincts.

11.  Forgive easily.  We all want to please our loved ones, but we all make mistakes sometimes.  We are all doing the best we can.

12.  Stay loyal to your family members no matter what.  Just be there, listen, and love unconditionally.  Do not judge.  Just being there can lift someone up when they are having a bad day.

I resisted getting a dog for a long time, but now that Puddles is part of our family, I can’t imagine life without him.  I think he has been beneficial to our health — both our physical and mental well-being — and he has brought us closer together as a family.  Since he joined our family, we have tried to identify and plan family activities that include Puddles.  We spend more time hiking and being out in nature.  We enjoy exploring our area and finding new trails and destinations where we can bring him.  We plan our vacations with him in mind.  Overall, having a dog forces us to get outside more, get more exercise, and discover nature all around us.

Puddles also has the capability to lift our spirits in an instant.  This past spring, my oldest daughter didn’t feel well for several weeks.  When she would return home from school each day, just seeing and petting Puddles immediately cheered her up and took her mind off her pain and all her worries.  She has fully recovered, and I know Puddles played a part in that.

Who wouldn’t enjoy being greeted by this adorable face?  He is a blessing!  I’m grateful for the reminders he has taught me about life and love, I’m happy he has taught my girls about responsibility, and I’m happy to call him a member of our family. 🙂

July 29, 2013 020 crop

10 “Secrets” to Inner Peace

May30

10-secrets-to-peace

As I was meditating on the 10 Commandments recently, I realized these life guidelines are a wonderful gift to us. In a perfect world, everyone would follow these commandments, suffering would be completely eliminated, and everyone would be full of love and free of worry. We would all be at peace with ourselves and wouldn’t be afraid to “be ourselves.” We would all be loved and accepted just as we are, with no pressure to conform to what society says is “right” and “wrong”, and our uniqueness would be appreciated. We would all know ourselves and be able to identify our gifts, we would know God, and we would know that underneath it all, we are pure LOVE. Everyone would lovingly share their natural God-given gifts and talents with each other to make the world a better place.

But we do not live in a perfect world. We have free will. While free will is generally a wonderful gift (without it, we would not be able to grow), unfortunately it allows for all of us to occasionally take some actions out of fear rather than love. Each action taken out of fear eventually causes suffering, either in our own life or someone else’s. That is exactly what the 10 Commandments are trying to prevent.

The 10 Commandments are not secrets at all.  They are widely known and accepted by various religions, but they are not always followed.  When reading the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 of the bible (NIV), initially they seem very harsh and instill fear in me. After spending some time meditating on them, I see the reasons behind them and see that they are all based on LOVE. They are guidelines to help us avoid suffering.  Here is my attempt at a “loving” 2014 interpretation of the 10 Commandments:

 1. Make God (a.k.a. “LOVE”) the #1 priority in your life.

 Having complete faith and trust in God will allow you to let go of all your worries, give them up to God, and live in peace.  As one of my favorite sayings goes, “Let Go.  Let God.”

God is the one constant in your life. Everything and everyone else will come and go, but your creator will never leave you. During the difficult times in life, trust that everything is happening exactly as it should. I believe that everything happens for a reason and always for the greatest good, even though we may not understand the reasoning right away. I believe that there are no accidents in life, and every experience we encounter each day is a gift. My trust in God is what gets me through the difficult times, and those times have proven to be some of the greatest blessings in my life.  Remember that you are not the master planner of your life, and everything will always work out for the best in the end. When you are able to give all your worries up to God and let go of trying to be the master planner of your life, fear will be replaced with LOVE, and you will know peace.

So, how do you make God the #1 priority in your life?

It all starts with loving yourself.   When you make the time for self-care and you really take the time to get to know, love, and accept yourself exactly as you are, you will find God within you.   When you love yourself, you will respect your life and your body. You will want to feed your body healthy foods and feed your mind only healthy thoughts. You will want to spend more time on your personal growth, trying to better yourself each day so you can be the best person you can be.

Society tells us self-care is selfish. Society tells us to take care of everyone else first and put ourselves last. I believe this commandment is telling us the opposite. It is telling us to put God first. Since God is within you, the more time you focus on loving yourself, the more you will come to know Him. When you take the time to care for yourself, you will be better able to care for others. If you don’t love yourself, it is impossible to love others. God speaks to us in the silence, so if you don’t take time to be still, it is very difficult to hear God. Since God IS love, the more time you spend getting to know yourself and God, the more you will be filled with love. Eventually, you will be so full of love that the love will start to pour out onto others. Your actions will be done out of pure love rather than guilt or obligation, and you will be fulfilling your purpose on this earth.

If anyone or anything besides God is #1 in your life, it will take away your inner peace and cause suffering.  This includes money, addictions, power, possessions, etc.  Let go of your need for these things, and trust that God will provide whatever is needed in your life.

Do you feel at peace right now? If not, ask yourself what or who is the top priority in your life.

The 1st Commandment from Exodus 20:3 NIV states:

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

2. Focus your time and energy on relationships rather than possessions.

We all came into this life with no possessions and will leave this life with no possessions. Do not worship or get too attached to your possessions. All possessions come and go, and they don’t really belong to us anyway. Everything we have belongs to God and is a gift from God. Spending too much time and energy consumed with acquiring and maintaining possessions leads to an empty life. Remember, “The best things in life aren’t things.” At the end of your life, the shiny car you drove or the house you owned will not matter. The only things that will matter are the relationships you had: with God, with yourself, and with others. Take the time to nurture your relationships. LOVE comes first.

The 2nd Commandment from Exodus 20:4-6 NIV states:

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

3. THINK before you speak. Is it:   True?  Helpful?  Inspiring?  Necessary?  Kind?   If not, keep it to yourself.  Everything you say should be done out of love.

 Speak only kind words about yourself, about God, and about others. Since God is within you and God created you, speaking negatively about yourself is the same as speaking negatively about God.

Speaking poorly about yourself, God, or others will destroy your inner peace, so do your best to keep your thoughts and words positive. Philippians 4:8 states: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

There are many proverbs and verses in the bible that promote the idea of thinking before you speak.

Proverbs 29:20 states: “Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. “

Proverbs 10:19 states: “The more talk, the less truth; the wise measure their words.”

James 1:19 states: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…”

Ecclesiastes 5:2 states: “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.”

The 3rd Commandment from Exodus 20:7 NIV states:

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

4. Each week, take a full day off to recharge.

This is my favorite tip, and the one practice that has made the greatest impact in my life! Since following this advice, I have come to know myself better, I feel like I know God much better, I feel like I know what my true priorities are in life, and I feel relaxed, happier, less-stressed, and much more at peace.

Each week, set a day aside to rest. Do your best to plan all your work around that day each week. Spend the day enjoying your family and friends, and take the time to stop and truly appreciate all the blessings surrounding you. Allow spontaneity, especially if you follow a strict schedule the other 6 days of the week. Allow yourself to get bored once in a while and really get to know your true self. Be fully present wherever you are, and focus completely on what you are doing. Notice the little things, and try to spend the day in a state of gratitude. You may be surprised what a positive impact this will make on your life, and may find that allowing yourself the time to relax and recharge actually makes you more productive.

The 4th commandment is a blessing, and if more people followed this commandment and took the time to relax and recharge each week, I think people would have much less stress in their lives, much more peace, and families would be much stronger. It is personally my favorite day of the week!

The 4th Commandment from Exodus 20:8-11 NIV states:

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

5. Respect your elders, and take advice from those you admire.

When you are a child, those who care for you generally have your best interest at heart. If you listen to them, you will be safe, protected, and live a long life. If you ignore their advice, you will be putting yourself and your life in danger. Take advantage of the wisdom your elders have gained, and listen to them so you don’t have to learn things for yourself the hard way.

The 5th Commandment from Exodus 20:12 NIV states:

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

6. Respect each other. Respect the environment and all the creatures of the earth. Do not intentionally harm anyone.

We are all one big family inhabiting this earth together. We need to love, respect, and accept each other. Every person and every thing we encounter each day is a gift. We need to recognize, appreciate, and respect all the gifts we have been given and treat them all with love.

The 6th Commandment from Exodus 20:13 NIV states:

“You shall not murder.”

 7. Keep your promises. Help others to keep their promises.

 Broken promises cause suffering. If you aren’t positive you can keep a promise, don’t make it. Select your words carefully. Instead of saying, “I will…” get into the habit of saying “I will try…” or “I might…” or “I’m planning to…” Sometimes unforeseen circumstances prevent you from doing what you say and promises are broken, causing disappointment. I rarely make promises, but when I do, I take them seriously and make sure I can fulfill the promise I made.

Also, do not interfere with a promise someone else has made, especially if it is a vow in marriage. Marriage is not something to be taken lightly. When two people love each other and take the vows of marriage, it is a promise they make to each other and to God. Everyone needs to respect this promise.

The 7th Commandment from Exodus 20:14 NIV states:

“You shall not commit adultery.”

 8. Respect the belongings of others.

Recognize that people work hard to earn everything they have. If you want something, you must also work hard to earn it. Do not take what doesn’t belong to you. Also, do not be afraid to ask if you need something. Matthew 7:7 NIV states: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” If you want something, work for it. If you need something, simply ask, but do not steal.

The 8th Commandment from Exodus 20:15 NIV states:

“You shall not steal.”

 9. Be honest with yourself and others, and treat everyone with love and respect.

 Be completely honest with yourself and others. Don’t say yes when you mean no. Doing things just to impress or please others doesn’t help anyone, and it will only cause you resentment in the long run. Make sure EVERYTHING you do is done out of love. Doing anything out of guilt or obligation is not an act of love.

Speak only kind words about others. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say it at all. Do not gossip, spread rumors, or consume your precious time with the way others are living their lives. Rather, put your time and energy into improving your own life and helping others to do the same.

The 9th Commandment from Exodus 20:16 NIV states:

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

 10. Be grateful for what you have.

I believe the attitude of gratitude will always bring happiness and peace. Focus on your blessings and give thanks rather than focusing on your wants. When you focus on your wants, you are focusing on the things you are lacking in your life, and that just puts you into a state of fear. On the other hand, being grateful puts the focus on love and abundance. Instead of always going after the latest model car, phone, etc., learn to be content with what you have. According to Buddha, craving and desire are two of the biggest causes of suffering.

The 10th Commandment from Exodus 20:17 NIV states:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

 Conclusion

If everyone followed these 10 commandments all the time, I believe suffering would be nearly, if not completely eliminated, and we would all be at peace. But the reality is, we are all human. We all make mistakes and break some of these commandments from time to time. When that happens, we can guarantee that someone will pay the price for our mistakes. We may cause our own suffering, or we may cause the suffering of someone else. But the good news is, it is not the end of the world and we can be forgiven if we just ask for it. We can wake up the next morning, thank God for a brand new day, and start new.

Overall, I think Jesus summed up the 10 commandments perfectly in Mark 12:30-31 NIV

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Also, you can never go wrong if you follow the golden rule:  “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.”

May your days be filled with love, peace and blessings!

Book Review: Dying to Be Me

Feb6

Dying to Be Me:  My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing by Anita Moorjani

This is one of the best books I have ever read!  I have enjoyed reading about Anita’s life and learning all the life lessons her near-death experience taught her.

Summary

Anita battled cancer for almost 4 years.  When her body began shutting down, she entered a near death experience (NDE) where she discovered the cause of her disease.  She realized she was dying because of all of her fears.  She was afraid to express her true self, which caused her own energy to manifest as cancer.  When she chose to return to her body, she realized she had the power to heal herself.  She knew she would be healed quickly because the root cause of her disease was taken care of.

The book is divided into 3 parts.  Part 1 talks about Anita’s childhood and how she grew up at the intersection of multiple cultures that held contradictory beliefs.  She was exposed to different religious and cultural customs, some of which she did not agree with.  She had to deal with the disapproval of her family and her culture as she stayed true to herself and did not conform to some of their traditions.  Part 2 talks about her NDE, and Part 3 talks about the wisdom and new understandings she gained as a result of her NDE.  The experience completely changed her perspective on life.

My Favorite Quotes From the Book:anitamoorjanibeyourself

“I had the choice to come back…or not.  I chose to return when I realized that ‘heaven’ is a state, not a place…”

“I believe that the greatest truths of the universe don’t lie outside, in the study of the stars and the planets.  They lie deep within us, in the magnificence of our heart, mind, and soul.  Until we understand what is within, we can’t understand what is without.”

“In that state, I somehow knew that in some way, I was meant to inspire thousands…I just had to be myself and enjoy life, and to allow myself to be an instrument for something much greater to take place.”

“We all have our own way of recognizing that infinite space within us.  For some it may be prayer.  For others, it can be music, art, being in nature, or even pursuing knowledge and technology – whatever brings out our passion, creativity, and purpose for living.”

“To be me is to be love.”

“In sharing my experience and my insights, my only purpose is to ignite the spark of magnificence that lies within you.”

“When we know that we are love, we don’t need to work at being loving toward others.  Instead, we just have to be true to ourselves, and we become instruments of loving energy, which touches everyone we come into contact with.”

“For people to commit unloving acts, they must really be full of confusion, frustration, pain, and self-hatred.  They have to be diseased (like having cancer).  Treating them with contempt only allows the “cancer” to grow in our society.”

“Go out and live your life fearlessly.”

“We all have the capacity to heal ourselves as well as facilitate the healing of others.”

“When we get in touch with that infinite place within us where we are whole, then illness can’t remain in the body.  When we heal others, we also heal ourselves and the planet.  There’s no separation except in our own minds.”

“Our world at any time is a tapestry made up of all our thoughts, feelings, experiences, relationships, emotions, and events up to that point.”

“True joy and happiness can only be found by loving yourself, going inward, following your heart, and doing what brings you joy.”

“Religion is just a path for finding truth:  Religion is not truth.  It is just a path.  And different people follow different paths.” p.18

“I then understood that even if my physical body stopped, everything is still perfect in the greater tapestry of life, for we never truly die.” p.5

My Recommendation/What I Learned

I would absolutely recommend this book!  It is a quick read (only 189 pages) and I found it very interesting.

This book taught me the importance of being true to myself always.  It taught me that physical death is not something to fear, and it taught me the importance of letting go of all fears and enjoying life to the fullest…now!!  This book reinforces the belief that we are spiritual beings having a human experience and that we are all connected.

These are the main messages she is trying to relay:

1.  We are all one.

2.  We are love at our core.

3.  We are magnificent.

Anita is trying to let us know that we all need to love and accept ourselves just as we are.  She shared her story to remind us all of our own magnificence and the importance of being able to fully trust our inner guidance.

For more reviews, check out http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12291050-dying-to-be-me.