Tag Archives: present

Happier Giving Or Getting? That is the question…

We’ve all heard the saying “tis better to give than to receive”, but did you realize that’s actually a scientifically proven fact?  Cause it is!  In an article was posted in Psychology Today titled “Giving really is better than receiving: Does giving to others (vs. the self) promote happiness?” they explain it: “Research by social […]

Time Is A Precious Commodity

We realize the value of our time more and more the older we get…perhaps because we become keenly aware that the time we have left is growing less and less… The irony is that our time right now is, and always has, held the very same value – a minute has always been worth a […]

Your Presence Is My Present

When my 21 year-old daughter wants to get my attention she will utter the phrase, “Your presence is my present.” That quote is a very effective way to remind someone to put away the distractions and focus on the moment you are sharing together. Spending quality time with someone gets harder and harder with all […]

The Roads We Choose Make All The Difference

Back when I was in Jr. High School we were given a homework assignment to memorize a poem. I chose the poem ‘The Road Less Traveled’ by Robert Frost to memorize. Back then I was too young to really grasp the meaning of the poem but I memorized every word. Thirty years later I can […]

As I Began To Love Myself…

As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”. As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody As I try to force my desires on this person, […]

My Christmas Gift To You

Given that this blog is the last one you will read before you celebrate Christmas Day I felt it only appropriate that in today’s blog I should give you your Christmas Gift from me. As I thought through what I could possibly give that would be meaningful to each of you and that could have […]

Look to the Light

36 years ago today one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time was released. The movie stars one of my favorite actors of all time – Jimmy Stewart, which alone tells you the movie is amazing. The movie is called Mr. Krueger’s Christmas. For me Christmas isn’t Christmas if I don’t watch this movie […]

It is better to give

Throughout this month I will try to share some of my favorite Christmas stories and poems that inspire me.  This story below is one I heard when I was growing up and I still remember the way it struck me as I heard it. It has a great message that inspires you to want to […]

Opportunities come when we actively seek to do good

First, I want to take the quick opportunity to say “Thank You!” to all those who sent birthday wishes my way. I can’t think of a better birthday gift then words of kindness from others and I received that today in spades 🙂 I also want to share with you an amazing birthday gift I received today […]

Be In Their Lives Today

“To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.”   Oh, how I love that quote. And it is such a great reminder for all of us that have the blessing of being a parent. I remember throughout the growing up years of my children when they would ask me […]

The fruits of today are the seeds of yesterday

“The fruits of today are always the seeds of yesterday. Each day of your life you are sowing seeds that one-day you must harvest.” –U.S. Anderson The choices we are making today and the actions we are taking are all helping dictate what our lives will be in the future. My little brother wrote a […]

May the Fourth Be With You!

My son told me today that if my blog wasn’t titled “May the Fourth Be With You!” tonight that he would be straight up offended! Now let me be honest with you…I had NO idea what he was talking about until my husband explained that May 4th is Star Wars Day.  Who knew that Star […]

This feels like a great week to be HAPPY!

The desire to be happy. It’s a desire shared universally. It is one thing in life we all have in common – the desire for happiness. Some people wait for happiness to find them, only to learn that this kind of happiness is temporary and it goes as quickly as it comes. Other people have […]

Striving for balance in your life

Balance…it’s a word that makes me crazy because I feel like it’s dang near impossible to achieve in life. Nonetheless, I find myself constantly seeking out articles with advice on how we can gain better balance in our lives. Tonight a dear friend sent me this article below. It is apparently a speech that was […]

What will your mark on this world be?

We all come into this world for a time, not knowing how short or long the time we have in this life will be. We go about our lives being busy, getting things done, and hopefully having some fun along the way. But when is the last time we really sat down and thought about […]

Don’t put off living

“One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We dream of some magical rose garden over the horizon – instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our window today.”    -Dale Carnegie I totally agree that too often we put off […]

Don’t Look Back, You’re Not Going That Way

I shared this poem once before but I had forgotten all about it until I came across it today and it just seemed to reflect what I was feeling today so I wanted to share it again: As you travel through life there are always those times when decisions just have to be made when […]

TODAY IS THE START OF SOMETHING BRAND NEW!

That’s right! Today is the start of something brand new!  It is the start of a brand new week! And it’s a new week that can literally become whatever we want it to be because it is something BRAND NEW! Look, I’m just going to say it – last week was miserable – but I […]

The Trick Is To Enjoy Life

“The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.”  – Marjorie Hinckley Enjoy life – what great instruction! And one that most of need to be reminded to do. Worrying about things we cannot change and waiting for things that may never happen….stupid right!?! I have decided that […]

Choose Your Own Adventure

Remember back when you were a kid and they had those Choose Your Own Adventure books?  I used to love those! You would start off reading the story and get to the bottom of the page and it would say, “To choose to do <this> go to page x or to choose to do <that> […]

WE Determine Our Future

I have been writing daily blogs five days a week for over 4 ½ years without missing a single day.  There have been times when I was really sick but I still wrote my blogs because I had promised I wouldn’t miss a single day. Back in 2011, my daughter Ashley, who was 15 at […]

Time is Precious. Waste it Wisely.

“The greatest gift you can give someone is your time. Because when you give your time you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back.” Reading that quote made me feel a little better today because I have been racking my brain all day to try and figure out the […]

Giving Is More Exciting And Better For Us Than Getting!

I love giving presents. I love planning surprises and putting thought into the little details and making a gift really special. I have so much fun anticipating the other person’s excitement and reaction that giving is way more exciting for me than getting a present. Not that I don’t love, love, love getting a gift […]

Living in the Present

So taking time off this summer seemed liked the best idea ever except that while I am taking time off the rest of my life is piling up like crazy into a mountain that keeps getting bigger and bigger and the truth is that I am a little frightened for when the day comes that […]

It’s a Daily Effort

Becoming the person you want to become is a daily effort and one that extends a lifetime.  It’s not as though one day you wake up and go “I’ve arrived! I am now the perfect person.  My work here is done.”  And if you do wake up thinking that you have a whole other set […]

Swimming with Sharks

Yesterday I was invited by a good friend to come to the set of the TV Show Shark Tank. Shark Tank happens to be one of my favorite shows on television today because I absolutely love it from an educational standpoint on all the lessons it can teach entrepreneurs.  Each week as I watch the […]

You were given this life, so LIVE IT WELL!

“You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it.”  That quote has helped me many times in my life.  Especially during difficult or stressful times when I feel overwhelmed or incapable of handing a situation I am given.  We have all heard the phrase that “God doesn’t give us more than […]

Creative Group Date Ideas

With Valentines Day almost upon us I decided to search for creative Group Date Ideas that would help spurn my creativity as I attempt to plan a fun Valentine weekend. I came across multiple websites such as  www.niftydateideas.com and several others that had great date ideas.  I pulled my favorites from several of the sites to share in today’s blog.  Hopefully these will […]

Twas the Day After Christmas

I hope all of you had a marvelous Christmas Holiday!  For me it was a marvelous day because we were able to be together as a family, with my son joining us on Skype.  It was amazing to see his sweet smiling face on the video.  It was also fun to watch he and his […]

A Time To Close Your Book of Grievances

Christmas season casts a truly amazing spell on the world. People’s walls come down, their hearts are softened, they notice the needs of strangers, they have the desire to care for their fellow man, and hurts anger seems to get let go and be replaced with the Christmas spirit of love. It truly has an […]