Thursday, December 30, 2021

Quote #10

 

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.
Alphonse Karr

Quote #9

 

The real power of gratitude is being grateful for the things that aren't yet in your physical world.

Sandra Gallagher - CEO and Co-Founder at Proctor Gallagher Institute

Quote #8

 

Whatever life throws at me I'll take it and be grateful for it as well.
Tom Felton

Quote #7

 

If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.

Colin Powell - Former United States National Security Advisor

Quote #6

 

Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.
Henri Frederic Amiel

Quote #5

 

The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being.

Lee Iaccoca - 1924-2019 - American Automobile Executive

Quote #4

 

The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.
Oprah Winfrey

Quote #3

 

The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.

Albert Einstein - 1879-1955 - Theoretical Physicist

Quote #2

 

Traditions

When I was a child, my family had traditions for every holiday. I took comfort in always knowing that Thanksgiving Day would be spent at our house with my Dad barbecuing the turkey, and Christmas Eve would be a gathering of my father’s family at the home of one of my Uncles. There was never any question of where we’d go or who would be there, although there was always interest in what new boyfriend or girlfriend our teenage cousins would bring along. Even after I married, my husband and I lived near my family, and he fit into the established pattern. When we had children, they just fit in too.

Then we made the radical decision to move to Oregon, and I was worried about what I’d do without the traditions that had defined the holidays for my whole life. My fears were unnecessary, since my parents soon decided to retire and move here too, as did two of my aunts and uncles. With some modifications we once again had the comfort of the routine. Thanksgiving was at my parent’s house, with barbecued turkey, playing pool and watching football. Christmas dinner was at our house, with my husband barbecuing another turkey. New Years Day was ham at my Aunt Carol’s, and Easter was family brunch at the Country Club. It was a comfortable yearly tradition that gave our holidays structure and that we raised our children on for 20 years.

However, in the past few years our children have grown and moved away, my mother, father, Aunts and Uncles have died, and the big old house with the pool table, is now a lovely memory.

So here I am, wondering what does one do to celebrate the holidays. I must admit I wasn’t prepared to deal with this new dilemma, since I naively assumed everyone would always be here and things would just go on as they always had.

Since our children moved away and my parents died, I’ve taken each holiday as it comes, and tried to find the true meaning in what the day represents. Before it was always about family, but now that my family is dispersed or gone, what does that mean?

I’ve come to realize that there are many definitions of "family". It’s not just the people connected by marriage or blood, but it’s also the people to whom we’re connected by friendship and love. In these past few years, I’ve looked around and realized my husband and I are blessed with lots of "family". Our dear friends, who travel with us and put up with us at all hours of the day and night (even those grumpy morning hours), our friends who play cards with us, and with whom we laugh late into the evening. The women I’ve connected with on a deeper level since we’re no longer spending time parenting, and so have time for each other. All of these and many more are family, and on every holiday, I do what I can to gather together as many of these wonderful folks as possible.

Of course, the "tradition" has changed. There is no routine anymore. Every holiday is different, depending on who is available to share the day. I’ve realized that tradition isn’t really about what we eat or where we go. The thing that continues to make each holiday "traditional" is that it is a gathering together of people who care about each other. I now know it’s a time to celebrate one another and remember once again how we are all family.

Sandy Abell

Quote #1

 

You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.
Marian Wright Edelman

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Quote #10

 

We consume our tomorrows fretting about our yesterdays.

Persius - Greek Hero

Quote #9

 

I like to encourage people to realize that any action is a good action if it's proactive and there is positive intent behind it.
Michael J. Fox

Quote #8

 

Knowledge becomes wisdom only after it has been put to practical use.

Unknown

Quote #7

 

There is no advertisement as powerful as a positive reputation traveling fast.
Brian Koslow

Quote #6

 

The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.

Price Pritchett - Author-Business Advisor-Speaker

Quote #5

 

I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter.
Walt Disney

Quote #4

 

If a person advances confidently in the direction of their dream and endeavors to live the life they have imagined, they will meet with success unexpected in common hours.

Thoreau, 1817-1862 - American Naturalist

Quote #3

 

Dream small dreams. If you make them too big, you get overwhelmed and you don't do anything. If you make small goals and accomplish them, it gives you the confidence to go on to higher goals.
John H. Johnson

Quote #2

 

Be disciplined about what you respond and react to. Not everyone or everything deserves your time, energy, and attention. Stay in your light.

Lalah Delia - Writer

Quote #1

 

Make it your habit not to be critical about small things.

Edward Everett Hale - 1822-1909-Author-Historian

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Daily Inspiration #10

 

Genius is the ability to renew one's emotions in daily experience.

Paul Cezanne - 1839-1906 - French Painter

Daily Inspiration #9

 

Never cut what you can untie.
Joseph Joubert

Daily Inspiration #8

 

The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.

William Blake - 1757-1827 - Poet-Painter-Printmaker

Daily Inspiration #7

 

You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is.
Will Rogers

Daily Inspiration #6

 

The direction of the mind is more important than its progress.

Joseph Joubert - 1754-1824 - Essayist

Daily Inspiration #5

 

Appreciating Appreciation

There’s a song called "Thank God for Dirty Dishes" that makes the point that if you’re lucky to have enough food to make dirty dishes, you should be grateful.

So instead of grousing about your property taxes, be thankful you own property. When you have to wait in line at the bank or are stuck in traffic, just be grateful you have money in the bank and a car to drive.

It makes sense, but that doesn’t make it easy.

I have to admit that appreciation has not been a natural attribute for me. In my more ambitious days when I believed that excess was not enough, gratitude seemed like a form of surrender and a very poor life strategy. After all, if you’re satisfied with the way things are, you’ll never make them better.

What a pity I had to reach my 50s before I began to appreciate appreciation. I finally began to see that it was irresponsible and irreverent not to realize how many things I should feel grateful for. I also came to realize how good it feels to acknowledge how good I have it.

Real gratitude is much more than politeness, like saying thank you when someone passes the salt or conveys good wishes; it’s a deeper psychological state of genuine thankfulness.

Whether we believe whatever good fortune we have is the product of our own labor and talents, random luck, or a gift from God, the fact remains that each of us could spend a full day identifying all the things that merit gratitude.

According to an old proverb, "If you never learn the language of gratitude, you’ll never be on speaking terms with happiness."

I’m still a beginner, but it’s true; the more I appreciate, the happier I am. That’s a lesson I want my children to learn.

Michael Josephson

Daily Inspiration #4

 

A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

Daily Inspiration #3

 

Go as far as you can see. When you get there you will see how you can go farther.

Thomas Carlyle - 1795-1881 - British Historian-Essayist-Philosopher-Mathematician-Teacher

Daily Inspiration #2

 

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.

Aesop Fables

Daily Inspiration #1

 

Humor is just another defense against the universe.
Mel Brooks

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Daily Inspiration #10

 

No matter the risks we take, we always consider the end to be too soon, even though in life, more than anything else, quality should be more important than quantity.
Alex Honnold

Daily Inspiration #9

 

Your positive action combined with positive thinking results in success.

Shiv Khera - Author-Activist-Motivational Speaker

Daily Inspiration #8

 

I think you need to go through some stuff to really appreciate life and understand what it means to persevere, overcome and have faith. I think those tough times make you a stronger person.
Judith Hill

Daily Inspiration #7

 

The most successful entrepreneurs I know are optimistic. It's part of the job description.

Caterina Fake - Co-Founder of Flickr-Entrepreneur-Businesswoman

Daily Inspiration #6

 

Changing someone else's life positively changes yours for the better as well.
Cameron Boyce

Daily Inspiration #5

 

On my own I will just create, and if it works, it works, and if it doesn't, I'll create something else. I don't have any limitations on what I think I could do or be.

Oprah Winfrey - Actress-Entrepreneur-Talk Show Host-Media Executive-Philanthropist

Daily Inspiration #4

 

Try and understand what part you have to play in the world in which you live. There's more to life than you know and it's all happening out there. Discover what part you can play and then go for it.
Ian Mckellen

Daily Inspiration #3

 

Commit your non-productive activities to paper and physically shred and mentally obliterate them. This is very powerful.

Sandra Gallagher - CEO and Co-Founder at Proctor Gallagher Institute

Daily Inspiration #2

 

Redefining Traditions - A Time To Be Grateful

This year as we approach the holiday season, I find that instead of my usual excitement and anticipation, I’m feeling kind of lost. Before the year of Covid we had our traditions, and celebrated the Fall holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or other religious holidays, and New Year’s with friends and family. However, this year everything is different and I’m not sure what to do with it.

As with many people, I come from a family that had specific ways of celebrating each holiday, and these eventually became our family traditions.

For example, when I was a child there was a certain comfort in knowing that Thanksgiving Day would be spent at our house with my Dad barbecuing the turkey, and Christmas Eve would be a gathering of my father’s family at the home of one of my Uncles. There was never any question of where we’d go or who would be there, although there was always interest in what new boyfriend or girlfriend our teenage cousins would bring along. Even after I married, my husband and I lived near my family, and he fit into the established pattern. When we had children, they just fit in too.

In my world, holidays have always been about the people. If we didn’t have family close by, we would reach out to friends and share the day with them.

As we all know, this year is very different. Because of the pandemic we are told to not spend time with people because it might spread the disease. So here I am, wondering what does one do to celebrate the holidays. I must admit I wasn’t prepared to deal with this new dilemma, since I naively assumed everyone would always be here and things would just go on as they always had.

Of course, life is about change, and this year is just another one to decide how to deal with. I realize I can spend my time looking back and being sad that our regular celebrations can’t happen this year, or I can look around me and be grateful for all the amazingly wonderful things I have in my life. I choose to be grateful.

Because of technology I can still reach out to family and friends, and we can talk on the phone or get together on Zoom or one of the many other video chat platforms. We can still share the day and our love for one another, just in a different way.

Of course, there is no tradition this year. There is no routine anymore. Hopefully whatever we choose to do this year will not have to continue into the future. Although, as we live our lives, every holiday is different, depending on where we are and what is happening in the world. I’ve realized that celebrating and tradition aren’t really about what we eat or where we go. The thing that continues to make each holiday "traditional" for me is that it is a gathering together of people, physically or virtually, who care about each other. I now know it’s a time to celebrate one another and remember once again how we are all family.

Sandy Abell

Daily Inspiration #1

 

The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.
Walt Disney

Friday, November 26, 2021

Daily Inspiration #10

 

Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut, that held its ground.
David Icke

Daily Inspiration #9

 

The decision is made in advance and, when well-tempered with discipline, will lead to the desired results.

Unknown

Daily Inspiration #8

 

With pride, there are many curses. With humility, there come many blessings.
Ezra Taft Benson

Daily Inspiration #7

 

Energy is contagious. Surround yourself with those who inspire you to shine through the fog!

Anonymous

Daily Inspiration #6

 

Slow and steady wins the race.
Robert Lloyd

Daily Inspiration #5

 

If you deeply observe, everything is your teacher.

Unknown

Daily Inspiration #4

 

What Makes Us Happy?

There is an ever-growing body of knowledge about the nature and causes of happiness.

For one thing, it’s clear that happiness is a feeling, not a circumstance. Happiness is more than just fun or pleasure. It’s a more durable sense of well-being.

Our happiness depends not on what happens to us, but what happens in us. In other words, it’s the way we choose to think about our lives. Abe Lincoln said, "People are generally about as happy as they’re willing to be." A Buddhist proverb tells us that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

So, what are the most common attributes of happy people? Well, it’s not money, fame, or good looks. It’s not even intelligence or talent. No, the two most important factors are gratitude and rewarding personal relationships.

The formula is simple: count your blessings and enjoy your family and friends.

Sadly, simple is not always easy.

People whose natural instincts produce a gloomy outlook and pessimism need to re-train their minds. It’s one thing to say happiness is not getting what you want but wanting what you get; it’s quite another to really be satisfied with what we have.

For many people, it takes discipline and practice to think positively.

Sometimes it’s just a matter of changing one’s perspective, choosing to see and appreciate the silver lining, the half-full glass. In other cases, what’s required is refusing to dwell on pain, disappointment, or envy, and instead force one’s mind toward good thoughts, including all the things we should be grateful for.

Interestingly, the ability to maintain a positive attitude is also important in forming and sustaining meaningful relationships – seeing and bringing out the best.

Michael Josephson

Daily Inspiration #3

 

A wise man is superior to any insults which can be put upon him, and the best reply to unseemly behavior is patience and moderation.
Moliere

Daily Inspiration #2

 

The purpose creates the machine.

Arthur Young - 1741-1820 - English Writer on Agriculture, Politics, Economics

Daily Inspiration #1

 

The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment; it is not in luck or chance, or the help of others; it is in yourself alone.
Orison Swett Marden

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Daily Inspiration #10

 

We don't accomplish anything in this world alone... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads form one to another that creates something.
Sandra Day O'Connor

Daily Inspiration #9

 

Never regard study as a duty, but as the enviable opportunity to learn.

Albert Einstein - 1879-1955 - Theoretical Physicist

Daily Inspiration #8

 

It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.
David Attenborough

Daily Inspiration #7

 

People won't see your struggle, they will only see your success.

Unknown

Daily Inspiration #6

 

All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.
John Locke

Daily Inspiration #5

 

If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.

Dolly Parton - American Singer-Songwriter-Actress-Author

Daily Inspiration #4

 

Life is short, fragile and does not wait for anyone. There will NEVER be a perfect time to pursue your dreams & goals.

Unknown

Daily Inspiration #3

 

If you believe you can make a difference, then you will make a difference. Believe in yourself, your family and your community and you will win.
Lindsay Fox

Daily Inspiration #2

 

The person who says something is impossible shouldn’t interrupt the person who is doing it.

Unknown

Daily Inspiration #1

 

The kitchen is the heart of every home, for the most part. It evokes memories of your family history.
Debi Mazar

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Daily Inspiration #20

 

The secret to life is finding joy in ordinary things. I'm interested in happiness.
Ruth Reichl

Daily Inspiration #19

 

You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive.

Sheryl Sandberg - COO Facebook

Daily Inspiration #18

 

If your life were a book and you were the author, how would you want your story to go? That's the question that changed my life forever.
Amy Purdy

Daily Inspiration #17

 

Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.

Martin Luther King, Jr. - 1928-1968 - Minister and Civil Rights Activist

Daily Inspiration #16

 

Life is ours to be spent, not to be saved.
D. H. Lawrence

Daily Inspiration #15

 

Success isn't about how much money you make. It's about the difference you make in people's lives.

Michelle Obama - Former First Lady of the United States-Author-Attorney

Daily #14

 

Imperfection and perfection go so hand in hand, and our dark and our light are so intertwined, that by trying to push the darkness or the so-called negative aspects of our life to the side... we are preventing ourselves from the fullness of life.
Jeff Bridges

Daily Inspiration #13

 

Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.

Pele - Soccer Player

Daily Inspiration #12

 

Life is full of surprises.
John Major

Daily Inspiration #11

 

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.

E.E. Cummings - 1894-1962 - Poet-Author-Playwright-Painter

Daily Inspiration #10

 

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.
Maya Angelou

Daily Inspiration #9

 

You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.

Jim Rohn - 1930-2009 - American Entrepreneur-Author

Daily Inspiration #8

 

Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.
Henry Van Dyke

Daily Inspiration #7

 

I think anything is possible if you have the mindset and the will and desire to do it and put the time in.
Roger Clemens

Daily Inspiration #6

 

Family, nature and health all go together.
Olivia Newton-John

Daily Inspiration #5

 

All of us grow up in particular realities - a home, family, a clan, a small town, a neighborhood. Depending upon how we're brought up, we are either deeply aware of the particular reading of reality into which we are born, or we are peripherally aware of it.
Chaim Potok

Daily Inspiration #4

 

Children are the keys of paradise.
Eric Hoffer

Daily Inspiration #3

 

You don't have to give birth to someone to have a family.
Sandra Bullock

Daily Inspiration #2

 

A problem is a chance for you to do your best.
Duke Ellington

Daily Inspiration #1

 

Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.

John Wooden - 1910-2010 - American Basketball Coach

Thursday, October 14, 2021

Daily Inspiration #20

 

Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.
Coco Chanel

Daily Inspiration #19

 

Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.

Golda Meir - 1898-1978 - Israeli Stateswoman-Politician-Teacher

Daily Inspiration #18

 

Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away.
Ben Hecht

Daily Inspiration #17

 

There was no one near to confuse me, so I was forced to become original.

Franz Joseph Haydn - 1732-1809 - Composer of the Classical Period

Daily Inspiration #16

 

Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven't time, and to see takes time - like to have a friend takes time.
Georgia O'Keeffe

Daily Inspiration #15

 

I was smart enough to go through any door that opened.

Joan Rivers - 1933-2014 - Comedian-Actress-Writer-Producer

Daily Inspiration #14

 

Time is the wisest counselor of all.
Pericles

Daily Inspiration #13

 

I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones.

John Cage - 1912-1992 - Composer-Music Theorist-Artist-Philosopher

Daily Inspiration #12

 

Lose not yourself in a far off time, seize the moment that is thine.
Friedrich Schiller

Daily Inspiration #11

 

The Power of Unexpected Pathways

I was content with my life, but things were about to change in a big way. For years I woke up feeling like I was one of the luckiest people alive. I had a loving family, a great vocation, and lived in a beautiful home overlooking the waters of Whidbey Island. It was heavenly and a stark contrast to my experience as a child living in poverty and at times without a home. But there was a clear indication that the door to my vocation was about to slam hard. Everything that had flowed so well now felt like slogging in mud. I made the difficult decision to step away.

Afterward, I agonized, "Why is this happening??" It took me over a month before I finally surrendered and let go. I truly believe that the Universe is always working for us, not against us, but the proof in this case was not yet in sight.

Only weeks after releasing the sadness of the shift, I was invited to travel to Kenya with a friend’s foundation—A trip I wouldn’t have taken if not for the new opening in my calendar. That trip developed into the life that I live today, one filled with purpose, challenge and joy that has touched millions of lives. One that has led me to fill three passports with evidence of the amazing impact we can all make when we come together. But I didn’t know that yet. I just said yes to the closed door, let go, and was now invited to assist a community-led project there in Kenya. This was it! I thought. I could address poverty using my skills. Thank goodness that door had closed. But post-election violence broke out in Kenya. Half a million people were displaced and the Centre swelled to 1,400 children. Despite every effort, the growing need borne of the crisis in Kenya had already become greater than any of us supporting the Centre, now stretched beyond capacity, could provide for.

Then came the call that brought me to my knees. "Celeste? Is that you? Can you hear me?" The headmaster of the orphanage shouted over the crackling of a phone connection from Kenya. "We are in great need. We are completely out of food, and we have been for days."

Hunger hurts. Every thought tracks back to food, derailing even sleep. I knew. Hunger was an aching childhood companion of mine. I wanted nothing more than to help, but I had no more ideas nor resources left to offer. Now what?

I hit my knees, "Tell me what to do. I’ll do anything. Just tell me." I fell asleep still asking, but nothing came to me — not even a bad idea. Imagine my surprise when I awoke at 2:30 AM with the shocking question going through my mind, "Have you asked what the girls are doing for feminine hygiene?" I gasped. I never thought to ask. I ran to the computer and emailed to inquire. The answer came immediately, "Nothing. They wait in their rooms." The girls had been waiting in overcrowded rooms, several on each level of bunkbeds stuffed end to end, sitting on pieces of cardboard, for days.

Miraculously people rallied and we were able to help fund food and single-use disposable pads. But if I sent funds for pads in the future and they needed food, they would of course use the funds for food instead—anyone would. In fact, all over the world, when people choose between food, shelter, and hygiene, food wins. So how could we give them a solution they could count on month after month?

We created the first of our now patent award-winning washable pads, not knowing how much it was going to change a lot of lives, including my own. Before the girls received their health Kits, we took on something too taboo to normally discuss there: They learned about how amazing their bodies are, and the fact that menstruation is a natural part of being a healthy woman. And that their strength, safety, and future matters. It turns out, a simple cloth bag filled with period product solutions opened the door to that vital conversation too.

The girl’s cheers echoed off the tin roof even as the first girls, dressed in red school uniforms, received their kits. "Thank you so much," They said. "Before you came we had to let them use us if we wanted to leave the room and go to class." I hoped that didn’t mean what I feared it meant, but they confirmed that they were being sexually exploited in exchange for a single disposable pad.

That was the moment Days for Girls was born. Today this award-winning nonprofit and global movement has reached over 2.2 million women and girls in 144 countries on six continents with beautiful, sustainable menstrual products and vital health education. I wake up every day grateful that I get to be part of a shift for greater equity, wellness, dignity, and opportunity — that something so simple can create such tremendous impact. There are a lot of things in this world that are hard to change and giving girls back the strength of their days is a direct and doable action. One girl at a time.

Every experience I have ever had prepared me for this work. If that door to my "content life" had not closed all those years ago, Days for Girls would never have happened. I was too comfortable where I was to have looked for more. I’m grateful for pathways that are waiting when we say yes, even to closed doors.

Let go. Expect great things, no matter what. Period.

With gratitude,

Celeste

Daily Inspiration #10

 

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.

Helen Keller - 1880-1968 - Educator-Author-Political Activist

Daily Inspiration #9

 

Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.
Max Frisch

Daily Inspiration #8

 

The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - 1756-1791 - Prolific, Influential Compost of the Classical Period

Daily Inspiration #7

 

Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away.
Marcus Aurelius

Daily Inspiration #6

 

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.

Amelia Earhart - 1897-1939 - Aviation Pioneer-Author

Daily Inspiration #5

 

There's time enough, but none to spare.
Charles W. Chesnutt

Daily Inspiration #4

 

Imagination creates reality.

Richard Wagner - 1813-1883 - Composer-Theatre Director-Polemicist-Conductor

Daily Inspiration #3

 

Each moment is perfect and heaven-sent, in that each moment holds the seeds for growth.
Suzan-Lori Parks

Daily Inspiration #2

 

If you don't risk anything, you risk even more.

Erica Jong - Novelist-Satirist-Poet

Daily Inspiration #1

 

Most people spend more time and energy going around problems than in trying to solve them.
Henry Ford