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Showing posts from November, 2020

Positive Thoughts For the Mind

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  When living in challenging times one of the most important and often the hardest concept to focus on is keeping a positive attitude. One of my favorite quotes is from Buddha: “What you think you become. What you feel you attract. What you imagine you create.” And, what we consume in the mainstream media day after day can exacerbate the stress and anxiety we already feel about events on the local and world stage. Maybe we need to change the quality and type of energy we are exposing ourselves to on a regular basis. I’m not naive, but when I interact with folks, it’s is a far cry from the images I see on television. Face to face, most people are considerate. When we don’t project negative energy on others and assume we know what they’re about, we all get along a little better. As a cancer survivor, one of the most valuable lessons I took away from my experience is the power of positive thought and attitude. I could have gotten depressed and given up, believing that the cancer

What Are You Thankful For?

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Sharing a Thanksgiving meal with loved ones is truly a blessing. Having food on the table and a roof overhead is a luxury not everyone can afford. As we enjoy our traditional turkey and pumpkin pie, let’s remember those without. Reaching out and sharing should be part of our consciousness as I believe we are our brother’s keeper. As a cancer survivor, I am keenly aware that tomorrow is not promised, appreciative that no matter how bleak the world may seem, we are only here as flesh and blood for a second in the Universe of time. We should not take for granted that we, as well as friends and family, will always be here. As a child, I remember Sunday family dinners being a time to catch up on our week and just enjoy each other’s company. No TV, No Phones, but quality time to bond and appreciate these special moments. Merely hanging out with our cohorts is a precious gift we should treasure and make time for in our busy lives. Enjoying these riches is a blessing we should value and apprec

Forrest Gump Gratitude

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  My life philosophy is to live each day one moment at a time with an attitude and appreciation for everything I should be thankful for. The month of November and the Thanksgiving holiday are a perfect time to reflect on Gratitude's lesson; the quality of being thankful. In terms of film, one of my all-time favorites is “Forrest Gump” (1994), a perfect example of living a life of gratitude. There are quotes galore that are a treasure trove of life lessons. Every time I think of the movie, the first quote I hear is: Forrest was always running. Running to the next adventure in his life and running to embrace everything the world had to offer. And, probably the most quoted: "Life's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get." I agree with Forrest’s mom to take it as it comes and realize that the only thing we control is our attitude in the situation and the significance it plays in the outcome. Forrest Gump's ( Tom Hanks ) life is a testim

You're Never Too Young to Be a Hero

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  Alex Schrier and Jeffrey Bounds ********** Youth get a lot of bad press on how they’re only interested in video games and their inability to communicate one-on-one because their attention is constantly focused on their cellphones. Well, California teens Alex Schrier and Jeffrey Bounds are great examples of why this stereotype just isn’t true. Out of sheer instinct and selflessness, the two saved the lives of a man and woman trapped inside a burning car on the road in Orange County, California. With the help of a passerby, who used a large rock to break through the glass sunroof, Alex dialed 911 as Jeffrey helped pull the trapped passengers from the flames of the vehicle .  ********** ********** According to County Fire Captain Steve Concialdi, the woman sustained head and shoulder injuries while the male passenger had minor injuries. “Honestly, I’ve never been more scared,” recalls Jeffrey. “We got them out, and then it just started to just blow up.” Alex and Jeffrey, both 1

Believe in the Power of You

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  Feeling inspired by a message of Hope, Belief, and Love, I put together this video filled with some of my favorite Believe quotes. Hopefully, it will move and empower you to have faith in yourself and your dreams. Believing in yourself is where it all starts. Waking up in the morning, feeling blessed and sure that something wonderful is going to happen. The mind is incredibly powerful and shapes the life we live and the world we understand. Even if circumstances have been such to beat us down, tell us we’re failures or our lives are pointless; we still have to believe in ourselves and pursue enlightenment to advance our abilities and understand how we can contribute to society. A mind shift can allow us to live life to the fullest by tapping into our talents, developing those gifts and going after them with a determination for success. I recall a talk I had years ago with my son. In this discussion, I asked him do you want to use your talents for the good of society or, without

Living Freedom of the Mind

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  I think a lot of people look at freedom as an external force. Looking for it like love, in the partner we choose, our career, amount of wealth. I believe freedom lies in the mind, giving ourselves permission to be who we are without seeking acceptance from anyone or anything. From birth, we are socialized to accept certain pretexts as the norm and that this is the only acceptable path to follow. Girls wear pink, boys wear blue. Women should be yielding and demure, and men should be tough and take the lead. Society sets us up like one of those learning toys for children where you are trained to put the round peg in the round hole and the square peg into the square hole; demonstrating that things, and people, are supposed to fit into the corresponding receptacle.  This mindset creates pain and confusion when we don't fit into what the establishment has deemed proper and correct.  True "Freedom" of the mind is when we become strong enough to realize that one size does not