Ripples #705: Accepting Happiness.
For our tribe of 31,836 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
11/27/2012
PEBBLE:
Happiness does not have to be deserved,
earned, worked for or paid for;
it simply has to be accepted.
-Robert Holden, submitted by Jen at Marian University, WI
BOULDER:
Happiness cannot be
traveled to, owned,
earned, worn or consumed.
Happiness is the
spiritual experience
of living every minute
with love, grace and gratitude.
-Denis Waitley, submitted by Janeth in Glendale, AZ
PONDER:
Here we are, diving into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season which, for many of us, includes the stress of end-of-semester studying and/or end-of-year reports. Amidst all the cramming and stressing and wrapping up, remember that there is joy to be received right here, right now. This is true even if life isn't perfect, and even if life is down right poopy! I hope you can find a quiet moment to take a few deep breaths and experience a happy moment or two. Accepting the gift of happiness will make the next few weeks bearable, and perhaps even enjoyable.
Peace,
Paul
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Ripples #704: Thanks!
Ripples #704: Thanks!
For our tribe of 31,880 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
11/19/2012
PEBBLE:
Be thankful for what you have;
you'll end up having more.
If you concentrate on what you don't have,
you will never, ever have enough.
-Oprah Winfrey, submitted by Sarah in Fond du Lac, WI
BOULDER:
In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it's wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.
รข€•Elizabeth Gilbert
PONDER:
As some of us gather with family and friends this week, I invite ALL of us to focus more on what we LOVE than what we LACK, and notice more of what we APPRECIATE than what ANNOYS us about the people around us.
Remember that gratitude is a skill that improves with practice, it is a gift that we can easily share, and it is a tonic that enhances the wellbeing of ourselves and anyone we choose to share it with. Be generous with your gratitude, especially this week.
Peace,
Paul
For our tribe of 31,880 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
11/19/2012
PEBBLE:
Be thankful for what you have;
you'll end up having more.
If you concentrate on what you don't have,
you will never, ever have enough.
-Oprah Winfrey, submitted by Sarah in Fond du Lac, WI
BOULDER:
In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it's wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.
รข€•Elizabeth Gilbert
PONDER:
As some of us gather with family and friends this week, I invite ALL of us to focus more on what we LOVE than what we LACK, and notice more of what we APPRECIATE than what ANNOYS us about the people around us.
Remember that gratitude is a skill that improves with practice, it is a gift that we can easily share, and it is a tonic that enhances the wellbeing of ourselves and anyone we choose to share it with. Be generous with your gratitude, especially this week.
Peace,
Paul
Monday, November 12, 2012
Ripples #703: Live Your Time!
Ripples #703: Live Your Time.
For our tribe of 31,907 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
11/13/2012
PEBBLE:
The way we spend our time defines who we are.
-Jonathan Estrin
BOULDER:
The one thing that you have
that nobody else has is you.
Your voice, your mind,
your story, your vision.
So write and draw and
build and play and dance
and live as only you can.
-Neil Gaiman
PONDER:
There are so many minutes that we have to spend on work and school and chores and stuff we *have* to do, that there are sometime precious few minutes that *we* get to decide exactly how to spend. The fewer of these you have this week, the more important it is to make good choices about how to spend them.
Please spend a moment today making good choices about how you're going to spend your extra minutes. Perhaps you'll choose to have a mini-adventure with a friend or two; on the other hand, you may need some quiet alone time. If free time is really sparse, take a few deep breaths and settle into the moment just to savor the here and now for a minute or two. Here, Now!
Peace,
Paul
P.S. Welcome to our new peeps from New Mexico State University and University of Nebraska. It was fantastic to visit last week, and I won't soon forget my time with you!
For our tribe of 31,907 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
11/13/2012
PEBBLE:
The way we spend our time defines who we are.
-Jonathan Estrin
BOULDER:
The one thing that you have
that nobody else has is you.
Your voice, your mind,
your story, your vision.
So write and draw and
build and play and dance
and live as only you can.
-Neil Gaiman
PONDER:
There are so many minutes that we have to spend on work and school and chores and stuff we *have* to do, that there are sometime precious few minutes that *we* get to decide exactly how to spend. The fewer of these you have this week, the more important it is to make good choices about how to spend them.
Please spend a moment today making good choices about how you're going to spend your extra minutes. Perhaps you'll choose to have a mini-adventure with a friend or two; on the other hand, you may need some quiet alone time. If free time is really sparse, take a few deep breaths and settle into the moment just to savor the here and now for a minute or two. Here, Now!
Peace,
Paul
P.S. Welcome to our new peeps from New Mexico State University and University of Nebraska. It was fantastic to visit last week, and I won't soon forget my time with you!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Ripples #702: Vote for Kindness.
Ripples #702: Vote for Kindness.
For our tribe of 31,918 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
11/06/2012
PEBBLE:
The work an unknown good man has done
is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground,
secretly making the ground green.
-Thomas Carlyle, Submitted by Kelley in Chester, IL
BOULDER:
Kindness is an inner desire
that makes us want to do good things
even if we do not get anything in return.
It is the joy of our life to do them.
When we do good things from this inner desire,
there is kindness in everything we think,
say, want and do.
-Emmanuel Swedenborg
PONDER:
As usual, it has been a brutal few months as we've endured lots of angry "this candidate is awful" and fearful "horrible things are in store if you make the wrong choice." Add the economic challenges that many of us still face and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and things have been poopy to say the least.
I'm hopeful that we can wake up Wednesday morning and find the courage and wisdom to be gracious and compassionate whether we are happy with the election results or not. There is always room for kindness in our world, and we desperately need to figure out how to move into a more cooperative, civil discourse. It might be useful to start by extending olive branches with small polite gestures, conversation topics that allow us to all be on the same side, and any other kindness that can draw out the best in ourselves and others.
I'm ready to try. Are you?
Peace,
Paul
For our tribe of 31,918 busy people who share encouragement and gratitude.
11/06/2012
PEBBLE:
The work an unknown good man has done
is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground,
secretly making the ground green.
-Thomas Carlyle, Submitted by Kelley in Chester, IL
BOULDER:
Kindness is an inner desire
that makes us want to do good things
even if we do not get anything in return.
It is the joy of our life to do them.
When we do good things from this inner desire,
there is kindness in everything we think,
say, want and do.
-Emmanuel Swedenborg
PONDER:
As usual, it has been a brutal few months as we've endured lots of angry "this candidate is awful" and fearful "horrible things are in store if you make the wrong choice." Add the economic challenges that many of us still face and the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and things have been poopy to say the least.
I'm hopeful that we can wake up Wednesday morning and find the courage and wisdom to be gracious and compassionate whether we are happy with the election results or not. There is always room for kindness in our world, and we desperately need to figure out how to move into a more cooperative, civil discourse. It might be useful to start by extending olive branches with small polite gestures, conversation topics that allow us to all be on the same side, and any other kindness that can draw out the best in ourselves and others.
I'm ready to try. Are you?
Peace,
Paul
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