Ripples #744: One Choice.

Ripples #744: One Choice.
For our tribe of 29,379 busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
26 Aug 2013

PEBBLE:
What might I now invent,
that I haven't yet invented,
that would give me other choices?
-R. & B. Zander (The Art of Possibility), shared by Sarah in Madison, WI

BOULDER:

One...
One tree can start a forest,
One smile can begin a friendship,
One hand can lift a soul,
One word can frame the goal,
One candle can wipe out darkness,
One laugh can conquer gloom,
One hope can raise our spirits,'
And...one choice can change your life.
-Mac Anderson, submitted by Lorene in North Royalton, OH

PONDER:
True story....
There are plenty of people in our lives that we didn't invite.
There are plenty of events that happen without our consent.
There are plenty of things on our to do list that we didn't add.
And face it:  Poop happens, people.  That is for reals.

When the crap does get spread out in front of us, we tend to get so caught up in how little say we had that we forget to look around at the choices we still DO have, the people and events and things that we can and have purposely sprinkled onto the cupcakes of our lives.  Of course it is okay to feel frustrated, depressed, overwhelmed by the "I didn't vote on this" stuff.  When you are ready to improve your life, to move upward and onward, we've got to slip on our grown up pants (mine are overalls, actually, but you know what I mean).

And you know how to get started?  I'll give you a hint:
One Choice.

Peace!
Paul,
The Ripples Guy

Ripples #743: The Heaviness of Things.

Ripples #743: The Heaviness of Things.
For our tribe of busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
19 Aug 2013

PEBBLE:
If you weren't so afraid of letting go,
you wouldn't feel so free when you do it.
-source unknown, shared by Nikki in Oxford, UK

BOULDER:
You will find
that it is necessary
to let things go;
simply for the reason
that they are heavy.
So let them go,
let go of them.
-C. JoyBell C.

PONDER:
Has something been weighing you down lately?  Perhaps it was a missed opportunity, or someone you were counting on let you down, or maybe an inconvenient and frustrating turn of events has left you anxious or depressed.

Regardless of the size of the "thing" that you're dealing with right now, it might be useful to acknowledge its impact on you, grieve the loss of how you thought it would turn on, and then you can finally lighten your load: take a few breaths and say goodbye.  Let. It. Go.

Peace!
Paul,
The Ripples Guy

Ripples #742: In This Moment.

Ripples #742: In This Moment.
For our tribe of busy people who believe in
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness: uRock!
12 Aug 2013

PEBBLE:
The butterfly counts not months but moments,
and has time enough.
-Rabindranath Tagore, shared by Brett in Madison

BOULDER:
In this moment,
there is plenty of time.
In this moment,
you are precisely as you should be.
In this moment,
there is infinite potential.
-Victoria Moran

PONDER:
We are so busy.  So, so busy.  There are errands and chores and jobs and classes and hobbies and work outs and volunteering and family and friends and FaceTweetInstaPinning.  Oh and sleeping if there is any time left over.

This I know:  you can embrace all of it more effectively and more enjoyably if you snatch a few moments to pause, breathe deeply, and create opportunities to step into the very moment of here now, here now, here now.

Breathe, then be, then......GO!

Peace!
Paul,
The Ripples Guy

Ripples #741: Belonging To Each Other.

Ripples #741: Belonging To Each Other.
For our tribe of busy people who believe in the power of uRock:
unleashing Ripples of compassion & kindness
5 Aug 2013

PEBBLE:
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
-Mother Theresa

BOULDER:
Extend to each person,
no matter how trivial the contact,
all the care and kindness and
understanding and love that you can muster,
and do it with no thought of any reward.
Your life will never be the same again.
-Og Mandino

PONDER:
You're busy, I know.  You have lots on your plate and you are just juggling all kinds of stuff.  And I feel confident that at least some of the STUFF you're juggling involves meeting the needs of others.  I get that, I really do.

And.

What if we mustered all the care and kindness and understanding and love as Mr. Mandino describes above, and unleashed it as widely and often as possible.  Do everything you can, and see what happens.

Peace!
Paul,
The Ripples Guy