The Sudden Breeze

Since I was young I had this constant need to learn about spirituality or anything that can empower the mind, body and soul. From religious teachings, self-improvement books, reading the new earth to practicing the law of attraction, it seemed that I couldn't just constrain myself to one method of belief. I realized it's not actually an answer that I seek, it's the discovery of looking into life questions itself that I enjoyed. After having a little fall-out the past months, I laid in bed and I questioned myself... what was I missing in this process? I am trying out this law of attraction... made the perfect vision board, and attracting the romance, the finances, the new friends, but I couldn't seem to hold on to it long enough. It just passes me by... like a butterfly having a beautiful dance near you... giving you that moment of bliss, and in an instant it flutters off never to be seen again. In my mind there will be more butterflies that comes and goes. Was I wrong...

"Mindfulness is basically this: Open your eyeballs to life. Clear your eardrums of interference. Give every single joy and annoyance in your day—be it a scrumptious Belgian waffle sliding down your esophagus or spam spilling over the sides of your e-mail in-box—your maximum attention. Stay out of the bike lanes marked "yesterday" and "tomorrow" and pop your wheelies in the present. Then hang this sign on the front porch of your brain: "No blaming, judging, and belittling allowed here." Life is happening in every breath. Wake up and notice it." - Michelle Burford Full article "The Happiness Experiment" here: oprah.com

...It is tempting to speculate that optimism was selected by evolution precisely because, on balance, positive expectations enhance the odds of survival. Research findings that optimists live longer and are healthier, plus the fact that most humans display optimistic biases — and emerging data that optimism is linked to specific genes — all strongly support this hypothesis. Yet optimism is also irrational and can lead to unwanted outcomes. The question then is, How can we remain hopeful — benefiting from the fruits of optimism — while at the same time guarding ourselves from its pitfalls? I believe knowledge is key. We are not born with an innate understanding of our biases. The brain's illusions have to be identified by careful scientific observation and controlled experiments and then communicated to the rest of us. Once we are made aware of our optimistic illusions, we can act to protect ourselves. The good news is that awareness rarely shatters the illusion. The glass remains...

The sun'll come out Tomorrow Bet your bottom dollar That tomorrow There'll be sun! Just thinkin' about Tomorrow Clears away the cobwebs, And the sorrow 'Til there's none! When I'm stuck a day That's gray, And lonely, I just stick out my chin And Grin, And Say, Oh! The sun'll come out Tomorrow So ya gotta hang on 'Til tomorrow Come what may Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya Tomorrow! You're always a day away!

Brene Brown: This is what I have found: to let ourselves be seen, deeply seen, vulnerably seen; to love with our whole hearts, even though there's no guarantee -- and that's really hard, and I can tell you as a parent, that's excruciatingly difficult -- to practice gratitude and joy in those moments of terror, when we're wondering, "Can I love you this much? Can I believe in this this passionately? Can I be this fierce about this?" just to be able to stop and, instead of catastrophizing what might happen, to say, "I'm just so grateful, because to feel this vulnerable means I'm alive." And the last, which I think is probably the most important, is to believe that we're enough. Because when we work from a place I believe that says, "I'm enough," then we stop screaming and start listening, we're kinder and gentler to the people around us, and we're kinder and gentler to ourselves.

Every woman deserves someone that protects her to the finish...to see her completely as I feel this song conveys. From my experience this past weeks I realized what I want, what I don't want, what I deserve, and that yes...I am enough and perfect in my own way :) Hey Soul Sister - Train Your lipstick stains on the front lobe of my left side brains I knew I wouldn't forget you And so I went and let you blow my mind Your sweet moonbeam The smell of you in every single dream I dream I knew when we collided you're the one I have decided Who's one of my kind Just in time, I'm so glad you have a one track mind like me You gave my life direction A game show love connection, we can't deny I'm so obsessed My heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest I believe in you, like a virgin, you're Madonna And I'm always gonna wanna blow your mind The way you can cut a rug Watching you is the only drug I need So gangster, I'm so...

an excerpt from "Love for No Reason" by Marci Shimoff In medieval Japan, the fierce samurai warriors were revered as kings. They carried large swords and were highly skilled at using them. One day, a famous samurai set out to find an aged monk who was known to be very wise. When he arrived at the monastery, he flung open the door and demanded of the old man, “Tell me, you are learned in these matters. What is heaven and what is hell?” The monk sat still for a moment on the tatami-matted floor. Then he turned and looked up at the warrior. “You call yourself a samurai warrior,” he said. “Why, look at you. You’re nothing but a mere sliver of a man! I doubt you could cut off the head of a fly with your sword.” For a moment, the samurai stood gaping. No one talked to a samurai like that! Then, as if someone had waved a red cloth in front of a bull, the samurai’s face contorted in rage. He bellowed, “How dare you! I won’t let you get away with such an insult.” Pulling his hu...