 Have you ever experienced something unusual as you go about your everyday life that lets you know there's something much bigger going on than you're usually aware of? __________ I've been working on the audio portion of my SOS Need it Now Emotional Feel Better Toolkit for a long time. Delays have been rampant from tweaking the recording software settings, losing my voice, and finding somewhere quiet enough to do the work. Despite best efforts, it's been an extremely slow process. I finally resorted to working in a closet. Not a convenient closet, like my own (too much street noise), but that of a friend, which meant becoming very mobile with setting up and breaking down a "recording studio" to work among her carefully folded blankets and pillows. Having a relatively good voice day, I was rolling along with recording. Suddenly (through ear buds), I heard the faint clank and spin of something that hit the ground. Huh? I looked down. It was a penny. Now, I hadn't moved myself or anything in that closet for fear of disrupting anything that could affect recording. It just "dropped," did a spin, and landed next to me. When family members suddenly passed about ten years ago, every once in a while, pennies would appear in the most obvious and ridiculous of places. Being tuned in that this is a known phenomena sometimes experienced by those who have lost loved ones, it became a source of wonder and comfort. So, there it was again. In the least likely of places. Reminding, that despite the illusion – you and me – we're never really alone. I stopped what I was doing to have a good laugh.  Note: This post happened to be published on November 1. The day after Halloween is known as All Souls Day in Christianity. It's a day of remembering loved ones who have passed on.
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 You're Invited: Bring your cup of coffee, grab a chair, and join me on October 6th for an informal group chat about Suicide Prevention Awareness + Emotional Well-Being. You just might save a life.   People who take their lives don't want to die– World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is globally observed on September 10th each year in order to provide worldwide awareness, commitment, and action to prevent suicides. Here are some facts:
In the United States, National Suicide Prevention Week (NSPW) is an annual week-long campaign (September 9 - 15) in the United States to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and the warning signs of suicide. It's purpose is also to reduce the stigma and encourage seeking mental health help. According to Major David Reynolds, chief of Clinical Health Psychology at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, "The vast majority of people don't commit suicide because they want to kill themselves, but as a way to end the torment of not being able to cope with their problem." While your world can feel temporarily black and like it will never change, remember, your viewpoint can change, and there are those who want to, and will help you, get through it. You're not alone. What to do if you're feeling suicidal or need help for someone you care about? Call Now (it's free): 1-800-273-TALK (8255) US NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE More Help: http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org International: http://iasp.info/resources Also, a comprehensive article for what to do for yourself or someone you know. Pass it on . . .  Photo Credit: dmgreen44 pixabay  "Expanding your perspective can help you reframe your life." One of the ways you can empower yourself toward life change is by expanding (changing) your viewpoint. I recently had the opportunity to expand my viewpoint (photo). Some simple ways we can all do this are through: • Reading a book or watching a YouTube video on a subject that's new for you • Taking a different route when doing your errands • Asking someone you don't know how their day's going and really listen When you work at s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g your boundaries, it not only helps you look at yourself from a different perspective, but makes room for all kinds of wonderful new possibilities to emerge. What's your stretch today? Go for it!   "It's faith when we believe in things with absolutely no evidence [yet] of their existence. That is one of the great gifts of life – to sustain that faith against all odds, against critics and skeptics, against our own self-doubt." Kimberly Clark Sharp  Photo Credit: Simon Migaj
 As a new positive phase of life is gradually unfolding, some familiar not-so-great thoughts came up that masked underlying fears related to moving forward. Because I've been there and understand the process of getting beyond this when it rears up, empowering others to do the same is part of my passion. I've been reading the book Educated by Tara Westover. It's about a young woman who has the courage to walk away from her dysfunctional extremist family. I'm including the following passage from the book because it provides interesting thoughts about fear. She's talking about the roof of Cambridge University's cavernous Gothic chapel: "Finally the staircase opened onto the roof, which was heavily slanted, an inverted 'V' enclosed by stone parapets [a low protective wall along a roofline]. The wind was gusting, rolling clouds across the sky; the view was spectacular, the city miniaturized, utterly dwarfed by the chapel. I forgot myself and climbed the slope, then walked along the [roof] ridge, letting the wind take me as I stared out at the expanse of crooked trees and stone courtyards. 'You're not afraid of falling?' a voice said . . . I turned. It was Dr. Kerry. He had followed me, but he seemed unsteady on his feet, nearly pitching with every gust of wind . . . . . . I had to think before I could answer. 'I can stand in this wind, because I'm not trying to stand in it,' I said. 'The wind is just wind. You could withstand these gusts on the ground, so you can withstand them in the air. There is no difference. Except the difference you make in your head.' He stared at me blankly. He hadn't understood. 'I'm just standing,' I said . . . 'If you could just control your panic, this wind would be nothing.' " T A K E A W A Y Your fears can hide behind difficult emotions that can stop you in your tracks. It's possible to manage the fears that are holding you back so you can get on with your life. And all the wonderful experiences that are waiting for you on the other side of those fears. Developing the awareness that (as Ms. Westover said above), "knowing the difference you make in your head" is an important factor that can be a simple place to start.  Photo Credit: Curry Popeck Mountain
 Reading a somewhat technical book by the Dalai Lama about the nature of the universe as related to science and spirituality sparked an interest to learn more about him. A google search yielded a very relatable article by Douglas Preston that described a visit by the Dalai Lama to the Santa Fe, New Mexico ski basin in the days when he traveled with only a handful of wing-tip-shoe-and-suit-clad monks. A young server who brought him cookies and hot chocolate after a chairlift tour of the area asked him about the meaning of life. While this article is an entertaining read, if you're short on time, you can scroll down to its last few paragraphs to get the Dalai Lama's surprisingly simple response. Enjoy!  Photo: Bob Shaw  While watching golf's U.S. Open last weekend, the words of a commentator roused my attention from the pleasantly relaxed narration of the event. It was in reference to the final rounds of a leading player. The commentator said, "Dream small." An interesting statement considering the achievement of someone who's persevered to make it (again) into one of golf's leading championships. Referring to a critical juncture for this player, the commentator continued . . . "collect yourself, go step-by-step, hole by hole." Brooks Koepka is one of a handful of players ever to win the U.S. Open two successive years in a row. Not exactly the fruits of "Dream Small." Any Big Dream intention is made up of a million steps to usher it into fruition. Takeaway: "Keep your eye on the birdie," but whatever your dream, walk your course step-by-step with deliberately focused thought and action.  Photo: Tyler Hendy; pexels
 I went to a business event this week where one of the speakers was talking about er uhm, hospital food (wait, this is a good thing). Outside the (cereal) Box Because the hospital that was discussed is an anchor point in its city for services and jobs, visionary hospital leaders decided they wanted to buy as many local provisions as possible. They started small, with locally roasted coffee and bread. Their efforts grew to eventually replacing a global source for oatmeal, Quaker, with a local source. Oats at that time had never been grown in their state (Michigan). It began through simply talking with local growers and businesses. Open dialogue. What if? And went from there to create exponential growth for those suppliers, new jobs for the community, quality foods and meals, shared prosperity, and happy faces. What This Has to do with You and World Peace Ask anyone if they want a peaceful world and most would say yes. What many don't realize is that the biggest thing you can do to change the world can be the most intimidating. Start in your own backyard.
Like the wonderful growing ripple effect of the hospital replacing global suppliers with local sources that began with a simple conversation, you can do your part for world peace with an added benefit: Having the intention and openness to create harmony within yourself and those around you can come back to benefit you and others in many, many unforeseen ways.  Photo credit: Chepko/istockphoto.com  I recently came across a quote from a great spiritual teacher from India. Short and sweet, casually paraphrased he says, "Life is like sand and sugar. Be like the ant and look for the sugar." If things are going upside down and sideways in your life, it can be difficult to look for the good. But it's very important. And even if it's something small, from a coffee pot that works in the morning to a soft pillow that comforts you at night, if you can just pick your head up a little bit, and look for the good, you'll find that it starts to make a difference in your life. The reason I want you to know this is because this is a universal truth: What you focus on expands. So if your head is down and you're absorbed in everything that isn't going right . . . begin to just lift up and look for the good. You'll be amazed at the way your life can begin to change. So again, be like the ant and look for your sugar! "Everything on earth is of mixed character Like a mingling of sand and sugar. Be like the wise ant That seizes only the sugar And leaves the sand untouched." B A B A J I  Cupcake photo by Vojtech Okenka from Pexels
Cartoon created by Freepik; composite created by Catherine |
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