And the results are...

Energy breeds energy!! Which I knew, and which, honestly, wasn't a big issue today! Going to an amusement park is too much fun...it's pretty easy to keep going! I'm sitting here listening to my girls sleeping -- their heavy breathing is evidence of the energy they put forth today! Rides, ice cream, more rides, a couple more rides...truly a good time had by all!!

There were plenty of opportunities to get frustrated today. I started to take a couple of them...then I remembered that the whole point of the day was to have fun, and that it didn't really matter if we did things in any kind of order. It only mattered that we were spending time together and having fun! As long as I focused on that, I had a much better time!

Isn't that a lot like life? We spend a lot of time going from one "ride" to the next, sometimes getting lost or turned around, sometimes waiting for things to get going. There are squeals of laughter and screams of thrill...and sometimes barks of displeasure or impatience. It's easy to find things to complain or grumble about if we choose to. But what do you want to remember at the end of the day? The long lines? The crowds? The heat? Or the thrills?! The chills!? The ups and downs that stir your stomach and give you goosebumps!?

Have you ever seen the movie "Parenthood" with Steve Martin? Excellent movie...check it out!! There's a scene in the movie where the grandmother likens life to a roller coaster, with all its ups and downs. Some people loved it, some people DIDN'T love it so much, and some people wouldn't even get on the ride...they preferred to stay on the merry-go-round. We started with a merry-go-round today, and we ended with a bit of a thrill ride, and in between there were all sorts of various experiences...and I loved them all! When everything is combined, it's what makes up the complete day of fun!

There will be roller coasters in life. LOTS of them! And there will be merry-go-rounds, and swinging ships and floating rafts and spinning cups! If you look for it, there is enjoyment to be found in any ride. When you do that, you find it easier and easier to continue to find the enjoyment and to revel in it! And to me, that's what makes up a complete life of fun!

I gotta go get some rest...I have lots of rides to get on tomorrow!

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Solar Power

I'm convinced that my children run on solar power! I have friends who have kids who will sleep and sleep and sleep. My kids aren't like that. It doesn't matter what time they go to bed...as soon as the sun is up, THEY'RE up! Why? Because it's MORNING! (Duh, Mom!)

I've been guilty at times of being one of those "energy is wasted on the young" grumpy old-thinking people. I don't like that element in myself. I truly don't believe that energy is "wasted" on kids, but I sure do wish I could bottle it up and sell it! Talk about your ultimate energy drink!! WOOHOO!!!

I believe that life is energy, and that we are all creatures of energy, and that energy can grow exponentially when given the proper "life". And what I mean is that instead of complaining about the fact that my kids seem to take on Energizer Bunny-like stamina, which invariably wears me O-U-T, I really should get closer to them at those moments. I should allow their energy to energize me, to keep me going...or to GET me going, as the case often is! It seems strange that I allow my energy levels to drop when I have an endless supply of it running around my house! A BIG LIFE requires BIG ENERGY...which my kids have to the MAX!!!

Right now, it's not morning. Well, technically, it's very close! But the sun isn't up yet, which doesn't qualify it as morning to my girls! When the sun does come up, I better be ready to roll, especially since I told them that we'd go to Six Flags tomorrow!! Six Flags is something that definitely takes LOTS of energy...good thing I'm taking my two perpetual motion devices!!

I look forward to doing a little experiment tomorrow -- opening myself up to allow the energy and enthusiasm that my kids will CERTAINLY possess to possess me, too, to keep me going, and going, and going, and going. I'll let you know how it goes!

The Value of Nothing

Yesterday, I enjoyed a day of VERY little activity! Well, let me clarify that...after I caught my 6am flight, changed planes in Phoenix, got home, and had some lunch with my family, THEN I enjoyed the very little activity part! Just laying around, watching my kids play, dozing off a time or two, watching cartoons (one of my favorite pasttimes!)...definitely a good day for me!

Here's the problem...I have trouble with intentional inactivity! I don't do "still" well! Not that I'm generally super-productive -- believe me, I can kill time with the best of 'em! In my mind, though, to INTENTIONALLY do nothing is something I struggle with. I feel guilty, especially since I always have a very long list of things to be done. I know people who can just curl up with a book and leave everything behind for hours on end...I am not one of those people!!

I recognize that there can be tremendous value in doing nothing -- it can be regenerating, renewing, invigorating. And yet...I struggle. I tell myself I should be getting something done...laundry, dishes, cleaning, organizing -- SOMEthing!! And "reading a book", to me, doesn't count as "something". Honestly, it's sometimes a little frustrating to be me!!

The problem is my perfectionist tendencies. I heard some interesting information recently about perfectionists that, sadly, described me all too well!! Seems that most of the time, perfectionists, since they don't do anything unless it'll be perfect, end up being surrounded by chaos, and therefore are really more IMperfectionists than perfectionists! OUCH. Which is why my new favorite phrase is "Imperfect action trumps perfect INaction EVERY TIME." True and TRUE!!

So...how do I reconcile this? Yesterday, I did a pretty good job of extending some grace to myself. Then this morning, my mind started in on me..."you shouldn't have wasted so much time, you really should have gotten something done, what were you thinking..." Pesky mind. So unappreciative of my need for rest! I had a busy weekend and a 6am flight -- gimme a break already!

I managed to quiet my inner nag with promises of super-poductivity for today. As of now, though, with about 18 minutes left, I have to 'fess up to the fact that my intentions far out-performed my reality! That should cetainly be great fodder for the voices in my head!

Lucky for me, I know that my mind just on it's own doesn't get the final say...I decide what I listen to, even from myself! And I will stand firm in my own defense, both yesterday and today, and remind myself that there's nothing I can do about yesterday, or even today, for that matter! I can only do whatever I choose to do for tomorrow, which will NOT be nothing, no matter how much fun that can be!

I WILL work on allowing myself more intentional down-time. Regeneration is important for long-term performance! Which is why "Nothing" really does have value...no matter what my mind says!

Attraction, Manifestation, and Genies!

If you've looked around my blog, you'll notice that I'm currently reading The Secret, actually for the second time. Perhaps you've read it, seen the movie, seen the website, or been to a seminar presented by one of The Secret contributors (would that make them "Secreteers"?). Since its release, millions of people around the world have read, watched and studied the materials. I've not seen the movie (yet!), but I hear it's even more powerful than the book.

According to the book, The Secret isn't a secret at all -- it's actually what's called The Law of Attraction, with the idea being that when you focus your attention and awareness on what you want, you will actually activate the "Universe Genie" to manifest whatever it is that you're wanting. Sounds cool, right?!

And it is cool...except...(that's a GREAT word, isn't it?!)...as I sit here on the couch wanting a sip of coffee, I can't just wait for the coffee to come to me and jump into my mouth! I actually get to pick up the coffee cup and take a sip! And the reason why I have coffee to sip, is because I WANTED coffee (usually do!), so I INTENTIONALLY MADE coffee, and now I get to sit here and SIP my coffee! So where's my magic genie?! I need a refill!

Maybe you're thinking right now, "Wait a minute...does that mean that there is no real magic genie?". Hate to break it to you, but no, there isn't actually a magic genie waiting to grant your every wish just because you throw it out there! What there is, though, is the truth in that you get what you focus on, what you create, and what you put your energy into. And if that is true, then you get what you want as long as you focus on what you want and assign your energy to what you want. And therein lies the rub...you first have to focus on what you WANT, then you do something about it! Honestly, that's a tough thing to do for most people. There are sooooo many distractions in life, so much negativity, so many people existing in their survival mode, that it's easy to get sucked into their vacuum. Then it breeds discontent, resentment, bitterness...then there are physical effects of that stress and negativity...good times!!

So how does the Law of Attraction and Manifestation work? Honestly...I'm still learning!! I know that I had a fantastic experience at the Phoenix airport yesterday which was 100% in line with what I wanted, but then I couldn't manage to "manifest" the shoes I was looking for at the store last night! Maybe I'm not a Master Manifester yet! (Quick, say that fast three times!)

For me, I believe it has largely to do with my awareness. What am I paying attention to? Because as I wrote about a few days ago (see May 26's entry about blogging), we notice things more when our awareness has been raised. So when I pay attention to opportunities, I see opportunities that I would probably have otherwise overlook. Similarly, when I pay attention to problems, I actually end up finding MORE problems, as I'm clearly locked into problem-finding mode!

This is obviously a much larger subject than one blog entry, so perhaps I'll expand on this as I move forward. In my experience, most people want better lives, but it's usually easier to give in and stay where we are than to put forth energy to create something better. Which is why the idea of a Magic Genie is SUPER COOL!! Unfortunately, it doesn't exactly work that way.

But just in case...Genie, I need more coffee!!

Little victories!

I believe people don't celebrate enough! I'd like to officially vote in favor of open celebrations, even for seemingly "everyday" events. If we get in a habit of celebrating even the little victories, then enthusiasm grows, and every day is a celebration!!

With that being said...my celebration for the day is that my husband and I paid off his student loan!! WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!! It only took about 10-1/2 years, but we're done, and I gotta tell you, it feels phenomenal!! I was paying bills this evening, and I called my husband down from upstairs (he initially was a little bothered by my request!) to "witness" the big event! A click here, a click there...PAID OFF!!

This is only the beginning of our celebrations, and I'm not just talking financially! We are changing our lives, changing our future, creating an exciting legacy that will make a profound impact on the world around us...it's an exciting time! I'm glad to be able to share it with others, and hopefully you'll get excited about something in your life, then you'll choose to start celebrating, and soon it will spread!! Think about how much fun that will be!!

If you want, feel free to share your celebrations here...I'll do a happy dance with ya'!

It's a good thing I love to read!

Have you ever noticed how your awareness shifts depending on what's going on in your life? For example: When you first buy a new car, you suddenly seem to see all the other cars that are just like yours. It's because your attention has been raised to that particular thing, so you see the things you may have previously been looking past.

I'm finding that very principle applies to my new experiences with the World of Blog! I knew of blogging, but didn't really get it so I generally dismissed it. Once I more clearly understood the benefits (and the potential!), I set out to learn more and more about blogging, and I've discovered soooooooooooo much information to digest!! It's almost information overload!!

One of the best benefits, though, is finding GREAT blogs that I love to read! I've listed a few here on my site (just up and to the right...check them out!!), but there are many, many more!! Joel Comm's place at http://www.joelcomm.com/ is a fantastic blog, as is www.liveoutloud.com/blog by Loral Langemeier, and another place I found called Bruce*isms, located at http://www.bruceisms.com/. Informative, entertaining, thought provoking...and just plain good reading!! And that's the tip of the tip of the iceberg!! There are some GREAT spaces out there, where people are sharing their experiences and their perspectives, giving a glimpse into their lives and their hearts. By reading, I learn and grow and ask myself questions that make me learn and grow even more...all of which is good!!

I constantly have to fight the temptation to just read on and on...and on...and on...and on...and on...!!! After all, there are things to be done, day in and day out! But now that I've discovered this world, I am truly enjoying it, and I hope you're enjoying your glimpse into my world! Someday, I'll have one of those blogs that people refer other people to -- then you can smile to yourself, knowing that you were with me from the beginning, being witness to this journey! Feel free to comment, by the way...I've found it's usually more fun to travel with people than just by myself!

Happy Monday Evening to all!

Yep, I'm a Renaissance Festival Geek!!

Every April in North Texas brings a new run of what's known as Scarborough Faire...a renaissance festival complete with jousting, highland games, wenches, and men in skirts!! It's an honored tradition in my home...we usually go a couple of times a season, and we "dress up" at least once. That means "costumes"...kilts, swords, custom-fit leather boots, etc. I'll post a picture one of these days! We do our best to use the lingo -- "Thank thee" instead of thank you, "Huzzah" instead of WOOHOO!! It's really a wonderful time -- something special for my family.

We finally made it this year, although only once, and we skipped the costumes (which was a good thing, as the heat index for the day was somewhere near 100-degrees!). We listened to our favorite bagpipe band (bought their latest CD!), chowed down on arguably the BEST turkey legs EVER, and watched the father-son knife throwing duo, throwing knives at each other using the same jokes they tell year after year! Despite our daughters' incessant chants of "can we ride a ride?", we did manage to see a few of the shops, and even bought some of our favorite bath salts.

Nothing much changes from year to year at Scarborough Faire. The King and Queen appear to be timeless and ageless. The Maypole always gets tangled. The parade always ends with this crazy guy named Miguel who walks along saying "This is the end of the parade!" And yet, year after year, we visit, we listen, we laugh, we shop, we eat, we sweat (it's HOT!), and we look forward to the next April, when the village will re-open for yet another year of predictable merriment!

It's tradition. And in my opinion, traditions were made to be honored, no matter how many things DON'T change! We'll go back next year, and the next and the next, and there will be comfort in finding things exactly as we left them the year before. I'm sure eventually some things will change, and though I'm sure we'll all adapt, we'll also be a little sad at yet one more thing changing in our routine, stepping inches closer to slipping away.

I like traditions. Especially ones where men wear skirts!