DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT LOVE?
We talk about love all the time. We love this thing and we love that person. Yet, how often do you really THINK about love? Most people spend more time deciding what to have for dinner than thinking about love. Shouldn’t this intense feeling of deep affection rally more than an occasional thought? What is love? What does it mean to love and be loved? Who do you love and what makes you love them? Who loves you and what makes them love YOU? How do you show love through actions, words, expressions and service? Are you showing it in a way that makes that person FEEL loved? What makes YOU feel loved? How do you feel when you GIVE love? When you begin thinking about Love and asking these questions your ability to express love and feel love will increase. That only makes sense, right? Take some time to study your habits of love. Study the way you love the ones closest to you and how they love you. Study how you show love to the clerk at the grocery store or the co-workers you interact with all day. Study how you treat yourself. Are you loving to yourself? It is easy to create a habit of nonchalant loving without ever thinking about LOVE. Maybe it is time to begin nurturing the way you love. Tell others that you love them. Show others that you love them. Start planning LOVE into your day. Don’t forget to love yourself in the process! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Do you ever THINK about LOVE? Maybe it is time to begin!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think - really think - about love and how you can better nurture it in your life. Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2016 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: [email protected]
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HAFTA!
I woke up this morning already overwhelmed. Before my eyes opened I was overwhelmed. Before my feet even hit the floor I was overwhelmed. “There is so much I HAFTA do!” My mind was already talking to me before I had time to shuffle to the coffee maker. I HAFTA do laundry. I HAFTA write a blog. I HAFTA create my notes for a presentation next week. I HAFTA hunt and gather, (my term for my not-so-favorite job of grocery shopping). I HAFTA, I HAFTA, I HAFTA! The list went on and on. Feeling a bit less than enthusiastic to do any of it, suddenly the bubble over my head filled with… “I don’t HAFTA do anything!” I really don’t! I decided that word should be banished from my vocabulary. I also decided to evict the words must, should,required, and for the bonus – I threw in gotta and oughtta! The reality is what in life do we really HAFTA do? I had clean clothes to wear today so I didn’t HAFTA do laundry. I wonder if I skipped a blog one week if anyone would actually notice and send me a ‘where is it’ message. I know I could stand up and give my presentation next week without any notes. And, I wouldn’t starve if I didn’t hunt and gather today. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to feel like we are obligated to do…do…DO? I realize we all have responsibilities in life and I am not saying we drop all common sense. I am saying we might be happier and healthier if we added common sense to our HAFTA list. Once we get through the one or two things that are the necessary responsibilities and look further down the list, what if we measured them by whether they feed our soul or drain our energy. Whether they add joy or create chaos. Whether they lift our spirit or burden our soul. What if we threw away our HAFTA lists and we began labeling tasks with the expressions of : like to; love to; want to; desire; crave; and even optional? I realized that by taking away the forced implication of feeling like I “HAFTA” complete certain tasks and changing the mindset to a joyful desire of accomplishment that is totally optional, the overwhelm I felt went away. Once my second cup of coffee set in I realized I like the tumbling hum of the dryer as it calms me to a place of feeling nestled and at home I love to write—that is why I am either writing or thinking about writing all the time. Sharing my message with people is my mission and making notes helps me feel prepared to give all I can to the people who come to hear me speak. And after eating half of a very over ripe banana with my coffee, the vision of crackly fresh apples, baking banana bread and craving the smell of a simmering pot of vegetable soup made even the hunting and gathering outing seem desirable. When I released the HAFTA pressure from my mind and turned most of my day into optional thinking I still accomplished just as much…and enjoyed the process! Now with the smells of bread and soup swirling through my heart and home and my writing almost complete, I feel joyful, my soul has been fed and my spirit lifted to a higher space than when I woke this morning. I don’t HAFTA feel overwhelmed. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Change your mindset from a must do list to a want to list - then feel the stress and pressure in your life lighten.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you differentiate between what is a must and what isn't and to change the mind set of what you 'hafta' do into something you love to do. Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE
It seemed like a giant step to the front platform of the church. When the piano began playing it was our cue to begin singing. Each time we visited our grandmother who lived states away, my brother, sister and I sang, This Little Light of Mine, at the Hurricane Baptist Church. When we sang my body swayed back and forth – mostly from nerves. My eyes linked to the glowing face of my grandmother. Her smile encouraged me to sing loud and strong. I loved her and would do anything to make her proud and happy – even overcome the fear I felt standing on a huge stage in front of a crowd to sing the same lyrics year after year. Not long ago I was back in the Hurricane Baptist Church. As I stood in the pew looking at the one small step to the front platform I realized the passing of time had shrunk the size and scale of the space I stood in as a little girl. Decades of events skipped through my mind. This was the church where my parents were married. This was the church where I cried at funerals. And this was the church where I learned the song that I could hear as it circled my memory now. Occasionally, a life lesson is a long time in the learning. Standing in that pew I realized the lesson my grandmother was very intentionally teaching. We could have sung a different song every year, but it was always THAT song. She wanted us to sing it over and over again until we understood the meaning. We all have our own unique spirit inside; a one of a kind light that needs to shine. We must bravely allow our individual personality, our talent and our joy to be seen and shared. We must have the courage to stand up in front of others and hold up our light. And, never allow anyone to smother it. What a bold and bright lesson in one little song. This church was my grandmother’s space; a home where she felt love and joy. This is where HER light shinned. This is where I followed her encouragement and love to take that giant step as a little girl. This is where I held up my little light and allowed it to shine boldly, brightly and bravely. This is where I now understood the power of my spirit and the importance of bringing it out into the open space for others to see. Yes, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Allow your light to shine boldly, brightly and bravely…only then will you know the power of your spirit.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to shine the inner spirit of who you are to the rest of the world. It is in this light you will find fulfillment and happiness. How do you let your light shine? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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Copyright © 2013-2016 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: [email protected]
Always Use The Microphone!
After several days on the road presenting at speaking engagements I took a day, as I always do, to write follow up emails and review what went well and what needs to be tweaked. When I speak, I hand out forms to attendees who want to be added to my newsletter list and ask for comments about my presentation. I was feeling great, as all the remarks were positive and reinforced why I love to share my message. Then I came across one that stopped me. It wasn't negative. It was just a simple statement. “Talk louder.” Yes, simple. To the point. No elaboration. Just, “Talk louder.” This didn't cause me to pause because I was hurt by it or took it as a criticism in any way. It stopped me on a much deeper level. This event had been a group of about 50 people. There was a microphone available, but I felt I would be able to talk loud enough without it. I critique my own success by three things: ~ The reaction during my presentation- typically tears, laughter and always dancing at the end; ~ The hearts that I touch causing people to come up to talk to me afterwards – typically with tears, laughter and at times still dancing; And ~The remarks on the evaluation forms. By all counts this presentation went well, but obviously this attendee had difficulty hearing. I believe whether my message touches 1,2,3, or 500 in an audience – it touches the ones who need to hear it the most. I want everyone to have the opportunity to hear it. For me, the suggestion went deeper than that. My mission in being a writer and a speaker is: To help people. My goal is: To teach people how to love their life – No Matter What! I believe I have important messages that not only help people understand why they need to love their life, but give techniques of how to do it. If I believe this, (and I do), I need to “Talk Louder!” I am grateful to the person who shared this with me and for the lesson it taught me. I need to reach as many people with my message as possible. If I’m going to stand up, step up and speak up, I need toALWAYS use the microphone! What message are you whispering? What message do you believe can help others? It doesn't matter if you are speaking to one or a room filled with thousands, if one person can’t hear you – the microphone isn't on, the message isn't heard – you need to be brave enough to TALK LOUDER! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When you have a message you believe in-- stand up, step up and speak up. Make sure everyone hears you. Talk Louder!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you find your voice and speak the message inside of you. TALK LOUDER! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2016 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. If you have any questions or comments, or for reprint permission please email: [email protected] |
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PLEASE NOTE: This page does not provide medical or legal advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and links to other sites, Pennie Hunt provides general information for inspiration, encouragement and educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through links to other sites, is not a substitute for legal, medical, or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call or the advice of your lawyer, physician or other healthcare provider. |