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FREE FALLING

11/2/2018

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 I fell down.
I am not sure how, but my entire body fell to the ground.
My knees took a hard hit followed by the rest of my body as it stretched out on the dirty concrete sliding (less than gracefully) until I put my hands out to stop myself. My suitcase and purse fell over next to me. Lying on my belly, arms reaching forward and my legs behind in a childlike Slip-n-Slide position.
I was confused and stunned.

There were no signs of a hole or bump, nothing that I slipped on. I just fell down. One minute I was thanking the shuttle driver, handing him a tip, pushing my suitcase and the next minute I was flat on the dirty concrete.  I felt like a fish that had just been taken out of the safety of its pond and thrown floundering on the shore. 

I quickly got up, told the shuttle driver I was fine and moved toward the curbside check in. Every step I took was slow and precise. After dropping my suitcase off I found the first rest room in the airport to see if my knees were intact under my jeans and wash the dirt off my red sore hands. Minor scratches were all my body incurred, but my ego and confidence were silently damaged.

I sat on the plane during my flight reliving what happened. How it happened and why it happened. I didn’t have the answers, but I knew I felt vulnerable. 
​

I am grateful that I wasn’t really hurt. I know a broken wrist is common when you put your hands out to stop a fall. The way my knees hit I could have damaged them. I could have hit my head.
My scuffed knees and sore hands will heal and my confidence and ego will recover.

We have all fallen in many different ways. Falls happen in life. Most happen when we least expect it. We don’t see it coming. We aren’t prepared. The best we can do is slide through it as gracefully as possible, pick ourselves up, wash our hands and keep going.  This is how we learn.  It is in the falling, failing and floundering that we move forward.  
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
        
 
“When you fall down in life, pick                          yourself up, wash your hands
                     and keep going.”
             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
FREE FALLING
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to understand that we all fall in life- in may areas, work, relationships, personal expectations.... it is how we get up, shake it off and move forward that counts. 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                         Thank you!  
                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt
         This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
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MIND BODY AND SOUL FOOD

9/15/2018

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MIND BODY AND SOUL FOOD

​If we are what we eat then today I am oatmeal, blueberries, a turkey sandwich, an apple, salmon, salad and green beans.
Oh, and a medium vanilla chai latte and one...okay, two really tasty sugar cookies. 
Well, I'm not perfect!

Think about what else we feed ourselves every day that helps to create who we are. 

Did you savor the taste of love and joy?
or
Did you eat a big helping of self-criticism and negative talk?

Did you swallow shame and guilt?

How much anger and resentment did you chew on today? 

What about that green smoothie of jealousy you had for a midafternoon snack? 

And then right before bed did you munch on doubt and insecurity?

All of these things blend into one big combo meal of emotions and feelings that feed who we are. Have you heard the expression, "junk in- junk out?"

This is exactly what happens to your body and life.  In the same way eating high calorie, sugar-filled junk food will show outwardly in the form of weight gain, when you feed yourself negativity then negativity will show outwardly to create a life of anger, depression and pain.

Isn't it time to pay attention to what you feed your mind, body and soul? 

Create a menu of positive self-empowering mind, body and soul food.

Begin mixing in healthy amounts of gratitude and self-care into your diet. 

None of us are perfect and along with the occasional really tasty sugar cookie there will be times that negative self-talk, doubt or shame will sneak into your daily diet. 

Forgive yourself when you indulge in these and then - move on!

If you knew you had the power to create happiness in your life wouldn't you do it?

Well, you do!

It all starts with being grateful. Begin and end each day in gratitude. Just like weight lifting begins strengthening your body with one work out at a time, exercising your gratitude and self- compassion muscles will reshape your life one thank-you and one act of self-love at a time.  

Gratitude leads to love, joy and kindness.   When you begin fueling your soul with these it will show outwardly bringing happiness to your life. 

YOU do have the power to become what you eat!  Eat wisely. 

                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
Pennie's Life Lesson:
     "You are what you eat --
          feed love to your mind, body and soul!"
                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                               
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to pay attention to your negative self-talk and emotions that you consume and replace them with loving self-care and gratitude. 


Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                                Thank you!  
​

​               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~           
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt
         This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt.
Feel free to forward and share this post.  Please keep the entire message intact, including  contact, logo, and copyright information.
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THE LOST DAY

6/23/2018

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​Dear friends and subscribers to the Pennie Hunt blog,
 
Today I want to let you know that this week’s writing will be a “Pennie’s from the Past”. Pennie continues to be on hiatus due to injuries she suffered in a serious car crash on June 11th.
Fortunately, prior to the accident, Pennie taught me how to access her website and social media accounts so that I could make posts on her behalf for circumstances such as this. I hope you enjoy this post from 2016 titled, “The Lost Day”. Pennie sends along her love to each and every one of you.
Ken (Pennie’s husband, and her #1 fan)
Picture
I lost my day.
It began in the normal way.
Alarm.
Glass of water.
Cup of coffee.
Work out. 
Shower. 
Then... I lost it.
 
My day became an endless loop of wondering what I should do.  Not wanting to do anything.  Feeling disappointed in myself that I wasn’t accomplishing, achieving or making an impact, I walked from window to window looking out at the world feeling lost.  I didn’t have a plan for the day.  I was uneasy.  Restless.  Uncertain.
And then, it was over.
I lost my day.

Now, holding a brand new day in my grasp and enjoying all that comes with it I look back on that day and realize I occasionally experience what I call A Lost Day.
A day lost in time that I wasted.  I’m not talking about a day spent reading or relaxing, which I find necessary to rejuvenate both mind and soul and is far from wasted.  ALost Day is spent spinning and twirling in indecision.  Not being able to focus on a desire.

In my self-analyzation I uncovered this...
I was raised in a military family where it was ingrained in my DNA to work hard, accomplish and achieve. I often times find myself at the end of a day spewing a list of "completion".  From laundry to writing I do a mental review of what I did to add value during the day. Could it be possible if I don’t“do” I must not be of value?

Our minds are funny little puzzles consisting of pieces created at birth with more picked up as we journey through life. We maneuver the unchangeable ones to create a frame.  All other misshaped pieces are turned and tried until they fit together to create the picture of our lives.
Over time we may crinkle and bend a piece or two and might even lose one, but the frame remains the landing pad.  The secret code of our belief system’s DNA.

Here is the thing... although I was raised with the core value of hard work and accomplishment I was never taught that without doing that I was not of value.  That became one of the internal puzzle pieces that my mind created and connected to another piece as I built my life.  So of course when I have a day of spinning in indecision I feel useless and wasteful.  I experience the frustration of a Lost Day. 

The next time I experience a Lost Day I will at least understand what is happening.  I will try to lean into it with the knowing of why and the understanding of my emotions. 
 
As I write this, I sit in self-satisfaction for solving the puzzle.  Finding the piece that skews my life picture.
Today I accomplished!
I achieved!
I made an impact - if only in my own life.
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ 
Pennie's Life Lesson:           

“Pay attention to the puzzle pieces that create the picture of your life. Don’t force pieces to fit that don’t belong.”
               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ 

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about the puzzle pieces you have allowed into the frame of your life.  How have you included negative, unhealthy ones to guide your feelings and emotions? 
​
YOUR TURN
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 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.
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
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RISK FOR LOVE

2/16/2018

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RISK FOR LOVE

My husband has been called a Stand-Up-Guy. 

He is grand in stature, grand in his life accomplishments, grand in his thinking and quietly grand in his giving.

He has a saying,
     “If you’re going to risk, risk for love.” 

We have many opportunities in life to risk- the stock market, gambling, new business ventures.   But let’s look at the times we risk for love.  

When you tell a potential life partner that you love them or ask them to marry you there is a chance for rejection.

We risk life as we know it when we bring a child into the world.  And once they are here we would risk anything to help them and keep them safe.

If you tell a friend you love them there is a risk of shocking them, being uncomfortable or being told you are odd.  People are not used to this kind of verbal affection. 

We risk our emotions when we adopt a pet knowing they will reach in, imprint our hearts and then leave us long before we are ready to see them go.  

When loving ourselves we are critical and question whether we are good enough or deserving of self-care and self-love.  

Even when doing acts of loving kindness there is the risk of being misunderstood or having your motives judged.  

When you love there is risk.
Love anyway.
Love loud.
Love  bold.
Love in every moment.
Love with all the breath you have in your soul.
Love until it trembles your very reason for living. 

My husband is a Stand-Up-Guy.  He lives his life in a conservative understated way.  He believes in researching, weighing all options and knowing the odds.

He rarely takes chances; however at a time when we thought our relationship was over he took the risk.  He made the phone call.  He began the conversation which led to our happy marriage.
He believes in risking for love. 
                         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson -
    “If you’re going to risk, risk for love!"
             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
 RISK FOR LOVE 

 YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to fill yourself with love and if you are going to risk for anything - make it for love!  
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                              Thank you! 

​​​   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
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ARE YOU SATISFIED?

2/2/2018

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ARE YOU SATISFIED?
 
The server began clearing the dishes from our table and said,

     “Would you like to order dessert or are                you satisfied?”
This comment made me push back from the table and sit up straight.  It wasn’t uncommon to be asked if you would like dessert after a restaurant meal.  I’m used to hearing,
   “Would you like dessert?”
   “Did you save room for dessert?”
   “Can I tempt you with a sweet treat?”

And so many other ways I’ve been asked that question.
But…
It was the way she asked it that caused me to pause. Am I satisfied?  I had to rethink my plan.  Many times when I go out for a nice dinner I automatically order dessert. 

Sometimes I am completely stuffed by the time I have made my way through an appetizer, salad, the main meal….and of course, dessert is part of the ritual of dining out.  Being satisfied with what I had consumed so far had never played into the mindless response of ordering dessert.
I always want dessert!

The way she asked the question forced me to differentiate my want from my need; my contentment from my greed; my hunger from my desire.

The truth was I was full.  My hunger had been (by definition) satisfied.  The way she posed the question humbled me.  I had just enjoyed a lovely meal.  The quality and quantity was more than many people in our world have to eat in a day. I was embarrassed to ask for more. 
 
This experience happened years ago, and yet, I have never forgotten that server.  I have never forgotten the question.  I have never forgotten the lesson.

How many times in life do we automatically want more?  We want a nicer car, a bigger home, a larger paycheck.  We want more attention, more friends, more love, and more happiness.  When did we become so unfulfilled with where we are? Why have we learned this behavior of never being content with what we have? 

Satisfaction comes from knowing when our belly is full, our thirst is quenched, and our life needs are met. The reality is, we can only drive one car at a time.  We can only occupy one home at a time.  And, no matter how much money we have, we can only eat one burger at a time. Satisfaction comes from knowing when enough is enough.   
            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Be satisfied with where you are right now, with what you have right now, with the breath you are taking right now. Satisfaction comes from knowing when enough is enough.”
​             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Pennie Heart to Heart
ARE YOU SATISFIED?

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to look at your life and realize when enough is enough. 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:

                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
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DON'T MAKE YOURSELF SMALL

1/26/2018

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DON'T MAKE YOURSELF SMALL
​

"I'll try to make myself as small as possible,"

she said as she pulled her arms close to her body and settled into the middle seat between me and the man sleeping by the window.
 
When I fly, I have learned to take the aisle seat when I can. It allows me to exit quickly when the plane lands and to have one side free, giving the perception of more space. At times I enjoy the window seat, but I really hate the dreaded middle seat.
 
When my new seat mate made her comment,  I laughed and responded with some fluffy chit chat about how the middle seat is a tuff one to sit in.
 
The plane took off.
Ear phones on.
Pretzels delivered. 
 
The comment floated in my head…
  I'll try to make myself as small as possible.
 
I thought about how many times I had done that in life...made myself small to allow room for others to have the space they need, to be comfortable, to spread their wings, to shine in the spotlight...even if it was at the expense of my own comfort.
 
An honorable thing to do, right?
 
Well, yes, it can be at the right moment, for the right reason. The problem is, it can become a habit. 
 
If you constantly pull back in the shadow of others you are not allowing your soul to shine. The beauty of YOU is hidden. The gifts you were brought here to share will never be known.
I believe we are here to stretch our souls. To learn. To teach. To love. 
We cannot do this with our arms pulled in forcing our bodies to contort into a small version of our real self.
 
Stand tall. 
Put those arms up.
Speak your message.
Let your soul out to shine in the spotlight of life.
Only then will you gift the world with the real you.
The YOU you were sent here to be.
The YOU you were sent to share.
Only then will the real YOU be loved.
               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Pennie's Life Lesson:
           "Don't make yourself small
         in order to make someone else                                                seem big."

               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ​

Pennie Heart to Heart
DON'T MAKE YOURSELF SMALL

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to be brave enough to stand in your own space.  Spread out!  Own the gifts you are here to share! 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:

                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
2 Comments

PUT DOWN YOUR MENTAL RED PEN!

1/21/2018

2 Comments

 
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PUT DOWN YOUR 
MENTAL RED PEN!

Do you remember in school when your assignments were returned to you after the teacher made corrections with a red pen?

Those red check marks, circles and comments cut right to your heart as if a neon sign was flashing “FAILURE!” 

Could this be where we learned the concept of judging?

We have been conditioned to point out what is unacceptable, wrong or incomplete.

We all have a mental red pen that constantly searches and rates everything within our focus.

We judge others on their clothes, income, status and even the behavior of their children.
We judge restaurants by how good the food is, how clean the floor is and how immediate the service is.
We judge the weather by the temperature, the wind speed and the humidity. 

And the mental red pen does double duty when we judge ourselves.  The number on the scale is too high; there are too many gray hairs; accomplishments are not grand enough; on and on and on.  

What if we stepped back from the mental red pen?  
Stop the check marks, circles and comments and adopt the phrase,

           “Isn't that interesting?” 

The next time you see a girl with blue hair, tattoos and piercings or want to thrash yourself for the two pounds you gained on vacation, step back, take a breath and say, 

            “Isn't that interesting?”

This is not saying you condone everything you see and every action you or others make.

It is just the calm acknowledgement of observation.
Not good.  Not bad. Not negative. Not hateful.  

The phrase, “Isn't that interesting?” may become a buffer between you and confrontation.  It may become a kinder frame for self-talk instead of the negative chatter we are used to hearing.  It may become a new perspective into non-judgment of others.  

The mental red pen can become the means for feedbackand not failure.  

Can you live one day without judging yourself or others?  Try it.

You will notice just how often you do engage that mental red pen of acceptability or failure.

After you complete one day, try for two, then three.  You may just step back from this exercise and say, 
            “Isn't that interesting?”
              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:

        "Put down your mental red pen.
        Instead of judging yourself and  
        others say,

              “Isn't that interesting.” 
               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
PUT DOWN YOUR MENTAL RED PEN

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to help all of us see our own mental red pen and to try an alternative to judging-- try observing.

​Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
2 Comments

IT DOES NO GOOD TO WORRY

1/14/2018

1 Comment

 
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  IT DOES NO GOOD
​       TO WORRY

He arrived Jan. 14th, 1985.  The mask over his eyes protected his sight, while the bilirubin lights controlled his jaundice.  It was over a week before he was able to leave the hospital.
I worried about him.

Before he turned two he fell out of the back of our pickup camper and was rushed to the emergency room with signs of a concussion.
I worried about him.

When I picked up my office phone an excited voice said,
“Hey Mom, it was so cool I hit the best jump with my skateboard before I crashed.  Now my whole chin is ripped open and gushing blood.” 

I dropped the phone and sped home from work to take him to the emergency room for his first stitches.  His enthusiasm for his accomplishment made it hard not to laugh, but as the stitches were added to his chin tears welled in his eyes and mine.  Clutching my hand he said,  
     “Don’t worry about me, Mom.”

It seemed with every birthday candle added to the cake worries were added to my heart. Would he make it through school, through his teenage years, through life?   
And all along the journey I heard,
    “Don’t worry about me, Mom. 
    It does no good to worry about me.”

​
I thought it was a mom’s duty to worry? 
To check to see if his tiny chest was rising and falling with his breath as he slept in his crib.
To pace the floor when he had a fever.
To make sure he ate a few vegetables and not just ice-cream.  
To monitor his school work and his grades. To lay awake at night until I heard his truck pull safely into the driveway. 

Today is his 33rd birthday. He was with me for 22 cakes, candles and celebrations. This will be the 11th birthday that he hasn’t been here to celebrate.  I spend the day remembering him. Telling stories, reliving experiences, laughing and crying.  

Picture
I reach to touch the chain that rarely leaves my neck. The simple gold necklace brings me comfort.  It brings me calmness as 
it lays safe and warm against my skin. 
My fingers glide across the smooth back of the pendant where the words,
 
   “Don’t worry about me mom, Love J.T.”
are engraved. 
​
​My thumb matches to his thumbprint on the front… connecting our love and reminding me he is in a place of peace and safety. Reminding me it was his path, not mine.  Reminding me it was in his control, not mine.
Reminding me that worrying didn’t bring me the power to save him.  Reminding me that he was wise in the knowing that it does no good to worry. 
               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
              “It does no good to worry.” 
              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

IT DOES NO GOOD TO WORRY

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to control the amount of energy and time you spend worrying. 

​Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:

                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2018 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
1 Comment

THE SPACE BETWEEN

10/27/2017

0 Comments

 
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      THE SPACE         
      BETWEEN

Have you ever thought about the space between?

The space between the thought and
​ saying it.  
The space between the idea and doing it. 
The space between the ring of a phone and saying hello.
The space between the moment of opportunity and the miss.

The space between is that sacred second of decision? That instant when you make a decision to do something – or not.

Hawaii has a phenomenon known as the Green Flash.  It is a blink-of-the-eye blaze of intense emerald green that occurs in the second that the sunsets on the horizon of the ocean.  The mystical space between day and night.
​
The Green Flash is just that – a flash that lasts a second, or maybe two.  It isn’t visible with every sunset and because of the quickness of its presence it is easy to miss.

We are given “the space between”  many times in our days and our lives.  When missed, we feel regret, remorse and sorrow.  We fear we will never have the chance again to say the words, implement the idea, pick up the phone or grasp the opportunity. 

The space between often times is not something we can predict or create again.  We don’t always get a do over, but we can hone our sense of understanding of the Green Flashes in our lives.
 Never allow closed eyes to stop you from seeing them and never allow fear to keep you from taking action.

Use the space between.
Use your sacred second to take a breath and…
Put your thoughts into words and say them out loud.
Take your idea from your mind to reality.
Answer the call.
Recognize the opportunity and jump when you see the opening.

Don’t blink in that split second when the sun sets.  Open your eyes and be ready for yourGreen Flash.
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
​
 “Never allow closed eyes to stop you from seeing opportunities and never allow fear to keep you from taking action.”

​                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~       

Pennie Heart to Heart
​Why I wrote:
THE SPACE BETWEEN

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to watch for your sacred seconds of decision - don't miss a Green Flash in your life! 
YOUR TURN - 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:

                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
0 Comments

TURN ON YOUR BLIND SPOT MONITOR

10/6/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
TURN ON YOUR BLIND SPOT MONITOR

My car has a feature called the Blind Spot Monitor. 

When turned on, this life-saving invention warns you when a vehicle is detected in your blind spot.  You know, that spot to your side and just over your shoulder that you can’t see.   When a vehicle is detected a warning light flashes in the side mirror to indicate a potentially hazardous lane change.  The light stays on until the vehicle in the blind spot is safely ahead or behind you leaving you free to change lanes.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had a Blind Spot Monitor?  Think about all of the things we don’t see that are hidden in our personal blind spots. You know, that spot to your side and just over your shoulder that you can’t see; OR choose not to. This spot is probably overflowing with items in three categories: actions or failures to act, tolerations and grace.

Actions or failures to act.
When was the last time you did something, even unintentionally, that caused direct or indirect pain?  This is the cause and effect syndrome.  Examples of this include: not following through on promises, telling small untruths, or arriving late to an appointment or event.  Hidden in our personal blind spot is the hurt we cause others by our broken promises, untruths, and undependability.  All of these type of actions that we either take or don’t take fall into this first category.

Tolerations. 
Yes, I may have just created a new word.  Definition ala Pennie:
   Tol-er-a-tions: the people, places,     
   circumstances or things that cause us
   to participate in the act of tolerating. 

This could very well put us on the opposite side of the scale from the first category.  We permit people to take advantage of us by breaking promises or telling lies.   We tolerate laziness, sloppy work products, and misbehavior by ourselves and others by pushing it into our blind spot and telling ourselves it isn’t a big deal.  We ignore our own health, fitness and happiness. All of these tolerations fit nicely into our blind spot.

Grace. 
This may be the saddest and most important category of all. The idea that so much love, laughter and goodness in life slips into our blind spot where we don’t appreciate them.  They become wasted grace.  Close your eyes and feel hugs from your partner, the laughter of a child, the smile from a stranger, the smell of morning coffee and the wag of your dog’s tail. Yes, I said feel because I want to intentionally stir the emotion these examples of love and grace create.  How many times does grace go unnoticed in a day and huddle in our blind spot?

Now imagine with me what life would be like if we turned on our personal Blind Spot Monitor.  It would flash a beacon in our mind to indicate a potential hazard and guide us into the lane of safety.  When we came close to not following through on a promise the beacon would spark to warn us to change course.  When we tolerated our slipping health or unhappiness the beacon would remind us that loving ourselves is a priority.  And most importantly with every act of grace we encountered the loving light would spotlight the event so we wouldn’t miss it.

Yes, I believe we all have the capacity of this personal life-saving feature.  We all have a Blind Spot Monitor. We just need to turn it on and watch for the flashing beacon.
 
              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson:
​ “Turn on your personal Blind Spot Monitor to enjoy all of life through  open eyes.”
                 ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:​​
TURN ON YOUR
​BLIND SPOT MONITOR

​My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to be aware of all that goes on in your life...little and big.  Do not allow your blind spot to cheat you out of the wonderful moments of grace that surround you.  Turn ON your blind spot monitor!

YOUR TURN - 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:

                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
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THE ROAD TO TRANQUILITY

9/23/2017

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On the way to my home I turn a sharp corner.  
I say sharp because if I didn’t make the turn I would drive right into a barricade.  The special thing about the corner is the sign above the barricade.  It says, 
               “Tranquility” 
with an arrow pointing toward my home.  

Every time I drive by the sign and make the turn I take a deep breath in agreement.  My home is a place of safety, peace and, yes, tranquility.

For years I have called my home the, “House of Zen.” 
From the moment I enter I am greeted with the serenity of water trickling over slate stones in my waterfall. There is no television on the main floor of my home and only the sound of serene music mixes with the water.  The views from my windows are of nature in its glory.  In every corner are items that bring me joy and comfort. 
My home is my sanctuary.

How does your home create tranquility for you?
When you walk through the threshold do you feel safe? What do you need to do to create calmness and serenity?

You would be surprised as to how the littlest things can make a huge difference.  
Think of your senses.... What you see, hear, smell, touch and taste in your home spurs feelings.  Music, candles, water, fire, flowers, texture..... these are things that can change the entire feel of a home and create a place of tranquility.

Isn’t this the way we should feel as we are entering our private space?

As I turn the corner this in-my-face visual reminds me to leave all my worries, concerns and negative experiences at the corner.
When I turn onto that road to tranquility I am at peace.
I am at home.
                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie's Life Lesson:
       “Home is your space for safety,
               peace and tranquility.”

                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ​

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:​​
THE ROAD TO TRANQUILITY

My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to create a space of calm in your home... a place for you to feel safe and loved. 

YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
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TEN YEARS

9/9/2017

7 Comments

 
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TEN YEARS 

​Sitting in my car I look up at the apartment in front of me. 
Top floor.
Center window.
Looking for answers, memories, for him.

It’s been ten years.
Ten years since my son lived there.
Ten years since he tickled me with his beard and gave me one of his giant bear hugs.
Ten years since I have heard his guitar and his voice.
Ten years since I walked past the yellow caution tape and through the door in search of a “feeling” of him.
Ten years since I packed his things into boxes.
Ten years since grief and pain invaded my body.
It’s been ten years since I wrote my son’s obituary.
 
My son was pure magic. 
He was funny, talented, caring and kind. 
He turned heads with his infatuating energy and turned hearts with his never ending love.

He died in that apartment. 
He was an addict.
 
I felt desperately alone.
Addiction is a circle of shame – for the addict and the family. 
His very inner circle of family and friends knew.
Only MY very inner circle of family and friends knew.
 
His addiction was kept private. 
No one knew he smoked pot for the first time when he was 12.
No one knew the first rehab was when he was 16.
No one knew he became addicted to an anti-anxiety drug a doctor prescribed for him.
No one knew he went to rehab the second time.
No one knew he began using prescription drugs again after having his wisdom teeth pulled and prescribed pain medication.
No one knew he went to rehab the third time.
No one knew how hard he tried to get better.
No one knew the cycle, the rollercoaster, the nightmare.

No one knew his pain or mine.
No one knew what caused his death.

The rumors, the gossip, the questions only made waiting for the autopsy more difficult.
It didn’t make sense to me, but I wanted to believe it when I read:
     CAUSE OF DEATH- Bronchopneumonia. 

I locked the rest of the report in my home safe and in the safety of my heart.  I didn’t want to say out loud that there was Methadone in his system within the normal toxic range, but it was also in the therapeutic range for treatment. 
I didn’t want to see the small amount of Diazepam (Valium) in his system.  Both prescribed to him.

I have learned that toxicology reports are only accurate if done swiftly.  If there is a delay the results are skewed.  In these cases the cause is almost always reported as- Bronchopneumonia.  My son’s autopsy was not conducted until four days after he passed. 

For most of these years I have only spoken about the details with very select people, in private settings of safety.

After ten years, it is time for me to stand in the truth.
My son was an addict.
Addiction and drugs killed him. 
 
The image of an addict as someone found lying in an alley with a needle in their arm needs to be redefined.  
Addicts are our brothers, our sisters, our parents, our best friends and our children.  They are on every level of economic status and emotional strength.  They collide with addiction in an infinite number of ways. 
 
I’ve spoken to rehab groups.
I’ve met with parents of addicts. 
I’ve held the hands of others who have lost children. 
I have quietly watched the reports of more and more dying.  More and more families struggling.  More and more people criticized, shamed and shunned for suffering from addiction.  

The struggle is real.
My son was not alone. 
His story is the story of so many others. 

We need to talk about it.  We need to build a better network of ‘immediate’ treatment and support.  We need to celebrate success and recovery in the same way we celebrate winning a battle with cancer… knowing that recurrence is possible, but support and hope never fades.

This epidemic needs to stop!
No one should have to hide behind shame and stigma when they desperately need help.

No sister should have to tattoo her brother’s memory on her wrist.
No brother should have to lose his best friend.
No Mom should have to write her child’s obituary.
No parent should have to close another casket.
 
I look up at the apartment in front of me.  Top floor.
Center window.  
Looking for answers, memories, for him.

I think of a conversation I had with my oldest son after the funeral.  
     “Mom, what will we do when it’s been
       ten years and we forget him?”

My answer was the same that day as it is today,
     “Oh, honey, ten years is a long, long
      time, but we will never forget him!”

 
​   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“No matter how long it takes to stand in your truth, step past the fear and stand in the light.” 

​         ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~

LINKS TO SPREAD AWARENESS AND HELP 

Please visit and share this link to Celebrating Lost Loved Ones.  A map to build awareness and  celebrate the magical lives lost to this epidemic:
​ http://arcg.is/2dduJah
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In memory of my J.T. 1985-2007
 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie Heart to Heart
The reason I wrote:​ TEN YEARS

            ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My intent in sharing this with you is to speak your truth - especially if it can help others!  


YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
                PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                          Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
​                                   All Rights Reserved
                 Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
7 Comments

LET THEM DANCE

7/21/2017

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Picture
     LET THEM               DANCE

She is a four year old, blonde, blue eyed student of life.  

The evening sunset was long gone and dinner had settled in our bellies.  Just as most of us sat down to relax, she jumped in the middle of the room to demonstrate the dance moves she was learning in ballet class.  She kicked off her worn pink western boots and transformed from a chatty whirlwind of activity into a seriously composed tiny dancer.  

Her voice whispered,
     “Tap, point, tap, point,” 
as she awkwardly rotated through her toe points and pirouettes.  

After several methodical demonstrations of her talent, the group began clapping.  Her irritation was obvious when she loudly stated,
       “No!  I am still doing it!”  

The clapping hushed immediately as the understanding was clear  -- she was not done yet!

How often in life do we interrupt someone else’s dance? 
We are so rushed, busy and preoccupied that we don’t notice their dance or take the time to let the moment unfold.

When we see a fellow soul loving life, enjoying the moment and singing their heart song, we should hold the space of delight with them.  We should let it last for them (and for ourselves) as long as it can.  We should stretch it into as much absolute pleasure as possible.  

She may be a four year old learning her way, but for that space in time she was a teacher of life.  The lesson was clear; the meaning was firm. We need to recognize another’s dance whatever form it takes and celebrate it as much as we do our own.  Allow it to last until the music of their heart stops and the dance is complete.
Don’t interrupt.  Let them dance.
                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
     “Every soul has a dance to dance.
             Celebrate everyone’s heart dance.” 

                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to applaud everyone's dance.  Let them dance for as long as they want.  Be in the moment of JOY with them!  
Let them dance! 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                                Thank you!  
                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
           
                                               All Rights Reserved
                                                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com

​Pennie Heart to Heart - 
Why I wrote LET THEM DANCE

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PERCEPTION of PERFECTION

7/14/2017

0 Comments

 
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PERCEPTION of PERFECTION

Recently it was pointed out to me that I am not 28 anymore. This message came in two ways.  One from my body as I bent over during a Yoga pose and thought to myself,

      “Whose knees are those?”

Later as I was questioning out loud how my knees have changed, a friend pointed out that my age number no longer begins with a "2."  

When did that happen?  For that matter, how did I rush through 3 and 4?  My friend’s point was, why would I expect to have 28 year old knees when I wasn’t 28 anymore and that I should stop being critical and accept myself and body for the beauty it holds, even if my number now begins with a "5." 

Whoa! That set off some major pondering in my head.  Accept myself?  Accept myself?

The first thing I had to do was contemplate what my perception of me at this age and space in my life should be.  What was I willing to accept? 

I will admit to being someone who over the years has had a difficult time with the perception of perfection.  I have been the over achiever who wanted to be perfect.

The perfect wife.
The perfect daughter.
The perfect mom.
The perfect friend.
All my life I have held a perception of what my perfect weight should be, what I should and shouldn't eat, how much I should work out, what I should be doing for others… the list could go on and on.   

Take a minute and visualize the Perception of Perfectionyou hold for yourself. 

Do you have it?  If you are like me it is an over exaggerated, unattainable Perception of Perfection fueled by our own self talk and the world we live in.  The media tells us minute-by-minute how we should look, dress and feel. We buy into this and continually believe we are not good enough.
           (Read Good Enough -click here!)

          
  Is this realistic?

My pondering has brought me to a place of honesty with myself.   My new mantra is this:
 Pennie’s Perception of Perfection= Honesty, Health and Happiness.

I may not be the same size I was and have the stamina I had at 28, but I look and feel pretty good.  I am healthy and I love my life.  And guess what?  My age number does start with "5" and those are my knees.

Now take out your paper and pen and write your ownPerception of Perfection that fits you. 
             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~  
Pennie's Life Lesson:
 “Our personal Perception of Perfection should be based in Honesty, Health and Happiness.”

              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to love the age you are, the body you have and the joy life brings during all times of your life! 
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                  Thank you!  
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
           
                                               All Rights Reserved
                                                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com

Pennie Heart to Heart -
Why I wrote Perception of Perfection

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WHO IS YOUR BACKSEAT DRIVER?

7/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
WHO IS YOUR BACKSEAT DRIVER?

Are you letting stories that you repeat over and over again define who you are?  Do you allow them to drive your life?  If you don’t know what I mean read:
WHO IS CHAUFFEURING YOUR LIFE?

Maybe you have your stories under control but have another problem… other PEOPLE who want to (or you allow to) chauffeur your life.  You know, that back seat driver that is always telling you where your life should go at every turn.  As you read that did someone immediately come to mind?  Did you see their face and hear their voice? If so, you know what I am talking about.

Humans need human contact to survive.  People need people.  We need time. We need touch.  We need connection.

What we don’t need is to feel like we are powerless or controlled.  We don’t need to feel like our emotions and happiness are totally dependent on pleasing someone else.  We don’t need to feel like our actions are being controlled by the demands of another person.

I do have a caveat here -- I am not talking about a mutually loving relationship where there is reciprocity of respect, kindness and love.  It is healthy when we give of our self and do acts of love and kindness for others and in return receive feelings of love and self-satisfaction.

I am talking about the sponges that soak up all of our good intentions and acts of kindness without returning any level of thoughtfulness.  Oh, occasionally they may throw a sweet gesture your way, but for the most part, they hold an expectation that you will always be there, always support them and always give, give, give.

We believe the control is created by the other person, but the reality is – WE create the situation by giving away our control.  We allow the back seat driver to steer our life and control our actions.  Let me say that again- WE create the situation by giving away our control.

By doing this we give away our happiness. We cheapen our value by letting others push our buttons. We feel tied like a puppet with no way to cut the strings.  And yet, we are the only ones who can.

It is even possible that the other person is not aware of this situation, but it has been going on for so long that it has become a habit that holds no consequences or responsibility on their side.  After all, they are in the cushy seat, the comfortable place, the receiving end.

We must create boundaries. 
Boundaries around what we will or won’t do. 
Boundaries around our self-inflicted guilt when we believe we are responsible for the other person. 
Boundaries around our hearts as a protection from the invisible force of expectation we feel from the other person. 
And boundaries around our minds that have been trained to create the illusion of obligation to this person.

Isn’t it time to put the brakes on?
If you are always giving family members or friends money to get them back on their feet, but never see them grow up and take control of their own life --Stop writing checks expecting this to change.

If someone is always late, wait an appropriate 10-15 minutes and then leave- they obviously feel their time is more important than yours. Don’t cheapen your value.

If you are the one who tries to make everything perfect for others in hopes of making them happy, but it is never enough-- it probably never will be enough and they will probably never be happy…and while doing this neither will you.

If you are under obligation to continually take care of or give to a person, evaluate if the obligation is real or is it just your perception that you “owe” someone your time and talent.  Evaluate the situation for codependency.  Are you getting something from being a martyr?  Even if you feel like you are being used and taken advantage of, have you become dependent on being needed?

If you are continually trying to stop giving your resources of time, finances, energy and control of your emotions and life to someone else, but only break free for short periods of time. Then you slip back into the old pattern again of one-way giving.  Chart how long you have been doing this pattern. Where has it gotten you?

If you are following a life path because someone told you it was the road you should take, but you hate the scenery, you feel lost, or you know in your heart it isn’t the way you should be going, it is never too late to stop, make a U-turn and let your soul’s GPS recalculate to guide you on YOUR path.  There isn’t time to be controlled by a backseat driver. Be your own navigator on this road of life.
Take control of your own steering wheel.
                  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
    “Take control of your own thoughts,
                      time and talent. 
         Don’t allow a back seat driver to
​                     steer your life.”
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

​
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about who is controlling your emotions and actions.  Shouldn't YOU be in control???


Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
           
                                               All Rights Reserved
                                                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
0 Comments

WHO IS CHAUFFEURING YOUR LIFE?

6/22/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
WHO IS CHAUFFEURING YOUR LIFE? 

Our lives are driven by stories.
We travel the road yielding to them as they climb into the back seat.

We turn left, we turn right and choose the forks in the road that we hope will lead us to our happily ever after.
With every turn we pick them up.
A story here.
A story there. 

Some are interesting.  Some are scary.  Some are fun.  Some we want to lock in the trunk and forget. They all merge together to create the book of our life.

Occasionally we are jolted to completely stop at a red light and a story forces its way into the front seat with us. 

Some are powerful and push us out of our driver’s seat and  takes over as the chauffeur of our lives. The story becomes the theme that overshadows all the other stories and events that we experience.

The story becomes who we are.

Every turn we make is because of the story.

Every decision is because of the story.  

For you, this may be a happy chauffeur taking you to just the right places – school, a career, a life partner, children and success.  The chauffeur takes you on the drive you hoped for and the life story you dreamt of.  

Or, the story may be one of grief, desperation, loss, or despair.  The story is sad and takes over your life.  You no longer have control of the wheel.

The story has control and circles you as if you are stuck in a round-a-bout reliving the tragedy over and over.  You feel like you can’t put on the brakes or turn a different direction. 

We all have experienced stories of good and bad; happiness and sadness.  It is up to us to melt our stories into a collective balance for our life.  Don’t allow an event or tragedy to lock you into park or worse-- navigate you to a dark, dead end street. 

Decide who you want to chauffeur your life.  Take control of your stories.

Each one can be told from many perspectives.
Concentrate on the great stories and look for ways to see lessons and grace in your challenging ones.
Keep your steering wheel balanced and driving happily through your life. 

Who is chauffeuring your life?  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Pennie’s Life Lesson:
       “Don’t allow one event or tragedy to                                  drive your life.
    Take control of your own steering wheel.”

             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about the life stories you repeat over and over allowing them to define what your life is and  who you are.  Are they the stories you want to be in control of that?  Hmmmmm...


Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
           
                                               All Rights Reserved
                                                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com


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The Three Strike Rule

6/18/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture

The Charlie Hunt
3 Strike Rule
​

My Dad had a rule of giving businesses and people three chances. 

He felt that anyone can have a day when things just don’t go right and shouldn’t be judged on one interaction or experience.  So he would allow three times to get it right. 

He wouldn’t discount a restaurant if he had a bad meal the first time he visited, or complain if a sales clerk didn’t treat him kindly, or judge a person by on misguided choice. 

He would give them a second chance. 

And a third. 

But, if on the third chance they were still inadequate or unkind he would feel confident that he gave them enough of his time to show their potential before he decided they would not be a part of his life.

My Dad passed away in 2005.  Now when I have an unpleasant experience I try to remember the Charlie Hunt 3 Strikes Rule before I immediately form an opinion. 

The second or third pitch just might be a home run! 
  

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
      "Don't judge on the first experience
                          or the second  
  - the third pitch just might be a home run." 

​
YOUR TURN...  
       
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to remember that everyone can have a bad day, an off moment, a slip in judgment.  What if you gave them three changes, before you judged them?


Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
           
                                               All Rights Reserved
                                                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com

  

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FRAME YOUR LIFE

5/27/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
FRAME YOUR LIFE

I am not a photographer. At least not like my daughter, the professional photographer who captures the ice cream as it drips off the nose of a two year old or the unpredictable belly laugh of a bride as her new husband kisses her neck.

I look for frames. 

I see the world as frames that will hold my words, my feelings and my emotions.  When I spot a frame I snap it quickly to be used with my writing to illustrate the point I intend to convey.


At times the frames I see create my words; or at least allow my words to come together in a meaningful way to reach the heart of the viewer.  One snapshot may speak of peace and calmness. One photo may paint the canvas for love.  

What if you looked at every moment in your life as a frame?  How would you fill it to create a memory?

Do you want to frame a moment filled with examples of happiness, kindness and love?

Or will you allow your frame to hold moments of being disengaged, angry, sad and confused?  

Many times people drift along believing that life is happening to them and they are helpless in the process.  That is a distorted view.


The control is in your hands.  You direct the focus and what the lens of your life captures.  It is up to you to search out the frames and fill them with the people and experiences YOU want to have.

I am not a photographer, but I fill my frames with meaning, with emotion and with feeling.

How will you fill your frames? 
               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
 “Frame your world moment by moment, memory by memory to create a masterpiece of love and happiness.”

                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about your life moment by moment and how you 'frame' each one. 


Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below .  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com.
 
                                                Thank you!  ​
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
           
                                               All Rights Reserved
                                                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com



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DON’T CONNECT THE DOTS! 

2/25/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
DON’T CONNECT THE DOTS! 

Have you ever experienced a meltdown…the kind where you find yourself in a messy puddle on the floor?


 I have a concept called, "Pennie’s DOT Theory", that states:

 “Any event that happens to us, around us, or concerns us is just one tiny DOT in the grand adventure of life. If we over-think one DOT it becomes magnified and joins with 
other DOTs to form a mass of stress that creates imbalance and unhappiness.”

 If we blow one DOT out of proportion it can consume us, make us irrational and ultimately we end up in that messy puddle.  The problem is we over think a little DOT allowing it to become a big DOT.

Remember this –  
         D--O--T-    
       DON’T  OVER THINK the DOT! 
 

It happened to me.

It began with a flu shot.
Well, the flu shot is not responsible for the entire meltdown but it is the DOT that began the snowball rolling. For three days after the shot I felt tired, drained and far from the perky, optimistic, personality I am known for. 

My fatigue turned into a colossal cold.  Another DOT.


I stopped working out, stopped meditating, stopped eating right…DOT… DOT… DOT! 

As the days continued my snowball began rolling faster. More stressful DOTs showed up.  The imbalance grew.  I broke dishes, forgot things and my blood pressure went up.  

As the DOTs continued to connect, overwhelm set in.  I began allowing the profanities of human emotions to marinate with the DOTs…. You know the ones… words like, jealousy, resentment, anger, insecurity, and ultimately the BIG four letter word      
            - FEAR! 

Then it happened.

It doesn't matter what the “IT” was… it was just another DOT, but the most dangerous kind for me…my feelings were hurt.  The snowball aimed right for that DOT rolling around in it until every dirty bit of it was connected to the DOT party forming in my head.  It was just the DOT to heat up the snowball enough for it to come to a full stop, a complete meltdown and a DOT EXPLOSION! 

The pity party wasn't pretty.

The meltdown was ugly.
The DOT explosion was epic causing a massive heart attack.  You see, when you over-think little DOTs they join with other DOTs in the same way blood cells stick together to block your arteries.  You don’t function well and it eventually leads to a heart attack.  

Thank goodness DOT heart attacks don’t send you to the hospital.  Yet, they have the power to do just as much damage.  Accumulating and over-thinking DOTs stifles your happiness.  Fear takes over attacking your heart and breaking down its protective covering until an explosive meltdown occurs. A crack is formed and your heart is scared in hidden ways.  

Finally, I stepped back from the dirty puddle I was sitting in and realized I had broken my own DOT rules.  By over thinking every little DOT I had given them the power to become huge in my mind.  I allowed them to connect one, by one, stripping me of my calm, my contentment and my happiness. They blinded me and I couldn't see around them.

I carried the huge DOT mass around like a collection of boulders in a backpack.  Only as I dropped the backpack did they tumble out before me and I could see the tiny pebbles each of them really were.
Just tiny DOTs in the grand adventure of life! 
                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Pennie’s Life Lesson:

“Any event that happens to us, around us, or concerns us is just one tiny DOT in the grand adventure of life.
        Don’t Over-Think the DOTs!"


***Since we all learn from each other, I would love to have you share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  Thank you!***
                                                               All Rights Reserved
                                                      Copyright © 2013 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com

                                                                             Thank you!

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IT ALL COUNTS

2/18/2017

2 Comments

 
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    IT ALL COUNTS
​

I came back from my walk frustrated. 

     “I forgot to wear my pedometer, so I’m
       not getting credit for my steps!”


My husband heard my grumbling and responded with,
     “It doesn’t have to be counted by a  
       pedometer.  Your body knows and gives
       you credit for it.”


He was right.  Just because a little tech device wasn’t calculating my steps and chiming when I hit 10,000 didn’t mean it didn’t happen. 

It made me think of how this relates in so many ways to our lives. How many times do you tell yourself stories like these…

   ~ If no one sees me eat a donut then the calories don’t count…. Wrong - your body counts them.

   ~ If I am speeding it is ok as long as there isn’t a police officer in site…Wrong – accidents happen when you speed and then the police will arrive.

   ~ I don’t have to show up for school or work today, I will just study and get my project done so it doesn’t matter if I was there…Wrong – It does matter.  Other’s notice if you don’t ‘show up’ for them. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, show up!

   ~ If I think negative thoughts  it’s ok as long as I don’t say them out loud…Wrong – thinking negative thoughts is just as damaging as saying them out loud… all that negative self-talk counts.

   ~ I don’t have to tell someone I love them, they should know.  Wrong again, don’t ever miss an opportunity to tell someone you love them.  Life is precious and brief.  There will come a time when it was your last chance to tell them.
​
   ~I’m busy so I can rush by people and not take the time to acknowledge them, thank them or be kind… Wrong! Showing kindness and gratitude makes a difference.  You put out energy with every action.  By projecting kindness and gratitude you put positive energy out into the world to be felt and mirrored back to you.  What you project you can expect. It all counts!   

Every step we take, every move we make, every word we speak counts – even if no one sees us do it, hears our words or charts our progress. It counts!
 
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Every step we take, every move we make, ever word we speak counts – even if no one sees us do it, hears our words or charts our progress. It counts!”
                    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~

 My intent in sharing this with you is to help you understand that everything we do, say and think counts-- even if no one else sees or hears it.  Share your thoughts.  Share your feelings.  Make it PERSONAL! 

YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
                   PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                            Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

                                    All Rights Reserved
                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com

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THREE ABILITIES THAT DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS

2/3/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
THREE ABILITIES THAT DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS
​

Are you searching for the secret to happiness?

Do you wonder why other people seem to be more successful than you—even if you believe that you work harder than they do? 

It comes down to three attributes. 
Here it is 1 – 2 – 3! 

1. The ability to accept and adapt to change.

2. The ability to believe you are Good  
     Enough to  love and be loved.

3. The ability to express gratitude.

Let me break these down for you.

I learned as a little girl growing up in a military family to make friends on the playground or stand alone.  I learned that I needed to accept the changes that occurred when my father received orders that moved us to a new community and that I needed to adapt to my new environment, make friends and enjoy the new normal.

This has served me well through career changes, divorce and grief.  While others live in the Who-Moved-My-Cheese stagnation unable to accept that their life has changed and unable to adapt to the new adventures ahead of them, successful, happy people hone the ability to accept and adapt.  You may not always like the event that spurred the change, but cultivate the ability to bloom in the space you find yourself – no matter what!

We are bombarded with the message that we are Not Good Enough!  We all protect that space inside where we believe we are not thin enough, smart enough, rich enough…the list goes on and on.  The newest guilt inducers verified by the over 300,000 self-help books on the market are that we are not happy enough, healthy enough or holy enough.

Here’s the thing – WE ARE ALL GOOD ENOUGH!!  Just by the pure biological chance that we were created proves this –it is no accident!  We were all meant to be here! I can tell you this all day, but YOU must do the work on this one.  YOU have to believe right down to your inner core that YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH!

It doesn't matter what trauma you had as a child or what wrongs you have committed, you must come to a place of knowing that you are Good Enough to love and be loved.  If you don’t believe it no one else will believe it of you.  Relationships, love, happiness and success will avoid you—after all you are sending off the vibe that you aren't Good Enough and don’t deserve it!

Lastly, you must express gratitude.  You will never receive more if you are not grateful for what you have.  If all you have is a pair of shoes and a burger to eat, be grateful for that! Be grateful for every step, every breath, and every moment you are given and for all that your life is filled with.

Don’t just say, “Thank you,”  feel gratitude with every cell of your body.  Tell others why you are thankful for them.  Write thank you notes, make phone calls, journal, pray, sing, dance – whatever moves you to a loving place, do it!

You cannot hold on to a negative like hurt, anger or fear when you are filled with gratitude.  Practice the ability to express gratitude until it becomes your DNA. 
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pennie's Life Lesson:
“To be happy and successful cultivate these three attributes:
The Ability to accept and adapt to change; The Ability to believe you are Good Enough to love and be loved;
The Ability to express gratitude.”
                                            ~ Pennie Hunt 


                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~
 My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to practice these three attributes until they become part of your daily living! Monitor how this positively affects your life! 

YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
                   PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                            Thank you!  
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

                                    All Rights Reserved
                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com

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WHAT I LEARNED IN A DARK MOVIE THEATER

1/28/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
WHAT I LEARNED IN A DARK MOVIE THEATER

I bought one ticket.
I bought the large popcorn and drink combo.
I sat in the last row.  Middle seat.
I had never done this before.

There is something about seeing movies in a theater.  The big screen mesmerizes me.  The sound swallows me.  The popcorn tastes like it could be the last gourmet meal of my life – to me it’s that good. I love going to a movie theater, but I had never in my life gone alone.

There was a movie I wanted to see. The timing wasn’t right, no one wanted to see it with me, so I thought I would have to wait until it was out as a rental.

The movie chased around in my thoughts.  It was about someone who had lost a child.  Of course that is what drew me to it.  The common thread.  The curiosity.  I wondered if the movie would portray my thoughts and feelings.  I wondered if I would learn something I didn’t know about grief. 
It followed me around pulling my heart along, not allowing me to push it away.  I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to see the movie.

Driving an hour to the shopping area, my whole body smiled.  The entire day was mine. A day of “me” time.
After a little shopping and lunch at my favorite place, the movie flashed in my mind.  I quickly looked on my phone.  It was playing at a budget theater nearby and I had just enough time to make it there. 
But…I had never done this before -- gone to a movie alone. 
Is that weird?
Is it weird that I am kind of afraid to do this? Is it strange that this movie has such a grasp on me, constantly taking space in my thoughts?
My fear played ping pong with the movie. 
The movie won. 

The back row wasn’t bad.  It felt safe.  No one could see me – or the giant bucket of popcorn I balanced on my lap.  At 1:00 in the afternoon on a weekday there were 6 other people there to share my theater.  None of them came alone.  Except me.

I shut off my phone.  Two hours went quickly.  The movie was amazing. 
I cried.  I hurt.  At times I wanted to shout at the screen. There were moments I wanted to pray.
I understood why I needed to see the movie.  The message was for me.
I sat in my seat until the last credit rolled, the lights were bright and the workers came in to clean up any abandoned popcorn buckets.

A few things became very clear.
It was clear to me that I would not have received the message the movie brought to me if I hadn’t listened to my heart pushing me to see it.

It was clear to me that although going to a movie alone may seem like a silly fear to some, it was real to me.  Walking into that theater was empowering. 
It was clear I had missed opportunities in my life when I allowed fear to win.

It was clear to me that I did need to see the movie.  I needed to see it alone.  I needed to be able to cry alone.  I needed to absorb the meaning of the movie’s message --alone.

Life is magical how it manipulates us, bringing us messages we need to hear, putting us in places we need to be, pushing us to do things that we are afraid to do. 
All of it done with the intent of giving us clarity. 

And yes, I ate the entire bucket of popcorn….

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Listen when life is pulling, pushing and prodding you to do something that stirs fear.  Until you walk into it, you will never fully gain understanding, clarity and strength.”

Picture
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to walk into your fear.  Don't allow it to keep you from the clarity it brings. 

Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                Thank you!  
                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
                                    All Rights Reserved
                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
2 Comments

MEDITATION SAVED MY LIFE!

1/20/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
MEDITATION SAVED MY LIFE!

I began meditating over a decade ago during a very stressful time in my life.

I was certain my mind and body would explode from the pressure, as I tried to handle many highly emotional life situations. Desperation set in as I struggled to gain some essence of control in my world of chaos.

My first attempt at gaining relief from this tension was when I sat down, closed my eyes and  with the sound of rain falling in my headphones said to myself over and over and over again,

     "Clear my mind...

        clear my mind...

        clear my mind."

I didn't know what meditation was, nor did I realize that was what I was doing.   I just knew I needed peace in my mind, heart and soul

I lasted about five minutes, before I jumped up believing I had failed as my mind hadn't cleared at all.

Determined, I continued this routine daily and soon I became more and more successful.  Some days I could actually sit for the 5 minutes and my mind would clear.  The minutes turned to ten, then fifteen and at times I would sit for hours. 

Meditation saved my life.

I learned how to separate myself from the world outside of my body and control my emotions, thoughts and feelings.  I could handle the stress of all that was happening in a clean, clear and calm way.

After years of learning about the many various types of meditation, I have settled in to what works for me.

I believe you do not have to follow a certain meditation dogma or philosophy to receive an emotional and physical benefit.  The basic premise is to quiet your thoughts and allow calm, contentment and peace to fill the space of your mind and body. 

Now, whether I want to relax and release tension or concentrate on one thought, I turn to daily meditation as my life saving method.
               ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
Pennie's Life Lesson:
           "Quiet your mind and allow calm,
          contentment and peace to fill you." 
                ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to find your own place of quiet, place of solitude, place of peace. 

Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                Thank you!  
                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
                                    All Rights Reserved
                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com

0 Comments

THE WALK

1/6/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
THE WALK

I began this year with a walk.
I had walked around this lake many times, but this time was different.
It was cold. The wind raw.
Not my typical walking weather. 
I bundle up in layers of protection and begin. 

A wind gust stings my face and I think of January of 2016 when my dog, Yogee, passed.  Like the wind, the memory stings my heart.  I draw my scarf tighter around my neck and dig deeper to pull warm memories of her around me.  Happy memories of her.

I turn a corner and remember March, when a new joy filled my heart. I named this fur child, Gracie.  I smile at the way she has added love, energy and, yes, Grace to my life.

A sequence of three planes fly over me.  I look at them remembering all of the flights I have been on, the trips I have taken, and the adventures I have enjoyed in life.

Couples walk by and I think of the paths I have walked.  Sometimes with a partner holding my hand keeping me stable, safe and secure.  Sometimes alone struggling to see the road ahead.  Equally teaching me and taking me to my next destination in life.

Cars rush by on one side of the lake and I feel the rush of my life.  How I have pushed through spaces in such a hurry to move on… missing the little things, the important things, the meaning of things.

I hear a squeal and turn to see children running across the frozen lake, their dog chasing them in a game of frozen slip and slide.  I reach for my heart fearing the thickness of the ice may not be strong enough to hold them.  Then I see myself, ice skates on racing across the ice, circling my brother as he ice fishes and my dog running close behind.  I feel the pain of the times I fell, laughed and bounced back up. 
When did I grow up?
When did I become afraid? 
When did I learn fear?  
When did I stop enjoying the game?

Halfway around the lake the bitter wind makes me want to turn back.  The distance ahead is shorter.  I’ve seen what is behind me.  My only choice is forward. 

And then I stop.
The sun is reflecting off the lake and shining in my eyes.  The frozen water dances like glitter and warms me.  I close my eyes and remember my times being at the ocean, watching the sun shimmer across the waves.  To me each sparkle from the reflection is a person who was here and gone….jumping and shouting at me,
“love this time, enjoy this life and even though you can’t see us we are still here!”
I feel them with me as I push forward.

Coming to the end of my circle I reach a bridge. Stepping on its wooden frame I see the bridges I have crossed when life gave me no other choice than to jump the gap below.  I see the bridges I have burned and the ones that have burned me. I am silently thankful for being brave enough to cross all of them.

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Running down the slope of the last hill the walk goes faster, the memories flash quicker, time speeds by.  I think of things I have done that I wish I could undo.  Things I have said that I wish I could take back.  I think of things I have accomplished and people I have helped and my heart hopes that my honorable actions outweigh my wrong doings.

January 1st is no different than December 31st or any other day. Sunrise to sunrise the days blur. 
The years pass.
The walk continues.
It isn’t the turning of the calendar page – its memories that turn time. It’s how we loved and how we were loved. It’s the hearts that met ours to create the scenery in our journey.

Geese fly over sounding their horns of celebration.  Celebration of joy, of love, of life.

I began this year with a walk.
t was cold. The wind raw.
I bundle up in layers of protection and continue. 

Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Be grateful for this walk you take through life.  Enjoy every fall, every bridge, and every step.”
 
              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to experience this walk we take through life.  Be grateful for all the paths, the falls and the steps forward.
Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below.  And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                Thank you!  
                      ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
                                    All Rights Reserved
                      Copyright © 2013-2017 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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
0 Comments

TWO-A-DAYS

10/28/2016

2 Comments

 
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TWO-A-DAYS

Have you ever participated in a team sport, trained for a marathon or tried to lose weight?

A common practice during these times is,TWO-A-Days.  This is when a team or person doubles up on their efforts and for a time practices or works out twice in the same day. 

The concept of doubling up, or TWO-A-Days, may also apply to studying during exam season or even when you have a cold and double your intake of vitamin C.

I have a new application for this concept. 

There are times when your mind and soul need this same kind of extra attention. When you are overwhelmed, overstressed, or overtired—you know, those times when the faster you go the more you have to do and it seems like there is never enough time to get it all done.  Your mind is racing and you feel like you are going crazy!

This is the perfect time to add TWO-A-Days to your life.  Twice a day begin just sitting.  If you meditate now, begin doing it twice a day.  If meditation is foreign to you, just give yourself 5, 10, or 15 minutes twice a day to just sit, relax and breathe.

I realize this seems impossible when you already are stretched for time and don’t have a minute to spare.  But, THIS is exactly when you need to do it the most.  Giving this extra time and space to clearing your mind puts the chaos on hold and helps you gain mental and physical balance.  During stressful times it also allows space for answers to come.

TWO-A-Days don’t have to be just for sports.  Learn to implement this into your own life.  Once you get through the stressful time you may realize all the benefits it brings into your life.  Peacefulness, calm, the ability to cope, and the lessening of the physical damage stress does to your body are all benefits of this practice.  You may decide giving yourself the gift of quiet twice a day is something you want to continue every day. 
              ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“Give yourself the gift of quiet twice a day.  You deserve the peace it will bring to your life.” 

             ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

YOUR TURN...         
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to understand that during the craziest times of life, you need to take care of yourself in a calm and loving way! 

***Since we all learn from each other, I would love to have you share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below or on my  FACEBOOK  page.
​ And please feel free to email me  at:
 PennieHunt@gmail.com. 
                                                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: Penniehunt@gmail.com
​

2 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    There is a certain magic about where I live both physically and spiritually – on the crossroads of Spirit and Brave. 

    It seems appropriate that my writings be found under the sign that locates my life.  I wish for all of you the ability to live in your Spirit to experience a life filled with love and gratitude and be Brave in the learning of your life lessons. 

    Enjoy!
            Pennie


     

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