BE THANKFUL FOR SOUL SLAPS AND AIRBAG MOMENTS You are driving along the boulevard of life believing everything is fine and then WAM! BAM! ... in one flash the airbag goes off in your face and for a moment of unconscious confusion you don't know what happened, how it happened or why it happened, …but it changes everything. These airbag moments slap your soul in a life altering second when the world stops and our thinking is forever realigned. Life is instantly, and permanently, categorized as before and after. Your brain files all memories of the past and visions of the future in relation to the moment… it changes everything. The slaps are at times harsh heart jabbing events and at times joyous celebrations. The moment your child is born. The phone call that brings you to your knees. The last walk from the office as you change careers or life stages. The undeniable mistake that can't be reversed. The receiving of life, love and happiness ....or the ripping away of the same. These all cause a slap to the soul that says, "WAKE UP!" Wake up to see what you had, what you have and what you will be given. Wake up to be thankful for it all and for the time you held it. Wake up to understand that THIS moment is the moment that counts and don't take the people or experiences in your life for granted. No one journeys through this life without Soul Slaps and Airbag Moments. There is no secret bubble of protection that shields us from the vulnerability of being stricken. Peace comes from learning to appreciate the Soul Slaps as lessons that move our journey forward. The breaking open of our hearts creates space for love to expand and being brought to our knees, by pain or joy, forces us to lift our heads and look up instead of down. The understanding of this will bring the calmness required to heal. Pennie's Life Lesson: "Be thankful for Soul Slaps and the ability to see the lessons in both the joyous and the jabbing." YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to see the lessons in all life altering events-- good and bad. 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 © 2013-2015 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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OPENHEARTED
For many of us winter is long, cold and isolating. This kind of cold makes us hunker down in our homes curled tightly in a “protect me” position. It is human nature during any type of cold to do this. Weather, anger, rejection, betrayal, grief, fear all create feelings of cold and isolation. The tight “protect me” pose closes our body posture in a way that tightens around our heart secluding it from others. When the end of winter is in sight and the journey through life challenges comes to a close we see the sun fill our lives once again. As the warmth rejuvenates us, we stand up taller in a happier stance. This strengthens and stretches our lives in a more openhearted way allowing love to flow through freely. This openheartedness creates a glow that not only warms us, but everyone we interact with. By pulling back the layers that protected us from the cold, like Superman pulling back his shirt, we reveal our heart and come alive once again. Pay attention to how and when you fold into “protect me” position. Pay attention to how and when you break free of your cocoon to spread your butterfly wings for all to see. There is a time for both. Power comes with knowing when to curl and when to fly. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “There is a time for both the caterpillar’s cocoon of safety and the freedom of butterfly wings. Recognize when it is time to be safe and when it is time to fly.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2015 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!
LIFE IS ALWAYS FILLING
Marion is an eccentric combination of Annie Oakley, Gloria Steinem and Shirley Temple. Like Annie Oakley, Marion understood tough times and learned to work hard in order to become financially successful. In the 1860’s Annie, changed ideas about the abilities of women. A century later, Marion did the same. Both had the courage to prove that a woman could stand her ground in the world that men controlled.
Marion, a single, teenage mom with an 8th grade education began waitressing in a small cafe bringing tips home to provide for her infant son and mother.
Over the years she gained her PHD in the ways of life eventually purchasing the cafe, bars, supper clubs and even a construction company. Like Gloria Steinem, she was not afraid to speak up and voice her opinion -even when it was unpopular. She continues to be a strong advocate for women and doesn’t shy away from a discussion about her political views. I’ve seen Marion lock in a business deal during dinner, strongly expressing her opinion about the details of the agreement and, then, just as easily changes her composure, blinks her flirty eyes and giggles with the impish playfulness of a young Shirley Temple. Marion is a force to be noticed. Marion is my mother-in-law. I delight in listening to the stories of her younger years when purchasing property was done with a hand shake and over-bearing men were no match for her. She tells of how she has made money, lost money, felt success and experienced desperate times. It was during one of these stories that I heard her make this profound comment, “I never really looked at my glass as half full or half empty. I always thought my glass was filling up!” That statement should be on T-shirts, coffee mugs and tattoos! That is not just optimistic – that is living a life of expectation. A life of adventure. A life of anticipation-- of learning from whatever waits around the next corner. What if we could all see life that way? The next time you believe you are having a bad day or living through a challenging time think of it as your life just filling up. Filling up with experiences to learn from. Allow your cup to fill with all life has to offer- the good and the challenging. I hope for Marion, for me and for everyone that our cup of life continues to fill until that very last drip tickles the rim and runs down the side. And when that happens we all wink, giggle and with an impish smile know that our life was full! Pennie’s Life Lesson- “Your glass is not half empty or half full – it is always filling!”
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 © 2013-2015 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!
UBUNTU,
I AM BECAUSE WE ARE After several years filled with emotional events, celebrations and struggles I recognized the significant role women play in a family and the strength they bring to the stability of the family tree. Through my roller coaster ride that I call life, I know I can count on these women for sharing laughter, tears, and a hand up or at times a push forward, but always, always, love and encouragement. There is an African Philosophy which describes this called Ubuntu. It means - "I am because we are." The women of a family work together like the stitches in a quilt. Each stitch is unique-some long, some short, some tightly pulled, some more relaxed, but each add their own character to the patchwork, creating strength that helps all of life's experiences to make sense. Ubuntu, I am because we are. Years ago the Hunt family formed a gathering called the Women's Annual Rejuvenating Montage. The acronym WARM was formed. Invitations were sent, a logo was created and the t-shirts were made. The WARM Guiding Principles are simple. A member must be a woman at least 18 years old AND a direct descendant of my mother; married to her direct descendant; or given birth to one of her direct descendants. Ubuntu, I am because we are. WARM was created for the women following my mother to rejuvenate, relax and continually nurture the bond we share. Our montage is the juxtaposing of diverse personalities into a single element of commonality. We have learned to understand each other, and ourselves, better as we discover our own shared human qualities and how we all fit in relation to our quilted family. During these gatherings we are willing to share, willing to be vulnerable, and willing to affirm and accept each other as a part of the whole. Ubuntu, I am because we are. This tradition will continue past our lifetimes and for generations to come. The Ubuntu belief is that our ancestors continue to exist among the living. With every new member, WARM will carry the spirit and love of all of us as we come and go, stitch by stitch, adding strength to our quilted bond. Ubuntu, I am because we are. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "No one stands alone - we are who we are because we all exist together." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to look at the people in your life who make you who you are, the ones you can count on...the ones that you know that without them you would not be the person you are today. Who stands in UBUNTU with you? 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 © 2013-2015 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! THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE Years ago I heard a story about an executive who was called into the human resources department and invited to find success elsewhere. The executive commented, “I have been on your side of the table and fired many people in my career. What I have learned is that there are two sides to the table…. Today it is my turn to be on the other side.” There are many tables in life. We often forget there are two sides to each table. During our happiest experiences do we realize that at the exact same time it could be one of those moments of desperation for someone else? A young couple I know brought a baby girl into the world a year ago. They were ecstatic to add the curly headed beauty to their family. They were on the right side of the table. Unfortunately, their sweet baby lived less than a month and they were forced to the other side of the table in the most devastating way. Happily, this week my young friends rejoiced at the birth of a baby girl who shares the same curly black hair as her sister before her. I join their friends and family surrounding them with love and well wishes. At the same time a longtime friend of mine passed away due to cancer. I join her friends and family clinging to the circle of support and love which surrounds them. I received emails and phone calls from one family sharing joyous news, while at the same time I received the most devastating messages of grief and sadness from the other. The table stood large before me as I saw the experiences of both sides. Pain and grief on one side. Joy and gratitude on the other. How often do we forget that while we sit on one side of the table that there is always someone on the other side? My young friends today hold their new daughter marveling at her perfection while the soreness of missing their first daughter lives in their hearts. They know what it’s like to be on both sides of the table. The ebb and flow, the natural order, the balance of good verses bad is part of our daily lives. It takes the ebb to feel the flow. It takes the bad to know the good. It takes a backdrop of the darkness of night to see the sunrise in the morning. Be sensitive. Be grateful. Be aware. We never know when it will be our turn to sit at the other side of the table. Pennie’s Life Lesson ~ “There's always two sides to the table. Be grateful when you sit on the sunny side and strong when you find yourself on the shadowed side.” ************* Special thanks to Ms. Amara Beatrix Mitchell for allowing me to use her beauty shot in this post! *************
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 © 2013-2015 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!
BUSY
“How are you?” – “Oh, I’m so BUSY!” “Hello there, how ya doin?” – “I am swamped, I’m too BUSY!” “What are you up too, want to ….. "No, no, no, I can’t I have too much going on- I’m too BUSY!” “I’m busy” has become our response to any greeting. Busy has become our natural state. Busy has become a thing- a noun – like a dark shadow that circles our lives. Do you see what we are doing to ourselves? When did we begin equating being busy with success? Maybe it began as an attempt to seem important by verbally listing the engagements, meetings and commitments we have on our to-do-list…and ending with a sigh. Always a sigh. At some point we began believing our own self talk. After all, our mind and brain will believe our own voice more than any other voice. And we were very convincing. We began to believe that we had to have a list to keep up with everyone else. We had to be busy! We began to believe that the level of busy-ness was the measure of our own self-worth. So the list became longer. We foolishly became filled with distracting details of our activities. The exchanged expression of ALL we have to do became expected. And exhausting. But, we didn’t stop there. We began adding things to our lives. Remember being busy = success! Yes, life moves fast. New age electronics have increased this speed at an astounding pace. It is frightening to ponder. We all have work, families, responsibilities and commitments. Do we have to make ourselves even more overwhelmed with the continual documenting of our busy-ness to everyone we interact with? Secretly we just want to scream! What if we began answering greetings with, “I’m well, I’m happy and I am thrilled to see you today!” What if we greeted others with, “What is making you happy today?” And then, shut up and smile. Possibly, just possibly, the response may be more engaging than the level of overloaded activities filling the pack on their back. They may just share a joyful story or expression of happiness. The way greetings are meant to be. Here is mine to you: “Hello there, how are you? What brings you joy today?” And your response is??? Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Stop telling yourself and others how busy you are. Instead speak of the joy and happiness that fills 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 © 2013-2015 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!
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 chia 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 © 2013-2015 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!
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE TOILET OVERFLOWS
I felt overwhelmed. With several speaking engagements ahead of me, blogs to write and my self-imposed deadline for the completion of my book, I felt like the toilet had just overflowed. You know, that panicked feeling of running to get the plunger as the water overflows and every towel you own is being thrown on the floor in an effort to control. The smell of not feeling Good Enough was quickly rising to the top of my bowl. How would I ever get it all done? So I did the logical thing – I turned the valve to OFF. I stopped the gushing stream that overflowed my mind and walked away from all the fear, pressure and commitments. I went outside and dug holes. I put my hands in the black dirt. I dug holes for tomato plants. I dug holes for bushes. I dug holes for geraniums and marigolds. I layered each hole with peat moss, potting soil and vermiculite and then gently placed plants inside carefully pushing the earth around the roots and up to the stem. My body eased and relaxed as I enjoyed the process of nurturing. My mind did nothing except watch the movement of my hands. It had emptied to a space of quiet silence with no worries of deadlines or commitments. The valve remained OFF. Suddenly it became very clear to me how easy it would be to complete all of my obligations. I had just been “Layering” myself in a dangerous way. Instead of layering myself with the joy of what I was doing, in the same loving way I layered the soil around the plants, I had been layering myself in a negative way… I wasn't being gentle, careful or kind. I was being self-demanding to the point of overwhelm. No wonder I felt blocked like the water was flooding over. In the process, instead of allowing my roots to stretch in the delightful enjoyment of these life opportunities I had tightened myself into a root bound knot with two options. I could either continue to squeeze the grip around myself forever running in an effort to control or I could clear my mind, do nothing and allow myself the time to relax into the joy of life. Meditation comes in many forms. Today it arrived while my hands were in the dirt and I realized that when you allow your mind the space to do nothing – it becomes easier to do everything. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When you allow your mind the space to do nothing – it becomes easier to do everything.” YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to step back when you are feeling overwhelmed. In the space between overwhelm and that step you may find clarity. 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 © 2013-2015 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!
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 thatwas 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 try meditation. Begin by closing your eyes in peace for short amounts of time. Let me know how this works for you! 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 © 2013-2015 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!
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE UNIVERSE
Welcome to 7th grade. How’s it going for you so far? We are all students in this journey we call Life. The entire universe is our university. There is no accident in the similarity of words there. I believe our time here on Earth as humans is our 7th grade level in the University of the Universe. We have passed every grade before this and have many yet to come. We are all here at this grade level to learn, to teach and to love. Do you remember your 7th grade year in junior high school? Some of us had great experiences and were rock stars, athletic jocks, popular, or studious and brilliant. Some of us suffered through and were the unpopular ones, those that struggled, failed, flunked, skipped classes or dropped out. This 7th grade level of our learning through the University of the Universe is no different. We have the shining stars of music, sports, popularity and intelligence. We have the strugglers who are victims and never seem to get ahead or catch a break. And guess what? I believe we are all in the space we are supposed to be in to learn what we are meant to learn and to teach what we are meant to teach. We have a variety of class topics in this version of 7th grade. If you are a star in this life you shine and share your voice and experiences with others and are likely teaching the class. If you’re struggling, the course you are enrolled in teaches humility, patience and empathy for others. The amazing news is, there are semesters in this 7th grade. If you move past struggling and pass the test you can graduate into the next semester's course of being a star. Conversely, if you are a star and become arrogant, ungrateful or just need to learn more lessons, the University of the Universe has the power to enroll you into a semester of struggle where you will learn humility, patience and empathy … the hard way. Our task as students of life is to understand and believe that no matter what semester we are in, what class we are taking or whatcurriculum we are guided by, we are here for the lessons our soul requires. Our report cards will grade us on our ability to learn the lessons to our highest capacity. Our assignment is to teach others what we have learned along the way. And our most important homework is to be grateful for the experiences, the teachers and the lessons – the joyous ones and the painful ones – and seek and share joy and love in the process. Most of us would like to be granted a do-over for our 7th grade year of junior high school. If it was fabulous we would love to relive the glory. If it was painful, we would like to go back and do it right the second time. Well, you’re here now and your entire life is the 7th grade at theUniversity Of The Universe. Enjoy it, live it and dance in it to your happiest level! Welcome to 7th grade! How’s it going for you so far? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “In the school of life, be grateful for the experiences, the teachers and the lessons – the joyous ones and the painful ones – and seek and share joy and love in the process.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to understand that we hare here to learn, teach and love... enjoy the process! 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 © 2013-2015 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!
Q-Tip It!
Years ago when my husband and I were dating I learned a powerful lesson. He would occasionally say something like, “I need a couple of days.” Of course I immediately took this personally and thought something was wrong. I would call him and stop by his house to see if he was okay, after all I must have said or done something to upset him. He would assure me I hadn't and that it didn't have anything to do with me or “us.” I soon realized he was right. It didn't have anything to do with me. We just have different ways of recharging. He needs downtime. He needs a quiet respite to rest, relax and regenerate. For me, when I need recharging I feed on the energy of being with people. Talking, laughing and companionship regenerates me, so of course when he would tell me he needed time to himself I felt pushed away. I took it personally. How many times in life do we take things personally and the reality is that it has nothing to do with us? Whenever a stressful situation occurs many of us default immediately to the negative. We blame ourselves. Let’s look at it differently. Let go of the immediate assumption and realize it isn't always about us…it could always be something else that causes someone to be cranky, in a hurry or snap at us. Here is a trick to help with this self-inflicted internalization of stress. Q-tip it! Yes, Q-tip it! Quit Taking It Personally! As a reminder, take a couple of Q-Tips and tape them to your computer, your bathroom mirror, or your car visor. Look at them often and when something happens in life that sets off your internal blame game, remember to Q-Tip it! The lesson I learned from my (now) husband all those years ago has saved me from many hours of needless worry. It isn't always about me. And guess what, now we recharge using what works for both of us. We recharge together, laughing, talking and in the quiet space of each other’s companionship. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When the stress of life sets off your internal blame game, Q-tip it! Quit Taking It personally!”
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YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about why things upset you... are you taking it personally when it has nothing to do with you? 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 © 2013-2014 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!
THE ROAD TO TRANQUILITY
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 water fall. 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.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... 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. 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 © 2013-2015 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!
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. 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 © 2013-2015 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!
WHY DIDN’T I?
Her nail polish was cheerful turquoise. It matched the bright happy color of her headband, however, everything between the nail polish and headband spoke of sadness. Her teenage shoulders were bent from weakness as if they had carried years of stress. Her blue eyes rarely connected with mine as she took my order and prepared my sandwich. It was a quick lunch stop for me as I was driving home from a speaking event. In. . . and . . . out. That is what I wanted. It was late in the afternoon and only hunger could interrupt my determination to get home. A fast sandwich and then back on the road. I paid her, thanked her and hustled away with my lunch. The whole time her despair was knocking on my heart’s door saying, “Help, Help, let me in!” I ran through the rain to the safety of my car and began the drive again. With every bite I took and every mile I drove I thought of her. The knocking was still there. The heaviness of her sadness. The guilt grew with every swish of my windshield wipers. Guilt for keeping the words I wanted to say to her inside… beating them down deep into my throat because I didn’t want to take the time. My mind was going faster than the speed limit with thoughts of ~ Why didn’t I? Why didn’t I talk to her? Why didn’t I ask about her day, her family, her life? The shop was slow, I could have taken the time to talk to her, to help her, if only by showing I cared. Why didn’t I? How many times have I done this- missed an opportunity to help a stranger, or even someone close to me? The heart knocks happen in small ways. A word. A look. A feeling. They are easy to miss and easy to ignore. And yet, it is so easy to take a moment to smile, to ask, to give words of encouragement or a hug. It’s so easy to let someone know you care. Life lessons are hard to learn. Especially when you miss the opportunity and there isn’t a “do over.” This is one I won’t forget Her turquoise sadness I won’t forget. Next time I feel that knocking on my heart from someone in need, I will take the time. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Never miss a chance to care, help and show kindness. Never miss a chance to love.” YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to never miss the opportunity to show kindness! 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 © 2013-2015 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!
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS
We are all on a search for "Emotional Benefits." We all freely give "I love you's" with the expectation that we will receive an I love you in return. Everything we do, say, act on or experience is with the expectation of making us feel good, feel happy, feel important or feel loved. Our need to connect and belong is a driver in life. Emotional benefit is attached. Why do you think our world is so dependent on the buzzing of our cell phones? Because with every vibrational Tweet, every chiming phone call and every new friend request on Facebook we feel loved, needed, and wanted. We act with our heart and grab the phone! Emotional benefit is attached. Unfortunately, we do very little in life without the expectation of reciprocity. We have learned this mutual give and take expectation throughout our life. If I pick you for the volley ball team, Iexpect you will pick me next time. If I invite you to lunch, I expect you to invite me to lunch. If I FRIEND you on Facebook, I expect you to Friend me. If I tell you I love you, I expect you to tell me you love me. We expect this mutual exchange. Emotional benefit is attached. Imagine if we took the expectation out of the equation. Imagine if we friended, liked and loved just for the joy of friending, liking and loving. Imagine joyfully giving without the expectation of an obligatory comparable response. I believe the real law of reciprocity should be based on our intent. If your intent is ~ I will do this in order to receive that in return -- then you are living your life in a self-centered way. If your intent is ~ I will do this with no expectation of return -- then you are living your life in an other-centered way. You are making more deposits in the bank of emotional benefits than you expect to withdraw. Then the magic happens. By changing the expectation of reciprocity, the Emotional Benefit we give to others will increase. The conditions of the game will be removed. Your own Emotional Benefit account will begin to overflow. It will become clear that by acting with our heart in an other-centered way the search for our own Emotional Benefits will begin and end with making others feel good, happy, important and loved. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Unconditionally give and love for the joy of giving and loving.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to rush out there into your life and spread joy and love --expecting NOTHING in return and see what happens! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 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 © 2013-2015 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!
IF YOU DON’T KNOW MY DOG’S NAME, YOU DON’T KNOW ME
If you know me, really know me, you know my dog’s name, her story, our story, and what she means to my heart. After my Dad passed away in 2005 I was asked to accept an award being presented in his honor from the school where he was a teacher. During the presentation the speaker outlined programs my Dad had started, accomplishments he made and footprints he had left in the life of the school and in the lives of the students he taught. I didn't know any of this before he passed. After my Son, J.T., passed away in 2007 I met people he touched and heard stories of how he taught them how to play guitar, how he had encouraged a church to give financial support to a young family in need and how he had befriended an internationally recognized artist and over coffee they would talk about the Universe. I didn't know any of this before he passed. How many times in life do we believe we know someone, yet we haven’t taken the time to know what makes their heart sing? We hurry through our days, our lives and our relationships without knowing who and what they love, what is important to them or what impact they are having by investing a piece of themselves in the heart of another. I regret not knowing these remarkable details about my Son and my Dad when they were alive. How I wish I could go back and share with my Dad my pride for his accomplishments when they happened. How I wish I could have shared in the conversations with my Son and the artist as they talked about the Universe. How I wish my heart had sung with theirs during these magic moments of their lives. It isn't that hard, really. We need to slow the pace of our lives. We need to take the screens away from our faces. The screens that include televisions, computers, phones and the emotional privacy screen we put up to keep us from getting too close or revealing too much. We need to sit knee to knee, eye to eye and connect. We need to care enough to listen and learn each other’s heart songs, likes and loves -the simple ones and the grand ones. As for me, if you don’t know my dog’s name, her story, our story, and what she means to my heart, you don’t know me. Her name is Yogee. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Care enough to really know someone – know what makes their heart sing.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to not be afraid to get to know others. Let them show you their heart and share yours with them. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 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 © 2013-2015 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!
THE GIFT OF TEARS
“I don’t want to make you cry.” What an odd comment to make. One that echoed hollow in my ears over and over again during the weeks and months after my son passed away. My timid response became, “YOU are not making me cry. I cry every day. Let me cry. Cry with me.” I was reminded of this recently as I told a story to a young woman and watched as her eyes overflowed. I reached to wipe her tears away and I heard myself say, “I don’t want to make you cry.” Quickly she pulled back and said, “Let me cry. These are good tears.” She was right. When did tears become a bad thing? Why is the outward flushing of feelings as they flow through our emotions looked at as something that should be stopped, hushed and hidden? Tears are gifts we exchange with others under all kinds of circumstances. I gave mine freely to each of my babies as they came into this world. Over the years they have given theirs to me when they needed guidance, support and comfort. I gave them to all who have supported me at funerals and mixed mine with theirs as our grief blended in comfort. I have spilled them at weddings. I have exploded them in the midst of laughter. I have silently dropped them when the beauty of life has taken my breath away. I have exposed them during times of emotional and physical pain. In the same way a fever has heated my body to boil away the infection of illness tears have drenched the thirst of my pain. Maybe it is time to realize that tears are given to us for a purpose. They are the eye drops of all emotions. They are the flushing of our feelings; the happy ones and the sad ones. The next time someone shares the gift of tears with you, let them cry. Cry with them. Accept – and offer - the gift of tears. ~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: "Tears are the outward flushing of feelings as they flow through our emotions." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to not be afraid of tears- yours and other's. Understand the natural healing that occurs through the cleansing of tears! 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 © 2013-2015 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! LET GO OF THE TUPPERWARE I opened the door and the assortment fell on my head. I picked them up off the floor, grabbed the step stool and climbed up to shove them all back into the overflowing cabinet like I had done hundreds of times. As I jostled and pushed the bowls, pitchers and pickle containers back into the black hole of plastic, it occurred to me –WHY don’t I let go of the Tupperware? Thirty years ago Tupperware parties were the acceptable girls-night-out. We all took turns hosting the gatherings where we listened to the sales pitch, ate cake, drank coffee and shared the secrets (okay, gossip) of the day and then ordered the obligatory plastic item. At the time it seemed expensive, but the justification came with the durability of it, the perceived usefulness of it, the cool factor of the new products AND the lifetime guarantee. It was virtually indestructible, but if some major mishap did occur it would be replaced. Along with this came a free add on with every item -- guilt. I am convinced it was molded into each piece during the factory creation. It was an unwritten code that you WOULDkeep it forever. After all – the investment . . . the lifetime guarantee…and someday I will need it! What do you have in your home that you won’t let go of? What ties up the space in your heart and mind that is bound with the guilt of investment and a someday but, never-to-be-used promise or guarantee? Is your closet overflowing with clothes? Is there an unhealthy relationship in your life? Are you in a job you hate? Do you hold a victim story in your heart that you retell over and over? The Tupperware of our lives comes in all forms. We invest in all of them with time, money and energy in the hope of a future pay off. And then there is the elusive guarantee of need –someday, of weight loss – someday, of love –someday, of a promotion – someday and someday this victim story is going to explain why everything happens to me. Maybe it was the 700th time of having a load of hard plastic fall on my head that finally spurred me to make a change. Maybe it was the recognition that it will never wear out so the guarantee doesn't matter. Maybe it was the realization that I will never use it – not even someday. The why doesn't matter, but now it is packed in a box ready to be donated. My cabinet is organized, clean and clear. My guilt is gone. I feel free! When will you let go of your Tupperware? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: "We have things in our closets, hearts and minds that we hold on to in hopes of someday. ~ Let them go!" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about what you hold on to when it would be best to let them go. 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 © 2013-2015 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! RELAX AND ALLOW THE PROCESS OF LIFE TO OCCUR "Relax and allow the process of life to occur." When I said that to a friend of mine I felt the intensity of her response ripple up her back forcing her to stretch upright and lean forward. "Relax and allow life to occur? What about work, my kids, my husband? We have Little League games on the weekends, ballet practice after school, I volunteer on Wed. nights, my husband is out of town for work this week, and my in-laws arrive for a visit this Sunday. Relax? The next thing you are going to tell me is to sit with my legs crossed and just be. Are you crazy?" I could see she was desperately trying to control the pace and rhythm of her busy life. By doing this the scope of her world was overwhelming her. I know the symptoms of overwhelm, because I see them often and I have felt them. The symptoms are similar-- the tired, drawn look with heavy under eye circles from skimping on sleep; the extra 10 --ok, 15 lbs that are always trying to be lost, yet increase due to eating on the run; the endless checking of emails, texts, and phone calls; the continual list making of tasks and responsibilities required to get through the day and the week; and the quick defensiveness of why all of it is necessary and important causing life to be so crazy and out of control. Sitting with legs crossed is not necessarily the answer, although the just being part is close. This continual out-of - breath pace that life forces us to run is counter to what we are meant to do. When we are out of breath we cannot allow life to occur, let alone relax to the place of enjoyment. Breathing is important but remember the only breath that is significant is this one; the one we are taking right now. The last one is over and the next one has yet to fill our lungs. And it won't unless we successfully inhale and exhale the current one. You see, you can't take more than one breath at a time and the only important one is the one you are breathing right now. If you use this concept in life you will learn to slow down and experience one event at a time. View each event and experience as a breath. Just as you will begin to focus on the breath you are taking, you will also begin to concentrate on the event you are experiencing . . . not the ones on your list for tomorrow or the responsibilities you have to others. It is this breath right now, this experience right now that is important. You may be surprised to find that you CAN relax and allow life to occur. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~ Pennie's Life Lesson- "When you focus on the moment you are in, you can relax and allow life to occur." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to relax. Is your life really that stressful. Stop right now, even if only for 5 minutes and breathe. 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 © 2013-2015 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! JUST WALK AWAY Several years ago my son and his daughter came to spend the afternoon with me. It was one of those days that screamed for ice cream. Sitting in the booth at Dairy Queen, I watched as my granddaughter’s chubby two year old hand clutched her cone when suddenly the ice cream began dripping down the sides and over her fingers. My son, in true fatherly- fashion, leaned over to lick a drip. Pulling her cone back, she quickly flicked up her other hand in front of his face and said, “Just walk away, Daddy!” Not being all together clear on what I had heard, a mixture of surprise and amusement blurted out of me. "What did she say?” I questioned. My son began chuckling and replied, “She said, JUST WALK AWAY. They teach the kids to say that in preschool when someone does something they don’t like. They raise their hand and say just walk away in an attempt to avoid an argument. She has learned this pretty well and has decided it works at home on us too.” I couldn't stop thinking of the brilliance of what I had just learned from a 2 year old. I understand there are times in life when just walking away is not appropriate. We all have responsibilities and obligations that even when difficulties occur we can’t and shouldn't just walk away from. But, there are times in life when conflict can be avoided by just walking away. How many times could we just walk away --even temporarily, to cool down, clear our thoughts and take a mental time out before tackling the problem? Think of situations you have experienced that seemed worth and altercation at the time, but in hindsight were minor issues. Was it really worth complaining about? Was the scathing letter really worth writing? Were the words thrown in anger worth the damage they caused? Right now I am sure replays of regret are running through your mind. Can YOU create a Just Walk Away Plan with your spouse, partner or family? Everyone involved must understand the terms of agreement and the physical code- when the hand goes up and the words, “Just Walk Away” are spoken it means the conversation will suspend and those involved will disengage. When tempers cool, circumstances calm and the climate clears then come back together to revisit what happened. You may find the issue isn't important enough to talk about. You may find your children will avoid many sizzling sibling battles. You may find that even small messages can be communicated to save misunderstandings. Here’s an example: I am a morning person. Before my eyes open my mind is making a mental list of things I want to do, experience and talk about. I pop up smiling and excited to chatter about the day ahead. My husband is a night owl. He prefers to sleep later than I do. His morning routine is quiet time, coffee and a period of acclimation to the day. Can you see the possibility for conflict here? We have agreed to our Just Walk Away Plan. There are mornings when his hand goes up to my happily chattering face. I quickly realize he is not ready to hear everything that is buzzing in my head. Once the caffeine has distributed through his body and the morning adjustment time is complete he is thrilled to listen to my overwhelming enthusiasm. When you adopt and accept this procedure you will be surprised at just how backing off for a while can create a calm space to re-calibrate the situation from a possible conflict into a positive communication experience. You will begin to assess situations quickly and the vision of a hand will go up in your mind’s eye warning you that this may be one of those occasions where it is best to Just Walk Away. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “There are times in life when the best option is to Just Walk Away.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think before you react... is it time to just walk away before you say and do things you can't take back? 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 © 2013-2015 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! STOP THINKING AND BEGIN THANKING Have you found yourself in a situation where you think and think and think and can’t see a way through? Maybe you need to change your tactic. Maybe you don’t have a THINKING problem… maybe you have a THANKING problem. When you can’t THINK your way through, you need to THANK your way through! We live in a world that values process, procedure, charts, graphs, reports, analysis, logic and hard cold facts. But some situations cannot be logic-ed through! Some situations don’t make sense no matter how many charts you make or ways you look at it. Some situations are out of our control to change. Some situations are so painful that thinking about them becomes unbearable. Some situations you cannot THINK your way through! Yet, you can THANK your way through. Do you want a new job, a new home, a new relationship and you THINK about it all the time, but you don’t move forward. Until you are thankful for what you have you will never have more. Let me repeat that… Until you are thankful for what you have you will never have more. Don’t waste your time THINKING, poor me, I will never get that job, big house or perfect relationship. This kind of stinking thinking just builds resentment, anger and frustration. Instead, be thankful for the job you have now- no matter how bad it is; be thankful for the place you live now – no matter what size or condition it is in; and be thankful for the friends, family and relationships you already have –even if you don’t have that perfect partner right now. Once you begin being thankful for what you have you begin to get more! If you are grieving the loss of a job, relationship, or the passing of someone dear to you, turn any bitterness or anger into gratitude. Be thankful for the time you had with that situation or person. Be thankful for what you learned from them, (good and bad). Be thankful for the love they brought into your life and the love you had the opportunity to express to them – no matter what length of time that you had with them. When you turn THINKING into THANKING the pain of your grief will lighten. Once you begin being thankful for what you had or what you have now, you will begin to see your life in a new way. Change that one little letter in the middle of the word… stop THINKING and begin THANKING! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When you can’t THINK your way through, THANK your way through.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to step back from your challenges and look at what you can be grateful for NOW! 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 © 2013-2015 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! When it comes to love, Anything Will Help! I turned the corner to head home after doing my weekly errands. I noticed at the street light ahead there was a man holding his cardboard sign that read, “Anything will help.” Pulling up next to him I rolled down my window and handed him one of my coffee shop gift cards that I carry just for occasions like this. I explained to him where the coffee shop was and that he could get something hot to drink and eat on this cold day. After he said, “Thank YOU,” for the third time our eyes met and I believe in that second he felt love. In that moment I felt love. I felt the love being returned from him and I also felt love for myself for showing kindness. Love works that way. If we don’t see love we can’t be love. In the moment he looked at me he understood that the gift card held more than a cup of coffee and a sandwich, it held love. When he looked in my eyes and saw love, he mirrored the love back to me filling me up with love from him and magnifying the love I hold inside of myself. Once we see love, we can BE love. How many times do we have the opportunity to show love for others to see? The answer is constantly! Love is not just for special celebrations or certain holidays. Love is for every moment of every day. The more love we show, the more love others see, the more love they can be filled with and the more love they show to others. This is the pay-it-forward of the heart. We see this mirrored magnification work all the time…. If you show anger, others show anger and it spreads. If you see fear, you become fear and it grows. Why would we want to waste our time on that? Become what you want more of. Become Love. Show love. It’s easy to show it with flowers, gifts and in big ways. It is harder to show it in every moment in small ways. Be the love that others see. Even showing small amounts of love will be mirrored back to you. When it comes to love, Anything Will Help! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When you become the love that others see love will be mirrored back to you.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ !!! CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW! !!! My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about love during this holiday season. How can you show love, be love and receive love in these last few days of the year? 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 © 2013-2014 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!
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; and 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 © 2013-2014 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! BOOMERANGS Do you remember playing with a boomerang? You know the concept-- you hurl it into the air believing that you are throwing it far away and in seconds it is coming back aimed straight at you. How does that happen? We all have personal boomerangs; those pesky habits, patterns or cycles that repeat over and over again in our lives. We love our boomerangs. We have a collection of them that we display in our mind’s trophy case. We polish them and engrave them with our favorite story. Imagine a sparkling, bright, red lacquered boomerang with gold embedded words that say, "I have played hokey-pokey with the same 10-15 lbs of weight and just can't seem to keep it off." Can you see the shiny boomerang whooshing through the air as it is thrown with might and determination? The weight goes down. It feels great! Then out of that same clear air this boomerang appears spinning straight back with precision accuracy and hula-hoops around the waist. ((PLUNK!)) There it is again that familiar 10 lbs. How does that happen? The story is verified and the game of hokey - pokey begins again. What does your boomerang say? Is it engraved with words like- "I am always sick," "I will never finish school," "I end up in the same dead end job all the time," "I can't trust any man (or woman) that I'm in a relationship with." Do you see what all of these boomerangs have in common? They are engraved with negative power and thrown with anger and dissatisfaction. We become so attached to these Boomerangs and the stories they carry that we keep polishing them and throwing them again and again. And every time we are surprised when they come targeting right back to us. What if we changed the story? What if we changed the engraving to a positive message? What if we threw our boomerang with love and kindness? It would come back to us - they always do - but this time with the perfect weight, the job of our dreams, or an amazing partner. We will wonder -- how did that happen. Start throwing! Throw love! Throw kindness! Throw hope! Then wait. It will come back. It always does. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "You can throw your life boomerang with love and kindness or anger and dissatisfaction- either way it will come back to you—it always does. The choice is yours!" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about how your life boomerangs return to you in the same way you throw them. Are you throwing them with love and kindness? 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 © 2013-2014 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! SOMETIMES I FAIL The traffic was crazy. I was late. People were waiting for me. My stress was building as I pulled into the parking lot only to circle six times before finding an empty space. Running into the restaurant I blurted out a rather uncharacteristic rant of a not-so-nice kind. I saw the shock and surprise on the faces of my friends. Later I couldn’t get the image of my rant and the reaction it spurred out of my mind. I thought of the ways I want to live my life. Sometimes I fail. I fail at being the person I want to be. I want to be PATIENT and KIND with others, with life situations and with myself. Sometimes I fail. I want to be LOVING by sharing love and positive energy with everyone I meet and in every space I stand. Sometimes I fail. I want to be OPEN to all views and opinions, because I believe everyone has a path to walk and it is not my place to judge, criticize or blame. Sometimes I fail. I want to be AWAKE and AWARE of the small and grand messages of Grace that I receive. Sometimes I fail. I want to be someone who WALKS HER TALK and models the lessons I have learned and the concepts that I teach. Sometimes I fail. I want to be CONFIDENT in knowing that I am who I am --and that I am Good Enough! Sometimes I fail. I want to be SILENT and LISTEN to my heart sing the messages of my soul that guide my life in a peaceful way. Sometimes I fail. I want to be CAREFUL with my voice. Words Matter and carry with them power when they are sent out into the world - I want to choose them with care as I know that once said or written I cannot take them back. Sometimes I fail. I want to be GRATEFUL at all times for the people, things and experiences I am given in this life. Sometimes I fail. I want to be FORGIVING of others and myself and let go of the past so that it doesn't take away my future. Sometimes I fail. I can’t go back in time to that day and erase my rant or the unkind words that I blurted out to those I care about. The best I can do is realize that sometimes I will fail at being the person I want to be and to love and forgive myself-- as in every failure there is a lesson. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Accept that sometimes we fail and with every failure there is a lesson.” YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to confess that I am not perfect...none of us are. Although we may not intentionally mean to hurt someone or break one of our own personal guidelines...it happens. Sometimes we all fail. That doesn't make us a bad person -- it makes us human. How have you failed and learned from it? 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 © 2013-2014 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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