Good Enough It was 4 o’clock in the morning on September 17, 2007 when I wrote my son’s obituary. I wrote about the twinkle in his eye he had when he was born. I wrote about how he wore chaps and a cowboy hat when he was little and loved the “Three Amigos” movie. I wrote about the home runs he hit in Little League and how to him the competition was less important than having fun. I wrote about his talent with the guitar, drums and song writing. I wrote about his sense of humor, his style and his big hugs and smile. I wrote about his compassion for others, his love for his family and friends, and his pride for his daughter. I didn't write about his flaws. I didn't write about his missteps. I didn't write about his mistakes. I didn't write that at times he felt like he was not “good enough.” We all hold a secret space inside that we don’t feel good enough in one area or many. We are not tall enough, thin enough, or beautiful enough. We are not educated enough, successful enough or powerful enough. We are not strong enough, eager enough or motivated enough. We are not caring enough, loving enough or doing enough. We are not happy enough, healthy enough or holy enough. By constantly comparing ourselves to what others are doing, we will live in the shadow of what we expect for ourselves. The internal conversation goes like this: “They are better than me. They expect me to be better. I expect me to be better.” Then our mind’s response is: “Therefore I am not good enough to be loved AND I don’t even love myself.” How do some people get past this and some don’t. How do some hold the inspiration to succeed and some medicate it away with food, excessive exercise or drugs? They learn what I call The Power of Cope and Hope. Let me share this concept. COPE: Accept the life gifts that cannot be changed. If you are 5’ 2” you will never be 6’. If you experience tragedy in your life you will never be able to return to the life as you knew it before. If a loved one passes away you do not have the power to bring them back. Some things you just do not have the authority to change. Even tragedy, disappointment and crisis are the life gifts given to you. They are not given to you as punishment. They are given to you for the purpose of learning, loving and teaching. The challenges and heartbreaks in your life also hold the opposite value of love and gratitude. You must learn to search for it. In the process of accepting the gifts you are given you will learn to cope. Search for what is good and what you can be grateful for in every situation in your life. HOPE: Hold hope that the things that can be changed will change. If you don’t have an education today, know that you can achieve one in the future. Are you struggling to gain a foot hold on a career path or finding the life partner you desire? Be excited with every disastrous date you experience and every career door that is closed in your face. This just means you are one date closer to the perfect life partner; one job interview closer to the job you are designed to do. If you are in the darkness of depression or grief, know there is a light that will enter your life again. If you are struggling with addiction, believe that you can follow the path of sobriety. Hold hope as a given. Aknowing that while you stand in an undesirable space now, you won’t always be standing there. It is in understanding and practicing The Power of Cope and Hope that we begin to believe we ARE good enough. The secret “I’m-not-good-enough” space we hold will fill with light to force out the fear of being less than anyone else. We begin to understand that life is not something that happens to us - life is something that is given to us. Our internal conversation will begin to be one of power, self-love and confidence. In the end it doesn't matter that we made mistakes or had missteps. In the end, as in our beginning, we are all no better or less than another. We are all born with a twinkle in our eye. And, none of our obituaries will say that we were not good enough. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "No one is better or less than another. We are all Good Enough!" ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to love yourself and BELIEVE that YOU are good 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 © 2013-2014 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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I FORGIVE ME! There is a poem by Mary Oliver that begins, You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Forgiveness is a big word and grows to the status of huge when it is prefaced with the word, self. Forgiving myself is easier to whisper than to accomplish. I say whisper because I would not be so bold as to shout to the world, I FORGIVE ME! What confidence that would require to be so egoistic as to forgive ourselves! However this is the most important kind of forgiveness. Self-forgiveness is a demanding process. We must learn to step carefully on the stones of compassion and acceptance while shame, guilt, regret and judgment swirl around us. The stones are sharp and jagged as we maneuver our way, growing stronger through the struggle; learning a little here and a little there as we come closer to the green field of forgiveness that waits for us. We don’t have to be proud of what we have done – and we have all done “it.” The “it” always relates to hurting others or ourselves. Then we put ourselves in continual critic mode of how bad we are and deserving of punishment. We chastise ourselves with ruthless determination holding ourselves to a higher standard than we do others. We replay a grander drama in our minds than the reality of “it”, believing that what we did was catastrophic. We create a self-imposed illusion of what others think of us. We construct ideas about ourselves from this illusion. The perceived assessment of others about our actions creates the vulnerability of outside judgment. At times our true fear is not our offense, but that someone will find out that we are living in shame. Self-forgiveness is not easy. It is not healed instantly or permanently with the wave of a wand. However, we deserve to treat ourselves with the same compassion we would someone we love. Each time you slip into the murky darkness of shame and guilt you are withholding love from yourself. Pull yourself back. Make amends to those who deserve it. Then move forward. Stop holding yourself as a hostage to the past. Believe that external opinions are out of our control, none of our business and should hold no influence on our own self-acceptance. Choose to love YOU. See yourself through your own unconditionally loving eyes. Remember… You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “When you surrender to shame and guilt you are withholding love from yourself.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to practice the most important kind of forgiveness - self-forgiveness! 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! WHAT IS YOUR SOUL GOAL? Goals. We hear about them all the time. Goals at school. Goals at work. Goals for the new year. Goals for our finances, our love life, and our status. Goals, goals,goals! This is not a lecture on how to write a goal and stick to it. I want you to think about the goal that matters the most – your Soul Goal. You may already be neck deep in your life goals. You are probably already measuring them, tracking them and think you have everything under control. Yet, are you experiencing a little gnawing inside. Is there a tiny whisper nibbling at your heart? Has it been there for years, but you have hushed it? That whisper is your Soul Goal. The good news is this is one goal you don’t have to write down, track or measure. You just need to listen to your heart because it is already there. I believe the soul is the script of all we have been and all we will be. It has drama, action, comedy, heartbreak and love coded into this personal documentary. Yes, there is an intended outcome to the story. I believe the ending to your script is to successfully learn how to love yourself and others. The Soul Goal is our personal method of how we accomplish that. Have you always had a desire to paint, work with animals or heal? If we are here to learn how to love ourselves and others and your inner desire is to paint, then you learn to love yourself by painting. By painting you create art that is a gift you can share with others. In doing so you touch their hearts. You love others by creating your art. If your inner desire is to heal, you may become a doctor, nurse, counselor, or Reiki Master. You love yourself by following your inner voice and by doing this you heal and love others. You touch their hearts. You love others by healing. Do you see how this works? Your Soul Goal is the technique by which you reach the outcome of loving yourself and others. Listen to your whisper. Pay attention to the gnawing. If it is unclear what your Soul Goal is – pay attention to when you feel the most alive, happy and content. This is the criteria for your Soul Goal. This doesn’t have to be difficult. I am a writer and a speaker. While working through other careers in my life, the whisper, the gnawing was always there. I would attempt to incorporate snippets of my Soul Goal into my work. I would speak about my work topics and I would write heart-filled stories and give them as gifts. I knew when I was doing this I felt the most alive, happy and content. My Soul Goal is simple. It is one line: To share my life lessons through speaking and writing. In the process I love myself by doing what makes me feel the most alive. I love others by reaching out my heart to touch theirs. I’m not suggesting you give up all of your other goals. School, work, family and life goals matter. I’m not suggesting you quit your job to become a starving artist. What I am suggesting is that you listen to your heart as it whispers your Soul Goal. I am suggesting you find a way to incorporate this whisper into your life. You don’t have to create ideas that you format into action steps and turn these into strategies and objectives. None of this is necessary. You can tip toe into accomplishing your Soul Goal. Take a painting class one night a week. Volunteer at an animal rescue center or a nursing home. Whatever your whisper is calling you to do, find a place and begin Remember, your Soul Goal makes you feel alive, happy and content. It should be fun! It should bring you joy! It just takes loving yourself enough to do what your soul is asking you to do. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “When you fulfill your Soul Goal you feel alive, happy and content.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to live your Soul Goal and understand when you do you will be filled with 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 © 2013-2014 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 POWER OF FORGIVENESS It happened in Kmart. It was one of those moments that I can never reproduce, but I will remember it forever as an opening point-- A moment that opened my heart, my understanding and my eyes to the power of forgiveness. “I blame you for nothing, I forgive you everything and I will always love you.” He looked shocked, confused and stunned as he stopped to look at me. “What?” I repeated with a little more importance on always, “I blame you for nothing, I forgive you everything and I will always love you.” This time the face of my grown child turned to a delicious mixture of relief, acceptance and love. He dropped the bundle of socks, toiletries and food that he was holding in his arms into the shopping cart. The hug was long, the tears honest and the meaning understood. This is how forgiveness works. I can easily forgive others for cutting in front of me in line, taking the parking spot I was clearly heading toward or for a snapping comment that I seem to be on the receiving end of. I assume they are having a difficult day. You never know what the bubble over their head is holding, what is going on in their life, or what hurt they carry. I am happy to report that I have successfully accomplished forgiveness with most people and circumstances in my life. The disclaimer here is that I am a soul in progress. My humanness allows for human emotions. I have tried countless forgiveness methods, such as: The Bury and Forget It Method; The If I Don’t Talk About It, It Didn't Happen Method; And the popular This Person Doesn't Deserve Forgiveness, So I Am Going To Lock Them In A Box, Put Them On A Shelf To Occasionally Take Down And Kick Them Method. Forgiveness is a life lesson I continually attempt to perfect. The forgiveness challenge for me has been with those who have harpooned my heart in a penetrating way. When I helped someone, cared for them and trusted them to hold my heart in friendship or love, only to have them rip it from my chest, pierce it and then hand it back to me. Is the expectation that I won’t feel the scar? Even more difficult is when a perceived injustice is done to someone I love. Is the expectation that I watch with no malice felt toward the offender? That day in the shopping isle the answer became a clear, YES. I came to understand that when you forgive, relief, acceptance and love become a two-way effort. My heart no longer carried the heavy weight of anger, betrayal and disappointment. I no longer had to continue the painful circle of picking the scab to feel it bleed and begin to heal, only to begin the picking again. When I felt the relief in me that day, the lightening of my spirit, and the release of the burden of carrying all those negative emotions, I realized that forgiving is a gift to myself. I emptied my heart of the dirty work of bitter resentment and opened more space for love. When he heard my words and dropped his bundle into the shopping cart he also dropped his fear, shame and regrets and opened more space in his heart to love and be loved. By forgiving, I am not condoning, excusing or pardoning another’s actions. I am not saying that in every circumstance I will forget or remove all awareness of the offense in an effort to reconcile a relationship. Some relationships are best left as a lesson in our past. I am suggesting we begin looking at things differently and open our vision to see that blaming, resenting and revenge do more harm to ourselves than to others. We are all learning from our humanness. We all make mistakes. We all feel shame. We all inflict hurt. None of us can say we haven’t wronged another. It’s time we start seeing the power of forgiveness. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Forgiveness is a gift that opens more space for love – in you and others.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to forgive. Let go of past hurts. Forgive others AND forgive yourself! 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! 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 © 2013-2014 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! 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 © 2013-2014 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 MAN I NEVER KNEW It was the third cemetery I had walked through in less than 24 hours. While visiting the state where my grandparents lived, the passing of time lead me to where snapshots of my childhood were now tucked within the granite speckled grass. My mind flash-danced through memories as I walked. The laughter of my handsome uncle who I was certain I would grow up to marry, until he passed away as a result of a truck accident. My aunt’s impish smile and her black cat-eyed glasses that were popular in the 60’s. She brought a new word into my vocabulary and world – Cancer. My grandmother whose kind gentle hands taught me how to paint, decorate cakes and see the magical, spiritual side of life - and death. My cousin, one year older than me, that shared my memories of homemade ice cream on our grandparent’s porch and reminded us all that life can end with one attack to the heart. The man I called Grandad. It was a name that fit. He was tall, gentle, quiet and grand in the way he blended strength and kindness. My dad was 4 when Grandad came into his life and took over the role his dad had left vacant. Now, on my third stop, I searched for a name that held no memories for me. No snapshots of the past. I searched for the man who passed away from tuberculosis when my dad was 9 months old. Up and down the grass I walked. Then in the area marked by a crumbling post that once read, Section 3, I found a simple flat stone. Loren Franklin Hunt 1904-1931 I am not sure what I thought I would feel or learn from this discovery. I am not sure if I expected a connection of heart or spirit. I was sure that I needed to, in some way, meet the man I never knew- yet without him fathering my dad I wouldn't be here. I needed to feel the same love and respect for him as I did all the others I had visited in the grass that day. I stood a long time to study his name. I wondered what his laugh sounded like; what his smile was like; what his hands felt like as he held my newborn Dad; and I wondered if he was as grand in his strength and kindness as the man who stepped into his shoes. Life repeats in serendipitous ways. When my son passed away, also at a young age, he too left a 9 month old child, my granddaughter. I realized as I stood there why I had been driven to find the marker of a man I never knew. It was for him. It was for my dad. It was for me. It was for my son. It was for my granddaughter. I closed my eyes and sent a wish of hope that someday someone will care enough to search in the same way I did for the name of a man they never knew and share love and respect for his life and the generations that followed him. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Love doesn’t stop when you leave this life. Send gratitude to all who came before you.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to remember not only the people you knew in this life, but also the ones you didn't know. 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! In honor of Mother's Day, I am sharing this "Pennies From The Past" that I wrote last year about my Mom. My amazement, respect and love for my Mom grows with each year. Happy Mother's Day to the Fernster! OH FERN ! I can still hear my Dad say, “Oh, Fern”, as she began one of her stories. He called her Fernie Annie. Her nickname is The Fernster. Elsie Fern Tutewiler Hunt – yes, that is her name. To me she is Mom and yet, she is more than any of those names. Growing up I remember her as the family organizer, the child wrangler, the disciplinarian, and the choreographer of our life. She was a working Mom when most were home watching soap operas and creating meals from the Betty Crocker Cook Book. She worked hard and expected the same from others. Thinking about the Fernster, I began to wonder who she was before me, before the years of motherhood and responsibility wrapped around her. I looked at some pictures of her in younger days. I saw the impish smile of a child and imagined her laugh. I saw the hair of a young woman flow around her physical presence – self-assured, happy and carefree. I realized that stepping back from the Mom I've always loved I could look deeper to see a whole person. Years before her title of Mom, there was a woman filled with spirit, determination and dreams, eager to experience this world. The Fernster is almost 82 now and slowing down a bit. Her eyesight a little less focused, her hearing and memory a little muffled, yet her spirit and spunk remain intact. Now I see the whole person wrapped with memories of a life lived, people loved and experiences had. And yet, the spark of that young woman still burns with spirit, determination and enthusiasm for life ahead. The Fernster. Fernie Annie. Elsie Fern Tutewiler Hunt, yes to me she is Mom and yet, she is more than any of those names. I value her not only as Mom, but as a whole person she is. I love her so -- the person she was before me and the person she is today with me. Oh Fern, keep telling those stories. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: “Step back to see the ones you love as a whole person!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you see all the people in your life as much more than who they are now to you... look at all of their titles, their life experiences, their hopes and dreams. See them as the 'whole' person they are! 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! Write Your Story In Cursive! Did you know that being taught to write in cursive is no longer required in schools? The new thinking is that the keyboarding skill is a more productive use of time and better prepares the child for the real world. To me this is much more than whether the young generation can read the original United States Constitution or whether keyboarding speed will secure them a career. To me this is about the ability to artfully caress thoughts as they flow from the heart to the paper curling and swirling with love and meaning. To me it is about reading a recipe hand written by a great grandmother that holds generations of tradition in the writing. To me it is about how words like: love, song, dance and spirit all carry a deeper meaning when written with the design and art of rhythmic curves and loops. Writing in cursive gives us the concept of slowing to the pace of flowing through the consonants and vowels, taking breaths between words and pausing between the period and the next capital letter to think about the space between the two. --The space where we blink away tears and break for a belly laugh before we continue… and when we do, the dancing of the cursive words carry the meaning of both. Now, in a world that seems to be all about abbreviation and how quickly things can be accomplished or acquired, I encourage you to live the way you want to be remembered… live with flare, fun and fascination. Don’t print. Don’t type. Write your story in cursive! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Live the way you want to be remembered – with flare, fun and fascination! Write your story in cursive!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you see the difference between living in printed world or living with fun and flare....live your life in cursive! 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! CLEAN YOUR VIEW The window washers just left. I can see like I have never seen before! Yes, I have cleaned my windows in the past, but this is the first time in the years that I have lived in my home that I hired a window service. They cleaned all my windows and doors quickly, systematically and professionally. I watched from the inside of my house as they soaped the window in front of me. The deposits of the seasons and weather ran down the glass in a muddy rinse. As the squeegee moved back and forth the clarity opened with every stroke until the window was a bright exposed screen to life outside. I had no idea the windows were that dirty. I had been living (I thought) comfortably in my home glancing occasionally out the window with little thought to whether I was able to see clearly. Isn’t that how we live our lives? We skip along day by day not even noticing what is in our view. We are numbed by our thoughts and memories of the past and occupied by our hopes and dreams of the future. We survive in a comfortable chaos somewhere between the two without realizing that we are missing out on our present purpose. Our present purpose is to breathe this breath, walk this step, see, smell and taste this moment. It is not to be so clouded by the dirt of the past and the film of the future that we don’t see the sparkling canvas of now right in front of us. Is it time to clean your windows? Is it time to soap away the preoccupation of what has happened, stop dreaming of what might happen and live in the sparkle of what is happening? Wash clean the window of your mind. Today, right now, this moment is an amazing sight. Relish the reality of now! See like you have never seen before! Enjoy the view! Pennie’s Life Lesson: Wash away the preoccupation of what has happened; stop dreaming of what might happen and live in the sparkle of what is happening! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you live in what is happening right now. Enjoy your view! 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! Always Use The Microphone! After several days on the road presenting at speaking engagements I took a day, as I always do, to write follow up emails and review what went well and what needs to be tweaked. When I speak, I hand out forms to attendees who want to be added to my newsletter list and ask for comments about my presentation. I was feeling great, as all the remarks were positive and reinforced why I love to share my message. Then I came across one that stopped me. It wasn't negative. It was just a simple statement. “Talk louder.” Yes, simple. To the point. No elaboration. Just, “Talk louder.” This didn't cause me to pause because I was hurt by it or took it as a criticism in any way. It stopped me on a much deeper level. This event had been a group of about 50 people. There was a microphone available, but I felt I would be able to talk loud enough without it. I critique my own success by three things: ~ The reaction during my presentation- typically tears, laughter and always dancing at the end; ~ The hearts that I touch causing people to come up to talk to me afterwards – typically with tears, laughter and at times still dancing; And ~The remarks on the evaluation forms. By all counts this presentation went well, but obviously this attendee had difficulty hearing. I believe whether my message touches 1,2,3, or 500 in an audience – it touches the ones who need to hear it the most. I want everyone to have the opportunity to hear it. For me, the suggestion went deeper than that. My mission in being a writer and a speaker is: To help people. My goal is: To teach people how to love their life – No Matter What! I believe I have important messages that not only help people understand why they need to love their life, but give techniques of how to do it. If I believe this, (and I do), I need to “Talk Louder!” I am grateful to the person who shared this with me and for the lesson it taught me. I need to reach as many people with my message as possible. If I’m going to stand up, step up and speak up, I need to ALWAYS use the microphone! What message are you whispering? What message do you believe can help others? It doesn't matter if you are speaking to one or a room filled with thousands, if one person can’t hear you – the microphone isn't on, the message isn't heard – you need to be brave enough to TALK LOUDER! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When you have a message you believe in-- stand up, step up and speak up. Make sure everyone hears you. Talk Louder!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you find your voice and speak the message inside of you. TALK LOUDER! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: 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! Everyone remembers where they were when they heard about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. How could we forget? I wrote this shortly after the tragic event. It saddens me to think of how many more tragedies we have experienced since then. Martin had a message for us we should never forget...Martin won't let us forget MARTIN The poster simply says, “No More Hurting People – Peace.” On both sides of the word Peace hand-colored hearts lead us to believe that peace can be accomplished through love. The serious dark eyes and the crooked missing tooth smile of the artist holding the poster belong to 8-year-old Martin Richard. Martin Richard will forever be the name in the headlines as the boy who lost his life in the Boston Marathon Bombing. Martin was more than a headline. Martin had a message. Some of us take decades to understand our place in life and secure a purpose for why we are here. But, Martin accomplished this in 8 short years. He was here to create the poster; to share the message. If he hadn't been the boy who lost his life we wouldn't have seen it. It would have hung on his parent’s refrigerator and been packed away in a box of memories to be pulled out when he was grown and had kids of his own. But Martin’s purpose was bigger. His message was more important. His mission was more immediate. It needed to be seen now, in this time when headlines are daily records of violence and anger. It needed to be seen by the world. It needed to be felt in a deep riveting way that strikes to the core of our hearts—as only the tragic death of a child can. We may not have known Martin -- and yet we did. He is everyone’s son, nephew, brother, cousin or grandson. He is every wide-eyed child in our lives and in our world. Today our life lesson is brought to you by Martin Richard. His message was one of direction. One of love. One of hope. His message simply said, “No More Hurting People – Peace.” Can we remember this message? Can we remember the hearts he colored with care? Can we return, through love, to a place of Peace one person at a time, one kind expression of hope at a time? Let’s say Thank you to Martin Richard for teaching us that sometimes the loving message we need to hear comes from a child’s simple art project. And sometimes it takes painful eye-opening tragedy for us to see it. Pennie's Life Lesson: “No More Hurting People – Peace.”~ Martin Richard ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... I wrote this last year after the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. I share it again now with the sincerity of love and compassion for Martin, his family and everyone who was touched by the tragic bombing. 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! HAFTA! I woke up this morning already overwhelmed. Before my eyes opened I was overwhelmed. Before my feet even hit the floor I was overwhelmed. “There is so much I HAFTA do!” My mind was already talking to me before I had time to shuffle to the coffee maker. I HAFTA do laundry. I HAFTA write a blog. I HAFTA create my notes for a presentation next week. I HAFTA hunt and gather, (my term for my not-so-favorite job of grocery shopping). I HAFTA, I HAFTA, I HAFTA! The list went on and on. Feeling a bit less than enthusiastic to do any of it, suddenly the bubble over my head filled with… “I don’t HAFTA do anything!” I really don’t! I decided that word should be banished from my vocabulary. I also decided to evict the words must, should, required, and for the bonus – I threw in gotta and oughtta! The reality is what in life do we really HAFTA do? I had clean clothes to wear today so I didn’t HAFTA do laundry. I wonder if I skipped a blog one week if anyone would actually notice and send me a ‘where is it’ message. I know I could stand up and give my presentation next week without any notes. And, I wouldn’t starve if I didn’t hunt and gather today. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to feel like we are obligated to do…do…DO? I realize we all have responsibilities in life and I am not saying we drop all common sense. I am saying we might be happier and healthier if we added common sense to our HAFTA list. Once we get through the one or two things that are the necessary responsibilities and look further down the list, what if we measured them by whether they feed our soul or drain our energy. Whether they add joy or create chaos. Whether they lift our spirit or burden our soul. What if we threw away our HAFTA lists and we began labeling tasks with the expressions of : like to; love to; want to; desire; crave; and even optional? I realized that by taking away the forced implication of feeling like I “HAFTA” complete certain tasks and changing the mindset to a joyful desire of accomplishment that is totally optional, the overwhelm I felt went away. Once my second cup of coffee set in I realized I like the tumbling hum of the dryer as it calms me to a place of feeling nestled and at home I love to write—that is why I am either writing or thinking about writing all the time. Sharing my message with people is my mission and making notes helps me feel prepared to give all I can to the people who come to hear me speak. And after eating half of a very over ripe banana with my coffee, the vision of crackly fresh apples, baking banana bread and craving the smell of a simmering pot of vegetable soup made even the hunting and gathering outing seem desirable. When I released the HAFTA pressure from my mind and turned most of my day into optional thinking I still accomplished just as much…and enjoyed the process! Now with the smells of bread and soup swirling through my heart and home and my writing almost complete, I feel joyful, my soul has been fed and my spirit lifted to a higher space than when I woke this morning. I don’t HAFTA feel overwhelmed. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Change your mindset from a must do list to a want to list - then feel the stress and pressure in your life lighten.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to help you differentiate between what is a must and what isn't and to change the mind set of what you 'hafta' do into something you love to do. Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: 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! DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM? YOU MAY NEED A GOOD SHAKING! The noise was loud and obnoxious, sounding like a bicycle chain inside my washing machine. After days of hearing this frustrating clanking I decided it was time to have it fixed. Looking online for help I came across, Charlie’s Appliance Repair. I stopped there – not because the ad was so eye catching, but because my Dad’s name was Charlie and he could fix anything….so they had me at, “Charlie.” He walked in my home that afternoon with the confidence of someone who had been around a washing machine or two. My weak attempt to explain the noise fell short of what it actually sounded like. Charlie fussed around the machine a bit and lifted the top off while chatting about local politics. Then suddenly he grabbed the stainless steel tub and vigorously shook it. I was sure he was going to break the machine further or worse -- hurt himself trying. When the shaking stopped, he said, “Well, it may not ever make that noise again. Seventy-two-o-three.” Tightening down the screws to put the machine back together he repeated, “Yep, it may not do it again. Seventy-two-o-three.” I wasn't sure what he meant and then listened closer to hear, “Or if it does, call me. Seventy-two-o-three.” I got it on the third comment…. He was saying, “$72.03.” That is what I owed him. Confused at what this master of washing machine technology had done, I didn't feel it was a good time to argue, so I quickly grabbed my check book. For three days I enjoyed the swirling of my laundry with the soothing swish of water. No clunking, no clanking, just admiration for the mysterious magic of Charlie’s repair technique. From time to time my husband would tease me about how I should watch out because if I started to act up he was going to call Charlie and have him come over and give me a good shaking! How often in life do we get caught up in a situation or problem and can’t see any way out? We complain and allow anger and frustration to fill us until it magnifies to a noise level that is more than we can handle. Sometimes we need a good shaking to wake us up to the fact that the problem isn't that big, isn't that horrible and isn't that life changing. The answer could be simple and right in front of us. After a few weeks my washing machine began making the noise again. This time, although just as loud, it wasn't as irritating as before. It was just a noise. Charlie came back. Another few weeks past and the noise returned. Again just as loud, but now it seemed easy…no problem…no frustration… I just called Charlie. Every time he walked in with a smile and a new idea about how to tackle the challenge of my washing machine noise. It took three visits to find the three pennies and a dime that were causing the noise. Thirteen little cents had caused all the racket and frustration. It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't horrible. But, it was life changing. You see, Charlie taught me a few things. He taught me how sometimes you just need to shake things up to receive an answer. He taught me that no problem is really that big and everything can be fixed. And after visiting me three times and spending hours trying to demystify the crazy sound he never charged me again after the original seventy-two-o-three. Charlie understands life, how things work and the honesty of completing what you say you will do. Teachers show up in our lives in many ways. For me, this teacher showed up at my door wearing a shirt that said, Charlie. Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Watch for lessons in every moment. They show up in magical ways in the most unexpected places delivered by every day teachers.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent in sharing this with you is to open your eyes to the lessons before us every day. Who has taught you a lesson in an unexpected way? 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! IS IT TIME TO DEFRAG AND CLEAN OUT YOUR MENTAL CACHE? I was bemoaning the slowness of my computer,the unresponsiveness and the irritation of not being able to move through my work. To put a stop to my whining my husband said, "You need to clean out your cache and defrag." I love technology and yet I am admittedly not techy. I don't care how or why it works -- I just want it to work. Seeing my irritated and puzzled face, he tried to clarify this in a way my I-don't-care-how-or-why mind would understand. He explained that the computer remembers every time I open a window whether it is a document or a website search. These memories begin to build up and create a bog in the computer that slows its speed and efficiency. He said the computer organizes information in files and folders. Sometimes it doesn't do this correctly so they become fragmented with wasted space disconnecting the information-- again slowing down the computer. By defragging, the missed connections are joined back together in the proper way. By clearing the cache the buildup of junk memories on the computer is cleared to a clean slate. New memories can be made and it moves much smoother, faster and more effectively. The visual of this stayed with me. Don't we all have a cache in our minds where we secretly store junk images and memories? While we unsuccessfully try to make sense of these, they become jumbled and out of order causing resentment and anger to build bogging US down and slowing the progress and advancement of our learning. Our personal cache cleaning and defragmentation goes by a different term:forgiveness. When we forgive we erase the secretly stored memories of perceived hurts and wrongdoings by others to us and our own perceived misconduct. We clear it to a clean slate. The good images that were fragmented between these stored junk memories are then able to join together in a smooth easy to process way. So much of what happens in life we cannot control. But, what we hold inside we want to control. We carry life stories replaying them in the hopes of changing the way the stories end. This magnifies the bad memories reinforcing anger and hurt while avoiding the fact that the ending will not change. By cleaning our mental cache through forgiveness we release the power these memories hold over us. Our minds and hearts are cleared of the negative emotions attached to the event or person we hold anger for. We release the need for control and the notion of changing the story's ending. Our hearts and minds are lighter, happier and healthier. And, like my computer, we will have a clean slate to fill with new memories. Is it time to defrag and clean your mental cache? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "Forgiveness clears your mind and heart, freeing you to fill the open space with new loving memories." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... My intent when sharing this with you is to give you a new way to think about forgiveness! Tell us how this concept worked 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 © 2013-2014 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! BREATH OF GREEN So often I hear people saying they are rushed, tired and overwhelmed. They are running from one meeting to the next, stressed about paying bills and worried about keeping others happy. What they are ultimately doing is living in fear. Fear of being late. Fear of not having enough money. Fear of disappointing others. And the BIG one -fear of not being good enough. Do you see yourself in that scenario? If so, here is something that always works for me. Your mind cannot live in fear and love simultaneously. Therefore, the answer is to increase love. You must begin by increasing the love inside of You! Begin by understanding a new concept. Green is the color of love. Yes, Green! I know what you are thinking - wait a minute, what about red; the color of valentines, hearts and roses? Chakras, or energy centers, are located at strategic points in the body and are aligned with a color value. The heart Chakra is Green and corresponds with unconditional love, compassion and healing. Imagine a beautiful glowing emerald Green circle that radiates around your heart. To increase love in yourself, for yourself and for others, you must fill this energy center with love. This will in turn multiply and fill you with love. Love will then spill outwardly - to others and to every aspect of your life. This is where my "Breath of Green" comes in. How often do you see green? Green is everywhere! When you see Green, take in a slow deep breath. As you do, visualize breathing in Green; breathing in love. At first you may even say out loud or to yourself, "breathe in love." As you exhale imagine pushing out fear. Visualize fear as black, dirty, and ugly. At first you may even say out loud or to yourself, "breathe out fear." This only takes a few seconds. Breathe in fresh clean love. Exhale painful fear. With every breath you will feel calmer. No one will even know you are doing it, but they will notice a change in you. YOU will FEEL a change in you. Soon you will begin to see Green everywhere. Your eyes will begin searching for it. A woman will walk into a meeting wearing a Green sweater. A dog with a Green leash will walk by you on the sidewalk. The menu at the lunch deli will have the special outlined in Green. The junk mail you are throwing away will be in a Green envelope. You will see a Green light as you are driving -Go Now- breathe in love! Make an effort to try this for one week. Once you experience the cleansing of fear and feel the new calmness of love take over, you will want to continue this practice. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie's Life Lesson: "Love and fear are not compatible. Fill yourself with love, in order to diminish fear." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... I shared this with you to give you a tool to relax and calm your busy life-- in a quick and easy way! How many times did you see and think Green just by reading this. Tell us how this concept worked 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 © 2013-2014 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! 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.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... When have you been in "protect me" position and how did you work through it? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. 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! 1300 LESSONS I TOOK 55 YEARS TO LEARN 1. Make friends on the playground or stand alone - Learn to Love Change! I grew up in a military family, which meant I would just make friends in school and it was time to move- again. At the time I believed this was child abuse, but it taught me how to build relationships, grow friendships and hone the ability to accept and love change. 2. Don’t wish your life away! I remember how I couldn't wait to be thirteen. My Mom said, “Don’t wish your life away.” That didn't pacify me at the time, but now 43 very quick years later I understand the wisdom in that statement. 3. I love Brussels sprouts! I really do! I hated Brussels sprouts for 54 years. The truth is I had never tried one. Not long ago I did. I have been trying to make up for lost time ever since. The moral here is – you can’t hate what you haven’t tried and you can’t judge what you haven’t lived. Let that statement simmer a minute. 4. Don’t tell anyone you are on a diet! If you need to make a life change like losing weight or changing jobs you may need a support group or career coach, but don’t tell anyone else. People will scrutinize every pound you lose (and gain), every job you apply for and every rejection letter you receive. If they don’t know, when you have set backs and disappointments they won’t magnify your defeat. Wait until you have good news to share and let them celebrate the victory with you. 5. Know when to say NO and when to say YES! For years I said, “Yes” to everyone and every request for my energy and time. After suffering a few creative stress induced illnesses I learned that I couldn't do it all and I wasn't Wonder Woman. I learned how to say, “No” when I needed to. I also learned to say, “Yes” to myself. 6. Not everyone likes me! What is not to like about me? I was the people pleasing cocker spaniel that when I got kicked wanted to jump up and lick the face of the kicker to prove that I was sweet, kind and deserving of love. The reality is – not everyone likes cocker spaniels! There are enough people who do and those are the ones I spend my time liking and loving. Don’t waste your time trying to prove yourself to anyone who just doesn't like you. 7. Do what you LOVE! Don’t waste a precious moment of time doing work you hate. Do what brings you joy and contentment. If you can’t do it full time do it as a hobby, but do what you love! 8. Know when to risk and know when to let go! I owned Apple stock when it was $22 a share and sold it at $24. Big mistake! This is a perfect example of doing this wrong. Knowing when to hold something and when to let it go is an intuitive skill that I believe grows with listening to your inner voice when it tells you to run down the street after them yelling, “I love you!” or to turn and walk away as the sun sets and the credits roll. 9. Take care of yourself! Being healthy matters, so control what you can. Just like you take care of your car by cleaning it, getting checkups and supplying it with quality fuel, take care of the body that carries your soul in the same way. Once you hit the mile markers of 40, 50, 55 and beyond you will be happy you did! 10. Be quiet and listen. Meditation saved my life. Sit alone and in silence. Listen to your heart. Listen to the silence. You will be amazed at what you hear! 11. We are all one phone call away from our knees. It happens to everyone. When the phone rings and the message of loss is delivered, you will be on your knees. With the aid of love and grace we will stand back up stronger than before. Once this hard lesson has been learned your heart will expand with the love required to support others when they fall. 12. Every moment we choose the path of Fear or Faith. We are constantly given the choice of walking the path of fear of failure or the path of faith in the future. The road of faith is a much happier road to travel. Choose faith! 13. Gratefulness leads to love and yes, Love is the answer to every question! Being here in this body, on this Earth and at this time is a privilege. Be humbled by the magnitude of it. Do not take anything for granted. Be grateful for every moment, every breath, every experience and every lesson learned; Being grateful leads to living in a space of love. The most important lesson and the basis for all the lessons I have learned is LOVE! Life begins and ends with love. Love yourself. Love others. Love animals. Love nature. With every breath be grateful for being here to love. That’s it, bottom line… Love your heart out! I do realize that was 13 lessons and not 1300, but most of them took me 100 or more experiences to learn, so I am giving myself extra credit. Learn YOUR lessons well. Happy Living! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... What lessons have you learned? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. 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! SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME He runs in the room, stops right in front of me and says, "Oh, Hi!" This is a lovely greeting that I have heard three times in the last 30 minutes. You see every time his almost two year old legs carry him out of the room and then back again he looks at me as if I have just arrived. With every, “Oh… Hi,” his enthusiasm and excitement jumping-jacks out of his body and his expression is one of pure delight! Everyone laughs at the charm of this, but the lesson is not lost on me. Imagine if we saw everything in every moment of our lives as if we were seeing it for the first time....even if we just saw it five minutes ago? Can you imagine being in the present moment at that level? Everything in our world would seem bigger and brighter. Looking at the sky would be like seeing blue for the first time. The sound of music would be as if we had never experienced harmony before. We would notice every petal on the flower, every flavor in our food, every breeze that brushes our cheek. Hearing the voice, laughter and seeing the face of those close to us would be like the moment we fell in love with them – over and over again. We would only see what is in front of us at that very second without giving any thought to what captured us the second before or what may be waiting for us around the next minute. Now, just right now is what fills the screen of our mind in vivid color and exquisite freshness. What pleasure! What joy! What an awesome way to experience life! Why not begin now? Stop right in front of the next person you see and say, “Oh…Hi!” and feel the thrill of seeing them for the first time! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Greet every moment, person, place and thing as if you are seeing them for the first time. Savor the experience with new eyes.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ YOUR TURN... How could you work this into your life? What would you love to see again - for the first time? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. 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! Announcing New Meditation Offerings Recently I wrote a blog called, Meditation Saved My Life. Many responded by asking me for advice on how to mediate and for help in beginning the process. After years of learning about the many 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. I have created a new page on my website for meditations. You will find my first one, The Turn of Breath Meditation, above as well as on my meditation page. This is a 5 minute cleansing meditation to help you release worries, fears and concerns. This will work well as a morning meditation or a quick realignment at any time during your day. I will be adding more meditations from time to time with the intent of helping you to relax, process stress and enjoy your life in a calm loving way. Happy meditating! Pennie ***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 © 2013-2014 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! 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.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ***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 © 2013-2014 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! 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." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ***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 © 2013-2014 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 Beat Of My Heart I watched the clock as I walked on the treadmill. I had intentionally scheduled the stress test appointment for 6 am, planning to drive the hour to my office and attend a 10 am meeting. Suddenly I found myself laying on a hospital gurney with wires connected to a multitude of spots on my body and surrounded by a cardiology team. One doctor repeatedly asked me how I felt. I didn't feel bad until one of them said, “What your heart just did could be deadly and we want to take you upstairs.” Confused by that comment and glancing at the clock once again I knew I needed to be finished soon or I would miss my meeting. “What is upstairs?” I asked. The explanation came quickly, “The rhythm your heart just did can be caused by one of two things- you have blockages or your electrical firing system is not working correctly.” Another voice jumped in with, “The only way we can rule out blockages is by doing a heart catheterization and we need to do it now.” I explained that I was an hour from home, I had come to the hospital alone and oh, by the way I had a 10 am meeting to get to. Once again the two doctors played tag team with their responses, telling me I needed to get my husband there and that there was little chance of them letting me leave the room with this type of deadly rhythm. It was the third time I heard that word deadly that I asked them to please stop saying it and that I indeed wanted to call my husband. The group left me alone to make the call. One cardiologist stood guard in the doorway watching me with a look of intense concern. The minute I put the phone down the group returned. The speed at which I found myself swept upstairs into a private room with two nurses monitoring me swirled my confusion even more. I laid there watching a different clock tick the minutes away until my husband would arrive. Feverishly clicking away on my phone I sent emails to my staff as I typed meeting cancelations and directions for the day. I sent texts to my children telling them the situation – at least what I knew. Then I noticed that both nurses were constantly monitoring me and the machinery I was connected to. They never took their eyes off of me or left the room. I knew this wasn’t good. Finally I asked one of them “What happened to me?” She placed one hand on my arm while keeping her eyes on the machine. “You experienced VTach – Ventricular Tachycardia. For most people who do that we have to bring them back with the paddles – if we get them back. You are very lucky.” My phone slid out of my hand. I vaguely remember the big screen which showed the dye running through my body and the doctor saying, “There it goes… that is beautiful… not one blockage.” The rest of the day, the follow up appointments and the new heart monitor, that I learned to wear like an accessory to my daily wardrobe, is a blurred memory. My new “Electric Guy,” as I call him, is the Cardiologist that keeps me, my heart’s electrical system and my crazy rhythm controlled to avoid the mysterious fainting, bouts of weakness and blood pressure drops like I had experienced over the years. While researching VTach, I learned a few things about exercise, staying hydrated and avoiding stairs. Then I came across the meaning of heart. Scrolling through the many medical definitions of this magical organ that pumps blood, I stopped on this: Heart - noun \ˈhärt\: the central or innermost part of something; thought of as the place where emotions are felt This is it! The heart is more than the organ that pushes blood through our bodies. I believe it is the innermost part of us. It is the place where emotions are created, felt and shared. I believe that heart health goes much deeper than changing your diet, lowering salt intake and counting 10,000 steps per day. I believe the heart has the power to push not only physical blood, but the lifeblood of love, kindness and joy through our bodies. The care and health of our heart begins with feeling these emotions in order for the heart to pump them through our bodies and out into our lives. We must learn to respect these emotions, nurture them and grow them into feelings that help our heart function to its highest capacity. Instead of worrying, I prefer to believe my heart has an eccentric rhythm… maybe not the same as everyone else’s, but it is unique and it is mine. In addition to the list of heart healthy ideas we have all heard about, I support its emotional health by feeding it love, joy and kindness every chance I get! I try not to watch the clock anymore and the most important meeting I have is one where I am kind to someone, love someone and through joy feed my innermost self- my heart, the place where emotions are felt. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “The foundation for good heart health begins with expanding kindness, joy and love in the inner most self – our own heart.” ***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 © 2013-2014 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! I WANT YOU TO GO FISHING! Before he said hello, I blurted out, "Do you have any coffee over there?” This was our code for – I need to talk, can I come over? I drove the 6 blocks to his office. He was sitting at his desk happily surrounded by pictures of his fishing adventures. These coffee conversations began with the same ritual. First he would show me the photo of his most recent “biggest catch.” The fish always looked huge in the photo. Once he told me how he had mastered the perfect angle and focus of his camera to make it look larger than life. I oooed and awwwed and called him the mighty fisherman. Next came the pouring of the coffee. It was thick, strong and served in a cup from his mismatched office collection. No cream. No sugar. No asking if it was too strong. It was the expectation that it was to be enjoyed- as is. Finally with the ritual complete, he would sit back with his cup, his hair framing his face and with a familiar silence stare at me. His eyes locking on mine without words said, --what do you need to talk about it? This was a scene we played out many times. The problem of the day was hashed out with laughter, at times tears, but consistently with his calm and clarifying wisdom. I walked away feeling stronger, smarter, and grateful for having him in my life. His name was Dan. One day during a work meeting, Dan was exceptionally quiet. Not his quipping, sharp witted, entertaining self. While chatting during the morning break, Dan mentioned that he had a head ache that wouldn’t go away. Soon the black moleskin calendar that he carried in his chest pocket, once filled with meetings, appointments and deadlines, began to mean very little. Painfully I watched my mentor, colleague, coffee mate, father, brother, teacher, friend slow down with the ending of life. I would call his wife to arrange a visit and drive to his home to talk. Our talks were shorter now with fewer words. No fish photos, no ooing, no aweing…. no ritual. One sunny day we walked slowly to his front yard patio. Silently we sat with the sun on our faces, listening to the birds and looking at the sky. His wife brought us coffee. Like Dan, the coffee was thinner, weaker and held in a smaller container than I was used to. Breaking the silence he said, “Are you happy?" Before I could respond his weakened voice followed with, “You need to go fishing!” I started chattering on about how, yes, I was happy and all was going well with me. I told him I wish I could slow down and enjoy the sun more like I was doing with him right now. He said, "Oh, I don't know if you need to slow down like me, but I want you to relax. I want you to have fun.” And adamantly ended with, “I want you to go fishing!" Again I began talking about how I had fished as a little girl and had taken my kids fishing when they were young, but really didn’t think it was something I would do now. His piercing eyes stopped my chatter. I have learned life lessons in many ways; through experience, through suffering, through joy, but this time it was sitting on a patio with the sun on my face through the locking of eyes. Silently his determined eyes told me – Wake up! This isn’t about baiting a hook or holding a pole…this is about finding what you love…coming alive with joy…. Being happy… this is about Living! The stare down continued until the communication of the moment was solidified. He knew. I knew. I got it! I understood. He loved fishing. Fishing was his worship, the river was the sanctuary for his soul. Fishing was where he found joy, peace, and contentment. That is what he wanted for me. I never forgot the lesson. And the amazing part is…. I found it! When I write, when I speak and look in the eyes of someone touched by my words and when I help people I am fishing. I feel it! I feel the contentment. I feel the peace. I feel the joy. I have found what I love to do…and I am doing it! Yes, Dan, I am fishing! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Find the river in life that brings you joy, peace and contentment. Swim in it, splash in it and fish in it!” ***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 © 2013-2014 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! DRUMSTICK MARKS ON THE WALL It was the time of release. I walked through the house for the last time. The carpets had just been cleaned and the smell of ten years of memories washed away. Yet, the walls talked to me reminding me of family holidays, arrival of grand babies, and all that fills the seasons in life…the good, the bad, the wondrous and the sad. Each room spoke of specific years, specific occasions, and specific memories. I walked down the stairs to the room I dreaded saying goodbye to. It was his space… the entire downstairs in one open room. His domain. The place that at one time was filled with his friends, guitars, speakers, his drums and the smell of him. They were never a formal band, as the faces changed daily, but I called them , “J.T. And The Basement Boys.” This was the gathering place. The place where secrets were told, laughter was heard and the business of music was the theme. Beginning with a tiny drum set from J.C. Penney, J.T. moved to bigger and better until he acquired an expensive Remo set from his uncle. The shiny collection of silver and gold stood in the corner under the silk Bad Religion banner. Sitting on his drummer’s throne he would raise the sticks high, striking the drums with the message that came from within him bringing his soul through the music. By clashing the cymbals he caused a vibration that went right through the walls of the house and out into the ether. At times, he drummed with such speed and concentration he would leave drumstick marks as he hit the wall behind him. I brushed my hands over these marks now. The room had been quiet for many years since he passed. Standing here with eyes closed I once again saw J.T. And The Basement Boys laughing, singing and living in the music. I felt the throbbing of the drums circle me. My hands cupped the wall as if trying to clutch on to the stick marks, the feeling, the sounds and the memory. I wanted to hold on to the marks, cut them out of the wall and keep them forever held safely with me. But, a time comes when everyone must open their fisted hand and release. Release memories, release people, release anger and hurt … release whatever is holding your heart captured in space and time. It was time to release. It was time for me to release the house. It was time to open the space for new people and their memory making. It was time for me to release myself from this space and allow me to move forward. It was time to release the drumstick marks on the wall. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “There comes a time when you must open your fisted hand and release what is holding your heart captured.” ***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 © 2013-2014 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! |
AuthorThere is a certain magic about where I live both physically and spiritually – on the crossroads of Spirit and Brave. Archives
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