Share what you have.

At some point in our politically polarized society the word ‘sharing’ somehow became synonymous with ‘communism’. This caused great things to happen for manufacturers and people who had inherited a lot but did not want to pay taxes.

As a result we have developed into a society that shames ‘hand-me-downs’ of any kind and ostracizes and stigmatizes poverty.

What got lost in that association was that the idea of sharing takes very little from those who have a lot but gives so much to those who have little. Those who have little share with those who have even less. Eventually a lot of that gets back to the wealthy as those at the bottom purchase things produced by those at the top.

When people share with others on any level, everyone wins.

Read Full Post »

Enjoy Monday

If you go into your work week feeling like a slave, you will continue to feel like a slave.
If you go into your work week grateful that you have a job, you will realize your value and may even start to enjoy what you do. When this happens, your whole life changes. You find new ways to do it faster, smarter and more efficiently, and work days actually become easier. At that point, you may really enjoy your work! Everything starts with your attitude. The better your attitude, the better your life!

Read Full Post »

Welcome each season of life.

Spring seems to be the beginning of life in the world. New babies are born, dormant plants wake up and seeds sprout.
Summer is fun time. Vacations allow us to explore new settings, and the longer days allow us to take in more life.
Autumn is a time to slow down and pack away for the future, a time to reflect and show gratitude for the harvests we enjoy.
Winter is a time of intimacy as we curl up with our loved ones to stay warm and tell the stories of our past.

Each season of the year brings it’s own gifts.

The same is true of the seasons of our life. Advertisers have made us acutely aware of youth as the ideal as they fight to prolong the summer season. It’s because it’s the market that doesn’t have the restraint NOT to consume rabidly for social status. They glamorize the summer of life for the sake of profit and want us to forget that we all have three more.

Think about the joys of early youth. It’s the season of new: discovering bicycles, crafts and video games, making new friends and learning seed skills like finger painting and baseball that will lead us to find our true talents later.

The youth years were meant to be a season for finding first love, discovering your passions, and late nights cementing lifelong bonds with people from other homes. (Seriously it’s not about having the trendiest phone.)

Our Autumn years are spent reaping what we have sown from friendships and the actions we have taken in our youth. We reflect and give thanks for the life experiences that make us who we are.

In the winter of life we again draw close to our families and relate stories to the next generation as our days get shorter.

Each season of the year and each season of your life has a purpose and a value. To revel in only one season is to miss 3/4 of what life has to offer!

Read Full Post »

Money ≠ Happiness

We all think that if we just had a lot of money, everything would be fine, yet every day we read stories about the scandals and misfortunes of the wealthy.
People with money fight hard to get it and even harder to keep it. What kind of life is that? It’s slavery to a concept. Wealth is only a concept.

There is no way a billionaire is going to enjoy every penny he has, he would never be able to spend it on his own needs and wants no matter what he bought if he shopped day and night for the rest of his life. It’s just numbers on an account. He had more than enough to live on, but what kind of life does it buy him? Armored cars, meetings and negotiations, every person he meets wants something, no one sees who he really is. Many times even the millionaire isn’t sure.

The word we all should concentrate on is “Enough.”

When we have enough food, we don’t suffer from hunger.
When we have enough heat, we are not cold.
When we have enough true friends we are never neglected.
When we have enough confidence, we feel we can survive.

Money is necessary for food, clothing, and shelter. The rest is excess.

Most of us could live without half of what we own quite comfortably. Why do we need more money? To impress people?
Quickly think of your grandparents, your favorite friend, or someone else who impresses you and then ask yourself, is it what they have that makes you like them, or is it who they are?

Work to impress people (and yourself) with who you are and not what you have, and you will have enough and be happy, no need to be wealthy and miserable.

Money is just a concept. Love is eternal.

Read Full Post »

Be satisfied with less.

Please help me to realize that to many possessions are a burden. I realize that if my things cause me stress I don’t need them. I will value possessions less and people more.

Read Full Post »