Personal Best Archives - Page 3 of 7

Addendum to the Resolution “Just Add Water”

Addendum to my New Year’s Resolution #1,

“Just Add Water”

(see blog below)

Today,

Add Scotch.

Human Being: Just Add Water

New Year’s Resolutions, 2013:

No. 1 Just Add Water

A woman’s body is 50% water; a man’s body 60%.

Your brain can be up to 75% water—a literal sponge!

Water is vital to all of our bodily functions. It plumps up our cells, lubes our joints, regulates our body temp, carries oxygen and nutrients to every cell of our body, assists with vital chemical processes, and flushes out waste and toxins.

Water helps us lose weight, restore balance, and feel satisfied.

Water nourishes from the inside out and replenishes from the outside in. There’s nothing like a swim to energize body and spirit, or a soak in a warm bath to soothe and relax a bruised psyche. Its cleansing affect can be felt by both skin and brain.

My son, Kyle, a Cross Fit advocate, uses this equation to determine his daily intake of water:

½ your body weight in ounces + 10 ounces for every ½ hour of exercise = daily water intake

Me? Just a glass or two more will make all the difference. It’s time to add water—and grow!

2012 Major Funkin’ Ragin’ B’Niz Plan

Here’s my 2012 Business Plan written earlier this year. I got a chuckle from reading it and have no recall of writing it.

If you need help with a Mission Statement or Action Plan, model this. It’ll get you thinking. Feel free to customize, homogenize, harmonize your thoughts with mine. Declare a fresh start for 2013.

But remember, there’s PLENTY of 2012 left. Enjoy every last sunrise, snowflake, and note.

A Major Funkin’ Ragin’ B’niz Plan

By Lindee Brauer And Company

I am the courageous, outrageous, sagacious, and loquacious Lindee Brauer.

I think like a writer and write like a thinker.

I observe, I shape, I question, I dig deeper, I search, I listen for, I recognize, and I celebrate both the diversity and commonality of people.

I share what I’ve learned in a quirky, casual style honoring and giving tribute to the people and obstacles that have made me strong and wise.

I know love, good and wonderful surprises exist in all things and for all people and I tap into the unlimited supply the Universe has to offer me.

I am relaxed, peaceful, and trusting. All things happen for me and to me in Divine Time.

I give praise and thanks daily for my Angel Entourage and embrace their help always and all ways.

When I get stuck or scared I reach out to help others and calm and release myself from all fears in the process.

I write daily with purpose and direction.

My current venues include:

Douche Bag Wisdom

Lindee Brauer blog

Zelda Zingari novel

Doggie Bag Wisdom: What’s Left Over

Training Facebook Marketing is a divine calling and gift. National Seminars is my best client and I do my best to represent them how they would like to be represented. I follow their rules and guidelines and get involved in their discussions.

I do my best to stay current on the latest teachings of Facebook. I embrace their changes and gladly relay them to the seminar participants. I work daily to deliver an educational, entertaining training that meets the needs of all. I make myself available for additional help when they need it.

Facebook training is an ideal part-time job which finances my writing efforts and career. Within the next 3 years, the majority of my income will come from writing projects. I continue to travel and train because I enjoy it and the people.

I have love in my life. And until that lover shows up, I am the love in my life. So there.

It’ll All Be Okay in the End

Apply this to every unresolved situation or relationship in your life:

It’ll ALL be Okay in the End.

If it’s NOT Okay, it’s NOT the End.

Time to rest easy and let the Universe work its magic.

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If You Stumble … Dance!

If you stumble make it part of the dance.

If you stumble? When you stumble, because we all do, just make it part of the dance; just keep your feet moving. Chances are no one saw any way, or if they did, they didn’t realize you missed a step. Very few of us walk around in synchronized groups being judged—unless you’re part of a cheer squad or Olympic swim team.

People are usually so busy watching their own steps they barely notice others’. Unless it’s a big stumble, or a true fall, then hopefully someone will notice and extend a helping hand up.

But if not, and you fall on your face, just pretend you were doing the worm.

Something Wonderful Will Happen to Me

“I believe something wonderful is going to happen to me today.”

I’ve heard Sandra Smith, motivational comedienne and president of Aspire Seminars, start her seminar day many times with this mantra. On many occasions I joined her in singing it at the top of our lungs:

“I believe something wonderful is going to happen to me today.”

Doesn’t it just make you feel positive, expectant, and hopeful?!

“I believe something wonderful is going to happen to me today.”

Yes, I can just feel it.

And even more, I believe PEOPLE are often the bearers of these wonderful things that are going to happen to me today. A smile from a stranger, an “atta girl” from a colleague, a free piece of cheesecake just because someone felt generous. When something wonderful happens to me, it usually happens through people. Some days, even angels come disguised as people; aka the gentleman who fixed my flat tire. People fill my life with joy.

I’m amending my mantra:

“I believe some ONE wonderful is going to happen to me today.”

Hmmm, I think this will work. Say it with me:

“I believe some ONE wonderful is going to happen to me today. “

“I believe some ONE wonderful is going to happen to me today.”

I believe it.

Do you?

Divine Madness: Your Creative Spark

“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.”

These words, uttered by the Master of Madness, Robin Williams, who’s channeled his spark into a brilliant acting career and charitable life. Remember when he burst on the scene in ‘Mork and Mindy’? Doctors today would label him ADHD, drug him, and ultimately mug him of his Divine Inspiration—the brilliance of the madness of the voices in his head.

I’ve been going a bit “mad” these days. Say it with an English accent and the phrase is fodder for a sit-com. (Ooooo, a sit-com…) See, there goes that voice again! I’m getting ideas most people, including me, would call crazy! My astrologer, Phyllis Firak-Mitz, might attribute it to the SuperMoon and Mercury coming out of retrograde.

I can only attribute it to one thing: there is a character inside me just needing to bust loose. I hope it’s less like a scene from Aliens and more like when Counselor Deanna Troi gave birth to a splendid baby boy with no pain. I’m referring to an episode of Star Trek, The Next Gen, of course…and of my mad idea to write a romance novel that turns into a movie, and a sit-com!

Your Divine Spark is itching to bust through, too!! Don’t deny it. There’s something you’ve thought about, something you’ve wanted to do, some place you’ve wanted to explore—even if you’re spelunking into your computer to unlock the secrets of the internet. Something is calling out to you now. What is it?

If you succumb to your own “spark of madness,” that voice in your head, who would you be? What would you do? Na-noo, Na-noo. (Sorry, couldn’t help myself, Mork and Mindy fans.)

Anger Goes Down with the Sun

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Gretchen Rubin, author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller, The Happiness Project , wonders “should you ever let the sun go down on an argument” and decides Yes!

Arguments are anger expressed–think the earthquake scale, 1-10. I’ve never been much for arguing and I haven’t allowed myself to explore the hollowing and healing powers of anger. It’s been a “negative” emotion to work through quickly on the road to feeling positive and “happy.” And I’m afraid I’ve been judging others using anger as a way to resolve their internal dialogs. I now understand. Anger etches it’s own pattern in the sands of our brains; and thoughts and beliefs we know to be true simply wash from beneath us like sand moving out with the tide. The shift in energy–and footing–makes for a powerful conviction of step. Anger makes you stop, take notice and declare an allegiance to yourself.

Anger is good. Anger makes you strong, sharp and clear. Anger chisels away what doesn’t serve you; sculpts, molds and defines what thoughts now do. Anger is a motivator, a driver, an insistent, sometimes prickly nudge in a new direction. It turns upside down energy on end and demands you step in the opposite direction. Anger is GOOD on so many levels.

And then, once you’ve polished and honed your beliefs and you’re rock solid again in who you are, anger is a needy emotion that can hang on too long. It’ll cling to you like cellophane so gently squeeze out or shimmy out, unroll out, or slice that wrapper open knees to nose; but wiggle free and step aside. No need to express anger, you’ve left it, allowed it to be, walked away from it.

Let the sun go down on it. Thank you Gretchen Rubin for the spin. Oh, and Sir Elton John as well.

2. Do let the sun go down on anger.

I had always scrupulously aired every irritation as soon as possible, to make sure I vented all bad feelings before bedtime. Studies show, however, that the notion of anger catharsis is poppycock. Expressing anger related to minor, fleeting annoyances just amplifies bad feelings, while not expressing anger often allows it to dissipate.

Red Alert! Emotions on Guard

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I’d been crying since I woke-up. I didn’t remember any sad dreams in particular, and yes, I was still dealing with the emotional fall-out of a four and a half year relationship that’d just ended, but to wake-up in such distress didn’t bode well for the day. Not to mention, it was 4:14 am. There was a lot of day left!

Of course I was still sad about the break-up, but the feeling was beyond that. We had broken-up together weeks ago, both acknowledging time on our own, in our own skins, would be good. The transition was tough, and we missed each other terribly so we got together to talk…and somehow ended up further apart. And that’s where we are today, further apart, hence the tears.

But this is bigger than sad; this is true emotional distress. My heart is demanding to be heard, “Red alert! There is something more you need to know, acknowledge, and understand. Red alert! Pay attention; tune in. Red alert! Honor this feeling, figure out the erroneous thought, and the sadness will go away. Red alert! There’s more to this feeling than you’re acknowledging.”

Karla McLaren’s book, Emotional Genius, talks about the healing properties of all emotions—even the “bad” ones. (Ain’t no such thing as a bad emotion, is McLaren’s take.) Anger, sadness, depression, jealousy, hate, rage…all have a story to tell. ALL are expressions of thought. Change the thought and you can change the emotion. Make peace with it and you make peace with yourself.

The two empowering thoughts that sadness brings attention to are: what must be let go of? And, what must change? Obviously WE are the thing that needs to be let go of. That was evident when we met—and that’s good. There’s no going back.

But we didn’t part well. I was hurt, angry, feeling shutdown and misled. I’ve since gotten over those feelings, but something else has me twisted up tight. I want things to be okay between us. And they’re not. Not for me anyway. Something needs to change; someone needs to change, and that someone’s me.

On some level I’m still holding on. Not to us, or even him, but more the thought that we can part amicably. I’m friends with all my Exes (mostly); he and I are suppose to be good friends. Before we got “involved” we promised. After all we’ve shared…

And maybe THAT’s the thought that needs to change. If I simply accept that not all relationships end with friendships, that he doesn’t want to be my friend, or can’t be my friend, this sense of distress will go away.

Or maybe this is my heart redefining friendship, “Red alert, you can still be his friend, even if it’s only in your own head. And, of course, your own heart.” 😉

Travel Time Equals Unravel Time

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Ever notice how some people get all worked up over a little travel? Mention “airport” to a friend of mine and she immediately breaks into a sweat. She hates navigating the check-in and security lines. Abhors having to wade through all the people. She’s so intent on getting from Point A to Point B that she misses the sites entirely—including the beautiful artwork and cultural displays that many airports have provided for the entertainment and engagement of passers-by.

I’m the opposite. I love a road-trip. If that trip includes planes, trains, and automobiles, so much the better. The trick to traveling light and carelessly (without a care) is to: 1) take your heart with you, and 2) leave your cares at home.

Take Your Heart

The people you hold dear need to come with you—metaphorically of course (unless you’re lucky enough to have them as your traveling companions). Your partner, your kids, your best friends, your parents… Figure out a way to connect with them while you’re gone. Texting is a great substitute for a live phone conversation—and often it’s easier than trying to hear in a crowd. Even beyond that, talk with them in your head. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Set the point in time when you’ll know you’ll see them again and then vow to enjoy every minute of your adventure until time leads you there. If you keep them fully in your heart and take them with you, you won’t have a driving need to get home. “Home” is with you.

Leave your Cares at Home

It’s amazing what a week away will cure. If it’s a big enough concern, it’ll be waiting for you when you get back, but sometimes “time” works a problem through without you having to do a thing. Being on-the-road is relief from the everyday mundane routine that keeps some people engrossed in their problems and stuck in old thinking. They’re in-a-rut. Travel helps to open up new perspectives. New scenery, unfamiliar streets, unknown restaurants, different faces and places. You just might have a different perspective upon re-entry. What was important before might be insignificant upon your return.

Let go of any preconceived notions on how your trip will go. It’s a stellar day when the weather is fine, the flight is on time, and your rental car has cruise control. But when the challenges set in—delayed flights, turbulent skies, lost reservations, no gps, embrace it and move forward. Your only need is to relax, enjoy the moment, and let your thoughts unravel.

Personal Best (Page 3)