Wednesday, 31 December 2014

Happy

May you be happy.  
May you be healthy.  
May you be peaceful.  
May you live with ease. 
- Buddhist blessing

Monday, 29 December 2014

Dreams

Dreams are renewable.  
No matter what our age or condition, 
there are still untapped possibilities within us
 and new beauty waiting to be born.
  - Dr. Dale Turner 

Friday, 26 December 2014

Better

Make this day better than yesterday.  
– Robin Sharma

Wednesday, 24 December 2014

Gift

It is because the world is so full of suffering, 
that your happiness is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of poverty, 
that your wealth is a gift.
It is because the world is so unfriendly,
 that your smile is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of war, 
that your peace of mind is a gift.
It is because the world is in such despair,
 that your hope and optimism is a gift.
It is because the world is so afraid,
 that your love is a gift. 
- Robert Holden

Monday, 22 December 2014

Laughter

Laughter takes us from moping
 to hoping and then coping.
 - unknown

Friday, 19 December 2014

December 19, 2014 Chautauqua


Beth's Ponderings

   Without taking the time to celebrate how we are showing up in the world, we starve our hearts of acknowledgement.  Without pausing to celebrate, we continue to pile up things on our ‘to do’ list, thinking we haven’t done enough.  This is exactly how many of us create that sense of perpetual busyness, with no deeper sense of meaning for our efforts.  Celebration, on the other hand, allows us to stop and enjoy what we have accomplished.  It gives us that sense that we have made progress.  We are moving forward.   - Linda McLean

  We are right smack dab in the middle of one of the biggest celebration times of our year.  

   Are you celebrating?  

   Or are you frantically bustling about cramming your schedule full of activities, buying countless presents, attempting to re-create every Christmas tradition you had growing up (or wished you’d had growing up), and generally wearing yourself to an emotional and mental frazzle?

   Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace, of quiet reflection, of love, kindness and goodwill to others.  But all too often it isn’t.

   Could it be because we are trying to make Christmas into something it isn’t really supposed to be?

   As the quote above references, we tend to fail to celebrate the smaller, daily moments, so when a big celebration comes up on the calendar, we tend to burden it with all our unacknowledged baggage, hoping that “this year will be different” and it usually isn’t.

   Celebrating doesn’t have to be complicated or elaborate.  All you need to do is take a moment and say thank you for waking up this morning.  Even if you aren’t where you think you should be in your life, you can still say thank you that you have the strength you need to get through whatever comes your way.

And, by taking the time to celebrate the smaller things, you’ll be able to enjoy celebrating the bigger occasions, such as Christmas, with your family and friends, because what true celebration would be complete without some good food and fellowship involved?  Merry Christmas!

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UTunCxp8GnQ3Ob9Q8T-EZW0PvrQE-lGW/view?usp=sharing
 
Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

Self-acceptance

Self-acceptance is, quite simply, realism.  
That which is, is.  
That which I feel, I feel.  
That which I think, I think. 
 That which I've done, I've done. 
 - Nathaniel Branden

Monday, 15 December 2014

Battle

When we stop resisting 
who we are and what we feel, 
we drop the heavy burden 
of an endless, hopeless battle 
against our humanity. 
 - Tal Ben-Shahar

Friday, 12 December 2014

Direction

The good life is a process, 
not a state of being.  
It is a direction, 
not a destination. 
 - Carl Rogers

Wednesday, 10 December 2014

Achieve

The three great essentials to achieve
 anything worthwhile are,
 first, hard work; 
second, stick-to-itiveness; 
third, common sense.
 - Thomas Edison 

Monday, 8 December 2014

Work

I can do a year's work in nine months,
 but not in twelve. 
 - J.P. Morgan

Friday, 5 December 2014

December 5, 2014 Chautauqua


Beth's Ponderings

   When a big change occurs in your life it forces you to change direction. Sometimes the new path may not be easy, but you can be absolutely certain that there is magnificence for you on the new path…the new path contains things that you could not have experienced otherwise. – Rhonda Bryne

   For me, the past few months (and last couple of years) have certainly been a time of big change, with changes across the board in terms of my career path and volunteer activities, daily and weekly routines, habits and foods eaten, hobbies and interests, sleep patterns and activity levels, as well as emotional and mental upheaval too.  Practically every area of my life has experienced total and dramatic change. 

   Many of the changes involved eliminating or cutting out something.  A few introduced new things to my life.

   As a result of those many (and seemingly endless!) changes, I am healthier than I was, and despite still having a ways to go, in some respects, I’m healthier than I have ever been in my life.

   Every once in a while someone will ask me when I will reintroduce something I’ve cut out.

   Short answer: never!

   The reason I have been able to turn my health situation around is because I made the choice to change what needed to be changed.  Why would I throw it all away now and head back down the path to illness?

   For example, that means I still have to be careful what I eat and avoid pretty much all veggies and dairy products.  Now that I have a better idea what my body can handle and what it can’t, it is easier to make the right choices and know where I can take food risks and where I can’t.

   Also, I am not a Type A personality at all.  I joked to someone once that the only thing 9-5 about me is the time I spend in bed sleeping at night.  I work best, and feel best, when I have lots of flexibility and space in my schedule.  Being at a desk and required times creates a lot of stress and strain in my body.  Thus, returning to library work is not an option at this time.  Thankfully, the paper is a better fit, and allows me to continue to grow and explore my new reality.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PF97Wmo_mfrgJwnhJus0VEKZnhK2mKwr/view?usp=sharing

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 3 December 2014

Strength

Strength keeps leaning. 
 - Rick Hanson

Monday, 1 December 2014

Faster

We walk around this planet oblivious
 of the fact that our heads are
 running slightly faster than our feet. 
- Fred Alan Wolf 

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