Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Success

“Having it all” 
is someone else's definition of success.
 - Danielle LaPorte
 

Monday, 27 June 2016

Now

You are alive only in this moment,
 and now is the only time you ever have
 for making choices, and that this now
 is always available to you.
 - John Kabat-Zinn
 

Friday, 24 June 2016

Understand

The older I get, the more I understand 
that it’s ok to live a life others don’t understand.
 - Author Unknown

Wednesday, 22 June 2016

Where

You only need to be where you already are and realize it...
there is no place else to go, 
so efforts to get anywhere else are ill conceived. 
They are bound to lead to frustration and failure.
 On the other hand, you cannot fail
 to be where you already are.
 - John Kabat-Zinn
 

Monday, 20 June 2016

Aim

 A goal is not always meant to be reached,
 it often serves as simply as something to aim at. 
 - Bruce Lee 

Friday, 17 June 2016

June 17, 2016 Chautauqua

 
Beth's Ponderings
 
   Did you know that Robbie Burns may not have written the words to “Auld Lang Syne?” Or that Shakespeare – whoever he may have really been – possibly did not write any of the plays or poems attributed to him? And there are countless other examples I could rattle off.
 
   But, does that really matter? 
 
    Really?
 
    Because, at the end of the day, isn't what really matters is that someone cared about something and felt inspired enough to write those words and share them with others? 
 
    And, that those words were so powerfully expressed that they touched so many people when they were newly released, then they resonated with countless generations, and they continue to inspire people even today?
 
    Just look at how much literature we have that has been written by “Anonymous” or “Author Unknown.” Is it worthless because we don't know exactly who wrote it? Does it cease to inspire and move people because we don't know the personality or background of the author? 
 
    I think, instead of “Anonymous” or “Author Unknown” we should acknowledge these mystery writers as “Somebody Who Cared.”
 
    Because, that is the truth. Someone cared enough about something to write about it and share their thoughts. We don’t know who they are, but we can certainly know what they believed, thought, and cared about.
 
    While we have complicated copyright laws, and it is proper and ethical to acknowledge authorship if it is known, and we certainly shouldn’t pass someone else’s work off as our own, it isn’t really the author’s identity at all that touches our hearts and minds, but the story the author has expressed in the sharing of their personal thoughts and feelings. 
 
    And, sometimes, the greatest wisdom and truth - hard as it may be to express, and to be received - can only be delivered in a manner of anonymity, with nothing extra to distract or detract from that wisdom or truth, so the words can really touch us, if we take the time to let them.
 
Beth
 
Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1foOPZBd0O5D2ClEkyBEOmWzUxpkQKxx5/view?usp=sharing
 
Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 15 June 2016

Path

 Don't confuse your path with your destination, 
just because it's stormy now, 
doesn't mean you aren't headed for sunshine.
 - Author Unknown

Monday, 13 June 2016

Chose

I chose and my world was shaken.  So what?  
The choice may have been mistaken; 
the choosing was not. 
 - Stephen Sondhein

Friday, 10 June 2016

Worst-Case

If, for some reason,
 their best possible outcome doesn't work out,
 the worst possible outcome would involve
 them being in the situation they are in right now.  
They are so scared of the fear of the worse-case scenario 
that they don't realize they are actually already in it. 
 - Rebecca Campbell 

Wednesday, 8 June 2016

Off Track

Life lessons are less about getting it right 
and more about getting it wrong..
.you are more on track than you feel,
 even if you don't feel it – especially if you don't feel it. 
 For the further you get off track,
 the closer you actually are to abandoning the wrong path 
and leaping onto the right one.
 - Rebecca Campbell 

Monday, 6 June 2016

Wrong Way

My soul was always calling. 
 I was just facing the wrong way.  
- Rebecca Campbell  

Friday, 3 June 2016

June 3, 2016 Chautauqua

 
Beth's Ponderings
   I’d like you to try something...Please stand up...now, observe if your weight is more on your toes, your heels, or balanced across your whole foot.
 
    If you have difficulty figuring out exactly how your weight is distributed, look at the wear patterns on a pair of shoes.
 
    More weight on your heels is an indication that your predominant thoughts are orientated in ruminating about the past.
 
    More weight on the toes is an indication that your predominant thoughts are orientated to anticipating or fretting about the future.
If your weight is balanced, then you are centred in the here and now.
 
    While our thoughts flit between past, present and future during various moments of our day, that simple standing test gives you a snapshot of your general thought patterns. It is also applicable to how you usually sit - slouched backwards, leaning forwards, or centred upright.
 
    There are numerous affirmations and other self-help techniques for changing your thoughts - and thus your life - and while we can change our thoughts, nothing will really change till we change how we hold and move our bodies. As strong as our thoughts are, our bodies are stronger. 
 
    Amy Cuddy, in her book “Presence: bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges” and TED Talk (http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2012G/None/AmyCuddy_2012G-480p.mp4), explores how standing in a “power pose” for a mere two minutes affects our hormones, and thus our thoughts and emotions. 
 
    This is true not only of how we position our bodies, but of our facial expressions too. No matter how angry or depressed you feel, if you smile - even if it is with a pencil clenched sideways in your teeth - it is impossible to maintain the angry or sad feelings. Your body will relax and lighten - despite your thoughts or feelings.
 
   To become more present and centred, briefly lift your toes off the floor, while still standing. That will transfer your weight equally between your heels and balls of your feet. Do this a few times during the day, daily, and you will achieve the same effect as meditating for hours.
 
Beth
 
Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1okaF6ZbM18hxCBAQgjkYWeslo4JzNPvM/view?usp=sharing
 
Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

Wednesday, 1 June 2016

Muscle

Knowledge is only a rumour 
until it lives in the muscle. 
 - Asaro saying

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