Monday, 27 February 2017

Joy

May peace be your ellipsis
 and joy your exclamation point.
 - Christine Smith
 

Friday, 24 February 2017

Free

The only way to deal with an unfree world
 is to become so absolutely free 
that your very existence is an act of rebellion. 
 - Albert Camus  

Wednesday, 22 February 2017

Awesome

Stop being boring 
and show the world what awesome looks like.
- Robby Novak  
 

Monday, 20 February 2017

Creativity

Creativity test:
Q: Are you breathing?
Score: If you answered yes to this very important question,
 that means you are highly creative.
So the real question is,
 are you willing to bring forth the gift
 that only you can give?
 - Pam Grout

Friday, 17 February 2017

February 17, 2017 Chautauqua




Beth's Ponderings

   Whose life are you currently living?  You might be surprised at the answer when you take the time to stop and think about it.

   If you said you are living your own life, you might want to think again.

   For example, if you have ever made choices to make someone proud of you, then you aren’t living your own life, you are living theirs.  People in our lives are either proud of us, or they aren’t.  If they are, it is because of who we ARE inside, not because of what we do, or other externals.  And, if they aren’t proud of us, well, chances are pretty darn good that nothing we do will change that, and it’s their loss.

   Or, have you ever said that you chose to go into a certain career, or reach a certain milestone, or obtained something because someone in your family wasn’t unable to?  Guess what?  That means you are living their life and dreams, not your own.  While there is nothing wrong at all by being inspired by the actions and dreams of another, too many of us adopt those dreams and aspirations without even considering if they are the right fit for us, and often, they are quite ill-fitting as we don’t have the same qualities or desires necessary for successfully obtaining them.

   Have you ever gone with the flow of society into a lifestyle or career path because everyone else did.  Just because it seems to work for others, doesn't automatically mean that it works for everyone.  We are all unique in viewpoint, needs, talents, and skills, and what makes us unique is needed in the world, provided we don’t let life conform us to some cookie-cutter ideal.

   We think we are living out our own dreams and life, but rarely are we.  There are just too many outside influences drowning out our own inner wisdom and guidance.  

   So, how do you know when you are living your own life and not another's.  Simple...do you feel happy most of the time?  Is your life simple and easy for the most part?  If so, you’re on the right track.  If not, reassess whose life you are living.

   We only get one chance at this particular life, so why not live your own dreams?

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://sites.google.com/site/thechautauqua21/home/February%2017%2C%202017%20Chautauqua.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

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

Wednesday, 15 February 2017

Self-love

You are not in need of self-help; 
you are in need of self-love.
 - Amy B. Scher
 

Monday, 13 February 2017

Economy


Our entire economy is based on
 distracting us from our blessings. 
 - Glennon Doyle Melton 


Friday, 10 February 2017

Think

I think and think and think, I've thought myself
 out of happiness one million times,
 but never once into it. 
 - Jonathan Safran Foer
 

Wednesday, 8 February 2017

Abundance

When I think about creating abundance, 
it's not about creating a life of luxury;
 it's about creating a life of possibility.
 It's about taking that which was scarce 
and making it abundant.
 - Peter Diamandis 
 

Monday, 6 February 2017

Moment

Imagine how free you would feel
 if you lived your life moment to moment
rather than milestone to milestone.
 - Gabrielle Bernstein  
 

Friday, 3 February 2017

February 3, 2017 Chautauqua




Beth's Ponderings

   We are now a whole month - hard to believe, I know - into the new year.  How are you doing with your New Year’s resolutions?  That is, if you are the type to make resolutions.

   Most people, even if they don’t formally make resolutions, do have a thought or two of how they would like to make some sort of lifestyle change, or do something different in their lives, or just add new adventures, as it is a new year.

   We feel, since the calendar has changed to a fresh new year, that we need to do something fresh and new too.

   There is nothing wrong with that line of thinking, however, I recently read something that turned the whole resolution thing on its head.

   Instead of resolving to make habit changes such as the typical “lose weight” or “exercise more,” or resolving to make some other radical lifestyle change, we should ask ourselves “what worked for me last year?”

   By identifying what habits or lifestyle choices did work, we can then bring them along with us into the new year and build on them, creating more success.

   We tend to take for granted what is working in our lives, which is a whole lot more than we think since it tends to get overshadowed by the one or two things that don’t work.  Yet, by focusing on, and continuing, patterns of behaviour that do work, and come more naturally to us, and create value in our lives, we are more likely to phase out the habits and lifestyle choices that don’t benefit us as much.

   Humans have a tendency to resist change - especially change that we think we “should” want, but don’t really.  Or changes that we just “know” are going to be hard and challenging, and not any fun at all.

   And by focussing on how difficult it is to change, we end up sabotaging our efforts, and subsequently just give up.

    The only really successful change is the one that leads to relaxation and ease, not struggle and anguish.  Thus, by strengthening our good habits we create change that sneaks in the back door so the changes happen, almost like magic without our knowing.   

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://sites.google.com/site/thechautauqua21/home/February%203%2C%202017%20Chautauqua.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

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

Wednesday, 1 February 2017

Do

It is better to do one small thing 
that you can actually pull off 
than to fantasize about all the great things 
you would like to be able to do but can't. 
 - Judy Lief
 
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