Ten Things I'm Grateful For

1. Chocolate

2. Nighttime dreams that show you what's really going on in your life

3. Being able to stay home all toasty warm when it's pouring rain outside

4. Creative ideas while daydreaming


5. Falling asleep to music

6. Miniature orange trees and rose bushes

7. Homemade, hand cranked peach ice cream

8. Outdoor cafes


9. Opportunity

10. Sometimes I'm just grateful to feel grateful

10 Things to do for Free

or at least very inexpensively with things you have around the house.


1. Go biking along orange groves.


2. Name one place you definitely want to visit or one thing you want to do next year, start planning for it now.

3. Have a picnic in the backyard, if you're in snow country, have it inside next to a fireplace. Pack a basket and lay out a tablecloth, but leave the ants outside.

4. Digital safari or scavenger hunt.

5. Research your family tree, check out http://www.geneology.com/.

6. Check out http://www.free-attraction.com/ for free attractions in your area.

7. Check out http://www.freebooks.com/.

8. Potluck Block Party, invite the neighbors, plan to swap books, music, DVDs.

9. Make a video for You Tube. Invite your friends and neighbors to do the same and at the Potluck Block Party, have a Short Film Festival. Don't forget the popcorn.

10. Start a blog.

10 Things That Lift Me Up

1. Puppy Love. Ah, the young.


Watch puppies on live cam. I'm sure these will always change so search ustream.com for others. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/shiba-inu-puppy-cam

2. Butterscotch Haystacks

3. Brick and Cobblestone roads, driveways and pathways


4. Plucking driftwood out of the Potomac River

5. Watching horses frolic in a field


6. Old general stores with a cherry or vanilla Coke at the soda fountain

7. Rows and rows of flowers


8. Hot water from the shower hitting the back of my neck

9. A beautifully bound book protecting a great story

10. Exploring

What's on your list?

Inspirational Books

Links to all books are found at the end of the post.

Sometimes, when it comes to my career, I wonder if this is all there is. I started reading books that were motivational and inspiring. A few of my favorites are:
1. Live the Life You Love by Barbara Sher
2. Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting by Lynn Grabhorn
In her book, Barbara Sher talks about the Idea Party. It's a great idea.

Tips on achieving success and a fast read: Success One Day at a Time by John C. Maxwell.
"You will be as small as your controlling desire, as great as your dominant aspiration." - James Allen

http://www.republicoftea.com/ - Imagine having a job traveling all over the world seeking out the best tea leaves. The founders of The Republic of Tea do just that. They've also written several books that are, in my opinion, very inspiring and enlightening. My two favorites are:
1. dragon spirit - How to Self-Market Your Dream
2. tiger heart, tiger mind - How to Empower Your Dream

Try them with a nice cup of hot tea from exotic places.

Here are three books I thoroughly enjoyed about others who either purposely set out to change their lives, overcame their fear and reached their dream and those that accidentally fell into it.

1. What Should I do with My Life? by Po Bronson (55 inspiring true stories)
2. Queen of the Road by Doreen Orion (a couple gives up "almost" everything and hits the road for one year)
3. Chicken Soup for the Soul Living Your Dreams by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen (many stories of how others accomplished their dream paired with principles and techniques to help you realize yours)

Inspirational Speeches

Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture (video)
http://lifeatwharton.blogspot.com/2007/09/randy-pauschs-speech.html

Steve Jobs’ Inspirational Speech at Stanford
http://successnala.wordpress.com/2007/02/22/steve-jobs-inspirational-speech-at-stanford/

George Graham Vest Speech - Tribute to Dogs (I love dogs.)
http://famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/famous-short-speeches/george-graham-vest-speech-tribute-to-dogs.htm


Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream
http://famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/martin-luther-king-speeches/martin-luther-king-speech-i-have-a-dream.htm

Sojourner Truth Speech - Ain't I A Woman?
http://famous-speeches-and-speech-topics.info/famous-speeches-by-women/sojourner-truth-speech.htm


Presidents:
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address

Franklin D Roosevelt's Infamy Speech - The address is regarded as one of the most famous American political speeches of the 20th century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infamy_Speech

JFK's Ask Not What Your Country Can do for You Speech
http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/John_F_Kennedy/5.htm

Barack Obama's Inaugural Address
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/inaugural-address/

www.changeisnowcd.com (Time/Life - Obama's Inauguration - 18 inspiring songs and 8 historic speeches)

Inspirational Quotes

As one who was laid off due to this scary economy I find it helps to read all things inspirational. Here is a list of quotes that make me feel better, stronger and more hopeful.

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
- Harold Whitman

A good goal is like a strenuous exercise -- it makes you stretch. - Mary Kay Ash, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics


Become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid. - Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady

When there is no turning back, then we should concern ourselves only with the best way of going foward. - Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts; therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature. - Marcus Aurelieus, Roman Emperor (161-180)

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win. - Mahatma Gandhi

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. - Albert Schweitzer

Whatever you are, be a good one. - Abraham Lincoln

Face adversity promptly and without flinching, and you will reduce the impact. - Winston Churchill

The next best thing to winning is losing. At least you've been in the race. - Nellie Hershey Tullis

...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things...and the God of peace will be with you. -- The Bible, Philippians 4:8-9

Sign up at Cynthia Kersey's daily inspirational quote: http://www.unstoppable.net/

Books on quotations that you might enjoy:

Contents: Selected Quotations from Paulo Coelho's books


Contents: Peace of Mind, Living One Day At A Time, Preparing For Success, Knowing What To Do, Overcoming Negatives And Uncertainties, Making Dreams Come True

Changing Your Life - Part III

What is your action plan?

“A goal is created three times. First as a mental picture. Second, when written down to add clarity and dimension. And third, when you take action towards its achievement.” Gary Ryan Blair

One of my former bosses, very successful I might add, had a phrase posted in his office: GOBOSH - Go Big or Stay Home. When I wrote my goals I put down everything I wanted to try and I didn't forget to think big. I've yet to get through that list but without making excuses, it's so long it will always be a work in progress.

43 Things is a website I found to be very helpful. www.43Things.com