Friends and Beyond

Spending The Holidays With Your Family

Wow, it has been some time since I have been here and realized one subject that is not covered very often.  The Christmas Holiday brought this to my attention just this week.  How well do you get along with your family?  Time spent together, especially at the Holidays can tell you an amazing story.

Alot of people have families that are close and enjoy each other's company.  But on the other side of the coin there are families who do not get along vary well and find that it is difficult to put up with each other especially during the Holidays.  The time spent together is endured and not enjoyed.  The question is "How do you spend time with those you are not so fond of and make it a memorable and enjoyable time?  Well I learned the answer as a sat here in front of my computer on Christmas Eve Day and had difficulty spending time with my family who came to Vegas to spend Christmas with me. 

I learned that I have to respond from my higher self which is the love based self.  I have been reacting from my lower self which is fear based and that I was not happy at all.  At time like the Holiday Season it is imperative to understand that it is NOT about you!  It is about others!  And those others include your family no matter what the relationship.  When I realized this, I found it easier to make what is left of the visit as happy as I can for those who took the time to be here. 

If you are in search of wealth...start in your own backyard.  The wealthy understand that when you make it about others and what you can give, your happiness blooms as well. Merry Christmas everyone.

Do You Appreciate The People In Your Life?

Appreciation is something that is often taken for granted. We alot of times assume that the people around us know that we appreciate them.  Often times they do not because we do not take the time to tell them.  Or somehow show them that they are appreciated for tht matter.   And yet we often times get our feathers uffled when someone does not show us appreciation for things we do or say. 

Family is probably the most taken for granted because the are either very close or very far apart. There is an assumption implied unless you learne as a young child to always say Thank you.  Now a days it is becoming more common in children to not get taught this valuable lesson because of split families or both parents working to maintain the household.  The children are being raised by babysitters and child care centers that don't have the time or the personal touch to teach such virtues. 

One way to make yourself and your day just a little happier is to find someone or something someone does to appreciate and tell them that you do in fact appreciate them or the thing they did. It is inevitable that your gesture will make their day just a little brighter too. 

New Habits For A New Year

With the new year 2008 just around the corner, now is a time to reflect and decide to make changes for personal growth.  One area in many people's lives that need changing is the people they associate with.  The people you hang around with stongly influence the things you do or do not do.  There are some people that are negative in nature, in communication and in attitude.  We still call them friends when in fact they are not.  They bring you down and hinder your progress in becoming all that you can be.  Their point of view is always on the down side.  2008 is a year to re-evaluate the friends and relationships you currently have and set new positive attitudes and outlooks in life. People who always complain and find things wrong will bring you down and make the world look dim.  People who are always looking for the good and encourage you will help you see a world full of opportunity and adventure.  Your attitudes and beliefs are a product of your environment.  So why not take a step for and realize that the sky and beyond is the limit and negative associations are your anchor that hold you back from soaring to new heights.  Have an Outstanding Christmas and a Spectacular New Year!

Is It Or Is It Not Too Good To Be True

In a world where let downs and break ups are more common than before some meet a person who seeming has all the elments of a great relaionship.  But then comes the question "Is this too good to be true"?  Then comes that task of looking for things that are not right and waiting for what it thought to be the inevidable.  Fortunately it only seems to be too good to be true because it goes against all that you may know from the past.  The fact is a good relationship is good enough to be true. 

It might be that after so many different disappointments you have forgottenn how to love yourself.  Remember that love attracts love and when you shine from the inside the universe delivers on the outside.  Allo as much happiness into your life as yu can and take the credit for the courage it took to get through you disppointments.  More importantly refrain from lookming for something to be wrong.  Holding your relationship to tight will hinder it's growth.  A relationship is something you allow and it does not just happen.  It is a choice, so choose to love and be loved.

Is It Your Story Or Their Story

Have you noticed that at times you may get upset for a friend or family member only to find out that the occurrence or situation really was not a problem to them as much as it was to you.  Many times we get caught up in a communication gap and are bent out of shape for someone else when really it is something we need to deal with ourselves.  We think we are displaying loylty when in actuality it is our own story we are not will to acknowledge.  We are really the ones who have the issue and project the unwillingness to face it onto someone else.  This is usually friends or family.  We say they ar uspset when really it is ourself that is upset.  Have patience though because as soon as we begin to aknowledge that is is our story we can then recognized when smeone else is project in the same way as well.  We can the remind them that the story is theirs and not yours.  This way you will not get caught up in someone else's drama and prevent from getting others caught up in yours.  This then hls to reshape our attitude and and the attitude or those around us.  When you take ownership of your own story, you then can make adjustments to either continue or change the story that you have.  We then become rsponsible for the outcome of our daily lives.

What Do You Do When You Break Up With Your Partner

It seem couples are breaking up at an alaming rate.  There are severalthings to keep in mind when this happens.  First of all if it i a marriage it is important to think and believe in rebuilding and not divorce.  Remember that what you focus on will expand.  This is true of divorce.  If you constantly think of ending in divorce, the chances are that you will in fact end that way.  A key thing to remember is that a separation of any kind is a cry for some space to think and regroup.  Re evaluate the relationship and dedermine the reason you became a couple in the beginning.  Are you still doing those things?  If not then why?  It is very important to be real in the beginning but even more important to be real in your re evaluation.  Have patience that the best for both people involved will emerge.  Should our re evaluation result in the common desire to reunite, focus on rebuilding a better foundation than the first so when the wins of adversity hit, that foundation is less likely to crack.

When Your Friend Gives You Their Good News

I am sure there are times when you had a friend or were in a relationshp when this person came to you excited about some great news they received.  Let me ask you...What was your first impression. Were you immediately happy or was there a sense of being left behind involved.  When faced with this situation either of those emotions can and will arise.  Even if you first thought was to be upset and upset that you may be left in the dust there is something you can do to squash that feeling and be genuinely happy for you friend.  You can raise the bar on what you want to accomplish.  Set your standard just a little higher so that when you reach your goals and dreams you might even surpass them in them in the process.  Your attitude is what will hold you back or catipult you forward.  Iti important t communicate (discretely may add) your excitement and how thi news has encouraged you.  In this senario there can only end up a win win result.  So think about the next ime you hear of great news from someone.  Are you going to use it as an anchor to hld you back or a engine to carry you forward. 

Do You Have Trouble Getting a Conversation Started?

don't you find it interesting that some people are great at getting a conversation started and some struggle terribly.  There really are key ways to get or keep a conversation going with friends and or strangers.  But most of the time we tend to sit back and let someone else do all the talking or we let dead space staop a conversation in it's tracks.  It is just a matter of learned some ways that work for you and practice, practice.  After a while you skills will increase you socialization and probably your business communication as well.  So go ahead.....what do you have to lose.  But there is so much to gain.

When A Relationship Is Not A Relationship

I had a visit from an old boyfriend just this weekend and can not believe how much I dreaded his visit.  After twenty some years of being what I thought was friends, I realized I was just a pick me up after each of his other breakups or a time killer till he found a new girl.  I am glad that I did have him visit one more time to set solid my realization that we were not even friends anymore.  When do you finally cut someone loose that you believed cared about you.  Well I found out with this visit that we were not communicating on the same page and never would be.  Here was a person that communicated only with his head and not his heart.  It was all about him and he had to be right no matter what.  Are you involve with someone like that?  Run!  It does not change unless the person wants to change and in this case this person believed that he was right and there was no need for change.  Now I know why twenty years has gone by and we are still many miles apart.  I have realized that this is just an acquaintance now and one that I do not wish to continue communicating with in the future.  Sometimes you just have to realize when it is time to cut your losses and move on for good.  There are alot of great people out in the world, there is no need to get bogged down with one who doesn't really care and has an all about me attitude. 

A Visit From A Good Friend

This weekend I spent some wonderful time with a new and good friend.  She came in from California on Friday evening to attend a seminar.  Although we spent a day and a half we spent some quality time having some fun as well.  After a full day in the seminar we had dinner and then went out on the town to see an entertainer I know.  It had been some time since I shared time with someone who had a great attitude and zeal for life.  The following day we attended the morning session then went for a brunch before just hanging out at my home.  To finished the evening and weekend we joined another friend of ours for a barbeque then called it a night.  During that time I found that we communicated in many different and positive ways.  Her generosity humbled me and I found a new appreciation in the time she spent with me.  This person is Connie Regan Green and she inspires me to go beyond my limits to succeed.  Thanks Connie for a wonderful experience.