December First

Challenge # 139

Happy first day of the last month of the year! There will be no more first days of the month to begin anew. We are here and it has flown by, at least for me and most likely for you!!

The challenge of today is for you to take a moment to look at the past year and to see how you want next year to be. Become your own visionary and map maker.  You have 30 more days in light of all the busyness of the month to reign in all the good and seek more good, or not.

Transformer

Challenge #138

It's enough to change your mind about something, it's another matter to entirely transform in to another shape, entity, creation. We are placed on earth to survive, and through that survival, we must adapt to our surroundings, and sometimes we need to transform ourselves into something we never thought we could be. As the year is rapidly coming to a close and we will welcome in a new one, I challenge you to see the transformer in you. See the possibilities of just how different you can be....

Death of a Salesman

Challenge #137

Isn't it true that in any business these days, you have to be the salesman or pitchman or woman for it? Even if you are playing an administrative role for a company or others, for you to truly feel good about what you do to earn your living, you most likely personally endorse your employers, or otherwise work to exist and endure unhappiness to survive. And, if you are working for yourself, you are your own pitchman. What is perceived as a nuisance is actually a necessity, even if you don't think you are selling anything in order to earn a living, you really are.

I challenge you to revive the salesman/woman within.  There is a pitch person in each and every one of us as humans, and we need to remember that and value that as an ability, not a hindrance or handicap. Don't allow others to judge that talent within you because they might think salesmanship is showmanship - let it shine for you. Dust it off and bring light to the salesperson in you!

Gobble-Gobble

Challenge #136

I think you know the rest.....Happy Thanksgiving everyone~!

What's Sauce for the Goose is Sauce for the Gander"

Challenge #135

No other holiday partakes of the featuring of a huge stuffed bird roasted, baked, fried or smoked to perfection than Thanksgiving. Personally, to me, a holiday that I look at as being the most important of all. It is a time of reuniting with others and giving thanks and appreciation for any and all abundance in our lives and that includes a celebration of life itself.  And since the holiday is upon us as of tomorrow, I look at an old saying of reciprocity, "what is good for one is good for another", or others, depending on the situation.  Reciprocity being an underlying virtue of Thanksgiving, in that you can't have a feast without involving others, well you could, but it would be a lonely one at that.

I challenge you to find reciprocity in your life with others, for not just the sake of tomorrow, but for the rest of your life. Try it, you just might like it~!

How Small Could You Go?

Challenge # 134

If it were just you and perhaps a partner and/or 1 small child, how small could you go in living space?

Are we not too far off from the reality of downsizing tremendously to alleviate property taxes, huge mortgages, large utilities bills and stress to keep up with the Jones, Smiths and Williams's?  Some people end their lives because the financial strains are just too much to bear to keep up with.  Some people end their marriages causing their kids to be in single parent homes because they can't keep up with the financial pressures of what their friends and relatives may have instead.  Are we letting our pride and tradition of owning the American dream get in the way of our health and livilihoods?

I challenge you to ask yourself, what do you really need to live today? And, are you upholding someone else's vision that is different than yours? Ask yourself what the cost is to you and if you need to have understanding from someone about this. Ask yourself if the cost to you is worth it....

Are you a Shark or a Dolphin?

Challenge # 133

In the great waters of life which group do you swim amongst? The Dolphins or the Sharks?  The main difference between the two is that dolphins are the more intelligent ones and are mammals, whereas, the sharks are simply predators. Dolphins communicate with humans, sharks attack humans. 

I challenge you to ask yourself which one defines you and, do you want to change from one to the other? Which one will you be in 10 years from now? Are you a combination of the two, a.... dolphark?

Does justive really ever get served?

Challenge #132

James Arthur Ray was handed a sentence this week to serve 6 years in prison for the untimely death of three of his followers at a self designed sweat lodge retreat in 2009, 2 years for each life.  Ray is known as a self help guru and was highlighted in the smash success of  "The Secret" book and movie fame.  He proposes challenges to others in an effort to get them to help themselves, to be brave and strong against the weakness inside, to breakthrough to the freedom that the coward within us holds us back from. His supposed cosmically attuned alter ego and semi-disguised earthly desire for financial security at the cost to and of others has gone too far. He never vocalized any wrongdoing, remorse or admission of neglectful behavior to anyone afterwards or to the friends and families immediately following the disatrous retreat, let alone took any public responsibility for what went wrong at the event.  Regardless of any legal advice he may or may not have been under, since when does anyone no matter who they are turn the other way at death of others?  It was documented that Ray offered a partial refund to one of the greiveing families when they confronted him about the death of one of the participants of the retreat. But come on, really?? This is a man who has made millions off people's trust to believe that he was the messiah to genuinely lead them to better lives...and in the face of tragedy on his watch, could not come forth to hold the responsibility or just human compassion for the loss of others? Who is really the coward here, and is justice really served? Can we put a number of exchange on a sentence for the loss of a human life, 2 years for 1 life?

I challenge you to think again when being marketed to for these huge self help retreats that promise being a better person once getting through the program.  You are your own best program and you know best for yourself. Don't be led astray from your wallets to spend exhorbitant amounts of money to fight the weakness inside you. Learn who you are first before following others, especially when it's going to cost you alot of dough, because it could just cost you your life....

Step Aside

Challenge #131

What compels us to put our foot in our mouth, eat our words and stand in our own way, let alone others?  Do we overthink situations too much, or underthink them?

There is no right or wrong answer here. If you want to change but don't have the slightest notion of how to or are afraid of change, simply step aside of your thoughts and just....observe.  I challenge you to find a situtation today where you can do just that...step aside and not allow your mind to be reactive, igniting your actions to follow.  Notice what you observe and how you would have handled it if you hadn't stepped out of the way....

Information overload, to be or not to be....

Challenge #130

Our media is on overload in this society, in my opinion.  Everywhere you look there is sensory stimulation overload in internet, tv and radio advertising, news and programming. Tickers of all sorts run incessantly,  creating overwhelm and drastically affecting the patterns of our thinking, expectations and absorption of information, numbing and dumbing us down.

For one day, I challenge you to focus on one source of information and one only.  Be it one newspaper, one tv station, one radio station, one internet source and notice the patterns of interruptions of advertising in the programming or information feed. Notice the distractions before the content. Do you believe all that you read or hear or see on there? Notice if you are wanting more or less, or, are you satisfied with what is given to you....

Sleep

Challenge #129

Sleep is a wonderful thing. And, enough sleep is even better. Too much can cause problems, but too little can cause even more.  Sleep is defined as a period of rest for our bodies nervous system and consciousness, usually overnite.  Time changes like daylight savings can cause interference with our sleep habits as we have to re-adjust. There are different stages of sleep and it can be beneficial to take mini-sleeps called cat naps of 5-15 minutes during the day in the middle of your routine. 

I challenge you to look at your sleep cycles and to create a plan for better sleeping.  Make sure you are active enough during the day to want to naturally fall asleep, rather than relying on substances to help you sleep, such as sleep aids, alcohol or prescription drugs.  When we wake up through the night, it is usually to go to the restroom or a change in our blood sugar. Have a glass of juice or a small light unmessy low calorie snack like a boiled egg near your bedstand to readjust your blood sugar level so that you can go comfortably and peacefully back to sleep.  Also, I have found that drinking a small to medium blend of mashed banana, warm milk and honey is a great sleep tonic right before I go to bed. If there are other reasons why you are not getting enough sleep, such as anxiety, worry or fear, find a practitioner who can help you overcome the issues so that you can return to good restful and deep sleeping. Enjoy your sleep and do what you can to make the most of it. We need it!!

Lie Spotting

Challenge #128

A new book came out about how to detect fraudulent behavior from others and although it brings about a fresh awareness of those who lie, it also has the capability of teaching readers just how to be deceptive. Does being viewed in some way, regardless of how large the audience, motivate us to fabricate the truth about ourselves? Within such a competitive society in all areas, education, work, finances, dating, families and social groups, how is it that we in a general term, feel compelled to embellish truths about ourselves to look better than others, and, what is it about us who do this makes us doubt that we would be challenged for it? How many of us are willing to stand up to the truth about ourselves?

Deception detection is not a new topic as humans have always been trying to guage the matter. In ancient times, the Chinese developed a system of face mapping, or reading called Mien Shiang, then there is Eastern and Western palm reading, and in modern times, NLP and the system of physical body mirroring and observing eye movement, and for a more scientific approach, the lie detector machine, or polygraph method. 

I challenge you to take a look at your inner lie spotting abilities, and by that I mean, your gut instincts, your perception about those who try to deceive you.  You can try on those in your inner circle, kids, family, friends, and then co-workers and so on. Grasp a sense of knowing and seeing the signals. This is not an exercise to get so far into your head about over thinking it, just start to begin an awareness from inside, notice what you feel and where it forms. Also, think back on when there was a time that you either were tempted or actually did lie or embellish something about yourself to someone else, and how you felt about doing so.

PINK

Challenge #127

One of the founders of the pink ribbon bow to create awareness of breast cancer has died. Hearts and healing prayers go out to the Lauder family for the unfortunate passing of Evelyn Lauder, 75, of the Estee Lauder cosmetic giant.  The irony that she championed breast cancer awareness for over 20 years and died from complications of ovarian cancer is unfortunate. A glaring reality that we are far from over in the war to find a cure from the disease.   
Cancer in general is still a rampant killer in the US. There are over hundreds of types of cancers that result in deaths each year with lung, blood, ovarian and pancreatic among the top four. Early detection and a change in lifestyle are about the only preventative things we can do at this point, as well as to do our part to make awareness greater.

I challenge you to take a real look at cancer in your life. Perhaps you know of someone with cancer now, perhaps you have known someone within your lifetime who has been affected by cancer. I myself have known 4, and those are ones who are survivors and spoke out and fought it. Those were the ones brave enough to speak out, I shudder to think of how many others who didn't.  Take a closer look at cancer within yourself. If not the actual disease, then the meaning of the word, that is, any evil condition or thing that spreads destructively. We may never have cures for the disease in our lifetime, but we can make a difference in our lifestyles and rid ourselves of cancerous situations. That would include relationships, feelings, thoughts, work situations, eating habits, and lifestyle choices. Having a greater awareness of yourself can help you greatly to create awareness in others...

Sex-i-tude

Challenge #126

Com'on men - let's get real on here!!  What is going on with your sexitudes??  My little DSM which is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders has it all listed under  "paraphilia", the term coined for sexual deviance and disorders, involving sexual arousal and gratification towards sexual behavior that is atypical or extreme.


This according to Wikipedia:
"The causes of paraphilic sexual preferences in men are unclear, although a growing body of research points to a possible prenatal neurodevelopmental correlation. A 2008 study analyzing the sexual fantasies of 200 heterosexual men by using the Wilson Sex Fantasy Questionnaire exam, determined that males with a pronounced degree of fetish interest had a greater number of older brothers, a high 2D:4D digit ratio (which would indicate excessive prenatal estrogen exposure), and an elevated probability of being left-handed, suggesting that disturbed hemispheric brain lateralization may play a role in deviant attractions."

So, I challenge you to take responsibility and look into what turns you on and why - and STOP abusing kids and animals if you are, and see if that is really what you want....and I mean REALLY?????

11 11 11

Challenge #125

Happy November 11, 2011. To many, the sequence of numbers holds mystery in an unfolding of the meaning, and to others, it is simply a date, a bunch of numbers - even to mathematicians. And, to some it's a birthday.  Not since the tragic event of 9/11 has a sequence of numbers stood out so stunningly in modern history for the American people.  If you look at 11 11 11 squared it becomes what is called a palindrome, which means it reads back the same backwards and forwards. Author Doreen Virtue states in her "Book of Numbers" that a sequence of 1s is very powerful and "This sequence is a sign that there is a gate of opportunity opening up, and your thoughts are manifesting into form at record speeds."

Whatever your beliefs are or are not about numbers, dates and meanings, I challenge you to take today to look at numbers as an individualistic thing and figure out your own personal number and meaning,  (something we will get into in a further post)..... 

Unlimited Possiblities

Challenge #124

Close your eyes for a moment and breathe deeply and slowly and just simply relax.  Form a light ball that becomes beautiful and translucent in  your mind's eye. Allow that ball to rotate slowly and evenly. Form a chord from the ball deep down into your heart chakra. Align your heart chakra and your mind's eye. Now, begin to allow images to form into that ball of light of what you want to begin to happen in your life.  Carefully notice what you are seeing and take mental notes. Notice what your heart is feeling. Notice how you are beginning to feel when you can see what you really want from your heart's desires.

I challenge you to begin to form the pictures of your heart's desire.....

The Shadow Knows.....

Challenge #123

What is it that gives us the nudge to be other than good?  We are raised to be good or best in everything, grades, sports, to others, and if we were lucky, to show spiritual excellence as well.  To what do we owe the goal of reaching that pinnacle of excellence to? And, how is it that sometimes we never reach it? What keeps us from it?  We are light and we are shadow, having both qualities of good and bad.

I challenge you to find the triggers that make you want to not be so good. And once you identify them, see how you can turn them around to the light, modify understand and modify your behaviors so that the shadow within begins to dissolve....

I touched a piece of Mars

Challenge #122

My experience this evening at The Natural History Museum had me mingling with a bunch of people, each with an interesting and unique piece of American History, including myself.

If the story never gets aired on the NatGeo channel like it is supposed to, I shall reveal here and now that I am the owner of a pure silver 1913 Barber dime. The Barber dimes are a limited edition of coins that were minted in various years at the first part of the century and designed by James Barber. It was a gift to me from a neighbor around the time that I became a US citizen at the age of 6.  I don't remember much, but I do remember that it was in the late fall, my citizenship granting was in November.  I also remember him telling me that it wasn't worth much then because it had a hole engraved in it to create a pendant out of it, but if I held onto it that one day it might be.  I don't know if it is truly worth anything monetarily now, but to me it is nice to know that I have a piece of American history without it being something handed down from someone. It remarkably is the one thing that has stayed with me all these years without my really paying much attention to, and for that I cherish it.


The most remarkable possession that I witnessed tonight however, was not necessarily an item of true Americana, but rather a wonderlust reminder that we really do have a system of planets around us, it was a piece of meteorite that actually came from Mars. The owner allowed me to pick it up and hold it between my hands for a few moments in which I felt nothing, it was like lead. It also gave a whole new meaning to the Mars Bar for me, that's for sure. The heavy piece was beautifully molten and unlike any sort of earth rock formation.  The owner proudly explained to me that the specimen indeed had been tested and verified through JPL and Nasa as authentically having come from Mars.

I challenge you to find your one piece of American History that is truly yours and that you can cherish.

Love means Never Having to Say you're Sorry

Challenge #121

Sappy love movies of recent are presenting reborn questions for me.  Just how important is it for us to have achieved love from others, and what is that love derived from? And, what is this thing called universal love?

As a kid it was very hard for me to understand universal love as in brotherly love or being part of the greater love of humanity in general. That kind of love was never exhibited or explained to me in a way that made sense to me. Like alot of other kids, I didn't understand why I had to get up early on Sundays, and go to church with my grandparents and that my adoptive parents didn't. Then once there, I got to drink orange kool aid, eat cookies and color in pictures of Jesus and stories of the bible. I also got to sing, which was fun too, but I never truly understood what the songs were about and their meanings. I even went with them until the age of lining up to drink small vials of church wine and eating a small biscuit and I still didn't get it.  I really still don't get organized religions today, even though I did re-entrench the ideal of the habit of sending my little one off to Sunday school, much to her chagrin at the age of 3, for about a year. My purpose this time around was to help her understand that one religion is not the only religion and that there are many different "books" and teachers with teachings about spirituality and universal love.

I myself never got it about the whole idea of being a part of the bigger picture until I became an energy practitioner and began developing and utilizing my healing talents.There is a profound experience of tapping into source in order to be able to connect to another and run that from yourself to them and help them to heal themselves. To me, that is true spiritual connection and universal love.

So, I challenge you to look at the bigger picture of love today, and what your part in it is. Do you feel a part of it, and in what way? What is your stake in the heart of universal love?  It's not a matter of apology if you don't, or apologizing to those that matter to you. I think it's really a matter of how you feel you fit in to the whole existence of our lives on earth now.....

Heaven Can Wait

Challenge #120

Ever had a near death experience? Ever know anyone who somehow effortlessly seems to defy the odds and dodges potentially fatal mishaps, while you on the other hand are very cautious and steadfast in your ways to avert dangerous situations? It can seem as though certain people just cannot die, that they in some way are not ready to leave this earth plane and look invincible. Is it sheer determination and will on their part or, are they protected in some way with luck? Is there really a certain time we all are marked for passing on, embarking on the transmigration of our souls. Can heaven really wait? And, if so what is it that we feel we still need to do on earth? Live more, love more, feel more, do more?  What is more to you?

I challenge you to look at your mortality today and begin to notice what heaven can wait on you for. What is it that you must do or have before your time is up.

RIP Andy Rooney

Challenge #119

The world lost Andy Rooney late yesterday to complications from a recent minor surgical procedure that led to his death within one month's time. He was 92. 

The controversial commentarialist of 60 Minutes fame spoke out candidly every Sunday night on various topics and was forced from time to time to make several public apologies for his viewpoints over the span of his career.  Love him or hate him, he will always remain immortal to our inner editorialists.  The point is that he had a highly visible weekly platform to speak his thoughts and if that generated outrage, controversy or agreement, at least he was able to speak. Think of how freeing that is.

I challenge you to find that which you wish to speak out on and try to accomplish it in a public forum, whether it be at a toastmasters meeting, or any other sort of gathering where you can be heard by many. Video record it and throw it up on YouTube, or your Facebook page. If you are shy about being in front of people, practice and get experience.

May you rest in peace with loving and healing prayers going out to your family and loved ones who terribly miss you. And although the world greatly misses and respects you Andy Rooney, the world will need a new Andy Rooney, and you just could be.....

Heartache

Challenge #118

Take a good assessment of your heart chakra today, the fourth energy center in your body that governs the chest, heart and emotions. Breathe deeply and focus on your heart area and, begin to notice what you are feeling. Have you ever been in a situation where your heart has felt any sort of discomfort? Can you attribute that pain to an emotional cause, such as a relationship break-up, disappointment from others or yourself, unacceptance? And if so, are you completely healed from this? Are you in a currently difficult emotional situation?

When we are in emotional distress, our bodies take a toll, and some of us associate that impact where it hurts the most, in the heart. Heart attacks affect both women and men equally, neither is more susceptible to them than the other. Women, however, think they are less likely to be affected by them and so wait longer to look into treatment for early symptoms.  I challenge you to look into your heart health today. Have your arteries checked for blockages, take a look at your cholesterol and plaque levels and blood platelet count. In your mind's eye, visualize a beautiful emerald green color swirling from the center of your heart expanding outwards, healing and comforting your heart area, releasing the pain, the guilt and all the other negative associations held in there. Remember, if you feel and pain or discomfort in the center of your chest or areas of your upper body, numbness, shortness of breath, unusual pressure, nausea or light heartedness, call 911 or contact your doctor immediately. Widowmakers can cause death within 5 minutes, you owe it to yourself to be in charge of your own heartaches.....

Fortune

Challenge #117

I never had a fortune cookie until I was a very young adult.  When I did have my first one at the age of nineteen in a Chinese restaurant in New York City's  Chinatown district, I was addicted to what was inside. It wasn't a sweet gooey peanuty nougat or chocolatey truffle, or anything to digest gastronomically, it was...just air and....a slip of white paper that had the words of what was to happen to me in the future, or something that was representative of me. Words to digest mentally and to ponder. I am the proud owner of over a thousand fortunes from fortune cookies....

The word fortune has so many meanings for all of us, money, luck, wealth, good health, prosperity, riches, possessions.
I challenge you to figure out what fortune means to you and how it affects your life. Do you feel fortunate as a person? Do you always aspire for what you think is fortune? Do you hold fortune in your life now? What kind of fortune do you want?

Winged lady

Challenge #116

ok, a continuing experiment to behold another sort of "Coach". Someone who has your back in the social scene.  Are they really in the human form?

Would you really want a human to guide you through social events pointing out certain elements to you? Attracting or detracting right or wrong people? Wouldn't it be better to have the invisible version at your side, an apparition or muse that you can believe is right next to you supporting your every action?If you have wished for this I challenge you to begin to "see" your wing lady and write down all you desire them to be for you. Remember, it isn't an ideal of who you want to be with, but rather who you want to help you find the right people to be around....

Reflection

Challenge # 115

Today is Tuesday, November 1st, 2011. It is the 305th day of the year, and in the 44th week of the year There are 61 more days in the year. Are you ready for the year to end? How can you make 2012 a better year, what changes would you make?


I challenge you to take begin to reflect back on the year from day one of 2011 and start seeing how you would make those changes or modify what you did on a daily basis to make 2012 a better year for yourself. Remember, only 61 more days to plan~!

TRICK or TREAT!!

Challenge #114

Happy Halloween~!
"tis the day we have been waiting for all year!! The Great Pumpkin shall swoop down from they sky at dusk and fill every child's candy sack with the most delicious treats possible.  May every child dance with glee in their costumed glory!

The weekend was for the adult parties and tonight is for the children. I challenge you to do your part to have a safe and festive betwitching All Hallow's Eve. May your homes and doorsteps be filled with many delectable treats for the costumed beggars that wrap against your door. Be safe, be happy and enjoy the merriment this holiday brings to young and old all year long~!

Kindess to neighbors

Challenge #113

I challenge you to do an unknown kindness for your neighbor.  You might be surprised what you get in return.....

Patches

Challenge #112

There comes a time in life, in work and on a personal level where there is depletion. Over work, overwhelm, stress and anxieties overcome us and...drain us. Patches became a popular way to cover up holes in clothes, mostly  jeans, or heavier sturdy fabric that was so tattered and torn from over wear, over   use.  Sometimes in work and in life, we also have holes in us from over work, over use, causing us to feel run down, worn, and depleted. And sometimes we take what we have and rather than restructuring, we cover and patch and cover and patch if we can't figure out a way to integrate systems. Patching results in simply covering up and not figuring out what the solutions can be.
I challenge you to acknowledge the patches in your life, in work and personally.  What are the holes in the systems, what are the causes, and how can you fix them by restructuring rather than patching?

Scream

Challenge #111

Without getting into the detailed specifics of primal scream therapy and it's benefits, I feel as though most people would say that they can and would benefit from an occasional scream, the act of just releasing frustration and suppressed anxiety in one huge roar. The act of releasing by screaming creates a sort of breakthrough to feeling again, freeing us from the numbness that we create by suppressing anger, hurt, frustration and anxieties over a period of time, sometimes, a lifetime. The problem is that out of frustration and disregard of other's feelings, sometimes, people scream at others, their partners, children, strangers, anyone at the time in the moment of their frustration or anger, and sometimes without realizing what they have done, because they are so numb at the time.  I believe that other professionals would agree that we all need a time of where we can "let it all out" and just scream. The more responsible way would be to go and scream by yourself out in the open without any reserve where noone else can hear you or mistake your scream as a scream for help in a life-threatening situation.

I challenge you to find a safe place that you can go to where noone else can hear you and just.... scream.  You can do this several times, just make sure that you breathe deeply and have plenty of water and tissues. Be careful that you don't wreck your vocal chords either, by screaming too much repeatedly.  A few times is probably more than enough, keeping in mind that you want it to be strong enough that you genuinely feel a true release. And, when you scream, do make sure that is comes from deep down within and spews up and out of you energetically, as you are releasing negative and toxic thought and emotion with it.  Notice how lighter you will begin to feel....

How do you give back?

Challenge #110

We must receive when we are born as we are not able to give yet. However, throughout life we are continually given to by others, even though it may not seem like it at all at times.  It is all a matter of perspective, so ask yourself, regardless of what you have been given, how do you give back? What are the ways.

I challenge you to find a cause to give back in some way, to return an unasked kindness, or a forgotten favor, or to the obvious. Ask yourself how you feel about it and why  you have those feelings negative or positive. When someone gives you something, does it make you feel a sense of obligation to give back, or are you able to give freely without having a cause or reason?

Walk a mile

Challenge #109

Sometimes we forget that simplicity can be the answer. We very often allow ourselves to get caught up in the marketing machine of corporate America's advertising for this and for that in our media including the internet, and then there is informercial mania that is beginning to invade retail stores. Anything that is out there to make us better, bigger, or smaller comes in an overwhelming multitude of different varieties, particularly when it comes to fitness.

Walking is simply what it is, putting one foot in front of the other and allowing yourself movement of your body going forward. You can speed walk, or walk slowly, but whatever you do that makes it vary depends upon your individuality as a human, not a marketing scheme.  So, I challenge you to walk a mile today this morning, during lunch, or after dinner.  The benefits of walking are tremendous without our even realizing it. It makes us breathe regularly, it gets us up and off a chair and the act of sitting, it allows us to get out and witness nature, because most of our houses are not big enough to walk around for a mile. It also allows us to become social, as we often pass neighbors and others who may be out at the same time. There are plenty of walking trails around neighborhoods in several areas. Walk a mile, see if it makes you smile....

Up Up and Away

Challenge #108

What is it about us humans that have a desire to want to be in the air. There is a mystic and a sense of wonder of doing it that compels us to fly, float and drop from it, to defy gravity in it, test g-forces in it and just admire it.  We have always looked up to the sky since ancient times for sources of inspiration that has been expressed visually and literately. One thing that does remain a constant about being in the air, however, is that we always have to come down to Terra firma.

I challenge you to find that one reason that you enjoy about being in the air, and why. Think about it, visualize your experiences of it. Does the experience inspire you? In what ways? What do you experience, feel, sense, excitement, elation, joy, adrenaline rush, anticipation. Do you see a beauty in it? Does it make you feel a certain way, give you a different perspective on your life?  Write down the reason and other reasons. Then, make plans to do it, take a trip, a hot air balloon ride, skydiving event, whatever gets you airborne.  Very few people enjoy being in the air in one way or another....are you one of them?

Fantastic Voyage

Challenge # 107

Imagine being able to be on a crew in a vessel that is miniaturized to go into a human or animal body and heal or operate.  There would be no cutting into the skin tissues to create scars, no amputation of limbs or removal of parts. What a glorious ideal that would be~!  To face blood cells floating by you that would be more than half your size, to literally see and be in organs and feel and hear the beating of the heart. 

I challenge you to take a fantastic voyage of your own through your own body.  Find a quiet place, close your eyes and slowly begin to breathe in and out. Visualize yourself miniaturized and slipping into your body through your nostrils and slowly see yourself going back into the air passageway in the back of your mouth, going down into your throat, further down into your chest and then choose to go into an area of your body that starts to stand out to you as you do this.  Go into the area, and see what begins to appear before your closed eyes, begin to notice what you are feeling. How can you alter or change this area? What would you do to heal the area? These are questions that you can begin to form to start on a self healing expedition that you can take at any time that you need to.  Allow yourself to see light coming in and altering the area to be better or correct the wrongs.When you are finished, come back up and out through your mouth, or, possibly through a tear drop in your eye and return to your normal size. Begin to write your experiences down.

It's almost Halloweenie time~

Challenge #106

Halloween is one of the oldest and the second most popular only to Christmas in America. Millions celebrate the holiday each year without knowing its origins, which make the holiday that much more exciting. Some view Halloween as a time for fun, friends and family. Others still see its superstitious nature or ties to deceased. Some religions even view it as an unholy holiday.

Halloween also has some close ties to superstitions dealing with love. Some believe if you catch a snail on Halloween night and lock it in a flat dish you will see the first letter of your sweetheart’s name in the morning. Another one says that if a girl puts fresh rosemary and a silver coin under her pillow on Halloween, she will see her future husband in a dream. Girls who carry a lamp to a spring of water on this night are said to be able to see their future husband in the reflection. Additionally, carrying a broken egg in a glass to a spring of water during the day can not only see their future husband by mixing some of the spring water into the glass, but she can also see a glimpse of her future children. Another old tradition said girls should go into a field and there scatter the seed of hemp while chanting “Hempseed I sow thee Come after me and show me”. Upon turning round, it was said each girl would see a vision of the man who would be her husband. 

Visiting haunted houses is a more modern tradition that most likely started as a commercial venture and often works as a way to raise money for non-profit organizations. While dressing in costumes for this day dates back thousands of years, today we see an insurgence of costumes inspired by popular culture, such as movie stars or politicians. Americans tend to see more humorous costumes than scary ones in the current times. Additionally, the tradition of trick-or-treating, which infers that if someone is not satisfied with the treat you are likely to get a trick, has evolved into an activity for younger children accompanied by parents. Today older children and adults are more likely to attend a costume party instead, where best costume prizes are awarded. Most parties are held in homes but bars and nightclubs also hold similar events.

I challenge you to start your halloween costume hunt if you have not already... and, regardless of your age, you're not too old to join in the festivities!!

Glow

Challenge #105

One of the few joys of growing up in the Midwest as a child was that every summer, the dusk of the evenings would be filled with these tiny beetles, glowing in the air. Wanting them to last for many nights at a time, we would innocently chase them, and put them into jars, ultimately leading to a slow and dimming death.

According to Wikipedia....Light in adult beetles was originally thought to be used for warning purposes, but its primary purpose is now thought to be used in mate selection. Fireflies are a classic example of an organism that uses bioluminescence for sexual selection. They have evolved a variety of ways to communicate with mates in courtships: steady glows, flashing, and the use of chemical signals unrelated to photic systems.

^{There is within all of us, human or other species that signal that gets sent out to attract others. I challenge you to figure out what your inner glow or, bioluminescence, is all about and how it attracts others....} 

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!!

Challenge #104

It wasn't the beginning of a journey to meet the Wizard of Oz, but rather, the end to a man's life.

The owner of a private wild animal preserve was found dead last night and over 30 of the 48 wild exotic animals of the compound are running loose within the small town of Zanesville Ohio.  Schools have shut down for the day and the town is on lockdown trying to reign in the animals. Humans are encouraged to stay indoors and away from the animals. There are wild cheetahs, bears, tigers, wolves and more running loose amongst the city with officials on the watch to either gun them down or drive them back towards the preserve safely.

I challenge you to look at your fears of wild animals.  Ask yourself what you would do in this instance, and how would you protect yourself if you were faced with a bear or tiger coming towards you as you are walking into a bank during the middle of the day.  How would you defend yourself? Would you just scream? Would you want a handgun to be able to shoot them? Would you want the right to have a tranquilizer gun with you at all times to shoot it down without killing it? Think about how your would defend yourself in this kind of situation, which until today, seemed just a fantasy as walking down the yellow brick road to find the wizard of oz....

Are you a man or a Woman....then where are your manners????

Challenge # 103

Not until I arrived in California, Los Angeles to be exact, that I would encounter the phenomenon of women speaking over women.  I heard of this phenomenon spoken by frustrated men, exhausted of the voices, the tone, the caliber and the cadence. The underlying yet so obnoxiously overt desire to be heard regardless of anyone else around them, anyone.

Then I began to notice myself, and witness myself the unnerving, unending, incessant, rude and intolerable behavior of the women who want to be men, think they have to be the man, and "act" as men, by speaking over others, women in particular.  Do these women speak over the men close to them or the ones that they encounter objectively at work? I don't know but I suspect they try to overachieve to show their capability of being a man, and do so by default.

I challenge you if you are a woman, to ask yourself if you are trying to be a man, a rude, overbearing man. What is it in you that feels so undeserved that you have to be so rude to your fellow sister?  Where are your manners? Can you please allow a woman to speak before you rush to speak over them as if they are not there? It's not just a kindness, it's a respect for others, insecurity is written all over your face and body. Is that what you really want?

Inspiration

Challenge #102

Yes, it's that simple.  We often make it more difficult than it has to be.  We have it within us, we just need a little nudge sometimes to go down inside and carve it out if need be.

Where do we get our inspiration from?  Many sources are available to you for inspiration, such as in spirituality, acceptance, others, animals, art, music, words. Are things placed here on earth within our lifetimes to give us inspiration? It helps if we first figure out who we are, and then, figure out exactly what moves us, what guides us to move forward.  Some never do this.
I challenge you to
1. Ask yourself who you are.
2. Make a list of what propels you to take action. And then pick one. That is your inspiration, it's up to you to keep it or choose another one, and another one, and yet another one....

Easy Rider

Challenge #101

Fresh off of taking a few days away from our challenges, (the celebration being one fabulous experience, by the way!!!)  we come back and face Occupy Wall Street demonstrations that have reached global proportions.  Possibly glaringly unaware and possibly deliberately looking the other way to ignore that the former presidential administrations have been planting the seeds for this for decades, the public is now outraged that corporate America has left the a nation in such division between the haves and the have-nots.  Freedom from financial woes is tough for everyone to negate and everyone has to bear down and get through the next few years of economic crises.

Thoughts of running away from the establishment as in the film "Easy Rider" for a an easy retirement off the sale of illegal substances is not the best answer, however, taking your vehicles, be it a motorcycle, van, motor home or car and just taking a brief "freedom" road trip can be a pleasant distraction.    I challenge you to allow yourself a mini "Freedom" road trip and get away for a day or two or three, whatever fits into your budget right now, and see the world from a different perspective. Try to see and experiences things outside your normal daily routine of just getting through life. Having a fresh perspective when you return can be the start of finding personal solutions and possibly significant contributions with others to do your part in helping possibly to turn the situation around, be it involvement with protest organizations, getting involved with local politics, elections, or any movement or incentive to actually make a bigger difference.

Challenge #100


YAY!!!! We have made it to the 100th Challenge of 365, just 265 more to go!! Whooooo!!!

This calls for a celebration!  Pop a bottle of very dry chilled bubbly, grill the scrumptious filet, top it off with a red velvet cupcake and sit back and jump into the jacuzzi and watch the stars in the sky.  Won't you join me??? I challenge you to....

The Old Man and The Sea

Challenge #99

The ocean is a big expanse of mystery and intrigue that some of us get to experience and some choose not to.

For the adventurers in us, heading into uncharted waters can be the most rewarding, self-glorifying and yet difficult and terrifying times of our lives.  Whether it be a marlin to hunt as the Hemingway novel goes, battling a shark tank in business, or just riding with dolphins, I challenge you to use the ocean, or, lake or river, or any metaphoric expanse of water,  as your hunting grounds to start with, go for something big and see what you come up with.

Tommy Can ya Feel Me....

Challenge # 98

Are you ever feeling as though you are living in a world of apathy?  That no matter what you say, see or hear bears no difference in the world?  So much so that you simply shut down, as though you are deaf, dumb and blind? To the point of where you really would rather just go off planet and start a new life?

I challenge you to find something in your life that you can feel a passion about.
As you decide on something, don't look at it as other people looking at you and having an opinion about it. Forget about other people. Take a look at yourself and feel what gives you an inner sense of love, glory, excitement in your belly. What is it that gives you a fire in your belly? Is it a thing, a viewpoint, desire?  Take out a piece of paper today and with a timer, in just 5 minutes write down a list of some things that bring a fire in the belly sensation for you. Try it....

What's in a Holiday...

Challenge #97

Today is celebrated as Columbus Day in the US and in the US territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Many of us are off from work or still on holiday or traveling back to our home cities from a long weekend.

The man Christopher Columbus, was credited for discovering the Americas when in fact there were already an indigenous population here well before he docked his ship and claimed land.  Does the date qualify for a true national holiday or do we seek an excuse to have a long 3 day weekend and take off from work and our regular schedules?

A question to ask yourself. If you could declare a holiday to take a day out of the normal routine, for what would it be for?  I challenge you  to create your own holiday, one majestic day out of the entire year that you personally take off to celebrate. And, if the reason is to celebrate just you for your own being, and it's not on your birthday, so be it.  Start now and really take the time to create your own holiday. Mark the date down and write out all the reasons for your newly created holiday. Give it a bold name. Declare the reasons behind it and how it will be recorded in the annals of your history and how it relates to you. Create celebration around it, decor, food and merriment. Decide where you will celebrate it, what will you wear, who will be with you?  Cheers~!

In the Night Kitchen

Challenge  #96

We all have our childhood dreams that at one time or another carried us into the night kitchen, or the dark abyss that reminded us of warmth, comforty smells, mommy and daddy and projected us into some exaggerated heart beating predicament that we could only wake up from to get out of.   Just short of finding "Where the Wild Things Are", heading into the night kitchen is an early adventure we as babes typically and easily dare to embark upon.

I used to read this little known and controversial children's book by Maurice Sendak to my little one every night for almost a year before she was 3. She loved the journey that Mickey went into once sleepyland came about and the other side of consciousness awoke when he heard a noise from his bed and said.....

I challenge you to find the children's bedtime story that hits a positive target in your childhood of long long ago. Whether it be based on a distant memory, a fondness of something, or a very direct emotion. Appreciate the artistry, the presentation, the words, the mind of the pen from who they came.  Read it to your little ones, and if you don't have them, give it to someone who does have little ones, or read it to them yourself.

Jack-O-Lantern

Challenge # 95

The time is drawing near, specialty farms around the nation have begun to open up and stores are now selling the favorite gourd for the season, Oh hail to the Great.... Pumpkin!  According to the cartoon character Charlie Brown's pal Linus, the Great Pumpkin appears once a year sweeping down from the sky. That time of the year when hayrides and bonfires abound with the smells of smores, hot apple cider and spicy pies. One night in particular that we relish through this time...is the night of.... Halloween.

Within the tradition of Halloween is that of carving out pumpkins and placing a candle in them to stay illuminated for the entire night, called a Jack-O-Lantern.  Each Friday through this month we will focus on the various elements of Halloween.

I challenge you to engage in this tradition and begin searching for the perfect pumpkin to carve the perfect Jack-o-lantern this year.  You can't take time back and you can't live in the past, it is time to move forward only and this is one way....

The legend of the Jack-O-Lantern is below....enjoy~!

The Legend of "Stingy Jack"  from History.com

People have been making jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween for centuries. The practice originated from an Irish myth about a man nicknamed "Stingy Jack." According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn't want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree's bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.
Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as "Jack of the Lantern," and then, simply "Jack O'Lantern."
In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack's lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o'lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack-o'-lanterns.

Visionary

Challenge # 94

What do you see when you look out beyond your horizon?
What lies ahead out there for you?
Do you only see yourself or others with you, alongside you, going along the same path?
Are you in your own body or have you morphed into another time?
What are you doing along the way?

I challenge you to begin to ask yourself... what do you want?  Take a walk outside, or take a look in the mirror, be in solitude, take a deep breath, or several, and see beyond where you are, who you are and begin to get the visions of where you want to be, what you want to be doing.  Allow the visions to come to you....keep trying....

Rain

Challenge #93

The drippy stuff affects us all. It is refreshing to most, especially as kids, but in everyday lives as we get older it's effects are at times felt on an emotional basis whenever we have to be out in it.  Sometimes we weep when it rains, sometimes we react happily and stay indoors, maybe take the day off from work and duties as an excuse to not go out. Sometimes a warm outdoor shower after a blistering day in the desert is welcomed and elates us, and sometimes in tropical weather when rain showers come and go throughout the day, we just like to go out naked and feel the drops pelting down on our bare skin, then let them dry off us from the heat of the sun before sliding into the bath of the ocean water to wash off.  We plan our activities by it and we use it as a metaphor to wash away or clear our worries, sins, or otherwise dirty or negative aspects to our lives.

Rain is important in our eco-cycle to replenish the moisture evaporated by the earth's atmosphere during the movements of the days and nights to refill the oceans and nourish the earth and crop growth.  It bestows itself upon us by breaking out of great clouds in the sky and falling down in surprise movements. We are constantly trying to monitor it's existence by sophisticated storm system tracking equipment and radar devices on earth and in satellites in space.


I challenge you wherever you are if it is raining, and when it rains, to call upon it in gratitude and enjoy it. Take time for it and make allowances in your day for it if it affects you while you are driving, walking about or doing whatever it is that you do. Allow patience and be helpful of others. Dress appropriately, carry the umbrella, the rain coat, galoshes, layer for warmth if necessary.  And, relish the rain, knowing that it is always temporary.

The Yellow Brick Road

Challenge #92

Tapping your ruby slippers 3 times can bring you home and back to reality realizing that you had it all within you from the beginning, or.... not.

Following a path on a journey to find the one person that will bring you what you want most is what sets us off course to begin with. We, especially women, tend to look for wizards in a magical place such as in relationships.  We often times put that partner on the pedestal of mastery when they may not deserve our exultation of their being to begin with.  When really, unbeknownst to us at the time, self-love and self-mastery is the key to our own personal success before we are able to truly share with another.

If we can believe in ourselves enough to create what we want in our lives without thinking someone else will do it for us, or has to do it for us, self-trust is what will set us on our own path of destiny.  It can be a delight, it doesn't mean that you have to go it alone either, if that person or people are on the same paths as you are.  

I challenge you to find your own yellow brick road and begin the journey to what it is, not who it is, that you want in your life.

Serendipity

Challenge #91

Unexpected fortune and happiness is not always in a $25000 desert shrouded in gold over triple fudge with ice cream and a biscuit fresh from a posh upper East Side desertery in Manhattan that bears the name, or carried over into a sister venue of the same served up in a scrumptious dish from Ceaser's casino on the Vegas strip....

Rather, we can find serendipity or the discovery of something beneficial or positive in unexpected ways in our our everyday lives. We can uncover treasures in the path of daily routine.  I challenge you to find something in some way serendipitous to you today.  Sometimes it is simply following the path of least resistance that will uncover at least glimpses of ease, when we lessen the expectation of stress or negativity, we can only find positiveness in it's place...

Mourning

challenge #90

Today marks the anniversary of the death of Rock Hudson from Aids in 1985.  AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is still in existence in the world having affected over 60 million people and responsible for over 25 million deaths since its onslaught in the US during the early 80's. The disease is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV. It is transmitted between people through sexual bodily fluids or blood. People's immune systems are worsened resulting in death once they have the virus. There are over 30 million among us that are living with AIDS now.

I challenge you  to take a moment and mourn the people affected by this still present disease. Most likely you have known of or are personally aware of someone who has died of or been affected by AIDS. In your remembrance of them, appreciate them for who they were, what they were able to contribute to society and how they were able to touch your life. Remember that they each came from somewhere unique unto themselves, they were each borne from a mother's womb and each held an organic cellular base of love.  Remember that they leave behind family members, close friends and pets. Try to not turn away but rather to face this disease as reality and try to do your part somehow in the research and help find a way to discover the cure to save lives.  

You owe it to yourself to get checked periodically if you are sexually active and/or pregnant,  as you can carry the virus through the gestational period as well and infect your newborn . Although treatments have been created to slow the process and make it a bit more tolerable for the infected, there is still no known cure or vaccine yet for HIV.