Circle of Words Meme based on "Simple Abundance", by Sarah Ban Breathnach.

Jan 1 2004

There are years that ask questions and years that answer.
-Zora Neale Hurston

1. The New Year brings upon many resolutions that will go unmet. Instead of a resolution...how about an aspiration. What are your hopes for this new year?

~~~
We cannot kindle when we will
The fire that in the heart resides
The spirit bloweth and is still
In mystery our soul abides.

Jan 19, 2004

I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy.
-Louise Bogan
1. Do you ever sit back and just smell the flowers? Do you ever lay in the sun and appreciate just life in general? Do you look at the good in things...or are you always searching for the bad? Do you spend minutes and hours worrying what might happen, instead of realizing you control your own destiny...you can make it happen....or not?

Jan 20, 2004

Your diamonds are not in far distant mountains or in yonder seas;
they are in your own backyard, if you but dig for them.
-Russell H. Cornwell

2. We all have within us dreams that are waiting to be fulfilled. " Diamonds to be Discovered" so to speak. But how many of us really take our dreams and turn them into reality? If you could do anything right now, what would you do? What would you be? How would you do it? And why haven't you done it already?

Jan 25, 2004

If your everyday life seems poor, don't blame it; blame yourself;
admit to yourself that you are not enough of a poet to call forth its riches;
because for the creator there is no poverty and no poor indifferent place.
- Rainer Maria Rilke

3. Procrastination. Procrastination is our worst enemy. It is what makes us tell ourselves that we will start the diet tomorrow. We will clean the kitchen floor tomorrow. We will tell our husbands that we love them....tomorrow. You get the idea. We are all guilty of some type of procrastination. What types are you guilty of? And don't you think it's about time you stop thinking about what you should be doing and plain old just start doing it!? Every time you procrastinate you are robbing yourself of an opportunity. Even that clean kitchen floor will make you enjoy the evenings dinner more knowing that it is done and you don't have to do it tomorrow.

Jan 29, 2004

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
-Matthew 6:21
1. What if someone told you that all you needed to do to make your dreams come true is to create a personal treasure map. In this map would be all of the things you want in your life. These things can be people, things, a certain job, a location...etc. Well I can't tell you that the things on your map will come true, but I can tell you that everything in your outer world is created in your mind first. With that said...what would be on your personal treasure map for say...10 years from now?

Jan 31, 2004

Embracing Joyful Simplicities

Year by year the complexities of this spinning world grow more bewildering and so each year we need all the more to seek peace and comfort in the joyful simplicites.
-Woman's Home Companion, December 1935
2. We all have great moments in our lives that are marked by events such as the day we got married, the day we finally got our dream job, our baby was born...etc. The days that we will never forget. But what about all the little things? These are the joyful simplicities the engage our senses...that nourish our body and soul. Such as the smell of your favorite homemade soup filling your kitchen. The joy of the sun shining through your living room window on a summers day. The warmth that fills your heart as you peek at your rearview mirror and see your children playing in the back seat of your car. What types of joyful simplicities do you have in your life? Try to name at least 3 things...or more!!

Feb 1, 2004

Creative Excursions;The Gift of Time

I celebrate myself, and sing myself
I loafe and invite my soal...
-Walt Whitman
3. When is the last time you went on a creative excursion? What this means is something that you do by yourself...for yourself. This is where we take away the title of wife...mother...student....teacher...etc....and look inside ourselves. When is the last time you did something that made you feel good. Something that celebrated yourself...that showed your creative side...or your energetic side, or even your really needed a break from life's daily routine side? And don't feel bad if you can't think of something, this is very hard to do. But maybe this will give you the extra push to not feel guilty the next time you really want to do something for yourself.

Feb 3, 2004

Discovering Your Authentic Self
To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.
-Oscar Wilde
3. What is required for you to have a great day..the kind of day where you love yourself and everything about your life? Is it something as simple as a long bubble bath, playtime with your children, or the fact that you are having a good hair day? Or does it take much more than that...like a raise at work, a new home, a new car? And then the other extreme...what things make you not so in love with yourself? And which would you say you are more of - in love with yourself -or- not?

Feb 7, 2004

Feb 8, 2004

You Are an Artist
Inside, you there's an artist you don't know about...Say yes quickly, if you know, if you've known it from before the beginning of the universe.
-Jalai Ud-Din Rumi
2. Most of us think of artists as someone who paints, sculps, writes, acts, and so on. But this is untrue. Each one of us is an artist. We all create a unique work of art everday of our lives. We each do something unlike anyone else, which in turn makes us unique. Every choice you make creates some type of art. In what ways do you see yourself as an artist? And is there anything you would like to do to show your creative side that you are not doing already?

Feb. 10, 2004

Feb. 14, 2004

Buried Dreams
Where there is great love there are always miracles.
-Willa Cather
2. Everyone can think back to a time when they said to a friend or parent....I'm going to be an astronaunt when I grow up...or I nurse...or doctor. And many of us even as adults have said by next year we will be in a different house...I will have a different job...etc. What about your dreams? Do you have any memories of something that you wanted to do with your life but the timing was off...you failed...there were unforeseen circumstances that just caused this dream to be buried so deeply it never came true. And now that you are where you are today...does part of you still wish that dream would have been a reality?

Feb. 15, 2004

Meeting the Inner Explorer
There is only one journey. Going inside yourself.
-Rainer Maria Rilke
3. You have just received the ultimate ticket to your first-class fantasy. On this journey you get to go anywhere you want to go....all expenses paid..full-time babysitter..no worries, everything will be taken care of for you! Where would you go? Who would go with you? How long would you stay there? And what would you do once you were there? (Describe it in detail if you would like!)

Feb 19, 2004

Feb 23, 2004

Feb 24, 2004

Now That I've Gotten Your Attention
Sometimes in your life you will go on a journey.
It will be the longest journey you have ever taken.
It is the journey to find yourself.
-Katherine Sharp
It seems like every time one turns around days, weeks, months have escaped one's grasp. Part of this is because as women we tend to put everyone else's needs before our own and we can't find 20 minutes a day to ourselves. It is so easy to say that you didn't start that particular something new today..or accomplish that one special thing for yourself today because you just didn't find the time. Tomorrow...it's always tomorrow. What one thing can you think of that you keep putting off that you really want to do for yourself? Why haven't you done it yet?

Feb 25, 2004

Feb, 2004

March 3, 2004

March 5, 2004

Creating a Hope Chest
" Hope" is the thing with feathers-
that perches in the soul....
-Emily Dickinson
2. Can you smell the cedar?? That is what most people think of when they think of a hope chest. A nice cedar lined chest filled with items for a girls future. Did you have a hope chest as a young girl? What kinds of things were put into it? Did you know about it growing up, or was it something your mom surprised you with one day? Have you made a hope chest for your child/children? What have you put into it?

March 10, 2004

March 11, 2004

Sending and Receiving Personal Signals
If you will resolve to work each day for self-realization, your whole world can change...The two women you are, they can make you over.
-Pond's Cold Cream Advertising - LOL
3. In a subtle way we tend to send personal signals about our self-esteem. Like what we wear, the tone of our voice, whether or not we look someone in the eyes when we talk to them. What do you think people see when they look at you? Do you think your true self shows through with most people or do you hide well behind your clothes and makeup? Are there very many people who know the real you each day...or are you a private person for the most part? What kind of signals are you sending when you write in your blog each day? Do you think people see who you really are by reading your entries?

March 12, 2004

March 16, 2004

What Do You Like About Yourself?
If you want to find the answers to the Big Questions about your soul, you'd best begin with the Little Answers about your body.
- George Sheehan
2. Sometimes it is hard to name things that we like about ourselves. Especially when we are our own worse critic.
But sit back and think about this. Try to think of ten things that you like about your personality. And then the hard part...think of at least 5 things that you like about yourself when you look in the mirror! Go ahead...you can do it!! If not work on this...a little homework for you!

March 24, 2004

1. Days where you feel grumpy, sad for no reason...don't care to get out of bed or your jammies. What do you do? Do you call a friend and talk about your feelings? Do you write in a journal, in your blog, or an email? Do you talk to your significant other about how your feeling? What helps you to feel better?

Referring to the same quote above.

2. Sometimes is helps when you are feeling blue to think about things you have to be grateful for. Name at least 5 things that you have to feel grateful for...other than my family...my kids...my house. Really think about it.

April 3, 2004

Secret Lives: Gleaning Timps from Our Imaginary Selves
Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that's where you renew your springs that never dry up.
-Pearl Buck

3. What do you want to be when you grow up? And don't think that you are past being able to answer this question. We all have many more paths to travel down in life...where are you headed?

Bonus Question!

4. Let's pretend that you have 3 secret selves...What would each person be doing? What would they look like..where would they live...Give them a name!! Have fun with this!

April 5, 2004

1. You can tell a lot about a persons hopes, dreams, and personal style by who they admire. Who do you admire when it comes to fashion and beauty? Who do you admire in term of what they stand for...their mission if life...etc. Who do you admire the most the you actually know, and they are or have been part of your life at one time?

April 7, 2004

Come Alive With Color
With color, for the price of a pot of paint, people can express their own style and individuality. But, as with style, a figt for color has to be developed by experiment. If you don't dare, you are doomed to dullness.
-Shirley Conran

2. What do all the colors in your life say about you? Your house...what are the primary colors...and what message do you think they send to your visitors? And your wardrobe...do you wear colors because that's what looks good, or because it is the latest trend? What colors do you tend to wear? What does this color say about you?

April 8, 2004

More Dash Than Cash
Good taste shouldn't have to cost anything extra.
-Micky Drexler

3. Many of us have material wants that our wallets just can't keep up with. As we get older all of the extras in life seem to cost more and more. What happened to the days when you could buy an entire outfit under $20? What types of things don't you mind spending extra cash on? What types of things will you only buy on sale? And what things do you refuse to buy because of the cost? Money...don't you love it? The more you make the more you spend!

April 10, 2004

1. Trompe l'oeil is " fool the eye" . Have you ever been out shopping and fell upon the perfect item for you or your home? Something that was priced cheap...hidden like it was left there just for you? You got such a good deal, you came home and had to tell everyone all about it?

April 11, 2004

Finishing Touches: The Art of Fashion Accessories
Perhaps too much of everything is as bad as too little.
-Edna Ferber

2. What kind of accessories do you wear? On a daily basis? For special occassions? Do you have a favorite? Do you have any special pieces that have special meaning to you?

April 13, 2004

The Only Weight Loss Aid You'll Ever Need
Self-love is the only weight-loss aid that really works in the long run.
-Jenny Craig

3. Food is not our enemy. We should love to eat...food is the source of fuel for our bodies. Then why in the world does this fuel stick to our guts and our butts!? Do you have to watch what you eat to stay in shape? Have you ever had a successful diet plan? If so, share it with the world...we could use the tips! Do you eat because your hungry...bored...or just because it's mealtime? What is the healthiest food you eat? What is the worst junkfood you eat?

April 15, 2004

1. To exercise or not to exercise...that is the question. Do you exercise on a regular basis? If so, what is your schedule? If you don't, why not? In what ways do you exercise? What works best for you when it comes to loosing weight or maintaining your weight? Do you like to exercise? What excuses do you have not to exercise?

April 17, 2004

Making Peace with Your Hair
Genius is of small use to awoman who does not know how to do her hair.
-Edith Wharton

2. What kind of relationship do you have with your hair? Do you have your hair the way you want it or are you working on growing it out...or have plans to chop it all off? Do you color it, and why? Do you spend a lot of money on your hair or do you cut and/or color it yourself? How important is your hair to you?

April 18, 2004

The Face in the Looking Glass
The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.
-Yves Saint Laurent

3. Do you dress your face up with makeup? What kinds? Do you wear makeup everyday or just on special occasions? Do you spend a lot of money on your makeup...or just buy the cheaper brands?

April 20, 2004

1. To some there is a difference between bathing and taking a bath. Bathing is the same thing as taking a shower, just laying down. But " taking a bath" is when you bring out the candles, the inflatable pillow, the bubble bath, the bath salts, the good book, and the list goes on. Taking a bath is sometimes the only time of the day that we can get away from the rest of the world and sort out our thoughts, meditate, or think about absolutely nothing! How often do you " take a bath" ? What types of things does your bath include? Music, reading, meditation, salts, bubbles..etc?? If time allows, which do you prefer, the shower, bathing, or taking a bath?

April 21, 2004

Aromatherapy: The Restorative Comfort of Fragrance
Smells are surer than sounds and sights to make heartstrings crack.
-Rudyard Kipling

2. Aromatherapy- the ancient therapeutic art of blending essential oils or extracts distilled from aromatic flowers, plants, herbs, and fruit for medicinal purposes. Do you use any form of aromatherapy in your home or office? Do any scents help you with relaxing, to rid of a headache, activate memory, stimulate your brain and so on? What scents do you like to use in your home? Do you use special scents for special occasions?

April 22, 2004

Sensory Awakening
Nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul.

3. As humans we were given the ability to explore life through the senses - smell, taste, hear, touch, and sight. We may take our senses for granted or ...we may not have all of the senses. Imagine for a minute what it would be like to take a trip through a garden without any sense of smell or sound. What it would be like to visit a zoo without being able to see...only smell. Life would sure be different wouldn't it? Name the senses in order from most important to least important and why. Hard isn't it?

April 24, 2004

1. Everyone has different taste buds...which is why we all don't like to eat the same things. What is your favorite type of food? What one food item do you eat the most of? What is the worst food experience you've ever had?

April 25, 2004

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
The greatest thing a human being ever does in this world is to see something...To see clearly is poetry, prophecy and religion, all in one.
-John Ruskin

2. It takes time to see...but we just don't have the time. We pretty much take our sight for granted until something happens that impairs our sight...or as we age our sight gets worse. Is your sight impaired at all? Do you wear contacts or glasses? Have you had corrective eye surgery? If you had the money, would you have corrective eye surgery?

April 26, 2004

Major and Minor Chords of Pleasure
With stammering lips and insufficient sounds,
I strive and struggle to deliver right
the music of my nature...
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

3. Sounds of life. There are so many different sounds..from voices, to music, to nature...etc. What sounds do you love to hear? What sounds bother you the most? What type of music do you love to listen to? What sounds do you hear right NOW?

April 27, 2004

1. As an infant leaves the womb...touch is the very first sense he/she experiences. For many touch is the last sense they feel as they depart from the world...the squeeze of a loved one's hand. Very sad to think about. Today think about how often you touch someone. Sometimes as we speak to others we touch them...we touch our loved ones by hugging..kissing...etc. What kind of touch person are you? Do you hug your friends as they approach you? Do you hug/kiss your children everyday? Your signifigant other? How many people in a typical day touch YOU?

April 28, 2004

The Intuitive Sense
Intuition is a spiritual faculty, and does not explain, but simply points the way.
-Florence Scovell Shinn

2. This Sense is by far my favorite...although it sure can get you in trouble! Women especially have intuitive thoughts that sometimes can not be ignored. Think of a time in your life that your intuition aimed you in the right direction. And a time if aimed you in the wrong direction, not fun when that happens!! Tell us about it!!

April 29, 2004

Allure: The Feminie Mystique
Taking joy in life is a woman's best cosmetic.
-Rosalind Russell

3. There is certainly enough mystery in the world- what will happen next...when will it happen. How much mystery is there to you? Is there much mystery to what occurs each day of your life, or are you a hour by hour planner? Do you think other people find you mysterious? Do you try to be mysterious?

May 4, 2004

1. Do you have a warm inviting home that reflects your personality? Why? Is your home more your style or your spouse's/significant others's? What room in your home is most " you" ?

(pertaining to same quote)

2. Do you have any objects in your home that were passed down to you by a family member or friend that you cherish? Do you have any that you despise...yet you display them because you would feel to guilty not to? Do you remember anything that was given to you that you tossed in the garbage and now regret it?

May 9, 2004

Getting your House in Order
My life will always have dirty dishes.
If this sink can become a place of contemption,
let me learn constancy here.
- Gunilla Norris

3. How you clean your home is an expression of self-steem. How often do you clean your home? Do you take your time and really put effort into cleaning or do you clean to make things just look nice? What is your worst household chore? What is your favorite...IF you have one?

May 13, 2004

1. Even as adults one never outgrows the need or desire to be mothered. We love to be pampered, served breakfast in bed, someone to stroke our hair, or rub our backs until we fall to sleep. Does your signifigant other ever mother you? In what ways? What things do you like him to do, but he never does it, or not often enough? Or there any ways that he does mother you that you don't like?

May 15, 2004

Progress, not Perfection
Perfectionism is self-abuse of the highest order.
-Anne Wilson Schaef

2. You have the perfect house, on the perfect street, with the perfect family. Then you wake up. No one person has the perfect life or the perfect house...but we all strive for perfection. In what ways do you strive for perfection? This can be something silly like your clothes must be wrinkle free...to your kitchen floor must be sparkling every day...to your relationship with your kids/significant other. Do you think you are perfect in any way?

May 18, 2004

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
Out of clutter, find simplicity
-Albert Einstein

3. So many time we find ourselves overwhelmed with LIFE- responsiblities- Our jobs, our homes, our families. In what ways do you think you could make your life more simple? Less stressful? Less complicated? More enjoyable and relaxing? And why aren't you doing this?? Time to start cleaning up your life :)

May 20, 2004

The Art of Puttering
Puttering is really a time to be alone, to dream and to get in touch with yourself..To putter is to discover.
-Alexandra Stoddard

3. Puttering is a solitary pursuit...done at a slow pace, providing relaxation and enjoyment. In what ways do you like to putter? Do you putter when you clean house...shop...get yourself ready in the morning?

May 22, 2004

1. It takes more than just money to make a house into a home. Are you living in your dream home? If not, what is your idea of a dream home?

May 25, 2004

Passion: The Authentic Muse
What is passion? It is surely the becoming of a person.
-John Boorman

2. Many of us think of passion as being swept off our feet...pampered like a princess...romanced like a queen. Passion can be anything that is wild, chaotic, unpredictable, excessive, or obsessive. Passion can be in cooking, planning a party, writing a short story...really anything. What kind of passion do you have in your life?

May 29, 2004

1. What types of things do you collect? What is your favorite? What items do you have that mean the most to you and why?

May 30, 2004

Finders, Keepers: The Fun of Foraging
The whole thrill of junking is that you just know the next table will have what you've been looking for all your life.
-Mary Randolph Carter

2. Foraging, I never heard this word before...so I had to look it up. Definition is - to wander or rummage through. I call that...going to garage sales or flea markets :) Do you go to garage sales and/or flea markets? Have you ever found anything that you just have to brag about?

June 2, 2004

In Praise of Modesty
Style is to see beauty in modesty.
-Andree Putman

3. Are you a modest person? In what ways if any are you not modest? Do you like to show off once in awhile?

Extra: And just for fun...pretend you became a famous actress or writer or musician...etc. Who would you hope to be like in terms of their level of modesty? Give a specific name of someone famous. Would you be the wild and crazy...let it all hang out type of gal...or would you hope to be more modest, acting as though the millions of dollars you have mean nothing to you?

June 3, 2004

Ask, Ask, Ask
Ask, and it shall be given to you;seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
-Matthew 7:7

1. When is the last time you asked for some advice, for help, or for someone's opinion? Do you ask for these things often...or do you usually keep to yourself for the most part?

June 11, 2004

Creating a Plan for Personal Papers
Tidied all my papers, Tore up and ruthlessly destroyed much. This is always a great satisfaction.
-Katherine Mansfield

2. Do you keep your personal items, such as bills, receipts, and such organized? When you need to locate an old document or paper, are you able to find it quickly...or does it take some searching?

June 13, 2004

Secret Passions: The Fancy Pantry
The array of pots rather amazed her at first, but John was so fond of jelly and the nice little jars would look so well on the top shelf.
-Louisa May Alcott

3. Preserved...Potted...Candied...Brandied...the items found in a fancy pantry. Do you create your own foods..such as jellies, honeys, syrups, butters, etc? What types of things do you make from scratch? Do you grow the ingredients yourself...or purchase them? If you don't make these kinds of items...then what would we find in your pantry?

June 18, 2004

Choosing To Blossom

And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

-Anais Nin

1. Sometimes we spend a lot of time and energy resisting change in our lives. Many of us don't like change...we prefer to keep things comfortable. But change is necessary for personal growth. How well do you deal with change? Do you try to keep things simple and routine in your life or do you love the challenge of new things?

June 19, 2004

Gardening is an instrument of grace.

-May Sarton

2. Ever notice how people always say " I am going to work in my garden" , not " play in my garden" . Gardening is a lot of hard work, but to some it is a rewarding hobby. Do you enjoying gardening? Do you consider it a hobby or a chore? What types of things do you enjoy planting? Share some pictures if you have some!

June 20, 2004

Within your heart, keep one still, secret spot where dreams may go.

- Louise Driscoll

3. I doubt many of us actually have a secret garden so to speak...but do you have a place outdoors where you love to go relax and be alone? Do you share your secret garden with anyone? Tell us about your special place...what do you see...hear...etc.

June 24, 2004

I'd rather have roses on my table, than diamonds on my neck.

-Emma Goldman

1. Having vases of flowers in your home really add such a nice touch. Not only is the smell inviting, but the beauty of flowers can add so much to a room. Do you have vases of fresh flowers in your home? How often do you have them? What types do you like to buy?

Pertaining to the same quote from above.

2. Which do you prefer to receive as a gift from your spouse or significant other....Flowers or Jewelry? Which do you usually receive? What types of flowers and/or jewelry?

June 28, 2004

Little flower - but if I could understand

What you are, root and all, and all in all

I should know what God and woman is.

-Alfred, Lord Tennyson

3. People need to grow...just like plants. Do you ever feel like you need to be repotted? Like you've run out of room, your bored with life, you need to do something new? Have you ever repotted yourself in a way that has drastically changed your life? Like taking a new job or moving to a new country? Is there something that you would like to do that you just can't push yourself to take the first step? The big question.....what do you want to do with your life?

June 29, 2004

My soul is a broken field, plowed by pain.

-Sara Teasdale

1. There is a certain amount of pain in our lives necessary to teach us lessons that can not be learned by joy and happiness. Things happen that bring us back to reality, sometimes changing priorities in our lives. Can you think of a " life accident" that you wish never happened, but yet it taught you a lesson and/or changed or life in some way?

June 30, 2004

All you need is deep within you waiting to unfold and reveal itself.

All you have to do is be still and take time to seek for what is within, and you will surely find it.

-Eileen Caddy

2. Life is like a garden. It takes time and patience and sometimes a very long waiting period before the end result is positive. You don't become successful overnight....you have grown into who you are today...and hopefully you are still growing. At what stage of gardening do you feel your life is at? For example....sowing...reaping...seeding.. harvestiing.

July 1, 2004

I have learned , in whatsoever state I am, therewith, to be content.

- St. Paul

3. People are always wanting more. That is what keeps us moving forward in life, always striving for more. Like the old saying...The more money you make, the more you spend. Life constantly brings us new challenges, new cravings, new addictions. What are yours? Are you content with your life? If not, what would make you content?

July 2, 2004

Redeem.

The time. Redeem.

The unread vision in the higher dream...

-TS Eliot

1. Life is full of simple pleasures. Some that just happen...and others that we have to work towards making them happen. What are some of the simple pleasures in your life?

July 3, 2004

I cannot count the good people I know who to my soul would be even better if they bent their spirits to the study of their own hungers.

-M F K Fisher

2. There are many different types of Hunger: Such as... physical, emotional, creative, and spiritual. Which of these do you hunger for the most? In what ways do you feed your hunger for these 4 types?

July 4, 2004

Expect nothing: live frugally on surprise.

- Alice Walker

3. Let's get practical about happiness: When you meet your expectations your happy...when you don't your sad. Taking into consideration that expectations are different than dreams. Would you say you live your life more according to your dreams or your expectations? Do you continually strive for more accomplishments and accumulations or have you learned to be content with your life as it is right now?

July 5, 2004

No one who cooks cooks alone. Even at at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.

-Laurie Colwin

1. Who taught you how to cook? Where do you get recipes and ideas for meals? What is the one thing that you cook the best? Do you have an item that you always seem to make for pot lucks and/or parties?

July 6, 2004

The one fact that I would cry from every housetop is this: the Good Life is waiting for us- here and now.

-B F Skinner

2. Helen and Scott Nearing went in search of the good life: " simplicity, freedom from anxiety, an opportunity to be useful and live harmoniously" and they did just that. Helen later wrote a memoir called Loving and Leaving the Good Life. In this book she made some suggestions for living life less stressfully.

Comment on each suggestion (or as many as you would like). How well do you follow each one of them? Which ones do you need to work on? Comment however you would like :)

● Do the best you can, whatever arises.

● Be at peace with yourself.

● Find a job you enjoy.

● Contact nature every day; feel the earth under your feet.

● Take physical exercise through hard work; through gardening or walking.

● Don't worry; live one day at a time.

● Share something every day with someone else.

● Be kind to all creatures.

July 7, 2004

It seems to me that our three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so entwined that we cannot think of one without the other.

-MFK Fisher

1. What foods are your comfort foods? Foods that console our taste buds, foods that transform love and memories into a form of therapy. What foods take away all your sorrows and bring smiles every time?

July 8, 2004

Soul food is just what the name implies. It is soulfully cooked food or richly flavored food, good for your ever-loving soul.

-Sheila Ferguson

2. Soul food is not cooked by the book. It is cooked from our hearts. Recipes that are handed down from generation to generation, each with it's own story to go along with it. Something like Great Grandmother's Peanut Butter cookies or Aunt Betty's tasty meatloaf. What soul foods do you cook? What soul foods are always made at family gatherings? Can you think of any soul foods that you may have enjoyed as a young child that you wish you had the recipe for?

July 9, 2004

Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink,

That is the finest of suppers, I think;

When I'm grown up and can have what I please

I think I shall always insist upon these.

-Christopher Morley

3. Remember back to when you were little and you fell and scraped your knee and somehow cookies and milk made it all better? Or having your heart broken by a boy and your mom knew just what you needed to turn your frown upside down. That is referred to as Nursery Fare...foods that make it all better. What foods " made it all better" for you? What foods do you give to your own children as " nursery fare" ?

July 14, 2004

The table is a meeting place, a gathering ground, the source of sustenance and nourishment, festivity, safety, and satisfaction.

- Laurie Colwin

1. Dinner is one meal that many of us share with other people. Whether it is family or friends, it is a time to share in our day's events and somewhat wind down for the day, or for some begin our day! What is the typical setting at your dinner table? Who do you usually eat dinner with? What is your usual dinner routine? What days do you eat out, cook, order take out?

July 19, 2004

It is the soul's duty to be loyal to its own desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion.

- Rebecca West

2. What types of things do you enjoy that bring you personal contentment? Things that do not involve taking care of the house, working, taking care of family, or your spouse/significant other? If you were given 30 minutes a day to enjoy one thing, but it has to be the same thing everyday, what would you choose?

July 20, 2004

It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the end.

- Ursula K. LeGuin

3. True North is what explorers call one's own heart's destination. What matters to you most- Getting to your destination in life or enjoying the spirit of the journey getting there? If you could take a peek into your future, what time frame would you want to look upon?

July 21, 2004

If women were convinced that a day off or an hour of solitude was a reasonable ambition, they would find a way of attaining it. As it is, they feel so unjustified in their demand that they rarely make the attempt.

-Anne Morrow Lindbergh

1. Most women tend to feel that having time alone is a luxury rather than a necessity. How often do you have time alone? Do you have to make an effort to have time alone, or does it come effortlessly? How do you spend your time alone?

July 26, 2004

Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music - the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.

- Henry Miller

2. Do you know what it means to have fun? Some women have no idea what " fun" really means anymore. We get so wrapped up with our jobs, family, and responsibilities...that the zest for life that we had years ago is now somewhat foreign to us. What makes you happy, laugh, and feel alive? How often are you able to have real fun? The kind of fun where you go to bed at night and think to yourself " I should do that again sometime, that felt wonderful" .

July 29, 2004

Only a very exceptionally gifted mind could cope singly with all the problems which present themselves in the perfecting of a home.

- Arnold Bennett

3. For many women taking care of their homes is a hobby. Things such as decorating, painting, refinishing pieces of furniture, collecting antiques, and so many more creative hobbies are enjoyed by many. Do you consider your home a hobby? What types of hobbies do you have within in your home?

July 31, 2004

Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.

- Isak Denesen

1. Most of us worry about certain things in our lives. Our families, our health, money, and so on. Some of us worry about the smallest things, but can not help it. Worrying tends to rob you of the present moment. What are some things that you worry about? Which ones are the seem the silliest to you? Do you worry about things that you wish you never did? On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, how much of a worrying do you feel you are?

Aug 2, 2004

What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner.

-Colette

2. It is fairly easy to remember the pain and struggling you have gone through in your lifetime. But what about the little things? Sometimes it is the smallest things that have happened to you that you have learned the most from. Can you think of anything that has happened to you like this? Something that seemed so small and unimportant at the time, but you know realize had a major impact on your life?

***I just have to add a line from Sarah's book here...I thought it was so lovely***

Serendipity can instruct us as much as sorrow. - Sarah Ban Breathnach

Isn't that so true??

Aug 3, 2004

A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.

A schedule is a mock-up of reason and order - willed, faked, a so brought into being.

-Annie Dillard

3. There is a theory that more time is wasted trying to plan your week than actually doing the things themselves. Do you think this holds true for yourself?

Here is a sample of a Universal " To Do" List.

After each item list what types of things that you do each week.

Answer as many as you would like or that apply to you. To make it even more interesting you could arrange the items in order of how you do them, such as which are more important or must take place before all the others.

Work

Errands

Children

Appointments

Shopping

Correspondence

Telephone Calls

Home

Family

Friends

Church/Community

Personal

August 4

There are days when any electrical appliance in the house, including the vacuum cleaner, seems to offer more entertainment possibilities than the TV set.

-Harriet Van Horne

1. Television programs have sure changed over the past few years. The regular comedic sitcoms are being replaced by reality TV which has resulted in people either being more addicted to the TV than ever before...or for many, they hardly watch any TV. How many hours a day do you watch television? What TV shows are you addicted to? Do you tape any shows? What shows can you absolutely not stand? What would you like to see more or less of on TV?

August 7

Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet.

-Colette

2. It is not usual for a person's best friend to be their furry pet...or maybe not so furry if you like reptiles! Some people can not imagine their lives without their four legged friends. They schedule their lives around their pets and treat them like a son or daughter. Do you have any pets? What kind of relationship do you have with them? Are they the center of your universe...or are they just something else in the house that you have to take care of? If you don't have any pets, why not? And do you want one?

August 11

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it;

Boldness has genius power and magic in it.

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

3. One day you wake up and realize that something is wrong. You are not living the life you were meant to live. Something is missing, a person, a job, a hobby, a special something. You realize that somewhere along the way you made a bad choice and you decide to right then and there change everything. Can you relate to this at all? Have you ever made any drastic changes in your life based you some strong second thought that you may have had? Second thoughts occur just about daily...it's part of life and all the choices we have. When you do have a second thought on something important are you quick to react or do you take your time and ponder over the situation for days before making any changes?

August 15

Ignorance gives one a large range of probabilities.

-George Eliot

1. Some things are better off not said. Do you always want to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Or is it okay for you to be told things on a need to know basis? Do you listen to gossip? Or would you rather not hear it?

August 21

We read books to find out who we are. What other people , real or imaginary, do and think and feel is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become.

-Ursula K. LeGuin

2. When is the last time you read a good book? How do you choose what books to read? Do you judge books by the cover or title? Do you ever read a book more than once? What is your all time favorite book?

August 23

I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.

-George Eliot

3. Music can be a powerful form of meditation, prayer and healing. What type of music help you relax? Be creative? Make you sad? Happy? Full of energy?

August 26

Good movies make you care, make you believe in possibilities again.

-Pauline Kael

1. Movies enlarge the imagination and elevate our sights and invite us to go beyond the obvious. How often do you watch movies? What is your favorite type of movie? Do you get emotionally involved when you watch a movie or is it " not real" to you? Do you rent, purchase or borrow your movies?

August 30

Procrastination is the thief of time.

- Edward Young

2. Life is full of postponements - Small chores or tiny details that we choose to take care of later. But postponing personal pleasures can rob us of enjoying the little things in life. What types of personal pleasures do you constantly postpone? For example joining a book club or yoga class, something you keep meaning to do?

August 31

One must also accept that one has " uncreative" moments. The more honesty one can accept that, the quicker these moments will pass. One must have the courage to call a halt , to feel empty and discouraged.

- Etty Hillesum

3. People experience times of drought just like gardens and lawns. One day we may wake up and feel like we have nothing going on in our lives. Nothing creative, nothing exciting, nothing to talk to our friends about. Do these types of days occur in your life? Do you let yourself get down in the dumps or do you push ahead

Sept 1

Autumn to winter, winter to spring,

Spring into summer summer into fall

So rolls the changing year, and so we change;

Motion so swift, we know not that we move.

-Dinah Mullock Craik

1. In ancient times, September was the time for reflection and resolutions. The best part of making autumn resolutions is no one else knows we are making them. What are some resolutions you would like to make?

Sept 2

Somewhere there is an ancient enmity between our daily life and the great work.

Help me in saying it, to understand it.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

2. Now many of us can say that we have found the perfect balance between our work lives and our personal lives. Whether you work outside of the home, work taking care of your home and children, or both....we seem to spend more hours in a day working than enjoying the things we love. On a scale of 1 to 10 how well do you have your work and personal life balanced? (10 being totally balanced) What stands in your way of finding balance? What things do you know you need to change, but you have a hard time?

Sept 5

The pitcher cries for water to carry

and a person for work that is real.

- Marge Piercy

3. There is a definite difference between a job, a career, and a calling. A job is when you work, not necessarily doing something you love, to make a living. A career can be your calling, but does not have to be. You could have chosen a career early in life and you have continued on the same path because it is something that you are good at and are able to get paid well. Your calling is the one thing that you have always wanted to do but sometimes are unable due to financial situations...etc. Which do you have? Are you happy with your current work? If you are not doing your calling, why aren't you?

Sept 7

Oh, the secret life of man and woman - dreaming how much better we would be than we are if we were somebody else or even ourselves, and feeling that our estate has been exploited to its fullest.

- Zelda Fitzgerald

1. Do you spend time wishing certain things in your life were different than they are? What types of things? What is keeping you from making these things a reality?

Sept 10

One sad thing about this world is that the acts that take the most out of you are usually the ones that other people will never know about.

-Anne Tyler

2. Sometimes we spend hours or days or even years working towards a goal , and once you reach it no one seems to notice or they may not think it is as big of a deal as you. Has this every happened to you? Why do you suppose others did not or do not give you the credit you deserve? Does it make your goal less important to you also, or do you not care what others think?

Sept 14

It was the first operatic mountain I climbed, and the view from it was astrounding, exhilarating, stupefying.

-Leontyne Price

3. Sometime we are left feeling unfulfilled because we tend to not give ourselves credit for our accomplishments. We are always thinking of what more we can do or what we could have done to make it better. Do you have a hard time giving yourself credit? Are you always wanting more, or do you accept your successes for what they are? Do you find yourself saying - " Oh, it was nothing" , when someone thanks you for your efforts, even when was a pretty big deal to you?

Sept 15

We must all pay with the current coin of life

For the honey that we taste.

- Rachel Blumstein

1. Authentic Success is feeling good about things you do and being so grateful for all and who you have in your life. Do you ever feel overwhelmed with joy and appreciation for all that you have in your life? Do you feel that you have done the best you can in your life so far, or do you tend to dwell on things you should have done better? Which do you do more- live life with your heart overflowing or underflowing?

Sept 17

Life itself, is the proper binge.

- Julia Child

2. It is not easy to achieve both authentic success and financial success. Which is more important to you? Do you have both successes in your life right now? If not, why not? And what do you think can be done for you to achieve both?

Sept 21

My joy, my grief, my hope, my love,

did all within this circle move!

- Edmund Waller

3. Up, down, all around. Do you find yourself on an emotional roller coaster at times? Do you ever ask yourself- " What I am to learn from this situation?" , so you can do it and move on? You should try! Some women find that they get depressed about the smallest issue because their house is not in order or their day did not go as planned. How about you? What things do you find can change your mood in a snap? What do you suppose you are to learn from your feelings or from the situation?

Sept 25

And If Not, Why Not You?

I've always believed that one woman's success can only help another woman's success.

- Gloria Vanderbilt

1. Who are the women that you most admire? Have you ever tried to follow the path of another woman's? Was it successful or not? Do you think someday you may have other woman that will try to follow you?

Sept 26

Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence.

-Calvin Coolidge

2. Persistence is being stubborn and not giving up on what you want no matter what the cost. Like a child who wants something so badly and keeps on asking, the parent finally gives in. Have you ever been persistent about something and finally gotten your way? Are you currently being persistent about something in your life?

Sept 28

There is a time for everything,

And a season for every activity under heaven.

-Eccelesiastes 3:1

3. Not all woman are aware of their own limitations. Some think that can do everything, please everybody, including themselves. Hopefully you are one who realizes that there are things that can be done now and things that can be done later. You have your priorities straight and you are able to find balance between your work, your family, and your own personal endeavors. Do you? Or are you one that struggles every day still trying to do it all?

Oct 1

My candle burns at both ends;

It will not last the night.

-Edna St. Vincent Millay

1. Working yourself so hard that you can hardly function at times doesn't accomplish much. Are you able to recognize when you know that you are over doing it and taking on too many things at one time? In what ways does your body respond to being burnt out...are you cranky, tired, angry, sad? In what ways do you handle being burnt out? Do you have others in your life that are able to help you out when you need?

Oct 3

Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people.

It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.

-Anne Lamott

2. As children we believed that nothing we did was ever good enough. We would keep on doing until we heard the praise from our parents or teachers. As adults we have to continue to remind ourselves that perfectionism is not necessary to be successful. Are you able to accept not being perfect? Do you keep at things until you reach perfection or is it not that important to you? Do you push your children to be perfect or would you in the future?

Oct 6

Things do not change; we change.

- Henry David Thoreau

3. Could your life use some downshifting? In what ways would you like your life to slow down?

Oct 10

No quality is more attractive than poise - that deep sense of being at ease with yourself and the world.

- Good Housekeeping, Sept 1947

1. Do you dress to impress others or to show your authentic style? Do you wear things that are not comfortable just because they are in style and what? Do you wear things that are not in style but love wearing them anyway, what?

Oct 11

It's always something.

- Roseanne Roseannadanna (Gilda Radner)

2. Just when you think you have your house cleaned, 5 minutes later it's a mess again. Just as you have prepared to soak in a hot tub of bubbles, the phone rings. Just when you have some extra cash left over for the month, your car breaks down. What sorts of " always somethings" do you tend to have?

Oct 12

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

- Charles Dickens

3. What does this quote make you think of right away? It seems there are many times in our lives that we loved, but despised at the same time. Such as high school, our dating years, planning our wedding, being pregnant...etc. What are some of your love/hate moments?

Oct 18

Loss as muse. Loss as character. Loss as life.

- Anna Quindlen

1. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a part of life that we wish we could escape from. Have you lost someone very close to you? How did you deal with the loss? Who do you fear losing the most besides your family (spouse, children, parents, siblings...etc.)?

Oct 19

Nowadays all of us are so hard up that the only pleasant things to pay are compliments.

- Oscar Wilde

2. Do others pay you compliments very often? On what? Do you pay others compliments? When you do are you always sincere or do you sometimes give them just to be nice even if you don't mean it?

Oct 20

If you have not slept, or if you have slept, of if you have a headache, or sciatica, or leprosy, or thunder-stroke, I beseech you, by all angels, to hold your peace, and not pollute the morning.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. Do you find yourself complaining quite often? Are you really upset or do you complain just to have something to talk about and/or get attention? Do others respond to your complaints? Can you think of people that complain to you way too much? How do you handle it?

Oct 21

Let me remember that each life must follow its own course, and that what happens to other people has absolutely nothing to do with what happens to me.

- Marjorie Holmes

1. Do you compare yourself to others? Do you look through magazines and wish for a particular hair style or body? Do you compare things like your house, income, clothes, career with friends and/or neighbors? It is important to you to have more than others?

Oct 21

Compromise, if not the spice of life, its is solidity.

- Phyllis McGinley

2. Have you ever noticed the more complex and complicated your life becomes, they less you compromise? Your bottom line becomes much more simple. Do you compromise that often? With what types of things and with who? What types of things will you not compromise?

Oct 24

Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression.

- Karen Horney

3. Money. We love it, we lack it. One rarely has enough money. One of my favorite sayings has always been the more money you make, the more you spend. Does this hold true for you? Do you worry about money? Have you found balance between money and happiness? Does the fact that you have money, or don't have money affect who you are?

Oct 26

I don't know much about being a millionaire, but I'll bet I'd be daring at it.

- Dorothy Parker

1. Are you a spender or a saver? Do you think before you spend? What are your worst spending habits, like what things do you waste money on?

Oct 27

There must be more to life than having everything.

- Maurice Sendak

2. As Madonna sings...We are living in a material world and I am a material girl. Not that I am, but are you? Do you find yourself always wanting? Are you ever completely satisfied with the things that you have? When you see something you want that is out of your reach do you move on and accept that you can't have it or do you find a way to get it?

Oct 31

To work magic is to weave the unforeseen forces into form; to soar beyond site; to explore the uncharted dream realm of the hidden reality.

- Starhawk

3. If you think about it, we all have some sort of magical powers. Being able to stop your child from crying when no one else can. Finding the missing tennis shoes of your child or significant other within seconds. Having the sense of knowing something is bothering your best friend, when no one else can. What kinds of magic do you have? Do you have the power to do things that no one else can? (Some may call these things gifts, but it's more fun pretending it's some sort of fairy tale magical power. If only we all had a pair of glass slippers!)

Nov 6

To be great in little things, to be truly noble and heroic in the insipid of everyday life, is a virtue so rare as to be worthy of canonization.

- Harriet Beecher Stowe

1. How do you handle the ups and downs that life throws at you? Are you able to rise to the occasion at a moments notice? What types of circumstances do you have trouble coping with at times?

Nov 14

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

- Albert Einstein

2. Do you believe in miracles? Have you ever experienced something that you feel was a miracle?

Nov 17

It's terribly amusing how many different climates of feeling one can go through in a day.

- Anne Morrow Lindbergh

3. What is your usual emotional climate like? Is it consistent throughout the day, or does it change by the hour? What type of weather do you consider your typical good day? Typical bad day?

Nov 18

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.

-Anais Nin

1. Children grow up, parents pass on, siblings move far away. Friends are always there no matter how near or far. Who are your best friends? What role do your friends play in your life? In what ways do you think you add to your friends lives?

Nov 19

Whoever you are - I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.

-Blanche Dubois

2. How do you treat strangers? Are you kind and courteous to cashiers, store attendants, or waiters and waitresses? How do you think you come across to people who don't know you? How do strangers generally treat you?

Nov 20

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family.

Whatever you call, whoever you are, you need one.

- Jane Howard

3. The holidays tend to bring many distant friends or family members together.. Do you have friends/family members that you don't see all that often until the holidays come? Do you have family/friends that visit from out of town? Do you travel out of town for the holidays? Do you enjoy the family gatherings that the holidays bring or do you dread them every year?

Nov 21

You must have been warned about letting the golden hours slip by. Yes, but some of them are golden only because we let them slip.

-J.M. Barrie

1. When is the last time you played hooky from work or school or other commitments? How did you spend the time? Do you feel guilty when you play hooky?

Nov 22

It is so easy to be wicked without knowing it, isn't it?

- Anne Shirley

2. Do you have a wicked side to your personality? In what ways? What sorts of things do you do that would shock others?

Nov 25

Illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed, to kindness, to knowledge, we make promises only, pain we obey.

- Marcel Proust

3. Are you a worry wart when your sick? Do you let your body get the rest it needs to recover or do you continue your day like any other? Does anyone take care of you when you when you are sick?

Nov 27

The great question...which I have not been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is " What does a woman want?"

- Sigmund Freud

1. What is it that you really want? At the end of each day what is it that you have hoped to have accomplished, felt, experienced, etc? Do you feel you are getting what you want out of life? If not, will you ever?

Nov 28

Reverie is not a mind vacuum. It is rather the gift of an hour which knows the plentitude of the soul.

-Gaston Blanchelard

2. Daydreams incubate creativity and make possible things that we thought could never happen. What sorts of things do you daydream about? Do you think your daydreams help you as in lead you down the path to positive things, or do they hurt you because you are desiring things that you know will never happen?

Nov 29

Dreams are illustrations...from the book your soul is writing about you.

- Marsha Norman

3. Do you ever remember what you dream about? Do you think that your dreams mean anything about how you view life or yourself? Do you have any dreams that you dream over and over again? What is the dream about? What do you think it means?

Dec 2

A kiss can be a comma., a question mark or an exclamation point.

-Mistinguett

1. How often do you give/receive passionate kisses? Do you like passionate kissing or could you live without it?

Dec 4

The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.

- Albert Einstein

2. Are you a thinker? Do you find yourself in deep thought often? What types of things do you think about the most?

Dec 8

Gloom we have always with us, a rank and sturdy weed, but joy requires tending.

- Barbara Holland

3. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. What are some of your Christmas traditions? Do you visit Santa each year? Do you bake cookies, do you make homemade gifts for neighbors? Share some of your special traditions.

Dec 11

Giving presents is a talent; to know what a person wants, to know when and how to get it, to give it lovingly and well.

- Pamela Glenconner

1. Do you enjoy Christmas shopping? Who do you enjoy shopping? Do you find it frustrating to shop for certain people? Who and Why?

Dec 12

There is only one deprivation. . . and that is not to be able to give one's gifts to those one loves most.

- May Sarton

2. The holidays sometimes cause us to try to do too many things at once. Our loved ones may go without because we offer our time to others. Do you tend to spread yourself to thin at the holidays? What types of things do you commit to that you wish you wouldn't?

Dec 13

Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

- Francis P. Church

3. Do you remember how you found out that your parents were actually Santa Claus? How old were you? If you have children, do they still believe? If so, what sort of traditions do you carry on in regards to Santa. Do they write a letter, leave cookies, etc?

Dec 14

All happy families resemble one another, but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

- Leo Tolstoy

1. Not all Christmas celebrations are filled with happiness. Some are difficult to handle due to a recent loss of a loved one, divorce, or other painful event. Have you had a Christmas like this? What do you remember about this particular Christmas?

Dec 15

She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain.

- Louisa May Alcott

2. Do you enjoy reading? What sort of things do you read - books, magazines, etc? What do you feel you get out of reading? Does your joy of reading helps you in your own life experiences, how?

Dec 18

The birthday of my life

Is come, my love is come to me.

- Christina Georgina Rossetti

3. Today is probably not your birthday, but it does come every year. How do you usually celebrate your special day? Do you enjoy the day or do you dread the idea of being one year older? Happy Birthday to you on your special day!! May each and every year be better than the one before!

Dec 23

Dec 26

Dec 31