Tornado damage in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The tornadoes that swept through the South this past week made me seriously reflect about the things that really matter. Needless to say, material belongings are not on that list. Neither are houses because houses are not what make a home. What matters goes far beyond anything we could buy or display for the world to see. I don’t care how expensive the item or how many generations it has been in your family, material possessions are ephemeral. They are vulnerable to the whims of nature and numerous other factors beyond our control.

How must it feel to lose everything? One minute you have all the comforts of your possessions around you and the next moment you look around and it’s all gone. Think of all those people who woke up last Wednesday morning and how they had no clue that their lives would drastically change in a matter of seconds at some point later that day. Think about this for a little while. Let it sink in. What would it feel like to have nothing left?

I grew up in Alabama.With the exception of one brother and his wife who lives in Atlanta, all of my family is still there. Birmingham and Montgomery to be exact. I know what it’s like to get that dreaded warning that a tornado is on the way. I have spent many a night with my family and childhood dogs sitting in hallways and waiting for tornadoes to pass over us. It was commonplace to have tornado drills at school and it was not unusual to sit in the school hall when it was for real. You don’t have time for anything except gathering up all the living beings around you and taking cover. No time to think about what do I want to save. You don’t care, you just want to make sure you survive and pray that there won’t be much destruction.

I’m happy to report that most of my family came out of this tragedy unscathed with nary an injury or loss of anything material. I do have an aunt and uncle who lost one of their greenhouse farms but no one was hurt and they will bounce back on their feet in no time.

My brother emailed me and said that he knows it sounds like a cliché, but seeing the tornado’s destruction in person is indescribable and devastating. President Obama said something similar. He went on to say that he understands better why the Bible says to store your treasures in Heaven, because the material stuff down here is worthless. Worthless indeed. What matters is our families and friends and the good times we tally up during this short time on earth.

The New York Times featured an article a few days ago that is well worth the read. It’s about a man who returned to Birmingham just hours after he lost his home. The article says “He worked through the warm day, not a cloud in the sky, and into dusk, well aware that others in this state were mourning their dead. Sweat-stained and flecked with sawdust, he occasionally looked up to see his wife and his two children in their altered yard, working, making new memories. His house nearly destroyed, he felt blessed.” I know what he means. I think we all do.

(If you’d like to read more about changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.)

The New York Times has featured an article a few days ago that is well worth the read. 

Every Friday is “Friday Fun Day” and I post a website, quote, recipe, or story that relates to simple and minimalist living. Sometimes I just post something fun and inspiring!

Don’t you love friends who bake? Better yet, friends who share their baking with you. I have a friend who is a wonderful baker and very generous with sharing her creations with me.

Not too long ago she knocked on my door and delivered the most wonderful vegan bread. Once you get the hang of it, vegan cooking can be simple not to mention extremely healthy. The bread was so delicious I asked her to share the recipe with me. If you’re interested in trying vegan cooking but don’t know how to get started, this recipe is easy and tasty.

My friend wanted to give credit where credit was due so she told me that she found this fabulous recipe on Joy the Baker’s blog. She did a bit of modification and halved the recipe and used sweet potato instead of pumpkin (didn’t take as long to bake- watch at 45-50 min and see if you need more time).  She also added a few dried cranberries and molasses and honey in place of the maple syrup (just because she didn’t have any syrup in her house).

Below is the recipe. Enjoy!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour ( or whole wheat flour… or just use only all-purpose flour)

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place a rack in the center of the oven.  Grease and flour two loaf pans (mine are 8×4×2) and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together.  Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in.  Fold in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the batter once in the pan.

Divide the dough between the two greased pans and sprinkle with a few walnut pieces.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven.  Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm.  Maybe even wrap one loaf up in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for future munching.

Beautiful Fall Day in Japan

A hug is a great gift – one size fits all, and it’s easy to exchange.  ~Author Unknown

Time flies! Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgiving? Black Friday, that day following Thanksgiving when US shoppers officially begin their Christmas shopping is also just around the corner. Shopping the day after Thanksgiving has never been my scene not to mention getting up at 5am to stand in line for a deal on a flat screen TV is not my idea of a day off. Plus I really don’t think Christmas is about shopping till you drop.

There’s nothing simple about shopping for the sake of shopping. Just because advertisers tell us this is the day to shop doesn’t mean we have to. We can create our own traditions that have nothing to do with excessive consumerism and spending money on items we or our loved ones don’t really want or need. For those of you like me who prefer to do something a little more creative, a little more fun, and a little more relaxing, check out my 21 Black Friday alternatives below. And of course please feel free to add any others you might have as well.

1. Volunteer. Although most of us don’t have to work the Friday following Thanksgiving there are many places that are open such as hospitals, homeless shelters, animal shelters, etc… and they would welcome your help.
2. Sleep In. Most of us have the day off so why not sleep in a few extra hours. What luxury, huh?
3. Make Friday a movie day and watch some movies you’ve wanted to see. If you plan ahead you can check out some DVDs from your local library or rent from Netflix or your local Redbox.
4. If the weather in your area allows it get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Take a hike or a bike ride.
5. Clean out a closet or drawer. Get rid of things you no longer need and start the holiday season feeling lighter and less burdened by material possessions.
6. Get out your holiday decorations and throw out any you no longer like or use. Keep those decorations you really love and begin your holiday decorating early. Make a special hot drink to enjoy while you “deck the halls.”
7. Read a book. Is there a book you’ve been dying to read but haven’t had the time? My favorites are mysteries and this is the perfect weekend for a “whodunit?”
8. Have a friend over for coffee and have a long leisurely visit. Catch up and laugh a lot.
9. Black Friday is a great day to start or finish an arts project. Do you like to knit, paint, or sew?
10. Get out the holiday music and start enjoying it. Before you know it the holidays will be over so why not enjoy all that beautiful music as much as you can. My favorite song is “Do you Hear What I Hear?”  and I can’t wait to start hearing it nonstop for 5 weeks straight. You think I’m kidding but I’m not. I love Christmas music!
11. Play board games with your family and/or friends.
12. Bake some more goodies. Tis the season for sweets and this time of year is a great excuse to indulge.
13. Write a letter to someone. There are still people out there who would love to receive a handwritten letter in the mail. I bet you know just the perfect person in your life who would appreciate this.
14. Play with your kids.
15. Play with your pets.
16. Write. Most of us have the writing bug at some time or another. Start that short story, poem, or novel that is just aching to be put down on paper.
17. Take a long soak in the bathtub.
18. Call a friend long distance and shoot the breeze.
19. Go introduce yourself to your neighbors if you’ve never met them.
20. Clean your house. Enjoy the rest of the weekend knowing your cleaning is done for the week.
21. Do nothing. Be spontaneous and enjoy not having to be anywhere.

My outdoor cat colony-Monkey is the gray one on the left

Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. ~ George Eliot

Those who know me well know that I love animals with all my heart and soul. My animal companions have made my life so much wealthier. It has been a privilege to care for the animals I have been lucky enough to know. They have also been some of my best friends. I cannot imagine my life without the company of animals.

My husband and I currently have three in-door cats and a turtle. We also feed a small colony of four feral cats that live in our front yard. The colony started out as six cats. My friend/neighbor Dawn and I humanely trapped them and had them spayed and neutered. We then released them in our neighborhood where they could live their lives in peace and celibacy! Because none of the cats had ever had human touch contact they were not good candidates for companion pets. It is our belief that all animals deserve the chance for a decent life so we feed them religiously and take the responsibility of caring for them very seriously.

Someone once said that dogs have owners but cats have staff. They were spot on! Dawn and I have served as staff for these wonderful kitties for the past ten years. When my friend Maddy moved into the neighborhood several years ago, she became one of their staff as well. Did I mention that the three of us also serve on the staffs of our indoor felines as well? The indoor cats are really demanding and they don’t even pay us!

One cat in the colony disappeared early on and we never knew what happened to him. His name was Creamy. Another became sick and we were able to once again humanely trap him and take him to the vet. He had a fatal kidney disease so we had to put him down. His name was Simba and we were very sad when we lost him. The colony has held steady at four cats for quite some time-Monkey (the male of the bunch) and three females-Popcorn, Misty, and Georgie.

All four show up every evening for their wet food buffet and of course dry food is always available on my front porch. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that it had been two days since I had last seen Monkey. He always showed up like clockwork for the wet food. All four little four-legged darlings always patiently wait for me to bring out trays of mouth-watering dishes like Friskies Classic Pate Mixed Grill or Turkey and Giblets. After a couple of day of not seeing Monkey, I got super concerned. I was afraid he was ill or had been hurt.

When the kitties aren’t hanging out in my front yard they are usually hanging out in the backyard behind me. A very eccentric woman who decorates her trees and plants with pastel colored ribbons has always been very kind to them as well. She feeds her own outdoor cats and leaves out extra for our little group. Her backyard is overgrown with bushes and plants and in general it’s just a mess. For the cats however, it’s a paradise!

A week went by and still no Monkey. I took several walks in my neighborhood looking for him and even visited the eccentric lady’s yard to see if I could find him. Still no sign. I prayed he would return safely. I even sent telepathic communications to him asking him to please make his presence known to me. Maddy and Dawn were keeping an eye out for him as well. Again, nothing.

This past Monday at dusk I took another walk. I went by the eccentric lady’s (sorry, I don’t know her name) house again to see if I could spot him in her yard. No sign. I continued on my walk. I was getting ready to head back home when something told me to go back by her house again. As I was walking in the house’s direction I noticed a couple tending their garden in the house next to hers. Something told me to talk to them. I told them I was looking for a grey kitty with a mustache and fluffy tail who I had been feeding for several years.

The man and woman looked at each other and their face’s suddenly turned sad. He then told me he had found a grey kitty fitting my description ran over in the street a little over a week ago. Someone had put a trashcan next to him in the street blocking off the area so no one would further run over his body until he could be picked up. I was touched that someone respected Monkey enough to do that. The man told me that shortly afterward he had been removed. They said they were so sorry and I knew they felt horrible for having to give me such heartbreaking news. I thanked them for letting me know. Although it was a relief to have this closure, a small part of me died and I cried all the way home.

Life seems so empty this week without Monkey. I can only hope that he went quickly. I hope he knows that he was loved by so many people in our neighborhood. I hope he knows how much joy he brought to my life and how much I loved him and still do. I have lost many animals over the years and you would think it would get easier. It never does.

I still have fantasies that maybe Monkey is still around. After all I’m not 100% sure it was him. Unfortunately, my gut tells me it was because he’s nowhere to be found. I miss him showing up on my porch everyday. I miss his fluffy tail going back and forth and him coming up to the window to visit my in-door cats. He loved being the only boy and hanging out with the girl kitties in the front yard. He was quite the little lady’s man.

I dreamed of him the other night. It was as vivid of a dream as I’ve ever had. He suddenly jumped onto my porch and meowed at me. “Monkey,” I called out “you’re alive!”  Then I suddenly woke up. At first I was disappointed because I realized Monkey was not alive. Then it dawned on me that he was. He most certainly was. He visited me in my dream to let me know that although he had changed form, he was alive and well and would always live forever in my heart. Rest in peace and be free my dear Monkey kitty. I’ll see you again one day on the other side!

Summer Flowers

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.  Have you used one to say “thank you?”  ~William A. Ward

Cultivating gratitude in our competitive and overly-materialistic culture can at times be difficult. We are constantly being bombarded with advertisements and messages encouraging us to want more, more, more. Being thankful for what we have can be hard work if our spiritual chops are not up to the task. It’s easy to get caught up in worldly thinking and feel less than because we didn’t get that job promotion or can’t afford the latest luxury techno gadget.

Many schools of thought say that cultivating gratitude is an important step in creating more abundance in your life. Although I agree with this statement, I don’t necessarily believe that the abundance received will always be in the form of money or worldly success. Abundance can mean many things such as peace of mind, good health, or nurturing relationships just to name a few. You can’t put a price tag on these treasures.

The last few weeks have been tough for me. I feel overwhelmed by a big project and I’m working on I’ve been mentally and physically tired as well. It’s easy to start focusing on all that is wrong instead of all that is right. I want to live my life in a state of thankfulness and appreciation for the all the blessings I have. Peace of mind and balance are what I crave most. Why do these things sometimes seem so difficult to achieve? Sometimes I think raising a million dollars might be easier than cultivating a still and quiet mind. But I keep trying as I think it’s a goal worthy to pursue even if I never get there.

As the new week begins, I reflect on the wealth in my life. It’s a pretty long list actually. No, it wouldn’t impress Wall Street but Wall Street’s idea of wealth doesn’t exactly impress me either. My health, my faith and spiritual life, my husband, my family, my friends, my pets, my yoga practice, and of course the absolutely gorgeous southern California weather are all on my wealth spreadsheet. It’s the usual list but what a great list, huh? It makes me wonder why I ever even strive for more. When I sit back and give thanks for all my wealth my mind suddenly becomes quieter and more peaceful. If I could only stay in this place all the time!

The Mighty Mississippi

When you can’t have what you want, it’s time to start wanting what you have. ~~Kathleen A. Sutton

The last couple of weeks have been tough for me.   It’s been hard to focus on what I do have as opposed to what I don’t have.  I know my thought process is a bit exaggerated but it seems like everyone around me has a great career, is traveling to exotic places, and spending money on fun.  So many people I know own homes and although I know I’m probably imagining it, I feel like I’m looked down on by some because I’m a renter.

This society really does a number on you when you don’t possess any of the ingredients that make up the so called “American Dream.”  You’re rarely acknowledged.  I’m usually pretty good at not letting my lack of social status and material wealth bother me but sometimes it does begin to get to me.  I’m human and every once and a while you just want some validation.No one ever says anything to you like gee it’s so great that you are a spiritual person or how wonderful that you and your husband share a car and are doing your part to lessen your carbon footprint. Instead, society celebrates home ownership, the kind of car you drive, how much money you make, where your kids go to school, and whether or not you have managed to pull off the latest look crammed down our throats by Madison Avenue advertising.

No wonder we have so many people in this country who feel less than. People want to believe their lives count for something. They want to feel needed and useful. Our extremely materialistic culture makes it difficult for anyone on a different path other than what the status quo deems acceptable to feel like their life is valuable.

After allowing myself to stay in such a dark place for the last couple of weeks, I have now caught my second wind. I refuse to feel less than. I must reconnect with my value system. My values reflect living simply and following a spiritual path. If any earthly treasures happen to come my way that’s great. And what if they don’t? In the big picture does it really matter if I ever own a home? Does it really matter if I have a prestigious career?  Does it really matter if I can’t  afford to jet-hop around the world three-four times a year and spend weekends in the desert?

I’m making an effort to focus on what I do have and not dwell on what I feel is lacking.   For  now I will concentrate on not being bogged down with the upkeep of multiple material items and the hassles of managing a career and complex finances. I will savor my free time, the fun I have with my husband, my pets, living in a state with beautiful weather, and the time I spend with my good friends.  I think this is called wanting what you have. There was actually a book that came out several years ago called How to Want You Have by Timothy Ray Miller.  I think I need to get a copy of that book and study it closely. Wanting what we have is hard work, especially when we  live in a society that constantly encourages us to want more.  What I have is really not that important. What’s important is the person I am and what’s in my heart.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:26

Louisiana Sunset

The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed.
~Jiddu Krishnamurti

Two types of economies exist in our world today. There is the “outer economy” which is the one we fixate on the most – money, bartering, loans, jobs, stock markets, interest rates…..  The second type of economy is what my friend Darice likes to refer to as the “inner economy.” This economy is the more powerful of the two and the one we often forget to focus on because we are so disproportionately concerned with the outer economy.

What exactly is the inner economy? Your inner economy is that part of you that is abundant no matter what your financial situation. Having a strong inner economy helps you look at life from a different perspective. You know your life has value and meaning whether you are in times of outer economy bust or boom. An inner economy is measured by your health and peace of mind. It’s the time you spend with family, friends, and animal companions. There are no limits when you have a strong inner economy. Inner economies don’t fall prey to competition and material resources. Scarcity and fear based human made rules don’t affect your inner economy unless you let them. A strong inner economy prepares you for whatever life sends your way.

I have little control over the outer economy. It is obviously very broken and a big fat mess!  Yes, there are some (mainly the corporate media) who are trying to desperately convince people things are starting to turn around but personally I have my doubts. I don’t mean to be a “Debbie Downer” but I’m not buying this “things are beginning to get better” nonsense. Yes, I know some people like the Wall Street Bankers and defense contractors are doing very well. On the opposite end of the spectrum there are still 8 million plus people unemployed and wages for the most part are stagnant.   In my book, the economy is not working until everyone is prospering.

“No person left behind” is my new slogan. And I’m not just talking about the U.S. but every being on the planet-humans and animals.  It’s mind-blowing to me how in the 21^st century greed can still run so grotesquely rampant. You would think we would have evolved a bit as a species, huh? The multinational corporations and banks will continue to have their way until the collective consciousness wakes up and we demand a world that works for all and not just a select few. Pretty soon the world’s resources will be depleted and it won’t matter who has the most zeros after the numbers in their bank account.

How do we start waking up? How do we demand change? We do so first by focusing on our own inner economy. We work on our own transformation of consciousness. Of course we all have to exist for the time being in our current system but we need not give it any more power than absolutely necessary.  On a practical level we can boycott the large banks and move our money to credit unions and local banks. We can buy local products from local businesses when we have the opportunity. We can start focusing more on our relationships with people instead of constantly consuming unnecessary goods and services.

On a more spiritual level, we can go inside and work on changing ourselves. We can focus on unconditional love and compassion for all beings. Because you know what?  The world is a reflection of all of us and the time is ripe for a radical mind revolution in each and every person. Remember, we can’t change a thing until we change ourselves.

Banner at the Los Angeles Times Book Festival

What Are You Reading Right Now?

As an avid reader and lover of books, I’m embarrassed to admit that until this past weekend I have never attended a book festival before.   Now I’ve been to plenty of bookstores and libraries in my time and I’ve spent many hours on the Amazon book site but  never to a book festival.  So this past weekend, along with my friend Maddy, who has attended numerous book fairs by the way, I attended my very first one ever. On Saturday, she and I hopped on the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and headed on up to UCLA  for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

I’m always on the look-out for low-cost (or no cost is even better) things to  do that are fun and inspiring. A book festival seemed like the perfect outing. There was  no cover to get in and we even utilized public transportation so we didn’t have to pay $10.00 for parking our car. I’ve  always thought it rather ludicrous for one to have to pay for the privilege of parking one’s car. But that’s another blog/rant, right?

I recently read that Americans are reading less and less. This is a pretty dismal statistic so I was happy to see such a great turn-out at the book fair.  Now granted people could have been attending for the food because there were almost as many food tents as there were book tents.  However, I’ll set aside my skepticism and assume people were there to broaden their knowledge and awareness of new literature and not just to sample the latest Panda Express entree or purchase a $5.00 lemonade. Yes, you read it write, lemonade was selling for $5.00.  There would need to be a shot of liquor in any drink I paid $5.00 for, so needless to say I kept my thirst quenched with the water I brought from home.  Disclaimer: We did eventually end up buying a $5.00 + drink  but that was for the Margarita we had in Westwood Village before we headed back home.  And it was $5.00 well spent I might add!

Back to the book festival….. Lots of people are self publishing these days which I think is fabulous. I’m a firm believer in we all have something to say. We all have a unique perspective and we all have a story to tell. If a publisher is not willing to pick your work up then you still have an opportunity to get your voice out to the world. Also, just think of the great wealth of stories and information for the reader. Why should we all be at the whims of what publishing houses choose to publish?  They can’t publish everything and have certainly overlooked some good books the first time around. For a list of books that were originally self-published, check this out by clicking here.

Patti Zona author of The Value of a Homemaker is a great example of an author who recently self published. She was signing and handing out copies of her book at the festival.  I was especially intrigued by the title since “homemaker” is pretty much my main job these days. Actually, I like the term “home arts practitioner” better because running a household is definitely an art.   And an often thankless one at that!  I look forward to reading Ms. Zona’s book and several of the other freebies I picked up while making the book tent rounds.In addition to books, there were lots of other great resources for anyone who is interested in writing, publishing, etc…

Since a lot of my blog has to do with living as abundantly as possible even when times are lean, I thought I would pass on an interesting book site I found out about. It’s called Swaptree. It’s a site where you can trade books, music, dvd’s, and video games all for free.  Check it out. You might be able to get that book or cd you’ve been wanting by trading one of yours. You’ll save money and it’s environmentally friendly.

So to reitterate my question in bold at the top of this post. What are you reading right now?

Until next time….

Tiny hummingbird in nest outside my neighbor's house

I’m a firm believer that abundance is for everyone. It’s our birthright from the time we take our first breath until the time we take our last. And I for one am also expecting a great deal of abundance in the afterlife as well.

The same way I feel everyone has talent and creativity, everyone has something in their life that is abundant. There are different forms of creativity and there are different forms of abundance. I don’t care how much money someone has or doesn’t have – no one has a monopoly on abundance. Just because Bill and Belinda Gates have more money than they know what to do with doesn’t mean they are any more abundant than you or me. And I bet they would be the first to tell you this is true.

www.dictionary.com defines abundance as:

1. an extremely plentiful or over sufficient quantity or supply
2. overflowing fullness
3. affluence; wealth

Any innuendo possibly referring to money is not even mentioned until the third definition.  Although abundance can mean money, it also means so much more. What do you have an abundance of in your life? Love, friends, family, laughter, fun?

I have an abundance of joy lately. You would think that going on month 6 of unemployment would be getting me down a bit. Miraculously, it’s been the exact opposite. Not that I don’t from time to time worry about the future and money, but I’m finding abundance in so many other areas.  I have more love in my life than is probably legal, thanks to my husband, friends, family, and pets. I have an abundance of time to read, write, and exercise. I get plenty of sleep every night and I haven’t caught any of the nasty flus or colds that having been going around the past several months. (Knock on wood!)

I have every faith that I will be taken care of and abundance will continue to be mine.  When I do enter the fear mode, I remind myself of the advice Jesus gave to his disciples. I hope you find his words as empowering as I do.

²⁵“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^?

²⁸“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 (New International Version)

Rainbow over Maui

Special Note: I am thrilled to present the following guest post from blogger Jill Brown of The Duchess Guide.

Beliefs are only thoughts you keep thinking about over and over. So let me ask you this? What are your thoughts about success?

On January 15th, 2009 an Airbus A320 commercial airline took off from New York City’s La Guardia Airport en route to North Carolina. The crew of five and one hundred and fifty passengers enjoyed roughly six minutes of ascent into the clouds as they departed Manhattan on their journey. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the plane experienced what is known in the aviation world as “bird strike.” The behemoth plane, already on its way up, crossed paths with a flock of comparatively small and insignificant Canadian Geese. The only problem for US Airways Flight 1549, and all other aircraft, is that while small in comparison – birds of a feather are incredibly dangerous to safe flight. The Canadian Geese caused the jet engines to fail and the pilot was forced to ditch the plane into the frigid waters of the Hudson.

Luckily in the story of Flight 1549 – we already know that all 155 individuals on the plane lived and were safely rescued from the floating airplane in the Hudson River. However, there are countless flights that have encountered the bird strike scenario and not lived to tell about it.

How can something so relatively tiny be so totally destructive? How can a twenty pound bird bring down a high-flying, powerful 93,000 pound plane?

Speed, velocity and the energy of aerodynamics are the answer!

And this story is a perfect illustration of how your beliefs about success, money and what is important in life are often just programmed illusions since birth. Yes, money is important. But what about other meanings of success? How many times have you been flying high, happy, unstoppable, an object in blissful motion toward your pie in the sky dreams – only to have a negative “bird strike” thought or comment from another bring you crashing down? Don’t let these old beliefs or unhappy naysayers sabotage your journey and high flying dreams! There is a broader definition of success that includes health, going after your dreams, loving what you do, making time for love and family and caring for your spirit and body which are absolute essentials in a wealthy life.

As certain as there are planes which are downed by bird strikes, there are even more that encounter this scenario and have the strength and power (through great design and planning) to stay in the air. Don’t let others bring drag you down into the keeping up with the neighbors game. Use the tools of meditation, affirmations and self-assessment to dig deep inside into what you really believe success and wealth mean. These tools will keep you properly prepared for the next time an ugly, negative belief  (or discouraging comment from a disconnected person) rears its head and tries to bring you down. When you have the strength, the tools and the knowledge – you can keep yourself flying ahead, on course and experiencing your own belief of what success really means.

Jill is a Los Angeles, California-based coach and writer. She is the author of the weekly inspirational column, Duchess Digest, on Single Minded Woman.com and is the founder of Duchess, LLC; a business dedicated to helping and inspiring the best in all women. Additionally she is the co-host of a bi-weekly podcast show, Your Life Your Style, on blog talk radio. You can join her free weekly newsletter packed with tools, tips and inspiration through her website: www.theduchessequation.com and follow her on twitter: @JilltheDuchess. When Jill isn’t writing or coaching, she loves to travel, study cultures and do anything outdoors with her Labrador Betty.