Japanese Waterfall

There’s a lot going on in the world right now. All around us things are changing and if not careful we can fall into a mindset of doom and gloom. Although change has been going on since the beginning of time it does seem to be accelerating rather quickly right now. Not a single person knows exactly what’s going to happen but we do know that something new is on the horizon. There’s not a damned thing any of us can do about change because the world is always in a constant state of transition. It’s just the nature of being human and living on planet Earth.

Worldwide unemployment continues to escalate and countless people are falling into extreme poverty. People in more developed countries with higher standards of living are worried about keeping their jobs. The U.S. where I live is quickly becoming a nation of people“just thankful to have a job” even if they are making a pittance and working practically every waking hour. Gratitude is important but so is not being exploited. Meanwhile our precious natural resources are viewed as nothing more than commodities to be manipulated and traded all in the name of excessive profit and satisfying Wall Street expectations. Nothing is sacred anymore.

Governments are being called out for their wrongdoings and their dirty little secrets that in some cases go decades back are being exposed. Next on the docket are the multi-national corporations and big banks that have chased profit at any cost in order to pad the pockets of a select few. The world’s power structures are beginning to shake and their foundations are rather precarious. The world is becoming more transparent and it’s difficult to hide if you are out of integrity because someone will find you out and call you on it.

Yes, it’s rather gratifying to finally see those who have abused their power exposed. But before we get all excited and start pointing fingers, what about us? Have we looked in the mirror lately? Are we out of integrity? Do greed and fear monopolize our thoughts as well? As Gandhi so eloquently stated, “be the change you want to see.” Are we doing this? Are we becoming the change we know that is so badly needed?

At times it all seems so overwhelming and it feels as if there is nothing we can do to help make the world be a better place. But keep in mind that out of chaos comes creativity and this may be the perfect time after all. Going inward is the only place to start. Doing so gives us stability and balance. It’s easier to advocate for the kind of change that benefits us all when our own minds are full of peace and love. Once we’ve grounded ourselves and gotten our own house in order then we can start working on the outside.

The pursuit of material goods has left most of us empty and unsatisfied. The advertisers’ hype did not live up to their claims and now we are searching for more meaning. We are discovering that working for causes that benefit everyone and not just ourselves gives us more fulfillment than we ever could have imagined. It feels right to question war, poverty, and other injustices. It feels good to starting thinking as “we” and not “I”.

We now know that we cannot sit around and wait for those in the power seats to initiate positive change. Why would they? They are asleep and their consciousness is stagnated.  They need the prodding of the masses to remind them that wealth accumulating only in the hands of a few benefits no one in the long run. It’s the average person who is going to drive the real change in this world. We are all inter-connected and in this together and it’s up to us to drive this point home to those who need to hear it most.

Change is definitely coming and this is an exciting time to be alive but the task before us is a bit scary as well. Will we succeed? Can the world become a better place for everyone? Who knows! But I do know that unless we try, we will never know. I once read that Second City Improv in Chicago encouraged their students to “follow the fear”. We all must follow the fear and we will probably find out it’s not so bad after all. We might even be rewarded greatly!

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)

Our trusty Toyota Prius

Several years ago, my husband’s 86’ Volvo started having major problems. We didn’t feel the expense to maintain the car was worth it, so we donated her to an animal charity-Animal Farm. Thus this event marked the beginning of our one car household experiment.

As we set out on this adventure we were curious to see if we could do it. And more importantly, could we do it in Los Angeles- a city where one car per person is seen by many as a necessity. Since I love to challenge the “status-quo” I was gun-ho to make a one car household a reality, even if only for a few short years.

It’s been over four years now, and I’m happy to report our attempt to get by with one car has been successful. When I mention to people we only have one car, many are shocked but curious to know how we do it.  I tell them that coordinating work schedules is the most difficult aspect, but it can be done. Once we got into the swing of things, it became second nature.

I would drop my husband off at work every morning and then head on over to my workplace. We decided I would keep the car during the day since my employer did not charge us to park and my husband’s employer did. In the evenings, I would swing by and get David. Sometimes, he had to wait ½ hour or so, but we still figured the savings were worth it. If he ever wanted to go on without me, he would hop on the Big Blue Bus and make it home in less than an hour.

The rest is easy because we do most errands and socializing together anyway. If one person needs the car for something the other is not involved in, then we adjust and accommodate each other. In other words, we have learned to share. So far there have been no fights!

When we began the transition to a one car household, we told ourselves (and still do) that if at any time our quality of life begins to drastically suffer, then we would make a trade-off somewhere else in our budget and buy a new car. So far so good! We’ve been successful because we have been willing to be inconvenienced a little bit in order to save money. However, the interesting thing is since we have settled into this lifestyle we haven’t felt inconvenienced at all.

Our main reason for not getting another car was the expense. It didn’t make financial sense to us to buy another car that would just sit in a parking garage all day while we were at work.  We also like the environmental impact as well, although I’ll admit it was not our main motivation. However it was our motivation to buy our 2001 Toyota Prius when those came out on the market.

Our one car household decision has proved to be a Godsend for us now that I’m not working. I still take David to work and pick him up at the end of the day. Since our income is much less than it was when I was working, not having additional expenses for an extra car is a great factor in helping us get through this chapter in our lives.

Living with one car between two people has made our lives much richer. We keep more of our hard earned money and we have quality visiting time on our commutes. More importantly, we are learning that you don’t have to follow the crowd and do certain things just because everyone else is doing them. And of course we are learning to share-just like they taught us in kindergarten!

Sunset over The Hollywood Hills

One thing that never ceases to amaze me, along with the growth of vegetation from the earth and of hair from the head, is the growth of understanding. –Alice Walker

It’s been almost six months since I was laid off from my previous job which translates into six months of reduced income. As I reflect back on this past half year, I realize my situation is turning into a great voyage of self discovery because I’m learning things that are making me a stronger person both spiritually and emotionally. More importantly, I’m finding out that I’m a very wealthy person no matter what amount of money I’m making. As I learn to define wealth in new ways, I’m taking it one day at time, accepting change, and welcoming new experiences. Some of my reflections on this are below:

Taking It One Day at a Time

I find life a bit easier when I take it one day at a time. Whenever I start encountering fears about whether or not I will ever work again or being evicted because we can’t pay rent, I’m reminded of Scarlett O’Hara’s famous quote in Gone With the Wind –

“I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

Now I don’t mean to sound irresponsible but worrying will not make anything go away or get better. Every day I acknowledge that I’m ok for today and I wake up the next day and repeat the process. I’m learning to live in the now and not worry about worst case scenarios because chances are they will never happen. And if they do, well I’ll deal with them when they get here.

Accepting Change

The only constant in life is change. It’s the one thing I can always count on and my situation will continue to change many times going forward. Sometimes it will be good and sometimes it will be bad. It’s all just part of the process and the more I can roll with what life sends my way, the more accepting I can be of the things I have no control over.

Every day, something around me changes. Whether it’s the increase in the price of food at the supermarket or a natural disaster, I have no control. What I can control is how I accept the change going on around me. I don’t have to like it. I may even work to change it, but I have to accept it and feel it before I can move on. Whenever the feelings I encounter seem to be a bit much, I keep in mind the phrase “this too shall pass” and you know what? It does!

Welcoming New Experiences

Every experience in life teaches us something new and contributes to who we are as people. Being unemployed is just one experience in the many more that await me in this life. I can get upset about it or I can see it as a way to grow. I have no idea where I’m going or what will happen to me. Some days I worry what the future will bring and I feel uncomfortable. However, I’m learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s part of being human. Who are any of us to think that life will always be easy and cushy?

So for now, I’m keeping it simple. I have the basics covered- a place to live and food to eat. I’m in love, I’m healthy and I have great friends and family. For today, my needs are met and I am just fine!

My wonderful front porch

The weather has been almost perfect in Los Angeles recently. As a matter of fact, it has been perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, temperatures in the 70′s, sunny skies-it doesn’t get much better than this when it comes to winter. When I talk to family and friends back in Alabama, I almost feel bad telling them how beautiful it is here because I know they are battling extremely cold weather.  Well, not too bad!

I’m so fortunate to be living in such a beautiful place.  No wonder millions of people are crammed onto the southern California coast, because this area of the world is truly beautiful.

Being unemployed, I try to keep myself on a schedule, so I have some semblance of structure in my life. One of the things I try to do everyday is go for a walk in my neighborhood. Sometimes, I go alone or sometimes with my friend, Maddy. I love my neighborhood. It’s so diverse and interesting. It’s just the right mixture of all different kinds of people. I also love where I live. It’s my little corner of paradise. Sometimes I take my laptop onto my front porch and work, take in the fresh air, and watch the people walking by.

My time outdoors each day is one of my greatest little luxuries. It doesn’t cost a thing and it makes me feel engergized and inspired. It’s easy to fall prey to worrying about the future and what’s in store for me. Being outdoors and taking in the great beauty around me keeps me centered and in the “now”.

Another beautiful winter day in Venice Beach, CA

Happy New Year Everyone! I’m looking forward to a prosperous 2010 for all of us. Speaking of prosperity, I have a great investment tip I’d like to share. Now, I don’t in any way shape or form claim to be a finance guru, but I do think my advice will give you some great returns. Invest in your health this upcoming year and every year after that as well. There’s no better place to put your time or money than in one of your most precious assets-your health and well being.

As I reflect back over the past year, I’m particularly thankful for good health once again. Yes, I may be unemployed and have added zilch to my net worth, but I sure do feel great. It may sound corny, but not a day goes by that I don’t acknowledge and thank God for giving me yet another day of well being. Besides, what good is any worldly wealth if you feel sick and run-down?

I’m an avid yoga practitioner (Iyengar yoga to be exact) and I attend a class almost every day. If I can’t make a class, then I can be found practicing in the middle of my living room floor. I roll out the yoga mat, my feline companions Shylo and Hunter take their respective places on my mat, and I use what little room is left to stretch out into down dog or go up into headstand.  Yoga has been a great investment for me physically, mentally, and spiritually. I especially love how it has made my mind flexible and much more open to the world around me.

Investing time and money into yoga has been one of the best investments I have ever made. So when my yoga studio membership fee came due several weeks ago, I did not hesitate at plopping down $650 for unlimited yoga classes for the next 6 months. Some people might think this is a crazy thing to spend money on when you don’t have a job, but it would be even crazier for me not to do so. Instead of hitting the mall with some of the Christmas money my parents gave me, I’m hitting the yoga studio instead.  I can’t think of a better thing to spend money on than something that I love doing, keeps me healthy, and is loads of fun!

Sunset at Playa Zancudo

Not taking into account the reduction in income, being unemployed is actually quite nice. I was unemployed several years ago and I absolutely hated it. All I did was worry about the deficit our household was running each day I was out of work. I would have panic attacks of doom and gloom and I would convince myself that I might not ever find a job again. I anguished about being behind on our retirement savings accounts. Pretty funny huh, since none of us even have any clue as to what the market will be doing when we do decide to cash out.

Since this is my second time to ride this wave, I promised myself I would enjoy every minute of it, because before I know it, I will wake up and find myself rushing to get off to work, and I will have wished I had savored more of my time off. So far, I’ve been doing a pretty good job. I spend a reasonable amount of time each day pursuing work leads and then I let go and forget about it. I’m trusting that the right opportunity will come along at the right time. I have no idea what that will be and that’s what makes it so exciting.

I have been able to catch up with friends I haven’t seen in ages. There has been plenty of time to catch up on reading, crossword puzzles, and new recipes. I go to a yoga class almost every day and take long walks on the beach or around the neighborhood. I have signed up for several volunteering gigs in the next few weeks and hope to sign up for more. My house has always been fairly clean (I am my mother’s daughter after all ) but it’s really sparking these days! I must start inviting people over more often!

I’m learning to live in the “now.” Half of the things we worry about never happen anyway, so why torment our minds with depressing scenarios. For today, I’m healthy, safe, loved, and all my basic needs are taken care of. And tomorrow, I will wake up and practice living in the “now” once again.