Category: Abundance
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Seeking Beauty…
One of my favorite ELAN Principles is “Observe Your World.” It is a simple reminder to pay attention, but it goes deeper than that. It means to look for, notice and name goodness in your life. The more you notice, name and claim, the more the cycle of joy continues. There is a part of…
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Green Is…
It’s storming – a good gulley washer and a welcome break to the heat wave which is the result of something called a heat dome. That sounds oppressive, like there is no escape, but I give thanks for the warmth and the greening up that it brings after summer showers. On blue sky days the…
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Yes, Please…
A friend had a last-minute opportunity to go to the ballet and she asked me to join her. Yes, please! Sitting in the beautiful theater, soaking in all the sights and sounds, I was thankful for the dancers who seemed to effortlessly move their bodies through space and time. My gratitude extended to the hundreds…
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I ‘Preciate Ya…
While it’s true I never actually say “I ‘preciate ‘ya,” (twang implied), I am thankful for those who work to bring comfort and joy to my life. Noticing them begets a happy lens that views people as helpful, good, and valuable. Going beyond a cursory thanks means to sincerely wish them well. It means to…
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Impromptu Joy…
I recently celebrated an artful day with one of my daughters, exploring a local modern art museum. Soaking in the creations of others feeds my soul. Doing so with a loved one, doubly so. Like music, visual art can enhance and energize. It has a way of toggling brain buttons to the on position, like…
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Ideal, Ideal Day…
What is your ideal day? I have a few. The simplest is cozying up in my writing closet, punctuated by playing piano and reading. Simple, not easy to pull off given the rarity of white spots on the calendar. I had the grandest ideal day at the New Orleans Fairgrounds, soft-shell crab poboy in hand,…
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Packing It In…
I recently had one of those days that made me go whew. It was the day after I’d returned late from an excursion, let’s call it an adventure. No time to do laundry or replenish the pantry. I left home early in the morning and hopped from one pebble in the river of my day to…
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Seventeen Minutes…
What brings you joy? What would you choose to do if you were magically given two extra hours one week? For me it would be active music (passive music is always in the background). Perhaps you know the moment you put an instrument aside, promising to return because the learning curve got a little slippery.…
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Quote of the week…
“Got no checkbook, got no banks. Still I’d like to express my thanks – I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.” From “I Got the Sun in the Morning,” by Irving Berlin, 1888-1989
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No Limits…
The fourth ELAN Principle is about how limiting thoughts shape our perception of our world, large or small. Perhaps, like me, you believe there is a finite amount of the good things; love, joy, beauty, relationships, comfort. We hold tight to what we believe is in short supply. It is a radical shift to recognize…