I’d like to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax.
I would be sillier than I’ve been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I’d have fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I’m one of those people who lives sensibly and sanely, hour after hour, day after day.
Oh, I’ve had my moments,
And if I had it to do over again,
I’d have more of them.
In fact, I’d have nothing else,
Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day.
I’ve been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute.
If I had it to do over again, I would travel lighter than I have.
If I had my life to live over…
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring, and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies…
~ Nadine Stair
85 yrs. old
You are alive right now! So make the most of your life starting today!
Ask yourself this question right now:
What would I wish I had done differently?“—Thinking ahead to your future, knowing what you don’t want to regret/or wish was different about your life will help you know now how to better live your present life:
Write down your answers on paper
Set up your answers like a “Bucket-List”
Hang the paper up somewhere where you will see it so you can be intentional about your goals
Start making the changes you want to see happening in your life immediately! –“You can do anything you put your mind to!”
Change the way you live your life now!
So this becomes your answer when asked,”What would you have done differently?”
” I love the life I’ve lived. I love the life I’m living! There’s not a single moment of my life I’d want to change.”—because you made the effort to work on living fulfilled in your present life!
Give yourself the gift of being fulfilled starting today!
If you like the question/quote from Nadine Stair you might also enjoy the answer of Erma Bombeck,– it may give you some ideas of things you want to work on in your life.
You deserve to be fulfilled in your life every moment!
When we seek healing and inspiration from deep within ourselves, it often helps to be touched by light. Nature provides us with the gift of the sun. The sun illuminates the plants of the earth and gives them depth. When you let the sun shine upon you, you also can let the depths of yourself shine; revealing from deep within you, your dreams, your hopes, your goals, your aspirations, your beauty, your integrity, and so much more!
These recent days of 80+ degree weather and long days of sunlight in the Northeast have been bringing people out of their homes, and neighbors are meeting one another. The weather and the changes in nature are causing people to connect to one another, and share their joy for the weather with each other. This is causing inspiration to be communal rather than the experience of just one person. As nature is providing itself as the source of inspiration, people are becoming aware of themselves and others as they are inspired by nature, and thus there is not only a joy from the weather, but also a feeling of a great healing happening between people, within people and all of creation.
Man is not himself only…He is all that he sees; all that flows to him from a thousand sources…He is the land, the lift of its mountain lines, the reach of its valleys. Mary Austin
Woman is not herself only…She is all that she sees; all that flows to her from a thousand sources…She is the land, the lift of its mountain lines, the reach of its valleys. –Mary Austin (rewritten)
Light Shines as Nature Springs Forth!
Healing has great power when it is a shared goal among many. Trusting in your own inspiration, can be enhanced when others are also affirming the inspiration you feel. The presence of healing through nature in tune with healing among people…pretty powerful stuff!
Healing is a daily journey. If you have experienced dark places in your life, you know how challenging it can be to try to climb out of these holes. And after you’ve been there, you know how hard it is to feel love, receive love, and give love again….not only involving loving others, but most importantly involving loving yourself.
Because you are alive, and living be kind to yourself and bless yourself with these gifts:
Be ever so gentle with yourself today. Be kind to yourself and say, “It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to feel, even when feeling hurts. I can breathe. I am alive. I’m real. I am enough right now in this very moment. I am me. I am a gift unto the world. My life matters! And what I feel matters. And, now I’m just going to be, right here, right now, in this very moment.” -Bella Bleue
*Love/Light will always find you and carry you out of your darkness, if you allow yourself to be found. Love/Light is always there waiting for you even when you aren’t ready to see it or know it, but the moment you do want to know it, Love/Light is there to embrace you.
Last week I posted a question, “What gives you inspiration in your life?” I was surprised and somewhat disappointed that no one had anything to share. The one comment I did get suggested that we miss inspiration in our life due to disillusionment, and often turn to something besides ourselves to find inspiration and more precisely fulfillment because we don’t trust enough in ourselves to be the amazing, wonderful, awesome persons we are.
I can say this statement with honesty on my back: During my year-and-a-half long battle with postpartum depression, there was frankly nothing in my life that could inspire me nor really fulfill me. I wanted to be inspired, I wanted to be the best mom and wife I could, but I didn’t trust that I was and instead of being inspired, and joyful, I was left empty and angry. I was angry with myself that I couldn’t be there for the ones I loved most, especially my husband and best friend, the ways they needed me to be. And for a long time I didn’t understand why I didn’t have the energy to be there for them. The only one I kept my spirits up for was my baby boy, but after I’d say good-night to him, I’d go to my room and cry. The never-ending sea of tears. I could have filled all of Lake Michigan with my tears. But I needed to cry, and I needed to be gentle with myself, gentle enough to finally say, yes I do need help.
We all need help in life. We need the encouragement of the ones we love to say to us, “You are an inspiration in my life.” You inspire me with your kindness, with your smile, with your touch, with your laughter, with your wonderful meals, your hospitality, your listening ear, your voice, your music, your dedication, your ability to say no, and so much more! Sometimes we just can’t get on the right road. We need our friends, and family to be our GPS. We need them to reveal to us the inspiration inside us, so we can trust more in the wonder we are and begin to heal ourselves.
You are amazing, wonderful and an inspiration to others! Don’t forget it! Make this belief a part of your day every day, and you will begin to feel inspired, and thus begin to heal. By healing you will be ‘inspired’ to share yourself, and others will learn from you and heal too!
You can strain every fiber of your being, trying to be flawless, only to face inevitable failureor you can stop worrying about perfection which instantly makes everything Feel Great—Martha Beck from her Oprah article, “Take a Load Off”
It certainly can be challenging to see yourself as the incredibly wonderful person you are, when you are always trying to be perfect. You are already fabulous with out being perfect. And Life is a gift,so why not enjoy it? And to enjoy it you need to let go of all the expectations you put on yourself, and just do the best you can and then move on.Letting go of your worries really will Free you!
People won’t remember how perfect you are, they will remember what kind of person you are! Your love, your laughter, your kindness, your sympathy, your empathy, your words, and your actions are more defining of who you are than how perfect you are.
Be Intentional About Change in Your Life:
Leave work at a reasonable hour and do something good for yourself—it will actually improve your performance!
Do something fun with your spouse, significant other, or friend on the spur of the moment instead of having to have all the laundry done, etc.—creating memories and celebrating just being with the ones in life who mean the most to you, will be what you remember when you begin to review your life.
There’s no way to be the perfect parent: You will make mistakes, but being loved is what matters most to your little one…so love with the depths of your heart, and you have succeeded!
Feel free to add in other things that YOU need to work on.
Create Goals: to make a significant change in your life, that will free you from your NEED to be perfect. Once you get at the root of why you have this NEED to be PERFECT, you will begin to be free of allowing worries and fears to drive your life, and instead begin to fully live a wonderful, meaningful Life, that is FREE!
I wanted to share some Irish music with you today. The music is from the beautiful Uilleann Pipes, performed by Davey Spillane called, Journeys of a Dreamer. Music has the ability to flow deep inside us, and inspire and heal us in ways that words cannot. Feel free to enjoy the images. I also invite you to put the music on in the background as you read my message to you today. Blessings!
I don’t usually say much about my husband, but since it is St. Patrick’s Day, and he is right from the Isle of Eire, aka, Ireland, I had to mention him today! He also is a fabulous source of inspiration and motivation in my life. He has taught me to see the world through eyes of hope: That when we dream and make an effort to really try, somehow, a door will open. It might not always be the one we expected, but somehow a new beginning is always there for us…we just have to look. The door that opened to me today is one of Blessing. I have so enjoyed taking my photos and sharing messages of others, blessings and some of my own poems, and prayers with all of you. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IS A BLESSING! I am thankful for all of you! I know somehow the spirit of life has brought us together. I am eternally grateful to share in this journey with you. My blessing for you today, of course, is an Irish Blessing.
The spring brings rain with it. Rain effects us in many different ways. It can inspire us to go out and take photos of its beauty in nature. It can also change our state and damper our mood. Rain may unmotivate us, and make us less interested in doing things. But, we know no matter how rain may make us feel, it is inevitable that it will come one day. Rain is also very symbolic: It is a symbol of cleansing, and renewing. It is a symbol of our tears. During the spring it is a great source of life–it brings forth new life in the earth. It is also a time of washing away the grays of winter and bringing forth new bursts of color.
I would like to challenge you to bring forth new bursts of color in YOUR life…let the rain bring forth new life, new beginnings in you by washing away YOUR burdens, and sorrows, and filling those spaces with new dreams, hopes, and aspirations!
Once you make the effort to be renewed, let the rain heal you and inspire you through ACTION
Jump in puddles like you did when you were a child
Stand in your shower, and imagine that it is the rain, washing upon you, and removing all that you need to let go of-Allow healing to happen within you!
Stand under the rain, until your hair is wet and raindrops fall off your nose into your hands making a puddle-and say to yourself, “I am alive and refreshed!”
Go outside with the one you love and dance!
Make your dreams a reality:
Write down your goals and hopes in a list
Pick one a day that you are going to work at
Remember a goal is attainable!—which means you will make it happen!
May the Road Rise to Meet You,
Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
Copyright, the blog, Bella Bleue Healing, Health, & Inspiration for Your Life
Today I have a question for YOU!“What gives you inspiration in your life? I know I have shared many things that inspire me, but each of you experience life in your own way and through your own understanding. YOU have your own inner wisdom, talents, dreams, hopes, aspirations, etc. that describe who you are and open you to being inspired by life. Life inspires YOU in a very special and unique way. What inspires you?
Today I also want to thank you for joining me on this journey, YOU have been a great source of inspiration and encouragement in my life: to keep writing, to see the world as a more beautiful & loving place, and to be more content with who I am.Thank you again!
I’d really love to hear about inspiration in your life! If you choose to comment know the comments can only be seen by me until I approve them. Thus, if you do not want your comment published on my blog, feel free to let me know and I’ll put it in safe keeping.
Remember YOU were made to discover inspiration! So be kind to yourself and celebrate yourself and be inspired!
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Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
Copyright, text & photos, the blog, Bella Bleue Healing, Health, & Inspiration for Your Life
Yesterday, I was tickling my son. His laughter rang through my ears, and actually caused me to start laughing too! He loves being tickled, and loves laughing! It’s amazing how fabulous laughing makes you feel! When I was starting to feel well after my long bout with post-partum depression, I sat down and watched, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and I started to laugh! Until the laughter started, I hadn’t realized how long it had been since I last laughed! And at the same moment, I realized how good I felt! And I stared laughing throughout the movie. And it seemed that after I laughed that night, I was finding things in my life to be happy about again!
It’s amazing how easily and readily children start laughing. Its a part of who they are. So…we were all children once upon a time, thus laughter is in our blood-literally! Children are spontaneous & often do things in life that, we as adults, wouldn’t think twice about! Put your chocolate birthday cake all over yourself and smile about it!
Are you smiling yet?! Maybe even feeling a bit like a laugh could come along?
I know when we are stuck in a rut, or feeling depressed, its really challenging to just read along and change your state; so do something intentional to change your state:
Turn on a movie that’s always made you laugh,
Go on YouTube and search for something funny
If you have your own little one, laughing along with them while you tickle them.
Go out with friends, who always seem to laugh about something
Play with your dog or pet
Whatever it is that you discover to make you laugh, know that by laughing, you are making yourself healthier!
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