The Frog on the Lily Pad (1 minute story)

(Photo from artistrising.com)

A girl asks her Grandmother, "How do you know what your purpose in life is?" Grandmother takes the child by the hand and leads her to a frog sitting on a lily pad in a pond. "Dear little one, see this frog? Does he have to think about what his purpose is before he sits in the sun to warm himself, or swims with delight with his friends? Does he think about being patient and working hard for his next meal as he awaits a passing fly?" The girl responds, "I guess he just does those things naturally, Grandma." "Yes, and by following his instincts and doing what he naturally yearns to do he is living his life's purpose."

Think more with your heart than your head and live on purpose! :)

Be Happy, my Friends~
Laura Barrette Shannon

Do You Do This?

A woman tending her garden sees a plane go by and dreams of travel, the traveling salesman on the plane sits next to an old man with thoughts of retirement, the retired old man is near a young family and yearns to be young again, the Mom is looking at the teenager in front of her and can't wait for her toddler to be self sufficient, the teen is looking out the window at the woman in her garden and wishes she could get married and have her own garden.
We often look away from where we are, either to the past, the future, or to what someone else has that we think we might enjoy, instead of being where we are in life. The grass isn't any greener anywhere else. Life is what YOU experience~ enjoy your own life.

Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Stand Tall and Keep Your Head Up

DID you know that the way you sit and stand can affect your mood? If you are hunched over, head down with shoulders sagging, the chances are good that you are feeling either unworthy, blue, or troubled. If you change your posture by keeping your shoulders back, head up, and back straight you will not only start to appear more confident, you will feel it too. Standing up straight triggers your mind to feel differently.  There are many physiological cues to emotion.  Just keeping your head up can make a difference in your state of mind.  Mom was right again, when I felt sad she would say, "Keep your chin up!"  Next time your feeling down, change your physical position, stand up, walk tall and keep your head up.  You may just feel a difference, and at the very least you are practicing good posture!  
Today, become aware of your posture, and the posture of others. See if you can see a correlation between posture and attitude.


Be happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

What Are You Hiding?

A DOG LESSON: My dog George just had his birthday this week so I bought him a new bone. He immediately loved the bone and spent over an hour enjoying it. Then he went outside and buried it. I found it two days later and gave it back to him. He buried it again within 10 minutes. It made me wonder: He is emotionally attached to his bone so much that he was willing to forgo using it, hiding it for another day. The problem is out of sight out of mind. He will forget to ever enjoy it.
How often do we do similar things? How many of us have good towels or dishes that we never use. Perhaps it is a special outfit that you only wear once a year, jewelry that stays in the safe, or candles that are too nice to burn. What wonderful possessions are you hiding from yourself to keep them safe from the world?
Laura Barrette Shannon

Do You Need Help?

HELP! ~ If you are unsure of something or need help, whether it be advice on where to get something fixed, insight to solve a problem, or just directions when you are lost, JUST ASK someone!! People are generally helpful and like to share their knowledge and experiences with others.  Giving people a chance to help us is a great way to foster your relationships.  It makes others feel useful when they can make a difference in your life.  That's one of the most important parts of a relationship- feeling needed or acknowledging that you make a difference.


Sometimes people think it is best to handle everything themselves.  They believe that being independent is the ultimate goal of life. Being independent is great, but being interdependent is even better. No man is an island.  We are all interconnected and as such have great ability to aid and influence the lives around us.  Allow yourself to be a part of this, by allowing yourself to receive help when needed.  The synergistic relationships we can build by reaching out to others is an invaluable part of life. You will be amazed at what you can learn by just asking questions! ♥
Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You Limiting Yourself?

 Our limitations all begin with what we believe. Believe you can't do something and you are never wrong. Question yourself when you find you have a limiting belief. Last night I realized I've been telling myself for years that I am a morning person, and as the day goes on I'm less mentally creative and therefore I never write at night. This belief limits my abilities, so I'm changing it. I now believe that I can get myself into a creative state of mind anytime of day. I'll begin practicing tonight and after a while it will be my new truth. All change starts with belief.
 Are you aware of any limiting beliefs that are holding you back from your full potential?
As you become aware of your various beliefs, ask yourself if they serve you or work against you.  Some beliefs work well for a time and then lose their usefulness, but because we never question them, we just keep acting on them.  For example, I used to believe that I couldn't sing well at all and that I couldn't ever learn to carry a tune.  So I never sang.  Then one day I decided to challenge the belief, to practice singing at home and then to sing karaoke to a crowd of people.  I did it.  I'm not afraid to sing in public now.  The old belief was limiting my self expression and served no purpose other than to back up my fear of singing in public.  
Take a careful look at why you avoid certain activities and you may discover that it is an old limiting belief that has been holding you back.  
Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Do You Know What You Want?

WHAT DO YOU INTEND to do, to experience, to express, to be like in this moment, next week, next year? This is the most important question you will ever answer. The answer will change over time as we continually evaluate our innermost desires. Once you know what you want you can evaluate what is working in your life to achieve the goal. Evaluate what is in alignment with your dream of self expression:

Do you believe and think you are on the path to actively live out your sense of self?

Do your words and actions work for or against you? Your words and actions must be in agreement with your desired expression or it will never happen.

Keep doing what works, stop doing what doesn't.

Find a way to act and speak in alignment with who you are and what you want to experience.
For example, Susan decides she wants to be healthy and fit.  She evaluates that her lifestyle habits are not completely in alignment with her desire to be healthy and fit.  So she looks at what good habits she may have, like walking her dog every day, and taking vitamins.  She keeps those habits in alignment and begins to incorporate more actions that are supportive of her sense of being healthy and fit. She decides to eliminate watching so much TV and to take a second walk in the evening instead.  She then watches herself to make sure her words are self supportive in nature, such as "I am on a path of health and fitness and I enjoy it!" And avoiding negative self talk- "It's so hard to be on a diet and I hate exercise."

Realize your dreams of self expression by realizing what they are, believing you can reach them,and then following the path of action in alignment that leads to them.
Be true to yourself and be happy my friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

You Are the Narrator of Your Life

YOU are the narrator of your life. Begin watching how you talk about yourself. Your every word defines who you want the world to see, and reinforces how you think of yourself. If you keep the narration focused on unlimited potential for the future, lessons from past adversity, appreciation for the people who come and go, and gratitude for life itself, you will not only enjoy life more, you will be a joy to be around. Be a light in your own life, be your own best cheerleader, and watch your life be transformed! The choice in how you see and tell your story will affect your self image and how others see you. Don't play the victim in your life story and you won't feel like a victim. Today ask yourself, "What's my story?" If you don't like the story, then change it. Don't fabricate lies, just re-frame how you describe past events and who you are.  If you had past adversity or tragedy, begin to speak only of the lessons you have learned.  Don't focus on the pain, focus on how you used the experience to grow as a person, or how you learned more about yourself and life.  If you can't quite tell it in a positive fashion yet, then do not tell it at all!  You write your own story. Make it a happy one.

Watch how you talk about yourself and what you say about your life story. Story lines to AVOID are:
"I can't do that."

"I'm not good at____"

"I'm not good enough."

"I feel like victim of life circumstances."

“I feel like a victim of past events.”

"Life is difficult."

"I'll never be happy because____"

"I'll be happy when______."

You get the idea. Watch what you say about yourself and your life. Argue for your limitations and you will always be right. Tell stories of victimization and you play the part of victim. You are the narrator, the director, and can cast yourself as any part you wish in your life story.

Life is a story.  What's your story?

Be Happy, my Friends-

Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You a Mindless Eater?

Do you do this?

ARE YOU A MINDLESS EATER? Do you pay attention to the savory aromas, delicious tastes, and textures of the food you eat? Do you thoroughly chew your food or woof it down? Are you enjoying your meals or are you watching TV, surfing the internet or working while eating? Most of us eat multiple times a day, yet unfortunately, most of us are thinking about something else while we are doing it.  When we are mindlessly eating we are missing out on one of the most fundamental sensory experiences of being human.
Today, practice being aware of how you eat. Turn off the electronics, take a break from working, and be a mindful eater not a mindless eater. Pay attention to the aroma, tastes, and textures.  Chew each bite at least ten times and slow down.  Put the fork or sandwich down between bites. Take your time.  Young children do this naturally.  As we aged, somehow we learned to eat faster and to multitask while doing it.  
By being present and slowing down you'll enjoy the experience more and be helping your digestion too!  You may even discover that you eat less because your body has a chance to recognize that it is full, giving you the signal to stop eating.  
Appreciating your food is one simple step to enjoying life.
 Bon appetite! :)


Laura barrette Shannon

What Do You Say?

 "I have to do the dishes."

"I'm going to do the dishes and have fun doing them!"

‎"I HAVE TO ______" Do you have a habit of saying that you have to do something, such as "I have to do the dishes, go to work, make dinner, clean the house, give Grandma a ride, etc" When we phrase what we either need to do or choose to do with the wording "have to" it brings thoughts of wishing you were doing something else, which can lead to feelings of resentment or just not enjoying the time spent doing it. Watch how you use this phrase and learn to say, "I need to, I choose to, or I'm going to", which will keep your focus on free will. You are free to choose to enjoy what ever you do today! Do it with awareness and have a happy day! :)

Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You Living?

ALLOW yourself to experience the small pleasures of life. It's through enjoying the most ordinary moments that we begin to live.
 
You can not own
a shimmering sunset,
or crystal stars of night.
You can not own
a brilliant blowing breeze,
or the spark of sweet sunlight.

You can not keep
a fragrant floral scent,
or an infant's sleepy sigh.
You can not keep
love's first embrace,
or life's ecstatic highs.

You can not possess
that time which went by
before you were even born.
You can not possess
those memories made
long after you are gone.

So experience enjoyment
in each moment,
immerse in sight, sense, and sound.
Appreciate this world
for all that it is,
that's where abundance is found.

"Abundance" from Awakening Perception
by Laura Barrette Shannon 2003


Today, I open myself to see the things I usually don't see, to hear things I usually miss, and to experience life and those I meet with an open heart so that 
I may have greater understanding and appreciation for life.


Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura

What Do You See?

Look for the beauty and value in people.

What do you see when you interact with people.  Do some irritate you with various habits?  Do you admire some people for their positive qualities?  Do you feel comfortable around some people and uncomfortable around others? 
Learn to see the beauty and value of everyone. For some will teach you to develop characteristics that you admire in them, while others will teach you to soften the traits that you dislike, and a few will teach you that it is perfectly okay to be who you are because they are comfortable with themselves. Open your vision to see these values and you will honor every relationship.
Today, begin practicing seeing people as reflections of your own likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, enabling you to more fully understand who YOU are.  Every relationship is a gift of awareness.  Open the gift.


Be Happy, my Friends-
Laura barrette Shannon

Are You in a Mess?

A disorganized environment adds stress to your life.

IS YOUR HOME OR DESK A MESS? Feeling that your living environment isn't quite as organized as you would like it to be is a personal call. Everyone has their own level of comfort of tidiness. If your environment isn't aligned with your level of expectation it can make you feel uncomfortable, scattered, and stressed.
Our living spaces are a reflection of ourselves.  When the mind is scattered it flows out into the environment manifesting as disorganization.  
Everyone has their own level of comfort when dealing with how they keep their environment.   Some are perfectionists, one item out of place, or one dirty dish will start the mind chatter. Others are more relaxed with how much clutter can accumulate before it bothers them. If it begins to bother you with mental chatter: "This is a mess. I really need to clean this. I hope no one comes over and see this mess.", then it's time to take action. If it is bothering YOU, then start to reorganize and freshen it up. 
 To regain comfort and peace in your living spaces, choose one small area where you spend a lot of time, and freshen it up by cleaning and organizing it.  Start small, and as you feel the resulting peace of mind and calmness, you will be encouraged to continue cleaning another day. Be gentle with yourself as you move into a more peaceful environment! ♥
Be happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Lighten Up!

LIGHTEN UP! Would you rather be right or happy? Do you take yourself so serious that when you meet people with a difference of opinion you feel the need to set them straight?  Do you feel irritated or even threatened by listening to opposing points of view? Is it your job to teach everyone to think like you do? Ponder how these tendencies make you feel. 
Today, practice being an observer or a listener without getting into debates. Make an effort to hold your tongue without putting in your two cent point of view- even if you think they are totally wrong.  This is a valuable skill which will provide much less drama in your life.

Confidence is being able to share your opinions; Wisdom is not being attached to them.

Be Happy, my Friends,
Laura Barrette Shannon

Help! "I Can't Stop Thinking!"

"I CAN'T STOP thinking about _____and it's upsetting me." We have all been there at one time. It may be a past pain or a future worry that is disturbing your peace of mind. You may have tried to be present to keep the thought at bay, but it just keeps coming back. Here are a few hyper-focus techniques that will effectively block those haunting thoughts:

Play games: Playing games will focus your attention enough to stop all other thoughts from taking over your mind. If you are alone, try puzzles, word games, or Sudoku. Scrabble is my favorite. Playing board games has the added value of nurturing relationships. (I highly recommend this to all families.) Playing sports has the added benefit of exercise. Even watching sports can sometimes be enough to grab your attention and keep your focus outside of your head.

Music: Singing happy songs will hyper-focus your mind on breathing, tone, rhythm, etc. Karaoke adds the benefit of having to read at the same time. This will keep your mind from wandering onto negative trains of thought. You also get the bonus of deep breathing! Playing a musical instrument also requires your full attention. These activities are like musical meditation!

Service: When we are helping others we are focused away from our own problems. Volunteer in your community or church. When you are of service, you are not only being a productive member of your community, you will feel better about yourself.

Create: When you focus on a new garden project, cooking, or redecorating a room you are paying attention to the process of creation. This usually will keep your attention enough to quell negative trains of thought. My favorites: cooking, sand castles, finger painting.

Dance: Take a class, or make up the moves as you go. Any kind of dancing will do the trick! Make dancing a regular part of your life.

Of course, keep practicing breathing and being present as much as possible, but sometimes these hyper-focus techniques may be just what you need to break the negative train of thought and force you into the NOW.

Be Happy, My Friends,
Laura Barrette Shannon

How Can I Make Peace with My Past?

ARE you letting excess baggage from the past weigh you down? Are you holding onto grudges, rehashing past trauma, or thinking about what "should" have been? Ponder how these thoughts are pulling you down and making it harder to take steps forward in life. The first step is to recognize those heavy thoughts for what they are: Needless emotional suffering. When we indulge in these types thoughts, we work ourselves up into negative emotions. This is unnecessary. The past is over. There may have been suffering in the past, but it is over now. Truly, it's time to let it go. It's your choice: Either begin to make peace with your past, or continue suffering in the present.
How can you make peace with your past? Making peace with your past is an important step in achieving peace of mind and happiness. The first step is to stop rehashing the stories that cause you suffering. By repeating these stories, you reinforce the negative emotions. The next step is to eliminate the habit of focusing on past emotional baggage. This is accomplished by becoming aware of when you are thinking about such issues, then, immediately jumping off that train of thought. One of the easiest techniques for jumping off negative trains of thought is to bring your awareness back to the present moment by focusing on your five senses. Get outside of your head and become fully present. Pay attention to life as it is happening, instead of living life in your head thinking about the past. The more you practice, the less the thoughts will come, and the easier it will be to let go of your past pain.
Be gentle with yourself as you practice moving into a more present and happy state of being.
Be happy, my Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Don't Forget to Breathe

‎"DEEP BREATHING techniques increase oxygen to the cells and are the most important factors in living a disease-free and energetic life. When cells get enough oxygen, cancer will not and cannot occur.” ~Dr. Otto Warburg (President, Institute of Cell Physiology and Winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine TWICE!)


We can use breathing exercises in many ways.  One that I use is taking a slow deep breath when I feel a twinge of irritation.  For instance, if I spill coffee on my shirt.  I will feel a brief moment of agitation, then I will take a deep breath allowing the emotion to pass through my body and exit with the exhale.  This allows me to move forward with my day without carrying the residual negative emotion from the event.  Most stress is caused by a buildup of numerous minor irritations throughout the day.  When we consciously breathe, it refocuses our attention on the present moment, which effectively breaks our train of thought.  This is an invaluable tool for transformation.
Deep breathing can also be used for relaxation and physical well being.  Try this simple breathing exercise:
1. Inhale slowly to the count of five, filling your lungs as much as possible. Feel your lungs expand. Visualize healing energy coming into your body.
2. Hold the breath for a count of three.
3. Exhale slowly to the count of five, squeezing every bit of air out. Feel your muscles contract to expel the air. Visualize releasing toxins from your body.
4. Hold for the count of three.
Repeat at least ten times.
For a more advanced technique, slow the inhale and exhale to a higher count.

Relax, breathe deeply,
and Be Happy, my Friends!
Laura Barrette Shannon

The Mule in The Well

There once was an old mule who fell into an old dry well. He brayed and brayed until the farmer heard his cries. The farmer looked down at the old mule in the well and knew it would be impossible to try to lift him out. He thought about the situation and decided that since the mule and the well were old and useless, he should fill in the well, burying the mule to put him out of his misery. He started to shovel dirt into the well on top of the mule. Then, something surprising happened! As each pile of dirt came down on the mule, instead of being afraid and letting himself get buried, he would shake it off, and climb on top of it. Eventually, he was high enough to jump out of the well.

When life seems to throw dirt your way, trying to bury you or keep you down, shake it off and rise above it! This is when you realize that even what seems to be a problem or a tragedy can be used as a lesson to move you to a higher level of being.  In fact, it might just be what you need to push you out of the situation. 

Be like the old mule, some may think you are useless, weak and afraid, but that's not how you have to see yourself.   Like the mule, rise above what others think of you, shake off what ever dirt comes your way, and always look for the deeper meaning and lesson that can be learned from a situation or event.  In this way, you will elevate your awareness and understanding of life and yourself. 

Be Happy, my Friends-

Laura Barrette Shannon

Are You a Doormat?

Learn to set boundaries.

DON'T BE A DOORMAT! Do you have trouble setting boundaries? In any relationship (whether it be family, spouse, or friends), it is our own responsibility to set the boundaries of how we allow others to treat us. It is not their fault if we allow them to use us, verbally abuse us, or take without ever giving back. Loving someone does not mean you need to let them use you. If there are people in your life that you feel are using you, you need to reset the boundaries. Learn to say, "No" as necessary. People only treat us as bad as we allow them. You can love someone without letting them in the inner circle of your life. The inner circle should be reserved for those who love and support you. Your presence and companionship is a gift. YOU are the one who decides who to give it to. You can't change them, but you can change how you interact with them.
Be Happy, My Friends-
Laura Barrette Shannon

Looking for Love?

(photo from istockphoto.com)

LOOKING FOR LOVE? If you want to draw more loving relationships into your life, first you must GIVE more love to those around you. When we give ourselves to others in service and genuine loving kindness we open our heart, which allows us to receive more love. If your heart isn't open, then how can love get in?

OPEN HEART CHALLENGE: This week, tell 10 (that's right 10) people that you love or appreciate them for being part of your life. Don't just say it, follow it up with details. 

Examples: Coworker- "I really appreciate the the time we share at lunch. You are a good friend." Neighbor- "I love being your neighbor. You are always so friendly, I feel blessed to have you next door." Mailman: "I've never really had a chance to tell you that I appreciate all the hard work you do delivering my mail. Thank you!"

 

You get the idea. Be creative, seek out people who are often ignored in their role in your life, janitors, sales clerks, long lost relatives and distant friends. This exercise will effectively open your heart and also spread love to others, sometimes making their whole day better with just a few simple words. Spread the seeds of happiness and you will be amazed at how good you feel too. Practice opening your heart and you will be amazed at the response from people around you. They will be drawn to you like a magnet! 

Be Happy, my Friends-

Laura Barrette Shannon