Day #87 - Flew Season

Yes, "flew" season...time just keeps flying by like the wind. It seems so crazy that it is the end of yet another year. How does it happen so quickly?

I have been nursing a cold for going on three weeks now and Travis is now well on his way, hacking and blowing his nose sore. I think getting sick made December go quicker than planned. I was totally unprepared for Christmas until the last minute, which always leaves me feeling hurried and un-Christmas-like.

Luckily, I was responsible for our office giving this year and this gave me some feeling of the Christmas Spirit. We collected coats for The Road Home shelter. It was slow going at first, so I got clever and bought a bunch of hangers. At one of the office meetings I asked who would take a hanger and bring back one coat...I got commitments for all the hangers. My boss carried his around the office all day and it cracked me up to see it going up and down the hall as he talked to the agents. As a result, by the coat deadline, we had a huge pile of some very nice, warm coats.

Really...I could barely get them all loaded into my car. I was super happy with our agents efforts and care around the project and was also happy to be involved in something good during this season of giving.

Around here The Road Home becomes a very big deal around Christmas. The radio and TV stations all have contests to see whose listeners can raise the most money for the shelter. This particular shelter is geared around families and works with other shelters and programs that help people get back on their feet after finding themselves homeless. One of the TV news stations asked the director how many people the shelter can hold on any given night and the guy said, "There is always room for one more". I thought this was the most amazing statement - no one, who is in need, will get turned away. 

The other night the temperature dropped to 3 degrees...as I turned my kitchen sink's water on to drip thru the night, so the pipes wouldn't freeze, I thought about some of the coats that would hopefully be keeping someone a little bit warmer who was not as fortunate as me...

I Am Grateful,

HB

Diva Quote: "There is always room for one more."  Director for The Road Home homeless shelter

Day #86 - Is it a wonderful life?

Don't let the title fool ya...of course life is wonderful; my question relates to re-writing reality. Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if...'such and such' hadn't happened or if 'such and such' DID happen? Wouldn't it be interesting to experience "The Ghost of Christmas Future" or get a glimpse of what life would look like if one decision was made differently in your life?

I was watching Glee, of all things, the other night and one of the characters, Artie, who is in a wheelchair, wishes he was never in the chair and that he could walk and be normal. He wishes these things because his trials are hard and he thinks things would be better if he got what he most wanted. Turns out, he would be able to walk, but none of his friends would be the same because he hadn't influenced them or meant the same things to them when his priorities and attitudes were different.

We have all seen "It's a Wonderful Life" - if you haven't you should see it - about the guy who thinks he'd be better off dead; and most of us are familiar with "The Christmas Carol" - the old curmudgeon whose life changes with perspective...I have thought, at different times in my life, that things could have/should have/would have been different if...but it's funny how we always imagine the best scenario or the better than we've got it scenario when we are looking back. Maybe it has something to do with that pesky 20/20 hind-sight vision.

What if the truth of the matter is, we made the choices that have given us our best lifes? And any other choice would have turned out worse, or not as good as we've got it today...I guess we will never really know. Whatever the reason for "what if" look backs...yet another name for 'regret'...I choose to believe things are happening the way they are meant to and life is good, just the way it is...minus a few pounds...;0 and the only re-writes that need to occur are the ones on my blog or in my own vision of my future. Write on friends.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "By its very nature, history is always a one-sided account.” Dan Brown

Day #85 - Party Hardy

Trav and I attended the C21 Holiday Party on Friday night. It was pretty beautiful, the food was good and I am happy to report I knew most of the agents that attended. It is good to know I am finally getting there with people's names, which is actually sort of difficult for me.

The best part of the night was when I realized I was sitting at the table with a new agent who is married to the son of the first agent I worked for in the business. It was pretty funny - we had been sitting there getting to know each other and our spouses and suddenly we all realized at the same time who we were. I am not surprised I didn't recognize him since it was over 13 years ago that I last saw him, but it was a kick and made the night a bit more exciting.

I lied...the best part of the night was seeing Travis back in a suit...He looks good:

I took some other photos with Trav's phone including a side photo to show off his mullet, which is actually turning into a party in and of itself, but he looked sharp on Friday. I am a bit concerned about his gag reflex...MAN a collared shirt is just no good for this guy. If anything touches the front of his throat, he sounds like he is going to heave up his stomach. He gagged 3 times just going down the canyon - I finally asked him to just undo the top button to give himself some relief.

I tried to dress up as best I could and dressed up my hair as well. I love updo's, but they always look better in the back, of course it would help if I liked photos, but here is the best shot I got:

The party was pretty packed:

Some fancy dresses:

And, of course, a Team photo:



I will say it is pretty amazing that, when other real estate companies are cutting costs and encouraging pot luck Holiday parties, that this company insisted on throwing a formal event for its agents and staff as appreciation for a good year. Pretty cool.

I Am Grateful,

HB

Diva Quote: "When you're the most happening person at the party, it's time to leave” Kelly Cutrone

Day #84 - Gel Nail

I think I finally found the nail solution I have been looking for. Painting my own nails is a pain, but one I have tried to do so I, A) wouldn't pick at them & B) can enjoy a little colorful bling on an otherwise pitifully dull canvas surrounded by hang nails. The problem is the paint only lasts well for a week at most (if I'm lucky), then it starts to chip..then of course, I start to pick at the paint.

As a solution to this problem, I have had acrylic nails put on and I always love how they look. The problems here are the nails make me clumsy at typing and other daily tasks, like picking up paperclips, and they are thick and unnatural. EVERY time I get acrylic nails, I last thru one or two fills and then I get fed up with it and promise myself I will never do it again...until the next time I cave and do it again.

Last Saturday I decided to try this new paint called shilack (not even sure how to spell it). While at the nail place I started talking to the lady next to me who called it "gel"...oh, this is gel? I have heard of it, but never tried it. Well, so far so good. It is more like a thin acrylic...I am excited to see how long it lasts without chipping. I was told the biggest problem is nail growth. It also seems like a bit of a hassle to get the paint off, but if the color and shape lasts two to three weeks...YIPPEE.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Mere color, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. ” --Oscar Wilde

Day #83 - Kindness

Last week I went to lunch with three co-workers. We went to the Cheesecake Factory and I, for once, made a reasonable food choice for lunch. It was delicious and the company was excellent. The service, however, was friendly but SLOW. We were on our lunch hour, so it got a little hectic at the end trying to waive down our server and get the bills handled.

Lindsey and I were the first out the door and were sitting in the car for what seemed like FOREVER, but was probably only 5 minutes. When the other two got in the car we found out what took so long and I was reminded of the spirit of the season.

The Cheesecake Factory is typically a very busy place and I was surprised at lunch there weren't more people there, especially at this time of year with all the shopping going on; it was busy, but there was no wait. We sat at a table with two seats against a long booth that ran all the way down the wall with two chairs on the other side. In these situations there are mulitple tables fairly close with no wall separating the tables.

While we were eating a single occupant took a table two down from us. It was a older-middle aged woman eating on her own and it seemed like she was there to really treat herself. She wasn't wearing the most fancy clothes and seemed a little disheveled. I barely gave her a glance, let alone a 2nd thought during lunch, but my workmate, Lesley, took notice of her and was paying attention. Unbeknownst to Lindsey and I, as we scuttled out of our seats in a massive hurry to get back to the office, Lesley was paying for this woman's lunch on the sly. I am sure she would not have said anything to us about it, but Sandra ratted her out when we gave them a hard time for lolly-gagging.

I was really shocked and amazed...then I was wondering what I missed...Les said she just felt it was the right thing to do. Her feeling was this was a rare treat for this woman and something she may not be able to do often and, "wouldn't it be fun to surprise her with a free meal". I thought about this later...if I was the woman who expected to pay my bill and the server told me it was already handled, how would it feel? I think it would be amazing and gratifying.

This is a side to Lesley I have not seen before. She is very quiet and keeps to herself doing her work. I have only recently had the opportunity to get to know her better and, after this example of her character, look forward to discovering who this lovely person is that I get to work with. It is also a reminder to keep my eyes open for opportunities to enrich another person's life - they are everywhere.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” --Rabindranath Tagore

Day #82 - THANKSGIVING

Travis and I were the first ones to arrive at my parents house for Thanksgiving dinner last Thursday. We immediately proceeded to talk to them about politics....ugh, whyyyyyyy? I am glad Trav tried to listen to my parents opinions so he can better understand where they are coming from, but I have mixed feelings about talking about things people get so worked up about. Apparently my Dad and Travis were both on good behavior in honor of the special day. I Am Grateful.

Once everyone arrived we ate dinner. I swear my Mom makes the best stuffing in the world; I got some of the crispy bits, YUM. We talked and reminisced, made plans for Melissa's visit from FL next month, gave each other a hard time, listened to the kids make noise at the kids table in the next room and really just enjoyed each others company. I Am Grateful.

After dinner the guys went downstairs to watch football and the rest of us sat upstairs, cleaned and talked. I love spending time with my mother and sisters. We were missing most of my oldest brother's family. His wife, Mel, took her two oldest down to Las Vegas with a neighbor family to take a gun class. On the drive to Vegas the car broke down so my brother popped in long enough to grab some turkey for the road and drove down to Filmore, UT to rescue them. My Dad was ready to jump in a car to follow-him down if need be to bring Jason home...I guess that is what families are for. I Am Grateful.

Once we got home Trav and I had a leisurely evening at home and woke up early Friday morning and both of us cleaned, cleaned, cleaned. Trav did all the bathrooms and vacuumed the entire house. I cleaned the kitchen. Doesn't sound like a very even trade, but with Trav's help I could actually do a deep clean of the oven and fridge instead of just a surface swipe. It was so amazing to get it all done on Friday and still have two whole days with no chores to worry about. That night Keri, Golden and Seerie Wren Bird came to our house and Keri did my hair...so good to get it done and so fun to spend time with them. I Am Grateful.

Saturday (and thruout the weekend), Trav and I watched the first full season of "the Walking Dead". We keep hearing about it all over and decided to give it a watch. I am not the most exuberant horror movie fan and especially do not love zombie movies, but heck, why not. That night when I took Bart out to go potty, I have to admit I was a bit jumpy...you never know when a zombie is going to sneak up on you. I Am Grateful.

On Sunday I was sitting on my couch thinking to myself, "it really seems like there is something I should be doing"...this was nagging me all weekend, but I decided it was because we did all the chores on Friday. BOOM - it hit me...DUH, the Christmas Tree!! Too late now, we were on our way to the Mother-in-laws house to eat some of her delicious pumpkin pie. Not a bad trade off to be sure. It was great to see Joleen. I Am Grateful.

I suppose this does not seem like the most exciting weekend, but it was perfect for me.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” --Deitrich Bonhoeffer

Day #81 - New Book

I have decided nothing makes a month go by faster than a book of the month club, ESPECIALLY when you meet once per week. I am scrambling tonight to catch up on my reading of our new book called "The Charisma Myth" by Olivia Fox Cabane. The book teaches that charisma can be learned and is not just an innate quality one must be born with.

I have to admit I was not looking forward to reading this one and I am still not completely certain why. I think it is because I think of "charismatic people" to be bigger than life or maybe a bit conceited or untouchable - like Oprah, the President, Faith Hill or a smooth talking Wall Street tycoon - I have never reached for this status in my own life and so did not really relate to the book title. I have been pleasantly surprised at how quick this book reads and the good tools I am learning from it.

Have you ever gone to a meeting or a party and felt incredibly confident? When I feel this way I am wearing an outfit I feel good in, my hair is done just right, I am prepared and ready to present or in a good mood and at the end of the meeting or party I know I made a good impression. Have you ever felt the opposite? There are days I go into the office and feel stellar and there are other days that I feel schlupy and blah. Most of the time this happens I didn't get up early enough or I didn't wear a shirt that fit right or my hair is 1 day past due for a wash. Well, this book is laying out some technique's to counter those feelings when they come up and I'm going to put the tools into practice...once I learn them :).

In the meantime, I will pick out something awesome to wear to work tomorrow.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Few things impact people's performance more than how they feel about themselves." Olivia Fox Cabane

Day #80 - Which Pain to Choose?

I have been getting mighty lazy about my posts. I am determined to do better when I get back from Las Vegas. We are heading out tomorrow to use the last nights of our timeshare we have there. We will be meeting with the customer service people to turn the time share back to them. It has been fun to have, but the cost has become too high to balance the benefits and we are not world travelers and no longer see the point. It seems we can get a better deal on a weeks vacation by bundling airfare, hotel & car than the one weeks worth of hotel. Granted, there are other benefits of exchange and memberships allowed by a timeshare, but we do not take advantage of them and so it is of little worth to us.

In the meantime, I have been sitting on something I heard in one of our meetings the other day that I wanted to write down. The idea goes something like this...

It seems that most of us are more willing to experience the pain of regret and indecision, than the pain of self-discipline and action; both encompass a certain amount of pain, but each has a very different result. This seems like an obvious scenario, but I have never thought about it in this way before and it has been in my mind all week long. If feels a lot like something my sister wrote once..."I never regret exercising, I only regret it when I don't."

I am very well versed in regretful pain, which leads to all kinds of self-degradation. We have been talking a lot lately about the voices we listen to inside our own minds and I have to say, I would never be so cruel to someone I cared about, let alone a stranger, as I often am to myself. I'm not depressed or anything, but this is another observation I have been thinking about often in the past weeks.

Last night I was happy to spend with my sisters who went with me to help at a fund raiser for a battered women's shelter in Davis County. Our job was to be spotters among a bunch of tables where people were bidding on pre-decorated Christmas Trees. We were told to "YIP" loudly and point when we saw someone in our respective sections hold up their bid cards. I LOVED the precious looks on Amy, Keri & Melanie's faces when we were told we had to do this. Add to this the fact that we were dressed pretty casually and when we got there found out it was practically a fancy dress ball event. My sisters are beautiful, so it didn't really matter they were wearing jeans, but it was still pretty funny.

We all had at least one opportunity to "YIP" and Keri was involved in the final tree bid and I was so proud watching her do her job like a pro and the final tree went to her table for $1,600. I am pretty sad I didn't take some pictures that I could have posted here - oh well, just one more missed opportunity.

I bring this up because Amy and I were chatting and she told me she has decided to live without regrets...she tells me it is easier said than done, but she is being very mindful of her choices lately and continually reminds herself that certain decisions are ok and there is no reason to look back. I also noticed she was talking about the different choices she has been making within this same effort; so she is doing more than just not regretting her bad or not best choices by actually taking action and making choices that create better results toward the life she wants to live. She is a great example to me of this principle and I am inspired to do the same in my own life. I will be thinking more about this while I am on vacation.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.” --Henry David Thoreau

Day #79 - Snow Day

We are in the middle of the biggest storm we have experienced this early in the season since we have lived here in Summit Park. Since yesterday morning Trav has snow-blowed 3 times and will be doing it again tonight. I think we have a foot and 1/2 so far. I came home from work early yesterday so I didn't have to drive in rush hour traffic and now it feels like we are tucked away in our warm house and it is time for chicken soup and hot chocolate, I mean choffee :).

Days like today are great...once in a while. A big snow storm is beautiful and enjoyable when you don't have to be anywhere. I keep thinking about the people in New York who got hit by Hurricane Sandy and are only just starting the process of recovery. I can't imagine what those families back East are going thru...it is impossible to know what we can do to help except to donate money.  It does make one think more and more about emergency preparedness and what something like loss of power for a few weeks would look like in our situation.

We have shelter, but how do you stay warm? We have a few weeks worth of food, but what about water? We have batteries, flashlights, blankets, propane stoves, dutch ovens, back packs...My parents let us borrow a propane heater last year and we still have that in our storage unit and I keep thinking it wouldn't hurt just to get one we can have around for emergencies. I think often how much I love having a gas fireplace, but in an emergency it would be better to have the log burners.

Anyway, something to think about and being prepared certainly makes sense. For tonight, I am going to count my blessings and enjoy snuggling with my Husband, my dog and my cat w/some choffee, while we watch football and read.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "All things are ready, if our mind be so.” William Shakespear

Day #78 - Just Jump On!

I told you our monthly Summit meeting was held this week. Well, my boss, George, did speak again this month, but a different John, not boss John, but agent John, spoke for the first 20 minutes.

John has cerebral-paulsy, a neurological condition that creates short circuits in the brain's communication to the body. John explained normal brain function as high definition television and his brain he characterized as more like a walkie-talkie.

This condition has created many challenges in his life that he has been able to overcome from riding a bike, running a 12 minute mile, getting a college degree in Economics & English while serving in the student body government to creating a successful experience in real estate.

John had us tearing up and rolling on the floor laughing. One story he told was how he seriously injured his back just over a year ago in an over-exuberant weight lifting exercise. John already has a limp and some difficulty getting around easily, but this injury made it so he had to crawl from his car to his house and/or office. As a result, several of the guys we work with started to meet him so they could piggy-back him into the office where he could use his wheel chair to get around more easily.

One of these agents, Curtis, went on a listing appointment with John. When the homeowners agreed to list with them, John said, "Great - may I lay down on your floor while Curtis reviews the paperwork with you?" Once the paperwork was signed and John had made his way to the couch, Curtis knelt down on one knee and said, "Hold on" while he started to gather his bag and things up off the floor. John thought Curtis said "Jump on" and proceeded to jump onto Curtis, knocking him to the ground while John flipped over his head. This story only gets funnier the more I think about it.

During this period of unbelievable pain, John said he had a lot of reasons not to work or to ask "why me?" Instead he asked and answered the following 3 questions:

1) In order to get where I need to be, what HAS to be done?
2) Out of this list, what am I still capable of doing?
3) Who can help me with the items I cannot do on my own?

From these 3 questions John came up with the plan that would take him from 2 listings to 8 in a matter of a few months. These listings transitioned to buyers and sells that ultimately paid his medical bills.

John is upright again and I am so glad I had the opportunity to hear his story and learn more about him. I hope they will invite other agents to share with the company - it is inspiring and very interesting to learn about the people we see each day.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” --Winston Churchill

Day #77 - Election Day

Well - it is the big election day...who will it be? Obama or Romney? It has been so interesting at the office; mainly because most everyone believes the same thing. I smile a bit when I hear them going at it over an issue when they are on the same side just getting more and more outraged and worked up.

I was thinking about being President the other day...who in their right mind would even WANT that job? Ugh. My overall impression of the position is...the President is responsible for everything with no power to really DO anything. My Dad will probably have a heart attack when he reads this and will no doubt find me a book concerning Presidential powers that he will require me to read in exchange for yard work or something. Regardless, it is a more ambitious job than I would ever be interested in.

Ope...Obama just came out the winner. At least it is looking that way. I know most of my family will believe this will usher in the end of the world...maybe it will, but I do not envy the man his job. I wish him the best.

Yesterday, Trav and I went to a movie called "Argo" about the American Embassy that was taken hostage in Iran several years ago when Carter was President. These poor people were held hostage for 444 days!! I cannot imagine what that would have been like. I mean to ask my parents if they remember this.

On a completely different note...I just took my dog out for his nightly ritualistic 10 p.m. potty break and smelled the firewood burning, keeping the houses cozy and as I looked up into the dark night sky I saw a long, bright falling star...make a wish.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "I have had many troubles in my life, but the worst of them never came." James Abram Garfield

Day #76 - Definitely Brunette

It is so funny the comments people make when there is a big change, like my new dark hairdo. I am finally getting more used to the color and it has lightened up, but today an agent did a double take and said, "did you change your hair" - I said I did, he said, "did you do it on purpose? or was it an accident?" I said, "you like it that much, huh?" It was fun to watch him squirm. I decided it was time for a photo:

Compare this to my profile picture and you will see the huge difference. I think mostly people are just surprised...thank goodness the shock is wearing off.

I have been negligent in writing lately...not very inspired of late, which does not mean inspiring things are not happening all around me. I will try to come up with something better to write about tomorrow - shouldn't be too difficult since the monthly Summit meeting is tomorrow.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: - hair joke...
Why is the brunette considered an evil color?
When was the last time you saw a blonde witch?

Day #75 - Report

Yesterday was a good day. I did get my hair done and now it is SUPER dark. I'm not sure how I feel about it...I decided to do an all over color over the super blond highlights because the bleach was really starting to make my hair crispy and Keri and I decided doing an all over could start to mellow out the dryness. I knew it would be dark, but it turned out darker than I expected. Oh well, I know I will get used to it eventually and the next time I go the plan is to start adding back in lighter brown highlights. The thing I really dread is going to work and having everyone comment on it. Sigh.

After the hair do, I went to Fashion Bug to get my coat...they were two days away from closing...WHAT?!!! Argh. I bought 2 bras for $8...thought I better stock up. After Fashion Bug I went North to visit my Mom. Found out my Dad just left to go hunting with the Florida family in South Dakota, so Mom and I had a little girls time. I always feel so lucky when I get my Mother to myself. While I was there we got to see Chuck's Halloween ensemble...oh my. He was a 'Sports Enthusiast' - Chuck is certainly enthusiastic about Halloween.

I got home at about 9:00 p.m. dreading the mess I expected to find from Bart...nothin', nada...good boy.

The best part of today was my brother Chuck came up to watch football. He got here and was somehow surprised not to see Travis...HA HA - how else am I supposed to get one on one time with my baby bro? I am super ready to get Travis home. I expected him around 4 or 5 and found out they JUST left at 4...probably won't see him until 9...double sigh.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "How can you know what is missing if you’ve never met it? You must know of something’s existence before you can notice its absence.” --E.L. Konigsburg

Day #74 - Just Kickin' It

Travis is out of town...while I miss my guy, this morning I slept in until 8:30 a.m. and have been reading blogs this last hour. I really am trying to determine where on the scale of 1 to 10 my cleaning mojo is this morning and it seems like it may be at 0. Imagine that.

I have a hair appointment with my sister at 2 p.m. and plan to veg with her for several hours and before I go there I am thinking I will go shopping and buy myself a coat. I also need to go grocery shopping sometime this weekend and make a big pot of white chicken chili for my work party on Monday. Oh, just remembered I need to make sure my crow mask is still around and in working order...I hope I didn't chuck it when we moved...heaven forbid I come up with a new costume for the Halloween party. I would love to get a pedicure...I am starting to think I may not have time to fit everything in...but I am going to enjoy trying.

The best part of today is I only have myself to think about...well, and my 14 year old geriatric dog...poor guy needs a potty break every 3 hours it seems...down go the pads. NOW all I need to think about is myself...:) Sweet.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Do your thing and don't care if they like it.” --Tina Fey, 'Bossypants'

Day #73 - Interest

The 2nd part of Wednesday's presentation was about being interested in your life and how important it is to be curious about people in the sales environment. The more I think about the presentation the more I think the "maybe syndrome" is just another part of the "interest issue". It all has to do with really living in present time and not allowing your mind to be engaged elsewhere when talking/interacting with others.

We live in a time where there are so many distractions. Since my husband and I got the new Samsung 3G phones it is impossible not to feel dismissed when that light blinks on the phone and an "important" alert is blinking at your loved one...OMG, someone posted a new photo on facebook...must...look...now. We both do it to each other and it is SUPER irritating. We are not alone...this is the new world; total distraction, but only 100% of the time.

We were asked to make a list of everything we do in our lives that do NOT interest us. My list looks something like this:

* Cleaning
* Paying bills, or more specifically writing checks for bills
* Preparing taxes
* Data Entry (certain kinds)
* Invoicing

I'm sure there are more, but this was what I came up with quickly. The next step in the project is to get rid of the things in our lives that do not interest us. The first thing I see I can take off the list right away is 'paying bills'. If I engage a little time and effort into setting up the last 3 or 4 bills I pay with checks each month on an automatic bill pay system through my bank, this item disappears and I will no longer need to take the time to do something that does not interest me and, instead, focus on those things that do.

Another item, 'cleaning', has been on my list for years. I work full time and it takes me about 4 hours on the weekend to pick-up, dust, vacuum, scrub bathrooms, deep clean the kitchen, and an additional hour or more to do the floors, add to that the laundry and just about 1 full day of my weekend is gone. When we first moved to this house I made a serious effort to do everything once per week - that only lasted a few months.

Now I skip the floors more than I should and I wash the clothes, but don't fold them or I just do a 'pretty good' wipe down of the oven when I should take the thing apart and degrease the burners. I very rarely do the deep cleaning I want to do (blinds, ceiling fans, windows, grout, shower) because I am beat by the time the weekly stuff gets done. I change my sheets every other week (probably should change them weekly, but this is something I loathe doing even though it only takes a few minutes). Recently I missed the 'other' week and I thought almost every morning, "ok, tonight when I get home I will change my sheets" - it didn't happen, but it was on the periphery of my mind all week long. This is a distraction that clutters my ability to really focus in present time. 

So, to get 'rid' of this overwhelming weekly chore I want to look at hiring a service to tackle some of the deep cleaning stuff I can't seem to get to. Wouldn't it be great if someone came in twice a month and did the things I don't have time to do? The trick is - can I afford it and, if I can't, what can I do to make it so I CAN afford it? I think the whole idea is, if we spend the bulk of our time on the things that interest us, instead of worrying about the things that don't interest us, we will be more fruitful in all aspects of our lives because we will be fully present in our business and personal dealings.

I don't know if I have been able to convey the concept clearly or if I am just talking in circles, but I can see the value in considering the idea and at least experimenting with it.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Dreaming. -- Either one does not dream at all, or one dreams in an interesting manner. One must learn to be awake in the same fashion: -- either not at all, or in an interesting manner.” --Friedrich Nietzsche

Day #72 - Maybe

Maybe I will get to that quilt I am making...maybe I will start that diet and wear that 1980's shirt again...maybe I will call those relocation prospects, maybe I will write that book that exists only in my head...

Life is full of maybes...those elusive goals that sit in our minds and take up space. Perhaps you are one of those people that accomplishes everything you set out to do, but if not, your good intentions sit in your mind and fester. While you are out visiting your neighbors you are thinking about cleaning out your closets, while you are at your exercise class you are mentally checking off that task and moving on, in your mind, to cleaning your house. Whatever the situation is, you have those "things" on your list that "need" to get done.

Today we heard from a management coach that gave us several challenges...the first, and the easiest to explain, was to make a list of all the maybes in our lives and make a decisive action on them within the next 48 hours (I will give myself through the weekend). This means if I have a closet full of clothes in a size I cannot wear, I either get rid of them or make a decisive action toward dieting (my intention since I was 12 years old) OR I say to myself "I am NOT going to diet" and then I let it go and get rid of the "maybes" in my closet. HUH, is that possible? Maybe not, but it gives me a different perspective.

The point of the exercise is to acknowledge and take action around the fact that we all have good intentions, BUT we don't always follow through on them. If we follow through, that means we are interested in the alternate outcome...if we don't...we are not ready...why torture yourself on the things you are not ready to accomplish? Move on! If there is a better way for you right now...just move forward. If you do not move on, you will be stuck in the same perspective for the rest of your life, until you do move on or change your perspective.

This is one of those obvious principles that always sound more amazing when talked about in front of a group. I do love thinking...

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Things that came apart could be put together again, but never exactly the same.” -- Deb Caletti, 'The Six Rules of Maybe' 

Day #71 - Foggy

Have you heard of Florence Chadwick? She was the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways and beat the men's record for swimming the channel in the mid-1900's. She decided she wanted to also swim from Catalina Island to the coast of CA - approximately 20 + miles.

The day Florence started her swim was cold. There were two boats on either side of her making sure to protect her from sharks and other ocean life as she swam. As she started her journey a fog rolled in; it completed obscured the view of the coast line and was so heavy she could barely make out the boats on either side of her. I imagine it felt like she was swimming in place - just standing still and not making any kind of real progress.

After swimming for over 15 hours Florence said she wanted to stop. Flo's mother was in one of the boats and talked her into continuing. After more time passed, she was finally so physically and emotionally exhausted she stopped swimming and they pulled her into the boat. Florence found out she was 1/2 a mile from shore when she gave up.

I was thinking this was a great story until I experienced some fog myself this morning as I was driving down the canyon to work - now it is an amazing story. The fog came on gradually, but eventually got so thick I could barely see the lines in the road and the taillights in front of me. The road I drive daily and know quite well suddenly seemed to hold unfamiliar curves. Luckily there were no issues on the road and the other drivers were slowing down and using caution, but it created a more realistic impression of this story for me. I cannot imagine what it would feel like to be lost in that cloud for hours and hours.

The same can be true for our lives - spiritual and physical. My boss is always talking about clarity; clarity in purpose, clarity in intention, clarity in action; if we don't have this we lose sight of our goals. The more I look at my life, the more I realize I am leaving things to chance - I am a crisis manager, just putting out fires as I go wondering around in the fog. The more clarity and perspective I gain the more I realize I don't need to leave anything to chance.

I believe I have talked about writing down what your life looks like in 1 year, then 5 years, then 10 years - haven't I? My boss has talked about it before and I keep thinking it is a good idea, but then I get busy or start reading or blogging and I don't do it. This week he suggested we write our projection of the next 10 years in three categories - Health, Relationships (spiritual and physical/earthly) and money/career. I have started on year 1 and it is incredibly surprising how many holes there are in my mind of what I expect from my life. How can I expect to experience everything I want to experience when I am just stumbling around in the fog waiting for things to happen to me. Without a clear pathway lined out, it doesn't seem like even a possibility things will happen like I want them to.

In Florence Chadwick's case - she did go back and eventually swim the distance between Catalina Island and the Coast of CA, but the 2nd time she was mentally prepared for the possibility of fog and had set up a strategy to get through it...I'm working on it.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "When the world says, 'Give up,' Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.'" --Author Unknown

Day #70 - Keeping it Real

A few weeks ago the West bound Canyon was down to 1 lane of traffic during 2 work days. I'd seen the warning signs for several days and just figured it would be during nighttime hours...not so. One day it took me 1.5 hours to get down the Canyon.

Now, I will be the first to admit I am not known for a natural reticence on the road, I do get a little worked up when other driver's are not as gracious as I am (:0). On this particular day I was doing my best to patiently merge into the middle lane and this big 'ol truck pushed up on the car in front of it so I could not get in. Everyone knows it should be every other car that gets let into a merge situation...I yelled at the car, may have used a swear or two, and did my best Cher in "Moonstruck" impression with the back of my hand gesticulating at the fellow (no finger though).

I stayed worked up for a few more seconds and then moved on. UNTIL, I get to my office and see that exact big truck in MY office parking lot. How do I know it is the same truck? Who else drives around in a huge black truck with a bug visor in the image of the flag of the United States of America?

Now I am worked up for a whole different reason - whose car is this? Who did I Cher gesture on the open road? Did they recognize me? Oh well...I may never know.

I have been working hard to manage my reactions and temper, as you know, but I thought this story was a good reminder that you never really know who is watching you...be mindful.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "It doesn't cost anything to pay attention.” --Scott Cherney, 'Red Asphalt'

Day #69 - Reflections

I was talking to a friend the other day and reached some clarity around the concept of self love and reflection...let me explain.

If I were to sum it up in one sentence I would say that everything happening in our lives, EVERYTHING, is simply a reflection of what is happening inside of us. If I feel I am not being listened to, I am not listening; if I am feeling judged, I am judging; if I do not value myself, others are not valuing me...see how this works?

The other idea that keeps growing for me is how it is not WHAT happens to us in our lives that matters, but rather it is the BELIEFS about what happens to us and the thoughts we attach to that brings about our suffering. If I believe you should not have been mean to me, I feel hurt and angry, which causes me to suffer, not you. I may retaliate, but I know from experience that doesn't relieve my suffering. Only by changing my attachment to the belief that you should or shouldn't DO anything to me, will I be empowered enough to release the thought and not suffer. For instance:

If you say something mean to me and my feelings get hurt, I will think about the experience, tell my husband about it, probably cry a little or think of all the things I should have said back to you...I will spend a lot of time on this one issue. When it comes right down to it - you may have spent less than 1 minute saying the thing that "hurt" me and I have spent over 30 minutes reliving it in my mind...hurting myself. Who do you think does the most damage in this scenario?

If you take this concept and flip it inside out, you may find the same thing is true in the opposite direction. If I love myself and am comfortable with who I am, I am not threatened by others and I treat them the way I feel about myself. If I am insecure, I will react defensively; if I am angry at myself, I will project that anger onto those around me.

It is such a simple concept with some incredible possibilities. I have been trying hard to step back in high emotion situations. In some recent posts you will notice I have been more successful at times than others - let's face it, life long habits are difficult to break. Ultimately, I am attempting to prep myself for the next time I think something like "my husband should listen to me" to stay with the thought and determine whether it may be possible that I should actually listen to my husband to create the reflection I would like to see.

Just a thought...:)

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "“If I speak of myself in different ways, that is because I look at myself in different ways.”
Michel de Montaigne

Day #68 - Force the Issue

Ah, how I like a little team work in this house of mine. Almost every morning I like to snuggle my old dog for a few minutes to make him feel important and loved in his old age. I noticed the other day he had a big bur on his belly. I have tried many times to pull it out, but he nips at my hand so I have just left it there. This morning Travis came in while Bart was getting his belly rub and heard me baby talking to Bart about how we should get that bur off his belly. Trav came over to help out.

I imagine it is a bit like taking a baby to the doctor to get its' shots. I got to hold the fellows head down (speaking gently to him the whole time, of course), while the bur was carefully removed and, although the pain cannot be too terrible, the experience for the patient is made worse by the anticipation or uncertainty of the situation and the feeling of being forced to endure the process. I think it is easy to resist things when we are uncertain of the outcome even if we know it would make things better for us.

I was talking to a new agent today who has been with our company for almost 2 months now. He has been to all the recommended meetings/trainings and has spent 3 to 4 hours per day prospecting on the phone, doing everything the Broker's have taught him to do. I wonder how many times he has been rejected while making his calls. He told me today was the first day he really felt burned out...then he tells me he had 4 leads come up today, has 5 listings on the market, has 7 buyer broker agreements in place and is working on 2 contracts...WHAAAAT? That is FANTASTIC!! He is anxious to begin closing some deals of course, but it is really great to see a new agent doing so well, utilizing the things he has been taught.

I'm sure this agent experienced uncertainty, fear and a little pushed into doing what he didn't really want to do, but he still did it for his own good. I'm so proud of him - what a great example of what endurance, hard work and dedication (alongside a bit of pushy leadership) can accomplish.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” -- Beverly Sills 

Day #67 - Rough Week Man

I have been having a rather rough week...only in some respects, but what I realize is the reason I am getting challenged is that things are going well. The more closings we have on the line, the more issues will come up.

I also realize I have a long way to go in the patience arena. Today I had one of those impatient flare ups I tend to have when I get super frustrated. The worst part, when this happens to me, is it is usually over something very minor.

Today my email stopped receiving messages. For some reason I would get them on my phone, but not in my outlook. I asked the IT guy for assistance and he said "call the help desk"..."which help desk"..."the email help desk"...this went back and forth several times and my temper spiked. I "held back" but my version of holding back can be pretty obviously cold and nothing really gets hidden in my expression (unfortunately). I eventually got the number I needed and got the problem handled relatively easily, but I just get so frustrated when I feel brushed off. Don't you?

Travis calls me a prima donna when I act like this...Nick from work laughed at me and told me to "put my big girl pants on and buck up". I just wish I had a better handle on my immediate reactions because I typically can move past something like this very quickly if I have a few minutes to think it through. What I wish I had said to my IT guy is "I would really appreciate it if you would help me locate the correct number to call." That is all I really needed and my feedback to him would be to have the numbers handy for when people come to him with questions. I am used to just doing the job I was hired to do and have, in the past, relied solely on others to assist me with the technical aspects of my job. Unfortunately for me, this is not his problem...it is mine, and I need to adjust. The help desk actually works very well and every time I have called it, which hasn't been often, I have gotten exactly what I need in a very quick and efficient manner.

In the end, guess what the huge problem was? I needed to hit the "send/receive" button on my outlook to refresh it. GEEZ - sure glad I overreacted.

I Am Grateful - even for the repeat lessons,
HB

Diva Quote: "If you bring nothing but drama to the table, don't be surprised if everyone else gets up and leaves." unknown

Day #66 - Homonyms

I am sure I learned about Homonyms in school...didn't I? Words that sound the same but have different meanings...The scent of cookies drew me to spend my hard earned cents before I boarded the plane to be sent to school. Cool, yes?

OR - Words that are spelled the same, but sound different...Don't tear up over a tear in your sweater. Just the other day my brother, Chuck, submitted a post on facebook making fun of a bread package that had a "Home Maid" sticker on it. I didn't realize there are so many words like that. Honestly, if I had days to write this post I would find a way to insert as many homonyms as I could...maybe I'll be able to throw a few in here for fun.

I have been keeping an eye on my attitude lately...I realized I have not been as focused on an attitude of gratitude as I used to be. Today I bought a pad of paper and stuck it to the fridge. I wrote something I am grateful for on it...I am hoping Travis takes a minute to notice it and write something he is grateful for as well - there is no right or wrong thing he can write down, so I am hoping he takes the hint. I feel we both can use a dose of "we really do have it good" in our lives. I plan to write a minimum of one new thing per day.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; but if you really make them think, they'll hate you.” --Harlan Ellison 

Day #65 - Worked Up!

Today Trav and I joined the family at Mom & Dad's for lasagna dinner. It seems like it has been a long time since we have gotten all together so it was really nice to spend the afternoon with those that could make it.

Just as we were all getting ready to sit down to eat, my father offered a prayer over the food. We have joked about and teased my Dad our whole lives about making the dinner prayers more like the family prayers because they are usually quite lengthy, cover a broad spectrum of issues, expressions of gratitude and requests for blessings.

Well, Travis has this habit of not closing his eyes during prayers...this drives me batty. I open my eyes and see him just blatantly looking around at everyone. I have asked him in the past to stop doing that and to PLEASE, at least in public, just respect my request to close his eyes during prayer. When I peaked out today and say him just looking around as usual, I got SO angry. I started thinking about all the blunt things I was going to say to him, I began preparing the lecture I would give him in my head, I could feel my mouth tighten and my arms clench tightly to my body as I began to work myself up to a pretty righteous anger.

All of a sudden the absurdity of the situation struck me for the following reasons:

• Whether or not Travis wants to, does or does not close his eyes during a prayer is NONE OF MY BUSINESS. This is Trav's business...PERIOD.
• Attaching to the belief that it somehow matters whether or not Travis closes his eyes during prayer created some stress in my mind AND my body.
• I realized that I wasn't closing MY eyes when I was noticing Travis wasn't closing his.
• I know lecturing Travis and being RIGHT all the time very rarely creates warmth and closeness in my marriage.
• Worrying about what Travis was doing during the prayer distracted me from actively participating in listening to what my Father was saying - I missed out on his prayer because I decided to step outside my own business to worry about my husband's business.

Once I realized what was happening, I was able to take a deep breath, relax my body, let go of the thought "Travis should close his eyes during the prayer" and refocus my attention to where it should have been all along...on my Father.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Forgive me my nonsense as I also forgive the nonsense of those who think they talk sense.” --Robert Frost

Day #64 - Mag Rant

Over the last few years I have subscribed to 3 different magazines:

Oprah, Good Houskeeping and Ladies Home Journal

I stopped subscribing to magazines a while back because I don't seem to read them when I get them, but when I wasn't getting them I suddenly felt like I was missing out. Then I found myself buying them when I was sitting in line at the grocery store...ah, I am a weakling and apparently an easy, predictable sell. the problem was, I would begin looking at the tabloidish magazines and buy those instead...I admit, every once in a while I can't resist taking a peak at how "celebrities are just like me" and end up buying one.

So, I relented and now receive the 3 magazines each month. I love getting the new magazine in it's plastic wrap, un-peeling it to uncover a surprise celebrity on the front (well, surprising except with O magazine - the only surprise there is how will Oprah's hair look this month?) Now I have a bathroom FULL of magazines...take a look.

Pretty messy...you may notice Trav and I both have a magazine open and ready to go in an emergency...Trav's article is on biking (of course), mine is on marriage (go figure). I know it is funny all my magazines are in the bathroom, but I know we are not the only ones that get a good peak at an article here and there in the laboratory.

Anyway, I just gave away many Oprah's to my Mom, but I still have a bunch that I felt have some articles of interest I need/want to get to. I sort of started laughing this evening when I was thinking about what to write and I saw the October issue of O magazine with "101 Best Pieces of Advice EVER!!" Oh..I thought...I should pick a piece of advice to write about...

Well, try to decide which piece of advice you will pick out of the TOP 101 best Pieces Ever...give me a break. Here is some advice...stop buying magazines. It may not be a bad idea after all to just buy the one or two here and there at the grocery store no matter how great a deal the 1 year subscription looks in comparison. At least I won't have a stack of them all over the house...ok...bathroom.

But, in closing, here is a little gem...Best Excuse Ever? "My phone died"...whose gonna buy that? I still cannot help loving Oprah...sigh...I will probably always want her advice no matter how ridiculous it might be or how many magazines I don't read and when I do sit down with a magazine, I admit to enjoying it.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "The best advice touches the part of you that knows it's true." Oprah

Day #63 - Mind Set

What about mind set? Well, it is only the single most important skill you can develop in your whole life...according to my boss.

When I have thought of mind set in the past, I would think of it as a "state of being", but I can now see it as a "skill" to be developed. I have been doing my best to develop a mind set of gratitude and abundance over the last few years via this blog and, for the most part, I tend to remain in a more positive frame of mind or can shift quickly when I get down. In the course of our meeting today it was discussed how to develop skills by practicing and how mind set is no different than learning to play the piano or basketball - you must practice.

When you were in grade school, do you remember having fire drills? What happened when the fire alarm went off? I remember lining up in single file and following our teacher out to a designated spot where she would take role. It was kind of funny to look back and remember how we were conditioned and trained not to panic, to remain calm, to know where we should end up, not to leave once we were there and accounted for, etc. all while wondering if this time the alarm was a drill or if there was a real fire.

The same holds true for developing good mind set skills and maintaining a good mind set "in case of a fire". Three of the main things my boss talked about as training tools were:'

1: Daily Affirmations
2: Journalling
3: Monitor what you put in your head (TV/Books/Music/CD's, etc.)

I think these things all speak for themselves and need no expansion. There is a whole other list of additional ideas and things that improve mindset (i.e. meditating, diet, exercise, creating a schedule, clarity and purpose, etc.), but really I think starting with a few new things will help me continue on the path to a positive, successful mindset.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "If you find yourself easily provoked, then just change the channel.” -- Toba Beta

Day #62 - B-day post #2

WOW - I have been absent for a bit...here are the final photos for the 40th B-day party:

We had a lovely night. I took a hint from my sister and tried to decorate a little for the occasion and Trav and I smoked a beef brisket on the new smoker for 10 hours...it turned out tough, but the pork ended up delicious. We also made a sauce with 1.5 cups cider vinegar & mustard in it and it was DELICIOUS!! I thought it would be yucky, but it was yummy. We just made some ribs tonight and they turned out AMAZING and we smoked some chicken breasts the other night and they were to DIE for!! I think that smoker was a good buy.

One thing I want to say about the B-day night...I am so glad my brothers and sisters are our friends. This party was just meant to be a friends party and there were no people I wanted to have there more than my brothers and sisters and I know Trav feels the same way. AND...for the record...it was Amy's idea to put M&M's up our noses.

I love you all - thank you for coming and supporting Travis on a landmark Birthday!!

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest." - Father Larry Lorenzoni

Day #61 - 2 Days of Birthday Posts

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY TRAVIS!!

Wow...we really are adults aren't we. How strange that it never feels different to be one year older. It is easy to see how we have changed, or not changed, looking backwards through the years. I suppose Trav has changed over the 20 or so years I have known him, but the core things I liked about him way-back-when are still the things I love about him today, the main one being his sense of humor...Travis has an irreverent and clever sense of humor. He does sometimes offend, but more often than not he entertains, hence the birthday gift I gave him today and his comment, "Who are you? Trish?". For anyone that does not know, Trish is my mother who gave us all "funny sayings" T-shirts for Christmas for several years in a row.

Not only did I get him a Bull Shirt T-shirt, I got the sweatshirt too...I think it is funny..I don't think Trav's Mom approved when he wore it to dinner tonight...Oh well. Joleen took us to Lorena's and gave Travis an outdoor temperature gage that looks like a clock - We are going to hang it up on the dinner deck.

Tomorrow I will be cleaning the house like crazy and fixing food for a party I am throwing for him. We are going to cook beef brisket, chicken breasts, a small pork roast in our new smoker for our friends that are coming over for dinner. I will be taking photos so I can post them tomorrow.

I also wanted to post some fall photos tonight...

WOW is it beautiful up here right now. I love driving to and from work during this time of year as the mountains start to turn colors and my own trees turn a vibrant orange that just glow in the sun. I am so blessed.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "How beautifully leaves grow old.  How full of light and color are their last days."  ~John Burroughs - I would add "until the spring when they are born again" HB

Day #60 - But that's not ALL...

I saved the 2nd half of my Summit experience for today...who can believe so much good stuff gets squeezed into 2 hours...my OTHER boss, John, also spoke to us on Tuesday.

It seems all month John has been focused on what we need to do in order to expect the best results from within ourselves...he uses the analogy of an orange...when an orange is squeezed hard enough, with enough pressure, the result is orange juice. No matter how hard or how many ways we squeeze the orange, it just will not produce apple juice.

So it is with us...when we are squeezed hard enough, we produce the results of whatever is within us, so how do we ensure the best results when squeezed?

1 - Clarity...in what we want in life and clarity in what it takes to get it (the path). John likened this to plans for building a house...once the idea gets put on paper and the plans are drawn, it takes the action to then build it. There are most always changes along the way, upgrades, walls are moved, etc. but the plan is detailed and the vision is clear.

2 - Gratitude. Anyone who reads my blog knows I am a big proponent of gratitude, but I liked that John suggested we be grateful for experiences we have had in the past (good & bad), to be grateful for what we have now, to be grateful for the ability to contribute to others and to be grateful for all that is possible.

3 - Experience. Mine - If I've done it before, I can do it again. Yours - If you can do it, I can do it. Drawing upon my own successful experiences in the past and also drawing on your successes can be used to inspire me to be and do better in all areas of my life.

4 - Integrity. Having integrity with others is simple for me. I am not saying I have never lied or not been completely up front in my life, but overall I love mankind and do strive to treat others with honesty and consideration. I cannot say I take the same pains with myself...how low a thought this is for me and it is not a new thought to me either. Oh, I am not a bad person, but I have not done myself any favors by breaking the promises I make to myself or by not doing what I know I need to do to execute the plan for my life (at least the parts I HAVE laid out). Ultimately, integrity to oneself is something that will produce that pure orange juice that will spill into all areas of life.

5 - You are not alone...Don't go it alone, it is not necessary.

John shared a story about this past month when he, George and a few agents from the office climbed Kings Peak with their kids. This has become a tradition in the office and I would actually like to go next summer (gulp - sounds like a plan forming). Apparently, John is afraid of heights, so is his 12 year old daughter - the final peak is 13,000 feet or higher; when climbing that high, most people experience altitude sickness (dizziness, shortness of breath, muscle fatigue, nausea) and this hike was no exception. When the children began to experience this altitude sickness, they became frightened and each father was left to deal with their own children and to talk them through this fear.

John talked about how difficult it was for him to not show his own fear to his daughter who looked to him for her own safety and guidance, who had total faith and trust in his leadership. He had to lead her with certainty, despite his fear. John talked about how he was also not alone, having made the journey with those he trusted and who had been through the experience before; he had their guidance and knowledge to lean on.

This is the case with EVERY endeavor we undertake and with EVERY experience we have in life. Whether we are starting a new career, looking to accomplish a new goal, going through relationship crisis, dealing with challenging children, preparing for a presentation, etc. We are not alone, even when we feel alone, we are not alone. I speak of mentors, coaches, friends, family, leaders and, yes, God. If you speak more in understanding from cosmic energy...that too. We are all connected and there is no reason to go it alone...it isn't even possible...of this I am certain.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” Chief Seattle 

Day #59 - Act with Certainty

It is pretty funny that the last post I wrote was about self-doubt and then today, at the monthly Summit meeting for work, they talked about certainty.

I have heard George tell the story a few times about the surgery he had on his heart just a few years ago. Today he focused mostly on the actual experience of the surgery he had to endure; the fear he confronted and the certainty he trained himself to believe in for a successful outcome. First, he was given the certainty of certain death if he did NOT do the surgery and that alone jolted him into life like nothing else could. He talked about how he would tell himself over and over in the days leading up to his surgery, "I am going to be stronger than before" and other similar mantra's to prepare himself for the successful outcome.

During the surgery George was partially awake for most of the time. The problem with his heart was due to electrical issues and they had to find the problem before they could fix it. This involved adrenaline and a high heart rate of 170 beats per minute and then an instant drop down to 25 beats per minute. George says this was the scariest thing he has ever experienced. The best part of the story was how the anesthesiologist told George afterward that he had to give him more meds to knock him completely out because George had just spent the better part of two hours explaining the purpose of life to him. If you knew George, you would not be surprised and it is actually hilarious.

After surgery George's wife asked him if he was in pain because he had tears running down his face, he said, "No, I am not in pain...I am SO grateful to be alive."

George went on to talk about how being certain has nothing to do with being right. Think about the difference of having a mind set walking into an appointment to win a listing full of self-doubt vs. going in certain you will win the business. In certainty, there are still going to be times you will lose, but odds are there will be more times you will win.

I don't have the exact quote, but one thing I tried to right down was - the greatest challenge of life is living our lives expecting less from ourselves than we are capable of being AND if I change the way I perceive things the things I perceive will change...

The biggest part of being certain seems to be trusting the process, it doesn't matter which process we are talking about (religious, fitness, selling, etc) whatever process you have decided to believe in, the key is to trust the process, be certain it works and then not to allow complacency to kick in once the process gets underway. George challenged us to 100 days of certainty...let's see how it goes.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.” Charles F. Kettering

Day #58 - Self Doubt Out

As many guru's, self help books, cd's and classes I have internalized over the years you would think I would be transported in a blink of an eye into the next life. I should be so perfect by now. My energy should be so bright and my purpose so clear I should just karmically (is this a word) be able to skip death altogether and just go on into the next experience.

Instead, my husband asked me "why are you so mean?" this morning, I ate Taco Bell for lunch instead of the healthy lunch I brought, my hair has this weird, rather distracting bump in it I only noticed at 4 p.m., I became the moron that thought I couldn't unlock my car door because the clicker ran out of batteries, I resisted like crazy making 5 prospecting calls and I got called by Subaru collections because I forgot to pay the one bill I have that does not come out of my account automatically for the last 2 months in a row (oops).

That whole paragraph sounds like complaining...it isn't really, it is just my constant reminder that I can't seem to stop tripping over myself.

In the end, Trav and I made up before I left the house, I made a nice dinner this evening and only had a small portion, my hair IS weird, but I think no one cared, I eventually figured out how to use a real key on my car again and got the clicker battery changed today, I DID make the 5 calls even though it was awkward for me, I called Subaru and received the best, most pleasant service I have received in years. It was almost worth it to talk to Shannon (Mr.) who waived my late fee, gave me empathy as I expressed my frustration in my failed attempts to get auto pay set up and my embarrassment at missing payments and who was so friendly it actually made me want to invite him over for popcorn and a movie on Saturday night.

I believe all the books and self-help guides I have read. There is a pattern of truth that shows up in all of them and they all weave together in an amazing tapestry. Two of my favorite cds I have recently re-listened to in fragments, a little here a little there, and I am amazed at the HUGE difference in philosophy that somehow arrives at the same place in the end. Here is where I know I see truth. I guess my problem comes to light in my own self doubt. I am constantly sabotaging my efforts and setting myself up to fail.

There is a key to releasing my self-doubt...I'll figure it out.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "We’ll never survive!”
“Nonsense. You’re only saying that because no one ever has.”
William Goldman, The Princess Bride (love that show)

Day #57 - Beep, Beep

There are 2 commercials running right now that I absolutely adore. It is actually a miracle we caught them since everything we watch now-a-days has been pre-recorded and are virtually commercial free. Interestingly enough, they are both car commercials (not sure which cars...):

#1 - Two guys on a road trip who only have Spanish learning cd's to listen to. There is a funny instant at the beginning where the passenger is messing up the words and his voice is sarcastic and irritated as he repeats them out loud with his friend - gracious is pronounced "Grace-eee-us". The next scene is at a gas station and they both get out of the car. The passenger gets out and says, in fluent, rapid, perfect Spanish (and some emphatic gesturing) "13 hours in the car without any music, unbelievable." The driver shouts back, as his friend makes his way into the store, also in fluent Spanish, "Get me some chips and a soda"....probably not the exact words, but I'm sure you get it.

I like the idea that I could learn Spanish on a road trip. I have thought about taking Spanish for several years now. I keep gently mentioning it to Travis and sometimes he seems up for it and other times not so much. I wonder if he would go with me if I actually signed us up for it. I wonder if I should just do it myself, but what is fun about learning a language by yourself? Who do you practice with? I also like the idea that we learn even when we are not necessarily interested in learning. That passenger was all uptight about being bored and not listening to music, but he came away with a new language. Think if that happened to you...it would be the most crazy, funny, awesome story and probably a rather useful tool. I like that we learn, often times in spite of ourselves.

#2 - The premise of this next commercial is something along the lines of, "Don't you wish you always had a warning to stop you from making mistakes?" The guy is spraying cologne on his neck and goes to spray it down his pants there is a "beep, beep" sound and he stops. He gets a job offer and stands up to shake the new boss's hand and starts doing some weird hand shake maneuvers "beep, beep", he stops; he then starts to move his poker chips all in on one hand in another scene, "beep, beep", he pulls them back; he gives a girl a chaste kiss at the door after a date, then begins to move in again as his tongue starts to peak out "beep, beep", he pulls back. The commercial is for a feature on a car that lets you know when your tires are filled to pressure "beep, beep" no more air is needed.

The car feature is ok, but I LOVE all those incidents that he was saved from. I guess you can say we all have the "beep, beep" instincts inside of us. I TRY to listen to mine, but often times I don't catch myself in time only to realize later the "beeps" were blaring, I just wasn't paying attention.

I am not sure why I felt compelled to record these two commercials here, but for some reason I like them so well, I don't want to forget them. I also read some deeper meanings into them and maybe that is the point of a good commercial - they should resonate with the consumer, unfortunately both cars were 4-door sedans...no longer an option for me as long as I live in Summit Park.

If you haven't seen the commercials, you should actually check them out...very funny.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "When one loves, one does not calculate." St. Therese of Lisieux

Day #56 - Politics

So...is everyone watching the conventions? Is everyone watching the Facebook posts? Geeesh. I find politics very divisive. I find politics very unifying. Politics are personal and they are also every one's business. I find politics interesting and at the same time droll. I get inspired and disgusted. I see hero's and I see hypocrites. How does one reconcile such paradox?

I don't write this post to get into the issues or my stand on them, but just to create my own awareness of the paradox that is politics and to remind myself there are contradictory and absurd expressions in many walks of life that often times strangely lead to certain truths.

One truth I feel for myself, is how grateful I am that I live in this Country. I do not believe I am more worthy than those who do not live here, but I am grateful to have the opportunities this Country has provided to me.

I felt a lot of pride in America as I watched the Olympics recently. I was also moved by the global unity created by the opening ceremony; I was thinking how proud the world was of their own individual countries as well.

In the end, I really believe we are all just people doing our darnedest to live the best lives we can. I also believe this world is getting smaller and smaller with all the technology out there. I have a niece and nephew in grade school that are spending half days speaking only Chinese. Does this mean we should all be looking at speaking a 2nd language? At work, we are constantly talking about Global perspective and how we can provide connectedness to our clients; there are billions of dollars being spent on housing in America by individuals living outside the Country, so do we embrace the world or barricade ourselves in?

Regardless of the right or wrong answers to all the political debates that will go on and on and on over the next 4 months, I admire those that have been called to serve in politics. I respect the effort that must go into any campaign and the incredible amount of knowledge one must possess to take a journey like that on. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to take it all in and be part of the process as well.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: "We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.” Mother Teresa

Day #55 - I Sense Something in the Air...

I started two different posts this evening...not sure what to write tonight. I guess I will just leave you with this tid bit as food for thought:

"Everyone wants change, but no one wants to change."

My boss said this yesterday and it is sticking with me pretty hard and causing me some thinking. I don't really think there is more to be said. OUT.

I Am Grateful,
HB

Day #54 - Heather + Travis = 18 years

WOW - 18 years sure feels like a landmark...I got online to find out what the traditional gift for this year would be...Porcelain or a trip to China or Denmark. Well...we went a bit more local for our anniversary - we went to Bandits for dinner - good 'ol fashioned BBQ.

I got Trav a pair of shorts to replace the ones I have fixed twice already. They keep getting holes by the back pockets & I keep sewing them up. Trav has really resisted getting a new pair of shorts - he likes what he likes. Travis got me flowers, which is exactly what I wanted:

Those roses are an orange color and are as big as my fist - Beautiful!! Here is what the card said (by one of my favorite photos of Trav):

In case you cannot tell it says, "Well you finally got your flowers. I hope you love them as much as I love you!!" Not long ago I hassled him about not getting me flowers anymore since they are my favorite thing in the whole world...I'm not sorry if it got me this thoughtful bouquet. Here is a picture of my office...have I ever posted one?

I guess the bistro table and chair look kind of goofy, but I like it and people sit in that chair to talk to me all the time. I love my picture of the united states - those are pictures of the states in license plates. I think it looks pretty cool. You cannot see it here, but there is a filing cabinet with a lava lamp on it...agents like to talk about it. Above my desk is where I have my family calendar. I have really come to enjoy my space.

I do love my husband very much. We have good times together and we have some bad times too, but I think we both know we are here for each other and, when it comes right down to it, that is the most important thing.

Happy Anniversary Trav!

I love you for the joy you bring to my life. I'm sorry for my part in any disputes we have, please forgive me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being part of my life for the past 18 years. I love you!

I Am Grateful,
HB

Diva Quote: from a funny card I recently saw at the store "There are 3 sure ways to have a successful, committed relationship...the problem is no one knows what they are"