Living on Purpose

It seems as if there are a lot of people feeling an emptiness these days, kind of like being hollowed out. Could it be that they just haven’t found their calling; their purpose? I’ve experienced it myself in the past, which is the reason I hope this post can be of benefit to someone else.

Finding and following your calling is a big part of living with purpose. Finding that calling though, can be a pretty intimidating task, particularly if you put yourself under pressure to come up with the perfect answer right here and right now.

While it’s a goal worth pursuing, it’s also important to realize that it may take time to find your calling. It’s a process that will develop over time, and one that you can’t force. In fact, you shouldn’t. A much better plan of action is to take it one step and one day at a time until your calling becomes clear.

I believe the first, most important step is to get clear about what you really want.

Start With What’s Important To You

A great place to start is to think about what’s important to you. It doesn’t have to be huge or all-consuming. Start with something small. Find a cause you feel drawn to and do what you can to support it. Volunteer … learn more about it and share what you’re learning with others. Support organizations financially if you can.

Maybe this means knitting baby hats for preemies at your local hospital. Or making blankets for the homeless. Maybe it means spending time with an elderly neighbor, or maybe it means saving up for a mission trip next summer.

The most important thing is to simply start and do something. It’s good for your happiness and your health!

 

Stunned

As I was getting out of the shower this morning I heard a loud thud. It sounded like something hit the dining room window. Upon investigating I noticed a smear on the glass, looked down and saw this little hawk on the ground.

The poor thing had smacked into the window and sat there stunned, looking around like it didn’t know what happened. As I started taking pictures, I was just praying that it didn’t have any broken parts. It kept looking up at me and I didn’t know quite what to do. Thoughts ran through my mind of quickly finding a wildlife refuge to call in case it couldn’t recover, but right after I took this image, it started walking around a bit. A couple of minutes later, looking back at me once more, it turned and flew off into a nearby pine tree. It was almost like he was saying, “I’m OK now.” I was so happy!

Fly free, little hawk, and thanks for letting me take your picture. I hope you don’t fly into any more windows. You might not be so lucky next time. Namaste’

Regina (Reggie) is a “flunked retirement” entrepreneur, co-author of the Art & Science of Recruiting, an award-winning photographic artist, and photo blogger.

 

 

Canines and One Feline Cooling Off

Seeing as how lots of us in the western U.S. are sweltering right now, I thought I’d post this really “cool” video of a happy pack of dogs and one cat cooling off at the beach in Australia.  And they’re all doing it to the hit song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.  Best version I’ve ever seen!  And thanks, Leslie, for sending it.  Enjoy and Namaste’

Some of What I’ve Learned

It seems to me that life is the best teacher and, as my readers know by now, I believe there are no “accidents.”  Everything that happens to us holds an opportunity for evolutionary advancement.  Will we recognize it?  I didn’t use to.

Now it’s different.  I’ve learned some things I want to share with all of you …

• I’ve learned that I’d rather have peace than drama
• I’ve learned that out of chaos and confusion, there’s always some clarity
• I’ve learned that forgiveness is the key to a peaceful life
• I’ve learned that it’s just as easy to take the high road as it is the low road – but only if I ask my ego to take an alternate route
• I’ve learned that no matter what … life is a temporary assignment, so I’d better make the best of it
• I’ve learned that what goes around comes around
• I’ve learned that a good attitude is worth its weight in gold

That’s all for now.  Have to make dinner but I’m wishing you all a beautiful, love-filled weekend.

This photo is the most popular one at my gallery, so I thought it might be fun to turn it into one of those motivational posters.  The phrase below it really has nothing to do with the flowers, but hey, I’m tired of coloring within the lines 🙂 Namaste’

Today’s Buddha

Hubby went to an estate sale last weekend and bought me this laughing Buddha.  When I feel the least bit stressed, I look at him and try to remember that life is way too short to be stressed.  Don’t sweat the small stuff, eh?

(Buddha didn’t come with the spectacles… they were my own silly addition). If I were to design a statue of today’s Buddha, I would make sure he was wearing specs. Posing him in front of my lucky bamboo plant just seemed the right thing to do 🙂

I hope he makes you smile, too.

“Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” ~ Buddha

Namaste’

Money?

How do you feel about money?  Do you believe it’s a source of energy?  Do you believe there’s not enough?  Do you believe that only a certain percentage of the world’s population will ever be wealthy?  Do you want to be wealthy?  Do you believe you deserve to have lots of money?  Maybe you grew up like I did with people telling you that “money doesn’t grow on trees.”  Or “we can’t afford that.”  If you did, then money became that elusive substance reserved for “something special.”  Read on …

Have you ever heard of Happy Money?  (There’s a book written about this which is available at Amazon for 99 cents if you have a Kindle). 

It’s the concept where you take any denomination of bills … ones, fives, twenties, etc., attach a sticky note with your handwritten blessing and leave the money and blessing somewhere so that someone can find your little package.

The theory that what you give out is what you get back is at play here.  The universe doesn’t like a vacuum, so the money, energy, love or whatever you give away from yourself creates an empty space for the universe to refill.  Some folks believe it comes back ten-fold, a hundred-fold, even a thousand-fold.

Try it.  Do whatever you can afford, even if it’s only a dollar.  Attach a handwritten blessing from your heart and leave it somewhere where someone else can find it.  But don’t hang around and watch to see who picks it up.  That’s not your job; leave THAT to the Universe.  The right person will get it.  And you will have something come to you in return.  Remember, abundance doesn’t always come in the form of money.  It could be anything, so keep your eyes and ears open.

Let me know how it goes for you  if you do it.  Namaste’

By the way, this is my 500th post since I started the Regina Chronicles.  Should I go for 1,000?

The Wizard

Back in the day when I was younger (ha!), I had a tribe of friends who all hung out together.  All of us were single parents just trying to make it.  We did just fine, especially when we banded together.

And then there was the wizard …

The wizard was a voice on the other end of a phone line (long before cell phones) who would give us sage advice.  We always had to go through one of our friends to talk to the wizard.  No exceptions.  None of us could get this friend to give up the wizard’s phone number.  It was such a fun game we played.  He made us laugh every time we talked to him.

As it turns out, the wizard was one of our circle of friends.  Funny how none of us put two and two together to figure out that he was always missing from the crowd when the wizard was available on the phone.  Hmmm … maybe we just wanted to believe in this magical, mystical creature; or maybe we just didn’t want the game to end.

This photo is of a pen that I bought at a street fair years ago and as soon as I saw it, knew I had to have it to commemorate the “wizard.”  Namaste’

Give Us This Day Our Daily …

BREAD …

I’m feeling particularly grateful today that we have food on our table.  So many around the world do not.  Let us give thanks for what we have, and send love and light around the world to our brothers and sisters in need.  Namaste”

Let the Magic Commence

Tonight I waited for a while to see what would show up even though I had already taken my shot for today.  I’m glad that I waited.  My favorite time of day is when the sun starts to sink in the sky, creating a magical dreamscape with the clouds.  The sun sets; the moon rises.  And the palm tree got a haircut!  Well, that’s not so romantic but I know she doesn’t feel so shaggy and I imagine she can feel more of the breeze now.

Goodnight, all you beautiful people.  Namaste’

 

I Want to Be More Like Matt

There’s this really cool guy out there, traveling the world, breaking down barriers through humor, love and dance.  Take a look:  The Unstoppable Matt

As for today’s photo, a little Friday humor is in order.  This is called “Getting My Ducks in a Row.”  The weatherman says we might get some rain this weekend.  Color me as happy as these ducks!

I’m off to get a cup of  java now. Happy Friday and Namaste’