We are currently seeing the world’s greatest winter athletes live their dreams as they compete in the Olympics. They have trained for hours and hours a day, years upon years to realize their dreams and we get the pleasure of witnessing them. We literally put them on a pedestal and give them a bronze, silver, or gold medal to acknowledge their accomplishments. I admire their athleticism. I admire their perseverance and drive. Mostly I admire that they are living their dreams!

 You might not be a world class skier, or perhaps can’t even ice skate, but you can be a world class YOU! Take a moment and put your dreams and desires in your own Olympics. See yourself winning that gold medal for whatever your best life looks like. How does it feel to be on that stand with your friends and family cheering you on as witnesses to living an authentic life filled with love, laughter, health, abundance, and happiness. When you live your truth and not what you think others expect of you, you are a gold medalist! When you put your head on your pillow each night and can smile knowing you gave life your best, you are a gold medalist. When you can forgive yourself and others for possible missteps along the journey and get right back up to realize your best life, you are a gold medalist! All the Olympic athletes have fallen, have gotten hurt, have failed, have cried, and perhaps even wanted to quit from time to time. Yet each new they had to live their authentic selves and live that dream. Living your best life is truly golden to me.

AFFIRMATION: Each day I choose to show the world my very best.

(S)he Said:

“Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.” ~ Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

“More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth.” Napoleon Hill

“One secures the gold of the spirit when he finds himself.” ~ Claude M. Bristol

Soulful Links:

Heart of Gold ~ Neil Young

Fields of Gold ~ Sting

Fields of Gold ~ Celtic Woman

Band of Gold   ~ Freda Payne

For the next week I invite you to be a gold medalist in your life by:

Appreciating the slips and falls along the journey as there is value in the contrasting experiences too. It’s easy to appreciate when you are winning your race, but appreciate that you participated whether you won or lost.

Loving what is, loving what was, and loving what will be.

Focusing on all the good in your life from the smallest events to the largest experiences as when you focus on goodness, more will come.

Mostly, my wish for you is a week to really become aware that you are an amazing person. There might be seven billion people in the world, but there is only one of you, so live it up, love it up, laugh it up.

Until next time, live your dream and wear your gold medal proudly.

 Keep living big, loving big, and laughing along the journey.
~Carol
 
Looking for a way to stay focused on Living Life Fulfilled? Make sure to surround yourself with people who lift you up, inspire you, support you, and simply love to laugh and have fun.

Love is in the air as Valentines Day approaches. Some people look forward to Valentine’s Day with excitement and anticipation on what their sweetie might get them; while others lament over the idea of not having a significant other to share the day with. Whether you are in a relationship, or single, you already have a valentine – and that is YOU! Look in the mirror and say, “will you be mine?” Will you choose to live your life fulfilled? Will you choose to see the greatness in you and let it shine for the rest of the world to see?
 
Regardless of the circumstances of your outer reality, inwardly is where love starts. Enjoy the perfection of your imperfections as there is only one you in the universe. Love where you’ve been as it’s brought you to today. Love where you are now as it will catapult you into tomorrow. Love where you are going as there is excitement in the journey as there is in the destination. Be your own best friend. Be your own valentine. Simply put – will you be mine?

 Affirmation: Today I choose love for myself, for others, and for life.

(S)he Said:

 “What you want to do, and what you can do, is limited only by what you can dream.” ~Mike Melville

 “When all’s said and done, all roads lead to the same end. So it’s not so much which road you take, as how you take it.” ~Charles de Lint

 “Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” ~Oprah Winfrey

 “Many times a day I realize how much my own life is built upon the labors of my fellowmen, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.” ~Albert Einstein

 Soulful Links

 Be Mine ~ David Gray

 Baby Be Mine ~Michael Jackson

 To Be My Baby ~Bon Jovi

 For the next week, I invite you to be your valentine by:
 
Seeing your individuality and being proud of what you bring to the table of life.
 
Appreciating past and present experiences as through appreciation life becomes full of love.
 
Believing in you! You are the star of your own movie of life, so go win the Oscar!
 
Mostly, my wish for you this week is to see the love that you have for others and shine it on yourself. :)
 
Until next time, share your heart with the world and your heart will be full of love.

 Keep living big, loving big, and laughing along the journey.
~Carol
 Looking for a way to stay focused on Living Life Fulfilled? Make sure to surround yourself with people who lift you up, inspire you, support you, and simply love to laugh and have fun.

What fun we had in January with free hugs and feeding the homeless. I’m so grateful to have Cathy on board helping lead many fantastic gives back events. We could always use more help in creating new gives back events and leading them, so if you have ideas, please send them to Cathy at cathy@positive-focus.com. 

Global Free Hugs IV – we are in count down stages of global free hugs. Invitations to previous huggers and finding new hug locations is in the works. If you have suggestions or want to help us spread the word, email us at globalfreehugs@positive-focus.com. 

 Live, Love, Laugh, Hug 

Carol  

Name: Hello!  My name is Maura and I’m a Chicago native…However, I have lived in 3 other states but continue to find my way back to the south side.   

1. I volunteered at these PF events: Free Hugs 

 2. I volunteer because: It’s the Free Hugs event(s) that have led me to PF.  After watching several videos and hearing of a coworker’s experience I knew I had to find out how I could be a part of such a wonderful thing!  I wanted in!  After a few Google searches, I discovered PF J  My favorite volunteer experience… 

3. My favorite volunteer experience: Hmmm…Well, it would have to be the first time we (my two boys and I) attended a Free Hugs Sunday. My older son (7) was vehemently opposed of the whole thing, “You can’t make me do this! I’m not going to talk to anyone! This is boring!”.  I told him that he did not have to do anything that made him feel uncomfortable and could sit quietly and draw or read a book. My intention was to stay for just an hour.  Not even 10 minutes after we arrived, my four year old whom is QUITE shy wanted to pretend that he needed a hug.  “Ask me, Mom. Ask me!” and he would walk by, I would ask him if he needed a hug and he would walk over to me with his arms open…and of course I gave him a great big squeeze.  Not soon after, Liam (4) was standing next to me and would “help” me give hugs to passers-by.  Meanwhile, Aidan (7) who was brooding on the sidelines is witnessing all of this.  I notice him begin to tear pages out of his sketch pad…He has created his own “FREE HUGS” sign for his brother to hold.  I could hear Aidan whispering, “Hear, Liam…Hold this…higher!” Because Liam always does what his big brother tells him, Liam began to display his own sign…and received quite a warm response!  It was not long after that Aidan began to hide behind me and sort of offer himself up to be hugger by those whom I hugged.  However, this lasted a short time…Aidan and Liam announced they wanted to stand across the way from me. They both were holding signs over their heads and bellowing, “FREE HUGS!!!!! WHO NEEDS A HUG!!?!?” When it came time for us to go, Aidan would plead, “Just 5 more minutes! Just 5 more minutes!” What a wonderful day!  It had such a profound affect on me and my children…It was also amazing to watch those individuals who didn’t feel comfortable hugging a grown-up but were willing to accept one from a child.  I don’t think we stopped smiling the rest of that day J 

 4. When not volunteering, I like to: When not volunteering, I LOVE to bake bread, knit, read and will be running the Chicago Marathon this year. 

5. You might be surprised to know: One might be surprised to learn that actually…I’m kind of shy.  

January events: What our Givers are said:   Free Hugs:

      Always in all ways, this is one of my favorite events.

 Feed the Hungry, Feed the Soul:

     I truly enjoyed helping to serve others in need. it was a very rewarding and fulfilling experience.

      This is a great way of giving back to the community.

      It was a wonderful evening of helping others. Very warm vibe.

      We had more than enough people, but there was something to do for everyone! What a wonderful turnout.

      PF Gives back event Feed the Hungry, Feed the Soul, is a wonderful event. You get a chance to roll up your sleeves, do a little hard work and share a smile. It feels good to try and help make a difference in people’s lives.

     This is such a warm place to be, the positive and hopeful energy and family like relationship with the guests is unbelievable. I wish I had more time to be with these people.

About PF Gives Back: PF Gives Back positively allows people to live life to the fullest through serving others such as Free Hugs, Random Acts of Kindness, and volunteering for other social service agencies, and much more.