Have you ever been stung by a bee? A wasp? A hornet? I sure have and it hurts! The initial sting is the most intense and slowly it lessens and fades. Why do they sting? Bees don’t start their day seeking people to hurt. Bees sting when they feel threatened. Bees sting as a protective device.

Bee stings got me thinking about people stings. Why do people sting you with their words and actions? Ah, people sting too when they are feeling threatened and need to self protect. Some people sting in response to others as they feel stung by your words and actions. Others sting first to keep you from stinging them. Is it possible that knowing the words and actions chosen by others are coming from fear rather than hate will lessen the hurt? Perhaps if you realized their harsh words and actions were there coat of armor (stingers), it would lessen the pain for you? Perhaps you wouldn’t take it as personally and be able to look beyond their hurtful words and actions and see the fear behind it. Perhaps knowing this, you wouldn’t swat them away as your own self protection armor engages and allow gentleness and compassion to show up.

Affirmation: I choose kind and loving words and actions.

(S)he Said:

“To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee.” ~ William H. Walton

“Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.”  ~ William Arthur Ward

“Speak with contempt of none, from slave to king, the meanest Bee hath, and will use, a sting.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Music to My Ears:

Bringing Home My Babe Bumble Bee

Flight of the Bumble Bee  ~Maksim

For the next week I invite you to become aware of:

Your words – do they lift you and others up, or do they hold you back?

 Your reactions – do you knee-jerk react expecting what was said and done came from meanness? Or do you look behind it and see the fear creating the situation.

Your worthiness – by affirming and validating you are worthy of great love, great happiness, and great abundance. Others words and actions can’t sting you when you are filled with self love, as you fully understand you are simply a mirror of their internal fears.

Mostly, I wish you a week of seeing the good in you and others, seeing the love in you and others, and seeing the possibilities in you and others. When you see the honey rather than the sting, you allow goodness, love, and possibilities to expand.

Until next time, BEE good to yourself and others and have a positive focus kind of week.

I find seasonal changes very similar to personal changes. When we are on a new path there are times of great love, happiness and excitement similar to of our favorite season. There are times where doubt and fear filter into the experience not unlike how we feel when our least favorite season is impending.  When you are able to look at the big picture of life and see how the ebbs and flows, the peaks and valleys, and the happy and contrasting experiences blend together to create a life filled with amazing opportunities to love bigger and live better, wouldn’t each experience be more vibrant and love filled?

Affirmation:  Each season allows me a time to love deeper.

(S)he Said:

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.”  ~ George Santayana

“In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy”  ~ William Blake

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant:  if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”  ~ Anne Bradstreet

Music to my ears:

Seasons of Love ~ Rent

Seasons in the Sun ~ Terry Jacks

Seasons Change ~ Expose

For the next week I invite you to celebrate the current season by:

Appreciating whatever season you are in. Find the beauty in the moment; even if it’s not your favorite, there is great love there.

Looking for the good in all experiences as when you look for the good, the challenging moments are lessened.

Mostly, my wish for you this week is to enjoy life moment by moment, experience by experience, by seeing that each season offers the opportunity to love, laugh, grow, and become your best self.

Until next time, season’s greetings!

How is your memory?

When someone transitions that meant a lot to us, we often forgive and forget perceived wrong doings, and focus on the joys that they brought to us. We focus on the laughter and love they shared with us. When someone leaves us do to divorce, break-up etc., we often focus on all the perceived wrong doings and focus on the pain they shared with us.

If we could remember that everyone in our lives serve a purpose whether it’s a season, a reason, or a lifetime, perhaps we could live happier and healthier lives today in this moment. How would your living relationships change if you realized they served a purpose or they wouldn’t be part of your life to begin with?

Affirmation:  Today is tomorrow’s memory, so I will make them loving ones.

(S)he Said:

“We cannot change our memories, but we can change their meaning and the power they have over us.” ~ David Seamands

“We do not remember days, we remember moments. The richness of life lies in the memories we have forgotten.” ~ Cesare Pavese

“Memory is the diary we all carry around with us.” ~ Oscar Wild

Music to My Ears

Memories   ~ Cats

Memories ~ Elvis Presley

Memories   ~ Backstreet Boys

For the next week, I invite you to remember to:

Love you, others, and the world. When you approach the day from love, relationships and experiences become easier and better.

Be gentle with yourself and others by knowing everyone is doing the best they can in the moment. Take a deep breath, know that it’s an experience you get to choose to see as good or bad, and be gentle.

Mostly, I wish you a week filled with making happy and loving new memories for yourself and those you love. When you go about your day knowing you are the creator of your experiences…the good and the perceived bad ones, you are empowered to create a happier and healthier day…you know, the kind of day you deserve!

Until next time, my memory is pretty good. How about yours?

As we celebrate ‘Labor Day’, I encourage you to do what you love, and love what you do by celebrating your natural talents that have made you who you are.

Two work theories that I find interesting are: you have to work hard to get ahead and be successful, and do what you love to do and you will be successful. How many times have you heard these phrases? You have to work hard. You must pay your dues. You must put in your time.

How many of you scoff at the idea that you can be successful by doing what you love to do? That’s not surprising as you’ve been taught to be successful you must work hard and put in your time. When you are doing something you love (which is often something that is a natural talent) it comes easy to you, it’s graceful, it’s fun, and it’s simple. Time passes quickly as eight hours feels like four. How could someone pay you for something that is so simple for you to do and you enjoy doing it? Our natural talents are often taken for granted because they come with such ease for us. Think about someone else’s talents that you are in awe of. They come with ease to that person, so I guarantee you someone is amazed by your natural talents as well. Do what you love, and love what you do!

Affirmation: I am loving to myself, to others, and to the world.

(S)he Said: 

“Doing what you love is the cornerstone of abundance in your life.”
~ Wayne Dyer

“If you find out what it is you love to do and give your whole life to it, then there is no contradiction, and in that state your being is your doing.” ~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

“You’ve got to love what you’re doing. If you love it, you can overcome any handicap or the soreness or all the aches and pains, and continue to play a long, long time.”
~ Gordie Howe

“If you are not doing what you love, you are wasting your time.” ~ Billy Joel

Working My Way Back To You ~ The Spinners

Working for a Living ~ Huey Lewis and the News

Everybody’s Working for the Weekend ~ Loverboy

For the next week, I invite you to love what you do by:

Appreciating your natural talents and sharing them with others.

Dreaming about what you love to do and allowing your natural talents to be your pathway to success.

Loving yourself, loving life, and loving others as when you are working from love, all is right in your world.

Mostly, my wish for you is to work from a space of love regardless of what you are doing. Whether your job requires 4 hours a day or 14, when you love what you are doing, all is well. Whether you are living in your dream job, or working at what others consider a ‘dead end’ job, show up in a space of love, compassion, trust, honor, service, and a fun spirit and all will be well.

Until next time, have a FUN, EASY, AND SIMPLE week at work.

Do you ever wonder how some people do what they do? It’s as if it’s effortless for them while others struggle for the same results. When I think of the creators of the Internet and the realization that it’s simply energy exchange, I am blown away. When I look at a skyscraper, I am in awe of the structure and those who designed and built it. When I think of the tonnage of planes and how they simply seem to glide across the sky, I am astonished with aviation talents. I love seeing the creativity in people when they follow their passion.
Everyone has unique talents that come so easily they appear innate and most likely are. These abilities are so easy for you that when someone applauds your gifts you often say “oh that was nothing or no problem”. It’s so easy to you that you often lose the awe and appreciation that you have for things that you find difficult to do. We take for granted things that come easily to us yet get frustrated over our challenges. I encourage you to appreciate your natural talents and take that feeling into the challenging moments and situations in your life.

Affirmation: I allow life to easily flow through gratitude and appreciation.

(S)he Said:

“It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinions; it is easy in solitude to live after your own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless” ~ Mother Teresa

“Diligence is a good thing, but taking things easy is much more restful” ~ Mark Twain

“All things are difficult before they are easy.” ~ Thomas Fuller

Music To My Ears:

Take It Easy ~ Eagles

Easy ~ The Commodores

Easy Lover ~ Phil Collins

For the next week I invite you to be easy with:

Others knowing they are doing the best they can at any given moment. Send them love and see the qualities/talents which come easily to them rather than the struggles/challenges they may be focusing on.

Yourself by appreciating all of your amazing talents from the smallest thing to the largest as when you live in a state of appreciation, gratitude, and love – everything comes easier to you.

Life and forgiving yourself and others you perceive holding you back from living your best life.

Mostly, my wish is for you to focus on joy rather than sadness, ease rather than struggle, abundance rather than lack, love rather than fear, and peace rather than conflict as when you shift your focus to love, peace, compassion, gratitude and appreciate, life becomes easy.

Until next time, take it easy.

Living your best life can be that way as well. When you place your attention on happiness, appreciation, and gratitude rather than the how and whys of the outcome, your dreams will appear out of seemingly nowhere. The stress of begging for them to come, doubting their arrival, and the ‘work’ that takes place in creating them will be replaced with grace and gratitude. Your dreams will feel like ‘miracles’ instead of ‘work’.

Affirmation: My love of life grows through appreciation and gratitude.

(S)he Said:

“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.” ~ John Maxwell

“You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.” ~ Irish Sayin

“When you blame others, you give up your power to change.” ~ Dr. Robert Anthony

Music to my ears

Grow Old With You, ~ Wedding Singer

When I Grow Up, ~ The Pussycat Dolls

Let It Grow, ~ Eric Clapton

For the next week, I invite you to let your dreams grow by:

Planting the seeds of living your happiest life by visualizing them. You can be general and plant seeds of love, health, peace, and abundance. Or you can paint the picture on what those would look like showing up in your life while adding on to the end ‘this or something better.’

Nurturing your dreams through appreciation and gratitude. When you appreciate the little things in your life, you allow that to expand into the bigger areas of your life.

Allowing the dream to unfold in the easiest and joyous way for all involved.

Mostly, my wish for you is the knowingness that even when you don’t see your dreams unfolding, that unseen changes are occurring to bring you the best version of what you are focusing on. Focus on love, health, laughter, happiness, and abundance, and let your dreams grow.

Until next time, simply let it grow.

Big hugs and mucho love,

Carol

Positive Focus Founder & Vision Keeper

Be the best chef in your life by taking a pinch of several ingredients you choose, blend them together, keep them at a nice simmer, add more as needed, and enjoy your Happy Life recipe.

Affirmation: My life has the perfect blend of love, health, peace, and abundance.

(S)he Said: 

“What is the recipe for successful achievement? To my mind there are just four essential ingredients: Choose a career you love, give it the best there is in you, seize your opportunities, and be a member of the team.” ~ Benjamin Fairless

“There are three ingredients to the good life: learning, earning, and yearning.” ~ Christopher Morley

“The ingredients of health and long life are great temperance, open air, easy labor, and little care.” ~ Philip Sidney

Music to My Ears

Old Spice

Recipe for Love

~ Harry Conick Jr.

For the next week, I invite you to create your recipe for a Happy Life by mixing the following ingredients:

Gratitude: A healthy blend of gratitude is a key ingredient. When you can be grateful for your contrasting experiences it is a tasty treat of knowing you are on a path for a happy life. You simply know this is just a momentary experience that is helping you grow and evolve.

Love: loving you, loving life, and loving others should be a daily ingredient and used often. When challenges arise, ask yourself, ‘What would love do?’

Forgiveness: forgiving others is truly a benefit for your well being. Even more importantly is forgiving yourself for allowing others misdeeds to permeate your being. Forgive yourself for taking things personally or your involvement in the contrasting experience.

Trust: Trust in yourself knowing that each experience you choose whether caring or contrasting are part of your life path – you chose, so trust you chose well.

Allow: Everyone’s path is slightly different, some have more bumps, twists and turns, but each is the right journey for that person. Allow everyone to mix their ingredients for their life without judgment.

Mostly, I want you to remember that even the best cooks ruin a recipe on occasion. But a true chef doesn’t give up, (s)he just works on perfecting it. Have fun blending the ingredients to create your perfect recipe.

 
Until next week, happy cooking!

Big hugs and mucho love,

Carol

The quickest way to return to a positive focus is through gentleness, appreciation, gratitude, service, and love.

Gentleness- Don’t beat yourself up for fearful thoughts, words, or actions

Appreciation – Appreciate the contrast as a reminder to return to a better feeling thought

Gratitude – Be grateful for all the good – big or small – things in  your life that make you happy in this moment and allow them to expand

Service - Be of service to others is as simple as smiling at a stranger, holding a door open for someone in a rush, thanking people, or volunteering your time, talents, and abundance to those in need

Love – Love is the quickest way back to your truth. Loving yourself, others, and the world expands greatness in your life and lessens sorrows. Truly all you need is love as love takes care of all else

So for those who think it’s easy for me to be positive because my life is easy. My life is easier because I choose to see all situations, those I perceive as good or bad, as moments to grow, evolve, and become an even better version of myself.

So can you be angry and have a positive focus? The answer is a resounding YES.

Welcome fearful thoughts for a visit – just don’t invite them for an extended stay.

Truly yours,

Carol

PF Founder and Vision Keeper

Often we look for outside sources to be our heroes and sheroes. Having people to look up to allows us to see that potential within us. Rather than expecting or waiting on others to be heroic, look within and become that hero for your family, your friends, your community. Frankly – become that hero for YOU!

When we start seeing small steps forward as heroic efforts to become that which we want to be, well then, that is where true change can take place. Little by little, one small step connected to the next allows politicians to work together, companies to start seeing the benefits of valuing their team, and religious communities to realize all communities benefit when diversity and love shine bright.

(S)he Said:

“To think great thoughts, you must be heroes as well as idealists” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” ~ Christopher Reeve

A boy doesn’t have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn’t like pie when he sees there isn’t enough to go around.” ~ Edgar Watson Howe

Music to My Ears

Hero ~ Enrique Iglesias

Hero ~ Mariah Carey

Holding Out for a hero ~ Bonnie Tyler

For the next week I invite you to become a hero by:

Speaking about all the good in the world – If you find a ‘don’t want’ in your life, talk about the opposite of that and make it into a positive statement.

Helping someone up – whether it’s figuratively or literally, help someone up. Give them a hand, share your abundance, give a hug, and simply let people know they matter…especially if they are facing challenges.

Doing what you want to see the world become even if it seemingly seems small. You want world peace, be peaceful in your world. Rather than pointing fingers, put your fingers to work on solutions rather than problems in your world.

Mostly, I wish you a week filled with the realization that you are a hero each moment you have the courage to live your highest self. Each time you stand up for what you believe in through compassion and love. The world needs heroes like you!

Until next time, look in the mirror to see a hero.

With Compassion, Faith, Courage, Motivation, Encourage, and Love on your team – your destiny awaits. Go Team U!