Artists Passion

by: Liane Schmidt

Everyday is a new opportunity; new doors can open, new treasures can be discovered, new things can be learned.

When we were children this is exactly how most of us saw life. We were young, we believed we could do anything. This kept every moment exciting, electrifying. We could do, be, hope, and make ourselves as happy as possible at any given moment with just our imaginations. If we wanted to be a princess or the President of the United States, wah lah - in the blink of an eye - we were. We changed how we were acting and became whatever character we wanted to be. Though we may not realistically hold these titles, we can still “be” these people, by living as they do; living by doing our very best to make this world a better place. Titles do not make people great, people make people great.

For many, however, this is not easily achieved for life, time, fears, traumatic experiences, etc. have often stripped away this idealistic mindset. If you touch fire, you learn to never do it again. But, because we have learned how to see fire for its strengths and weaknesses, we as society have been able to learn from it and allow it to enrich our lives and make our world a better place. If we had just discarded it after it first hurt us we all would have lost out on the limitless benefits it can provide.

This is not to down play the importance of the known, safety, and being cautious. Taking time to make wise decisions without jumping into any new situation too soon; habits, yearly customs, etc. all have intrinsic value. With such widely televised events like the Olympics countries have been known to put aside violent warring disputes in order to participate. This is an unbelievably powerful feat; this alone is a miracle.

The trouble comes to play when people continue to only cling to known or unfounded assumptions and discard all opportunities to learn and hence discard valuable opportunities to grow emotionally, spiritually, etc. This can lead to unfortunate self-sabatoging. For example, if one believes all parking meter officers are rude, most likely the next one they encounter will be. How we think of others is often a self-fulfilling prophesy. This idea can be applied to all things in life.

“The more you learn, the less you realize you know.” This quote is beyond significant.

When one learns something new their world is broadened, their heart often moved.

Remain open, surprised, alive to all the endless possibilites life will always have to offer. Leave your heart as unfettered, unbiased, and open as possible. It will keep you young and full of life. It will make your life even more beautiful than you ever imagined possible.

My best wishes to all.

by: Liane Schmidt

It’s all up to you. It always has been.

No more excuses, no more procrastination. Start your lists. Start prioritizing. Get it done. That’s how you make all your dreams come true, bottom line.

One of my closest girl friends told me that she has lists for everything she wants to do, detailing timelines, steps, and everything that needs to take place in order to ensure that her goals are met. She knows if something doesn’t get done it’s on her and nobody else; it has always been this way.

Of course, we must all also allot for the unexpected.

Life still happens. We cannot control certain circumstances no matter how much we plan ahead or take care, but we can control how we react and work through them. A few days or months and even years cannot stop the most determined of minds from finally reaching and achieving all their dreams. It cannot.

When you want something with all your heart, you will never let anything stand in the way of realizing it. You will never, let anything stand in the way of reaching it, ever. Your dreams are immeasurably important and invaluable.

Never stop believing in yourself.

Make your dreams a reality.

Best wishes to all.

By: Liane Schmidt

It is not always easy to stay positive in a world that throws more challenges at one sometimes in a given hour than one can keep track of. “When it rains, it pours” definitely has a resounding quality that I am certain we can all relate to and have had impact our lives on more than one occassion. The light at the end of the tunnel is there, it has always been there, but sometimes depending on circumstances one can sometimes forget that it is there.

Currently, I am in a situation that consists of high risk, high potential gain, great trust, perseverence and belief. It is something that I will not see the actual fruits of until a good four to six months potentially. It is something that is an amazing opportunity; it is something I do believe in. However, for the time being, I am left to a situation that is much less favorable to my everyday well-being. It is a situation that in some ways makes my life easier and in many ways challenges me to my very core.

Of course my ultimate plan is to finish my novel and continue forth with the writing career of my dreams, but that takes time to establish, to bring to a solid tangible reality. I know it will happen, but it is not something that will happen overnight. I am still in the 10th re-writing/editing phase. It means everything to me and I will not say it is completed until it is exactly how I want it to be, a masterpiece.

But, in the meantime, having to work through my current situation challenges my ability to stay positive on a daily basis. It takes everything inside of me. I have to turn to the beautiful angels in my life. Those who I am blessed beyond words to say are my friends. I must reach out and find inspirational motivating books, quotes, and other such invaluable tools. I must keep my health at the forefront of my mind. Health will grant me longevity of life and an optimal quality of life on a day-to-day basis. All these elements will help keep me as happy as possible right now, while I am in a less than ideal situation.

I have to keep reminding myself that everyone had to go through a sort of “internship period” to reach their ultimate career goals. Whether a person worked independently and had to do months or years of research living hand to mouth on three square cup o’ noodles a day, or one struggled through exam after exam only to apply to dozens of internships thankfully landing one that they then were accepted at and had to work for little to no pay to gain the necessary skills, experience and credits to move on to the next level of their field.

Reaching ones dreams is not necessarily an easy path for anyone, but it is a path that is worth working for. The life of your dreams is worth everything. You can make it through any challenge and come out better, stronger, wiser than ever before. Keep believing in yourself and doing what is the absolute very best for you.

Best wishes to all.

by: Liane Schmidt

I think one of the hardest things to do in life, is to keep believing, is to keep being your greatest support and best friend when times are toughest, when giving up seems like the easier option.

Again and again, I have to remind myself at these times that: Life is not black and white. The variables stretch far into the grays and off whites of alarm clocks not working, too many appointments in the day, and the need to just be alone sometimes.

But, when you are on the receiving end. When someone tells you they will do something, and they don’t, all you have to go by is their word. All you know is what you were told and what actually happened.

I have tried most of my life to be as understanding as possible to these infinite possibilities. I have done so because my life has been anything but “cookie cutter” (as I am certain many of you have found for yourselves as well) since the starry-eyed upbringing I began with.

After the 6th grade, my vision of the “cookie cutter” life started to fall away, yet part of me has always held tightly to it, knowing that fairytales are possible, if I just believe, if I just believe.

But sometimes, when you believe too much, give too much, trust, your heart is broken, your heart can be betrayed; you risk everything and are not sure if you will ever enjoy the slightest glimpse of any gain. You work for next to nothing knowing that things of value take incredible amounts of time, patience, perseverence, great risk, etc and no guarantees.

But you will continue to do it because you love with everything in your heart. You look in another’s eyes and you believe their words. You believe that they are infinitely beautiful and would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. You know the complex variables will always be there and all you can do is be you and trust and trust and trust.

You continue to do it, because you will not let the world change you.

You do it because you will always believe the best in people.

Take of yourself and eachother.

Best wishes, always.

by: Liane Schmidt

What brings you inspiration?

Everyday, I feel blessed that I am introduced to more and more things that continue to inspire me to reach for my dreams and goals. Things that help encourage me to continue to believe in everything I have ever wanted and give me the drive to see these hopes to fruition.

A beautiful new movie, knowing that a long term friend loves you more dearly than ever, and the potential for even more beautiful hopeful experiences to come. Such simple pleasures; these are the things that feed our soul, nourish our hearts, and bring joy to our lives.

If all else fell away in this world: your youth, your material possessions, anything transient, what would would matter most to you? What would you regret the most not doing? What would you wish you would have done differently?

These are important questions I try to challenge myself with every single day. Among other things, such questions help me keep on track, keep focused when other such options are sure to come across my path.

The grass often seems greener. But, every field of greens has it’s share of weeds and thorns. Do not let the unfounded quick fix pleasures in life tempt you. They are just what they are: quick fixes and they will disrupt your path.

For example, if you want to be fit, you will not partake in the multitude of breakfast pastries that glisten with gooey glaze tempting you to be steered off the great weight and health regime you have started for yourself. It will last a few moments on your lips, and yes as our mothers wisely stated “a lifetime on the hips”. Is that slip in will power worth disrupting all those hard earned hours of working out and the discomfort you will feel when you try on your favorite jeans a month later and they no longer fit?

Of course, everything in moderation is fine, but for myself, I find the more I turn away from “junk food” the easier it becomes. I no longer crave it. It no longer appeals to me. After all, would you put dirty corroded oil in your car? No, of course not. So why would you even think to do the same to your body?

And, in fact the more that I stay away from all things that are not good for me: body, mind, and spirit, the more I am able to stay away from things that are not good for me. Habits are easier to form than most people think: good and bad habits and everything in between.

You can develop only the best habits for yourself. We all can.

Live life to the fullest.

Live your life to the fullest. Do what is the very best for you everyday. There are more things in life that give natural highs and natural quick fixes that are good for you and they are just waiting to be discovered. Do not fall prey to alluring deterents that will steer you away from your dreams. You deserve better than that. You always have.

Best wishes to all.

by: Liane Schmidt

“There is no limit to what you can imagine.”
-Ralph Marson

Recently, I have been introduced to Ralph Marson’s exceptional motivational work as well as some of his powerful, extraordinary quotes.

As a continual seeker of any motivational, uplifting material that will keep taking me to the “next” level in my life, Marson’s work left a permanent impression on me immediately. Like one of my other favorite successful role models, Brian Tracy, self-made millionaire, both men know that one of the key elements to being successful is the ability to lift, support, and believe in others as you continue to grow and increase the levels of success in your own life. You must lift others up in order to be successful yourself. You must believe in others to believe in yourself.

It is my belief that this philosophy goes back to the time old adage that, we truly do treat others how we treat ourselves. If we believe in others, we do so because we believe in ourselves. If we put others down, that is because we most assuredly putting ourselves down as well. It is, as simple and as complex as that.

The complexity that comes into play, is what throws all of us the many challenges we face in our lives. And, of course, this level of complexity differs from person to person and background to background. This is why I constantly seek uplifting, inspirational role models and experiences; to keep my spirits high for the moments when they might otherwise fall victim to the doubts and fears many of us deal with on a daily basis. The less negative worries and input I hear and am exposed to the better for me in all aspects of my life.

As Brian Tracy has repeatedly expressed, “everything is important”; from what you watch, to who you surround yourself with, to what values you hold dear to your heart. Never compromise who you are for anyone. Be a completely honest, good person and this will be returned to you a hundred fold.

Or as Deepak Chopra believes, you attract what energy you are giving off. If you want certain things in life you must believe that you can have them, that you deserve them and then they will come to you. These wants and desires will be attracted to your energy; like energy attracts like energy.

Like plants, we all need to be placed in the best conditions possible for our optimal growth, well-being, and ability to be successful. When we are we feel our best, are able to perform at our best, and can strive to do even more than we ever thought possible. Like a plant needs the correct amount of sunlight, not too much for some, and much more for others, we need to figure out what combination of factors are best for us.

Trust the intuitive voice inside yourself to find out what these factors are for you. Make time to sit and get to know yourself better; even if you can only manage a few moments out of every single day, this will improve your life. We make time for friends. We need to because life can get busy, hectic and we may lose track of what their new interests and activities are. These daily changes, change that person forever, just as your experiences change your self-concept forever as well. Without taking time to really reflect and, literally, be a friend to yourself, you can lose track of what has or still is most important to you.

Do not let yourself get swept away in the rushing influx of life without having a clear direction of where and what you want to accomplish. You will only be happiest and feel your very best when you know that your goals and dreams are in alignment with your heart, spirit, mind and body.

Take care of each other and yourself, always.

My best wishes to all.

(Incidentally, I was introduced to Ralph Marson’s work by a wonderful, positive gentleman who is opening a new Nightclub called 24K! It will be the hottest new club in the OC. For more info click the picture below to check out:
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by: Liane Schmidt

Sayings and quotes that have lasted for generation after generation have staying power for a reason. “Less is more”, “all things in moderation”, and many others ring true year after year because with time, with age, with wisdom one learns more and more, just how very true these simple, yet profound statements are.

When our days are filled with too much - between multiple appointments, locations to stop at, problems to deal with, etc. one can feel as though a whole day has passed them by in “the blink of an eye”. Why does this happen when the same 24 hours prior one might’ve been painfully counting the hours until 12 noon rolled around and a grumbling tummy could be filled with one’s favorite luncheon meal?

It is no wonder that “East meets West” is becoming a popular trend. With ying yang philosophies, meditation, and other such balancing, spiritually healing practices we are being reminded how very important simplicity and quality spent quiet moments are to one’s overall mental and physical nourishment. Yes, nourishment. Our bodies need more than just food nourishment. We need all aspects of ourselves, “body, mind and spirit” to be in peaceful equilibrium in order to be able to function at our very best, peak levels.

If our prized shiny red convertibles (or ‘97 Toyota Tercels - reality check - LOL) have great tires, but haven’t had an oil change in a year, one will for sure begin to notice performance problems and or find that down the line the damaging effects of not maintaining a vehicle properly; it breaks down on the I-5 right before a crucial sales meeting with the top executives of NBC.

Don’t let such avoidable obstacles enter into your life. And obstacles such as these are avoidable. Take the time to do whatever pre-mediatitve steps necessary to eliminate these potential obstacles. Do it now. There is no need to wait. The quality of your life is dependent on it.

Slow down when your body wants you to. Speed up when you know it’s best. Eliminate excess factors that can slow you down, make you feel bad, etc. With simplicity you have more time to focus, to know what’s best for you completely. You also have more time to become an expert in any one given field.

With simplicity you have less places to be and more time to appreciate where you are currently at.

“Less is more.”

My best wishes to all.

Note: Incidentally, author of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowlings, was on welfare, with two children while writing the incomparable series and remained focused on her dream. Her friends were telling her to get a “real job”. She wouldn’t listen. She is now the richest author in history: www.thebookstacks.com/trivia-wealthiest-author/. She had “less”, believed in her dreams and now, ironically, she has “more” (to put it lightly).

by: Liane Schmidt

One of my closest girl friends inspires me in how she lives her life. She is so full of life, passion, joy, exceptional values…shall I go on? To describe her would fill volumes. Though I generally like all people that I meet, it is the exceptional people who instantly become a part of my heart and inspire me to reach my greatest potential.

My friend is constantly thinking ahead. Planning for tomorrow, but wholeheartedly living for today. She has long-term career goals and not only talks about them, but takes the necessary steps to achieve her dreams every single day.

Last week she and I went to lunch together and I discovered that not only does she hold a full time job, Monday thru Friday, but she is also working on several independent business endeavors that have her up at 5am in the morning and finally drifting off to sleep at 12 midnight! In addition to this she is able to make time for her closest friends and family as well as other extracurricular activities, maintaining her health through regular exercise and eating well! No wonder she inspires me - whew!

She also told me during our lunch that part of how she is able to stay so organized is by creating many to do lists, keeping detailed records of her finances and other such important things. I have always tried my best to be as organized as possible, but I know I have great room for improvement - great room.

Talking with my friend is like spending time with the walking talking version of the next success story. I know that she is making great things happen for her life. Just knowing she considers me one of her closest friends is something I can’t help but feel proud of. A lady who is that put together, who is that amazing; there is not one thing negative anyone who knows her can say about her; a lady like this thinks that I am amazing. I know, I am blessed beyond words. If I never had another friend in the world, I know I am beyond blessed to have her as a true one.

One of my favorite quotes: “It is not quantity, it is quality.”

Now, I just need to get started on my lists…5am in the morning…that might be another story…LOL.

Best wishes to all!!

by: Liane Schmidt

When all else fails. When you feel you have nothing else. You have hope. You have always had hope. You can do anything, you can carry on when it feels like everything you have ever wanted is so far away. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how faint or brilliant it is for you, it is always there. In the toughest of times, do not forget this. Always remember this.

With life, with everything, I risk everything. Give all of me in any given moment and at times this can leave my heart aching with hope, with hurt, with disappointment, with indescribable joy. I do this because I know if I give all of me, then and only then, am I truly living. Being me completely I will never have regrets. And, I do this because I don’t know how to live any other way.

This way of living, however, does make for some incredibly painful and trying times. But, I also know that the greater pain one has felt the deeper levels of joy they can experience as well. There have been moments in my life where the joy I have felt is truly beyond anything words could ever describe. And, ironically, this has often occurred when I am going through the toughest times in my life. I believe this is because, there truly is a fine line between pain and pleasure. It is painful sometimes to receive a deep tissue massage, but it can also be one of the most healing, blissful experiences.

Today, I need to remember the ache in my heart is there for a reason and that people will come and go in my life, but love, true love in friendships, relationships, in your career, etc. will remain, will stay a part of your life forever, because that is real and that is, in the end, what will always, always truly matter above all else.

Hold tight to hope. Hold onto it with everything in your heart.

Take care of yourselves, for always.

by: Liane Schmidt

We all have dreams and goals. Things we aspire to do, to be better at, or to create. In order to achieve these goals it is important to do certain things to make sure they are brought to fruition. Some of these follow:

1. Write down your goals. According to the statistics people are much more likely to not only follow through with goals, but actually enjoy more success from the results of their goals when they write them down.

2. Talk, talk, talk about them! It is important to talk about the things you want in life. The more you talk about them, the more they crystalize and become the focus of your daily tasks. Talking about them helps you refine your goals and pinpoint them.

3. Talk to people who are supportive of your goals. It is important though to talk to people who are supportive of your goals. These people can help boost your confidence, give you wise advice or helpful tips from their own experiences.

4. Plan the steps you need to take to achieve your goals. Along with writing down and talking about your goals and dreams, it is important to write down/talk about all the necessary steps that need to be taken in order to reach them. This will give you an idea of what you need to do first and potentially how long it might take to accomplish these steps.

5. Make deadlines. According to Brian Tracy, self-made millionaire, people who make deadlines for their goals increase the likelihood of their success tenfold. It is important to have goals, but if you do not set a time frame many people can often find themselves putting off working on the necessary steps until another day. Do not let this happen to you. Give yourself guidelines and stick to them. Commit to your dreams and yourself.

These are just a few things that will help you continue to achieve your goals. Everything you have ever dreamed of is possible. Your dreams can and will come true!

Best wishes to all!

by: Liane Schmidt

The more I learn everyday, the more the same things that have always held the deepest value for me still ring true, and that is all fundamentally based on simplicity. When I simplify my life, when I worry less, when I focus more on the most important aspects of my life, I experience a greater sense of peace and well-being. The value of everything I already have in my life increases. I realize that everything I am searching for externally can be found within me; if I just take some time to sit back and reflect on the beauty that is already a part of my life.

For example, when I am out rollerblading at the beach, if I have worries on my mind all I have to do is look up and see a child pedaling with all his might down the bike trail, eyes bright, cheeks flushed with excitement while his little sister watches him on her new bright pink bicycle with shiny tassels that flow from her handle bars and sparkle in the sun. Their focus is on the moment, their joy infectious. It inspires me and I blade faster, freer and I learn from them.

But, of course, we cannot always live for the moment. If we did this we would forget about the practical aspects in life and experience the repercussions that living in the moment can often make us learn the hard way.

Thus, to reach our goals, we must find a balance in life.

We must remember that we need such simple moments in life to nourish our spirits and well-being. The moment I stop to watch the sunrays dance along the ocean waves or the sunset fall beneath the horizon to end another day, beauty fills my soul and nothing else matters; how can it when I am witnessing priceless, breathtaking beauty?

But then I also know that I must take the time to really think about what steps I need to take to ensure the success of my dreams. The simple moments refresh my soul so that I am able to dive into my plans with greater energy and focus which in turn gives me a greater sense of pride, self-confidence and quality of life.

So take care, keep your spirits and dreams nourished.

The days in your life, the simple moments, all of it, defines your life.

by: Liane Schmidt

To achieve your goals, you must do something every single day that will lead you in the direction of your goals. This does not necessarily have to be something extraordinary, but it has to be something.

Whether you take five minutes in your day to just reflect upon your goals or you take most of the day, it is up to you how much time you are willing to put into the planning and work it takes to make your dreams come true. This will determine the ultimate outcome.

You can dream big, but if you don’t work hard, your visions will always remain dreams. If your dreams entail a smaller picture, well that’s a different story, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Your happiness in life is key. It is what is always most important. It will determine the joy and greatness you enjoy in all aspects of your life.

Do not sell yourself short. Do not underestimate your value and worth. You deserve all the things you dream of, completely and entirely.

You do of course need time to relax and think of other things in live. But it is important to keep your dreams in the forefront of your mind. This will help to ensure that you do not lose sight or forget about them in the busy rush of life. Like a friend you need to keep up to date with your dreams or they will slowly fade away until you no longer know them at all.

Do not let this happen to you. Your dreams are far too important. They are everything to you. Give them the attention and focus they deserve; that you deserve.

You can do anything you truly want to do. Make your dreams come true.

by: Liane Schmidt

We have all made choices that in the moment we just felt we had to make. Something inside us propelled us to make the decision at the time. Maybe in retrospect we regret the choice; if only we had taken more time to think about it. If only we had listened to such and such or had taken a night to sleep on it. But, I truly believe that we make these choices for a reason. We are trusting that voice inside us that is telling us to do what we need the most at any given moment. And by following this intuitive voice, the choices we end up making act to guide us to where we ultimately want to be in life or where we ultimately believe we deserve to be.

But this is definitely debatable. After all, does the drug user who can’t hold off taking one more hit, who feels an uncontrollable urge to keep using; is he making a choice that will lead to what he wants or needs? Ironically, yes. In the moment for him, maybe the pain he is feeling far outweighs the high he gains. Maybe he is self-medicating himself when he feels he has no other avenue to turn to. But this will only soothe him for the length of his high. In the long run, his intuition knows, deep down inside that such a habit will be the end of him continuing to make his truest dreams seem like impossible far off mirages. And, deep down inside, he knows he needs something else, something that will be better for him, but for some reason he has just not figured out what that is yet.

Everyday, I make decisions that I think about and wonder why I’ve made them. I know there is much that I still need to learn about myself and others. I know. But, I do believe in the long run I had to make the decisions I made to learn, to grow, and understand why I have to make new decisions.

I know that the more I learn, the more I realize how very important the “big picture” is. Yes, instant gratification rewards feel great in the moment, alleviate whatever trouble one was feeling at the time, but more often than naught they leave a person feeling worse than before. A quick shopping spree when you don’t have the money, a hangover that leaves you a few benjamins short of last week’s rent and adds to that beer belly you keep saying you will get rid of tomorrow are reasons enough to stop and take a moment to rethink these sort of “in the moment” decisions.

You don’t have to let these things happen to you. If you are having a bad day or are going through an exceptionally rough time in your life, you can make different choices. Talk to people who are leading a life you admire. Find out how they get through the rough times. Learn things from them that in your heart you know are best for you. If you have pain, anger and hurt, go to the gym and take a boxing class! If you want to lose weight quit talking about it and put down the doritos. Yes, I know they just somehow always end up in your shopping cart…but who’s hand put them there?

Take responsibility for all your actions. Know that you made the choice. But, this is empowering knowledge! You have the control to make all the choices in your life. You and you alone.

And, if you want your dreams to come true, then it’s up to you to make the right decisions. It’s up to you. You can have the life you have always wanted.

It’s up to you.

My best wishes to all.

by: Liane Schmidt

Every day, every morning is a new beginning; a new chance to start again. People often look at the beginning of a new year in such light, but why not every morning? Doesn’t that seem ever more freeing? Or why stop there? Why not “a new beginning” as many times throughout the day as you want?

Life, society and other such factors often dictate to us what life should be, how we should be living it and reminders when we are not “on track” with everyone else. These can be helpful motivating tools, but they can also be restricting, limiting crutches. And, at the end of the day, who really wants to be like everyone else anyhow? Commonality can be comforting, but it can also make one feel like a nameless face in the crowd. No, we are infinitely unique. Each and every one of us. This is why every single moment we live and breathe is precious.

I am a firm believer that when we were children we had “new beginnings” more times in a day than some people end up having from adulthood until the end of their lives. Children get in fights, get hurt and then apologize right away and get on with playing and enjoying their day. They don’t waste time, they know how much they love whatever they are doing and they don’t want to be held down with needless grudges or other such limiting actions. They are genuine in their apologies, in their feelings and their hearts remain unfettered. Their heroes are still fireman, police officers, presidents, etc. Their hopes are idealistic and they still believe in the unending good of mankind.

While some people have been able to retain this hopeful idealism into adulthood, many have lost faith and hope along the way - and with good reason. If you had more than one person lie, cheat, or steal from you - the wise person learns to not trust as quickly, not allow themselves to be so openly vulnerable to the random passerby who could turn out to be their best friend or worst enemy. If you have touched fire once and it burned you, you will no longer touch it. You learn to steer clear of it.

While this seems to be the smartest choice, fire also has its infinite benefits. We need it for cooking, it can keep us warm at night, and so many other life enhancing uses. Though it can hurt us, it can also make our lives better, we just had to learn how it could hurt us and figure out how to prevent that from happening again. We just needed to be careful, keep our eyes open, learn from it and then we could successfully enjoy it as a part our lives again.

In this same vein, there will always be moments in life that will hurt. People do things all the time that they don’t mean to do. A busy day, feeling stressed by a recent break up, a family illness and suddenly you find that they are “stepping on your toes”. They become shorter in conversations, they seem to withdraw and you assume they are angry with you or whatever the case is. These things can feel hurtful, they can feel undeservered, but they do happen; even by our best of friends and family members. But these same people can be there when no one else is, when we need someone there by our side more than anything in the world. These people can become the most important parts of our lives.

I will never stop believing that people do not mean to hurt others intentionally, but there must always be a line that we draw for ourselves. Of course in life, there will always be the risk of getting hurt. Accidents do happen, people do have bad moments, but in the overall picture you know when something just becomes too much. You know when you deserve better. You know when someone just can’t seem to treat you right because they can’t seem to treat themselves good enough. It is not your fault. It is not their fault. People are at different stages in their lives for a reason. All you can do is give everything; give your whole heart and soul and then see what happens. And, when you give all of yourself, you will be surprised to find that you will end up with everything you’ve ever needed and wanted.

Like energy attracts like energy. It’s that simple.

So, allow yourself to learn more everyday. Allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. Let them come to you naturally. But also know that you must participate in life to get what you want. The career of your dreams is great to think about, but if you don’t take the necessary steps to make it happen, it will always just be a dream.

“The only limitations in life are those we place on ourselves.”

Right now - this moment is your “new beginning” - take it. You can have everything your heart has ever dreamed of.

by: Liane Schmidt

I believe there is an intrinsic value in watching television. I watch it often. Though some may disagree arguing that it is a complete waste of time and nothing but garbage is televised, I believe that there is value in “watching” another person doing something you want to do. We are social beings after all and from infants we have learned to “do” by observing behavior and then imitating it. This learning process does not stop as we grow older. In fact, oftentimes it multiplies when we see all that is “out there” in the world; all that we can potentially be participating in! It can be inspiring; it can be exciting! Watching another person can be a means to show you that a particular pursuit is possible, that if he/she can do it, so can you! And, these are all great, rewarding benefits!

But, with any pastime, “too much of a good thing” can often have its drawbacks.

I have often heard people talk about being “addicted” to a particular television program (or programs). They need to watch it every week, every day, etc. For a program or two here and there, that’s fine, but concern comes into play when this weekly or daily habit suddenly becomes one’s biggest activity.

I grew up in a family that watched the television religiously; it was one of the biggest pastimes. Am I blaming them for my continued “habit” and the times that I find myself watching more t.v. than I was planning on doing so? No, I do not want to do that, but I am realizing that this is why I used to watch more t.v. than, I watch now.

I guess I bring this topic up because I cannot count the number of times that I have witnessed or walked around my apartment complex at night and have noticed the familiar blue glow of television screens illuminating white walled apartments. I have seen the vacant, zoned out look that transfixes these audiences and I can’t help but wonder: what if all these people were actually “doing” something rather than “watching” someone else doing something?

The bottom line is: though there can be great value from watching t.v., the television can become a way to escape from the world and it can make you forget about living your life. It is addicting. Marketing geniuses specialize in making commercials and programs as entertaining as possible by changing images quickly, making them slow-mo, and other such skilled techniques that literally hypnotize you into watching their ad, etc. They study what keeps people’s attention. They are masters of grabbing your attention away from whatever you were doing or thinking about doing.

But, your time is more valuable than their products. Your mind is stronger than their craft. Do not let them successfully tell you their product is more valuable than your time, dreams, goals, and desires.

Do not let anyone do this to you.

Your dreams, your goals, your hopes are far too important to ever let anything or anyone compromise them, ever.

Take care and keep working, enjoy what you want to enjoy. You know when something becomes excessive and detrimental. You know what’s best for you.

All my best, do not worry, all your dreams are coming true.