HAPPY EARTH DAY

Earth Day was created to inspire awareness and appreciation for Mother Earth and our environment. You can celebrate this day in many ways such as helping to clean up the environment in your neighborhood. You can also learn how you can create an eco-friendly home, neighborhood and backyard. Discover the natural beauty in nature; be a steward in an area that you are passionate about to heal planet earth. Re-cycle, reduce using harsh chemicals in our home, wash your car at your local car wash, so the chemicals go down the proper system, seek out organic solutions in your home and garden and learn how you can protect our wildlife.

John McConnell first introduced "Earth Day" at a UNESCO Conference on the Environment in 1969. This holiday goes beyond borders and is celebrated world wide. We only have one planet earth and if each one us makes little changes each day, we can make a difference. So, let's say 'yes' to looking after our planet and take positive action to create an environmental sustainability world.



In celebration of Earth Day I wanted to share a beautiful personal story. A few weeks back I experienced a beautiful view from our deck. I just put on a pot to brew my morning coffee and I took a moment to look at which birds were at our bird feeder, where the squirrels were feeding furiously today and then I looked into the woods and trees behind our home. We usually see chickadee's around our home and I know they are reminders for us to be cheerful and express ourselves truthfully.

When I got my binoculars out to get a clearer vision in the trees, I was in for this beautiful gift! First I saw the male red cardinal with his beautiful red chest and then I couldn't believe my eyes, as I looked closer into the trees. There were 40 to 50 female cardinals quietly sitting on the branches in the trees.

In Ted Andrew's book "Animal Speak" a favorite of mine, he states that the cardinal is a reminder for us to take time to renew our own vitality through recognizing our self-importance and the roles we play each day. Awaken your intuitive ability and begin to create space each day, to quiet the constant chatter of our egos and go within. Pay attention to your environment, your thoughts and all that shows up in your life. We are often so busy in our lives that we don't see, feel and sense the beauty around us. So, stop and take a moment to celebrate Earth Day and smell the roses.

Live the Passion! Passion for Water, Land, Wildlife and Planet Earth

I HAVE A DREAM

I'm sure you have all heard of the amazing charity worker Susan Boyle's appearance on the television program 'Britain's Got Talent', in London this week. This e-mail was forwarded to me and I watched the you-tube of Susan performing before I started my day in my home office. I smiled, I cried, I was thrilled for Susan, the judges and the audience. I loved watching and listening to her sing "I have a dream" from my favorite play "Les Miserables."

I knew right there and then, that I was going to write a blog about Susan and share her story about following your dream and making it a reality. This 47 year young Scottish charity volunteer became an international media sensation over night after her beautiful, talented, amazing, brilliant talent show performance. This week alone, she has been watched by 20.2 million people on the internet and the numbers are continuing to rise. She has already been written about, interviewed on shows and Susan will be interviewed on Oprah next week! She has a beautiful innocence and charm about her, along with being quite funny and cheeky, as the British would say! When she was asked what her next song would be on "Britain's Got Talent', she responded by saying "watch the show and find out!"

Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009


Susan reminds each one of us to follow our passions and live our dreams.

I just watched a fantastic movie called "Yes Man" with Jim Carrey playing the main character Carl. It is a wonderful metaphor on how we can dramatically change our lives by using one simple word in our vocabulary and say "YES" to life! Carl is post-divorced, bored with life, in a dead-end job and he has lost the zest for life. He bumps into an old friend who talks to him about a special meeting that would be great for Carl to attend and it just so happens to turn Carl's life around 180 degrees! This clear and powerful message is about each one of us opening up to life's possibilities. Life is full of unlimited possibilities and opportunities and when you choose "YES" to living life to the fullest, amazing transformation can happen.

Jim Carrey even did all of his stunts in this movie and said YES to the experience. He has always had this way of being, and perceiving the world, and even at the young age of 10, he contacted the Carol Burnett Show with the "Yes" thinking of possibly being on her show. He was already quite talented and could do 150 impressions at this age and he saw the world as his oyster! Jim received a letter from the show and they wished him all the best. They told him that they booked their talent through an agency for appearances on the show. Some people might of been disappointed and felt rejected, not Jim! He was thrilled that he even received a letter back from Hollywood and knew that one day he would live his dreams.

This brings me back to Susan's "I Have a Dream." I felt that Jim Carrey in real life, his character Carl, and Susan Boyle in her real life, share the same meaning, so say YES to life and follow your passions and live your dreams.



My challenge to you is to create a "Say Yes to Life" journal and start writing down your dreams now. Start visualizing the things you want to accomplish in your life and the places you want to travel, people you want to me and so on! This list will create a touch stone for you to start challenging yourself, expand yourself and step (no go ahead and jump in with two feet!) into the world of unlimited possibilities and live your life to your full potential and greatness. You can move through your list weekly or monthly, or just go with the flow. One of my "Say yes to Life" events on my list is to walk along the Wall of China. This will happen in the future at the perfect date and time and then I will check this off. The list will continually grow as you expand and explore new areas that you want to say Yes to. Have fun and know that life is definitely a journey and not a destination.

YES TO LIVING THE PASSION