Mom 85th Birthday and 85 Years of Wisdom
Come listen in for my mom’s 85th birthday as she shares some of her 85 years of wisdom…
Here’s Mom’s Basic Rules for Living 85 Years of Health, Happiness and Harmony
- Let yourself be a little funky at times.
- Allow yourself to be loved and cherished.
- Eat healthy and good (Thai) food.
- Be extraordinary and humble.
- Be grateful and thankful.
- Exercise daily.
- Dance…sometimes in the privacy of yourself so you can “kick up your heals.”
- Take vitamins to add to health.
- Walk every day (mostly).
- Have positive thoughts.
- Practice patience and perseverance with difficult (and sometimes grumpy) people.
- Have a good sense of humor.
- Yield to resistance.
- Respect privacy…have boundaries.
- Honor your relationships.
So…got a comment? Leave it below!
Why Marry YourSelf First! Because my mom said so!
Relationship Counselor Ken Donaldson: You, Me and the Space Between We
“Man is a knot into which relationships are tied.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
How much weight do your relationships have on your life? How about “mucho-mucho”!
However, relationships are very challenging for most people. Here’s the evidence:
As you know, about 50% of first time marriages end in divorce.
You may not know that second timers have a 60% divorce rate and third timers have a 70% divorce rate.
(FYI: Getting a different partner does not seem to be the solution).
Additionally, one in three women will be physically abused by a partner at some point in her life. That is a very conservative number as most abuse is never reported.
So, obviously, the “We” part of this equation is lacking something.
Let’s also look at the “You” and “Me” parts as well:
About 10% of our population meets the criteria for alcoholism.
Another 10% is drug addicted.
Also, about 10% are clinically depressed.
Another 10% meet the clinical criteria for an anxiety disorder.
So let’s stop right there for a moment…good time to take a deep breath in…and a deep breath out.
What does this all say? Simple: Not only do we not know what to give to our relationships to help them flourish and grow, we don’t even know what to give to ourselves!
To say that we have a lack of coping skills would be an exaggerated understatement.
We have a serious problem is what we have!
And here’s even worse news: Our politicians in Washington are not going to fix this for us.
Therefore, it’s up to us…each and every one of us!
Think about this for a moment: Imagine there was a number of TV shows that were designed to create dramatic change in our country. Imagine that was the only purpose of these shows…only to create dramatic change.
Every week there would be a focus on something new to change. Something positive that would help individuals and families. And every week there would be a challenge to the viewers: See how much positive change you can create this week. People who create massive positive change would be featured.
But wait…there’s more!
Imagine that we integrated into our school system, first and foremost, curriculum that was specifically designed to help students improve the following:
• Stress Management Skills
• Assertiveness
• Boundary Setting
• Self-Esteem Building
• Team Building
• Relationship Skills
Whoa! What would happen if this was the primary focus of school and THEN we worked on reading, writing and arithmetic?
Yes, imagine what this would do to the previously mentioned divorce, addiction and mental health numbers.
Yes…imagine!
But know this: Everything that has ever been created or invented started in the imagination.
Every idea went from imagination to possibility, and then to a burning desire to create it, followed by a magnificent obsession to make sure it happened.
So here’s the question to YOU: What will YOU do to make this happen?
Until the media shows up with such a series of shows and until the education system transforms its learning styles, it’s up to you and me to make these changes.
What will you do today to help transform You, Me and the Space Between We?
Want more life balance? Then upgrade your relationship skills. Then, go do something yourself to help change things for the positive…that’ll give your life more balance too!
“Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.” ~Emily Kimbrough
Marry YourSelf First Today!
And Feel Free To Leave A Comment…Or Two!
2010 Vision Map Workshop at Yoga Village
Join us for the 2010 Vision Map Workshop at Yoga Village.
Click here to go directly to their website to register.
Today: Marry YourSelf First!
Top 20 Benefits of Creating a Vision Map
Want more passion, power, purpose and peace in your life?
Then make yourself a Vision Map…better, yet, join me for the next Vision Map workshop…scroll down for more information.
1.) Your Vision Map will better define your life purpose.
2.) Your Vision Map will keep you better aligned with your values.
3.) Your Vision Map will reinforce your boundaries.
4.) Your Vision Map will guide you to happier and healthier relationships.
5.) Your Vision Map will give your career a boost…and maybe the change it’s needed.
6.) Your Vision Map will add more balance to your life.
7.) Your Vision Map will help you stay more focused on your goals.
8.) Your Vision Map will help to make your priorities more clear.
9.) Your Vision Map will get you better tuned in to your spirituality.
10.) Your Vision Map will empower you.
11.) Your Vision Map will help you pick better friends.
12.) Your Vision Map will enhance your health.
13.) Your Vision Map will get you more connected with your creativity.
14.) Your Vision Map will help you get more fun in your life.
15.) Your Vision Map is a great stress management tool.
16.) Your Vision Map will remind you of your greatness.
17.) Your Vision Map will give you a daily affirmation.
18.) Your Vision Map will help you stay focused on your future (instead of your past).
19.) Your Vision Map will help you embrace positive changes in your life.
20.) Your Vision Map will give you the vision you need to get to where you truly deserve – and desire – to be in life.
Click here for the official page of the next 201o Vision Map workshop at Yoga Village in Clearwater.
And Marry YourSelf First!
Ken Donaldson: D.W. Waters Graduating Class and I Dare You…Too!
Ken Donaldson Keynote at D.W. Waters Graduation
I had the privilege and honor on this past Thursday evening of delivering the graduation keynote for the D.W. Waters class of 2010.
Just to give you a little insight, D.W. Waters’ motto is “It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish that counts!”
No big deal, right?
Wrong!
This is a WAY special class…check out their enrollment criteria:
• At least 16 years of age
• At least one year behind in school
• No record of severe discipline problems
• Wants to focus on a chosen Career Cluster at DWWCC (D. W. Waters Career Center)
• Willing to commit to workplace training (OJT)
These are the students who make “high risk” look like every day living. For whatever reason (pregnancy, emotional and/or learning challenges, abuse, etc.), these courageous young people chose to continue on.
Most of them were so far behind that they couldn’t even imagine catching up, much less graduating.
And it would have been easier to quit!
A group of about 12 students sang the musical selection for the ceremony, I Believe I Can Fly. A perfect song for the students, the school and the event.
Here are the lyrics in case you’re not familiar with song:
“I Believe I Can Fly”
~R. KELLY
I used to think that I could not go on
And life was nothing but an awful song
But now I know the meaning of true love
I’m leaning on the everlasting arms
If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me, oh
If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
Hey, cause I believe in me, oh
If I can see it, then I can do it
If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it
I believe I can fly
I believe I can touch the sky
I think about it every night and day
Spread my wings and fly away
I believe I can soar
I see me running through that open door
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
I believe I can fly
Hey, if I just spread my wings
I can fly
I can fly
I can fly, hey
If I just spread my wings
I can fly
Fly-eye-eye
Anyway, I thought long and hard about what to say to them.
So I decided to dare them…yes, I simply dared them…
I dared them to find and be the greatness that they truly are.
I dared them to find their unique purpose and live it every day in every way.
I dared them to find their own personal soul food and to continually, without fail, feed their spirit.
I dare them to figure out, set and maintain the boundaries that will empower them, to say a resounding “Yes” to all they do want, need and desire, and say a resonant “No” to all they will not tolerate.
I dared them to realize that the world needs them today more than ever, and the answers to the world’s problems will not come from Washington or Hollywood, but rather, from each and every one of them.
I dared them to surround themselves with the people who love them, accept them and encourage them, and to step away from those who don’t.
I dared them to tell themselves, time and time again, that they are deserving, gifted and of great value, and to say that to themselves as their powerful and affirming mantra.
I dared them to realize that life is full of unexpected challenges (I mentioned this as a very young child in the audience began to express herself in a very assertive way!) and one of the greatest gifts we can all give to ourselves is the gift of humor, which allows us to be flexible and fluid as we navigate down the river of life.
I dared them to remind that person in the mirror of their greatness, their importance, their value and their purpose, time and time and time again.
Yes, I simply dared them to be great.
Them, their parents, their friends, the teachers, and everyone else who was there on Thursday…I dared them all.
But the greatest dare I addressed was the dare to myself…to live what I said; to practice what I preached; to be the model of the dare.
What about you…have you dared yourself lately?
I dare you…
PS I hope to have a video of the whole presentation soon…I think it’ll worth watching…stay tuned!
Ken at D.W. Waters with another Marry YourSelf First fan!
Marry YourSelf First!
Feel free to leave a comment or two…
Marry YourSelf First! Audio
Marry YourSelf First is now available on audio! Click here to learn more
Visit me at The Tampa Bay Examiner
Find me on:
