Archive for the ‘Thought of the day.’ Category
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..
Monday, August 9th, 2010It seems that today, everyone is worried about something. At the top of the list is, of course, the economy and how much money has been “lost” (real or on paper). Worrying about this or wasting a whole day to “weeping and gnashing of teeth” will not change things. It is simply a waste of time and energy. Put your time into coming up with a plan to respond to whatever adversity has come your way. The solutions may be dramatic. The solutions may completely alter the plan you envisioned for the rest of your life. In the end, you might find that it wasn’t such a great plan anyway. Often the “best of times” are waiting after changing course to respond to adversity.
Your attitude has everything to do with how well you will survive whatever is challenging you. Charles Dickens wrote back in 1859:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…….”
What will you choose: light or darkness, hope or despair, everything or nothing?
The Dalai Lama tells us in his book, Ethics for the new Millennium, if we can reorient our thoughts and emotions and reorder our behavior, not only can we learn to cope with suffering more easily, but we can prevent a great deal of it from arising in the first place. He says “we cannot always change our external situation to suit us, but we can change our attitude”.
So how can you make the mental shift outside of the usual advice “get enough rest, eat well, exercise, don’t drink too much, stop smoking etc. “? Here are some thoughts that may help you to stay positive as you face your challenges:
-Look around and see what is right with the world.
-Be as present in the moment as you can be.
-Don’t dwell on what you can’t change.
-Listen to upbeat music.
-Sit down and write 10 positive statements about your life.
-Meditate and pray often.
-Forgive.
-Change the scale. If you are 55 living with regret over things you did or did not do with your life, fast-forward and imagine yourself at 80 wishing for another 25 years of opportunity!
More thoughts from H.D. Thoreau-”What I lived for…”
Friday, August 6th, 2010What I lived for……. “I went into the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could learn what it had to teach and not, when I can to die, discover that I had not lived……Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito’s wing that falls on the rails….Stay the course and know that one day, we will all look back on these times with great fondness because of what we learned about life and ourselves!”
Always Give Your Best
Friday, July 16th, 2010Here is a great story about work and careers I know will get you thinking……..
“One of Michelangelo’s greatest masterpieces was his sculpture of David. He worked on it with such passion that he often slept in his clothes, resenting the time it took to take them off and put them on again. He made hundreds of sketches of possible attitudes and detailed drawings from models. He tested his ideas over and over in wax on a small scale and only when he was satisfied did he pick up his chisel. He approached the painting of the Sistine Chapel with the same intensity. For four years he literally sweated in physical distress but look at what he produced!
Martin Luther King said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper he should sweep the streets as Michelangelo painted. He should sweep the streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, “Here lived a great sweeper who did his job well.’
If you are not passionate about what you do, find something you can be passionate about! Don’t strive to make money, strive to make a difference. Significance should be your goal, not survival.”
What talents are you burying inside because of your age?
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010I find it amazing that people have such incredible talents that are discovered later in life.
A friend of mine recently shared her watercolor paintings that were just beautiful! She decided to try her hand at painting after years of retirement. Her unbelievable talent was always there but she didn’t have the time or opportunity to find it during her demanding corporate career. Another friend became an accomplished equestrian in his 40’s; another an author.
Even I tried something I hadn’t in my younger years: SONG WRITING! Here are the lyrics to my song, “Abbott Avenue”
No longer twenty, now lines framed our faces
We were living the American dream…………
Babies were born and commitments created
We were part of society’s team.
But in order to win here we gave up ourselves
Our spirit, freedom and our souls……………
We worked oh so hard but neglected our dreams
We were damned to live by the rules.
Desperately looking for answers and hope
Not knowing which road to pursue
We were drawn to each other by luck or by fate
To the corner of Abbott Avenue.
The sun danced on the water like bright shiny gems
And we sat with the wind in our hair…………..
The ocean kept pace with the rhythm of life
And for once we did not have a care.
We raised up our glasses and toasted the moment
To let go of those times gone by………………….
Then our feelings returned and our senses awakened
By the stars that fell from the sky.
Desperately looking for answers and hope
Not knowing which road to pursue
We were drawn to each other by luck or by fate
To the corner of Abbott Avenue.
We laughed till we cried
And the music we played showed our age……
In the morning our hearts were still light
But the neighbors a little outraged!
We left there to sadly return to our worlds
But we found something once that was lost….
The freedom of spirit, the freedom of soul
Damn the rules and meet the new boss!
Desperately looking for answers and hope
Not knowing which road to pursue
We were drawn to each other by luck or by fate
To the corner of Abbott Avenue.
Ask yourself if there are talents that you are burying because of your age. Is there something that you have always had a longing to do but now feel it’s too late to try? The longing exists for a reason. It is your creative side calling out, asking you to bring your talents to the light.
So today, try something new. Who knows, maybe you will surprise yourself!
Warmly,
Ellen Banks
How do you view time?
Monday, March 22nd, 2010Time. What is it really? The clock, the calendar, the schedules, the routines? NO!!!! It’s your life! Yesterday, I realized how fast my life is progressing and how I didn’t even realize how quickly it is passing by.
Fifteen years ago, I remember vividly how I cried when I put my daughter Hannah on the bus for her first day of kindergarten. She had on a cute little green plaid dress and proudly carried her back pack. She rushed up the steps with great excitement and turned to smile at me, acknowledging that her life in the world was beginning.
Yesterday, I took this same daughter to the bus so she could return to college in NYC. There she stood with her suitcase and cell phone while I watched from the car. She flashed the same beautiful smile and boarded the bus to continue making her way in the world.
Today I realized that there were so many moments in between that were rushed through because of time. We are so busy chasing the clock, the schedules, the routines that we are rarely present to enjoy the wonderful moments and blessings in our lives. How many times have your said “not now” or “I can’t” because of how you perceive time and are managesd by a clock? Think about the disappointment this may have caused your children or friends. Often wonderful memories could have been made if we lived more in the present rather than trying to ride the next minute. In the end, it will be those missed opportunities that we will regret. We won’t remember all the things we “had to do” but will regret those things that we “should have” done.
It is truly scary how fast life progresses but maybe it will slow down a bit if we fill the minutes “being present” and with what will make us smile on the day our time runs out.
Warmly,
Ellen Banks
20 “Must Read” Personal Transformation Tips!
Friday, September 18th, 2009Family! How fortunate am I to have a step-daughter who has been in my life for soooooo long that I can’t remember my life without her. She is such a special person; one of those people who is always there when you need them. Not only that, she is full of great insights. I wanted to share what she recently sent to my daughter for her 20th birthday. Here are 20 good thoughts for all ages. If you can achieve half of these goals you will be living a very full life. Enjoy!
1) I hope you really laugh
2) I hope you smile from inside
3) May you always want to help another
4) May your soul be satisfied with what your eyes show you
5) Struggle for love, not money
6) May you always be able to appreciate
7) May you feel enough sunshine not to mind rain
8) May you have talent
9) May you learn from a challenge
10) May you believe in yourself
11) May you have trust
12) May you find a true bargain
13) May you hug and mean it!
14) May you know and show compassion
15) May you be necessary to someone
16) May you have high expectations of yourself
17) May you not feel alone too long
18) May you learn mercy
19) May you continue to shine
20) May your dreams and ambitions not be strangers to you!!!!!!!!!!
I wish you all much success on your personal transformation journey!
Warmly,
Ellen Banks
If your life ended today, what would your memorial service look like? An important question to ask yourself!
Monday, August 10th, 2009This is actually one of the most important questions you can ask yourself. Game over, end of the road, no more “do overs”, no more second chances, no more tomorrows to fix today.
So, who will gather to honor your life? How will you be remembered? How will they describe your life and your contributions to theirs?
This whole idea came to me after attending a memorial service for the husband of my friend. He passed away suddenly while doing what he loved-playing golf. While his death was very tragic, what we learned at the service was that his life was one of incredible accomplishments at every level.
When his professional accomplishments were remembered, they brought most of the successful people in the room to their knees! His success was the direct result of hard work, discipline and a passion for life. He was remembered fondly by his lifelong friends and workers as tough, fair and someone you would always want on your team.
But even more important than his professional success was how he impacted people on a personal level. There we over 300 people at the service and everyone could tell a “story” about this man that would bring a smile to your face. His children, grandchildren, wife and friends had incredibly funny, heartfelt stories that described a person who clearly lived every minute of his life to the fullest.
So ask yourself today, before you reach the end of the road, how will you be remembered? Will your children say you were the best parent you could be? Will your friends recount the importance of you in their lives? Will you be remembered for your integrity, kindness, courage, smile? Would you fill a room with people who loved you and will truly miss you?
If not, remember it is never too late to make things right-it is never too late to change.
Good luck on your journey!
Warmly,
Ellen Banks
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
I ask you: Why are tees designed for others to read? Does it matter what they see on you or what you see in yourself?
Can you imagine being able to read a powerful message everytime you face yourself in the mirror? Instantly, your mindset is brought back to focus on your goals…..focus on your strength….focus on what you WILL accomplish!
Now more than ever people need a simple way to stay positive and focused through these difficult times. With a Transformation Tee, you don’t have to attend a lecture, listen to tapes, read books etc. You simply put it on and everytime you face yourself in the mirror you will be reminded of what you can accomplish when you “reflect your power!”
I know that when you get your personal Transformation Tee, you will love the soft feel of the 100% Pima Cotton and will be in love with the magic of the powerful reverse designs.
Order today and get 15% off your order when you enter the code “transformation” at check-out.
I would love to hear from you about how these messages have supported you on your personal transformation journey! Write to me today at ellen@reflectyourpower.com.
Good luck on your journey!!!!!
Warmly,
Ellen Banks
Sometimes those annoying “forward now” e-mails come just when you need them.
Wednesday, July 8th, 2009
Most of the time, I don’t read all of the “forward this e-mail to a million people or you will contract malaria in the next 5 minutes” notes that clog up our in-boxes. I have a hard time believing that my decision “to send or not to send” could somehow affect my life’s plan and destiny. I especially love the ones I get all the time from someone claiming to be a banker in Europe and they need my help to distribute a billion dollars. Or the fake alerts that ask for all of your personal information so they can fix your bank accounts. But I guess, as P.T. Barnum said, ”you can fool some of the people all of the time…..” or something like that.
Yet every so often, I see one that is good, and comes along when I need that specific inspiration. Here is one I got today that hit home with me:
There comes a point in your life when you realize:
Who matters, Who never did, Who won’t anymore and Who always will….
So don’t worry about people from your past, there’s a reason why they didn’t make it to your future.
Are there people in your life that really should not have made it to your future? Something to think about…….
Warmly,
Ellen Banks