Hello and Thanks for your visit. I have some news today that after my (February 28 post) I'll be taking a break for awhile. After 13 years, 2 Books and over 750 posts I want to Thank Everyone for your visits & shares that helped us send Wellness around the World. You can still view all past posts in the archives and I'll pop in occasionally to say Hi. Have a great Spring & Summer ahead and keep Moving Forward with kindness, compassion and Peace. Thank you and Take Care.
We all go through feelings of loss, depression, loneliness at various times in our lives.
What we do with those feelings is up to us.
Have a look at this video and her story.
Dr. Edith Eva Eger
Holocaust Survivor.
Dona Anderson
I don't know how she had her tremendous strength to go through what she did and then go into a profession helping others to heal from their loss and traumas.
As an older person now I've lost grandparents, parents, aunts & uncles, friends, and many pets.
As I think of what to write my eyes are full of tears.
We don't get through life with a free pass to not have those losses.
She had so much to endure from a young age and thankfully she found ways to cope and shield herself from the many dark places that could have taken her in an opposite direction.
I've gotten to experience the many gifts of being part of a family, having a mix of friends from different times and places and hear their stories to tell.
Our differences can often be opportunities for
learning and sharing..
Our time here on earth is not known,
lets not waste it.
PS. there are many great comments on You tube for her books as well.
Thanks for your visit.
New posts every Tuesday and lots in the archives that you can visit, save & share.
We're living in very stressful times and our list may be longer than usual so give yourself a break, phone a friend, rest often, eat good foods, go for a walk or sit outside, and take a few extra breaths.
By now You know I often share a music video I find that'sAmazing.
This one has it all.
Spectacular Performance
Beautiful location
Incredible Musicians
From start to finish
It wasn't only my eyes that shed a tear - check out the reviews from others over the years.
Their stories of watching the movie and listening to the music many times years ago, and the love they had and shared that is still felt.
Music sure can connect us to our inner heart where stories and many memories rest, and it can instantly fill our soul bringing us tears and other emotions.
It's been a few years of tears, loss, sadness, stress and more.
Our minds and hearts are full, tired but we have to keep going.
These reviews showed me that their losses were for someone or a time remembered that was deeply felt, loved, missed and it helps us all when the stories are both shared and heard.
We have to keep going.
PS. Often when I write a review it usually seems to be an immediate response, coming from the heart or somewhere else.
This makes me think it is something that has been there a long time and no thought was needed to write it.
I guess it was just sticking around, waiting to get out.
Thanks for your visit and love when you share with others so these posts posts get to travel the World. Links below.
I liked the different approach he spoke of in his Tedx Talk
It may help more of us go back to feeling our own happiness again after these last few stressful years.
TEDxSydney Living Better and Happier.
Dona Anderson
Thank YouDominic Price and check out the reviews from others for this video. Very well received.
If some of us have been struggling with a few of these areas in past years, this video may help.
Productivity & profit
People
Planet
Purpose
It's funny how life leads us on different paths and we can't predict our future even if we think we're doing all things right.
I enjoyed this video as it helped me connect to different times in my life.
In thinking about these 4 topics I kind of slipped back to memories of my parents and grandparents too.
Productivity & profit -I don't know if they were happy or not. We didn't ask those questions back then.
We didn't have many people around so not sure about that either.
The uncertainty and stress from previous wars, hardships & illness in their life seemed to linger heavily and I'm sure it affected the next generations as well.
Did they feel productive or that they had a purpose - I don't know that either ... it seemed to just be a time for work and to do what you had to each day.
Now, Productivity & Profitin my later life are measured in different ways than years ago. Keeping happy, active & healthy are very important.
Health is Wealth
People in our life has changed many times due to us & others moving to various places over the years.
We have special friends in our heart and lots of great memories of people, places, meals together, travelling and we're always happy when family visits.
I hope Play is included in this part as it's important to have fun, be curious, creative, laugh and explore.
When it's shared with others it's even more enjoyable.
Friends are great to have and to be.
Planet - the state of our Planet has become More & more critical in many areas and is a concern that we all need to do what we can to help.
Each day gives us an opportunity to help in some way.
Every little bit counts.
Purpose as we get older it can be harder to feel. Often we can be limited in some areas but many of the adults and seniors here are busy walking, have dogs, golfing, volunteering, making crafts, taking courses, gardening, travelling, fishing, going to exercise classes, and spend time at the senior centers for music, choir, cards, friendship and more.
I'm glad that after we moved here I got involved more with Yoga and other wellness activities that led me to writing which includes my Books and Blog.
As I felt the benefits of what I was doing and learning I wanted to share it to help others.
I think Purpose is a special Gift we give to ourselves
whatever it may be for You.
Often when we're asked to give a number between one & 10 it's hard to say how much do you include in that one figure.
How do you pick whether it's 7.5 or 3.9. So this -1, 0 or 1 seemed to be quick and not stressful.
Now if I do my score I feel good saying number 1 to 3 things and zero to one while knowing that these numbers do change at various times over the years and they will again.
PS. the area I scored a zero in I've been aware of for a couple of years and I guess covid and a few other things gave me an excuse to not work more on them.
Sometimes when we put things in writing it helps us work on it more so here goes.
Bye for today.
Links for sharing below.
Love that little teddy, hope he pops up in many other places.
We're welcoming the fall Equinox in a couple of days as we notice the sun rises later in the morning and signs of fall all around us.
As nature changes through the year we get to enjoy all it has to offer us. It maybe different than last year but it's all there for us to breathe in, feel its comfort, magic and explore.
Great Songs even written years ago never disappear.
Dona Anderson
While we may have a favorite artist that sings it, we all feel the love that is sent out and held onto.
Great songs never disappear and if you check out the reviews for this video you'll see it's still loved and holds space in the memories of listeners over the years.
I couldn't help but let it hold some of the sadness from Covid and now the WAR on Ukraine.
PS. Don't go yet.
Check out another video below.
A lovely video of this song below.
Here's Jose Feliciano
Bye for today and new posts published every Tuesday.
The archives has over 700 past posts.
You can check out.
Links for sharing below help us connect to others in the World.
We all need those feelings of peace, hope and love.
I saw this quote a while back and it seemed an important one to share.
Dona Anderson
I don't remember what I thought about at the time but since then it has taken on different words and memories when thinking back over the past years and things I and others have said.
The most important words we'll ever utter are those words we say to ourselves, about ourselves, when we're by ourselves. ~A.L. Walker~
The child version - trying to fit in, being the little sister/brother or the older one. Feelings about how our looks change over the years - will my teeth ever grow in, or how we look in that first pair of glasses.
The teenage version - I don't know anyone, I look weird, I don't like the new grades at school, finding new favorite songs and bands. Hoping the Boys or Girls like me. Hoping my clothes don't look out of place. Trying to put on makeup. Another pimple, Need a different hair style, when will I get taller.
I'm an adult now - Time for getting a job, perhaps going college or other education. What do I want to do? Who's going to hire Me? Can I do that?
Married and family life - Am I or are We doing this right. What do we really want our lives to be about. So much pressure & stress. I'm starting to have wrinkles. My hair is getting grey. We need more savings. I'm tired of all the housework, making meals, paying the bills and all the other things. Need to buy that winning lottery ticket.
Getting older - when can we retire. How do we pay the bills. My health is changing I can't do what I used to. I'm tired.
Senior- I need more help. Another visit to the doctor. What's wrong with me. I don't like that anymore. I don't remember. I need to exercise, but. How does that work. My clothes don't fit anymore, they're only 20 years old. I'm sad things are always changing. I hurt. My friends are leaving... It's too hard to get out. I'm lonely, The kids are busy.
Where will I end up?
PS. I always love seeing this plant start to bloom again. It just does it on its own in the same place and time every year.
No help or needing to look at the calendar.
Nature just knows what to do and in many cases, so do we.
I hope we can learn to relax and find more peace and comfort in our lives.
Remember those good stories, fun times and laugh at the mistakes that taught you how to do it better the next time.
Take Care.
Links for sharing below.
The thoughts put into words can easily change, become different.
I found this old post from 2014 and thought it would add into this post - like that the extra scoop to inspire us. .... here's the link.
I never know what I'll find in the Archives, but love it
when someone else finds one that inspires me to share it again.
As the colder weather of winter is upon us it becomes that time of year when we settle into our homes and catch up on reading, TV shows, and enjoy those jams, pickles, pies and other freezer goodies we made to enjoy over the winter.
It's also a time for letting ourselves observe our day to day lives, our health, wellness and outlook on life.
It may even be about what we take out into the World and what we bring back - is it what we need.
Things are uncertain still and changing for us and it will take time to process these last 2+ years ... what it all meant, what we lost, and what we'll take into the future.
Each one of us will have different things, different memories, feelings, stresses, loss & more.
Are you staying at home too much and not wanting to go out.
Are you still feeling the loss of income, friendships, activities, community or those simple smiles and hello's when you go for a walk.
Are you still wondering if it will start all over again or get worse.
To Help, I want to share with you today this short Meditation.
I hope it will soften your day, and spread good
feelings throughout your whole body & mind.
Lullaby of Peace
"A musician brings music to life,
it starts from silence, to build, unfold,
reach and release when silence is returned again.
You bring your breath to life ...
Each breath starts from a place of silence; it builds, unfolds, reaches, and releases when silence again returns.
Let this magical circle of breath go deeper to fill and hold even more ...imagine your organs, bones, skin and muscles all experiencing the different patterns of our breathing ... listen as these patterns become beautiful notes of music being played by your own orchestra.
As you begin to prepare for meditation, allow the music to fade and change slightly as you create soft inner waves of breathing... feel the rhythm of your inhalations and exhalations deepen to become the notes in a smooth, soft lullaby of peace ...
Settle a bit more and surrender into feelings of being protected within the rhythm of you, your life, your knowing, your stillness and your breath ..."
I'm sure we can all relate to this video looking back at this last year and a half.
It's been a time where we experienced many different stresses, emotions, changes, loss, difficulties & more.
Check out the video - do you see yourself as one or at times all three.
Some days we probably are all 3, the carrot, egg and the coffee bean.
We've all been stressed & challenged.
Did you find that you are stronger than you may have thought.
We learned many things and maybe the most important one is what you learned about yourself, your life & future.
You may have learned about how change affects you, your patience and stress levels.
Or it may have been about your health, future goals, relationships, family connections, needs and more.
In more closeness and time together in families we learn more about ourselves and others.
Some maybe good and not so good so we have to figure it out and give it time to adjust.
We have all been in this place together and it's time to slowly start to recover, soften that protective shield and get living our life again as things open up and safety guidelines are met.
PS. Thank You for helping to keep yourself and others safe.
Let's all do our best with what comes next.
Confession - I didn't have any coffee beans to use for the picture so they are really a few pills I had.
The carrots were from our garden and the eggs from the fridge.
Love the sun flowers
Dona Anderson
Some thoughts & words to help when they can.
Positive attitude, Smiles, Hugs, Gratitude, Exercise, Reduce Stress, Eat well, Forgiveness, Relax, Set boundaries, Laugh, Support yourself & others, Talk to Friends
Andwhen needed cook yourself a carrot, an egg and sit down and enjoy a Coffee!
I've never had one of these videos before kind of speak to me but this one is different and made me feel a calling for support.
It's full of birds and the Eagle in flight left me with feelings of a lookout for protection, and then came more beautiful birds and animals for us to protect.
Not knowing what the words are, to me the Music made me feel it builds our energy to be strong yet calm and kind.
Looking at those beautiful birds and animals how could you not stand up for them.
Our earth is Beautiful, Amazing, Forgiving and Generous.
Why because I've felt its truth and spoke about this many times.
Our lives are always affected by those around us, who interact with us and who offer their Gifts to us in many ways.
It can be a smile given by a stranger, a few extra minutes to listen, a hand to hold or help.
Perhaps it's a phone call to see if you're OK, a knock at the door, a card in the mail.
A moment shared for a Smile or a Laugh that are gifts to both the giver and the receiver.
It can be a book to borrow, a cup of tea, a few homemade cookies, soup or whatever it is - the lists goes on and on.
Take a look and see yourself
as both the receiver and the giver.
"The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world.
There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor.
But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents.
Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give.
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring...”
Leo Buscaglia
Thank You for all that you do.
PS. It's also wonderful that often it's the smallest gifts that can mean the most and let others know they are seen, welcomed, needed and cared about.
