New blog post: Bordering On Magnificent Sweat http://ping.fm/Ub1nE

Bordering On Magnificent SWEAT

EEEEEWWWWWEEEEUUUUUUUU!!!!!!

That is the most common reaction I've heard to the word sweat,
or in conversations about sweat.

"I feel so YUCKY and SWEATY! "
"ICK!...You're sweaty!"

But last night at a friends house for a cook out and fire works,
I met a kindred spirit who'd rather sweat than freeze.

She loves summer and enjoys the feeling
of being out and about
without air conditioning if necessary,
sweating and LIVING LIFE!

We all wear deodorant or antiperspirant
I mean, this is 2010...
So why look at sweat as bad?
The dead don't sweat!
Sweat means that we are alive and kickin'.

I am NOT making light of any ones
medically debilitating conditions
where they sweat profusely
even in air conditioning, etc.
or where they never get relief...

what I AM saying is that last night
I danced and sweat till I could have dropped,
and felt SO ALIVE!!!!!!!!
And then I poured a cold bottle of water over my hair
and down the back of my neck,
O.M.G. ( as some younger and more "Cali" than I say )
How Refreshing!!!! To sweat, and then cool off!
Extremes CAN be good for the Body
as well as the mind and the spirit.

I mean...

Doesn't sweat add an attractive look
running down a Harley Bikers face and neck?
Don't the Doctor shows on T.V. all show sweat
running off the surgeons forehead as he saved a life?

and...

Who doesn't love the smell of a hard working man,
or a great lover, or a championship winning hockey team?
Did any of those dudes have to go shower before they celebrated?

If you're over 30 and having sweats
they may come with that season of life...

If you're in a mall or at a party or in the grocery store,
at a restaurant, in the car, or even at the dentist,
and you feel a flash coming on,
PLEASE don't say
"It's SO warm in here"

NO!

I want you to Lift your head up proudly,
Raise your hand
and do a flourishing "snap" movement in the air,
and Loudly proclaim to your self and anyone within hearing range...

... "I AM SO DAMMMM HOT !!! "

You will probably receive looks of admiration from others
who are trying desperately to stay or at least look cool.
and a few in the amen chorus will probably yell out
that you indeed ARE hot!

Either way...

Let's ROCK THE SPACE WE'RE IN this summer
by ENJOYING THE SWEAT we've earned
from working hard,
playing hard
loving hard,
and best of all
from BEING ALIVE!

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

Bordering on Magnificent TODAY

There's a lot I needed
and wanted to get done
TODAY,
but then life happens
and you go with the flow...
or not,
and you either move on
in the adventure that is TODAY,
or you get yourself a whole plate of crazy from the buffet.

I LOVE when babies and or small kids
yell or cry or laugh and giggle,
or talk loudly in public.
People get all un-done,
at the inapropriatness of such moments,
then they usually try to shush the child,
who is really just saying how they really feel.

SOOO....
Let's all ROCK THE SPACE WE'RE IN!
Let's all be healthy like kids.
For the next 7 days,
let's all laugh, cry, giggle, yell,
talk loudly, tell jokes,
say deep important things, make silly faces,
and be real and honest,
like when we were 3 years old.

...and lets share a box of milk duds when we're done.

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

Bordering On Magnificent FEARLESS

One of my decisions many years ago was to become fearless.
Is that an achievable goal?
In the current climate we live in,
where "stuff hits the fan" on an hourly daily or weekly basis,
how do we become fearless?

Is it even O.K. to be fearless?
I mean,isn't it being careless,
or in denial, or irresponsible of me
to not be constantly aware of all the impending doom
which COULD happen to me every second of the day?

If I don't strap all of that danger and drama and
despair on my shoulders every morning,
how am I going to carry it
from place to place
in the space I'm in each day???

Picture THIS:
Head pounding,
shoulders and upper body
are schlumped forward
from the weight of worry.

Now remember. . .
I do NOT do math,
BUT,
I am quite positive that somewhere
there is a formula or ratio of Kilograms to Worry
that produces a bent over posture.

With the schlumping forward
the angle of the face and eyes
is now lowered to a view of the ground.

I like to call this:
The Land of Butts and Knees.

It is basically the same things small children
have to look at for the hours they are riding in a stroller.

Apart from osteoporosis
where someone has no choice in the matter,

I believe you can see that
this is not the best position
for letting your smile
and stunning personality
shine through.

Even on my difficult days,
I like to catch someones eye and
plant a huge smile
and a snappy comment on them.

REMEMBER Billy Crystal's:

" YOU LOOK MAHVELLOUS ! ! ! ! !
????????????????????????????????????????


TRY IT!
Smile boldly and enthusiastically proclaim to someone today

"I LOVE that turquois tie (or dress or purse) on you!
YOU LOOK MAHVELLOUS!!!!!

or What a great hair cut!
YOU LOOK MAHVELLOUS!!!

or simply and possible best of all
What a beautiful smile you have!
YOU LOOK MAHVELLOUS!!!!!!"

When we lift our face and eyes
to look up to notice others,
our shoulders and body
and just maybe our Spirit
may follow and start looking up as well.

Yep, I am fearless!


I still double check the door locks
and curling iron and stove when I leave the house-
But I am fearless!

I still call my bank hot-line
many times throughout the day
to be sure I haven't bounced something-
But I am fearless!

I still keep looking through the bills
Multiple times...
But I am Fearless.

Death happens!
(to everyone)
(can't fix that)

Job Loss is imminent for most.
(but if I am not seen as valuable or essential
this is also not fixable at this point.)

Poverty is rampant!
( But a poverty of hope can be as debilitating as financial poverty)

I will not play POLLYANNA'S "glad game" (old Disney movie reference)
with the pain of others...
But neither will I just curl up,
and accept defeat.

I Am Fearless, because each and every day for years.....
I have feared less and less and less!

Stress and worry INTENSIFY pain.
They do not solve anything.
They weigh us down.

LET'S ROCK THE SPACE WE'RE IN
BY FEARING LESS!

Today, Let's confidently lift our head up
and get our view off the ground
so we can GREET the answers, solutions,
and opportunities,which are presenting themselves,
(possibly in the face of the next person you greet
with a Hearty
"YOU LOOK MAHVELLOUS!!!")

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

Bordering On Magnificent PAIN

Where can we put the sadness?

Yes, I can see the glass as half full.

Yes, I can look on the bright side.

Yes, I can take the lemons in life and make lemonade.

But some things in life are real hard.
Or painful, overwhelming, scary,
Or they just plain stink.


You've heard me say it plenty of times...

Bordering on Magnificent.
Some days it's a feeling,
Some days it's a choice,
Some days it's a little of both.


Choosing to find a way to not cave in permanently,
IS Bordering on Magnificent!

Choosing to see through our fears or tears
beyond the next difficult moment,
IS Bordering on Magnificent!

Choosing to do another 24 hours, ( or even another hour )
IS Bordering on Magnificent!

Choosing our own way to nurture our hurting body, heart and mind,
IS Bordering on Magnificent!

Bordering on Magnificent is not denial or pretending,
IT IS NOT OFFERING CLICHES AND PAT ANSWERS.


It IS living "As If".

As If, in spite of real pain, we have a better moment coming.

As If the difficult thing you or I may be facing,
will not be fatal.

As If in spite of whatever circumstances we face,
we can take it one moment or one day at a time,
and continue to LIVE this moment,
knowing that some good and beautiful things,
are still around us.

Just like the incredible sunset and clouds after the storm tonight,
there is something beautiful waiting.
I learned tonight once again,
to Deal with what I know in the moment,
not what I could fear about the future.

My loved one says,
"Don't let it rent space in your head."

Let's Rock the Space We're In TODAY,
by doing what we can about what we know,
and then being open to accepting good news,
along with whatever challenges come our way.

Love and PEACE OF MIND,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

Bordering On Magnificent WANTING

I really DO want to get the things on my list done each day.

That is why I make a list.

To get things out of my head, on paper, and into action.

I wrote out a "Bucket List" years and years ago,
long before the movie or even the idea of such a thing
became popular.

One of the things that I put on the list was that I wanted to direct traffic.
Just once. Not as a job or a living. . . just as a one time opportunity.

Didn't know why or how it would happen, but then suddenly one night it did.

It was winter, night time and slightly snowing.
I was in a south-bound lane and there was a van stalled in the left turn lane.
I could see that no-one was realizing that the turn lane was blocked,
and so people were flying up on the lady and her kids in the van,
then jerking into the middle lane to go around her
while almost hitting other cars in the process.

I called 911 and pulled up a ways behind her
and began directing the traffic to allow the cars
which were stuck behind her to pull out,
and alerting the ones pulling forward to stop to avoid creating an accident.
This went on for about maybe 4 minutes or so till the police arrived.

Now I do not recommend getting out in traffic and doing this,
but at the moment I did it, it was the right thing to do for the safety of all concerned.

It did not even dawn on me till years later that it had been something on my list.

It is interesting how many of the things that I initially wrote down, as well as the things I have added to the list over time. . . HAVE actually happened.

I do believe that when we say things out loud and write our thoughts or intentions or wants, on paper, that they carry more weight and power than just letting them roll around in our heads.

I am getting bolder with my list.

I no longer write things like "I'd like to earn or have enough"...
I now write...I want and will have an abundance of everything I want and need to enjoy life and help others.

I think bigger now, because life has taught me that there is so much more possible than we sometimes dare to hope for.

Contentment is great, but there is a fine line between it and apathy.

Let's Rock the Space We're In by Living Out Loud !!!
For the next 48 hours write / or scribble if you must, any of the things you WANT
to have, to do, to be, to become, to see, to experience, and even people you want to meet, and places in the world you want to visit. Randomly take time to acknowledge your wants big and small by saying them out loud and or writing them down.

Enjoy the outcomes,
and let me know down the road what you discover.

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

Bordering On Magnificent KAREOKEE

Did you ever enjoy just watching someone else
who was doing what they were BORN to do?

It might be someone like Paul Potts who was on Britain's Got Talent.
You remember ( or take a moment NOW and YOUTube him)
the AMAZING STUNNING THRILLING moment when he opened his mouth and that incredible VOICE came out. ( No REALLY, Stop right here, like I am going to and GO TO YOU TUBE and watch and listen to the WHOLE clip.)
I'll be here when you get back... I Promise!

WOW !. . . And he was spending his 40 hours a week selling mobile phones.

Hi! I'm Paul... Welcome to Such and Such Mobile phone company...
would you like to get a brand new zippy spiffy phone
and sign up for our blah blah blah package??


But...THINK ABOUT THIS FOR A SECOND. . .


Is there ANY doubt in your mind that PAUL POTTS
SANG IN THE SHOWER????

No Doubt! HAD TO! It is what he was born to do!

BUT there is also something else Paul Potts was "Born to do."
Possibly an even bigger and greater thing...

I believe he was born to give us the moment
that you and I just witnessed again on YouTube.

Paul Potts was destined to have a moment
where he let us all see and remember again
that EVERYONE has greatness and a purpose inside of them.

Not everyone was meant to sing,
or to be famous for acting or being a world class chef
or to have a talk show, or cure cancer...

But if we are alive and kicking to ANY extent,
with a breath left in our body...
I believe we were born
to acknowledge, encourage,
value and give hope to others who are in,
or "pass through" The Space We're In!

THIS WEEK:
Rock The Space you are In,
doing and experimenting with
the things you feel passionate about,
and maybe having a Paul Potts moment of your own.

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

Bordering On Magnificent No Regrets

Regrets are heavy things.


I've lifted and carried some heavy things in life,
around my house, on the job, on my mind and in my heart.

I've helped move a car, a piano, lifted people, boxes and clothing at work.
I've moved furniture,
(Amy and I used to move furniture on a rug
and LOUDLY sing the "magic carpet song"
from the Disney movie Aladdin
as we pulled the piece across the floor.)

I've carried the weight of too many bills and not enough income,
I've carried the heaviness of being misunderstood by those I loved.
I've carried the pain of others and the confidences of many,
I have carried 2 children in my body
and these 2 and many more in my heart.

But the HEAVIEST suckers
I have ever carried... were REGRETS!

Regrets are absolutely crippling!

Regrets are the slipperiest suckers to get a grip on.

They obstructed my view of all of the enjoyable things
in my present moments and in my path ahead.

AND They Would Never stay where I put them,
Nope,...just kept rolling around in my head
at random times,
like when I was trying to sleep,
or focus on something good,
or plan a better tomorrow.

I found out a long time ago that
The Best I can do...
is the best I Can do.
....Today.
At this moment.

Regrets TAKE Time.

They take up SOOOOOOOOO much of life.

I stopped having time for them years ago.

I KNOW that I am doing my best
each day and each moment.

I know what my strengths are
and the areas I want to grow stronger in.

When something dressed up as a regret approaches,
I tend to say,
"Dude... I know that I kinda sucked at that,
but I did the best I knew how to do at the time."

I make choices now, not planning or willing to have regrets.
I always have the ability
to take the Great Thing from the experience
and move on into the new path.

This also leaves little tolerance for those
who want to judge me or others
by what they think they know about them,
or who rate others and their future by their past.

The good news is, this way,
I actually like the people I spend time with.

SOOOOOO......ROCK THE SPACE YOU'RE IN! ! !

NAME your next regret "DUDE"
Have a very brief conversation with it,
and then move FORWARD.....JoyFULLY.
(and tell me about it.)

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

Bordering On Magnificent Another Day

Was Today a new day for you ? ? ?

How about Tomorrow ? ? ?

Every day is new but sometimes it can seem
like every day is just the "same old same old" .

Do you have many things that you do daily...
routine things???

What do you think you'd like to be doing
10 minutes from now?...
10 months from now?
10 years from now?

Do you want to be doing the same "daily" things years from now?

If not. . . read the book 10-10-10- by Suzy Welch.

Are there any priorities that we can add to our day today
that may increase the enjoyment of our lives tomorrow ? ? ?

One of mine is to be planning my day the night before.

Another priority I've added is to be
taking care of how I look and feel each day.

I've stopped living by default and want to encourage
everyone else to as well.

Rock the space you're in ! ! !

That's how we can possibly make the space we are in tomorrow
even better !

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy

BORDERING ON MAGNIFICENT

Do I Do My Best ? ? ?

Do You Do Your Best ? ? ?

Do I Believe that people really are doing the best they can at a given moment

in spite of all the variables in their day?

I believe that Lauren and her team at Hot Rods
the Hamburger place we ate at today, did her very best.

The tables were set up for the 10 of us before we even arrived.

Our big group was welcomed warmly and treated with genuine kindness and patience
as we settled in and placed our orders, even
with the groups many questions about "pricing specials"
and some joking as well.
Coleslaw made fresh for us...
and frosty Mugs of great root beer...

but then the soup came after the hamburgers...O.M.G.

To order soup and a burger and and stuff
and then have the soup come later than the burger. . .
is this really a problem?

I didn't think so, and I still don't.
Maybe slightly out of the usual order it was wanted,
maybe ordering more food than some were hungry for,
but a problem?. . No.

Lauren, YOU WERE AWESOME !
Thank you for a great meal!

So for the next 48 hours...
Let's all ROCK THE SPACE WE'RE IN with:
APPRECIATION and UNDERSTANDING and PATIENCE
for those who are trying their best to serve and assist us.

Love and Peace of Mind,
Delight and Clarity of Purpose,
to you and those you love,
Joy