change

Heart Forever Changed: Love

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Appreciation can make a day – even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary. — Margaret Cousins

Today, I am full of love and appreciation. You know when someone has had such an impact on you that your heart is forever changed.  It is by the grace of God that this occurs.  I have a very good friend to which has touched and transformed my heart and soul.  We have been friends for 6 years and we got reconnected after sometime.  I can’t quite explain it in words yet.  Maybe he inspired me?  Maybe my heart is still full of love from the wedding. 😉 Or maybe I am just starting to get this “how to love” thing…I love those people in my life that challenge me, inspire me, and push me to be the best person I can be!

Who and what do you appreciate today? Dare to appreciate and live your life with a purpose. It doesn’t have to be a BIG purpose. That is the misconception. It is not through BIG things to which progress is made. It is through small acts of purpose and love to which sustains and fulfills our deepest needs. I want to challenge you to inspire and positively affect one person today. Tell someone today you appreciate them.

❤ The CatMan

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66: Speak NOT!

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66: Love bites their tongue and loves even though they hurt.

 

If you become aware of what you speak of in any given day, how much of it is positive?  How much is hurtful?  Demeaning?  Unwilling to judge and accept that person for who they are?  Why place so much judgement?  Who are we to say anything!?  Love and let love.  Observe those around you and open your eyes for a change!

Shift in Focus. Adjust Perception. Change in heart.

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‎”When one focuses too much on the negative, all they see is road blocks. When one focuses on the positive, that is where one finds hope…” (me)

 

It is so easy to allow ourselves to be drug down by the muck surrounding us or listen to others that are only trying to bring us down.  Unfortunately, it is harder to be a leader than it is just to allow us to be sucked in to the abyss.  It is so easy to listen to the negative bringing us down….then we crash…If we ever expect to make it past tomorrow’s muck we must be willing to change our focus and stop listening to the outside noise.  Focus on what is good.  Focus on what we have going for us and focus on hope.  Hope is a key component to this whole situation.

One way I like to ensure that I don’t become a dirty muck pie is to visually wipe myself clean (literally take my hands and fling off the negative) and affirm myself often.  I constantly need to remind myself exactly what my purpose is.  Without affirmation, we can lose focus.  Something simple would be “I am a vessel to which God uses for His Good Works.”  I also like to personally make take my focus deep inside of me and allow God to transform from the inside out.  Think about it, this takes YOU out of it and allows Him to work His magic.  “Send my mind, body and soul into light and love” is another great affirmation.

Human’s are naturally imperfect.  We will always have flaws.   By taking us out of the mix, we are able to recognize we are a tiny part of this bigger picture.  It is amazing to understand what your purpose is and to fall in line with the circle of life!  Each little purpose that we all have is apart of a bigger entity.  We might be small, but the purpose of the small is equal of importance to the bigger picture’s results!  Without the little parts, the picture will never be fully complete!

Next key component…adjust your perception and do not make anything bigger than what it is.  You own that girl….or guy?!   This is a true test of inner peace when you can keep everything in check.  You spill coffee and it goes down the front of your shirt…take a deep breath and embrace it.  We have all been there and you know what?  Starbucks has a shirt with a “printed coffee stain” down the front of it!  You can get that for the bargain of $80 at your local department store.  Someone cancels on you, again.  OK.  Not a big deal!  That is life–so what are you going to do now?  Maybe go on a walk, or find a little cafe’ close and just observe!  Life is good remember.  It’s not the end of the world.

Now we are focused.  Everything is in check and balanced, so now what?  Now we have to make the most important change!  Change in our heart will not just happen overnight.  It takes time to get ourselves back to a state that is more enjoyable.  Let me explain….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eefP4bG2EkI&feature=related

When we were children, we had very little to worry about and things seemed relatively easy.  Something happens to our heart as we grow up to be adults where we allow the muck of the world to steal our innocence.  Now it seems we are always stressed, always on the go, and always rushing without really taking time to smell the roses.  This is definitely a problem.  When this situation gets to this point, we are really missing out on living.  Those little things as a child we so dearly loved are now buried under adult junk.  UH OH…now what?  A change of heart is needed to keep in balance.

Start simple.  “Live simply so that others might simply live.” (Mother Teresa) Learn to notice everyone on the street, yes even the weird ones.  The people who are the most interesting are the one’s (usually) last noticed.  Dare you to talk to one!  (Oh did your mother tell you not to talk to strangers?  Well it’s fine now, you’re an adult!)  Learn to ask people questions when you don’t understand.  Learn how to give your time and knowledge to helping others succeed.  Hey they might thank you later!   Learn to get back to that child like innocence and you might just find yourself living an even more incredible life.  Take the ownership back and start living life with a purpose!

❤  CatMan  🙂

Tonight’s Observation: Caramel Corn is Good

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I love this fall weather not only for the change and beauty of the weather, but for the food and snacks associated with this time of year.  Take for instance, we have two major holidays to which you dress up, play the role of someone else and receive candy….and the other holiday encourages you to indulge in home cooked meal and have parties to bring people together.  Seriously, the only time I will encourage and promote being anyone but your normal self.  It is good to bust out of our boxes and get the creative juices a flowing!

Boots, sweaters, costumes, football, family and get-togethers!  Transitional changes in the weather, in yourself is you are open to it, and probably being OK with adding a few pounds to the hips from all the goodies….oh they tempt me so badly!  Why must I have a sweet tooth!?  WHHHHYYYYY?

Transitional seasons can make someone feel so alive.  Out with the old and in with the new.  Clean out your house and make room for new growth and development figuratively and literally speaking.  A time to examine your heart and the house you keep.  What a great opportunity for growth and preparation for a second chance?!  Personally, I am trying to focus on listening more.  I need to balance and find quiet moments whether I can find them for five or ten minutes vs. longer extended periods of time is irrelevant.  I just need to find them.

Tonight I found the Caramel Corn just staring at me.  It was just sitting on the table.

I was minding my own business, yet that tricky little something else  got me…..the inner dialog between me and Mr. CC went something like this:

CC: “How YOU doin’?” (eye brow raising)

CatMan: “Um…seriously?  Since when does Caramel Corn talk?”

CC: “Look how incredibly good I look!  ummmhmmm….I am so yummy you just want to take a handful of me and you know….*wink*”  (yes a wink…)

CatMan: “Yeah I am trying to get into shape and you REAAAALLY aren’t helping my cause…so good bye!”

CC: “What?  Wait, wait, wait….just take the lid off and look me in the eyes….I think we are a match and I want you to handle my goods…if you know what I mean…just one whiff…”

 

By this point, I was very inquisitive as to why the Mr. Caramel corn was “talking dirty” to me at the kitchen table…it was very puzzling.  Not to mention disturbing!  BUT maybe he was just taking advantage of my brief moment of weakness.  The CatMan is ONLY human you know…OK so here is how the rest of this went down….

 

CC: “Come on!  I might be a little sticky…BUT I will do you well…I taste so good…just open the lid and smell my sweetness…OH I will never disappoint you CatMan, if you allow me to show you.”

CatMan: “Maybe just a little whiff will be enough…I am not having any Caramel this late at night…”

(opening the lid I was totally sucked in and it was all over from there!!!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rqDkDhkJKQ

 

CC: “Yes, yes….go on…touch me!”

CatMan: “Nope not doing it!  Sorry…..well maybe just one but that’s it….(like I said this is all internal…I am NOT that crazy…)…I can afford just one piece and I will be good….ugh…I am so weak…stupid Caramel Corn…” (I reached my hand in and pulled out a ball of goodness, we made eye contact and I just got weak in the knees…)

CC: “Try a taste.  Just a bite is all…”

CatMan: (staring this little ball down)  ‘Just one’ “ohhhh…you are so good Caramel Corn…” as I chomp myself to a 400 calorie mistake…(I put that piece in my mouth and how satisfying!)

CC: “See how do I taste?  Good, huh?  I told you I would never disappoint you…you kind of like me don’t you?”

What was happening on the inside of my mouth as I just couldn’t resist anymore. Literally the inside of my mouth was doing this:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFz2WkVAk38

Then it was ALL OVER….Mr. Caramel Corn won….and my only response?

CatMan: “Mr. Caramel Corn, you were right about one thing…you are VERY good….Bastard….”

ALL I could do is shake my head in discussed…well there is alway tomorrow right?

So what’s this evening’s observation?  Caramel Corn is good.  sigh…just not very good for my hips!  Darn it!