God Bless America - And you too!

I just added a new post to my new website, MonaRAEbeads.com. I watched a great movie this morning called God Bless America (2011, Goldthwait); read my review and commentary. Check out my new website, sign up for updates and get a coupon for 15% off your next purchase!

Courtesy of Magnetreleasing.com

So, I have been working on a new website! I was inspired by the lack of employment, abundance of time, lack of funds, and LKRsocialmedia's $1 offer. I have subscribed to Laura Roeder's The Dash newsletter for a while and took advantage of her offer for a month of social media tools. While on her site, I was inspired to start a new web site and use Word Press to create it. Word Press is a great software program, but has a high learning curve. I am enjoying it's "language", and will keep learning about it, and will keep applying the principles I learned from LKR as I continue to develop my website (which looks like a Pinterest page!!!)

My garden is going strong. I have new pics to share with you! My green beans are big (wonder when I should pick them). I've pulled peas for next crop's seed. I'm starting to see  fruit on the watermelon and squash plants. I've got TONS of cucumbers blooming (I'm sure I planted squash but got cucumbers instead!?)  My bush cherry tomato has its first flower. My cilantro has bloomed so it is now  Coriander and has seed pods that I'll use for the next planting. My herbs are starting to produce a usable amount; yesterday's spaghetti sauce was seasoned only with oregano, basil, and parsley from my garden!

See all my garden pictures on my FaceBook

If you are a Facebook Friend or live in the Mother Lode, you know we've had a fire very close to home. It is now around 75% contained. Here's my favorite picture of the firefighting efforts.

DC10 Fighting Ramsey Fire, Calaveras County (ThePineTree.net)

 

Speaking of wildfire, I will be doing some lot cleanup around my own house this morning and then I think I'll make some beads! I'll be pretty busy next week, and through September; I have a temp substitute position for 3 to 4 days a week! It pays to have faith!!! Isaac is ready for school, thanks to Grandma Uta! Isaac LOVES all the clothes "They are perfect!"

So Hum Arha (Sanskrit: I Am Worthy)

Every day answers a new question. On day 1 of Deepak Chopra's 21 day Meditation Challenge, I think, I asked, “Do we know all the things in our past that hold us?” I always felt stopped by fear in entertaining discovering the unknown secrets of my mind, that are hidden to protect me. I always say, “I don’t need to know what they are.”

"Our challenge is to identify the misery producing narratives so that we can reframe them in ways that allow our wounds to heal."
—David Simon

Courtesy of The 21st Floor

In today’s meditation we are discovering the healing when we know what happened in the past, the memories. “If we spent a lot of time alone as a child, we learned how to be independent. Those of us who were not able to spend long periods of quality time with our parents or caregivers learned how important it is to be present, and to cherish every moment with loved ones.” That’s not what I learned though. I learned that I didn’t deserve to have people care about me, and that in order to deserve attention I had to be better, good, try harder; I learned I was not enough.

One of my favorite Blogs!

You have to treat the source of the pain or injury, rather than only the symptoms. Pain comes from unmet need; how can I get my needs met now? 

What do I need, to KNOW I am enough? My “unconditional value” that I am worthy of receiving love. I am worthy of receiving love, because….I am…So Hum. Here’s the real question, though: “What do you do that tells me (makes me believe) I am worthy?”

Watch Full Episodes on Lifetime TV

Project Runway is on again!!! I miss sewing. I think I’ve decided to wear whatever I want to wear, no matter that it is inappropriate for the occasion (except maybe a job interview). I miss sewing; I would love to have a dress maker’s adjustable dummy. Maybe I should do a bead and jewelry series based on PR? I think that is a definite DO idea!!!

Laura Roeder Social Media  Marketer

I have started using Google Calendar for my business revamp efforts. I’ve been reading materials and following action prompts from Laura Roeder’s Social Media  Management Program. I now have a twitter account @MonaRAEbeads. I need to figure that out, learn Hoot Suite, learn word press, and make a new web site.

Courtesy of 247FreeTips

Wow, I’ve been making a lot of changes: Day 3 no smoking, meditating, pushing my bead business, writing blogs almost every day, becoming more fearless, growing a garden. I know I am not the only person revamping their life these days.

Courtesy of Erika Dolnackova

Please share this blog on your Twitter (Don't forget to add #MonaRAEbeads) or Face Book, then tell me,  How are you making changes in your life? 

Satcitananda Sanskrit for Eternal Bliss Consciousness

Day 2 of the 21 day meditation challenge: "The past is over; I live blissfully loving in the present." During my meditation I saw many faces on the backs of my eyelids, all with the same eyes, the eyes of an elephant.

Courtesy of Wildlife Pictures Online

Wow, when I found this picture I saw my father's eyes! I was stunned; I had to look at my dad's picture just to confirm it, and sure enough I was seeing my father's eyes. As you read on, you may understand the significance of that.

Courtesy of ExplodingDog (love that name!)

Presently, I'm trying to figure out why there is nothing in my present. I feel rather without purpose, as if I am missing something that would bite me on the nose if I could see it. At the same time, perhaps that is what I should appreciate; I'm not supposed to be "doing" anything I've already done. But I'm not ready to be done "doing." I feel stuck in the "feeling" like I "should" be doing something that is expected of me; it is so easy to appease that feeling by applying for jobs. It is much easier to apply for a job, than it is to create something new, to go out on a limb, to consider doing what I want to do, to believe doing what I want to do is all I need to be doing. Self-indulgence is "bad" and it doesn't pay the bills; maybe I should want it to pay the bills and if it did indeed pay the bills, then it wouldn't be "bad".

Courtesy of Hannah Marcotti

The beginning of today's meditation was all about living in the past and making a space in our lives, that once open will be filled with love. I thought I knew that already, but I remind myself that I am merely a human being and in order to be better than that (I call it super-human-being) I must practice what I know.

Courtesy of Eric Garcia Ministries

Do we know how much of the past really holds us? Do we really know all our stories? How did they set the trajectory for our life? Our ability to love ourselves or others? Does reframing really set us free to make new choices to improve the future? How do I allow the past to interfere with the present? Chose the path of joy.

Courtesy of Erin Austin

I've been thinking about this a lot lately and stumbling onto questions and hits at answers. Trust and abandonment are huge issues for me, much bigger than I really can acknowledge until I can understand why, the event or events that created trust as a pavement for the rest of my life's meanings. Could it be something as simple as my father being in Viet Nam? Could it be something that happened when I was born? I know for sure I felt abandoned when my grandmother was hateful and hurtful and no one would protect me; but did that really do it? Do I really need to understand the incident to reframe the story? Well I thought I had reframed the story, giving a meaning that my protectors did the best they could, that they too were afraid, but that doesn't make the "story" and it's effect on my life, go away; maybe it's not supposed to disappear. 

Courtesy of Wren's Nest Online

Maybe it is just one in a long line of similar events that result in the same thing; until recently. Recently the issue of abandonment and trust came up again. I responded differently this time. I decided that I was going to   have the story end with a meaning about someone else, the "other", and not about me. It has worked pretty good actually. Perhaps that is what I really need to commit to; I need to reframe the meanings related to me by giving them to someone else instead. But then what will I be left with? Who will I be? Ah, there is the real "thing" to either fear or be excited about.

Courtesy of عازف الأحزان

Today I was someone who stepped out of what I "should" do and into what I wanted to do. I attended an online party with Laura Roeder, of The Dash among many other social media and life coaching titles. I'm excited to dedicate much more of my time exploring my business and life in social media. Laura made it easy by offering her new business model, a Social Media Monitoring hub/platform, for ONLY ONE DOLLAR!  Here's the link if you are interested in checking it out.  

One Dollar for the first month!!

Oh epiphany: the eyes of an elephant, an elephant never forgets the past! Que music, theme from Twilight Zone!