My Ah-Ha Moment

So the other night I was driving home and thinking. I actually do some of my best thinking, my most creative thinking, while I am driving. I was thinking about when I have been really happy in my life. Not about what makes me happy but remembering back to when I felt at peace, felt happy and content. And I realized that it was a few years since I felt truly happy. And when I say that it isn't that I have been living a miserable existence. It is more that I think I have been doing what a lot of people do, going through the motions of life. I would get up in the morning, get the kids off to school, come home have breakfast, maybe do some house cleaning, some laundry, do some freelance writing, check twitter, check Facebook, check email, check twitter, check  Linkedin, check email, maybe make dinner, pick up the kids from school, go to work, come home and go to bed and then do it all again the very next day. There were days when I would do a few things different, like have coffee with a friend, one day a week I would teach at Sheridan College, and on the weekends I would take kids to dance, do more housework, and watch T.V.. Not that much different.

So I realized it was probably about 5 years ago when I remember not feeling stressed, or tense, or tired. I think when I was younger, during high school, university, college and even when I was first working professionally I was more optimistic and positive about life. I realize it really isn't about money or the stuff that I own, it is more than that. I have come to realize all those things will come when you are happy, grateful and full of positive energy. Good things will come when you change how you see the world.

Again, I don't want anyone to think that I was miserable with my life. I wasn't.I am not.  I was just not living in the magic of life. I was worrying about things that were a poor use of my energy. I wasn't living with an attitude of gratitude and not realizing the blessings of my life. And that takes you away from living a happy life.

Something else I have accepted about myself and am working hard to change is the negative voice in my head. In the past few years, I have grown to be very hard on myself and learned to talk to myself with a very negative voice. That can be very destructive. Don't Do IT!!!!!!

I have been going through a personal journey over the past year. I have been working hard to change how I see the world. Learning about the power of positive energy, about the law of attraction and when you are happy good things and good people come into your life. If you think it, it will happen. You need to tell the universe what you want, you need to ask for what you want and when you ask you will receive.

There is so much to be grateful for every single day. Live your life, live in the magic of life every day and you will have a healthy, happy and prosperous life.

Motivation Monday - What Are Your Intentions

I am reviving something I started many, many months ago; Motivation Monday's. My original idea for this regular post was to talk about positive things, things that can inspire greatness for the week ahead.  So with the new year, my new attitude toward happiness and the ongoing journey to finding bliss everyday I am revisiting Motivation Monday's.



This Monday I want to talk about intentions. I thought it would be helpful to just start by having a definition.....

in·ten·tion  

n.

1. A course of action that one intends to follow.

2. An aim that guides action; an objective.

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Synonyms: intention, intent, purpose, goal, end, aim, object, objective
These nouns refer to what one plans to do or achieve. Intention simply signifies a course of action that one proposes to follow: It is my intention to take a vacation next month.
Intent more strongly implies deliberateness: The executor complied with the testator's intent.
Purpose strengthens the idea of resolution or determination: "His purpose was to discover how long these guests intended to stay" (Joseph Conrad).
Goal may suggest an idealistic or long-term purpose: The college's goal was to raise ten million dollars for a new library.
End suggests a long-range goal: The candidate wanted to win and pursued every means to achieve that end.
Aim stresses the direction one's efforts take in pursuit of an end: The aim of most students is to graduate.
An object is an end that one tries to carry out: The object of chess is to capture your opponent's king.
Objective often implies that the end or goal can be reached: The report outlines the committee's objectives.

As part of my shift I am learning to focus on what I want everyday. Part of doing that is actually knowing what I want and actually verbalizing that. Say what you want is a simple plan but can be hard when you actually have to write it down. I think the easiest thing to do is to start small. Write down your daily intentions. What do you plan for the day? Pick three things that you want for each day. Once you can make that part of your daily routine it would be great to working on the things you want to accomplish for the month and then for the year.

I believe that it is essential to ask for what you want. Ask and you shall receive and that is what writing your intentions down each day.

Do you write down your intentions daily? Or do you working with a bigger picture?

Wordless Wednesday - A bit of bliss & a moment to myself

My Ford Family Road Trip

This is the truck we drove to Florida thanks to Ford Canada. We have owned a pick up truck before so we know what it takes to fill this truck with gas. It can be costly, especially when you are talking about a drive to Florida. We have were anticipating a cost of at least $500 for gas for the trip down and of course about the same for the drive home.  Wow were we surprised. We spent about $260 each way on gas. Now, keep in mind we were starting with a full tank of gas but even at that we were just in awe of how effective EcoBoost really was. We doubting in the beginning that it would really make a difference in the trucks fuel economy but we are believers now. It was truly impressive. The best part was that it still had all the power of a big pick up truck with out the high price of gas.

About EcoBoost

EcoBoost™ uses direct injection to produce a cooler, denser charge that generates more power per every drop of fuel, while the air-to-air intercooled turbocharger design spools up much more quickly than a single large turbo. EcoBoost™ delivers instant low-end torque and virtually no turbo lag.

The best part? It also happens to be better for the environment.

EcoBoost™ is fundamental to Ford's objective to provide the horsepower and torque of larger, normally aspirated engines while delivering the fuel efficiency of a smaller engine. Ford says 90% of the maximum torque can be reached at any RPM level, unlike other engines which require higher RPMs to attain higher torque.

In my next post I will talk about all the things inside the truck that we loved. It was a very comfortable drive. The interior of this F-150 was very luxurious.

Escape Artist

So........it seems someone left the door of the hamsters cage open last night.

I put the kids to bed last night and come back down stairs to watch a bit of television....and....as I pass by the hamster cage I notice he is missing. Ya MISSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The front door was wide open and Fluffy was missing.

It was 9 p.m. So what do I do? Get the kids back up to help me look for the hamster. We looked... and looked... and looked... and looked. We looked under the fridge, we looked under the couch, in the mud room...and he was no where to be found. Sadly we could not find him and so I sent the kids to bed. It was a school night after all. Let's just say there was not much sleeping going on. The guilty culprit just couldn't settle. Every five minutes she called down to see if we found Fluffy. We hadn't.

And then.....at about 11:00 p.m., despite several previous checks, I spotted him....in the basement. Yup the basement. I have no idea how he got there and he clearly didn't have any idea how to get back up because he was sitting at the bottom of the basement stairs. He was staring up the stairs and shaking. I quickly grabbed some treats and the hamster carry case and slowly walked down the stairs. I worried that he might run away once he heard me coming so I tossed him a tasty treat and snatched him up. The escape artist was captured.

So I thought I would spare my daughter the agony of worrying about the hamster all night so I called her down to see him. Once she saw him she was smiling from ear to ear. She headed back up to bed and quickly feel asleep.

Crisis avert but it was certainly hard lesson to learn about taking care of a pet and really paying attention to what you are doing.

Wordless Wednesday - Mickey Magic

The Magic of Life

                                                    Are you living in the magic of life?

I am coming to believe that is something I need to ask myself every day. Am I living in the magic of life?

Some days I can honestly say No. I am working to make sure that every single day I ask myself if I am living in the magic of life that I can say YES!  I accept that is can be hard some days. It has to be a conscious shift in how I think and live every day. I think I am getting there but it is a process.

But what does living in the magic of life really me?

I think it means living a truly happy and authentic life. It is waking up every day being grateful for the blessings in your life. There is not doubt that much of the pressures of the world we live in can really put a damper on that feeling. We are surrounded by images trying to tell us that we need more to be truly happy. There is nothing wrong with wanting more in my mind but in order to want more, or to get more of those things that make you happy I believe that you need to be happy with what you have already. More isn't always more. When you come from a place of happiness and gratitude more happiness and things for you to be grateful for will come into your life.


I am always moving toward loving every day of my life. I don't want to say that it is work in a negative way but it is work. It is work in the most positive of ways. It is fun work. There is a total beneficial pay off for working hard at making sure of a total shift in thought because I become happier and more satisfied and more content with the life that I am living.

Are you grateful for what you have? Are you living in the magic of life?

My Ford Family Road Trip

This is the Ford F-150 we had the pleasure of driving to Florida. This was pick up day.

Dentist Fun (OK, that is a lie)

So this week I paid a visit to my dentist. Not exactly the most fun I have ever had. I don't hate the dentist but I don't love it either. It is a necessary evil. I did pretty well as far as my check up was concerned. I had a new set of x-rays done and the dentist did detect a small cavity in between my molars. It wasn't large enough to need to be filled but it is something to keep an eye on. For starters I need to start flossing more than I do.

As parents we often worry more about our children's teeth and oral health than our own but there are significant reasons for us Moms and Dads to make sure we are brushing our pearly whites.

Poor oral health can affect more than just your mouth; it can affect other areas of your body. There is now now research that shows the connection between poor oral health and systemic disease such as diabetes in people of all ages and respiratory diseases particularly among elderly people. There is also new research pointing to links between oral health and other systemic conditions such as heart disease and premature, low birth weight babies.

So what are the most important things you can do to maintain good oral health, to reduce your risk of developing periodontal disease, and to reduce your risk of developing many of the other diseases? Here are a few tips from Health Canada

1. Remove plaque by brushing your teeth for about 2 minutes at least twice a day and by flossing daily to remove plaque between your teeth.
2. To promote healthy tooth development in children and to strengthen your teeth, use water, toothpaste or rinses containing fluoride.
3. Check your teeth, gums and mouth regularly. If you notice any problems with your mouth or teeth, plan to see a dental professional as soon as you can.
4. Don't smoke or chew tobacco.
5. Stay active and make healthy food choices according to Canada's Food Guide.
6. If you have diabetes, heart or respiratory disease, or if you're pregnant, plan to speak to a dental or other health care provider to help design an oral health plan that's right for you.
7. See a dental professional on a regular basis.

 Like anything else when it comes to good health, it is a marathon not a sprint. It is a process over time. Good oral health is important for every member of the family. Be a good example to your children and get brushing those pearly whites!

Giving Opens the Door to Receiving

 I read something today that really struck a nerve with me....

Giving opens up the door to receiving. You have so many opportunities to give every day.
Give kind words. Give a smile. Give appreciation and love. Give compliments

How easy is that? I feel like we often think of giving in a momentary/financial way. While financial giving is important, I think the giving that is not financial can actually be the most meaningful and fulfilling. It doesn't take very much to give in a way that is simple, like offering a kind word, a shoulder to cry on, an understanding ear or a compliment. Those kind moments and gestures bring me the most joy and also offer the most joy, I believe.

Today I offered a smile to everyone I passed in the parking garage tunnel on my way to work. I said hello and smiled. I held the door for everyone I passed. Simple things but they can give so much to others. That is something worthy of the Bliss List...simple things done every day that bring Bliss to every one's lives.

What have you given to others today? What simple acts of Bliss have you offered to someone today?

My Ford Family Road Trip

Here is the beautiful truck that the wonderful people at Ford Canada let us drive to Florida. What a fantastic vehicle to drive for hours in. It has so many bells and whistles....so many that I can't wait to show you pictures and tell you all about them in the next few posts.

More Bliss for 2012

So another year has passed and another year has begun. Some things have changed and yet some things have not. I remember starting off the year last year writing about working smarter, not harder. I am not sure that I was very successful at it but it is always a work in progress for me. How about you? This year I am not making any specific resolutions but am pledging to live a more blissful life...in every aspect of my life. Sometimes that can be hard for me. I can see the positive in most things but I think I am like many people and sometimes listen to that little negative whisper in my head. I need to stop doing that. I am really embracing the idea of the power of a positive thought and the power of the law of attraction. It is really important that I believe the universe will bring me everything I want, all I need to do is put it out there. I have seen a lot of good things come my way late last year and I know that 2012 will continue to bring me everything that I want in my life and for my life Everyday I will see what is blissful in my life. Today...it is blissful to have a few minutes to myself while my daughter is in dance class. What is bringing you bliss right now?

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - Disney World Fun

Husband sitting with M in Hollywood Studios...just about to go into The Muppets show