Monthly Archives: February 2009

The Road to Forgiveness…

Posted on February 24, 2009 | Leave a comment

All of us at one time or another have been hurt by the words or actions of another. Often times this pain makes it difficult for us to face, much less maintain a healthy relationship with the individual who caused the pain. It is especially difficult when that someone means a great deal to us – whether it be with a friend, a mentor, a significant other, a brother or sister, parent, or child. Much of the struggle comes from not being able to forgive that person. Why? So often we expect the other person to apologize before we forgive. The reality is real healing begins within our own self.

The road to forgiveness is often a tough one to travel. The journey requires a great deal of effort. It starts with a conscious decision to change the direction of one’s heart and mind; not for the benefit of someone else, but for YOU. As difficult as the journey is, the rewards along the way are many, including better physical and mental health.

Tonight I find myself on that road to forgiveness with someone I love. Fortunately I found a map to help me along on my journey. This extraordinary map is called “A Campaign for Forgiveness” (http://www.forgiving.org/Working/working_to_forgive.asp). This “map” is courtesy of Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, Robert Coles, and Ruby Bridges Hall, who are the powers that be behind this site. It describes the power behind forgiveness; funds research in the area of forgiveness; provides available resources, conferences, and videos; as well as offers guidance on how to work towards forgiving others. Guidelines such as:

  • Myths About Forgiveness: What forgiveness is not.
  • Truths About Forgiveness: What forgiveness is.
  • Why Should I?: Some benefits to the forgiver.
  • Take Steps to Forgiveness: A proven four-phase process.
  • Courage to Forgive: If you are struggling with the unforgivable.
  • Choose to Forgive: Post your own forgiveness decision.
  • Share Stories: Read about how others forgive; write about how you forgave.

Want to know more, check out: http://www.forgiving.org/

Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others.  Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my customers, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.

~ Theresa

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Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

Posted on February 17, 2009 | Leave a comment

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why is this happening to me?” and “Why now?” As a child, my mother would say things happen for a reason… but do they? Does everything really happen for a reason? According to Psychotherapist Mira Kirshenbaum, author of Everything Happens for a Reason, the answer is a resounding YES!

In fact, Ms. Kirshenbaum says every significant event in our life has meaning; everything from the most joyful and empowering to the unexplainable or unjust. It is for this reason she encourages us to learn the meaning behind our significant experiences. When we do, we discover each experience offers a gift, a lesson, and/or an opportunity.

With more than twenty-five years of clinical research, Ms. Kirshenbaum offers ten reasons. These reasons not only help us decipher confusing, often difficult moments in our lives, but also provide hope, solace, and strength. They are:

1. To help you feel a sense of belonging and at home in the world.
2. To help you totally accept yourself.
3. To help you let go of fear.
4. To bring you to a place where you can feel forgiveness.
5. To help you uncover your true hidden talent.
6. To give you what you need to find true love.
7. To help you become stronger.
8. To help you discover the play in life.
9. To show you how to live with a sense of purpose.
10. To help you become a truly good person.

So the next time you ask yourself, “Why is this happening to me?” and “Why now?” Amazingly enough your answer will be one of ten.

Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others.  Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my customers, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.

~ Theresa

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Lily Ledbetter is Truly Making A Difference!

Posted on February 8, 2009 | Leave a comment

On January 29, made a real difference in the lives every American women currently in the workforce. With the signing of his first bill into law as President, Barack Obama approved equal-pay legislation, sending “a clear message that making our economy work means making sure it works for everybody.” Known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the law was named after an Alabama woman, now 70 years old, who discovered upon approaching retirement that after a 19-year career as a supervisor at a tire plant her male colleagues were earning much more than she was.

While a jury found her employer, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company plant in Gadsden, Ala., guilty of pay discrimination, a 5-4 decision by the Supreme Court threw out the case, ruling she should have filed her suit within 180 days of the date Goodyear first paid her less than her peers.

After the ruling, Congress did attempt to pass a law that would have overturned the decision while President George W. Bush was still in office. The White House, however, opposed the bill saying it would encourage lawsuits. Opponents further argued that employees could delay filing their claims in the hope of reaping bigger rewards. With a new Congress, the bill was passed, which restarts the six-month clock every time the worker receives a paycheck .

During his campaign for the White House, Mr. Obama told Ms. Ledbetter’s story over and over again, saying the bill not only honors Ms. Ledbetter, but also honors his own grandmother, “who worked in a bank all her life, and even after she hit that glass ceiling, kept getting up again” as well as for his own daughters, “because I want them to grow up in a nation that values their contributions, where there are no limits to their dreams.”

While it is unfortunate that as a result of the legislation Ms. Ledbetter will never see any money, she gained much personal satisfaction as she witnessed the signing in the State Dining Room.After the ceremony, Ms.Ledbetter said, “Goodyear will never have to pay me what it cheated me out of. In fact, I will never see a cent. But with the President’s signature today, I have an even richer reward.”

My hats are off to you, Lily Ledbetter for making a real difference!!!

Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others.  Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my customers, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.

~ Theresa

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When life makes a u-turn, enjoy the ride…

Posted on February 4, 2009 | Leave a comment

Life is full of surprises. Not too long ago we were enjoying a great economy. Suddenly the winds of fortune take a u-turn. Before you know it, the country is in a tailspin. Amidst a deep recession, we are all weak at the knees and understandably so. Anxious for stability, we are not only desperate to find ways to cope, but to make things right again.

It has often been said, “When life gets tough, the tough gets going.” So here are a few tips to help you ride out the storm and even enjoy the ride:

  • Use available time to rejuvenate yourself. Exercise. Eat well. Get plenty of rest.
  • Invest in your future. Educate yourself further with well-chosen courses that add value to your future and/or certify your knowledge. Pick up new skills by examining your natural talents and abilities.
  • Incorporate your hobbies into your mainstream life. Who knows? The future may lie there instead.
  • Recast your lifestyle. Critically examine “must haves” versus “nice to haves then cut away the excesses.
  • Repair and renew the life you have. Revisit old practices (walking vs. driving , visiting vs. e-mailing, budget-shops vs. glitzy malls, meals at home vs. fast food and fancy restaurants).
  • Create new options using the “meta-markets” of your life-skills. If you are a good teacher, learn how to transfer those skills into a new career whether it be a professional life-coach, a trainer, or a counselor.
  • Get back into community living. Combine/share incomes, skills, and lives with extended family, or create an new family among close friends.
  • Nurture your soul, making it an everyday priority. Acknowledge your stresses and be kind to yourself. Find your bliss with inspirational reading, music, a cup of tea, people or places, a favorite chair or a spot in nature for sustenance.
  • Stay in the Present. Take life one day, one moment at a time. Tough times are more manageable in baby steps. This allows you to focus on decisions that need to be made and only taking action on the next step.
  • Accept Support. This is often difficult for those who take pride in being independent and self-sufficient. Remember it is just as important to be a gracious receiver as it is to be a thoughtful giver. Shared burdens provide opportunities for creating closeness and appreciation for one another.
  • Trust Your Resilience. Rely on your natural inner resources and strengths. Trust that you have what you need to get through tough time.
  • Visualize Success. Consider these tough times as an opportunity to create a new life for yourself. This new life begins in the imagination. If you can dream it, you can live it. Let go of the “old” you, the person you thought you were and make room for the person you wish to become.
  • Forgive Past Mistakes. Learn from past pains and forgive people who may have inflicted pain on you whether intentionally or unintentionally. This is really not out of kindness to them, but rather out of kindness to your own self. After all, you are the one who is carrying the burden of those hurts; not them. Forgive yourself for past mistakes or for paths not taken.

Remember… crisis is a change agent. With change, comes growth. So take advantage of these tough times and consider it an opportunity to create a new life for yourself. Nurture yourself, stay in the present, accept the love and support of others, trust your resilience, envision unlimited possibilities, and most of all… let go of past pains along with preconceived notions about who you are and perceived limitations. Get out and explore the new you!!!

Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others.  Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my customers, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.

~ Theresa

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Volunteering as a Family

Posted on February 2, 2009 | Leave a comment

While the kids were growing up, they often asked me to read one of their favorite books…Stan & Jan Berenstein’s “The Berenstein Bears Get the Gimmies.”  A condensed version goes something like this…

Brother and Sister Bear: “Gimme this thing.”
Papa Bear: “Ok, here. Why do you keep throwing temper tantrums?”
Mama Bear: “Because you give in to them all the time, stupid.”
THE END

Sound familiar? This past holiday, did your child show you a less than an angelic side of them with frequent demands of “gimmes” and “I wants?” You are not alone.

In her article, “Strengthen Your Family By Volunteering Together”, Robin McClure says, “While a certain amount of self-focus and greed are natural among young children, there are some things parents can do to instill of the act of giving rather than receiving.” In fact, she says, “Raising a giving child starts with a giving family.” She suggests volunteering as a family to help groups and individuals in need. Volunteering will not only help kids learn the joy of giving and sharing, but will also enrich their lives in many ways. What’s more, the focus will then be on others rather than on them.

So when do you start? While Thanksgiving and Christmas are ideal occasions to start the spirit of philanthropy, it can really occur year round. In fact, birthdays are also a a memorable time to celebrate volunteerism.

What can you and your family do to get started?

  • Donate. Ask your children to go through their things and choose well-loved items in excellent condition to donate to a service organization’s resale outlet. In exchange, take them to the park or for ice cream as a special way to celebrate. While there are no “rules” to follow when helping your child feel good about donating, remember that the spirit of giving is often a difficult concept for children to fully embrace.
  • Shop or volunteer at the resale stores. Not only will you find great bargains, but your business will support their organizations.
  • Organize a food or clothing drive in your neighborhood or school with all proceeds benefiting a charity. Permit older children to research service organizations where they wish to donate the items raised.
  • Involve your children in sorting and stacking donations. Even young children can separate big clothes from little ones; boys styles from girls.
  • Ask your school or child care center whether they have a favorite charity. Better yet ask whether they have children who can have their needs met through generous donations. For example, schools often list children who are in need of school supplies. Your family can put together the needed supplies then give them to the school to anonymously give to the child. That is a sure way to make everyone feel great about giving!
  • Recruit others to expand the circle of giving. Often, families want to volunteer, but are not sure how or where to get started.

To read the full article, check out http://childcare.about.com/cs/volunteerism/qt/volunteer.htm.

Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others.  Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my customers, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.

~ Theresa

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