Tag Archives: joy

Celebrate Attraction Day!

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Today we celebrate Attraction!

© 2017 BethTerry.com
Life goes on within you and without you

Today our minds are on Attraction and Love. Engagement ring companies, Florists, restaurants and candy companies are having a field day. You hear many things at the water cooler – “What do I give my Love on this auspicious day?” “Why doesn’t anyone love me?” “This is a big deal!” “This is a bogus holiday pushed by greeting card companies! Bah humbug!”  “I love Valentine’s Day! Wheee!” “Oh, crap! It’s Valentines Day?!” “I’m gonna ask her to marry me today! Yikes!” “Well, another stupid holiday!”

I don’t believe in the “Law of Attraction.” If there is one, a lot of people are breaking the law! There’s no rhyme or reason why we’re attracted to anyone. If you ask, most people can’t tell you why. Sure, armchair psychologists will attribute it to daddy or mommy or some 3rd grade teacher. But who knows, really? Will that couple make the long haul? The ones we think won’t make it seem to last forever and the “perfect couple” break up in a few years! Why? Who knows? And the world goes on, day in and day out, whether or not you’ve found THE ONE.

There’s no accountin’ for taste! Love makes no sense!

My friends in college made no sense to me. Let’s call them Jack & Jill. He was a burly construction worker with a mouth on him. Partied hard with hard-drinkin’ friends who never got the memo on minor things like hygiene and manners. She was a beauty. A southern belle with manners. You know her, the one with her pinky finger extended while drinking mint julep. She was operas and the local playhouse. He was Pink Floyd and the local bar.

When they met we all rolled our eyes. Bets were taken on how long “this” will last. We’d go to their house for BBQ and he’d entertain his friends in his man-cave garage, hard rock blaring. We’d be in her finely appointed living room with concertos playing on the stereo. Never gonna last. Right? Well, I just read that Jill lost her knight in rusty armor. They were together 45 years till he died of lung cancer. The photos showed a finely appointed southern belle in a black hat and veil standing by her lifetime Love as they lowered him into the ground. You just never know. Love makes no sense.

So – enjoy your day. Love someone. Go to the Animal Shelter and love a rescue pup. If you don’t have someone, go to the homeless shelter and help serve meals. Get hold of your friends with kids who could use a night out with their sweetheart and offer to babysit. I’ve spent years with no one, and years with someone who was there but not there. I’ve had times of being loved deeply and profoundly. Life offers us the entire constellation of possibilities when it comes to Attraction. Do we bring it on – maybe. Do we ignore it sometimes or miss it entirely? Absolutely.

Life is not a straight line. What you have today, you may not have tomorrow. Enjoy where you are, how you are, why you are, and who you are. And no matter what, Have a Happy Celebration of Love Day!

Welcome Love into your Life Today,

Beth Terry

© 1998-2017 Beth Terry • All Rights Reserved

Knock it off! A little Perspective

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Perspective is a good thing!

Perspective from a Dog's view

Knock it off!  Life can be good if you let it be. Look for positive moments, no matter how small. Ignore what you think others think of you. Celebrate little triumphs. Breathe deep and find new Life perspectives. Our selfie-culture makes random strangers’ opinions more important than our own. Instead, celebrate that which makes you unique, happy, centered, healthy and wise.

Stop. Look up from your mobile devils – er devices! Look around. Step back from social media and ask what you desire; what you deserve in your life; what makes you successful and happy. Hint: it’s not 20,000 followers. It’s human contact. One-on-one conversations. Meaningful dialog. Interesting activities that engage more than your two thumbs.

Three thoughts:

  •      Don’t worry what others think.

    They aren’t thinking about you. Don’t give yourself too much credit. Focus instead on being who your dog thinks you are…

If you think people are paying so much attention to you, ask random people to recap what you posted 10 days ago. (No fair looking!) They. Don’t. Know.  Ask what you wore last week. Same response: Shrug. Focus on those who really matter: family, close friends, clients, those who can help you and those who need your support.

  • Stop putting things off for “some day.”  How long do you think you have?

Perspective: life looks small from here
Flying over the Alaskan glaciers

Every year I have this goal: “I want to learn two new things this year, and one of them should scare me a little.”

I’m a pilot. While in Alaska a few years ago, I jumped at the chance to fly in a home built Supercub over the glaciers. It was the thrill of a lifetime. Scary too! See those snowshoes in the photo above? Those are attached to the wing in case we crashed and had to hike out! Yikes! Scary and so amazing!

What’s your goal? What’s on your bucket list? What do you do each year to give you more perspective on life? How long do you think you have?

  • perspective life and death
    People did something to insure your freedom. Respect that!

        Be grateful – every day.

For every little thing: paved roads, indoor plumbing, lights that work, people who are willing to protect you, farmers and ranchers who grow your food, a roof over your head. Look around! Your life is comfy because other people did a thing. Say your ‘gratitudes’ every day upon waking.

I’m constantly amazed at how wonderful the infrastructure is in Phoenix. Our road crews rock! Thank you @ADOT! How they keep everything so well paved in crushing summer heat is a mystery, and I’m very grateful they do!

Look around. There are hundreds of things that people do for you every single day. Be grateful for all the little things that work well and all the people who make it happen. (And yes, I’m talking to you #Kaepernick!)

Gratitude goes a long way to making your day better and it also makes the day of the person you thank along the way. #Respect #Perspective!

Our trip on this spinning ball only lasts about 70-80 revolutions around the sun if we are lucky. Take advantage of every special day. Learn from your mistakes. Keep your head up and be grateful. Life can be good if you learn from the past and keep moving forward.

Blessings,

Beth Terry

© 1998-2016 Beth Terry • All Rights Reserved

Is Your Past Beating Up Your Future?

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Does your Past interfere with your Present and your Plans for the Future? Knock it off!

MightHaveBeen, ©BethTerry, CSP
Losing our Future in our Past

I spoke at an event for abused kids. Most of them were pre-teens, and most had been through some therapy after being lifted out of a bad situation. One girl was stoic. She didn’t react to anything and didn’t show any emotion for the first hour.

At one point, I surprised myself and blurted, “Look. That bad person may have stolen your past. Don’t let him steal today and for sure don’t let him steal all your tomorrows.”

That was the bolt of lightning this girl needed. She let out a shriek and slumped in her chair sobbing. I was new to speaking and didn’t know what to do. As I helplessly moved towards her to comfort her, one of the therapists signaled she would step in. Another woman came up and hugged me with tears in her eyes, “Thank you, thank you, thank you. We haven’t been able to get through to her since she came to us over a year ago. Her abuse started very young.”

I learned more from that little girl and that moment of inspiration than I have in all my decades on stage. That sentence wasn’t in my speech, and until I arrived, I wasn’t sure what the message was supposed to be. I had written a rather weak, “We are here for you…” type speech, but wasn’t prepared for the emotional wreckage I would encounter. I believe that statement was dropped into my brain at exactly the right moment, and I know that little girl needed to hear that message.

Don’t let mistakes and bad situations from your past steal your Today and all your Tomorrows.

This is a lesson for all of us, no matter our circumstances. Don’t let mistakes and bad situations from the past steal your Today and all your Tomorrows. Too many of us drag around bags full of knives from our ancient hurts. When we decide to wallow in self-pity, we pull out some knives and stab ourselves in the heart again and again. Or, we’ll call up a few friends and talk to them at great length about those knives we are using to destroy a perfectly lovely afternoon.

Stop. Put the knives away. Put down the heavy blanket of the past. Realize the only things you need to carry forward are the lessons and the blessings. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you made. Make amends if you can. If you can’t, silently forgive the other person who caused you harm. (Yes, you can do that! Read this…) You learned something, you got wiser, you don’t make the same mistakes now (hopefully!) and you are a better – or more compassionate – or less naive – person for having gone through it.

Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Keep paying attention to your blessings TODAY. Keep learning and keep forgiving yourself and others. It’s the only way to stay sane!

Have a wonderful April.

And thanks to all my readers and clients who sent me birthday wishes! It was a grand day! Life is good!

Blessings,

Take care of yourself, we need you!

Beth Terry

PS – Don’t forget to read my article in Metiza Magazine for teenage girls – Choose Love

 

© 2016 Beth Terry • All Rights Reserved