Gifts from the Sea

The sea does not reward those who are too anxious,

too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open,

choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

There is something about being near the sea that changes me. The juxtaposition of fury and serenity settles beneath my skin to my cells and soul, helping me to renew my acceptance of the ebb and flow of life. I am always changed and better for the experience.

Recently I had the great pleasure of spending three weeks by the sea, up the coasts of New Hampshire and Maine, and around the Canadian Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It was an awesome, incredible, breathtaking and jaw-dropping journey. But, in spite of the excitement and joy that comes with great adventures, I also carried with me a deep sadness and great concern as some people I love were experiencing great loss and difficult challenges in their lives at the time of my departure.

Then one evening, on the shore of Peggy’s Cove, on the Southern coast of Nova Scotia, the waves wild in the wake of hurricane Lee, I saw that even after being tossed and tumbled by the fierceness and rage of an angry sea, the beach and shells and rocks and bits of washed up glass had come to rest at last; glistening in the sun, rough edges smoothed, beautiful in a new and triumphant way. And I knew that my loved ones though tossed and tumbled by the harsh, tumultuous occurrences currently in their life, would one day also be glistening in the sun, softened and peaceful again. I was filled with joy and gratitude.

Beyond the heart and head filling memories and images gathered along the way of my travels, I have returned with something else: a gift from the sea – the gift of hope and peace, and a renewal of faith that life, like the sea, will be full of highs and lows, of rage and stillness but if we lay ourselves open to its cycles, trusting that calm will come after the storm, we will arrive on shores worth reaching.

In the vastness of our surroundings there is always something that can show us the way to a deeper knowing.  Whether a small shell or a great ocean, there are truths and wisdom to be learned from nature.  Take the time to see and listen – you’ll be grateful for the gifts.

Happy Trails,

D

 Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

Dorothy  There were other gifts along the way as well:  The comfort and joy of spending time with dear and special friends, the rekindling of long ago friendships with people who still have the power to make me a better person, and the companionship of the quintessential traveling buddy; an extraordinary women with whom I look forward to always taking the scenic route, on the road and in life.

Susan  I'm in one of the "calm water" segments of life.  But, that doesn't mean I don't have concerns, or trials every day.  Despite some random uneasiness, I'm enjoying the respite this calm brings, because I've been here before and know that the one constant in life is change. Change comes in many forms but, I believe it shines light on something that needs to be reviewed, therefore, it's productive and helps me better myself.

Celebrate The Small Victories

Embrace life with excitement,
And celebrate even the smallest victories!
Denise Linn

The 51% Project was created to encourage positive change by recommending small things we can do to find happiness. One of the most effective ways for me to get into a positive frame of mind is to look for the beauty in nature. First thing in the morning, I open the blinds and look outside. Some mornings the potted petunias are backlit by the sun and glow with stunning beauty. As the sun strikes the lush green grasses on the hillsides around our home it intensifies the colors and leaves me in awe of the incredible beauty surrounding me. Driving to the office I’m awed by the cloudless blue skies and the mist hanging above the river. I am so fortunate to be able to enjoy all of this beauty!

There has been a lot of rain in the past several days and this morning is overcast. The rain has given the wildflowers license to grow thicker and bloom with even more brilliance that just a few days ago. The hillside behind our home has a thick cover of this beauty and is amazing to look at. With all of the moisture in the ground and the overcast skies it’s quiet in that special way it gets when the air is thick with humidity. The usual sounds of civilization are muted. The winds’ breath gently rustles the leaves on the trees; the river flow and birdsong are the most noticeable sounds around me. I’m in awe of the abundance of peace surrounding me.

These are all simple pleasures, but they are powerful beyond measure. They reconnect me to nature in a visceral way and allow me to let go of worries and find a sense of great peace. I’m enjoying it, taking it all in, allowing it to flow through my body and soul to cleanse me and restore my energy. The pattern for my day is now set to expect peace and beauty. There are also physical benefits to finding joy and excitement around you and celebrating small victories. It sends a message to your immune system that it’s healthy and vital.

I find great peace and calm spending time in nature, whether that nature is in my back yard, hiking the mountains, or enjoying the beautiful and abundant flower beds in the city. Beauty is all around us if we take a moment to acknowledge it.

Namaste!

Susan

Susan: I’ve recently been told that writing this blog has changed me. I didn’t ask if it was change for the better, because I was a rather surprised by the comment. I’ve done quite a lot of thinking about it, and realize that I do feel different. I feel more calm and able to express my feelings and thoughts with greater ease. I feel more “real” and more connected to my heart. Situations that frustrated me and caused me stress a year ago don’t have the same power. I’m more peaceful and it feels very good to me. I’m going to spend the entire weekend celebrating this victory!


This week Dorothy is enjoying the pleasures of nature, delectable meals, friendship, and engaging conversation on an organic farm in Montana. Have an amazing adventure, Dorothy!

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Starving at the Banquet of Life

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters

Compared to what lies within us.

                         - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I was sitting in the sun at the park with a friend I had, admittedly, and guiltily, chosen not to spend time with in quite awhile.  Mother Nature was doing a fabulous job making amends for the extremely long winter she had dealt us. What remained of the 45-foot snow pack frosted the surrounding mountains, which looked three dimensional against the bluest BLUE BIRD sky of the season. The melt off had produced trees and grass in shades of green I’m not even sure there are words for.  Birds sang, dogs barked, children laughed.  It was a perfect moment in time.  But lost in her litany of could’ves and should’ves, wrong doings and if onlys, my friend was missing it all.  Suddenly I realized what had kept me so distant from her these past months:  I could no longer bare the pain of watching this beautiful, talented, good woman starving at the banquet of life.

Sadly, this is a way of life for my friend, but haven’t we all, at one time or another, been stuck in the planning and recalling that life insists on; our senses momentarily blurred to the life going on around us?  There are bills to pay, leaky faucets to fix, music lessons and football games to get to, obligations and responsibilities to juggle. It seems often that something or someone has us looking ahead. And, too, don’t we sometimes need to look back on our yesterdays, calling on the lessons learned and the wonderful, and also the difficult, memories of the past to remind us how to be and who we are today?  

Living in the now is a concept most of us get intellectually, but enter reality and things can get a little murky! Everyday we have 31,536,000 NOWs in which to be the best versions of ourselves. Some of those nows require planning and remembering, dreaming and hoping.  But when we allow ourselves to get swept up in the folly of regret, worry and projection, we, too, can find ourselves starving at the banquet of life. 

When we spend our time regretting what was, we waste the moment that is.  There are no do-overs in life. Mistakes, missed opportunities, harsh words or actions cannot be taken back.  But, they can be great reminders to make better choices. They can be turning points from which to go forward and grow.  They can be opportunities from which to learn the power of acceptance, of forgiveness, of peace. Remembering should not be confused with regret.

When we spend our time worrying about what will be, we waste the moment that is.  Leo Buscalia, author of Because I’m Human and other notable books, once wrote, “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” We cannot create outcomes from worry.  We cannot shape the future through projection.  That is not to say, our deeds and thoughts and words do not affect our tomorrows, they do.  Living an authentic, thoughtful, kindhearted life will surely bring you better tomorrows.  And, maybe more importantly, will provide you with the strength, courage and support you may need should tomorrow present a challenge.  But we must not confuse hope with worry, or planning with projection.

To most of us, these are not great and startling revelations!  Most of us have been there and done that before.  The question then, is how to stop these time wasting, futile forays into the past and future? 

A method I have found helpful over the years is what I call “rubber band reality!” It’s a simple, yet effective way to remind myself that where my head is taking me is not where I am, or want to be. It works like this:  Whenever I find myself getting stuck in a cycle of pointless, torturous, regret and worry mind games, I get a wide rubber band and slip it on my wrist. Then, the next time I find myself unable to resist stepping back to things I can’t change, or forward to things I can’t control, I give that rubber band a BIG snap. The sting acts as a wake up call to STOP and a reminder to look around and note that in the here and now, I am safe and living exactly the life I am intended to live!  For me, it works every time. Could it work for you, too?

Life is not a flash in the pan, but rather a rich, slow-cooked stew of moments in time. It should be flavored with love and joy, not soured with regret and worry. So, whether you choose to engage the rubber band of reality or another method, or mantra, to shake you from your trance of THEN; practice leaving your regrets and worries at the doorstep, or better yet, in the trash bin, and belly on up to the table to eat heartily at the beautiful, wonderful, delicious feast that awaits you NOW!

Bon Appetite,

Dorothy

Dorothy:  I will be spending the next week with my beloved ‘other’ family at Foothill Farm in western MT, where my belly will be filled with farm raised, organic food, my eyes will be filled with the magnificence of Big Sky Country and my heart will be filled with joy!  There will not be a second to waste on THEN! 

Susan:  May we all live today as the best you possible, think gently and patiently of tomorrow, and kindly of yesterday.    

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What Do You Stand For?

I think somehow we learn who we really are
and then live with that decision.
- Eleanor Roosevelt

Growth and accomplishment, meeting challenges and goals has always been important to me as a means of measuring my own success. Being perceived as good at what I do is important to my self esteem. Most of my life I have felt driven to do what was necessary to win. However, sometimes in my zeal to be accomplished, I haven’t spoken from my heart. When I replay those conversations in my head I always ask myself “why didn’t I just say what I really thought?”

We started The 51% Project to share lessons learned on the path to creating joyful lives. One of these lessons is how important it is to identify what we stand for, it’s crucial to being authentic and speaking our truth. It simplifies relationships and keeps us tuned in to our best self.

After cleaning my windows this week I was delighted by the small details outside that I’d missed looking through rain spots. Similarly, I’ve found that identifying what I stand for and speaking from my heart has removed debris and heaviness from my mind. I’m able to notice and enjoy the happy details of my life. My life is less complicated and I’m so much more joyful.

Life is full of choices about how to react to our families, our neighbors, co-workers, and strangers in the market. Responding with kindness and honesty is simple when my mind is clear of the clutter and debris of not living and speaking authentically. Living a happy life, in many cases, means living a more simple life, and being authentic about my feelings simplifies my life.

Life is supposed to be fun! Live simply, live in honesty, live in joy, live authentically

Susan: This weekend we’re celebrating my Mom’s 98th birthday and the entire family will be with us at our home. It will be a perfect opportunity for me to practice authenticity and joyful expression.

Dorothy: One of our new Facebook friends, you can find their link on The 51% Project page, is an organization called The Good Week. They have designated next week, June 20 – 26, a week in which to focus our individual and collective good out into the world. I encourage you to check out their Facebook page or website. And, I hope you’ll join them in their quest. Imagine the outcome if we all (6,897,588,739 at this writing) do one extra good deed, offer one extra word of kindness, think one extra good thought, every day next week. We are the world and when we choose to make a difference – we can! Good luck to the The Good Week project!!!!


Happy Father’s Day to all Dad’s out there!
Susan and Dorothy

What Makes You Happiest?

We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.
- Charles Kingsley

The 51% Project is all about finding joy and happiness in our lives, and passing on those gifts to everyone we meet. Making the choice to be happy is a personal choice, but so very important.

When I was talking about The 51% Project with some friends this past weekend, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a another friend recently. As I explained the concept of changing your perspective to think positively just 1% more than you did yesterday, my friend exclaimed “Oh! Of course, you just need to choose to put forward 1% more effort to be happier. Happiness is a choice.” I couldn’t have said it better myself, thank you Pat!

Being in a happy frame of mind helps me simplify my thinking and, therefore, my life. I find that it’s very helpful to make lists of the things that make me happy. Creating the lists, and referring to them later, makes me feel wonderful. To get started, I like to sit quietly, breath deeply and then begin writing as things that make me happy come to mind. I carry a small notebook with me so I can make these lists wherever I happen to be.

Here are some of things on my happiness list. What Makes You Happy?

Watching the sunrise when the sky is pink and the breeze is soft
Walking in the forest hearing the leaves crunch beneath my feet
Playing with my cats
Skiing with friends
Laughing with friends
Enjoying a wonderful meal with family and friends
Driving through a beautiful landscape on a bright, sunny day
Trying a new flavor or ice cream
Finding the perfect pair of shoes
Finding the perfect outfit to go with the perfect shoes
Sitting on a beach laughing with friends
Skiing in soft snow on a blue bird day
Making lists of things that make me happy
Being in love
Being with good friends and people who live happy lives
Exploring new places
Feeling the warm breeze on my skin
Beautiful flowers
Happy conversations
Coffee with friends
Writing in my intention journal
Getting to know new people
Hearing about their interesting lives
Walking into a just cleaned house
The smell of pine trees in the forest

Writing these lists is a wonderful exercise that never fails to make me feel happy and inspired, grateful for all of the goodness in my life. We encourage you to try making your own lists and hope that they inspire you as well. We wish you all a wonderful week full of inspiration and joyful encounters.

Susan and Dorothy

Susan: I’ve been spending time getting our outdoor furniture spruced up for summer and have found that the repetitive nature of sanding, staining, and painting has given me clear space to clean out the cobwebs in my mind, reminding myself to keep what feels good and discard what isn’t useful. I’m clearing the clutter of my mind and it is enriching.

Dorothy: Here are some things from my happiness list:

My grandson’s face
My family around the dinner table
Friends who still matter, in spite of the years and miles that separate us
Petting the soft part of a dog’s ear
Mountain Bluebirds
The smell of the ocean
Children singing
Remembering my parents’ voices
The desert after a rainstorm
The words “I love you”

Thank you for your support and encouragement, we truly appreciate your comments! Join us on The 51% Project Facebook page.