Category Archives: Books and religion

Fueling the Spirit

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The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. ~ Author Unknown

Monday and Tuesday’s blogs have led me toward wanting to write more about energy and filling our selves up with the right kind of fuel.

Many people have been without jobs for a long time, leading to feelings of unworthiness, sadness, depression. For some, feelings of lack of prosperity have never been experienced before; a stable, well-paying job has always been in the picture. It’s a particularly difficult transition for anyone who has always been financially secure and then they find themselves floundering.

The same kinds of feelings are experienced by those who are experiencing divorce or ending associations with things that can no longer be afforded. After all, those things (jobs, marriages and material goods) become part of people’s identity, and a great void and sense of loss is felt when they are gone or no longer within reach.

shortcuts to inner peaceShortcuts to Inner Peace: 70 Simple Paths to Everyday Serenity by Ashley Davis Bush, has gotten good reviews.  Learning to look inside, and be at peace by establishing a fulfilling and a meaningful relationship with ourselves, our spirit and perhaps a higher being is at the root of this book. Bush’s book provides tips to create a happier lifestyle, so that when the rug gets pulled out from underneath us, we are not so personally deflated; we have the tools to maintain our sense of self.

The author, Ashley Davis Bush, is has a degree in social work and a certificate in Contemplative Studies from SmithCollege.http://bit.ly/ZrlkAB She lives in New Hampshire.  Click here for more info and ordering the book Short Cuts to Inner Peace.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. This blog is brought to you by  Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpectedand www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Bundled Energy

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“Problems are not the problem, coping is the problem.” ~ Virginia Satir

energy in the worldTime to change the channel, there is no reason to stay stuck on it. http://bit.ly/Xkquu0. I’ve had more than my fill of news about the Carnival cruise ship that let down its vacationers. The travelers talk as if it was if they were intentionally “wronged.”  Fact of the matter – it was  an unfortunate incident that no one could have predicted and everyone was in a difficult situation. And, there are no guarantees that life will always be smooth sailing.

I did hear a few of the “victims” say that they had joined in with others to create prayer groups while awaiting rescue. There you go! Bundling positive energy together and using good coping skills. Would it be any surprise if those folks came away from the incident with much healthier perspectives? When  communities of people bring positive energy together and create networking groups, good things happen. Negative energy does nothing to attract positive energy, we all know that.

Let’s face it. The steam that moves us human beings forward in positive directions ultimately comes from our own reserves; as we draw from our wellspring of strengths, inner exertion and convictions and pluck!

Time to go and plan our monthly meeting for We Write Steamboat – a  meet-up group for independent publishers!  It is happening this afternoon. And, soon it will be lunchtime, when I’ll fill up my tank  and nourish my soul by going on my daily walk. I know I’ll find something fulfilling to write about for tomorrow.

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.  All Things Fulfilling, is a space where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business.

Look for the Lessons

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I woke up this morning and turned on the news. The first image I saw were two girls kissing the ground they walked on. The women were among the 4200 passengers who had just gotten off the cruise liner that caught fire. There are many things to be thankful for  – the vacationers were rescued, there was no loss of life and the vessel was brought safely to shore after days of  people living in horrible, unsanitary conditions. 

Storms-Of-Life-Come___-Adijust-Your-Sails_1As I listened to stories of passengers recounting the incident, time and time again, I heard that the employees of Carnival Cruise Line did all they possibly could to keep calm and fulfill the needs of the passengers within their abilities. 

Sadly, there are people in this world who live in squalor everyday, and their lives are shipwrecks. They are unable to escape, however, they still manage to find a sense of inspiration and gratefulness in their lives. Attached is an article on how to find the positive when life challenges us with difficult situations.http://mayocl.in/12RaDIt.

Although I am sure it was very difficult to find the good  at the time, the 4200 passengers have returned home. Perhaps many have a renewed sense of gratitude for their lives. From here on out, their perspectives on life and their response to the vacation gone horribly wrong will all be about their attitudes.

Visit us again tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Transported to Another Realm

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The book to read is not the one which thinks for you, but the one which makes you think. ~James McCosh

I purposely disassociated myself from my home reading environment over the past few days. For three hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I sat in our local library on a hard wooden chair sitting bolt upright at a table, sequestered in a corner, engaged in a story. I wanted to remove myself from as much external stimuli as possible and fully commit myself to a paranormal reading experience, literally and figuratively. Away from all thoughts of jumping up to do the laundry, do the dishes, or pay bills. You know how it goes -there is always something we can think of that we ought to be doing besides reading. I took no chances of being distracted by a lovely “cuppa hot tea” while reading the book, or let myself experience how nice it is to settle in and read surrounded by soft pillows. 

book transporting-520x366Sure, there were plenty of cushy chairs I could have chosen in the library, but the only thing I wanted to get comfortable with was the story. It worked! I forgot all about my aching derriere as I sat on a chair that felt as hard as stone. Completely engrossed in a fulfilling narrative,  I was transported into some other realm. Here are other tips for focusing while reading.http://bit.ly/12lWpdY.

In the coming days, I will be featuring information about the publication I was reading, which I perceive would be put in the new genre of books, that is growing – paranormal fiction. The book also fits into the context of what is beginning to take up more space in library catalogs  – electronic books (e-books or as some refer to them, digital books). 

Return tomorrow. We will be broaching a subject on human behavior. What with the news stories we learn of in this in this day and age, I am beginning to think the behavior we will discuss is paranormal. Perhaps by focusing on it, we will find that it is  more common than what we realize. For our future world, I certainly hope so.

 This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Books and Films with Inspirational Messages

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“No heart has ever suffered when it has gone in search of its dream.” ~ Paul Coelho

heart pillows stuffedFebruary is Happy Heart Month! Over the course of the past month, messages from inspirational books and films have been at the core of our minister’s sermons at the UnitedMethodistChurch in Steamboat. Many people without religious backgrounds have read and appreciated these books also. They have been New York Times bestsellers. Here are the titles:

  • The Alchemist by Paul Coelho  (the movie is coming in 2014)

Click for info & ordering

  • Tuesdays with Morrie  by Mitch Ablom   (film adaptation also available)

Click for info & ordering

  • The River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean  (film by Robert Redford)

Click for info & ordering The authors of each of these books have created stories that take the reader on a journey into their own hearts, in search of the meaning of life and the Universe. Thought provoking, illuminating and inspiring, they raise awareness of some of the best parts of human nature, as well as stir up more difficult issues we are faced with as people who were created with faults, weaknesses and a full range of emotions that run from admirable to undesirable. The truth of the matter is that good books and films give us reason  to stop and ponder.

If you are searching for good reads with heart and soul content, you may want to consider Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Visit us tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

New Generation Libraries

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“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things….create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut  

When I moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado back in 2008, I felt like I had hit the jackpot when I saw Bud Werner Memorial Library. It had just undergone renovation and had opened only three months prior to my arrival. The improvement in physical structure (addition of approximately 26,000 sq feet) is not all that  impressed me, however. Since then, the library has become a real hub of community activity. Library services have been expanded and updated to accommodate for the digital age. The library’s computer technology is relied on, heavily, for people in the surrounding rural communities where internet access is a problem. 

quote on librariesI enjoy learning about other communities, throughout the country, who have recently built or expanded libraries with an eye on the next generation of readers. There is a library, in Tiverton, Rhode Island, which I am very excited about. It has been in the planning and developmental stages for many years.; construction begins this coming May.

Union Studio Architects: Architecture and Community Design of Providence, Rhode Island was instrumental in bringing the vision for the project together. http://bit.ly/WMDsiX . A young, hip firm, founded in 2001, draws plans for what they see as being fulfilling living in community development for the next generation. I am proud to say one of my nieces, Kara, is a contemporary in the company and helped design the Tiverton Library.

To learn more about the Union Studio Architects and their philosophy on new urbanism, here is a short video. http://bit.ly/YC4yyf .  Check out the movie star, Stanley, in this video – he is as charming as Barney, President Bush’s, dog who  sadly went to doggie heaven this week.

I look forward to seeing this facility when it is completed.

Return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

On the Bookshelf, Eye Level

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“Only one thing is impossible for God: To find sense in any copyright law on the planet.”  ~Mark Twain

copyright clearance for creativesWelcome back.  Today, we will provide you with very useful information. If it is not helpful to you now, it may be in the future, so bookmark and save it.

A new book, independently published, titled Copyright Clearance for Creatives: A Guide for independent publishers and their support providers has just been placed in my bookcase, on an eye-level shelf, right where I can find and reach for it easily.

A desperately needed resource book, the publication includes very valuable information on things like:

  • Sample letters for seeking permission on using quotes, photos, song lyrics.
  • Laws and regulations regarding use of copyrighted content
  • How to create a tracking log for permissions
  • On-line search sites for obtaining copyright information for periodicals, books, music and images such as maps, labels, cartoons and fine art images.
  • Visual art permissions agreements
  • The differences between public domain, stock  and private collection images.

Husband and wife team, Joyce L Miller, and Dr. Daniel C Miller, authors of Copyright Clearance for Creatives, provide leading edge information on rules and regulations and licensing of digital content. This book will need to be updated frequently to keep pace with ever changing copyright regulations. Thus, it is available paperback and e-book format, so that it can be easily revised and kept current. Click for Info & Ordering.

joyce l millerA little background about the qualifications of the authors – Joyce L. Miller is a consultant to independent publishers and is co-founder and co-owner of Integrated Writers Services. http://www.writerservices.biz/. She has over twenty years experience in publishing, copyright and copyright compliance including being an intellectual property manager for NASA’s Classroom of the Future.

Dr. C. Daniel Miller has served as dean of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association College (CIPA) and past president of the organization. www.cipabooks.com He has been “a technology consultant to architects to computer design and telecommunicationsdan miller, author infrastructures.” He also served as Executive Director of NASA’s Classroom of the Future and has been a university professor and department chair. His latest venture is “a project manager and researcher to discover relevance in large unstructured data.”

For every writer, musician, filmmaker, or any other individual involved in the art, marketing or design field,  Copyright Clearance for Creatives should be in their library, either in paperbound copy or on as an e-book acquisition.

Return tomorrow to  All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Words to Live By

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Good Morning! To describe the resource book that will be featured tomorrow,  on All Things Fulfilling, will take more words than I usually use in  blog writing.  People in all creative industries, will want to learn about this newly-published independent publication. Don’t miss out.

So, today, I’ll use my words sparingly along with images to tell a story:

Flourish. Learn something new every day!

flourish

Grow.  Always strive to enlarge your world.

growingbook

Succeed.  Much better than the alternative.

succeed

Inspire. Actions speak louder than words.

 ifitdoesntchallenge

Smile. Progress is good for the world.

laughing-girl-lying-on-grass-with-a-book

Friendship. Connect!

green-business

Create. New beginnings gain strength with time and energy. 

 green screensjpg

Believe. In anything, higher than yourself.

grow in grace

Share. Makes life more fulfilling!

sharing storms

 Tomorrow. Another chance to get it right!

hands with green world tomorrow

Return on  Tuesday to All Things Fulfilling,  where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Using a Blog as Vision Board

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“Never mind searching for who you are. Search for the person you aspire to be.” ~Robert Brault

Yesterday I discovered All Things Fulfilling was featured once again on author Mara Purl’s blog. http://bit.ly/11hneiN. Purl had this to say about the content that we post on this site. “Just one glance at Sue’s extensive, multi-faceted, eclectic and intriguing blog will demonstrate she actually practices the fulfillment she talks about.” 

I would agree with Purl’s assessment of this blog; the subject matter is always a little different. I write about what is  in my heart on a daily basis. We all find enjoyment in different things in our lives, so I try use my intuition to steer me in knowing what others might find appealing and interesting in the arts and humanities field. Perhaps All Things Fulfilling could be described as my vision board for committing to and exploring possibilities for creating a lifestyle filled with heart and soul.   I use my emotional energy to help others follow their hearts desires to do what makes them happy in their careers and find personal fulfillment in their personal lives.

Mara Purl’s fictional characters in her Milford-Haven books, are people who have decided to think outside the box and create a life that is uniquely suited to their personalities and interests. I like that, Purl’s characters “sit right with me.”Click for the Milford Haven Novels ink pen with heart

So, I’m going to put Purl’s next (3rd) Milford-Haven novel on my vision board, and I’ll let you know when it is available.

Did you know Mara Purl is now a national best selling author of women’s fiction? Visit us tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling.This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Film Friday: The Great Courses

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Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself. ~
John Dewey

great-courses

 Are you a person who has an insatiable thirst for knowledge? A type of brain food is currently on sale until February 15, 2013. The Great Courses ww.ordergreatcourses.com  offers educational DVDs and CDs from top college professors. Available on a full range of subjects, from the arts and humanities to history, religion, math, health and science. At very reasonable costs, you can learn and be inspired in the comfort of your home, office or while you are stuck in traffic. Some of the topics contain as many as 24 half hour lectures, most ranging in price from $19.99 to $69.99, far less than enrolling in classes at a top university or college.

Here is a small sampling of The Great Courses Offered:

  • A History of European Art
  • How to Listen to and Understand Great Music
  • Nutrition Made Clear
  • The New and Old Testaments
  • Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writers Craft
  • The Everyday Guide to Wine
  • Our Night Sky
  • Optimizing Brain Fitness
  • Practicing Mindfulness
  • The Science of Natural Healing
  • What are the Chances: Probability Made Clear
  • Secrets of Mental Math

This is just a small list of courses offered by professors from colleges such as:  University of Iowa, Johns Hopkins University, University of Virginia, GeorgetownUniversity, Northwestern, Colgate, Scripps Center for Integrative Healing, Vanderbilt UniversityDivinitySchool, Yale School of Medicine, The Peabody Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.

It is important, at every age, to continue to grow for a fulfilling life. Seek new knowledge; become a life-long learner.  Baby boomers will enjoy keeping their minds active through the topics offered.  Search for brain food that suits your individual taste. Click for DVDs of The Great Courses

Visit us on Monday, on All Things Fulfilling,  where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.