Category Archives: humor and health

State of Being

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Have you ever noticed how people tend to rationalize everything? I‘ve been known to do that.

My son, who has always been, from a very young age, very astute about human nature said to me one day when he was about nine or ten “Mom, why do you do that?”

“Do what?” I said.

“Try to figure out the reason for everything?”

“What did just I do?” I asked, not knowing what I had said or done to bring up these questions.

“You just said you are cold.”

“So, what’s wrong with that?” I asked my son, shivering and rubbing my hands together to warm up.

“Then you went on to say all the reasons why you might be cold. Did  you ever think that you might just BE?”

“No,” I replied, “I’ll have to think about that!”

There is no doubt about it I do tend to try to figure out the reason for everything. And what’s more, I go to great lengths to explain things in writing on All Things Fulfilling! Ah well, what can I say? I’ll have to remind myself:

Not everything in life makes sense

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard.

 

 

 

Lettuce Thank Them

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“We are all one Energy Stream, but what makes the separations or distinguishes the differences is perspective. You are a unique and individual perspective.” ~ Abraham-Hicks

We all know people who even as young children have “marched to the sound of a different drummer” or “keep a different pace than their peers” or perhaps it could be said “they go their own sweet way.”

Some people have a greater tolerance and understanding for deviations in personalities  than others. Thankfully “creative spirit” is not frowned upon in children as much as when I was growing up. People have grown to appreciate and celebrate creative thinking more, and the gifts unique perspectives bring to the world.

color inside the lines

When I saw this image below, I couldn’t help but ponder what extraordinary thinking and perspective!  It’s really cool couture! Yep, it’s a composition made with lettuce and etching.

very creative couture

Today  we are celebrating creative thinking and creative spirits on All Things Fulfilling.

If the energy is positively channeled, sometimes magnificent things become of children who go along looking at life a little differently. It is what makes life interesting!

See you tomorrow we will have more to say on ways to BE!

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thirsty Thursday: Grow Happiness

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Ok! I’ll admit it, I like sappy, happy stories.   Yes, I do! It’s a relief to read something uplifting and positive because it gives balance to what is typically shown in the media.

One of the best ways to remove yourself from being inundated with negativity is to simply shut the TV off. As simple as that.

Negative influences can affect our entire demeanor. As people who can exercise our own free will, it’s up to us to decide who we want to hang with and what kind of energy is the most healthy to be around. 

Positive energy breeds positive energy, so keep this in mind. Find your positive energy name and let yourself be surrounded by all things fulfilling in your life that helps you live up to it.

Positive Energy Name

That’s all for today from Extraordinary Surprise Bringer. (aka the award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.)

Learning from a Protagonist

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What is a protagonist? According to Dictionary.com, a protagonist is the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.

“What characteristics then,” I’ve been asked, “does your protagonist have that makes her a leading character in your two publications, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul?

I’ll give you a little insight into Fanny,  the very special character in both books. Not only did she bring humor to an entire family,

character in story

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard. See you on Monday on All Things Fulfilling.com.

Valuing the Right Things

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Planning is bringing the future into the present, so you can do something about it now. ~ Alan Lakein

Happy February 1st! You know what that means. Valentine’s Day is around the corner – just two weeks away and the pressure is on to find the perfect present.

Valentine’s Day is not just for adults. If you have children who are twelve or older, sometimes finding a token of love to give them for Valentine Day is even more of a challenge. Especially if you are looking for something that will fuel your offspring’s understanding of love rather than provide fuel for a sugar high or fuel the idea that love is all about some high priced item.

If you are a parent who is attempting to raise children who will have their values in the right place in life, the ten stories in Lessons of Heart and Soul are very appropriate for ages 12+. They give a jumping off point to handling those important conversations you have been meaning to have with your children. There is nothing that helps get a conversation started better than humor – that’s inside it!

The cost of the e-book is less than the cost of cards in retail stores. So you don’t need to make a big financial investment. Your children’s understanding of relationships might be substantially different after reading Lessons of Heart and Soul.

Lessons of Heart V4 Cover JPEG 50% resized

P.S. Did you know 46% of all children have already read e-books? You can even download a Kindle on a computer. No need to go to great expense until you and your family decide if you like reading from a tech gadget.

Themes from the Bathtub

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“When you are discontent, you always want more, more, more. Your desire can never be satisfied. But when you practice contentment, you can say to yourself, ‘Oh yes — I already have everything that I really need.”― Dalai Lama XIV

All week long our blogs have been focused on happiness, personal growth and success. But, we don’t always have to look at the big scheme of things to find fulfilling things in our midst. Contentment is not necessarily about career advancement, more money in our wallets, moving up the social ladder and having material things. It’s about incorporating little things that bring  joy into our lives.

There’s something that I deny myself that I need to give into. Allowing myself time to soak in the tub. I rarely do it. Only if have some ache or pain – and fortunately for me that’s next to never. There is something that seems time wasting about lollygagging in a bathtub. I am more of a power shower person than a soaker.

It’s not the first time this notion that I need to let myself linger in a tub for no reason has occurred to me. Every so often the thought comes along and then I  act on it a time or two, and then forget about it.
bathtub_reader 2Imagine how happy it might make me if I combined all my favorite things with drawing a bath. Add in teatime and reading and it sounds like a recipe for euphoria. I think I’ll go explore it.

On second thought, rather than read in the tub, perhaps I need to let my mind wander and see what ideas I can come up with for next week’s blog theme.

See you on All Things Fulfilling on Monday.

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. Author of the award-winning memoir Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

 

 

Aging and Personal Growth

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A few weeks ago my husband and I attended the presentation of a motivational speaker, Todd Musselman of Timberline Leadership.  The evening was sponsored by the Inspired Life Network. The message of the evening was brought to us through Musselman’s music and personal stories. A very effective means of delivering the theme – Where is There?

Happiness & SuccessMusselman is an outstanding communicator. By the end of the evening, I came to understand more fully than ever that personal growth is an ongoing process and if individuals are truly “alive” we never do find that place called “there.” And that is not a bad thing because seeking the answers to “Where is There?” gives us opportunity to become all that we are meant to be through discovery – that’s a good thing! Without stimulation of the mind, body and spirit, we may as well hang it up. Personal growth and change is good for our relationships with one another.

Furthermore, personal development is not just for young folks. Baby boomers, what plans you do have this year to grow your mind, body and spirit?

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, the award-winning author of  Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart and Soul.

Closing out the Week Happy

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On All Things Fulfilling we are closing out the week with a song guaranteed to put a smile on your face. A simple, snappy and oh so sunny alternative to reading entertainment!

As Winston Churchill once said “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

Do return on Monday, and have a weekend filled with finding the simple pleasures.

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul. For information on Sue Batton Leonard’s publication, please visit http://www.allthingsfulfilling.com/about-the-book/.

 

Joyfully At Your Service

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Welcome back to our week of simple pleasures. I hope you enjoy this week’s messages on All Things Fulfilling that have few words but the images reflect little things that make a difference in our lives or the lives of others.

Making the Load Lighter

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”  ~ Rabindranath Tagore

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard,  author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Simple Theme Week

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This week’s theme on All Things Fulfilling is going to be the beauty of simplicity. So, in that vein, blogs will be short, sweet and to the point. Yet I still aim to inspire, entertain, educate or

Inform!

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Inform

As they say at http://www.YouAreNeverAloneFoundation.org

“I Matter…You Matter…Each Person Matters.” ~

 You Are Never Alone Foundation

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, award- winningauthor of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.