Category Archives: living positive lives

Seek the Good in the World

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“To love what you do and feel that it matters, how could anything be more fun?” ~Katharine Graham 

You’ve heard it time and time again, look for the positive not for the negative. Well, that is exactly what You Are Never Alone Foundation, a Vermont 5013(c) in Dorset, Vermont is focusing on between now and March 28th. The foundation is hoping to have help, around the world, in capturing and writing down ONE MILLION Acts of Caring and every community can participate! 

The idea is so simple. In your home, school, place of work, in your place of worship, or other public spaces in your community, place a “caring box” with pencil and paper in plain view. Every time you witness and catch someone in an act of kindness, write it down and put it in the box. If you see someone sharing a welcoming smile, extending a hand by volunteering to help or any other kind gesture or words that demonstrates caring, acknowledge it. Between now and March 28th focus on finding all the truly good and compassionate people around the world. 

You are never-AloneYou can go to the website for You Are Never Alone Foundation and get the resources you need to start a movement where you live. There are posters/flyers to print out, and a design to wrap around a box, so people will know to drop their testimonies of witnessing kind deeds and acts. http://bit.ly/TPEAEY . 

March 28 is the annual worldwide I Matter…You Matter Day and Salley Gibney, founder of You Are Never Alone Foundation has challenged people everywhere to tally up 1,000,000 caring acts by that date.

One Million Acts of Caring need not end on March 28th. You can engage in caring year round.As Salley says, “Caring is Contagious. We all need to share messages of caring, connection and hope.”  

One great act of caring would be to pass this message along and participate in the challenge!

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.

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.

 

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.

Exploring Painting through Video

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My heart and soul have been surprised over and over again, with every work of art I explore. ~ Kathleen Carrillo 

ThePaintingExperience.com claims that “if you can hold a brush, you can paint.” Fair enough – you may not be able to create a museum quality piece, but there is no reason why anyone who desires it, can’t try it. 

A short video from http://www.thepaintingexperience.com explores the therapeutic value of “dabbling with art” or experimentation with painting. The video makes a powerful statement for seizing the moment and allowing your heart to lead the way through color, shapes and forms put to canvas. To watch the video, please go to this link.  http://bit.ly/VulI01.  

life paint and passionThinking you’d like to try your hand at some kind of art, is a positive first step. Smart people learn to follow their intuition. Art creation, of any kind, provides a wonderful outlet for our translating our emotions and our thoughts into imagery whether it is through music, film, words, dance, theatre, or any other kind of art or craft. 

Not every community, such as the town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has imaginative businesses like Splatz Canvas and Wine, providing space, instruction and all the art supplies needed, so you can just dabble. An alternative –  in-home art workshops, brought to you digitally, is also useful. Learn more about www.thepaintingexperience.com through their website. 

artistically speakingThanks to artist Sheryl Allen http://smallbizbiglife.com/ for sending me information for today’s blog. Earlier in the week,  she contacted me as a result of a blog posting on All Things Fulfilling about Splatz Canvas and Wine. She’s been on a blog radio show called, Artistically Speaking http://bit.ly/VocrmJ.

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.

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.

In Search of Soul and Self

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“To have another language is to possess a second soul.” ~ Charlemagne

Note: Today’s blog is devoted to all beautiful soul building individuals in the family of man. The message below, in red and black, is a reminder that the fabric of the world’s population is so interesting due our diversity as individuals, woven together, living on one planet.

I am a very proud aunt! I have five nieces, and two nephews, not even including two more lovely nieces on my husband’s side of the family. There’s notto my neice a bad apple in the bunch of them; each has a unique personality and career choice so different than each of their cousins. All are in their twenties, except the youngest who will be off to college, in September, with ambitions of becoming a veterinarian specializing in horses.

0814329616In a few short days, one of my nieces will be going to Japan to teach English as a second language. Wisely, she has chosen to travel abroad for an extended period, now, while she is young, with few encumbrances. She will be working at a very reputable school, has an apartment arranged, and is up for the challenge. Her personality traits, I believe, are well suited to the task. She is very resourceful and a beautiful soul building individual.

According to an article published by Cornell University, there are many benefits of elevating the spirits and minds of children by teaching them a second language. To read the full article, please go to  http://bit.ly/VMI4WT

Not to put  pressure on her or anything, but, I hope she will  start a blog; she is a fantastic writer. I would love to see photos and learn, from this side of the world, about her experiences in the classroom, as well as more about Japanese art, history and other interesting cultural information that she encounters. 

I love and will miss  my dear niece, and I hope it will not be too long before I see her again. But,  I know it will be a fulfilling experience. She’ll grow, as a person, as a result of sharing her talents with children abroad.

 “Ki wo tsuketekudasai”! 

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Keeping Art In Perspective

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Art allows us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. ~ Thomas Merton 

I chuckled to myself yesterday. Why is it that when we parents ask our children, no matter what age they are, what they are doing they always reply with a pat answer of “nothin’?” 

The other day,  I checked in on my son’s blog. I found he ‘s not coming clean with me. He posted his year in review and quite to the contrary, he’s been one busy young creative. And he forgot to mention in his list of accomplishments that he also has a fulltime job and sometimes teaches his craft of independent filmmaking, too.  http://bit.ly/VnC0EZ.

Since he can take a good ribbin’ all in good humor, I am going to make a request of him for the coming year. I am going to ask him to every once in a while, take a deep breath, relax, and do exactly what he tells me he is doing – nothin’! 

We all tend to overextend ourselves in this fast paced world and sometimes need to practice the art of relaxation. There is a good article posted by rowdykittens.com about the importance of putting our feet up and doing something just for ourselves. http://bit.ly/WIf4wY . 

It’s wise to set aside a little time weekly, just to BE, and that means something different to each of us. I guess, right now it is my time to BE a mother speaking. 

art is part of lifeAs the parent of an artist, I need to remember,  for my son’s sake, there is not much distinction between working at his profession, and doing something pleasurable. Both bring inspiration and joy.  It is all part of living a fulfilling life.

Namaste, my son, I bow to you for all that you do!

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Searching for Creative Outlets?

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“Anyone can dabble, but once you’ve made that commitment, your blood has a particular thing in it, and it’s very hard for people to stop you.” ~ Bill Cosby 

Ever thought you’d like to explore painting but never had the gumption or confidence to try it? Or have you hesitated because you don’t want to invest in all the “gear” that comes with it, in case it ends up not really being your thing? No way to know if you will like it, unless you give it a whirl. 

What is becoming a new concept in entertainment, creativity and socializing in other places has now arrived in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Splatz Canvas and Wine is an imaginative business that provides opportunity for people to stop in and dabble. People may not have aspirations of becoming the next Picasso or Monet, but it gives them the chance to have fun with a group of friends exploring a new hobby together. 

paint partySplatz Canvas and Wine provides the instructor, the canvas, paint, easels and all the other art supplies needed to create a painting that is uniquely yours. Organize a girls night out party, birthday parties for children or adults, corporate parties or enjoy a different kind of date night at Splatz. The older set (over 21 years of age) can order up a glass of wine and along with munchies. 

There are millions of people worldwide, who find personal fulfillment in painting and other art either as a hobby or as a career. Splatz Canvas and Wine provides a space to discover what people find so satisfying in creating images to hang on the wall. 

Now you can create, socialize and paint at Splatz Canvas and Wine in the ‘Boat!

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.