What Color Is Your Dream?

A Holiday Message

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:43:00 +0000

Emma in Malibu - September 2011

It's been crazy out here in Hollywood. As a now seasoned Extra in commercials, I find myself staring at the televisions at Walmart and Best Buy searching for my left arm or the back of my head. They call us "Background" now instead of "Extra". It's politically correct, I suppose. I don't mind being extra. I love my job. I love watching how it all comes together. I love the interesting people I meet. I love the catered lunch they serve. Any time someone else cooks, I'm happy!

In and around a busy work schedule, I've been making holiday gifts and shopping. My home looks like Santa's workshop, as usual. Ribbons falling out of drawers, yarn EVERYWHERE, wrapping paper, jingle bells. There's even a partridge in a pear tree. Just kidding.

I've been talking to myself for years but it has picked up due to the season. In fact, I now carry on quite a conversation with not just me, but with my dog, Emma. She first came home with me in May of 1996. I took her straight from work to my book club. The book we were reading? You guessed it. Emma by Jane Austen. The divine Miss Em turned 15 last April. She's looking good and hikes Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles ... all the way to the top. I have to keep her on a leash because she's blind from cataracts and her nose wants to take her over the edge when we get near a gopher community! She is the perfect companion for someone like me. My days are sometimes 12-14 hours long and she patiently waits for me to take her outside. She takes medication for every woman's dream, a hypo-thyroid problem. Svelte and quite the lady, she also had a chance for "background" work, appearing on The Dog Whisperer when they filmed in my neighborhood.

This year I started early on gifts. I seemed to suffer from a lot of angst. I searched the internet and thumbed through catalogs. I bounced ideas off of Emma. She listened politely, commenting only when she had a thought. My angst increased as the number of shopping days until Christmas decreased. Now Emma was offering big sighs in response and a few times I think I heard the rumble of a disgruntled growl. I caught her staring at the Christmas tree. I couldn't tell if she thought she was staring at me, or if she was just enjoying the lights and shiny baubles ...

I've been dog sitting this week while my son is on location in Mexico. His dog, Arrow, needs a lot of exercise so I've been walking him every morning and spending my nights there since Emma sleeps quite soundly after she turns out the light. Today, when I came home to give Emma a walk and feed her, I arrived to an extra quiet house.

"Emma?", I called. "Em? Where are you?"

No answer. She wasn't in my workshop, not in the kitchen. I noticed she hadn't eaten and her water bowl was still full. She wasn't asleep on the bathroom mat. I looked in my bedroom and she wasn't there either.

"Where IS she?", I wondered.

When I got to the living room, I peeked around the corner and there she was, sound asleep and curled up on the Christmas tree skirt. Her nose was peeking out from under the branches. She didn't hear me come in. I turned quietly so as not to disturb her. When I did, I stepped on something and it shot across the room. I picked up a ballpoint pen and tucked underneath the pen's pocket clip was a folded piece of paper. I opened the note and read:

Emma's Christmas List

1. 1 package of large bully sticks

2. 1 package of medium size bully sticks

3. 1 package of travel size bully sticks - in parentheses, for the beach

4. Walks with Kittie every morning and night

5. Snuggle time on the couch when Kittie reads and watches movies

6. Play time with Brian - in parentheses, he always brings me a treat

To Santa Claus:

I am working on my memoirs and I'm hoping to publish in 2012. I have lived a full and rich dog life. I love my family. I want them to know what a pleasure it is being with them and how satisfied I am in my role as the family dog. Not every dog has had it as good as I have: Food in my bowl morning and night, daily walks around the neighborhood - Kittie calls them Sniffs, beds in every room. In parentheses, I love the new bath rug!

This Christmas I wish for every dog to have the chance to love a human. They need us right now. More than ever before we can show them the value of patience, the virtue of delayed gratification and the power of unconditional love. Dogs of the World, our time is now. In truth, our time is always now. If we can help our families see this truth, we will have been the best dogs we can be.

Wishing everyone a warm and snuggly cold-nosed Christmas and what was it Tiny Tim's dog used to say?

"God Bless Us Every Dog!"

Merry Christmas from Emma

In parenentheses, and from me ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Weather!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Weather Report - 1977 album by Heavy Weather - Click to listen

For info on Heavy Weather and other music classics, click here

The word from my Heart Pocket is Weather.

It has always been of interest and right now, it's big. We hear about global warming and about weather being a reflection of the current mass consciousness. Scientists are constantly conjecturing and just when they find a connection, nature finds a way to humble.

We deal with weather as best we can. We check it before we leave the house or go on vacation. We dress accordingly, drive a different route or just stay home. We relish the times when it shines kindly upon us by going on picnics and to the beach, sitting outside at lunch, running through the neighborhood instead of the gym. For some a momentary shower is a blessing. For others, a break in the clouds lets a sunny vitamin D moment heal the body and soul. Weather affects us. There is logic in the theory that we also affect our weather. We are a part of nature. Our gorgeous planet, the untameable universe mirrors our energetic rages and smiles. Whether or not this is true, you can see how it might work in the climate of our personal experience.

Weather is defined as the atmospheric conditions that surround us. We are in control of our own behavior and we get to choose how we react to the storms that brew and finally burst into our lives. Plenty of "weather advisories" are available to us when we are paying attention. We have a personal barometer - ways of measuring our moods and feelings and attitudes - that gives us a chance to prepare for the floods and dry spells and even warns us of the earthquakes and tsunamis in our lives.

Are you a weather watcher? Do you adjust your day according to the atmospheric conditions that surround you? Do you know what circumstances are optimum for you and choose the climate in which you live? Are you able to predict a storm in your life, preparing yourself mentally and emotionally so you can endure and thrive beyond it? Are you equipped with plenty of courage and honesty and creativity and compassion? Are your cupboards filled with the food you might need for nourishment during difficult times? Could you weather an emotional flood or a financial drought? Do you have enough ingenuity and courage on hand to change when needed? Will you get swept away or will you summon creativity and find the challenge of a personal storm invigorating, an exercise in personal growth?

It's a great metaphor for living, the weather. I'm sure you can think of better and more personal comparisons than I can. Notice the weather in your life. Outside, yes, but your internal atmosphere can directly affect how you approach and cope with the external weather vortexes in an ordinary day. Weather is a group activity. Each element is important and in charge of itself. We are those elements. Be in charge of yourself. See if you can affect your personal climate. Gather the tools you need. Choose to enjoy the weather, rain and shine!

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Attention!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:52:00 +0000

Compelling images by photographer Lucy Huffstetter - click to see more!

The word from my heart pocket is Attention.

Notice. Be aware. Observe. Listen and hear. Consider with focus. Be mindful. Suspend time and don't be a slave to it. Be mindful. Enjoy the Moments in your life. A marvelous way to do this is to read a novel or a biography. If reading is an addiction for you, try not reading for an entire day and see where your attention is redirected. Once you awaken to the power of attention, you will be amazed at what you experience!
I was sitting in my car at a stoplight. The person in the car in the adjacent lane was texting. The lane this person was in ended and she would have to pull into my lane in order to get on the freeway. I looked over at her several times while we waited to wave her in front of me. She was busy with her phone and didn't look up. The light turned green and I glanced one more time at the driver next to me. Her attention was still on her cell phone. I wanted to be on time for an appointment and turned my attention back to the light. Off I went. I heard a din of honking horns, all aimed toward the young lady who was intent on checking her emails. Because her attention was elsewhere, she missed the opportunity to easily get on the freeway. She also stopped the flow of traffic. She might have been lost and looking at a map on her phone to decide whether to get on the freeway or take another route. In any case, both of us gave our attention to what was most important to us at the moment. I looked in my rear view mirror as I entered the freeway and saw her hit the steering wheel with her hand. She would have to wait for another green light.

Wherever we focus our attention is where the opportunities lie. Opportunity is everywhere and while we're looking at the classifieds, the front page might mention the lead we need. When we focus on exercise and diet alone, the taxes still sit on the dining room table. We might not listen closely to a friend's story at lunch and miss the part about the boss looking for a new department manager. We choose to help our child with his science project instead of watching American Idol. The winner gets our attention. If we are pleased with how things are going or surprised we're not getting anywhere, perhaps we should take a look at where we are putting our attention.

There is no right or wrong here. It is full of logic and is backed up by persistence and passion. Sometimes an effort requires all of our attention. For a period of allotted time, we zero in and shut everything else out. We can also spread our attention throughout our day and accomplish a lot in a short period of time. Sometimes we need to divert our attention to something restful and pleasurable so the imagination can help the brain connect the dots. Taking a moment to focus on prioritizing the day is a moment well spent. When we pull the camera to see the whole picture, our attention is drawn to the panorama. We can see the beauty in our project (our lives) and we might have a different perspective on our approach. We might need to zoom back in on a specific area and notice the details. Using all of our senses, including those that are not as practiced like intuition and spatial sensitivities, show opportunities we could never have otherwise imagined.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Deep!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:07:00 +0000

It's Deep - click to meet Emma

The word from my heart pocket is Deep.

Deep. Where does it live? We think of the ocean, we associate the word with excavation and dark mysterious places. Deep in the forest. Deep in the recesses of my mind.

The original Old English word is deop, two syllables and with a long sounding e. Deop. When spoken that way, the end of the word drops into wherever deop lies.

The word has other nuances, of course: Enhance, expand, magnify, increase, reinforce, strengthen, intensify, heighten, grow. We deepen our resolve, we have a deep passion for someone, we know something from the depths of our being.

There is a reason we associate the word deep with the mysterious, the dark and the sacred. It is there we are still and have the possibility of experiencing the quality parts of ourselves. Our daily lives are like water skiing - skimming along the surface fast and furiously on an incredible and wild ride. It can be hectic and frustrating or incredibly exciting and our whole being works to keep up. But we cannot do it without going deep now and then. We have to stop and let our mind muscles rest, our body rejuvenate, our happiness must replenish itself with stillness, anonymity, a break from our egos. The Deep is a popular name for the ocean, the most universal symbol of mystery because of our attachment to its many qualities. They are familiar to us because we behave like the ocean, with raging storms, constant waves to stir our creativity and to offer variety in our lives. We experience the cold and silence found at the ocean floor, down deep where everything changes, where we can hear our heartbeat and experience the buried treasures life offers. When we go deep inside ourselves, we are surrounded by a soundless protection and we let go of trifles. We transcend interruption and irritation and enjoy a peace we so richly deserve.

The deep is there when we live in the present moment. This currently popular notion is ancient and really works. We have only to try it to experience it. The benefit comes to each of us. Some might need practice at blocking out the world in order to experience oneself. It's actually not mysterious or filled with hocus-pocus. It is scientific and healthy and a gift we give to ourselves.

Find a place and time for the deep in your life. You can experience with eyes closed or with eyes filled with the wonder of a new experience. The deep is a part of you and the more you use it - as in all things - the more a part of you it becomes.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Epiphany!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 15:33:00 +0000

To learn about Elise Ballard and her incredibly inspirational book ... click here!

The word from my heart pocket is Epiphany!

Revelation

Communication

Cue

Discovery

Unveiling

Vision

Tip

Flash

Inspiration

Lightning bolt

Clue

Divination

Break

Uncovering

Eureka

Godsend

Jolt

Phenomenon

Stupefaction

Wonder

Transformation

Epiphany

"It may sound obvious, but one day I realized - not everyone thinks like me. And from that came, not everyone is supposed to think like me."

"I can change my mind. In an instant, I can stop and go another direction."

"I don't have to be perfect. It's enough to just do my best."

"I can do anything I want to do."

"It doesn't matter what others think. My life belongs to me."

"We are all connected. My choices matter not only to me, but to the world."

"As teenagers, what truly matters is the fact that we want to make a difference and that one day our determination to do so will give us a lot to reflect on. We might be void of major accomplishments to reflect on right now; we have a whole life ahead of us to change that." (from Akua. Thank you, wise one ...)

"I don't have to 'figure it out'. It's inside of me and all I have to do is stop living separately from my truth."

"Slow is good. I don't have to be first or faster. I choose quality. Quality makes my life an every day experience instead of always reaching and not finding. Slow is good."

"I get better and better. Focus changed my life. Choosing - and then going for it. The goal is a great carrot. The real reward is the doing."

"I always have had what I need. I didn't always see that. Once I took the time to notice that fact, it changed everything and I could see that I actually had more than I needed and I could choose from a smorgasborg of tools to make the doing fun."

"Awareness. Awareness and then laughter. That was my Epiphany."

These are sharings of epiphanies, the transformational moments in the lives of some who offered when asked. There are wonderful stories that go with each revelation. Please share your epiphany, a turning point in your life - a thought, a happening, a wonder - that deepened your life experience or turned it around completely. No comments will be published without your permission and can also be published anonymously. Inspire others with your experience, your Epiphany!

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Courage!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:09:00 +0000

What makes the muskrat guard his musk? - click to watch video

The word from my heart pocket is Courage.

We all have moments. We're faced with a difficult decision and from some place deep inside it rises to greet us: Courage. We're proud of ourselves for those moments and although they can come few and far between, it's wonderful to know it's a part of our character.

And what about daily challenges, the little things easy to ignore, thrown off as insignificant and unimportant? Do we call it courage to go the extra mile at work, to attend our child's ballgame even if it means inconveniencing a client? Is it courage to phone our creditors to ask for a lower payment or more time to get the money for a bill when finances are low? Are we courageous when we own up to mistakes or tell the truth when a lie might feel easier at the time? Do we have the fortitude to stand by our principles? Can we summon the confidence to speak up when needed? Are we able to move at the very moment an opportunity shows itself? Is courage a part every choice?

I've noticed that big can actually be quite small in the end, and that it's the little choices that make the difference in a life. Finding the courage to take the high road even though there's a hill to climb and it will take a bit longer than the low road builds strength of character. As in all behavioral habits, the more we practice, the more a part of our DNA they become.

We think of our heroes as being strong and brave, filled with the courage not found in us common folk. But who among you knows a hero in your neighborhood, your office, your kid's ball team? What teacher can you name who braves the overcrowded classroom to not just teach to the test, but to inspire the joy in learning something new? Who do you know that overcame a physical obstacle to continue enjoying what we would call an ordinary day? When did you take the time to listen to someone's disappointment or let your child proudly and painstakingly read to you before bed? How often do you venture out of your comfort zone to get new clients, raise money for a good cause, submit that book proposal to a publisher for perusal?

THE KEY TO COURAGE IS VULNERABILITY. IF YOU CANNOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE VULNERABLE, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW REAL COURAGE.

It takes courage to be compassionate.

To delay gratification one more time so your dream has the chance to succeed requires grit, guts and fearlessness - courage.

They call it courage when we choose to start over, even if the odds are against us.

It takes a big heart to display courage. It also requires temperance and forgiveness and sometimes the hardest and bravest choice is letting go.

Please share a story of courage in the comments section with today's readers. Better yet, take a courageous step today and feel the warmth that valor brings, even if it goes unnoticed by all but you.

Practice courage and find the hero inside ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Love!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:48:00 +0000

Winter to Spring by Lynda Hoffman-Snodgrass

Click here to be mesmerized by her heartfelt watercolors!

The word from my heart pocket is Love

The thought of writing about love stopped me for days. I was bombarded by a bajillion notions and those thoughts took me on a roller coaster of tangents that led to memories and an awareness of the love in my life right now.

What about love?

Sometimes love makes my heart beat fast and sometimes it feels like my heart literally stops beating, if only for a second; It happens because love feels so intense or because of pain I can't comprehend; Or because I've never experienced that level of love before.

What about love?

It sneaks into my saddest moments and lifts me above despair. It cradles me in its arms when I think of my mother and father and the sacrifices they made in the name of love, and the joy I gave them because I loved them just as they loved me. Many times love has propped me up and spurred me onward when the two people I love most in the world came running toward me shouting, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" and now say, "Hey Mom, it's all good."

There is romantic love and love for God, love of nature, for our animal friends, and of our native culture. Each of us experiences love in our own way, whether we are open to receiving or willing to be vulnerable when we give love away. Love grows when it has plenty of room. Love is squandered without respect; love is squashed by fear and it soars when compassion comes out to play. Love is a noun and at once, a verb. More than a part of speech, it holds fast and lets us go as needed.

Love expresses itself from the ridiculous to the sublime: through laughter and sacrifice, endurance and strife; It maintains dignity, tells the truth, finds beauty when it isn't readily apparent, wears patience from moment to moment, risks looking silly, risks being wrong.

What about love?

We make it complicated, we find it simple. We live for love. To know love is to be alive.

Who do you love? What does love do for you? How does love make you feel? Where have you found love? How do you express it? Do you experience some kind of love every day? Is love in the air where you live? Does your smile show your love? Can you hear it in your voice, see it in your eyes? Do you recognize it on an ordinary day? Is love a stranger to you, or is it an old friend?

I mentioned that just the thought of love stopped me from being able to write. I am humbled that my words are so inadequate and that after a full week of thinking about love, I still struggle to live up to the word. Love is so Big. Love means so much and touches us in so many ways. It belongs to every single living. We literally cannot survive without love. To love and be loved may be life's greatest experience.

Take time to love today. Let love in and feel how it warms your heart. Every day is Valentine's Day. Be mine, Valentine. Love will lead the way ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Palette!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Paintbox #1 by Pamela Mostek - Incredible quilts! Click here for more ...

The word from my heart pocket is Palette.

A blank canvas can be overwhelming. It's like the clean slate, the fresh piece of paper, the clear computer screen. It's so hard to begin because we might do it wrong; we might feel like it won't turn out right or we can't take it back once it's painted, written, expressed; people might think we're foolish or even bad for trying something out of the ordinary. They might criticize or disapprove or even ignore us.

A palette is a literal board of colors from which we choose to paint what we see. These are the most basic ingredients to our painting. It provides a place to begin. The range of colors depends on the artist's intent and the picture she has in mind.

Although it is the painter who readily claims the word, a palette comes in many forms. It provides a symphony in the vehicle of musical notes and octaves and vibrational sounds. It offers a quilt through multicolored fabrics and multifaceted weaves. We gain information and delight in stories through a growing dictionary of words and their meanings. We see into our souls within the palette of poetry.

However we express ourselves - in our work, in our relationships, inside our days - life presents a variety of colors on its tool palette, for mixing and matching, to suit even our most immediate creations. The assortment is endless. We are always formulating, building, giving birth to never before seen solutions and ways of expression. We decorate our lives from tip to toe. Our palette grows with us. The more we experiment, the more confidence we gain in the power of the palette.

To bring something into our lives, we don't simply wish it and it happens. That's a very big first step, but it doesn't get the job done. And it is absolutely, positively, and unequivocally more exciting to lead the way!

When an artist is first learning his instrument, he starts with primary elements. As he uses his time and energy getting to know how it feels and sounds and how it works best to express his voice, he begins to add more color, texture, dynamics and shading. He has a vision along with a desire to succeed and the most seasoned businessperson, the expert, the champion, the virtuoso knows it is through using the tools on his palette that he achieves his goal.

There is magic inside every choice on our palette. Sometimes it works best to limit the colors at the beginning. Sometimes we need to get all of our cards on the table so we can feel confident to start. Having the right tools is basic to success. Logically, it is what we do with those tools that makes our business plan, our poetry, our happiness flow.

What is it you want to accomplish today, this week, this year? Imagine a drawer full of colors to paint your accomplishment. What would they be? Try writing them down. Even better, draw them in a journal or make a poster to put above your desk, your bathroom mirror, your kitchen sink. Change out and add to your palette as you play with the ingredients of your project. Sometimes it comes out as you imagine it and if you allow a little wiggle room - the magic inside your choices will show itself. It is completely at your service. You can always rearrange or reprogram. I have started over many Many MANY times. Recognize the fun in possibility and experience the satisfaction of making something your own. Whether you are in charge of a vision or part of a plan, you are integral (meaningful), you are allowed to experiment (creative) and you can experience equal satisfaction (happiness) in its outcome.

Start right where you are. Right now. Make a palette just for today. Wow. What an amazing picture today's going to be! I'm going to enjoy creating my part!

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Memory!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 15:16:00 +0000

The word from my heart pocket is, ah, oh right ... Memory.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the delightful Pam Peterson!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzSaoN2LdfU

Have a memorable week everyone!

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Sensitivity!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:02:00 +0000

Thank you to Linda Viet for her sensitively beautiful photography - Click here to see more!

The word from my heart pocket is Sensitivity.

Have you experienced a moment when everything seemed completely clear? It might stop you in your tracks on the most ordinary day. Suddenly everything feels ... easy. You aren't struggling. You aren't worried. Your senses are aroused and peaked. You don't feel fat or broke or unsuccessful. In that moment, you feel in tune, perfectly pitched within your life. For that moment, you are.

Our sensitivity to our surroundings defines our experience in the world. Exactly as it feels, every experience is unique to each person. Different people encounter identical outward circumstances and can experience them exactly opposite. Contrary to how it feels, every experience begins inside ourselves. Our cognizance, our emotional state, our habits and our belief system - everything we are comes into play when our sensitivity responds to every second - every nanosecond - of our lives.

Let's talk about what sensitivity is. An acute impression. A consciousness to self and beyond. Affected by a situation, an idea, a belief. The nervous system is keenly in tune with one's surroundings. A knowing and understanding. A relationship quality. Our many senses are heightened including perception and intuition. We are vulnerable in this state if we are deeply hurt or enduring great pain. We are ingenious - in genius - penetrating the usual layers of emotional fog and the distracting noise of the world. In its most practiced form, our sensitivity is one of our most powerful human tools. It is our willingness to be vulnerable that fuels this power. It is our choice to see beyond ourselves that makes us sensitive. Every human being has this incredible tool at his disposal and completely at his discretion. Any choice made without using this tool is questionable.

The source of sensitivity is personal. It begins by being sensitive to oneself. If we avoid our feelings, discard our self-worth, devalue and discount ourselves, we cannot be sensitive to others in a balanced way. We will come to the aid of others from a needy place. Our intuition will be blocked and our advice and help will be colored by our own lack of self-knowledge. This doesn't mean we should wait to help others before we are "perfect". When we offer help - in an emergency or in an act of good will - we are practicing our sensitivity and we give ourselves the opportunity to learn not only about others, most of all, about ourselves.

To be sensitive is to be human. It means we want to get and give love. It is basic to our nature. Any act that isn't sensitive bears examination.

To live sensitively isn't a prerequisite to living. But like each of our behavioral choices, with practice it becomes a habit ... and this particular habit enhances and deepens the beauty of daily life.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Anxiety!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:05:00 +0000

Image by Pauline McGee - Click here to see more of her beautiful work!

The word from my heart pocket is Anxiety.

The word itself raises our blood pressure.

Anxiety is a secondary emotion. It acts as a mask for all sorts of real emotional offenders like jealousy or hurt or disappointment or fear. It's what is known as a "secondary emotion" because it distracts us and provides temporary protection for us to wear. Defenses come in artful disguises. We usually choose the one that best fits the underlying primary emotion. It could be by rationalizing the situation intellectually or by trying to ignore it or by distorting the situation and selectively seeing only what we fear most. Sometimes we "project" our feeling onto others and despise them for it or attack before we can experience any more negativity. This is commonly known as "the best defense is a good offense."

No matter how we color it, anxiety is a reaction that results due to an emotional threat. In its best light, anxiety is a GIANT CLUE that something is amiss. When anxiety occurs, it shuts down the awareness of the source emotion and in many cases, this defense temporarily aids us in functioning, riding on the secondary emotion until we can open the window a bit wider to allow reality to show itself. It also limits our thought and creativity.

It is when we hang onto worry that anxiety takes its toll ... on the body, on the mind, on our lives. All sorts of illnesses have been exacerbated by a person's focus on fear, sadness and jealousy, including cancer, heart disease, and strokes.

There are some wonderful ways to release anxiety. Just knowing that anxiety is a warning device, a siren that goes off to alert us something is wrong but is not the root of the bad feeling, allows us to stop right where we are and examine what is happening. Once the signal is acknowledged, we can find a quiet place to calm our anxiety, to breathe deeply and slow our pulse. Clearing the mind through exercise (brisk walking or running or swimming) helps curb our anxious armor, and gets us to a more relaxed state of mind so we can organize our thoughts without the cloud of high emotion. The image of opening a window - wider and wider - helps us feel less trapped during a panic attack. When we can see ourselves "taking off the sweater of anxiety", laying it across a chair while we face what is really bothering us, we know our defense is in proximity if we need it. We don't feel so alone.

There are deep rooted anxieties that require relief with the help of professionals trained in guiding us to a place of revelation and release. There is no substitution for having a "safe place" to unleash our biggest fears and our most painful grief. When our anxiety is immediately noticed and given the attention it warrants, it is more easily soothed and our underlying emotions more effectively resolved. Imagining a safe place in our minds allows us to ease into a more relaxed frame of mind. Our muscles loosen, our mind thaws and even expands so we can once again think clearly enough to move to a next step.

The next time anxiety knocks on your door, imagine excusing yourself to open a window, and another and another and another, if need be. Let the air clear your brain and lighten your heart. Thank you, Anxiety, for sounding the alarm. I can take it from here ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:14:00 +0000

Unfinished Sculpture by Deb Clay - click here to learn more about her charming artwork & poetry!

The word from my heart pocket is Challenge.

A challenge isn't always welcomed. It is never convenient. That's part of the challenge. The word has taken on nuances of meaning: difficulty, obstacle, trial. Originally, the word came from Middle English, around the year 1125, and it was associated with invitations to duel. Or so it is recorded.

If we think about our lives in this way, a challenge is an invitation to confront ourselves, to make a demand, to question and to dare. It doesn't have to be a negative experience! Even when it is a surprise, something we hadn't planned, we have a choice on how to see it. Instead of immediately reacting, we can stop and evaluate the qualities of the challenge in front of us. The bigger the challenge, the greater the possibility for reward.

When we feel threatened or trapped by a challenge, we use a different name. We call it a burden, bad luck, suffering, distress. We spend energy worrying and imagining the worst that can happen when we are in this frame of mind. It works wonders to re-frame and rename what is before us. The word challenge helps us see we have choices. It is open-ended and for some, is motivating and activates movement toward a resolution and even a triumph! If the challenging situation feels overwhelming and beyond our imagination (and control), we can compartmentalize it, breaking it down into manageable bits so it doesn't seem so large. We see we can have an impact. We can feel inspired to "rise to the challenge".

Each of us has felt this! Each of us has overcome our miserable self to become our heroic self. We like this feeling, even if circumstances don't evolve the way we imagined. If we participate fully, using everything we know, we emerge with new information and the good feeling of having tried our best.

These are challenging times. If we focus on the outside - that is, the world around us - we miss the opportunity to personally succeed. The world around us warrants our compassion and observance, our participation when we are needed, and of course, it is there to enjoy. The challenge in changing the circumstances of the world begins with the personal challenges of us as individuals. How we respond to our daily challenges, the manner in which we approach personal hardship and suffering, the way we "see" and relate - calls for exploration. Whenever we do this, what follows is discovery and if taken far enough, success and real understanding. When we choose to give ourselves a challenge, we are taking charge of our lives and there is no greater way to experience living.

Give yourself an edge in 2011. Challenge yourself to get what you want this year. Do you want to go back to school? Have more free time? Create a new lifestyle? Do you want to make art or write or finally learn to play an instrument? Join a theater group? Change jobs? Lose weight? Get into a loving relationship? Make more money? Have more fun?

The idea of having to work for something - to rise to the challenge - gives us that edge. Big or small, when we accept a challenge, we become the hero of our story.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Simple!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 17:18:00 +0000

Internal Heart by Kathleen Tennant. Click to learn more!

The word from my heart pocket is Simple.

A simple fact.

The simple truth.

A simple life.

The word almost works like onomatopoeia. Just saying simple makes me want to remove the clutter around me. I want to go through the spaces in my mind and sweep out the corners, freeing it from remnants no longer of service, making room for what is new. I want to see what is there without having to rearrange and re-stack the piles of ideas and plans and once-useful-no-longer-clear opportunities in order to have stretches of surface and time and fields of energy where all that wants to grow has ample light and a place to take root.

Every year we have a great symbol that rolls by us, THE NEW YEAR, and if we let it, we can be inspired to let go of what isn't working, to simplify the view so we can envision what we want in our future. There is no right or wrong way to do this. We may want to be physical with this process by literally cleaning out drawers and cupboards and shelves. We may need to be free of relationships that bind us to harmful emotions and behavior. Maybe we have a habit(s) that is holding us back. Usually it takes a simple first step to get the ball rolling. The Nike adage "Just Do It", is brilliant in its simple message. In a single movement, we activate. The power is unified and uncomplicated. In simplicity, we begin.

If you are having trouble with your New Year's resolutions, if you want to make sense of the change that is happening, whether your dream is directly in front of you or on the horizon, now is the time. Simply begin, and begin simply. Be singular in your actions and savor the pleasure simplicity brings. The chaos will come soon enough. It is a vital part of creating your goal. And when you start in this uncomplicated and natural way, there is a fascinating and sometimes mysterious quality to it, as if you placed an order and what you need to begin appears. To get to the heart of the matter the fastest and finest way, make it simple.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Festival!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:39:00 +0000

The word from my heart pocket is Festival!

The holidays! A time of celebration that gives opportunity to feel and to express. Each of us chooses how we want to experience the holidays - commercially, religiously, wildly, reverently, tropically, knee-deep in snow. For some it is a time of sadness, a melancholy that comes out as symbolically and as ceremoniously as trimming the tree. Some people have birthdays during the season and feel a bit cheated by Christmas thunder. Traditions, expectations, heightened sensibilities - we are vulnerable this time of year. We are easily manipulated to joy or sadness, which is a clue to us that we also have the power to choose the experience. Because Christmas is a Festival of the Heart, we are open to all it has to offer.

The playful nature of any festival allows us to let down our guard, to be lighthearted as well as honor what we hold dear. Anything goes! By throwing expectations out the window, we make room for possibility for more fun and a richer experience ... and even new traditions.

I know about sadness at the holidays. I have also experienced great joy! I have felt completely alone and completely surrounded by love. Every year, something is added to my Christmas memories and my Festival of the Heart writes a new chapter. For me, it is a festival like no other because it draws me in and when I emerge, I am better for my participation. The thoughtfulness, the busyness, the food and drink and music and decorations. The whimsy, the reverence, the majesty, the glitz. Homespun, heartfelt, delicious smells and taste that satisfies every vision of sugarplums I ever had. Wonder, reflection, transporting me to a deeper life experience. What a powerful celebration, this Festival of the Heart!

This holiday season, let your heart lead the way. Celebrate your humanity! Feel the connection among us as humans, and as Souls. We have the power to change moods, moments, our life experience. Let us do it together and bring meaning to the Festival of the Heart!

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Effusive!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:05:00 +0000

The word from my heart pocket is Effusive.

It's sometimes the way it is. We just gush and let it out and say ... everything.

It's not good or bad. It's ... effusive. So we are exuberant and feel strongly. So we are overflowing with emotion - positive or negative - and we let it overtake our reserve and out it pours, onto everyone and everything.

To be effusive can be good.

We effuse when our child gets the lead in the play (even when he's the 3rd angel on the left). We are verbose when we win the Academy Award. We lose ourselves to the win at the Superbowl and we write volumes of poetry when we are in love.

To be effusive is to overflow. When we cannot contain our feelings, our thoughts, our inner music - we let it go. We dance until dawn. We write until there are no more words. We cheer until we have no more voice. We ...

When we feel strongly, it is not our nature to be close-mouthed and reticent and unsociable. We can be that way but most often we choose that behavior because something is holding us back. No, we are naturally effusive and it is just fine to want to express ourselves.

To be unrestrained can be viewed as inappropriate. Some churches don't care for effusion. Some meetings require a more reserved approach. Classrooms prefer a quiet demeanor and effusion in a library is ...

So effusion might be saved for a place where it is valued. Effusion is an extravagant way of being. Effusion, as enthusiastic as it might be, is meant for ...

... for anywhere - churches, meetings, classrooms and yes, even librarians are effusive. Remember the word discernment? It comes into play here ...

Notice what makes you effusive. Politics? Religion? Education? Family? Creating? Exercise? Nature? Fashion? Now look behind it. What is it that draws you? Righteousness? Justice? Compassion? Order? Chaos? Love? If you look, you will see the field that holds the earth, ready to burst with growth and bloom. You will recognize it immediately and it is a reason for your being. Effusion tells us what is important to us. What lies at the core of our effusiveness that tells the tale.

Get out there and radiate, effuse. Find something to get excited about. Enjoy yourself. Let yourself go. Bubble up. Whatever it is you love, let it love you back and together, plant the seed.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Appreciate!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:36:00 +0000

The word from my heart pocket is Appreciate.

I'm playing a new game. When I see a piece of artwork I'm attracted to, I spend time with it and name the reasons I love it. That's the easy part. The hard part comes when I see a piece of artwork I don't like and spend time with it (that's hard enough) and name the reasons I don't love it. I find that the more time I spend with either type, I seem to come to a sort of middle ground - learning to find appreciation in all of it.

To appreciate something - or someone - is to get to know it, and as we do, something magical happens. It increases in worth which is another meaning of the word, appreciate.

When we are frustrated and can't seem to find a solution, here is a thought: Stop everything and spend time with your problem, your challenge, the person, the situation. Really examine it. Look at it closely and be as openhearted and open-minded as possible. If you can, remove any judgment. Definitely look beyond the surface.

Appreciation comes from an unusual source that is unique to each situation. To experience it, we have to allow it to happen. It is possible to appreciate every moment and that takes a really practiced person but it is possible and it 100% changes how a human being experiences life.

Judgment is a giant wall that stands in the way of appreciation, and ultimately, beauty. Appreciation forgoes judging, releases it to kindness which leads a person to compassion. I have experienced the biggest deepest hole of pain and literally been lifted up and out of that hole by words of genuine appreciation. The person had no idea it was happening. The person never will.

We have that much power and all it takes is stopping to look and see what is actually before us.

Start where you are. Look around you. Appreciate what you see. Acknowledge it. Look for its beauty. From there, move into the world. As you go about today, do so in appreciation. Feel how good life is. Soon, you'll start seeing the beauty of it all, and it will cause you to want to take better care.

Appreciation changes how you see. Appreciation increases the value of living.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Inquisitive!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:56:00 +0000

Yardbirds - click for more info

The word from my heart pocket is Inquisitive.

What is inquisitive not?

Indifferent.

Unconcerned.

Uninterested.

Could care less.

Dear me.

We've all felt that way but most of the time, we human beings are highly inquisitive. In fact, we spend a great deal of time trying to "figure it out". It doesn't matter what subject it is, we want to KNOW.

Our minds seem to always be thinking, wondering, asking, probing, investigating, searching - for answers, for solutions, for new and different, for better and faster. We are very VERY inquisitive!

A four year old gets stuck on the question, "Why?". It's annoying when we're busy but truthfully, of all the questions, it packs a real punch in just one word. And it's the one that has brought about a great many discoveries. It's so important, I can't imagine why we don't have a national Why? Week. Indeed, we need to honor our inquisitive nature, fostering it in education and in the home. It is a characteristic that is to be nurtured and since it is a part of our DNA anyway, why not let it rip?!

A curious nature is highly creative. As a society, we have sent mixed messages. We elevate our inventors and explorers and yet we have said our children should be seen and not heard; we have become angry when one too many whys crops up in the conversation; we've left no space/time in the classroom for curious natures and we've taken the learning out of teaching by teaching not to the student but to the test.

Einstein is credited with the quote, "Why should I memorize something I can look up in a book?" Or on the internet?

There is, of course, room for memorization. Some of those memories spark our most inquisitive thoughts. But there must be room - room in the mind, room in the classroom, room in our days to honor our questions and to allow the thinking and dreaming that brings solutions and inventions alive!

How many times have we sat at a conference and wanted to raise our hands to ask a question, but didn't? How often have we sat in a classroom and wanted to interrupt with a thought sparked by the teacher's words? How many times have we worked with our hands, making and trying and wondered how we might make a better thing? Where do the birds go in winter? How do they fly? Why does this person have cancer and that person does not? What are the questions I should ask to help myself live a more meaningful life? What do I want to do today? (often asked and often goes unanswered)

Be interested and you'll soon become interesting. Start a conversation. Get people talking. Explore ideas and challenge the status quo. Be inventive. Be curious. Be inquisitive.

Try this: If you don't know, ask.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Beware!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Artist is unknown. Please comment if you recognize the piece.

(or can read the name of the artist's signature!)

The word from my heart pocket is Beware.

It's an old word. It came from two words: ben + war. Be wary. Caution. Be careful. Keep on your toes. Look out. Take care.

Of course it grew from there, as words are wont to do. They take on meanings and evolve into something more dramatic and sometimes have no semblance of the original meaning.

Initially meant as a warning, in the case of beware, it might have a gentler and deeper meaning if read as be aware. In fact, I like it all as one word: be'ware. To be aware is to live in the moment, to notice your surroundings and be in tune with your environment. When we see the word - beware - do you feel the foreboding turn it takes? The hair rises on the back of our necks. We look behind us. We are ready for the worst.

The softer version of beware is its original meaning. It has a cautionary tone but it absolutely puts us in the present. Almost like a well-wish such as "God speed" or "Safe travels!", when we are aware of ourselves as we move through the day, that day becomes more meaningful. We get absorbed in our activities. Taking a moment to stop and beware, might keep us from a mishap, cause us to rethink or make sure before sending that email, or simply enjoy the moment before it is gone.

Beware this day. Notice things. Sharpen your listening skills. Stop and smell the roses. Look out for your well being. Attend your life. Be'ware.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Disguise!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:08:00 +0000

The word from my heart pocket is Disguise.

It doesn't take much. A little make-up, a pair of glasses, a wig. yikes. Scary.

In anticipation of Halloween, I thought it might be fun to talk about the word disguise. Halloween was one of the best holidays enjoyed when I was a child. The memories for me are about family and neighbors, working on my costume, weeks of anticipation, bags full of candy and tummy aches, mystery and intrigue, my brother's scary stories and the opportunity to "be" someone else.

Dressing up in a disguise is a valuable experience. Actors do it. Writers do it when they create characters, putting on paper the personalities - costuming them, giving them dialogue, saying things the writer might want to express in his daily life. Artists do it in their paintings. We all do it a bit in our daily lives. We affect a style, a persona and we act the part. We may not do it consciously, but take a minute. Look at what you're wearing this moment. Why did you choose it? Comfort? Dressed for a special meeting today? Going to exercise? To the city? To work in the garden, to clean house, to impress someone at work?

We disguise ourselves in other ways. We pretend to agree when we don't. We disguise our opinions in double talk. We cloak our thoughts in silence. We dress our egos in grand style in an attempt to appear better than we feel we are. We affect mannerisms and language and attitudes to fit in, to impress, to be accepted, to compensate for areas we feel are lacking. We laugh too loud, we always have the last word, we sympathize when we don't really care. We say we will when we have no intention of doing so. We disguise our lives with unnecessary travel and business meetings and self-importance. Sometimes our disguise is such a good one and we wear it so often, we actually thing it's who we are.

Wearing masks, misrepresenting ourselves to the world always ends in exposure. Disguising our feelings only delays an outburst or unwanted display and never gets the desired effect. Calculating some sort of deceit, disguising any inadequacies we experience only manages to complicate any situation or relationship. We are never as heavily veiled as we think. People often see through the disguise to the personality beneath.

Every Halloween my goal was to not be recognized as myself. Every Halloween, I would go door to door and my neighbors would always say, "Ooooooo, Kittie, what a wonderful costume!" I finally asked, 'How did you know it was me?" "You can't hide that giggle!", they would say.

Some things, you can't disguise.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Celebrate!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:36:00 +0000

Artwork by Ken Johnston - For more, click here ...

The word from my heart pocket is Celebrate!

Whoopee!!!

We associate a celebration with some sort of achievement or holiday. We do it up right with balloons and big amounts of our favorite foods. We invite the closest of friends to share the good news. We lift a glass to the bride and groom. We honor the graduate with pomp and circumstance. We shoot fireworks celebrating our freedom. We give thanks, we give gifts, we commemorate the lives of those who make their transition to what is next ...

We can celebrate each day with cream in our coffee and a spring in our step. We can take a minute to celebrate the joy of working and that we have work to do. We can revel in our surroundings - our home, our workplace, our time with family and friends. We can beat the drum when our team wins. We can glow in the warmth of romance. We can applaud and rave, salute and honor with a moment of silence.

To celebrate is to make something special. By adding balloons to your ordinary day, somehow it gets better. The time to celebrate is now, this minute. Don't wait for your birthday or the weekend or for Hallmark to designate the day. Honor THIS day because inside of it is everything you need. Celebrate its challenges and the chance to find solutions. Celebrate the smiles you give and get, the food you eat and the sunshine or the rain. Toss out any complaining and adopt the gratitude your celebration deserves.

There's no doubt about it. Life is an Art Party. Whoop it up and have a great day!

(Click here to get the celebration started!!!)

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Example!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Wassily Kandinsky - Arch and Point - for more, click here ...

The word from my heart pocket is Example.

I'm one. You're one. There's no way around it.

Arch and point. Ready, aim, fire. We wake up in the morning, and BOOM! we're examples. It's not necessary to fret about this. It's not a test and there's no official grading system.

It might be good to be mindful of our visibility. You might not feel you are an example to anyone, but at any given moment, it's possible. Even when we look back on our lives, we find we are an example to ourselves. We are 'case in point', history; an illustration of how we have lived.

Take a moment to reflect on who your heroes are. Go ahead, list them. Here are some of mine:

Meryl Streep, Elmer Nesius, Mary Angela Butler, Wassily Kandinsky, Robert Henri, Grandma Moses, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Margaret J. Wheatley, Eleanor Roosevelt, Charles Dickens, Madeleine L'Engle, Joseph Campbell, Dag Hammersjold, Sir Ken Robinson, Isak Denisen, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, David Foster, Richard Feynman, Teddy Roosevelt.

Expressives, humanitarians, adventurers, philosophers, leaders, storytellers, humorists, healers.

Make a list of your heroes and you will find your examples. You will discover what you love most about yourself. When you do this, you have a clear list of qualities that exist inside you that point to examples of your passions, what you admire, what you value, what you aspire most to be ... indeed, who you truly are.

To be an example is to live. To be a good example is to live mindfully. We don't have to be perfect to be a good example. In fact, it is best if we trade perfection for exploration. If we do this, we will learn more, we will live more fully and our example will shine.

We are our own paradigm. We get to write our story, even though the settings and cast of characters might sometimes be chosen by another writer. Being an example can be an important position in life. When we are conscious of it, we seem to somehow alter the face of our example so it is best to think of it, take stock of where we are in the moment, make any repairs to our example, and move on. When we linger too long on the notion of what a great example we are, we become a new sort of example.

Time to make your list. You'll start and find you're smiling at the end. I'm guessing you'll also be inspired to be your best example. If you can, simply be your most happy self. Example promises to follow ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Wonder!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:49:00 +0000

WONDERful art by Cathy Nichols - Click here for more!

The word from my heart pocket is Wonder!

It's no wonder that life can carry us away. Something catches our eye and then captures our heart and off we go! Oh, the wonder of it all!

How long has it been since you've experienced wonder?

It does take a minute to notice, but truly, wherever we look - head down and walking into the wind, lying on your back and watching the stars, following the flight of a flock of birds, letting the worker ants lead you to and fro ...

Children are natural wonderers. The reason isn't that children are more capable. No. The reason is that so much is new to them. Somehow, as we get older, some of us get distracted from the wonderful parts of life by paying too much homage to logistics. It's not that we don't value wonder, but we've bought into the notion that there isn't enough - time, money, space, solutions, possibilities. And we've given most of the credit and much of our power to those who first, created an atmosphere that is limiting, and second, who spread the word that it's the only way. Oh dear. Not true. Not true at all.

What is true is that the act of wondering is the beginning of creativity. And creativity is the spark of life. The creators in our world - the ones that persist, who insist on self-expression through art, innovation, business, leadership - are admired, revered and sometimes rewarded with fame and fortune. We say to our children "someday, you, too, will achieve greatness!" And then we squash the wonder that is the flash that starts the fire of the passion required to persist unto the realization of their dreams. Indeed, we do this to ourselves, too.

We don't need permission to wonder. We can do it at any moment and our world is better for our curiosity. Wonder is an incredible exercise of our being. It is an activity that is whole. We can experience wonder exactly as we did as a child - exactly - if we can let go of the manufactured notion that to be an adult is to be solemn and reserved. That is not to say that if a person is solemn and reserved he cannot experience wonder! It is to say that wonder is directly related to who we are, what we deem valuable, what is of interest to us. Is it numbers? Or insects? or sound? or persuasion? What fascinates us, makes us stop to watch? What triggers a train of thought?

Wonder is fun. It is also serious business. Wonder is the basis of learning. It exists in everything and even though its time slot in education has been replaced by memorization and all things wrote, it will not die. There are teachers who know this. There are parents and mentors who still practice wonder. There are children everywhere to lead us right where want to be.

Why is it that when the snow falls silently in the dark of night, my heart almost stops with the wonder of it? I am always compelled to stand inside the wonder, tongue and eyelashes delighted to be catching the cold treats from the sky. I am amazed and fascinated by the delicate construction of snowflakes and have spent a great deal of time examining them - very quickly, of course, because if you don't you lose the opportunity - and no matter how old I become, this gift of nature will always be a wonder to me.

Children do not have the corner on the wonder market. It is a marketplace open to each of us, in every second, at every turn. Examine, explore, discover, delight! Be wonderful today!

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Appropriate!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:43:00 +0000

Artwork by 3-year old student - Thank you!

The word from my heart pocket is Appropriate.

This doesn't seem to be a word whose meaning is often considered, except by some parents and grandparents and teachers and mentors and bosses and corporations and religions and politicians and ... oh. I guess it is.

But what, exactly, is appropriate?

The word suitable comes to mind. And applicable. And pertinent and relevant. Germane, fitting, useful. I also like the synonyms 'belonging' and 'just'.

And who decides what is appropriate? How does that someone make the choice?

The someone does the best he can. The someone might take every fact and figure into consideration before pronouncing "Appropriate!" The someone may have a personal reason for his choice, or might want to impress or win favor or may think he is right. It's possible the someone doesn't think for himself and deems a thing/an idea appropriate because that is what is most popular. What if the someone doesn't have all the information? What if what has always and forever been thought of as appropriate is no longer useful or applicable?

How do we know what is appropriate?

The answer is thinking and feeling. We tell our children this when we are instructing them about strangers. It is a fine way to approach all behavior and choices. It works with business decisions because it makes it about more than money and more often than not, when applied, it deepens the strength of our business choices - bringing wisdom and vision into the mix.

In every day, we have the opportunity to enjoy being appropriate. Appropriate doesn't censor, it discerns. Appropriate isn't fearful, it is courageous and speaks up when it is useful. Appropriate has no need to be right; it's driving force is compassion and goodness. Appropriate stands tall in his choices and is well-respected. He adapts to his surroundings and does not make decisions based on what the masses think and do.

What is appropriate? It is for you to decide. Appropriately, of course ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Together!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:20:00 +0000

Artwork by Jose Manuel Merello - More? Click here...

The word from my heart pocket is Together.

We are a mish-mash of togetherness. We're living on this planet, each of us doing our best and our worst and sometimes not trying at all. All of us, expressing ourselves in our individual ways. We are making a picture. If we could pull the camera back far enough to see this movie we're making, if we could see ourselves on canvas, all together, simultaneously behaving and thinking and choosing, planning, scheming,dreaming - what would our togetherness look like?

Would the good look different from the bad? Would virtue stand out, colorful and gleaming? How would negativity show up? Would it be just as bold?

Would our picture look whole and in harmony? Would the contrast of our personalities overshadow the simplicity of our shared commonalities? Would ants and dogs and trees and rocks and humans blend together enough to be equally important to the picture?

Would it reveal fearful and courageous hearts? Would we get to see how we look when we are joyful and when we are full of self-loathing?

Together, is our painting composed with complimentary colors, an array of values and intensity? Is our movie a drama or a comedy? Is the musical score melodious or dissonant? Can we find ourselves inside our picture? Do we like what we see?

Together, we are creating our lives. We make space and fill it up. We run over each other and we lend a hand. We are blind to the one who lives across the hall. We see into the soul of a hungry child.

We can choose to disappear inside our painting, fading into the background, but when viewed as a whole, there we are, adding depth and reflection. We can fight to be the brightest color on the page, the loudest and the first to be noticed, and when seen from afar, we might look out of place and then again, we might be just what the painting needed at that moment in its creation.

Together. We're in this together. We aren't separate. We are vital and uniquely special. Our picture includes us all, no matter how hard some may try to exclude. Free will is the gift of self-expression of our being. Awareness/mindful living is the the sense of togetherness inside the art of free will.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Confusion!

noreply@blogger.com (Kittie Beletic) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:24:00 +0000

Graphic art by Julie Carter - to see more, click here

The word from my heart pocket is Confusion.

Confusion is upsetting. When we are under pressure or if it happens when we are wanting to look our best, it seems to grow. We get more and more confused and that causes any number of reactions: anger, shyness, embarrassment. The reason for these reactions is not because we are actually failing or less or stupid - but because we have put pressure on ourselves to be perfect.

The state of confusion is a state of mind. We might have too much information floating around and a need to put things in order. Circumstances might be happening too quickly for us. We may not have all the information we need. This is often the case.

A good solution when we get confused is, literally, to stop. Right in the middle of the chaos, stop what we are doing, saying, feeling. The next step is to think about what would help sort out the confusing factors: Make a list? Ask for help? Gather more facts and information? Think about what is causing the feelings and talking to someone about them?

Confusion is only trying to help. It lets us know that something's missing. If we are being pressured, remove the pressure by saying "I'll get back with you when I get more information" or "I need a little time" or "Can you explain exactly what you need?"

Things that cause confusion are: Clutter, chaos, over-stimulation, not enough information, messiness, over-medication, the need to be perfect, disorganization, trauma, surprise, depression. All of these factors can be dealt with, safely and with care. Look at the list. Each one has a solution. Some require more effort than others, but there is a way to immediately remove the confusion for each one.

The most common culprit is the need to be perfect. It is supported by our society and has been a major factor in stifling creativity. In fact, confusion and chaos are common when creativity is high. There is always "mess" when something is being created. If allowed to play out, the creation happens and we can then clean up the unwanted residuals and get ready for the next creative moment.

Hail to those confusing moments! Bravo for the opportunity to see all of my possibilities! Thank you, Confusion, for your clues and wonderful chaos that leads me to organization, healing and a better me.