When Janey sent me a quote from mountain climber, W.H. Murray and said it had helped her decide to join my September 2012 Italy Retreat for Women, I felt her excitement.  She said that after she bought a book of poems, and read this particular quote in the front of the book, her vision became crystal clear.  She had been debating her decision.

Many of us can relate to the hesitancy and doubting of our dreams, right?  The final puzzle piece snapped into place for her.

I knew what she meant because W. H. Murray’s words have been close to my heart for the past 30 years. Whenever any of my dreams or visions have seemed unreachable, I would read his quote. As a mountain climber and prisoner of war, he had experienced a huge amount of visions and obstacles to climb.  But commitment is like a magnet, and gathers the resources, like iron filings, toward us giving us the clarity  and support of our visions.

Quotes from James Allen’s book, As A Man Thinketh and Wallace Wattles from The Science of Getting Rich, and Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s complete the Thoughtful Thursday quotes.

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back…Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.  Begin it now.
–W.H. Murray, Scottish mountaineer and writer

A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.
–Rosabeth Moss Kanter, American business speaker and consultant

Cherish your visions, cherish your ideals; cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes our purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment; of these, if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.
– James Allen,  As A Man Thinketh

Never get afraid that you will lose what you want because some other person “beats you to it.”  That cannot possibly happen; you are not seeking anything that is possessed by anybody else; you are causing what you want to be created from Formless Substance, and the supply is without limits.
–Wallace Wattles, The Science of Getting Rich

Cherish your visions! Follow them. Like a magnet, gather around you support, inner and outer.

Happy Visions!  Let me know how you make your visions come alive.

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Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, And the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
–Buddha

Just as someone hires a coach to teach them to play tennis, basketball, gymnastics, golf, or to get in shape, it is very helpful to hire a life coach, so someone has your back! So there’s someone in your life to give you a boost up. Someone to help you gain more happiness.

I like to think I shine a flashlight along the path helping my clients to navigate through the barriers that have blocked them in the past.

The end result of life coaching is that you can create more happiness in your life and create the life you have dreamed

The greatest part of our happiness depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances.
– Martha Washington.

Happiness is a thing to be practiced, like the violin.
– John Lubbock

The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage.
–Thucydides

Happiness is contagious…when you reflect happiness, then all others around you catch the happy bug and are happy, too.
— Jennifer Leese

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.
— Hugh Downs

Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response.
– Mildred Barthel.

How have you managed to create more happiness and joy into your life?  When you find your method(s), repeat often, like putting a beautiful puzzle together.

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“You have to go to this lecture on meditation next Tuesday night. My wife doesn’t want me to go,”  Ralph, my fellow student whispered to me during classes at the hospital.

“What is meditation?  If  your wife does not want you to go, why should I?”  He answered,  ”It will be good for your consciousness.”   I rolled my eyes, “What in the world is that?!”

That was 1973.  I was 20 years old, and really had never heard of meditation.  I don’t remember why I went to the talk,  but I was intrigued, so I drove alone to a lecture given by a thin guy  in his late 20′s .  He had very clear eyes, was clean shaven, seemed very happy and  wore a suit and tie.  The room smelled of sandalwood incense although I did not know that’s what it was at the time.

I signed up to learn Transcendental Meditation and have practiced meditation twice a day for 38 years.  I happily reported back to Ralph, but his wife still did not allow him to get involved.

As we come up to St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17,  some of us think of the luck of the Irish and shamrocks. I’m not sure if it was luck, fate, or serendipity that I happened to leave college after one year, then take classes at that hospital where Ralph happened to be at the same time,  but I am grateful for that moment in my life.

That moment of fate changed the trajectory of my life. I’m not sure what other path I would have followed, but I became more clear, centered, intuitive and happy.  My decisions became based on following my heart.  I moved to Florida which I had dreamed of doing, and  once there, just happened to meet many meditators in that community.

I became more health conscious and became a vegetarian. After living in Florida for three years, I decided to finish my college degree in Iowa, where all the students and faculty meditated twice a day.  My fellow students were a joy and delight to be with.  We were not interested in the normal drinking party college scene, but we did have fun at  dances and get togethers. Our conversations were interesting, thought-provoking and often philosophical.  I’m not saying this is the best or right for everyone, but it worked for me and I am grateful for it.

I felt lucky then, and feel it now.  Does that mean that everything goes my way? Not at all.  I just choose to notice the serendipitous moments instead of the crappy ones.

Do you believe in luck, fate or serendipity? What are some of your ‘lucky’ moments?

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In honor of my blog’s 5th birthday,  by making a comment you entered the pearl necklace giveaway.

And the winner is ……..Diane Denbaum, chosen through Random.org. Diane is a life coach and the co-author of Madly In Love Forever. Congratulations Diane.

Your necklace will be sent to  you!

Thanks to all of you for participating in the giveaway and for celebrating my blog’s 5th birthday.

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5 year old Lenora starting her coaching career at a young age. The phones were heavier back then!

For the past five years, readers have visited from small cities and large ones in countries around the world — India, Australia, Africa, Europe, all across North America and more.

I know I don’t write as frequently as the blog gurus suggest, but I’m doing what makes me happy! Which brings me to why I started writing here 5 years ago.  Just wanted to share my tips, thoughts, ideas, what I’ve learned about creating an enriched life, what I now call la dolce vita, the sweet life.  It’s been my life’s work, really, just called it by different names. Found myself teaching workshops for the past 28 years about marriage, parenting, happiness and changing limiting beliefs.

I began coaching 20 years ago, using the Option Method, and actually started coaching friends about their problems during high school, 40 years ago. Why? Simply to do my part in making the world and the fabulous people in it, happier and more successful.

I write about happiness but also fears, hurt, anger and other possibly unwelcome feelings.  I encourage you to bring them to the table, otherwise they fester like a sore. Uncover what is bothering you, question it, see if it’s true, get the upper hand.  Toss it around like a volleyball, bring it to the light of day.  Realize you have more choices in your life. Dissolve limiting beliefs. Focus on your desires, and create an enriched life.

To celebrate this 5 year blog birthday, I’m doing 2 things:

1st: I’m offering a contest to win an 18″ chinese fresh water pearl necklace, with unique rectangular shapes, 9-10mm, with very high luster, and silver clasp. Deadline to enter is Monday, February 27 midnight, eastern time. Winner announced Tuesday morning, February 28 on this blog, and in person, if I have your email. So, check back in.

2nd: I’ve chosen 5 favorite blog posts from the past 5 years: Please follow the links, read (maybe comment) and enjoy!

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER the Blog Birthday necklace giveaway :

1.) Make a comment on this blog post, or any of the 5 blogposts that you click on. OR…

2.) ‘Like’ my Be Happy Life Coach Facebook fan page or make a comment on facebook.

Five favorite posts over the last five years:

ONE:  BE GRATEFUL TO BE HAPPY. November 30, 2008

TWO:  INTERVIEW WITH HAPPINESS AUTHOR, MARCI SHIMOFF. August 20, 2009

THREE: FRAGILE COURAGE. January 18, 2010

FOUR:  MOTIVATE YOURSELF WITH DAILY AFFIRMATIONS. July 26, 2010 (fun video)

FIVE:  ARE YOU AN OPTIMIST? September 1, 2011

Thanks for celebrating with me and for stopping by!  Remember to enter the contest before midnight Eastern time, Monday February 27.

What would you like me to write about in future blog posts? How do you navigate through the challenges of life?

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1.  Stay with your exercise routine: Or at least do not quit altogether. If you usually exercise four times a week, at the very least, exercise twice a week during the holidays. This will actually give you more energy to accomplish all the extra work, like buying and wrapping presents, decorating, giving and attending holiday parties, and probably cooking more.

I really did not have time to go to my yoga class, but after I went, I was so much more at peace in body and mind, so all the additional items on my to do list were more enjoyable. When your heart is pumping, you deliver more nutrients and oxygen to your brain! The result will be a stress-free holiday.

2. Take your vitamin D: As many of you probably know, I am a strong advocate of Vitamin D and have written four blog posts about it. As winter is upon us, we do not have 40% of our skin exposed to sunshine 20 minutes every day. Vitamin D supports a healthy immune system and uplifted mood. Vitamin D affects 200 genes, helps diabetes, heart, prevents some cancers, and helps improve your moods.

3. Give to others: To help keep everyting in perspective, reach out and help those less fortunate than yourself.  Some possible choices are to give a gift that keeps on giving to Kiva. You are actually investing in a micro loan of $25 that will “help someone to fish for a lifetime,” instead of just “giving them a fish for a day.”  Once they pay the loan back, it can be borrowed by another entrepreneur.

Another possibility for giving back is to donate to the rebuilding of Monterosso and Vernazza, Italy,  two of the beautiful Cinque Terre villages where I teach my Italy Retreats each September.  Any, and I do mean, any small amount will be appreciated.  100% of your donations will go directly to rebuilding these two towns that were devastated by mudslides and floods. Travel expert, Rick Steves, said that Vernazza had the most idyllic piazza(town square) in Europe. I agree.  However, all that is changed.  The people of Vernazza were forced to evacuate on October 25.

I am feeling quite overwhelmed with my “to do” list this season because I leave in three days, to visit extended family 12 hours away. So, the last thing I wanted to add was a community service project. Not now, some other time, yes.  But, some friends and I decided to volunteer at a local organization that provides clothing and toys for 200 families. In the fulfillment of that, the items on my “to do list” somehow became more enjoyable and gratifying. This leads me to my fourth step for having happy holidays.

4. Practice the art of gratitude. If you’ve read some of my other articles, you know I encourage you to have a journal by your bed, so that each day you can jot down what you are grateful for. Writing it down is more powerful than thinking it, but if you can only stop and reflect on what you’re grateful for, then go for it.

5. Eat healthy foods. I would include this in any list for feeling happier. Last weekend, I actually went to four holiday parties. I only ate dessert at one of them, even though I love sweets. Of course, I’m eating holiday sweets, but much smaller amounts than usual. Try eating more fruit instead. The extra desserts can weaken your immune system, add pounds to your belly, and bring you down. I managed to bake only one batch of cookies. Even though they are the thin and delicious Florentine Lace, I have resisted eating many of them.

I hope this helps! May your holiday season bring you laughter, warmth, and peace in your heart.  If it does not come to you, bring it to another.

Wishing you an enriched life!

What do you do to create Happy Holidays?

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The Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland

‘There’s no use trying,’ Alice said.  ’One can’t believe impossible things.’

“‘I daresay you haven’t had much practice,’ said the Queen.  ’When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day.  Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’

What ‘impossible’ things do you want to believe? I don’t know the scientific terms for this, but our minds DO get stretched with practice.  Open-minded means you’ve broken open the narrow thinking of negativity and fear.

I’ve been working with beliefs for over 20 years now.  During one of Oprah’s Life Lessons shows,  she emphasized one of the themes I live by,  ”You Become What You Believe”. Knowing this one pearl of wisdom will be helpful to people feeling blocked. Glad she’s getting it out there in a bigger way.

The time is NOW. During this season of renewal, let’s join hands and practice believing what we used to think was “impossible”.

What are you waiting for?

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“When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I wrote down “happy.” They told me that I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them that they didn’t understand life.”
–John Lennon

I love this quote, and after  I posted it on Facebook recently, one friend commented about being graded poorly in first grade because he didn’t color in the picture of a chicken. My friend figured that the teacher had missed the white crayon covering the chicken. He actually showed it to her and she gave him a better grade. He did understand the assignment!

Sometimes, we go through life wondering if we have missed the assignment for OUR lives. I hear it all the time during my workshops and coaching sessions.  I am always amazed, though, at how we emerge from divorce, loss, or betrayal with wisdom and hope for the future.  Even a small dose of optimism immunizes us from fear.  Optimism is like a tincture for courage.

The world is quite a mess these days. How do we stay optimistic about the future when we are blasted with news of doom and gloom from all sectors of the globe?  What I have noticed is that human beings, since the beginning of time, have moved beyond their pain to reach new heights, in spite of the seeming evidence at hand.

As I prepare to leave for Italy to lead my Third Annual Italy Retreat for Women to Live La Dolce Vita, I am  thinking about optimism because recently I read an eye-opening article about optimism in Time Magazine.

The premise of the article is that we are, by nature, optimists.  Surprised at first, I immediately realized from my life’s work with individuals that this is so true. The article proves that, “The scientific evidence points to the conclusion that optimism may be hardwired by evolution into the human brain.” The researchers believe that our brains are not just imprinted by the past, but are being shaped for the future.

Without optimism, my Italian born grandparents, and millions of other immigrants, would never have left behind their families behind to sail to America, without knowing what lay ahead.

If you’d like a deeper understanding of the workings of
our brains, check out the article in Time Magazine.  In the meantime, know that our brains are part of our support team in life. Let’s use it, and continue to believe that life is a precious gift that we will mold into something fantastic, in spite of all odds.

Let’s give ourselves the gift of self-discovery and journey together toward optimism beyond our wildest imagination.
Years ago, I optimistically decided to teach my  Option Method Workshops and travel with the course participants in Italy.  And now, I am on my ay for the 3rd Annual Italy Retreat for women.

I will write my next post from Italy. Hope you can join me on my Italy Retreat to LIVE LA DOLCE VITA next year!

What has the gift of optimism brought into your life? Would love to hear from you.

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The shadows, I call limiting beliefs, your ego, or stress. They act like they are friends who resent that you are asking them to leave.

They exist to help you stay safe in your cocoon life, away from the saber tooth tigers, but I’d say those belief guys and girls just want to be in control of you, similar to the movie, The Adjustment Bureau. It was a simple movie but I thought fascinating that some bureau controlled humanity, and made adjustments to people’s minds, so they could see things more according to the BIG PLAN from the BIG GUY. Not god but the main agent, whoever that was. I say it was a metaphor for the ego, or the old belief.

‘The Adjustment Bureau’ Trailer

According to the Adjustment Bureau, if anyone veered off plan, they had to be ‘adjusted’.  They said that humans could not have choices because humanity has screwed up so much when they had free will, such as creating World War I  and WWII, that we couldn’t be trusted.

What the movie allows us to see is the importance of choosing our lives. I say, “Let the shadows wail their tonsils out!” We have been strangled by their scrawny, dirty hands for a long time.

I invite myself, and anyone who will listen, to gently yet firmly take each finger from around your neck, and pry them away. You can breathe so much better. Your laughter takes on a new lilt. Why wouldn’t it, free of  unwelcomed strangled hands. Find your OWN voice.

We can be our own Adjustment Bureau. The shadow will stop wailing, the crying will stop, the sobbing turning to silent stares.

We may just have to write a new diary of our lives, a different story line with fresh characters, those that we interviewed and chose to be on our life’s pages. They have served their time, and now death to the shadow friends! Be off with thee,arrivederci, ciao, get lost, take a hike, a presto, good riddance!

Ask yourself: “How would my life be different if I did not listen to the shadows?” ” Would I find MY voice?”

Be your own adjustment bureau.  You choose. You find YOUR Truth.

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