midlifejourney.com

I am a member of the oprah.com community. Great site. Within the last week Oprah offered members of her website community the opportunity to download Jean Chatzky’s latest book: The Difference:How Anyone Can Prosper in Even The Toughest Times free of charge! The free download offer was only for a 24 hour period, but I was lucky enough to get a copy.

What is The Difference? I have only begun to read the book, but the introduction and first chapters give an overview of the sum and substance to follow. She posits the question: why do some people seem to succeed in life, while others seem to fail, or best scenario, just get by? What is the difference between the Warren Buffets of this world and someone who lives paycheck to paycheck, or each year finds themselves deeper in debt?What have they got that you don’t have? What is the difference?

It’s more of a workbook than a fast read. In fact Jean encourages the reader to go slowly through each chapter, in the order in which they are presented, working through each of the exercises. Her point: each of us has what it takes to succeed. Life circumstances may cause us to adapt and change, but meet each circumstance as a challenge and opportunity. Optimism and thinking with positive energy seem to be a key to this winning philosophy.

As I said, I am only just beginning the book, but already am hooked. Will be commenting further in subsequent postings. In the meantime I encourage you to purchase the book and the companion workbook as well. It is available now online through Amazon.com.

Everytime I turn on the TV most of what I hear is bad news. The talking heads, whether on the left or right of any issue are spreading negativity 90% of the time. I’m getting very tired of listening to it all.

This morning I went for a short walk with a couple of friends. I live near the ocean so the walk was one filled with beautiful scenes of nature, salt marshes, swans and two beautiful blue herons who took flight just as we walked past. The air was crisp, the sun warm and the breeze comfortable. A good day for a walk and to share good news with each other. We all agreed it was not easy to find in the media but there were a few gems we discovered and I share them with you.

ABC news has a segment on their website: Pay it Forward, for people with means to help those without. (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/PersonOfWeek/story?id=7077296&page=1)

There is actually a website devoted to Good News! Check this out.

And finally, a website entry that helps you figure out if you are a source of good news. Take the quiz!

Good news is never hard to find if you are really looking for it. More about good energy tomorrow!

All things are relative. When it comes to money, this is especially true.

As a kid, that $10.00 allowance each week feels really great in your pocket. The sky’s the limit. You can save and buy anything you want. As a teenager, getting a job to buy and maintain a car, date your best girl and save something for college becomes the measure against which a job’s salary is  calculated.

Once you join the world’s workforce, your salary and the benefit package, savings plan, all come into focus. Being single, only responsible for yourself, you might be feeling flush. You have enough… maybe— remember all things are relative.

When you throw in marriage, kids, new car, house, education, travel… “How much is enough” becomes a whole different issue. How much money do you really need, —do you want? How much money is enough? Continue Reading »

What is money? Is it the exchange of energy between two parties? Is money the root of all evil as many in this economic downturn will claim? Is money a gift or a burden from the “gods” deserved or not?

Let’s establish one thing right up front: money is NOT your life’s blood. It may feel like that sometimes, but it is not. Your money is not your worth. YOU, no matter whether you are rich or poor, beggarman or thief, you, yourself are NOT your money. You are far more valuable than this thing we call money. If everything were taken away from you and you were standing alone on a desert island without roof or food or companion, you would still be valuable, just because you are—because you exist. So before we begin any discussion about money understand this is the starting point. Your value as a person has NOTHING to do with the value of your bank account. Get your head around that concept before you read on. Continue Reading »

I don’t know about you, but the economic mess in which we find ourselves today troubles me. When times are tough where do you turn for comfort? Author Christine Phoenix-Green offers some thoughts.

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Acts of Devotion

It is not unusual in times of upheaval and stress, that people are often forced, in their sense of instability and fear, to turn towards a sense of Mystery or Spirituality for answers and comfort in the face of the shock of the unknown. For some, it could mean going to church for community, prayer and petition, for others  visiting  a psychic for a reading, an astrologer for an update, or a  therapy group for peer support. (Some people go shopping, but that is another category entirely.)

These are all practices that may help us to make sense of, or give us perspective on, interpreting the  experiences and signs of the times that rather unpleasantly surprise and jar us almost on a daily basis, especially at this insistent moment of social and cultural upheaval. Yet, there is another practice that can emerge from the heart, from the Soul, that grounds us in the Eternal, and connects us to the sacred , mysterious,  and eternal rhythms of time and place. It is a smaller, and more intimately personal practice, and very very quiet or private. In each life and in each day, there can be a practice or stopping point to acknowledge the moment, the Now, and the Presence of Life, Beauty and Sanity through personal “Acts of Devotion.” Continue Reading »