New Page: “Recommended Reading”

October 13, 2007

In response to a request from Clint, my most excellent chiropractor, I have created a page to present a list of my most prized books for personal growth and development. I first compiled this list last April, for my talk show segment on self-help books. Please check out the list and feel free to write to me about these and other books you’ve explored.

If you’ve never heard the segment of my talk show where I discuss these books, check out the archive on BlogTalkRadio.com. Hint: just click the button below!

You might be wondering what I’m reading now. Embraced by the Light by Betty J. Eadie. It’s a quick and fascinating read about one woman’s exploration of the after-life.

Readers, what are you reading? What books have helped you shape your life for the better?

Posted in Personal Development 2 Comments »

I’ve changed

September 30, 2007

I realize it has been more than a month since my last post. Although I did expect to be posting more prolifically by now, I have no regrets. What I’ve come to realize is that the first half of 2007 was a time of introspection and study. I spent months reading, writing, pondering, discussing and sharing ideas about the meaning of life, spirituality, and personal development. It was a beautiful and important time, during which I raised my awareness, deepened my understanding and made exciting new discoveries.

This “winter” was a quiet time during which I took risks and stretched my concept of what was possible. I arrived at new answers to the questions of “Who am I?” and “What matters to me?” I also tested my ability to release attachments and simply allow myself to be in communion with All That Is. Wow! That was my life for the second half of my one year stay in New Jersey. And I believe I shall always love and cherish that period of my life. But, it is over. I have been back in Seattle now for more than 3 months and my days are very different now.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Personal Effectiveness 1 Comment »

As my world turns…

August 17, 2007

I realize it’s been WEEKS since I last posted to my beloved blog!  If I have any readers/subscribers left at this point, you are probably wondering what I’ve been up to and how many experiences I listed in my last post have been accomplished.  Ummm, none! I have been having a fabulous time though!

Since I last wrote, I have:

• Reconnected with and enjoyed the company of several dear friends.
• Spent a sunny Sunday afternoon lounging about a 37′ sail boat on Lake Washington as the Blue Angels performed overhead.
• Earned a promotion at work (after only 2 months on the original job!)

Exciting times!   As summer winds down, I’m looking to resume my blogging and talk show activities.  Although I have not been writing regularly, I still care deeply about personal development and empowerment.  I look forward to exploring these subjects more in the future.  Please check back occasionally so that we can pick up where we left off when the time is right.

Wishing you peace and prosperity,

Char

Posted in Fun 1 Comment »

I’m falling in love again… With Seattle

July 13, 2007

It’s summer in Seattle and I’m loving it! We currently have warm weather and sunny skies with barely a cloud in sight. I can see Mt. Rainier as I travel about each day. When I make trips to and from Seattle, gorgeous Lake Washington just takes my breath away.

When I left this place to live near my family in New Jersey last year, I knew I’d miss the natural beauty, the cultural diversity, and the quality of life. Still, I’d become a little bored and I was stuck in a rut, mainly doing the same old things in the same old places. After a year in southern New Jersey, I have a renewed appreciation for the Puget Sound region and metropolitan Seattle. Therefore, without further ado, I present my top 10 local attractions and activities I intend to finally experience during this, my “Summer of Seattle Love”. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Fun 1 Comment »

Baby, I’m back!

July 1, 2007

It’s July 1, 2007.  Already.  My, how the time has flown.  As I stare at the calendar and reflect upon all the recent and drastic changes in my life, I am filled with wonder.  In fact, for nearly a month now I have been struck dumb, and unwilling to approach my keyboard and post new thoughts to this blog.  I will admit, my absence is partially due to the difficulty I have had in adjusting to all the changes.  I have been exhausted by the effort of adapting to living in a new place, working a new job for a new employer and truly letting go of the life I left behind in New Jersey last month.  Some days I have been quite sad.  Other days I have been so busy with my new adventure.  One thing is for sure: time has not stopped regardless of how I’ve been feeling–be it sad or glad.

So, what have I been doing with my days and nights since I last posted?  I have been working and playing, studying and praying. 

Work

I have been working as an information technology recruiter at one of the world’s top staffing agencies.  The job is a fun and challenging opportunity.  I am surrounded by bright, talented, supportive and generous people.  I get to help people find new opportunities that may alter or enrich their lives.  And, in return for my earnest contributions and efforts, I am generously rewarded with growth, recognition, laughter, and money.  I like!

Play

I have been spending time with friends whom I missed sorely while I was in New Jersey.  It’s been so wonderful to reconnect with my friends over dinner, brunch, lunch, card games, parties and evening strolls.  I am blessed with many deep and warm relationships.  This has been a time of rejoicing and celebration for me! 

Study

I have been reading and pondering several works of late.  The Divine Matrix by Gregg Braden, The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder, The 4 Spiritual Laws of Prosperityby Edwene Gaines, The Diamond Cutter by Geshe Michael Roach and The Art of Life by Ernest Holmes.  Each of these books has supported me in regaining a state of centeredness, peace and joy so that I can be my best Self and live my best life.  If you are curious about these books or their authors, I heartily recommend that you look them up and explore them for yourself.  Should you have any comments or questions about these books, please contact me and let’s explore them together.  I do not claim to have the answers.  Like you, I am seeking.

Pray

Each day I have focused on affirmations that support me in being prosperous in every way.  This type of focus requires discipline and it takes practice to be good at it.  Like many people, I sometimes fall into the habit of thinking about what I DON’T want.  My affirmations help me direct my thoughts toward what I do what and to dismiss negative thinking when it does come up.  This is a lifelong and it’s well worth the effort.  The good news is that the more I do this, the easier it becomes! 

As I write this entry, I realize that I have missed blogging.  I feel ready to return to it now.  I’ve had some time to process and embrace all the changes and to establish balance within my new set of commitments. Readers can look for me to return to a more regular schedule of postings in the coming weeks.  And by the end of this month I also intend to be broadcasting new segments of my talk show, the Growth and Gratitude Hour on BlogTalkRadio!  I encourage my dear friends of the blogosphere to reach out and touch me with news and updates from your own lives.  I’m here (always have been) and I’m interested in you.

All the best,

Char 

Posted in Change No Comments »

A New Beginning

June 14, 2007

I’m back with a short message, mainly to update those who care on what’s going on in my world of late.  John and I arrived safely in Seattle one week ago.  Ours was a lovely trip.  I have wanted to make a cross-country drive with my husband for years and now I can say I have done it.  I enjoyed every mile of the journey.  To my surprise, I’ve had some difficulty in enjoying and adjusting to my new environs.   Our new place of residence is quite different in size and layout from our past home in New Jersey.  While I am grateful for our new place, I would much prefer a slightly larger and more brightly lit home.  Still, it’s a blessing to have a warm and dry place to live that is close to my new office and affordable.  I can already envision how the apartment will be once I’ve decorated it and fully unpacked our belongings.

In the meantime, I am embracing what is and focusing on the positives.  I realize that to be happy in this (or any) situation, I must choose happiness in the present.  Also, to manifest my heart’s desire at some point in the future, I must act as if I already have what I want in the present.  This is my current focus as I adjust to this new chapter of my life.  I have several goals and intentions that I’m focusing on at present.  Some of these goals are new and I have not yet written them on paper.  I will do so tonight.  Then I intend to read each one every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to sleep.  It’s a start–a step in the right direction.  Honestly, all this change has knocked me out of my old rhythm and left me feeling somewhat disoriented.  Now I feel ready and willing to re-establish some productive habits and recommit myself to growth and development.  I’ll write more about these plans and goals in the coming days.  Until then, be well!

Char

Posted in Change 1 Comment »

Traveling in style

June 5, 2007

I realize it’s been more than a week since I last posted to my blog.  I’ve been quite busy, packing and preparing for a cross-country move that takes me from my native state of New Jersey back to my “other” home, Seattle, Washington, where I have spent 8 of the last 9 years.  The return to Seattle developed quickly; I had less than 2 weeks to prepare.  Now, I’m on the road (Interstate 80, about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Tonight we will sleep outside of Cleveland, Ohio in a town called Elyria. 

It’s wonderful to be on a long road trip with my husband, John.  Although we have taken some nice rides together over the course of our 12 year marriage, we have never before driven from coast to coast as we intend to on this trip.  We’re having a ball too, just as I always imagined we would.  We have our reliable, safe and extremely comfortable vehicle.  We have plenty of cool drinks, yummy snacks, books, DVD, games and topics of conversation to help us pass the miles.  We also have 4 pairs of eyes J (we both wear eyeglasses) to help us take in this magnificent scenery.  If you’ve never been, let me tell you, eastern Pennsylvania is a gorgeous land of lush, green, rolling hills.  It somewhat reminds me of the town of Issaquah, Washington where I used to live before moving to NJ last year. 

As we began our trip at 2 PM today, I voiced my intentions for the experience.  For this trip I intend safety, fun and adventure, harmony, patience and gratitude.  While some might say I have some very high (and perhaps unrealistic) expectations for this trip, I disagree.  I traveled by car on many long trips with my parents when I was a child.  We usually managed to have memorable and peaceful experiences on those rides and that was with a family of 5.  If my parents, sisters and I could pull it off, I am confident John and I can too. 

By declaring my intentions for this trip, I have actually set the tone for my experience.  Now, using that formula, Intention + Attention = Manifestation, I can chose my behavioral and attitude so that they align with my intentions.  Provided that alignment between what I want to create–my intentions–and what I do to create them–attention–I can relax and enjoy the experience knowing it will be what I’m really wanting.  Yes, I’ve embarked upon a long journey.  I am loving every minute of it!

Posted in Change 5 Comments »

12 Ways to Create a Love that Lasts

May 29, 2007

May 27, 2007 marked the 12th anniversary of my marriage to John. Yes, we have been married for 12 beautiful years! In observance and celebration of our 12th wedding anniversary, I have listed 12 ways to build and maintain a healthy and harmonious marriage or partnership. Truly, each of these tips is just another way of loving your partner. What you will note is that I’m talking about love as a verb, not a noun; an action, rather than an emotion.

Yes, we may feel admiration, attraction, and affection for each other. But, having those feelings is not what keeps us together over the years. What keeps us together is our willingness to frequently model, conjure, summon, express and act upon those feelings of admiration, attraction, affection, compassion, loyalty, friendship, passion, enthusiasm, trust, respect and intimacy. Long and happy relationships are made by 2 people who are willing and able to repeatedly and regularly create or evoke in themselves a fondness and affection for their partner by means of directing or focusing their thoughts and attention on the aspects of their partner’s character and their shared relationship that they value and enjoy.

So many times I’ve heard or read about people who speak of no longer loving their spouse. “The love is gone,” they moan, as if love is an entity with a mind of its own that can come and go with as much free will as you or I. They point to this “loss of love” as a reason why their relationship has suffered or ended. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Relationships 1 Comment »

4 Step Process to Embracing Change

May 24, 2007

Regular readers of this blog may notice that I’m posting quite a bit less this week than I have been for more than a month now. This is in part due to the end of my “Change-A-Habit” Challenge in which I posted once per day for 30 consecutive days and partly due to my stupefied response to a whole lot of change in my life at the moment. It seems that after less than one year on the east coast (southern NJ) my husband and I will be returning to our beloved Seattle (probably the eastern King County suburbs of Bellevue, Redmond or Kirkland). Why am I stupefied? Because I did not expect to again reside in Seattle. I thought I would spend at least another 3 - 5 years here in my native New Jersey before moving to someone place different like Washington DC or Chicago.

It appears I thought “wrong”. Our house is now listed on the real estate market, 75% of our furniture has been sold and removed from the house, and one of us has a new job that begins in Redmond, WA on June 11th. All these developments have taken shape in the past 7 - 9 days. Thus, I have not had much time to absorb and process all the change. In fact, I’ve been so busy packing and planning for the move, I’ve had very little time for much else. As a life coach and personal development facilitator, I realize that busy-ness is merely an excuse to avoid processing change. Therefore, I now choose to embrace what is and go from here. For your information, I’ve detailed my process below: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Change 4 Comments »

Your values determine your legacy

May 19, 2007

Tonight I had a brief telephone conversation with my brother-in-law with whom I enjoy a close and loving relationship. We speak often and we freely express our thoughts and feelings. There have been times in the past when my brother-in-law has delivered some critical feedback that was somewhat painful to receive. But tonight, he blessed me with an acknowledgment that makes me feel great! He said, “You inspire me. I’ve noticed that no matter what is happening in your life, you always act as if you just won the lottery.”

I especially loved hearing this particular bit of feedback from my brother-in-law because it serves as an indicator of how much spiritual growth and development I have accomplished in recent years. There was a time in my life when I was known as a sensitive and depressed person. These days, the people in my life look to me for inspiration and courage. If you were to ask, what would your family, friends, colleagues, and associates say about your attitude? What would you hope to hear from them?

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Authentic Living 2 Comments »