I’m not sure it that’s a compliment or not, but regardless, it did get me thinking about the question- could I write a blog on anything? Can we be triggered by an inanimate object and find a deeper meaning in life? I believe the answer is yes- it’s there if we’re looking for it.

Yesterday that question was put to the test. I met a new friend in Montana who gave me a gift of a dozen eggs from her free range hens. This was the first time I’ve ever received eggs as a gift and that alone could have been a blog.

But what convinced me I had to blog about this experience is when I got home and opened the lid to this carton of eggs.

The eggs were beautiful and all very different from one another!

According to Forest Gump’s mother, ” Life is like a box of chocolates”, but I believe it’s more like a carton of eggs. Imagine my surprise when I opened the carton expecting to find the “normal” 12 white or brown eggs, but saw 12 eggs of all different colors and sizes. They were grey, tan, terracota, beige, ivory, white and even speckled ones.

I guess I knew eggs weren’t always alike, but I was struck by the variety in color, size, texture and pattern. Granted, they were just eggs, but because of their outward differences yet inner possibility, I was reminded of the days of our lives.

Each day we wake up and expect the day to  to look pretty much the same as the one before it- like a store-bought carton of eggs.

But, what if today were the day for you to open a carton of Montana farm eggs and realize the unique possibility in the next 24 hours? Could today, Sunday, be a brown one or a gray one, or perhaps the speckled one rather than a predictable white one?

Regardless of the color, shape or size, each day is a fragile gift that must be handled with love and care…. as it holds the power for greatness. Each of our days, just like these little eggs, holds the potential of birth, of life… for us and for our dreams.

As we turn our clocks ahead today and spring into Springtime, it’s a great time to look into our metaphorical carton of eggs and see what dreams are there for us to birth.  I’m going for the speckled one today.

Cherish this day for the gift that it truly is- unique, beautiful and full of incredible possibility- just like you. (But for now, I’m off to make an omelette).

p.s. Carol, thank you again for the lovely gift!

It’s almost as if somehow Koda realizes that in addition to the importance of the exercise, my walks in Nature serve as a form of reconnection to the greater part of me. When life is too busy and crazy, the most counter-intuitive thing, taking time away from the office to go for a walk, is actually what’s best for me. He knows how important it is for me to take our walk, even on days when I don’t remember or when I think I’m too busy.

How is it that my dog knows what’s best for me? How can he be that smart?

This blog and Today’s Brilliance featuring Koda as our Luminary came from asking myself these specific questions.

Many of my blogs come from carrying my iPhone with me and dictating as Koda and I hike together. On this particular day I walked and wrote this blog just from watching Koda play during our walk. I wrote his Today’s Brilliance from the point of what I thought he would say to me if he could speak. Sometimes I almost feel like he does.

I hope you don’t think I’m too crazy and that somehow, you too enjoy the wisdom shared from a place of unconditional love from a big white ball of fur in Montana.

Please share the wisdom from your pets with our community by adding your comments below.

Thanks and tail wags from Koda.

What struck me the most was our big white furry dog was no longer white- he was cream colored against the backdrop of the stark white snow. I smiled and wondered how many other things in my life I automatically judge or evaluate as black or white, good or bad, etc, without thinking, in comparison to what?

Koda was white until he stood next to something that actually was white- then he wasn’t.  A bear in a photograph is so cute, until you put him next to you on a trail, then he’s not. Losing ten pounds is a good thing- unless you’re ill and you’re trying to gain weight. It’s all a matter of perspective.

That made me pause and look at things in my life that I judge and ask myself, as compared to what? The problem that seemed to be so big suddenly got small when I changed my perspective and asked myself, “As compared to what?” When we change the background or the circumstances our perspective can change dramatically. Great opportunity comes from the fact that we get to choose our perspective.

When I readjust my view of ‘what is’ and look at a big problem in comparison to the world in front of me, it is but a speck of dust. Just changing the way we see things can help us put things back in their proper perspective and therefore, deal with issues and opportunities more effectively.

For example, if you think your job stinks ask yourself, as compared to what? You have a job and many don’t. Or perhaps you think you are broke, but again… as compared to what? You have the ability to read these words and the mind to question your life- so you are already more fortunate than so many.

I encourage you to do two things right now.

The first thing, reevaluate the worst things you say about yourself- and stop doing it. Stop beating yourself up. Look at things from a different perspective and ask yourself the question, as compared to what? Chances are you’ll see the blessings that have been in front of you all along and things that might have been perceived as problems will diminish right in front of your eyes.

Secondly, take this opportunity to change your perspective and come from a place of gratitude. That alone can create the biggest shift in our lives- when we change the backdrop of our life to one of gratitude. Wherever we are in life, we all have something to be grateful for.

And all of this came from thinking I had a white dog- until I realized that I didn’t. I have a cream-colored dog, and that’s a good thing….. or is it, as compared to what?

This powerful little poem was the inspiration behind our Today’s Brilliance on InspireMeToday.com. As you know, each day we ask a new Inspirational Luminary, “If today were your last day and you had 500 words to share with humanity, what would you say? What have you learned that you’d want to share?”

I believe that the Desiderata would have been Max Ehrmann’s Today’s Brilliance. So, I share it with you here and invite you to write your own 500 words. Don’t worry if it’s not as eloquent as this poem- what matters is that you write it for yourself. If you’re anything like me, it will bring up all kinds of things for you- in a really good way. If you do decide you’d like to share it, please post it below. I’d love to see hundreds of them posted here!

But for now, go enjoy the wisdom of Max Erhmann and the Desiderata and be inspired.

With love and hugs,

Gail

The Desiderata
- by Max Ehrmann

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

My blog today is a bit different in that it’s a personal letter from me to you. Let me start by saying, “Thank you” for being such a valued member of our InspireMeToday.com community. I personally appreciate your support.

I wanted to talk with you today about several things that we’ve been working on for the last few months. Recently you might have noticed a few minor changes to the site where we implemented your recommendations for improvement. We asked, you answered and we responded. We greatly appreciate your input which allows us to constantly improve our site for you.

To make the site easier for you to navigate, we’ve eliminated the need to sign in to access the inspiration on our site. And, we’re providing additional options to receive our inspiration:

- E-mail- Sign up to receive Today’s Brilliance by email each morning. (Just click on the yellow button at the top of the page)

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Many of you have asked how you can help InspireMeToday.com continue to provide high-quality inspiration and help us grow.  Here are 5 simple things YOU can do right now to help….

- Tell people about InspireMeToday.com. Through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or any of the many other social media option, please share us with your tribe. Also, a personal email from you to your email list is a powerful way to introduce us to others and help us inspire more people.  For those with large email lists or social media followings, we’d especially like to talk with you about sharing our message with your list.

- Support our advertisers on the site by clicking on their links. We receive pennies for each click, so if you see an ad that interests you, please feel free to click on it. Your support of our advertisers will greatly assist us to continue to bring you quality content.

- Advertise with us. If you or someone you know has a business that would benefit from exposure to our community, please email me directly at gail@inspiremetoday.com. We’re looking for ways to play together that are mutually beneficial.

- Buy our products. We’re introducing new products specifically tailored to our community during these challenging economic times. Please support us through your product purchase.

- Contribute your brilliance! We’re always looking for outstanding inspirational Luminaries. If you’re interested please write to us. Also, feel free to recommend other Luminaries you’d like us to feature in the comment section below.

- Blog with us! Recently we created a guest blog. Over the next few weeks we’re expanding that area to include fresh  content from some new faces. If you’re interested in writing a guest post, please email us at guestpost@inspiremetoday.com.

- Book Gail to Speak- Speaking to your corporate or civic group allows us to share our message with more people and grow our InspireMeToday community. Email bookgail@inspiremetoday.com for topics, rates and availability.

It is our intention to keep our inspiration free for everyone and with your help, I feel confident that we can continue to do so. Please feel free to share your suggestions with us on how we can continue to improve our site. In an effort to continually improve, please tell me what you like and what doesn’t work for you. We’re here to listen anytime. We’re here FOR you and truly want to inspire your world. Please, share your comments below.

Thank you again for being part of the community and for caring and sharing your thoughts with us. We invite you to comment below and get the discussion going within the community. Thanks again and know that we love and appreciate your support.

Hugs,

Gail

I needed a break from what could have been a stressful situation, so I went for a walk to play on the beach with Koda and reconnect with nature. Walking along the beach I started looking at the rocks. For some reason, the rocks in Montana look like Easter eggs to me. They are various shades of green, red, grey, blue and white and are simply gorgeous. I’m always fascinated by the shapes and intricacies of each rock. For me, it’s almost a form of meditation and I could spend hours looking at the variations.

After walking for a bit and thinking hard about this particular situation I decided to focus on what I was doing and let go of the situation. I allowed myself to just take in the beauty that surrounded me, be present and pay attention to what I was seeing IN THAT MOMENT. Something shifted.

They say you get what you’re focusing on and what you’re looking for, right? I went there to reconnect, to remember that I’m part of something so much bigger- and I found it. As I walked along the shoreline I kept seeing rocks shaped like hearts! I felt like the Universe had sent me a belated Valentine’s Day card- or 5 or 6 of them, all in the form of heart-shaped rocks. As silly as it sounds, I felt loved. I felt like I mattered. And, I felt like the situation that  could have been perceived as problem, didn’t matter at all.

In that moment, my day changed. I don’t think it was a coincidence that these rocks were there when I needed their message. I’m sure they’ve been there- on this same beach- all along. What was different was my intention. I was looking for reconnection. I was looking for confirmation that I mattered.

Through the beauty of Nature, I was once again reminded that I am an infinite being with unlimited possibility. If the Universe could put heart-shaped rocks in my path to show me how much I am loved, then certainly what I perceived as a problem was nothing more than a tiny bump in the road. I have the choice how to react to whatever shows up, and I’m choosing to react from a place of balance and calm rather than from fear. I choose love, knowing that I am loved.

Take some time for you today to reconnect in whatever way works best for you. Perhaps you’ll find heart-shaped leaves or dollar sign shaped clouds. Whatever you need to find for you will be there, just like my heart-shaped rocks were there for me. There’s something very magical about this and I can’t wait to hear your stories. Please share with us what you find on your path.

May your day be filled with sunshine and may you remember the depth of your own magnificence.

Hug,

Gail

p.s. Can you see the six hearts in the picture or am I just crazy??

On this day, March 4th, 2010, do you recognize these words below?

“In such a spirit on my part and yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds are faced with serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade; the withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no market for their produce; the savings of many years in thousands of families are gone.

More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.

Yet our distress comes from no failure of substance. We are stricken by no plague of locusts. Compared with the perils which our forefathers conquered because they believed and were not afraid, we have still much to be thankful for. Nature still offers her bounty, and human efforts have multiplied it. Plenty is at our doorstep, but a gracious use of it languishes in the very sight of the supply.

Primarily, this is because the rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure and abdicated… They know only the rules of a generation of self-seekers. They have no vision, and when there is no vision the people perish. The money-changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that civilization to the ancient truths.

The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit. Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.

The joy and moral stimulation of work must no longer be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. These dark days will be worth all they cost us if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be ministered unto but to minister to ourselves and our fellow men… “

—–

Do you know when this was said and by whom? Perhaps his original introduction will help you….

“This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive, and will prosper. So first of all let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

Okay, now do you who said this? If you are still uncertain, I’ll give you a big hint- this was said on March 4th, 1933, exactly 77 years ago today. It was part of the first Inaugural Speech of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, yet his wisdom seems so timely today.

As you may remember, when FDR was elected president the USA was in a depression. In this address, FDR “sought to banish the fear of the present and of the future which held the American people and the American spirit in its grasp.”

So today, 77 years later, I’d like to thank FDR for these timeless words of hope and wisdom. Just as dark times passed 77 years ago, whatever you might be experiencing right now shall also pass. As Annie said, “The sun will come out tomorrow.” And tomorrow is now. Put fear aside and remember, we still have so much to be grateful for.

And today, just like 77 years ago, we have an opportunity to reach out to our fellow man around the world. It is in that spirit that I ask you, “What can I do for you today? How can we be of greater service to you?” Please share your thoughts and musings below in our comment section.

We’re here at InspireMeToday.com and on Twitter to help you stay inspired throughout the day. Please, reach out and let us know how we can best serve you. We care, we appreciate you and we love you.

Hugs,

Gail

While I understand her not wanting to be alone, part of me is screaming, “Yes, but if you settle, you close the door for bliss to ever enter!”

Most of us would probably tell her that she should wait until she meets the right man, or find a way to be happy on her own, or all kinds of other well-intended advice to prevent her from settling. Yet we all settle in some way or another in our own life.

This made me ask myself the question…“Where am I settling in my life and more importantly, why do we settle?” As I’m writing this I’m hearing the voice of Jennifer Nettles of the country band Sugarland singing “I ain’t settling for anything less than everything“. Yet, we do it every day.

I believe that most times we settle for one reason. As much as we may want something, we don’t believe that we deserve or can have the best that life has to offer. Deep down inside, we believe that certain things- health, wealth, abundance or love- are for “other” people. Wouldn’t now be a good time to change that thought and realize that if we are deserving of breath in this very moment, we are deserving of all of the splendor that life has to offer?

What would life look like if you knew without a doubt that you deserved the dream you’ve been dreaming? How would it feel like to wake up and know that it is attainable? If you’re anything like me, just thinking that thought provides a wonderful sense of hope and excitement.

It all starts with vision, intention and belief.

Vision: If you want a great relationship, job, dream or anything else, get clear on what you want. When I knew that I wanted to find the love of my life, I sat down and made a list of 157 traits that I wanted in this man. Then, I focused on those things and celebrated finding this “perfect” man- before I ever met him. Celebrating in advance has a magical way energetically of attracting this into your life. Creating the vision is the first step.

Intention: Move forward as if it’s already happened. If you’re waiting to do step B until step A happens, take action as if step A has already occurred. Step out and state your intention to the Universe and from that action more doors will open to take you to step B. It seems counter intuitive but if you clearly state your intention through your actions, it will move your closer to achieving your dreams.

Belief: No matter what life might look like for you today, believe that the sun will come out tomorrow. Believe that the life you so desire CAN be yours. Believe that the right mate, job, opportunity or dream is waiting for you. Belief has a strong way of attracting what you want into your life.

Lastly, think about this…. If other people have achieved their goal or found what they want in their life, then you know it’s possible, right? And if it’s possible, why shouldn’t the same principles hold true for you? (They do).

I have a friend named Niki who put bright yellow Post-It notes throughout her home saying nothing more than, “Why Not Me!” Those three little words helped her move from a place of settling and empowered her to remember that someone has to win the lottery, someone has to find the man of their dreams, someone has to succeed in business…. so WHY NOT ME! As a side note, within two years of doing this project she created a successful business that generated over $7 million in profits- which she donated to orphanages in third world countries- All from not settling for anything less than everything, and from asking Why Not Me?!

I encourage you to look at your life and ask the same questions. Where are you settling and why? You deserve the very best that life has to offer. Create the vision, act from your intention and move forward with belief. Remember, if someone has to do great things or create abundance in their life- why not you?

It was disconcerting how this eagle just sat there in the tree looking at me. I was freezing as I  wasn’t dressed for the weather, but I couldn’t bear to tear myself away from him.

In the 20 minutes or so that I spent with the eagle, I felt as if he were there to remind me of wisdom I’d forgotten or to teach me something I needed to know.

My first view of him was as the sun was still reaching this part of the lake.

Here are some quick things I learned from the eagle:

Be ready for SURPRISE in your life. Magic can appear around the next corner, just as I didn’t expect to see him.

Take the time to allow childlike WONDER to be a part of your life. Soak in the magnificence.

APPRECIATE the beauty and joy in the world around you and more will be given to you. The more I kept saying “Thank You” to the eagle, the longer he stayed.

Live in a state of AWE at the magic in each individual moment. The beauty is always there if we pause to find it.

EXCITEMENT is a good thing! The thrill of being so close to this eagle kept my mind off other things (like being cold) and helped me to focus just on the moment.

VISUALIZE what you want. I saw the perfect shot in my mind and knew that he would turn his head  to give me the perfect angle – and he did.

PATIENCE is important when you’re waiting for something that you can’t control- like the sun. I waited more than 10 minutes in the cold for the sun to light the bird’s perch to make my photo beautiful- and it was worth the wait. The photos before the sun arrived don’t compare to the beauty of the natural light.

CHALLENGES are a part of life. When the camera battery died, I was worried that he’d fly away if I left for a minute. I practiced HOPE and FAITH that that he’d stay right where he was as I ran back inside for a new battery- and he did!

I was very GRATEFUL that he waited for me and was so happy to get this shot when I returned.

ABUNDANCE is there for us, if we only believe it is. This eagle stayed and  posed for 37 photos!

I felt such a feeling of CELEBRATION at the success of this morning. I knew some of these photos were going to be amazing.

I was very GRATEFUL for the experience and LUCKY to be able to share it with people in cities around the world who may not be lucky enough to see an eagle out their back door.

This eagle reminded me to LIVE IN THE MOMENT, for when we do, we can find beauty all around us.

As our photo session concluded, the eagle took one last look at Koda and me and flew off across the lake. As he left, he reminded me that no matter how good or how bad thing might be, nothing is permanent. LIFE IS CHANGE and is in constant flow, but there is beauty if you just pause to find it.

Today, go look for your eagle. I don’t mean this in a literal sense, but rather, look for the beauty around you and see what you can learn from it. Take the time to really pause and ask yourself what you too can learn from the situation.

If you are inspired to share it, please feel free to comment below. Thank you for being such an important part of our community.

The reactions were very interesting. Almost 2/3rds of those who commented on the main blog and on Twitter said “NO”, about 5% said maybe, and the remaining 1/3  responded with “YES”. The average age of those who responded with “No” was more than 10 years younger than those who responded with “Yes”.  Perhaps as we age the date or our demise would be easier or more advantageous to know?

Many of you asked me how I would answer this question. Although I can see benefits to many of the reasons for the “Yes” and the “No” answers included on the blog or in the tweets, I think I would lean more towards “Yes” for several reasons.

- We say we live each day like it’s our last, but most of us really don’t. If we really did, the word ‘worry’ wouldn’t be in our vocabulary. Think about it…. if you knew you only had a week left here on Earth, would you spend any time worrying about anything?

- Most of us expect to live a long, fulfilled life and therefore we put off a lot of things until ’someday’. When you go on vacation you manage to schedule the things that you want to do or see into the week because you know how long you have to do so. Therefore, I think if we knew we only had 40 or 50 years we would spend them more wisely and place a higher value on those days than we do when we think they are endless.

- And for all those who commented that  “It would be too stressful to know”, I only have one question for you. Don’t you already know now, to a certain degree? We have the benefit of statistics to tell us that most of us won’t live past 80, so you’re probably not booking a lot of events or vacations now for when you’re in your 90’s or 100’s.

But, all of this is kind of a moot point, because we can’t know, and in that, there is  magic. For me, the secret is to truly live and appreciate each day as if it could be our last, cherish our relationships by letting others know how much they mean to us, practice forgiveness, celebrate each moment for the gift that it is, don’t take anything for granted and don’t wait until ’someday’ to do the things on your bucket list. If we live by these principals then it won’t matter if we know the date or not, for our lives will be rich and blessed everyday.

Thanks to all who contributed to the blog and answered via Twitter. Should you wish to add your comments below, know that you are welcome to do so.

Here are the responses from Twitter:

Mteninty Yes! 39

wewriteonyou Yes

Jenom I vote yes

LibanaMusic Yes! an extra piece of the puzzle.

AnnaKDeLeo No!!! 28. I think we need to live in the moment, no matter what.

Gis4Girl Aabsolutely not. I’m 35.

hprog No. 33.

castleview NO!  65yrs.

KelByrd Definitely not. (No) 23 years old.

missphenom No because what if you do not die that day? Also your focus will be on your death date instead of the days you are alive.

RobertHruzek What whack job would really want to know that? Yeesh!

angelmarie_3 I’m 18, and nope I wouldn’t wanna know. I live everyday like it could be my last.

ElizabethPW My answer is no. because I live life as if I will die today and as if I will live forever.

kayabayb No, 23

BrettBorders NO, 33

ChebbiPon NO. I don’t want to know  date of my death. Whatever happens, happens.. What matters most is how you live your life so far.

calichiny No way // age :24

KarenAngstadt I’m 36 & I’ll continue ur trend. NO. I’d rather get 2 experience practice of living in the moment w/o knowing.

chris_tate24 No, I wouldn’t want to know, age 43. I think it would paralyze me and not allow me to live as I would have.

AMerems No I want to live each day! As if it was my last!!

sagesayings NO! 40

missgblog No & Yes, I would want to know an approximate ammnt of time so I could live life like it were my last.(but not exact day)

ellenfweber Gr question. I’d need to reflect the ethics and all pros/cons before I decide:-)Each day we should live as if the last. It could be toxic for person’s who struggle at times with moods and good to stir up those who move slowly on life issues:-)

Thanks again to all who commented here, on Twitter and on the main blog. I greatly appreciate your being a part of the InspireMeToday.com community.

Big hugs and love,

Gail