New Beginnings

To pick up where I left off, oh-so-long-ago, I am thankful that I can begin again. 

Any time, any place, any day, any hour, until the moment of my last breath in this body, I can reset, start anew, look at life or any particular situation with a new perspective.

It's been almost a full year since I wrote last, when I set out with the endeavor to write down each day at least one thing for which I'm thankful.  That was a real challenge to stick to, and I didn't make it past the first month of 2012, although I will say that I do give thanks for many blessings in my life every day.

2012 was full of many challenges for myself and so many people I know.  One thing that has been tremendously helpful for me, when there are things happening in personal life that seem so absolutely overwhelming and at times hopeless or impossible, is to shift perspective out of my own personal little life into my universal self, my higher self, and connect with the suffering, and joy, of my fellow humans, feel compassion, empathy, and releasement, and look for beauty around me. 

There are also two books that were my main 'sustenance' for 2012 and aided greatly in such a difficult time of transition and nuttiness.  I highly recommend them both for any & all of my human family:

Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
and Pema Chodron's When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times. 

I will not attempt to write a book review here or summarize the benefits of either of these books.  I'll just say you should really check them out!  Great reminders, great affirmations, great practical advice especially for when times are feeling really tough.