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“Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”
– Samuel Ullman

I love the word enthusiasm. It is a Greek word that actually means “within God” (theos meaning God). Enthousiasmos literally means to be inspired by the presence of God. Who can beat that? I think that learning how to be enthusiastic is something that could be taught in the school curriculum. It is a priceless quality, it is contagious, it is infectious, it is the best space to inhabit. It is the driving engine that lets us achieve the impossible. It is the energy that counteracts our doubts, fears, insecurities and discouragement. Read more »

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I was recently out with some friends, and I found myself sitting next to an exuberant, wonderful woman who was visiting from Florida. We got to talking about the things that matter very quickly. She told me that she was divorced, had adult children and was running her own business in Florida. She had been an avid ballroom dancer for the last two years and adored her teacher whom she danced with. On the surface she had a charmed life, and she seemed lively and confident. Read more »

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In the stunning 102 acres resort of Terranea in Palos Verdes Peninsula, the LA Times Magazine presented its first annual conference on health and wellness. They invited health experts, cancer specialists, nutritionists, and sleep specialists to inspire us to make the commitment to take better care of ourselves on every level.

The conference started with Sheryl Crow, who talked about her experience with cancer. Crow was always healthy and athletic and then got the diagnosis of breast cancer. Her biggest lesson through this journey was that she had to learn to show up for herself and take care of herself. Read more »

In the vast corridors of my inner domains
planks of love have been set on the floors
for me
to walk steadily on my path
to feel the safety of my heart
as it arches itself towards
my soul
to glimpse the light
that first gave birth
to that which I now call
myself. Read more »

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No one knows what’s going to happen because it has never happened before. I read this the other day on a postcard, and it started me thinking about this fear of the unknown and the comfort zones that keep us safe, outside of unexplored territories. We often don’t know, when we start something, how it will end, how it will be received, and where it will leave us in relationships with ourselves. In other words, what judgment will we make about ourselves and our world? Will we be able to withstand it if things don’t work out? Too often, we stop the whisper of our inner voice, because our self-protective side — our intelligent being — steps in to keep us in survival mode.

I have heard so many women say “I don’t know what my voice is” or “If I have a voice, I don’t know what I want to say or do” . . . What is our unique voice, our expressive self that makes us feel alive? These questions are the beginning of the struggle of expression: I call it the process of defrosting ourselves. Read more »

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Editor’s Note: Stacey Lawson is off this week, but please look for the return of her column next Monday.

Wouldn’t it be nice if just as we are about to embark on a new experience — a new relationship, a new job, motherhood, or just moving to a new town — we could print out the directions so we know what the route looks like?

Where is MapQuest when we’re launching the next part of our life’s journey?

We can’t exactly type in where we’re headed and print out the directions . . . and not only that, we can’t take our familiar old baggage with us, either. Life simply presents itself and says: leap and meet yourself in a new way you’ve never seen before. Read more »

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In Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Viola, one of the main characters, disguises herself as a man in order to get a job with the local prince. As a result, she finds herself entangled in the mess of an unrequited love triangle: She falls in love with the prince, who is in love with the local princess, who subsequently falls in love with Viola when she (dressed as a man) goes to woo the princess on the prince’s behalf. Exasperated with her situation, Viola throws her arms in the air and exclaims: “Oh Time, thou must untangle this, not I … it is too hard a knot for me to untie!” She is calling on time to sort her problem out. Read more »

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Recycled thoughts are not healthy for sustainable living.

Have you noticed how often the same thoughts circle through your mind? They come while we’re getting dressed for work, driving, during any activity, even in our sleep. They can be incomplete feelings, incomplete thoughts or actions — regrets of some kind. Thoughts like: “I shouldn’t have done that,” “I shouldn’t have said that.” Or things we haven’t said; things we wanted to do but haven’t, things we fear to attempt. Read more »

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It’s time for a stimulus plan of confidence.

With the stunning shakeup in our economy, it is easy to have our personal confidence shaken. How then can we each have those wonderful feelings of confidence that some people radiate — as if they have been touched by the gods?

In order to move forward, we must realize that those gods are within us all — they are parts of ourselves. They are the better angels of our nature, intent that we succeed. Our confidence is based on a deep core of spiritual ethics and a trust that says we are not alone, that the spirit of who we are is mightier than the one that lives in the world. Our life is not a singular act.It involves our higher self — our wisdom, compassion and the ability to tap into our unlimited spiritual source that connects us not only to others but to our own power. That mentality can bring a confidence that is unshakable. Read more »

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We all have habitual, negative thinking, feeling and doing patterns that sabotage our success, happiness and well-being. They become so ingrained that we think we have no power to change them. They simply become part of our daily life.

Being passionate about Greek mythology and archetypes, I thought of how the myth of Sisyphus might relate to our lives. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the myth, let me tell you about it.

Sisyphus — a crafty and arrogant man — was condemned by Zeus for his bad deeds to roll a rock up a hill, only to have it roll right back down before he could get it to the top. He would have to repeat this task day after day for eternity — a punishment you might not wish on your worst enemy, unless perhaps he was an ex-husband, wife or lover who left you for your best friend. Read more »