The Twelve Days Of KINDNESS

December 22, 2011 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

In the spirit of the holidays and keeping with Tuesday’s blog, “Count Your Blessings”, I have adapted the traditional Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to “The Twelve Days Of Kindness”. It works much better if you sing this blog instead of read it. Go ahead, who cares if anyone can hear you…spread the love!

“THE TWELVE DAYS OF KINDNESS”

On the first DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

A warm hug that makes me happy!

On the second DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Two cups of tea, and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the third DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the fourth DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the fifth DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Five JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the sixth DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Six funny jokes…f ive JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the seventh DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Seven loving emails, six funny jokes…f ive JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the eighth DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Eight friendly pot lucks, seven loving emails, six funny jokes…f ive JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the ninth DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Nine cozy cuddles, eight friendly pot lucks, seven loving emails, six funny jokes…f ive JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the tenth DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Ten case-of-the giggles, nine cozy cuddles, eight friendly pot lucks, seven loving emails, six funny jokes…f ive JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the eleventh DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Eleven lazy hours, ten case-of-the giggles, nine cozy cuddles, eight friendly pot lucks, seven loving emails, six funny jokes…f ive JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and a warm hug that makes me happy!

On the twelfth DAY OF KINDNESS my true love gave to me…

Twelve more days of blessings, eleven lazy hours, ten case-of-the giggles, nine cozy cuddles, eight friendly pot lucks, seven loving emails, six funny jokes…f ive JOY-full smiles!

Four random texts, three compliments, two cups of tea and A WARM HUG THAT MAKES ME HAPPY!!!

Don’t forget the SPIRIT of the season. It is not about the gifts, the money spent or the perfectly decorated tree…it’s about LOVE. It’s about KINDNESS. It’s about giving the gift of your HEART.

From everyone here at the40by40.com, HAPPY holidays and much LOVE to you, your family and friends.

If you have any Grinch’s in the bunch, tell them to read my adaptation of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”…it will definitely put a smile on your face.

PLEASE PASS ON THE MESSAGE OF LOVE AND KINDNESS BY SIMPLY CLICKING ON THE BUTTONS BELOW!

 

Big warm, loving hugs to you all!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. For those of you who may be suffering during this time as I know it’s not an easy time for many people, please read my blog “Storm Warning” as I was in that dark place last year.

Count Your Blessings…

December 20, 2011 By Tina Moore 1 Comment

“When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep and I fall asleep, counting my blessings!”

I recently heard that song and it made me pause and think. This past week due to being very ill with an unrelenting migraine and nasty bug, I was reminded of how many blessings I have in my life: the daily luxuries that other people in other countries only dream about.

  • Showering every day with clean, hot water.
  • Heating my apartment with the turn of a dial.
  • Crawling into a comfortable bed with clean sheets and a warm, cozy duvet.
  • Looking above me and seeing a roof over my head.

The list is really quite endless. There are so many blessings to appreciate every moment in life if you take a second to realize the value of that blessing.

“When my bankroll is getting small, I think of when I had none at all and I fall asleep, counting my blessings!”

I have one big stress in my life: Money. Correction, NOT ENOUGH MONEY! I am no different from anyone else; however, this past week I realized something very important:

If I have HEALTH, I have WEALTH.

When I get stressed, I have to remember all the things I do have! I can jog, dance, hug, laugh, sing, walk my dog, go to the library and read a book, visit with a friend, or write in my journal.

Those things are what make my life very sweet. Although money would relieve stress, it doesn’t define my life; it enhances it.

My life is defined by: LOVE, JOY, GRATITUDE, HONESTY, KINDNESS, RESPECT, AUTHENTICITY, INTEGRITY, THOUGHTFULNESS and COMPASSION.

Those are the things that make me a very rich woman.

”I think about a nursery and picture curly heads, and one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds.”

Remember the people who love you. Expressing gratitude for their presence in your life is a beautiful gift, not only to them but to yourSELF.

Life is busy: schedules, to do lists, staff parties, shopping, wrapping, baking, not to mention the regular chores of laundry, dishes and making meals can lead to STRESS which leads to NEGATIVITY. All the details can drive you mad.

Don’t forget what’s really important in life: PEOPLE!

Stop and take a minute to let someone know that they matter. Have a cup of tea, listen to their story and give them a hug. I currently know many people who have recently lost loved ones and this Christmas they wish they could have one more hug, or one more conversation.

Stop.

Hug.

Chat.

Laugh.

Be in the moment and enJOY.

“If you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings!”

Even in the wake of the difficulties, challenges and sometimes devastating events, life still provides blessings.

Open your eyes, open your heart and you will see them everywhere!

This week: Spread LOVE not stress. Count BLESSINGS not receipts. Spend TIME not money.

With a smile and much gratitude,

Tina

 

The Courage To LOVE

December 6, 2011 By Tina Moore 2 Comments

Children are our greatest teachers. They openly share their knowledge and understanding about something that sometimes eludes us as adults. They show us how to LOVE.

They don’t think about it, analyze it, control or monitor it because it is my belief that love is their natural state. They just share it openly and without any restrictions or expectations.

As adults we sometimes struggle with love. Because of painful experiences we start to go further and further away from our natural state. As an adult, it sometimes takes great COURAGE to LOVE.

Love doesn’t come with guarantees; it can hurt so there is risk involved. But children take that risk willingly, without any thought, every single day. They don’t see it as a risk but rather as a way of life.

I am, therefore, I love.

It’s so simple and yet adults make it complicated. We become fearful of something that is at the very core of our being. We monitor, regulate, hide, block, or mask our love. We censor it or just don’t invest in it at all! We make a choice to keep within what we deem as emotionally safe. We become so scared of being hurt, we shut down.

But is that experiencing life with all the colors?

Being a teacher and witnessing the love of children, I don’t think so.

I had the enormous pleasure of teaching a class of exceptional young people this weekend. Some of the students knew each other and some did not. Within an hour these kids were chatting, laughing, hugging and embracing each other. They immediately became friends because their HEARTS ARE OPEN.

LOVE IS ENERGY. Expressing LOVE brings great JOY to those who give and to those who receive.

I would rather hurt from loving someone than never have experienced love at all. I would rather EXPRESS LOVE than stifle it. EMBRACE LOVE than block it. I understand I hurt mySELF far more by dimming my love than by sharing my love.

I am; therefore, I love.

I have been cut to the core with betrayal, lies, criticism, anger, rejection and meanness. I’ve loved and been hurt by lovers, family and friends but I don’t regret loving them. I feel sad I wasn’t loving mySELF at those times and that is my lesson.

Love starts from within and resonates from there.

I will leave you with an excerpt from an incredible boy who has since passed away. His name is Mattie Stepanek and this is from his poem Heartsong:

My Heartsong sounds like this ~

I love you! I love you!

How happy you can be!

How happy you can make

This whole world be!

…This is my special song

But do you know what?

All people have a special song

Inside their hearts!

Everyone in the whole wide world

Has a special Heartsong.

If you believe in magical, musical hearts,

And if you believe you can be happy,

Then you, too, will hear your song.

Let your Heartsong be heard openly, spontaneously, passionately, lovingly, JOYfully, loudly, courageously, respectfully, softly, gently and authentically.

I AM; therefore, I LOVE.

With a smile and loving heart,

Tina

PS. I speak about toxic love and a painful past in my book “The Decision” and how I changed it around to now experiencing love, joy and happiness on a daily and continual basis. If you want to learn how I did that, please click HERE.

Celebrate Every Side Of YOU!

November 29, 2011 By Tina Moore Leave a Comment

I saw this ad and had to take a photo. Every once in a while advertisers get it right. In this case it was Winners.

Do you celebrate every side of YOU? Can you look in the mirror every single day and think:

“Girrrrl, you look fine. Look at that chin. You are rocking that dimpled chin! Look at your stomach, shoulder, mole, wrinkle, knuckle and cellulite. You are the bomb!”

I don’t do that! I wish I could say I did, but that wouldn’t be honest. I have days where I’ll look in the mirror and there will be some part of my body that my critical eye will rest upon and spew negativity towards.

It’s so sad because I’m not appreciating a part of who I am! I am being critical, mean and negative towards mySELF. On those days I have a negative body image.

So, if YOU, who is with yourSELF 24/7 for the rest of your life is being critical of your body: STOP!

How can you possibly go into the world with a whole sense of the BEAUTIFUL YOU that you truly are if you are judging yourSELF and nurturing a negative body image. That’s not right.

It’s sad to think you may think anything less than:

“I love my body. I love this truly amazing machine that breathes, blinks, digests, and fights disease. I love this miraculous body that really knows how to take care of itself if I listen.”

Today, I encourage you to join me. I am going to STOP THE NEGATIVITY and CELEBRATE EVERY SIDE OF ME and I want YOU to do the same for yourSELF!

I CELEBRATE THE BUMP ON MY NOSE. I don’t particularly like it but it’s part of my face. It is part of my body. It is a part of me!

I CELEBRATE MY STRETCH MARKS. When I hit 16 I had a growth spurt. That growth spurt created stretch marks and all the creams in the world won’t get rid of them. They are a part of how my body grew. I love me; therefore, I love them.

I CELEBRATE MY TEETH. They are crooked, uneven and not bright white. I celebrate the teeth I have because they still chomp down well on a good sandwich. That’s what I was born with and I will not criticize what I was given!

I CELEBRATE MY WRINKLES. I am 42 years old and getting older. Wrinkles are a natural part of life. They are road maps of our experiences, good, bad and lovely. They are the storytellers of our face so I celebrate my wrinkles! The only difference today is I plan on creating them with laughter instead of fear, anxiety or stress.

Today make the choice to look in the mirror and send the HEALING ENERGY of LOVE towards the parts of your body you have been critical. Please don’t invest in negative body image. CELEBRATE EVERY SIDE OF YOU!

REMEMBER: LOVE IS ENERGY.

CELEBRATE EVERY SIDE OF YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE PERSON.

With a smile,

Tina

 

Choose YOU – What Does That Mean?

November 22, 2011 By Tina Moore 3 Comments

In previous blogs, I’ve often said, “Choose YOU” but what do I mean?

Do I mean push your way to the front of the line when there are others ahead of you? Brag about how fast you can run, how much money you made last week or what your boyfriend bought you when you know your friend is so broke she can’t pay her phone bill? Do I mean that you fend for youself and don’t extend a kind gesture toward a stranger because you are in a hurry?

Goodness, NO!

Those examples are all EGO.

When I say choose YOU, I do not mean choose EGO.

Choose YOU means:

  • Choose INSTINCT
  • Choose AUTHENTICITY
  • Choose INTEGRITY
  • Choose HONESTY
  • Choose your natural state of being which is LOVE.

Choose YOU means you honour youSELF by listening and respecting that quiet voice that tells the TRUTH.

Your EGO lies; INSTINCT always tells the TRUTH.

Choose YOU means you pay attention to that quiet WISDOM that says, “Don’t trust this person” even though they may seem like the nicest person in the world. Choose YOU means if something doesn’t feel right, you pay attention.

EGO is created, INSTINCT you are born with.

Choose YOU means you take CARE of yourSELF so you are more available to others. By exercising, eating healthy and taking time to sit and reflect in quiet solitude for a few minutes each day, you are creating positive energy to give to those around you.

Choose YOU means you no longer PEOPLE PLEASE to the detriment of your time, emotions and energy.

Choose YOU means you give to yourSELF what you give to others: RESPECT, LOVE, KINDNESS, PATIENCE, NURTURING, VALIDATION and SUPPORT.

Choose YOU means that you understand SELF CARE IS NOT SELFISH.

Choose YOU means you live a life of AUTHENTICITY by honouring your word to yourSELF as well as to others.

Choose YOU is the furthest place from EGO. It’s not about hurting others or ignoring their needs or being rigid in your life and not allowing others to enter your heart. Nor is it about being first, right, better than, rude, distant, selfish or cold.

It’s the opposite.

It’s honouring the very essence of who you are so you can live life OPENLY, AUTHENTICALLY and LOVINGLY. You can be more giving, more vulnerable and more trusting because you listen to your inner voice and you honour its wisdom.

Choose YOU, not from a place of EGO, but from a place of INSTINCT.

So my friends, please take care of that beautiful person inside. Nurture, love and respect your voice. Honour and validate your feelings. Take care of the body that houses your soul.

Choose LOVE.

Choose INSTINCT.

Choose AUTHENTICITY.

CHOOSE YOU!

With a smile,

Tina

PS. Like my blogs? You’ll love my book! It’s only $9.95 and available in PDF, ePub and Audio formats. Check it out HERE!

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