"Begin and Become" by Joe Gigantino

“To fall seven times, to rise eight times…
Life starts from now.”
~ Daruma

Begin… what do you think about when you hear this word? The word “be” is defined as: to come into being. Begin is: to proceed to perform the first or earliest part of some action; commence; start. Most of us think of starting at the beginning (there’s that be word again), or simply starting from scratch. We think of going back to square one.

A friend recently shared when her daughter began medical school a few years ago, she was to choose from hundreds of refrigerator magnets that the preceding medical students left behind for the new students, containing words of wisdom for their new venture. The one she selected was in Japanese, which translated: “To fall seven times, to rise eight times…Life starts from now.” This quote moved her beyond words. It is a quote that we all should live by. You see, a person shouldn't simply give up when pursuing a particular goal or vision for their life, although it may be a long, hard road ahead. Yes, they may fail, one, two, even seven times; but to rise again, that’s when life begins!

Webster defines “become” as: to come into being; to exist or live. Age has no boundaries when you think of “becoming.” We’ve all heard about late bloomers such as Julia Child, who didn’t even publish her first book until she was 49. Colonel Sanders didn’t start his KFC franchise until he was 65. And what about Rodney Dangerfield – he sold aluminum siding for years while he struggled as a writer and comedian. He didn’t get his first big break until he was 42.

So, if you’re reading this thinking you’re too old to ‘begin and become,” there are countless others out there who will prove you wrong! To begin and become…first you need to BELIEVE. There’s another B word. Belief is so important. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he! Proverbs 23:7 says it so clearly. If you think you can accomplish something, believe it in your heart, and YOU CAN DO IT! We are all on a journey, whether we choose to accept it or believe it. Life is a journey. Wellness is a journey. We never really arrive – we are in continuous motion. We need to stay positive, believe and just BE who we are - who God made us to be. We are all so uniquely created and are not guaranteed any length of time on this earth. I choose to BE myself and BE all I can BE with what God has created me to BE while my clock is still ticking!

How about you? What are you doing with your life? Are you BEING all you can BECOME with what you have been given? Most of us humans live life incomprehensible to what we are really capable of. Haven’t you ever done anything that surprises even you? I have…I believe we all can stretch past our comfort zone and reach that “wow” zone. When we get there, we not only are proud of ourselves, but we set a new benchmark for what’s achievable, and we attain hope for moving past that once distant goal. Today, ask yourself what area of your life you’d like to BEGIN again. There’s still time to BECOME all you are destined to BE! Be hopeful and BELIEVE! My hope for you today is that you choose your day to “Begin” again, and when you set that beginning in motion, there are no boundaries that can contain you from “Becoming” all that you have been designed to be. It’s SO worth it.

About the Author -
Joe Gigantino lives in California with his wife, Christine, and their 3 beautiful children. He is passionate about health, living a life of purpose and is committed to helping YOU get in shape!Feel free to visit his website: http://workout.com/

PS: He shares free workout plans everyday!

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I love this article by Joe and totally agree - Unless we begin and believe in what we are doing, we can't BECOME our greatest possibility. What is it you desire to accomplish? Believe in it and BEGIN. Use your little moments to grow, learn and become! Keep taking those steps forward :)

What do you think about when you can’t fall to sleep?

Newport, Oregon - Wax Museum
Johnny Depp (Made of Wax) :)!!

When I can’t sleep, I think about words.
Last night it was S words –

Smile – When we smile our entire soul beams with joy. Smiles are infectious and easy to share. This smile word made me think of the smiles I bumped into during the day and the difference each one made.

Sneakers – Ugh! This is one word I could live without. Please choose to call them tennis shoes instead.

Simplify – When we simplify our lives, we open up the spaces inside ourselves to receive and share more joy. When we simplify, we release stress and sleep better. (Note to self: Simplify)

Slacks – When I hear this word, I think about polyester and the swishing sound it makes. This is not a favorite word of mine. I’d sleep better if people called them pants instead.

Slurpee – Best drink of summer! My favorite flavors are: Wild Cherry and Banana

Stunning – Tried to remember the last time anyone used that word … It’s a sassy word. I think we need to bring it back into style.

Savvy – This word makes me think of a famous Pirate named Jack Sparrow. And when I think of Jack Sparrow, I immediately think – Johnny Depp.

Luckily, my mind stopped at savvy and I found myself walking on a sandy beach in search of a soft bed to crash on for the night … and ahhhh – SLEEP at last.

Cheers to the last little moments of each day and to the stunning simple smiles that stay with us :) (Even if they are made of wax) ...

Seattle and Bellingham - A Trip to Remember!

Ken Griffey Jr. Bobblehead night at Safeco Field - It was a gorgeous night! :) This was a game we'll never forget! 11 innings and an exciting finish - Yes the Mariners WON! Yahooo ...

Feeding the meter in Bellingham - Just before the Wiggle Like a Fish Show!

Checking out the critters at Larrabee State Park in Bellingham, WA ... "Look a baby sea star!"

Make-up at the mall! Lauren looked gorgeous in her dark blue eye shadow and hot pink lipstick - YOU go girl! :)

Kaleb and Kade at the toy shop in Old Fairhaven! Love the look guys ...

Building at the Pacific Science Center - Seattle, WA ...

Our family just returned from an amazing adventure up north. We had a Wiggle Like a Fish show in Bellingham, WA on Friday morning and decided to hit a Mariner game while up that way and take in the sights of Seattle. We had such a wonderful time!

I feel so thankful for the moments we are able to spend together as a family and the memories we create together. I think one of the most wonderful gifts of life is our ability to appreciate the people around us and the time we spend together!

This little moment matters -

Today, take a moment to appreciate the people in your life that give it meaning, value and purpose.For extra fun – tell them you love them and thank them for being a part of your LIFE!

Guest Post by Tanveer Naseer - "Making Life's Little Moments Count"

"Perhaps it’s time we realize we shouldn’t be measuring our life with those large yardsticks, that instead the happiness that fills our lives can often be found in all those little moments that exist in between the big ones." ~ Tanveer Naseer

If you’re like me I’m sure you’ve had days where the size of the To-Do list looks insurmountable, the weather outside is dreary and uninviting and basically, you find yourself without any motivation to get your day going.

On some of these days, when we’re stuck trying to figure out how we’re going to get our momentum back, we receive this unexpected but welcome distraction – an email from a friend thanking us for what seemed to us to be a simple effort, a congratulatory note about some recent work we shared on Facebook or Twitter, or perhaps just one of our friends sharing some humourous anecdote that makes us laugh. On the surface, these gestures are simple and unassuming; however, on those days where we’re facing down a bad case of the blahs, they have the power to make us suddenly bound forth with renewed enthusiasm and verve.

Without question, on those days where we feel uninspired or weary, these simple efforts are a welcome arrival, the emotional equivalent of a caffeine jolt to stir ourselves out of the doldrums. Unfortunately, it seems that it’s only when we’re in the proverbial dump that we truly appreciate what these gestures bring to our lives. In some ways, I suppose that’s because we all tend to measure our lives with rather large yardsticks, holding out for those big events like getting a promotion or the birth of a new child as moments that will bring happiness to our lives. Certainly, those events do bring much joy and excitement, but they’re also an uncommon occurrence.

Maybe that’s why these little moments on days when we’re feeling flat resonate so much – we don’t go out of our way looking for them, we don’t work to attain them; they simply appear as a result of the relationships, the bonds we’ve fostered with others. But just like those big events that mark our lives, these little moments have an effect on us, of making us feel better and motivated to keep going. And naturally, if those we have some sort of connection with can have such an impact on us through such simple gestures, it’s not hard to imagine the same happening to those around us when we give small offerings of our own.

Perhaps it’s time we realize we shouldn’t be measuring our life with those large yardsticks, that instead the happiness that fills our lives can often be found in all those little moments that exist in between the big ones.

Tanveer Naseer is a writer whose work can be seen on his blog at http://www.tanveernaseer.com/. He also writes, directs and produces the internet drama series, "Star Trek: Unity". Tanveer lives in Montreal, Canada with his wife and their beautiful girls.

The Anatomy of a Moment

Sunset on the Oregon Coast - July 2009 ... Breathe it in, soak it up!

Welcome to August! This month, we’ll be exploring, appreciating and mostly celebrating the little moments that make up our lives.

Point to Ponder: Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the big stuff and forget about all the little moments that over time add up to LIFE!

Let’s explore for a moment the anatomy of a moment. A moment is right now. A moment occurred the second you woke up and enjoyed the breath of this brand new day. A moment happens every time you choose to acknowledge it and appreciate it. If we don’t recognize the moments – they slip away unnoticed.

Below are 3 simple ways to recognize, appreciate and celebrate the moments that matter –

Focus in the NOW – Look for all the beautiful blessings and lessons that each moment has to offer.

Dwell in the positive and ask yourself the following question – What is truly great about this moment?

Celebrate the moment – Write it down, breathe it in and share it with others.

PS: During this month feel free to post up a moment that matters to you and let me know about it! I’d love to share it here on my blog! We’ll celebrate the moments that matter together!