Lightarted Living: The Secret to Life I Learned from my Dog

Lightarted Living: The Secret to Life I Learned from my Dog:   

The Secret to Life I Learned from my Dog

 

Hannah's Secret

The real secret to a fabulous life

is to live imperfectly 

with great delight!

The author of this saying 

is unknown to me,

but what is known to me is

Hannah was the living embodiment 

of this truth.

We have so much to learn from our dogs.

Live in the present.

Love one another.

Live with great delight!

The Secret to Life I Learned from my Dog

 

Hannah's Secret

The real secret to a fabulous life

is to live imperfectly 

with great delight!

The author of this saying 

is unknown to me,

but what is known to me is

Hannah was the living embodiment 

of this truth.

We have so much to learn from our dogs.

Live in the present.

Love one another.

Live with great delight!

Lightarted Living: Go Softly into the Night my Sweetest of Dogs

Lightarted Living: Go Softly into the Night my Sweetest of Dogs:   

Go Softly into the Night my Sweetest of Dogs

 

"What do you want?" my husband asked this morning as I stood by the stove staring at the remnants of egg yolk on his breakfast plate. 

"A dog to lick it off, I replied. 

This morning there's a hole in my heart and tears in my eyes. Yesterday we had to say goodbye to the best and gentlest dog ever, Hannah. Thankfully the end came quickly so she could pass peacefully. 

Hannah the Human Whisperer

Go softly into the night

my sweetest of dogs.

You brought such joy

Hannah the Gentle

Hannah the Hussy

Hannah the Human Whisperer.

You are pure love.

Hannah the Buttery Soul

Gentle in Spirit

Gentle in Intent

A Gracious Dog

A Silly Dog

A Smiley Dog

A Sweetie-Pie

A Good Girl

A Happy Dog

A Kind Dog

A Buttery Soul

A Soft Heart

An Elbow Nudger

Go Softly into the Night my Sweetest of Dogs

 

"What do you want?" my husband asked this morning as I stood by the stove staring at the remnants of egg yolk on his breakfast plate. 

"A dog to lick it off, I replied. 

This morning there's a hole in my heart and tears in my eyes. Yesterday we had to say goodbye to the best and gentlest dog ever, Hannah. Thankfully the end came quickly so she could pass peacefully. 

Hannah the Human Whisperer

Go softly into the night

my sweetest of dogs.

You brought such joy

Hannah the Gentle

Hannah the Hussy

Hannah the Human Whisperer.

You are pure love.

Hannah the Buttery Soul

Gentle in Spirit

Gentle in Intent

A Gracious Dog

A Silly Dog

A Smiley Dog

A Sweetie-Pie

A Good Girl

A Happy Dog

A Kind Dog

A Buttery Soul

A Soft Heart

An Elbow Nudger

Lightarted Living: How to Deal with Criticism and Keep Your Ego Intact

Lightarted Living: How to Deal with Criticism and Keep Your Ego Intact:  

How to Deal with Criticism and Keep Your Ego Intact

 

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."Winston Churchill

Raise Your Hand if You Like to be Criticized

When you hear someone say, "I hope you don't mind, but I have some criticism of your work I'd like to give you", does it give you the warm fuzzies or the icy chills?

Like most people you probably think of criticism as a negative ~ something to be feared. But did you know the original Greek word 'Kritikos' meant a neutral appraisal?

Criticism: A Positive Tool

Criticism can and should be thought of as a positive tool to enhance your personal effectiveness and improve your relationships. No kidding.

By simply changing your view of criticism from a negative to positive evaluation, you improve your  coach-ability, provide more meaningful and useful feedback to others, and improve your relationships. It all starts with creating positive intentions for receiving and giving feedback.

In his book, 'Nobody's Perfect", author, Henry Weisenger, defines criticism as 'to communicate information to others in a way that enables them to use it to their advantage and benefit.'

Used properly, with a positive intent, criticism is used to communicate, influence, and motivate. Used improperly, with a negative intent, criticism is used to belittle, demoralize and shut up adversaries.

How to Use Criticism to Communicate, Influence and Motivate

1  Get Clear on Your Intentions

Abraham Lincoln said, "He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help. " When you start with the proper intentions ~ to help others use information to their advantage and benefit ~ you'll speak from the heart, and you're more likely to be heard. When people know you care about them, they're more open to listening to, and being influenced by you.

2  Decide to Live in a Friendly , Not Hostile, World

When you're on the receiving end, be intent to make a good use of all feedback. Make a choice to be open ~ Ask for feedback ~ welcome feedback  ~ and above all, always thank others for feedback. Be coach-able ~ and don't give others anything to push against.

But what if you're on the receiving end of criticism, and the criticizer's intentions are not so good? 

You can't do anything about the other's negative intent, but you can be the master of your own soul, and influence your personal development, by deciding to accept all feedback as good. This doesn't mean you must take in everything said. It means you stay open to hearing, without resistance. You choose to suspend judgment so you can decide later what to keep and what to let go.

Choose to suspend judgment so you can decide later what to keep and what to let go.

Your view of the world around you---as a friendly or hostile world-- will determine how you respond to everything else. Make a conscious decision to see the world as a friendly place, one that supports your health, happiness and well-being. Choose to step around the intentions of those who mean to do you harm. Stay focused on creating your own, positive, friendly world.

3  Get the Facts
If your intentions are to keep your relationships intact, always check out your assumptions with  other people. Start feedback conversations with a soft opening like, 'Do you have a moment to talk?', then gently move into the heart of the issue, engaging in open, honest, direct communication. Ask clarifying questions and listen intently. Seek to hear and understand the other person's intent.

We all need two things to engage in open, honest, direct communication ~ courage and compassion. Some of us have plenty of compassion and we need more courage (we're too nice), while others have plenty of courage and need to develop more compassion (you're too blunt). A balance of compassion and courage is needed by all of us.

No one does conflict perfectly. And no one communicates perfectly. We're all just practicing every time we engage with other people.


Where Can You Apply in Your Own Life?

Has someone criticized you recently? How can you turn that information into beneficial feedback that helps you develop?

Where do you need to use your courage and compassion to engage others in open, honest, direct communication that could benefit both you and them?

"Difficulties mastered are opportunities won."

Winston Churchill

How to Deal with Criticism and Keep Your Ego Intact

 

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."Winston Churchill

Raise Your Hand if You Like to be Criticized

When you hear someone say, "I hope you don't mind, but I have some criticism of your work I'd like to give you", does it give you the warm fuzzies or the icy chills?

Like most people you probably think of criticism as a negative ~ something to be feared. But did you know the original Greek word 'Kritikos' meant a neutral appraisal?

Criticism: A Positive Tool

Criticism can and should be thought of as a positive tool to enhance your personal effectiveness and improve your relationships. No kidding.

By simply changing your view of criticism from a negative to positive evaluation, you improve your  coach-ability, provide more meaningful and useful feedback to others, and improve your relationships. It all starts with creating positive intentions for receiving and giving feedback.

In his book, 'Nobody's Perfect", author, Henry Weisenger, defines criticism as 'to communicate information to others in a way that enables them to use it to their advantage and benefit.'

Used properly, with a positive intent, criticism is used to communicate, influence, and motivate. Used improperly, with a negative intent, criticism is used to belittle, demoralize and shut up adversaries.

How to Use Criticism to Communicate, Influence and Motivate

1  Get Clear on Your Intentions

Abraham Lincoln said, "He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help. " When you start with the proper intentions ~ to help others use information to their advantage and benefit ~ you'll speak from the heart, and you're more likely to be heard. When people know you care about them, they're more open to listening to, and being influenced by you.

2  Decide to Live in a Friendly , Not Hostile, World

When you're on the receiving end, be intent to make a good use of all feedback. Make a choice to be open ~ Ask for feedback ~ welcome feedback  ~ and above all, always thank others for feedback. Be coach-able ~ and don't give others anything to push against.

But what if you're on the receiving end of criticism, and the criticizer's intentions are not so good? 

You can't do anything about the other's negative intent, but you can be the master of your own soul, and influence your personal development, by deciding to accept all feedback as good. This doesn't mean you must take in everything said. It means you stay open to hearing, without resistance. You choose to suspend judgment so you can decide later what to keep and what to let go.

Choose to suspend judgment so you can decide later what to keep and what to let go.

Your view of the world around you---as a friendly or hostile world-- will determine how you respond to everything else. Make a conscious decision to see the world as a friendly place, one that supports your health, happiness and well-being. Choose to step around the intentions of those who mean to do you harm. Stay focused on creating your own, positive, friendly world.

3  Get the Facts
If your intentions are to keep your relationships intact, always check out your assumptions with  other people. Start feedback conversations with a soft opening like, 'Do you have a moment to talk?', then gently move into the heart of the issue, engaging in open, honest, direct communication. Ask clarifying questions and listen intently. Seek to hear and understand the other person's intent.

We all need two things to engage in open, honest, direct communication ~ courage and compassion. Some of us have plenty of compassion and we need more courage (we're too nice), while others have plenty of courage and need to develop more compassion (you're too blunt). A balance of compassion and courage is needed by all of us.

No one does conflict perfectly. And no one communicates perfectly. We're all just practicing every time we engage with other people.


Where Can You Apply in Your Own Life?

Has someone criticized you recently? How can you turn that information into beneficial feedback that helps you develop?

Where do you need to use your courage and compassion to engage others in open, honest, direct communication that could benefit both you and them?

"Difficulties mastered are opportunities won."

Winston Churchill

Lightarted Living: Love One Another

Lightarted Living: Love One Another:  

Love One Another

 LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Make new friends

And keep the old.

One is silver

And the other gold.

Keep life simple.

Love one another.

Love One Another

 LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Make new friends

And keep the old.

One is silver

And the other gold.

Keep life simple.

Love one another.

Lightarted Living: To Put the World Right When it Goes Dark Build Bac...

Lightarted Living: To Put the World Right When it Goes Dark Build Bac...:  

To Put the World Right When it Goes Dark Build Back the Lightness

 

Everywhere I look I see a helping hand

extended to you and me

Friends helping friends

Neighbors helping neighbors

Strangers helping others in need

Me helping you

and you helping me. 

In the year of the snake

Let's slide into each day

curled up into a restful state

to gather our energy

for the year ahead.

Let's watch as life unfolds naturally

and effortlessly, letting those seeds

we planted last year sprout and blossom .

Let's not waste energy forcing life forward.

Gentleness can accomplish what force cannot.

Let's slow down, be gentle with ourselves.

Let's save that big stick to use when we really need it.

Let's extend a helping hand to each other

and accept a helping hand when we're in need. 

To put the world right when it goes dark we need to build back the lightness, 

gather and refresh our energy, and begin by building ourselves and 

those around us up. These are the little things we can do. 

How can we make a difference when the world goes dark?

Small daily decisions add up and make a difference over a lifetime.

Choose to make small daily decisions 

to bring a spot of lightness into the world around you.

  

To Put the World Right When it Goes Dark Build Back the Lightness

 

Everywhere I look I see a helping hand

extended to you and me

Friends helping friends

Neighbors helping neighbors

Strangers helping others in need

Me helping you

and you helping me. 

In the year of the snake

Let's slide into each day

curled up into a restful state

to gather our energy

for the year ahead.

Let's watch as life unfolds naturally

and effortlessly, letting those seeds

we planted last year sprout and blossom .

Let's not waste energy forcing life forward.

Gentleness can accomplish what force cannot.

Let's slow down, be gentle with ourselves.

Let's save that big stick to use when we really need it.

Let's extend a helping hand to each other

and accept a helping hand when we're in need. 

To put the world right when it goes dark we need to build back the lightness, 

gather and refresh our energy, and begin by building ourselves and 

those around us up. These are the little things we can do. 

How can we make a difference when the world goes dark?

Small daily decisions add up and make a difference over a lifetime.

Choose to make small daily decisions 

to bring a spot of lightness into the world around you.

  

Lightarted Living: Shed Your Skin in the Year of the Snake

Lightarted Living: Shed Your Skin in the Year of the Snake:   

Shed Your Skin in the Year of the Snake

 

What's Cooking 

in the Year of the Snake?

At my house,

long slow fermented 

sourdough sweet cinnamon buns

and long slow fermenting good thoughts

are cooking in the Year of the Snake.

In this year of hibernation and retreat,

it's time for us to slow down and shed our old skin,

discarding what no longer works and

building fresh upon what does.

I decided to make 

homemade sourdough cooking 

my project 2025, 

and this made slow fermentation

and patience

the theme of the year,

which dovetailed with

the year of the Snake.

I started by taking a week 

to get my sourdough starter activated

with small daily feedings

and keeping it warm.

It doesn't take a lot of time to get

a starter started. It just takes small daily actions,

and then you leave the starter to rest and grow.

It's the same for getting good thoughts growing

for the new year. Feed them a little every day

and leave them to grow in a warm place.

Patience and perseverance 

are the name of the game

in the Year of the Snake

as you cautiously wait and see 

what is to be.

Take your time.

Take a slower pace.

Put big moves on the back burner.

Let life unfold.

Be flexible and adaptable.

Let your strength and wisdom bubble over.

Let your good thoughts 

ferment and expand naturally.

Keep feeding the good thoughts

and keep them in a warm place. 

What Shall this Year Be

We shall see;

we shall see.

No matter 

the difficulties you've faced,

there's always 

something good ahead; 

wait and see;

wait and see. 

Maintain a positive expectation, 

then you'll see;

then you'll see.

There's always something good ahead

for you and for me.

Let it be.

Let it be.