Erica Jong (Fear of Flying)  once said, “Take your life in your own hands and what happens? A terrible thing: no one is to blame.” There are many people who do not take responsibility for their own lives, rather blaming others for their circumstances. I experienced that yesterday with several of my employees. Instead of owning up to their mistake (or lack of attention to detail) they threw the other employee under the bus. Shaking my head as I corrected them and the situation they caused, I saw how much simpler their lives would be if they just accepted the fact that they made the mistake. Practicing the steps of The Way I stayed in the moment, had little stress (okay, there was some because was a rather large mistake) and dealt with the situation.  When one blames other person they misdirect their energy and cause their body undue stress. (I do believe this mistake was caused by not being in the moment and worrying about their personal problems instead of focusing on their jobs. I have a saying at work: Leave your stuff at the gate. Do not bring your personal problems into work. They’ll be there when you leave, you can just pick them up and take them home.)  In order to live simply and stress-free it is important that we accept our mistakes, try to correct them and not repeat the action, and move forward. Then one will not drag suitcases of guilt behind them and their load will be lighter.

Katherine Dunham (you have to research her because she was an awesome woman) once said: “Go within every day and find the inner strength so the world will not blow your candle out.” How many days do you feel like your candle has been blown out?  Daily, I go inside and muster up all the inner strength I can find to live each day with grace, dignity, and integrity. Developing my inner strength has allowed me to live intentionally and develop fortitude to handle what every life throws at me–and many days life throws a bucket of cold water on me. Anyone can give up–it’s the easiest thing to do. The world is full of people who give up, but that is not an option for me. I have learned that by following the seven steps of The Way I have increased my inner strength which has helped me cope with stress. And if you read my blog regularly you can see that being an RV Dealer is not one of the easiest jobs in the world! So, for today follow Ms. Dunham’s advice so the world does not blow out your candle. It needs your unique light!

The second step of The Way is to live in the present moment. When you worry, you direct energy to the past or future, two areas that you have no control over. Forgive and let go. You have a savings account of energy and when you waste energy on negative thoughts and behaviors you deplete that account. Living in the moment is a way to deal with stress. Well–yesterday I depleted that account and as a result I have a nasty cold. As I earlier stated, these steps were given to me and this spirit has a sense of humor because this is the step I struggle with the most. Oh, I have learned all the tricks–surround myself with white light, clean my chakras in the shower, deep breathe, practice mindfulness, but I am a work in progress, this is my journey, and daily I struggle with this step. But today is a new day. The sun is poking out of the clouds and the snow is glistening. Yes, we still have snow at my house. My poor daffodils are fallen soldiers and they don’t understand why winter keeps colliding with spring.

So, today I vow to live in the present moment and thank God for most this amazing day.

One of the steps of The Way is to live in the moment. Living in the moment helps you develop mindfulness and allows you to relax and manage stress. Mindfulness brings you back into your body. Daily, I must remind myself of this important step because I am guilty of trying to do too many things at once. I know I’m not alone because we live in a multi-task era and I see evidence of this daily. We are all guilty of eating when we’re driving, unloading the groceries when we’re on the phone, and texting when we’re shopping. Okay. I can’t do that one because I have to wear my reading glasses when I text, so the world is safe from me and my shopping cart. The world does not need to worry about me texting and driving. Can’t do. Nor should anyone else.

I have made a conscious decision to live mindfully, and I must confess I feel balanced, centered, and stress-free when I practice what I preach. Now, I’m going out to the garden for some planting therapy and I’m going to do this task mindfully.

The rain is falling lightly outside my studio window as another storm slams the Sierras. And with it’s arrival a slight touch of depression encircles my body, which I have concluded is physiological, not psychological. It is my body, weary, going through the change of life, and in need of the dazzling sunlight that is our normal weather. In my area, like many areas across the country, winter has been harsh, cold, and cruel. Oh, I know we need the water, but it is never enough and they will still call drought, drought! I try to limit the amount of information I store in my mind from the state-controlled media outlets.

Today I have reminded myself to follow the tenets of The Way, which are seven steps to achieve  a balanced and stress-free life. I am keeping myself in good health, but I must confess I have been remiss with my spiritual side, which is the seventh step of The Way.  It’s not an excuse, but there have been many demands on my time from work and others.

So, today is Tuesday, my art day, and I am working on a novel set in Reno in the 1930s, which I find to be a fascinating period.  Back then this state had the foresight to create a way to get them through the Depression.

And unless there is a crisis, I will light a candle and meditate.