Hello
,
Welcome to this week’s issue of The Ripple Effect and some inspiration for your
week.
Many of you know that last October our sweet basset hound Swanny passed away. We knew it was only a matter of time before we were ready to rescue another dog and that happened earlier this month. We adopted Bella, a
6-year old hound from BROOD (Basset Rescue of Old Dominion). BROOD is a great organization committed to rescuing basset hounds and basset mixes from kill shelters in the VA, MD, DC, WV, and PA areas. We’ve adopted all our bassets from there and are just thrilled to have Bella as a part of our fur-family. She is a sweet loving dog who has brought wonderful energy into our home. Below is a photo of Bella (left) getting close with our other dog, Lily. It was great to adopt Bella in February, which tends to feel like a very long month, despite how
short it is. She’s been a good distraction from the cold weather and also helped the month be filled with new fun energy. There’s often a stillness in the winter months that seems to peak in February – everything is frozen and blanketed by snow in many parts of the country. And yet, in a very short time things will start to thaw and the life of spring will erupt all around us. This week’s quote is one about the importance of stillness and silence in life and how, just like in nature,
growth happens for us through times of stillness and peace.
I hope you enjoy this week's quote and feel free to pass it along to anyone who may benefit from reading it.
Keep spreading those positive ripple
effects!
Wishing you joy and success,
Andria
Check out our latest blog post:
- What No One Told Me About Losing My Dad: Many of you know that my Dad passed away five months ago after a sudden and quick battle with pancreatic cancer. I’ve been blessed with a support network of wonderful souls, many who also lost parents and loved ones. After my Dad died, these people wanted to ease my pain so told me things to try to
prepare me for what was ahead and what I might experience. They told me things like: I’ll never stop missing him but will learn how to live with him being gone, the holidays will be very tough, the first year will be difficult, it will take me a while to accept he’s gone, I should talk to him anytime I want because his spirit is with me, and many other tidbits of advice that have helped me greatly the past several months. I like the words of wisdom and advice because I like to know what to
expect. However, there are a few things that no one told me about; perhaps those of you, who’ve been through the experience of losing a loved one, can relate to the things that have caught me a bit by surprise.[Read more...]
• Are you tired of second-guessing
and doubting yourself and your decisions? • Do you want to approach each day feeling assured and confident about what you’re doing? • Are you ready to step into being the confident, beautiful, self-assured person you truly are?
Then join us for our complimentary 21-Day Self-Confidence Challenge. Each day you will receive an email message with a short exercise or tip on how to increase your self-confidence The challenge begins as soon as you sign up – join us here!
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“Be still. When times are difficult, many of us think we should get up and get moving. Nothing could be further from the truth. Meister Eckhart, the thirteenth century mystic wrote, “I need to be silent for a while, worlds are forming in my heart.” During the times we think we’re being ‘unproductive’, the seeds
of new worlds are germinating within us, and they need peace to grow.” ~ Martha Beck
We are an action-oriented society where “down time” is typically not accepted or tolerated. We need to shift away from this
mindset and realize, just as Martha Beck says in this quote, that the times of stillness and silence are when our internal seeds (ideas, plans, opportunities) are taking root and growing. If we resist the need for peace and stillness, we stifle their growth. If we honor it, we allow them to flourish. We tend to forget that we are actually just like nature, which flourishes every spring after a season of stillness and hibernation.
This week’s inspirational activity: As February comes to an end, take some time to honor your need for stillness and silence. Try to quiet the chatter in your head that may tell you you’re being “unproductive” and
remember it’s often during these quiet times when the most growth happens.
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