Enjoy this video. I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me.

I found this beautiful video on YouTube. It is an inspiration to me. There is a famous poem by Oriah Mountain Dreamer entitled, "The Invitation," and it is incorporated in this video below. It was uploaded onto YouTube by CreativeRain. I invite you to not only watch this video but read the poem underneath the video. I hope it inspires you as much as it inspires me!

Hugs,

Betsy Karp

The Invitation
Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Canadian Teacher and Author  

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself. If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."

It doesn't interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after a night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.
 
© 1995 by Oriah House, From "Dreams Of Desire"
Published by Mountain Dreaming, 300 Coxwell Avenue, Box 22546, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4L 2A0

Give Thanks. Thanksgiving is about appreciating all of the wonderful things you currently have in your life. It's about gratitude. It's about being present and appreciating the people in your life today. Go around the table and share at least one thing you love about everyone there and why you're grateful! It's the small things in life that make all the difference.

The holidays are here and we tend to over indulge and over eat. What happens when we eat and drink too much? Well, here’s a “12-Days of Christmas” list of things that start to happen to us:

1.   Indigestion
2.   Heartburn
3.   Bloating
4.   Weight Gain
5.   Fatigue
6.   Brain Fog
7.   Sleepiness
8.   Sore Joints
9.   Headaches
10. Depression
11. Erratic Behavior

....And, the Piece de Resistance

12. Button Popping Pants

Want to combat the list above? Here are three weapons to add to your arsenal:

1.   Be mindful of what you eat and drink
2.   Stay Present: Enjoy each bite and think about what you’re doing. Don’t feel guilty.
3.   Portion Control (a little indulgence is ok)

Click on the link below to get the full list:

http://overcomingholidaybingeeating.eventbrite.com/

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

*Please comment below and share with your friends.*

Gobble Gobble,

Betsy Karp,
Founder of i adore me

The word impulse means to act on a whim without serious regard or thought. I have had my share of impulsive behavior over the years that I wish I could take back, but people can’t move backward…just forward. The trick is learning to be conscious of what we are doing at this moment in time and what we are feeling.

I just came from seeing the movie “Flight “ with Denzel Washington. He is one of my most favorite actors, because his acting is so superb. It’s as though he just is. He has a wonderful sense of timing while staying present. The story revolves around his impulsive disorder and his need to resolve it for himself. This got me thinking on what it means to be impulsive, while addressing patterns of my own.

Do you find yourself being impulsive? Do you buy things just because you want them or do you stop and take a moment, asking yourself, “Do I really need this? Can I afford this?” What are the feelings that are coming up?

Usually when we are impulsive, we are acting out deep, unresolved emotions that we don’t want to face. When we are conscious of our actions it’s amazing what we become aware of.  To need and want are two separate issues.

I have become aware of the importance of what it is that I need and what truly is impulsive. For example, I was out of socks. Most of them had holes in the toes and I was down to two good pairs. I stopped in at Urban Outfitters to buy some new, inexpensive socks, and let me tell you, they weren’t so inexpensive. I had told myself, “I am only going to purchase what I need: a few pairs of socks and that is it!”

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a soft, romantic, pink, fluffy scarf that I loved, but I caught myself in time saying, “No Betsy, you do not need it, you have five million scarves” (a bit of an exaggeration). But the point is, I promised myself that I wasn’t going to be impulsive today.

Do you know how many millions of dollars people spend on being impulsive, buying an item just because it feels good? Or maybe it’s at the register before you check out and you say to yourself, “Oh what the heck, I’ll take that too.” But the whole point is that when we become unconscious and don’t take responsibility for our actions, major problems occur in our lives causing addictions, over spending, over eating and the list continues.

When you stop and take a moment, thinking about what it is you really do need and not what it is you want, you can stop the impulsive action and behavior. This will save you lots of money, time, better health, and improved relationships, as well as higher self-esteem.

So maybe the next time you feel impulsive to do something, take a minute, raise your consciousness and think truthfully to yourself, “Do I need this? Do I want this? Is this good for me?” You will know the answer. Be honest with yourself and look within.

*Please comment below and share with your friends.*

Hugs,

Betsy Karp,
Founder of i adore me

Right now I have a lot of hope in my heart. I have hope for our country. I have hope that we can move forward as a united nation now that the election is over. I have even more, positive hope that President Obama will do what he set out to do 4 years ago. I have hope that my dreams and my passions of i adore me’s success will come to fruition. I also have a deep hope and courage within myself to keep going, never giving up. What do you have hope for?

Please enjoy this video. I hope it will inspire you as it has in me…

*Please comment below and share with your friends.*

Hugs,

Betsy Karp,
Founder of i adore me

             Written by: EDWIGE GILBERT

Have you ever wondered what the true definition and meaning of the word emotion is? As women we are often accused of being too emotional, and often we simply agree, wishing we weren't. The real problem, I believe, is not having too many emotions, but actually is not knowing how to have our emotions flow in harmony and balance. Consider changing your perspective and looking at the word emotion as “E-motion” meaning "energy in motion." Look at it this way, and you can see that too much E-motion can create an excess and imbalance of energy in the body, which in turn directly impacts our health and leads to “dis-ease”, thus the ease of the body is dis-rupted.

We all agree that we cannot avoid our responsibilities and obligations in our lives. We also agree that we are constantly bombarded with challenges, which in turn throw us out of balance and create excess ‘E-motion’. We have now entered a complete vicious cycle: from emotions to stress, and from stress back to more intense emotions, looping around again and again...

Let us ask ourselves this question now. Does all this mean that the perpetual emotional roller coaster ride we experience will condemn us to suffering and sickness? No! What we need to learn is how to get off the roller coaster ride and understand how to return to a safe place within, to a state of emotional balance and optimum health and strength.

In my Fresh Start program I teach my clients how to achieve this result, by teaching them how to transform stress into strength with a fundamental two step process called “The Clearing and Creating formula”:

1. ”Clearing” the present from any anxiety or fears that hold you back, then accessing a quiet place within, where you can relax and feel safe.

2. ”Creating” the future, imagining the person you would like to be with and the life you would like to live.

You can also learn to change your beliefs about what happens to you. For instance, you could start believing that you have the power to transform your life and to imagine that the universe tests you at times, to see how you will respond to conflict and challenge. Have you ever questioned what would happen if you chose to welcome every challenge as an opportunity to develop courage, discover your inner strength and resiliency? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you chose to feel victorious instead of victimized? This choice is yours and yours alone, and will determine the state of your well-being.

Having said that, let’s find out what practical steps you could take every day to reach, and most importantly, to maintain this emotional balance in your multitasking, hectic life. I have created a series of rituals and exercises that I promise, if practiced daily, especially for the first 21 days (necessary time to create a new mental conditioning), will have a very powerful and positive effect in your life and will simultaneously create more “Joie de vivre" (French for joy).

If you seriously want to be successful with this process, I suggest that you start believing that you can, that you are worthy of feeling good about yourself, that there is always light waiting for you at the end of the tunnel, and most importantly, celebrate every day as if it were your last:

• When you first wake up in the morning, stretch your arms above your head and declare to yourself:
                                ”I am happy to be me, I welcome the world of infinite
                            possibilities, I Can, I Do, I Will! Victory to me, victory is mine."

• When a difficult moment arises, imagine yourself holding a sword of fearlessness in your hand as you walk boldly forward to meet the challenge.

• When you feel very anxious, gently wrap your left thumb with the fingers of your right hand, hold it for 1 minute, and as you do, breathing deeply, imagining all your worries melting away.

• When you encounter a challenge, see it as an opportunity to test your courage and to develop your strength of character.

• When you want to experience some calmness in your day, take a deep breath in and say to yourself the word “calm." And as you exhale say the words “let go” and begin to imagine your mind like the silent bottom of the sea without a ripple of thought disturbing its surface.

• When desiring more confidence and energy, think of your belly as your power center, and as you breathe, gather all your energy supplies into that space and smile.

• When desiring change, release your will power, activate your subconscious power instead and imagine yourself the way you want to be.

Now – You are ready to experience joy, love balance and positive energy.

Merci,
Edwige,  Author of  The Fresh Start Promise

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are!"                            Joseph Campbell

Are you living your truth? Do you feel that you are truly being honest with yourself each and every day? What is it you can say about yourself that is “uniquely you?”

I believe that everyone has a true, special, unique gift to share with the universe. Most of us want to share something that we are passionate about or truly great at, but then we shy away with lingering doubts, continuously asking ourselves questions like, “Can I do this? Am I good enough? Do I have what it takes to make all of this work?” The answer is a BIG YES! But it takes guts, courage and a tremendous amount of persistence to make your special gifts a reality. Here is the thing one needs to ask oneself: “What can I do to serve?” It’s about this instead of what you will get.

There is only one you and you are worthy of happiness, doing what you love to do everyday. Embrace you, and learn to appreciate and love you. You have special talents and strengths that no one else on this planet has. It is your job, however, to find that gift. Follow your inner guidance, listen to your own spiritual GPS and be honest with yourself. Isn’t it time to get out of your own way, breaking down those walls of fear, isolation and shame, and start living your truth? Once you open up and let go, you will be amazed at what you see in your-SELF.

The biggest relationship we have in life is with ourselves. Yes, we may lucky enough to be loved and have parents, friends, lovers and children, but it is you that has to make your life work. You don’t need anyone’s permission but your own to make your dreams come true. What’s truly amazing is that once you step into your truth, you give yourself permission, you start to take action and the universe supports you. It has your back, door’s open, new opportunities arise and synchronicity begins to work it’s magic. 

It took me a long time to truly believe in myself and to have the guts and courage to start “i adore me.” It was something that was inside of me, yearning to come out. I knew I had to do this. I needed to do it for me just as much as I needed to for others. It was learning to self–love and to take care of me with love and respect. It’s an evolving process as well as a daily journey.

At first I had my doubts and fears. So many people thought I was NUTS! Many people said to me, “Really Betsy, i adore me? No one can really say and mean that. It’s too hard. It makes people sound so full of themselves.” My reply was, “I adore me is about feeling self-complete, not self-conceit”.  Again, people stated, “Just forget about it! It’s not going to work!”  But I had a deep feeling within my gut that this was what I had to do. It is my calling and my truth. I listened to me. I was in alignment with my mind, body and soul and I didn’t have a choice.

It's amazing how three simple words, “i adore me,” can cause such a reaction within people. I am so happy now that I am persevering and sharing my message and vision with the universe. It is a gift to you to say and feel the words “i adore me.” I am thrilled that others want to share their truth and stories through their own blogs within the “i adore me” community. It’s about creating a movement of self-love. It’s a journey of self-exploration in finding all that is great about YOU, and building on that while sharing your gifts with the world.

So please share what is “uniquely you” about YOU, and stand in your true power…


Please comment below and share with your friends.*

Hugs,

Betsy Karp,

Founder of i adore me

A few months ago I invested in a documentary called “Project: Forgive.” I discovered the project on Kick Starter, which is a crowd funding website for creative projects and exciting endeavors. The inspiration behind the project is a man named Gary. A few years ago he received news that his wife Judy and their children, 12-year-old Alex and nine year old Sam, were hit by a drunk driver and did not survive. Gary lost his loving family because of a tragic mistake. Shawne Duperon, the producer of “Project: Forgive” is a dear friend of Gary’s and the driver turned out to also be a friend of Shawne’s. His name is Tom Wellinger.

Gary found it in his heart to forgive Tom. This courageous act inspired Shawne to develop this project so that others could share and explore the power of forgiveness. I will be traveling to Los Angeles in December to see the screening of the Documentary.

Before traveling to California I needed to go to Connecticut to visit my father. I purchased a roundtrip ticket and boarded in Harlem on 125th St, heading for New Haven. My brothers were meeting me so we could see for ourselves how far gone he was. My sister had just flown to Paris and we updated her when she returned. My eyes hurt, my mouth was dry and tears were stalling in my throat.

I texted my husband to tell him I made the train but I was interrupted by distorted sounds of vibrational chanting in Arabic. I looked at the guy across the aisle and mouthed, “What is that?” He shrugged and looked around. I stood up, searched for the source and spotted an old man wearing a grey suit, squeezed between two sleeping women. His mouth was moving and he was holding a metallic device against his throat. There were no plugs in his ears. I don’t know if he was talking to himself, to the women, or simply praying. Devout Muslims often pray five times a day, but this was 10:30 am, long after sunrise.

This guy didn’t care who heard him. His prayers traveled through the train car all the way to Westport.

My daughter texted me as I was frantically searching for my pink headphones:

“Thinking of you Mommy, good luck with Grandpa today. I love you.”

I texted her back:

“Thanks sweetheart, I love you more!”

I was anxious, but I knew this visit had to be different. I tried to meditate, but praying felt more comforting.

Dear God:

Today I will accept everything that is presented to me. I am letting go of all expectations. I know in my heart that my Father loves me. I’m not going to judge him or question him. I don’t know if he’ll live another month, a year or whether even he cares. It doesn’t matters anymore. Maybe today he will understand that his children never stopped loving him. I miss him.

My brothers and I waited in the car for our father. In a distance we saw a frail Man limping with a cane. He looked so small, so fragile. When he reached the car I could feel his fear. I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and make him well again. I hugged him and helped him into the front seat. He told us that his knees were in a great deal of pain (he usually has to ride on a scooter). The chronic alcoholism had wiped out all his vitality and belief in himself. Over the past twenty years there have been two interventions and family therapy, and my father has been in rehab three times. The week before my baby brother’s wedding, my Father spent the night in a half-way house.

During lunch my father recounted stories of our childhood. It was as if life stopped happening after 1995. I felt such love for my bothers as I watched them listening respectfully to him. We discussed difficult topics. My younger brother raised the question about my father’s wishes after he passes. He wants to be cremated; no service or memorial, unless, of course, we want to arrange that. The focus of this moment softened. As painful as it is to imagine my father gone, I felt held by my brothers and their ability to honor his wishes. The three of us were paying our respects to our ability to let go and begin again. We are no longer held hostage by how our father’s addiction has harmed or disappointed us. My intentions have changed. I forgive my dad and I have more room to love him.

Forgiveness is a tricky subject for all of us. It requires a great deal of maturity and the ability to let go. Personally, I have found that when I genuinely forgive, I feel a profound release and a feeling of grace. This deep letting go is almost a small near death experience. I am a new person and you are a new person. No more lacerating guilt, blame or stored resentments. Through forgiveness we develop a greater understanding of life and compassion for others as well as ourselves. The first step should be small and make sure you feel ready.

“Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us.”  --Rainer Maria Rilke.

***Please comment Below***

written by:
Jacqueline Stahl  

http://www.ageisforcheese.com
http://www.healthcarerest.com
http://www.Mommyhumor.com
http://open.salon.com/blog/jacqueline_m_cohen

Are you stepping up to the plate in your life or are you procrastinating and slacking off? Do you find yourself overwhelmed and being too critical? Which way are you turning?

I just came from seeing Paul Lacoste’s documentary, “Step Up To The Plate.” It is about the renowned French chef Michel Bras and his son Sebastian, who is now in full command of Michel’s restaurant. It was a beautiful display of watching a father and son creating food that is truly an art.

Michel and Sebastian have a complicated relationship. Michel is quite critical of his son and is very much a perfectionist. He wants to teach his son his expertise in creating and preparing food, almost to a fault. The father insists that his son “step up to the plate” and do everything he can to perfect his craft. Sebastian tries to take it all in while having a sense of humor at the same time. He tells his father, as he stares at the plate he has prepared for him, “food is to be eaten, not stared at!“

Life is a combination of stepping up to the plate and doing all you can to be your best. It’s about taking action and responsibility for you, however, there has to be a balance in all that one does. If you are too critical, looking at everything so seriously, how can you enjoy your life?

Isn’t it time to step up to the plate, having fun at the same time? Enjoy what you do and enjoy your journey. Life’s too short for anything else.

*Please comment below and share with your friends.*

Hugs,

Betsy Karp,

Founder of i adore me

Anyone can reinvent himself or herself. It takes a clear vision, action, persistence, patience and a lot of fortitude. If you have the will to see it through, you can do it! Are you ready?

I’m in the second act of my life and I am reinventing it. I was at the Fabulous Over Fifty “Beauty Bash” event this past Saturday and it was really incredible to see all of the women also in the second act of their lives, building brands, reaching out, trying new things and becoming a better them.

There was one woman who stood out to me. She had been a Hollywood producer who lost her big job and didn’t know which way to turn. She always had a dream of sewing and creating something. So she went out and bought a sewing machine, set up shop in her garage and started a beautiful line of affordable, easy, ready-to-wear clothing. It’s been a few years since she began it and now she’s one of the biggest hits on the HSN (Home Shopping Network).

You could feel her pride. She stated herself, “Don’t be afraid of starting something new. Let go of your fear and build on that dream. I’m happier now than I’ve ever been in my life.”

In order to reinvent, you have to have an idea of what YOU want to do. Set some goals, take some action steps and step-by-step, start building on your dream. It’s truly possible to reinvent yourself at any point in your life. It just takes a belief in you to make that dream come true. So what are you going to reinvent?

*Please comment below and share with your friends.*

Hugs,

Betsy Karp,

Founder of i adore me