Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve!!!

Happy New Year Inspired Friends! Today, enjoy the last day of 2011, please be safe, don't drink and drive and make sure friends and family are safe as well. I am looking forward to a whole new year of inspiration! My love to you all!

Celebrate Accomplishments List!

With New Year's Eve only a day away... I think it is time to make a list of things to celebrate! Everyone makes a resolution list but people don't take the time to think about accomplishments from the year and celebrate them! What big and little things have you done this year that are worthy of reflection and celebration? Today, make your list, rejoice in all that you have accomplished and Live Inspired Now!

Some of my personal list:

*Married my best friend (This is my favorite thing for the whole year!!!)
*Closed a business and re-branded
*Took trips to Texas, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington DC and several day trips within NY
*Went to a play
*Celebrated my 40th birthday!
*Left a job that was not fulfilling
*Helped MANY kids in need
*Made new friends
*Moved
*Had many many magic moments with my 6 children
*Too many more things to mention here, but you get the idea! Now go make YOUR list!!! :)

Something special for your lover.....

Today, do something special for your lover. Something as simple as a note on their car, or get up early and make breakfast, or take a moment to send a long text telling them how important they are to you. Make them feel like the most important person on earth and Live Inspired Now!

Time to snuggle....

It's Christmas vacation, the kids are home, the fridge is full of yummy leftovers, it finally decided to snow, the fire is burning in the stove and the house is all toasty and warm. It feels like a snuggle day to me! Yes, even I take a day off from time to time... that day is today! So today, make some hot cocoa, grab the snuggies and snuggle up with the kids or your lover, or even the family pet and Live Inspired Now!

Stand alone if you must!

Sometimes you have to stand alone, be the leader and refuse to follow the pack! Break free from the crowd that holds you back. Raise your standards, make friends that are where you want to be and have what you want to have, step up and set a new standard for your life! Stand alone if you have to! They say its "lonely at the top" but that's not true at all... there is just way more company down at the bottom! Today, step up as a leader and Live Inspired Now!

Donate Professional Clothes

Each year I collect and donate women's business attire to help give woman the opportunity to look and feel professional while trying to attain jobs. At Christmas, many of us get clothes that don't fit or are just not our style, this year I encourage you to donate them to a local women's center instead of waiting in long return lines. I am taking our donations to "The Dressing Room" in Ithaca, NY which provides free interview outfits to local unemployed woman. So today, put a few things aside to help local women and Live Inspired Now!

Be kinder than you have to be...

We should always be kind to people, even those who aren't very nice. Every person we meet has their own story, history, battles, and struggles and we never know what they might be. Even strong, happy, kind people face struggles, they just may not ever tell anyone. So today, no matter who you meet, be extra kind with the understanding that they just might need that extra love today.

"Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

Give Give Give...

Giving feels amazing! Today, be a secret Santa and give gifts to someone in need! Help a family, deliver gifts, buy a Christmas tree, make a meal to give... do whatever you can to give someone else the opportunity to have a better Christmas and Live Inspired Now!

"It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it."

You are a shining star!

YOU are a shining star! Remind yourself of that daily by hanging stars around in places where you will see them often. I have one hanging in my car, in my bathroom mirror and in my office! Don't forget to SHINE and Live Inspired Now!!!

Thanks Peg for the stars and the inspiration!

Add a little sparkle!

Who doesn't love a little sparkle here and there! Today... add a little sparkle to your life with GLITTER! I took extra fine copper glitter and mixed it right into my hair gel! Put some in your hair, or line your eyes, or just some sparkly lip gloss! You will be surprised at how glamorous you will feel with just a little sparkle! (OK... you MEN probably won't want to do this one... if so, refer to yesterdays Inspired Post and hand out candy canes! lol) Sparkle, shine and Live Inspired Now!

Calling all Candy Cane Fairies.......

Let's spread some Holiday cheer by handing out candy canes today to everyone we meet! While out shopping in the mall or grocery store, pass out candy canes to frustrated shoppers and spread some joy! No shopping to do? Hand them out to co-workers or even your kids... just hand the candy cane over and wish them all the joy of the season and Live Inspired Now!

Please join our Live Inspired Now page on facebook: LIVE INSPIRED NOW with Heather Paris

I look forward to seeing your pictures and hearing your stories of inspiration!

Ring a ling........

Wear BELLS! The feet pictured above are those of my graphic designer Ryan. He wears bells everywhere he goes! Today, bring some joy and smiles to those around you as you jingle jangle through your day and Live Inspired NOW!
Thanks Ryan for the Inspiration!

Barter!

Bartering is a wonderful way to get goods and services by offering goods and services and cutting out the need for cash! Today, I am bartering rubber stamps that I made for homemade candles from my sister in law! (Her candles are the best!) I love bartering! We all have talents or a skill set that we can barter so today save some money, barter for goods or services and Live An Inspired Life!

Pay It Forward!

As you know "paying it forward" is a HUGE part of MY life... of any Inspired Life but there is an actual group you can join to be amongst other like-minded people! It is a wonderful thing to be part of a community that is dedicated to good deeds, volunteerism and random acts of kindness. So today, join me in the Pay It Forward facebook group (link below) and learn about all the amazing ways people are paying it forward and join in the fun! Paying it forward means spreading love and joy and watching the ripple effects that kindness has on the world. Pay it forward today and Live Inspired Now!

Pay It Forward Group

FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! I am 40 today!

So my big announcement is that later this month, I am doing a nude photo shoot to show how beautiful the 40 year old body can be! I would really love for women my age or any age to know that their body is beautiful no matter what their age or size! I will keep everyone posted and the photos will be here on my blog when they are ready. Thank you so much for all your support and love and for all the wonderful birthday wishes today! 40 is going to be an AMAZING age!

Christmas music from your PURSE??

Bring your own Christmas music with you wherever you go! Play it out loud on your iPod and keep it in your purse or pocket. The other day, I had my Harry Conick Jr. Christmas music playing from my iPhone in my purse and a clerk at a store was going crazy looking around and finally asked another clerk if that was his cell phone! lol. I politely told him that it was MY cell phone and that I brought my own Christmas cheer! He got a good laugh out of it and I am pretty sure he thought I was crazy but everyone smiled and shared a happy Holiday moment! So today, get your music device ready and hit the town and Live An Inspired Life!

Wear a Santa hat!

Wear a Santa hat today... everywhere you go! Spread some Christmas joy and Live An Inspired Life!

String popcorn!

Oh my gosh we had so much fun stringing popcorn the other day! The kids loved it, I was actually surprised how long they found it entertaining! I thought they might get bored with it after 5 minutes, but they sat for hours and talked, laughed, ate and strung popcorn! This year we are having a homemade tree... nothing but homemade ornaments and garland! So today, pop some corn, sit around the with the kids, friends or your lover and string up some goodness for the tree! Enjoy the magic moments together and Live An Inspired Life!

Send gifts to the troops!

There is a group of people that we can not forget this holiday season... our military troops! Many military people do not have families to send them care packages and there is nothing nicer than getting mail from the States when you are over there. So today, check out the wish list at the USO website (link below) and send some Christmas cheer to our overseas troops. They will surely appreciate it and you get to do something amazing for another person at Christmas! Be generous, support our military people and Live An Inspired Life!

USO Wish List: http://usowishbook.uso.org/all-gifts/

Stop watching the News!

Stop watching the news, it is depressing and not a true view of reality, they only show you bad news and it is tilted to meet an agenda. Not the least of which is ratings if nothing else. What would actually happen if you stopped watching, reading or listening to the news? You might feel better, have a more positive outlook on life and you wouldn't feel as if life were coming to an end. You don't need to be "informed." Nothing bad will happen to you if you don't know whats happening in the news and if for some reason you did need an update, you can get information instantly and easily. Everything in the news is far beyond your reach or circle of influence so why spend your day feeling all doom and gloom when the news in your own home is just fine! So today, turn off the news, be "uninformed" about the false reality that the media pushes and Live a much happier, healthier Inspired Life!

Random Christmas Texts...

Delight and amuse your friends and family with random Christmas text messages today! How much fun it is to send a nice formal sentiment, a funny Elf photo or just a quick message wishing them a happy December! So today, have some fun, text your friends some Christmas joy and Live An Inspired Life!

Wild under the mistletoe!

Kiss your mate wildly under the mistletoe! Put some in each room and enjoy those stolen moments kissing the person you love and Live An Inspired Life!

Bright colors in drab weather........

The weather is getting colder, the days are darker, wear something bright! I think many of us, myself included wear too much black sometimes. It is time to brighten things up a bit! Today, wear some bright colors, make a cheery statement and Live An Inspired Life!

Colors are the smiles of nature. ~Leigh Hunt

Make a list!

Ok, its December 1st! Time to get organized for Christmas! I have a Christmas box and it contains my Christmas cards, lists of gift ideas, names of all that we buy gifts for, a list of purchases to date, charities to buy for, as well as other miscellaneous items. I have always been super organized with Christmas. (Hmmm... I think I need to carry a little more of that over to the rest of my life! lol)
So today, make that list, check it twice, get organized for Christmas and Live An Inspired Life!