Be a good listener...

So true! Nobody hates a good listener! When you are listening to a friend, be present in the moment, shut out all other thoughts of chores, work, kids, vacation etc. Don't think about what your response will be, don't think about how you can one up the conversation or what intellectual gem you can drop to sound smart, just listen. Just listen! JUST LISTEN! People LOVE being heard and if you are the person who always listens, you become invaluable! So today, just listen and Live Inspired Now!

Natural Consequences

Natural consequences for children are always the best! Allow them to feel the consequences of their actions, it will make them a better person and teach them valuable lessons. If they skip class, don't yell at the teacher, allow them to serve their time in detention. If they don't go to practice, don't get mad at the coach when they don't get play time, allow them to serve their time riding the bench. So today, LOVE your children enough to allow them to make mistakes and pay the price and Live Inspired Now!

Plan a DAYCATION!

There are so many things to discover right in your own back yard! Spring break is coming up in the next couple of weeks, if you are not going on vacation, then plan some daycations! Consider museums, the theater, parks, local landmarks, or just go explore a nearby town or city that you have not been to. There is so much to do and so much to see everywhere! You might even discover something new about your very own area! So today, do some research and plan some daycations for Spring break and Live Inspired Now!

Happy Tree...

Add happy notes to a plant or tree. How cute is this? We have plants in the house that I am going to add some notes to! They say that plants love being spoken to and I bet they will like uplifting notes also! Not to mention that the family will be reading inspirational phrases as well! So today, put some love in your trees and plants and Live Inspired Now!

Decorate your life....

Last Friday the kids and I made tons of posters to decorate the classroom with. I put quotes and positive words on the board and we made positive, inspiring posters. We used our favorite quotes as well as motivational phrases. All of the posters were really colorful and happy! The kids really enjoyed the project and now we have a class full of really happy and positive energy! So today, decorate your space with some uplifting and inspirational posters and Live Inspired Now!

Star gazing...

Last night Thad and I went out and laid in the trampoline and star gazed! The sky was so beautiful and it seemed like we could see every star in the entire Universe. It was romantic and peaceful as well. So tonight, go outside with your lover and spend some time gazing and Live Inspired Now!

Clear the fog!

Clear the fog we all sometimes feel! Spring clean your mental state with healthy food, fresh air, exercise and positive people! The weather is warm and sunny now, be sure to take advantage of it! Surround yourself with people who are inspiring and uplifting, dump the "Debbie downers" and "Becky backstabbers" and set a new standard for yourself. Put on your yoga pants and take a fast walk or run and eat a healthy salad. Clear your mind and thoughts with some quiet time and meditation. Clarity is a beautiful thing! So today; clear the fog in your head, see things more clearly and Live Inspired Now!

Be a beacon......

Today, be a beacon of love and light to everyone you meet. Smile and silently offer each person an abundance of love, light and good fortune, especially people who are cranky or rude to you. They will never know you wished so much goodness for them but your radiant energy might just perk them up and make them feel happier. So go out there today (and everyday) as a beacon of light shining in a sometimes dark and scary world and make someone's life a little brighter and Live Inspired Now!

IDK?

Sometimes it is just refreshing to "not know!" I don't know can be an opportunity to take a step back and marvel in wonderment. Sometimes we don't know what to do in a situation or how to act about something and that is totally OK too. It is always better to say I don't know than to try and make something up. Not knowing is an opportunity to learn something! So today, if you don't know something, say so and Live Inspired Now!

Pay Respect......

Treat people with respect, speak to them like you would speak to your Grandfather! Teach your children to speak to you and other adults in a respectful manner. Teach them that when an adult is speaking to them, they should look them in the eye and listen to what they are being told. Teach them to be respectful to their teachers and not to back talk. Teach them to always say please and thank you and to be grateful for what they have! The best way to teach respect is to be respectful, of yourself, your kids and others. So today, set a good example of respect and Live Inspired Now!

Go out with friends!

Relationships that we share with friends, family or people we care about are the most important things in life. Today, go out with friends or at least make plans to get together very soon. Don't let work, chores or even just feeling tired get in the way of spending time with those who are important to you! Go call a friend, make some plans and Live Inspired Now!

Thanks Mari for the Inspiration! ;)

Crank the tunes...

It is going to be a warm sunny day... no matter what you are doing or where you are today, crank up the music!! We all need to let loose and crank up our favorite tunes sometimes. So today, grab your favorite CD and play it LOUD and Live Inspired Now!

Today I will be cranking up Guns and Roses from the 80's! Nothing like Paradise City to get a person psyched up!

Update your dreams...

This is a great time to update your vision board! I updated mine yesterday with some of our new dreams and goals! It is so much fun to place your order with the Universe! So today, update your dreams and goals and put them on your vision boards and Live Inspired Now!

Hear that???

It's the sound of birds chirping! Spring is moments away and this morning I took time to listen to the birds in the yard. We put out the bird feeders a couple of weeks ago and they all moved in! Today, take a few moments to notice the beautiful sounds of chirping and singing from the birds and Live Inspired Now!

You have a voice.......

Speak up, find your voice and be heard! Part of living an INSPIRED life is not being afraid to speak out, stand up for yourself or use your voice to advocate for yourself or others. So today, find your voice, let the world hear what you have to say and Live Inspired Now!

LEARN

Take time to learn something new every single day. Facts, stories, tidbits or a new word, no matter what it is, learn something new and Live Inspired Now!

Laugh your ass off!!!

Find something to laugh uncontrollably about today. Life is too short not to enjoy it so laugh! Laughing is good exercise, good for your physical and mental health. If you have nothing to laugh at, make something up, remember something that was funny or look up some jokes online, no matter how you do it, find a way to laugh and Live Inspired Now!!!

Think about the forest.....

Often situations seem so important but we need to consider the bigger picture. Sometimes small petty differences end up holding up progress at work or school because people are not considering the entire office or classroom. Today, if you are frustrated about something, or having a disagreement, think about whether it is actually something to concern yourself with, or if it is something you can just let go of for the benefit of the larger community. Think about the entire forest, not just one tree and Live Inspired Now!

Patience...

Practice patience! Choose patience over annoyance, frustration or anger, it's a good thing to practice and it helps you learn to remain in control of your own emotions. So today, be patient with everyone you come in contact with and Live Inspired Now!

Kiss Passionately

Kiss your lover passionately today and often and Live Inspired Now!

Start a garden!

We are moving toward semi-self sustainability and with that we started a garden this year! We planted our own seeds in trays and will be starting off with a 1/4 acre garden. This year we planted herbs and tomatoes and later in the season we will plant watermelons and pumpkins! Our little seedlings have already started to grow! This is a great project for kids too, our kids are pretty excited to check the plants each day to see how much bigger they have grown. So today, whether its a 1/4 acre or just a tiny raised bed, start a garden and Live Inspired Now!

Get the fish out of the tree!

I love this quote and it is so very true! There is more than one way to measure success... find ways to make people find their "genius" rather than pointing out the ways they are not successful. If you have a kid that struggles in math, focus on what he is doing well in school, or if he isn't doing well in school at all, measure success in another way. Maybe he is an amazing artist or singer, or perhaps just an overall great kid who is helpful to others. Remember, Albert Einstein's teacher told his parents he would never be able to learn and that he should be sent to a school for kids with special needs. Always find a way to lift and support kids and help them find their "genius" and Live Inspired Now!

Think outside the box, the genius often does not do well in school. Here are some famous high school drop outs: Andrew Jackson, Ray Charles, Cher, Peter Jennings, Lucille Ball, Whoopie Goldberg, Rosa Parks, Charlie Chaplin, Robert De Niro, Johnny Depp and more...

PS... not advocating for dropping out of school, but saying that there are others ways to be successful!

JUMP!!!

Trampolines are so much fun! If you don't have one, find a friend who does and try one! We have a large one outdoors and we also have a mini trampoline inside for rebounding. I love bouncing, it is great exercise and it stimulates your lymphatic system too! So today, bounce for health, exercise and fun and Live Inspired Now!

Do NOT give up.......

Perseverance is that awesome quality that keeps you from giving up! That forging forward without worrying what other people think and never getting deterred from your goals! It is a wonderful quality to have especially since there are plenty of nay-sayers in the world that will try and tell you that you "can't do something." So today, ignore what others may say, continue with your goals, never give up and Live Inspired Now!

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then... you win!" -Mahatma Gandhi

Here are a few names of people who refused to give up and THANK GOD for their perseverance! Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Derek Redmond, JK Rowling, Walt Disney and so many more!!!

Build a fort

Remember how much fun it was to build a fort? Today, grab some pillows and blankets and build a secret fort in the house and Live Inspired Now!

Attend an Art Show!

Today is the reception for my son Harry's art show. He is a talented young artist! We will be there today to meet and greet people and allow Harry an opportunity to talk about his art. So today, find an art show in your area, support a local artist and Live Inspired Now!

If you are in the Upstate NY area, feel free to join us today! Here is all the info:
Harry Sotomayor Portrait Show

Life is.....

"Life's an open book but it's your job to turn the page!" -Patrick English
Turn the page today, write a new chapter in your book of life and Live Inspired Now!

Thanks Patrick for the INSPIRATION!

Connections....

Today, connect like minded people. Do you have a couple of friends or even facebook friends that are like minded and always seem to be saying the same type of things? Make a connection for them! I'm not talking about a romantic connection, just getting like minded people together! I recently connected a few friends and they became great friends with one another and have been working together on some projects! You just never know what type of amazing connections can be made when you just take the time to say "I think this would be a great person for you to connect with!" You might just change someones life! So today, connect some like minded friends and Live Inspired Now!