Awakening Saturday February 28

Good Morning from Camp Sunnyside!!  What are you thankful for today??  I'm thankful for the Awakening that I have gone through!!  Ever felt like you were just going through the motions of life and one day something would happen to change everything??  That happened to me!! I had gotten out of an abusive relationship, did the counseling and was thinking is this what I'll continue to do... Wake up, work out, work friends, family and home.. Routine. I wanted something more... An Adventure!! A friend of mine was opening a salon in Chicago, at the time. I wanted to see it and see if he would let me come work there one week a month. So I found a free place to stay on Sunday, talked to him on Tuesday and set up a meeting for that Saturday, and bought my plane ticket on Wed!! I flew out on Thursday night. I met my friend whose Father was letting me stay in his work condo on Michigan Ave. On Friday, I went to the Taste of Chicago Expo, museums and shopped. Saturday was my meeting was at Trump Tower, where my friend's salon is located. Beautiful salon!! Great meeting!! He will always be my friend and mentor. He wanted me to move there permanently and work with him full time. Needless to say, I didn't go work with him one week a month however, I had the best time exploring the city all by myself!  The whole trip was Completely and Totally out of my Comfort Zone... And it Awaken the Sense of Adventure and Travel in me!! Since then I have taken several vacations by myself and I absolutely LOVE it!! Would I enjoy a travel buddy? Sure and when I go alone, I am left to figure it out myself and that's the adventure of it!! Sometimes we just need to step out of our comfort zone to know we can do anything we put our minds to!! Then we can reach out and empower others to step out of their comfort zone to Awaken the Spirit that lives within them!  May your day be filled with whatever Awakens You!!  Happy Saturday!!  

Thankful Thursday February 19

Good Morning Campers!! It's #ThankfulThursday!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for all the Blessings I have!! I have been blessed with Amazing People in my Life,  who go above and beyond for me as I would go above and beyond for them!! I have been blessed with an Awesome career, that after 20 plus years at it, I still love what I do on a daily basis!! And I want to see others succeed in it!! I have been blessed with the Time to spend with my loved ones and to spend time alone Reflecting, Dreaming and Planning!  Today, I am so grateful, comforted, feel overjoyed and loved by everyone's well wishes!! Thank you from my heart to yours, for making a difference in my Life!! May your day be filled with People Who Love You and  So Many Blessings you can't Count them All!! Happy Thankful Thursday!! #countyourblessings #lovemylife #lovemyjob #lovemyfriendsandfamily #positive #inspiration #empowerothers #empoweryourself

Volunteers Sunday February 15

Good Afternoon Campers!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for Volunteers!! People who give time, money and lend a hand to other people, projects, and missions!! There are some people whose Mission in Life is to strictly Volunteer their time to be on committees or boards. Then some people volunteer their money to their church, local charities and to the panhandler on the street.  There are even some people whose Life depends on volunteers supporting them so they can be On Mission somewhere in the world.  All of these people have one thing in common... A Heart to Give Back!! We can choose how involved we want to be the World around us. And we can choose to just help another person out, like our friends.  Maybe they are going through chemo and need a ride.  Or just someone to hold their hand during a rough patch in Life. Whatever you decide to do with your resources, please know that you are Changing someone's Life!! So thank you for Being There!! Thank you for having a Heart to Give Back!! Thank you for Volunteering!! May your day filled with people who surround you that Have a Heart for Giving Back!! Happy Sunday!!

#KC2040 Friday February 13

Good Morning Campers!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful to be a part of this new community of what the city will look like in the year 2040!! KC2040 is building a network community to help one other out. From non profits and for profit businesses to civic and political organizations and people who just want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They want to get everyone involved on some level to make this city a better place to live!! They want for us to showcase what we are doing here in the Midwest!!

Have you thought about what your city or town will look like in 25 years?? Are you a part of something bigger than you?? Why not?? Are you making connections with people who can and are willing to help you reach your goals?? Maybe there is a non profit that you want to help out with or maybe you want your business to grow, whatever your goal is, reach out to others in the community and you might just get the help that you've been looking for. Or you maybe you'll meet some really cool people that will become your friends some day. Or perhaps, you just might meet that person that will help propel you forward to reaching your goals!! 

My goal is to be a part of a community that are working towards the Greater Good and Paying it Forward by reaching back and helping the next person. We were all put here on the Earth for a reason, why not help each other out when we can.  When we surround ourselves with people who are on the same page, life just keeps getting better!! May your day be filled with people who are the same page as you and want to help you succeed in life!! Happy Friday!!

Thankful Thursday February 12

Good Morning Sunshine!! It's Thankful Thursday!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful that I learned to be Vulnerable. For many years, I had such a wall built up around me that I couldn't even pronounce the word vulnerable!  By learning to not always be in survival mode, I learned to be OK with vulnerable.  And guess what happened?? The more I was vulnerable, the more others allowed themselves to be vulnerable with me. Think about this,  if we are so used to how people are going to respond to us, maybe we need to talk to them differently.  Maybe we need to be vulnerable and expose our heart a little to speak to their heart and they will respond completely different than we expected!! When talking with other women,  I learned that we all have stories that we can learn from. Most of us can relate to relationship issues whether it's parents, children or spouse. At some point in our lives we were all children and had parents. And if we are lucky enough to have our parents in their later years,  we know how the roles switch and we become the "parent" to our parents. And if we can be vulnerable with them, we can be the best care taker for them. If we forgive and let go any hard feelings,  we are given the gift to take care of them, maybe even better than they took care of us!! The same applies for other relationships, if we can be vulnerable, forgive and we speak from our heart, we get a chance to heal regardless of how the other person reacts. Because we spoke our true feelings.  And even if it fell on deaf ears, we have released it from our heart. That's what being vulnerable is about, letting the truth speak from our heart not knowing how it will be received. And knowing that you're going to be OK whatever the outcome is!! May your day allow you to be vulnerable to someone who needs to hear what your heart has to say and be OK with however it is received!! Happy Thursday!!

Beacon of Light Wednesday, February 11

Good Morning from Camp Sunnyside!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for the Beacons of Light that I have in my Life!! There are people who just shine as we talk with them and we know they want the best for us. They are in our lives to be an example for us.  To show us how to Love ourselves and Love others!! To show us that no matter what we've been through, we still matter!! To show us that we are the only ones who are  hard on ourselves!! To encourage us when we have an idea for a business, or a way of doing something better!! To put their arms around us and say "Its going to OK". Every day I have these people in my life and I am truly thankful for them!! I don't know where I would be without them. So to pay them back,  I Pay It Forward. May your day be filled with people who Beacons of Light for you and then you can reach back and be a Beacon of Light for someone else!! Happy Wednesday!!

Awesome Tuesday February 10

Good Morning Sunshine!!  What are you thankful for today??  I'm thankful that today is my Dad's Birthday today and that's he's still here with me!! We may not have always seen eye to eye, however he loved me the only way he knew how!!  And I appreciate him for that!!  He taught me how to work hard, play hard and stay positive. He taught me how to "walk it off" when something has gotten me down. And he taught me to keep going forward and don't look back!!  So in honor of him today,  Be Awesome for someone in your life!!  Talk to them in a way that you wouldn't have normally.  Be vulnerable and share your true feelings, you never know what will happen next!! May your day be filled with people who are awesome to you and tell you how they mean to you.  Then reach out and do the same for someone else!!  Happy Tuesday!! 

Vision Monday February 9

Good Morning Campers!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for the Vision that I am working on!! We all have dreams,  goals and aspirations!! The difference in the people who achieve them and the ones who don't is...not giving up!! The way I look at it is that I don't have a choice,  I will Get it Accomplished!! It may take me many years and that's OK!! If we know without a shadow of doubt what our Purpose is, then we will Live the Life we've been dreaming about!! May you be filled with the Confidence that your Vision for your Purpose will happen!! Then reach back and encourage the next generation to do the same!! Happy Monday!!

Like Minded People Saturday February 7

Good Morning Sunshine!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for the Like Minded People that I have in my Life!! Ever been around people for so long that you just get used to their Normal?? Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything wrong with them,  I'm saying one day you look around and think why am I only surrounded by one type of person?? This is Huge World with Diverse people all around us but sometimes we are so comfortable in who we spend time with that we don't think about trying to meet new people.  Studies have shown that we become  like the company we keep. So do you need to change your company?? Are you  surrounded by the Negative Nellys and Debbie Downers of the world?? Or do surround yourself with people who Lift you Up, Build your Self Esteem and Encourage you to Follow your Dreams?? Either way, you will be similar to company you keep.  Several years ago, I decided to Step out my Comfort Zone and do things where I can meet new people, hear different view points, expand my culture.  Guess what happened?? I have met some really Awesome, Amazing and Fun people!! Some of them have become people I call Friends!! I'm open minded enough to meet someone, hear their story and learn something from them.  Are you open minded to able to do that?? Next time you're feeling down, maybe it could be time to step out of your comfort zone and find a Positive Person to spend time with.  May your day be filled with people who lift up,  encourage you and make you think differently!! Happy Saturday!!

Time Friday, February 6

Good Morning Campers!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for #Time, that there is A time for Everything!! We all have a limited amount of time here, so we should make the best of it, right?? With that said, is there something that you need to tell someone?? Maybe you need to tell someone how much they mean to you.  Or maybe you need to tell someone that you're sorry.  Don't wait, do it now before it's too late!! It seems we all think that we have all the Time in the world to get around to doing and saying the things that we really need to do and say...The reality is,  we don't!!! There is time to rest, to work, to love, to mourn, to forgive, to dance and to tell the people who are on your heart and mind that you love them and apologize if needed.  Before that time is up, I hope you do that soon!! May your weekend be filled with an opportunity to tell someone who have always wanted to say that you're sorry or that they mean the world to you!! Life is short and You All mean the World to me!! Happy Friday!!

Power of Words Tuesday, February 3

Good Morning Campers!!  What are you thankful for today??  I'm thankful that I understand the Power of my Words Direct where I will Go in life!! Anyone remember that saying Loose Lips Sink Ships?  It means a couple of things, Lies creates Loses. And it means What we say will Direct the Direction We Are Going!! Just as a rudder directs where the boat travels, our tongues direct where our lives go.  If we use our words for good,  we will be heading in the right direction. If we use our words for bad (to hurt others), we will be heading down the wrong direction. Ever been part of the rumor mill and watched as the words people say wreck havoc and chaos into that person's life or even destroy a business?? It happens on a daily basis!!  What if we turned that around and instead of gossip, we  speak blessings, abundance and prayers over people and businesses?? What would that look like??  I think we would have a bunch of Healthy, Wealthy and Wise people in the world,  more than we have now!! So the next time you feel like speaking bad about someone, turn it around and speak a blessing for them it might just change Your Life and theirs!!  May your Day be filled with people who Speak Positive Words and Blessings about you!! And may you have the opportunity to do the same for others!!  Happy Tuesday!! 

Miracle Monday February 2

Good Morning Campers!!  What are you thankful for today??  I'm thankful for All the Miracles in my Life!!  If you think that you haven't had a miracle lately,  I'm here to tell,  yes you have!! However, we take some miracles for granted. For instance, the Sun rose again today!!  We are breathing and ready to take on the day!!  How many of us were born to parents who were told they couldn't have any more children?  But here you are!!  How many of us had children after being told,  you shouldn't have any more??  Your children are proof of miracles!  And yet, we put stuff in categories!!  Big miracles, little miracles,  Big mistakes, little mistakes.  How about saying it is what it is. A Miracle is a Miracle regardless of the adjective we put in front of it!! Let's be thankful for All the Miracles in our Life regardless of the adjective we want to add.  If we expect a Miracle to happen, then maybe it will happen more often!!  May your Day be filled with Miracles and be expecting and thankful for countless Miracles to happen!! Happy Monday!!  

Generous Sunday, February 1

Good Morning Campers from Camp Sunnyside!!  What are you thankful for today??  I'm thankful for Other's #Generosity!! Now when I say that,  I don't mean money!! I mean People who are Generous with their Time, with their Kindness and with their Love!! Ever have someone take an hour to sit down with and just listen?? Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!!  They were Generous with their Time, Kindness and Love all at the same time!  We are all busy!!  We all have Hectic schedules!! And yet we will make time for the ones who matter.  What about those who we don't think matter??  Maybe that's where we need to Focus our Generosity!  Maybe we Should spend some Time, Kindness and Love to someone who we normally wouldn't have.  Maybe if we spent time kindness and love to someone we just met, we might just change their life!!  What if it was reversed??  You meet someone new, maybe at school, the gym, or even at a networking function, and you follow up by carving out some time with this Person. How would that look to them??  Maybe you were the missing link in the Next Great Thing!! Maybe they just said to themselves 'nobody wants to spend time with me, I should just end it all' and you made the difference. Maybe they just needed to vent about something before they exploded on their loved ones. We never know the kind of Impact we will make on another person. So if we make a conscious choice to be Generous with our Time, Kindness and Love,  maybe we can change someone's life!!  And then they will reach back the next person and do the same. May your day be filled with People who are Generous with their Time, Kindness and Love for you!!  Happy Sunday!!  

Saturday,January 31

Good Morning Sunshine!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for the #Body that carries me around!! There are so many people who have ailments that cause their bodies to be incapacitated, to hurt and maybe even not work properly. This vessel that carries us around is only one we will get, so we Have to treat it with Best Possible Care that we can!! We need to hold in high regard the things our bodies allow us to do. And be thankful that we can do those things!! There are many who are unable to use their vessels in same capacity as you, so treat your body well in honor of those people. Eat right, move and rest properly.  May your day be filled with ways to take care of yourself, pamper yourself and encourage someone else to pamper themselves!! Happy Saturday!!

Ideas Friday, January 30

Good Morning Campers!!  What are you #thankful for today?? I'm thankful for #ideas!! Ever thought I want this _____or wouldn't it be great if we could do_____?? I have tons of ideas on how to make my life easier and funner...The best part about having those Ideas, is being able to brainstorm with like minded people and next thing you know, you've started a new business venture!!  Or you found a person who can make that idea a reality.  So if you have an Idea for something that would be great, start talking to people, you never know who will help you make it a reality and you never know what will come out of it. May your day be filled with people who are like minded that you can brainstorm ideas with and may you encourage others to do the same when they have Ideas. Happy Friday!!  

Thankful Thursday, January 29

Good Afternoon Campers from Camp Sunnyside!! It's Thankful Thursday!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for Power of Touch!! When you see a doctor and they try to diagnose you, they touch you where it hurts to see if they can feel what's going on. When we meet someone new or greeted somewhere or make a business deal, we shake hands. When we first start dating some one, we hold hands. As parents, we hold our children's hands.  When we get a massage, the therapist, feels where the knot in the muscle is and massage that area to release the tightness in the muscle.A reflexologolist can do reflexology on your feet and can tell where you may be having a problem in the body just by touching your feet.  As a hairstylist cuts your hair, we feel the hair for the texture to determine if we need to cut it a certain way, we feel the hair for the condition of the hair to determine what kinds of products to use on your hair and we feel the hair to make sure that its even. These are just a few examples of the Power of Touch.  Can you imagine if we didn't have nerve endings in our fingers? Can you imagine if we went through life without shaking someone's hand, or the doctor touching you where it hurts?  What about technology? We wouldn't be able to type or use our phones if we couldn't touch. We take for granted that everyone gets some touch every day. The reality is, there are lots of people who don't want to be touched and there are people who don't have anyone to touch. What if you are having a bad day and you are at your desk at work and someone comes up to and touches your shoulder and asks are you OK?? Imagine what message that sends to the brain. It shows this person cares!! So the next time, you reach out to shake someone's hand or a doctor exams you be thankful for their power of touch.  May your day be filled with Powerful Touches by your loved ones and by your business connections!! Happy Thankful Thursday!!

Differences Wednesday, January 28

Good Morning Sunshine!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful that we are All Different!! No two people are the same, not even identical twins. It makes the world a beautiful place and things get done. I'm one of those people who can see the beauty in everything. We may have different hair, eyes, skin, teeth, height and weight, and yet we all bleed the same color.  Most of the time, we want the same things. For example, parents want their kids to be successful.  We all want to be loved, nurtured and feel needed. We all have the same basic human needs.  So when you see someone having a bad day or they treated you poorly, just remember, they want to be loved too. They may have a child or loved one at home that's sick and they are stressed.  We all have baggage too.  What makes us different is what we pack in our baggage and carry with us. Some people's baggage is fuller than others and some have multiple bags!  Is there something in your baggage that needs to be left behind?? The next time you run into someone in a bad mood, instead of reacting to that, think about how full their baggage must be and just accept them for who they are, you might just impact their life. May your day be filled with the Insight to Appreciate the Beauty around you, Appreciate the Differences we have and Appreciate how we can be the Same!! Happy Wednesday!! 

Prayers Tuesday, January 27

Good Morning Sunshine!!  What are you thankful for today??  I'm thankful for Prayer today!! And I'm thankful for my Brother!! Unbeknownst to me, my Brother put out a S.O.S prayer request on Facebook last night for myself and my mother.  I am overwhelmed by the response!! Truly humbled, touched and honored by people's willingness to pray for us, even if we are strangers.

  Our mom had been going through some stomach problems for many months and we couldn't get her to see the doctor. Then I started having pain episodes in my low abdomen which caused me to double over and barely walk for a couple of days. I went to 6 different doctors including the emergency room (where I got a CT scan) and a specialist (who said it was just muscle spasms). Nobody would do an ultrasound. Finally, I asked my chiropractor to order me one and he did. I needed to see my ob/gyn asap, who I had already seen and she wasn't helpful. Thank God for my clients who are more like friends!! One client is friends with her doctor, she asked if I needed her to Call In a favor,  I said Yes Please!!  This doctor was on call over Christmas and was able to give me a phone consultation. She said she would have her office call me to set up an ultrasound and appointment. I saw her a few weeks later and she determined that I require surgery. I have a baseball size dermoid cyst that is growing quickly and twisting my ovary.  She may have to remove the ovary and my appendix, as it is inflamed as well.  

Meanwhile, we continued to encourage our mom to see her doctors. Finally, she did make an appointment and they drained two liters of fluid off of her stomach.  2 liters!!  Wow, well that's why she was having trouble!! They also had her get a CT scan and ultrasound. Now, she has been sent to a specialist. That appointment is tomorrow.  There will be more tests before we can know for sure what is going on.  We are trying to stay positive.

  With all this said, maybe I had to go through what I went through to encourage my mom to go get help too.  We never know when we share our story, how it can influence another person in a positive way.  Since going through all of this and talking about my frustration to my clients, I've had several of them say that my story reminds them to get their regular check up that they have been putting off. So if you're reading this and looking for a sign that you need to see a doctor or get another opinion, this is it!  Go Do It!! By the time I have surgery the cyst may be even bigger. So if I hadn't prayed through all of this, I don't know if I would have been led to seek out so many different opinions.

  This experience has definitely changed my life. A workaholic that wasn't interested in having children is who I used to be. Now, I'm no longer working such long hours and I'm looking forward to being a Mom someday. Sometimes, God has to bring us to our knees in order to change our lives.  May your day be filled with people who will Pray for you, doctors who Listen to you and the ability to Listen when you are nudged to seek another opinion. Happy Tuesday!! 

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Healing Monday, January 26

Good Morning Campers!! What are you thankful for today?? I'm thankful for the Healing process that I have gone through!!  I wouldn't be writing this if I hadn't took the necessary steps to heal my past wounds!! Is there something that you need to heal from that is stopping you from advancing in life??  Maybe it's from a parent or spouse that hurt you emotionally or even physically.  Or maybe it's from an old boss who said something negative to you and you have carried it with you into your new job and you're afraid to try for that promotion.  Whatever the hurt is,  you have to bring it to light and heal from it.  For me, the healing process that I used was counseling, praying, meditating and journaling. You have to find whatever works for you.  It may be as simple as questioning the other person why they did or said what they did. Oh and then you need to forgive. We can't have Healing without Forgiveness!! Who do you need to forgive, to let go of your past and start creating a better future??  May you day be filled with whatever works for you for your Healing process and that you find in your heart to forgive. Then when you see the person behind you struggling with something, encourage them to Heal and Move Forward to a better future!!   Happy Monday!! 

Autism Sunday, January 25

Good Morning From Camp Sunnyside!!  What are you thankful for today??  I'm thankful for All the people I know on the #Autism Spectrum!!  A person with Autism holds a special place in my heart!! Every One of them is different.  They may have anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, attention deficit, be hyperactive, non verbal and have social anxiety. And yet when we figure out how to communicate and show them we care and understand them, they Light Up!! That makes it All worth the patience it requires for us to understand.

If you don't know how to comprehend Autism, the Best way I know how to describe is as if an alien has dropped into your house and you have to figure out how to communicate with them. Especially if they can't tell you.  Each person is different, can do different things and have different needs. And the research that keeps coming out is that Autism rates will continue to rise in our world. Does anyone else see the Bigger Picture here?? We as a society believe we should all fit into the same category..... Well, we don't!!  Perhaps, maybe the lesson that anyone with Autism is trying to teach us is to Slow Down and Be Patient!!  "We can't make them fit into our World, so maybe it's time we Change our World to make a Fit for Them" I, for one, am planning and developing several different types of businesses that does just that... Changing our world to fit them. We are so used to hustling and bustling around that we take for granted the simple things in life.  And someone with Autism needs the simpler things more than ever. May you have a little more patience and show some tender loving care to someone who has Autism or any special needs.  And you see how that might brighten their day and in return will brighten yours!!  Happy Sunday!!