Thank you Christina Johnson...

... for saving the lost blog and sending it to me so I don't have to re-write it. You're a peach! Here's the rest of what I said yesterday. It picks up after snowshoeing...

Later on, we had an early dinner with some friends, and watched the first of the new season of "No Reservations" - Anthony Bourdain's show on the Travel Channel. It's our favorite show. Check it out.

I'm all over the place today... needing to organize the office and the studio. We can no longer find the surfaces. I need to make beads. I need to post beads tomorrow. I need to take a deep breath and relax a second. I like to start a new year with a clear head and a good idea of what I want to do with the next twelve months. But I think I'm spending too much time trying to make other people happy, rather than being true to what feels real to me. The more I put myself out there, the more I bump into people who are not particularly supportive of my point of view. Well, OK. There's nothing wrong with that. But I find it funny that I still want everyone to like me. Ha! Very silly. When my kids tell me about troubles with friends, I always say the same thing, "Go read the Four Agreements again." Never read the book? Trust me, it helps everything. I sent the kids a Refresher Course for the New Year. Here it is for you too...

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.

...And this leads me the the Cheese Analogy...
It's come up a lot in conversations lately, so I might as well share it with you too.
It's a lesson in Perspective. We humans are often sure of our opinions and points of view, trusting that we know what we know because we see what we see. A lot of miscommunication and misunderstanding happens when we forget that our personal perspective is not the only perspective. This is where I bring in the cheese.
Tell me, what color is this cheese?

Most people say it's white or off-white or a sort-of-creamy-color. They look at me like duh... what a dumb question...
That's when I turn the plate around and say, OK, now tell me what color this cheese is...

Same cheese, different perspective. Sort of gives you a new outlook on life doesn't it?


Have a good day. And don't forget to check the other side of the Cheese.