The mind is like a loose cannon, if you don’t control its direction, goodness knows where you’ll end up. A lot of change and unsettlement can unrest the mind and may not feel really good. The first step is being aware that your current thinking isn’t serving you well and then you must take steps to put it back on track. Whatever that is for you. I have a few personal strategies in place that work for me when my mind runs away with crazy stupid thoughts that I know I don’t benefit from. Motivational anything does it for me, I have figured out that if I am around motivational people, motivational words, I watch or read anything motivational it inspires me to take control of my thinking so that it serves me best. So I will end this short blog post today with some motivational words for you today, here goes:
YOU GOTTA…
You gotta help yourself, you gotta believe that you can change for the better, you gotta feel it in your heart and have deep faith that better days are on their way to an even better YOU. You gotta start with any type of negative thinking that doesn’t serve you well, you gotta replace that thinking with more positive thoughts, more positive intentions and you’ve gotta do whatever you need to do to change it up for yourself, to make it better, to turn each dull moment into a brighter sunny day. You don’t need to wait for the sun to come out, it’s already there, shining inside of you. Believe me, if you master your thoughts, you’re half way there to entering the door of your dreams.
And remember, you don’t always need to look outside for the sun.
I would like to say a very special thank you to all of you who visit my Clarabelle blog, I really do appreciate it. I am celebrating today reaching over 28,000 visitors since April 2012 and I am very very grateful for your presence and contribution.
It’s so lovely to know that I have a global following and so encouraging to know that it all just started with one blog post, one thought, one piece of inspiration and acting upon it.
I will continue to write as much as I can on this blog, I love writing articles for you and I do hope you keep coming back time and time again.
And somewhere along the journey, somewhere in the deepest part of her heart, she realised, that all she ever needed was to be love, do love and have love.
When you think of a problem you have in your life, don’t just focus on the problem and allow it snowball out of proportion, think of all the possible solutions you have to that problem. Train your mind to become solution focused rather than problem focused and act upon your chosen solution.
There are many solutions to any given problem and the key is to focus on the solution, think about all your options and choose the best option for you going forward.
This evening, that is what I am just going to do, I have a couple of challenges that I want to overcome and I am going to sit down with a pen and paper on focus on the solution. So why don’t you follow me in my footsteps and take action on it today, become a solution focused person and I am sure yourrlife will turn around for the better – just you wait and see.
I am planning on being here for at least another 50 years and I do love making the best of everything in life. Here is a short poem I made up this morning. Love to you, Clarabelle
When I Die
When I die,
I’ll leave you my heart,
For it has a home with you.
When I die,
I’ll leave you my spirit,
For it breathes life in all that you do.
When I die,
I’ll leave you my soul,
For it dances around us two.
When I die,
I’ll leave you my love,
For always, forever and true.
So here is this month’s question for you to ponder and reflect upon,
What makes you feel good?
Well, for me there are lots of things that make me feel good but the one thing that sticks out in my mind right now is writing. The funny thing is I never really liked English at school but I did love Mathematics. It’s really strange how things have turned around because now I love writing and reading and I am not a fan of the number crunching anymore.
This blog has really helped me to connect with my thoughts, my feeling, my emotions and my inner creativity – I feel at peace when I write, it is so soothing and calming for me and it works as a dual purpose because I write to inspire you too.
So I do really hope that you are enjoying reading the articles on this blog – they come from a peaceful mind, a happy heart and an inspired soul.
Just show me love,
And I’ll show you the way.
An unknown path,
But I’m here to stay.
A new world awaits,
Hope is where I live,
Fond sweet memories,
True kindness I give.
Share your heart,
Let me see it all,
Building a new life,
Where stars do fall.
And the sun shines on,
Like never before,
Take my hand,
Let’s go through the door.
I see the rainbow,
Its colours so bright,
Together forever,
You’ve shown me the light.
Just before I start my days work, here is a poem of the heart for you:
A Poem of the Heart
A poem of the heart,
especially for you.
To make you feel loved,
so wonderful and true.
A poem from my soul,
lifting you up,
Raising your spirits,
with a half full cup.
A poem of truth,
with a magical spell.
This poem is for you,
and I wish you well.
Wishing you a very beautiful day today, share a piece of your heart.
I know a lot of people don’t like change but personally I welcome change. I thrive in new settings, new beginnings, meeting new people, learning new things, overcoming new challenges, working in new and changing environments, I love it all. So I encourage you today, to think about what you would like to change in your life today, what little or large change could you make to your daily habits, your environment, your job, your relationships, that will enhance your skills, knowledge, experience or just make you that little bit happier and/or more content with you and your life.
Change is good, it will sometimes take you out of your comfort zone and into your learning zone.
Change is good, it can be refreshing and revigorating meeting new people and/or being in a new environment
Change is GOOD…….Change is GOOD. 🙂
Please remember, even a small change could make all the difference to your day, try a new fruit or putting fresh flowers in a dull room, it’s amazing how that can uplift your spirits.
I look forward to hearing about the changes you are making – mini or massive I know they will make a positive difference to your life.
I have had the experience recently of being very surprised with some of my life situations. Fairly recently, I put my life in a suitcase and moved to another country, to what I thought was going to be the best job ever, I thought the job was going to give me everything I ever wanted. I was so positive about it, so excited, so “up for the challenge”…..,.basically, I was super ready for this!! Then when I get there, it turns out to not be what I expected, but hey that’s okay, I accepted that and moved on!! You see I know what is important to me in life and I know what I need from a job that will make every day a joy for me to be there – that way the company get the best out of me in every way possible.
So what happened next? Where do you go from here?
I tell you what I did. I didn’t moan about the situation, I was truthful with everyone around me – especially myself, and focused on the solution to the problem…..NOT the problem. You see there is a BIG difference, a HUGE difference. I know that you get what you focus on, please let me repeat that, YOU GET WHAT YOU FOCUS ON 🙂 So I knew that I had to focus on the solution, I did, and within 2 weeks, I was LIVING the solution, albeit a temporary solution, but still a SOLUTION. Yippee, yippee, yippee, this is a prime example of a positive outcome from focusing on the solution.
This temporary solution has actually worked out much better than I expected, a billion percent better……and it’s now got me thinking, that the place I am at now, this “temporary” place, was actually a permanent piece of the jigsaw puzzle.
I am currently working on a more permanent solution to my career, but that needs more reflection and more time to get me to the next destination. I now have absolute full clarity on what I need going forward, the misty fog has cleared and there are very beautiful and very bright days ahead.
Please remember, FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION, not the problem and LIVE THE SOLUTION, even if it is temporary, you just never know where it may lead you.
Thank you for being here and thank you for commenting.
Collaboration is just a great thing. I have been working together with a wonderful gentleman, Mr Steven Mann, in relation to my creative writing….poetry, words of inspiration and other musings. What a team we make and now you can access and download a number of my “Clarabelle’s Musings” on Amazon. There are 10 books for you to choose from and also a paperback format of a wonderful collection of “Clarabelle’s Musings”.
If you click on the above link it will give you a preview of the contents inside, worth a look if you want to be inspired, motivated or moved in an endearing way.
Below is an extract from one of the books:
Be Grateful for Life
Create ‘flow’ in your life,let worries melt away,
Yesterday has gone but the learning can stay.
Tomorrow is not here, live for today,
Enjoy each precious moment, in every way.
Be grateful for life, the moon and the sun,
Be grateful for your family and everyone.
Smile at your neighbours and the stranger on the street,
For your smile is contagious, to all that you meet.
Happy is the heart, that glows from within,
Embrace life and love, and forever you’ll win.
Thank you for reading this post, I really do appreciate it.
Have faith in your heart and let it bring to you all that you desire. Take inspired action all the way and enjoy the journey as best as you can. I love this quote below and wanted to share it with you today:
Faith is the bird that sings to the dawn while it is still dark. (Tagore)
I’m in action mode, today, tomorrow and forever. Amen. 🙂 Yes, this is my newly adopted motto for the rest of my life, “Just YOU Do It!! and I think that’s all I need to say here and right now, the rest will follow and the BEST IS YET TO COME. 🙂
I’m in a poetic mood this morning, I say this morning because I haven’t went to sleep yet and it’s way past 1am, so I figured a good time to write a blog post for you to read when you wake up. What’s this poem about? Well I don’t really know, these words just came to mind, they just flowed out of my heart for you. Wishing you a beautiful day today, love to you Clarabelle.
Lost Love and Gain
And all this time,
through all the pain.
She looks behind,
lost love and gain.
I remember when I first heard this quote below, from Dr. Wayne Dyer – it really touched my soul. I thought I would share it with you today and hopefully it will ring some truth for you and connect with you in a special way to take inspired action.
“Don’t die with your music still inside you. Listen to your intuitive inner voice and find what passion stirs your soul. Listen to that inner voice, and don’t get to the end of your life and say, ‘What if my whole life has been wrong?”
A little bit of motivation goes a long long way. I love anything motivational and inspirational, so much so that I’ve got to get my daily fix. I usually listen to 1-2 hours of motivational stuff when I wake up in the morning and then often listen to more throughout the day when I can. Below is a list of just some of my favourite motivational and inspirational people:
Les Brown
Tony Robbins
Jim Rohn
Wayne Dyer
Abraham Hicks
Will Smith
Oprah Winfrey
Louise Hay
Rhonda Byrne
Ralph Smart
Burt Goldman
Deepak Chopra
Bill Crawford
Super Focused
This helps me to stay super focused on developing myself in order to achieve my goals and dreams in life. This journey of life can mess with your heart and mind sometimes – if you let it, so I believe it’s always good to have a mechanism or process that works for you to get you “back on track”.
My original music and poetry comes from a peaceful place in my heart and soul and I would definitely say that “hanging around” everyday with the above inspirational people has certainly helped me to achieve that and believe in myself.
So get yourself on to YouTube today and check these guys out because I know if you listen to what they have to say it will inspire you for the rest of your life.
Keep going my friends…..keep going…..keep going….and be grateful for what you have along the way.
I’ve been writing out some “Thank You” cards over the weekend, to people I really want to say “Thank You” to, I honestly feel so good doing this.
Who do you want/need to say “Thank You” to? I am sure it will make your day as much as that person’s day too. Here is a wee, “Thank You” poem I created:
Thank You
Thank you, is all you need
To uplifts spirits, so true indeed
When you’re grateful, all is well
All is abundant, you can tell
So use these words, everyday
And gratitude will surely, come your way
You know I love my poetry and I am in a poetic mood this morning. Here are some morning reflections from me to you, put into one of my favourite creative writing styles…..rhyming poetry, this one might just get you thinking. Set yourself free, break the chains of old habits and make fulfilling choices from this day forward. You can do it. Love to you Clarabelle.
Break the Chains
A starry night,
A blissful morn.
Another routine,
There goes the car horn.
A rush, a rumble,
A dash to the door.
Caught up in the moment,
Head to the floor.
Then all of a sudden,
The alarm bells ring.
How did this happen?
What did I bring?
Is my life,
just passing me by?
Am I really happy?
I ponder and sigh.
To break the chains,
To let it all go.
Would test my bravery,
Against, “go with the flow”.
For I’m in control,
I make the choice.
Do this or that,
Share my voice.
The river runs fast,
The sun will rise again.
But remember your life
Is like ink in a pen.
Writing the pages,
of what is to be.
Until it runs out,
What’s left to see?
So decide who you are,
become your greatest self.
The world will not wait,
Get your book off the shelf.
Have clarity, choose wisely,
Let your heart lead the way.
Because times ticks on,
So make this your day.
The day you change,
The day you reach out.
The day you believe.
Your dreams, are worth a shout.
Slow the picture down,
Play it back in your mind.
The crossroads of your life,
Holds the answers, seek and find.
Be a like a butterfly,
Fluttering in the breeze,
Your courageous soul is open,
Change your life, if you please.
My mum tells me that her memories of me as a child, is that I was always singing, all the time, from morning till night – she said, I wouldn’t stop. Then I did one day and it took 30 years to come back. This Clarabelle sound that you hear now, I believe is still the sound of the inner child in me…..a child who believes in the beauty of her dreams. This poem is a mirror part of that story and a true reflection of me, I hope you like it. Lots of love to you today, Clarabelle
She Was 5
She was 5,
her heart did sing.
Every day,
about everything.
She had friends,
so happy and true.
Little children,
smiling through.
They played games,
had lots of fun.
Carfin was the Village,
under the sun.
Talent shows,
we’d give it our all. “Come in for your tea”
Mum would call.
So much laughter,
living in joy.
The happiest times,
for each girl and boy.
Then she got older,
singing no more.
A typical teenager,
closed every door.
But as time went by,
30 years on,
the silence awakened,
and her light it shone.
Uncovering her soul,
being true to her heart.
The singing came back,
the most fulfilling part.
The friends of her childhood,
will remember this song.
“Dreamer” was the title,
our voices were strong.
We might have been children,
lost in the crowd.
Holding hands in the limelight,
our parents were proud.
When we let go,
sometimes wrong or right.
True dreams are like a boomerang.
They will win any fight.
A couple of weeks ago I was in the Hospital waiting room for over an hour so I decided to put my creative mind to good use and write some poems. Below is one of the four poems I wrote for you that day, entitled “Pure Love”, I hope you love it and I hope you live it!! Love Clarabelle
Pure Love
Like flipping a switch, free your mind. Let down the barriers, and peace you’ll find. Wars are not won, with a broken heart. That battle is lost, before you start. Forgive in the moment, open the door. Vulnerability is a strength, see yourself soar. Capture in the now, the real essence of you, A feeling of pure love, shining through.
Well today is the first day of the Clarabelle 90 Day Challenge that I spoke about in yesterday’s blog post. I do hope you are going to join me on the journey because I would love success for you too. So today I am super focused and super motivated and I hope you’re off to a great start too!! I’ll be updating my Clarabelle Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/clarabelle.org everyday on what I’m up to and the successes I am achieving towards my music career goals, so please feel free to head over there and get involved.
Thank you for being here and I do hope you take on the 90 Challenge for yourself – YOU CAN DO IT!!
I bought this beautiful card today with such a lovely poem on it, as a gentle reminder to myself to pray everyday – and I will. I thought I would share what the poem says on the card, with you. I hope it touches your heart the way it did with mine. Lots of love, Clarabelle.
the Difference
I got up early one morning
and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish
that I didn’t have time to pray.
Problems just tumbled about me,
and heavier came each task.
‘Why doesn’t God help me?’
I wondered;
he answered, ‘You didn’t ask.’
I wanted to see joy and beauty,
but the day toiled on grey and bleak.
I wondered why God didn’t show me;
he said, ‘You didn’t seek.’
I tried to come into God’s presence;
I used all my keys at the lock.
God gently and lovingly chided,
‘My child, you didn’t knock.’
I woke up early this morning,
and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish
that I had to take time to pray.
What’s your story? Where is your heart’s passion taking you? Today, in this moment, tomorrow is unknown, with no guarantees of what will be, until it happens. You have right now, you have this moment, yes, pinch yourself, this one, right now, this moment…..to do something that is going to enhance the story of your life. This next poem is all about that., I hope you like it. Much love to you today, Clarabelle
The Story of Life
The story of life, its twists and turns, a loving a heart, a flame that burns. Head in the clouds, Dreams at my door. Living life curiously, wonders to explore. To never give up, To never give in. A stubborn mind, Or an attitude to win. For all you have, Is here and now. It’s in this moment, Take a bow. For what you seek, Is seeking you. Words of wisdom, do come true. So believe in your soul, Have faith in the dark. Your story of life. Is making its mark.
I’ve been back in poem mode recently and have written some deep thinking “look in the mirror” poems recently. I wrote the one below, this evening, it’s entitled “Heart with a View”, I hope you like it. Love, Clarabelle
Heart with a View
You, yes you, with the broken smile. What’s your story, on this rainbow mile? Why do the tears, run down your face.? Why the sadness, in a heartfelt place? Invisible chains, keep you stuck. Thoughts of fears, and “wish me luck”. But just around the corner, a harp plays for you, Its melody so precious, like a heart with a view. Just one more step, nudge forward a little more. The pitter-patter of your feet, reveals treasures to explore. For this life is an adventure, a colour one. It offers you everything, under the sun. So feel these whispers, as they talk to you. The cloud is an angel, guiding you through.
I hope you liked the first introduction animation video I shared with you on yesterday’s blog post of the butterflies surrounding the Clarabelle logo.
I am delighted to share with you today the second introduction animation video that I got created, this is an animation video of the unveiling of the Clarabelle logo. Thank you to Adam Smith from USA for creating this for me, Adam did an amazing job.
When you go for your dreams and goals in life you inspire others by your own doing. They see you moving forward in your own journey in life and it can truly inspire them too.
Inspiring Change
I have received some lovely messages from people who have shared with me that because I am going for my own dreams and goals in life, it is inspiring them to do that too. Isn’t that such a lovely thing. So by not only changing your own life for the better, you are also inspiring change in others. Like a beautiful ripple effect, your positive energy touches the hearts of others.
This is such wonderful thing and I truly do encourage you to just go for it in life because by doing so, you will also inspire others around you – this is the most amazing thing about it all.
Having self belief in your own capabilities and potential is such an important ingredient to moving forward and achieving your dreams and goals in life. When you believe in yourself, you create such a positive energy around you that is contagious and others also believe in what you see for yourself. This next poem is inspired by just that, keep going my friend and stay stronger than ever, because indeed, I believe you will get there. Love Clarabelle.
You’ve Got to Believe
You’ve got to believe, in all of you. Your talents are amazing, you’re a dream come true. Believe and have faith, you will reach that star. It’s waiting for you, shining down from afar. Your energy will shift, when your vision is strong. You’ve got to believe, this is where you belong.
One thing I have discovered for sure, is that if you don’t have clarity on where you are going, chances are you might just go around in circles. It’s so easy to drift when your destination is unknown, so I would encourage anyone who feels like they are in “drifting” mode to take time out to really answer that question for themselves.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
It may seem like such a simple question but it can be a difficult one to answer and/or even a more challenging one to pursue. You know what you’ve got to do though and I think this is a good place to start.
Please also ensure that the destination is in alignment with your core values, what and who is most important to you in your life, your passions, wants and desires.
I would love to hear all about it, please keep me posted or better still send me a postcard from that beautiful destination, yes that one place that just feels like home, like no other. 🙂
Dreams are for the taking, don’t let them lie dormant in your heart, set your spirit free, jump on that cloud and fly towards them. What are you waiting for? Just do it!! The poem below is inspired by just that. Much love to you today, Clarabelle
I Dreamed a Dream
I dreamed a dream, thought impossible today. The essence of paradise, a beautiful way.
I dreamed a dream, of hope and forgiving. Captivating hearts, extraordinary living.
I dreamed a dream, of future smiles. Love and laugher, going on for miles.
I dreamed a dream, it swirls around me. A life changing dream. I know this will be.
This poem was inspired by my previous post, “What is Perfection?”, and I just had to share it with you.
Perfection is in the Imperfections
There is a perfection, that will never stay true. The perfection in your mind, stopping you. The word perfection, has a flaw. Perfection is in the imperfections, this is my law. When you believe this, you can start where you are. Then you’ll make progress, then you’ll go far. So eliminate perfection, from your life right now. Keep going, stay strong, Imperfections are WOW!!
Sometimes we can all be our own worse critic, saying things like “I can’t do this because it’s not perfect.” Life is not perfect, nothing is and if you honestly think you have to wait and get going until everything is perfect, then you might have to wait a very long time……then, my friend, you may have missed the boat!!
Progress
I have said this before on this blog and I will say it again, “perfection is in the imperfections”, just like “beauty is in the eye of beholder”. Please don’t put your life on “hold” because things aren’t “perfect” right now, think of baby steps towards progress.
If I had waited….
If I had waited to start this Clarabelle Blog until everything was perfect in my life and in my posts and poetry, I would never have started it and you wouldn’t be here, reading this right now. 🙂 If I had waited to release my own songs until everything was perfect then you wouldn’t have the opportunity to listen to them right now. I heard someone say the other day that it can take the best part of 20 years to master something, wow 20 years is a long time, I can’t wait that long, can you?
Start NOW
Start where you are, NOW, hold that vision in your head and do something everyday to move you closer to your goal. It’s amazing the new people and opportunities that cross your path when you just decide to, go for it.
I love this motivational video, below, which I came across on Youtube yesterday, the words ring very true for me and it is worth the 7 minutes to listen to it and be inspired.
Keep it real, keep it true to your heart and believe that you WILL do this.
Have a super inspiring day my lovely friends and thank you for being here.
I once read somewhere that motivation is like showering, you need it everyday. I can honestly say that I do listen to a little bit of motivation every day, normally first thing when I wake up – it’s a great way to start the day. Below is a motivational poem I created for you, I hope it gives you that little nudge that you need to get going today. Lots of love Clarabelle.
When Motivation is Low
You haven’t moved, You do not know. One cause to being stuck, Is your motivation is low.
Your mind is numb, Your body feels lazy. Lost in time, This all feels crazy.
What can you do? How can this be? Let me help you up, Let me help you see.
Turn on the music, Open your heart. Listen to the sound, Of your favourite hit chart.
Then go for a walk, To clear your head. This is much better, Than lying in bed.
Or pick up the phone, And call a friend. They’ll be happy to hear you, And it will help you mend.
There is many little things, That you can do. To shift your energy, Make you feel happier too.
So when motivation is low, All you have to do, Is one of the above. And you’ll feel motivated too.
I created this poem below a while ago, I actually forgot all about it, until I was going through some saved notes on my iPad last night. I really do love this wee poem and I feel most people, if not all, could relate to it in some way, shape or form. I hope you like it. Lots of love to you today and always, Clarabelle.
Sometimes
Sometimes you don’t always, get it right, Sometimes you can’t, sleep at night.
Sometimes the thunder, drowns out your prayer, Sometimes you’re lonely, when no one is there.
But a lot of times your smile, is brighter than the sun, A lot of times you skip, rather than run.
A lot of times your happiness, cheers up a friend, A lot of times your heart, reaches the rainbow’s end.
So when life gets you down, as it sometimes will, When the frosty ice, is making you chill.
Remember the love, warming you up, Remember the joy in me, filling your cup.
Remember you are strong, nothing can break you, Remember the courage living in you too
. It’s so easy to forget, the difference you make, It’s so easy to give, and to never take.
But I want you to know, that I am here, Always for you, bringing you cheer.
My smile is for you, my hand is to hold, Melting the ice, in the bitter cold.
A friend is in me, a friend is in you, Together we’re stronger, this is so true.
We all need a little bit of motivation from time to time and I often feel it is most welcomed at the beginning of a New Year. So below is a Youtube video of a motivational speech I created for you last year, I have shared it on here before but sometimes a little refresher can be good. May you stay motivated to achieve all that you want to achieve this year and much much more. Love to you Clarabelle.
Welcome to today’s post which is another video poem from myself, entitled “I Will Fly, I Will Fly”, I hope you like it. Make this year count, make it a year where you are your own catalyst for positive change in your life, for only YOU can turn your life around for the better. So go make YOUR life a GOOD LIFE.
My friend Sharon and I were have a deep and meaningful discussion the other day and we were talking about having different experiences. She shared a good analogy of her own which was, if you buy a bag of apples and the first apple you pick out is bad you don’t throw the whole bag away – do you??? I think that’s a good analogy of life, just because you have had one bad experience with someone or something, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will always have that bad experience with another, as a matter of fact, chances are you will definitely not.
Life Lessons
I have another thought on this one, what if you never experienced the bad apple in the first place, would you have missed a vital life lesson??? Sometimes what you perceived to be a bad experience initially, can for the long term turn out to be one of the best lessons in life you have ever learned. Life lessons are for the long term, as long as you remember them and learn from them.
Maybe the perceived bad apple is actually a beautiful Golden Apple in disguise.
I hope you celebrated the birth of this new year in style and whatever that is for you I do hope it was very lovely and wonderful. I was away for a few days with my friend and we had lots of fun, it was really nice to get away.
Beautiful Flowers
Before I went away I bought some beautiful flowers….pink and red roses, I nearly didn’t buy them, because I was going away, but I then thought the flowers are not just for me they are for my beautiful little home. That was such a lovely decision that I made because when I arrived home yesterday, I was welcomed to their beautiful fresh scent and opening of the roses flowers, it really did make my heart smile inside.
Clarabelle’s pink and red roses.
Flowers Are….
It reminded me of a quote that my friend sent me this Christmas with my Christmas present of white hanging flowers, on the package she wrote for me “Flowers are the smile of the earth”, how lovely and such a beautiful and touching quote.
Another positive from buying the flowers, when I did, is that it has encouraged me to write this blog post and share it with you……I hope you liked me sharing this story with you.
If, “Flowers are the smile of the earth”, let your heart be the garden for them to grow in.
As special thank you to YOU for your continuous support and encouragement and for visiting this Clarabelle Blog, I have created a “Live Your Dreams” video for YOU.
I have now exceeded 16,000 blog hits and I could not have done it without YOU. In celebration of this amazing achievement I thank YOU with this beautiful video, I hope you like it. Lots of love to you today and always, Clarabelle.
I enjoy creating these video poems for you, I feel they bring out the best in the poems and makes them come alive. The video poem below is called “Green is for Go“, I do hope you like it and that you have a green light day today. Love, Clarabelle
Green is for Go
Green is for go, I see it everywhere,
Moving me forward, it’s so special and rare.
The key to the door, the answer to my prayers,
The blossoming of the flower, uncovering deep layers.
The sparkle in the sky, the smile on the street,
An abundance of joy, dancing in my feet.
The seasons have changed, a new freshness is in the air,
Here is a little bit about the truly wonderfully inspiring Jerry (extract from his blog):
Jerry Nelson is an internationally recognized photojournalist.
His work has appeared in a wide variety of publications and news outlets including USAToday, CNN, Huffington Post, Upsurge, CBS, Dream Row, Earthwalkers and others.
He photographs and licenses images for all manner of commercial and editorial use as well as selling through this website.
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Nelson writes, “I realize the dreams to travel were not mine alone. I have friends that have dreamed of traveling and trekking since the days that we all roamed the woods around Hot Springs, Virginia.
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I realize that most of those friends will never have the opportunity to journey. Life gets in the way sometimes. But I have tried to share the majesty, intimacy and timelessness of places in my photographs in a way I hope everyone can relate to. I’ve tried to capture the reality of my childhood imaginations and share them with you. I realize that despite having grown up with these dreams, nobody needs to go on trips like I do.
But as we work through the daily routine of life at home, sometimes it helps to know that we could go. That it’s all really there.
Better yet, I hope my photographs inspire a few of you to actually follow your dreams and take your journey. I want to remind everyone that ordinary working people can visit remote places like I have. They do it all the time.
These are not expensive or difficult places to explore if you travel independently and stay with the locals.
And of course, there are endless experiences to be had in the wilderness areas of your own backyard.
You can’t begin a journey if you don’t step out. There is nothing mysterious about a rucksack. All you need are a couple changes of clothes, some hard earned time off and less money than you think.
Snake River Canyon Idaho
Get out there with me and watch the ravens fly through the dazzling glow of a remote slot canyon, watch the northern lights dance over the snows of Denali, walk with the lions and tigers in Lujan, roam the barrios in Buenos Aires looking for the next photograph, stand in the plaza as the Pope gets installed, watch in amazement during the Prayer Dance of the Native Cultural Center in Tennessee, break bread with veterans from the Falkland Islands war, listen for the choppers at the M*A*S*H set in Malibu, drift on The Snake River as we pass The Grand Tetons, stay silent in the Sonoran Desert as we wait for the Mexican drug cartel to appear, break bread with the Shoshone in Idaho, walk a knife-edge ridge in the Smokies and sit around the campfire in the Ozarks with other veterans. Fish for Pirrhana in the Amazon, watch autumn leaves fall in a gentle snowstorm in Patagonia, stand with me as 300 buffalo stampede towards us in Eusick, Washington, marvel at a palm tree swaying dark against a billion stars while camping on a moonless night in the middle of the South Pacific, sail a 16th century ship through the sound into open water, be ’embedded’ with OccupyDC during the winter, live with rugged miners in even more rugged Appalachia and drink Dr. Pepper on the front porch of the old Hatfield homestead in Mingo County.
It’s all there.
And the earth needs people who travel this way, who earn their time with its treasures, and promote its conservation.
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Time is the most precious commodity we actually own.”
Payette Kayak
Below is Jerry’s Guest Blog Post which he wrote especially for this Clarabelle Blog:
Life Goes On
It grey the morning I stepped outside the door in a small town close to Roswell, New Mexico, on December 17, 2006. I shifted the backpack on my shoulders and walked to the end of the drive. Adjusting the straps again, I stepped into the street and walked to the corner. Looking back one more time, shifting the pack again, I walked down the street, through the town and across America.
I’m a Vietnam Veteran and while I didn’t see as much stuff as some others did, I was affected by the war and its aftermath. After keeping feelings, emotions and nightmares bottled up for years, I was admitted to a psychiatric hospitel in Staunton, Virginia where I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Ten days in the psych ward with nothing to do but read ended up being a blessing.
I came across an old issue of National Geographic that had an article about hiking the Appalchian Trail. That was what I needed to do. That’s what I wanted to do. Get out in the woods, get away from everything and everyone I knew. Alone with just my thoughts and the Creator for company. It never happened. Sometimes life gets in the way and for years there was always a reason not to pursue my dream: my wife she…my bills they…my job it… Well, you know how it goes.
In September 2005 my wife of 31 years filed for divorce. I didn’t want it so I sat on the paperwork hoping she would have a change of heart. She never did, and in April 2006 I signed the documents and handed them over. Later that year some friends who were living in New Mexico invited me out to spend the holidays with them so I wouldn’t have to be alone. With nothing better to do, I went. I got there on December 16 and that night felt the God of my understanding say I could take my walk.
I got to Washington DC on June 30th, 2007. Since then I’ve continued to travel, write and take pictures. You can see my work on my website, www.JourneyAmerica.org. I’m always encouraging people to follow my travels and challenging them to take their own journey. If you do, the people you’ll meet are amazing.
People like Omar in a Dallas ghetto who dreams of going to medical school so he can return and care for his neighbors and “Ms. Mamie” in Jackson, Mississippi who went back to school at 80 years old.
The spiritual life-lessons learned on a trip like that stay with you through life and become a guiding force and you learn that:
Life goes on and no matter what you’re going through I encourage you to “Join the Adventure”
Thank you Jerry for sharing a part of your story with us today here on this blog, it has been a real pleasure having you on board and you are most welcome anytime. If you would like to read more about Jerry and his adventures please head over to his blog http://www.journeyamerica.org I challenge you not to feel inspired.
If you are interested in becoming a guest blogger on this Clarabelle Blog, please let me know on the comments below or send me an email to claire@murraypeople.com
Thank you for being here, thank you for reading and thank you for your comments.
I just thought I would share that one with you today. No matter how many bumps on the road there are, when you are passionate about doing something, it never feels like you have to really force yourself, you never need to fully push because the passion that you have for that thing indeed pulls you forward.
Choose a goal in life that you are passionate about, one that is in alignment with your values and watch yourself soar.
“Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.”Barbara de Angelis
Where are you inspiration?
I searched and searched you know, looking for that one piece of inspiration, that one trigger, that sentiment of hope that would help me to turn my life around. I searched long and hard, night and day……..I struggled to find it. Where are you inspiration, when I need you the most, where are you to help me get back up again? And the search continued…….
So, where do you go from here?
Now, I know the answer, but at that difficult time, there was no way I was going to find it, because there was too much noise, too much desperation, too much struggle, not enough head space, not enough belief, not enough faith, focus on pain and negativity….how was I going to find inspiration amongst all that? Just like finding a needle in a haystack, I was unaware at the time, but I had given myself such a mammoth task. So where do you go from here? When you feel you’ve hit rock bottom and the punches keep coming, the waves get bigger and bigger and you forget how to swim….what happens next?
Yes, it does have a happy ending.
I’ll tell you what happens next, you sleep, long deep sleeps, it helps you to forget, it allows you to avoid your own perception of reality when you sleep, and when you wake up, you want to sleep again. To be alone is your saving grace, or at least that’s what you think….but being alone too long can be dangerous, because you get swamped in the quicksand of fear. I have stopped writing right now, because it is making me cry, taking me back to those dreadful feelings…but only for a short, sharp moment, because I am better now and I am telling the survival story – yes, it does have a happy ending. Yes, yes, YES.
Miss Positivity
Would you believe me if I said, going into this downward spiral, that my mind was strong and my attitude was positive….I honestly believe it was, but even for Miss Positivity the cracks did show. Up, down, up, down, down, down, up, up, down, up…..I was a seesaw of emotions in action…sometimes good, often not so good. For every positive thought I tried to focus on, in flowed a river of negative thoughts……I knew it wasn’t good, I knew I had to do something, anything as I cried out for help at night…. my pillow drenched with tears.
Explorer of the courageous soul
Let me fast forward for a moment, today I am in such a good place, the best I have ever felt for such a long time, even when I thought I was at my happiest, possibly in 2007, I am aware now that it was all external happiness, this time it’s different, this time it is internal, my happiness is coming from within………….and the irony is, that I would never have discovered that place, if I had given up at the toughest of times. You see I am a fighter, ‘never die’ kind of person, if there was a glimmer of hope, I was surely going to find it. This to me was the ‘battle of the brave’, ‘the explorer of the courageous soul’, ‘the underdog who discovered paradise’, ‘the barefooted soldier coming out from the trenches’, ‘the white flag surrendering my heart to the universe’, ‘the first baby step of a journey that never ends’…..there is no destination… just creative imagination and infinite expression of the true self. And so the story continues…..
This is only temporary
To combat the bruises of stress, there were many things that helped me on my way, daily gratitude, forcing myself to spend time with family and friends, daily exercise, daily meditation, daily prayer for self and for others, good nutrition, acceptance of the situation, learning to face up to my fears, letting go of the emotions that were not serving me well, continuously asking myself questions until the right ones connected with me, painting a picture of my future dreams in alignment with my core values, nurturing my inner belief and self confidence, being honest with myself, allowing myself to be vulnerable, giving myself permission to forgive, believing that I could change the current situation, telling myself “this is only temporary”, building up trust in myself and regaining the faith that I knew was always there, identifying my strengths, surrounding myself with anything and everything inspirational, telling myself “keep going, keep going”…….
Forever Inspiring
But most of all, MOST of all, the turning point….the tipping point….the true trigger point…. was believing that I am truly loved, knowing that I was on the path to love, knowing that I was and am love and ultimately the giver of love. Love redeems all, there is nothing more powerful than love, nothing else will reach that sweet spot like genuine love for self and others. Love was the answer, love is the answer, love was and is the ultimate trigger of transformation and transcendence into who I am today, me with no role, no identity, no ego, just me…that is the place, that is forever inspiring, that isparadise and me.
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