Well, Earth Day and Earth Week have come and gone… and now what?  Do you go back to your old habits of driving to the corner store instead of walking; tossing everything in the garbage because your apartment complex or office still doesn’t have a recycling program; running the water while you brush your teeth?!  Folks, celebrating Earth Day isn’t supposed to be a party that you go all out for and then toss it’s memory into your rusty pile of annual “do-good” days.  You should be celebrating what EARTH PROVIDES FOR US and, in turn, making lifelong changes to ensure that this planet CAN keep taking care of us.  I hope that sometime very soon, all of us, as a connected human race, will have the ultimate paradigm shift and SEE with truly open eyes what evil we are doing to our planet and what good is IN US to change our mentality to one of appreciation, concern, and action…. every day!   ~  KD

Here is a SOAPBOX® mini-motivation from 2008 that still echoes truth today:

“To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival.”     ~ Wendell Berry, philosopher, novelist and social activist

It’s about time we stopped snickering at Al Gore, the forewarning NPR folks and tree-hugging, hybrid hippies…because they might be onto something!  It’s about time we stopped being so selfish and purposefully merged as Humankind for the simple Darwinian hopes of perpetuating our existence by strengthening our collective homebase – we call Earth!  For, not seeing is believing.  When a species of animal disappears, we must rescue braver.  When a strain of plant disappears, we must think greener.  When snowcaps are melting, swallowing up islands and life, we must conserve stricter. Amidst the chatter of economics, religion and war, don’t miss the underconversation of environment, culture and interdependent community.  My fellow EARTH-lings, we must research cleaner, protect fiercer, commit firmer, explore broader, spend wiser, educate brighter.  May we all look back after long, fulfilling lives to proclaim that we are survivors and all did our part.  It’s our time to think globally…and act globally.

Copyright 2008, 2012 by Kimberlie Dykeman.

“You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.”     ~Douglas MacArthur, US General

Funny how birthdays devilishly sneak up on us.  For some they are embraced with delightful dreams of frosted sweets, gifts galore and parties, parties, parties.  For others (and I am in that boat for sure), the adding of another digit towards another decade doesn’t make for a happy camper.  This last year seemed to not only careen past me but brought shackles of doubt, fear and despair… like I wanted to negotiate  for a lower bid, after all, I’ve still got so much left to do!!!    Alas, ’tis but a number, our age, right?  So, those of us trying to swap our deli tickets for hope of turning back the clock… stop the madness!  Embrace the potential in each day you’re given.  Work on your faith, your self-confidence, your hope and understanding and the result might be longer days, longer years, and a longer life.  ~KD

Copyright 2012 by Kimberlie Dykeman.

“Remember, the light at the end of the tunnel may be you.”      ~ Steven Tyler, musician & wordsmith

Cheers to 2012 for all who fall upon this little ditty and drink it in with celebration!  Tis just one day past yesterday, which is no different from the day before.   And if it weren’t for calendars, Hallmark, and Dick Clark,  January 1st would feel just the same, year after year.  That is, unless you take on the aerobic challenge of changing one thing.  No, not your toothpaste, nor your weight, job, bad habits, zip code, or last name.  Nope.  That omnipotent, omnipresent, blessed thing called your  perspective. 

I beckon you to sweat it out until you shift your outlook to see that YOU indeed are the light in your own life.  YOU have the real answers to your questions, the solutions to your problems, and the intrinsic brilliance to your extinguish your darkness.  Quick fixes, shiny new toys and winning lottery tickets are meaningless if you still think you’re your own dilemma.

So, this is my wish and prayer for you, folks.  That you remove the bushel to reveal your golden glow for your own optimism and opportunity… day after week after year.  Just imagine if we all took to beaming our gifts to create peace and joy with domino effect. What a world this would be.  Isn’t that right, John?        ~KD

 Shop SOAPBOX® products & SUBSCRIBE to FREE ! “Pure Soapbox” book, KINDLE and audiobook are available nationwide . A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

Book KIMBERLIE to confetti your company with OPTIMISM! info@puresoapbox.com

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”      ~N.D. Walsch, author

      I don’t know about you, but if this premise rings true, then many of you can identify this past year (let alone the past five!), as a time  in which you have truly lived. It seems that as we careen forward into our collective 21^st century future, our boundaries of ease, familiarity and honest-to-goodness comfort are severely truncated, causing us to freak out, freeze up, fumble, fail and fight back tears. 

 Proudly acknowledge though that you have also strived and survived the confounded labyrinth of potholes and prop doors. And with mosaic-ed prayer and possibility in hand, you have deciphered the message to unfold an irrefutably timeless and timely fact: Training wheels are meant to be taken off.

 So, as I take my place at the helm of this little ditty, I say, “Comfort, shmomfort.” Roll up your sleeves, toss on a helmet, kick up the stand, and pop a wheelie down the open road of adventure. Start the coming blessed year with the wind in your face and your hair on fire and see where the journey takes you!                        ~ KD

Copyright 2011 by Kimberlie Dykeman.  An edited excerpt from “Pure Soapbox …a cleansing jolt  of perspective, motivation, and humor”

Shop SOAPBOX® products & SUBSCRIBE to FREE ! “Pure Soapbox” book, KINDLE and audiobook are available nationwide . A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.

Book KIMBERLIE to confetti your company with OPTIMISM! info@puresoapbox.com