SOAPBOX® mini-motivation: are you in the weeds?

“But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow where people want something else.  In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit.  Weeds are people’s idea, not nature’s.”     ~ Anonymous

WEEDS…  Some folks have quipped they are but unloved flowers, sins of the earth, plants with undiscovered virtues.  Whatever eloquence you elect, they are the bastardly, unforgiving THINGS that get in the way of blooms of our most precious prayers and wishes… flowers and fruits of our labors that bring priceless joy.  Joy from a gorgeous front yard of fragrance, a harvest-filled garden or orchard, a kitchen table of decorations and delicacies.

In brass tacks, weeds are ultimately what get in the way of our JOY.   Weeds are the vicious little evils that crowd, choke out, and suffocate all that our hearts desire… that which we expect from all the seeds we tossed into the ground.  Weeds…be they proverbial, metaphorical or literal… are the relentless, twisted side-effects of both crappy planting and crappy prepping.  Period.

See, so many of us claim to want everlasting blossoms of the ethereal joys of life, like unconditional love, excitement for life, feelings of success, peace, equality, unshakable optimism,    newfound perspective, contentment, dynamic purpose… you know your list.  Yet none of those vines truly burst through the ground with such offerings.  The main reason?  We plant, water and sun our seeds in the topsoil of our old foundations… the wrecked, rocky, perhaps even rancid earth that is full of childhood fears, unmovable judgments, unanswered hopes, decaying values, and old paradigms.   Both man-made and MIND-made, our weeds strive to see the light yet again.  So it only makes sense that when we try to nurture the seeds of our dreams… we are also encouraging the deep-rooted, hidden creepers to sprout and grow yet again.

Folks, if we truly want joy, if we want to LIVE, we’ve got to get on our knees and weed out the weeds.  We’ve got to be willing to do the work, till the soil, prepare for a healthy planting of our dreams and goals.  We’ve got to be willing to get dirty cultivating the crap hidden in our histories to have our gardens of the future be overgrown with love, peace, perspective, optimism and purpose.   I pray for you that you all find the strength, humility and faith to grow your lives with joy, joy, joy.  And there is no time like the present to start weeding, my friends.

Copyright 2000-2012 by Kimberlie Dykeman.

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SOAPBOX® mini-motivation: thanks takes to flight

“To give thanks in solitude is enough. Thanksgiving has wings and goes where it must go. Your prayer knows much more about it than you do.”     ~ Victor Hugo, poet, novelist & activist
 
Indeed, I am a Christian who cherishes Christmas and Easter for their innate awesome events and subsequent movements throughout the world.  But there is nothing quite like Thanksgiving.  Tis the most meaning-full holiday of the year, I believe…a truly holy day…  that crosses all boundaries and binds all faiths and followings.  It is a simple opportunity to gather without agenda, without guilt, without gaudiness and overpriced ticket items, without marketing schemes or madness. 
 
Pure in nature and message: GIVE THANKS for all you have in your life and FOR YOUR LIFE!  And share that with one another.  That’s it, folks.  A day that beckons you to drop your minutia-filled week and come together to connect and share and show love.  Not as difficult as some of us seem to make it.  And even if miles separate your loved ones, you’d be amazed how far your thoughts and prayers of peace and positivity can travel.  So this year, friends, with full heart I wish you all a simple, pure, love-filled and blessed Thanksgiving.  Further, I pray that you continue to give and show thanks every day thereafter.  It’s not that difficult.        ~  KD
 
 

Copyright 2011 by Kimberlie Dykeman.

Shop SOAPBOX® products & SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed HERE! “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

SOAPBOX® mini-motivation: inspiration defined

Today’s little treat is a continuation of last week… a project called MotivationStation USA, being started by my pal Kevin McCrudden… the man who pushed to have January 2 established as National Motivation & Inspiration Day! So here is another little ditty I created for him…FOR YOU!

INSPIRATION.   Ok, now this digs a bit deeper into the soul than simple motivation.  The elation of one’s heart often comes through witnessing incredible hardship, hearing stories of lifesaving, and learning of human beings achieving absolutely awesome feats.  If you’re looking for inspiration…it’s a bit like LOVE.  It finds you…and threads its way into your very being.  Feeling a bit uninspired?  The solution is all about perspective, friends.  Be open to the possibility of it every day  -in any person, event, thing, experience.  Believe that around any corner is tiny nugget that’s just waiting to be discovered by you.  Ironically, in the end, when INSPIRATION lights up your own life, the sparkling glow is confettiied into the world, allowing you to then be the fuel for others.     ~ KD

http://youtu.be/SHTMdWnuA1M Support Kevin’s efforts at TheMotivationStation

Copyright 2011 by Kimberlie Dykeman.

Shop SOAPBOX® products & SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed HERE! “Pure Soapbox” book 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

SOAPBOX® mini-motivation: grow a spine!

Feeling like a spoke in the proverbial wheel of corporate America?  Wondering why you always seem to find yourself in the line that just ain’t moving fast enough?  Are you perhaps at the point of boiling over with festering frustration at not getting what you want, when you want it…EVER?!  Well, folks, did you ever stop to think that people and things will treat you the WAY YOU LET THEM treat you.  Act like a doormat and…you get the picture.  Pipe up, pals, and be the revolution you want to see!                                        ~ KD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoHLw0-d1Bw

Copyright 2011 by Kimberlie Dykeman.

Shop SOAPBOX® products & SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed HERE! “Pure Soapbox” book 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

SOAPBOX of the week: thankful for Peanuts

Peppermint Patty: What kind of Thanksgiving dinner is this? Where’s the turkey, Chuck? Don’t you know anything about Thanksgiving dinners? Where’s the mashed potatoes? Where’s the cranberry sauce? Where’s the pumpkin pie?”

Marcie:  “Don’t feel bad, Chuck. Peppermint Patty didn’t mean all those things she said. “

 
Charlie Brown: I don’t feel bad for myself, I just feel bad because I’ve ruined everyone’s Thanksgiving.”
 

Marcie:  But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by ‘Thanksgiving,’ Charlie Brown.”

 

As always, we can learn a lot from kids…if we’d only listen.

An excerpt from “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (TV show, 1973) Created and written by Charles M. Schulz.  Copyright 2000-2010 by Kimberlie Dykeman. SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed/email  HERE!   “Pure Soapbox” available nationwide. A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG.  BOOK KIMBERLIE TO MOTIVATE   your peeps! info@puresoapbox.com

SOAPBOX of the week: the melody of epiphany

Never underestimate the power of listening.”     – Anonymous 

So, you’ve heard that song a million times, tapped your foot to it, even sang along.  But one random radio-logged day, your steel-trap mind somehow sifts through the memorized words to unveil eerily profound meaning and magic…and something just shifts.  A veritable musical masterpiece colors your eardrums with a delightful enlightenment as the crooner sings directly to an audience of one.  At once, all other soundful distraction is eclipsed; your mind’s attention is fully focused; and understanding floods through every ounce of your being.  Amazing, you think, as the a-ha’s widen your eyes and lift your heart!  All that from just a simple song you’ve heard a million times.  Now, just think of all the points and perspectives you may have missed not truly “tuning in” to the sounds that hold much greater importance –like the voice of your loving spouse, hopeful child, overwhelmed business partner, needy friend, or special stranger… but most importantly yourself.  Prick your ears to hear the music of life and listen closely to embrace the power in its blessed lyrics whispered just for you.  

Copyright 2000-2010 by Kimberlie Dykeman.        SUBSCRIBE to FREE feed/email  HERE!
Pure Soapbox“ available nationwide & audiobook available on iTUNES & Audible.com!  A portion of the proceeds of all book sales is donated to LIVESTRONG. 

BOOK KIMBERLIE TO MOTIVATE  your peeps!  info@puresoapbox.com / 310- 500- 9587