5 People CHALLENGE

A good friend recently shared with me the motto that we are "the average of the five people we spend the most time with". Businessman Jim Rohn coined the motivational phrase in the 1970's and used it to inspire speaker Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield (creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul) just to name a couple of his early disciples.
Rohn is telling us to pursue the people that inspire us! Surround ourselves with the people that have what we want! If we do, maybe a little bit will rub off on us.
He's also warning us against the people that bring us down. 
For me - I've had GREAT friends in this life and I've had friends that have brought me WAY DOWN lower than I even knew was possible. I've also learned so much from the people that have inspired me from afar Malala Yousafzai and Michelle Obama (just to name two) while I've had to turn my back on celebrities like Lindsay Lohan that don't seem to be doing the right thing. 
Since this motto was created the world has gotten much smaller - the internet is in all (or most) of our homes and the people we identify as having a large role in our life has changed as well.  We are now both an average of the people in our everyday lives (our friends and family) AND of the community at large. I challenge anyone that reads this BLOG POST  to e-mail this post to 5 people that are positive in their life or inspire them to be the BEST "Average" them they can be.  They can be a regular person or a celebrity. 

Comfort Movies: 10 movies that never get old

Instead of grabbing for comfort food when you're down like mac n cheese or doritos, try a comfort movie.  its the same idea as comfort food - reminds you of a better time takes away your despair - except with alot less calories (especially if you skip the extra butter popcorn and Reeses Piece's).

Here are my 10 ultimate comfort movies

1 Braveheart
Everyman dies not everyman really lives

2 Shawshank Redemption
Brooks was here

3 Goodfellas
Do I amuse you?

4) Home Alone
Buzz, your girlfriend.  Woof!

5 Happy Gilmore
The price is wrong

6 Fargo
You went and married Norm Son-of-a-gunnders

7 The Hangover
She has my grandmas Holocaust ring

8 Scarface
Say hello to my little friend

9 Forrest Gump
Life is like a box of chocolates you never know what you are going to grt

10 The Godfather

Insert your own favorite quotes as you read and remember just how many times you've seen these movies and laughed, cried and pressed rewind over and over.

New Year Superstitions: which one is for you!

I've heard some pretty crazy New Year's superstitions. 
Have you heard the superstition that says not to do the wash on New Years Day, because then a relative will be washed away within a few months (in other words die)?
You must know the superstition that says the first person who walks into your home after the stroke of midnight on New Years will be the most influential person of that year to you!  Or perhaps my favorite: the superstition that tells us to open all of the windows and doors in our homes to let the old year out.
Perhaps some of you will be sage brushing at the stroke of midnight.  Sage brushing is burning the sage plant to smoke out bad spirits from a room or area.  I know that many of you will kiss your lover to guarantee another year together.  Reality is it is very superstitiously important to spend time on the eve and day of the New Year with your most loved people.  On the other hand, superstition also tells us to carve out some time for work on New Years Day, as it guarentees prosperity for the New Year. 
My friend Xavier says that every year at the stroke of midnight he takes all of the cash in his pocket and gives it a big wet kiss!  According to Xavier, every year since doing this routine, he's become more prosperous.  He's aquired more property and gotten more job opportunities.  His superstition has worked for him. 
Have your superstitions worked for you?  If you don't have a superstition already then get one!! Try it out - what could go wrong?  Just dont break a mirror!

Get Some Gratitude with Trista Sutter's Happily Ever After

We first met Trista Rehn a decade ago when she was a contestant on ABC's then-newest reality show - the Bachelor. Unfortunately, the Bachelor (Alex Michel) did not give Trista that final red rose and she left the show in tears. "I had gone to LA for an adventure and ended up with a broken heart" she writes of the experience.
Though, fate would have much greater things in store for her. She received a phone call from the show's producers pitching her a spinoff show - with her as the Bachelorette, handing out red roses to men vying for her love.
One of those contestants was Ryan Sutter, a similarly down-to-earth firefighter from Colorodo. Trista felt an instant connection with Ryan and eventually gave him the final rose. Trista and Ryan famously tied the knot on TV and the rest is history.
Still married (and now a Sutter) and a mom of two young children, Trista offers inspiration and insight to readers through her book, "Happily Ever After: the life-changing power of a greatful heart."
Trista writes the book like a friend giving a girls-night-out night-worth of great advice. Just as friends do, Trista gets personal with readers including stories about her problems with infertility and backstabbing co-workers (who seem to be extra ruthless in the entertainment business).
Throughout the book, Trista sprinkles quotes from some very inspiring people, including Ghandi, Mother Teresa and even DJ Run DMC. Trista tells readers she keeps a journal of her favorite quotes and when a new quote crosses  her path she jots it down in the book.
When Trista announced she was writing the book to her family and friends they embraced the idea and gave her tons of insight into thier reasons for gratitude and appreciation. One particularly touching annecdote tells of her friend who goes into her son's room each night at bedtime and counts thier blessings using the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling (one blessing to be said on each star).
Even after celebrity and fame, Trista has remained down to earth. She has the same hopes fears and desires as readers. She reminds readers to tell loved ones, "I appreciate you". She shares her beliefs on the universe offering us possibilities and destiny.
This is a wonderful book of advice and for getting to know Trista Sutter and ger family a little more. I would say definitely pick up a copy and send Trista a message telling her your #favpartofday on Twitter. Read the book and you will understand!

Mystery Michigan Student Spreads Message of Action

A high school in Canton, Michigan recently held a ceremony to induct some of its brightest students into the National Honor Society. One student (whose identity remains a mystery to us thus far) was chosen to represent his class by delivering a speech that turned out to be so touching, moving, and poignant that I've written this post to share the information with you. This speech was simple - not at all complicated in its message and yet it is so true that we have no choice but to accept its message and pay it forward. Spread the word!

This message was passed on by a father who attended the ceremony who called his sister in New York (who is my friend) who told me. Quite a game of telephone tag! However the POINT hasnt been lost in translation.

The message is:
Keeping up on your studies is important. Having a good academic record will help you along in life but more important is your involvement in other activities.  How do you stay involved in your community? Are you an active participant in your life and community?

We all have great ideas that we believe could change the world. We have ideas to help society or to help ourselves get rich or to help our friends become successful.  These great thoughts translate into the words that we speak. "I'm going to cure cancer" and "I'm going to make a million dollars" and "I'm going to make a difference" we say.

Once we get the idea and we say the words - we need to walk the walk. We need to show we are serious by the actions we take.  "I'm going to make a million dollars but first I need a good job that pays that type of money."

The actions we take are what builds our character. If we do nothing we've said we are going to do then we are bullshiters. If we do make that million dollars by working our way to the top then we are strong characters with great work ethic.

Our character is what will create our legacy.  Our character will be what we are known by to our children and grandchildren. "You got your great work ethic from your grandpa Fred" they will say.

To my friend that passed this speech along to me the message is "to be all that you can be". I agree. I think the message is that we should strive to be known by the good things we do. Our intellegence needs to be put to good use. Or even more so, our intellence needs to be used - it needs to be acted upon.

This mystery student in Michigan likely didn't realize his ideas would be pondered all the way here in New York. I hope he takes the wonderful words he used that day and acts upon them to create a character and legacy to fit a true visionary - which through the right actions he will surely become.

Christmas Tidings from London to Long Island

Annabella (my daughter who is pictured above) received a wonderful gift this Christmas from her godfather, Ian who lives all the way in London, England. 
It was on the night of Christmas Eve that we heard a knock at the door.  We rose from our seats at the kitchen table and went to see what was going on outside.  I opened the door and saw three brown packages, delivered by Fed Ex.  We peeled the tape on the largest box and revealed a royal blue bag with something inside. It was the pretty pink princess house pictured above!! A palace for modern day princesses!
I thought, who could this be from?  Low and behold it was a Christmas gift sent all the way from London, England to my daughter on Long Island.  Ian wanted to be sure that Annabella knew he was thinking of her on the first Christmas of his godfather-hood so he went on the computer and picked out a gift to send her.
We are so lucky to live in a time where we can stay in touch with the people we love over the holidays or at any time.  Whether through the computer or a letter or visiting these people by way of a jet plane - it is wonderful that we can stay so connected. 

Have Fun, Connect and the Rest will Come

Today I received some words of encouragement from one of my favorite authors, Jillian Lauren.  I'm truly beaming like a movie star at the Academy Awards over this correspondance. 
As an author, Jillian Lauren is very inspirational to me.  She has an amazing life story which she wrote into a best-selling memoir, Some Girls: My Life in a Harem.  She also authored a beautifully written fiction story, Pretty.
I have been following Jillian ever since Some Girls came out and last week I finally felt the need to tell her how amazing her story was and how she continues to be an inspiration to me.
In the e-mail I also told her a little bit about my story: having everything, losing everything, being a single mom, being an aspiring writer, being a former journalist, eating disorders, panic disorders and everything in between.  I also mentioned this blog seeking out some advice because Jillian also maintains a very popular blog about motherhood and life in general. 
Apparently she read my e-mail (all few thousand words - lol) and had some words of encouragement for me when she was done... 
In regard to my pipe dream (this blog) she told me to have fun, connect with people and the rest will just come.  I think this easy, free, real, raw statement is true for everything in life.  All we need to do is have fun, connect with the people we love and everything else in the world will come. 
Today I'm taking this statement as my mantra.  As long as I'm having a good time and making the connections I need to make, good things will happen. 
Thank you, Jillian!  You continue to inspire!