Bits and Pieces

With each new season I often find myself doing a bit of “housecleaning” both internally and externally – it’s a bit like yin and yang, there’s a little bit of one in the other. And as I was “cleaning” and clearing things out this month I kept coming across files with bits and pieces of inspiration, motivation, and self care that I have collected over the years and realized that they do no one any good sitting in a file. So, for this month’s Alaka’i News I thought I would share some that I have found especially relevant.

The Sunny Side 

“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.”  ~Anthony J. D’Angelo

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”  ~James Dent

Friendship is…

“A true friend laughs at your stories even when they’re not so good, and sympathizes with your troubles even when they’re not so bad.”  ~ Irish proverb

“A real friend helps us think our best thoughts, do our noblest deeds, and be our finest selves.”  ~ Unknown

The Beauty of Nature

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you…while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”  ~ John Muir

“Nature has been for me…a source of solace, inspiration, adventure, and delight; a home, a teacher, a companion.”  ~ Lorraine Anderson 

Hope

“Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer,, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”  ~John Lennon

“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.”  ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Success

“Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.”  ~ Dr. Joyce Brothers

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”  ~Booker T. Washington 

Confidence

“Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is!”  ~ Anne Frank

“Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.”  ~ Diane Sawyer

Kindness Counts

“The purpose of human life is to serve, to show compassion and the will to help others.”  ~Albert Schweitzer 

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Motivation

“…if the next generation is to face the future with zest and self-confidence, we must educate them to be original as well as competent.”  ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

“One must learn by doing the thing, for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try.”  ~ Aristotle 

Self Care

“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”  ~ Etty Hillesum

“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.”  ~ Anna Taylor

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Seasons & Directions

As we enter a new season we often feel a sense of expansion, and sometimes that can feel uncomfortable. New beginnings can be messy. But with each season is a signal that you’re not stuck. Here are a few reflections from Beyond the Horizon – A Guide for Life’s Journey to consider as we enter a new season.

“The Summer Solstice marks the beginning of this season, and in this direction, we come to know fullness and growth. It is a time of great energy, with the warmth of the sun, and our own energy, shown in compassion, generosity, and kindness, with a full and open heart….This is the season to soak up all the goodness that light brings to our world and then share it with others. To receive the gifts of the sun that come from nowhere else….I am also reminded each year to recognize that there are reasons for opening ourselves up to that extra light. Sunlight is essential for human health and well-being….What brings sunlight to your world? How can you share your light with others?”

I would love to hear from you.

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A New Season and Direction for Alaka’i Associates

I am excited to share that there are new and exciting changes happening for me with Alaka’i Associates. As you may have noticed, there have been some updates to the website and new offerings will be coming in the next few months as I begin some new collaborations. I invite you to explore all the Services and Resources and contact me with your comments or questions at lani_almanza@alakaiassociates.com 

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