I found this quote by bestselling author Anne Lamott about lighthouses and it really speaks to my heart. I have been journaling and reflecting on the meaning recently so I thought I would share it with all of you.

Establishing Yourself as a Life Blogger is about speaking from the heart, sharing your passion with others, and building community.

When people are looking for inspiration, instead of only going outward to others for answers, dig deep and look within. Write your posts as if you are speaking from your heart. Remember, people are coming to your blog to connect with you and hear your thoughts. Blogging is a conversation where you start talking and people respond.

Is there a common theme to the life lessons you are learning lately? I find that when I’m being taught something important, the message is usually repeated in different situations throughout my life. That way, I’ll pay attention – even if I don’t want to!

This happened recently at a personal development seminar where I was a participant.  We were asked to list personal obstacles in our life journeys. Like a reflex, I wrote down ‘COURAGE’ and circled it. Though I didn’t understand why this word mattered to me, I was soon to get inklings.

Participants were asked to discuss the meaning behind what they had written down with others close by.  We helped one another; I was shown that my ‘courage’ meant developing the strength to speak my story on a general level.

Aloha! I’m back. Hope you all had a great couple of weeks. I had a refreshing vacation in Maui.

If you want to get inspired, you should visit the Hawaiian Islands. They have changed my life; they may change yours. We all have places that empower us. The Hawaiian Islands do this for me.  Maui has a special place in my heart; it is where I originally came up with the idea for my blog. So, I thought I should use my holiday as a chance to reflect on my blog, past and present.

During a routine run around my local lake this past weekend, instead of bringing my headphones like I usually do, I decided to be silent in nature and reflect on my journey. On the west coast, we are lucky to have some of the biggest trees in the world. Trees teach me a lot and being in their presence reminds me to think outside myself. The trees around here have been growing for hundreds of years and keep reaching higher, despite obstacles.  They are a force to be reckoned with – I haven’t even touched on how deep their roots must be.  Check out this beautiful video I found called "Growing is Forever" that I thought would visually encapsulate what I feel when I am surrounded by these tall trees.

On December 31st, I always take time to reflect on the events of the past year and the lessons I have learned.  Through the ups and the downs, I have experienced so much this last year and I would love to share 12 important lessons with you. 2012 was an amazing year for me. Let me share with you my reasons why through the top 12 lessons:

This quote has been on my heart recently:

"Twenty  years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you  didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail  away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.  Dream. Discover."  — Mark Twain, American author

It has gotten me thinking of what I want to achieve with my life.  It is exciting to come up with ideas.

Today, Wade Wilson, is sharing with us his thoughts about perseverance.  Thanks Wade!  His message is really valuable and insightful.  I suggest you read it.  Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Self-Reflection is a wonderful but scary process. It is difficult to objectively look at our faults and acknowledge them, however being able to learn from past set-backs is necessary to achieve excellence. We can self-reflect on both positive and negative experiences to find strength to persevere.

I have many different responsibilities in my life, which occupy a lot of my time.  I'm usually GO GO GO ( i.e., constantly busy).  However, I need to be reminded that it is good and well-needed for everyone's mental and physical health to stop and relax sometimes. There has to be a balance.

Taking a break, being disconnected, and listening has inspired me and allowed me to generate a whole bunch of new ideas that I may not have thought of, if I wasn't forced to take a break.

So I am actually very happy that my computer decided not to charge.  I encourage you all to stop, relax, and listen more in your life.  It really pays off and is good for your health.