How We Met

Fun video - very creative!

Happy Thanksgiving and The Turkey Day Blue

I talked to my coach yesterday, and she asked me what my plans are for Thanksgiving. I said, "Well, my parents and in-laws are overseas, and my sister and cousins all seem to be too busy this year to get together. So, we (the four of us) are basically on our own this year."

Her response was, "Oh, I am SO envious of you! I'm going to my mom's for Thanksgiving tomorrow, and I'm SO not looking forward to it!"

Sounds like my coach has a serious case of Turkey Day Blue.

I guess we are lucky. My husband and I are so laid back this year. In fact, he suggested going to an all-you-can-eat Japanese seafood buffet for Thanksgiving dinner. We figured, none of us are huge fans of turkey. Honestly, I'm not interested in laboring for hours to cook something I'm not so crazy about, and the kids probably wouldn't miss it. Well, we were wrong. My son protested, when I mentioned that there won't be a turkey dinner this Thanksgiving. So, this was 9:30pm Monday night, 2 days before Thanksgiving, and DH and I were going online & calling up nearby grocery stores, trying to order a Thanksgiving dinner for four.

Of course, most of the places had either sold out their Thanksgiving dinners, or they required a big order like a party of 10 or more.

It's kind of funny, when you think about it. All I wanted was a very small turkey (so we won't be stuck, or I should say, stuffed, with turkey leftovers for weeks!) but my son wanted the mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and the whole 9 yards. Well, he is always the one in our family with the most "American stomach".

Did we find our turkey dinner? Yes, we finally found it on Tuesday, so yes, we will be having a traditional turkey dinner tonight, instead of Japanese sushi & seafood.

I'm very grateful for whatever dinner we have, and most of all, for my very beautiful, happy & healthy family who will be sitting at the dinner table together.

As for my poor coach (and anyone reading this) who's got the Turkey Day Blue, I send my sympathy and blessings.

I asked my coach this question, and if you also have the Turkey Day Blue, this would be a good question for you to ponder.

This is what I said to her: "Here is a coaching question for you: If your goal is to have more peace & joy and less stress, what would you commit to do differently this holiday season?"

P.S. If you can't answer that question, maybe you can benefit from my upcoming Teleclass "Joyful and Stress-less Holidays". Sign up here.

I wish you and your family
a very happy
(and hopefully relaxing)
Thanksgiving holiday!

THE Shortcut to Joy

© copyright 2007 Hueina Su, Beyond Horizon Coaching

The other day, I was presenting a workshop called "C.P.R. for a Balanced Life". One of the principles I shared was "Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional." This principle always seems to strike a chord in the audience, and they often ask "How can you not suffer when bad things happen?"


Happiness is a Choice

Do you believe that life is supposed to be joyful and happiness is a choice?

Some people believe that life is all about pain and suffering. Some even act like the more they suffer, and/or self-sacrifice (think martyr), they will be able to collect some kind of reward at the end of life. Since our thoughts & beliefs create our reality, if you buy into that kind of beliefs, I think the only reward you will get is a self-fulfilling prophecy of a life full of suffering.

Sure, it's much easier to be happy when your life is all wine and roses. However, as you must have experienced, most of the times, things don't necessarily go our way. Sometimes, bad things do happen to good people, including you and me. That's when your free will and choice come into play.

Do you choose to see the glass as half-full or half-empty?

Do you choose to play victim and drown in self-pity, or do you choose to take 100% responsibility and take charge to find solutions?

Can you choose to see the positive side in everything, and be at peace no matter what?

Sometimes we have no control over the circumstances or events that happen in our life. If we were to change how we feel, the only thing we could change is how we interpret and respond to the events. There is always more than one way of looking at things. It really depends on from which angle you look at it.

I believe that everything happens for a reason. We may or may not see it, or appreciate it, but whatever happens in our lives is meant to help us grow into who we are meant to be, or help us move forward on our journey. When you choose to take on this belief, it would be easier to accept and be at peace with whatever you perceive as negative circumstances that you cannot change.


Uncommon Blessings

Sometimes when you are going through a particularly challenging time of your life, it might not be so easy to find the blessings. Can you recall something from your past that you thought was THE worst thing that could happen to you, and yet years later you realized that was actually a blessing in disguise? We all have this type of experience. What does it tell you? If you believe in a Higher Power and a Master Plan, it would be a little easier for you to trust that everything will work out eventually for your best interest. So, instead of suffering through it, why not choose to believe that it's a blessing in disguise, and choose to find the positive and/or the lesson presented to you.

Years ago I came to US for graduate school. I was very excited about the opportunity to live in a new country and pursue a graduate degree. However, within the first month, I had to have an emergency surgery, and ended up having to withdraw from all classes for the entire semester. I was devastated. The doctor came to congratulate me when he was about to discharge me and noticed that I seemed depressed. He couldn't understand why, since the surgery was very successful and it probably saved my life. I told him that I was very disappointed that I had to withdraw from all classes and waste the whole semester. It seemed like such a huge disaster back then. However, years later when I look back, all I feel is gratitude. I'm so grateful for those friends who took me to the ER in the middle of the night, and everyone who took care of me after the surgery. I'm grateful for the skillful doctor who cured a painful condition that had plagued me for years. I'm also grateful for those 3 months I got to spend in recovery. It took me a long time to realize that, that was the only 3 months in my adult life that I did not have a job, or school, or family. Hey, I didn't even have a boyfriend. I didn't have to take care of anything, or anyone. The only task I had in those 3 months was to focus on healing myself, and doing whatever I enjoyed doing. Coming out of a demanding nursing job and a challenging relationship, that was just the break I needed, before jumping into a new chapter in my life. It was, indeed, a blessing in disguise.


THE Shortcut to Joy

If all else fails, and you can't get out of a foul mood, I highly recommend that you take THE shortcut to joy -- count your blessings. I'm sure it's not difficult to find plenty of people and things that you are grateful for in your life. Bring them into your mind's eyes, and say thank-you silently to each one of them. Better yet, call or write to some of the people you are grateful for, and let them know how much you appreciate them. Trust me, you will feel better almost instantly.

So, here's my "Rx for Joy" for you: Count your blessings. Stat. Repeat as necessary.

"Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."
-- Charles Dickens

"The Balancing Act": my radio interview

I was interviewed on the radio show "Protect Your American Dream" on November 13, 2007. The topic was "The Balancing Act". This radio show is mostly about financial issues, however, Jaynee Sasso, the host, invited me because she has seen the negative impact of poor time management in work-life balance, as well as in financial success.

As a professional life & business coach, I help my clients prioritize and re-design their lives, to create more work-life balance, reduce stress, improve self-care, achieve personal & career goals, and live the life they truly desire. These days, work-life balance seems to have become an impossible dream for most people. We all wear multiple hats, which comes with multitudes of responsibilities and obligations. Combining that with the need to please (or the inability to say NO) and poor time management skills, and you easily get side-tracked from your priorities and long-term goals, not to mention the possibility of burnout, depression, or even dis-ease.

So, what can you do to effectively manage your time so that you can achieve your goals, take care of your priorities, nurture yourself and avoid burnout? How do you prioritize your tasks? How do you avoid "busy-ness" and improve productivity? How do you say NO so that you can free up time for yourself and what's important for you? In this radio interview I offered many practical tips and strategies that you can apply to your life.

Click here to listen to the interview recording. Visit my website for more information about my coaching programs and FREE Teleclass series. While you are there, don't forget to sign up to download your FREE Intensive Self-Care Kit.

Life Lessons: The Girl with 4 Boyfriends

A good friend of mine sent this story to me. It provides a fresh perspective on what truly matters.
=============================


Once upon a time there was this girl who had four boyfriends.

She loved the 4th boyfriend the most and adored him with rich robes and treated him to the finest of delicacies. She gave him nothing but the best.

She also loved the 3rd boyfriend very much and was always showing him off to neighboring kingdoms. However, she feared that one day he would leave her for another.

She also loved her 2nd boyfriend. He was her confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with her.

Whenever this girl faced a problem, she could confide in him, and he would help her get through the difficult times.

The girls 1st boyfriend was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining her wealth and kingdom. However, she did not love the first boyfriend. Although he loved her deeply, she hardly took notice of him.

One day, the girl fell ill and she knew her time was short. She thought of her luxurious life and wondered, 'I now have four boyfriends with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone'.

Thus, she asked the 4th boyfriend, 'I loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'No way!', replied the 4th boyfriend, and he walked away without another word.

His answer cut like a sharp knife right into her heart.

The sad girl then asked the 3rd boyfriend,'I loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'No!', replied the 3rd boyfriend. 'Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to marry someone else!'

Her heart sank and turned cold.

She then asked the 2nd boyfriend, 'I have always turned to you for help and
you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?'

'I'm sorry , I can't help you out this time!', replied the 2nd boyfriend. 'At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave.'

His answer struck her like a bolt of lightning, and the girl was devastated.

Then a voice called out: 'I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.'

The girl looked up, and there was her first boyfriend. He was very skinny as
he suffered from malnutrition and neglect.

Greatly grieved, the girl said, 'I should have taken much better care of you when
I had the chance!'

In truth, you have 4 boyfriends in your lives:

Your 4th boyfriend is your body. No matter how much time and effort you lavish in making it look good, it will leave you when you die.

Your 3rd boyfriend is your possessions, status and wealth. When you die, it will all go to others.

Your 2nd boyfriend is your family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for you, the furthest they can stay by you is up to the grave.

And your 1st boyfriend is your Soul. Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world.

However, your Soul is the only thing that will follow you where ever you go.

Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of you that will follow you to the throne of Heaven and continue with you throughout Eternity.

"Being happy doesn't mean every thing's perfect.
It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections."

William Tell Overture for Moms

If you are a mom, you've got to watch this!!!

Several of my mom friends sent this to me. OMG, I laughed, and laughed, until tears came out!!! Hey, some say a good belly laugh equals crunches. This definitely counts -- all 2 minutes and 55 seconds of it! LOL!



Your Action Challenge: After you're done laughing, pass it on!

I'm Back!

Sorry I've been MIA from this blog for sooooo long. I still write regularly on my other blog Intensive Care for the Nurturer's Soul, though. If you have not read it, you should check it out!

I thought nobody was really reading this blog any more, but something happened last weekend that made me re-consider. As soon I walked into my Tai Chi Sword class last weekend, a guy I've never met before immediately shouted out: "Hey, you're the lady with the Echoes of Cold Moon blog!!!" I'm NOT kidding.

I was a little shocked how he even recognized me. He told me he was looking for a Tai Chi class and found my blog because of my Wudang Tai Chi Sword post. Wow, you never know.

Also, just the other day, someone left a new comment on my last post written back in May. When I went to find his blog, it was a diary of his recent trip to China, complete with great photos.

Guess I'm getting a gentle nudge from the Universe to come back to write on this blog. So, I'm back!

In Praise of Green Beans

Tonight's dinner was rice, rotisserie chicken and sauteed green beans. LK and CB love the chicken, but turned their noses up about green beans. That's not a surprise -- in my 10+ years as a mom, I haven't personally met many kids who love green beans or green peas, or any green veggies, for that matter.

In order to get them to try different vegetables and to make vegetables a regular part of their diet, I've set a rule since they were little. My rule is, they have to finish whatever vegetables I serve at dinner time (I mean the portion I put on their plate). It's OK if they don't finish their rice/noodles or protein (usually chicken or fish, which they love anyway), but they have to finish their veggies.

They both know that's my rule, and there's no way around it.

So, they'd complain (or whine) from time to time, but they do finish their veggies, and even learn to love some of them. For example, LK and CB love corns, carrots, snow peas, cabbages, Chinese bean sprouts, celery, cucumber, and spinach. They just don't like green beans and green peas. And broccoli is something they love sometimes and hate sometimes, depending on their moods.

Anyway, we had green beans tonight, and, not surprisingly, they both groaned when they saw that on the dinner table. Their mood was quickly lifted by the golden-brown honey rotisserie chicken, and they started to joke about how yucky green beans are. The other day, I shared with them that someone who lives in Indonesia sent me a special acrostic made from my name. That must have made an impression on them. Before I knew it, LK started writing an acrostic of beans on a sticky note, right at the dinner table.

This is what LK wrote:

Boring
Ew!!!
Atrocious
Never will eat
Salty

She even took out a dictionary to look up "atrocious", just to make sure she got the right word she was looking for. Then she read it out loud for us:

"Atrocious, adjective, very bad, outrageously cruel".

"Yup, that's the word", LK said, satisfied with her choice of word.

How can innocent little green beans be "outrageously cruel"? Beats me!

Now, CB always loves to follow his big sister's footprints. Of course, he'd have to write an acrostic too! So this is what CB came up with:

Black souls
Ewwww!
Astonishingly gross
Never'll eat, ever
Sardine-like taste

We were all cracking up!!! LK exclaimed, "You don't even know what sardines taste like!!!"

CB shouted back, "I imagine they would taste as gross as green beans!"

We laughed until tears came out!

"OK, guys, now it's time to finish your green beans!!!" I hate to break up a party, but we had to finish dinner and move on to other tasks before bedtime.

Much to my delight, this time, the kids finished their green beans without further complaints. :-)

3 Men Who Walked on Water

Do you really know your theology?

3 MEN IN HISTORY WALKED ON WATER

The 1st one was Christ ...

The 2nd one was the apostle, Peter ...

Then there was this guy, Jose ...




Need I say more? :-)

Journey into Love

Happy Mother's Day!!!

As I woke up to this beautiful sunny day this morning, having just returned from a whole day of empowering experience at the Morristown Women's Festival yesterday, I felt totally at peace and joyful. I felt loved. And, above all, I felt grateful.

It's been an absolutely amazing journey for me as a mother. My daughter is 11 and my son is 9 this year. I feel blessed to have my Mom and sisters (pictured, I was 3 months pregnant with my daughter in that picture), and so many wonderful girlfriends with me on this journey.

Just as we are growing our children, our children are growing us! I've learned so much about myself, and grown so much as a woman.

I hope you celebrate today, knowing that you are the perfect mom for your child(ren).

I hope you enjoy this day, knowing that no matter where you are on your life's journey, you are on the right path to become the woman you are meant to be.

I hope you trust and surrender to your Self, and relax into it.

I hope you let your Inner Goddess come out and play, even just for a day!

I hope you savor today, knowing that you are loved.

You hold within you the love you are seeking.

You are LOVE.

Written by Hueina Su on Mother's Day, May 13, 2007

Carnival of Family Life 1-Year Anniversity Edition

The Carnival of Family Life is celebrating its 1-year Anniversary at its founder Kailani's blog An Island Life this week. There are a whopping 61 submissions this week!

I have participated in a lot of blog carnivals, and I can honestly say that the Carnival of Family Life is one of those that consistently host high-quality articles. I'm very happy to be part of this 1-Year Anniversary edition this week. Make sure you go over there to check out those wonderful (and some downright hilarious) articles at the Carnival of Family Life this week!

Pennies in the Shoes

It's such a beautiful day today. Sunny, warm, white fluffy clouds. So even though I felt a little sleepy from staying up till 2:30am this morning making my new business cards & brochures, I urged "the crew" to move outdoors instead of sitting in front of the TV. Don't want to waste a gorgeous day like today.

We decided to go to Hedden Park, one of our favorite local parks with a lake (with peddle boats in the summer), nice playground, soccer field, large pavilion for BBQ & parties, trails, and lots of grass to roam around. Our favorite part of that park, however, is the small creek hidden in the woods behind the playground. I love walking along the creek. No matter which season we go there, it's always beautiful and makes me want to slow down & just enjoy the moment.

However, that's not why my family loves that creek.

There is a trail along the creek, but, we prefer to walk on the rocks in the creek. DH, LK and CB LOVE to walk across the creek on those rocks, zig-zagging their way all the way to the little waterfall at the end of the trail. I join them sometimes, trying to capture the Kodak moments with my camera. It's fun & exciting when you can find the right rocks to step on to go across the creek. The water is very shallow (less than knee height), so there's no worry of drowning. Although, you do have to watch your footing, because some of the rocks could be very slippery.

We've been there for many times over the years, and nobody ever fell in the water before. Occasionally, one of the kids stepped into the water by accident. DH slipped & scrapped his knee one time, because he was trying to show off. Being the cautious one, I haven't had any accident (knock on wood) by that creek.

Today, we started off with high spirit. It's our first outing of the season. The weather had been so erratic the whole winter & spring here in NJ. I am really ready for some real spring weather. Something like today's weather. Just perfect. I'm amazed & very grateful that my asthma and allergy haven't been bothering me that much, compared to what happened last spring. I'm a little stuffy & can't smell anything, but, I'm not on any medication. Wow, I guess acupuncture really helps.

Anyway, we started out by the lake, watching the ducks, geese, and white fluffy clouds. Then the kids said they wanted to "warm up" at the playground. They were gearing up for the hike by the creek. After a few rounds of monkey bars and slides (don't ask me why these have anything to do with "warming up" for hiking or walking across the creek), the kids were ready for the challenge.

The kids were very excited for their first hike by the creek, and I think DH was a little too excited. He wanted to dive right in, and took on the very first possible pass across the creek. CB followed his daddy right away, and LK was right behind him. I looked at the set of rocks DH picked out. They are mostly big enough and dry. However, there was a big gap between two rocks that I didn't think the kids could walk across. I quickly voiced my opinion, trying to stop them. The kids were already in the middle of the creek, and, just as I predicted, CB couldn't get across "the gap" even when DH tried to reach out to him to pull him over. OK, gotta turn back. CB and LK turned around and walked back toward me. LK took a wrong step, and stepped into the water with her right foot.

"OK, that didn't go so well", she said, stopping to take off her sneaker & let the water out.

She shrugged it off, and kept going. I told DH to pick a better pass next time.

A moment later, we came to the next possible pass. These rocks were smaller, and some of them were wet. The water was running fast. I was a little concerned, but DH charged ahead, and the kids did not hesitate to follow him. CB was right in front of me, trying to step across a wet rock to DH. He took another step forward, trying to reach for DH's hand, when all of a sudden he slipped and stepped right into the water. When he tried to step back onto the rock, he slipped again and this time he fell right into the creek. It happened so fast -- I was trying to grab him, but he slipped again and fell further away from me. Well, it was only a few feet away from me, but I couldn't reach him in all my panic. DH was on another big rock and couldn't reach his hand either. Luckily, the water was very shallow. CB reacted very quickly and after a few tries climbed back onto a rock.

He didn't cry or anything. He joked that "This is why I wanted a stick (to walk with)!!" I was amazed that he was so calm. I, on the other hand, was a little shocked. Of course, you always think about the worst case scenario afterwards. Things could have been MUCH worse. But, of course, I didn't want to show that worry in front of the kids.

CB was totally soaked and cold. So, that was the end of our adventure for today. Enough excitement for a day, if you ask me. We wrapped CB in two beach towels and drove home. Despite of what happened, both kids were in a good mood on our way home. I was just so grateful that we are all safe and sound.

When we got home, CB took off his sneakers and LK noticed the pennies in CB's sneakers. For some reason, CB started putting one penny in each of his sneakers recently, saying the pennies seemed to bring him good luck. LK said, "Well, your pennies didn't work this time, did they?" CB said, the pennies only work on "smaller" luck. But, I said, "Oh, I think they did. Things could have been worse, you know."

Yes, I do believe that CB's lucky pennies worked. He is safe, and that's what matters.

Unhealthy Competition?

NEVER HEARD CREATION EXPLAINED THIS WAY BEFORE! FUNNY!

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?"

And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds And Satan smiled.

And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.

So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, b uttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."

God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center in to chi ps and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald'sand its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

Then Satan created HMOs.... (and you can guess what happened to Man)

An Poem That Gives You Goosebumps

I received this awesome poem from a friend, and I'd like to share with you. I got goosebumps reading it..... Get your Kleenex ready before you read this.


A drunk man in an Oldsmobile
They said had run the light
That caused the six-car pileup
On 109 that night.

When broken bodies lay about
And blood was everywhere,
The sirens screamed out eulogies,
For death was in the air.

A mother, trapped inside her car,
Was heard above the noise;
Her plaintive plea near split the air:
"Oh, God, please spare my boys!"
She fought to loose her pinned hands;
She struggled to get free,
But mangled metal held her fast
In grim captivity.
Her frightened eyes then focused
On where the back seat once had been,
But all she saw was broken glass and
Two children's seats crushed in.
Her twins were nowhere to be seen;
She did not hear them cry,
And then she prayed they'd been thrown free,
"Oh, God, don't let them die! "

Then firemen came and cut her loose,
But when they searched the back,
They found therein no little boys,
But the seat belts were intact.
They thought the woman had gone mad
And was traveling alone.
But when they turned to question her,
They discovered she was gone.

Policemen saw her running wild
And screaming above the noise
"In beseeching supplication, Please help me find my boys!
They're four years old and wear blue shirts;
Their jeans are blue to match."

One cop spoke up, "They're in my car,
And they don't have a scratch.
They said their daddy put them there,
And gave them each a cone,
Then told them both to wait for Mom
To come and take them home.
I've searched the area high and low,
But I can't find their dad.
He must have fled the scene,
I guess, and that is very bad."

The mother hugged the twins and said,
While wiping at a tear,
"He could not flee the scene, you see,
For he's been dead a year."

The cop just looked confused and asked,
"Now, how can that be true? "

The boys said, "Mommy, Daddy came
And left a kiss for you.
He told us not to worry
And that you would be all right,
And then he put us in this car with
The pretty, flashing light.
We wanted him to stay with us,
Because we miss him so,
But Mommy, he just hugged us tight
And said he had to go.
He said someday we'd understand
And told us not to fuss,
And he said to tell you, Mommy,
He's watching over us."

The mother knew without a doubt
That what they spoke was true,
For she recalled their dad's last words,
"I will watch over you."

The fireman's notes could not explain
The twisted, mangled car,
And how the three of them escaped
Without a single scar.
But on the cop's report was scribed,
In print so very fine,
An angel walked the beat tonight on Highway 109.

My Little Thomas the Tank Engine

I came across this post on Reflections of Time today, in which a father talks about his 3 1/2 years old son's love for Thomas the Tank Engine. Ah, this brought back so many sweet memories!

My son CB used to be a HUGE fan of Thomas the Tank Engine when he was little. I bought him his first Thomas when he was about 1 year old, and he fell madly in love with Thomas at first sight! He would carry his little Thomas the Tank Engine wherever he went. He often quietly played with & stared at Thomas while lying on his tummy on the floor, until he fell asleep. Back then he couldn't tell me what's on his mind, but I often imagined he must be talking to Thomas in his mind and making up all sorts of adventures he and Thomas' friends could go on together.

His collection of Thomas & friends quickly grew, as his passion for Thomas and all trains grew with him. He's got so many engines, train tracks, videos, books, outfits, and of course, he had to be Thomas the Tank Engine for Halloween -- 3 years in a row! He could name ALL 100+ engines in the Thomas the Tank Engine series, and their different personalities. He had a big 24-piece floor puzzle of Thomas, and he could put together that puzzle upside down! We took him to ride the Thomas the Tank Engine (a full-size steam locomotive) at the Strasburg Railroad, TWICE in 3 years. That's how much we loved Thomas!

When he was about 2 1/2 years old, we went to my daughter's first piano recital (she was 5). LK did a great job playing her very first recital piece. When she was done, the MC gave her a little trophy that every kid who played in the recital got. LK excitedly ran back to me and DH to show us her trophy. What we did not expect was that CB walked straight up to the piano, while I was busy taking a picture of LK with her first trophy. The audience started giggling when CB walked right to the MC, handed the MC the Thomas the Tank Engine that he was holding, and proceeded to climb up the piano bench as if he was going to give a recital. The MC happened to be LK's piano teacher who, amused by CB's impromptu performance, turned to the audience and said, "I know he is not in the program, but, do you mind?" The audience burst into laughter and applauded for CB. So, in front of the full auditorium, CB performed his "Impromptu Op no. 1", which was about 10 seconds long, I think. The audience was cheering for him when he finished.

I had a picture of his very first (although informal) piano recital. He was so little sitting at the concert grand piano. Last winter (he was almost 9) when he was complaining about piano practice and saying he didn't like recitals, I told him about his very first piano recital. Of course, he didn't remember at all. His eyes drew very wide, as if I was telling some kind of fantasy adventure story.

Like all parents who wish their babies would never grow up, I thought CB's love affair with Thomas the Tank Engine would last forever. I knew that was my wishful thinking, but I didn't want to face the reality. He was still playing with Thomas when he was in second grade. Then, out of the blue, one day he told me, "Mom, I think I'm too old for Thomas".

"What? Too old for Thomas?!! But, but, you love Thomas soooo much!!!" I was in shock!

CB calmed explained to me that he liked Bionicles better now, and that I could give away ALL of his Thomas trains.

I couldn't believe my ears! My baby Thomas was all grown up!

I asked DH to put away all Thomas trains in the attic, and told CB that he could ask us to take them out when he wanted to play with them again. He never did. He has moved on to Bionicles, and he never looked back.

We finally decided to sell CB's train table last winter, because it's just sitting there taking up precious space in his little room. On a cold, rainy night, a young couple with a baby boy just over one year old came to look at the train table and bought it. I told them how much CB enjoyed that train table playing his Thomas & friends, and that their son will enjoy the train table for years to come. When they left with the train table, I felt like a part of me left with it.

It was the end of an era, a very important chapter of CB's life (and mine too). Somehow, I was the only one feeling sad....

James Ray Teleclass on April 5th

FYI: This sounds like a great Teleclass. I've just signed myself up.

James Ray, as you know, is one of the teachers from The Secret.

This Teleclass is tomorrow night, April 5th, so make sure you check it out today!

========================================
Program Your Mind for Certain Success

If your mind is holding you back from the success you've always suspected was just beyond your grasp...

If your mind is the reason you are held back in a job working for someone you don't like making far less than you are worth...

If your mind is keeping you from experiencing the harmony and peace you know heart desires- and deserves…

If you are ready to make a major financial change in your own life, may I introduce you to something I feel will create a profound difference in your life?

James Ray is a leading expert on the psychology, the science of success and coaching for success. He has devoted his life to helping ordinary people lead extraordinary lives.

And now it's your turn to experience this quantum leap forward as you have the opportunity to hear James Ray discuss his Success Certain Coaching Program on a special preview call.

Now, you will find all of the detail you need for this special limited space call by clicking on the link below. Make sure to read it all - and note the special bonus you'll receive just by being one the first participants to enroll. They're actually paying you to be on the call with the bonus item!!

<< -- Click this link for details now -- >>

Enjoy The Call!

Carnival of Healing is Today's Featured Carnival at BlogCarnival.com

I just found out that Carnival of Healing is Today's Featured Carnival at the Blog Carnival today!

More excitingly, they are featuring THE edition (Carnival of Healing #78: Blossom into More) I hosted on March 24 on my other blog.

Carnival of Healing is a weekly collection of articles about health & healing, personal development and spirituality. There are some really good articles in the edition I hosted. Check them out!




When you click on the Carnival of Healing link it takes you right to my post. This is soooo cool. Considering that there are 9190 editions of 1375 Carnivals listed on the Blog Carnival website and 167 new Carnivals in the past 30 days alone, it's a very rare opportunity to be the Featured Carnival.

Go check it out TODAY!!! They feature one carnival every day, so if you miss it today, you won't see it!!!

Carnival of Family Life at Play Library

The Carnival of Family Life #48 is at Play Library this week. After being absent from this Carnival for a looooong time, I finally submitted a post this time. There are a whopping 50 articles this week, so go & check them out!

How Super Hubby Saved My Birthday

A week before my birthday, I was making a new vision board for myself. You know how it is when your birthday is approaching. It seems like a perfect time to re-affirm my vision and goals. After watching The Secret, I was inspired to put on my vision board an One Million Dollars bill (transformed from a regular one dollar bill, just like Jack Canfield did in The Secret).

At around the same time, Red Lobster had their Lobsterfest commercial on TV again. I don't know about you, but I LOOOOOOVE lobsters! Actually, I love all seafood, but lobsters, crabs and sushi are my top 3 all-time favorites. Unfortunately, I found out last year that I had a little asthma and allergies, so I'm not supposed to eat too much shellfish. :-( That's a different story. Anyway, because of the TV commercial, I started to crave lobsters really bad. So I hinted to dear hubby that I'd love to have a lobster dinner for my birthday.

Being the engineer that he is, DH took my hint literally and firmly believed that I wanted to go to Red Lobster for my birthday. That's easy enough, because there is one about 20 minutes from our house. On the other hand, the tricky part is, they don't take reservations on weekends. We've been to that restaurant before, and knew how popular that place is. If you go there at dinner time, you could easily have to wait for more than an hour to get a table.

I was very busy with work that whole week leading to my birthday, which happened to fall on the weekend, so I totally forgot about the Red Lobster commercial, and didn't suspect that DH was planning to take us there. I mean, Red Lobster is a nice normal-weekend restaurant, but I was hoping for a more upscale, romantic place for my birthday dinner. You know what I mean? But, of course, I didn't want to tell him directly that I wanted to go somewhere nicer -- a place that at least takes dinner reservations. That's my mistake -- not asking for what I really want. On the other hand, come to think of it, he was planning to bring our kids along the whole time, how romantic can it be? LOL!

So, on the day before my birthday (my birthday was on Sunday, don't ask me why DH decided to have my birthday dinner on the day before, not on my actual birthday), DH rushed all of us to Red Lobster before 5pm, hoping we could beat the dinner crowd. When we walked into the door, my heart sank. The lobby was jam-packed and there was a LONG line. We were told that we'd have to wait ONE HOUR for our table. I turned and walked out. No way am I going to wait for an hour for my birthday dinner!!!

"OK, what's your Plan B? Where should we go now?" I asked DH.

He just stared at me with a blank look. Then he said hesitantly, "Um, I don't know what other restaurants are around here".

Oh no. Oh no no no no no. He didn't have a Plan B?!!!!!

I said, "How about Legal Seafood? I'm sure they have very nice seafood and lobsters there."

DH protested, "But that's not around here." (OK, it's about 20 or 30 minutes away, but, hey, so much better food over there!)

After much hesitation, DH finally said, "How about Outback?" (OK, another normal-weekend restaurant)

"Fine. Whatever." (you know what those words mean, when spoken by a woman)

By that time, I was fuming, partially because I was getting too hungry.

So, we loaded everyone back in the minivan and drove across a couple towns (in the opposite direction) to go to Outback. I decided to take the matters into my own hands. I couldn't risk driving all the way over there, and found out they were closed or we couldn't get in, etc. My blood sugar was getting too low, and I started to have a bad headache. So I called 411 and then the restaurant, to make sure they have lobsters on the menu, and to make a reservation for us. After that, I was too upset to talk. I pulled out my iPod and listened to some meditation music, trying to calm down.

When we got to the restaurant, there was another LONG line. Luckily, because I called ahead, our wait was a lot shorter. But, still, we had to wait another 25 minutes. So, an hour and a half after we left home, dinner was still nowhere to be found.....

While we were waiting, DH gave me a small gift bag. I could see a birthday card and something wrapped in tissue paper. I was so mad at him that I wasn't even curious what he's got for me. It wasn't until the middle of the dinner, when I was no longer hungry, that I started to lighten up and enjoy the dinner & my family. I thought, LK and CB were behaving exceptionally well. Usually they'd have whined terribly if they had to wait a long time for dinner. But this time they were waiting quite patiently (the small piece of extra dark chocolate I gave to CB also helped). They seemed very excited about the birthday gift DH got for me. It's like their big secret with their daddy. I finally started to feel curious about the gift.

I thought, it's probably some jewelry, or clothes, or bath products, or spa gift certificate. You know, the usual.

DH wasn't THAT creative in gift-giving. In fact, I sometimes cringe at his choice of jewelry and stuff.

Never in a million years did I expect the gift that DH gave me. I should've given him more credit.

When I pulled out the gift from the gift bag, I was speechless.

DH had ordered for me a tempered glass plaque-like trophy with the engraving "Million Dollar Life Coach". It is so beautiful. I couldn't believe he thought of that idea!!!

He said he got the inspiration when he saw the One Million Dollars bill on my vision board. he obviously knew how much coaching means to me, and my desire to empower other women through coaching and writing. I wanted to have the money so I could have more power to help more people and give back to the world.

It is a rare gift when someone upholds your vision for you, and truly believe in you. I was moved to tears.

For the rest of the night, I couldn't stop smiling.

I put my trophy on top of my dresser. I also put a photo of it on the vision board in my office, so I can see it every single day.

So, this is how Super Hubby saved my birthday. Quite a great save, wouldn't you agree? :)

Oprah Meets Jerry, Esther and Abraham!

Oprah will be talking to Abraham and Jerry & Esther Hicks on XM Radio. Tune in to "Talk to Me" on XM Satellite Radio's "Oprah & Friends" channel (XM 156) on March 29th, April 5th and April 9th. Visit Abraham-Hicks website for detailed show schedules. Or visit www.oprah.com/xm or www.xmradio.com/oprah.

If you don't have an XM Radio subscription, you can sign up for a free on-line trial at this link.

Carnival of Healing #78: Blossom into More

This week I am hosting Carnival of Healing #78: Blossom into More on my other blog Intensive Care for the Nurturer's Soul.

Carnival of Healing is a weekly round-up of personal Web sites and blogs on the topics of holistic health, wellness, spirituality, and self empowerment. In honor of the first day of Spring (March 21) and my upcoming birthday, I decided to choose a spring-like title for this edition of the Carnival of Healing.

Spring, to me, signifies renewal, growth and hope. There is also a tremendous sense of empowerment to observe how the entire planet and its creatures "come back to life", so to speak, after a brutal winter. Even the tiniest of seed holds the power and potential within to sprout and grow into something spectacular. As human beings, we have more options and choices than plants and most animals in the nature. We ought to celebrate and harness the power within us, to heal ourselves and make this world a better place. I'd like to share with you a quote I came across the other day.

"You are built not to shrink down to less
but to blossom into more."
-- Oprah Winfrey

I hope you allow your self and your life to grow into full bloom.

Go over to my other blog now to read all the fantastic articles we have this week!

Take Time for Friendships

© Copyright 2007 Hueina Su, Beyond Horizon Coaching

I remember reading a story about a mom telling her soon-to-be-married daughter to never let go of her girlfriends. At first the daughter thought she wouldn't need her girlfriends any more, since she was going to become a wife, and have her own family very soon. She did, however, heed her mom's advice. She kept in touch with her girlfriends over the years, and as she grew older (and wiser), she became more and more appreciative of her mom's advice and her girlfriends.

I, for one, can totally relate to that story.

My own mother, who loves me dearly, gave me a very different advice, though, before I became a mom myself. She told me, "Be prepared to sacrifice at least 10 years of your life for this baby". Yes, sacrifice. That's the exact word she used. I looked at her and nodded, like a good girl I've always been, but, the "rebelling" part of me was like "Sacrifice? 10 years? No way! What about me? What about my life???"

I know that "self-sacrifice" is a virtue in my culture (I wrote an article about this before), and my parents totally subscribe to that value. My mother basically cut off her ties with all her friends when she got married, partially because she thought that was "the right thing" to do, and partially because she was too busy helping my father's practice and raising the three of us. She took pride in being a "good mother" (she is a great mother, in fact), but, even as a young child, I could see her lonliness. There's a void in her heart that even her picture-perfect family couldn't fill.

So, on that day when my mother offered her motherly advice, I nodded in appreciation for her love, but knew that that's one advice I would not take. I knew deep in my heart of hearts that, I will love my children like no one else will love them, but, there's some part of me and my life I will not "sacrifice". My friendship with my friends is one of those things.

Over the years, I've made many dear friends, in school, at work, and through my children's friends. Some of my oldest friends have gone through the same life transitions as I did: college, graduate school, career, marriage, kids, 2nd career, etc. We've been through a lot together and separately. The guys who used to play tennis with me till sundown every weekend, are now playing a bigger game in the business world. The girls who used to play dress up with dreamy eyes, have since put on career suits or are busy dressing up their lovely kids. We used to travel to scenic spots and pose for each other's photographic "masterpiece"; now most pictures we take are about our own kids (most of my friends even leave themselves out of the holiday photo greeting cards).

We don't always keep in touch very often (you know how busy motherhood/fatherhood can be), and some of us don't even live on the same continent any more, but we've somehow managed to still keep each other "around" in our lives. You know the kind of friends who you can pick up the phone to talk to, after not hearing from each other for years, and still feel like you've never been apart? I was overjoyed when one of my best friends in high school got in touch with me (thank goodness for Internet), after we'd lost touch for more than 10 years!! It was such a precious gift to have her back in my life. We've got a lot of catching up to do, needless to say.

Last month, I was invited to speak at a local MOMS Club. This brought back SO many memories! There was a time when my husband and I moved a lot due to his job. We'd lived in 4 different states in 6 calendar years. When we made the move from Maryland to Delaware, I had to give up my career as a counselor, and we both made the decision that I would stay home for a while to take care of our 8-month old baby girl. When we moved, we only knew one couple in the state of Delaware, who lived half an hour away from us. I was totally unprepared for the transition from full-time working mom to full-time stay-at-home mom with my first baby, in a new city where we knew nobody, and our families hundreds of miles away. I missed my own office, my lunch break, my colleagues & friends, my paycheck, but most of all, my freedom. I was lonely and exhausted. Then one day I saw a flyer in the grocery store about MOMS Club, and that changed my life. I was so fortunate to have found a small group of moms with similar education & background (we were all professional women who decided to stay home for our first baby), and our babies were only a month or two apart. The weekly playgroup and the friendship I formed with these moms became my life-savor. We all went on to have our second (some of us had the third) child, and although most of us moved away after a couple years, most of us kept in touch and remained good friends till today (my daughter is 11 years old this year).

It's a rare gift in life to have good friends like that. I'm very blessed and grateful to have many in my life. How about you? Do you have friends you can lean on? Do you stay in touch with your dearest friends? Do you have some long lost friends that you would like to re-connect? Or, would you like to make some new friends who share your life experiences, passion or values? What are you waiting for? Life is too short.

"We will meet again my friend,
A hundred years from today
Far away from where we lived
And where we used to play.
We will know each others' eyes
And wonder where we met
Your laugh will sound familiar
Your heart, I won't forget.
We will meet,
I'm sure of this,
But let's not wait till then...
Let's take a walk beneath the stars
And share this world again."
-- Ron Atchison

Don't wait any longer. We're all extremely busy. When do you think you will actually have "free time" to connect with your friends? You've got to "make time" for friendships -- nurture the old ones and cultivate the new ones.

When you think of a friend, pick up the phone or drop him/her a quick note. It doesn't have to be elaborate, either. While a handmade card will be treasured for a long time, a quick email to say "hello, I miss you" would be appreciated as well.

Make a point to make a coffee or lunch date with your good friends. I usually try to have at least one of these dates a month. Just seeing them on my calendar makes me so happy. Occasionally I go out for a Girls Night Out. Since my kids were very little, they knew that Mommy needed her "playdate" just as much as they needed theirs. I always come home energized and happier, and the good mood could last for days or even weeks.

If you've ever gone out with your girlfriends, I'm sure your husband noticed the difference when you came home. That's a good reason to convince him that you should take turns to go out with your own friends, on a somewhat regular basis. It's good for your mental well-being as well as your relationship at home. If you don't have a partner to watch your kids, try to hire a sitter or team up with another mom, so you can spend some quality time with your friends sans your kids. Even though you and your friends might still spend your time talking about your kids, spending time with your friends alone will definitely lift your spirit.

It takes efforts to maintain friendships, of course. It's not always easy, especially when you've got a full plate already, but the investment in friendship is well worth it in the long run.

Be the one to reach out to your friends. Make a small (or grand) gesture to show that you are thinking of them today. Both you and your friends will thank you for that.

Happy Chinese New Year 2007

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Wishing you and your family
a very happy, healthy and abundant

Year of the Pig!

Celebrating YOU: The Leading Lady of Your Show

© Copyright 2007 Hueina Su, Beyond Horizon Coaching

Most people think about Valentine's Day, when they think about the month of February. It's important to celebrate your loved ones, and love in general. However, while you are busy planning a special evening with your special someone, I would like to remind you to celebrate YOU -- the most important (but often neglected) person in YOUR life.

Whenever I asked the question "Who is the most important person in your life?" My clients and workshop participants always answered "my husband/wife, my kids, my parents", etc.

NOT ONCE has someone answered "Me" or "Myself".

NOT ONCE.

I often joked that "If your answer is anyone but yourself, then you need to come see me ASAP!"

Think about it: What would your life be without YOU?

What would your loved ones' life be, without a healthy, happy and vibrant YOU?

When my clients said to me "But the show must go on", I asked "Whose show are you talking about?" I told them, "You may not realize this, but YOU are the Leading Lady of your show, the show that's Your Life".

Every single one of us is the Leading Lady (or Man) of our own life.

Now, let me make myself clear. This is NOT about being ego-maniac or narcissistic. It's about self love, the greatest love of all. (Remember that Whitney Houston song? Now that I mentioned it, I bet you can't get that song out of your head now, can ya?)

"But, ...."

I know, there's a big BUT coming up right at this moment....

You probably have convincing reasons why you are not the most important person in your life, and why you cannot afford to put your self-care as top priority.

As a professional life coach, consultant and mother of two, over the years I've heard many, many legitimate reasons as well as excuses (and the limiting beliefs behind them), from my clients, my friends, and my family. I have experienced many similar challenges myself, in my previous roles as a nurse, counselor, full-time stay-at-home mom, full-time working mom, small business owner, etc. Believe me, I know. It's not easy.

It's especially hard when you have some limiting beliefs around the issue of self love, self esteem and self-care. You know the limiting beliefs I'm talking about -- "I can't afford it", "I'm not worthy enough", "I don't deserve it", "I must take care of everyone else first (or else)", "If I say no, people won't love/like me any more", etc. etc. etc.

Does it ring a bell?

These limiting beliefs took years to form, and it will take some time and some hard work to overcome them. But, it's not impossible. When you can break free from these limiting beliefs, you will finally be free to be your authentic self, and free to create the life you truly desire. If you need some coaching around these issues, I'd be happy to help you.

Even when you are still chained to your limiting beliefs, you can still make a conscious choice, right now, to love and accept yourself, and to treat yourself with respect and some much needed TLC.

Remember, you are the Leading Lady and director of your own show. You are in charge and fully responsible for how your show turns out to be. If your show is competing for the Academy of Life Award, which categories will it be nominated? Which awards will you win?

This Valentine's Day, make a point to celebrate YOU, honor yourself, and give yourself the LOVE and star treatment you truly deserve.


*Read my previous articles on self love:
From Self Sacrifice to Self Love
The Magic Kitchen
The Snapshot of Your Life

Gonna Be A Bear

As the frigid weather lingers, how I wish I could be a bear sometimes....

A Riddle

A friend of mine sent me this. See if you can get the right answer.

--------------------------------------
Arnold Schwarzenegger has a big one.

Michael J. Fox has a small one.

Madonna doesn't have one.

The Pope has one but doesn't use it.

Clinton uses his all the time.

Bush is one

Mickey Mouse has an unusual one.

Liberace never used his on women.

Jerry Seinfeld is very, very proud of his.

Cher claims that she took on 3.

We never saw Lucy use Desi's.

What is it????

(The answer is in the Comments section)

For Dr. Seuss Fans

Jersey Girls

A friend of mine sent me this. I got a good chuckle out of it since I live in New Jersey too! Gotta love them Jersey girls. :-)

------------------
Three men were sitting together in a bar bragging about how they had given their new wives their duties.

The first man had married a woman from Alabama and bragged that he had told his wife she was going to do all the dishes and house cleaning.

He said it took a couple days but on the third day he came home to a clean house and the dishes were done.

The second man had married a woman from Florida. He bragged that he had given his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes, and the cooking. On that the first day he didn't see any results, but the next day it was better. By the third day, his house was clean, the dishes were done, and he had a huge dinner on the table.

The third man had married a Jersey girl. He boasted that he told her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but by the third day most of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye. Enough to fix himself a bite to eat, load the dishwasher, and telephone a landscaper.

A Happy New Year Poem/Song

This is neat. Enjoy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR
By Agung Halim

An acrostic of "HAPPY NEW YEAR".
Sing to the tune of "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban

H ow swiftly time flies like the spin of the Fates
A new year with its hopes and challenges
P lan thoroughly and be
P repared for surprise
Y ou will achieve the SUCCESS you're after

N othing fearing,
E xpect all things possible
W ith commitment

Y earning true
E xcellence
A im for nothing less than the Best you can
R ise up and shine, ready for anything!

About the Author:
Agung Halim is a MDI subscriber who lives in Indonesia. He shared with us that his CORE strengths are COnecting and REsourcing. His life motto: M.A.D = Making A Difference. Agung can be contacted at pemimpin2001@yahoo.com

Funny New Year Resolutions

Ahhh, it's that time of the year again! If you're like most people, you have written a brand new list of New Year Resolutions. But, do you know that most people fail at keeping their New Year Resolutions? A study (from University of Scranton, PA) showed that among the millions of American women who resolve to lose weight on New Year's Day, a quarter of them will go back to their old ways WITHIN ONE WEEK! Yikes!

While I was surfing the net, I came across these New Year Resolutions for Internet Junkies. How many of these can you relate to (or have you resolved to)?

Some people keep making the same New Year Resolutions with a twist year after year. This is what happened to one guy when he looked back on his "Year of Resolutions..."

What are your New Year Resolutions for 2007? If you keep making and breaking your New Year Resolutions year after year, I highly recommend that you come to my FREE Teleclass "The 5 Master Keys to Keeping Your New Year Resolutions". There is no charge for the class, but you must register in order to receive the conference call number (bridgeline) and access code. Hope to "see" you on the call.