Let's Talk About Words

"Humankind's ladder to God is a ladder of deeds." -Sholem Asch      I don't believe that God and church are the same thing. Church can be a path to God, but I believe that is only one path. I find God in the beauty and magnificence of nature . I also see God in the miracle of birth and in the face of my children as well as in the babies that I care for at work. I also hear God in my thoughts and in and through the words I write. God can also be discovered through behavior that help others. God is found in actions . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at                                               https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl  

    Soren Kierkegaard was quoted as saying, " Adversity draws men together and produces beauty an harmony in life's relationships, just as the cold of winter produces ice-flowers on the windowpanes, which vanish with the warmth." Many of the quotes in The Daily Book of Positive Quotations revolve around forgiveness, mistakes and problems. Today's is no different; problems help people to learn and grow in life. I have had a challenging last year, yet I have had the most success in writing and pursuing my dreams. Difficulties definitely made me follow my heart. We gain strength  from adversity . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at                                               https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl  

    " Courage is a doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared," according to Eddie Rickenbacker. Many people are afraid of heights, afraid of spiders or various other fears. I don't have those fears , bit I am sometimes afraid of failure or of not being good enough. Facing these fears is how I demonstrate my courage  and learn about myself. Fears teach us courage . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at                                          https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl  

     Sir Frances Bacon said, "In charity , there is no excess." Most of the times that I have donated to a cause or charity , I have volunteered my time. I have not went without food, clothing or shelter, yet I have never had a excess of money. When I published my Fun4Babies Book , I wanted it to be a success and sell well, as anyone would want when they follow their passions, but I also wanted to raise money for BH Foundation . Since I am responsible for marketing my book, the sale of it has slowed considerably from last Spring. One of the biggest reasons that saddens me is because I am not donating as much to the Bright Horizons Foundation . I will look for more ways in my life that I can give and then give some more. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

    Buddha said, "Let us rise up and be thankful , for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful ." I can get up this morning and be grateful that it isn't negative twenty degrees outside; I can be grateful that we didn't get twelve inches of snow; I can be grateful that the weather changes and doesn't stay this cold in Chicago. I can be grateful each morning. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

    Mark Twain said, "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." Next time I am feeling down or discouraged, I am going to take Mark Twain's advice and try to cheer someone else up. I have never tried that before, but it does make sense since it works in so many areas of life. For example, when I am at work and I sing a song with the infants, I always tell and show them how to clap and cheer me on as well as celebrate each other's accomplishments. It inspires me and makes me happy when we encourage each other. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

   Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do; excellence then is not an act but a habit." I agree that if we keep doing something, it becomes a habit and becomes a reflection of who we are. Just as easy as it is to criticize someone and talk about them behind their backs, it is easy to be  kind . I choose to stop looking at others faults and errors, and only acknowledge the goodness that I see in them. It is simple to be a nice person; just remember to be kind . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

"Firelight will not let you read fine stories, but it's warm and you won't see the dust on the floor." -Irish Proverb       I live in a society that continually wants more and more. Everyone thinks that they need more money , more clothes and more opportunities. When I go places when I see others that have much less than me, I feel ashamed that I desire more for myself. When I have been able to travel to another country, I felt guilty that I ever complained that I don't have enough in my life. I am blessed to always have food on the table, a roof over my head and clothes to wear. It may not be filet mignon, nor a mansion, nor designer clothes, but I already have enough. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

     "Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh."                                                            -George Bernard Shaw      I know that when my father was fighting brain cancer, I felt guilty when I had a great day and was laughing and enjoying myself. I felt like if he couldn't be happy that I shouldn't. My daughters were little though so I rationalized that I needed to be happy for them, but really I needed to be happy for myself as well.  Life is difficult when people are ill or sick, yet life does go on. People die every day; people are born every day. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

     "The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth."             -Chinese Proverb       As children we can revel and are in awe of an ordinary day, but as we become adults, we think that we are being lazy if we just relax.  I feel guilty if I am not busy and getting items crossed off my to do list.   It even feels boring when we just sit around, not accomplishing anything. I sometimes look forward to the cold wintry days when I am forced to stay inside; or if I don't feel well, and I can lay around doing nothing.  Why must I demand that I complete many tasks over the weekend or on a day off of work?  Why can't I just enjoy an ordinary day and see the beauty of that? It is difficult to just live your life . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/s...

"Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win." -Jonathan Koziol    As many of you know from reading previous posts, I do not like fighting . I do not like to see others fight or even, myself, be involved in a fight. When I am pushed to my breaking point, I will fight, and I will fight hard. When I let things build up though, my reaction to what is actually happening is usually too extreme. For those reasons, fighting to me is rarely fair. I think that I should have conversations before issues escalate into a fight. There are no winners in most fights; all parties get hurt. So I ask you, is fighting ever really fair? Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

    Wayne Dyer said, "You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you." This concept is a little more tricker to implement than Wayne Dyer's quote indicates. I previously addressed it with the blog post called  If you want love in your life, give that to others in thoughts, words and act ions . I always thought that if I treated other's fairly and kindly they would treat me that way in return; however that is not always the case. You can teach someone how to treat you ; yet if they choose not to learn how, you may need to walk away and not have that person in your life. Karma sometimes means that your kindness and fairness is returned to you through a different person, but it will come back to you. Be how you want people to be with you; show others how to treat you. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

" Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face" -Victor Hugo          Life is a consequential existence, and I believe that I should take my choices seriously. I also think that it is just as important to laugh and find enjoyment in the life that I am living as well as in the decisions that I make. Even when, and maybe more importantly when, I am facing difficult times, I try to watch a movie or read a book that brings a little lightness and humor to my day. I am lucky that I work at a job that makes me smile and laugh , but on the weekends when it is cold and snowy outside, I try to find one thing that makes me laugh . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

      "Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow", said Norman Vincent Peale. I think that people refer to a person's heart when they really mean a person's soul or whole being, as in the saying do it with your heart and soul . Sometimes falling in love with someone or following your dreams takes that leap of faith; that throwing of your heart over the fence to make it become a reality. It is scary sometimes to take that chance of failure or rejection, but isn't your happiness worth it? Happiness begins in your heart, follow those feelings. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

     Benjamin Franklin said, "Early to bed and early to rise, Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." If you read any health magazine, they all  declare that we need 8-9 hours of sleep a night  for your health. Psychology magazines  state that getting enough sleep is necessary   to keep our cognitive abilities sharp. I am sure that money magazines would even affirm how important sleep is to having financial success.  Pretty good advice from someone that lived in the 1700's.   I usually get seven hours or less sleep a night during the week since I work at 6:30. When I am tired, I start to feel sick and less positive towards others. I vow to go to bed early because tomorrow looks better after a good night's sleep. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

"The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas." -Linus Pauling      I am surprised when I meet someone that says that they have no creativity , and have no interest in doing anything artistic . I think that we put too much pressure on being talented and having innate abilities. Everyone should simply be praised for however they choose to convey their feelings . Some people draw, sing, write or even dress in a fashion that reveals their emotions. No matter how you choose to reveal who you are and what you feel, keep expressing yourself. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

     Andy Warhol said, "They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." I believe that most people agree that we are responsible for changing our own lives , but the question is how? How do we change it? How do we create the life of our dreams ? There are many books and DVD's on the topic of how to guide your life through intentions and thoughts. Seat of the Soul, Conversations with God, The Secret and Four Agreements are a couple of books I have read regarding this topic over the years. They all explain that everything in our lives are a reflection of you and your intentions . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible ." -St. Francis of Assisi     There are so many things that are necessary for me to do in life, like go to school, get a job, pay the bills and clean the house, to name a few. Then there are the things that I want to do that are possible . I got married, started a family, volunteered and followed my passions . As I did these things that I desired, they guided me to more and more  opportunities that seemed unreachable if I had just tried to achieve them. Many people achieve the  impossible , just by doing what is necessary and what is  possible at first. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

    Carl Gustav Jung wrote, "Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness...". Everyone has some sadness in their life at one time or another. It may seem at times that you get more than your share of trials and tribulations, yet if you look at your life as a whole, you may realize that happy and sad times are equal. What is important during these times is what you learn and how you grow; that will help balance out the negative aspects of what you are enduring. No matter what happens, just keep life balanced . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

     G.K. Chesterton said, " Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly; devils fall because of their gravity." I am not sure that G.K. meant angels and devils in the literal heaven and hell sense. I interpret it to mean that here on earth , we can live the life of an angel if we are not too serious and appreciate the good as well as the bad that we encounter. These angels are the people that take life , as well as themselves "lightly". There have been people in my life that could be called an angel by that definition. Some of these people may have only passed through my life, whereas others are in my life every day. I also believe that there are angels in heaven that help and guide us in this world . Whether or not you believe that as well, if you look around at your life, you will see there are angels all around us. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.f...

"We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves." -Francois de La Rochefoucauld        Even though I share the best parts of myself with the world, I have always been good at wearing a mask to hide my sadness from others. My family, friends and even acquaintances might describe me as friendly, outgoing and even an extrovert, but that is because that is the side of me that is easy to show. Growing up, I kept a lot of sadness, anger and unhappiness from others. I was always afraid that if I let others see that side they would not love me and might even use it to hurt me. I am ready to allow others to see the real me. I choose to have courage and trust that others will still love me when I take off the mask . We should all believe in the goodness of others and not hide who we are. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at h...

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives ." -Annie Dillard     I love this quote by Annie Dillard. How true it is although, I doubt that anyone really thinks of their life in that way. Our job is just work, paying bills and cleaning are just necessary tasks; watching television and surfing the web are just a way to relax; yet all of this defines our days and defines our lives. What do I want to do today to reflect the life that I want to live? I choose to be grateful each day for all that I have. I must work, relax and take care of the necessary tasks of life, but I want to also  appreciate today . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

    "Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile , but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy ."                                                            -Thich Nhat Hanh    It might feel fake, but smile when you feel sad and it can help lift your mood. Sometimes when you are sad or ill, the more down you feel and act, the even more sad or ill that you feel. Smiling can also make other people feel happy . Have you ever looked at someone that had a big smile and was happy? Whenever the babies are sad at work, sometimes all it takes is a smile from me to make them laugh. Also, when I am sad, all it takes is a smile from one of the babies to cheer me up. Smiling makes me happy . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at http...

     Yogi Berra  said, "You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." Today's topic is similar to previous posts about discovering your passions and setting your goals. I even wrote about how the detours of life can still lead me where I want to go. This quote though of turning if I need to means that  sometimes life can present me with opportunities that weren't in my plan, but I should consider them. An example would be the offer to observe and train teachers in other centers for Bright Horizons . I never had that as a goal , but when the offer was presented, I said yes, and I absolutely love doing it. My advice to others would be to set your course but turn if you need to. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

"Now is the winter of our discontent." -William Shakespeare       I love this picture of the snow and ice on the trees in winter. When the snow coats the trees, it is beautiful. Just like I can find this beauty in the cold winter season, I can find beauty in the trials and tribulations of my life . Even though I have encountered some difficulties in my life, I try to find the positives that come out of these hardships. I have been more focused on writing my book and my blog in order to pursue my life long dreams . Some of my relationships have grown stronger, and we are closer than ever before. If I look closely, beauty can be found in adversity . Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

    Henry Ford said, "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs ." This is great advice for any task that I need to do; whether it is cleaning the house, paying bills or a project for work or school. I think about one thing that I can do, focus only on that first step , then do it. Even though it was a life long goal , I felt overwhelmed when I thought of how many pages and how many words it would take to write a book . Every time I started to write, I would re-read and edit my previous chapters. I felt that I was not making much headway, but then I read another author's advice to just write it first; then later go back and add details and descriptions. This was a great suggestion since I finished the rough draft of Riding Waves four months early. It is true that everything gets done one step at a time. Read my words and see my quotes  at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/su...

     "Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."                                                          -Ralph Waldo Emerson   I agree that doing things to make other people happy , in turn makes me happy. As a parent, there is nothing better than a smile on your child's face when you bring joy to their day. January 5th is my youngest daughter's 18th birthday. My oldest daughter is 21 and my middle daughter is 19. I am shocked that so many years have flown by. It is probably politically incorrect to admit this, yet my biggest dream in life was to be a mother . I will also admit that it has  been more challenging that I expected, but I would not change a thing. Being a mother has brought me immense happiness . There is nothing better than sharing my happiness ...

      American Journalist  Sydney J Harris said that w hen he hears somebody sigh that life is hard, he is always tempted to ask "Compared to what?"   It is difficult not to complain when things happen in my life , but I am generally a positive person. I follow the  glass is half full type of philosophy, most of the time. I want to compare who I am today with who I was yesterday. I choose to look at how my life is going today compared to how my life was going yesterday. I ask if I am I growing and changing as a person? Am I following my passions and pursuing my dreams, no matter what life throws in my path? I do get down at times, but I pick myself up and try to only compare today to yesterday. Read my words and see my quotes at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl

"People don't just get upset. They contribute to their upsetness." -Albert Ellis      Sometimes when life is hard and things are not going the way that I want them to, I get lost in my sadness. If I am in pain, it feels like this is how I will always feel. I read long ago that no matter what emotion I am feeling, I should experience it fully; not bury the pain. Often people drink, shop, eat or do other things to keep from dealing with their emotions. I know that if I feel ashamed, or if I feel angry, or if I feel sad, it is important not to get stuck in those negative emotions. It is important to release them, to let them go after feeling them. When I am sad, I feel that sadness then move on. Read my words and see my quotes at http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com or follow my page at https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=hl    

                                     "Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe      I believe that in life their are lessons  to learn and perhaps situations to encounter, but I can still control my path and my fate. I can decide how to respond to the situations by either learning from them or feeling defeated. There have been times in my life when I wallowed in self pity or refused to learn from the circumstances of my life. Then other moments when I felt that I had no control and that others were defining my experience of life . I allowed my past to influence my future by controlling my beliefs. Those situations allowed me to grow strong and made me decide to choose my own fate . Read my words and see my quotes at ...