Let's Talk About Words

   I love in the book and movie The Fault in our Stars when Augustus asks Hazel what her story is. When she begins to tell him about her trials with cancer, he stops her and says that he wants to hear her real story, the story about her, not her illness. I meet too many people that define themselves by the sadness, pain and illness of their lives. Unfortunately we all have experienced some pain in our lives, some more than others, but why let that be all that we are? Think about your story. If someone asked you to tell it, where would you start; what would you say? https://www.facebook.com/ susanmarie.schulhof.7?ref=h l http:// susanmarieschulhof.blogspot .com/

Maybe God has a better plan for your life than you can imagine for yourself.

 I spent the last year, blogging every day, but this year I want to focus on writing my second book Growing Flowers . As I reflect back on the past year, I have grown as a person and as a writer.  My life goals were: 1. Write and publish a fiction book 2. Travel and hike   -Grand Canyon   -Yellowstone   -Italy   -Australia 3. Inspire, mentor and/or teach others     (May entail getting my Master's Degree) I finished writing and published my book Riding Waves, and road tripped to the Grand Canyon. I also was promoted to Educational Coordinator where I hopefully inspire, mentor and teach others. Life is good! I will still blog at times, so keep following and reading. Thank you again for being part of my life journey. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

   As I look upon this year of blogging, I have learned so much about myself and about life. The beauty of life, I have found, is not in the beauty that we can see, but in the beauty that we can feel. The beauty of a simple joy that comes from truly living life. Thank you to everyone that has read my blog this past year. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

" Change before you have to." -Jack Welch Sometimes in life, we resist change so much that we have it thrust upon us. We lose our jobs; a relationship ends; we face a health crisis. Don't wait to be forced into changing your life;  initiate the change . Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

   Colin Powell was quoted as saying, "Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it." There is also a saying about not putting your eggs all in one basket, and I think that is a similar concept to what Colin Powell was saying. We sometimes define ourselves by what we do, like a teacher, an engineer, a doctor or even a mother, a father, a wife. Some people go even further and define themselves by doing and being only one thing. I hear, "I was their mother and now they don't need me. Who am I now?" Or "I spent every minute working for that company. How can they let me go? What do I do now?" Define yourself by many names , but think of names of being not just doing. Call yourself joyful. Call yourself passionate. Call yourself friendly...have many names . https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7 http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

    Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late ." We often put off doing things for ourselves and for others, but we never know what the future holds. Do it today. Don't be too late . https://www.facebook.com/susanmarie.schulhof.7 http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one that gets burned." -Buddha We have all been hurt; we have all been wronged, but the only person that you are hurting by keeping that hurt is yourself. Let go. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

    Sophia Loren said that mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life. These types of quotes can be found throughout this entire blog. I revisit mistakes often because we often think that mistakes should not happen. We are upset with ourselves when they occur, but if we don't view errors as part of life, we will never learn from them. Mistakes are just another memory. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

     Lily Tomlin once said, "I always wondered why somebody doesn't do something about that. Then I realized that I was somebody." There is also a great song by  Matthew West  that says "I turned my eyes to Heaven and I thought God , why don't you do something?" In the song,  God's response was "I did. I made you." We are all responsible for making changes in this world because God made all of us. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

    "If you would hit the mark, you must aim a little above it," Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. When you set your goals , aim high. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

"Yesterday was wood; tomorrow is ashes. Only today does  the fire burn brightly." -Eskimo Proverb     This is an important concept that stresses the importance of living in and enjoying the moment . Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

    Ayn Rand said, "All you have to do is look straight and see the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it-walk." I loved Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead  when I first read it in the 1980's. It was one of the books that inspired me to write my own book. Instead of thinking of writing 200-300 pages, I just took that first step. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com      

   Tennessee Williams said, "Make voyages! Attempt them! There's nothing else."  Since I can't really afford flying and fancy resorts, my girls and I love to take road trips . We learn about the world we live in, but we also learn about each other and ourselves. Even though I think that finding a way to travel and see the world is important, we should all find ways to make our lives an adventure . Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com      

    I love this quote by Thomas Edison, "I have not failed. I've found 10,000 ways that won't work." Can I view all of my struggles in life in this fashion? All my mistakes can show me success? All my past relationships can show me what I want in my next relationship? All my struggles can show me how to grow and learn? There is a song by Casting Crowns called Thrive that says "It's time for us to more than just survive.  We were made to thrive." Thrive in your struggles. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com      

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead to an understanding of ourselves." -Carl Gustav Jung     As a psychology major, this idea intrigues me. I once read that others are a reflection of ourselves, a mirror so to speak. What can I learn when people lie and are dishonest, about myself? I know that I am always truthful with others, so why does it bother me so much. Am I lying to myself about something? Do I just need to learn to remove those people from my life? Thoughts to ponder. Can I see others flaws in myself? Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger ." -Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche Learn from your life. Grow stronger . Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

"What we need is not the will to believe , but the wish to find out." -Bertand Russell I think that this is true of many things in life. We need to want to learn; to chose to understand, and to intend to discover the meaning in all areas of living. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

    "The story of love is not important- what is important is that one is capable of love . It is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted of eternity," according to Helen Hayes. I have loved and lost; been full of joy as well as full of sadness; have laughed and cried, but I still keep myself open to possibilities. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com

"Don't find fault, find a remedy." -Henry Ford How true are those words? It is easy to pick apart and criticize others, but how about finding a solution to the problem instead. Author Susan Marie Schulhof http://susanmarieschulhof.blogspot.com