The Goddess of Happiness, A Down-to-Earth Guide for Heavenly Balance and Bliss
Synopsis:
Discover how to make your life easier and happier in work, love and home. Debbie Gisonni, aka The Goddess of Happiness, shows that happiness is a choice that anyone can make, anytime and anywhere. In 44 dynamic entries, such as “Let Your Passion Flow”, “Rise Above Fear” and “Find the Balance”, she shares stories, insights, and humor as well as simple suggestions to bring out the radiant, modern Goddess in every woman. Each chapter includes an affirmation and personal journaling space. Beautifully packaged with color art throughout, it’s fun to read and share with friends.
Book Excerpt:
Participate in your Life
If life were a pair of DKNY jeans, what would yours look
like? Would they be worn and faded, thinning in spots, soft to the
touch with the hem unraveling? Or would they be crisp and clean
with perfect creases and the tags still on them? If my mother had
her way, mine would be the latter. I was raised with what I call a
“life-saver” mentality. No, not the candy but the kind of environment
where couch cushions were covered in plastic and never
touched by human flesh, where bathroom towels were only for show
or company, where money was saved and only spent on necessities,
where new clothes were never worn right after you bought them,
where entire rooms in the house were not used, and where the only
lit candles were on birthday cakes or in church.
Many women in my mother’s generation saved and collected
a lot of things they never used. Nothing too expensive—maybe a series
of decorative plates you see on late-night TV or a porcelain doll
advertised in Reader’s Digest, complete with the birth certificate.
When my aunt died, we found dozens of limited-edition
plates depicting everything from Elvis movie scenes to Chinese children
playing—all in their original boxes with protective coverings and
sales receipts, tucked away in drawers and closets, never displayed,
never used, never enjoyed. Why spend the money just to hide them?
Too often we save things in life for the wrong reasons. Besides
material goods, we save our emotions because we don’t want to be
hurt, our appearance because we don’t want to look old, or our flaws
because we don’t want to be anything less than the perfect woman.
All this saving prevents us from fully participating in the journey of
life. We become bystanders watching our lives go by instead of participating
in new experiences.
Today, make a point of lighting all the candles in your house and
allowing them to burn instead of collecting dust. Although some prefer
to stoke a log or two in the fireplace, I prefer to line up about a
dozen candles in my fireplace—all different sizes, colors, fragrances,
and shapes—and light them while becoming mesmerized by the
dancing flames that look as if they’re playing a well-orchestrated
piece of silent music. Just like the unique direction each life takes,
and the variety of experiences that await us, no two candles melt
the same way—some drip slowly like sap on a tree; some widen
their walls like the mouth of a cave, exposing their shimmering
light; and some collapse inward, engulfing their flame like molten
lava. You’ll never know how yours will burn unless you light it. A
half-melted candle is like a wise middle-aged woman who has enjoyed
and savored life—a goddess who is not afraid to continue to
ignite the flame of life until there is nothing left but a tiny piece of
metal that once held the cord to that life’s existence.
Allow the flame of life to entrance you, burn you, titillate your
senses, soften you. Participate in life and you’ll have more fun than
you ever imagined!
Five Ways to Participate in Your Life:
* When you have a rainy day, use what you saved for it.
* Don’t hold back your feelings, especially those of love and
compassion.
* Try something new—a sport, an adventure, love, a hat, or
a hairstyle.
* Once in awhile, jump up and down on the bed with your
kids (or even by yourself ).
* Use and share your belongings; you can’t take them with
you when you’re gone.
Topics/Categories:
Affirmations, Balance, happiness, How-to, Humor, Love, Peace, Self-Help, Women's Interest
Genre:
Best Sellers:
Type of Work:
Publishers:
Purchase From:
Original Publish Date:
2005-03-01
Formats:
Paperback
- Send To A Friend
- Bookmark With:
