POTHOLES

"STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE POTHOLES IN THE ROAD AND CELEBRATE THE JOURNEY."

-BARBARA HOFFMAN-

LET'S NOT LET THE POTHOLES STOP US...WE CAN GO AROUND THEM, JUMP OVER SOME, AND TOTALLY AVOID OTHERS. THE MORE WE KNOW OURSELVES...THE MORE WE REALIZE THAT POTHOLES ARE ONLY A DETOUR ON THE WAY TO GET TO KNOW OURSELVES. WE WILL NEVER LIVE POTHOLE FREE...BUT KNOWING THEY CAN COME UP....HELPS US KNOW OUR TRUER SELVES MUCH MORE . JUST FIGURING OUT THAT LIFE IS NOT PERFECT AND THERE WILL BE BUMPS IN THE ROAD...IS A LESSON TO BE LEARNED. HERE'S TO THE RIDE :)

DEBBIE

http://talktodeb.blogspot.com

Let's look in the Mirror

"Love yourself first and everything else, falls in line"

-Lucille Ball-

I would have to agree with this Lucy. When you work on loving who you are, accepting your strengths and weaknesses, you learn that you are ENOUGH. There is no one quite like you...you are unique, and have qualities beyond measure that are yours to give. Let's go step by step and move forward in loving who we are. Most people are born and are innately good. Sometimes, our experiences get in the way...but if you look closely in the mirror and fill your heart with acceptance...you will slowly learn to smile when you see yourself! :)

Debbie

Talk To Deb: REALITY

Talk To Deb: REALITY: "IS THERE ONE REALITY? IT DEPENDS ON WHO IS LOOKING. EVERYBODY GETS UP IN THE MORNING; GOES TO WORK, SCHOOL, EATS, SLEEPS, TALKS WITH OTHERS...."

REALITY

IS THERE ONE REALITY? IT DEPENDS ON WHO IS LOOKING. EVERYBODY GETS UP IN THE MORNING; GOES TO WORK, SCHOOL, EATS, SLEEPS, TALKS WITH OTHERS...BUT OUR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT WE DO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. IF WE SEE OUR REALITY AS BEING GOOD, POSITIVE, ETC...YOU CAN BE SURE YOU WILL HAVE A BETTER DAY THAN SOMEONE WHO SEES IT AS BAD, NEGATIVE, ETC.

WE ALL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OUR REALITY IN A BETTER WAY. LET'S LOOK AT THE GOOD STUFF AND CONCENTRATE ON CREATING MORE OF IT. ITS SEEING WHAT WE HAVE AND NOT FOCUSING ON WHAT WE DON'T.

LET'S OPEN OUR EYES AND BE GRATEFUL FOR OUR REALITY :)

AFTER ALL...WE REALLY DO HAVE A GOOD ONE

DEBBIE

Scrapbook Photos

Talk To Deb: LOVE

Talk To Deb: LOVE: "LIKE THE WAVES OF THE OCEAN...LOVE HAS IT'S EB AND FLOW...WE LOVE, WE WONDER, WE QUESTION, WE CONFLICT, AND THEN WE LOVE ONCE MORE. -DEBBI..."

LOVE

LIKE THE WAVES OF THE OCEAN...LOVE HAS IT'S EB AND FLOW...WE LOVE, WE WONDER, WE QUESTION, WE CONFLICT, AND THEN WE LOVE ONCE MORE.

-DEBBIE SAPORTA-

Talk To Deb: SUNFLOWERS

Talk To Deb: SUNFLOWERS: "TODAY I AM OUT IN SOUTHAMPTON, AND I PLANTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS. LAST YEAR, TO MY SURPRISE I PLANTED SOME, AND THEY GREW INTO TALL BEAUTIFUL SU..."

SUNFLOWERS

TODAY I AM OUT IN SOUTHAMPTON, AND I PLANTED SUNFLOWER SEEDS. LAST YEAR, TO MY SURPRISE I PLANTED SOME, AND THEY GREW INTO TALL BEAUTIFUL SUNFLOWERS. I WAS SO PROUD OF MYSELF WHEN I SAW THEM. THEY ARE A REMINDER OF BREEZY SUMMER NIGHTS, SUNNY DAYS AT THE BEACH, LONG WALKS, LIGHTENING BUGS IN A JAR, ICE CREAM, WARTERMELON, AND BARBEQUES. THAT MAKES ME SMILE :)

WHAT REMINDS YOU OF SUMMER AND MAKES YOU SMILE?

DEBBIE

PEACE

WE CAN ONLY FIND PEACE IN OUR OWN HEARTS...IT'S NOT WHEN YOU GET THAT GREAT JOB, FIND THAT SPECIAL PERSON, OR TRAVEL TO SOME DISTANT LAND. IT'S WITHIN US... TRY TO LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE, AND SEE WHERE IT LEADS YOU... FINDING PEACE IS A CONSTANT PROCESS OF WORKING ON OURSELVES...EXPLORING WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE DO CERTAIN THINGS....WHAT MAKES US TICK?

WE ALL ARE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE. NO TWO OF US ARE THE SAME...AND THERE'S A REASON...WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL INDIVIDUAL QUALITIES THAT WE POSSESS TO OFFER THIS WORLD.

FINDING PEACE WITHIN OURSELVES IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO FOR US AND EACH OTHER...ACCEPTANCE, UNDERSTANDING, FORGIVING, AND LOVING WHO WE ARE INSIDE CAN LEAD US TO A BEAUTIFUL PATH...LET'S ENJOY THE JOURNEY AND BE AT PEACE.

DEBBIE

Talk To Deb: ATTITUDE

Talk To Deb: ATTITUDE: "WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE? DO YOU APPROACH IT WITH ZEST, JOY, AND EXCITEMENT? IF YOUR ATTITUDE POSITIVE? DO YOU BELIEVE AND SEE TH..."

ATTITUDE

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD LIFE? DO YOU APPROACH IT WITH ZEST, JOY, AND EXCITEMENT? IF YOUR ATTITUDE POSITIVE? DO YOU BELIEVE AND SEE THE GOOD IN LIFE...THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL GET...IF YOU DO.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE AND FIND CONSTANT FAULT AND CREATE DIFFICULTIES IN YOUR LIFE...THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU WILL FIND.

HAVING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE CAN START EVEN IF YOU WERE BROUGHT UP IN A NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENT. IT CAN BECOME A HABIT AND A GREAT WAY TO LOOK AT LIFE YOU MUST WORK FOR IT AND WANT IT ENOUGH TO GET IT.

LET'S SAY IT RAINS ON A SPECIAL DAY...GRADUATION, YOUR WEDDING, A BARBECUE..HOW DO YOU RESPOND...DO YOU FEEL OVERWHELMED AND OUT OF CONTROL? CAN YOU CONTROL THE WEATHER? HA VING A GOOD ATTITUDE CAN START WITH REALIZING THAT YOU CAN'T CONTROL CERTAIN THINGS...OR OTHER PEOPLE.

REALIZING THIS AND KNOWING IT, CAN MAKE US KEENLY AWARE THAT SOME OF OUR LIVES ARE NOT OURS TO MANAGE...THINGS HAPPEN...SOMETIMES REALLY BAD THINGS...BUT IF YOU DIG FOR THE POSITIVE IN THE SITUATION...YOU CAN USUALLY FIND IT. IT'S LIKE SEARCHING FOR THAT ONE PIECE OF SUNLIGHT IN THE RAIN...FINDING THE RAINBOW...SEEKING OUT THE GOOD IN A SITUATION...LET'S ALL TRY TO START OUR DAY WITH A GOOD ATTITUDE...AFTER ALL...DON'T WE DESERVE TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE?

START TODAY...WE ARE BREATHING AND ALIVE...THAT'S SOMETHING TO HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ABOUT :)

DEBBIE

PASSION

LIVING WITH PASSION...WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST, DOING WHAT YOU WANT, LOVING WHAT YOU DO? PASSION IS A WORD THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT SHOULD BE FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT, ADVENTURE, SURPRISES.

TO ME, IT'S WRITING OUT ALL THE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO... EXPLORE, TRAVEL TO, SEE, BE, AND CREATING THAT FOR YOURSELF.

DO YOU LIVE PASSIONATELY? WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT? TRAVELING, WRITING, READING, FAMILY, LOVE, YOUR WORK, YOUR MATE?

WHATEVER IT IS; WHY NOT TRY TO LIVE PASSIONATELY AND FULLY EVERY DAY...TAKE EVERY MOMENT IN AND LIVE WITH CONVICTION, DRIVE, AND DETERMINATION...LOVE YOUR LIFE...IF YOU DON'T....FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL MAKE YOU MORE PASSIONATE ON A DAILY BASIS.

FOR ME...BEING OUT IN NATURE, TRAVELING, BEING WITH MY FAMILY, AND WRITING ARE SOME OF MY PASSIONS...AND YOU?

DEB

BELIEF

"BEHIND ME IS INFINITE POWER

BEFORE ME IS ENDLESS POSSIBILITY

AROUND ME IS BOUNDLESS OPPORTUNITY

WHY SHOULD I FEAR?"

-MAC ANDERSON-

WE ALL LIVE WITH FEAR....FEAR OF BEING ALONE, FEAR OF FAILURE, FEAR OF SUCCESS, FEAR OF NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH, ETC. WE ARE HUMAN AND WE ALL HAVE FEARS...ARE THEY EASY TO GET OVER....NO....BUT...TAKING THE FIRST STEP IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO. WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? IT DOESN'T WORK OUT...IT'S NOT THE RIGHT FIT, ETC...BUT YOU MADE THE ATTEMPT TO OVERCOME THE FEAR...YOU STEPPED OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE...YOU TOOK ACTION...THAT ALONE IS FANTASTIC! SO, LET'S HAVE ENOUGH BELIEF IN OURSELVES AND OUR ENDLESS POSSIBILITY AND KNOCK DOWN THE DOOR OF FEAR....FOR IT'S JUST A WORD THAT LIMITS OUR POTENTIAL.

DEBBIE

BELIEF

-

"BEHIND ME IS INFINITE POWER

BEFORE ME IS ENDLESS POSSIBILITY

AROUND ME IS BOUNDLESS OPPORTUNITY

WHY SHOULD I FEAR?"

- MAC ANDERSON

WE ALL HAVE FEARS...FEAR OF FAILURE, FEAR OF SUCCESS, FEAR OF INTIMACY, FEAR OF BEING ALONE, ETC.

CAN WE ABANDON THESE FEARS EASILY? I DON'T THINK SO. WITH SOME WORK, WE CAN LEARN THAT THE REALITY IS...WE ALL FEAR SOMETHING...AND THE ONLY WAY TO OVERCOME THESE FEARS THAT BLOCK US IS TO GO FOR IT ANYWAY...ARE WE READY TO DO THAT? PROBABLY NOT....BUT STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND DO IT ANYWAY...WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN...YOU TRIED SOMETHING, YOU REACHED INSIDE OF YOURSELF, YOU STEPPED OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE...AND WHO KNOWS...YOU JUST MIGHT SUCCEED :)

DEBBIE

COMPASSION

HAVING COMPASSION FOR ANOTHER PERSON IS A WONDERFUL THING. IT MEANS THAT YOU CAN RELATE, EMPATHIZE, FEEL FOR THE PERSON. WE MUST FIRST GIVE OURSELVES COMPASSION, AND NOT BE TOO HARD ON OURSELVES. WE ARE ALL HUMAN AND MAKE MISTAKES...BEING COMPASSIONATE ALLOWS US AND OTHERS TO GET PAST OUR DIFFICULTIES AND REALIZE WE ARE ALL SO VERY SIMILIAR... JUST FOR TODAY...BE COMPASSIONATE TO OTHERS AND YOURSELF, AND SEE HOW IT MAKES YOU FEEL. I KNOW WHEN I TRY TO UNDERSTAND SOMEONE, SEE WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM...IT CAN ONLY HELP ME BE MORE LOVING AND COMPASSIONATE TO MYSELF.

DEBBIE

COMPASSION

THE ONE THING THAT WE CAN LEARN TO GIVE OTHERS IS COMPASSION. BUT, WE MUST FIRST GIVE IT TO OURSELVES. IF WE MAKE A MISTAKE...DO WE FORGIVE OURSELVES? ... OR DO WE PUT OURSELVES THROUGH THE RINGER. HAVING COMPASSION IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL QUALITIES WE CAN HAVE. WE FEEL FOR OTHERS...WE CARE, WE RELATE, WE EMPATHIZE. IF WE CAN OFFER THIS TO OTHERS...WHY NOT HAVE COMPASSION FOR OURSELVES. TRY NOT TO BE TO HARD ON OTHERS OR YOURSELF...AFTER ALL, WE ARE ONLY HUMAN :)

DEBBIE

ABUNDANCE

IS YOUR LIFE FILLED WITH ABUNDANCE? DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO FEEL COMPLETE? I THINK WE ALL HAVE ENOUGH....AND YET SOMETIMES WE FEEL EMPTY OR NOT FILLED UP. HOW DO WE LIVE IN ABUNDANCE? WE OPEN OUR EYES AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE...A FAMILY, FRIENDS, SHELTER, FOOD, NATURE AND ALL THE SEASONS THAT SURROUND US, OUR HEALTH...WE HAVE SO MUCH...LET'S OPEN OUR EYES AND SEE IT. LIVE AN ABUNDANT LIFE...SEE WHAT YOU HAVE AND NOT WHAT DON'T. AND BE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL MOMENTS IN OUR LIVES.

DEBBIE

A GREAT QUOTE MY DAUGHTER STEF GAVE ME

There are moments in our lives where we find ourselves at a crossroads. Afraid, confused, without a roadmap. The choices we make in those moments can define the rest of our days. Of course, when faced with the unknown, most of us choose to turn around and go back. But once in a while, people push on to something better, something found just beyond the pain of going it alone, and just beyond the bravery and courage it takes to let someone in, or give someone a second chance, something beyond the quiet persistence of a dream. because it's only when you're tested, that you discover who you are, that you discover who you can be. The person you can be does exist, beyond the hard work, faith, belief, and beyond the heartache, and fear of what lies ahead.

IT'S TRUE FOR US ALL...AT EVERY AGE GROUP, WE ARE AT DIFFERENT CROSSROADS IN OUR LIFE...IT'S THE WAY WE HANDLE THAT ROAD THAT COUNTS :)

DEBBIE

CHOICES

WE ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE ... TO BE CONTENT OR UNHAPPY...TO BE ANGRY OR FORGIVING, OR TO BE KIND AND LOVING OR HATEFUL AND SELFISH...WHICH CHOICES ARE BETTER FOR YOU? WHICH CHOICES ARE HEALTHY FOR YOUR WELL BEING?

IT'S OBVIOUS...FEELING GOOD IS BETTER THAN FEELING BAD...HOW CAN WE MAINTAIN THOSE FEELINGS MORE OFTEN, UNTIL THEY BECOME SECOND NATURE?

WE PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. WE MAKE POSITIVE CHOICES. IF WE ARE HAVING A BAD DAY, WEEK, MONTH; WE TRY TO FILTER OUR NEGATIVE FEELINGS INTO POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS AND FIND THE GOOD IN OUR LIFE...EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO BE GRATEFUL FOR...GOOD HEALTH (LET'S NEVER TAKE THAT ONE FOR GRANTED), FAMILY, FRIENDS, A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS, FOOD IN THE REFRIGERATOR, A GOOD JOB, ETC...

LET'S MAKE A CHOICE TO SEE THE POSITIVE AND NOT LET SELF PITY GET IN OUR WAY...THAT'S JUST WHAT IS DOES...GET IN OUR WAY. WE WANT TO ENJOY WHATEVER LIFE HAS TO OFFER AND MOVE PAST OUR OBSTACLES IN A DELIBERATE WAY.

LET'S NOT GET DEFEATED. LET'S MAKE A CHOICE FOR OURSELVES...TO LOOK AT THAT GLASS AND 1/2 FULL INSTEAD IF 1/2 EMPTY.

HERE'S TO GOOD, POSITIVE CHOICES :)

DEB

Talk To Deb: FAILURE

Talk To Deb: FAILURE: "MOST SUCCESS HAPPENS FROM OVERCOMING AN OBSTACLE OR FAILURE.... WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FAIL? WE ARE DISAPPOINTED, ANGRY, UPSET, ETC. THEN WHAT..."

FAILURE

MOST SUCCESS HAPPENS FROM OVERCOMING AN OBSTACLE OR FAILURE.... WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE FAIL? WE ARE DISAPPOINTED, ANGRY, UPSET, ETC. THEN WHAT...DID WE LEARN ANYTHING? WE TOOK A STEP...WHICH CAN ONLY BE A GOOD THING (PASS OR FAIL.) IN SCHOOL WE WERE ALWAYS TESTED...LIKE IT OR NOT...BUT AS WE GET OLDER...WE DO SOMETHING, MAKE A DECISION, A CHOICE, AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK...WE "FAILED." BUT WE TOOK THAT FIRST STEP...AND WE GET UP AND TAKE ANOTHER STEP AND ANOTHER AND THEN ANOTHER... AND THEN WE FINALLY SUCCEED. HOW GOOD DOES THAT FEEL? .... MAYBE FAILURE IS TO MAKE US FEEL SO PROUD WHEN WE FINALLY DO SUCCEED.

EITHER WAY, I WISH US ALL MUCH SUCCESS AFTER A FEW FAILURES :)

DEBBIE

TALK TO DEB

FRIENDSHIP

THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT HAVING FRIENDS IS THAT YOU FEEL SUPPORTED WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH CHANGES. IN YOUR LIFE. EVERYONE ON THIS EARTH NEEDS A FRIEND TO CONFIDE IN, FOR ADVICE, SUPPORT, AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. NOT EVERY FRIENDSHIP HAS THIS SPECIAL INGREDIENT, BUT IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND SUCH A PERSON...HOLD ON TIGHT AND DON'T LET GO.

DEBBIE

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

WHEN MAKING DECISIONS, I THINK IT'S BEST TO FOLLOW YOUR HEART...IF YOU FEEL SOMETHING AND YOUR HEART IS TELLING YOU TO DO IT...IT'S USUALLY YOUR GUT/INNER INTUTUTION LEADING YOU ON THE RIGHT PATH...FOLLOW YOUR HEART=FOLLOW YOUR PASSION=FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS...GO FOR IT....THE DOWNSIDE...A MISTAKE...WHICH IS FIXABLE :) DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE ONE...IT CAN ONLY MAKE US MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ...WE CAN ONLY GROW AND LEARN FROM THEM

DEB

AWAKENING

OUR TRICKY MINDS

"IF YOU CORRECT YOUR MIND, THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WILL FALL INTO PLACE" -LAO TZU- I AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT, BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT THERE ARE TIMES IN OUR LIVES THAT WE NEED HELP AND SUPPORT, TO HELP US GET THROUGH ROUGH TIMES. SOMETIMES OUR MINDS AREN'T IN THE RIGHT PLACE OR THEY ARE HARD TO CORRECT...MAYBE YOU ARE GOING THROUGH A TRANSITION WHERE EVERYTHING SEEMS HARDER...INCLUDING THINKING POSITIVELY....AT THOSE TIMES, I RELY ON THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE ME...MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WHEN THINGS ARE NOT CLEAR CUT AND YOUR LIFE FEELS AS IF IT'S FALLING APART, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THROUGH IT BY BEING LIFTED UP BY OTHERS. ONCE THINGS FALL INTO PLACE...OUR MINDS CAN BE MORE POSITIVE AND WE CAN MOVE TO A BETTER PLACE IN OUR LIVES.

DEB

THE 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD

http://www.flickspire.com/m/LifeSecrets/SevenWonders

THE SEVEN WONDERS OF ALL OUR WORLD ARE THINGS THAT MOST OF US POCESS ...WHAT NOT APPRECIATE THEM, ENJOY THEM, AND USE THEM WELL? HOW DO YOU FEEL? ARE THESE TRUE WONDERS?

WITH GRATITUDE, DEBBIE

FORGIVENESS

"FORGIVENESS IS A GIFT TO MYSELF. I FORGIVE AND SET MYSELF FREE" -LOUISE L. HAY- IF WE HOLD ON TO ANGER AND HOSTILE FEELINGS, IT STAYS INSIDE US AND EATS AWAY AT US. IF WE CAN CHOOSE TO FORGIVE (MEANING NOT HOLD ONTO THOSE ANGRY FEELINGS), WE CAN MOVE ON MORE EASILY WITH OUR LIVES. CAN WE CREATE A FORGIVING HEART FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS HURT US OR MADE US ANGRY?

I'LL GO FIRST...I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FORGIVING PEOPLE IN MY LIFE. IT'S A LONG PROCESS THAT I WORK ON A DAILY BASIS...I'M GETTING BETTER AT IT.

DEBBIE TALKTODEB.BLOGSPOT.COM

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

EVEN IF IT TAKES US A WHILE TO DO SOMETHING NEW...IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP, AND DO IT....BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHAT WE CAN SUCCEED IN, UNTIL WE TRY...LATER IS BETTER THAN NEVER. -DEBORAH SAPORTA-