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talktodiana

~ Igniting the power and passion in others…

talktodiana

Tag Archives: dream

How Do You See The World?

20 Monday Feb 2017

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

200 words, alive, beauty, community, courage, creating, creativity, danger, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dream, end of the world, Fear, generosity, happy, hope, kindness, life, living, living in the moment, love, Purpose, safe, vulnerability, world issues

how-to-love

Loving people live in a loving world. Hostile people live in a hostile world. Same world.

~ Wayne Dyer

IN MANY WAYS, WE LIVE WITH what we dream and create. Our lives reflect the energy we’ve been putting into them. If we believe people are always out to get us, that is the scenario we unwittingly create and see. If we believe that people are good at heart, that is what we tend to nurture in others and see.

Does that mean if we’ve always believed the world to be hostile, there’s no love in it? Or if we’ve always been loving, there is no hostility in the world? No. But that’s likely what we’re inclined to ‘notice’ more in our daily lives.

One might think that it’s only those who are safe and loved that can see a loving world, but in my experience, it’s often those who are vulnerable and in danger who see the love in the world.

Anne Frank, whose family faced mortal danger, took the time to jot down these words: “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

How do you see the world?

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Happy Easter!

27 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

200 words, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dream, integrity, joy, living in the moment, mission, passion, Purpose, Relationships, vision, world issues

colorful sunset

The world stands aside to let anyone pass who knows where they are going.

David Star Jordan

When someone takes on an important cause and knows exactly what they’re meant to do. When they are focused on where they are going and what they will accomplish. When they can see how the world will look when their mission is completed and paint a clear picture of it. When they can passionately articulate it to others. When they care so much about the world and they, dare I say it, love the people. They naturally draw followers to them.

The world stands aside for someone like this. For someone whose fiery passion catches and ignites in the hearts of the people, whose words inspire compassion and service, whose faith and commitment remain strong so that they do not deviate from their mission, whose servant leadership exemplifies how it should be done and keeps them on the frontlines with those who follow, whose very life is a testament to their work.

Yes, the world stands aside for someone like this.

Happy Easter Everyone!

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

This holiday season, may you experience new life, new growth and renewed hope.

Morning Coffee

25 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 41 Comments

Tags

blessing, coffee, comforting, Dad, Diana Schwenk, dream, family, grace, grief, Hump Day Chronicles, living in the moment, loss, love, memories, Mom, parents

coffee-cup-120516

It’s only been a short time since Dad passed away. The hardest is when I forget and then remember again that he is gone. This morning though, a small blessing, a moment of grace to start my day.

A comforting dream, just before I awoke.

I was walking from the back bedroom of their house toward the kitchen. And there was Dad, just as he’d always been when I’d been there on previous visits, except he was standing – with no pain on his face, wearing that white shirt with navy and red stripes and making me an instant morning coffee.

Mom joined him from the dining room and both of them lifted their eyes up from the coffee to greet me.

Then I woke up.

Thanks for my morning coffee and checking in on me Dad. You must have known how much I am missing you.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

A New Chapter

17 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 65 Comments

Tags

addiction, Alberta, believe, building community, Calgary, caring, Charity, Community engagement, courage, Diana Schwenk, dream, Fundraising, Homelessness, Hump Day Chronicles, life, living in the moment, Oxford House, teamwork

Tulips (2)

Good morning!
It’s a wonderful day!!
Thank you!!!

Those are the words I wrote on my whiteboard at the end of April.

It was the springboard to a shift in my thinking; from fear to trust. From despair to hope. A knowing that if I brought my best self forward, things would work out.

Hanging out my own shingle as a consultant was a wonderful experience. I learned so much from the few clients I worked with. But early in the year, it became very clear that it wasn’t going to be sustainable, and I began looking for full-time work.

So as I was closing off a very successful campaign I’d been working on with an amazing group of people, I turned my attention to finding full-time work.

It was a trying time, in the sense that jobs in my area of expertise seemed to have dried up all of a sudden. I had a few bites here and there and even a few close calls to maybe jobs, but nothing panned out. Although I still had enough money to keep me going for a few months, my future was unsure.

Let’s just say that by the time April came, I was ready to do any kind of job. So I picked myself up by the boot straps and wrote the above message on my whiteboard to help me start every day on the right foot. A message that I read out loud every morning on the way to my coffee pot in the kitchen.

And then some promising opportunities started to come my way. A phone call from someone in Vancouver who heard of me from someone I had coffee with because someone else suggested we should meet, and another job posting that looked promising and finally another possibility to work with someone I hold in high regard and respect tremendously.

That last possibility moved to the top of my wish list and I am happy to say that’s the position I was offered and accepted.

So finally my dear friends, as promised, here’s my update.

On May 1st, I started my new job at Oxford House; an organization that provides homes for men and women in recovery. Oxford House has 31 homes across Calgary and Edmonton. Each home has 4-5 bedrooms and provides a safe and welcoming space for men and women who are recovering from alcohol and drug addiction.

Oxford House has its beginnings in the United States with hundreds of homes throughout that country. Here in Canada, Oxford House was founded by the previous executive director who sadly passed away late last year . I am learning about him and the rich history of this incredible organization from the small group of people who make up the staff here.

A passionate staff, all of whom are also in recovery and some are even previous residents of Oxford House; deeply committed to helping others take responsibility for their recovery and make valuable contributions to their community.

How lucky am I to be part of something so amazing? I look forward to learning more about Oxford House and working within this dedicated team to build on the wonderful foundation that has already been laid.

The community-builder inside me is beside herself with joy.

I can’t wait to tell you more in the coming weeks and months!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Good Night, Sleep Tight

08 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion, My Stories

≈ 59 Comments

Tags

200 words, dream, energy, exercise, food, happy, health, immune system, life, Necessities of Life, sleep

 Curl up with your pillows and your blankie. Close your eyes and dream so soft and hazy. – Pooh

images2When Michaela was little, I read Winnie the Pooh stories to her before bed. Sometimes she’d fall asleep while I read.

And when she slept she looked so angelic.

Sleep is important for all ages. So much happens while we sleep.

Sleeping promotes a healthy immune system.

Tissue growth and repair occur.

And levels of the hormone cortisol dip at bed time and promote alertness in the morning.

Years ago when I decided to embrace a healthier life-style, I found eating right and exercise alone made little difference in my efforts to get fit. It wasn’t until I made up my mind to get a good eight hours of sleep each night, that I began to see results.

One-third of our lives are spent sleeping, and sleep plays a direct role in how successful the other two-thirds of our lives can be.

So curl up with your pillows and your blankie. Close your eyes and dream so soft and hazy.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Do you get enough sleep? How did Daylight Savings Time affect your sleep last night?

The Impossible, Massive, Heavy, Looming Task

16 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 50 Comments

Tags

200 words, believe, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dream, encourage, life, living in the moment, mission, passion, Purpose, tenacity, vision, work hard

“Little by little, one travels far.” – J. R. R. Tolkien

imagesCXFEXQRPHave you ever had an impossible, massive, heavy task looming in front of you?

A dream so close to your heart that the thought of not achieving it, was unbearable?

I have.

If you’re like me, it can paralyze you if you don’t deconstruct it into manageable pieces.

How to tackle an impossible, massive, heavy, looming task

  1. Picture the final outcome. How does it feel? What are people saying about it?
  2. What are the top 3 objectives/barriers you need to achieve/overcome?
  3. List tasks under each objective/barrier to take you where you need to go.
  4. Run it under the noses of people you trust, particularly those who think differently than you.
  5. Tweak and modify your tasks.
  6. Take them on, one step at a time and start with the hardest ones.

The smallest steps today, combined together, help you chip away at your task. Before you know it, momentum takes on a life of its own and you are well on your way.

Doing something is always better than doing nothing.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Do you have a massive, heavy, looming task?

What small step can you make today?

Finding Balance

03 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 84 Comments

Tags

200 words, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dream, growing up, humour, joie de vivre, laughter, life, living in the moment, passion, plan, playing, Purpose, serious

active-playground-banner

“We need places to scream and run wild as well as places to be quiet.” ― Marty Rubin

I ONCE DATED A GUY WHO TOLD ME IT WASN’T REALISTIC FOR US to think we could allow ourselves to dream or go on playing forever; eventually we have to become grownups and put that foolishness behind us.

I told him I did not agree.

It’s funny though because I was drawn to his serious and purposeful quietness and he was drawn to my joyful spontaneity.

I learned a lot about backing up my dreams with action from him

and I think he learned how to occasionally let go and have fun from me.

Sure, we have to work

we have to pay bills

we have to be committed and responsible to, and for, our loved ones.

But I do not think we have to give up dreaming and playing!

What do you think? 

Check out the fun these grownups created for themselves below

Post by Shannon Jerabek.
 ~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~
How do you ensure that you strike up a good balance in your life? Do you think that opposites attract? Could you see yourself playing human foosball?

Did You Ever Get The Feeling That…?

09 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 50 Comments

Tags

courage, dream, happy, health, humour, Hump Day Chronicles, laughter, living in the moment, love

The universe conspires to help you...

The universe conspires to help you…

… a prayer you did not utter, got answered

… there are amazing people in this world

… you’re not alone after all

… the universe conspires to help you get where you’re going

… summer sunshine can lift your countenance

… a child’s laughter reminds you to play

… a butterfly appears as if it is your personal messenger of hope

…  all of nature seeks, to connect with and, give joy to, you

These last couple of weeks have made me feel this way. And I am so very, very grateful.

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

Do you ever get that feeling?

 

Optimism Might Even Unite Us

13 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, In My Opinion

≈ 41 Comments

Tags

200 words, abuse of power, afraid, authority, bureaucracy, community, courage, Diana Schwenk, Diana's Enormous Book of Quotes, dream, greed, hope, hopeless, making a difference, optimist, overwhelmed, passion, Purpose, unity

“Optimism is the greatest form of rebellion.” Carmen Medina

sail boatWe live in a world where our options are often dictated to us by those in authority. A few solutions are presented and we vote for the least offensive one.

To operate outside this context seems too overwhelming a task.

Yet those self-appointed with the authority to tackle the big issues in our world are merely looking after their own interests, so why shouldn’t I look after my own?

Because realistically, what difference can I make standing alone against a wall of bureaucracy? A well-oiled machine that moves steadily on, bulldozing everything in its path?

Martin Luther King gave an ‘I have a dream’  speech, not an ‘I have a plan with three options you can choose from’  speech. He was hopeful for a day when all men and women would be equal. He was optimistic about humanity doing the right thing. It was his optimism that united a generation.

One could even say it was the greatest form of rebellion against the accepted norms of his day.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

Grant me the courage to be optimistic and unite a generation to do the right thing

What’s Keeping You Busy?

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by dianasschwenk in Hump Day Chronicles, My Stories

≈ 47 Comments

Tags

community, Diana Schwenk, dream, happy, health, joy, living in the moment, passion, Purpose, vision

I’ve been so busy!

51ONNS1eetL__SS400_Seriously! I get up. I exercise. I boot up the old beast of a computer. Pour myself a cup of coffee. Put my head down. And work!

Then I break for lunch. Watch the news. Get on my boots and coat. And power walk through my neighbourhood.

Once home, I plug the kettle in. Make tea. And get back to work. Sometimes work means brainstorming marketing ideas for The Other Bottom Line on my whiteboard.

Sometimes it means writing a fundraising letter for a non-profit organization or building the framework to bring a group through a process to achieve their desired goal.

Sometimes it means interpreting and segmenting data in preparation for future planning.

Make no mistake. I’ve been so busy!

At the end of the day I’m tired. A good tired. You know what I mean? The kind of tired you get when you’ve been doing what you love. When you are living your purpose and following your heart.

Yeah, I’ve been busy. And I’m tired.

And tomorrow I’m going to do it again.

And I can’t wait!

~ HUMP DAY CHRONICLES ~

What’s keeping you busy?

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