Have a vision and live it!

 By: Marcia King-Gamble

In December I wrap up the year at the exact same time I wrap up my presents.  I see it as the perfect time to reflect on what went right and what didn’t go as planned that year. Instead of beating myself up,  I think about what I might do differently in the new year and I start coming up with a plan.

It's an opportunity to paint an entirely new canvas.  Anything goes!

Below is an example of a vision board I created  two years ago.

What's a vision board?

Think Pinterest. But mine isn’t virtual (some people's are.) I actually go out and buy Bristol Board.  I clip pictures and inspirational quotes from newspapers and magazines and paste them on that board.  I dream of places I want to visit and people I want to meet and see.  Maybe even people I want to be. My board represents inspiration and  hope! I have fun with it.

It's a great motivator and a way to envision what I want the upcoming year to look like. Then I create that year in pictures. My board is divided into quarters, but yours can be whatever you want it to be. Mine always has at least one quarter devoted to travel.  Another quarter is devoted to writing, another to my personal life,  and the fourth  is where I dream big dreams. 

During the year  I depend on this board to keep me on track. When I'm not feeling optimistic I go to the board for reinforcement. Just looking at the pictures and sayings, makes me realize all things are possible. It's the map I use when I lose focus. It's where I registered my hopes and dreams.  In my head dreams do come true.

Call me an eternal optimist,  but  if you can see it you can be it. This is why I chose this exact time of year to reissue one of my best sellers to date. His Golden Heart, formerly titled, Change of Heart.

http://amzn.com/B00R41R8O4
http://bit.ly/1wKsjDM

It’s a story about an athlete who loses hope after losing his chance at a gold medal.  And it’s about the incredible woman who helps him find his way back to the land of the living. It’s a feel good story and perfect for the holidays.  I hope you read it.   

And so as this year draws to a close, think about all the good things that came your way. Remember to cherish your family and friends and create your own vision board. Make it your map for the year to come.

Happy 2015 all!

 www.lovemarcia.com
 https://www.facebook.com/MarciaKingGamble

Gratitude is an Attitude

 

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

 http://on.fb.me/1GF28CG

Ages ago I attended a conference where the keynote speaker asked the audience to write down three things in their lives they were grateful for. The attendees scribbled away, and at the end, the presenter asked a few select people to share what they had written. Many listed families, jobs, and financial stability. He listened, smiled and then said, “If you haven’t listed your health then you have nothing.”

Throughout my life those words stuck with me.  Recently, I lost friends in their prime, two to cancer, and one through an unfortunate mishap. He went into the hospital for something minor and never came home. My male friend who lost the battle to cancer was funny and optimistic. He never told anyone of his diagnosis. I learned of it after he’d passed away.  My female friend was an old housemate, vivacious, funny, with a memorable laugh. She left behind two smart, well brought up young men. 

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to say thanks and express gratitude for the blessings in our lives.  The journey, while often unpredictable, and sometimes not fun, teaches you resilience and strength.  It reminds you to be grateful for what you have. Without good health you are nothing. I would not be able to juggle a day job and still write. I would not be able to care for animals and meet friends for the occasional bite. I couldn’t exercise, and that is something that has helped keep my sanity even through very trying times. 

In the last few years, as our economy struggles to rebound, friends have lost homes and jobs. If you are one of the fortunate ones, be grateful that you have survived those challenging times.

This month, His Golden Heart, my re-release is the perfect reminder of the power of positive thinking and how the mind works.

Beaumont Hill is a champion skier slated to win gold at the Olympics.  During a downhill race, tragedy strikes and he ends up paralyzed. Shayna DaCosta; a former Olympic hopeful, is charged with putting him back together, body, mind and soul. Shayna believes that a positive outlook makes the impossible possible.

As you sit around your table giving thanks, be grateful for what life has served you. Not everyone is well enough to have friends and family at their table.  Many aren’t even in a position to eat. Take that good fortune and pay it forward. Your generosity will come back to you in the most unexpected way. Some call it karma. I call it your just rewards.

Eat, drink, and give thanks,  but don't forget your fellow man. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving all! 

 http://amzn.to/1wIf5Y4