Three Reasons To Be Jolly

 

I hate winter but I love this time of year because my favorite place has my favorite drinks! Starbucks!  It's everyone's favorite, right???

 

 

There's something magical when Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte and Gingerbread Latte put on their finest red cups.

Food For Thought

When you know good things are coming, you wait with excitement, anticipation, and a light heart.

When you expect good things to come your way somehow every dark cloud is a little brighter, every bump a little smoother, every obstacle a little bit less significant.

When you embrace gratitude every day for each step you have taken toward the good things that await you the journey becomes just as enjoyable as the destination.

For The Chicken Eater

Well, tomorrow is the grand opening of the new Chick-fil-A here.  It is currently in the food court at the mall but they just built a new restaurant outside the mall.  The first 100 people in the door get FREE Chick-fil-A for a whole year.  Guess these peeps are serious about their Chick-fil-A.  Oh, and I should mention that if my 16 year old daughter didn't have school tomorrow, she'd be right out there with them.  LOL

Black Friday Shopping

Caitlin and I got to the mall at 11:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving night because the mall opened at midnight and Hollister was having a huge sale that I absolutely couldn't miss.  I did pre Black Friday shopping online at Aeropostale because they had 50% off, free shipping over $75 plus a free $25 gift card if you spent $100.  With 3 teenagers, that is not hard to do.  LOL

We, of course, got our Starbucks first!  We shopped til 5:00 a.m., went home for a nap and were back out shopping by 10:30 a.m.  Gotta love the great deals I got though. The Limited was having 50% off and I had $20 off coupons (thanks to my sons girlfriend who works there)!  Therefore, I practically got a few things for less than nothing.  Hollister had everything 50% off and Build-A-Bear had $5 flurry friends.  Lots of other deals too.

This was the crowd waiting outside Hollister and Victoria's Secret.  They both opened at midnight but Hollister wouldn't let us in until around 12:20 a.m. and said it was for our safety because of the sheer number of people and they couldn't get everyone to line up separately based on the store you wanted.  

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with my sister and her family because after 20+ yrs of a family feud it was high time the adults put the past behind us for the sake of the kids involved who have never had the opportunity to get to know each other.  Here are some of the pictures.

Giving Thanks

Well, it's almost Thanksgiving and lately I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my life and the things that I am most thankful for.  First and foremost I am thankful for a loving and forgiving God that loves me unconditionally and has made a place for me in Heaven.  Without God I would have never made it through some of the toughest times in my life.

Second, I am so thankful for four of the greatest children on earth.  They are my world.  Other than God there is no one in this world that I love more.  They are the reason that I strive to be the best mother that I can be.  I sometimes forget and have a tendency to take things in life for granted; but they remind me of how blessed I truly am.  Their smiles brighten up my world and their determination makes me proud.  I truly am grateful that I am their mother.

I am thankful for having such wonderful friends and family.  I absolutely could not make it without them.  Each one plays a very special role in my life as well as my children's lives.

Sometimes it takes hearing someone else's story, seeing a homeless person, a person with a serious illness, people that have been afflicted by natural disaster, children suffering abuse, hunger or all the bad things in the world to make a person appreciate the life that they have.  When I see all the things going on in the world today, I have to praise God for all the wonderful blessings that he has given me.  Sometimes I start feeling sorry for myself because of the struggles that I have had to face but I soon remember that I am here, alive and healthy.  I have happy children, a safe place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear and am loved by so many people.

So this Thanksgiving I am going to remember all the things that I have to be thankful for, and there are many!  I am going to pray for those who are less fortunate than me.   I will also pray that God show me how I can help others by being more compassionate and understanding.  Who knows, maybe my compassion and understanding towards someone will give them something to be thankful for too.

God bless you all!

Commitment To My Children

For as long as I live I will always be your parent first and your friend second. I will stalk you, flip out on you, lecture you, drive you insane, be your worst nightmare and hunt you down like a bloodhound when I have to all because I love you. When you understand that I will know you have become a responsible adult. You will never find anyone else in your life who loves, prays, cares & worries about you more than I do. If you don't mutter under your breathe "I hate you" at least once (and only once LOL) in your lifetime, I am not doing my job properly! I love you!

The Wall

There is no way around getting hurt in life.  Everyone knows it, deep down; they are going to get hurt at some point.  No matter what happens you will be betrayed, you will fall, you will be tripped or made to fall.  But how you deal with it depends solely on you and how well you handle pain.  Some people can just pick themselves up, brush off the dirt, and move on with barely a frown.  They can move on so easily because they know this is a part of life that sucks, but it's nothing they can't handle.  It's something they've learned to deal with; to accept.  But what about those who don't know what to do when they are betrayed?  What happens to the people who lay there in the dirt, tears rolling down their face, wondering how long they should wait until they get up?  When are they supposed to finally get up and what do they do then?

It's the first line of defense to any human being that can't handle the pain of human nature. It's called the Wall.  Sometimes a person will build this up around themselves as a test, a precaution to make sure those in their life really care enough to try and climb or tear it down.  But then there are the people who have that wall there as a barrier or a way to keep everyone out because they truly have made themselves believe they need no one nor do they want anyone.  "No one" can't hurt you, can't betray you and can’t watch you fall.  The Wall has a voice of its own, a power to brainwash the soul lost inside.  Each time someone knocks on the bricks, another layer forms, and it gets darker inside.  Eventually, the Wall is so thick with the person locked inside so consumed that your voice is all that can be heard.  The Wall has the power to consume the mind of its captive.  Sure it's safe because those locked away will never be hurt by the rest of the world but in return they will begin hurting themselves. 

Without suffering there would be no compassion.  The thing is, its human nature to cause suffering, but it is also human to suffer.  Whether it's other people who hurt you, or you who hurt yourself in place of those you've trapped yourself from, there will be pain.  There may even be blood and tears. I guess the ultimate question is which pain is worse?  The one caused by the world, by human nature, or one caused by you?  Either way you lose faith in someone, but the thing about losing faith in yourself is that you can't escape yourself.  You can run forever from people and always find someone new in another place.  But you're stuck with you.  The Wall is a figment of the mind, but it's more powerful than the thickest cement.  Once it reaches a certain dimension, once its voice hits a certain octave, is there really any way to tear it down, or shut it up?

I guess time will tell.  Only time can answer that question.  Now it becomes a matter of how patient you are at waiting.

Judgment

If you wake up every day and the only thing you can do is think about how people are brainless any time they don't do what's rational, apparent or what you feel is the right thing to do than you are being disillusioned by your own bad feelings and have serious issues.

If you are a perfectionist like I am, you have high expectations of yourself and others and more often than not put those same standards on other people.  You judge the people closest to you harshly which does nothing but put a strain on your relationships.

Judging others by their appearance will make you miss out on many good relationships, friend or otherwise.  A person's character is important, not how they look. Look for values that you agree with, not clothing or hair that is cool. Liking somebody for just outward reasons doesn't last long, because it's what's on the inside that counts. Judging someone before giving him or her a chance can ruin the opportunity to get to know him or her for what's inside. There is never a reason to judge somebody because of race, gender, size, shape, age or any other external reason.

Judging others doesn't lead to any good.  It's how rumors get started; feelings get hurt and tempers flare…….so think about what really matters in life and give people a chance.

Gumdrop Cookies

Gumdrops are something you either love or you hate.  If you love them, try this recipe.  

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups fruit flavored or spiced gumdrops
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup crushed walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cut gumdrops into small pieces; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until combined. Stir in oats, gumdrops and walnuts (if desired).
5. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool on pan for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks for complete cooling.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Being a Mother

Let's face it. There is nothing glamorous about mothering. With tasks like diaper changing, laundry folding, grocery shopping, errand running, lunch packing, dish washing, meal planning, homework checking, teacher conferencing, and carpool driving, we are constantly in the trenches. We wipe snotty noses, kiss teary faces, clean dirty hands, and hug away tantrums. We chase bad dreams, mark moments, and make memories. We are the historian, the nurse, the chef, the masseuse, the teacher's aide, and the therapist. Often all in the same day. We endure toddler meltdowns, adolescent anxiety, and teenage eye rolls (and I have three of them right now - see below). We are also often exhausted and unappreciated. 

But ladies, God sees us and knows our work. If we ever feel a sense of uselessness or frustration when we do the tiny tasks that make a home and grow a family, knowing all too well that they will soon be undone or need to be redone, we can find hope in the promise that out God is a God of details. The small things matter to Him. He is not simply entrusting to us the tedious task of changing a diaper or filling a lunchbox; He has entrusted to us His most precious possessions. We are raising God's children. 

When we can learn to consecrate our daily tasks, making them holy offerings to our Father in heaven, everything changes. We infuse love and meaning into each part of our day. We become more grateful and Spirit-filled. God will recognize the shift in the intention of our hearts and our family will begin to feel the love behind the little things.

Jonathon, 15 (L), Caitlin, 16 and Joshua, 15 (R)

Talk Is Cheap

I am learning more and more about the power that is housed in the fragile shell we walk and talk with daily.  Besides the spiritual ramifications and consequences, the power of what we say and when it is said is so important.  Verbalizing the things we dream about; wish for; hope to achieve, in essence gives a full body to an otherwise abstract ideal. 

We all grew up learning the little adage:  "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me!"  We now know far better.  What we say can kill, damage, and even cripple us.  Life is too precious to be stupid or to say stupid things.  I know that I have been guilty of speaking before thinking and I'm sure my literal bullets have hit a target or two.  I apologize for all that I have spoken in error, even to and about myself.  I only pray that I can incorporate a more balanced diet of positive speech and productive and edifying words.   

The flip side to all this talk is that there has to be substance to what is being said.  There is nothing more terrible than someone who "talks a good game but can't back it up."  Believe me, I have found myself in the unfortunate drivers' seat of that vehicle and it is not one that you can just easily get up from.  Once you've said something, do it.  There is nothing more aggravating than someone saying that they will do something for you and turn around and not do it.  What's more aggravating is to KNOW that the person didn't want to do it in the first place, and you still take their word for it, only to have them disappoint you. 

Our words are powerful.  Our words are life.  Stand by what you say when you say it. 

Chole

This is one of my favorite Indian recipes (curried Garbanzo beans in a mild sauce).

Ingredients

2 cans Garbanzo beans

2 large Onions, chopped finely

1 Roma Tomato

1 cup of tomato sauce

1 inch of ginger root (peeled and cut)

2-3 Cloves of garlic (peeled and cut)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chili powder

3 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp chana masala

1 tsp mango powder

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons of Oil

  

Preparation

Drain the water from the cans of garbanzo beans. Wash the beans in water.  Blend 1 tomato, garlic and ginger in a blender to make a smooth puree.  Chop the onions.  

Heat the Oil in a deep pan.  Add Onion. Stir til onion is transparent in color.  Add tomato puree, which was prepared with the garlic and ginger.  Add tomato sauce, turmeric, chili, coriander powder and salt.  Cover and let simmer for 7-10 minutes till you see oil in the gravy, stirring in between.  Add garbanzo beans and remaining spices – (chana masala, mango powder). Add a little water if required to have a desired consistency. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve over rice (I prefer Basmati rice….but you can use any kind of rice)

Beef Cabbage Bake

If you like stuffed cabbage, you will love this recipe.

¾ lb ground beef

½ cup uncooked brown rice                                       

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/3 cups boiling water                                                               

4 cups finely shredded cabbage

Salt

Black pepper

1 medium onion, chopped                                          

½ tsp seasoned salt

1 Tbsp butter or margarine                                         

1 jar (16 oz) mild herb-style Italian spaghetti sauce

Cook rice in boiling water seasoned with salt for 25 minutes or until rice is tender.  Drain if necessary.  In a medium skillet, sauté the onion in butter until tender.   Add beef and cook, breaking up with fork until meat loses its red color.  Stir in Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.  Add rice and mix well.   Layer half the cabbage in a 2-quart buttered casserole.  Add beef mixture and press down.  Add remaining cabbage.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper.  Press down.  Pour sauce over the top.  Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

The Joy of Technology

Oh Snap!

A teacher asks her class if Ohio State is their favorite football team.  The whole class says "yes" except for Little Jimmy.  "What's your favorite team, Jimmy?"  Jimmy says "U of M".  The teacher asks "Well, why is that?"  Jimmy says "Well, my dad is a U of M fan, my mom is a U of M fan so I guess that makes me a U of M fan."  The angry teacher says "If your dad was a moron and your mom was an idiot, what would that make you?"  So Little Jimmy says "Well, that would make me an Ohio State fan."

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Pie

My family loves this pie.  If I ever say I am making it for someone else, you better believe I will be making one to leave at home as well or I will never hear the end of it.  LOL

Funny thing is.....I love to make it but I don't even like strawberries or rhubarb!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell

TOPPING:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking or rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cold butter

DIRECTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg. Add the sugar, flour and vanilla; mix well. Gently fold in rhubarb and strawberries. Pour into pastry shell.

 

For topping, combine flour, brown sugar and oats in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees, bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.

Hump Day Humor

Anyone in development should be able to relate to this humor today.

Random Thoughts

As a rule, I don't blog about my job or my relationships with others on any in depth level and with the exception of one blog, I typically never mention names. I believe those matters are personal and putting stuff like that out here on the web is just planting a recipe for disaster that will one day sneak up on you, like Ebola, and decimate your life all because you felt the need to vent your frustrations in a public forum. Too many people are doing that these days but they have no idea how immature, foolish and self-indulgent it actually makes them look.

The point to this is that I choose my words very carefully in my blogs because people I have relationships with and work with can read my blogs, and might stagger across a rant and misinterpret a haphazard venting of aggravation as discontent with our relationship, work or hostility toward a co-worker. Therefore, I choose not to air that kind of information. Call it self-preservation, call it covering your tail or call it spineless but I prefer to think of it as common sense.

Having said that, I wanted to blog about some things I have learned, which include my relationships and job.

Everyone makes mistakes. That is a given. People make honest mistakes and careless mistakes. The absolute worst kind of mistake, however, is when you firmly believe you are doing what is expected of you and you're wrong. It's one thing to be frustrated when you find a typographical error in an email after it has already been sent because you chose to not use spell check. It's another thing to complete a project according to the instructions you were given, only to learn that you didn't do what was expected and must completely start over again. At that point, you have people who are unhappy with you, thinking that you were careless or willfully disobeyed instructions. At the same time, the person who made the mistake questions his own intelligence, thinking that he should have known better. I've lost it at work a few times and belittled someone in front of other co-workers because of their mistakes but I have since come to realize that not only are the mistakes inevitable they will most likely happen again in the future. It's a vicious cycle.

Asking for help or forgiveness is difficult, but dealing with the consequences of your silence is worse. Is suffering in silence really more satisfying than speaking out and dealing with the consequences? When you choose silence, there's a voice inside your head that judges you and no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to shut it up. It will drive you mad. You will continually tell yourself you are powerless and weak while you make yourself believe and live with the cooperation of maintaining secrecy. (Never tell. If questioned, deny it. If caught, say as little as possible.) Trust me, I've been there. You don't just wake up one day and decide to pour out your soul and confess. It's a very gradual process that happens over months and possibly years but true healing for all parties involved can and will only come once the silence is broken.

Very few people can broadcast an achievement without sounding arrogant. Not sure that I need to explain this one but this is where silence may not a bad thing. LOL

Being Good Enough

With the type of job I have, I am continually reminded how the bumps and bruises, rejections, failures and disappointments of a project gone bad can undermine people's beliefs in themselves and their ability. The same holds true in life itself. It is unfortunate how often we allow a family member, spouse, boss or friend to define who we are or are not, rather than holding on to the power of who we are by simply acting on our gifts and knowledge.

Life is a constant, never-ending process of learning and growing in skills, experience, wisdom and compassion. It is not a goal or series of goals; and despite this worlds obsession with competition, it is not a contest either.

Most of us are not extravagant in any category of life, however we are valuable, lovable, proficient, useful, attractive, and smart enough to live our lives full of involvement, compassion and importance. We have to accept that we are enough just as we are, and stop comparing ourselves to others, good or bad.

We are not our car, clothes, awards, job title or bank account; and we certainly aren't our failures or shortcomings. There are no winnings without losses, no virtue without faults and no learning without mistakes.

We have to accept that we are enough and stop making judgments about others or ourselves. We ARE enough just as we are and so is everyone else!

When we accept our faults and shortcomings as part of our "enoughness" (if that's even a word) we will be able to let others have their faults and shortcomings without the need to criticize, fix or make them wrong. We will be able to make choices, rather than feeling like we 'should' or 'have to' be or do something. We give ourselves the space to let go of guilt.

 

 

Once we realize that we are enough and are at peace, the less power others have to manipulate us or make us feel guilty. We simply act on our own best thinking and feelings in the moment and take responsibility for the outcome. If we make a choice that results in something we don't like, we get to make a new choice. It's all a part of the learning process and nothing to feel guilty about.

Thankful for Teenagers

After a long and exhausting week of work in Rhode Island with hurricane Sandy, I am thankful for my teenagers.  I know that sounds crazy but unlike toddlers, teenagers love to sleep in on Saturdays.  I never get to sleep in because of sports or commitments, etc. but was able to sleep until 10:00am today AND I get an extra hour of sleep tonight because of the time change.  Woo Hoo

So now, the twins are at their dad's, Caitlin is at work and I am hibernating in my sewing room creating more outfits for my website.

Defining Moments

The astonishing human spirit can conquer virtually anything if we CHOOSE to make a difference.   Ordinary people can do amazing things even through adversity if we CHOOSE to make a difference.  The following is a true story, and it defines all of us, from the weak to the strong, the poor to the wealthy.  Lessons can be learned through the smallest trials to the largest trials.

In November 1995, Itzhak Perlman, a violinist, went on stage to give a concert at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City.  If you have ever been to a Perlman concert, you know that getting on stage is no small achievement for him.  He was stricken with polio as a child, so he has braces on both legs and walks with the aid of two crutches.  To see him walk across the stage one step at a time, painfully and slowly, is an awesome sight.

 

He walked painfully, yet majestically, until he reaches his chair.  Then he sits down, slowly, puts his crutches on the floor, undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward.  Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor and proceeds to play.

 

By that time, the audience is used to this ritual.  They sit quietly while he makes his way across the stage to his chair.  They remain reverently silent while he undoes the clasps on his legs.  They wait until he is ready to play.

But this time, something went wrong.  Just as he finished the first few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke.  You could hear it snap.  It went off like gunfire across the room.  There was no mistaking what that sound meant.  There was no mistaking what he had to do.

We figured that he would have to get up, put on the clasps again, pick up the crutches and limp his way off stage to either find another violin or else find another string for this one.  But he didn't.  Instead, he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then signaled the conductor to begin again.

The orchestra began, and he played from where he had left off.  And he played with such passion and such power and such purity as they had never heard before.  Of course, anyone knows that it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings.  I know that and you know that, but that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that.

He was modulating, changing and re-composing the piece in his head.  At one point, it sounded like he was de-tuning the strings to get new sounds from them that they had never made before.

When he finished, there was an awesome silence in the room.  Then people rose and cheered.  There was an extraordinary outburst of applause from every corner of the auditorium.  They were all on our feet, screaming and cheering; doing everything they could to show how much they appreciated what he had done.

He smiled, wiped the sweat from this brow, raised his bow to quiet everyone and then he said (not boastfully) in a quiet, pensive, reverent tone "You know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."

What a powerful statement that was.   Perhaps that is the definition of life - not just for artists but for all of us.  Here is a man who has prepared all his life to make music on a violin of four strings when all of a sudden, in the middle of a concert, finds himself with only three strings; so he makes music with three strings, and the music he made that night with just three strings was more beautiful, more sacred, more memorable, than any that he had ever made before, when he had four strings.

Perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have and when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.

ABC's of Happiness

A -- Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.

B -- Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.

C -- Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.

D -- Decide

Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.

E -- Explore
Explore and experiment.  The world has much to offer, and you have much to give.  Every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.

F -- Forgive
Forgive and forget.  Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief.  Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.

G -- Grow
Grow by leaving the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.

H -- Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.

I -- Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head.  Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments.  Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.

J -- Journey
Journey to new worlds and new possibilities by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.

K -- Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.

L -- Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate.  When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.

M -- Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry.  Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.

N -- Notice
Take notice and never ignore the poor, sick, helpless, weak, or suffering.  Offer your assistance, kindness and understanding whenever possible.

O -- Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you.  Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.

P -- Play
Never forget to play and have fun along the way.  Success means nothing without happiness.

Q -- Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.

R -- Relax
Relax a bit.  Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.

S -- Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others.  Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.

T -- Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

U -- Use
Use your gifts to your best ability.  Talent that's wasted has no value.  Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.

V -- Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.

W -- Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals.  Every sunrise offers a second chance.

X -- X-Ray
Make use of the concept of an x-ray.  Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.

Y -- Yield

Yield to commitment.  If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.

Z -- Zoom
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head.  Let nothing interfere with your goals.  Instead, focus on your abilities, dreams, and a brighter tomorrow.