: o )  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Lets define: 
per·se·ver·ance  noun
~ steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
Steady and true in the face of difficulties. 
Thank goodness our great hero’s our American Soldier’s have always persevered.  They never gave up or gave in.  The continue to do so day after day and time after time.  The protect and serve our country and its interests.  Thank God for them who serve, protect and faithfully stand that post.
We can learn much from those who came before us an persevered.  People that pushed themselves to set records in athletic events.  People who failed over and over again but yet found a way for a light bulb to produce light.  Those great men and women produced despite hearing that they never could or would.
May we learn from them instead of doubting our efforts.

(NEW) Weekly Affirmation for this week.

My foundations in built upon faith and love. Faith in my abilities and love for the self.  I am a product of perfection and created for giving.  I will not bow to others and words that tear down instead I will replace with words of love and smiles of courage and belief.   I will overcome all obstacles through education, through planning and through failure.   Yes failure happens but it is not what happens to us through failure it is what happens to our spirit when we overcome failure.  Every time I breathe I am successful and growing in life.  I am loved, I am grateful and I am designed to be successful in everything that I put my best efforts towards.  Today I begin and continue my dreams.

Enjoy your week, share a smile, share in some laughter and dream big and love always : ) Smiles to you this day and everyday

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On this day in history

1764 – The city of St. Louis, Missouri is established.

1804 – The Serbian revolution begins.

1835 – The first constitutional law in modern Serbia is adopted.

1862 – American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant attacks Fort Donelson, Tennessee.

1879 – Women’s rights: American President Rutherford B. Hayes signs a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.

1898 – Spanish-American War: The USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana harbor in Cuba, killing more than 260. This event leads the United States to declare war on Spain.

1909 – The Flores Theater fire in Acapulco, Mexico kills 250.

1933 – In Miami, Florida, Giuseppe Zangara attempts to assassinate President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt, but instead shoots Chicago mayor Anton J. Cermak, who dies of his wounds on March 6, 1933.

1942 – World War II: The Fall of Singapore. Following an assault by Japanese forces, the British General Arthur Percival surrenders. About 80,000 Indian, United Kingdom and Australian soldiers become prisoners of war, the largest surrender of British-led military personnel in history.

1944 – World War II: The assault on Monte Cassino, Italy, begins.

1946 – ENIAC, the first electronic general-purpose computer, is formally dedicated at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

1949 – Gerald Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux begin excavations at Cave 1 of the Qumran Caves, where they will eventually discover the first seven Dead Sea Scrolls.

1952 – King George VI is buried in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

1954 – Canada and the United States agree to construct the Distant Early Warning Line, a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic regions of Canada and Alaska.

1961 – Sabena Flight 548 crashes in Belgium, killing 73, including the entire United States figure skating team, several coaches and family members.

1965 – A new red-and-white maple leaf design is adopted as the flag of Canada, replacing the old Canadian Red Ensign banner.

1970 – A Dominican DC-9 crashes into the sea during takeoff from Santo Domingo, killing 102.

1971 – The decimalisation of British coinage is completed on Decimal Day.

1972 – Sound recordings are granted U.S. federal copyright protection for the first time.

1982 – The drilling rig Ocean Ranger sinks during a storm off the coast of Newfoundland, killing 84 workers.

1989 – Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan: The Soviet Union officially announces that all of its troops have left Afghanistan.

1991 – The Visegrád Agreement, establishing cooperation to move toward free-market systems, is signed by the leaders of Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland.

1996 – At the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China, a Long March 3 rocket, carrying an Intelsat 708, crashes into a rural village after liftoff, killing many people.

2000 – Indian Point II nuclear power plant in New York State vents a small amount of radioactive steam when a steam generator fails.

2001 – First draft of the complete human genome is published in Nature.

2003 – Protests against the Iraq war take place in over 600 cities worldwide. It is estimated that between 8 million to 30 million people participate, making this the largest peace demonstration in history.

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My daily recipe for today.  Hope you enjoy : )  From allrecipes.com

Chocolate Hazelnut Fruit Crepes

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In order to achieve my goal I set about this morning listing only my positive traits. Someday, if my head gets too big, I’ll work on the flip side and make a list of the “not so positive” traits that really need to go. I can tell you the project was a wonderful success. So much so, that when I get back to work Monday morning and my boss tells me how worthless I am, I won’t believe a word of it. I’ll be able to smile at her and say yes ma’am and call her names in my head, with confidence. It’s going to be a great day.

Some of the items I elaborated on, some I didn’t. They are not ranked by order of importance because they are all important to me. You’ll find opinions and advise sprinkled in there too. Im not a medical or psychological professional. I am however, exceedingly experienced at being “me”. That is the only expertise I have to offer on the topic. Take what you can use from the information I offered and have a wonderful day.

-AA

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I am beautiful.

Any man or woman can make the same claim. You don’t need to be blessed with good genes. You’re opinion of yourself has a direct effect on how others view you. The next item on my list goes hand in hand with this one.

I am sexy…

… and I know it. The key here is, I don’t need to prove it by dressing or behaving sexy in public.

Im not being judgmental here and Im not saying anyone has to dress in a manner that makes them feel unattractive. Everyone should be comfortable and everyone should enjoy admiring glances from others. However, if you’re being openly leered at or have strangers making inappropriately suggestive remarks to you, you may want to consider keeping the skin tight clothing for special occassions and keeping your cleavage out of view. Thats top AND bottom cleavage for you ladies who like to wear low cut jeans and high cut shirts. I have never seen a women who is both successful and respected showing the general public the waist band of her thong. Again, I am sincerely not being judgmental here, it is my humble opinion that what you think of yourself is reflected in the way you present yourself. If you go out in public looking like you’re going to an interview at Playboy magazine, you will get plenty of attention, but you will also get very little respect from anyone who doesn’t already know what a terrific person you are. My personal experience has been that saving my sexy clothes and behavior for the bedroom shows the man I’m spending the rest of my life with that I respect him and myself. The only person in the world who gets to see my sexy, freaky side is my best friend and soul mate.

I am loyal.

I am successful.

I have made a lot of mistakes, tried my share of endeavors that have failed. Even when my intentions have been pure, my judgement about a particular person, group or situation has been flawed. It’s perfectly appropriate to react to mistakes or failures with a healthy level of regret. But don’t stop there. By choosing to react positively and not as a victim, we can learn from our mistakes and plan what we’d do differently next time. Even if there is no “next time”, maintain the confidence that you made the best decisions you knew to make at the time. This attitude will allow you to not only look back and learn but also to continue to look to the future with hope.

I am a change agent.

I don’t have full control of the world around me. I am simply aware of my surroundings and recognize where improvements are necessary or possible. Sometimes we never get to see our changes fully implemented. Some things, like world peace, take too long to be accomplished in one or dozens of lifetimes. The key here is to be confident enough to take the steps necessary to lay a foundation for countinous improvement that is lasting. Leave a legacy of momentum for those who come later to use after you are gone.

I am talented.

I am smart.

I am kind.

I am strong.

I recently had the amazing opportunity to attend the Presidential Scholarship Luncheon at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. The keynote speaker was Condoleezz Rice. I hope you follow along at this point because whether or not you agree with her politically, her speech included some very non-political and potentially empowering advise.

Her words affected me deeply because of my troubled childhood and they challenged me to view my future in a different light despite my past. I’ll get uncomfortabley personal here and tell you that my younger siblings and I were abandonded by alcoholic parents after suffering years of neglect and physical abuse. The home we were placed in for the next 15 years was even worse. Physical, emotional and sexual abuse was prevalent in this “better” home . There is no opportunity for a child in that kind of environment to gain self confidence. Hopefully, we gain confidence in ourselves as we grow and heal from the heart breaking, spirit crushing affects of abuse.

At 16 I ran away, so there was obviously no opportunity for a college education. It was hard enough, living on the street and off the kindness of others, to graduate from high school. For the rest of my life I have allowed myself to be proud of the fact that not only did I graduate but I also served in the Armed Forces for 3 years, and have since attained a professional career. Pretty good track run for a girl without parents or continued education. My lifetime experiences and the hardships I’ve overcome gave me extraordinary confidence in my strenth and my perseverance. But listening to Condoleezza that afternoon made me realize that, as far as I have come, I may have stopped striving for personal improvement and settled for what I’d already acheived, way too soon. I know the odds and based on where I come from, where I am today is a far cry from where neglected and abused children statistically end up. I should be proud right? Baloney. I have spent my entire life being strong but I gave up too soon because I allowed myself to feel like a victim. I am no longer a child or a victim. It’s time I grew up and took responsibility for where I’m going next and to stop accepting where I am as “good enough”. Thank you Mrs. Rice. You are an inspiration.

I have values.

And I stand by them. Here’s an example. I am no sardonic snob but I like the way I dress for work. Im a professional and I think its both important and beneficial, career wise, to dress like one. However the place I work at is predominantly “casual”. Once I even saw a manager conduct a job interview wearing shorts and a t-shirt. The cadidate being interviewed was in a suit and tie. I heard through the grapevine one day, that this same manager said “Look how she dresses everyday. She must spend all of her money on clothes.” My employment does pay enough for me to survive, and everyone in the same position earns a similar wage. This person, having some clue as to how much I earn, obviously thought that I spent beyond my means on clothing.

If I were a different person my feelings might have been hurt. This person’s perception of me was obviously that I was shallow and cared too much about how I looked. Given the casual atmosphere of this workplace I understand why he would be conditioned to feel this way about me as a person.

Thankfully, Im savvy enough to know I can live within my means and still look nice. I make frequent trips to thrift shops and look for designers clothing in my size that still has a price tag attached. Sometimes I find a lot, somedays I find none. I have aquired a sizeable wardrobe of very nice clothing for virtually nothing compared to what I’d have spent in a mall. Did I feel the need to set this co worker straight? No. How did I react? Simple. I didn’t. I stand by the value I place in looking and dressing professionally. I could dress “down” to fit in. Out of confidence in myself and my values I would, instead, expect others to follow what I trust to be my good example.

This all probably sounds funny after my diatribe on how to dress for respect, but it serves to prove that you can’t and won’t please everyone all the time. In fact there are situations where you shouldn’t even try and this was one of them. I can’t stress enough how important it is to be fully confident in yourself and true to your own values.

I am loved by God.

I put this last because its the most important to me and the strongest impression I’d like readers to leave with. Proverbs 23:7 reads “As you think in your heart, so you are” Whether you have spiritual beliefs or not, there is a great deal of merit in that statement. I know in my heart I am worthy of His love because of the increadibly painful sacrifice he made for me long before I was born. Would I give up the life of my only child to benefit a group of people who would largely not appreciate it? No, but I guess that’s why I’m not God.

I am also worthy of the love of other people and I am worthy of loving myself. Im not talking about having an inflated ego here. If you can find a way to truely value who you are as a person you can use that love to be healthier and happier for a very long time.

Personally I have used it to treat myself with more respect. I use it to treat my body and my health with more concern than I have in the past. I love my family and I want them to be healthy. I don’t want them drinking, or smoking. I don’t want their diet to be unhealthy and I want them to get a beneficial amount of exercise. When I came to love and respect myself as much as I do my family, I began to give my body the same level of concern.

What are your uniquely wonderful character traits? What are the things that you like about yourself? When the world is at your heels and you feel like you can’t do anything right, try to keep those things in focus and be proud of who you are. – AA

Noli nothis permittere te terere.

someone who will save us from the dragon or rescue us from the misfortunes of everyday strife has always been a recurring theme. The question is however “Do we still have those sort of heroes in America today, or can our hope for the heroic be found only in comic books?”

I believe society has become confused as to what a hero is and what they do. Definitions range from winning the MTV music awards and getting the best dressed accolade to wearing a cape and having a secret lair (along with a trusty side kick). Joseph Campbell expressed “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.”

Currently In America there are approximately 2.7 million enrolled in the military, and 6.2 million educators nationwide. Every day men and women put uniforms on risking life and limb to protect the borders and values of America. Every morning teachers, who despite budget cuts and salary decreases arrive at school in order to nurture and cultivate the minds of the next generation.

The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.

There are countless examples of teachers and military personal sacrificing personal ambitions and goals so that America and the children of America have opportunities and a safe bright future.
Carl Schurz once said Ideals are like stars you will not succeed in touching them with your hands; but, like the seafaring man, you choose them as your guides, and, following them, you will reach your destiny.

My friend recently completed basic training in the Navy, he is under no delusion that there will be great obstacles and hardships along the path he has chosen for himself but more than that he realizes that the ideals he holds true to, those of liberty, freedom and honor is a reflection of Americas, and so by being a part of the military he can tangibly harbor those ideals while inspiring others to do the same.

Every day the people of America can be disheartened or enraged by the news of killings, natural disasters, recessions and corruption going on in the world but isn’t it better to light a candle than to curse the darkness? Emily Dickinson said “If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; if I can ease one life the aching, or cool one pain, or help one fainting robin unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.” A hero in America may not be able to end world hunger or find the cure for cancer but the heroes that I have mentioned are lamplighters of hope and opportunity who are know by the trail left behind them.

I see these people every day. In a county where the unemployment rate is the highest in the state, my 3rd period science teacher Mr. Wachs wrote a grant on his own time that gave 12 high school students (including me) a job for the summer concerning natural resources and the sciences. He saw a need and produced a solution, a trait that I believe, heroic. My grandpa has served and fought in two wars, he’s broken a countless amount of bones, been shot at and lost numerous friends in the service however, his only regret is that he couldn’t have done more for a country such as America. Booker T. Washington expressed “There is no power on earth that can neutralize the influence of a high, pure, simple, and useful life.” Those in the military and the educational fields persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles, people that prove to me that there are most assuredly heroes in America, even if they aren’t mistaken for a bird or a plane.

  cheerbear11

Everyday, I am learning to accept that life is a gradual process. Sometimes when positive changes in one’s life appear to progress slowly it may be difficult to embrace and feel good about them. After all, when you see others rapidly forward in job promotions, marriage proposals, and home acquisitions while, maybe you are still making the same income, in the same job, etc., sometimes it may be difficult for you to keep your spirits and positive nature in check.

Why them and not you? When will it ever be you?

As I begin to allow myself to recognize, understand, and appreciate the small triumphs that have come my way, I begin to see how they are slowly, yet consistently building and multiplying. And, in doing so, it makes me understand that I truly need to remain patient, diligent in my efforts and persevere through the tough moments; easier said than done, but without a doubt worth the effort.

How Do I Know?

Recently, I had a conversation with a self made billionaire. Yes, I said billionaire. I found out that he started his fortune with only $1,000 and over a 28 year span he managed to turn a mere one grand into an approximate 1 billion dollars fortune. The lesson from this simple summary of his success is that he did not make his fortune overnight. It was a process and though I don’t know all the details of his journey I am certain he had many challenges that he had to overcome along the way. But, the key to his success was that he remained loyal to his goals and vision. He had to believe in himself and have the confidence to carry out his dreams.

When I began my independent writing endeavors, I began publishing poetry and small articles on a social networking writing site where other writers could review your work, but you did not receive any compensation for your efforts. That was about 3 years ago. Before that time, I always knew that I had a deep love for writing (it is my deepest passion), but my belief in my talents needed support and nurturance. After staying with this site for awhile and I had received enough of the support I needed regarding my work, I realized I was finally ready to move on and risk faring my luck in the royalty publishing writing world.

It was at that time that I began writing and publishing work on Triond, Helium, and other various writing sites. I remember when I started and received some of my first reader comments and my first earnings. I was beyond happy, I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. It was amazing for me to think that someone had taken the time to read my work; that someone in the world thought my ideas and words were valuable enough for them to not only enjoy, but learn something from, etc. But, a funny thing often occurs with me; that is, when I finally reach my goals, I tend to forget the sublime emotion of success and my achievements are suddenly transformed into status quo again. And once again, I am sent back to feeling like I need to do more; my triumph is transformed to nothing in comparison to the Mercedes that my neighbor has just purchased.

It is a consistent cycle that I have been trying to break for many years. There are times when I am able to have a better handle on it than other days, but it’s been a loyal companion longer than I can remember. And, it’s a battle I need to break and eradicate.

However, even as I write this, I realize this cycle hasn’t always been a downfall. Upon reflection, I realize, it has also actually been a strong driving force that has pushed me forward toward achieving all my goals. It’s a vehicle that helps me not settle for average. But, I do realize that there are better ways to propel myself forward toward my dreams. Instead of comparing myself to others, I need to learn how to compare myself to myself.

And, this is the greatest lesson of all.

Best wishes and blessings to all.

Joie Schmidt © Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved.

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Dreams of the Heart – volume I by Joie Schmidt is available:

  * Volume I: Amazon Kindle, Adobe Reader, iTunes, iPod, iPhone, iPad and iBooks

Dreams of the Heart – volume II is available:

  * Volume II: Amazon Kindle, Adobe Reader

———> Stay tuned . . . vol. II will soon be available on iTunes, iPod, iPhone, iPad and iBooks!

(*In memoriam of the tragedy in Japan all proceeds from – volume I – sales will go to the relief efforts until 3/11/12)

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For more great reading:

• B12 Shots: The Newest Energy Booster
• Celery: Do Your Body Refreshingly Good
• One Click: We Can Save the World
• How to be a Triond Super Star
• If I Tell You I Love You (poem)
• When the Night is Blue (poem)
• Need a Taxi? Hail an Eco Cab!
• Stumbling on Happiness
• Eco Friendly Clothing
• Green for Life

Do you have a story, poem, artwork or photography you’d like to share and earn residual income for life? Please check out this site to earn limitless income for life: Triond

The two older brothers never learned how to swim. They always rode “froggy-back” on their parents’ shoulders whenever they crossed the lily pond. Consequently, they panicked when they fell into the buttermilk and they drowned. The little frog didn’t know how to swim either but discovered that if she kicked like crazy each time she sank, she floated back up to the surface. “I’ll never stop kicking!” she shouted out loud and kicked even faster, with all her might because her very life depended on it. As the sun went down and the moon rose high in the sky, the little frog vowed to kick all night long, if need be, because she was determined to live!

At the crack of dawn, the little frog heard the shrill song of a cardinal that was perched on a distant branch. As the sunlight pierced its way through the branches, she realized that she had spent the entire night kicking in the buttermilk vat. Grateful for the strength of her powerful little frog legs, she hopped herself upon a piece of the butter that her kicking had produced during the night, jumped right out the vat, and leaped with joy, all the way home.

As a doctor of optometry, my college transcript is peppered with science courses. Let’s just say I know a little bit about physics. So let’s play doctor for a moment. The form of energy that an object produces because of its motion is called Kinetic Energy. The equation for Kinetic Energy is where m= the mass of the object and v= the speed of the object. So this equation reveals that the kinetic energy of an object is directly proportional to the square of its speed. That means that if we move twice as fast, we produce 4 times as much energy. If we move three times as fast, we produce 9 times as much energy; four times as fast produces 16 times as much energy, and so on.

Kinetic Energy is literally the wind beneath our sails which we produce when we work vigorously and unceasingly towards a goal. Brainwave research indicates that there is a transcendental state that human beings enter into when they wholeheartedly commit to an activity. When immersed in this state, individuals loose track of time and often experience extremely pleasurable feelings and sensations. This transcendental state is called flow. Kinetic Energy is the fuel that transports us there. It propels us to a place beyond passion and beyond purpose into a superlative realm of “never say never, no matter what, do-or-die.” It is unflagging, unfailing raw will.

Kinetic Energy is the reason that we can and must Keep On Kicking!