Lucky Duck Living

Are You Ready To Take Your Life Back From The Social Media Dark Hole?

Thais Zoe — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:41:45 +0000

Ready to claim good feelings?

My head hurts! Not in a headachey way, but in a “too much information”…or TMI — as the youngsters are sayin’ — way.

First, there was LinkedIn. Then Facebook and Twitter. However, now, if you want to be ranked, Google Plus is a must. Of course, YouTube, owned by Google can be vital, too. And, it seems, if you don’t burn an hour a day on Pinterest, it’s hard to keep relevant!

Almost all the social media “experts” I’ve read – and there are great ones out there — insist that you can do Twitter in 10 minutes a day, and social media overall in a couple of hours. Ummm…not in my experience.

If, like me, you are building your business using social media, and sometimes feel like a failure because it seems impossible within a reasonable weekly time-frame, I’m here to say that you don’t need to sweat it! And, most importantly – don’t give up!

We are not social media experts! And, thankfully we do not need to be….

Perhaps the most important social media basic is understanding your clientele. Once you learn about whom you serve, you can sort out where they hang out.

For example, my company Lucky Duck Living is a feel good t-shirt brand all about being comfy, stylish and making a difference in our communities. At the core of that, I write about life as I see it, because I believe authenticity and telling the truth is the direct passageway to having lasting joy in our lives.

For me, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are the best fit…with Google Plus necessary for rankings.

If my “product” was informational instead of a super fantastic tee, then perhaps I would prioritize YouTube over Google Plus. If I was looking for wholesalers, then I might prioritize LinkedIn over Pinterest.

It’s more effective to target your efforts than to try and do everything.

However, if you know your audience and clientele and still find yourself unable to focus, here is my super simple secret…

Decide how many hours per week – or how many minutes per day you are going to spend on social media. Period.

I once heard Michael Eisner, talking about creativity stemming from limitation rather than limitlessness. Meaning, if, I can simply throw more money, or (in this case) more time at a challenge, the options — and in many cases the process — becomes exponentially greater.

However, if you give yourself a finite amount of money or time to accomplish a task, or project, the pressure that is created, will bring forth a truly creative solution. Much like, pressure on diamonds brings forth their luster.

Give it a go. Decide where your clients hang out and how much time you are going to spend on social media…and stick to it! From this place you will best be able to decide what networks will work best, and which ones to let go of, or back off from.

If you’re like me, and need some help sorting through social media and all the aspects of bringing your product to market I’ve found Andreea Ayers to be an incredible wealth of support and information.

In the meantime, let me know how much time you plan to dedicate to posting, tweeting, liking, pinning, etc….

I look forward to hearing what your experience is, and hope that you’ll join me in taking back our lives from thinking we need to do it all!

And, as always, I’m in your corner….

Love,
Thais

p.s. CLICK here to subscribe to The Joy Blog Weekly and we’ll deliver a fresh post to your inbox every Thursday morning AND you’ll automatically be enrolled in our monthly drawing for a super-fantastic Lucky Duck Living Tee!

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Is It Possible For A Tee To Look Good And Feel Good?

Thais Zoe — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 02:38:16 +0000

Is this the look you’re sporting!?

How can it be that time after time t-shirts generally don’t fit right? Of course we are all different shapes and sizes, but how is it possible that virtually every t-shirt is tight under the arms? Or, too short in the waist? And, either fully displays our “girls” or is cut like a boy’s crew?

I’m happy to report that this week I completed my specification notes on my preliminary shirt samples and there won’t be any of these issues with my Lucky Duck Living tees. I have also taken needed photos, scanned the updated spec sheet and sent the manufacturer my updates.

I’ve been percolating several weeks on these details that will truly make Lucky Duck Living tees the happy clothing line that I envision; the body length will be just right, the taper will be sensationally flattering, the organic cotton is super soft and of course the illustrations are sure to make you smile…

I’m about two months away from launch and I can hardly wait!

My aim is to make my tees your go-to piece of clothing. Whether heading to the gym, running errands, playing with the kids or dressing it up with a blazer…I want LDL shirts to be your absolute faves!

We’re not just making a great looking, great feeling t-shirt that’s made in America; we are also committed that 10% of our proceeds will be donated to local US non-profits!

Look Good • Feel Good • Do Good

So, my question is; what fits the bill now? Do you have a favorite t-shirt, article of clothing or accessory that you default to? What is it that makes this item the best bet for you? Color? Fit? Comfort? Price? Brand Popularity? Design? Do you find that you sometimes give up style for comfort? Or do you have a great tip for balancing comfort and style?

Please take a moment to comment below, so we can all share thoughts!

And, as always, I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

Are You Making Life A Hardship With Your “No Pain No Gain” Mentality?

Thais Zoe — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:45:23 +0000

In last week’s blog I promised that I would make a list of all of my pesky “to-do” demons, give them a time and a date to get done, and report back.

I came up with SIXTEEN irritating little to big things that have been draining my energy and zapping my focus. I did indeed schedule a time for completion of each one, and even got a few of them done already. Rather than allocate an entire day, I plugged them into my calendar here and there…and, so far so good! So, if you haven’t done it yet…don’t delay my lovelies!

The thing that has gotten my attention the most is how GREAT I feel when I get them done! I instantly have a little more spring in my step and spark in my spirit. Who’d a thunk that scheduling a dentist appointment and doing the dishes could make me feel so much lighter?!

Feeling lighter, got me thinking about all of the years that I wore life like a heavy coat. I was particularly struck by this idea when, yesterday, a man I know mentioned that he’d worked in the rock-roll business…and, with all that chaos, he surely could get through the turmoil he now faces.

I thought…do we really need to continue to “do difficult,” just because we know how? Many people, including myself, have survived a lot. But, is this the mentality that I want to carry into my present day and future life?

Is it really healthy to continually relate to the world as something that needs to be overcome? I think not. Do I possibly make things harder than they have to be because I somewhere hold the belief that life finds its value in difficulty? I’m sure I’ve done that. When things are effortless, do I feel the need to justify or downplay it’s ease? Goodness…I have!

It could be my underdog complex rearing up, it could be my ego..or, it could be that it’s just a bad habit! Whatever the case; awareness can only be a good thing in being able to let it go.…and, I hope you’ll join me…

Are you perhaps subconsciously nurturing a need for things to be difficult? Do you find it hard to value that which comes easily to you? Do you perhaps feel lazy when things are easy? If you’ve noticed this before, how have you been able to turn things around?

I am so darn curious to hear where you all are at with this…let me know!

And, as always, I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

Just Thinking About Getting All These Pesky Items Completed Has Me Delirious With Anticipation…

Thais Zoe — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:16:02 +0000

Do You Need Help Building Some Momentum?

I did it! I FINALLY fixed my kitchen shelf! It took me exactly 7 months, 4 days and 6 minutes. You guessed it…I thought about repairing it for 7 months and 4 days. And, yesterday, when I took the plunge it took me a whopping 6 minutes to complete the project.

1 minute to get a screwdriver. 90 seconds to remove everything from the shelf. About 30 seconds to assess. A minute to tighten the screws that caused the rolling rack to come loose…and, another 2 minutes to put everything back into place. Voila!

This begs the question…what other little tid-bits might be siphoning off my good energy after bad?

• I have sample t-shirts awaiting evaluation and notes.
• I have a tiny chip on my tooth (probably only I can see) awaiting repair.
• There’s the dust under the sofa calling to me, everyday when I rescue a dog toy.
• My digital email signature block needs the revised banner uploaded.
• Dirty dishes…always dishes!
• And, many many more…

I’ve heard it said…and, by the way have practiced…do the thing you want to do least first. In that context, don’t waste your time with little things. Don’t distract yourself from important tasks with items that don’t really move you forward.

A good practice, indeed. However, my “shelf repair“ experience got me thinking…I spent SO MUCH energy NOT doing a little thing. What would happen if I actually made a list of every “little” thing I could think of and dedicated a day to getting them all done? Or even half a day, or a few hours?

No distractions…just me and releasing the little demons that promote my procrastination.

What a concept! I’ve been thinking thoughts that actually promote procrastination.
So, it would seem that while I don’t currently act out on my busyness to keep me from being truly productive, my mind is still ablaze with the busyness of what I could, should, or ought to get done! Hmmmm…

Can you relate? We can do better!

Here’s my plan…

A few categories; Self-care, Home, Car, Business, Relationships.

There may be more, or different for you….but, they’re what come to mind for me. Keep it simple.

Then…brain-storm for each category the little things that you can never seem to get to. And, remember there are no silly “to-dos.” If they are not getting done and sucking your focus and energy, they matter…so put ‘em on your list!

Set one full day aside this month, and get them done! If you’ve delayed things for a time, you may need to set aside a day per category. Either way, the best part is; you’ve got it scheduled. So if it starts to gnaw at you, remind yourself you’ve set a time and a date, and, stay focused on the truly important things right in front of you!

Just thinking about getting all these pesky items completed has me delirious with anticipation…

Now, I’m gonna do my list, set a date and report back next week. I hope you will, too;)

Until then, I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

Are Your Expectations Limiting The Joy In Life?

Thais Zoe — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:22:54 +0000

Resolutions are not my thing.

I wrote in an earlier blog post, that I find lasting change is more about focusing on adding the positive than putting energy into taking away the negative.

Exercise, for example, is an integral part of my health and well-being. Neither of which I have done much of the last 6 months. Rather than figure out the “hows and whys” of it, In November I signed up for The Color Run 5K being held in Arizona this weekend.

There are teams but you don’t have to finish together, You can run, walk…or, crawl, but, the race is not timed…and, the only real rule is WEAR WHITE, ’cause you are gonna look like a tie-dye by the time you cross the finish line!

Super-Duper Fun!

Having signed up six weeks ago, I thought I’d start running again…but, I haven’t. So, my mind started to minimize the difficulty. It’s only a 5K (three miles), I’m planning on run/walking, my body is strong, I just want to have fun! I completely backed off from what I set out to do!

Clearly, I had a stream of rationalizations that had taken over….which can truly serve to make me feel guilty, and in turn, can be motivation of sorts. But, it wasn’t.

Then a friend and teammate mentioned her fibromyalgia is acting up, and that she decided to walk it. The same day she let me know this, someone else mentioned to me that there’s a Hindu Festival of Color every year where they throw color on each other much like The Color Run.

This peaked my interest…

When I looked it up I found a Wikepedia definition about the color festival, — officially called Holi . What resonated with me was that one of it’s biggest customs “…is the loosening strictness of social structures, which normally include age, sex, status, and caste…Together, the rich and poor, women and men, enjoy each other’s presence on this joyous day. Additionally, Holi lowers the strictness of social norms. No one expects polite behavior; as a result, the atmosphere is filled with excitement and joy.”

How beautiful is that!?

It made me think about how much “expectations” can diminish the excitement and joy of our day to day life…Wanting and needing ourselves, others and circumstance to be a certain way so that we can feel safe, secure and happy. I know I’ve wasted more energy than I’ve gained with that approach.

I’m not saying we should abandon values and standards, but how often do we miss out on precious moments because we are focused on how things “should” be?

Did signing up for the Color Run motivate me as I had planned? Not in the way I expected.

Should I feel myself a failure as a result? I guess we’ll see. But at the moment, I am reminded that life has a way of unfolding that is often better than I plan or expect!

Perhaps, I signed up because I needed to learn about the meaning behind the Holi Festival. Or, perhaps it’s because my friend will need companionship when she walks 3 miles through her aches and pains.… Maybe it’s about being wiling to have bags of powdered color explode on me every kilometer…or, have loads of laughs…or support the Children’s Hospital in the area… And, it could be that it is all of these things…

I’m guessing it’s less important that I know “why” I signed up, than getting out there and participating in my life and community…

I can’t wait to see what unfolds!

Who knows…maybe it will get me to start running again.

Whatever the case, I, once again, sense the most important aspect is the building of my spirit and sharing my path with you along the way!

How are your expectations limiting your experience of excitement and joy in life?

What have you planned on that turned out totally different…for the better?

What are you not participating in that may be a bit of a healthy stretch?

I look forward to hearing from you!

And as always, I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

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Why Do Smart Girls Like Stupid TV?

Thais Zoe — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:58:45 +0000

Are you hiding People Magazine behind that novel?

I’m meant to write about skincare today…and, while I do have a treasure trove of wonderful tips that I’ve discovered over the years, I sit on the sofa, flipping between a whale dissection on PBS and 30 Rock re-runs. So far, 30 Rock wins…

Today, someone said… “why do smart girls like stupid tv?” Thank you…I think…

One of my girlfriends doesn’t have cable access. Her and her boyfriend watch DVDs if they want entertainment…or, they read.

On the other end of the spectrum, another girlfriend of mine loves everything from Wife Swap to Wipeout…she claims the laughs are GREAT! And, while I can’t seem to brave those waters, she and I get together to watch the weekly train wreck many call “The Bachelor…” ..and I LOVE it!

I’m educated, well read, and well travelled. Yet, I have a penchant for fluffy entertainment. Thursday night movie night is usually a silly comedy, celebrity mags are my favorite poolside or plane travel fodder, and if I’m around the house midday during the week, chances are pretty good that General Hospital will be on in the background.

While I don’t generally lead with this at networking events, I am grateful to be born at a time when frivolity is widely accepted. It is easy to forget that there was a time; my mother’s generation, for example; that needed to be serious in order to be taken seriously.

Regardless of what generation we are born, it is important to remember that today we live during a time, more than ever before, that we can have serious responsibilities; family, financial, community, business, etc… yet, still relax into the softness and sweetness of being a girl.

The question is…do we?

Softness. Sweetness. Receptivity. Availability…all wonderful feminine traits. But, do you embrace them? Have you taken the freedom of equal rights to the point that you’ve abandoned your silliness? Girliness? Feminine fluff?

I don’t mean to suggest that women must be fluffy, silly or girly. But, I must confess, I’ve found super satisfaction as this part of me has come to life.

I was the gal who people would pass by and say …”smile.” Indeed, I was very serious, regularly on a mission, seemingly always focused on the goal, and…annoyed by those who told me I should “smile.”

Somewhere along the way — frankly, after life got tough enough – humor seemed like the only alternative to sheer madness. And with time, this has refined into a plethora of wit, amusement and loads of laughter.

From this, and the self-acceptance that followed, life has blossomed me into a woman I love. Strong, but not tough. Soft, but not weak. And, perhaps most importantly happy independent of circumstance.

My day is wrapping up laughing at Family Guy and Letterman’s monologue, two of my faves. Not a bad way to spend an evening. And, while this week’s post is perhaps not my finest work…I am grateful for the opportunity to remember how far I’ve come.

In turn, I give you permission to go to a silly movie, read a gossip rag, or even watch a television show that lowers rather raises your IQ…no worries…you can afford it, smarty pants!

Give it a go and let me know what unfolds.

And, as always, I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

I’d LOVE it if you would tweet this…then, the next step is to join the Lucky Duck Living community. Link here to our Facebook page and be sure to “Like!” us!

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

Is The Voice In Your Head Telling You The Truth? And, If Not What Can You Do About It?

Thais Zoe — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:16:27 +0000

Is It Time To Turn The Volume Down To Your Old Ideas?

Months — if not years — of therapy, hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars spent…and, are we still unable to have harmony in our present day relationships? How can this be?

“They did the best they could” is what we finally muster?

How many of us have reached this less than satisfactory summation of our upbringing?

I surely did!

The problem, I found, is that this seemingly generous statement of acceptance seemed to continue to imply that I am the victim. Surely, many of us were indeed victims of our childhood; whether tyranny or neglect the wounds can go deep.

However, it’s important to gently acknowledge that we are adults now. We are no longer at the mercy of childhood authorities. And, while I don’t believe that I can ever have my childhood back, nor should I attempt to heal myself through children of my own, there is a simple principle that many of us know. Now, let’s take it out of the closet, dust it off and utilize it!

We can parent ourselves. If your eyes rolled back in your head at this prospect…I get it! But, stay with me.…

I made a decision a while back that if I live life in reaction to how I was treated decades ago, it surely cheapens the gift I’ve been given. Nonetheless, my default seemed to be getting into relationships that were difficult and then finding my reward in the few moments when I could get them to work. There seemed to be some semblance of healing there. But, nothing lasting…and certainly nothing intimate.

So how then could I be free of the sense of victimization I continued to carry?

Picture this: a darling little seven year old boy. Every night his mom puts him to bed and says, “Sweetheart, I love you. What are two things that you are grateful for about today, and what is one thing you love about yourself?” This continues the next night, and the next, and the next. In fact this loving mother has put her son to bed every night of his short sweet life with these questions.

Imagine now, this boy growing into a young man. He has challenges, ups and downs, loss and all that becoming an adult brings. His mother no longer puts him to bed, but he can hear her voice in his head…gratitude and love.

Wow! What a magnificent filter to process life.

Unfortunately, many voices in our head are rife with tension and loaded with fear and failure. In last week’s blog I wrote about adding the positive rather than trying to eliminate the negative…and, in doing so, the negative seems to drift away.

Consider this. Rather than trying to fight off, turn down or eliminate the voices you carry that are negative, demeaning, non-supportive or unkind, how about ending your day, everyday, with two simple questions?

What are two things I am grateful for about today?
What do I love about myself?

We can’t change the past. But we can build a better future for ourselves.

I am in awe of this simple tool shared with me by the lovely Jessica Corral of HeadFarmer in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was lucky enough to meet her this past weekend, and was inspired to pass on the warmth and wisdom she lives by in raising her son. Let’s treat ourselves at least this well…

I can’t wait to hear what you discover!

And, as always I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

I’d LOVE it if you would tweet this…then, the next step is to join the Lucky Duck Living community. Link here to our Facebook page and be sure to “Like!” us!

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

Effortless Change And Why Addition Is The Key To Subtraction

Thais Zoe — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:31:27 +0000

The Formula For Super-Duper Change

This time of year many of us are focused on change.

I am always open to improving. However, years of resolutions, planning, scheduling, motivating, gaining and losing momentum and pulling myself up by my bootstraps has taught me that I never seem to have much luck forcing growth…nor, by just saying “no.” In fact my track record with this approach is laughable.

What then, is to become of growth, improving, self-care…and progress in general?

Something I began to notice last year is that I was eating too much sugar. I’m not personally against sugar. I have no desire to completely cut it out of my diet…but, for me daily pumpkin bread, green tea lattes and some candy or dark chocolate in the evening was too much.

I made an effort to cut back, but I honestly wasn’t that motivated.

That was until I started watching the lovely Lisa Consiglio Ryan’s Five Sneaky Diet Traps To Avoid. She has a great style, is extraordinarily well educated and walks what she talks. Be sure to check her out.

Somewhere in the video mix I heard her suggest adding healthy items to our diet rather than focusing on taking away the “bad.”

In a flash I knew that was my solution.

The next day I bought a juicer and some green juice recipes and started adding fresh green juices into the mix. You can guess what happened….I’ve magically developed a cellular desire to eat less sweets. And, I dare say, my body now craves the glories of juiced greens!

It’s not a will-power thing…but, rather the desire for sugary treats has significantly diminished. And, what’s just as interesting, I generally have started to eat healthier overall…

It’s a gentle approach compared to the many boot camps I have joined. But, sometimes I think the stress of trying to “not” do something can create a dreadful backlash. So, while it’s a novel approach for me to NOT restrict myself… it feels “right!” As I wrote in last week’s blog, “whatever works!” And… it’s working!

Along the same lines, I’m reminded of a relationship suggestion a friend of mine once made. She encouraged me to, at least three times a day, let a boyfriend of mine know I was happy. “I’m happy to see you.” “I’m happy you said that.” I’m happy you decided to wear that shirt.” “I’m happy you picked this movie.” …etc…. I’ve always remembered this simple, but profound advice.

What happened was amazing. Not only did I actually get happy. He did more of the things that helped create harmony in our relationship at the time.

It seems on many levels there is something to be said for adding rather taking away. In my experience, adding the positive, causes the negative to fall away without all the “cold turkey” strife.

So what do you think? Are you wanting to start another year pedal to the metal? Or, is there perhaps a new pace awaiting you that is more likely to take you the distance?

What positive attitude or action could you take that would instantly improve your life? Consider putting the focus on that, and see what follows.

I can’t wait to hear what you discover!

And, as always I’m in your corner…

Love,
Thais

I’d LOVE it if you would tweet this…then, the next step is to join the Lucky Duck Living community. Link here to our Facebook page and be sure to “Like!” us!

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

How Self-Control Can Destroy Your Spirit And Why You Don’t Have To Believe In God To Pray

Thais Zoe — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:21:39 +0000

Prayer Changes Everything!

First of all, I want to welcome all of you who are new to The Joy Blog Weekly!

It is my aim, not to fill your inbox with discardable dreck, but rather to join with you and pass along what my experience has been in discovering true joy in life.

My hope is, not only will this be useful in your own discovery, but that you will make comments, ask questions and share your experience as well.

Henry Ford one said that it is our experience, which is of supreme value in life, as long as we are willing to turn it to good account.

It never ceases to amaze me that sharing the darkest parts of myself, has regularly been useful in giving hope to others. Not to mention the healing and transformation I receive from it.

So, please, jump right in! And, if you like what you read, I hope you’ll make a point to share it with your friends, families and colleagues. As an added bonus, everyone who signs up to get the Joy Blog Weekly delivered to their inbox will be automatically entered to win a free Lucky Duck Living Tee! They are in the works and super-fantastic!

Now…on to this week’s Joy!

In yesterday’s final Quips and Tips Newsletter I discussed making “lasting change.” In the past this always began with me trying to control; someone or something. Effective? Somewhat. Lasting? Rarely. Freeing? Never.

Over the years, what I have found to be true, is that whatever I want to change is generally a symptom of something greater in me that I either don’t want to own, don’t want to face, or don’t even know exists.

For example. Years ago it became obvious that I could no longer drink alcohol. What was the first thing I did upon quitting? I started smoking! Why? Because it put a damper on the painful explosion of emotions that had been dampened by my alcohol abuse.

A year later I quit smoking and just about had a nervous breakdown….that is, until I buried myself in work. That seemed to calm the beast for a couple years. But, as time passed, it became more and more apparent my true sickness was one of my spirit.

After about three years of not drinking, I decided that sobriety was an over reaction. After all, there had been times I had been able not to drink…and, I now believed that I could control my drinking.

Around this time I took a trip to New York, and while I was convinced I could drink again, I somehow hadn’t picked up.

My salvation came in the form of an ex-boyfriend. When I got to the City we got together and ultimately tried some “controlled” kissing. I had promised myself I wasn’t going to get sexual with him…and, surely there is no harm in kissing!

Flash forward to 3am, I get in a cab having kept my promise…yay, self-control! However, what happened next saved my sobriety, and transformed the way I approached life.

I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow, and then jerked awake two hours later — completely obsessed. My head was racing something like this; what did he mean by that, why did I say that? I shoulda done this or that? Maybe it could work out with him? Maybe I could live in New York, Oh, no!… I’ve ruined my whole holiday! etc, etc… Insanity at it finest.

I got up, bundled up and took a walk. Within half an hour a thought occurred to me; I had made a decision to not sleep with this guy…and, it was true that other than some “controlled” kissing nothing had happened. Nonetheless, my mind had taken off in obsession. And, that was one thing I hadn’t considered would happen.

In that moment I realized that even if I could control my drinking, I would never be able to control the obsession that was sure to follow. Then I remembered that in the past when I had “controlled” my drinking, the reality was, it was all I really thought about doing or not doing.

It also became perfectly clear that anything I try to control I become obsessed with. And when I’m obsessed I lose my freedom. And at that moment, and ever since, I have valued my freedom over; drinking, smoking, caffeine, over-working, controlling others and a few other key things.

And, guess what…there will likely be more! The difference today, is that the hook isn’t anywhere as deep, it often is more amusing than painful, and the emotions last moments, not days, weeks, even years, as they had in the past.

For me, knowing this is an amazing step up in moving gracefully and joyfully through life. I am grateful for the deep knowing that — of myself — I don’t have the power to create lasting change without paying for it with my freedom.

So what specifically do I do?

My routine is…

1. Keep it simple.

Don’t over think it. You’ve already exhausted yourself trying to — willing yourself to — make changes, and then shaming or justifying yourself when unsuccessful. Give self-control a rest, my lovelies.

2. Pray.

While I happen to have a deep faith in and rich relationship with God, it is a scientific fact that you don’t need to believe in God or even a Higher Power for prayer to work. The mental, spiritual and physiological effects of prayer — whether you believe, or not — are documented and astounding! So pray, and pray some more.

A favorite prayer of mine is; “Please remove from me the need to … (over-eat, booze, drug, smoke, control, rage, spend, porn…whatever your demon is). When I pray for the “need” to be removed it is like pulling a weed out at it’s roots, rather than cutting it off at the surface. Voila! Lasting change!

3. Get support and adopt a philosophy.

No shame or codependency required. But the fact is that life can be tricky…and,there is no need to go it alone! Therapy, 12 Step Meetings, Church groups, Treatment Centers, Martial Arts, Athletics, Spiritual Retreats….whatever works! I repeat…whatever works! And, if it stops workin’, change it up and keep going…

Definitely give it a go, and let me know how you do. I can’t wait to hear what you discover!

And, as always…I am in your corner!

Love,
Thais

I’d LOVE it if you tweet this…then, the next step is to join the Lucky Duck Living community. Link here to our Facebook page and be sure to “Like!” us!

And…if you want more…YES!…there’s more…check out our For Fun page!

The Latest Life Lesson From Top Dog In Charge

Thais Zoe — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:47:05 +0000

: Vito Corleone Zoe

Lately, my puppy Vito is my greatest teacher.

He’s a therapy dog in training, and last night was his weekly obedience class. My day ran long and I could see that I wasn’t going to have the half-hour to take him to the park first. I decided to go right to class when my gut said…”go to the park anyway.” So, I made a U-turn.

Vito frolicked with some new pals that played like he likes to play, and I met a like-spirited group of dog owners. After about 10 minutes we headed back to the car. I noticed my pup was prancing with an extra spark in his eye, and I was more relaxed with the added benefit of making some lovely acquaintances. We got to class with time to spare, and I couldn’t help thinking how much those 10 minutes improved our evening.

For years I ignored the inner promptings that were trying to guide me to a richer, more satisfying life. I was so focused on completing a schedule to feel productive that I lost sight of the details that give life color.

While I still find great accomplishment in checking off my to-do list, it pales in comparison to the lasting satisfaction of the miraculous moments that are mine to receive every day. The more I practice following my gut, acting on my inner promptings and listening to the quiet voice that guides me; the more joy fills my day.

Have you been listening to, or dismissing your inner promptings? For the next 24 hours, listen, follow…and see where it takes you. Then come back and tell me about it…

I can’t wait to hear what you discover!

Love,
Thais

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Note: Previously posteded 9.01.11