Be the #CHANGE you want to see in the world!

As I was logging onto my computer, I got a pop up that read, …..”how is the British Revolution taught in schools?” OK, I know it is important, but, more important, how is happiness, kindness, inspiration, and gratitude taught in out schools? Oh, yes, its not!

Our children of today are taught to test. Yes you read that correctly. Schools are all about funding and if their students are not testing well, then there goes the funding. That is my personal opinion by the way! Our children are taught to accept what is and to really not think. I was driving along the other day and actually saw two children riding their bikes. I almost hit the car in front of me. How sad is it that that is not the norm. Children playing outside, riding bikes.

My point is that we are taught to accept the what is and not think any different. Well in order to be the change you want to see in the world, it requires thinking. What does that look like for you? What does it feel like? First, we must realize what it is we want to change and move forward.

For me, it is easy, I want a world where everyone feels inspired to be the best version of themselves for only themselves and to perhaps be able to pass it on to someone else! I have never lived my life with any regret and when I have been at any type of a cross roads in my life, I have asked myself if I can live with this decision for the rest of my life. If the answer is yes, then you got it, I choose it! If not, then I look the other way!

I spend my day like the Mullholland drive in Los Angeles, full of twists and turns. However, I have learned to set my day with a daily inspirational practice of asking our loud for my word of the day. I then close my eyes, take a deep belly breath, and listen. I listen for the next word to pop into my head and that is MY CATCH 2DAY! This word keeps me focused in a positive way through out my day. I then journal for a few minutes, brush my teeth and say my inspirational mantras while staring at myself, like I am the best person in the whole entire world! This is the change I want in the world.

It is important to me to not only inspire myself, but the amazing people in my life I am blessed to call my friends and family! Thank you to all of you for allowing me to continue to grow into the greatest est version of myself! What is the Change you want to see in the world?~Shirene

Be the #PERSON you needed when you were young!

Be the person that breaks the cycle. If you were judged, choose understanding. If you were rejected, choose acceptance. If you were shamed, choose compassion. Be who you needed when you were hurting and not the person who hurt you.

Like anything in our lives, change is not immediate and takes work. I firmly believe that recognizing the what and the why is the first step to change and breaking a cycle. You want to exam what brought you to where you are and why. This is important so you do not repeat the same patterns. People break the poverty, abuse, and illiteracy cycles everyday. But how?

It takes constant work to make a change. It is a statistical fact that it takes 21 days to implement a change. It then takes 66 days for that change to become a habit. Finally ending after 90 days with that change being a part of who you are as a person. Please read that again.

I can say I am going to stop being so judgmental. Hmm, OK. What does that look like? Well, until action is put behind the words, they are just that, words, and nothing more. But when I say I am doing this no matter what, you are naming what it is you want, and claiming it into being. I said, I am developing into the greatest version of my self for myself and if it did not pertain to my family, my friends, rebuilding my health, building my business, or travel I was not doing it! No exceptions. I have been very true to this over the course of the last 2 years.

You must name what it is you want, claim it and move forward. Where would our world be if Martin Luther King, In his speech “ I have a dream…” What if he would have said “I have a wish…….?” Imagine what our world would be like today?

So, I ask you, as you read these words, think about your childhood. Think about your teen years, and think about your life now as an adult. Were you the child others made fun of? Were you the child chosen last for teams? Were you the child that sat by himself at lunch? Can y’all relate to any of this?

I was the tall 6’ child that looked 25 at the age of 11. I was blessed with many friends and never sat alone at lunch, but I saw plenty of children that did. I was continually made fun of out of the mere fact I was not like any of the other girls at my school. It was very segregated with the popular children, jocks, and stoners. and if you did not fit in, you did not fit in! That was me. It taught me one very important lesson early in my life……..ready?

Be that person you needed when you were young! I learned at a very early age the art of compassion!

I don’t think compassion is taught, it is a learned behavior. I believe the most compassionate people in the world are those that have had a tough time and continually fallen and been able to pick themselves up over and over!

So, let me ask you this, Are you that person you needed when you were young? ~Shirene

When you #WATCH a random act of kindness........

Nothing warms my heart more than watching a random act of kindness unfold. Can we agree?

Today I was pulling into my parking space at Costco. I saw an elderly woman struggling to get her huge package of toilet paper out of her cart, it was as big as her. I quickly parked,hoped out and this nice young man stopped his car, hopped out and loaded everything out of her cart into her car for her. I walked over to him and thanked him for being so kind and mentioned how he may wish to thank his parents for raising a nice thoughtful kind young man. He smiled and said his mother will be happy I said that.

I was at the grocery store last week and this sweet older woman could not reach the top shelf and asked me if I could grab something for her. This just warms my heart to help people, especially elders. I asked her if I could get other things for her. In fact, she asked me to go to two other aisles with her. Really, like im going to say no? Of course I went! She was so appreciative and kept thanking me over and over. Can you feel and see my heart smiling?

I was blessed to live in a neighborhood where there was a garbage bandit. Not in a bad way however. Someone on my street every week would walk to everyone’s home and put their garbage cans away. Let me tell you that was such a nice treat to turn the corner on my street and not have to worry about my garbage cans. See where I used to live everyone new everyone and it was like a huge family. I lived there for many years and never knew who the bandit was. But being able to experience random anonymous kindness is just a wonderful blessing!

I am interested in what random acts of kindness you have been blessed to experience and watch!~Shirene

Name it #CLAIM it!

What happens when we claim something? We own it, right? Think about the difference between: “I would like to go to Columbia to have Colombian coffee someday,” VS “I am going to Columbia to have Colombian coffee on my 55th birthday!” How do you feel reading both of those statements? Does the first one involve any kind of ownership? That’s a hard no. The second sentence is specific and implies ownership. See the difference?

Think about this……..A wish is just a wish until it becomes a dream that you own.

I grew up hearing I wish I wish I wish, my question was always…………….”Why not?” There is no such thing as a wish to me. To me a wish implies the same as try, and maybe. Whatever does that mean? Be definite, common, make a decision!

Ever heard of the 5 second rule? Well, it is very simple. If you have an idea or impulse to do something, you must physically move or your brain will kill it. The moment you feel that impulse, count to 5 and move! No more procrastinating! You name it or feel the impulse or idea, and you physically move toward that impulse , thus claiming the idea, or taking ownership! The next time you have that inner thought that says, hey tell that person you like their shoes…….DO IT! The next time you have that nudge that says call that person………..DO IT!

Claim as defined by the dictionary is: AN ASSERTION OF SOMETHING AS A FACT.

There you go, when you name what it is that you want, if it is important to you, then claim it as yours. I want to….I am……..I will……I have……..Otherwise, its not important and let it go!

I remember years ago. I needed a hot tub due to a physical injury. I thought, hmmm how is this gonna work? I did not necessarily have money in my budget for a hot tub, but I needed for a medical condition. So I said out loud to my boys, in one week we will have a hot tub. They both were like, OK cool! That night I am talking to a client that called me randomly and in our conversation guess what she mentioned? She had been trying to see this brand new hot tub she bought that was just sitting in her garage. Seriously? I looked up above and said that out loud! Here we go! I asked how much, she told me, and again I thought, not sure where the money is coming from, but OK. That’s my hot tub! The next day my cousin called and told me to bring any old gold to her house the next night for a guy to purchase it. OK. That night I left her house with more money than I needed to buy the hot tub and enough extra for the concrete pad and the electrician! The next day, I called my client, informed her I had the cash and asked how I might get the hot tub, she said no problem we will bring it to you this weekend my son has a few friends staying over and they play football. Seriously? How blessed am I. The concrete pad and electrician came together that week and I had my hot tub and it literally cost me nothing! Moral to the story, NAME IT AND CLAIM IT!

I literally said out loud I need a hot tub in a week, I named it and claimed it!

This is real life, you cannot make this up! Trust me, I have examples all day long about the law of attraction and the power of words! Let’s see what you can name and claim?~Shirene

Our first Super Mero Sunday.......

I want to dedicate our first Super Mero Sunday to my life long friend Jean! We have known eachother over 50 years, at this point, she is my family! What she is doing is truly remarkable and a true version of a Super Mero! Remember, a Super Mero is someone that embodies what it is to be a Super Hero. Remember the high school algebra equations? ME+Hero = Super Mero.

We spent some time a few weeks back discussing CKindness and all it represents and especially the Super Mero Project. I have these cards pre printed that say things like “Today do something Random,” “What is your Dream?” “Today try something new and challenging.” I randomly like to leave these in restaurants, on planes, leave them on peoples key board in offices. Anyway, you get the point.

Jean took the idea and put her own spin on how to embrace true Super Meroism! She decided to implement Operation Uplift Bandit in her workplace. She would leave notes on her co workers desks with things like “You Matter!” “Glad you are here!” “You are appreciated!” She said she started this and the energy in her work place shifted immediately in a positive direction.

What she is doing is similar to the secret Santa premise. One that involves anonymity and a gift of some kind. Her co workers never knew when they would randomly receive a note of some kind. How very exciting this must be for her office, Cant you just visualize the excitement and the happy faces with the inspiration she is spreading? With Jean’s Operation Uplift Bandit, they get the gift of an lovely inspirational note and it is completely anonymous! There is huge power in this!

Positive power and energy are the two bi products of this random act of kindness and inspiration. It is a proven fact that if you want to uplift your self, do something kind and fun for someone else! She is doing just that!

I commend Jean for her Super Mero efforts and know the lives she has touched along with her own, are that much better! With great love and admiration,Thank you Jean! You are truly spectacular and a fine example of a true Super Mero!~Shirene

#CLASS is in session

It just warms my heart when my friends find sayings like these and send them to me with a note that says how this made them think of me instantly:

“If you hang out with me for too long i’ll brainwash you into believing in yourself and knowing you can achieve anything!”

When this happens, you know you are doing great work in the world. Imagine this…If as a society we ALL made an effort to email, text, call, or write a handwritten note to someone telling them how amazing they are and how very much you appreciate them. Imagine the inspirational energy we can create by doing this!

My favorite Oprah line, which I think she gleaned from Maya Angelo is “When we know better, we do better!”

When you know how much random inspiration uplifts those around you, why not engage and pass it forward. The door is open, just walk through. It makes me truly happy at the center of my being to engage with someone in a inspirational way. We are all energy. Everything we do is energy. Why not use the energy in a positive uplifting way for yourself an someone else. Please re read this: “If I hang out with me for too long i’ll brainwash you into believing in yourself and knowing you can achieve anything!”

Who does this make you think of? If the answer is no one? Y’all need a new group of friends and family! Seriously! If you immediately think of one or more people, that is fantastic! You are hanging with the right group of people. Our thoughts and energy is as much shaped by our environment and our energy, as much as it is by our minds.

When you know better and that random inspiration is not only good for your soul, but the person you are uplifting, you will want to do better! This is a case of really MORE is really better! I try to do this as often as I can.

Another fun thing to do is send hand written notes. Which, by the way, when was the last time YOU received a hand written note……..like never? Buy some beautiful stationary and stamps. I challenge you to write and send one note per day for 5 days to someone telling them how very grateful you are for them and something special they did for you. I did this for 30 days several years ago while I was recovering from my reconstructive knee surgery and trying to rebuild my life after a nervous breakdown. Many people I was so grateful for them I sent numerous notes of gratitude. For about 10 weeks there was little I could do that did not require assistance. I was and am so very blessed for the wonderful friends and family I came to depend on during this time. Each and everyone of them called or text me that they really appreciated my hand written notes and they knew that I would help them if they needed me too!

For today, I challenge you: ask yourself, who can I inspire to be a better version of themselves today? And do it, send the hand written note, the text, the email, call them. As Nike says…….JUST DO IT! ~Shirene

The power of #ACCEPTANCE

I have become very passionate about two things, the power of acceptance and the power of mindful, movable meditation. For the sake of today’s blog, we will focus on acceptance and what that looks like.

First off I want to make it known that we are ALL taught in the US to simply accept what is. We are not taught how to be happy, or the morals and values of being kind to your fellow man and to ourselves. We are taught to conform to society and what is acceptable. This acceptance begins once we are able to communicate and move about. What is the first three words we are tauight or hear over and over again besides our own name? Mommy, Daddy and the word NO! Think about it. Repetition breads habit of thought and movement. We learn quickly what we cannot do. We are taught to silence our voices as little people and use inside voices. All that is good and well, but along with it must come an explanation of why?

Again, we learn through the habituation of habit and how those around us act what is acceptable and what is not. Early on, I realized my voice did not matter. I had an experience I was 3 years old, leaving my grandparents home and was crying uncontrollable in the backseat of my parents car. I don’t remember the why, but I do remember it was that gut wrenching huff n puff crying. Diana, my step mother spun her head around so fast I thought she was the exorcist, and put her hand in front of my face and did that finger over thumb motion, which was in our family the signal to shut your mouth. Uh, OK. In that split second, I was taught my voice did not matter. I simply accepted this and it was forever planted in my subconscious mind.

Now, I don’t in any way be grudge my parents anything as I learned a very long time ago, we are the best people we can be with what we have. I don’t like the role of victim as it does no good! If we can recognize patterns and behaviors in our lives and equate them to why we are who we are so we can affect real change then that is a win win!

I am on a mission to do anything I can to move children past the idea of entitlement and just accepting the world and their thoughts as they are. Instead, empower children to think outside the box and expand their creativity and learn what it is to be happy. It is not things that make us happy but a true sense of self. They must know that when they look in the mirror that they are the best person they have ever met. But what does that look like? We all know a narcisit or ten!A true narcisit beleives they are the best thing ever but from a negative ego platform.

Being able to look yourself in the mirror and look beyond the ego, takes real work and thought. It is not easy work, but can be done! It first starts with a sense of gratitude for being alive and for everything you have, not what you don’t have. Gratitude is the basis for everything in our lives. There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. In every experience there is gratitude even in the difficult times, and that is when we must be even more grateful.

Next we must change our inner dialogue to things like I am strong, I am enough, I am beautiful. When the negative dialogue creeps back in, think of something you enjoy doing and your mind will then sidetrack your negative thoughts. Then you will eventually replace the negative with positive and so goes the inner dialogue shift. When I say I am fabulous, I mean it. I am not speaking from an ego based energy, I am speaking from a happy inner belief that I am fabulous, no ifs ans or buts about it! Take it or leave it, but I know my inner happy truth.

Think about a world where when we all look in the mirror, we think things like “girl you are looking so very gorgeous today!” Instead of “oh my goodness I see another wrinkle!” This is what it is to accept and love who we really are and not what society says we must become. I recently had a conversation with a dear friend of mine. She was remarking how this woman was so beautiful and petite. I turned it around and said, “yes, she is, but we are Regal and beautiful. Petite women cannot wear that label like we can!” The energy around beautiful and petite just shifted from acceptance, to one of perspective and inspiration.

This is how loving yourself and being happy with yourself changes your behavior. You look at other perspectives to a situation and don’t just accept it for what it is!~Shirene

Do you have a boldness of #EXPECTATION?

What exactly is a boldness of expectation? Do you ask for the light to come on when you enter a room? Or do you flip the switch expecting the light to be there? Do you ask to open the refrigerator? Or do you just open it and take whatever you need? These are two basic examples of having a boldness of expectation.

Now, when you have a boldness of expectation, you expect whatever it is you request or desire will manifest itself. You understand the concept of it might not always happen on your timeline. But it will happen. I am now living in a home with a pool. All my life I expected to have a pool and wished and wished and wished. As I sit on the back patio, I am now living that dream!

The words we use when asking for something are also imperative! When my sons were young, I did not allow several words to be used in our house. They are definitely not the typical do not use words. These words imply lack and scarcity. The words IF, TRY, CANT and MAYBE. It was not acceptable to say “IF I am able to do this” or “I can just TRY” or I certainly CANT do this” or “MAYBE someday when.” Instead, it was “WHEN this happens” and “I AM” and “I certainly CAN and WILL. I insist that when anyone speaks around me, that it is with a sense of expectation. Claim whatever it is you want as if it is already yours! When you learn this skill, your life will dramatically shift!

I used to say after my first marriage ended, that my next marriage was going to be all about fun. I was going to get married on Christmas day in Vegas, at the drive through on the back end of a convertible. Guess what, I got married exactly how I claimed it. However, I neglected to be specific about the person I married. That is a story for different day.

Personally, I detest the words TRY and MAYBE! I heard them constantly when I was a child. I used to think, can y’all just make a damn decision already? To me these words are just as disappointing as shoulda woulda coulda!

This type of language would be like an airplane continuing down the run way and never taking off. The plane is full and everything is set for take off, it just cannot get off the ground. The same holds true for your word choices. So, have a boldness of expectation when you speak, especially about something you really want!~Shirene

What is the difference between ordinary and #EXTRAORDINARY?

The word EXTRA is the difference between something ordinary or extraordinary. Do you go the extra mile in your life? Do you go the extra mile with your family and friends? Do you go the extra mile at work? What do I mean by the extra mile? It is as simple as when you reach out to someone for any kind of assistance and when they help you, tell them “hey, I am so very grateful for your assistance, you are my hero right now!” I challenge you to do this the next time you call the cable company, the doctors office, or simply the next interaction with someone. It is immediate that you can see and feel that persons shift in their energy. Going the extra mile is empowering for you and for the other person you are interacting with! Try it and share your experience with us!

When you go the extra mile and shift from ordinary to extraordinary, people remember you. Do you know that people only remember how you made them feel? Think about that for a second. You could be the smartest most educated articulate person in the world, but nobody will remember that about you, but they will remember how you interacted with them and how you made them feel. Of course, how we choose to feel in ultimately our choice. But, when you have a person that is kind, polite, nice, respectful, it will always shift your energy to positive! That my friends is going the extra mile!

The secret to move from ordinary to extraordinary is practice, having a positive mindset, and the words please and thank you. I am 100% serious as I write these words. These three things will propel you to the next level right out of the gate!

Ordinary is 100% the norm. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not judging anyone at all. We are who we are at the end of the day, and like everything, it is a personal choice to be ordinary or extraordinary. It is not acceptable for me to EVER be ordinary. Hell, my name is Shirene, and I am a 6’2 blonde. Right there I an certainly not ordinary by any means. I was born extraordinary and by golly I own every bit of that! A man I was dating asked me to tell him what I did not like about myself? Hmmmm, I am still thinking! Sure there are many things i might choose to change. But I am 100% happy with myself in this moment.

I did not wake up one day to be the person I am today. Oh no, it took years and years of good bad and indifferent experiences to bring me to my fabulous extraordinary life. I do not like the word NO. I do not like to say it and I certainly do not like to hear it. I will go out of my way so I never have to use the word. I do not like the words maybe or lets see. Make a decision!!

I remember when I first met my now divorced second husband, I literally could not breathe. I had to talk myself through breathing. I literally thought, I have met, loved dated 20 hundred men in my life and this man enables me to not breath? WTF is that about? I felt in that moment like I had been smacked up side the head with a two by four., i lost every sense of reason and smarts. Hmm, had I known what I know now, it was my soul saying run fast and far. The not being able to breath for me turned into suffocation and despair. That was an extraordinary initial experience that lasted for 8 years.

I am asked constantly, how come people go out of their way to give me whatever it is that I am requesting? The answer is super simple. I almost always go the extra mile and want anyone I come in contact with to feel extraordinary. When I fly, I take treat bags for the crew, I write hand written thank you notes, I approach every situation as I will get whatever my heart desires! You can too. Decide what you want and claim it as yours! Again, people will remember you because of how you made them feel.

Do you want to play out your journey in life as ordinary or extraordinary? No judgement, just asking!~Shirene

Super Mero Sunday.........

Welcome to Super Mero Sunday.

Going forward, I would like to greet each Sunday with an inspirational story of someone I know, you know, or a member of our community that inspires those around them to be their greatest selves. The power of one has truly been my life long passion and how one person can really affect great change within themselves and the world.

What is a Super Mero you ask? We all know what a hero is right? It is someone that performs extraordinary deeds for the benefit of others. We also know the definition of a superhero, which is a person or character usually possessing supernatural or superhuman powers, who is dedicated to fighting the evil of their universe, protecting the public, and usually battling super-villains.

So what if we took the idea of a super hero and combined it with the power of one (ME) to be that person that can really harness what it is to be their greatest version of themselves for themselves and for those around them. The Super Mero would posses a positive inner dialogue of kindness and inspiration to empower and protect themselves and their communities, while battling the ordinary to sprinkle extraordinary where ever they go. So, when you combine the power of one together with the word hero a Super Mero is born!

For me, this whole concept is inspiration with a huge side of empowerment at its best! Imagine a world where children are raised to envision their clothing being their Mero uniform! Their shirts are their coats of Armour, to protect them from the negative and fear they face through the whole day. Children are all born not knowing what it is to be judgmental. Judgement and hate along with racism are learned behaviors. So what if schools, hospitals, and every organization bought into the concept of Super Mero and it was the norm? What if? I say why not.

From the very beginning, I brought up my two sons to believe there is nothing in this world they cannot do! If you can dream it, you will be presented with the tools of thought to make it happen. But first, it starts with being kind to yourself with your inner dialogue and to those around you and what can you do to today to brighten someone else’s day or life. Even when they may not be deserving. The truth is, each and everyone of us has a story that makes us who we are and how and why we became Super Mero’s to ourselves and those around us!

Welcome to Super Mero Sunday!~Shirene