Peaks & Valleys, Courage & Sheryl Brown

Peaks and Valleys

This painting was created by my new friend on Facebook, Sheryl Brown. We have developed a wonderful friendship. Sheryl, coming from her heart with light and love, was inspired to paint “Peaks and Valleys” after visiting Living in Courage and reading my story. I love Sheryl’s authentic art, spirit and courage.  It is my pleasure to introduce you to Sheryl Brown, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with a private practice & Artist.

“Here is one of my recent paintings, “Peaks and Valleys,” which was inspired by reading some of the life story of my new Facebook friend, Debra Oakland. Though she has lost a number of close family members, she explains how she has chosen to be happy and not remain stuck in grief and the pain of loss. Interestingly enough, when I started out this painting, I enthusiastically loaded up the canvas with rather too much paint (some of which I transferred to another canvas - to be posted later). I had in mind some colors from looking at photos of a joyful occasion. In the process of working on this painting, however, the phrase - “oh, the jagged pain” - (or something close to that) went through my mind. This painting then became about my perception of Debra’s experience. Our lives here on earth really are characterized by both jubilant and sorrowful times - and everything in between. And sometimes, it really ain’t pretty. I had the feeling that I muddied up the warm colors as I was mixing them, and pondered whether to “clean” them up some by adding another layer. In the end, I decided to leave it as it is. Life isn’t perfect, but we still love it.”

Looking forward to reading your comments and feedback on this new painting.

To see this painting, click here.

Please visit Sheryl Brown at : http://www.sherylbrownart.blogspot.com/

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Napa Vacation - Courage - Three Cups of Tea

I am still in Napa. Last night I walked down to the vineyards while Cody laid by the pool (overlooking the vineyards) at The Wine Country Inn. I sat under a tree.  It was wonderful to hear the birds chirping, the crickets to my left and to my right was a large rabbit moving about the vineyard.  The sounds of nature, the breeze and the visual beauty was so peaceful.  Cody and I listen to stories of courage from people all over the country. It is always good to get away and renew perspective.  I am grateful.

I am about 1/4 of the way through the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and loving it.  I don’t think I have ever read a book about a man who has been through such a journey of courage and challenge.  He is unstoppable determination.  It is amazing he is alive today considering what he has been through.  It really makes you think about the day to day complaining people engage in.  I don’t think there is any reason to complain again after reading this book about Mortenson and the people he has come to love and support.  This book is one I highly recommend to you.

http://www.livingincourageonline.com

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Serenity & Courage

As I sit here in Napa California for a weekend of serenity and relaxation, I look forward to some fine wine and food. My husband Cody is finally reading the Shack (I was not ready to give it up!) and he loves it.  We sit in our room, overlooking the vineyards and hills.  Gratitude is the order of the day.  Cody took a long run thru Calistoga, and is preparing to find “the best coffe in town” as he is a coffee snob of the first order.  I think about courage and the ability we have each day to choose.  Well, today I choose to courageously move into the day and enjoy every moment.  I just began reading Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin.  I have heard about this man Mortenson the abundant consistant courage he exibits in his life.  I will let you know more about one man’s mission to promote peace, one school at a time.  He built 55 schools for girls in the forbidding terrain that gave birth to the Taliban.  I look forward to this story of adventure and the power of the humanitarian spirit.

Have a wonderful weekend.  I send you love and blessings from Napa Valley,

http://www.livingincourageonline.com

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Happy Sunday To All Happy Courage Seekers

http://wideeyecinema.com/?p=592

Hi all, it is Sunday in beautiful Laguna Beach, California.

I was thinking about my life, about you who visit my website on Living in Courage. BE HAPPY flooded my mind.  Try this fun way to have a better week.  Start on Sunday every week and make the decision to be happy all week.  Choose one thing each day to concentrate on without distraction.  Maybe Monday you compliment people on their smile, kindness, courage, grace, patience, attitude, etc.  Tuesday can be a day of gratitude - all day remind yourself to be grateful for everything in your life.  Wednesday you could call a friend or family member to connect.  Thursday do something for another out of the kindness of your heart.  It could change their day or their direction in life.  Never forget the impact you can have in another persons life.   Friday do something fun to celebrate your great week and to pat yourself on the back for all your accomplishments.  Saturday, have a self-indulgent day for just you or a day with he family or friends.  Sunday, start the whole process over and please relax - it’s Happy Sunday.

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage Online

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I Wonder What the Courage of Love Will Do Now.

As I sit here pondering Courage and Love, I have to ask some questions about love.  What kind of love do we indulge in?  Love that is scintillating, ecstatic in its newness and grows like the sands of time.  Love that leaves you sad, empty, lonely, jealous or grieving.  All human love is based on positive and negative.  Then I began to think about a different kind of love.  An all encompassing pure, true love that is the essence of who we are when we are not in duality (positive or negative).

This kind of love can seem impossible to acquire, yet it exists in each one of us.  It seems to me that we are all one mind, one heart that has fragmented into thousands, millions of languages and skin color.  Yet we are all one, all connected.  People around the world talk about the connection we all have with each other.

In situations of your life, whether you are trying to create, accomplish, correct, start new, leave behind, overcome or anything you can throw out there, it seems that there is so much resistance acting. When there is not enough love, resistance acts.  I am not talking about human love, I am talking about a love that is our core..that we have been disconnected with as a human race.  This love holds the Unity of Light ( masculine, the mind) and Love (feminine, the heart)  and holds all the powers of the Universe.  It has intelligence, will, power and everything in it.  There is not one thing missing. Have you thought about this?  I really want to anchor some key ideas about this and let it integrate deep into the soul, the heart, where love is.

Love loves to fulfill, to make things happen. It is part of the Earth, a force that gives life to everything.  My best thinking tells me that when we disconnect from the mass collective consciousness of fear, there is a much higher consciousness to tap into. When you tap into pure love, one of the effects is that the mass consciousness has less power over your mind, feelings and body.  We all want miracles in our lives, where are they going to come from?  Can you carry a different kind of love?. Are you ready for it? I know I am.   There is a better way.  Use the courage you came into this world with and make some powerful decisions about how you want to live your life.  Love or Fear.  You have free will and you get to choose.  Our free will is what sets us apart from other life forms on earth.

There is a magnetic force in the atmosphere that assists us to manifest. This magnetic force is compromised because of the free will people have used for good and evil.  Our energy is tapped, we get tired, sometimes the clarity is not there.  When we move towards pure love that is timeless and selfless, there is this great storehouse of love waiting to broadcast out to the world, bringing into reality our purpose for this life on earth.  I wish you great success in your life’s journey.

I send you love from my heart to yours,

Debra Oakland @ Living in Courage

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I Celebrate the Courage in all Mothers

Today is my birthday and I celebrate the Courage in all mothers everywhere. I really think that if anyone gets a gift, it should be my mom. The photo here is of my beautiful mother, BJ Welch.  I must express my gratitude for all the years of nurturing, support and love I received. I was very fortunate to have had a great childhood. Thank you mom for all your unconditional love and the courage you exhibited throughout your life. Losing family to cancer, AIDS, a drunk driver, heart attacks, etc, has been challenging, but we have grown immensely through the process of life’s events. So I celebrate today for you. Thank you for bringing me safely into being who I am today. I dedicate Living In Courage to you. I love you.

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Gift Yourself with Courage

As I sit near a window overlooking the pacific ocean, I can in this moment, only feel grateful.  I look back on my life at all the stories, real, imagined, my history, each one that has brought me  to this moment. I have come to the conclusion that living in the present, “this now moment” is a gift I have been given and one I have not spent enough time with. I takes great courage to live in the moment, without being distracted by the furious pace of the world.

There are many gifts presented to us daily.  Which ones get opened is a choice only we can make for ourselves.  I wonder how many truly gratifying gifts I missed out on because they were not wrapped in pretty paper.  A gift that is content to wait patiently until I open my eyes enough to see it. When I live totally present in each moment, completely immersed, life is dramatically different than when I am distracted.

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift - that is why we call it the present.  ~~Unknown Author

Gift yourself in courage to live in the present moment.  Try it on for size and see how it fits.  I am sure you will find the more you live in the now, the happier your life will be. Here is a book “The Present Moment” by Thich Nhat Hanh you may enjoy.  It is a retreat on the practice of mindfulness.

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The Power of Peace

Most of my life I have waited for others around me to make the changes I wished to see in the world. I realize now that I am part of that change and have a voice for peace. It takes courage for me to speak out, which I will be doing on a more regular basis. Pleasing everyone is not important to me any longer. Nothing gets accomplished that way. Peace begins when we each participate. Here is my message to you today:

Let peace settle into each breath you take. Feel it. Hold this feeling deep inside of you. For only when peace is held in each moment, will your life transform.

The gift you desire to deliver to the world is the light you came here to shine. This world needs each and every one of us to stand tall in peace, shining our light. It takes strength and courage to break up the storm cloud of human discord that prevails in the world at this time. We have a duty to ourselves and each other to make this world a better place for all to live. You carry powerful light. You can direct your light wherever you want it to go. Humanity is crying out as never before, reaching for help, for freedom. There is a great mass pressure compelling people to come into peace and order.

Imagine yourself stepping onto a moving stairway of light. You walk up the stairway using your own effort as the stairway of light carries you forward. You have a power inside of you that carries you forward more powerfully than your own effort could ever do. When we align with that power inside of us, the gained momentum is tremendous. Call that power inside of you whatever you want, there are as many names for it as there are people. Call it Bob if you want, just identify it. The name is just how we identify or label for our own mental comfort. You know how many people feel the need to categorize or put things in a box. You can not put God (or whatever name you choose) in a box. Something that everyone has access to does not fit in any box or container. Back to the subject of light.

The light wants to expand, which will produce courage, strength, harmony, health, perfection, and more that life has to offer. Kindness and consideration (forms of light) to others is imperative if you want to bring peace into your life and then into the world. If you cannot have peaceful harmonious conversations over whatever points are being discussed, discontinue the conversation. You are not responsible for another persons thoughts and feelings. Take care of your own. You will unleash the power (light) inside of you when you are calm and peaceful.

If you want to walk around being negative, go for it. Just realize that you will experience the repercussions  that negativity will bring. You are solely responsible. You have the choice to close the door to your joy and miracles or open the door wide to access your greatness and everything that wants to come your way. I am here to experience life in all of its perfection, how about you? For each person that looks different, but if you can not participate, stay out of the way of those who do. Make every moment matter, they are more important than you realize.

Walk in the Power of Peace,

Debra Oakland

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Debra Oakland’s E-Book - Living in Courage

I wanted to let you know my e-book is finished and up on the site for you to download. I would like to tell you how this book and website came about. I had decided to create a website around the word Courage. I built my first website in iWeb on my Mac. I realized very quickly that I knew practically nothing on the internet. I needed help and fast.

With the abundant help of our friend Lennie Appelquist, who is genius in online strategies. I suggest you go to my blogroll to find Lennie or go to Free Market Media and pick up his Wordpress Guide. Lennie has gone far beyond the call of duty, and knows how grateful I am. Living in Courage was created as a website on Wordpress, which is blog based, but is gaining popularity for website building. I did not know where to go from there, but knew I wanted to write.

A few months ago I was on a conference call listening to a man named David Riklin from Self Growth, the largest self improvement website on the internet. You will find me there listed under the expert section as the Courage Expert. David was talking about an e-book class he would be teaching for 8 weeks. I was intrigued, but had no intention of taking the class. My husband Cody had been in the other room and asked how the call was. I said it was good and sounded like a great way to learn more about writing e-books. I had been writing for years and stuffing it under the bed! We talked a bit and Cody said he thought I should take the course. He was very persistent, which surprised me. He walked me to the computer and signed me up. He asked if I could commit to something very foreign to me that would take a great deal of time and effort. I said a huge YES. The course was fantastic for me, and more work than I had anticipated. I disappeared for almost 3 months from regular life. I was trying to learn about blogs, social networking, branding, websites, navigating the internet, using my new Mac, SEO, studying internet gurus and their techniques, learning about writing, e-books, articles, editing, pdf and word doc files, you name it. Cody, along with my amazing friend Nicole McKinney were constant sources of encouragement. Since we all were involved in business projects at the same time, support for each other has been key. Cody is at 2media and Nicole is in Toronto Canada running very successful branding company for corporations - you can contact her at nicole.mckinney@sypatico.ca.

While taking David’s class, he strongly suggested we each join a master mind group. I love the group I joined, who will never know how much they helped me grow, as I knew nothing, zero, zip, when I joined. 10 of us from the master mind have just completed a group e-book “Guide to Home Based Business,” my chapter being the last in the book and on balance while working at home. You can download the free e-book at Guide to Home Based Business.

I have met some wonderful people. I and am now working on different projects with a few of them. In regards to my book, I started by writing articles and put some of them together for this short e-book. I used a wonderful editor Andrea Glass at WritersWay, who was very patient and fantastic to work with.

Chris Cade has been a constant source of inspiration who has helped me with my writing, along with some editing. You will find Chris Cade at Spiritual Stories and Parables, or in my blogroll.

There have been moments I wanted to pull my hair out with frustration at trying to learn so much in such a short period of time, and days of pure bliss and gratitude. I am so happy to be on this journey and it is just beginning. I will begin my next book, which will involve interviewing people around the world, writing, and learning many new skills. It took all the courage I could muster to get through leaving a 28 year career and following my inner guidance system as I took action each day. I know that I am being led perfectly each day in every action. I anticipate wonderful changes, movement and growth for this website. It has only been 3 months! Think what will happen in the next year. What an amazing time we live in. Many changes are occurring now that have been spoken of throughout history. I for one and excited to be participating in the great and many changes that are coming our way. This world will change, and as it does, I hope Living in Courage will be a place people can come for hope, courage, strength, honor, comfort, fun and information that will help heal the heart. Thank you for sharing this journey with me.

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Jim Rohn - What choices are you making?

Jim Rohn is one of the leading motivational speakers in the world, a philosopher and entrepreneur. He is very straightforward. I love this message he gives. I expand on these words of Jim Rohn in my new e-book “Living in Courage” which will be offered free to you in June of 2008. Think about this message, as it is vital to your success now and in the future you create for yourself.

“What we ponder and what we think about sets the course of our
life. Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it
all. Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our
mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish, we can start a new
activity. Any day we wish, we can start the process of life
change. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month,
or next year.

“We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform. And
if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us
uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over
labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and
doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while
we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As
Shakespeare uniquely observed, “The fault is not in the stars,
but in ourselves.” We created our circumstances by our past
choices. We have both the ability and the responsibility to
make better choices beginning today.”

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