Note: “The views, opinions and judgments expressed are solely my own. Message contents have not been reviewed or approved by AARP.”

Welcome to Rebecca Inspires Now – a place where positive energy, brilliant ideas, art and food converge.  There are so many of you who share amazing stories of reinvention, imagination and triumph.

This is a place of limitless possibilities.  Inspiration for volunteering. A healthy life. Power. Art. And food. I invite you to join me on this long-planned journey. (Self-imposed deadlines really work!) If you like what you read, feel free to share with friends, family, colleagues, maybe even someone who needs peace and inspiration.

I’ll start by sharing some excerpts and links to some online resources that have been motivating me to new heights. First, http://www.daniellelaporte.com/ — Danielle LaPorte is the author of The Fire Starter Sessions. She’s not always for the faint of heart, but she has inspired me to look at how I operate and here’s a thought: do what comes easy. Danielle calls it “The Metrics of Ease.” What if you just got out of your own way and truly functioned at a level that aligned with your talents. Imagine how you’d feel going to work each day. Or going to volunteer. Or going to care for your aging parent. Or living in a relationship or a marriage. Imagine if you said to yourself, “this is easy.” And in some cases, “This is fun and easy.”

Admittedly, everything doesn’t always flow the way you might like. However, if I may quote one of my best friends in the universe, Tindi, “I am exactly where I am supposed to be at this moment.”  (Right now, by the way, I’m writing to you from the carpet at Gate 25 at National Airport waiting for a two-hour delayed flight.)   Try saying that the next time you are stuck in traffic, in a line or waiting at the doctor’s office. And let’s take it a step further–what if you actually said “thank you” for that traffic jam, that opportunity to practice patience.

I was sick this past week with a run of the mill yucky cold right before I had to go on business travel. Do you know what I did? Besides loading up with Zicam and Vitamin C, I said, “thank you.”  Thank you for the chance to slow down. For a body that tells me, “Whoa Nelly, you are taking a break!” And guess what? I still spent quality time with my husband and 5-year old, rested (and read an entire novel) and did laundry for the family, planned my son’s clothes for the week (promise to share photos of that obsessive process later), worked with my son on homework, packed and found myself saying, “I feel so healthy, I feel fantastic, my life is perfect.”  You know in its simplicity and abundance, it is. I was still physically uncomfortable, not sleeping well, yet saying thank you for the meds, the tissues, the caring family, the comfortable bed, the laughter, the sunshine, the amazing view of the Chicago skyline, the balcony garden and so on…

I invite you to share your gratitude list. What do you think when you wake up? When I ask Jimmie, one of my favorite volunteers, “how are you?” He always answers, “I’m good, Rebecca. I’m real good. I’m above dirt. So I’m good.”

So how are you?