Living by Design Tips
Toss Me a Topic, V26, #05
Toss Me a Topic By Leslie Sann Look only for the good and leave the rest to God.—John-Roger Life is difficult.Human beings are ridiculous.I am one of them. One day I was practicing John-Roger's teaching to look only for the good and leave the rest to God. I called my...
Dancing in the Ocean of Life, V26, #4
Dancing in the Ocean of Life By Leslie Sann And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.—Friedrich Nietzsche Everyone’s wearing white, except for the soon-to-be bride and groom.A live band plays.The woman’s voice is...
The I Love You Game, V26, #3
The I Love You Game By Leslie Sann There is nothing more important than the loving. —John-Roger Wanna play the I love you game, Mom? I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. It’s the only thing my mom and I say to each other because she has advanced dementia,...
Peace at –9°F, V26, #02
Peace at –9°FBy Leslie SannTo the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.— Lao TzuPeace at -9°FI was on my way to a retreat outside Bogota, Colombia, called Living in Grace. It was -9°F, the Northeast frozen under a winter storm. My flight? Departed on...
A Holiday Gift from the Quiet, V26, #01
A Holiday Gift from the Quiet By Leslie Sann Let life happen to you. Believe me: life is in the right, always.—Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet Rilke reminds us that life itself is the teacher — an intelligence that knows where it’s going even when we...
Who We Are Is the Loving, V25, #14
Who We Are Is the Loving By Leslie Sann The important thing is not to think much, but to love much.—Saint Teresa of Ávila Visiting family for the holidays — sister, nieces, joy, and expansion.Both nieces newly engaged, excitement everywhere, the air full of...
Snow Anxiety, V25, #13
Snow Anxiety By Leslie Sann A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.—Carl Reiner I have snow anxiety. I wasn’t aware of it till now. I returned from New York after visiting my family on Friday, right before our first big storm hit....
Beyond “Thanks”, V25, #12
Beyond "Thanks"By Leslie SannFeeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and leaving it on the shelf.—William Arthur WardWe all thrive on making a positive difference in one another's lives. Making a positive difference nourishes us. It reminds...
When the Furnace Failed, Grace Showed Up, V25, #11
When the Furnace Failed, Grace Showed Up By Leslie Sann All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. —Julian of Norwich Wednesday morning, I was easing into my day when I noticed my gas heater struggling to catch—clicking,...
Drift Happens, V25, #10
Drift Happens By Leslie Sann You cannot change the wind, but you can adjust the sails.—Aristotle Did you know that 90–95% of the time a plane is off course on its way from here to there? It’s true. That’s why all that navigational equipment is on board—to make...
Neuro-Divine V25 #09
Neuro-Divine By Leslie Sann A normal person is someone that you don't know very well.—Jean Houston We are all Neuro-Divine. Not as a diagnosis. Not as a brand. Not as another identity to manage.But as truth. Each of us carries a sacred wiring—uniquely coded by Spirit,...
Truth: Subject to Change Without Notice V25, #08
Truth: Subject to Change Without Notice By Leslie Sann Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. —William Shakespeare We often speak of truth as if it’s solid, objective, and universally agreed upon. But what if what we call truth is just perception—filtered, sorted, and...
Listening Beyond Filters, V25, #07
Listening Beyond Filters By Leslie Sann Listening is the willingness to be changed by what you hear. —Alan Alda Every second, your brain takes in about 11 million bits of information through your senses.But your conscious mind processes only around 10 to 50 of them....
A Tale of Two Sisters and Listening V25, #06
A Tale of Two Sisters and ListeningBy Leslie SannWe don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are.—Anaïs NinDuring a recent visit to the East Coast, I spent time with two sisters in my family. My 98-year-old aunt in Maryland embraces the natural decline of her...
We Didn’t Ski One Day V25, #05
We Didn’t Ski One Day By Leslie Sann In the absence of information, we make things up. – Julio Olalla Two people. One message. Multiple interpretations. That’s where this story begins. My sister was telling me about her ski trip. She mentioned the snow was just okay...
Hanoi: City for Peace, V25, #04
Hanoi: City for Peace By Leslie Sann Peace is not a destination. It’s a practice. Hanoi moves to a rhythm all its own. The people seem to live in a kind of shared awareness. Even the scooters—hundreds of them weaving through the streets—move like a school of fish,...
Yes, Thank You! V25, #03
Yes, thank you! By Leslie Sann My gratitude for this breath is not about the breath. It's that I am breathing, that I recognize it comes from a higher source, and that I am alive. ~ John-Roger I invite you to beam up with me to Planet Joy. Oh Boy! On Planet Joy, there...
What If? V25, #02
What If? By Leslie Sann You might as well win in your fantasies. ~ John-Roger I don't know about you, but sometimes my mind races with future possibilities that are less than inspiring. I remember the first time I consciously caught myself in the act. It was decades...
There is Always a Next Action, V25, #01
There is Always a Next Action By Leslie Sann If you don't like where you are looking, look someplace else. ~ John Morton Sometimes, my mind won't stop fretting about something going wrong. When I watch it like a movie, which I am growing more skilled at, I see it as a...
Peace on Earth, V24, #12
Peace on EarthBy Leslie SannYesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.~ RumiTis the season when cards filled with warm wishes for "Peace on Earth" arrive, brightening our days. Yet peace is more than a greeting...
In the Flow, V24, #11
In the Flow By Leslie Sann This is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. ~ Psalm 118 I’ve dreamed of going on a balloon ride for years. This spring, I realized I use hot air balloon images as a banner on the webpage for my Lift Up classes, and...
When Life Does What Life Does,V24, #10
When Life Does What Life Does By Leslie Sann How you relate to the issue is the issue. ~ Ron Hulnick John Lennon is famous for saying, “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.” Have you ever noticed how true that is, that unexpected things occur no...
Just Because Gratitude, V24, #09
Just Because GratitudeBy Leslie SannGratitude is the essence of joy.~ Harriet Eubanks"I don’t have to get something to be grateful," a Creating a Thank You Life workshop participant said. She continued, "I can just BE grateful!" This declaration came after she...
Moving from Reactivity to Creativity, V24, #08
Moving from Reactivity to CreativityBy Leslie SannDon't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia.~ Charles SchultzImagine the doorbell rings, and your dog runs barking to the door. He sees through the window that it is a friend,...
No is Also Yes: The Power of Choosing You, V24, #07
No is Also Yes: The Power of Choosing You By Leslie Sann Saying yes and no clearly builds confidence and rids us of the misconception that we are powerless. ~ Marsha Sinetar There is power in the word no. It is a way to clear clutter and make room for what matters....
Making Life More Wonderful, V24, #06
Making Life More Wonderful By Leslie Sann When we are aware of the power https://lesliesann.com/wp-admin/post-new.php#we have to enrich life, it feels good: It feels good to serve life. ~ Marshall Rosenberg From Marshall Rosenberg, founder of Nonviolent Communication...