The global crisis - how it hits home

Well as everyone is well aware, there is a global economic crisis affecting the world today. How long it will last, the full effect of its impact, and many other things are still greatly unknown. For some, they are aware of it but it doesn't really directly impact them. I am feeling the direct hit, not in the way many others are, but I could potentially lose my home in the US. I am lucky that I have a life to turn to outside of it, so while its a major bummer, my "life's not over" so to speak. But there are other things. My company is laying off people. Again, I am lucky, I am not being laid off. However, a good friend of mine at work very well maybe. It's still a bit of limbo in that they may find another role for her, but its not known yet if that will be the case, and she may not want it if they do find one. It's a bummer. I had 2 relatively close friends at work and if she ends up leaving, they will both be gone. I mean I will stay in touch. We will try and hang out socially, but its not the same as seeing the person everyday and having someone to chit chat with at work.

I feel very fortunate to still have my job and be relatively ok financially, but its tough to see so many people suffering and all because some stupid corporations were greedy and did a lot of things they shouldn't have to make a quick buck and now its having a huge snowball effect and a lot of innocent people are getting hurt because of it. I know this is all a part of humanity's growing pains and there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but its still difficult to take in sometimes. It is also scary knowing there really is no such thing as security. I mean at any time you could go from having a great job to being unemployed. It's crazy!!!

Anyway, my heart goes out to anyone who is truly directly affected by this financial crisis and I hope things change and don't get a lot worse before they get better. I still think the answer lies in a balanced focus on the material and spiritual, but that's a whole other blogpost which i've already somewhat written about.

The Time is Now

Today we see the entire world is crumbling around us. Economic stability is lost, giant corporations are going out of business, people are losing their jobs, their homes and so much more. If ever there was a time where change was needed it is NOW. The change necessary is not anything we have ever had in the past. The vision needs to be a spiritual AND material one. It's been proven time and time again, the old ways just don't work. We need to stop focusing on our material needs only and start to see that the solution lies elsewhere. I believe the Baha'i Faith has the answers. I respect everyone's right to their own beliefs, but these are mine. I think the teachings of Bahá'u'lláh will guide the way and help humanity to live up to its great spiritual potential. I think its worth a few minutes of everyone's time to at least look into what the Bahai Faith teaches, and if you don't agree with it, so be it, but you never know, it might be the answer to all of your prayers!!!

*The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.

The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification.

One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make this possible. A worldwide community of some five million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland.

*I got this information from www.bahai.org. For more information, please visit the site directly or reach out to me and I will help however I can.

Half way there - success is in view

I have officially lost 5.1 kilos since I started my diet and exercise program a little over a month ago. That is a bit more than 11lbs. I am feeling very proud and also feeling like I can do this. My initial goal was to lose 10kilos by the end of this year, I am halfway there. Once I reach that goal, I will likely set another one. Either way, its a good thing! I know that I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I am so happy that I have stuck to this and am FINALLY going about weightloss in a healthy manner. I have done so many diets in my life and yo-yoed in my weight loss and gain, but now I think this is the right way to do it and will make keeping off the weight more easy. I've been moderate, i mean if i really feel like having something then i do, just in small quantities, and i am very good about exercising regularly. Anyway, just sharing a bit of my success with those of you who have cheered me on and supported me, I really appreciate everyone's vote of confidence, it's paying off!!! 5 more kilos, here I come!!!

I'm Back

I arrived back from the HolyLand 2 days ago. The trip was wonderful. I had a really wonderful time. I got to spend some nice time with my sister, meet new people, ALMOST win a poker tournament(no actually gambling involved - but glad i didn't win as i was a visitor and it would have been very awkward..coming in 2nd was awkward enough), and last but certainly not least, visit the most sacred of Bahai Holy Places. It was so relaxing and good for my spirit.

Also, I managed (for most of the trip) to be pretty good in terms of what I ate and how much, etc., and Haifa is a city on the mountain so we walked ALL the time up and down very steep inclines. I am happy to say to date I have lost almost 4 kilos...I am still determined to keep it up. As soon as I got back home, I immediately went back to following my diet 100%(was a bit hard to do while travelling) and even went to the gym on my first day back at work. I feel really proud and think I can definitely meet my goals, just need to keep up my determination and hard work.

This trip came at the perfect time for me. It was just what I needed. Best of all, in about a month and a half I have another wonderful trip coming up which I can look forward to. I get to spend a month at home with my family (just us), it will be so great, I just know it!!! I can't wait!!! I will miss my doggie, but i'm sure i'll get used to it.

I said prayers and thought of most of my friends while in Israel. I also prayed for some of my life situations. Now I just have to wait and see what happens. I truly believe a lot of it is in God's hands (like people who are ill, their healing, etc..) and there isn't a whole lot I can do but have Faith and pray i am able to understand God's will, whatever It may be. Time will tell!

That's my update for now.

Headed to the Holy Land

P and I are going to Haifa tomorrow. We will be there for one week. It couldn't come at a better time for me. I am sure there are many factors, but I have felt quite down lately. There have been some frustrations (my apartment situation in Atlanta), fears(a very dear family member is not well), longing (i miss my family and friends), and cabin fever to name a few (i haven't left sweden in about 8 months). I realize that I have much to be grateful for, but I am also human, we all have our own trials and tribulations and these are a few of mine which have sort of been a blow to my spirits lately. So, as I said, this trip couldn't come at a better time.

I will see my beloved sister, have some time away with my hubby to reconnect, and best of all, be close to my Lord. I am looking forward to pouring my heart out, praying for my loved ones and turning inwards a bit to focus on my soul and its needs spiritually.

On a completely unrelated and more positive note, I have been very good with my weight loss endeavours. I have stuck to my diet quite faithfully and my exercise regime. In fact, in the last week there have been about 4 occassions/events I have attended which could have been cause for great temptation, but I was resolute in my actions and I did not give in. I haven't cheated even once. I feel quite proud of myself for that. I am leading a healthy lifestyle and plan to keep it up. I have also lost 2 kilos in the process and hope to continue to lose. So this is good for my spirits for sure..and i'm sure as i see more success I will become even happier.

I also got to see my new niece this weekend(my brother in law's baby) and that was so wonderful. She is so cute and I got to hold her and it was just very nice. I am so happy for my brother and sister in law and hope that P and I will get to spend some more quality time with them and the baby. She is too precious to not see often!

I will try and blog some more about my trip when I return. In the meantime, my friends will all be in my thoughts and prayers while in the Holy Land!

Getting Back on Track

Well I finally put my efforts where my thoughts have been for a while now. I set my mind into discipline-mode, which I am actually quite good at when I make the effort, and started a diet on Sunday. I also started exercising regularly. I have lost one pound so far. Hey its a start!!!But I feel good about myself, my ability to achieve my overall goal for weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. I also went in for an appointment this morning to have my cholesterol checked and some other key health factors. I have a meeting with the doctor next week to go over my results. I am certain this will all help me with my goals. So this part of my life feels pretty good right now.

Unfortunately, i have some issues with my apartment in the states that have come up which are causing me unnecessary stress. Long story short, my tenant is gone, and I need to find a new one, but my agent(whose services haven't been the best in terms of communication) is holding me up and not sending me necessary paperwork to get the apartment listed. The more time that passes, the more stress I feel because i NEED to get a tenant in there asap, as I REALLY can't afford to pay for the unit for much longer...It's just such a crappy situation, but I know a lot of people are much worse off than I am so I try not to fret over it so much!!! If you know of anyone who needs to rent a nice apartment in Atlanta, please let me know!!!

In about a week and half I am going to visit my sister and visit the Bahai Holyland. P and I are really looking forward to the trip. I will get to spend time with my sister which is always a good thing, and I can feel some spiritual rejuvination by just feeling closer to my Lord somehow. It is coming at the perfect time for me!

There isn't a whole lot else going on. I have been quite busy at work which is a good thing, though its been a bit stressful, but its ok, better than being bored. I am hoping to see my niece again this weekend(she was born 2 weeks ago), but we'll see..not sure yet, though it would make me very happy. Baby L is quite the cutiepie!!! Hope you guys(not sure who all reads this thing, but i have a few close friends who do) are doing ok!!!

The Power of Smell

P recently made a trip back to the states, a very brief one, and brought me back some things I had asked for. One of the items he purchased was a shower gel from Victoria's secret. The gel is called "pear glaze". The first time I used it, as soon as I opened the bottle and squeezed out some of the gel, when I got my first whiff of the smell, I really went back to a very happy place in my memories...When I was in my teens, for one of my birthdays, a friend gave me a set of lotions and in it was a pear shower gel which smelled just like the one P got me recently. It's so amazing to me how a smell can bring back so many memories. I remembered living at home in PR, with my parents and just took me back to a very wonderful time...

I remember as a child, when my dad would go on business trips, I would go and smell his clothes because they reminded me of him. I did the same thing, many years later, when P and I lived apart during the first two years of our marriage. I would smell his clothes and it would remind me of him...I just am amazed by the power of smell and what a wonderful sense it really is. Granted, one could associate certain smells with not so nice memories, but in my case, its mostly with very good memories. The best part is, it doesn't get old. Meaning anytime I use the shower gel, my thoughts drift back to memories of living at home and being a carefree teenager.