Dear 2011,

Often we go through life looking for easy routes to happiness. And at the end of the day (or year), when people talk about what they’re grateful for, it’s the “good” times they focus on.

In a reversal, and in honor of my good friends Yin and Yang, I’d like to thank you, 2011, for the “bad” times too.

Perhaps “good” and “bad” are too black-and-white. After all, Yin and Yang would tell us that every good has its bad side, and every bad has its good side.

So, 2011, I’d like to thank you for the easy times and the challenging ones. For the times when it felt like I was zooming straight ahead, firing on all cylinders, and for the times when it felt like I was hitting roadblocks or getting stuck in the mud.

For the joy, the pain, the sunshine, and the rain (yeah, I know, I sound like an old song by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock)

Yes, you’ve brought me more challenges than I’ve ever experienced in my life (or at least in a very long time), on many levels. But I’m sure I signed up for them, way back when, before I made a return to this earth in human form.

So you’ve more than delivered. And in the process I’ve learned more about my weaknesses, and more about my strengths, than I ever could have imagined.

That’s what’s required for us to learn, grow or develop in life.

And one of the things I’ve learned is to embrace every bump in the road and every rainy cloud, because the bumps are paved with gold and the clouds have silver linings.

2011, I’ll never forget you and what you’ve taught me. I’m grateful for every moment you’ve spent with me, no matter how much I may have resisted you at the time.

Now I bid you a fond farewell as I look forward to 2012, and what exciting experiences it will bring me in the coming year.

Lots of love,

Heather
xoxo

P.S. Enjoy that classic hip song I mentioned above, in your honor — this version brought to us by my old friend from Toronto, Chris Sheppard:

P.P.S. Happy New Year!

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

I’ve been thinking a lot about Santa Claus lately. With a 3-year-old, it’s hard to escape that at Christmas time!

And what I’ve realized more and more is, Santa isn’t about an old man with a beard, any more than God is (in my opinion and belief).

God (or the Universe, the Creator, or whatever name you like) is everywhere. Omnipresent.

A spiritual force that connects us all together, whether we’re in a particular “special” building or not.

And Santa, in many ways, is too.

So while we were told as kids that he watches and knows all about whether we’re good or bad… that’s true in the same sense that the Universe delivers experiences that we focus on, whether it’s good or bad (yin or yang).

In other words, the spirit of St. Nick is the spirit of the Universe. And loving Santa is like loving life.

Merry Christmas!

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

Whether you write it as 11.11.11, 11-11-11, or 11/11/11, today is seen as a lucky day… and much more.

“11.11.11 is special because there is no other date that consists of all the same number. The day comes around once every 100 years, meaning (this) is the only time many people will be alive to experience the unique date,” points out Stuff.co.nz.

But it’s even more significant than that:

“The number 1 represents the Creator-God, the masculine energy setting itself into the outer world, creating new beginnings. When that number 1 resonates and repeats itself, it becomes 11 which is a “Master Vibration Number” that means The Spiritual Messenger. It is the messenger that brings revelation and inspiration from a higher plain,” according to the Realm of Tranquility.

And that makes it a perfect day for meditating and connecting with your higher self, especially at the even more magical times of 11:11:11.

Some even say this is the unofficial start of the 2012 metaphysical year, says John Hoopes, Maya history scholar at the University of Kansas.

Now, you might say that they’re just numbers, and that may be true.

But what’s wrong with looking for patterns in life (they’re everywhere, in nature and in man-made items — including our personal habits), appreciating symmetry, or finding meaning in the mathematics of the Universe?

>>> CONTINUE READING Luck o’ the ‘levens: 11-11-11…

Halloween is the one day of the year when it’s OK to pretend to be somebody else.

But these days, with the popularity of social media fueling the trend, it seems like more and more people would love to put up a facade on a day-to-day basis.

Hey, I’ve been guilty of it too, to a somewhat calculated degree.

As someone who started life painfully shy (and still often feel uncomfortable around strangers), I’ve always been a big proponent of the concept of “act as if” or “fake it till you make it”

And in the public eye, I believe that’s fine. We all need some privacy, right?

But hiding ourselves completely doesn’t work anymore.

>>> CONTINUE READING One Day When Facades Are OK…

Happy Labor Day to my American friends and family… and Happy Labour Day to my Canadian friends and family.

Yup, the concept’s the same between the two countries, just the spelling is different.

When I used to think of either word, I would conjure up images of “working hard”. And while challenges in life are to be expected, it’s not necessarily meant to be “hard”.

Now, while there may sometimes be blood, sweat and tears involved, I think of labor in a different way:

• Doing what you love
• Contributing value to others
• Bringing new life into the world

So embrace the labor (or labour) you do, and celebrate it today.

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

Earlier tonight, I was out at the local July 4 fireworks display with my family.

I’m not American, but I live in the U.S., my husband is American, and our son is half American (half Canadian).

So rather than look at freedom from the stance of why Independence Day is celebrated, I have my own interpretation of what freedom means to me:

Freedom to live
Without limits.

Freedom to love
Without boundaries.

Freedom to laugh
Without reason.

And freedom to enjoy family togetherness without restriction.

Happy Independence Day!

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

In honor of Canada Day, enjoy a little bit of comedy courtesy of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

I had the pleasure of interviewing Colin Mochrie, the butt of all these Canadian jokes, a few times… and yes, he was always just as fun and unpredictable then.

Gives a whole new meaning to the Goss family motto (borrowed from the Marines) of Adapt, Overcome and Improvise…

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, a day typically associated with “luck”.

Of course, luck is more of a mindset than anything. If you feel lucky, you are lucky.

Some say LUCK stands for “Laboring Under Correct Knowledge.” Some say it’s based on the energy vibration you hold.

But what’s the significance of the “lucky” four-leaf clover? It’s rare to find one in nature, which makes it lucky in its uniqueness.

But the four leaves are said to represent four desirable qualities:

1. Hope

2. Faith

3. Love

4. Happiness

Conversely, we could say they represent the four parts of us: Body, Spirit, Mind and Emotions (thanks to Bob Hoffman for mapping out this Quadrinity).

Either way, it’s a symbol that can provoke thoughtfulness, wholeness, betterment and joyful contemplation.

And it’s entirely found within yourself. That, to me, is lucky in itself.

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

It’s easy to complain about life instead of choosing to make it better.

But no matter how bad things can seem for you — bad times, bad economy, bad weather, bad kids or whatever — I’ll bet it’s amazing compared to what others are going through.

It’s all in the perspective.

For example, a devastating earthquake has just rocked the northeast coast of Japan, with a magnitude of 8.9. That’s the fifth strongest quake in the world since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Information Center.

You can see some photos of the destruction here.

With hundreds dead, buildings collapsed, cars smashed and boats swept off by tsunami waves, chances are the people of Japan are going through harder times than you right now… and as our Wealth Vault members heard this morning, I and the entire LWL team send our sincere condolences and genuine thoughts of strength.

As for you…

Happiness is a choice, and that fact is highlighted in a somewhat silly but powerful way in Bobby McFerrin’s old hit, Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

Bobby turns 61 today, and to celebrate his birthday, I encourage you to watch the video, and think about how you can apply the message to your life:

Keep Unwrapping the Mysteries of Life!

Happy birthday to Theodor Seuss Geisel, who brought us 44 imaginative and inspirational children’s stories in his 87 years.

Some were written as Theo LeSieg, but of course the best-loved ones were penned under the name of Dr. Seuss.

Needless to say, thinking about his rhymes brings fond memories of childhood.

But many of them were valuable to adults as well.

For example, Barry brought my attention to this quote, appropriately from Seuss’s Happy Birthday to You! book, which reminds us all to embrace our uniqueness:

“Today you are true! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!”

And what about the graduation classic, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!…

>>> CONTINUE READING There is No One Alive Who is You-er Than YOU!…