The Unbreakable Fighting Spirit Of An Amazing Young Girl

To Elizabeth~

The SPIRIT of YOUR FEARLESSNESS is a power so integrated deep within YOU. YOU possess courage to be tender and inner fortitude to withstand all circumstances. You have the will to face challenges, the will to stand up, the will to be courageous, and the will to overcome! 

Don't allow anything or anyone to hold YOU back from what YOU want to do and what YOU want to become. YOU are a TRUE WARRIOR...a SURVIVOR, and an inspiration to so many people. YOU have the strength and the willpower to FINISH YOUR FIGHT! Never back down, keep fighting, stay fearless, and be amazing!

A Special Message To This Little Gold Warrior...
You are strong because you know weaknesses;
You are overcoming because you are a fighter;
You are understanding because you have experienced hard times;
You laugh because you have known deep pain and sadness;
YOU DON'T GIVE UP because YOU ARE WORTH SO MUCH!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
Please take the time to read Elizabeth Yturralde-Cameron's story. A brave 13-year old girl and her battle with cancer. Please share her story with others (it's amazing how far our vibrations can go and spread).But most importantly, realize that every day offers us countless opportunities to love and help someone in need.

Be there for Elizabeth by helping her in her battle with cancer. Donate to her fight. Whatever amount you choose to donate big or small (it all adds up in the end), and it is going to help this brave, young girl and her battle with cancer. 

Acts of kindness makes wishes come true and miracles unfold. Please help this amazing 13-year old girl with such a fighting spirit overcome the most challenging obstacle she has had to face so far.

I have put a link for Elizabeth's support page at the bottom of this page, if you are interested in getting more information and/or making a donation.

This wonderful support site was created by a very selfless family friend, Holly Nystrom Warnol. She has done an amazing job and has filled Elizabeth's page with tons of detailed information, pictures, special messages to help Elizabeth stay strong, passes messages along from Elizabeth's family, encourages people to help and pray for this family...and don't let me forget all the countless updates she makes on this page. Awesome person with such a big heart. 



I have also included the link to Little Gold Warrior's facebook page to get her current updates and her story firsthand. She is an amazing young girl with a strong and fighting spirit! 
My thoughts and prayers continue strongly for Elizabeth, her family, and her friends. Keep fighting and WIN YOUR FIGHT ELIZABETH!

http://www.gofundme.com/teamelizabethc
http://fb.com/littlegoldwarrior

A PURPOSE REMAINS CONSTANT FOR LIFE

KEEP IT REAL.

HAVE FUN PLAYING.

UNDERSTAND.

BE IN TUNE.

BE PATIENT.

DON'T GIVE IN.

FIGHT.

TRUST.

LOVE.

Know True Love And True Peace

The MIND- what a powerful tool, but yet a tool that has the power to work against you. The more and more I experience and the more and more I read...the more the message is about trying to have a MIND that is attached to nothing. Your attachments could be leading you in the wrong direction and could be the source of many of your problems. For instance, the NEED to be right, to POSSESS someone or something, to WIN at all costs, to be VIEWED by others as superior...these are all attachments that may seem to be okay on the surface but problematic within.

It is important to understand that in order to release attachments, you must make a shift in HOW YOU VIEW YOURSELF. For example, if your primary identification is with your body and your possessions, your ego is the dominant force in your life. Now this is where it is important...if you can tame your ego sufficiently, you'll call upon your spirit to be the guiding force in your life. As a spiritual being, you can observe your body and be a compassionate witness to your existence. Read the next paragraph and embrace the thought process.

If you think peaceful thoughts, you'll feel peaceful emotions, and that's what you'll bring to every life situation. If your attached to being right or absolutely need something in order to be at peace or to be successful, you'll live a life of striving yet never arriving.

Now understand, it is possible to have a burning desire yet not have attachments. "Infinite patience produces immediate results." Understand that infinite patience implies an absolute certainty that what you would like to manifest will indeed show up, in perfect order, and exactly on time. The immediate result you receive from this inner knowing is a sense of peace.

So say you have been given a choice between TWO MAGIC WANDS. The first wand gives you the power to have any physical thing you desire (guarantee of stuff) by simply waving it. The second wand gives you a sense of peace for the rest of your life regardless of what circumstances arise.

I want you to really take a moment and think about which wand you would choose. This is not a trick question, just be honest with yourself. Remember, there is no wrong answer...this question is just giving you an outlook on every possibility. Like I said there is no wrong answer, but the difference between the two magic wands is that the second wand simply allows you to have a mind that is open to everything but attached to nothing. It allows you to let it all come and go as it will. It is important that you enjoy it all (everything around you), but never make your happiness or success DEPENDENT on an attachment to any thing, any place, and particularly, any person.

They say that in all your relationships, if you can love someone enough to allow them to be exactly what they choose to be-without any expectations or attachments from you- YOU WILL KNOW TRUE PEACE IN YOUR LIFETIME. TRUE LOVE means you love a person for WHAT THEY ARE, NOT FOR  WHAT YOU THINK THEY SHOULD BE....and this is AN ABSENCE OF ATTACHMENT!

Dyer, Wayne. Secrets for Success &  Inner Peace. ppgs. 14-17.

THE STRENGTH OF FORGIVENESS

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

-Mohandas Gandhi

In the past, I have read several books that state that many of the PHYSICAL aches and pains we carry around with us have their roots in the past. Many of us tend to carry this extra weight around (negative situations/ experiences that occurred in the past), right into our present situations. This extra baggage can affect the way we think and act...and it is FORGIVENESS that has become a "HOT NEW WAY" to manage anger, cut stress, and improve HEALTH. 

Research shows that forgiveness can reduce chronic back pain, decrease stress by up to 50 percent, increase energy, and improve mood, sleep, and overall physical vitality.

It is also important to take care of your past with something deeper than relief from physical symptoms. FORGIVING someone for something that occurred in the past does not mean what they did was okay, but instead it means to stop feeling victimized and stop making others responsible for our lives. You must take RESPONSIBILITY and never give anyone the power to determine your HAPPINESS.

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover the prisoner was YOU!"

-Susan Brandis Slavin

Hawthorne, J. (2007) Life Lessons. p. 233-235

LOVE WINS

The nature of love is one of the most complex things to comprehend. One of my favorite quotes by Bruce Lee is: "If one loves, one need not have an ideology of love." Instead, love--true love--is a state or condition of being wherein the activities of the self have ceased. And in order to experience this state, an understanding of the workings of the self in all of its many varieties of consciousness is required."

You must think of love as a mutual experience of the body and the mind. When you love you must believe on one level that there is something constant about the body (physical constant) and that this physical constant is inherently and intrinsically enduring and tightly "connected" to what you perceive to be the identity of the person you love, the activity you love, or even the object you love.

However, we do change or better yet...we are change, as it is our ability to change with the change. Bruce Lee referred to this as "the changeless state." In order to have success in the people and things you love you must have its experience transcend your physical body...in order for love to evolve, you must experience the powerful emotional state as well.

In the case that the emotion of love is not present, a state of not being able to change with change results in a changed state, this will often lead to "growing apart." We must allow things in our life to evolve in its natural process, which will bring a truly wonderful experience. We must often remind ourselves not to possess or cling to the physical world.

As mentioned, the physical world is itself illusory, you're engaging in non-reality-based behavior, and this will set you up for failure. Instead allow your experience of love to happen naturally, allowing you to "let go" by not clinging to it, you will find that your relationships, goals, everyday activities will not only become more interesting, but will grow into a very strong unity of body, mind, and spirit.

Love can only exist in an environment that is free of ego--where one has forgotten oneself. To Bruce Lee, one did not have or possess "love" but rather lived the emotion in the present to the fullest possible degree and reveled in the experience of it. When love surrounds you, it becomes a tremendous physical, mental, and spiritual experience.

"Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning, a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep burning and unquenchable."-Bruce Lee

You must value happiness and know that happiness in relationships, family, workplace, everyday activities should be derived, not from a whirlwind that involves an extreme emotional state, but from a more balanced relationship/behavior...remember that true Yin/Yang is expressed through temperance and moderation--not by running to extremes.

"Nothing can be secured by extremes...only sober moderation lasts, and that persists through all time. Only the mid-part of anything is preserved because the pendulum (of life) must have balance, and the mid-part is the balance," says Lee.

So I leave you with this thought...allow life to live through you, remember that to get the most out of life lies simply in your decision to live your life with the principle of balance and to learn to cooperate with the natural patterns of our world. Most importantly, let your career, relationships, and daily activities be harmonious expressions of who you truly are.

With Love, Dofitness
 Little, J. The Warrior Within. 1996. Pgs. 64-67.

You Are Strong Enough

"Problems are a sign of life. So the more problems you have the more alive you are." -Norman Vincent Peale

As the late great minister points out, problems are endemic to the human condition. No one escapes. The trick is to use whatever problem, difficulty, or hardship you are facing as a vehicle for spiritual and emotional growth. It isn't always easy, and it isn't always possible to do in the moment, but there are always hidden blessings in difficult situations, and when we discover them, we REDEEM OUR SUFFERING. We make meaning out of tragedy and grow more loving, compassionate, patient, and kind as a consequence.

The people I admire the most all say that they are grateful for the hard things they faced because of these opportunities for growth: a heart attack that reconnected them to their feelings, cancer that forced them to slow down, financial difficulties that taught them resilience.

Think about the most challenging thing you are facing right now. How is it an opportunity for you to grow your soul?

Ryan, M.J. Instant Health and Happiness. Pg. 306.

Where Does Your Inspiration Come From

It can be very difficult to stay motivated due to obstacles and challenges you face each and every day....UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS HOW LIFE WORKS! But, YOU must believe that you have what it takes to overcome any obstacle or challenge.

Look around you...there is inspiration and motivation all around you. You must be able to recognize it and apply it to your life. People come in and out of our life everyday....some stay for awhile, while others are there for a short time. Try to learn from others and through your experiences (good and bad). Each experience, relationship, and challenge will shape you and push  you to get motivated or inspire you to overcome difficulties.

You will come across people that have overcome seemingly impossible difficulties, people who follow their dreams into uncharted territory, people who rise to incredible heights of achievement and success.

Everyone has a story and EVERYONE has overcome something. Tell your story and always be yourself...you get INSPIRATION from one person and then you are an inspiration to another person. It is quite a fascinating pattern.

Never stop searching for your spiritual fulfillment, creative expression, and deep satisfaction in life.

CREATE...LOVE...HOPE

THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE... 

There is a story behind everything. How a picture got on your wall, how a scar got on your knee. Sometimes the stories are sweet and simple; sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. That is truly what life is all about...the good and the bad...the pain and the pleasure. You can't experience one without the other, both play a role in shaping who you are and what you'll become. 

DON'T EVER GIVE UP ON YOUR HOPE. Even when it gets dark, the stars come out. 
STAY STRONG!

I AM A TEACHER

My last day at home I was gathering all my things and trying to pack all my stuff in these two suitcases...leaving behind some wonderful things I received for the holidays....BUMMER! :( Hopefully, my mom will send them to me someday...lol (HINT, HINT). As I am doing all these things I am coming across all the wonderful books my mom has (and has had over the years, I just failed to pay attention). As I was chasing her down the hallway of our home I was pleading and asking her, "please can I have this book?" Or, "what do I need to do to get this book?" Or even..."how much will you sell this book to me?" She was really getting a kick out of my passion for these books...all these wonderful books. And because I have such a wonderful mother...she gave them all to me except ONE! :( Or maybe it was TWO...LOL. Just kidding. But that was ok, I had more than enough books to get me by for the next couple of months. So I first want to thank my beautiful mother for giving me all these wonderful books...LOVE THEM ALL AND LOVE YOU TREMENDOUSLY.

So this brings me to the point of this blog entry, as I was reading one of my books, I came across a BEAUTIFUL POEM that I want to share with you. A story that hits my heart to the core...I am the daughter of  A TEACHER...AND I AM SO PROUD OF THAT!!! TO THIS DAY I AM SO PROUD TO SAY I AM A DAUGHTER OF A TEACHER! I watched my mother day in and day out invest her time and her heart into teaching children...wanting so much success for each and every one of them...always coming up with new ideas...always letting her passion and her love shine through her work. I learned many things from my mother and I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for her. I know in my heart, my sister can say the same thing.

One interesting thing I must point out is...I believe my mother's work and passion live through me even today...in my training, in my dreams, in my wishes, and overall in my life. She did and continues to do so many wonderful things...She taught for 38 years and helped shape and create endless possibilities for so many children including my sister and I.

ALL TEACHERS GIVE US SOMETHING UNIQUE AND SPECIAL, WE JUST DON'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME. BUT I CAN HONESTLY SAY ONCE YOU DISCOVER WHAT LIVES INSIDE OF YOU (WHEN YOU LOOK DEEP WITHIN YOUR SOUL)...YOU SEE EVERY ONE OF YOUR TEACHER'S FACE THERE. SOME OF THEM WERE HARD ON YOU (BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED IN YOU), SOME NEVER GAVE UP ON YOU AND PUSHED YOU, OTHERS GAVE YOU HOPE AND GUIDANCE, WHILE OTHERS HELPED YOU FEEL SAFE AND ALWAYS GAVE YOU THE COURAGE AND SUPPORT YOU NEEDED. SO APPRECIATE THOSE MOMENTS YOU HAD WITH YOUR TEACHERS...KEEP THEM CLOSE TO YOUR HEART!

So on with the poem....

I AM A TEACHER

I am a Teacher.

I was born the first moment that a question leaped from the mouth of a child.

I have been many people in many places.

I am Socrates exciting the youth of Athens to discover new ideas through the use of questions.

I am Anne Sullivan tapping out the secrets of the universe into the outstretched hand of Helen Keller.

I am Aesop and Hans Christian Anderson revealing truth through countless stories.

I am Marva Collins fighting for every child's right to an education.

I am Mary McCleod Bethune building a great college for my people, using orange crates for desks.

And I am Bel Kaufman struggling to go Up The Down Staircase.

The names of those who have practiced my profession ring like a hall of fame for humanity...Booker T. Washington, Buddha, Confucius, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Leo Buscaglia, Moses and Jesus.

I am also those whose names and faces have long been forgotten but whose lessons and character will always be remembered in the accomplishments of their students. 

I have wept for joy at the weddings of former students, laughed with glee at the birth of their children and stood with head bowed in grief and confusion by graves dug to soon for bodies far too young.

Throughout the course of a day I have been called upon to be an actor, friend, nurse, and doctor, coach, finder of lost articles, money lender, taxi driver, psychologist, substitute parent, salesman, politician, and a keeper of the faith. 

Despite the maps, charts, formulas, verbs, stories and books, I have really had nothing to teach, for my students really have only themselves to learn, and I know it takes the whole world to tell you who you are.

I am a paradox. I speak loudest when I listen the most. My greatest gifts are in what I am willing to appreciatively receive from my students.

Material wealth is not one of my goals, but I am a full-time treasure seeker in my quest for new opportunities for my students to use their talents that sometimes lie buried in self-defeat.

I am the most fortunate of all who labor.

A doctor is allowed to usher life into the world in one magic moment. I am allowed to see what life is reborn each day with new questions, ideas, and friendships. 

An architect knows that if he builds with care, his structure may stand for centuries. A teacher knows that if he builds with love and truth, what he builds will last forever.

I am a warrior, daily doing battle against peer pressure, negativity, fear, conformity, prejudice, ignorance and apathy. But I have great allies: Intelligence, Curiosity, Parental Support, Individuality, Creativity, Faith, Love, And Laughter all rush to my banner with indomitable support.

And who do I have to thank for this wonderful life I am so fortunate to experience, but you the public, the parents. For you have done me the great honor to entrust to me your greatest contribution to eternity, YOUR CHILDREN.

And so I have a past that is rich in memories. I have a present that is challenging, adventurous, and fun because I am allowed to spend my days with the future.

I AM A TEACHER...AND I THANK GOD FOR IT EVERY DAY.

                                                                                                         -John W. Schlatter

So in honor of teachers and to say thank you for all that you do...I want to offer a special discounted package of personal training for the month of January. If you are interested, please contact me at dofitness@gmail.com.  :)

Canfield, J. Hansen, M. Chicken Soup For The Soul. 1993. Pgs. 145-147.

Be Brave

"I can easily adapt to all that life throws at me."  

Try to understand that backing down from your position IF LIFE GIVES YOU REASON TO DO SO is a sign of STRENGTH not WEAKNESS.  Think of and surround yourself with purple today...this will help you think of higher things. Inspire others with your direct action.