Wow - I don't think I have ever been the first one to post. I feel a lot of pressure like I have to come up with something really thought-provoking as not to set a boring tone for the responses.

We were just having a conversation at work about a former colleague who has recently married, sold everything, bought a sailboat and moved to Mexico and is now living on the boat with her husband. We spent the better part of the conversation saying "how to they manage that, what do they do for money, who just picks up and leaves" and then we came around and thought - when was the last time we made a decision that was totally uninhibited and not based on our fears of taking a risk or our overwhelming sense of responsibility.

I am still not selling everything and moving my family onto a boat in Mexico, but I do think I could do a little less worrying and focus more on the bigger things in life that I often take advantage of.

meant to end with "take for granted'. :)

i moved to MS not on a whim so much as I followed my heart,.,, son was grown, graduated and employed... I wanted to be back on a beach where I am inspired, comforted (the ocean does that for me) and I missed my best friend... so here I am.

I've been thinking about this post for the past couple of days.

I love a new morning. Whatever I was fretting about the night before seems not to be so heavy. It's a new day and the whole day is ahead of me. I think that my weekday routines help me. I can't worry too much about the messes building up around the house when the task at hand is getting ready to go to work and school. Sure I fret over stuff but when it gets to be overwhelming but it's one thing at a time. What is at hand right now? What do I need to take care of right now? I can't control what I can't control.

And, you know my mantra: Deep breaths. Happy thoughts.

Sometimes we can only control our response. How will we respond to the things that trouble our hearts and minds? We have a choice. Good job on finding your Shine, Claudia!