Select Videos, Winter Solstice Inspirations
In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. Albert Camus Each month, Succeed and Soar shares short videos chosen to lift the heart and spirit, awareness and humanity. Saturday, December 21, 2024, the Sun paused its southward journey across the Tropic of Capricorn’s stars. After a moment, the Sun reversed course. For Earth’s northern lands, the Winter Solstice finished the year’s longest night. For the next six months, sunlit days lengthen. Insights on this celestial turning point include, May you find peace in the promise of the solstice night, that each day forward is blessed with more light. That the cycle of nature, unbroken and true, brings faith to your soul and well-being to you. Rejoice in the darkness, in the silence find rest, and may the days that follow be abundantly blessed. — Unknown Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. — J.R.R. Tolkien These encouragements join others beautifully presented in Renewal, my newest, inspirational book offered below. Following are short videos presenting different solstice traditions. Joyous holidays! Blessings, best wishes and enjoy the featured and accompanying videos below. Sandra Gould Ford Presenting art to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thing and inspire. Comment Click Here to View. Unexpected Origins of Christmas Traditions 3 MinutesAlso see Winter Solstice in Cree [Native American] Tradition. 1 minute How to Play Dreidel, a Hannukah Game, 1 minute 30 seconds History of Yule Log, 3 minutes, Journals Record your dreams, hopes, plans and achievements in these beautiful, inspiring notebooks. Details: 6” x 8, spiral notebook 120 pages, ruled on both sides Art printed on front Cover is thick paper stock. Back cover is medium gray Inside front and back covers have pockets for storing extra paper and pens View All Notebooks Thanks for shopping!
Thrive, Standing Tall
No matter how much it gets abused, the body can restore balance. The first rule is to stop interfering with nature. – Deepak Chopra Succeed and Soar‘s Thrive! shares insights that can improve life’s quality. This post presents “Posture, More Than Standing Straight.” The Cleveland Clinic defines posture as how we hold our bodies when sitting or moving, which can affect our health. Harvard Medical School says good posture is: Chin parallel to the floor Knees even and pointing straight ahead Body weight distributed evenly on both feet Read more In addition, Medline,The National Library of Medicine, writes that poor posture—slouching and slumping—can: Misalign the musculoskeletal system Wear away the spine Cause neck, shoulder, and back pain Make it harder to breathe and digest food Medline’s posture-improvement recommendations include, Stay active Maintain healthy weight Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes When sitting for long periods, Medline suggests, Take brief walks Keep feet on floor with ankles in front of knees Keep elbows close to body Make sure back is fully supported Barrington Orthopedic Services reminds that good posture: keeps bones and joints in optimal alignment and decreases wear and tear on supportive structures engages abdominal muscles, creating a sturdy and supportive core for entire body focuses on keeping body weight centered over the feet.” NOTE: Because so much more information about posture and overall health is available, check linked articles for more guides. Also see this post’s video [below]. The Importance of Good Posture, Even When Sitting Click Here to View Length: 4 Minutes See Also: Why It’s Important to Maintain Good Posture [1 Minute] Benefits of Good Posture [4 Minutes] This TEDx Murat DalKilinc is an animation that starts when clicked. Perfect Posture in 100 Seconds [6 Minutes] What Happens When You Sit Too Long [2 Minutes] This video is at bottom of article. Shop Succeed & Soar’s Mugs Ceramic Dishwasher and Microwave safe Two sizes: 11 oz and 15 oz View All Mugs Thanks for shopping!
Your Heroic Heart, Train Tracks
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. — Edith Wharton In “Are Heroes Born? Or Made?,” CBS 60 Minutes Overtime reported that rescue efforts by coal miners inspired Andrew Carnegie to create special recognition for those who perform heroic acts. The fund now provides, $5,500 and other support, including Scholarships to heroes or their dependents for higher education at accredited institutions Medical treatment More Early honorees included those who tried to rescue people from oncoming trains, like Albert Appleby,an 18-year-old farmhand who saved a deaf woman who’d walked in front of a freight train on March 11, 1910. Like Elias B. Adams, a crossing watchman who died trying to save a young woman from being run over by a train. And like Peter J. Bacso who saved Lois E. Shelly from being killed by a passenger train on November 14, 1912. Nominate a Hero. As this post ends Succeed and Soar’s year of “Your Heroic Heart” themes, here are a few, Andrew Carnegie words of wisdom, The older I get the less I listen to what people say and the more I look at what they do.Show me a man of average ability but extraordinary desire and I’ll show you a winner every time. You are what you think. So just think big, believe big, act big, work big, give big, forgive big, laugh big, love big and live big. Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital. The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket and watches the basket. Myths tell of gods creating starry constellations for heroes. The word comes from demi [half, unfinished, almost]-god and to watch over, to protect. Imagine a world where everyone goes to bed a hero. A “Random Act of Kindness” will do, as in this post’s video. What a world! Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. COMMENT. Hero as Secret Santa Click Here to View [2 minutes, 42 seconds] Warm Up in Succeed & Soar Sweatshirts Details: 75% cotton, 25% polyester blend Five sizes [Small, Medium, Large, X Large, 2X Large, 3X Large] Two Art Locations [Full chest or chest patch] Double-opening waist pouch Colors: White, Heather, Charcoal, Black, Navy Machine washable Price $45 to $48 Shop All Sweatshirts Thanks!
Self Care 2nd of 2, Sabbath
Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence. Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. Maya Angelou, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now The Hindu deity Vishnu sleeps on the cosmic ocean between the world’s repeated dissolution and re-manifestation. While other gods sometimes take breaks, the first mention of, “Sabbath,” a once-a-week, day of, rest was in Moses’ “Ten Commandments.” In “What Is Sabbath?” Hope Bolinger asks, “Does Sabbath still matter today?” Her answer: Sabbaths might look a little different for us. It might just mean avoiding checking emails on weekends to avoid that extra stress. For those who work round-the-clock jobs, this might mean concentrating on a set number of hours and dedicating them to rest, even if, at this current time, you can’t designate 24 hours at once. Maybe designate 24 hours for the whole week and space it out. Inc lists 12 scientific reasons why a day of rest helps, including, Taking breaks reduces stress, as reported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Getting away from work boosts the immune system Taking days off improves short-term memory Here are nine more reasons to take self-care days. Of this post’s opening statement, Poetry & Poets wrote, “Maya Angelou’s ‘A Day Away”’explores the importance of a day off from everyday stressors. They mention, How To Make The Most Of Taking A Day Away Draft a to-do list that includes enjoyable and productive activities like, creating a vision for the future, organizing photographs, walking in nature, reading a book [I’m now learning lots from Will, Will Smith’s memoir], or trying a new restaurant. How To Reintegrate After Taking A Day Away To make reintegration easier, schedule some simple things in advance, like meal prepping and a schedule for the next day. Thinking ahead can give direction and normalcy to going back to work. Read More, including Strategies for Making a Day Away Possible Along the way, buy a journal [below] to record your plans and achievements, and, Along the way, buy a journal [below] to record your plans and achievements, and, Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. COMMENT. Journals Record your dreams, hopes, plans and achievements in these beautiful, inspiring notebooks. Details: 6” x 8, spiral notebook 120 pages, ruled on both sides Art printed on front Cover is thick paper stock. Back cover is medium gray Inside front and back covers have pockets for storing extra paper and pens View All Notebooks Thanks for shopping!
Self Care Days, 1st of 2
On the day of your birth, the Creator filled countless storehouses, set aside for your use and yours alone. – Maya Angelou Once upon a time, Blue Laws prohibited work on Sundays. Business closings during the Covid shutdown gave a good idea of that world. In a 24/7 era where nothing stops, consider taking breaks from busy-busy-business.The Lifestyle Files suggests ten, easy-going ways to make a day special, which includes, Wearing favorite clothes Getting fresh flowers Go to sleep in freshly-made bed and enjoy a slow start in the morning Read more Our Mindful Life offers “28 Relaxing Solo Date Ideas to Have Fun by Yourself,” including, Volunteering at animal shelters Random Acts of Kindness Redecorate a room Here are 25 more VIP Date ideas Happier Human encourages self-care days as, “important because it breaks you away from the pressure and hectic pace of keeping up with responsibilities. It allows you to recenter, refocus, and re-energize. Self-care is crucial for creating a healthy balance in your life.” The post also suggests 55 Self Care Ideas, including, Sleep All Day Spa Visit with Skin Care and Massage A One-Day Road Trip. This could include visiting a national park. Here’s a list. Read a Book. Here are lists of the best books of all time in categories ranging from Coming of Age to Mystery to Fantasy and much more. Right now, I’m reading [and recommend] Arthur C. Brooks’ Build the Life You Want. Here are 50 more Self Care Day ideas With so many marvelous ways to pamper, refresh and better understand your life’s most important person, schedule monthly dates right away! Enjoy! Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. COMMENT. Let me know your VIP, special Care Day Plans! Wise Ways shares meditations on making the most of each moment. Encouraging quotes from insightful thinkers like Albert Einstein, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Dalai Lama and Winston Churchill fill the book. All essays are beautifully illustrated. The 6×9 version is an easy-to-carry handbook. The 8×10 version is also a sketch journal. It contains more pages, with prompts that encourage enriching reflections. 6” x 9 Handbook 36 pages 8×10 Sketch Journal, 60 pages View All Radiant Tree Books Thanks for shopping!
Mastering Happiness
Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower. John Harrigan Each month, Succeed and Soar shares a little video, chosen to lift the heart and spirit, awareness and humanity. This post’s special short is about mastering happiness. Please enjoy. Click Here to View. 3 Minutes Here are a few more thoughts about happiness: The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves. Victor Hugo Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. Marcel Proust If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help someone else. Chinese Proverb Newest addition to Radiant Tree Books. The Best Journey presents wisdom for a well-lived life. The book contains vibrant photographs taken at Latrobe, Pennsylvania’s Amtrak station. The book is also a journal with space for personal notes. This beautiful, 5×8″, 32-page book vividly illustrates precious wisdoms for life well lived. Also available for immediate, PDF download. A lovely gift. Preview and purchase here.See All Books Thanks for your support! CONTACT SANDRA TO ARRANGE COACHING AND CREATIVITY CLASSES.
Natural Night
The night sky is a map of possibilities, each star a potential dream waiting to be realized. — Unknown The Milky Way Click Here to View A 5-Minute Journey Through The Night See also PBS’ Northern Nights, Starry Skies Succeed and Soar‘s Thrive! shares insights that can improve life’s quality. This post presents ways star-filled skies help both personal and the planet’s health. Goal: Limit light/photo pollution. It’s the excess, artificial light in urban and industrial areas. Main forms are: Glare: Light that causes discomfort. Trespass: Light that enters unwanted places [like from bathroom into bedroom]. Clutter: Too many lights in one place. Dark Sky reported that migratory birds rely on natural light to guide them. Artificial light can cause collisions and misdirection. Not only are the patterns of nocturnal animals like owls, badgers and frogs affected. Studies show that artificial lights confuses internal human clocks. Worse, fake light has been connected to lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. Of Blue Light, Harvard Medical School wrote, Not all colors of light have the same effect. Blue wavelengths—which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood—seem to be the most disruptive at night. And the proliferation of electronics with screens, as well as energy-efficient lighting, is increasing our exposure to blue wavelengths, especially after sundown. Here are protections from blue light at night: Use dim red lights for night lights. Red light is less likely to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin. Avoid looking at bright screens two to three hours before bed. More Paul Bogart is a great, dark-sky resource. His books include, Where Are All the Wild Things, Daddy? Let There Be Dark Night Vision More Here’ are 60 Dark Sky Places for Great Star Gazing.[Gorgeous photos] The article Light Pollution, Health Risks & Facts has a great bibliography. The Museum of Natural History’s temporary exhibition “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky” stated that star stories connect us through time and across cultures. Here are several more reflection, The night was made for lovers, dreamers, and visionaries. Stars can’t shine without darkness, just as we can’t appreciate the light without the night. COMMENT Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. Buy Succeed & Soar Sweat Shirts Featured hoodie contains art and the wisdom from the April 9, 2022 Sub-Optimal Decisions post, “You are not the mistake you made unless you continue to do it.” Hoodies are 75% cotton/25% polyester. Five different background colors available. Machine washable. Buy featured item. View All Hoodies Thanks for shopping!
Your Heroic Heart #9: Fire
Heroes are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Anonymous Andrew Carnegie was thirteen when his family moved from Scotland. After they settled in Allegheny City, Pittsburgh, he earned $1.50 a week, working twelve to sixteen hours a day in a cotton factory. About thirteen years later, when drafted into the U.S. Army during the Civil War, the young man paid $900 to have someone serve in his place. [A common custom back then.] $900 in 1861 would be $32,250 in 2024. While working his way from messenger to secretary to telegraph operator, Carnegie built contacts with wealthy businessmen, like B. F. Jones, founder of the steel mill where I eventually worked. Another was Colonel James Anderson who allowed Carnegie access to his private library. Inspired by the Colonel’s kindness, Carnegie vowed to build as many libraries as possible, to give poor youth chances to develop their minds. Between 1883 and 1929, over 2,500 were built. At one point, Carnegie said, “It is now thirteen years since I ceased to accumulate wealth and began to distribute it. I could never have succeeded in either had I stopped with having enough to retire upon, but nothing to retire to.” One activity he retired to was the creation and endowment of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. It exists to honor and support heroes and their dependents, including, Harry Amster of Clarkdale, Arizona. The meat dealer was 23 on April 27, 1915 when he tried to rescue toddlers from a fiery, wood frame house. In Sylvania, Georgia, Quillie Addison [a 36-year-old janitor], saved William Z. Kemp from a home so engulfed in flame, no one else would enter. When a 3-inch pipe carrying natural gas erupted, Matilda Aloisio offered her hand and foot to pull Henry Green from the pit of ten-foot high flames. Nominate a Hero. COMMENT. Myths tell of gods creating starry constellations for heroes The word comes demi [half, unfinished, almost]-god and to watch over, to protect. Imagine a world where everyone goes to bed a hero. A “Random Act of Kindness” will do, as in this post’s video [below]. What a world! Giving Tuesday The goal is heroic, whether to make someone smile, help a neighbor or stranger, show up for an issue or people we care about, or give something to those in need. Every generous act counts. Tuesday, December 3. Succeed and Soar! Sandra Gould Ford Presenting arts experiences to encourage, refresh, enrich creative thinking and inspire. Krispy Kreme’s Butterfly Effect Click Here to View [5 minutes] When Chris Rosati was diagnosed with ALS, he sought to make other lives better. Through November 7, Save 30% on Photo Books. Discount Code: PBGIFTS30 Few remain who experienced an old-time steel mill’s awesome, harrowing and magical world. As a young mother, I worked at Jones and Laughlin Steel’s Pittsburgh Works during its heyday when over 10,000 people struggled and snoozed, played pranks and died in that fire and brimstone world. I saw the last steel poured inside those bleak walls. Steel Genesis Memories of Metal and Metal shares some of my experiences. The books are 8×10, 50 pages. Two versions are available.: HIGH-QUALITY HARD COVER. Printed on Premium Lustre Paper. Normally $125. Through Nov 7, $87.50. See book. SOFT COVER. Flexible and sturdy, high-gloss cover printed on quality paper. Normally$69. Through Nov 7, $48. See book. Shop All Radiant Tree Books Thanks !
Meditations on Grudges
Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness. Laugh. Apologize. Let go of what you can’t change. – George Carlin Around the world, cultures observe the passage from October to November as Halloween, Samhain, the Day of the Dead, All Saints Day and other celebrations of unseen energies. These days also prepare for the holiday season and all that can be left behind in the new year. Grudge comes from the now dead Middle English word “grutch,” which meant “to complain or grumble.” Vocabulary adds this bit of humor, “You know Grandpa’s been holding a grudge against the neighbors for years, but you have to wonder: How long can he hold that shotgun?” In “Why We Hold Grudges, and How to Let Them Go,” Psychology Today, reminds, “It’s not about the person who wronged you. It’s about who you want to be.” In “The Mental Health Effects of Holding a Grudge,” Very Well Mind reported, “Holding a grudge is when you harbor anger, bitterness, resentment, or other negative feelings long after someone has done something to hurt you.” The article mentions how the social life can suffer and lists grudge-holding physical problems, like, Cardiovascular Digestion Reproduction Sleep The immune system To release grudges, Recognize resentments Understand why they’re being held See the situation from the other person’s point of view Insist on becoming bigger and better than the situation Stop judging, especially yourself Read More In the meantime, take the Grudges That Became Great Feuds quiz below. And Succeed and Soar! Why hold a grudge? Click here to view. [5 minutes] Grudges That Became Great Feuds Match families to their issues. Answers below. Brooks-McFarland From 1865 to 1869 in Bell County, Texas, caused by lingering, Civil War resentments. Early-Hasley A West Virginia flare-up that lasted 30 years. Began because families chose different sides in the Civil War and/or the belief that a hog had been stolen. Earp-Clanton Four Corners, Texas from 1867 to 1871, provoked when a Confederate soldier came home and found it occupied by the “Union League,” which was protecting blacks and Union sympathizers. Hatfield-McCoy This feud eventually involved the Texas Rangers, Texas State Police. It killing began March 25, 1868 during an arrest for horse theft and ended by January, 1877. Horrell-Higgins In northwest Louisiana’s Claiborne Parish in the early 1890s, at least a dozen dead by gunfire. Most from ambush. Lee-Peacock Lampasas County, Texas, 1873. Began during attempted arrest of men carrying firearms [recently outlawed by state governor]. Lincoln County Feud From 1878 to 1890. Began as a vendetta between two, prominent West Virginia families that became a bitter war between local timber barons and businessmen Ramsey-Tuggle Began with the historic Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, October 26, 1881. At that time, Arizona was a U.S. Territory and folks had to check their guns upon entering town. Reese-Townsend Between 1896 and 1902, in the Creek Nation of the old Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). It began with a botched holdup which was to originally include members of the other family. Sutton-Taylor Also called the Colorado County Feud, it ran from 1898 to 1907 and was caused by dissatisfaction with results from a local political race SkyScapes Journals Record your dreams, hopes, plans and achievements in these beautiful, inspiring notebooks. Details: 6” x 8, spiral notebook 120 pages, ruled on both sides Art printed on front Cover is thick paper stock. Back cover is medium gray Inside front and back covers have pockets for storing extra paper and pens View All Notebooks Thanks for shopping! Quiz Answers Early-Hasley From 1865 to 1869 in Bell County, Texas, caused by lingering, Civil War resentments. Hatfield-McCoy A West Virginia flare-up that lasted 30 years. Began because families chose different sides in the Civil War and/or the belief that a hog had been stolen. Lee-Peacock Four Corners, Texas from 1867 to 1871, provoked when a Confederate soldier came home and found it occupied by the “Union League,” which was protecting blacks and Union sympathizers. Sutton-Taylor This feud eventually involved the Texas Rangers, Texas State Police. It killing began March 25, 1868 during an arrest for horse theft and ended by January, 1877. Ramsey-Tuggle In northwest Louisiana’s Claiborne Parish in the early 1890s, at least a dozen dead by gunfire. Most from ambush. Horrell-Higgins Lampasas County, Texas, 1873. Began during attempted arrest of men carrying firearms [recently outlawed by state governor]. Lincoln County Feud From 1878 to 1890. Began as a vendetta between two, prominent West Virginia families that became a bitter war between local timber barons and businessmen Earp-Clanton Began with the historic Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, October 26, 1881. At that time, Arizona was a U.S. Territory and folks had to check their guns upon entering town. Brooks-McFarland Between 1896 and 1902, in the Creek Nation of the old Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). It began with a botched holdup which was to originally include members of the other family. Reese-Townsend Also called the Colorado County Feud, it ran from 1898 to 1907 and was caused by dissatisfaction with results from a local political race Read More.
Special Short, Do It Anyway
My mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. Can you guess the film where these words were spoken? View film clip Each month, Succeed and Soar shares a little video, chosen to lift the heart and spirit, awareness and humanity. This month’s special short is the marvelously uplifting little poem, “Anyway.” Also, here are some memorable movie lines. Can you match them to the film? Answers below. [Includes film clips.] Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn. Gone with the Wind Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room! The Wizard of Oz Hasta la vista, baby. Star Wars I’m the king of the world! Cool Hand Luke May the Force be with you. In the Heat of the Night Say ‘hello’ to my little friend! Scarface They call me Mister Tibbs! Dr. Strangelove Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. Terminator 2: Judgment Day What we’ve got here is failure to communicate. Titanic Click Here to View Anyway 2 Minutes To print a copy of “Do It Anyway,” here are dozens of lovely, free versions. Warm Body, Mind and Spirit with Coffee Mugs from Succeed & Soar ‘s “Eleanor’s Insights” Collection. Visit the “Eleanor’s Insights” posts. Mugs are: Ceramic Dishwasher and microwave safe Available in two sizes [11 ounce and 15 ounce] See All Mugs Shop All Collections HERE. Answers All are ranked in order of most memorable. Includes character’s name and the film’s year. List is from 2005 selections by American Film Institute. NOTE: Each quote links to a brief clip. AND, The Terminator scene is a little longer to show a steelmaking shop [like where I once worked]. 1 Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn. Rhett Butler Clark Gable Gone with the Wind 1939 4 Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. Dorothy Gale Judy Garland The Wizard of Oz 1939 8 May the Force be with you. Han Solo Harrison Ford Star Wars 1977 11 What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate. Captain Strother Martin Cool Hand Luke 1967 16 They call me Mister Tibbs! Virgil Tibbs Sidney Poitier In the Heat of the Night 1967 61 Say ‘hello’ to my little friend! Tony Montana Al Pacino Scarface 1983 64 Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the War Room! President Merkin Muffley Peter Sellers Dr. Strangelove 1964 76 Hasta la vista, baby. The Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator 2: Judgment Day 1991 100 I’m the king of the world! Jack Dawson Leonardo DiCaprio Titanic 1997