People say the universe is billions of years old. Others say it's only 6,000 years old.
I've got news for everyone. It's only ten years old.
Ok, not 'the universe', per se, but The Universe.
Allow me to explain. After I digress for a moment.
When we look at our lives from 'down here in the trenches' as we go through our day-to-day routines, it's easy to get caught up in the details of our everyday lives and lose sight of the bigger picture. We make our trials and tribulations bigger than they really are, and we point our fingers at all the external factors that get in the way of us reaching our goals and achieving the kind of life we dream about. If, that is, we even allow ourselves time to dream anymore. And speaking of pointing fingers, I'm not saying all this to reprimand you, dear reader; I too get caught up in details, occasionally turn molehills into mountains, and get in my own way of reaching my dreams more often than I care to admit.
We all have to find our own tools to use, to help us stay on track and keep our eyes on the grand scheme of things. It's helpful to have tools and practices that remind us about what's really meaningful to us, what we want our life to stand for and what kind of person we want to be.
I have several such tools in my metaphorical 'optimal living toolbox' that I've used over the years, including affirmations, meditation, contemplation, reading, journaling, and other tools that I'm sure I'm forgetting right now. Most have been used on an 'on-and-off' basis: I'll take up a practice, sometimes for several months on end, and then I'll shelve it for a time while I make a practice of some other more appropriate tool. The ebb and flow of what's going on in my life at the time dictates which tools and practices feel most helpful, useful or meaningful.
But one 'tool' that's been in my toolbox and used daily for the last whole-bunch-of-years without fail are the daily Notes from the Universe. They're emailed to me five days a week, for free, from a man named Mike Dooley.
If you're not already familiar with them, Mike's Notes are like little shot glasses of inspiration and motivation, sprinkled with a side of kooky humour and unexpected whimsy. They're sent out in the early morning hours, and I look forward to reading them every single day. Each short, sweet and snazzy note is signed 'The Universe', and reminds us - in a playful and lighthearted way - to consider our lives and our daily endeavours from a much broader, deeper and more empowered perspective. I might liken them to getting small daily doses of Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra and Jim Carrey, all in one. And I love 'em. The Notes, that is; although Tony, Deepak, Jim and Mike are all pretty cool dudes whom I love in different ways too. (Did I just call Deepak a 'dude'??!?)
This year, Notes from the Universe celebrates ten years of inspiring the people of planet Earth. What began in 1998 as a weekly email sent out to 38 addresses has blossomed to the daily Notes, sent to over 400,000 subscribers in 185 countries. Many writers live a rather lonely-ish existence, pouring words out from their heart and perhaps not ever knowing who their words have touched in what ways, and while I'm sure that with this kind of readership Mike gets plenty of fan mail, this post is my way of saying thank you to him for the daily smiles and inspiration his Notes have given me. Every so often, I cull the number of mailing lists that I'm on simply in an effort to stay on top of my inbox, but the Notes from the Universe have always remained on my list-of-lists-to-be-on. So this is my way of both helping Mike celebrate ten awesome years of Notes, and of posting something of a public service announcement: if you're not already receiving the Notes and could benefit from having one really cool tool in your optimal living toolbox, you might just want to try them out.
What if the universe were to send you little reminders of your power, life's magic, and how much you're loved?
It will, five days a week. All you have to do is sign up here, for free, no strings attached. Yes: it really is that awesome.
Happy 10th Anniversary, Universe!