This summer seems to be bringing quite a number of insights... I have spent the last month exploring different emotions, points of view on life, and trying out new approaches to old behaviours and patterns of thought.

This summer is being everything but boring ;-)

I haven't talked a lot lately; I've been in a reflective state, mostly assimilating the internal changes I've experienced, putting some of it in writing. See for instance the Thought of the Month a bit below for one of the perspectives I've taken.

I have also spent some time caring for my plants. The tomatos are growing steadily, and with just a tiny more sun they'll be ready - so happy about that :-)

Meanwhile, I have also gotten myself a new piece of music software (Cubase) and a piece of music equipment (an E-MU box - basically it allows me to assign sounds to my keyboard so that I can play the actual keys but it will sound like a guitar or drums, for instance).

I'm quite excited with this new toy. I have found great tutorials for Cubase in YouTube, and my next step will be to follow them and do what they explain in the music software.

Long term, I want to be able to create short music tracks to put up on the web site - inspiring, uplifting, moving music. Now I'm still quite a long way from being able to do that (I'm just barely figuring out what each button does), but eventually you'll see some music up on the site ;-)

I'll send you the next issue of this newsletter from Spain - I'm going to a friend's wedding at a little village close to Madrid, and then to visit my family in Seville. I'm looking forward to this holiday!

Till the next issue, you keep well and keep peace in your heart.

As soon as I landed on this web site, I bookmarked it so that I could feature it on this newsletter - this is not so much news as it is something you and I needed to hear.

If we thought we had problems, here comes Patrick The Incurable Optimist to give us some perspective...

Patrick has motor neuron disease (MND), an incurable illness. However, far from surrendering to this disease, Patrick has decided to use the rest of his time alive to encourage and inspire others do to something positive every day.

Please do check Patrick's web site, and feel inspired to make a difference. As Patrick says, "Please do something optimistic today - it will make you feel good."

A couple of weeks ago, talking with my husband, he mentioned that he was quite inspired by something that Steve Jobs (founder of Apple) had said at a speech at Stanford University.

Steve Jobs said that he asked himself, "If today were the last day of my life, would I do what I'm about to do today?"

My husband and I continued talking about other things, but the statement from Jobs stuck with me.

I decided to experience the following day under the light of "If today was the last day of my life...".

These are some of the interesting things that happened...

• I was no longer stressed by "all the things I have to do". I didn't care about accomplishing a lot. I cared about spending my time doing something that pleased me, whether "I got things done" or not.
  
  

• I easily let go of small things that would otherwise have irritated me, such as someone interrupting and not listening throughout a conversation. Instead, I could just see them doing their thing and I could feel light and free regardless.
  
  

• I thought of my parents and my brother, back in Spain. I felt deep love for them and extreme gratitude for all that I have lived with them. I felt grateful for knowing that they are alive and well. I felt grateful for all the things they have done for me throughout my life, from bringing me up to giving me time, listening, love, and a vast array of things and experiences.
  
  

• I thought of my dog, who passed away last summer. I was deeply grateful for having had him in my life, for all the walks we took, for all the funny things he did, for the summer afternoons sitting at the porch at my parents house, when he would just come and sit next to me and I would scratch his head endlessly.
  
  

• I felt an enormous sense of marvel at all the things man-made; at the way civilization has advanced, allowing us to be able to have light anytime at the switch of a button, or to communicate through the internet with people we haven't ever seen in person or have ever spoken to.
  
  

• I felt wonder for all the things in Nature - the strength of a tree, the beauty of flowers, the persistence of a spider in making its web, the way that life pushes through every single creature alive. I can swear that even the leaves of the trees looked brighter ;-)

Now, I know that quite likely today is NOT the last day of your life. But for a moment, just imagine that it was. Fully imagine these are the last hours you'll be physically in this planet. Embody that knowledge.

You will no doubt start to feel a renewed appreciation for life. A sense of wonder at all the things that you can experience with your senses; at the people who pass by, at the birds singing, at the food you eat, at the steps you take.

If today was the last day of your life...

...What would you definitely choose to do?

...What would you not do at all?

...What would you give less importance to?

...What would become more important?

...What would you just let go of?

...Who would you like to send your love to or let them know that they are important to you?

For a great eye-opening experience, choose to live the entire day of today truly as if it was your last. I can promise you that you will access a type of love for life that you've perhaps never experienced before.

May your days be filled with a deep love for this experience of being alive.

Every month I receive emails from readers - some of them contain questions or comments, and some of them are contributions, such as a positive story, an article or a tip.

This month Taska, from Jamaica (West Indies), shared her gratitude:

"After three years of recovering from a broken ankle, which seemed like forever, I am grateful that for the past two weeks I have resumed my early morning walks of going half mile each morning.

I am deeply grateful for this resumption in my life, I missed it so much. I also give thanks for my bones, cells, vital organs and my body temple which takes me around on this earth plane.

I give thanks for this monthly newsletter that seems to know my thoughts and accurately addresses them every time.[Note from Cristina: Taska is referring to the newsletter sent on July 2010]

One Love"

You can read Taska's thankful statement on its page at "Giving Thanks".

Thanks, Taska! :-)

This past month, both my friend Susan Minarik and I have created a booklet and a report respectively, which aim to inspire you and help you be more in command of your own life - and we're giving these ebooks for free.

Susan's vibrant booklet, "Celebrating Positivity - Treasures of the Journey", will help you to become more aware of your positive emotions throughout the day.

My report, "The Top Three Negative Thought Patterns And How To Deal With Them", tackles the three top negative thought patterns which sabotage our lives, and gives you some practical tools to deal with them.

I'm grateful to Susan for making her booklet available through my web site - she offers great and inspiring information, in a loving and caring way.

You can download "Celebrating Positivity - Treasures of the Journey" by following this link.

You can download "The Top Three Negative Thought Patterns And How To Deal With Them" by following this link.

I wish you find this material helpful!

I believe that being grateful for something is one of the most powerful tools to feel better immediately. Here are the two thanking bits of the month:

Thankful for... change! You know, when I was younger I used to fear change. Every state of my life meant comfort and I didn't want it to change. Now, I like change - because it brings me to higher heights, it helps me advance in my life, and it makes me feel renewed and fresh all the time.

Thankful for... Summer. It's still mid-August, yet here in the UK I could sense last weekend that the light is already Autumn's light. Summer took long in coming this year, and it looks like it's already leaving - but all the while I'm thankful for this interesting British Summer ;-)

What are you thankful for? Send me an email through the Contact Me form and let me know!

Thank you for reading this issue of Dare To Play It Big, the free positive thinking newsletter of The Benefits Of Positive Thinking.

Care to send me your thoughts about this issue's topics? Email me and let me know!

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please pass it along to your friends, family and colleagues, or send them to the Dare To Play It Big sign up page. I thank you in advance.

Stay well,

Cristina