If you recall last month's newsletter, I was telling you how I was having a nice time in Spain with my family - my mom, my dad, my brother, and of course my dear dog Lolo.

Well, Lolo died on the 10th of July - just seven days before this issue of "Dare To Play It Big". When I saw him in Seville in June he definitely had some serious problems, but he moved well, and his appetite was as good as usual. I had the feeling while I was there that I wouldn't be seeing him again - however I kept my wishes that he would recover fully.

The experience of Lolo's death made me run over different thoughts and beliefs. The article of this month is inspired by this experience and aims to share with you a "unifying" belief which brings me peace and love.

On another realm of things, I am going to the Glade festival, which takes place somewhere close to Windsor, in England, UK. As you read this newsletter I'll be dancing and partying in Nature, camping with a few good friends, enjoying being free of work obligations - or any other, for the matter.

It feels to me that this experience will be one of releasing the old and welcoming the new, and I believe it will be an integration of Lolo's death as well. I am looking forward to these festival days, and to come back re-energized and telling you all about it. In the meantime, stay well.

This month I want to share with you a cool web site I found, which has plenty of ideas and information for you to "go green", that is, to live more and more in a way which is friendly to the planet that is our home: it's TreeHugger.com.

Not only does this web site contain great information on a variety of topics (I read a cool article, "Are paper napkins more environmentally friendly?"), but also it has cool pictures of Nature and slideshows, and loads of tips and advice on food, health, home, travel, and more.

Find out more about TreeHugger.com.

Lolo's death has been a growing experience. This is the first time in my life that death touches me closely, and even though I am sad for the loss of the physical form of my gorgeous dog, I have also had the chance to explore the stability that a few beliefs give me.

Death, as I have seen many people understand it, and as I first understood it myself, is a very sad thing. Three weeks ago my dog was alive – now he's not. There is an empty space left – there where he used to sit or sleep only air can be found now. Most cultures understand death as a loss: the loss of the physical form.

Other cultures, however, actually celebrate death, as they believe that death is a transition to a "higher" level of existence. Now I can understand this because my thoughts were kind of in a similar line... See, while the physical form of my dog no longer exists, I believe his "essence", "spirit", or "life force" (whatever it was that made him be alive) still remains. A bit like the Physics postulate, "Energy is never created or destroyed, but only transformed".

So if this energy or life force will stay after Lolo, then it also existed before Lolo, and obviously within Lolo while he was alive. Quantum physics has come to show us how everything is made up of particles, and how literally one particle next to the other, next to the other, and so on, create an actual continuum of particles. This is, it's all connected. It's all One. Different religions and spiritual beliefs tell us so, and Physics, following a different path, arrive at the same conclusion.

That is me, sitting in my office, doing my normal day job. I remember Lolo. I feel an initial wave of sadness for he's not alive any longer. Then I remember how everything is made up of energy, and how his energy is still somewhere. And I feel that as I relax into this knowledge I am no longer sad, because I am connected to the energy that inhabited Lolo, now and always.

Apart from these thoughts and beliefs, which may or may not resonate with you, I have realized a few things that I want to pass on – you know, the kind of important realizations one has every now and then in life:

-Our loved ones are not there forever. Make them feel you love them and appreciate them as they are. Tell them, write them notes, have gestures with them, make their life easier as and when you can.

-Accomplishing things is cool, but not as cool as spending time with the beings you love. I feel that I'd rather spend an hour chatting with my mom on the phone about this and that than creating five more pages for The Benefits Of Positive Thinking – take this from someone who used to find meaning only through accomplishing!

-Spending time with someone you love does not require you having to entertain them, or being the most clever person in the world, or providing amazing conversation. It simply means being with them, being present to the gift of them existing in that moment. Whatever comes will come after you choose to be fully present with your loved ones.

-Most of the small things which irritate you from your loved ones are actually easy tolerable (perhaps even funny or interesting to look at) once you remember that the loved one will also leave their body at some point. Don't sweat the small stuff or argue for petty things – it's not worth it.

-Every small action and thought of yours has an impact on the whole – others, your environment, the planet. As everything is connected, you have the power of adding up to the whole with positive energy, or decrease from it with negative energy. Do pass on the good vibes – the world needs you.

I have been blessed with shared time with Lolo, and I have now been blessed with beliefs and realizations about life and death that make my life richer. I am grateful for life and for all that I experience. And I am grateful for you reading this newsletter. May the knowledge that we are all One permeate you and enrich your life too.

It is always worth remembering that life is just a ride, a great big adventure, which we can enjoy to the most. As I was thinking of what life means and how important it is to share the love in the here and now, I remembered a video I watched with stand-up comedian Bill Hicks talking about life.

This video is just close to two minutes long, and it makes a strong point: we can always choose between fear and love. I find that so true.

Watch Bill Hicks' "It's just a ride" by following this link.

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... having had Lolo in my life. Lolo was fun, loving, loyal, and very appreciative of all he had. I have learned a great deal about life just by being with him. I am deeply grateful for having shared time with him.

Thankful for... the opportunity to share time with the people I love. Lolo's departure has put a number of things in my life into context... I now value much more having the opportunity to share time with the people I love, for I know they won't be there forever.

I am planning a short trip to Seville in September, as a surprise for my father's birthday. I just feel that life is not so much about accomplishing, but about loving and living well, and letting those you love know that you love them.

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

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