I can’t tell you how many days I would struggle to stay awake, while in school, when I was growing up.  Some of the teachers I had were killing me.  I believe teachers have become better at their jobs, or maybe in Sedona they seem more into it.

80% of the teachers I had seemed to dislike the job and thekids.  When I look back at what teachers made an impact on my life through teaching, I come up with a big fat zero.  I remember a middle school teacher named Mr. Felix for Spanish and I would get so nervous in his class that I would get the hick-ups everyday. If that wasn’t embarrassing enough, he would make me stand in front of the whole class and explain why I had the hick-ups.  What was wrong with him?  Instead of talking to me after class about what he could do to help me, he just made things worse.

I just wanted to check out when I was a teenager. Check out of school and check out of life.  My teenage years weren’t that fun.  Today as an adult I get to pick where I put myself.  If I’m in a situation where I feel like falling a sleep or someone is treating me poorly, I just remove myself.   Today, if I were a teen, I would talk to my teachers about how I like to learn, and try to change how they teach if they were a teacher who didn’t seem to care.  easier said then done, I know.

Hang in there, you will be old enough soon, to be where you want to be, and if you’re a teacher, take a look at how you are reaching these teens, is it effective and are you enjoying it or are you just getting through the day.

Well, it’s that time again! I’m in preparation for another workshop with girls that hopefully care.

It’s always my concern, when I go into an environment that has set up the workshop, instead of me hosting it. The difference is that when girls come because they want to or because they are told to go.

Preparing for a workshop takes a lot of time and energy, and it is so disheartening to present in front of a group of girls that are disrespectful and simply don’t care. My goal is always to make my workshop interactive and have my workshops so fun, that they just automatically pay attention. Some times easier said then done. They seem to have their own agenda, which seems to be stronger than my force to help them love themselves.

No matter what their agenda is, I will go and present with love, caring and understanding and have hope that they will take something away from my words that will help them find love for themselves.

I guess you know that the Prom is coming. If you are parents, you are watching mostly your daughter fret over her dress, shoes, hair, where to go for dinner, and yes the dreaded…..”No one has asked me yet”.

If you are a teen, you are very aware of the Prom, because everyone is talking about it and buying dresses, and planning on the big event.It seems like such a set up to feel badly about yourself, such a competition. Who has the prettiest dress, whose hair looks the best, did you have the money to get your pedicure, and nails done. Oh, and of course, who invited you, you are also judged on that.

How can you survive? I say: “just have fun, enjoy the planning, and invite a guy friend if no one has invited you, and not give a Rats Butt if someone is judging you.

Who are these people anyway, they are just kids like you, except they might be more insecure than you because they are judging. Enjoy the night because you will not be in High School forever, thank goodness, and shine with your uniqueness.

Aren’t these puppies darling? April Fools, I didn’t buy them although I wish I had.

Wow, it’s April 1st all ready. How did that happened. Before we know it, it is going to be December and everyone will be saying Wow! I can’t believe it is December already. Life goes by really fast, and believe it or not it goes by faster as you get older. My mom used to always say that and I never believed her. Well, it does. So living our life like it could be gone in a blink of an eye might be worth looking at.

How would you live your life if today were your last day?

How would you treat the people in your life? Would you treat them differently? Is so; you should look at that, because today might be the last day of your life, you never know. It is very hard not to get caught up in life, meaning the going to school, homework, working, working out, shopping, and so forth. Just doing the day-to-day stuff, sometimes keeps us from our actual living.

Waking up, taking a big breath and being glad that we are a live. Then going out in the world like our life has meaning, like we might not be here tomorrow. Looking a the sky, smelling the freshly cut grass, and other smells that are yummy, talking to our friends like they are important and we care about them. It’s so empowering to live your life alive!

Try moving through your day as if it may be the last, just try it once and see how it feels. If you feel more alive and happier, try living your life like this.

Wake up in the morning and say I’m here and I’m going to participate in my life today to the fullest, why because One, I might not be here tomorrow, and two, it just plain feels better. I find that when we do this all of the other stuff about our bodies not being perfect, not being as pretty as other girls, all of that stuff just floats away.

Living our life with confidence and presence.Try it and let me know how it feels to you. I’m going to do it too. Have fun and be happy! How does it feel when you look at the bowl full of puppies? That how I want to feel everyday. Debra