March on Washington 50th Anniversary

Two Minutes and 45 Seconds

of inspiration from the folks at SimpleTruths.com

I was honored to write the Foreword to this sweet, uplifting volume.

http://www.movieofcourage.com/?cm_mmc=CheetahMail-_-All-_-02.18.11-_-CDARMovie&utm_source=CheetahMail&utm_campaign=CDARmovie

Shout From The Roof Tops Your Joy!

Rumi gave such good advice. I'm shouting from the roof tops! I have great joy over a beautiful new book presented to the world through SimpleTruths.com

LIVE BEGINS WHEN YOU DO is a vitamin shot any time you need one. You can open it to any page and be treated to some of my best writing, my life time's favorite quotes of others, marvelous words from Steve Maraboli and engaging photography.

This book is an inviting call forward and a motivational push from behind. I'm standing it open to a different page each day. It's a book full of moving, inspiring art.

Help me celebrate? Order one! (or two).

Hum The Rest...

Dr. King Was All About Action Backing Up Attitude

I'm taking this challenge from the educators at ReadWriteThink.org

After studying about Martin Luther King, Jr. and what he believed in, students need the chance to apply those lessons. Students count the days between Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Valentine’s Day and are challenged to complete 100 acts of kindness during that time. They brainstorm examples of kind acts they could do and discuss how to report acts of kindness they witness. They also select a service project to plan and complete together as a class. For the project’s duration, acts of kindness are tracked on a classroom chart. Students are encouraged to acknowledge kind acts by others through thank you notes, and families are encouraged to help report acts of kindness. The project culminates with a Valentine’s Day celebration.

Though the lesson describes activities that take place between Dr. King's birthday and Valentine's Day it can be adapted to take place any time of year.

Appearing Soon in Seattle

Please share with folks who live in or near Seattle!

A Gfit for You From Mary Anne Radmacher

Please, if you like this, download it and use it for any non-commercial application that might inspire you. Thank you for your loyalty to my work, for visiting with my words and for supporting my craft in all the ways that you do. This is from a larger piece I'm working on called THIS IS WHAT YOU SHALL DO. I'm going to make it available, soon, in a time limited edition. I'll announce the details soon.

Please thrive in these remaining days of 2010 and find ways to celebrate the sweetness in your every day! THANK YOU thirteen times.

Author, Jane Kirkpatrick

interviewed me and asked all sorts of interesting questions. At least, I found them interesting! Perhaps you will, as well. You can find the interview here:

Words of Encouragement - http://janeswordsofencouragement.blogspot.com/

THIS IS MY RED LETTER DAY FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

TO assist in the exciting launch into the world of my newest book, LIVE WITH INTENTION. I poured my finest work into this book and I hope you'll enjoy it - every drop.

LIVE WITH INTENTION is available in all places where books and eBooks are sold...and today is the day that all the book "powers that be" hope that my friends and supporters will give my book its very first boost as it enters the big, wide world.* Will you welcome the work by ordering a copy? Or! ask your Library to bring a copy into the system: a very "green" action.

* I know it's at amazon.com and available on google Ebooks.

Writing with Mary Anne Radmacher

Beginning January 3 Mary Anne guides Focus Phrase™. The theme emphasizes: health, promises to yourself, service with compassion and gratitude. Enrollment’s until 12/27 for $229, which includes a signed copy of LIVE WITH INTENTION

This writing process, created out of mary anne’s lifelong practice of personal writing, is a great way to begin 2011. Even appropriate for people who think they are “non writers.” maryanneradmacher10@me.com for more information or to register.

The actual theme for the month is a Guatemalan Native Blessing:

Long life, Honey in the Heart, No evil, Thirteen Thank yous.

WORD COLLECTOR

I'm two days away from a month of word collecting.

Yep.

I'm collecting words reflecting celebration and gratitude to include in my next book. The working title is CELEBRATIONS: Discoverying the YAY in EverYdAY.

What are the things in your ordinary "everyday" that make you give a little yelp of YAY? Will you share those words with me? Will you be a word collector, too? I'd love some company on my month long journey of word collecting.

Apparently unable to wait for December, my word today was HEART. As Jonathan and I discuss in our book SIMPLY AN INSPIRED LIFE, we often see what we EXPECT to see. Look what I noticed on the way to my studio....

Three days left for early registration benefits...

HONEY IN THE HEART

Mary Anne Radmacher invites you to begin 2011 with a sweet Focus Phrase™ writing process* HONEY IN THE HEART .

Beginning January 3 mary anne will guide you through a gentle, but dramatically impacting process. The overall theme is a native Guatemalan farewell blessing, “Long life, honey in the heart, no evil, thirteen thanks you’s.” Translated in to practical terms it emphasizes: health, promises to yourself, service with compassion and gratitude.

The HONEY IN THE HEART Focus Phrase is 20 days (weekends “off”) of on– line guided and partnered writing, personal, written exchanges with mary anne and your special participant’s gift package*: $229.00 Early registration thanks-giving price! $198.00 Register before November 29 (Thanksgiving week end) for the reduced rate. Early registrants will receive their registration package the week after Thanksgiving. Regular registration packages will be mailed December 27.

This is a great way to begin 2011. The registration gift* will include a personalized copy of mary anne’s newest book, LIVE WITH INTENTION, support cards for the process, local Whidbey Island honey and a favorite pen of mary anne’s. And at least one surprise. Perhaps two. (“you can never tell with bees.” A.A.Milne and Winnie-the-Pooh). Early registrants can anticipate many surprises.

If you are new to this guided experience, you can write and ask for more details. If you are a returning participant, reserve your space early…you know how powerful this process can be! Focus Phrase has created marked change in the lives of many of its participants – will you let it work for you in 2011?

Read more about Focus Phrase™ at maryanneradmacher.net and learn about the other Phraseologists guiding the Focus Phrase™ process. There’s bound to be a good fit for you.

Contact mary anne to register at: maryanneradmacher7@gmail.com

* HOW does the Focus Phrase™ writing process work?

Mary Anne submits a phrase to you, via email, late in the afternoon and

asks you to let it be one of the last things you think about

before you commit to sleep.

First thing in the morning you renew your memory of the phrase. Write it down in your own hand or on your keyboard.

Make it is easy for it to travel with you throughout the day.

Consider the phrase a pair of glasses through which you look when considering the events, experiences and feelings of your day. Look THROUGH the phrase and allow the words to become transparent perspective through which you view your day.

The process itself heightens your observation and deepens your perspective. You finish the day by summarizing your experience in three short paragraphs and sending them to mary anne, via email.

A "By Invitation Only" Party

POETRY - By Invitation Only.

I am reminded of how much I love writing poetry. I observe on this slow-er than usual day, of how little road I give up to the passage of poetry. I really do have to move over (stand aside a little) to allow poetry the room to move forward and be written.

In all its incarnations, may poetry find its way into your thanks-full day.

I am grateful for you. This African Proverb winds its way around the world thanks,
in large part, to the folks at Quotable Cards...

I AM BECAUSE OF YOU.

Happy Thanksgiving Day.

The January Focus Phrase Process - Advance Reg benefits

HONEY IN THE HEART

Mary Anne Radmacher invites you to begin 2011 with a sweet Focus Phrase™ writing process* HONEY IN THE HEART .

Beginning January 3 mary anne will guide you through a gentle, but dramatically impacting process. The overall theme is a native Guatemalan farewell blessing, “Long life, honey in the heart, no evil, thirteen thanks you’s.” Translated in to practical terms it emphasizes: health, promises to yourself, service with compassion and gratitude.

The HONEY IN THE HEART Focus Phrase is 20 days (weekends “off”) of on– line guided and partnered writing, personal, written exchanges with mary anne and your special participant’s gift package*: $229.00 Early registration thanks-giving price! $198.00 Register before November 29 (Thanksgiving week end) for the reduced rate. Early registrants will receive their registration package the week after Thanksgiving. Regular registration packages will be mailed December 27.

This is a great way to begin 2011. The registration gift* will include a personalized copy of mary anne’s newest book, LIVE WITH INTENTION, support cards for the process, local Whidbey Island honey and a favorite pen of mary anne’s. And at least one surprise. Perhaps two. (“you can never tell with bees.” A.A.Milne and Winnie-the-Pooh). Early registrants can anticipate many surprises.

If you are new to this guided experience, you can write and ask for more details. If you are a returning participant, reserve your space early…you know how powerful this process can be! Focus Phrase has created marked change in the lives of many of its participants – will you let it work for you in 2011?

Read more about Focus Phrase™ at maryanneradmacher.net and learn about the other Phraseologists guiding the Focus Phrase™ process. There’s bound to be a good fit for you.

Contact mary anne to register at: maryanneradmacher7@gmail.com

* HOW does the Focus Phrase™ writing process work?

Mary Anne submits a phrase to you, via email, late in the afternoon and

asks you to let it be one of the last things you think about

before you commit to sleep.

First thing in the morning you renew your memory of the phrase. Write it down in your own hand or on your keyboard.

Make it is easy for it to travel with you throughout the day.

Consider the phrase a pair of glasses through which you look when considering the events, experiences and feelings of your day. Look THROUGH the phrase and allow the words to become transparent perspective through which you view your day.

The process itself heightens your observation and deepens your perspective. You finish the day by summarizing your experience in three short paragraphs and sending them to mary anne, via email.

I SEE You...

I remember from an entry level psychology class, decades ago, that one of the essential elements of helping build young people’s self-esteem is allowing them to feel and be SEEN. “I see you,” and “I hear you,” are important validations to offer a growing child to support and validate their person.

It’s interesting that this is particularly effective as a method in dealing with bullies. Recently at a public forum in my community an individual suggested a process for appropriate response to bullying called “Ring the Bell.” It means create a natural and safe distraction that allows for one or more OTHER people to communicate to the bully, “I see you.” You are visible. What you are doing right now is being observed by more than just the one being bullied.

It breaks the momentum. It creates a natural, non confrontation distraction. In this way the pace is stopped, the bully has moments to evaluate the consequence of being seen and the observer provides a safe mechanism to intervene. One of the difficulty with a person who bullies is that when faced with confrontation or embarrassment, they can escalate the harm they bring. With “ring the bell,” the intervention, while immediately effective, seems almost accidental. And there’s no blame or justice being levied...just an escape route. And at certain moments: that is the most essential element. I wish oh I wish that somebody had been able to “ring the bell” for Bobby Tillman.

STAND - Start Today A New Direction. Bullying must stop being considered “an acceptable” part of growing up. It is NOT acceptable.

tolerance.org

My friend, mollyshannon, a teacher, suggested this awesome resource. Tolerance.org
I continue in my S.T.A.N.D. experience (Start Today A New Direction). I am learning so much.

I've created a gift I want to share with you. It's my screen saver right now. You are welcome to download it and use it for any non-commercial, not-for-profit application as a gift from me.

I'm increasingly convinced that the opposite of love is not hate, but rather...indifference.

change: here, now, beginning with YOU

A friend inquired after the sustainability of my shaved head and effort against bullying. “It’s a really long time – are you getting tired of it?”

Well, of course. And that was the whole point of choosing such an extended experience. Kids who are bullied in every corridor every day are tired of it too, but that doesn’t mean it stops. Adults who are bullied in their work place feel as if it just goes on and on…and that’s the point. It DOES.
IT HAS TO STOP.

In conversation with Gina, who is a human rights activist, I made a case that global tolerance for bullying begins in childhood
(it’s just part of childhood,” “It toughens kids up for the REAL world.”) and is the basis for tolerance for atrocities in adulthood.
It’s tribal. Everywhere. It’s tribal everywhere. That reflects the inclination to “look out for my own kind.” If the victims were people “just like me,” individuals would immediately stand up for the one being bullied. It’d be more natural to be fired up about that.
NEWS FLASH.
“They” are us.

Kids are not a different species. They are not miniature humans, they are humans. They are people. Homosexual individuals are not a different species. Women are not a different species. People who wear glasses, dress differently, people with tattoos, people who shave their head (list here the dozens of things that you allow as identifers as “different from me”) are HUMAN. That’s why my activist friend works in a field called HUMAN RIGHTS. And the curriculum for HUMAN RIGHTS begins before we go to kindergarten. It starts with how we watch our family treat the neighbors, the stranger in the grocery store, the players on television and in movies.

Opponents to these views can cite the tendency in nature for animals to be drawn to “their own kind.” When you cite that as the basis for discrimination, want to start walking on all fours, defecating in the bushes and eating carrion cuisine, THEN you can talk to me about animal behavior being the justification for poor Human behavior. In the meantime – let’s manner up.

THEM is US, dear souls, and the smaller the globalization of our planet gets, the more important this fundamental civility becomes. Standing shoulder to shoulder there are human beings who are different…but there are not different human beings. We’re all humans engaged in the process of being.

Getting bullied and having the process dismissed is unacceptable. Making hateful, damaging statements and then simply apologizing with, “I misspoke” essentially means, “I should have framed my bigotry in a more acceptable manner.” Hate and prejudice and bigotry run deep in the veins of culture and they dress up so well: nice suits, pretty jewelry, polished pews. But regardless of how you suit it up: it’s still hateful and insidious and it’s time for a global, “NOT okay. Choose another way.”

Today. Everything begins with YOU, the human who is reading these words. What can you do for the sake of global human rights, beginning in your own experience? What can you do is someone tells you they feel like ending it all? Or, if YOU do?

If you wonder, “What can I do?” which is the very place where the change begins…
…here are places for your answers to begin:
http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adults
http://www.thetrevorproject.org
http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com
http://makeitbetterproject.org
http://operationrespect.org

Conversation Starter

I found this excellent list of character qualities - qualities that a person who does NOT BULLY would possess. I think they are excellent as a basis for conversation among adults and children. Ask questions about what qualities should be added? Any that are here that should be eliminated?

The site this material is from is:
http://charactercounts.org/sixpillars.html

Trustworthiness Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends, and country
Respect Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant and accepting of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements
Responsibility Do what you are supposed to do • Plan ahead • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes • Set a good example for others
Fairness Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly • Treat all people fairly
Caring Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need
Citizenship Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment • Volunteer

stopbullyinginfo.org

StopBullyingInfo.org is today's resource.

The conversation is going global. Bullying, of any child (of any person) must stop.
There is a more civil manner in which to communicate yourself and your feelings:
find it.

A new friend "skyped" me from London. She had just seen the youtube video of CouncilPerson,
Joel Burns, from Ft. Worth, TX giving his heart felt call to stop bullying in schools. In London! Please please do not suggest that one person cannot make a difference..."Leadership BEGINS in a room with ONE person and a vision." (yep, I said that a long time ago.) I've been treated to some bits of bullying myself about my S.T.A.N.D. And in writing I responded this way,

Artists have been known, for centuries, to draw attention to difficult, important, sensitive and controversial issues. My STAND in regard to bullying is to draw attention that each person, regardless of their age, opinion, inclination or whatever category they "fall in" is responsible for their actions, choices and exchanges. "Start Today A New Direction" has drawn attention to the issue of bullying. Bullying, period. Of children. Of adults. Of readers of a newspaper. Of clerks behind a counter. Putting an end to bullying as an acceptable practice begins by deepened conversation, greater awareness and by each person being a little kinder than they might be inclined. Every body makes statements in different ways, every day. How we dress. What kind of car we choose. If we walk, ride a bike, take a bus or drive a car...are statements representing our values. I've made a statement...and I am grateful that it is generating conversation. Civil conversation is a great place for greater understanding to begin. CIVIL conversation.

President Obama Gives Inspired "it gets better" message

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geyAFbSDPVk

I have taken President Obama's words to heart. Perhaps you will, too.

I am reminded of the many different ways that former President Bill Clinton found to
deliver the message that, "Our differences strengthen us and what divides us isn't as
important as what unites us."

Yes, indeed.