Mille Grazie (many thanks) to the Italian Tribune (La Tribuna del Popolo) of Clinton Twp, Mi for its marvelous half-page article on Coraggio!  You made my Bella Nonna’s (beautiful grandmother’s) spirit shine for all!  I am quite sure Nonna is smiling from heaven for your kindness and generosity, and on the many contacts that resulted from the article.

American Catholic Radio will air today an interview about Coraggio! book #4, and my thoughts about encouraging society to value the lives of people with disabilities and honoring those at the end of life.  The interview will also air throughout the week of January 17^th, leading up to the March of Life in Washington, D.C. on January 24, 2011.

God Bless Judy Zarick, Producer/Media Productions for St. Anthony Messenger Press, who followed the Spirit’s calling and gave tremendous effort to spreading the important message of protecting, advocating and reaching out with life-affirming compassion to our chronically ill and terminally ill brothers and sisters! Feel free to express your gratitude to her via her online link.

You can listen online by going to www.franciscanmedia.org . Look for American Catholic Radio and click on Current Program over to the right — “Living Faith” segment of program # 11-04.

(Coraggio Book #4 is expected to be available early this spring.)

Be Bold Feel Beautiful Gala tonight!  Terri Shaver’s passionate vision to photograph women undergoing cancer treatment and her courageous pursuit of the dream to empower women to feel beautiful at a time when they might not. Last year’s gala attended by 50…this year’s moving fundraiser event over 200!! Surrounded by photos of BEAUTIFUL and COURAGEOUS women – the essence of courage from Terri to each of the 60 women thus far photographed. I am honored to know this nurse-photographer.

http://beboldfeelbeautiful.blogspot.com/2010/11/calendars-selling-like-hotcakes.html

“If you can, find that peace within yourself, that peace and quiet and confidence that you can pass on to others, so that they know that you are honest and you are fair and will help them, no matter what, when the chips are down.”

Leadership quote from Dick Winters, WWII commander of “Band of Brothers” who passed on this week.

A great reflection of courage!

Your heart expands as you bring Christmas love and cheer to others. The holidays are also a time where emotional hurts may blister.

 See Coraggio!  Lessons for Living from an Italian Grandmother Despite Illness, Pain and Loss, page 324.

“Have the courage to:
   -Not let the bad guys get you down!
   -Reject the negative comments of others.
   -Follow the stirrings of your heart despite what others   tell you.
   -Believe in the good you possess despite the judgment of others.”

Continuing the Thanksgiving theme…

Another path to gratitude attitude is quitting the blame game!

See Coraggio!  Lessons for Living from an Italian Grandmother Despite Illness, Pain and Loss, page 250.

“Blame your current addiction or health situation on someone else and you have… relinquished all responsibility for improving your health situation.  How does it serve you to blame your addiction or ill health on someone else? … YOU are the person with control over making choices and acting on improvements in your life.”

Just in time for Christmas shopping!  Schuler Books in the Meridian Mall, Okemos, Michigan, is carrying Coraggio!  Lessons for Living from an Italian Grandmother Despite Illness, Pain and Loss.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday frenzy have passed.  If you know of someone who could use encouragement, or who would enjoy a chuckle at remembrance of cultural upbringing, why not consider giving Coraggio!  Lessons for Living as a Christmas gift? 

I would be delighted to include a personal message inside the cover of the book—it’s as easy as sending an email to lisa@withcourageican.com

With GRATITUDE! -Lisa 

Reflecting on the Thanksgiving season message, I recognize that seeing myself as a victim never served me in any productive, positive way. I am in control of how I view myself and my situation.

See Coraggio!  Lessons for Living from an Italian Grandmother, Chapter 32, page 250:

“If you believe yourself a victim, you believe yourself helpless.  Believing yourself helpless extinguishes hope…Ask yourself what it is about the victim role that serves you?”

Before we begin our Thanksgiving meal, each family member shares what he or she is grateful for that year. For me this year, I am grateful for my recent successful elbow joint replacement!

How positive the outlook at the start of each day if we pause to express gratitude!

See Coraggio! Lessons for Living from an Italian Grandmother, Chapter 32, page 249:

“With “Oh, Happy Day” the concept is focused on starting each day by building a fortress of positive attitude so that as you move through your day all your interactions are protected from negative thoughts…

My rules for the “Oh Happy Day” game:
Get up everyday and start with a mental positive list of that which you are grateful. Instead of saying, My ____ hurts” start by saying, “I am thankful that I have _____.”

October 17, 2010
Fantastico to celebrate Columbus Day this week with the Italian-American Club of Lansing. I was provided an opportunity to talk about Coraggio! Lessons for Living from an Italian Grandmother and the coraggio (courage) held by our ancestors in leaving their native land of Italy to come to America and start a new life. My grandfather and grandmother came to United States at a young age and without knowing the English language, but set forth believing in a better life and hoping for a better future. They brought with them examples of people who had little material wealth and a lot of adversity, but nonetheless lived in cherishment of family and celebration of life.
There was a family in attendance at the luncheon celebrating the 100 year anniversary of their grandfather/great-grandfather coming from Italy. They acknowledged that the lives of all the people at their table in Lansing, MI, USA, were made possible by this one man’s courage.
On Columbus Day as we remember the men who courageously set forth determined to find a new world and discovering a continent we call home, we also gratefully remember the family members who gave up the safety of familiarity with their current life to forge a life of endless possibility in a new land – and in doing so provided us opportunity to partake of all the good this great nation holds.