~Author Unknown~

Personal Development Blog ~ A Place to Believe in the Beauty of Your Dreams ~ Discover Your True Potential ~ And Live a Life of Pure Happiness
Below are loving thoughts from our friend Gillian aka Stardustglow from CafeMom.
She shares many wonderful ways to put Joy back into our lives. Today, experience the simple Joys in life and enhance the quality of your days to come. Enjoy!
Many Blessings....
Roxanne and Hugo
Believe Achieve
Written by Gillian:
Within us all is the capacity to experience joy. While the daily grind of life can threaten to rob us of joy, here are 20 ways to put the joy back into your life:
1. Let go of stress
2. Minimize worry and anxiety
3. Shift negative perspectives to positive ones
4. Have an attitude of gratitude everyday
5. Find ways to laugh often
6. Practice completely living in the moment
7. Play the way a child plays
8. Take time out for your favorite hobby
9. Lighten up and stop being so serious
10. Tap into your creative energies and express yourself creatively
11. Break out of your normal, monotonous routine and shake things up a bit
12. Try a new activity you've always dreamed of trying
13. Give yourself freedom to be who you truly are
14. Do something nice for someone who really needs it
15. Release any anger, resentment, or jealousy you may be feeling
16. Engage in some fun form of exercise
17. Pamper yourself with some much needed kindness
18. Read an inspiring biography about someone you admire
19. Get rid of the clutter in your life
20. Dig out old photo albums and revisit some good memories
Further Reading:
5 Simple Ways to Enhance the Quality of Your Life in Just 20 Minutes a Day!
Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
Believe Achieve
Friendship Question of the Day:
How would your friends best describe you in ONE word?
We look forward to getting to know more about you!
Happy Friendship Friday!
Further Reading:
11 Guaranteed Tips to Keep You Smiling and Staying Positive
There have been moments in my life I have shed tears, some through heartache or tragedy, but mostly because of Happiness. I've realized through my journey that, "Tears are the words the heart can't express."
Tears, over time, have been given a bad reputation. It's been a sign of weakness or a show of uncontrollable emotions. My tears have given me relief....a way to release and allow my emotions to pour out of me. So, whether you feel like crying because of hurt or happiness, let it all pour out! There's no reason to hold it all in. It's toxic anyways to allow your emotions to build up inside you, even if they are the happy ones.
Today, I had happy tears!
Reason 1. Our 2 year old daughter, Mia, tolerated her speaking valve (Passy Muir) for nearly 45 minutes! She did so well that it didn't bother her one bit as she played blocks and cars with her brother, Noa. She did her funny laugh and made sound. She enjoyed hearing herself and continued to make more sound. This brought me to tears! Not the sobbing kind, but the kind when your eyes fill up and you can't hold them back.
We've waited 2 years to experience this moment. Having a child with a trach who can not vocalize is surely a unique experience. When most parents would have experienced hearing their child at this age squeal in delight, say "Ma Ma" or "Da Da" and even cry, these are "normal" things Hugo and I have yet to experience with Mia. This is why this moment made me so happy and tearful! It's a blessing and it will forever change my life. This journey has been life-changing.
In the next few posts, we'll be sharing our precious and unforgettable moments which brought us to happy tears. Today, let it all pour out! Give your heart a chance to express itself without words. If it's the hurt kind, just release and let it all go. You'll feel 100% better. Holding it in was probably making you feel worse. And if it's the happy kind, go look at your silly face in the mirror and enjoy every bit of it!
When was the last time you had a good cry and what did you learn from it? Look forward to hearing from you.
Many Blessings....
Roxanne and Hugo ~ Believe Achieve
Click Here to Read Part 2.
Further Reading:
Our Miracle of Life Story - Believe Achieve Hugo and Roxanne
American Idol - Mia's Story
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.
When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups have been taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Savor the coffee, not the cups! The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.
~ Author Unknown
Take just a few minutes to experience the video. Live your BEST life! Enjoy!!
1.) Begin with GRATITUDE. Gratitude helps us realize we are very rich indeed and wealthier than we ever thought possible. Take a few moments everyday to do an inventory for all that you have. Doing so, you'll see you're rich in good health, a loving family, caring friends, sunshine and even the rain. Gratitude paves the way for.....
2.) SIMPLICITY. Simplicity, along with gratitude helps us realize what is actually essential to truly living well. You'll soon begin to realize the big screen T.V. , the luxury car, the designer shoes and purses are not contributing to your pursuit of fulfillment. Think about clearing out and unclutter your life. Doing so will bring about.....
3.) ORDER. Having order in our homes will also lead to order internally, particularly in our heads. With less clutter in our lives, more order will lead to.....
4.) HARMONY. Harmony provides us balance and the inner peace. It's needed to truly appreciate everything around us. It opens our eyes of eyes to all the.....
5.) BEAUTY around us. There is such an incredible amount of beauty surrounding us, that without having truly awakened, it all remains a blur as we hurtle through life. And when we open up to see all the beauty around us, it brings us......
6.) JOY. True Happiness and True Fulfillment.
You see, the abundance is already yours. All we need to do is become aware of all that we have and possess. You alone can make the changes. You possess the personal powers to live the life you've imagined. "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams." - Henry David Thoreau
Begin by bringing the 6 principles into your life today. It will surely pave the way to an abundant tomorrow.
Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
Click Here to go back to Part One
"Teachers nurture the seeds of today so they may bloom into the flowers of tomorrow."
-Author unknown
A teacher is many things.
"A teacher is a sculptor, for they shape the lives of our future. A teacher is a artist, for they paint the dreams of our children. A teacher is a historian, for they have recorded something for the lives of great men and women to come. A teacher is a poet, for they write impressive passages of mankind. A teacher is a guardian of a million dreams and is the spark that ignites the flame for the burning desire to learn."
For teachers, teaching is their calling, their love, their passion. And in sharing their passion, they inspire those around them whether they are their students, the parents, their peers and those who listen to their heartfelt, spirited, inspirational stories. We have been inspired by one of those stories. And her story indeed exemplifies the true dedication of being a teacher.
Our dedicated teacher is Victoria Czaia.
For as long as she can remember, she was always a teacher. As a young girl she would play school with her friends and pretend she was teaching the class. Victoria knew she wanted to be a teacher some day. She felt it was her calling, for she loved children. And her passion to teach led her to discover her true purpose in life. To have each child who comes into her life believe, "...they can be whatever they want to be and that each role in life is important!" Victoria wants each and every child to believe wherever their dreams and aspirations lay, it will eventually serve mankind in some way. Through her own personal experience, she wants to inspire children to live life with passion, with purpose, in gratitude and in happiness. Nothings more important to Victoria than to see a child with a smile. A smile, to her, is a reminder of the true fulfillment of living.
In the past 15 years, Victoria has touched the lives of many children around the world. She has worked with special needs children and troubled teens in the United States, has taught in India and is currently teaching in China. Although, she is in China to teach English to students, she has taught her students an even greater lesson on life. Something which can not be found in textbooks. This is a lesson in which only a person of heart of gold can teach. She is teaching her students of all ages to love Mankind. "I think this is the greatest impact any teacher can give to their students.", says Victoria.
Continue on to Part Three
Further Readings:
The Dedication of Teachers Part Three
The Dedication of Teachers Part Four
The Dedication of Teachers Part Five
Do you know the power of a Smile?
Smile, right now for us. It sounds silly, but didn't this simple act uplift your spirits? Whether it's you or someone else turning that frown upside down, it always feels wonderful. What feels even more wonderful is making a child smile. Today, YOU can make a difference in a child's day by bringing a smile to their face.
Alexandra Bakker, the founder and president of the Make A Child Smile Organization, knows the power of a smile. Back in 1998, she received a link to a website which belonged to a little 9 year old girl battling cancer. The little girl loved getting mail, so her parents were requesting people to send her cards in the mail to brighten her day. This inspired Alexandra and touched her heart. As adults, we love to receive mail. A child loves it even more! In May of 1998, Alexandra launched her website, which would impact the lives of many families around the world.
This beautiful place can be found at: www.makeachildsmile.org Here, you'll read about the journey and experiences of the many children and families who can use a little extra sunshine to their day. Each child's courageous story will touch your heart and speak to your soul. You'll want to reach out and hug each and every one of them. You're surely going to fall in love with their smiles. And it's their wonderful smiles we want to keep up and going. Therefore, addresses are provided for the children so you can send a card or little gifts through the mail to brighten their day.
Alexandra's website has made a difference in lives of children and families battling life-threatening illnesses. She's brought more hope and smiles to these children than she ever thought imaginable. She has also touched the lives of those who participate in sending their hugs and words of encouragement through the mail. She has definitely touched ours.
This holiday season, give a child battling a chronic illness a priceless gift....a Smile. No gift is greater than one sent from the heart. And You and I are making a difference, one child at a time. Bringing a little sunshine to their day, will surely bring more to ours.
Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
Magic did happen!
In 1976, she brought the first four mothers together. They were able to share with one another things and experiences that they had not been able to share with anyone else, even friends and family.
Marion says, "When there's a problem with the baby, they don't know what to say, so they stay away...it can be an isolating experience."
Bringing the mothers together proved to be a wonderful way to provide support.
Hugo and I know first hand the importance of having support and staying connected with other parents of children with special needs. Our miracle daughter, Mia, was born at 28 weeks gestation, 3 months early. As grateful as we are for family and friends who expressed concerns and listened to our worries, only a few understood what it was like to be in our shoes. It was very isolating. I, personally, felt like I had no one to turn to except for the parents Hugo and I talked to while Mia was still in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).
Marion's support group grew to become something more incredible than she herself ever imagined. She admits, "I didn't even know what I was doing."
She gathered information from all over the country, spent time at the University of Washington and was learning so much each day from the children.
".....the babies taught us so much." she says.
She chose the name Exceptional Parents Unlimited because her inspiration came from the mothers she met in the support group.
Marion says, "It all starts with the parents and them wanting the very best for their children." EPU has become a non-profit organization, which over the years has helped more than 3,000 families a year. They provide services for the parents of children with all kinds of special needs through their many special programs including Infant Family Program, Assessment Center for Children, Family Resource Center, Learning About Parenting (LAP) and the Play and Grow Program.
Marion and EPU's Mission states:
"The mission of Exceptional Parents Unlimited (EPU) is to strengthen and empower children and families facing extraordinary medical, developmental, and parenting challenges."
Marion's vision of empowering children and their families with the confidence in themselves is being seen everyday at any one of the 3 locations in the Central Valley (California).
Marion Karian and Exceptional Parents Unlimited is a prime inspirational example of how No one is too small to make a difference and how BELIEVING you can make a difference can lead to extraordinary results.
Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
We'd sincerely like to thank Marion Karian for spending time with us to share her incredible story of how her wonderful organization came to life. We're ever so grateful for her, EPU, and it's staff for making a profound difference in lives of many families, including ours. We dedicate this entry to Marion, along with Mia's early intervention teachers, Stacey and Monica, and her occupational therapist, Libby. Thank you all for being in our lives.
"You've got to win in your mind before you win in your life."
-John Addison
Cyclist, Lance Armstrong, was born in Plano, Texas on September 18, 1971. At the young age of 13, he began to compete in triathlons, which combine a 1,000 meter swim, 15-mile bike ride, and three-mile run. A professional triathlete at age 16, he won the national sprint-course triathlon twice, in 1989 and 1990. Lance was a great swimmer and fast runner, but cycling was Armstrong's favorite and strongest event. He decides to focus only on cycling competitions, and wins the U.S. Amateur Cycling Championship in 1991. He turns professional the following year and his decision to concentrate on cycling turns to great success in the following years.
But in 1996, Armstrong was hit with the stunning news that he had cancer. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The cancer had also spread to his brain and lungs. It's been reported he had less than a 50/50 chance of survival. Frightened, yet determined to beat his cancer, Armstrong began aggressive chemotherapy treatments.
Within months of his diagnosis, he uses his personal experience to raise awareness about cancer and it's struggles. Armstrong establishes the Lance Armstrong Foundation which provides education and advocacy for cancer patients, and funds cancer research. He's also been quoted speaking of his cancer being "....the best thing that happened to me," Armstrong makes a miraculous recovery and sets his focus back to his passion, cycling. Although, his professional comeback got off to a rocky start, with his new focus and outlook on life, along with continued training, a determined Armstrong becomes unstoppable.
In 1999, he qualifies for the Tour de France, cycling's most prestigious race covering over more than 2,000 miles. The day is a victory for everyone inspired by his comeback, to all cancer patients, and most importantly to himself. He wins the Tour de France and adds 6 more consecutive Tour de France titles to his list of great achievements.
Lance Armstrong is a prime inspirational example of someone who BELIEVED in the beauty of his dreams, followed his passion, never gave up and beat great odds, and ACHIEVED unbelievable success. He won in his mind and in life before he won at the race.
Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne ~ Believe Achieve
Further Reading:
BELIEVE in the Beauty of Your Dreams Series:
Michelle Kwan
Tiger Woods
Michael Phelps
"You've got to win in your mind before you win in your life."
-John Addison
We all want to see positive changes in our lives. Whether we want to see changes in our relationships, our financial situation, our weight, our career, etc. , the first step to improving any situation is to make positive changes to your mind.
We can't expect to see any positiveness in our relationships if we find ourselves dwelling on something that happened in the past. Just as we'll never make any steps forward with our financial situation if our thoughts are always focusing on debt. The same goes with a weight loss program and a career advancement. We must believe in positive changes and literally, change our mind to change our life.
Through our experience, "Feeding our Mind", did just that. We understand that everything starts with a choice. We choose and have complete control of our thoughts, emotions and actions. But, before we reached that point in our journey of self-discovery, we fed our minds everyday with positive affirmations and inspirational stories. Doing so, kept us focused, inspired and open. It gave us the opportunity to build up a reservoir of positive energy. It guided us to discovery our passion and our purpose. We changed our minds, and changed our lives forever.
Our next few posts, the BELIEVE in the Beauty of Dreams series, will help you in filling your reservoir (your mind) with positive messages and inspirational stories. This will help in building up your momentum to making wonderful changes in your life. You'll be inspired by those who Believed and Achieved.
Get ready for an extraordinary ride of pure inspiration. Believe in changes. They'll be happening real soon.
Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
Hugo and Roxanne Tajimaroa are living with Passion and Purpose!! And we're spreading the message of BELIEVE ACHIEVE!!
We all have dreams and aspirations, but in order to live the life of our dreams, we must BELIEVE in ourselves and BELIEVE in the true beauty of it. Our dreams are reminders of how we want to live our lives and of great achievements. We can put our dreams into motion by believing in ourselves and knowing everything is within our reach. The only thing truly standing in your way is YOU.
We face and have faced the same life curve balls as you have. Through our experiences we've learned the true meanings of Unconditional Love, Family, Faith, Believing in Ourselves, Pursuing our Dreams, Patience, and most importantly to live a Life of Gratitude. We've come to this point in our lives as a result of Believing, Committing to pursue our dreams and Achieving great success.
Our ultimate success would come from touching and inspiring people to believe in the beauty of their dreams, believe in themselves, and to see everyone living a life of pure happiness.
Make today the beginning of your new life. Experience an incredible journey with us, discovering your true potential, believing anything is possible, making it all possible, and living a life filled with joy, love, laughter and abundance.
Today, Dare to dream. Then, Live your dreams. Set aside fear and all the excuses to wait another day to pursue them. Today, make it happen. Make your dreams reality. We'll be here with you every step of the way!
Many Blessings....
Hugo and Roxanne
~ Believe Achieve ~
Press Release: Believe Achieve Hugo and Roxanne - BELIEVE in YOU, your DREAMS and ACHIEVE SUCCESS