There are a few days that bring much of the population of the earth focusing on a single thing. Of course it's impossible with the diversity of the world for everyone to focus on one thing at one time (especially with all the channels on cable TV!) But there are still a few events and days such as this. Christmas, of course comes to mind, New Year's Eve, certain sporting events and also, in the world of entertainment the night of the Academy Awards. You may not know this, but as a young person I did lots of acting and theatre. Theatre and acting was and still is a passion for me. Being a trained actor, I always watch the Academy Awards every year to see which actors and films have been honored for their work.

I believe the people who we honor as stars, have taken the idea of becoming someone who is starring in their own life very seriously. And it is precisely because they have taken that seriously that we in turn see them as stars. Because they see themselves as stars…

Now, of course we know of the stories of actors and actresses who have not led the healthiest of lives. That is not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about how they see themselves and because of that, what has manifested in their lives. The point is they see the star in themselves. They have that belief about themselves.  They sense the unique and beautiful qualities that only they possess. They see this first and then they allow their star to shine. Then we see it too…

How much are you embracing your inner Star?

How much are you starring in your own life?

Are you waiting for the curtain to go up, so you can finally step into the light?

Are you rehearsing for the time when you REALLY need to shine?

Is fear holding you back from being the star of your life?

Do you have a block against shining your light in the world?

Do you believe that the people who shine are self-centered or selfish?

Well, I am here to remind you that the movie of your life started the day you came here. The film crew is always filming. The most incredible thing is that you are not only the star of your own movie. But you are the director, the casting agent and most powerfully…you are the writer.

If you don't like the role that you've written for yourself so far in life, rewrite it and change your role.

If you don't like the cast of characters you have hired to be in your life, change the cast and audition new ones.

If you don't like that your life has become a drama and you thought that it would be more of a romantic comedy, rewrite your story…

There is no time to waste in living the life your heart yearns to live. The movie has already started, but you can always create the most incredible and exciting of plot twists you choose from here on out!

In my training as an actor I was taught that “There are no small parts, only small actors” which means that whatever role you are playing, you are meant to look at that role as being the star of the play.  I was taught to look at it like all the elements of the story and the relationships revolve around the character that you are cast as. When an actor does that, they bring a depth and uniqueness to the character, a character which could have meant nothing at all in the scheme of the play as a whole, but suddenly is noticed and stands out to the audience.  As opposed to the actor saying “Well this is just a five lines and it’s not the starring role” then the actor just walks through the part and no one even remembers them.

You have cast yourself in your life as a certain role. You can either cast yourself as an important and vital role of the whole film of your life, or you can cast yourself as a minor walk on character. Your choice…

The time is now to step out into the light and be the STAR you came here to be.

If you start now, by next year you may hear “...and the winner is…YOU!”

Say YES if you will begin STARRING in your life today! XXX

(This excerpt from the book "Say Yes if...30 Days of Positive Questions to Transform Your Life" by Max Ryan)

A child’s laughter, Marilyn Monroe, White Roses, the smell of Lavender, the grandeur of the open ocean, dolphins, kindness; all of these are things I find beautiful.  I have been attracted to beauty in many forms since I was a boy and later as professional in the beauty industry.   I realized long ago what has been said many times and in many ways throughout history; that real beauty was not exclusively external, but came from the internal.

Have you ever met a celebrity?  Have you ever met 60+ celebrities? Well, one of my first opportunities to work with big and I mean BIG stars came when I got to do hair for a video that had more than 60 stars in it.  Everyone from Meryl Streep (who, by the way thought I had a great “derriere” (Not the word she used!) to Mickey Dolans (a has been celebrity from the 70’s group The Monkeys) was at this taping, so I can safely say that there was beauty from each end of the spectrum represented that day.

What I learned that day about beauty and how it is perceived could fill a book, but the main thing that stood out, (besides Meryl’s compliment!) was that there were a few of celebrities that challenged my belief about beauty.  In many ways they were sort of B list celebrities whom I recognized, but never really thought twice about, but in real life, they were drop dead beautiful! There were a couple in particular that were so radiant, I almost didn’t recognize them because my idea of them was not “beauty”. 

As I watched these women I began to realize what they had that many of the “Beautiful” stars that day didn’t have; a sort of… inner light.  I’m not kidding or exaggerating when I say that.  These women literally looked like they were lit from the inside out; a kind of diffused pale white light emanated from them.  It was the most amazing thing and I was utterly fascinated. I couldn’t stop looking at them.  They weren’t just beautiful, they were attractive and that attraction was not only a physical attribute.  That attraction came from this strange combination of confidence, happiness and that extra thing in Hollywood they call the “it” factor, which I still can’t put into words, but I’m sure that light has something to do with it.  My whole concept of what beauty is changed after that day.

“Beauty does not linger, it only visits.  Yet Beauty’s visitation affects us and invites us into it’s rhythm, it calls us to feel, think and act beautifully in the world: to create and live a life that awakens the beautiful”

~John O’ Donohue

I tell you this because a deceptively simple yet extremely effective way to begin to get back in touch with the Magic in your life is to begin to be conscious of beauty.  When I say beauty I mean anything (a thing, experience or person) that is in your life already or something that you happen upon during your day that you deem beautiful to you.

Being deliberately conscious of beauty does a number of things; it signals the Universe that you want a more beautiful experience of your life and when you begin to focus or refocus on what your soul tells you is beautiful, then more beautiful things, experiences and people will be attracted into your life. When your life begins to become more and more populated with beautiful experiences, things and people, then your energy will slowly begin to shift and the portal to Magic will be opened even wider.

It is literally impossible to be consistently focusing and inviting beauty into your life and have the contrary be true.  Through the law of attraction you will begin to see that if, for example you love white roses and begin to visualize them, think about them and buy some to have in your house, you will begin to see them manifesting in your outer experience.  Don’t be surprised when one day walking the same path that you travel for years, you suddenly see there is a white rose bush that you had never seen before.  Once these kinds of experiences begin to happen for you will know that you are getting back in touch with the Magic.