Royal Princess Western Caribbean Cruise

Hello from the Royal Princess! Yep, we're headed out again.

We left the hotel at 10 am and were sitting in the embarkation lounge by 10:30. While we typically don't arrive at port that early, we were looking to have a leisurely, stress-free, line-free day. And  it worked! It took us all of 30 minutes to walk from our hotel to the pier, drop off our luggage, have someone glance at our passports and boarding passes, go through security, check in and get our cabin key and boarding card, grab some water in the elite/platinum embarkation lounge, and have a seat. Not a line to be found anywhere in that .85 miles from point to point. And bonus - our walk to the port took us over the exact pavement hubby fell on in September and this time there was no fall. Woo hoo!

Elites were called to board at 11:15 and now we are sitting watching boats come and go from the outside seating area behind the buffet. Can't get a better day than that.

Although life on a yacht might be pretty good, too.

I won't be posting the Princess Patters this time around as we still have a limited number of Internet minutes. Can't wait for the Royal to get the unlimited super-speedy MedallionNet! Until then, I'll need to conserve minutes. If you do have questions about something in the Patter, just email me. I won't throw them away until the end of the cruise.

But if you are looking for the officer's, this may help:

So where are we headed this time?

Off to a sea day tomorrow.

Crown Princess Resources

If you want to know anything else about the Crown Princess or have any questions about cruising or Princess Cruises, just ask. 

Encouraging Words Money Pocket Project

Woman's Day Magazine, February 2019

What is the Encouraging Words Project?

Those who know me know I believe in the power of the Universe. I believe in The Secret. I believe in the power of positive thinking. That if you look for the good you will find the good. I believe life is flippin' amazing and each day will be amazingly awesome. And I know in my heart that putting positive and grateful thoughts out into the world comes back to me ten times over.

To encourage myself and others to recognize the power within each and every one of us, I've been delivering words of support and inspiration. For the last several years I’ve been giving away dollar bills with these notes of encouragement. I’ve left them in restrooms and airplane magazines and sugar containers. I’ve left them in windowsills and tip jars and hotel room drawers. I’ve left them on buses and taxis and trains. And in shopping carts, store shelves, and doctor offices. Sometimes I place one somewhere once a day and other days I drop them off multiple times.

While most of the time I never know who winds up finding them or how they feel about the words on them, occasionally I do get "caught". When I do, I am awe-inspired how much those few kinds words mean to people. The money going along with the words is just a bonus.

I'd love to have your help in putting kind and grateful vibes out into the world. Click here to learn how to make the pockets and here to find out what others are doing with it. 

Don't want to make the pockets? Try using a sticky note to leave your dollar behind. Not able to give away any money right now? Just leave the encouraging words. It is the positive thought that counts!

What Readers Are Saying About the Encouraging Words Project

One of the best parts of sharing the encouraging words project has been seeing the project multiply into something bigger. If you haven't yet joined us, it's not too late to start. Check out the post here to learn more about it. Need even more inspiration? Take a look at what some of our readers are saying about it:

I am going to hand out 70 of these in honor of my 70th birthday which is coming up Sept. 26th. I want to do it on that day! I think they are wonderful and we so need touches of kindness in our world today. I also think I will create a "Kindness" basket for an upcoming raffle and place the idea as a kit inside along with other items that reflect kindness in our world.

Thank you in advance for this treasure trove of ideas.

Linda M. 

Thanks for sharing so much with others it really does cause a ripple effect,

Kim B.

Like you, I have left dollar bills and words of encouragement  for others to find. Yet, sometimes the words fail me. I saw that you offer a template with phrases that you use, and I would appreciate a copy. I absolutely believe in spreading Love in many ways! Spreading Joy to others is a wave of healing I firmly believe in!

Judit

I read about your money pockets today and I’m so excited to do this!  As my granddaughter gets old enough I think this will be a fun thing to do together.  Mimi & Josie’s secret campaign to leave smiles wherever we go! Thank you for doing good in the world …… spreading kindness and love.

Michele

I saw your letter in Pam Grout's newsletter, and I love what you're doing. I'm already cutting out the money envelopes!  Please consider me a fan.  

Infinite Love & Gratitude,

Diana H

And a followup from Diana:

I have used your template and words to produce several hundred of the encouraging word pockets.  I find it easy to slip them in all sorts of fun places, and it includes the price of a cup of coffee at our local cafe.  I recently took them on a trip to Las Vegas.  I like to think there may have been a "jackpot" involved for someone.

I've also created stickers with my own words.  I've never been around to see someone find a pocket but I love to imagine how tickled I would be if I found one.  I love setting my intention for kindness as I carefully cut each pocket, glue it, apply the sticker, and add the dollar.  Your project resonates with me. I believe the world is a better place for any and all kindnesses--no matter how seemingly small.

With heartfelt Thanksgiving Infinite Love & Gratitude,

Diana H

If you decide to be part of the project, I'd love to hear from you! Click below to email me.

I look forward to hearing about how you are putting those positive vibes out into world!

Stories of the Finders

Did you find one? I'd love to hear from you! Click below to email me your story.

And read on to hear the stories of some of the other finders...

I've been doing my encouraging words with dollar bills for several years now. I've left them in just about any place you can imagine, from restroom stalls to airplane magazines to grocery shopping carts. Sometimes I place one somewhere once a day and other days I drop them off multiple times.

Most of the time I never get to see who picks up the encouraging note money pockets. That's the point, though - it's a project that's totally anonymous. But occasionally I might see someone's facial expressions or hear some comments. And sometimes I visit a place enough that someone figures out who is leaving them behind. Here are a few stories about them I've picked up along the way.

• 5 O'Clock Charlie's was a place I had left them more than once. During one visit quite a while ago the bartender, figured out I was the one leaving them in the restroom because they only showed up there when I was there. So guess what she pulled out of her wallet to show me last time I saw her? One of those encouraging word money pockets she had found from long ago. All this time she's kept it in her wallet. It looks a little rough around the edges now, but how amazing is it that my dollar pocket with encouraging words meant so much to her that she keeps it with her all the time?
• A crew member who found one a couple months back found another. The new one said You are amazing. Her name is Grace and she said she knew it was meant for her, like Amazing Grace. Yep, really amazing.
• One of the girls that helped hubby in the morning found one in the sugar container when she was cleaning tables. Her cabin mate was also working at the time and we were all talking about the encouraging notes on them. I had a stack of others with me so I told the cabin mate to pick one out of my hand (she couldn't see the sayings so it was like a pick a card, any card kind of trick). When she turned it over it read Never Give Up. The two girls had a laugh and an oh my gosh and an I can't believe it. And why? Because in their cabin they have a poster. A poster that says Never Give Up. How awesome is that?
• When I leave a tip in a restaurant I sometimes place it in a pocket. I look carefully through the sayings I have on me and choose one I think the waitress needs the most. Usually I can sneak out of the restaurant before the waitress sees it but on Thanksgiving night in Key West I didn't get out quick enough. The waitress stopped me and told me thank you. And said the saying really meant something to her. That it spoke to her. That it was the journey she was on. The encouraging words I chose for her? We’re all stories in the end. Make yours a good one. 
• Many times when I leave them on a cruise ship I put them in the sugar container. Most of the time they never get touched until the crew member dumps all the sugar packets out and then reorganizes and refills them. That's how Sheila wound up with dollar after dollar after dollar. Only when another crew member spied me putting one into the container and told her did she realize it was me. Over the course of a couple years, as I've gone back to see Sheila again and again, she's picked up quite a few more. I do believe she's now found one pocket in every color. (It also helped that I gave her some outright. I now know her well enough that I was able to hand-pick messages of encouragement aimed right at her.) So what Sheila think about the notes? Here she is, in her own words:

I remember the first time I found the first one. I read it and the message was so touching and days after days I kept finding them with different messages, so from deep within the heart. I felt so emotional because I realized that someone on board cares for what we are doing and wants us to knows in some way. The money you put in the note was very helpful but the touching messages makes you feel good also.  Imagine after a hard day at work when you are about to finish your shift and you find one of the notes. It really makes your day. You are a blessing and special person that is trying to bless another person.

Encouraging Words Money Pocket Photos

Have you been leaving encouraging notes and documenting it? Email me the pics and I'll add them here. Let's keep putting those kind and grateful vibes out into the world!