Daily Inspiration 6-30-13

"Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right.

Forget about those who don't.

Believe everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, take it.

If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy,

they just promised it would

most likely be worth it."

 

-- Harvey Mackay

Unless I can go back in time somehow, having a regret is a complete and total waste of time and emotional energy. It serves no purpose but to cripple me in the present. Thinking that I should have done something different in the past doesn't help because I couldn't have and cannot do something different in the past. The past is over with and done. At best there can be a memory, but to carry one with fear and trepidation is like poisoning yourself and hoping someone else dies. It's killing me.

My best choice and the one that contains health is to realize it was a choice I made at the time and it has helped lead me to where I am now. The only time I can make any choice is NOW. I always get to choose, so now I can choose something better if I want and build a stack of great memories that will be a joy to look back on.


The Past Truly Means Far Less Than We Have Imagined. I'm On A Bridge And It Is Water Than Has Gone By.

Spread Some Joy Today--Find a better feeling thought. And another. And another. . .

Daily Inspiration 6-29-13

"Money is often an uninvited guest
at a decision meeting with your desires.

In almost all cases, it should be

ejected without mercy."

-- Albert K Strong

Can I afford it? is often a terrible question, and especially when it comes to your desires. I'll give you some examples.

Besides recently having a book of my own published, I know several other authors who have done the same, and what often comes into people's minds about that is having it sell a lot of copies and make some income. The people who make money on books by selling a lot of copies are few in comparison with the whole. It is always possible, but highly unlikely, yet using the money to make the decision to publish or not to publish is often counterproductive. More often, people give up on the idea because they think it costs a lot of money or they don't know what to do.

Here's something I learned: Making a decision to do a thing is the best way for the resources to get it done come into being. Until the decision is actually made, the questions are nonstop and more often than not, come in such a way as to talk us out of doing a thing.

I think that anyone who has ever wanted to publish a book should do it. I've read a lot of very interesting and even well-written books that are by unknown authors. But publishing is not the main idea here. It is self-expression and that is far more important than just publishing.

Each of us has our own uniqueness and it is always special when we share that with each other. I love finding out about people's inner lives and history because I learn so many interesting things and gain a whole new appreciation of the person. That's why I detest small talk. It says nothing about nothing for no good reason.

Everyone has something to say and to share. Publishing a book is cool and one way to go. I guarantee that once you decide you are going to do it, the resources will come to make it a reality. Yes, it will require money, but you may be surprised that the money aspect is in the minor column.

But, there are other avenues to share publicly and in today's world most of them are free and cost no money at all. My favorite is the blog. I have several blogs and have fun with them and find ways of expressing myself at the same time.

And, truly, when it comes right down to the nitty gritty, whether someone else actually reads what you've written or not has little importance. Self-expression is an end in itself and a powerful outlet of creative talents that we all own.


Sharing Yourself Is Extremely Empowering.

Spread Some Joy Today--Let your real self out. You'll be glad you did.

Daily Inspiration 6-28-13

"When you don't cover up the world

with words and labels, a sense of the

miraculous returns to your life that

was lost a long time ago when humanity,

instead of using thought,

became possessed by thought."

 

-- Eckhart Tolle

The power of words is amazing sometimes. I, too, have used the N-word. After all, I grew up in the fifties and sixties. But the funny thing is that I hear it more today than I ever did back then, and mostly on Rap music, and movies. I'm guilty.

I made a career out of using the F-word. I guess that I wanted to see how many times I could use that word and its derivatives in one sentence and paragraph. I grew bored with its lack of imagination and better expression of feeling and now it only comes up on autopilot in times of upset most likely. You know, when I'm out of my Zen space.

Of course, I have no remorse about these. They just were what they were when they were and I've moved on. But, I have to also admit that I have used the C-word, the B-word, The S-word (a personal favorite still in effect today!). Not to be outdone by anyone, I've leaked from time to time the A-word, Z-word, T-word, U-word, D-word, G-word, H-word, and all kinds of other letter-words.

In fact, one of my favorite O-words is obsequious. Since I learned that O-word in the late seventies, I've used it many times and still use it today. I find many uses for the P-word, pathetic. It describes so much, and perhaps even my writing today.

It came to me one day in Junior College when we were reading the Catcher In the Rye aloud sitting outside and we came upon that magical word stated in print! OMG! It was laughable. What I realized right there and then was that words have no power of their own. Their only power is that which we give them. No more.

What's even funnier in a very serious kind of way is all the wars and killings and other kinds of harm that have come from the power we have given many of these words, sentences and paragraphs. Of course, it works the other way too.


My Two A-words For Today Is Acceptance And Allowing. My Favorite L-word Is Love--Especially In The Verb Sense Of Loving One Another.

Spread Some Joy Today--Peace be with you today!

Daily Inspiration 6-27-13

"Remember--and this is very important--

you're only one thought away from happiness,

you're only one thought away from sadness."

 

-- Syd Banks

In my learning journey, I find a lot of great ideas, and new ways of framing an old idea, and I find all of them helpful in some way. Occasionally, I find a very special book that is powerfully simple, succinct, and thoughtful. The quote above is part of a quote from the book, The Inside Out Revolution by Michael Neill. I just bought several copies to send to our entire team and a few others to share my passion for this wonderful book.

Here's the whole quote from above:

"Remember--and this is very important--you're only one thought away from happiness, you're only one thought away from sadness. The secret lies in the Thought. It's the missing link that everybody in this world is looking for. . . It's a gift that we were given to have the freedom to walk through life and see what we want to see. How much better that that can you get? That you have the freedom to walk through life and see as a free thinker, that is the greatest gift ever, to be a free thinker."

Though I am well aware of how our choice in thoughts direct our lives, and that most of us have chosen our thoughts from habit, past training, circumstance, and popularity, I was so excited when I read that short line in this quote: "you're only one thought away from. . ." That is so powerfully stated. I made a poster that is on my wall and in my daytimer that says this:

I am

never

more than

one thought away

from. . .

 

Prosperity

Health

Joy

Peace

Love

And the best part is that I find this to be so true. Sadness is a thought, not a condition. Happiness is a thought not a condition. Yet, they both become the condition--not from the condition, but from the thought. We create the condition, whatever that is, from the thought, not the other way around.

I highly recommend this short 135 page book by Michael Neill. I predict you will get a great deal of insight from it.


A Toast: To Your Wellness!

Spread Some Joy Today--Choose what you want to see rather than what is. What a powerful idea.

Daily Inspiration 6-26-13

"Why not you?"

 

-- Steve Maraboli

Steve Maraboli continues:

"Today, many will awaken with a fresh sense of inspiration. Why not you?

Today, many will open their eyes to the beauty that surrounds them. Why not you?

Today, many will choose to leave the ghost of yesterday behind and seize the immeasurable power of today. Why not you?

Today, many will break through the barriers of the past by looking at the blessings of the present. Why not you?

Today, for many the burden of self doubt and insecurity will be lifted by the security and confidence of empowerment. Why not you?

Today, many will rise above their believed limitations and make contact with their powerful innate strength. Why not you?

Today, many will choose to live in such a manner that they will be a positive role model for their children. Why not you?

Today, many will choose to free themselves from the personal imprisonment of their bad habits. Why not you?

Today, many will choose to live free of conditions and rules governing their own happiness. Why not you?

Today, many will find abundance in simplicity. Why not you?

Today, many will be confronted by difficult moral choices and they will choose to do what is right instead of what is beneficial. Why not you?

Today, many will decide to no longer sit back with a victim mentality, but to take charge of their lives and make positive changes. Why not you?

Today, many will take the action necessary to make a difference. Why not you?

Today, many will make the commitment to be a better mother, father, son, daughter, student, teacher, worker, boss, brother, sister, & so much more. Why not you?

Today is a new day! Many will seize this day. Many will live it to the fullest. Why not you?"


Some Good Questions.

Spread Some Joy Today--This is perfect. Today is the day. The only day.

Daily Inspiration 6-25-13

"The number of reasons you find

to convince yourself to do something

is in direct proportion to

why you would be better off not doing it.

When something is right, you know it.

If you don't know it's right, it's not it."

 

-- Alan Cohen

Choosing the right path, the right decision, the right move is important. We all want to make the best choices. But, how often do we allow our ego to take charge of the decision making? Stress inevitably follows. All the things that could go wrong begin to appear, what if this, what if that, what will people think? It can be enough to encourage lifelong procrastination.

Yet, deep down inside, I believe that we all know when a decision needs to be made and that by making it, we have made the perfect choice. It just feels right. Now, that has nothing whatsoever to do with having all the answers of how to do a thing, all the possible timing arrangements, people connections needed and so on. It only has to do with the choice. And, the best part is that if we just let the rest take care of itself, it will.

Sometimes these decisions we make, knowing it is the perfect choice, is not popular with others, including spouses, relatives, friends, and others. It can be a lonely place. But, all that will work out too. When it is right, it is right. Or, a better way to say it so it doesn't sound like it could have been wrong is to say when it is perfect, it is perfect.

With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, I can see some very tough decisions that I have made, that were very unpopular, yet I knew it to be perfect, turned out exactly that. I have now learned to go with my inner knowing and let the rest take care of itself. It has always worked out best.


There Is No Need To Second Guess Your Inner Knowing. It Is Always Perfect.

Spread Some Joy Today--Relax in your perfection today. You are.

Daily Inspiration 6-24-13

"Don't try to steer the river."

 

-- Deepak Chopra

This is so powerful, I'll just let it settle in with you. . .


How Often I Have Tried And Yet Insanely Kept Trying.

Spread Some Joy Today--There is your part and not your part. Concentrate on your part and all will be well enough.

Daily Inspiration 6-23-13

"How would your life be different if. . .

You stopped making negative judgmental

assumptions about people you encounter?

 

Let today be the day. . .

You look for the good in everyone you meet

and respect their journey."

 

-- Steve Maraboli

On the journey toward unconditional love. It's a glorious journey.


Amen!

Spread Some Joy Today--by loving the person in front of you, around you, and within you.

Daily Inspiration 6-22-13

"Life is not a performance.

It is an experience."

 

-- Alan Cohen

I dare say that if we take this quote to heart, it will change our outlook, and results. This is not a mind thing, but I am thinking of working at jobs, being in school, interacting with others and it applies perfectly.


More Joy. Less Stress. Works For Me!

Spread Some Joy Today--Oh, isn't that interesting!

Daily Inspiration 6-21-13

"Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world.

We cannot cure the world of sorrows,

but we can choose to live in joy."

 

-- Joseph Campbell

I would not have understood this quote just a few short years ago, maybe not even two years ago, but I embrace it today.

I have come to believe that we are all perfect creators and that we create our lives, often by default, or without clear intention. To think that someone would create disease instead of ease is hard to understand sometimes, yet I am convinced it is done nonetheless. We don't like to imagine that we create many things, preferring to think them created upon us by bad luck, wrong place, genetics, accidental acts, crime, germs and such. Though we often take credit for creating the positive attributes and circumstances, we abhor the idea of creating the other.

Once I walked through this door of acceptance, I can no longer see what I used to see. I think that the thing that has set me free more than anything else is accepting that I am a creator and accepting whatever it is that I have created without pushing it off on others. Certainly, I have co-creators at work with me, but accepting all of it is incredibly empowering.

Now, I might ask myself why in the world I created that scenario or situation. I might wonder at it, but I will accept it as my creation. I often create on purpose, and sometimes without intention, but I am always creating my own world. What is most empowering about this is the lack of blame. Blame has no more purpose. It used to be my favorite tool and explanation. It was always some kind of justification, and always intended to exonerate me from responsibility.

Now I accept the responsibility for my thinking, actions, decisions, including those made without paying attention, along with the results in circumstance and manifestation. This allows me to find joy in living my life, laughing at the interesting choices I've made from time to time, and find joy with others in the same way.


Participate Joyfully In All Creation.

Spread Some Joy Today--Allow others to choose to be or do as they will, loving them as creators, and joyful in all they are while accepting yourself in the same exact way.

Daily Inspiration 6-20-13

"Approach life knowing

there will be plenty to go around.

Be generous."

 

-- Frank McKinney

Isn't this quote a grand idea? Isn't the whole idea of unending abundance a grand idea? Some may even look at that as an ideal, which is the same thing as saying it is not here now but could be someday. Others may have a very hard time from their upbringing of lack to even seriously consider abundance as a possible reality.

I was one who was brought up in lack. I will never forget (although I certainly should) my step-father screaming out, 'who drank the last of the milk?' It seems silly to me now, but I had heard that kind of statement many times. I was always curious as to who should drink the last of the milk. But, it was a good idea to go along, so I would never drink the last of the milk.

I remember a friend coming over when I was a teenager and he went to the fridge and casually and intently drank the last of the milk. I knew it was coming later and my step-dad was so upset that I began to laugh. Not the best move, but I was rather encouraged by my friend and his boldness to think abundantly.

Now, much later in life, I think abundantly often, but it is still not my normal thinking. I certainly want it to be because I think it is absolutely true. Mainly we think it is not true when it comes to money most often, but as I look around I see an abundance of air. I see an abundance of blue sky right now. I see and abundance of plants, trees, grass, buildings. If fact, I see abundance all around me. Who can count the grains of sand of the beaches, or the drops of water in the ocean, or the number of atoms in our own body?

That is all outside, but inside I have an abundance of love. It is so deep and so wide and so full that it cannot even be expressed in size. I have an abundance of joy when I choose to have joy. I so love how Alan Cohen puts it about joy when he says, 'work may be your dominant thought, and joy an afterthought. But joy is your true purpose, and work the afterthought.' I am certainly on that path and find more joy all the time.

What do you see outside of you in the way of abundance? What do you see inside of you that is abundant? How can we keep those thoughts with us as often as possible throughout our day until we can perhaps make them our dominant thought?


. . . But, Joy Is Your True Purpose. . .

  Spread Some Joy Today--Think abundance. Express your love and joy abundantly.

Daily Inspiration 6-19-13

"If you wish to be a writer, write."

 

-- Epictetus, 55 AD - 135 AD

This advice is so incredibly simple and succinct. I have generally used it all of my life. When I have decided that I wanted to do something, I simply began doing it. It didn't matter if I seemed to have any talent or training. And the best thing is that regardless of how the beginning is, we always seem to improve as we continue to practice.

I decided I wanted to be a writer. So, I began writing. I wrote my thoughts down, often in a diary method, but at generally greater length and depth. I wrote papers and booklets and now a couple of books. I also began writing songs in the same way. I haven't written one for several years now, but I haven't tried either. Though the first one was terrible, they got better and better.

I became an auto mechanic the same way, a salesman, a sales manager, a business owner, a musician, and more. In fact, I think everything that I have done was achieved by just starting. To many it seems crazy not to have any training and then to start our doing something as if you knew what you were doing. Of course, I know that I don't know what I'm doing, but I just don't let that insignificant fact dissuade me. If it doesn't work out, or I don't like it, I can stop as easily as I began.

We need not do a thing forever to make it valid, nor does it require earning any money as a result of the activity. It is simply that we can do whatever we set our minds to do and the rest will come.


Whatever You Want To Do, Decide And Then Begin.

Spread Some Joy Today--Worry not.

Daily Inspiration 6-18-13

"We make a living by what we get,

but we make a life by what we give."

 

-- Winston Churchill

Some great thoughts to consider. I wonder how much focus goes on what?


How Much Do You Give?

Spread Some Joy Today--Giving assumes abundance.

Daily Inspiration 6-17-13

"There are multiple ways to look at any event

or situation. At one extreme is the perspective of

judgment, fear, and guilt. At the other extreme is

trust, forgiveness, and love."

 

-- Alan Cohen

Thought is the key to all of our every experience, yet we find that so hard to grasp sometimes. Our training and the acceptable practices of people around us or on TV or movies is often our guide.

I was watching a murder mystery show tonight (I'm curious why murder is so often what these shows highlight). Interesting characters and acting. A couple has a daughter who was murdered 20 years ago and they cannot let go of that and have found ways to keep all of that alive and the emotions were exhausting, but you know, someone has to keep these things alive. Or so it would seem. So the main character says that the only thing that will help is time. Time is the healer of all wounds and all that stuff.

I don't see how time will have any effect. Time does not heal wounds, hurts, bad thoughts, fear. Thinking a different thought about that is the only thing that could ever work. First of all, it is the thought that is creating the grief now. It is the thought of the loss and the fear and the revenge and the. . . well, it is all the thought and not the event. The event just is. It is what we choose to think about it that determines how we feel about it.

We have so much more power and we are much more empowered than it would seem if you watch the news. It that realm it is all about who did what, why they did it, who's to blame, whether they feel remorse or not, and then the punishment. Then, the foundations begin, the events are remembered, celebrated, honored, promoted, and it remains in play indefinitely. It may sound like I'm being cynical, but it is just the facts.

The only thing that doesn't get the play it could that would make a difference is that we have the power and the opportunity to choose how we will think about anything, and that determines how we feel and how we react. Time has no value in that.


I Choose To Determine My Own Thoughts And Accept Responsibility For My Own Reactions And Emotions.

Spread Some Joy Today--Normal is a societal term that means average. I choose not normal.

Daily Inspiration 6-16-13

"If you have an obligation you must attend to,

turn your duty into do tea."

 

-- Alan Cohen

I am always working on making light of things. I even make fun of them. This applies to many things including obligations. It is more fun that way and far less stress. This quote was a good reminder for me to stay on that path.


How Important Is It, Really? Compared To What?

Spread Some Joy Today--Lighten up and float away.

Daily Inspiration 6-15-13

"The longer I live,

the more beautiful life becomes."

 

-- Frank Lloyd Wright

I have to agree with this quote absolutely. It seems logical that this might come with some age, and perhaps a sprinkle of wisdom, but I think it comes not from age, but only a change in awareness.

When I was younger I used to see nature, but I saw it so differently than I do now. Now I notice the spider webs in the trees, the birds, how the wind invisibly moves the visible, shadows and light and new growth and old. I find peace and tranquility in these views.

Yet it's not just nature, but everything. I see more beauty in people, in the things people make, the talents they express, a smile and how the eyes smile along, how we help each other, encourage and love one another.

The good news for me is that there is so much of all this beauty surrounding me, that I see it now all day every day. What a blessing.


Once I Was Blinded, And Now I SEE.

Spread Some Joy Today--Today is a perfect day to tell someone you love them.

Daily Inspiration 6-14-13

"I don't know half of you

half as well as I should like;

and I like less than half of you

half as well as you deserve."

 

-- J. R. R. Tolkien

Due to my wife's illness, we have had a series of nurses and two social workers come by to spend a bit of time with us. My wife, Nancy has ALS and other complications, and I've become her main caretaker since I work from home. My only training for such a task was reading Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom some years back.

Anyway, I bring this up because yesterday a nurse and female social worker came to the house. The nurse was excellent, interested and caring, unlike the social worker. I thought that was strange considering her job. She was bordering on arrogant, and she spent almost no time getting to know either Nancy or myself. Now Nancy can't talk anymore, but she can still write and I saw no significant communication from the social worker to my wife and I found her irritating and assuming when she talked to me.

Rather than go further with the social worker, I just pretty much clammed up and wanted her to leave quickly. That experience caused me to think about developing relationships.

As I've been to many business mixers and the like, I've seen people going around spending as little time with someone as possible to just tell them who they are and what they do and what they might be able to do to help the person they're talking to. There is zero relationship building here. Just like the social worker.

Instead, if we are serious about building any kind of relationship, the first thing we need to do is ask questions and get to know the person in front of us. Save anything about us until it is appropriate, and keep the focus on them. Once we know a reasonable amount about them, we can build on that knowledge to create a relationship.

The social worker is much like any salesperson, or other person who communicates with others for a living. To come in and just have their past experiences and assumptions guiding them is counterproductive to the goal. I've seen this with salespeople for well over 40 years. They somehow think they know what these people are like, carrying assumptions, making suggestions, or trying to guide without understanding who the prospect is, what their goals are, what they want and need and so on. Once this path is taken, it makes it all the more difficult to turn it around.


Take The Time To Get To Know Your Prospects, Your Customers, And Acquaintances. You Can Never Have Enough Friends And Loved Ones.

Spread Some Joy Today--Make no assumptions.

Daily Inspiration 6-13-13

"Today is a new day.

Don't let your history interfere with your destiny!

Let today be the day you stop being a victim

of your circumstances and start taking action

towards the life you want."

 

-- Steve Maraboli

Today is always a new day. In fact, this hour, minute, moment is new. What happened in our childhood, high school, last decade, last year, yesterday, or five minutes ago is history. It's gone. Right now it is all new again. The only thing keeping us from moving beyond what we have been doing or where we are now is our thoughts. Letting go of the past, whether it is an event, an attitude that happened then, it holds no real meaning now other than that which we assign to it.

We could have failed at everything we tried up until now, but now is a new opportunity to change that. Or not. We are only a thought away from success or happiness. And, this is the best part: We always get to choose that thought. Unless we choose to not choose and then the past and circumstances will do it for us.


If It's All Good, Keep It. Rejoice In It. If It Is Not, Choose A Different Thought NOW.

Spread Some Joy Today--Put this on your wall. It's on mine. "Today, no matter where I'm going and no matter what I am doing, it is my dominant intent to see that which I am wanting to see." - Abraham-Hicks.

Daily Inspiration 6-12-13

"If you contemplate the Golden Rule,

it turns out to be an injunction

to live by grace rather than

by what you think other people deserve."

 

-- Deepak Chopra

I have had money and I have been busted. I have had positive and negative cash flows. I have left people unpaid through times I don't want to repeat. I understand making poor financial decisions. I understand thinking it will be better than it actually is, and yet through it all, I consider myself a good person.

Some of my previous creditors may have other opinions. However, I have done the best I know how to do at the time under the circumstances I found myself in, and I always tried to pay them though their rules often would not allow it. I also have to admit frankly that my financial decisions and results were always a self-inflicted wound. Not fatal, certainly, but not pleasant either.

I know what it is like so in my own business, I do things differently than other creditors have done with me. I don't chase people down. Not because they don't owe the debt. Of course they do. It is all the fault of me learning the Golden Rule early on, reading the story of J. C. Penney and there was another story, and I cannot remember the source, of a chiropractor who at the end of each year, forgave selected debts and yet did not discard the debtor. That story has always stuck with me.

In the last five and a half years in business, we have forgiven a lot of money owed us for services already rendered. When people are earnestly trying to pay and they make efforts in that way, we let them, and even may help them achieve it. We all need help sometimes and most of us mean well and are sincere.

Other times, we have had people who blew us off, ignored any contact, and pretty much stiffed us. We forgave them too. I refuse to chase people via collection companies and all that. We give it a good go and then we let go.

The biggest reason we do this should be clear. It benefits us to let go of this and be done with it. It helps us to move forward instead of always looking behind. At the same time, it benefits the debtor though they may not ever acknowledge it. You could say that we are paying it forward and somewhere along the line it is paid to someone who benefits.

Time is short enough without worrying about the small stuff. Sometimes though we may think that because it is money, we should look at that differently, as if the Golden Rule doesn't apply. But, it does, doesn't it? Then again, the biggest reason we would practice the Golden Rule is for our own peace of mind, don't you think?


Forgiveness Is Self-Serving. I'm Okay With That.

Spread Some Joy Today--The Golden Rule still works when it is used.

Daily Inspiration 6-11-13

"Over and over again,

we lose sight of what is important

and what isn't.

We crave things

over which we have no control,

and not satisfied

by the things within our control.

We need to regularly stop and take stock;

to sit down and determine within ourselves

which things are worth valuing

and which things are not."

 

-- Epictetus (55AD - 135AD)

It is Spring after all . . .


Some Things Don't Change Much--Even In Over 1,880 Years. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Neither does joy. I'll have some of that today!

Daily Inspiration 6-10-13

"The simplest way to gauge

your current level of consciousness

is to tune in to your feelings."

 

-- Michael Neill

from The Inside-Out Revolution

Yesterday I was talking about how when others have something negative to say about us or what we do, our company, our friends, that it is among the most common of things to react, often in anger, and often then lash back at them. After all, it feels like an attack and we are trained to defend against attacks, and then punish the enemy for attacking our innocence to begin with. But, I indicated that this reaction is not only counterproductive, it is damaging us more and anything outside of ourselves. I also mentioned that having a space of time to consider what was said, can make all the difference in cooler head prevailing or not.

One of the best books I've ever read is a recent offering by Michael Neill called The Inside-Out Revolution. I highly recommend it and I am on my second reading heading toward mastery. To continue the quote above, he goes on to say, "When you're feeling low (angry, frustrated, stressed out, uncomfortable, unwell, etc.), chances are that your level of consciousness has dipped and your view of yourself, your life, and the world is relatively limited."

He continues, "When your mood is higher and you're feeling peaceful, loving, and content, chances are that the elevator of consciousness has begun to climb, and from these higher levels you'll naturally be able to respond more insightfully to whatever is happening around you."

He adds in the next paragraph about practice: "the more you look in the direction of what's creating the experience and away from the content of that experience, the easier it is to hear the quiet wisdom that can lead to a quantum leap in consciousness."

I love that last part, looking at what is creating the experience and away from the content of the experience. So often, we look at what is being said or what was done by others and taking it all so personally. But when we can step back, or in his case he talks about being in an elevator and rising above, we can see it differently. It makes it less real and more like a movie we are watching. We have space and perspective to casually look and see that it has no real power other than that which we have chosen to give it.


Yes, And Amen!

Spread Some Joy Today--What you focus on you will get more of. Why not joy? Why not love? Why not peace?

Daily Inspiration 6-9-13

"We all have the power to direct our minds

to replace the feelings of being upset, depressed,

and fearful with the feeling of inner peace."

 

-- Gerald G Jamposlsky

from Love Is Letting Go Of Fear

I have read much about enlightenment. To keep it incredibly simple, I think of this in three steps. Step one is Awareness. We need to be aware of other possibilities and also have a desire to become more aware. Step two is Integration. We need to practice, experiment, play with it, experience the journey so to speak, and three would be Enlightenment or practicing love master.

I am amazed at the length of time I am in awareness and integration. My awareness tells me, sometimes daily, hourly, or minute by minute, that I need to concentrate seriously, but playfully on integration, or putting it to practice in my life.

I want to do this through response, but it is my reactions that cause me to take a few steps back and try again with more sincerity. I'll give you a real life example. Yesterday, something came up and we were being attacked, or at least that's how it felt, by someone who wanted to restate the problem over and over and convince us of the blame we should feel and so on. Because we put love into almost everything we do in our company, it was hard to hear and our immediate reaction was one of defense and counter attack.

Fortunately, there was a time space that allowed our awareness and willingness to integrate to prevail. My mother used to teach me that space when I was very small. She would always say to count to ten before responding. Of course, it was amazing how fast I could count sometimes if I even used her advice. It seems natural for us to react and we see it 24/7 on CNN and other news shows.

I'll add a bit more from the extremely wise Gerald Jampolsky. After the quote above, he went on to say in his book, "I am tempted to believe that I am upset because of what other people do or because of circumstances and events that seem beyond my control. I may experience being upset as some form of anger, jealousy, resentment, or depression. Actually, all of these feelings represent some form of fear that I am experiencing. When I recognize that I always have the choice between being fearful or experiencing Love by extending Love to others, I need no longer be upset for any reason."


The Only Power In Reaction Is Fear And Chaos. I So Prefer The Real Power Of Choosing A Response Of Love.

Spread Some Joy Today--How important is any issue compared to love?

Daily Inspiration 6-8-13

"A musician must make music,

an artist must paint,

a poet must write,

if he is to be ultimately

at peace with himself.

What a man can be, he must be."

 

-- Abraham Maslow

I have a dear friend who is a guitarist. I don't say guitar player. That title I might give to myself, but he is a guitarist. He's got a special talent at the guitar and I have always loved listening to him play and sometimes sing along and entertain a group. He's good in a group as well, but really shines as a solo artist.

I've also had the rare privilege of recording music with him and finding just the right chord voicing. He has helped me with some of my own songs and in each and every case improved them dramatically. He is an artist and he is a musician. He is also one of the sweetest men you could ever meet, so full of love and interest and charm.

On more than one occasion in the thirty plus years I've known him, he was going to lay down his instrument and play no more. Each time that I knew about it I did everything I could to change his mind. To throw away something so valuable was unthinkable to me. To bring joy everywhere he played is too powerful an attribute to take so lightly.

Fortunately, he's come back again and again. I really think that when we have a gift like that which brings joy to ourselves and others that it is a gift that needs to be shared. It is aliveness in us and it begs to be expressed. To give it up would be to die inside

We are all multitalented. There are some things that we do that is probably not our main gig, yet they are such a part of us. Sometimes we might call them hobbies. So often we might think that if we aren't making money with a skill or talent, then it isn't really valuable. How sad that idea is. Making money might be a skill in its own right, but it should not be given so much importance that it rules our entire lives.


Sing. Dance. Play Music. Create. Enjoy. It's All Love.

Spread Some Joy Today--Do what brings you joy today!

Daily Inspiration 6-7-13

"One of the most important things you can do

is embrace your humanity. Connect with those

around you today. Say 'I love you,' 'I'm sorry,'

'I appreciate you,' 'I'm proud of you,'

whatever you're feeling. Send random texts,

write a cute note, embrace your truth and share it.

Cause a smile today for someone else,

and give plenty of hugs."

 

-- Steve Maraboli

This is the first time I've seen this quote, yet this is something I consciously decided to do in my life several years ago. I do these things all the time now and I know that some of those on the receiving end don't know quite what to think because it isn't 'normal behavior.' I don't care.

At first when I began it, it was awkward for me because it was so out of normal behavior from what I had learned, but I just kept doing it. After a short time, it mattered not what people did in the way of response. It only mattered that I said what I was feeling.

This behavior was really abnormal in business circles, yet I ignored that there was a difference between personal and business. In fact, I've told so many customers that I love them, it has become a new normal for me. Of course, it should go without saying that I mean these statements whenever I make them. I really do feel that way.

What I've also noticed in the practice of this is that it only matters truly how I feel about me doing this and it doesn't really matter at all whether there is a response from the receiving party. I guess you could say it this way: I do it for me and not for them, although it is a given that many, if not all of them benefit.

I highly recommend you trying it yourself. So what if it doesn't come back. That isn't the issue. It is the expression of your feelings that matter in the end.


The Bigger Benefit Is What YOU Become In The Process.

Spread Some Joy Today--Absolutely! It is an idea worth spreading!

Daily Inspiration 6-6-13

"Is there a difference between

happiness and inner peace?

Yes. Happiness depends on

conditions perceived as positive;

inner peace does not."

 

-- Eckhart Tolle

It took me a while to get this deeply. I realized as it is stated that happiness requires positive circumstances. Indeed, that is what happiness is described as when people express that word. Yet, inner peace is more like letting go of resistance, or letting go of the rope. It is more like allowing and acceptance. It is more like The Beatles song, Let It Be. In other words, it is okay this way and okay that way and there is not necessarily a preference. As I think about applying all of that in daily living, doing business and so on, I see that inner peace has much more power and significance than happiness, just as it would spiritually. It is so much more powerful to allow things to be whatever they are and go from there than to expect that they be a certain way in order to feel good.


Inner Peace As A Singular Goal Would Be All Inclusive.

Spread Some Joy Today--Smile and let go. Let go and smile. Either works. It's the letting go part that works.

Daily Inspiration 6-5-13

"Be kind,

for everyone you meet

is fighting a harder battle."

 

-- Plato

Well, some are fighting and some are just dealing with it, but I certainly agree that we all have issues that we deal with that others have no idea about.

I was thinking about the interesting and sometimes exhausting things going on in my life and how it isn't something I talk about generally. The reason for that is twofold: One, it doesn't really help me much to talk about it. In other words, it doesn't necessarily cause me to feel any better. To me, hearing myself talk of it, it sounds as if I'm feeling sorry for myself, and I really have no need of sympathy. And two, I realize that others have their own issues and don't really need any more.

At the same time, it helps to discuss things a little, in so much as I don't become a pot boiling over. One way to do this so it helps and doesn't hinder is to write out my thoughts and feelings as if in a sort of diary. There need not be any time commitment to the task, save whenever I feel the need, and that is sufficient. It does the job nicely.

I started this to discuss the idea of compassion. To me, compassion is unconditional love outwardly expressed and focused on another. It is a deep caring. It is kindness. Compassion isn't accepting others burdens, but instead honoring them. It is giving understanding though we may not consciously understand because deep down inside, we instantly relate to one another as if we are all one. Compassion is letting go of the idea of separateness.

As we deal with potential clients, existing customers, teachers and students, bosses and employees, family members, and total strangers, it is so powerful to offer kindness first. It is powerful because each of us has issues that we are unaware of. Some of those could be considered burdens to them. Kindness is that simple and love-filled tool that cuts through the surface of things thereby allowing our compassion to be seen and felt.


Whatever We Say Or Do, Let It Begin With Kindness.

Spread Some Joy Today--There is nothing better than love. There is no reason on earth not to share the never-ending resource with others.

Daily Inspiration 6-4-13

"An escalator can never break:

it can only become stairs.

You should never see an

Escalator Temporarily Out of Order sign,

just Escalator Temporarily Stairs.

Sorry for the convenience."

 

-- Mitch Hedberg

Problems can be a blessing or not, just as it or they are seen through our own eyes and mind. The size of the problem or the new opportunity is individually our own.


Regardless Of The Signs. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--May you see opportunities all around you today. Rejoice!

Daily Inspiration 6-3-13

"Trust that which you're attracted to."

 

-- Jack Canfield

Today I was delighted to listen to an hour each interview with some special authors that I love. A few were Jack Canfield, Esther Hicks, Denise Linn, John C Parkin, Marianne Williamson, and Anita Moorjani. I particularly enjoyed listening to Anita Moorjani.

If you haven't read her book published last March by Hay House titled, Dying To Be Me. I can wholeheartedly recommend it. It is a powerful book that will demonstrate that there is magic in the world.

This will sound a bit like a commercial, and I guess it is in a way, but Hay House publishes some very fine books from a wide range of great authors including, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Anita Moorjani, Jerry & Esther Hicks, and many more. They decided to put on what they call the 2013 Hay House World Summit in which they are sharing interviews with so many of their authors for over 100 hours, ten per day, June 1 through June 10th.

What a blessing this was and is to put this kind of event on. Sure, they have some things to buy if you want to buy them, but to listen each day for a period of time for free was cool enough. Go to www.HayHouseWorldSummit.com for the remaining days if you're interested. I found this such an excellent thing, and since I enjoyed it so much that I felt the need to share it with others.


Enjoy!

Spread Some Joy Today--The more we focus on joy, the more is found.

Daily Inspiration 6-2-13

"I have come to believe that coming true

is not the only purpose of a dream."

 

-- Lisa Bu

I watched a wonderful short TED video today by Lisa Bu. Her talk is all about books and specifically how books revitalized her views. She said, "Books have given me a magic portal to connect with people of the past and the present." Then, she added a personal remark that I thought was important. She added, "I know I shall never feel lonely or powerless again." I would say that this is a power-full statement in support of lifelong learning.

But, the part that really hit home with me and caused me to want to share this video and its message was when she said, "I have come to believe that coming true is not the only purpose of a dream. Its most important purpose is to get us in touch with where dreams come from; where passion comes from; where happiness comes from. Even our shattered dreams can do that for you." I've emphasized the part the caught me. Enjoy.

Open Up, Let Me In. We-Ooo. Oooo. We-Ooo. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Get a new book and start reading!

Daily Inspiration 6-1-13

"In the culinary arts of life,

there is nothing more delightful to the taste

as a dollop of encouragement."

 

-- Albert K Strong

It is flat amazing what we can endure, when at least occasionally we are encouraged on our journey, our path, our mission, our endeavors. It is also amazing how little encouragement it takes to renew and refresh our efforts on that journey, path, mission and endeavors. It is also most lovely when it comes unexpectedly without request, or even necessarily hope. When it arrives this way, it is as a gift from God. And, surely He knew of the need, whether spoken or unspoken and it is each of our blessings to receive with wonder and inner rejoicing.

Have you traveled seemingly alone, perhaps wearily and through your perseverance kept on through more thickness than thin? Have you wondered if it was worth it all? Have you faced the lack of resources, energy and wisdom, and even on the edge, moved forward? If you have, as I, and then someone gives you just a bit of encouragement, expressing a belief in support, an offer of help, a gift of love, it is almost as if the reward of the final destination has been achieved. For, at the very least, the journey is shortened immediately--and joyously.

This isn't vague generalities, although it could be construed as such--no, this is something we all share don't you agree? And we rejoice together as it comes to pass for each other.

Bless you. Bless your journey. May my gift of just a bit of love and encouragement dare you to move forward with a renewed heart and joyous soul.


Today Is Yet Another Opportunity To Allow. It Is Also An Opportunity To Reach Out.

Spread Some Joy Today--Pay it forward!