Daily Inspiration 3-31-14

"You cannot be lonely 

if you like the person 

you're alone with."

-- Wayne Dyer 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #22 

Learning to love and appreciate myself. 

I've been practicing loving others for a large part of my life now, and I have made such progress in the art of allowing and learning to love unconditionally. It has been said that you cannot love others until you love yourself, but I just don't agree with that. Still, that being said, I am and have been on the path of learning to really love myself, appreciate myself, respect myself, and most of that more recently.

I have bought into the I'm OK, you're OK philosophy and have learned to accept myself and what skills and attributes I have in general, but really loving myself has been more of a challenge.

I bought several of Louise Hay's books sometime back and she is all about learning to appreciate and love ourselves down to the body parts even. She has helped put some things in perspective, but I only recently began since my wife passed last August to actually practice looking sincerely in the mirror with aloud uplifting self-talk, along with reminding myself at different times throughout the day.

I don't expect that I am alone in this. I know a lot of people that could use the same coaching I've been getting from Louise Hay and others. I think we all need to love ourselves more, accept ourselves more, be more true to ourselves. It's easy to say I should love myself, but putting it into real practice is an other thing entirely. I've decided that the practice is way, way, way, overdue.

Louise Hay's books, such as, You Can Heal Your Life, Heal Your Body, Love Yourself, Heal Your Life Workbook, Love Your Body, and so many others that she has written are extraordinary in their simplicity and straightforward approach and I have enjoyed them immensely. I also find them very helpful in developing an openness to practice and this is something worth practicing.

Whatever has gone on in the past, or wherever negative thoughts were first developed, it only matters that we make a decision to change it and the pathway will open before us with what we need to get there.


"Self-Worth Comes From One Thing: Thinking That You Are Worthy." -- Wayne Dyer 

Spread Some Joy Today--by loving and appreciating yourself. You are worthy.

Daily Inspiration 3-30-14

"Life isn't as serious 

as my mind makes it out to be." 

-- Eckhart Tolle 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #21 

Things and situations have no meaning when you're gone. Personal loving connections have long-lasting meaning. 

I have come to believe that life was meant to be fun, interesting and enjoyable. As I develop more inner peace and intentionally decide to enjoy myself, I feel more alive and more fulfilled at the same time.

Eckhart Tolle said it clearly when he said, "What will be left of all the fearing and wanting associated with your problematic life situation that every day takes up most of your attention? A dash, one or two inches long, between the date of birth and date of death on your gravestone."

It's interesting when people close to you pass away and any of the problems, even all of the problems that you ever dealt with them about are no longer of the least importance. In fact, if all of the problems from a lifetime with that person were put in a pile, it would not even be a millimeter high. What matters is the good times, the times you connected, when you were both present in the present moment. The rest is worthless. Yet at the time, we made such a big deal out of them, even to the point of fighting, arguing, maybe yelling, maybe saying things that you didn't really mean to say and more. For what? For a dash.

Then if there might be any guilt being carried about, things we should have or could have but didn't, is all a bunch of feeling sorry for ourselves. It's our bruised ego trying to stay in charge. Yet, all that is now zero importance too. We just need to let go of that rope and allow love to fill us and that is the perfect cure.

As we have issues in our daily lives, as the things seem to loom over our heads, we need to remember that it is our own thoughts that place the importance on them, and that we can choose to stay in the present, connect with each other, share love which is our natural being, and enjoy ourselves and each other. As important things go, this is as important as it gets.


You Get To Choose What Is And Will Be Important To You.

Spread Some Joy Today--Chill. Find something to put a deep smile on your face. Enjoy that moment. Savor it.

Daily Inspiration 3-29-14

"Love what you do; 

Do what you love." 

-- Dr. Wayne Dyer 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #20 

Loving what I do is as important as breathing to me.

A long time ago, I read a book called, Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow by Marcia Sinetar. At the time I wasn't exactly loving what I was doing and I was searching my mind for what I might like better and was looking for things like this book to help me find out. It really didn't help me find out what it was, but it did help me to make a decision that I was going to do what I loved to do no matter what. And I did.

One of the other important things I wanted was as complete a freedom of time as I could find. So, by the law of attraction, I found both of these things. I didn't have a clue until it happened and I could look backward enough to see it, and I think that is often the way things go. It was the decision of what I wanted that set things in motion and the rest came to be without me doing much of anything significant.

Until 1997, I had a work schedule. I had to be there at this time and off at that time with these days off, certain vacation times and so on. I always wanted to work out of my home and never could figure out how that would happen.

Here's a place to remind long-time readers of this that I have a sign still on my wall to remind me the way to get things done. It says, "What is MY job. How is GOD's job." I decided what I wanted and even though I might never have figured it out on my own (because I gave it a lot of thought!), yet it came to pass. Since July 1997 I have worked out of my home. No office to go to, no schedule to maintain, no clock to punch, no time sheets to fill out, and here's the best part: no supervision! If I work or don't work, I have only me to answer to.

Trading money to have this kind of flexibility is an easy decision for me. Not everyone could make that decision, and not everyone would like what I like or what I do. That's the beauty of life: we all are in charge of our own thing.

The schedule was one issue and that was solved. The other was doing what I loved and doing it with people I loved. Done. I love what I do. I love who I do it with. I love watching it unfold. I love not knowing so much about the future and just going with it. And, I'm always thinking of something else and see how I feel about that, or how to improve, expand, or whatever. That's my favorite part.

Can we love what we do and have a great lifestyle too? Yes. I hope that yours is that way for you. I sure celebrate mine after 18 years enjoying it.


"Enjoying Life Is Far Superior To Being Graded On Your Performance In Life." -- Dr. Wayne Dyer 

Spread Some Joy Today--"The last suit that you wear, you don't need any pockets." -- Dr. Wayne Dyer. Might as well spread some joy then!

Daily Inspiration 3-28-14

"Right and wrong 

is purely a fantasy of the mind." 

 -- Albert K Strong 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #19 

There isn't much space between judgment and justification.

For most of us, as with me, we are taught a whole lot of ways to make judgement. Right and wrong, good and bad, plus and minus, positive and negative, and a thousand shades and variations on this theme. But the thing that has impressed me the most, is learning that all of these judgments are just opinions. It may be my opinion that I learned from an authority figure, or from books, or church, but it is just an opinion. We make a decision that something is this way or that, when in reality it just is and all the rest of the labels we give it are totally made up.

In this respect, there is no such thing as right or wrong, good or bad, it just is what it is. Yet, when we label it and judge or justify as a result of our thinking of the label and what it means to us, that thing that just is will be turned into something much greater.

Then we have a tendency to justify more by seeking people with very similar opinions or judgments. And, it doesn't matter how many ban together about the thing because it still is what it is, yet the fantasy of the thing continues to morph into something else.

The truth is that we decide what is right and wrong and good and bad and everywhere in between. And we can change that thought any time we like and see a different perspective--perhaps even the opposite perspective than we had known.

This fantasy of something being right and that people will all find it someday and know it as truth is far fetched. They will see whatever they see and decide whatever they will decide, while the thing is still the thing without any labels at all. Completely neutral.

Carl Jung said that "everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." This idea has helped me to consider my irritation when it exists and to examine myself, or my thinking about that to try to understand better what is really going on.

Of course this goes both ways too. Sally Field said it well when she said, "It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes." We can stand in judgement of others and we can also allow them to stand in judgment of us, and that is also often enough an interpretation based on not feeling good about ourselves.

We also often use different standards. For example, Ian Percy said that, "we judge others by their behavior. We judge ourselves by our intentions." The ego sure doesn't like to be anything except above the crowd, and perfect in every way.

I still judge people, things and events. I'm not certain that I will ever be completely free of it, and I mean this differently than discernment where I am making choices based on how I feel about something or someone. But, my awareness of this idea that right or wrong is just my opinion has helped me to tone down the righteousness and indignation, and even change my thinking mid-stream sometimes by reminding myself to pause and reflect a bit before passing judgment thoughtlessly, or by rote.


I Have A Lot Of Opportunities To Make Better Choices. I Need The Practice. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by showing your own. It's unmistakable.

Daily Inspiration 3-27-14

"Never begrudge the money 

you spend on your own education." 

-- Jim Rohn 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #18 

I am a life-long learner. I highly recommend it. 

I've spent tens of thousands of dollars on books over the years in my life. I didn't even start reading books until after I was out of school and in my early twenties. While in school, except when I was in grade school, I used summaries and such to get through. Reading books cover to cover didn't exist in my mind. My education began in all seriousness after I got out of school.

Even today after having given away most of my books, I have many hundreds left of my favorites, and a large collection of them are business related and biographies. I also have two Kindles and about 150 on there. I have loved books since I was a kid, and made a decision at about 22 years old to amass a nice library. On average in the last 20 years, I've probably read about a book a week, although I do have a tendency to go in spurts, so I might do 5 in a week and then none the next. I go with the flow.

Several things are quite clear to me at my age now. One is that I am so glad that I began reading books. I've enjoyed a knowledge I would not have known otherwise. Two, I've read a diverse mix of books. This has helped give me some perspective. I've often read books for and against a subject just to see the argument. I also have a tendency to immerse myself in a subject and read until I've had my fill. I remember getting into reading about the Civil War era, and reading many different things and biographies in that realm until I felt pretty full of it.

One subject I've never filled up on is commonly called personal development, but that is too narrow really. It encompasses psychology, self-help, spirituality, business and more. Probably the majority of what I've read is in this wide range of subjects.

I remember so well growing up hearing and reading about Abraham Lincoln reading in the dark or by candlelight if he had it. How books were hard to come by and how much they helped those who reached out for them. I have become the same way and Amazon.com and Barnes & Nobles has been dear friends in my pursuit. In fact, I discovered audiobooks back in 1988 and have bought and "read" many hundreds since then. My car is called my University on wheels.

In addition, I like to share books, so I've given many hundreds away over the last 15 years. Even now, my company buys a lot of books to give away to our team and to others in various ways. I'm committed to life-long learning and the benefits have been so worth it to me, that it seems silly not to share at least some of that passion. 


Learning To Read And Actively Practicing That Has Been My Greatest Gift To Myself. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Buy a book and read it!

Daily Inspiration 3-26-14

"Some people you can afford 

to spend a few minutes with, 

but not a few hours." 

-- Jim Rohn 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #17 

Attitude, Influence, and Building Buildings. 

In the late 70s and into the 80s and beyond, I studied a man named Jim Rohn, who became quite a mentor to me though I never met him once in person. I read his books, listened to many of his tapes over and over wanting to fully absorb his down-home kind of philosophy. It was this idea of influence that he really brought home to me in a big way.

He said, "There are two parts to influence: First, influence is powerful; and second, influence is subtle. You wouldn't let someone push you off course, but you might let someone nudge you off course and not even realize it." He brought it home to me that "attitude is greatly shaped by influence and association."

To help direct me, he suggested: "Get around people who have something of value to share with you. Their impact will continue to have a significant effect on your life long after they have departed." And, thanks to Jim Rohn, this is so true about him. He has had a lasting impact on me and my thinking. I made real choices on purpose of whom I would spend time talking with and associating with.

I used to watch people hang around someone new and within a short time, they were talking like them, thinking like them, using similar mannerisms. It's the copy cat thing, and it is real. If they are using a certain kind of slang, you can be sure that the new associate will begin to use the same slang with the same tones. It's uncanny.

In older days, they referred to hanging around at the water cooler about how people would congregate and tell each other stories. More often than not, these stories were not complimentary, and that's the kindest way to say it.

One of the best things I've ever learned from Jim is something that I have used so many times over the years and it has really helped me put things into perspective to see others and how they can be, but as well, to see myself and how I must pay attention to what I say and do. It is this: There are two ways to have the tallest building. One is to become known as a destroyer, and the other is to become known as a builder.

There were many, many times in my life when I would have to admit that I was a destroyer. The ego was run amok in me. I took what Jim said to heart, and I changed over time to become more of a builder. It's so easy to put others down. Putting down the President, the government, the teachers, the supervisor or boss, the spouse, or mother or father, and more is so easy. It's incredibly easy to be perfect and see all the faults in others, but that is not reality. However, as I consider the two building statement, I catch myself and speak positive, uplifting things about the others instead, and it may not change them, but it sure changes me for the better.

I'll leave with one more great quote from Jim Rohn about association. "You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?"


I Choose To Be Around Positive, Uplifting People. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by considering your own value and capacity to love.

Daily Inspiration 3-25-14

"I used to say, 

"I sure hope things will change." 

Then I learned that the only way 

things are going to change for me 

is when I change." 

 -- Jim Rohn 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #16 

I can, and I will. I begin today! 

Jim Rohn adds, "Don't say, "If I could, I would." Say, "If I can, I will." How many times have many of us said, "if only I could, I would?" The idea is that something is in the way stopping us, but it usually isn't that at all, but more like not being nearly interested enough, or not believing that it is really possible to do that thing we think we want.

The truth is, when you think you can, you can, and when you decide you will, you will. Taking action always begins with thought. As Albert Einstein quipped, "the world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking."

One of the biggest things I've learned about this whole idea of I can and I will is that I don't have to see the whole thing completed as much as having a willingness to enjoy the unfolding of it and see where it goes. Dr. Martin Luther King said that "we don't have to see the whole staircase to take the first step."


Celebrate Your Ability, Willingness, And Activity. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Celebrate your ability and willingness to spread joy.

Daily Inspiration 3-24-14

"Some persons are very decisive 

when it comes to avoiding decisions." 

-- Brendan Francis 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #15 

Making decisions, making them easily, and making them often. 

William James says it like it is when he said, "When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice." I have to admit that this quote and the one above by Brendan Francis has me pegged more than I would like to admit. I'm such an artist at procrastination, and yet, of some of the people I know, I make a lot of decisions in comparison. But, that doesn't ever help, does it? All we have is ourselves and comparing ourselves to others is often a cop-out, as it is in this case too.

"Life is the sum of all your choices," according to Albert Camus and I have to agree with that. How could that not be? Every decision takes us to another place. And, if it weren't for that, we would die where we stand.

There is some peace and satisfaction in the act of making a decision. Rita Mae Brown backs that up when she points out, "A peacefulness follows any decision, even the wrong one." However, I used to believe there were wrong choices and right choices, but I do so no longer. There is only choices and each choice has some kind of response and whatever that is will be perfect for the time being. If we find the choice is less than satisfactory, we can make another, and another, and another.

The key is knowing what one wants I think. Once we zoom in on this, making decisions is much easier. When we don't know what we want, how would a decision about anything help much? And, the whole idea about decisions is to begin, get moving, go somewhere, do something, right? Getting started is the natural next step once we know what we want.

We don't need to know what we want forever, but right now is good enough. Lewis Carroll in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass says it as well as it can be said: "Go on till you come to the end; then stop." Then is when a new decision will help us on our journey wherever we are going.

Buddha is attributed as saying, "There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth. . . not going all the way, and not starting." He also puts it in perspective when he said, "Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well."

So, I recommend making decisions often and not worrying very much about that. What comes of the decision will be telling, then we can make another choice. Indeed, we will soon enough have to make another choice to keep moving.


"With The New Day Comes New Strength And New Thoughts." -- Eleanor Roosevelt 

Spread Some Joy Today--by mirroring what Alexandra Stoddard said so nicely: "I wake up every morning with a great desire to live joyfully."

Daily Inspiration 3-23-14

"The greatest power 

is often simple patience." 

-- E. Joseph Cossman 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #14 

Patience is not only a virtue, it's just plain fun.

I have learned to be a patient man, and I have learned it from people and circumstances that challenged me to make that choice. Well, I accepted the challenges with eagerness because I made a decision that I wanted to learn to be a patient man.

Some people think that having patience is enduring something, which sounds like that stiff-upper-lip thing in England. Patience in the Bible is often spoken in the same manner. To me that is more like tolerance, meaning you are putting up with it though you do not want to. Maybe you can't even wait to get out of the situation to get back into the world of fast moving impatience.

I borrowed a bit of a quote from Wayne Dyer and created my own about this subject. Here it is: "Patience isn't tolerating or putting up with. It is allowing things, situations, or people to be as they are without any insistence that they be anything else." I think that says it nicely.

To me patience is also calmness. I remember several years ago when I first read a quote by James Allen, and as soon as I read it, the whole thing resonated with me and I wanted to become that person. Here's the quote: "The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom." Isn't that a wonderful image? I love it.

All of these are great. Each is well spoken and describes the idea of patience nicely. From the time I was a child, I had always heard the quote, "patience is a virtue." I never really knew what it meant, and putting it into practice was torture. Later in my life, after finally making a decision that I wanted to become a patient man, I found that practice was what helped me get it going, and after a time, I began to have fun with it, and now I look forward to opportunities where I can practice it.

But, before I could really practice it, I had to get rid of the idea of tolerance, endurance, holding my breath, and other ideas of patience. What I found was that it was more real when I would unplug from the situation, suspend all judgment, and the key word was to relax.

So, I went back to my vision of the tug-o-war and my struggle to pull the rope was my impatience with the situation or the person, and patience was more obvious to me as in letting go of the rope. I began to practice as if I were standing outside just watching the situation with no real interest other than to just enjoy it. That worked extremely well.

My stepping back, letting go of the rope and just observing brought me joy. I was really having fun and smiling the whole time. Others around me might be complaining, demonstrating their impatience and so on, and here I was in the same situation, having joy. Who knew? It's hard to say how much of a difference it has made in my recent life, but it is tremendous. 


"Circumstance Does Not Make The Man; It Reveals Him To Himself." -- James Allen 

Spread Some Joy Today--Let go of the rope. Relax. Breathe deeply. Experience joy.

Daily Inspiration 3-22-14

"Something remarkable 

 is worth talking about. 

Worth noticing. 

 Exceptional. 

 New. 

 Interesting. 

It's a Purple Cow. 

Boring stuff is invisible. 

It's a brown cow." 

 -- Seth Godin 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #13 

Competition, Purple Cows, The Pie, and Cooperation.

I don't believe in competition. It wouldn't matter much to me how many were in business in the same town with the same service or product. I know that there are a lot of people who don't agree with me and who do believe in the idea of competition, or the dog eat dog idea of survival of the fittest.

After all, they claim, the pie is only so big and we gotta get our share before the other guy. We gotta focus on market share and we need more of the market share and all that baloney. If, as they claim, the pie is only so big, then it would be true that the only way for me to have more is to take it from someone else so they would have less. It's just mathematics at this point.

I do believe in Purple Cows. Seth Godin wrote a wonderful book in 2002 called Purple Cow. Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable. It's not about stealing from others, it is about creating something remarkable that others will want. Fortunately, there are many ways to do that and it is only limited by ones creativity and desire. While some may focus here, all we have to do is focus there and that changes everything. I teach this exact thing in how to manage a great commercial truck department. It's about being remarkable and innovation.

Also, rather than the idea of competition, I prefer cooperation. It's a foreign concept in the field I spent most of my life in. Car dealerships pretend to thrive on competition. I call it competing over the lowest gross profit, and they call it market share leadership. Yet, I have proven to myself many times over that by encouraging cooperation rather than competition, we all win.

This brings me to The Pie. Competition believes the pie is limited and so the only way to increase your share of the pie, you must take market share from someone else, and the more you take, the more leadership you enjoy. Cooperation believes that the pie is not fixed and that it actually expands by virtue of cooperation. In this case, everyone can have more if they want it and they do not have to take anything from anyone else.

I have instituted and promoted cooperation with other auto dealers, other body companies, other businesses since about 1979, and have grown stronger in my support of that idea from the massive successes I've had by practicing it. There are so many ways to do this, and help others at the same time. I worked for one truck body company and sold many so-called competitive makes at the same time by trying my best to help the end user get what they needed or my dealers get what they wanted for their clients. I didn't get paid directly for selling the competitive bodies, but in the long run, I benefited sufficiently by helping get the job done for my clients and their customers. That is cooperation--even if others don't actually cooperate, if you know what I mean by that.

James Cash Penney (J.C. Penney to most), said it this way: "A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well has nothing to fear from the competition." I also like Franklin D. Roosevelt's quote: "Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off."


"What Is The Difference Between Competition And Cooperation? The Outcome." -- Albert K Strong 

Spread Some Joy Today--Personal Thank You cards are old school. But they are so well received.

Daily Inspiration 3-21-14

"Love is the ability 

and willingness 

to allow those 

 that you care for 

to be what they choose 

 for themselves 

without any insistence 

that they satisfy you." 

-- Dr. Wayne Dyer 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #12 

Unconditional love and the Art of Allowing.

I read the quote by Dr. Wayne Dyer many years ago and it has helped me so much to learn a different and far better way to love others. Most of my life, love was so conditional. People had to love me back or they were moved to a different category.

There was a moment in the kitchen in 1996 after I had read the four gospels of the Bible when my wife asked me a question and I just broke out sobbing. It was strange for me. I was overwhelmed by the unconditional love that Jesus demonstrated in the writings in the Bible. I wrote a song about that experience and played and sang it in church.

Once that door was opened wide, I read many other things that helped me to get a better understanding of this idea of unconditional love. I had never experienced anything like that in my life, but I was for sure and for certain that I wanted it to become me and I it. Wayne Dyer's words put it all into perspective for me and I began to practice loving and living in that way.

Sometimes people seem to think that a miraculous change can come over a person and they are transformed. For me, I have to practice it and get better and better at it. It helps me understand it at a deeper level and it also helps me to grow in it. I can assure you that there have been many times when to give unconditional love would seem foreign because of the person or persons I was focused on; however, it was only myself that would be hurt by withholding it.

The Art of Allowing, or as I first heard it from Abraham via Esther Hicks, the Law of Allowing, is the same thing expressed in a different way. It is more along the lines of not needing to be the authority, or be in charge, but to allow others and to allow events to be what they will.

As I focus on something or someone not to my liking, my judgment takes me away, and as I release the judgment and allow I release them, and I am released as well. Another way to say it is just to respect others enough to make their own choices. It doesn't matter if I would choose them or if I like their choices. What does matter is just to allow them the authority to make them as they choose. Richard Bach said it nicely when he said, "Allow the world to live as it chooses, and allow yourself to live as you choose."

Read Wayne Dyer's quote several times, and particularly the last seven words. I've taken it to heart and put it into practice and it is a game changer. Here it is again: "Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you."

In unconditional love and especially in the Art of Allowing, it is about lining up with your higher self. It's all about feeling good. Your emotions are the indicator of where you are on the path and help to guide us to better decisions. When I release myself to love unconditionally, I feel good. When I allow, I feel good. It is not about tolerating. That is a whole other thing and in tolerating the feeling is not good, it is more like a jaw clenched. Yet, unconditional love and by allowing others to make their own choices, we serve ourselves and others and we know it by how we actually feel.


"The Art Of Allowing: I Am That Which I Am, And I Am Willing To Allow All Others To Be That Which They Are." -- Abraham, Esther Hicks 

Spread Some Joy Today--"Love to faults is always blind, always is to joy inclined. Lawless, winged, and unconfined, and breaks all chains from every mind." -- William Shakespeare

Daily Inspiration 3-20-14

"If things start happening, 

don't worry, don't stew, 

just go right along and 

you'll start happening too." 

 -- Dr. Suess 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #11 

Relax. Go with the flow. 

When I was a young boy, somewhere around 11 or 12 years old, I took some group Judo lessons. That was a long time ago now and I only did it for a few months maybe, but I still remember some things from that teaching and experience that has served me in philosophical ways even today.

One of those is without fighting against your opponents energy in motion, instead go with that energy to use it to help defeat them. In other words, if someone is coming at you, don't try to stop them, block them, but get out of the way, help them off balance and flip them or trip them to the mat.

This is one of those lessons that I've heard a lot of feedback on and so many have said that it really helped them make changes they wanted to make. I have likened working against things to rowing a boat upstream, or swimming upstream. We are working, stressed out because we are pushing against a current of affairs. Sometimes it seems like the harder we work, worry, or fight, the slower our progress. Part of the reason is that our own energy is helping the river to flow, and we then are struggling against it.

So, going with the flow, then, is simply to relax. Stop the struggle. Go with the flow. Put the oars in the boat. Trust the outcome and watch what happens. It's magic.

Sometimes if I am talking with someone and it just feels like a struggle, I remind myself of this and just shut up and listen, pay attention to them without judgment, and let it flow as it will. Every time it works better. It amazes me how much of a relationship you can create by just listening as much as possible and encouraging them to talk more. Plus, it keeps my foot out of my mouth more often too.

There are so many things that can benefit from this approach. Take weight loss for an example. Stressing over how much you weigh, counting your calories, exercising, and all the typical things people go through on a diet is sometimes torture. Try just putting the oars in the boat, have confidence that you will get there in due time and have fun with your life. Of course there are many things at work that feel the same way and the harder we struggle, the more we worry about it, the worse it can get. Just relax and trust the outcome. Assign the serious work to God or the Universe. It will all work out.


When You Let Go, Relax, And Trust The Outcome, The River Slows Down. Even It Is Responding To Your Calm Power. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Celebrate you life today. You are worth celebrating.

Daily Inspiration 3-19-14

"Mind your own business!" 

 -- My mother when I was a child 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #10 

Pay attention to my work. It is not my work to change anyone. 

How prophetic my mother's words sound to me now, but back then I just ignored them and paused until she left the room. Albert K Strong says it a different way: "If you don't want to see, don't look." Thoreau said it a bit differently when he said, "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."

I have known many people, some intimately, who pay so much attention to what other people are doing or saying. I was in that club myself as I recall. Usually it was considered negative things like whether or not the neighbor down the street is watering or mowing their lawn, or how long that car has been parked in the driveway without moving, or removing trees, or their kids running around, and the list is pretty much endless. 

It seems like the more we focus on what other people are doing that is not what we like, the more of that we see until we are almost constantly upset. But, I chose to not look, or at least not give it any of my focus. I cannot help but see when my eyes are open, because it is light entering my eyes, but I don't have to pay any attention to it, and I have 100% control over what I decide to think about it.

This also applies to how people act in the grocery store or at work, church, the bank, the special place you're at on the weekend, the child crying in the restaurant, and all the everyday kind of situations we go through. What will I choose to focus on? Though I look, what will I choose to see? Do I want to be upset, angry, disappointed, or do I want to enjoy myself, have a good time? Great questions to ask because that is exactly how it is. I get to choose what I see, what I think about it, causing my emotions to tell me how I feel. 

My work of minding my own business is to focus on me and how I want to feel. If I put any energy toward all the things that by my own judgment are going wrong in the world, there isn't enough time in my entire life to even know them all. By the same token, if I put any energy toward all the things that by my own judgment are wonderful, or doing well in the world, there isn't enough time in my entire life to even know all of them. But, I know which of those will cause me to enjoy myself, have a good time, and feel good, and which will not. My work is me. Not them.

Why should I spend my life worrying about other people and what they are doing or not doing? Why should I spend my life worrying about all the stuff in the headlines? Or the President and Congress, or the economy, global warming, and a world of problems? What good does it do me? Let me emphasize that phrase, what GOOD does it do me?

My work, my business is my own alignment with me and I have purposely made a decision to want to feel good as much of the time as possible, so I will choose what I decide to see, what I will think about it, and consequently how I will feel.


"You Empower What You Fight. You Withdraw Power From What You Release." -- Alan Cohen 

Spread Some Joy Today--"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." -- Thich Nhat Hanh

Daily Inspiration 3-18-14

"Gratitude is a vaccine, 

an antitoxin, 

and an antiseptic." 

 -- John Henry Jowett 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #9 

To say that gratitude has changed my life is so thin--truly, it has TRANSFORMED my life!

Yes. I said these were not in order of importance, for if they were, this topic would be number one. Simply stated, Jim Stephens said it nicely when he said to "Be thankful. Cultivate an "attitude of gratitude." Thankfulness is much more dependent on attitude than circumstance. When you feel the lack of what you don't have, thank God for what you do have!" As nice and well said as that statement is, that statement is thin when it comes to the sheer and real power of gratitude and of becoming a grateful person.

I have adopted an attitude of gratitude from a variety of sources in my studies. First, I have to thank Dr. Gerald Jampolsky and his book that sold in the millions and one that I love to give away to others, Love Is Letting Go Of Fear. That book is mainly about becoming a grateful person and how that is the same as love and love is letting go of the fear in our lives.

Another book that I have read again and again is Dr. John Demartini's, The Gratitude Effect. What a great resource to study and it is broken into sections that span our life's situations. In addition much of Dr. Wayne Dyer's books have reflected this theme and done very well.

I could name a long list of books probably, but for clarity and brevity, there were two other books that were among the most powerful for me in becoming a grateful man. The first of these was The Bible. In particular, the New Testament. The first time I read it in full, I was transformed. The love of Jesus was so profound to me, unlike anything or anyone I had ever or since known. I am not a fan of religion, but there is no doubt of my love for Jesus.

The second was written by what might as well be a mild-mannered reporter like Clark Kent. My wife gave me a book written by a guy named Merlin Carothers, called, Power In Praise. It is without a doubt that this book had a transformative effect on me and how I viewed prayer in particular.

I have become a person who is thankful every single day without exception for many, many things. As a one time worship leader in church, I praise God for the light that enters my eyes so often that it is tantamount to St. Paul's teaching to pray unceasingly. Being human with memory tapes running from time to time, I sometimes look with a certain judgment in my demeanor, and then very quickly come back to my center and praise instead. It is amazing the difference in me when that happens.

Nothing in my entire life holds a candle to my transformation of becoming grateful for everything in my life whether some may consider good or bad, I am grateful for all. I now know what Joseph Campbell meant when he said to "follow your bliss." It is surely and absolutely bliss.

Make no mistake. Gratitude is love. The more grateful, the more loving. After several years now of growing and blossoming gratitude, my love for everyone around me is full engaged. I have no enemies. I know of no one that I do not love. And, if I did, it would not last very long.

I know this may sound all mushy and sloppy, but it is so powerfully true to me that just to think about it brings tears of joy. What an amazing transformation that I am eternally grateful for.


Attitude Of Gratitude? Gratitude Is ALL Attitude! 

Spread Some Joy Today--BE THANKFUL!

Daily Inspiration 3-17-14

"Importance 

is an easy thing 

to exaggerate." 

 -- Albert K Strong 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #8

I am not all that, and I AM. 

The two most powerful words ever put together to create a sentence are I am. The two most powerful words besides love in The Bible are I am. Every single one of us is independently powerful on our own. We can do anything we set our heart and mind to achieve.

This power is always within us although many people are unaware of the creative and expressive power within. It is always at our command though we may fail to command it. And, all of that doesn't matter. We all get to choose. What does matter is that it exists in each of us all the time ready.

At the same time, I am not all that. I am not that important or special. Neither is Einstein, Lincoln, or Mother Teresa. What I mean is that we are not better than the next person. I am not more special than the homeless man on the street, or the next door neighbor. Einstein is not more special than me, nor I him. We are equally special, and equally important.

When we start setting ourselves apart from one another as more or less valuable, it is easy to put them on a pedestal or in a pit. In one way we are less than, and another we are more than. This serves no one.

We all have different jobs to do at work and may have different status in societal terms, have more or less money, live luxuriously or very conservatively. We may have different titles, own companies, or work as a janitor. What really sets us apart is when we think we are all that, or that we are superior, better than, or on the other side, inferior, or less than each other.

We are all people, and all deserving, and all important. If we give each other this kind of respect regardless of their position in society, this serves all.


R-E-S-P-E-C-T Each Other As Yourself. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Thank you are two of the kindest words ever spoken or written.

Daily Inspiration 3-16-14

"It's not just other people we need to forgive. 

We also need to forgive ourselves. 

For all the things we didn't do. 

All the things we should have done." 

 -- Mitch Albom 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #7 

Forgiveness is sublime, and it is not for others, but ourselves.

I might add to Mitch Albom's quote above, all the things we did, and all the things we shouldn't have done. It's great to forgive ourselves for things we should have done but didn't do, yet is taken to a whole new level when we forgive ourselves for things we have actually done, yet have always regretted by feeling we shouldn't have done them.

I think that if we are human, we err. If we are acting on impulse, eventually we will act in a way that in a time of more clarity, we would have made another choice. Maybe someone else was affected in the process, and that can add to the burden that we continually add to ourselves over time for these errors in judgment and/or action.

Probably of all the things that I have learned to help me through life, the action of forgiveness of myself is high on the list of importance to me, and I have also been very successful in changing the way I have viewed past so-called errors, or mistakes.

The thing that has helped me the most has been to put into a picture in my head what forgiving is. To me, regret and self-judgment is exactly like a game of tug-o-war where I am pulling with all my might against a foe or foes on the other side of the pit. It seems that the harder I pulled, the harder it was held firm. I could never seem to move the opponent enough to matter. The reason is that the opponent was me and is of equal strength. Essentially, I was fighting myself without any success.

The change in me came when I realized that all I needed to do was let go of the rope. At first I thought that was quitting, and in a short time I realized that it was success instead. As soon as I let go, the opponent didn't fall down, but disappeared entirely, along with the rope and the pit.

Now I use this strategy purposefully in many ways in my life, and mainly to forgive myself for those things I should have done, shouldn't have done, failed to do and did. Once I get some time as perspective, I often see that these things weren't mistakes at all, but an essential part of my journey.

Forgiving others is a piece of cake to me. I just let go of the rope. As long as I am not forgiving them, I am at war with myself, and that war is no fun, and I find pain at every turn and negative thoughts that run in a circle over and over again. So, I've learned to just let go of the rope in my mind and the act of forgiveness has been achieved. I have released the issue, and I have at the same time, released myself from the self-imposed burden.

Forgiving myself was not a piece of cake to me, but as I learned to let go of the rope and practiced it, felt it, I began forgiving myself more and more. Now it is easier. Sometimes one of those issues comes back from an old memory tape, and it is easier still because I have dealt with it before and know what to do.

I have often found that letting go is the most powerful thing I can do.


"Sometimes You Don't Realize Your Own Strength Until You Come Face To Face With Your Greatest Weakness." -- Susan Gale

Spread Some Joy Today--by practicing letting go of the rope of the tug-o-wars going on in your life.

Daily Inspiration 3-15-14

"Feeling good is important, or it's not. 

Only you can choose which for you." 

 -- Albert K Strong 

 My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

 Life Lesson #6 

Only I can make myself happy. No other person has the power to make me happy.

Earl Nightingale, one of my early mentors, said it very nicely: "Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored."

I was having lunch with a friend today, and somehow we got on the topic of goals. I said that now my one overall goal is joy. He didn't seem to think that was a goal, but as we discussed the idea it seemed to make more sense to the point that he began to agree with it.

I said that at the top of my to-do list every day now is, enjoy myself! And it has been on that list for time enough now that I think about enjoying myself all day long. It doesn't matter one iota what is going on in my life, or how others around me are feeling. I am the only one--yes, the ONLY ONE that can make me happy. I practice it all day long by doing simple things while I'm doing chores, or work tasks, or driving somewhere, etc.

As I was going to my lunch appointment today, I was behind a person turning left onto a major road. As soon as they negotiated the corner, they stopped briefly. I thought, "Wow! I've never ever seen that done before. That was strange and interesting. I wonder what caused them to make that move?" Then, I was laughing with joy and having a great time enjoying that amazing maneuver. I might be working on the computer and then desire a little break, and I will go watch the birds take a bath in the birdbath, or walk out into the back yard or maybe I'll just sit in my recliner for a bit and think enjoyable thoughts.

One of the things that came up today was the idea of stress and being under stress, as if that was something that someone else gave him or created for him to deal with. I hear that often from a lot of people. Stress is self-inflicted 100% of the time. It is purely how we are thinking about a situation or event. That emotion of stress, or often more likely, frustration is an excellent indicator of our thoughts. Our emotions don't tell us what to think. They tell us what we are thinking. Change the thought, change the emotion.

Often we think that if only the events would change I would feel better. Or, if only the right person was my mate, I would be happy or happier. It is never things outside of ourselves. They cannot create happiness or joy in us. Only we can do that for ourselves by what we are thinking, how we are thinking about someone else, or an event. We are 100% in charge.

Another thing that came up today was how to have joy show up. There is only one way: Choose it. Again, it cannot come from outside, only from the inside. We can choose joy, enthusiasm, love, appreciation, and such by thinking thoughts that cause those emotions. I find that the fastest, easiest and surest way to find joy, or be happy is to find things to appreciate. And here's the key: They are all around me and always have been every single moment and day of my life. I wasn't always paying attention. Now I give it most of my attention!


"You See, You're Giving Others Too Much Power As You Even Acknowledge How They Make You Feel. What You've Got To Decide Is How I'm Going To Feel." -- Abraham, Esther Hicks 

Spread Some Joy Today--It operates the same way as spreading sadness, only infinitely better feeling!

Daily Inspiration 3-14-14

"The Law of Attraction says: 

That which is like unto itself, is drawn. 

While this may seem like a rather simple statement, 

it defines the most powerful Law in the Universe--a Law

that affects all things at all times. Nothing exists 

that is unaffected by this powerful Law." 

 -- Abraham via Esther Hicks 

from the book, The Law of Attraction 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #5 

The Law of Attraction is real. It doesn't matter if you believe it or not. It is. 

I began studying psychology, and self-help guru's back in the early 70s when I was in my twenties. I read all of Wayne Dyer's books, studied Transactional Analysis for several years, and many other authors such as Gerald Jampolsky, Dale Carnegie, Maxwell Maltz, Napoleon Hill, Shakti Gawain, Jim Rohn, and more.

All of their information was helpful in one way or another, but it never really came together for me the way I had hoped. But, I continued to seek new information and new authors or ancient authors I was unfamiliar with. It was like a big puzzle on a table to me. I had lots of pieces and some fit together, but there were so many that were yet unmatched.

Then, what seemed like coincidentally, I just happened to be in a Barnes & Noble in April of 2007, two and a half hours from my home while consulting with a client and I discovered the audiobook unabridged version of the book, The Secret. I had heard about it very briefly, and didn't know much about it, and thought I would give it a whirl. Since I was driving so much then, the audiobook was perfect.

As I listened, it was as if all the other authors that I had studied seemed to meld into the idea of The Secret. On page three of The Secret, it is revealed as The Law of Attraction. Frankly, this was the first I've ever heard of this law. As the book progressed, it all became more clear to me. Then, I began studying the authors in The Secret and they filled in most of the blanks. Then I found out that Esther and Jerry Hicks were originally a part of The Secret video, but were removed, and I searched for their material and found the Mother Lode.

It has become so clear to me after all these years of searching, and it makes perfect sense to me. I don't usually talk about "The Law of Attraction," much. Some think it is a bunch of hocus pocus, mambo jambo, fairy dust. But, it is one of those things that is called a Law because, like gravity, it doesn't matter whether you believe it exists or not, but if you step off a tall building, gravity will pull to toward the earth. However, believing it does have an advantage, and that advantage is to make good use of the knowledge to help yourself, and maybe others have a better, more fulfilling life.

I don't try to convince people much. They need to come in their own good time. I've only known for 7 years now, yet it is as old as time. So, it took me almost a lifetime to open to it, or rather, attract it to me. I do try to explain it sometimes so that if someone is looking, they can find more information perhaps.

What the Law of Attraction has done for me is to help me understand why so many of the same things were happening over and over again in my life. I was attracting them with my thinking. Once I began to understand this, I began to think differently and attract different things. I began to become grateful, more wise, able to see my actions and thoughts and how they worked together and so much more.

To say that this teaching has changed my life is a severe understatement. It has changed it dramatically, and once changed, I cannot even imagine going back to where I was before. I am so blessed and grateful to have attracted it when I did.


By Understanding The Law Of Attraction, I Must Accept Full Responsibility For My Thoughts, Actions, And Results. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by seeking joy for yourself. You can only give what you have.

Daily Inspiration 3-13-14

"Why does a dog wag its tail? 

 Because a dog is smarter than its tail. 

 If the tail were smarter, 

 the tail would wag the dog." 

 -- From the movie, Wag the Dog 

My Life Lessons 

 This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

 Life Lesson #4 

I create my emotions with my thoughts, not the other way around.

Albert K Strong wisely said, "Our emotions don't tell us what to think. Our emotions tell us what we are thinking." I have dealt with some powerful emotions over the years--even to the point that some would call depression.

Mostly my clear memory of those times tells me I was mainly feeling sorry for myself and hoping others would join me. It was clear to me that my emotions were ruling my life. This is as the quote above where the tail is wagging the dog. There was a lot of dog wagging going on in my life for a long time. And, to make it more normal, everyone I knew around me was experiencing similar things. We attract people that way.

I learned a lot about the power of emotions and about what they mean in my studies in the last ten years. Once I accepted the premise that my emotions were an indicator of where my thinking was and that if I were to change my thinking, my emotion would change, everything began to change for me.

Three books and a seminar with time separation between was all I needed to be changed in this. The seminar was an Anthony Robbins weekend event that began with a Friday evening walking on hot coals action. The rest of the weekend was equally powerful. The books are Awaken The Giant Within by Anthony Robbins, Love Is Letting Go Of Fear by Gerald Jampolsky, and The Astonishing Power Of Emotions by Esther and Jerry Hicks. One of these is powerful enough, but all three left no doubt whatsoever.

Everything we do, we do because we think we will feel better. Often, we make a choice that doesn't match that idea and we don't feel very good. That is an indication of needing a different choice. The goal is always to feel good, or joy. One of my favorite books is so appropriate in its title: Joy Is My Compass by Alan Cohen. It is my compass now. And, I have so much joy every single day and I keep wanting even more.

If I find myself thinking something that feels fearful, worrisome, or otherwise attached to an emotion that doesn't feel good, I now know to choose a better feeling thought right away and stay on that track. Sometimes, I find myself going back and forth a lot in a short time, and most of that is old tapes and habit, but I know full well that I am in charge of my tail, not the other way around. With that attitude, feeling poorly hasn't got a chance.

All I need to ever do is choose a better feeling thought, and then a better feeling thought and a better feeling thought. I can't normally go from depression to joy in one step, so I just keep choosing better feeling thoughts and then I feel better, and better, and better.

Here's how Abraham via Esther Hicks says it best: "No matter what the issue is, don't try to justify why to don't feel good. And don't try to justify why you should feel differently. Don't try to blame whatever it is you think the reason is that's keeping you from feeling good. All of that is wasted effort. Just try to feel better right now." 


I Am In Charge Of My Tail. When It Is Wagging, I Am On The Right Track.

Spread Some Joy Today--by choosing better feeling thoughts throughout the day.

Daily Inspiration 3-12-14

"For every minute you are angry, 

you lose sixty seconds of happiness." 

 -- Ralph Waldo Emerson 

My Life Lessons 

 This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #3 

Anger is fear, pure and simple. I choose love. 

I've said many times before that I used to be an angry man often enough that it was a problem in my life. The problem was what I would choose to focus on. I would often focus on what others were "doing to me," and how "I wasn't to blame," and how it sucked and all the drama that goes along with that kind of attitude. 

Anger is just fear, pure and simple. Once I realized this fully, I was able to see inside my thinking and it seemed more and more absurd. Because I was in such a long-term habit of reacting rather than responding, the only way I could find to get out of that pit was to practice responding, or giving myself an opportunity to see it differently. My mom used to say "count to ten," which is another way to have enough time away from the subject to rethink it a bit.

I've also shared before that many years ago, I decided to seriously practice responding rather that reacting. It began in my car when I used to get so upset with stupid drivers doing stupid things, holding me up from where I wanted to be and so on. So I began saying to myself such things as, "hmmmm. . . that's a different way to do that! I wouldn't have thought of doing it that way." I made light of the issue, wasn't looking to blame, finding fun in a strange maneuver, and it was odd to begin with, but the more I did it, the more fun it became. Then I started sharing it with others and they tried it too and it was even more fun.

All change starts with a decision to change and then beginning. It matters not how big or small the effort is in the beginning, but the most important thing is beginning.

I now know confidently that I can choose how I want to feel in any situation. I still have memory tapes that run and try to dissuade me from time to time, but I am certain that I can change how I feel because I have practiced it often.

I love when people ask me, "how are you?" It's one of those bland things people say to make conversation. They are not very interested in what you say after it. And, they don't know what to say when I say stuff like, "I'm off the chart today!" or "I didn't know I could feel this good!" or "on a perfect day like today, how could I not feel the same?". Nobody says that stuff I guess, but I do. And, the more I say it, the more it is true! It doesn't matter what the weather is. I love all kinds of weather! I just like feeling good.

People might try to lead you into anger about some wrong-doing, Obamacare, some tragic event and so on. But, here's the key: You and you alone are in charge of where and what you want to get involved in. Anger is fine if you feel good being there, but I cannot imagine that is true. You can also choose to feel good, to feel love, to appreciate, and to uplift. I'm thinking that feels better, but that's just me.


Is It Possible To Feel Good Most Of The Time? How About Almost All The Time? Indeed. How Many Levels Of Feeling Good Are There?

Spread Some Joy Today--by never sharing anger. Let go of it, and let it go its own way. Joy feels way better.

Daily Inspiration 3-11-14

"If you can see your path laid out 

in front of you step by step, 

you know it's not your path. 

Your own path you make 

with every step you take. 

That's why it's your path." 

 -- Joseph Campbell 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #2 

It's all about the experience. 

Destiny is one of those mysteries. I heard about it from the time I was very young, and the idea of it persisted in various ways through much of my life. I used to wonder what I was supposed to do or be. It seemed like I was supposed to know this all along the way. Later when I got involved in church, it continued except now it was whatever God's Will for me was. As if my life would then be nothing more than being a puppet for God to play around with. It was as if each life was planned out from the beginning and I would ask myself, what's the point of that? Might as well give me a road map and be done with it.

But, the thing that remained true to me was choice. Then I would play around or worry myself with right choices and wrong choices, good choices versus bad choices, finding opportunities and at first it seemed like all the same thing, and then I realized that it is just all about the experience. This I get to choose moment to moment, or as Joseph was saying, step by step. I can turn right or left and it doesn't really matter what it is, but that it just is. Whatever comes will come.

It's only in the last few years that I have really understood this. I now believe that I came here to experience life and have desires and make choices and keep on doing that where ever that path may lead is okay. There will be consequences. I prefer to call that results. I will make a choice and there will be a result. Will I like it? If I do, I will call it good and probably do more of it. If I don't like it, I will call it a learning experience and make another choice.

It's not about a final judgment like Santa does, it is learning to experience freely that which is life and to allow myself to be guided by the choices and the results. Once I began to practice this idea of just focusing on the idea of the experience of life, so many things began to make total sense. It's not about finding the answers because there aren't any. All I ever found looking for those was more questions. It's not about success or failure. There is no success or failure. There is only experience, choices, and results. Everything else is just details.


Might As Well Enjoy The Ride, What? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by experiencing the joy in your own life.

Daily Inspiration 3-10-14

"Every man takes the limits 

of his own field of vision 

for the limits of the world." 

 -- Arthur Schopenhauer 

My Life Lessons 

This is a series of revelations about my life that I am sharing with others for what it may be worth. These come from a lifetime of study and experience of others and myself, and I now translate them to words. These will be numbered; however, they are not in order of importance as all are equally important. It is just a way for me to keep track of them in this series. I hope you find value in them.

Life Lesson #1 

How I see the world around me is how the world really and truly is. 

It would also be true that how I feel the world, the world truly is. I remember a quote by Jim Rohn where he said he heard this phrase: "Things don't just happen. They happen just." I've always thought that was such an interesting play on words and so appropriate as well.

I am a creator. I create my own world. To say it is all in my head is perfectly said. It is. It never was what was happening, but instead, how I thought or felt about what was happening. And, it is a very, very, very limited view. Just consider the millions of things going on every day all around the world, and I pay attention to an infinitely small number of them.

Whatever I choose to look at and whatever I choose to think or feel about that is what I get. What I See Is What I Get. I am an interpreter. That is a good way to say it because I interpret all the information to comes to me. My eyes only receive light. That light has an infinite number of shadows. I am only receiving and then my brain takes that information and interprets it based on a large number of factors surrounding my life experience and accumulated knowledge.

Each of us will see and interpret as each of us will. There is no right or wrong to it. It just is. We can discuss the differences or samenesses, and we may even decide to change our thoughts or feelings about what we originally saw. We may even decide as a group, but it is still an individual experience. As an example, there are millions of people calling themselves Christians who have split into many groups with certain views, and included in those groups are people who interpret that experience and philosophy individually. Some of those views might be surprising because we keep much of how we color our world private.

As a result of this, we may see possibility, or limitation. We may see beauty or ugliness. We may see problems or solutions. To us it may be broken, or it may be whole and fully functioning. And, in all of this, we have two choices. We have the choice of what we choose to look at, and we have the choice of how we decide to interpret that view.


"We Do Not Need Magic To Transform Our World. We Carry All Of The Power We Need Inside Ourselves Already." -- J.K. Rowling 

Spread Some Joy Today--Accept your role as creator and create some joy for yourself and some extra to share with others.

Daily Inspiration 3-9-14

"If I had asked people what they wanted, 

they would have said, 

faster horses." 

 -- Henry Ford 

I watched a Ted Talk--this one is TedEd or Ted Education. I absolutely love Ted talks and our company shares a lot of them on our client's blogs and social media. When I first found out about Ted, I was amazed and now that it has morphed into TedX, TedED, TedMed, and others, and has expanded all around the world in many different languages, I am even more amazed at what the Ted Curator, Chris Anderson has done with this idea of having important talks on prime subjects. It used to be almost secret and now is a worldwide phenomenon.

Today, I want to share a short talk (most are 18 minutes, this is just over 6), by a young man named Henry Lin. I think you might find it fascinating as I did, but what really caught my attention was a quote from him at the end. I thought it was appropriate enough for so many parts of our lives. I give it to you here:

"Innovation, ingenuity, inspiration. 

 These things come when 

we broaden our field of vision; 

when we step back; 

when we zoom out."

-- Henry Lin 

Zoom Out? Sounds Like A Great Idea! 

Spread Some Joy Today--Tell someone you love them today. Especially, someone, you don't normally say that to. Extra love is a good thing.

Daily Inspiration 3-8-14

"Success is achieved 

by developing our strengths, 

not eliminating our weaknesses." 

 -- Marilyn vos Savant 

When I first saw this quote today, I thought, "gee, I could write a whole book on how many ways this applies in my life."

My first thought was about business, and how sometimes people get to a point in a business where they try so hard to eliminate their weaknesses; e.g., cut all expenses. They seem to think that they can make a profit by cutting expenses, or eliminating weaknesses. Now, I agree that there are some things that can be temporarily curtailed, cuts can be made, but that is not the way to profit. The way to profit is to focus on the strengths and expand them. Cutting just makes you less than you were, whereas expanding your strengths makes you more than you were. Choose one: growth or death.

In my personal expenses, I can cut for a while, tighten my belt, go without for a time, but the real answer is not this. It is to focus on my strengths and expand. Life is growth. Decline is death.

I've been around so many businesses, many intimately, where they got on to an expense cutting tirade, which I call tripping over dollars to save nickles. If that energy were spent moving forward on our strengths--and I don't mean spending recklessly--the gains would make all the difference. It's not expenses, it is sales. 

Focusing on eliminating weaknesses, in our business and our personal lives is like standing still or going backward, whereas expanding our skills, our knowledge, our strengths is moving forward and growing.

To some who might think that this is a trap of becoming obsessed with getting bigger. It isn't about getting bigger, it is about being alive and growing. You don't have to be bigger to grow. There are lots of ways to grow and expand; to become more than we were before.

As long as I am living, I will be wanting more. This doesn't necessarily mean the same thing. It could be something different. It could be a change of careers, or any number of changes, but in all it is living, breathing, moving, and growing.


Focus On Your Strengths. Expand Your Strengths. Become Even More Alive. 

Spread Some Joy Today--How can you help someone else find their strengths? It's a joy creator.

Daily Inspiration 3-7-14

"Anyone who lives within their means 

suffers from a lack of imagination." 

 -- Oscar Wilde 

I had no idea how imaginative I was. Now I know why. . .


I'm Not Living On The Edge. I'm Over The Edge. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Reckless abandon. Doesn't that sound interesting?

Daily Inspiration 3-6-14

"Beauty is not in the face; 

beauty is a light in the heart." 

 -- Kahlil Gibran 

When one is growing, becoming more, allowing more, a change in us sometimes isn't really noticed as something that has changed until a trigger via an event or some other thing happens to show us the change has been made. I had a trigger event today and it caused me to think about this.

I was looking at some email, or link, and on this page I landed on there were some photos with links to other sites. One of them, as my memory allows recall, was a picture of a man, with the caption to see the 10 ugliest men in movies. There's a lot of those kind of things on YouTube.

When I looked at the picture, my very first thought was that he wasn't ugly. My second thought was who is making this judgment? Then I started thinking of the idea of beauty vs. ugliness. Then I wrote down this note this morning: "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Or it isn't."

We've got this good/bad, love/hate, black/white, rich/poor, beautiful/ugly opposites comparison going on all over the place, all through our lives. It's taught in school, in church and every where else. But, I think that there is only good and the lack of good, love and the lack of love, black and the lack of black, rich and the lack of rich, beautiful and the lack of beautiful, and that we are the beholders of this or the lack of it.

I did not recognize the face, but I certainly didn't think he was lacking beauty. He was unique. In fact, I thought he had a kind face with great features. But, those are my eyes. And, my eyes have become more clear and more allowing over time. I remember teachings about Jesus seeing your heart and knowing you from the inside and often wondered what that was like and how awesome that would be to sense that, and live that idea. Now I know better. Better than before. I've paused my immediate judgment just long enough to look deeper and see what I see with kinder eyes.

Guess what happens then. I am filled with love. I even go around telling people that I love them as I look at them though most often I say it in my mind. Is it possible to love everyone? Well, I think that is in the beholder as well.


WYSIWYG. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Look with a kinder, gentler sight.

Daily Inspiration 3-5-14

"The root of joy is gratefulness. . . 

It is not joy that makes us grateful;

 it is gratitude that makes us joyful."

 -- David Steindl-Rast 

I try to be observant. I was in a favorite grocery store today pushing a cart around. I had a small number of things I wanted to get, but I just wasn't into it. Do you know what I mean? I parked and walked in, pushed the cart around the store, but nothing went in my cart. I was trying to think of something that would please me for dinner, but it just wasn't coming.

So, I looked at my empty cart, thought of several things I was truly grateful for and instantly I began to smile. Not just a smile, but one of those smiles that others can't help noticing. As I was taking the cart back to the front of the store where they are parked, a beautiful woman was pushing her cart toward me and then I glanced at her with that fully-grateful smile on my face and she lit up. It is amazing what the power of a sincere and grateful smile will have on another human.

As I noticed this, I continued to watch all the people in my path on the way to my car. It had the same effect on them. I thought, wow! how interesting this is. Just think if I was like that all the time!


How Hard Is Gratitude For You? My Goal Is To Be Joyful Every Single Day--For At Least A Portion Of The Day, However Brief It May Be. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Gratitude is the way. What are you thankful for?

Daily Inspiration 3-4-14

"If you had started 

doing anything 

two weeks ago, 

by today 

you would have been 

two weeks better at it." 

 -- John Mayer 

In John Mayer's case, perhaps it is playing the guitar, songwriting, music recording. Maybe it is getting that college degree that you took a break getting many years ago. Perhaps it is learning a musical instrument, reading War and Peace, or other books. Maybe it is getting the next level certification in your profession. 

Whatever your list is, welcome to the club. We all have put off things for a wide variety of sounds-good-reasons. Yet, this simple yet so profound quote above tells us that the simplicity of it and the profoundness of it is to begin. Just begin.

Once begun, over time we can get better at it. Then, we can look in the rearview mirror at that beginning and see how well that decision worked for us and the improvements that we have made as a result of simply getting started.


How Long Or How Far You Go Doesn't Matter. What Matters Is Going. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Begin with joy. Keep beginning.