Daily Inspiration 5-31-18

"For it is in giving 

that we receive." 

-- Francis of Assisi 

[Classic post from 6-11-14]

I was caught over tipping the other day. I don't think most usually notice, except, of course, the waiter or waitress and me. So, to answer curiosity, I explained a little why I did that.

It's a little hard to explain, only because I have a lot of reasons for doing it and I became a good tipper in my early twenties because my first wife worked for a number of inexpensive restaurants where tips were usually in coins. We would count them each night and put them in rolls.

It wasn't much of a job when it comes to compensation and the work was hard and required a lot of patience and endurance too. Back then, if someone tipped 10% that was special and anything more was quite remarkable. I learned how to become at least a 20 percenter because I remember those days very well.

The over tipping began later, several years ago. I think my main motivation was to bring joy to the waiter or waitress. The other thing was that it caused me to feel generous and richer than I was in reality.

I remember a funny movie called, My Blue Heaven, where Vinny, the lead character played by Steve Martin over tipped everyone and even tipped people that normally don't get tips--like FBI agents. He said that he had this whole philosophy on over tipping and was going to write a book about that and his life. The movie is a bit of a romp, but I loved that philosophy about tipping.

The other day getting caught, it was an $18 bill and I tipped $10. But, you know, the food was excellent, the service was excellent, and it was a stupid bargain with all of that, and besides, I love to spread joy. Do you think the waitress was joyous about that tip? I'm certain of it, but it might be true that it brought me more joy to give it and for her to receive it.

When I see a check, I take the total times two so that I know what the absolute minimum is, then I give what is in my heart to give. Who knows? It could be anything because I have developed a wonderful habit of over tipping.


"The Wise Man Does Not Lay Up His Own Treasures. The More He Gives To Others, The More He Has For His Own." -- Lao Tzu 

Spread Some Joy Today--Follow your heart, not your head.

Daily Inspiration 5-30-18

"How people treat you is their karma; 

how you react is yours." 

-- Wayne Dyer 

[Classic post from 6-8-14]

When people do something that isn't to your liking, there are many times an immediate reaction that may involve words and/or actions. There are so many ways that someone can push our buttons and create a reaction and sometimes people may even do it on purpose for a variety of reasons.

I have focused many years on reducing anger and especially reactive anger, and in many situations, I have succeeded very well. As each situation comes up, I notice how I am feeling, and then I make a conscious decision to let it go. Other people can be angry or have issues and that is on them and I don't have to go along. I have the power to choose for myself.

Today was a glorious day and I didn't do a bit of work and just went on a nice ride with little Charlie the dog, taking him on walks, getting a breve latte, enjoying the weather. You know, having a good time. As I'm coming over the hill from Napa back home, there are so many people in such a hurry and several of them were just riding my tail. They must watch too much NASCAR racing because being that close is dangerous, to say the least, and on a windy road to boot.

As each of the several that did that came upon me, I felt such pressure to get out of their way, but there just wasn't much opportunity based on the road. I could see in the rearview mirror that they were extremely impatient and visually upset that I was in their way even though I was going the speed limit or better.

I had several thoughts. . . How about I slam on the brakes and have you buy me a new car? Maybe I should show you how I feel with one finger! I felt my body tense up and noticing what I was feeling and thinking, I chose to let go, pull over when I could and not give it much thought.

When people are pushing you--and we all know there are lots of ways to do that--it is almost an instinctive reaction to push back. A while back I wrote about some Judo training I took as a teenager and how Judo is more the art of using your opponent's energy to foil their attacks. In other words, go with the flow, let it flow past you, only control it, don't fight it or push against the forces.

The only decision that made any sense to me now was to release the tension in my body by changing my reactive thoughts and allow them to go by when it was safe. This I did. It is only my willingness to practice that helps me to grow beyond instinctive reaction and dissolve provocation.


Awareness And A Willingness To Practice Are Key Ingredients.

Spread Some Joy Today--by showing your gratitude in some way today. You have so much to be thankful for.

Daily Inspiration 5-29-18

"As long as I have a want, 

I have a reason for living. 

Satisfaction is death." 

-- George Bernard Shaw 

[Classic post from 6-5-14]

I don't remember the website, but one site had some interesting security questions. One question was, 'What was your favorite activity in high school?' My answer was learning. Then a few days ago I was talking with some friends and I said, 'my favorite thing in life is learning.' So my major want in life is to learn and grow and expand and share, then do it some more.

I also have a tendency to be what I call a binge learner, where I go, go, go, then pause for a bit and then go again. It mirrors life in that there are waking and activity and then also a rest period.

I'm driven by a desire to know, and after all these years of learning and growing, I find as many answers within as from other teachers. Sometimes I think that maybe I know enough and just stop and enjoy the fruits, but I enjoy life more as I learn more, so that keeps me going.

So early this morning I was thinking about what it is that keeps me wanting to be alive and it is wanting. Esther Hicks says over and over that, 'you never get it done.' I find peace in that. There's no rush, nor is there an end other than one that we may choose. John Dewey says it nicely: "Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another."

Some people might think that we shouldn't want so much, and we should just be satisfied with what we have. Well, I agree with appreciating what we have, but without wanting more, there would be no life. Wanting is good.

The argument I heard when I was young was not to be greedy as an omen of squashing desire. I agree with the idea that being greedy is not a positive thing. Greed is fear and very limited thinking. A greedy person has a need to take from others thinking there is only so much, but the truth is that there is plenty, so wanting whatever we want is okay as long as it is not harming others.

Next time you're thinking that maybe you want too much, remember that without wanting, there would be no life. So, wanting is life-giving.


Want Away! There Is No Limit. There Is No End. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by just being yourself. You are perfect just the way you are.

Daily Inspiration 5-28-18

"Change is not a destination, 

just as hope is not a strategy." 

-- Rudy Giuliani 

[Classic post from 7-1-14]

Wow. What a great quote. It seems to me that this describes the political process, or at least what seems like the majority's idea of a new life and moving away from the reality of what is.

But, I was thinking of this in a different way as I was thinking about people in new jobs that they are wanting to do well in, people looking for a job, and generally moving through life. I guess I have plenty of experience in all of that and know others going through it too.

Let's start with the first part of the quote: "Change is not a destination." Although we might think many times that change is the destination, it is more often than not, something that refuses to be managed. I think the best we could say about change is that it is a given. Physical things in us and around us are in a constant flux of change. Our thoughts too are constantly in motion and thereby constantly in a state of change.

Change may be the sea we sail on, but it is neither the port we left or the potential port we eventually arrive in. How we set our sail on this sea of change, meaning our 'attitude' toward it and in response to it, has everything to do with the destination.

The second part: "hope is not a strategy." I know a lot of people who use hope as a strategy, and the sea of change buffets them about as if they were crossing the Pacific ocean in a dingy during a storm. We might think of hope as wishing, which is not a strategy either. For results to come on purpose with purpose, we need a strategy, decisions, plans, goals, design, activity, seeking, learning.

In the commercial truck world which I play around with some, I see a lot of dealers without a strategy for everything from inventory to managing the department. That's okay. They can do it as they desire, and they will get the results they get, but what if they had a strategy? What could they do then?

The same is true for all of us in everything that we do. We can hope to have a better relationship, or we can have a strategy. We can hope to do better financially, or we can develop or borrow a strategy. We can hope to grow our business or we can employ a strategy and make better decisions. We can hope our body was thinner, or we can adopt a strategy that has proven results.

Whatever we want, and whatever we want to be good at, better at, excel in, we need to remember that there are two ways: hope or strategy, and knowing the difference is critical. Then with that strategy, sailing on the sea of change will be with a gentle breeze.


Live On Purpose With Purpose. 

Spread Some Joy Today--This is a glorious time to be on this earth! Loving every day of it makes it even more glorious.

Daily Inspiration 5-27-18

"There is nothing more galling to angry people 

than the coolness of those on whom 

they wish to vent their spleen." 

-- Alexandre Dumas 

[Classic post from 6-2-14]

I had an interesting phone call today from a customer whom I have never talked to before. He had another party with him and they caught me at the grocery store in my car and were so angry and upset that it was sounding more like rage. One was more restrained than the other, but I wouldn't want to live on the difference.

I was very surprised by the call and very calmly tried to ascertain exactly what the issues were and after a couple of minutes, I simply hung up. It was a Sunday, and I don't need to be beaten up like that, and I couldn't seem to have them listen, so I just let it go.

Afterward, still surprised by the whole thing, I had the thought that I can't reason with anger, and especially rage. About the best possible scenario facing anger like that is finding some way to diffuse it. You just can't talk to anger and have it work out very well.

First of all, that kind of anger is not MY problem. It is theirs. Elizabeth Kenny said it so well that, "he who angers you conquers you." Calm heads prevail. Second, losing my own joy is not an option. I get to choose how I want to feel and I want joy. The other party gets to choose also. Their choice has nothing to do with me. It's all about their own interpretation.

Another thing I learned about anger, in this case, is that they were creating more anger among themselves by virtue of their openly sharing and agreeing with each other. They were trying to express how they felt I'm sure, but it just wasn't a great way to achieve the objective of convincing me to help them. They wanted something from me and found I wasn't open to their type of persuasion.

And last, if I were as enlightened as I want to be, I would have been sending these two gentlemen love thoughts while they were talking. It is easy to think about that hours later, and I would rather learn to remember it at the time that it would be beneficial. Of course, any time is a good time. Even now!


"Anger Blows Out The Lamp Of The Mind." -- Robert G Ingersoll 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting joy rule your day.

Daily Inspiration 5-26-18

"Quit trying to make 

what's not it, "it," 

and "it" will 

 reveal itself plainly." 

 -- Alan Cohen 

[Classic post from 4-3-14]

A client and friend called me today and was out of sorts, off-kilter, overwhelmed with things, and wondering what to do about some things. He wanted some advice. And, although I love such an opportunity, I'm not sure people really, really want to hear what I might say.

I listened. It's best to try to understand what is going on. It was obvious that he was not feeling very good today and seemed to me to be out of alignment. Chiropractors talk that way too. Alignment is everything in Chiropractic. And, it is everything in the rest of our lives too, except we just don't think of it that way usually.

Some might say that under these conditions, we should forge ahead and just work through it and it will all be okay in the morning. But, I didn't say that. My advice was to chill and find some things to be thankful for and to focus on those things exclusively for a while. In other words, get your mind off the problem and get to work (or play) on the alignment. Alignment is always our job.

So, how does one get back into alignment? First of all, though almost no one ever wants to hear it, our thoughts about the problems or the situation is the culprit, not the problems or situations. If you were to take the thinking away, everything would be neutral. There would be no overwhelment, no disappointment, no concerns at all because those are all thoughts and interpretations of data.

Make no mistake. The thoughts are the problem, so the only thing to do to get on the track of alignment is to choose better feeling thoughts. Too simple? Not. It's really the way back. Finding things to be thankful for is a purposeful way to get on the alignment trail. It's like the Chiropractor making an adjustment, then another, and another, and in time, it is all back in alignment. A better feeling thought, then another, and another, and pretty soon you're feeling good again.

What is necessary here is the desire to feel good and knowing that we all have the ultimate power of our own alignment, and also, our own misalignment. We know where we are by how we feel, then we can choose to want to feel good, and begin the process of adjustment.

It's the only thing that really works and I now know to practice it all the time. Here's how Abraham said it with Esther Hicks in 2003: "Since nothing matters to you other than your personal alignment with your individual goals or desires, then that is where our work is. . . your life can be as wonderful or as horrible as you allow it to be. It all depends upon the thoughts that you practice. And therein lies the basis of anyone's success: How much do I practice thoughts that bring me joy, and how much do I practice thoughts that bring me pain?"


Emotion Is A Response To Your Alignment. Paying Attention Puts Us In Charge And Control. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Feeling good is extremely important. Spreading that joy is a natural response.

Daily Inspiration 5-25-18

"Resentment is personal: 

 Personal mental punishment." 

-- Albert K. Strong 

[Classic post from 9-27-15]

Resentment is an interesting emotion. It is an attempt to punish someone else for something that they did or did not do that was not in alignment with what we wanted. In other words, we didn't get our way. In other words, it's my way or the resentment highway--the highway of shame, disgust, disappointment.

But, who does it punish? Resentment punishes us. Nelson Mandela said it so well when he said that, "Resentment is like drinking poison and hoping it will kill your enemies." Malachy McCourt phrased it a bit differently, and I think in a way that expresses it about most of us very well: "Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die." I love that line, "waiting for the other person to die." One might think that will help create patience, but because resentment feeds on resentment, it maintains its own momentum.

I saw this quote from Bell Hooks yesterday: "The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others." I know that the answer to resentment is love. In fact, love is the answer to all things because that is what we essentially are. Yet in this quote, though it made its point with me that we need to choose love, I dislike the word 'against' in there. Love is never against anything. Love is not against oppression or domination. Love is not against anything. It allows. There is a world of difference.

So, resentment is blaming others, it is disappointment with an attitude, but resentment doesn't attack. It doesn't close others off but closes us off to others. It is a self-defeating response to our own misalignment. Resentment is a tug-o-war against ourselves. The way to move away from this poisonous emotion is to first let go of the rope. Once the rope is on the ground, we have released most of the tension in our body, and now we can find relief in choosing a thought that feels just a little bit better. Then another that feels just a little bit better, and as we move in these little steps, we can eventually get back to our true selves--love.

What we all want is unconditional love. All of us. Even the meanest looking, meanest acting, meanest spirited of us wants unconditional love. That is the love of God, The Universe, All-That-Is. And yet, love is a gift we give to ourselves. Once we do this; once we experience the unconditional love of ourselves, we then attract it to ourselves. When we fail to love ourselves, even the all-powerful love of God is blocked by us. It is there and ready to flow over us as soon as we allow it in ourselves.

The answer is always, always, always, always love. Getting there from a dark place is done by letting go of the resistance within by ceasing to pull on the rope and instead, just lay it down, then turning toward relief bit by bit until we return to love from which we came.


Allowing Is The Art Of Finding Our True Selves, Which Is Love. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by allowing yourself to move toward expressing more joy in your life.

Daily Inspiration 5-24-18

"Changing the world is easy.

Anyone can do it.

All we need to do is

change the world within us."

-- Albert K. Strong

[Classic post from 6-26-17]

Yesterday, I was looking on the bottom shelf of my bookcase and saw two very thick binders of old writings from the '70s and '80s. I've tried to keep a diary in bits and spurts, and not many of them, and yet there are many hundreds of pages in those binders. Most of it is dribble I think, but even the dribble has moments that shine. I read one lengthy bit from early 1987, more than 30 years ago now, and I found it interesting enough to keep reading.

Mostly it was just thoughts that I was thinking, trying to understand myself and the world around me. Some of the shining moments were expressing my desire to love others without conditions, and loving myself as part of that. Of course back then it was mostly thoughts and not so much action, but first, comes the thought then comes the action.

Translating what I was going through then, what I was learning from then to now, the biggest difference I see is not the thinking, but the action. Back then, I was still hoping for the world to change, waiting for circumstances to change so that I could step in and enjoy the fruits of that new world. Didn't happen. Still hasn't if I were thinking and acting like I was then. But, I live in a very different world now.

The world has changed. The external world around me has changed. It is a far better world from my point of view now, and that change came only by changing my own inner world.

Here's the interesting part to me about that: I didn't get here by gaining, but by losing. I didn't get here by gathering, but by letting go. I didn't get here by finding answers, but by answering questions. I didn't get here by finding new beliefs, but by releasing beliefs. I didn't get here by strengthening my will, but by softening my heart.

Questions are key. One of the questions that I have asked myself that is very important is this: How do I want to feel?

Everything we do, every decision we make, every action we take is done in order to feel something. Generally to feel better. To feel relieved. To feel joy. To feel loved. To feel accomplishment. To feel satisfaction. To feel happy. To feel rich. To feel love. All of that resonates with us because when we are resonating, we are in alignment with who we really are, or we could say, in alignment with our inner being, our God within, our soul. The word doesn't matter, but the resonance does.

When we think, decide, act and it feels other than these, it is out of resonance, or in discordance. What is interesting about history is how often we have come to accept these feelings as reality, when they are personal choices becoming our own inner reality. We could call this separation from our Source, separation from God, out of alignment.

What I have realized in all my travels in knowledge is that the truths that we seek are not without us, but within us. We know a truth by its resonance. That's why they say that truly resonates with us. That knowledge that is found outside of us is fine if it resonates. If it doesn't resonate, if it is discordant with our inner knowing, it is good to question it. As we believe things that are in discordance within us, we move further away from the truth.

I have not arrived at a world that is airy-fairy and all good-feeling and eternally happy. I have realized that there are things that I will like and things I will not like. Positive and negative are abound in this life; however, how I interpret that is purely up to me. What I call that is purely my choice. How I feel about that is purely a personal decision.


It Is A Brave New World! It Is So To Me. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by choosing as you will and enjoy as you will because you will.

Daily Inspiration 5-23-18

"Life instructs,

regardless.

Love is all,

regardless."

-- Terry Minion

[New post]

Last night, I was laying in bed and the words above came into my mind. It is always strangely fascinating when this happens.

As I have been studying for so long now, it has become clear to me that life is instructing whether we are paying any attention to it or not. Learning is building, though we have full choice to ignore it or to open up to it. It has become equally clear that in the end there is only love, which reminds me of that early Beatles song, "love, love, love, all you need is love, do-ta-do-ta-do," except that this would be: "love, love, love, all there is is love!" Everything else is an illusion, something we simply made up either individually or collectively.

It is easy now for me to look back and see how life has always been instructing me. It is easy to look back and see that however painful something seemed at the time that I was learning what I needed to learn from that experience. There are surely many of those experiences. It is my awareness or paying attention now that allows me to celebrate those times and become so grateful for them, otherwise, I would be dragging unhappiness along with me everywhere I went. The challenge for me in my growth has not been to see the value then in my now, but to see the value as it is occurring in my present moments. I have been playing with this for some time in the last couple of years and I am making so much progress that I am celebrating that right now.

Seeing instruction and the learning that comes from experience is one thing, and learning to see that love is all there is, well, that is somewhat more challenging. Yet, I am getting this day by day and I am so grateful to Abraham, Esther Hick's work which I've studied since 2007, along with Bashar, and Paul Selig's work more recently.

It's easy to not see that love is all there is. In fact, I could even say that it seems to be the norm, but one thing to me has become clear: All that is an illusion. It merely attempts to cover love with fear. I used to think that all there is, in the end, is love and fear and our choice is between them. What I see now is that fear is simply an illusion. I think of fear as a hill blocking the sunrise or sunset and then simply walking to the top of the hill and see nothing but the sunrise or the sunset. Fear is no more unless I choose to see it or pay attention to it as being real.

I used to think that there is all this nasty stuff going on in the world and now I see that was in my head and covering up my heart. As I learn to see the instruction that life has been giving me all along and open my eyes to the love that is all around me everywhere, I am whole, renewed of mind, in peace with all including and perhaps especially within myself. Truly, that is where peace begins. It is not without, but within. As is love. To seek love without is to accept fear as real, which makes love something that is fragile, yet love is all the strength there is. It is the strongest thing. It is the only thing.


Love Is All There Is.

Spread some joy today--by opening your heart and mind to the inner knowing that we each have that love is all. As you do, you are filled with joy.

Daily Inspiration 5-22-18

"Darn the wheel of the world!

Why must it continually turn over?

Where is the reverse gear?"

-- Jack London

[Classic post from 6-15-12]

OK. So, pretend there is a reverse gear. If you could go back in time, what would you change and how would you change it? Of course, it's only fair that you go back to the knowledge base you had then with no recollection of having been in the future.

So. . . let's see now. That being the case, it seems only reasonable and true that you would have made the same decisions in exactly the same way that you did before, for there would have been no reference point from which to cause a change.

It would only be with the wisdom that you've learned in living your life that could cause a change in the past. Something tells me that isn't going to happen except in a fantasy of your own doing.

Based on all of that, what point is looking backward? The only place to look at is today, this minute and what can be done right now. Anything else is a waste of valuable now time.


Dealing With Accumulated Intelligence Is All There Is To Deal With.

Spread Some Joy Today--Whomever it is that you've been meaning to call or write, today is the perfect day.

Daily Inspiration 5-21-18

Number one:

Stop all criticism.

-- Louise L. Hay

from a live talk,

How To Love Yourself

[New post]

I went for a long walk today and listened to a one hour live recorded audio titled, How To Love Yourself by Louise L. Hay. She had ten steps to discuss loving ourselves more and she said that if we only did number one, all the other steps would take care of themselves with no effort. The number one step is to stop all criticism. That begins with all self-criticism, and any criticism of others, things, circumstances, whatever.

How many times each and every day do we criticise ourselves, or others, or to be critical of circumstances and things? The worst thing is to be critical of ourselves. It is so disempowering. It's been said that there is no such thing as constructive criticism, and I agree with that; however, we do have discernment at our beckon call. Discernment is simply a choice of what we want or don't want, but it is not born of criticism. To be critical is to be judgmental. and it is such a negative thing that if we could or would simply cease this one activity of the mind, our lives would dramatically improve immediately.

Try it for yourself. Stop all criticism for one hour, then one day, then one week and watch what happens. It may take a while but it is worth the effort of practice to move toward a far more loving and fruitful life and the thing that will help us move away from being critical, and especially of ourselves, is to begin to praise ourselves and to praise others.


Praise Will Release All Criticism Very Quickly.

Spread some joy today--in your delight in yourself and those around you. Praise is a choice, criticism is a choice, and joy is a choice. We are the choosers.

Daily Inspiration 5-20-18

"Lifting weights without resistance

is completely pointless 

and without any benefit whatsoever."

-- Albert K. Strong

[New post]

I went for a walk yesterday and I was listening to an audiobook and one thing that was said at the end of the book about this very successful entrepreneur. The author said that he would continue to innovate as long as he was leading the company and able and would be equally successful, or when there was no one that was standing in his way. I thought, "Wow! That is a powerful attribute of contrast in the overall value of successful accomplishment!"

So often we may think that if no one was in our way or things were lined up perfectly so that there was no resistance to our forward momentum that all would be so much better, in fact, well. My thoughts on this walk were that this is not the case and that there is so much value, in contrast, resistance, naysayers, and the like, that we should be praising their very existence. It seemed to me that without them, there would be little of value created.

Just imagine the growth and expansion that comes from those who are resisting our progress. That resistance strengthens us. It causes us to rethink, to reimagine, to reformulate and to refocus. All of that is powerfully good and has a tendency to help us come to conclusions that would not have been available to us in any other way. These things cause us to expand, to become more, to create better ways, to expand our own knowledge as we expand our influence.

So today, I suggest that instead of thinking negatively about other people and their lack of support and participation that we thank them instead. Get excited when people are pushing against our ideas and thoughts. Get excited about people having other ideas. Begin to find value in that miraculous collaboration that comes from the Ying and the Yang. Get fired up about hearing no, or hearing the boss or whoever thinking we have a screw loose. Get jazzed about the possibilities that can come from this delightful, insightful, and empowering contrast.


It's All Good When We See With The Right Eyes!

Spread some joy today--by feeling joy instead of unhappiness when others seem to be pushing against our thoughts and ideas. Listen and learn and find the joy in what they are bringing to the table!

Daily Inspiration 5-19-18

"It takes a little courage

And a little self-control

And some grim determination,

If you want to reach the goal.

It takes a deal of striving,

And a firm and stern-set chin,

No matter what the battle,

If you really want to win.

There's no easy path to glory,

There's no rosy road to fame,

Life, however, we may view it,

Is no simple parlor game;

But its prizes call for fighting,

For endurance and for grit;

For a rugged disposition

And a don't-know-when-to-quit."

-- Unknown

[Classic post from 4-4-11]

Bunk!

As far as I'm concerned, this quote is the kind of crap I was taught as a young salesperson and was repeated by many of the sources I studied, and you know what? It doesn't work very well and then, only for a few in comparison. The rest have a tendency to get discouraged and go off the path seeking to get away from this train of thinking.

Why? Because I have learned that there is no good reason for it to be that tough. There's no good reason to have to fight. It's not about grit. It's not about striving. It's not about a stern-set chin, and it's for sure not about a battle. It says, there's no easy path to glory, and I think there is a very easy path to glory. It need not be about how hard it is and how only the strongest survive and all that crap.

Now, I realize I'm being so judgemental using the word crap, but it just feels good right now to throw all that stuff back at the places it came from and let them have their no-gain-without-pain, no-winning-without-fighting philosophies to themselves. They are all such limiting thoughts.

My truth is now that it is easy and ANYONE can do it. It's really more about lightening up, letting go, and being easier on ourselves. It's more about joy and enthusiasm than blood and guts. It's so much more about feeling good than sucking it up. I guess the best way I can think to describe it is something I wrote about recently about peace and how peace is not something to fight for but to relax into. Just as joy is not something that we work at, it is something we simply allow. Success is just like that to me now. It is easy.

Now, I agree that it is about choice and choosing what one wants and what to focus on. I agree with being inspired and doing what you love to do. And, I agree that what we think about determines all of this. So, that leaves the one thing that every person on the planet has ALL the power to do: think their thoughts and decide to think something else if it isn't what they want. Do that and every single one wins the prize, reaches the goal, rings the bell, achieves success. Of course, taken just a bit further, everyone is ultimately successful no matter how they think. . .

It Just Isn't About Effort And Action. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Relax. Let go. No worries. You're covered. You're already successful.

Daily Inspiration 5-18-18

"Whatever you fight,

you strengthen,

and what you resist,

persists."

-- Eckhart Tolle

(and many others)

[Classic post from 6-25-12]

I learned the concept of the quote above quite some time ago and I believe it to be absolutely accurate, and with what seems to be human nature, it is hard to practice that belief. What I mean by that is that we seem to want to fight against things we don't want or believe in and we think in our fight against them that they have a possibility of being licked. Yet, this is not how the universal laws work.

Whatever we give attention to is increased and it doesn't matter if it is something we want or something we don't want. So fighting against a thing only creates more of it to fight against which creates more of it, and so on. The war on poverty hasn't decreased poverty, as the war on cancer hasn't decreased cancer, and the war on drugs hasn't decreased drugs. In fact, all those things have increased regardless of the fight. In fact, there is more disease in the world than at any time during the reign of mankind, yet at the same time, there is more joy than ever before as well. Our choice is a matter of where we want to focus.

I do my best and continually improve at making this kind of distinction in everything in my life. What I want more of, this I want to give my attention to. What I want less of or is not right, I do my best to be ignorant and even outright reject it. I even have a new sign on my wall: "Terry Is Blissfully Ignorant!" Yes, I am, and proud of it.

If the news (local, regional, national or world) brought me interesting things about the positive aspects or building-up aspects of life, I would pay close attention to it, but as it is almost all negatively focused or focused on what is wrong, not right, spectacular, and controversial, I have no interest in it. And, I am blissfully ignorant if someone were to ask me about a news event that I didn't hear about. I certainly don't need it in my conversation script, so even if I knew about it, I would not discuss it. What good could ever come from that?

Our business or at our job is just an extension of our personal thinking. If there is news of, talk of and focus on some kind of economic downturn, the downturn is strengthened and expanded. The way around it is to not only not discuss it, read about it or bother to listen to it, but to celebrate the abundance that we currently have in our lives. The more we celebrate our abundance, the more abundance we have.


Whatever We Celebrate, We Strengthen. Whatever We Praise Persists.

Spread Some Joy Today--Find as many things to be truly thankful for today as you can. They can be big, small or in between.

Daily Inspiration 5-17-18

"When people go to work 

they shouldn't have to 

leave their hearts at home." 

 -- Betty Bender 

[Classic post from 5-2-14]

It's easy to get caught up in the idea that this isn't personal, it's just business. It's as if we can somehow get out of our human bodies and become this other entity called a business. That seems ridiculous to even think about.

I went to a big and informal classic car show this week taking some photos for my client who put on the show. I ran into a friend and previous business associate that I haven't seen in about 15 years. He was introducing me to his friend that I didn't know, and at first, he introduced me as, "this guy is truly an honest car guy." Of course, I like the distinction; however, he made it seem as if most are not and I was unique in the car business. I'm not--at least not in that respect.

Leadership master, John C Maxwell published a little book in 2003 with a very interesting title. The title is There's No Such Thing As Business Ethics. In the preface, he says, "There are no such things as business ethics--there's only ethics. People try to use one set of ethics for their professional life, another for their spiritual life, and still another at home with their family. That gets them into trouble. Ethics is ethics. If you desire to be ethical, you live it by one standard across the board."

In the second chapter, John Maxwell discusses one of the greatest guidance systems ever conceived: The Golden Rule. It is commonly stated as doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. I learned this rule at a very young age, and as I have remembered it and brought it freshly to my mind periodically, I see that it has served me as well as anything possibly could.


Following Your Heart And Living By The Golden Rule? Isn't That The Same Thing? 

Spread Some Joy Today--That is a perfect way to consider The Golden Rule. Spread joy unto others as you would have them spread joy to you. I love spreading joy, and I also love receiving it!

Daily Inspiration 5-16-18

"Always make a total effort, 

even when the odds are against you."

-- Arnold Palmer

"Put your heart, mind, intellect, 

and soul even to your smallest acts. 

This is the secret of success."

-- Swami Sivananda

"If a man is called a street sweeper, 

he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, 

or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. 

He should sweep streets so well 

that all the host of heaven and Earth will pause to say, 

Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."

-- Martin Luther King, Jr.

[Classic post from 3-3-10]

Some people give so little because they are doing something they do not want to do. In this instance, the entire world would benefit from them quitting what they are doing and have them go do something else that they might like.

It is not strength to persevere through a job you hate just so you can pay the bills, it is torture to you and all those who work with you. It is really weakness. It is a weakness because each of us has the power and the opportunity to find something we like to do; that we are talented doing, and strength would be following that path, and weakness would be to fight against it. It is damaging to the individual spirit and the collective spirit.

It is just choice. Each of us has the power to choose. No one chooses for us.

If we created a lifestyle that requires a certain amount of money to maintain, and then we do something we hate to earn the money to maintain that, what good is that? Really. Think about it. I do what I hate to have what I want? Better to do what you love and love what you get.

Of course, the lifestyle may need to change, at least temporarily, but that isn't a big deal. Most say that we only live once. If that is true, why spend it doing what you hate doing? Are the things that you want that important that you sacrifice the rest of your life to have them?

One of the best things that will change a person's position is to do the absolute best you can do in the job you are doing right now while you contemplate and decide on what you really want to do. If you're selling cars, be the best car selling person you can possibly be while you are contemplating being an artist. By giving what you are currently doing the best that is within you, more courage, strength, and expansion is created within you. You become more whereas doing what you hate can't help but make you less.

There is enough opportunity in this world for every one of us to do what we love to do and we can love to do a great number of things. There is such joy doing what you love to do. It is worth it. You are worth it. The world will thank you.

Here's the formula: Love what you do to do what you love.


I Get To Choose. I Am Responsible For My Choices. Is That Awesome, Or What?

Spread Some Joy Today--Make a list of how others benefit from what you do right now. Learn to love what you do while you contemplate doing more of what you love.

Daily Inspiration 5-15-18

"You must learn to discipline your disappointment."

-- Jim Rohn

"If we will be quiet and ready enough,

we shall find compensation in every disappointment."

-- Henry David Thoreau

[Classic post from 5-3-10]

Recently, I was part of an event that I thought was going to be very good and worthwhile. The day finally came and after a very short time at the event, the planning and execution seemed to be lacking a number of obvious things--at least obvious to me. I mentioned some of it to my partner, and we were both very curious. And, we could have gone on and complained the whole afternoon away and played the 'ain't it awful' game, but we have learned to discipline our disappointment and find other ways to make the time worthwhile.

Considering there weren't very many prospects coming in, we worked the room instead, meeting other vendors and passing out cards and literature. We ended up buying some of their wares and that made them happy too. Then, about midway through the event, we could see it wasn't going to get any better, so we started working on some of our client's products and discussing how we could improve them. Since my computer was there, we just got in and made things happen.

Now, what's interesting is that if I looked at the face value of the event, including the cost in time and money, I would have to say that it was a bust at best, but that's not how I see it. Instead, I see it as a huge success--not the event itself, but the fact that we attended--because, as it turned out, we found a grand benefit in a new product while we were working on a clients product. This was huge! I was so excited that we found this because it is pretty much a game changer!

You've heard of the silver lining in the cloud and I love John Wooden's famous quote, "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." And John is right on the money and so is Jim Rohn. After I learned how to discipline my disappointment, it is a natural event for me then, to have things turn out best because I have learned to make the best of the way things turn out.

Next time you find yourself not enjoying something, ask yourself what you can do to enjoy yourself in spite of your circumstances or location or situation. Discipline your disappointment by making the best of the way things turn out. You might even find, as we did, that it is far better than you could have imagined.

It's Only A Problem If We Focus On The Problem.

Spread Some Joy Today--Just think of all the situations you've been in where you were disappointed and discouraged. Think how different that will be now that you will discipline your disappointment!

Daily Inspiration 5-14-18

"If all of our misfortunes were laid in one

common heap whence everyone must take

an equal portion, most people would be

contented to take their own and depart."

-- Socrates

[Classic post from 12-23-10]

We think our problems are so big and heavy and hard to solve. . . until we trade ours with someone else who may very well have problems that make our own look like child's play. That would give us some perspective, wouldn't it?

I have found, and perhaps others have too, that many of my problems are really problems because I have not made a decision to do anything, but rather, I rehash the problem over and over thinking that something needs to get done and that I need to make a decision and I want it to be the right one and then I run different scenarios through my brain and round and round it goes. Of course, maybe it's just me. . .

Here are some key things that I've recently learned. Start with the first part of the sentence at the beginning of this: "we think our problems are so big and heavy and hard to solve. . ." The key word is, think. That is also the problem leading the problem. How about if we thought our problems were teeny and light and a piece of cake to solve? Would that change anything? So, that is one thing I've learned: I must--I repeat--I must change my thinking about this, as it is my thinking that is expanding it.

The other thing I learned is that it is most likely procrastination that is helping to not only prolong the problem but increase its size and weight due to the lack of decision. Instead of thinking (or trying to) of how to solve the problem, which is a long, drawn-out affair, I know that I must make a decision quickly and even risk making the wrong decision in order to move ahead. Invariably, the problem immediately decreases in size and weight and begins to be solved very quickly.

Of course the last way is to trade them out with someone else. That hasn't ever worked out. It must be that when they learn about mine, they like their way better than they did before. Go figure.

We Just Think Up Our Problems . . . And, We Can Just As Easily Unthink Them, Or At Least, Think Lesser Of Them.

Spread Some Joy Today--Is it time to make a few decisions? That will immediately bring some joy from my own experience. Take charge today!

Daily Inspiration 5-13-18

"When nobody around you seems to measure up,

it's time to check your yardstick."

-- Bill Lemley

"I'm never pleased with anything,

I'm a perfectionist, it's part of who I am."

-- Michael Jackson

[Classic post from 12-8-10]

If you're a student, everyone is a teacher. That includes people who are among the most negative around you, and that is a wonderful way to look at others that you don't like being around.

I had a boss once who was probably the most unhappy person I'd ever met. He was mean-spirited, condescending, sarcastic, loud-mouthed, demanding, constantly disappointed in others, and more. Not a pretty picture. At the time, I would go home and just let all my frustration out about this a**hole and what a terrible excuse for a person he was. Yet, he was a teacher to me and I was a student, though I certainly didn't look at it this way at the time.

One of the most powerful things he taught me was the kind of person I never wanted to be. Knowing what you really do not want is powerful learning.

Sometimes we would have lunch together. I love having a meal with people because you learn so much in that environment. People tend to let go a little. Maybe it's being away from the work environment, or the personal closeness, but it is powerful. At one lunch meeting, he said to me that "no one ever lives up to my expectations." That was a very telling statement and it demonstrated where his attitude came from.

In this case, the best thing would be to immediately lower his standards. He had himself so high on a pedestal that no one could be praised since everyone fell short.

The best thing that I learned from him was what I wanted. I wanted to praise others and encourage them to be the best that they can be. The way I found to do that effectively is to find things to praise them about. There is always something to praise people for when you look for them. What ends up happening is that you find you love them the way they are because they are a unique person and each of us has our own special talents and virtues.

The last thing that he taught me is that life is too short to go around being unhappy. He died an unhappy man, but I have decided to be a happy one. What a wonderful series of lessons to learn. I am so grateful for this man coming into my life.

If People Disappoint You. It May Be Your Fault.

Spread Some Joy Today--Find some uplifting things to say to two or three people today. Maybe their hair looks great, they're dressed especially well, their smile is bright, or their eyes are shining. It is so easy to find things to praise when you look for them. If that doesn't spread joy, nothing will.

Daily Inspiration 5-12-18

"I have yet to find the man, 

however, exalted his station, 

who did not do better work 

and put forth greater effort 

under a spirit of approval 

than under a spirit of criticism."

-- Charles M Schwab

"Nothing else can quite substitute for a few well-chosen,

well-timed, sincere words of praise.

They're absolutely free and worth a fortune."

-- Sam Walton

[Classic post from 2-4-10]

Yes! This is one of my favorite inspirational messages because it is so powerful and so true--and so personal.

In my life, I have achieved things that I started out to do, but none so well, so easily and so eagerly as those where I received encouraging words. It makes me want to double my efforts and hear some more encouragement until I get to be really, really good at it.

Sometimes we might be in a place where we have a lot of experience at doing a thing and then someone under us is missing the mark and we feel that we must point that out. It just irks me when I have to do that and I avoid it like the plague. I would rather find things to compliment and ways to encourage because I know full well that those acts will not only feel great to them but spur them on as never before. Criticism in any form is like taking Cod Liver Oil without holding your nose. Yuck! And, yes, that even means a constructive criticism, as if there could be such a thing.

I will never forget how I became a songwriter. It was only through the encouragement of one person. And, the songs and recordings were not very good. Matter of fact, they were terrible, but I got better with practice, then better some more. That only happened because of the encouragement. I couldn't wait to get home, write and record another song, then play it for that person. It was a thrill. Later on, I was strong enough to encourage myself through the process, along with positive feedback from others.

To me, having someone to help you with encouragement is how you get better at something. Like work. Want a salesperson to excel? Encourage them to the hilt. Compliment them often and lavishly. Find things they are doing to reward them for. Look for what is right, not what is wrong. That goes for any employee or coworker.

Try this: For a week, look for ways to compliment co-workers or employees and encourage them in what they do. Tell them how important what they do is and how much it is appreciated. Tell them how nice they look, or other exterior compliments. Watch what happens.

I predict you will be duly impressed with your skills.


Where Always Is Heard, An Encouraging Word. . . Oh, What A World That Would Be. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Know that you have the power to positively influence every single person you touch. Ain't it grand!

Daily Inspiration 5-11-18

"The sad part about life

is we tend to comment only 

on those who do it wrong 

and neglect to balance it 

with praise for those who do it right."

-- Keith Ready

[Classic post from 2-1-10]

Common conversation at work and at home much of the time amounts to discussing those people and systems (groups of people) that do it wrong and if they would just take a few minutes and pay attention, we could set them on the straight and narrow path to doing it well. Then we could praise them--after the probation period, of course.

I must say that I have been doing this for so many years that I feel like I have an advanced degree in the field of complaining how poorly some people do things. It's amazing they grew up to be adults. Sometimes, I might have spent several hours in a day doing this at work with selected associates and then going home and telling my wife about all the stupid decisions and irrational behaviors I experience from other people all day that day. Of course, I knew so much better and even stated how it should have been and how much better that would be for everyone involved.

We all have 20/20 hindsight, don't we? Being critical of what other people say and do is one of the easiest career choices. It doesn't pay very well for most, but many, as I did, made a career out of it.

Of course, hearing criticism of what I was doing would put me into wartime defense mode. I would even prepare long defensive plans in my head on the pretense that I would someday need to utilize them. That's commonly called justification. I could have won awards in that career field. I graduated from advanced justification just short of indignant righteousness. I was about to start my own faultfinding firm called Shuda Engineering . . . and then it happened. . .

I read a book and it helped open my mind to a different way; a way that would not only have better results but help me to feel better, because the other way, though I was certainly justified, I always felt crappy and even depressed about a lot of things. Okay, well. . . it was most things. The world, after all, was sooooooo screwed up, you know.

The book? It was called Power In Praise by Merlin Carothers. At the time, I was going to church and I had read the Bible twice and I wasn't really into it all. I heard a lot of Shuda Engineering sermons and frankly, I was dismayed, confused and affected negatively. Then I read the book and it had me looking at things completely differently. I did a 180 as they say. That book led me to several other books in time that would take me to another level where I think about and participate so very little in Shuda Engineering.

Now I look at someone doing something and I say to myself, "Wow. That's interesting! I never would have thought of doing it that way, but you know, it is certainly a way. Heckfire, it might even produce desired results. I'm always on the lookout for better ways." Well. . . there might be just a shade of sarcasm there, but the Shuda Engineering contract has expired, so I'm in recovery. Doing well too!

Now, I'm doing some graduate work at Prazen U. Things are looking pretty good there. It is a whole different outlook. More and more enlightened people are attending. The campus is busting with joy-seekers. I've never heard more encouragement in my entire life as I've heard in my short time at Prazen U. I find myself noticing and speaking about all the right instead of the left. It is such a party changing experience. I can't recommend this course enough. One of the books I have enjoyed much here at Prazen U is The Gratitude Effect by Dr. John Demartini. He has taught much of the faculty at Prazen U and is a guest lecturer from time to time.

I'm into Prazen U!

Prazen U feels Great!


Honey or Vinegar? Let's see. . . I Think. . . Honey!

Spread Some Joy Today--Praise, according to Webster's dictionary, means to extol, laud, honor, acclaim, express approval. To praise, then, is to give positive affirmation, expressing our approval of something or someone. Go extol, laud, honor, acclaim, and express approval today. I guarantee a joyful experience for both of you.

Daily Inspiration 5-10-18

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come

as a result of getting something we don't have,

but rather of recognizing and appreciating 
what we do have."

-- Frederick Koeing

"Happiness is a function of accepting what is."

-- Werner Erhard

"Happiness is not a state to arrive at, 
but a manner of traveling."

-- Margaret Lee Runbeck

"If you want to be happy, be."

-- Leo Tolstoy

[Classic post from 5-26-10]

I can find thousands of quotes about happiness and they vary widely. I picked these four as following my experience--especially the last one by Leo Tolstoy. It has been my experience in many, many years of the pursuit of happiness, that I found it when I just decided to be happy. Seriously.

Part of that decision relates to Margaret's quote and it is the journey, not the destination, and Werner's accepting what is like the serenity prayer. But, Mr. Koeing's quote is particularly appropriate because most I know as I did myself will have a strong tendency to look outside of themselves to circumstances, events and other people to bring happiness. My experience is that if that could cause happiness, it would have to be short-lived.

Permanent happiness is a daily decision.

The other thing--and this is the most important thing--about Mr. Koeing's quote is this: 'recognizing and appreciating what we do have.' Appreciation is key. Appreciate everything and recognize that it is all good. In the past, you may have interpreted that differently, but now you see a much larger picture of how one thing can affect another and so on. Some of the biggest so-called problems have become the greatest of successes.

The challenge lies only with our decision of how we want to feel and how we choose to look at things.

It's All Good!

Spread Some Joy Today--There is nothing so easy to affect others than a happy person. Be that today and watch the world change around you!

Daily Inspiration 5-9-18

"Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear,

but around in awareness."

-- James Thurber

[Classic post from 10-26-10]

Some may view this quote as a trite phrase, and I totally understand that. It looks like one of those idealistic phrases that sound so good and yet is very hard to do. And, it is hard depending on where we come from and the training we've had and the pain we've packed away inside.

Yet. . . it is so absolutely insightful and true that now--right now--is all there really is and if we pay attention to right now (awareness) we can avoid looking back in anger or forward in fear, for there is only now.

Fear rules the largest part of many of our lives. I know it ruled mine for a very long time and I can see it ruling others as it did me. It makes life a crap shoot at best. The anger is also the same in that it rules lives so easily. Sure, I get angry, but nothing like I used to and when I do now, I know how to come out of that state pretty quickly with some self-talk looking for ways I can feel just a little bit better with each thought until the anger has been diffused.

So, I'm on this bandwagon of looking around in awareness. I am enjoying the practice of focusing there instead of my old habit patterns. Who knew that it could be so much fun and enjoyment to change?

I Focus On Feeling As Good As I Can Possibly Feel In The Moment. There Is No Benefit To Feeling Bad. There Is Nothing But Benefit To Feeling Good.

Spread Some Joy Today--How easily we forget the value of practice. Whether it is the violin, the piano, speaking in public, memorizing your lines in a play or movie, being a leading-edge physician, there is accumulating value in practice. So it is with feeling good, finding the best thoughts, enjoying the moments, lifting people up, experiencing joy. There is no fail in practice, it is only improvement, improvement, improvement.

Daily Inspiration 5-8-18

"Patience, persistence, and perspiration

make an unbeatable combination for success."

-- Napoleon Hill

[Classic post from 1-24-10]

From this Napoleon Hill quote, let's call this the 3-P's: Patience, persistence, and perspiration. It might even seem strange to have patience in this sentence, but it is a wonderful formula.

Patience. To me patience is confidence. It is belief. It is the prerequisite for accomplishment that can be finalized with the help of the other two P's. Patience is necessary--critical in fact. It would be the belief that would give you the patience to hang on when things don't look like they're working. It is the control mechanism for the machine.

Persistence. Without the ability to keep going, your mind will easily talk you out of making the trip. The people around you will talk you out of it. It might seem like no one wants you to succeed. That's why it is only you who can persist. No one can do that for you. The best they could do is encourage you, but the coach doesn't run the race, the runner does. You're the runner. Strong desire is the engine that runs persistence.

Perspiration. There are things that need to get done. It is only done by doing them. It may be physical or mental or a combination, but it is action. Without action, there is no result generally. You can change your thinking, but if your actions don't change, your thinking won't matter much. Sometimes it just doesn't matter what you do, so long as you are doing something on what you have decided. It's like looking in the mirror and deciding to comb your hair differently. You can see the picture of it done in your mind's eye, but you actually have to make use of the comb to have a result that matters.

I think these are in order of importance as well.


It's A Threepeat!

Spread Some Joy Today--Demonstrate your patience and persistence to others today through your perspiration. Maybe it can be a group workout!