Daily Inspiration 8-31-18

"Set your life on fire. 

Seek those who fan your flames." 

-- Rumi 

[Classic post from 7-12-14]

It is so easy to allow others around you, regardless of their position or relationship with you to hold you in place with them. No one really has any power over us, but we often give it away without being consciously aware of doing this.

I was thinking just the other day how temporary almost everything is. Circumstances change all the time, people come in and out of our lives, what we do in the way of work changes, and all temporary. Each leader in a company leads the company differently, and sometimes not even in a forward direction. Companies get sold, close their doors for good, and more. It is the same on the more positive side where successes are abounding and profits high, morale is perfect, the stars are all aligned. It is still all temporary.

This isn't meant to be a downer, it is just a bit of perspective in how sometimes we expect things to remain the same when nothing ever remains the same even for a few seconds. All that we see is in constant motion, though we may not see that with our eyes.

I'm going the long way around on purpose, but because it is all temporary, there need be no worry about it. Besides, there isn't anything we can do to change another unless they are seeking change and open to suggestion. Hence, worrying about what our parents think, our brothers and sisters, our boss, our spouse, the neighbors, the government, or any others are more than pointless, it is taking our own power away--or rather, we give it away, as it is never taken.

The best thing that we can do for ourselves and for all of those around us near and far is to focus on what we want and to build the energy of that into the life we could dream of. As Rumi said so well, "Set your life on fire." Be selfish in that. Since we cannot change others, being selfish is all you can do to change.

The second part of Rumi's quote will often happen naturally after the decision to set our own lives on fire, and that is to, "Seek those who fan your flames." I made this decision a very long time ago and in the last five years have multiplied that a hundredfold. I am constantly seeking those who fan my flames, help me to see more, understand more, and be more. I have many sources and learn from them all. If we will take the time and attention to reach out, the help will always be there. That old saying, 'when the student is ready, the teacher appears,' is absolutely true and is an amazing blessing.

Everything we need is really already inside of us. We have all the power of choice, decision, and action.


Set Your Life On Fire, And Surround Yourself With Flame Fanners! 

Spread Some Joy Today--There is no greater joy than coming alive!

Daily Inspiration 8-30-18

"I'm having the time of my life!" 

-- Terry Minion 

[Classic post from 7-11-14]

I went to a dual chamber of commerce mixer tonight and said this quote above to several people who had not seen me in some time and asked how I was doing. Some said, 'you look so happy.' I am. Another mentioned how positive I am and it implied that they were not, but you know, there comes a time when if being upbeat, positive, happy, excited is a desire, one needs to move toward it.

Some don't seem to know how. I understand this totally. I used to be one of them.

Here's a quote that may help put things in a better perspective: "There's no point in burying a hatchet if you're going to put up a marker on the site." -- Sydney Harris.

Some want to forgive, and may even talk about it, but they hold on in so many ways when the only real answer is to let go of it. I alluded to this in yesterday's post.

Having been for many, many years one of those who claimed they wanted to be happy and free, and yet could not let go, I have learned what works for me and continues to work for me to be happy, excited, upbeat, joyous. I think it is the easiest way out of the doldrums and unhappiness. It is far too simple, and many want a much more complicated answer with lots of bullet points. Sorry. It is appreciation.

Yes, appreciation.

I was doing some videos with two clients a couple of days ago. I said that all they need do is to allow themselves to practice so they can get better at it. Each time they get more comfortable with the process and each video then improves over time. It is the same exact thing here. Who would expect someone who just picked up a musical instrument to play Carnegie Hall? After a good deal of practice, that might happen if they also have some talent for the task.

Everyone has a talent for appreciation, so it isn't a matter of talent; however, it is a matter of practice. Begin to purposely find things to appreciate and speak them. At first, they may be spoken in your mind, but they also need to be spoken aloud. Find things to compliment others about. Not insincere compliments, but real ones. If you don't see something worthy of appreciation, move to another subject.

Start with nature. Start with the blue sky, the land, the stars at night, the moon, you name it. Then, things around you. Find things to be thankful for around you. Your comfortable bed, how wonderful the covers feel in the morning, your special pillow, the smell of bacon cooking, the sun coming up in the morning. Then expand on that, by finding things to compliment yourself about. Stand naked in the mirror and thank God or the Universe for such a wonderful and useful appliance as this great body. Be thankful for your capacity, your wisdom, your voice, your skills, your vision.

After a time, perhaps months, or even years, you will find yourself constantly finding things to appreciate. I think that this is what the apostle Paul meant when he said to pray without ceasing.

At each level, your joy will increase in quantity and quality. I find now that I am in joy almost all the time. This is how I can say that I am having the time of my life. It is because I am and the joy is the manifestation of that.

If you want to have this, it is simple. Just practice it and expand it and keep on with it and you will improve every single day. Never fear--there is no end to the potential for more joy.


There Is A Payoff To Feeling Bad, And That Is Why There Is A Lot Of It, But The Payoff For Feeling Good Is Off The Chart In Comparison. 

Spread Some Joy Today--It is not up to God or anyone else. It is solely up to you. Choose joy.

Daily Inspiration 8-29-18

"Why do bad things 

happen to good people?"

-- Age old question 

[Classic post from 7-9-14]

Just for fun, we might want to flip this question around a bit: Why do good things happen to bad people? When put that way, it helps put things into at least a little perspective.

The bigger question is, 'who says bad?' At the same time, 'who says good?' Frankly, it is someone making that up anyway.

I think there are only actions and results and all of that is neutral. It is only when we label things, such as good or bad, that we add a moral code to the actions and create all sorts of emotions about it. It simply comes down to how we choose to think about something, or what we believe or have come to believe, and even a belief is just a thought we keep thinking over and over again.

There are plenty of benefits that come from events--even those that we might construe as bad. Who knows how it happens, or why it happens? A lot of people want to know why, but it really isn't their affair to know.

I have many examples in my own life of things that seemed bad that were really good. But, of course, I am still judging it, and it is better to say there were benefits. For years I lay down at night in my bedroom and seeing the ceiling, hated the sprayed popcorn treatment throughout the house. Every time I looked at it, I wanted it gone. Then came the fire. The fire was in one room but blackened the whole house. As a result of the repairs, I got rid of the popcorn ceiling.

There were several times I might have been killed or injured in a vehicle and split seconds, perhaps even thousandths of a second changed the outcome. There were times when I lost my job and suddenly there were many open doors I had not seen before.

It really comes down to, rather than the event, it is how we choose to think about it that makes all the difference. Some people may get a diagnosis that brings them to life rather than death. Some may have an event that in certain circumstances would be devastating that becomes their greatest blessing. Some have a business fail to lead them to a better choice, others lose a long time job and find their entrepreneurial spirit reborn. Some find divorce was the best thing that ever happened to them.

It isn't the event, but how we choose to think of it, label it, create beliefs around it that speaks to us of what kind of event it is. One might choose depression, despair, and others may choose joy or gratitude. We each have full control of the choice.


Let Us Be Conscious Of Our Own Power To Choose. 

Spread Some Joy Today--You're on a delightful journey. Enjoy the ride.

Daily Inspiration 8-28-18

"'Tis not the meat, 

but 'tis the appetite 

makes eating a delight." 

-- John Suckling, Sonnet, c1638 

[Classic post from 7-7-14]

In January of this year, I had the distinct privilege to see The Eagles, who next to The Beatles was my favorite musical group when I was young, and now that I am not so young. The tour they were on was called The History of The Eagles, matching a DVD set they published, which I own. I don't know why I waited to watch it until this weekend, but I was in joy all the way through it. Great music, and a great story of how they came to be and all the adventures they had.

Joe Walsh of The Eagles was talking on the DVD and I had to write down what he said because it spoke to me. Here is what he said reflecting on the travels of his life, participation in and travels of the band over time:

"There's a philosopher who says, 'As you live your life, it appears to be anarchy and chaos and random events--non-related events smashing into each other and causing this situation, and then this happens, and it's overwhelming, and it just looks like...what in the world is going on? And later when you look back at it, it looks like a finely crafted novel, but at the time it don't, and a lot of The Eagles story is like that."

I thought he was referring to many of us, if not most of us. As we are going through situations, especially challenging or tough ones, it is hard if not downright impossible to see the whole picture, but down the road, we can look back and see how all those pieces fit into a mosaic that was perfectly filled, looking like that finely crafted novel.

Then, I thought that much of my life was that way. Most in fact. I didn't have a clue a good deal of the time and now looking back, I have such a different view and things I might have done that I might typically regret, I find joy in instead.

What I would add to that wonderful philosophical view of a life traveled, is that with the awareness that I have now, I would not find the pain that I went through then. Wouldn't it be interesting to know for certain that everything will work out perfectly all the time throughout our lives? Would that change anything about how you might live your life? I know that this awareness has certainly changed mine and how I see what is going on here and now and with confidence believing it is all working out just as I planned it. What a difference in the travel!


It Is Perfect. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Find joy in your own perfection today.

Daily Inspiration 8-27-18

Make more decisions in every day. 

Because a decision is a summoning of life.

-- Abraham, Esther Hicks

[New post]

As I was reading yet another post from Abraham, Esther Hicks (I get one every single day), I was amazed and delighted anew. The way they explain things so that it is so easy to understand without a bunch of hocus-pocus, ten-twelve-twenty step confusion is so empowering to me. So, here's the quote that was the reason I am writing this today:

"Make more decisions in every day. Because a decision is a summoning of life. That’s why a little chaos is good for you because often you don’t make a decision until you get yourself in a jam. And then, in the middle of the jam, you make a decision, but that decision summons Life Force. Have you ever been a place where you couldn’t quite make up your mind and you just felt sort of limp? “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know.” And then you decided, and you felt alive again. We want you to know that you’ll never get it done. So don’t approach this from, “I gotta get on this” because you’re not ever going to get it done, anyway. And the other thing we want you to know is, you cannot get it wrong. So, make a decision. Let it flow."

I imagine that you can relate as I do how we get ourselves into a situation where we are sort of forced to make some kind of decision to help extricate us from the situation we are not pleased with. It might even feel a bit painful at the time; however, as Abraham states, that is a summoning of life energy. We don't think of it that way, do we? Yet I love how they see that big picture that then takes the heat off of the whole scenario. We are summoning life energy. It's all good. We can't get it wrong. It is living the life and we are the constant choosers though we may think we are justified in blaming someone or something else for our troubles.

And, just because I'm in the praising mood of Abraham, here is another that follows very well with the above quote:

"There are no choices that are really a detour that will take you far from where you’re wanting to be — because your Inner Being is always guiding you to the next, and the next, and the next. So don’t be concerned that you may make a fatal choice, because there aren’t any of those. You are always finding your balance. It’s a never-ending process."

The key thought here for me is this: We are always finding our balance. It is a never-ending process! Yes! Constantly finding our balance as we make choices, as we make decisions, as we are learning.

I celebrate most the simplicity of the Teachings of Abraham and how I resonate with all of it as if I have always known it this way!


Happy Monday!

Spread some joy today--Absolutely. What better thing to spread. Be a carrier. Spread your contagiousness around.

Daily Inspiration 8-26-18

"You see, what I think it is, is, 

that I think I'm more comfortable

with being disappointed. 

I think I'm angry with you 
for trying to take that away." 

-- Kate Walker character in the movie, 

Last Chance Harvey

[Classic post from 7-3-14]

Is that a telling statement or what? Have any of you ever felt that way, even though you may have never had the courage to actually say it? We do have a tendency to develop and then stay within our own comfort zones when it comes to relationships, work, you name it.

I love movies that move me and speak to me and those are the ones I buy so I can watch them many times. Last Chance Harvey is one of those so-called sleeper films that I found that I just had to own.

Every time I watch it, I learn something new and it is a delightful piece of not so uncommon human interaction involving divorce, children, a declining interest in work, and if all of that weren't enough, Harvey loses his job while he's in London, yet at the same time, he finds inspiration in a woman he meets in the airport and makes a conscious decision to go with the flow until his life has not only broken out of his comfort zone but is taken to new and unknown places.

I can so relate to where his head must have been. The best part of the movie is how he finds his life that he somehow stepped out of some time ago. Now, he is renewed and real. Before it was all fake, creating images, being someone he isn't and much more.

The other thing that really stands out for me in this movie is that he makes a conscious decision to go with the flow. He feels a spark and he follows that feeling. He drops his routine or common response to situations and decides to just follow his feelings rather than his head. What great advice that can be for all of us from time to time.

If you haven't seen it, I invite you to rent it and see what you will. If not for the movie itself, for the awesome dialog and life messages it contains.

Letting go of the oars and allowing yourself to go with the flow is very powerful.


Who Knows Where You'll End Up? 

Spread Some Joy Today--It's never too late. There are no last chances. It is now. Then now again, then now again.

Daily Inspiration 8-25-18

"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 8-24-18

"Any change, 

even a change for the better, 

is always accompanied by 

drawbacks and discomforts." 

-- Arnold Bennett 

[Classic post from 6-30-14]

Yesterday I talked about not feeling up to par and working through that to get back on track, and today, I had some of the same things, only not to the degree of yesterday. Then, finally, this evening, it hit me what it was. I have been needing to change a thing or two and have been reluctant to do so. That's where the resistance was coming from.

When you have something that you know is in your best interests, though it sounds so easy, often it isn't so easy to make that change. It's only going to stick when it becomes something I want to do versus something I need to do. The spiritual work is to come into alignment to the point that I want to do this thing. That might take years. I know that so well, then one day, it just washes over you to let go and allow the change. I remember always that the resistance is like me playing tug-o-war with myself which I only win by letting go of the rope. Today, I realized that I was there after a weekend of tug-o-war.

It's not about letting go of something you no longer want, but more a wanting of something new or better. It's not about what is wrong, but more a matter of what the benefits are to my internal well being, or rather my joy.

Ever since I decided on my rest-of-my-life single goal to enjoy myself, I've noticed things that I do that I used to enjoy, or at least I thought I did, and I noticed things that I do out of habit that is connected to some mysterious place, that I really don't like much anymore if I were telling the truth about it. Isn't it funny how we lie to ourselves about stuff like that? It's one of those things on the list of 'that doesn't make sense.'

Forty-four days ago, I gave up the wheat with no fake replacements. It was just an experiment to see if I could since wheat is so pervasive in our culture. I thought it would be hard, but it wasn't. I have seen many benefits and I think my success with this helped me with the other things I want to change.

Now, I want to change, and after my experiment, I know for sure that I can and I also know that it will be easy. I just had to come to a conclusion, let go of that stupid rope I've been holding on to for no really good reason, and move on. I'm there.


What A Relief To Know What The Resistance Was. 

Spread Some Joy Today--You're in total control of your joy since it comes from within, never from without.

Daily Inspiration 8-23-18

"Awareness is the greatest 

agent for change." 

-- Eckhart Tolle

[Classic post from 6-29-14]

People say I'm the most positive person they know and I'm happy that they think that because that is exactly what I want to be, and often am. However, there are days when I'm just not feeling as good as I would like and today was one of those days.

I was working on the Internet for some clients and got some things done, had to get up and went to walk the dog and enjoy the warm sunshine and get us both out of the office. I wasn't unhappy exactly today, but not as happy as I often am. I think the main thing that causes this for me is that I get lost in the past a bit. 

Memories are interesting sometimes and I have millions of them, and I was noticing that pretty much everything on my walls and around me is something from the past, whether photos, plaques, memorabilia. Each of these I see causes a memory of some kind from them, and often I will not spend any time on that, but today, I think I sort of got lost in some of it.

The other thing I do that causes physical discomfort is that when I am thinking about the past, I have a tendency to eat too much. Seems like that just goes along for the ride.

In years gone by, I did this a lot and for long periods, but now my saving grace is awareness of what I am doing. I am paying attention to how I feel and as I realize that I am feeling poorly, I want to feel better and can do something right away about it, or at least sometime during the day.

What I was going through mentally was resistance. I can feel it in my gut and also my shallow breathing. So, I felt the resistance, realized my breathing and I started breathing more deeply. After a few minutes of that, I was already much better. Then, I started finding things to be grateful for and to appreciate, and pretty soon I was back with the living and in the present instead of the past.

I like how Eckhart Tolle says this in more detail: "Always say "yes" to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say "yes" to life--and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you." I had to highlight the one very short sentence in there that says to 'surrender to what is.' What a powerful reminder to learn to allow rather than resist.


"If You Get The Inside Right, The Outside Will Fall Into Place. Primary Reality Is Within; Secondary Reality Without." -- Eckhart Tolle 

Spread Some Joy Today--Lighten up on yourself. Find 25 things to praise yourself about.

Daily Inspiration 8-22-18

"Knowledge is said to be power, 

but habit is what rules." 

-- Albert K Strong 

[Classic post from 6-28-14]

Today in a class I was sharing some thoughts I had on the way to the dealership for training. I have studied for a lot of years--earnestly for over 40 years--and much of what I learned in the first few years was sufficient to do very well, yet I have found that knowledge is powerful and helpful, but habit is what rules.

I might have the knowledge. I may have even studied it with vim and vigor, but the only way it ever becomes effective in my life and activated within me is when it becomes a habit. The great Og Mandino, who should know, said that "only a habit can subdue another habit." So, if I want to change my habitual patterns, I need to actively overwrite those other habits with the ones I prefer, otherwise, all the knowledge in the world will just be a library in my head.

The audiobook and matching book, The Secret, changed my life. It was exactly what I needed when I needed it. I had been attracting it for some time, and when I first heard it, I knew that I did not want to know it from a knowledge point of view, or even know it enough to teach it. No, I wanted it to become me. I wanted to live the rest of my life that way. So to help create the new habits, I listened so many times that it became me, and now I live that way every day. And, by the way, not in the perfection of it, but in the practice of it. It requires practice to become a habit and a belief because a belief is just a thought that we keep thinking.

So, whatever it is, whether it is wanting to be a really good sales prospector, engineer, business person, whatever, we need to desire it and practice it, live it, feel it in our lives and it will in short time become us. Success is just a practiced art, and habit rules that domain.


"We Must First Make Our Habits, Then Our Habits Make Us." -- John Dryden 

Spread Some Joy Today--Call a friend. Share your joy with them.

Daily Inspiration 8-21-18

"Send them love. 

Wish them peace. 

See them happy. 

Everyone, always, forever. 

And prepare to be astounded." 

-- The Universe, aka Mike Dooley 

[Classic post from 6-25-14]

Accepting and living the message above is tantamount to the biggest challenge of my life. I have accepted the challenge. I desire to live this kind of life. I want this for myself. I'm better at it all the time, and as long as I am willing to practice it, catch myself as soon as I am off track and realize it and then get back on track, it is so awesome and powerful.

As I do this, I find that I attract less of the people who might be ones that I have a hard time feeling this way about. So, that is a good thing. Still, from time to time, I feel the challenge of not feeling good and yet wanting to, but I would surely like to find a day when it is automatic for me, where I don't get off track.

The bigger part is that in practicing doing this with others, I also need to remember to pay myself the same love and respect, peace and wellness that I send to others. It used to be thought of as good to be selfless, but I have found that I need to be self-full in order to be better at giving this unconditional love to others. In fact, I think it is easier to give to others but without it coming from a whole person, it is not nearly what it could be.

Consider accepting the same challenge if you haven't already. It is a work (more like play) that is worthy.


"Whoever Believes In The Good In People, Draws Forth The Good In People." -- Jean Paul 

Spread Some Joy Today--Help someone in some way that makes a difference to both of you.

Daily Inspiration 8-20-18

"Success is easy." 

-- Jim Rohn 

[Classic post from 6-24-14]

Early yesterday morning three of us were having a conversation. One was talking about the price needed to pay to do well. That phrase hit me because I've heard that so many times from so many people as if it isn't easy and the price means that it is costly, or another way it is often said is that you have to put your nose to the grindstone and work hard, some even add other hardships like you have to work hard into the night, or pay a higher price than anyone else and other such statements. I used to believe that and may have even promoted that idea myself, but no more. My clearest statement about success now is that if it isn't easy, it won't get done.

So much of the sales and management training, personal development and so on that I've been through talked about the 3% factor. They say that 97% fail, only 3% "succeed" by earning plus or minus 10% of what they spend. And, then they talk about the 1% that is financially independent. Who wants to join a club where only 1 or 3% succeed? The truth is everyone succeeds. Everyone acts based on their internal highest values.

Jim Rohn was one of my earliest mentors about business after hearing him on a cassette tape back in 1980 for the first time. He is one of those that promoted the hard work of it all, but he did it with humility and style. Here is an excerpt that speaks volumes about success and how it is easy and needs to be easy, and it was matching his desires with his highest values that caused this to be true in his life:

"People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking and ideas. They found that easy not to. I found it easy to attend the classes and the seminars, and to get around other successful people. They said it probably really wouldn't matter. If I had to sum it up, I would say what I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do."

I have learned that if it is going to get done, it needs to be easy, otherwise we will have to rely on external motivation all the time. Sales prospecting has to be fun and easy or it won't get done consistently. I love my work, and that makes it not work, but fun and so it gets done. It must speak to our highest values to get done, and the good news is that if we want to, we can link the things that don't seem like fun to our highest values, thereby making them fun. Then, they will get done. As Jim says, success is easy. Or not. Guess which one works consistently?


Life Is Only Hard If You Think It Is. If You Think It Is, Maybe It's Time To Think Again. . . 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting go of all the struggles in your life. Just for today. Pretend you're wealthy and don't have to do anything. Now go do what you enjoy. It is even possible that is what you do for a living!

Daily Inspiration 8-19-18

"Don't let your special character 

and values, the secret that you know 

and no one else does, the truth-- 

don't let that get swallowed up 

by the great chewing complacency." 

-- Aesop, 620 BC - 564 BC 

[Classic post from 6-23-14]

As I was looking at notes from The Values Factor book, I ran across the quote above and I just had to share it. First of all, it is a very powerful message, and secondly, it was stated a very long time ago. There was plenty of knowledge in the past, it is just that they had a terrible distribution system, unlike the Internet of today. What a challenge it must have been to disseminate information back then.

What I get out of this quote and why it jumped off the page for me is that I think he is saying that we need to love and respect ourselves and that each of us is important. Indeed, more than just important, each of us has a special and unique character and values, just as Dr. John Demartini has been teaching me through this book.

The quote also says to not hide your specialness, but to find a way to express it. There is a great benefit in that for ourselves and for others too. It also says that this special character and unique values are our truth. Each of us has our own truth by that statement and that there is no such thing as THE truth.

And, last, he cautions us to not to just give in by fitting in. Our truth, our real self, our inner self, our uniqueness needs to be expressed and be alive in us. When we give in to the crowd, the pack, the group, we must let go of that in order to fit into other peoples values. Dilution is not a good solution and full strength is the best strategy.

In short, we need to be ourselves, to love ourselves for who and what we are in our travels to wherever we are going. If we can find a way to express ourselves along the way, to respect ourselves and each other for all our uniqueness, I cannot think of a better formula for success.


What Are Your Highest And Unique Values That Beg For Expression? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting go of any stress like dropping the tug-o-war rope, and turning to see those issues from the point of view of joy. Just because something looks like a problem, doesn't mean that it really is. What you perceive, you receive.

Daily Inspiration 8-18-18

"What we value most 

shapes how we process information, 

what we remember, and how we act, 

so that our minds, emotions, and intentions 

all work together to fulfill 

those most meaningful values." 

-- Dr. John F. Demartini 

[Classic post from 6-21-14]

Last year, Dr. John F. Demartini published yet another great book titled, The Values Factor: The Secret to Creating an Inspired and Fulfilling Life. Now, I'm tired of seeing the phrase, "the secret" in the title of books because in my lengthy study, there are so many who claim THE secret, when there aren't really any secrets, just points of view. Now, I also admit that I have found so many of these points of view to be not only interesting, and informative, yet, sometimes transforming. This book is in the upper echelons of that mix.

I highly recommend the audio version of this book which is 12+ hours long and took me from just below Yakima, Washington all the way to Vacaville CA to read. It would have been much more of a project to complete reading with my eyes, and in this particular case, I think the audio is helpful and user-friendly. Audible.com and my iPhone app took care of all I needed.

I am reeling from the experience of listening to this. I am now amazed at how often I have beat myself up again and again for not doing something that I think I need to do, should do, and so on, and this book tells you why that happens and how to change it from torture to joy. I also have to warn you that this is a practical book with a proven message and is not for the faint of heart, yet it is for everyone who wants to know why we beat ourselves up so often and why we don't achieve that which we say we want and so much more.

It all comes down to our highest values. The interesting thing to me about this book is how Dr. Demartini sees everyone on the planet as powerful, yet often people don't realize it, or they accept other peoples values instead of their own. He talks (or, rather the narrator) of case studies that are fascinating and might even remarkably come close to our own situations.

For example, this passage is telling: "Anytime you find yourself saying, "I should... .," "I need to... .," or "I really must... .," you can be pretty certain that you are talking about social idealisms or the values of some external authority instead of expressing your own true highest values. When you hear yourself saying, "I desire to... ..," "I choose to... .," or "I love to... .," then you know that you are talking about a goal that is truly valuable to you. Those goals you will inevitably achieve because they align with your highest values."

I saw so much on this trip and have yet to even process it all; however, this I know for sure: I learned a lot just by plugging in my headphones while I was enjoying the view. One thousand, nine hundred and thirty-two miles of it. When we finally got home at 1:15am this morning, Charlie was dancing around the living room with joy! He loves to travel, but he was as glad as me to be home--maybe more so.


Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by hugging someone you love.

Daily Inspiration 8-17-18

"Peace is the result 
of retraining your mind

to process life as it is,

rather than 
as you think it should be."

-- Wayne Dyer

[Classic post from 6-20-14]

I've learned much on this trip. For example, no matter who planned what, there is a tendency for things to not work according to plan. There are a lot of reasons for that that I need not go into, except to say that life sometimes is a series of constant interruptions, and this is especially true in businesses and in families with teenagers.

It is only a problem with me if I were tied to a specific outcome, and as I have learned oh so well, if I just learn to go with the flow, the flow will take good care of everyone involved. And, it has this week.

Today, I was at a dealership doing some commercial truck videos and teaching several people how to do it. It didn't even get going until mid-afternoon; however, once started, it was flat amazing how much we got done and also how well it all turned out. There were so many interruptions earlier in the day and even during the videos, but it came out perfectly anyway. This is the power of going with the flow.

I had a desire in mind, but I did not concern myself whether it would be fulfilled or not. In fact, I was willing to scrap the whole trip if necessary in order to be of service, and yet it all worked out wonderfully. That includes the weather, wind, street noise and other issues. How marvelous is that?

This whole trip has gone exactly that way. I missed my turn and went way out of my way yesterday by almost two hours and it was such a blessing to see two fantastic valleys in the Yakima WA area. I had no intention of going to Yakima, but there I was making the best of it and it was the best of it. Charlie is enjoying the adventure as well.

Then, this morning driving from Hood River OR (did I say beautimous?) into Portland at 60-something degrees at 8am and clear blue skies. . . oh, my goodness what a gorgeous drive. Then I missed my turn and got to use Siri on my phone for the second time. Where was this great voice and directions all my life? Whoa. Did I say awesome? Turn here, turn here, I turned there, she refocuses without a hitch and re-guides me. Flat amazing.

The list of issues that could have been upsetting issues, along with the list of mistakes that could have been upsetting mistakes is long on this trip, and it hasn't fazed me in the slightest. I am going with the flow, bending with the wind, not caring so much about any specific outcome. The food is better, the accommodations are better, the connections with people are better. Isn't that amazing? Plus I've read almost 3 books and learned an amazing number of things and will finish 4 by the time I'm home. I don't know how it could get any better.


No Worries, Mate!

Spread Some Joy Today--Let go of expectations, and just flow with it.

Daily Inspiration 8-16-18

"It is never too late

to give up our prejudices."

-- Henry David Thoreau

[Classic post from 6-19-14]

Prejudices are one of those words that have been said enough, but it doesn't seem to have the impact it could have. Maybe a better way is PRE-judgments, or Pre-Judge, or just judging before you know what the heck you're talking about.

Once it is presented more thoroughly like that, it should take on a different appearance perhaps. When it is said like that it makes it seem silly, uneducated, unsophisticated, unfair, and certainly unwarranted. In fact, now it seems more like something to run away from than to embrace or accept.


What Would Really Help Is Simply To Make Our Own Decisions And Adapt Our Own Values Rather Than Those Of Others?

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting go of all those judgments and love people the way they are without any insistence that they satisfy us.

Daily Inspiration 8-15-18

"No matter how much fault

you find with another,

it will not change you."

-- Wayne Dyer

[Classic post from 6-18-14]

The more I learn, the more I see that there is nothing in another that I need to find fault in. I'm certain that I have plenty to go around. I have enough to share with others should they want some, but I don't think anyone is interested. Yet, no matter what I might find that I think is wrong with another person, I am still me. It certainly doesn't help. In fact, Wayne Dyer adds that "all blame is a waste of time."

Whatever my current outside circumstances, all my happiness and joy lies within me and not without me. I am constantly reminding myself now, catching myself mid-thought much of the time to turn that fault finding mission to praise and appreciation.

And, here is the most important thing: most of my negative thinking is me about me. It is me finding fault with myself. I don't need to find fault with others because I've done such a good job over the years of finding it in me. Strange but true.

The good news is that I've realized all of this, and I know how to turn it all around. The trick is to catch it quickly, let it go and choose a better feeling thought. Even if I am not paying attention to a specific thought, I have learned to pay attention to how I am feeling and often I realize that I am tensing up, or my stomach muscles are tightening, and little clues like that. As soon as I feel that, take a breath, choose something, anything in my view or that I can bring to mind to appreciate and be thankful for, and instantly I am back on target.

It used to be that I would have one negative thought, then another, and another, and they would build upon one another until I became upset, angry or just bummed. Now it rarely gets to that point. Awareness is power, and then I can choose better feeling thoughts, then more, and more. Circumstances do not guide my life, my choices do, and as long as I get to choose, I am going to choose to feel good.


No Matter How Many Praiseworthy Things I Find With Others, It Will Not Change Me. That's Because I Wouldn't Have Seen Them Without Changing Me.

Spread Some Joy Today--Praise yourself. Find praiseworthy things to recognize. Feel good about yourself, love yourself.

Daily Inspiration 8-14-18

"Opportunity never knocks. 

It hangs thick in the air all around you. 

You breathe it unthinking, 

and dissipate it with your sighs." 

-- Roy H Williams 

[Classic post from 6-16-14]

Opportunity is a perception. One might perceive that opportunities are limited and that there isn't enough of them to go around, or one could see them as grains of sand in the Sahara Desert, so plentiful that they remain uncountable, and all the perceptions in between. It is also a personal view, adding to a personal belief and philosophy that has an effect on much of what we do, and the choices we make or fail to make. Yet, it is not static. It can change, and as it is changed, results and effects are changed.

I was talking with an upbeat young man about job hunting and finding work and different ways to go about that. A common approach with young people is to have them go out and get applications and fill them out like throwing spaghetti against the wall and hoping something sticks. A numbers game.

Here are some things I shared with him. First, I've hired a lot of people and I would never, ever, run an ad in the newspaper. Why? Because of the dribble, I have to wade through in order to find a decent candidate. I tried it a few times so I have experience, but never again and not for the last 25 years anyway.

Second, there are so many who just go into popular places and pick up applications. What a waste of time generally, and the odds of winning at that are slim. Again, it's a numbers game, and the numbers are not in one's favor with this path.

Third. I've had a lot of jobs and different kinds of experiences and I can think of only two positions where I ever filled out an application before I got the job. All the others, I filled it out after I got the job. I think many young people think that doesn't make sense, but it makes all the sense in the world.

Fourth, it is who you know. We all need somebody. Put the word out in a lot of different ways of what you might be looking for in the way of an opportunity and it is amazing how this person knows that person who knows this person who thinks there is an opening. It's called networking.

Fifth, find some 'centers of influence' and get to know them. These are people who know a lot of people and who are benevolent and excited about helping others to succeed. Many are entrepreneurs and they appreciate gumption and self-starters.

Sixth, why follow the path everyone else is on. There are so many businesses that need part-time help from electrical contractors to auto dealers to light manufacturing to beauty shops to you name it. Forget the mall because everyone and his brother are going there, find a different path. The opportunities are endless.

And seventh, what about starting your own business? This is especially good for freedom of time to work around school schedules and more. The point is that there are so many ways that are ignored, or just not thought of, and networking is the first place to start. Of course, the same things apply to adults looking for a job or opportunity.


What We See Is What We Get. But, We Can Open Our Eyes And See Much More. 

Spread Some Joy Today--There is such joy in new ideas and new excitement! It's the best.

Daily Inspiration 8-13-18

"A person is limited

only by the thoughts that he chooses." 

-- James Allen 

[Classic post from 6-14-14]

"No matter how old you are now. You are never too young or too old for success or going after what you want. Here's a short list of people who accomplished great things at different ages

1) Helen Keller, at the age of 19 months, became deaf and blind. But that didn't stop her. She was the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
2) Mozart was already competent on keyboard and violin; he composed from the age of 5.
3) Shirley Temple was 6 when she became a movie star on "Bright Eyes."
4) Anne Frank was 12 when she wrote the diary of Anne Frank.
5) Magnus Carlsen became a chess Grandmaster at the age of 13.
6) Nadia Comăneci was a gymnast from Romania that scored seven perfect 10.0 and won three gold medals at the Olympics at age 14.
7) Tenzin Gyatso was formally recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama in November 1950, at the age of 15.
8) Pele, a soccer superstar, was 17 years old when he won the world cup in 1958 with Brazil.
9) Elvis was a superstar by age 19.
10) John Lennon was 20 years and Paul McCartney was 18 when the Beatles had their first concert in 1961.
11) Jesse Owens was 22 when he won 4 gold medals in Berlin 1936.
12) Beethoven was a piano virtuoso by age 23
13) Issac Newton wrote Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica at age 24
14) Roger Bannister was 25 when he broke the 4 minute mile record
15) Albert Einstein was 26 when he wrote the theory of relativity
16) Lance E. Armstrong was 27 when he won the Tour de France
17) Michelangelo created two of the greatest sculptures "David" and "Pieta" by age 28
18) Alexander the Great, by age 29, had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world
19) J.K. Rowling was 30 years old when she finished the first manuscript of Harry Potter
20) Amelia Earhart was 31 years old when she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean
21) Oprah was 32 when she started her talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind
22) Edmund Hillary was 33 when he became the first man to reach Mount Everest
23) Martin Luther King Jr. was 34 when he wrote the speech "I Have a Dream."
24) Marie Curie was 35 years old when she got nominated for a Nobel Prize in Physics
25) The Wright brothers, Orville (32) and Wilbur (36) invented and built the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight
26) Vincent Van Gogh was 37 when he died virtually unknown, yet his paintings today are worth millions.
27) Neil Armstrong was 38 when he became the first man to set foot on the moon.
28) Mark Twain was 40 when he wrote "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", and 49 years old when he wrote "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
29) Christopher Columbus was 41 when he discovered the Americas
30) Rosa Parks was 42 when she refused to obey the bus driver's order to give up her seat to make room for a white passenger
31) John F. Kennedy was 43 years old when he became President of the United States
32) Henry Ford Was 45 when the Ford T came out.
33) Suzanne Collins was 46 when she wrote "The Hunger Games"
34) Charles Darwin was 50 years old when his book On the Origin of Species came out.
35) Leonardo Da Vinci was 51 years old when he painted the Mona Lisa.
36) Abraham Lincoln was 52 when he became president.
37) Ray Kroc Was 53 when he bought the McDonalds Franchise and took it to unprecedented levels.
38) Dr. Seuss was 54 when he wrote "The Cat in the Hat".
39) Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger III was 57 years old when he successfully ditched US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009. All of the 155 passengers aboard the aircraft survived
40) Colonel Harland Sanders was 61 when he started the KFC Franchise
41) J.R.R Tolkien was 62 when the Lord of the Ring books came out
42) Ronald Reagan was 69 when he became President of the US
43) Jack LaLanne at age 70 handcuffed, shackled, towed 70 rowboats
44) Nelson Mandela was 76 when he became President"

 --Pablo.


Boy, I Got Off Easy On This One, But It Was So Well Said I Couldn't Resist. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by releasing those self-imposed limitations. Do it anyway. Do it for the heck of it. Do it for the joy in it.

Daily Inspiration 8-12-18

"Life is full

of obstacle illusions."

-- Grant Frazier

[Classic post from 6-12-14]

I've been reintroduced to goal setting philosophies as part of a youth mentoring program I just entered. Let's see, there are short-term and long-term goals, then there is the SMART goal system--Specific requiring precise action, Measurable and tangible so we can see it coming together, Attainable so that we aren't just dreaming, Realistic, so that we aren't pulling the wool over our eyes, and Time-Based, so that it has some sort of deadline.

These are great if someone can truly relate to them and make use of them. I have studied goal setting most of my life by reading books, going to seminars, listening to tapes and more. I've heard from and read some of the best in the world on the subject. I've tried and tried and tried with this program and that, this form and that, this philosophy and that, this success secret and that. None of them helped me a bit.

It's probably just me. I'm sure all my readers are avid goal-setters and have the system, whatever it is, down to a science and you're fulfilling all your life desires with precision, focus and accountability. You probably fill out goal setting sheets for all your goals and keep them in a notebook, checking, re-checking and updating your progress. Or not. Maybe you do. Frankly, I haven't met anyone who does this well, but it could be you. You'll have to send me an email and tell me all about your success secrets.

It's not that I don't have goals from time to time. It's just that I finally gave up on all that other stuff and just did what I found worked for me. What that was is to find my desire, focus on it, build energy upon it, execute activity with that in mind, and stay on target. We could call that the FDFBES system I suppose, but that won't really help much.

Decide what you want, and make sure it is something you want and not something you think you should want, or that someone else wants for you. You alone decide. Since you want it, focus on it. Get all the delicious details spinning around your head. Watch videos, get brochures. Build energy around it. See it, feel it, touch it in your mind, picture yourself there doing it enjoying it, drinking all the joy of it in. With those thoughts in mind, act on your inspirations. Be fearless enough to take some steps without necessarily seeing the whole picture. Step out in faith. And last, stay with it through temporary obstacles which may be many. It's just your own ego trying to keep you in place. Heck with that! You still want this, don't you? Then stick to the vision!

That works for me, and the more visual it is, the better!


What Is It That You Said You Wanted?

Spread Some Joy Today--Tomorrow is another day. There is only now. All joy is felt and created in the now. Just do it. Waiting until tomorrow will not help.

Daily Inspiration 8-11-18

"Listening to both sides of a story 

will convince you that there is more 

to a story than both sides." 

-- Frank Tyger 

[Classic post from 6-6-14]

We are conditioned during childhood to believe that there is only one reality, and that is not even close to what is true. One person's reality is the reality to them, and another person's reality is real for them, and there can be a reality that is real for every single person on the planet. They are all real to them.

I bring this up for two reasons. One is to point out that everyone has their own reality and they are all real to them. And two, to suggest that if we were to have flexibility in the belief of our reality--just enough to allow us to see other realities--this would go far in allowing us to come together, and work together.

It is easy for us to be judgmental of others because their reality doesn't match our own. Though we may find some who we think do share our reality, it is more likely that we just share some values. This is a good way to come together, but we will never really know the other person's reality completely, yet finding some commonalities is a really good start.


This Is How Enemies Can Become Friends. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by celebrating your life and all that is around you.

Daily Inspiration 8-10-18

"Happiness is not having what you want. 

It is wanting what you have." 

-- Rabbi Hyman Schachtel 

[Classic post from 6-1-14]

Of all the things we want, it makes sense that to want the things we already have is at least one of the keys to a happier life. We will never stop wanting things, nor should we. It is the discovery of what we want which is based in large part in what we don't want that leads us on all of our desirous journeys. And, it's okay to not want things we have anymore and let them go, and if they are not appreciated or wanted, letting them go is a perfect response and activity. Someone else will want those things.

Being happy with what we have is a healthy idea. It is so because it means we are wanting what we have, and wanting what we already have means that we spend less time looking for happiness in some other place, or thing, or person. Besides, happiness doesn't come from getting things, it comes from gratitude and joy and the feeling of at least a few moments of enough. It is a contented place; a comfortable place; a place to enjoy.

Whatever we have that we no longer want or need then takes up negative space. Release it and give it away so that someone else can enjoy it. This is a great way to share some joy that we once had in what we no longer care much about. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.


Cleaning Out The Negative Space. . . 

Spread Some Joy Today--See joy landing on everyone you see today. Intention is a powerful sharing device.

Daily Inspiration 8-9-18

"I don't believe in being

serious about anything. 

I think life is too serious 

to be taken seriously." 

-- Ray Bradbury 

[Classic post from 5-31-14]

What a great quote. The older I get and the wiser I become, I find that this quote resonates with me more. How much of my life have I taken so seriously, and how did that help me along my path? Based on my own reflection, it didn't. In fact, the opposite was more of the truth. We are all a bunch of serious people.

Richelle E Goodrich says to "take a step back. Draw in a deep breath. Now ask yourself, 'So what?' Then, after answering, ask yourself again, 'So what?' And a third time: 'So what?' Chances are you'll come to realize that the issue at hand is not as dire, detrimental, or important as you first thought."

Then, there is the contrary point of view by Oscar Wilde: "One must be serious about something if one wants to have any amusement in life." How many times has that proven to be the case in my life? Many, many times. Along with Mr. Wilde, Martin Rubin is in agreement with, "the only reason to take anything seriously is to make it more fun."

Today, I tell people that my only goal in life is simply to enjoy myself. A better way to say that might be to INjoy myself. I am rather curious about how often and how long I can be in joy so that works. And, the only way that I can enjoy and be in joy is by not taking anything very seriously. That is the opposite of the way I used to live and I am certain now which path is more fruitful.


Here's A Great Question I Have On My Wall: Is There Joy In This? Another Sign Says: Lighten Up! Have More Fun! I Need Reminders . . . 

Spread Some Joy Today--by being injoy.

Daily Inspiration 8-8-18

"Busy is a drug 

that a lot of people 

are addicted to." 

-- Rob Bell 

[Classic post from 5-28-14]

I am periodically reminded about just how busy people are, or seem to be. So busy in fact, that there is no time to talk, regardless of how important it might be, nor is there any remaining capacity for making decisions because being busy is in and of itself a focal point. I'm surprised that people even bother to answer the phone in this condition.

I'm not honing in on anyone in particular because my business partner and I both see this so much that, though it shouldn't by now, it does seem to continually amaze us. Some are so busy they cannot answer the phone at any time of the day, yet they seem to be on the phone all day long. Many are so busy doing their work that they have no time or energy to do it well. Some are just downright rude, and also arrogant as if they were the only busy people doing such important things and they are the only ones who can do it.

Well, that's sort of where it comes into play, isn't it? I'm so busy because I'm the only one who can deal with this and I am in a position of authority and so I am required to deal with this and so on and on.

Of course, the truth is something else. It may actually be they are addicted to busyness. I think I know some like that. Then, many are managers and yet they aren't really managers so much because good managers know how to delegate. Managing is getting work done through and with others, not by ourselves.

Most of it is really ego I think. We like being busy. It makes us feel needed, important, in charge, it creates some juice and it feels good even if it feels stressful at the same time. There is a definite reward in it.

Yet, we need to respect each other and each other's time. I do this because I understand busy people pretty much. I like to make appointments so that we can discuss something worthy of attention and try to make decisions, movement, get answers, create synergy and more. Appointments are a form of respect as long as we are not wasting their time on things not important to them.

So, it comes down to this. To you busy people--I appreciate how busy can take so much attention. If I'm a vendor or partner or valued party, then give me an appointment when you have time and I will do the same. At this time, let us give each other our attention with none or minimal interruption. Let's keep it no longer than it need be because we know that more busyness awaits. Thank you for your time, and more than this, for your attention.


Quality Attention Is So Valuable, And Often Very Rare. Let Us Create More Space For It In Our Busy Lives. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Stick a little stone in your pocket and every time you touch it, find something to be thankful for. It is a gratitude rock. Heck, put one in each pocket, or carry it around in your hand.

Daily Inspiration 8-7-18

"Do we have to stare death in the face 

to make us stand up and confront Resistance?" 

-- Steven Pressfield 

[Classic post from 5-27-14]

Steven Pressfield wrote a book all about Resistance (he uses the capital 'R') titled, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles. I have read it, and there is much that I agree with and that resonates with me about what Resistance is and how it can feel like a power. Another way to express Resistance is in defining the ego--or, is that Ego?

The premise is to recognize the Resistance and to power through it because Resistance is holding you back and where you really want to be is over there, so bust through and get over there.

He also recognizes that Resistance is purely an internal struggle to stay safe, secure, unchangeable. Yet the Resistance is disguising what we really want as too much work, unattainable, unpredictable, by guiding us back to our comfort zone where life is uncomplicated and familiar. In other words, it is fear.

Powering through is one way to get it done, and it is a popular notion throughout literature and stories, fighting the good fight over evil and all of that stuff. Yet that way through is only for the truly brave and courageous. There may be a way for the rest of us.

This is just my opinion, but if you think about the whole idea of resistance, the opposite of that is not bravery or courage or power. It is acceptance. Another way to say that is to release. We might sometimes think of acceptance is 'taking up,' and that to release is 'letting go of,' yet acceptance to me is really letting go of resistance, so release and acceptance are the same, or that release is the idea, and acceptance is the action of release. By accepting, we release the resistance while recognizing its only power is in the struggle against it.

Try it for yourself. As you go through your day and you encounter resistance in its many forms and names, try recognizing it as resistance, accepting it as resistance, and thereby release any struggle against it. Allow it to be what it is and that it has no more power over you than you are willing to give it by your struggle. No struggle, no power. And, it didn't require a bit of courage, bravery or strength.


The Weakest Among Us Has As Much Power As Is Needed. Hint: It Doesn't Require Power. It Only Requires Perspective. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Let go, let God, ENJOY the journey.

Daily Inspiration 8-6-18

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; 

it empties today of its strength." 

-- Corrie Ten Boom 

[Classic post from 5-26-14]

As much as we think that worrying about something will protect us from the future, or help us in the future, it merely, and most effectively, saps us of the present. It takes whatever power we have in the present and portions it to another time-space that is yet to come, and may never come. Worry is a waste of our today in hopes of some redeeming value at another time. It is a lie.

If we really think about worry, we will find that it is merely a fear about something that might happen in the future, but the reality is that it is extremely rare that it comes to pass, so it is not helpful but most unhelpful instead. Anything that drains us of our peace, presence, effectiveness, and joy in the present for anything potential in the future is harmful at best.

Worry is always in the future and often based upon the past or some fantasy about either. Just let go. It only has power as you give it power.


What If Everything Worked Out Perfectly? What If All My Hopes Are Realized?

Spread Some Joy Today--What if you had some joy today? What if you shared it? How would that feel?

Daily Inspiration 8-5-18

"Practice appreciating 

for the first fifteen minutes 

you are awake every day." 

-- Doc Childre 

[Classic post from 5-25-14]

This is as excellent a strategy for joyful days as I have ever seen. Doc Childre goes on to say, "Appreciation first thing in the morning is one of the most valuable efforts you can make to create more heart coherence in your system and release you from old attitudes that no longer serve you."

I have found that the best way to do this is to stay in bed as I'm awakening, and then purposefully, let my mind play with things to appreciate, such as the way the covers and my body relate in the morning. When I get into bed versus at the time to get up, the bed feels so much more a part of me and I love that feeling. I think about the sun coming up and spreading its wings of life-giving light and warmth. The glass in the window that allows me to see and yet protects me from rain and wind.

Then there's the bathroom. What a wonderful invention. Try to compare what you have now to what Abraham Lincoln had for a bathroom when he was a boy. Then, take it a bit further to the sink and the magic faucet that when turned not only brings clean, drinkable water immediately that we did nothing to achieve except turn the faucet, but it brings the magic of hot water for our pleasure! Think of the floor, whether it is tile, linoleum, wood products, or cement. It isn't dirt! It still is dirt in a large part of the world today. As well, Abraham Lincoln's childhood bathroom (an outhouse many feet away from the house) would still be a luxury in certain parts of the world today.

The list of things to be thankful for and to appreciate in America today is pretty much endless. So, fifteen minutes could go by pretty quickly; however, I don't think it requires even that much time. Even if it were five minutes, there would be so much to gain from starting your day with this point of view. It is likely to help the rest of your day follow along.


Just Imagine Every Day Beginning This Way. . . It Might Will Dramatically Change Your Life! 

Spread Some Joy Today--by constantly seeking joy. Spreading it requires no effort.

Daily Inspiration 8-4-18

"Practice is as valuable as the sale. 

The sale will make you a living; 

the skill will make you a fortune." 

-- Jim Rohn 

[Classic post from 5-24-14]

I rarely use quotes more than once, but this one is so perfect, I just have to use it again. In my personal experience, few businesses and few salespeople realize how important practice is. In fact, this idea goes way beyond business and is at the heart of how I have developed more patience in my life--through consistent and purposeful practice.

Jim Rohn became one of my primary mentors back in about 1980. Over the years, I've bought and read his books, listened to his tape sets, and generally followed his philosophy of business and life. His philosophy is so simple and home-grown that anyone can get it and it can make all the difference to those who decide to practice it.

I remember so clearly one of his tape sets where he talked about people who are continually getting ready. He said something to the effect that, "if you were building a building and you bring building materials to the site, then you go get some more and keep bringing more to the site and yet never build anything, people are going to begin to wonder about you." I find in sales and in business endeavors as well as many in school who are continually bringing building materials to the site, yet they fail to build anything.

Maybe there's a missing piece, so they go back and find that, or there is some other skill that they've just got to have and they hold off until they've got that skill. It makes me think of a college student who never graduates. They can't decide on their final major, so they just keep learning. I'm very much into lifelong learning, but not that way.

This is true with "outside salespeople." Here's a wonderful quote from Jim Rohn on that subject: "Sometimes we don't ask for productivity right away. All we ask for at first is activity. Now, it's pretty easy to check activity. If someone joined the sales organization and he is supposed to make ten calls the first week, it's pretty simple on Friday to say, "John, how many calls did you make?" John says, "Well. . ." You say, "John, 'Well,' won't fit in my little box here." And John starts on a story. You say, "John, the reason why I made this box so small is so a story won't fit. I just need an activity number from one to ten."

"If the results on activity after the first week are not good, that has to be a signal. You might try another week. Ultimately, you've got to be the judge about how far you will go in putting a team together with somebody's lack of precise activity."

That awesome quote and story are so perfect to keep in mind for us as business owners, managers, and sales trainers. It also applies as well to our own children.

One last repeatable quote from the master, Jim Rohn: "Life asks us to make measurable progress in reasonable time. That's why they make those fourth-grade chairs so small--so you won't fit in them at age twenty-five!"


Moving The Needle Can Be A Challenge. Or Not. It Depends On The Results We Expect Or Want. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Stick to your vision of having joy every day. It could happen on its own, but that could take a while. You can always take charge and ensure it.