Daily Inspiration 11-25-14

THANKSgiving Week Thoughts 

"If you concentrate on finding 

whatever is good in every situation, 

you will discover that your life 

will suddenly be filled with gratitude, 

a feeling that nurtures the soul." 

 -- Rabbi Harold Kushner 

Today is day three of the THANKSgiving Week Thoughts and it's all about giving thanks and filling myself with gratitude.

Things were what I focused on yesterday and starting with all the little things we take for granted yet can be thankful for and create a flow of thankful thoughts. Running water from the sink faucet, hot showers, toilet paper, washing machines, rubber tires. Indeed, there are thousands of things that we can express our thankfulness for and that we are thankful for except that they blend in and we just don't see them anymore in that way. Renewing that relationship helps to prime the pump and get the juices of thankfulness moving. Writing them down helps.

But, today, let's venture into the so-called 'harder' things to find thanks in. You know, the people who did you wrong, the job you hate, the politicians who don't care, your parents and how they never seemed to encourage you or fill in the blank. We all have had experiences, made decisions that we blame for some experiences we would rather forget. It's those things.

It's not about forgiveness. It's not even about letting go. Although those things seem to help, for these stronger ones it takes more. It takes finding the good and then becoming grateful for them instead of wanting to forget them.

I've dealt with a number of things from my past in this way. Enlightened philosophers and sages say there are no mistakes and that everything happens for a reason and everything is in perfect order. Trying to accept that premise just for a bit is helpful to find that silver lining in the midst of what we might have thought of as a tragedy, a mistake, something to forget.

At first, it is very hard to find good in it, so a good question is, 'if there could be something good in this, what might it be?' We get so stuck sometimes with our limited perceptions. Shakespeare said it perfectly: "Tis nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so." We just need a shift in perspective.

I have become thankful for virtually every situation or circumstance in my life now by facing them and finding the good and becoming thankful for the situation. This includes deaths of loved ones, so-called serious judgment errors, thinking my parents were ill-prepared for child rearing and much more. It is all perfect now and there is no fault because there is now nothing but gratitude for what was.


This Helps Live Today Free Of Baggage, Or At The Very Least, To Travel Much Lighter. Anchors Away! 

Spread Some Joy Today--Let joy be your compass today.

Daily Inspiration 11-24-14

THANKSgiving Week Thoughts 

"Sometimes the little things in life 

mean the most." 

-- Ellen Hopkins 

Some things are really easy to be grateful for, and for many, they don't come along regularly enough to help them become a grateful person. And certainly, the things that so many can never be grateful for because they are mean, nasty, evil, wrong, along with a lot of other descriptions. So with these, gratitude, or being thankful is rare enough.

Yesterday, I said that in day one that the message or recommendation is to make a decision to become a grateful, thankful person. Today is day two in the THANKSgiving Week Thoughts, and I will add what I think is the easiest and fastest way to open the floodgates to becoming a grateful person.

My grandmother used to tuck us in at night and tell us to count our blessings. It didn't mean too much to me then, but it is one of my main joys today. I now do it so much in my head, but writing it down is so excellent. This morning, I took just fifteen minutes and filled two and a half pages on college ruled lined paper. There were things, people, and more. As I sat there thinking and looking around my office, I would find another and that would cause me to find another, then one would just pop in my head. If I would have kept going I might have filled a whole binder. This is a wonderful place to begin.

Often we have hundreds of possessions and don't give them any thought or appreciation. Sometimes when I think of how thankful I am for something, I like to mention it to the appropriate party. I thought of my old stereo speakers that I was enjoying the sounds of this morning. They are Polk Audio 10 speakers, so I went on facebook, found their page and thanked them for these wonderful speakers that play as good as when they were new, yet I bought them in 1983. Look at all the enjoyment they have given me for so many years.

Sometimes it is mundane, yet very important products that we use in the home that comes to my mind. Here's one: toilet paper. I am so thankful for that invention and the creative people always making it better. Facial tissues are like that too. Toothpaste, hair shampoo in just your favorite smell and shampoo excellence.

I just have to think about the supermarket grocery store and I am in instant gratitude. This is a relatively recent invention where you can find almost anything to eat you could possibly want. How about double pane windows? They changed the environment in my home completely. My iPhone 5S. What a work of magic it is. Digital cameras, Memory cards, USB memory sticks, and more. The cloud. The Internet. My car. My truck. Music. Musicians. Electric guitars. Recorded music. Concerts. My HD TV and Blue Ray Player.

As you make your own list and keep adding to it, gratitude just builds and builds and more things that you are thankful for will come to you to appreciate again.


There Is Such A Wealth Of Things To Be Thankful For. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by seeing through eyes that find positive aspects in things and other people. As you acknowledge their existence, joy is a result.

Daily Inspiration 11-23-14

THANKSgiving Week Thoughts 

"So once in every year, we throng 

Upon a day apart, 

To praise the Lord with feast and song 

In thankfulness of heart." 

-- Arthur Guiterman 

To so many, Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family, some of which we may only see once a year at events like this holiday. It's a time to share being grateful for one another, enjoy the fruits of our labors by creating a feast that is easily five times what we would normally cook for a meal. It is a day set apart for giving thanks.

To others, it is a day of dread. They may not have family, or family that cares. They may be poor and have no feasting plans. They may be lost and feel alone. There are organizations and people who try to alleviate some of this like The Salvation Army, Local Shelters, Anthony Robbins Foundation, and many more with volunteers from all walks of life.

To some, it is an obligation. It is an expectation. And that is often mixed in smaller and larger doses to the whole mix.

I've always disliked the obligation aspect of this and so I focus on the word thanks. I do that because regardless of what our individual circumstances, there are things we can be thankful for, and even if we are not known as a grateful person, we might go along with the spirit of this holiday and express our thankfulness for any and all things we could find that we are or could be thankful for.

So, for this 7-day period of Thanksgiving week beginning today, I will focus on finding ways, things, people, events, circumstances, and more to be thankful for.

There are so many things that we simply take for granted that if we thought about them from a different perspective, we could find waves of gratitude. In recent years I have become such a grateful person and I see things, people, and circumstances every hour of every single day now that used to pass my glazed over eyes. Now I see them, and I think that this began with a desire to be a grateful person. I remember reading so clearly the first time in the Bible to "give thanks in all things." It didn't say some things, or once a year, but all things and that would be all the time.

Day one of this week's THANKSgiving Week Thought message is just that: Choose to be a grateful person. Regardless of your religious beliefs, or even whether you have any at all, that Bible quote to give thanks in all things is as valid and effective and true. Decide today. Try it for just one week. I guarantee you will never go back.


"If The Only Prayer You Said In Your Whole Life Was, 'Thank You,' That Would Suffice." --Meister Eckhart 

Spread Some Joy Today--by making a list of things you are grateful for. You will need a large binder.

Daily Inspiration 11-22-14

"Here is a relationship booster 

that is guaranteed to work: 

Every time your spouse or lover 

says something stupid 

make your eyes light up 

as if you just heard something brilliant." 

-- Rumi 

Just helping prepare a positive and upbeat flow of relationships for the upcoming annual feast of Thanksgiving. What a great place to start, regardless of the relationship.


You'll Soon Enough See The Value Your Kindness. 

Spread Some Joy Today--What can you do to help prepare? That will spread some joy.

Daily Inspiration 11-21-14

"There is a thinking stuff 

from which all things are made, 

and which, in its original state, 

 permeates, penetrates, and fills 

the interspaces of the universe." 

-- Wallace D Wattles 

The quote above comes from the book, The Science of Getting Rich, Financial Success Through Creative Thought by Wallace D Wattles. I first bought this book on audio and I just loved hearing so many of the simple lines in this book that hold such depth of meaning that one can come back to them again and again.

This book was originally published in 1910 and was the inspiration for the movie and then the book, The Secret. It is only 79 pages and a pleasure to read or listen to on audio.

There are several key points in the book and I want to address just one of them right now. I was thinking about how I think that success is simply doing your best with what you have to work with. The key part of that sentence is simply doing your best. Then I remembered how Wallace Wattles talked about that in his book.

Once a person's mind is made up as to what they want, he indicates that we must act. In the action it isn't about the result, it is about the presence of the person and the willingness to focus on today's tasks. I'll let him tell it:

"And your action, whatever it is, must most likely be in your present business or employment and must be upon the persons and things in your present environment.

You cannot act where you are not; you cannot act where you have been, and you cannot act where you are going to be; you can act only where you are.

Don't bother as to whether yesterday's work was well done or ill done; do today's work well.

Do not try to do tomorrow's work now; there will be plenty of time to do that when you get to it.

Do not try, by occult or mystical means, to act on people or things that are out of your reach.

Do not wait for a change of environment, before you act; get a change of environment by action.

You can so act upon the environment in which you are now, as to cause yourself to be transferred to a better environment.

Hold with faith and purpose the vision of yourself in the better environment, but act upon your present environment with all your heart, and with all your strength, and with all your mind."

Doing Our Best Right Here And Now Is Great Advice. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by focusing on right now today. Joy is not a promise, it is a current event.

Daily Inspiration 11-20-14

"If you had started doing anything 

two weeks ago, 

by today you would have been 

two weeks better at it." 

-- John Mayer 

Today marks the 1,878th post in this blog, just into its sixth year. In all this time, I've missed one day. It was the day my wife died. I chose to mark it that way. In all this time I have reposted approximately 5 or 6 posts, so pretty much, they are new every day. That's a lot of new every day, and it requires the 'c' word--commitment.

I do my best to be inspired before I begin writing. It might come in a minute, or it might take hours, but eventually, I have to sit down and write or it will not get done. There are dry days and wet days. Some days it flows, and other days it might be a real challenge, yet via the idea of commitment, it always gets done. It might sometimes spill into the next morning, but it gets done.

When I'm inspired, I feel brilliant. That doesn't necessarily mean that I am, but I feel that I am. Other times, I think it might be a poor effort, especially when I read it the following morning. And, that is so interesting to me when after one that I think I missed the quality mark on, I might get several people responding saying that this particular message was speaking volumes to them personally at the perfect time when they needed such inspiration. Often, I laugh at that to myself because I thought I missed it completely.

Then there are times I feel brilliant and I get nothing. All this used to amaze me, but it doesn't anymore. I just show up, do my best to be inspired, give it my best shot at being brilliant, and let it sail away. That's all my part requires, and the rest is up to the reader. I share my thoughts, joy, love and how it is received is not in my realm of control.

This applies to so many things in life where we don't really have control over the outcome, but we certainly do have control over the activity. If we put ourselves out there with a positive attitude, expressing ourselves as best we can under the circumstances and with what knowledge and skill we currently possess, that is totally our job in life. What comes of that is up to the rest of the universe.


I Rest My Pen In Joy. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by being the best that you can be. There is no more.

Daily Inspiration 11-19-14

"What are the real differences

between impatience and eagerness? 

Fear and joy." 

-- Albert K Strong 

To some sales managers, business owners, and others who have charge of others to do things for an organization or firm, impatience is often set as a virtue. They may think that when you've got to get it done, the motivation to achieve that end comes through the impatience to succeed. Yet I have learned that impatience is just another name for fear.

What I've learned about fear could fill a book easily, and one of the things I know about fear is that whatever motivation it creates is extremely short-lived and actually counterproductive in the long run. This is especially true in sales I think.

Now eagerness is far more useful and it comes from love and joy and desire. That creates a motivation that moves mountains. It is also long-term by nature.

So how does a sales manager, business owner, or other leader create eagerness in people? You don't. You encourage it. How do you do that? By not leading from fear. Lead with love. Well, how do I make them get the job done? You can't make them do anything. You can only encourage them, and fear is not an encouragement.

How does this love thing work? It begins by hiring the right people. I love the Jim Rohn quote about this where he says, "Good people are found, not changed. Recently, I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach our people to be nice. We simply hire nice people.' Wow! What a clever shortcut."

Once we find good people, then love them, help them, encourage them, praise them, catch them doing things right, lead by example, coach them, support them. In a lot of business environments, many of these things are forgotten in the haste and busyness of the day to day challenges. It takes awareness and some patience to do these things, and they will create the best in everyone involved.


Business And Stress Are Not Synonymous. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by letting go of any and all resistance.

Daily Inspiration 11-18-14

"I don't like that man. 
I must get to know him better."

"I destroy my enemies 
when I make them my friends."

-- Abraham Lincoln

Have you ever met someone you just don't like? I'm sure you have. I have met several. It's like they just rub you the wrong way somehow. Sometimes, it is hard to even put your finger on what it is exactly. Sometimes it is glaringly clear! You might even have some choice words for how you would describe those. I know I have.

When I was in grade school, I had the pleasure of dealing with a number of bullies. I was an easy target, I'm sure. They were always acting so tough. You know, the kind who grow up to be big, burly men who like to hit women and children to show off their strength. (Just a touch of sarcasm) Anyway, every once in a while, I would see a crack in their facade and actually see a human being in there. Just like me.

When I was a very young sales manager, I had a Chevy factory rep call on me. He was rude and arrogant, never called before he just showed up and expected me to drop everything and deal with him. One day, I decided to say something to him. I said, "I don't like you. You are rude and arrogant. You never let me know you're coming and you want me to drop everything to listen to you." Well, you should have seen his chin hit the ground! He was shocked. He earnestly wanted to know more about why I felt that way and he vowed to change it immediately. We actually became friends. He invited me and my wife to dinner at their house and until they got transferred, we had a great relationship.

Sometimes people might need a little jolt to wake them out of their habitual operation. They may have no idea what effect they are having on people. Other times, you might need to catch them when they are alone and start up a conversation to learn more about them.

I can truthfully say that every person that I have not liked when I learned more about them, I liked them more and even began to respect them, and perhaps even understand them in why they have the facade that hides the real person from most others. It's very much like the wizard in the Wizard of Oz. "Ignore that man behind the curtain!" How can I? That is the real deal!

Enemies. Ever have any? People working against you, doing what they can to be victorious over you? When I make them friends by refusing to fight in the war, they can become friends instead.

I learned a good deal about this from a very good friend named Dallan. Why? Dallan just seems to love everybody with such a passion, that there is no such thing as an adversary. It is delightful and interesting to watch. Has such enthusiasm. You can see and feel the love he exudes in his face. He will just hug you until you soften. He doesn't give up. I've watched him turn angry buttheads into milk toast. He has that touch. He just loves people and I think he can see right through anyone's facade. That is a powerfully good thing. Taking an adversary and making them a friend is one of the greatest successes possible in life, I think.

You know, we are all just looking for love and recognition and understanding. The more we give those things to other people, the more we get for ourselves. It is so interesting how that works. You have to give in order to get. Ahead of time.

Makes you just want to go find someone you don't like and make them a friend!


I Can Never, Ever Have Enough Friends!

Spread Some Joy Today--Tell A Few People You Love Them. It Will Make Their Day!

Daily Inspiration 11-17-14

"The mediocre teacher tells. 

The good teacher explains.

The superior teacher demonstrates. 

The great teacher inspires."

-- William Arthur Ward

In one way or another, I have been teaching all my life. As the oldest of five, I was thrust into this role at an early age. As a teacher, I have evolved through the levels as shown in the quote above. I learned from watching other teachers and how they did things and how people responded to them--especially how I responded to them. You see, as a teacher, I am also a life-long student. The more I know, the more I see there is to know.

Considering all the teachers I've seen, the ones I even remember well were inspiring. Oh, they taught the curriculum, but they did it in a way that had me owning it, immersing myself in it, and loving it. My aim was to inspire others as they inspired me.

What I learned was that inspiration is not a tool in a tool belt, like explaining, telling or demonstrating. It is more a gift that is given to others because you are inspired. I guess it takes one to know one. . .

I don't try to inspire people. I seek inspiration every day in every way that I can. I seek to be inspired. I think it comes from delight and wonder. I might see it in a scene in a movie, a line in a song, a guitar solo, words on a page, looking at nature, the joy of a photograph, or a hundred other ways. I seek it and am open to it and it just comes right in and I am delighted, and in awe of how that happened.

If I could teach anything well, I would love to teach people to be open to and even to seek out daily inspiration. It is life-transforming once you get hold of it. Inspiration is so much fun!

Close your eyes. Think of someone you totally love. Picture them in your mind. See their smiling face. See your love reflected back at you. Let that thought pour over you like a pitcher of it being poured over your head. You are immersed in it. Enjoy it for a few moments. You've just been inspired!

The next half hour will be AWESOME!!!


Inspire Yourself! You Know You Want To!

Spread Some Joy Today--Feel The Joy In Your Love To Others Being Reflected Back To You!

Daily Inspiration 11-16-14

"Adapting is not the same 

as giving up or giving in." 

-- Albert K Strong 

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned a change in policy at a business that had the potential to have a negative effect on the independent contractors who worked within that business. The management was sternly holding fast to the decision regardless of the consequences it may have on the people involved. It is, of course, their prerogative, and that those involved can either comply or leave as they choose. Ultimatums are harsh no matter how they come and so it would be easy to be upset by this kind of scenario. I've experienced this kind of situation with employers too.

So, some get pissed off and bad mouth the decision and attempt to stir dissension, though that never, ever works like they might hope. Then, also, some just say, 'the heck with it,' and quit. Others may go along while carrying the unhappy feeling with them and that unhappiness shows up in all they do from then on. In many cases, they and everyone else would be better off if they quit too.

Quitting is one answer, and it also creates a question. Will wherever I go now be better? Am I prepared to start all over again? You can never take all your clients with you when you leave a certain place. Quitting may also be a perfect answer for some in that it sort of forces something new and something new might be exactly what they needed. In other words, it creates an opportunity for change.

Then, there is the other side. What if this was a great decision and we might have even made ourselves had we been in the owner's mindset, but we were afraid to make that kind of decision because of fear of loss? I might lose some clients, but maybe that could be a good thing? Maybe this decision that the boss made will create a far better environment than previously existed.

There are many sides to every story and every decision. We all get to respond or react as we choose. It would be in everyone's best interest to at the very least, consider the various points of view in earnest. It could be the worst thing that ever happened, and it could be the best thing that ever happened, and it could be a non-issue, or it could be a minor or a major issue. These possibilities are all there and we get to choose.

The best thing in my mind is to not react. The best thing is to not plug into any negativity surrounding the subject, The best thing would be to take some time to consider and feel our way. If we then find ourselves feeling good, it is working and if we are not, it is not. At this point, a response would be appropriate.


It's Important To Remain In Charge By Not Allowing Others Or Circumstances To Choose For Us. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Sometimes we might think that joy is a result of something, but we could never rely on such a scenario for very much joy. However, when you realize that joy is a choice, you get to choose it at will.

Daily Inspiration 11-15-14

"If it's never our fault, 

we can't take responsibility for it. 

If we can't take responsibility for it, 

we'll always be its victim." 

-- Richard Bach 

When many of us were young, we learned very well that being at fault meant punishment of some kind, and that caused pain of one kind or another. So, it became foolish to accept responsibility for something even when we were asked directly about it. It became acceptable, and may I even say, desirable to lie about it regardless of how we felt inside or whether we thought they believed us or not. It was like a basic survival learning experience of the law of cause and effect. We knew what the effect was if we were the cause.

Somehow we missed learning the real law of cause and effect and so many of us have carried this basic survival learning into adulthood; albeit, less blatantly. Blame is still easier and safer we think. But is it?

A long time ago I learned about a psychological game that makes this basic survival experience so clear to me. I see it so easily in others and then I also have learned to see it in myself and then stop and get a better handle on my thinking and actions. Here is the game:

Draw a triangle and at one point write the word Persecutor, at the next point (either one), write the word Victim, and at the last point, write the word Rescuer. Now, once you get a handle on this game, you may see it being played by a number of people including relatives. It's pretty logical. First, someone is playing the Victim portion of the game. They need a Persecutor to blame for their problems for it would be impossible in this game to accept responsibility for any of their actions. Then, there is someone who is playing the Rescuer part. They are trying to point out things that can be done to alleviate the problem, move forward, etc., but the Victim will never, ever listen seriously to a Rescuer; however, they really need them in this game. If the other two are not always in the game, there is nothing for the Victim, or the Persecutor, or the Rescuer.

For much of my life, I was a Rescuer. I call it 'swimming upstream.' It is never effective in the game because no one wants to be rescued. Logic would dictate they want to be rescued, but really, they love playing the part. They've grown accustomed to it.

There's only one way out. Step away from the game. There's only one way to step away from the game: Begin accepting responsibility for your thinking and your actions. People will still be playing the Persecutor with you, but you won't be jumping in playing the Rescuer, so you're on the outside looking in. When you are there, it is pretty clear that it's a game. Otherwise, you will always be the game's Victim. (Here's a link to see more about the Karpman Drama Triangle.)


Here's to accepting responsibility! I Create My Own Reality! 

Spread Some Joy Today--See if you see anyone playing the triangle game. . . Smile that you know the way out.

Daily Inspiration 11-14-14

"All my life I have tried to 
pluck a thistle and plant a flower

wherever the flower would grow 
in thought and mind."

-- Abraham Lincoln

Get a few million people doing this and it is a very different planet!

Let it start with me!


I Have The Power To Change The World! It Starts With Me Changing My World!

Spread Some Joy Today--See if you can pluck at least one thistle and plant one flower today.

Daily Inspiration 11-13-14

"If you can't be happy where you are,

it's a cinch you can't be happy where you ain't."

-- Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

We somehow think that circumstances, events, money, fame, love, a mate, a nice house, a secure job, or other external things have the power to give us happiness.

It isn't possible.

Happiness is something you and only you can give to yourself and it has nothing whatsoever to do with external things, circumstances or events. The love of our life doesn't have the power. Money doesn't have the power, security doesn't have the power. Only you and you alone have the power.

This is why I love Charlie "Tremendous" Jones' statement: "If you can't be happy where you are (where you live, what you have, who you're with), it's a cinch you can't be happy where you ain't (where you think you need to be in order to have happiness)."

Once this really settles into your thinking, and believe me, it took a while for me to really get this, it changes you as you feel so empowered that you really have the power to choose or not choose happiness. Not only that, but you have the power every second of every day. With that, you can actually see and feel yourself choosing to be unhappy sometimes. That is enlightening! It is so because you can then see how you have chosen unhappiness so many times in the past based solely on how you thought about something.

Once you have this power, I cannot imagine that you will ever let go of it. Though you may occasionally choose unhappiness again, you full well know, you can change it back instantly as you desire. That's like being a 5-star General, you're being so in command.

Is this not the coolest thing possible? To know who's in charge and how it is done? It is awesome! You are awesome! Command those thoughts. Make that happiness. Savor the victory!

The sweet smell of success!


You Make Me Happy? Wrong! I Make Me Happy!

Spread Some Joy Today--Make Yourself Happy Today! For No Special Reason. Make Up One If You Feel You Need To.

Daily Inspiration 11-12-14

"You don't get harmony 

when everybody sings 

the same note." 

-- Doug Floyd 

I've read some things lately about how there is an awakening happening on the planet and vibrations are being raised and awareness is alive and good thoughts, and creative thoughts are on the rise. This is sometimes lifted up as a beacon to the masses in the hopes that all will be as one in this song.

There is no doubt that there is a shift going on in some circles, and some of those circles may even include a large number of souls. Yet, I cannot succumb to the idea that this will reign in the way they claim to hope it will be: universal and complete.

I have to say, 'welcome to the real world of diversity.' Any time we think that our way is the one and true way, we are delusional to the extreme. There are lots of ways. Guess how many? As of 2013, there are reportedly 7.125 billion people on the plant, so that would mean that the potential for the number of ways might be 7.125 billion.

It's always nice to have some agreements with others, but the truest reality that I have found in my long search is that we each create our own reality. Certainly, we allow co-creators into our reality to add some flavor and color, but everyone the same? Never happen. And, I think the idea that it could happen is pure silliness.

This, of course, does not promote creating problems or ill will for others. But, knowing the number is 7.125 billion, some of that is a given purely based on odds probably.

What it comes down to is simply this: Be the best, most original and unique you that you can be. Live to enjoy and thrive, love and share. To be a part and take part. To share thoughts and ideals without insistence on having your way. The best word for that is to allow and even celebrate the differences.


How Utterly Boring And Bland Would Be A Uniform, All-Alike-Thinking World. Thank Goodness, It Is Not That. 

Spread Some Joy Today--Whoever you are. I celebrate YOU.