Hi
I was going through my email archives and came across this email. It is very powerful and I wanted to share it with you this Christmas season. I hope that it impacts you as much as it did me.
*****************
How Michael Jackson Changed My Life
Hi Fran
Without a doubt, there are few people in history that affect others like Michael Jackson did and still does. While there are people who idolize him, there are others who are sickened by the sight of him or the mention of his name.
His passing probably only strengthens how each camp already sees him. That is the challenge when talking about Michael Jackson.
So I'm going to ask now that, if you don't like him, set that aside for a few moments, however difficult that may be. It will be worth it to you. Cool? Alright. Let's go.
Because, what you must accept, embrace and keep in mind for the rest of your life is that every single person you meet, see, hear or read about can teach you important lessons... lessons on what to do or say, what not to, how to improve and become more successful or happy in life.
And Michael Jackson, for all of his problems, like everyone else, he can teach us all lessons about success in
any area of life. Those lessons can change you for the better... forever.
Now, unlike the hero-worshipper types, I personally was just fascinated by how effortlessly he moved, how he danced as if floating above the ground, and how he could sing practically any style of music.
Until the mid 1980s, when I didn't yet understand what it took to be successful at anything, I'd see talent like that and, like many other people, assumed that it was all God-given and that all came so easy to those like Michael Jackson and other accomplished, successful people. I never looked beyond the performance and asked, "How did he gain those skills?"
But a few years after "Thriller" (the best selling album of all time) came out, I saw a news story about him. In
interviews with him and those who knew him well, I learned that he had been dancing and singing and entertaining since he was a very young child, for some 18 or so years before "Thriller" was released.
He told of the years of constant practice it took to be able to move and dance and sing the way he did. Yars and years of daily practice.
Oh sure, he obviously had natural talent, like all of the most successful people in any field do. But talent alone is never enough. It cannot take you very far. All of have something that we could be great at. But sadly, few ever develop their talents to any degree. So talent alone won't take you anywhere unless you are ready, willing, and able to put the time and effort in to develop it.
So I started watching closely the most successful people in every field. It became an obsession. I read about
them, listened to them, and pondered their thought processes concerning the areas of life where they were most skilled.
Business, entertainment, sports, fitness, social skills, politics, academia... it didn't matter. Successful people share a few definite traits that make them successful.
They work at it.
And more, they love it...
Love what they do so much, they're willing to invest their time.
And like anyone whose ever studied success like I did, it became clear to me that I could change my life 180 degrees if I could just commit myself to excellence and went about learning and working toward some meaningful, worthwhile goals.
I thought, "If I could get myself to learn and study and practice the profession of sales, I could become successful at anything. I came to believe that if I could learn to motivate myself, to ignore temptation, to ignore people who wanted to keep me down, to keep my eyes on my objectives, then I could literally be anything I wanted to be.
That is what I convinced myself of.
And like Michael Jackson, I practiced with purpose for many hours each day, becoming among the best in the world in that one skillset.
And it all started with watching someone who seemed to float over the ground, as if he wasn't even touching it.
You see, with practice, we can all accomplish amazing things.
The key is to be able to gain a high level of control over your mind.
Do that and I don't care what your disability, or what excuses you've ever had for your failings or your emotional breakdowns... when you can gain control over your thoughts and emotions, you are in the driver's seat of your life.
The event that first grabbed me was seeing Michael Jackson float on air. After that, there were many other people who kept me convinced that with a powerful mind and trained skills comes success.
Now, no one will ever gain complete mastery over their minds. But the good news is, you don't have to.
You just need to control it enough to keep yourself, confident, motivated, facing in the right direction and to
never quit. That is all successful people do.
Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare?
The hare had the most God-given talent, but he didn't stay focused. The tortoise was slow, but he stayed focused on his goal and didn't quit. So he, not the hare won the race.
That is so simple to understand...
But how many people do meaningful work they love, master it and develop their talents like they expect others to do?
Not many. If most people did, the world would be a much different place.
That is what inspired me to develop and perfect what have become the most advanced thought and behavior modification programs in existence.
Each program delivers you into the minds of the most skilled people and, through a technology called Suggestopedia, installs into you the same kind of moment-by-moment thought processes and belief systems that they have pertaining to the area of life that they are extraordinary at.
Since being good at, say, making money doesn't necessarily mean that you're a healthy person... and since being a good student doesn't mean that you'll be a likable person, each skill set needed to be separated into individual programs.
That is why we don't have a generic "positive thinking" program. Because you could be a "positive thinker" with your diet, eating the healthiest foods, but at the same time "hate" exercising, and so you never reach the level of health that you want, for example.
This is why Michael Jackson could become one of the world's best dancers, singers and entertainers, but at the same time was a failure in other important parts of his life, unable to manage any degree of normality.
Make sense?
***This may not still be valid***And right now, for literally just the next few days, you can save on some of the most powerful at-home behavior modification programs we have all at 40% off. We have never had so many programs discounted so deeply at one time before.
So look at the titles below...
If you are a bit weak or feel hopeless in one or more of these areas of skill, click on their links, read about them and ask yourself this question: "Can this program help me improve my life? And if so, what would that mean to me?"
Then ask yourself again, "If that would happen, what would THAT mean to me?
I think you'll conclude that if you could control your mind related to these skill sets, and you were comfortable with the change (that is the #1 key to keeping the change), you would be able to become whatever you want to become, have what you want to have and do what you want to do.
All these programs are 40% off right now for the next few days right here:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/catalog-express.asp
-- Effective Time Management Now!
-- End Procrastination Now!
-- Financial Abundance Now!
-- The Leader's Mindset Now!
-- I Am Organized Now!
-- Setting & Achieving Goals Now!
-- Supreme Confidence Now!
-- Unstoppable Motivation Now!
Check them all out on this page now and save 40% today: - http://www.thinkrightnow.com/catalog-express.asp
No other mental training is simpler or more effective at helping you to adopt the specific habitual mental thought processes of the people who are the best at what you want to do.
Now that is a BIG claim. And they do back it up.
Check them out now before the prices go up in a few days.
Successfully yours,
Mike Brescia
PS: Ever see the book I co-authored with Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy and Denis Waitley? Get it here:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/r/greatness.asp
PPS: If you are experiencing digestive health problems, like acid reflux, diverticulitis, colitis, Crohn's, IBS,
constipation, Hiatal Hernia, etc. and want the pain to end without needing medication, get the manuals that are changing the lives of tens of thousands right now. Get them here:
- http://www.greattastenopain.com/great.asp
****
(c) copyright 2009 Think Right Now Int'l
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com
- http://www.instantinnerpower.com
- http://www.bluerockholistics.com/product/pro-ss.asp
Orders: 1-315-468-4300
Fax: 315-468-5818
About the Author Mike Brescia is a success researcher, president of Think Right Now Int'l, Inc. and developer of the world renowned Think Right Now Accelerated Success Conditioning Programs.
Mike has made it his life's mission to help others develop success habits in all areas of life through conditioning their minds with the thoughts, beliefs and attitudes of the most successful people in the world.
*The contents of this email are not to be considered medical advice.*
*****************
Have a Very Merry Christmas and a blessed and peace filled New Year
Fran
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Blessings - Winter Solstice
Blessings
The darkest day of the year, Winter Solstice, arrives on December 21st for those in the northern hemisphere. Filled with magic, the light's renewal causes me to rejoice.
How about you?
Solstice feels like the energy of the full moon, but multiplied by many big numbers. This powerful energy is part of why people are a bit nuts this time of year. If you align with the energy and celebrate it, it can renew you and restore you.
What do you feel and what do you notice?
The light in the dark forms a most life affirming notion. Yes?
Get some candles and send some blessings to people on this day. Or you can choose the time of the great world traditions of this season instead.
The idea remains the same.
Bless
Bless everyone and everything.
Bless parts of yourself you like and bless parts of yourself you don't like as much.
Bless people you like and bless people you don't like.
Bless your leaders and your politicians, the ones you like and the ones you don't like.
Gifting
This season makes for a great time to donate to good causes.
Three Recommendations -
Open Doorways Reading Room. A fellow reader of this newsletter founded it. Read more page HERE.
=> http://goo.gl/gNcbw
Heifer Project - You can help feed deserving folks, help them to be prosperous so they can educate their children, and make them wonderful independent contributing citizens. Read my article - The Perfect Gift.
=> http://goo.gl/WtCWZ
Trust for Public Land - Conserves land for people - parks gardens, wild spots. Some of my favorite places have been saved by these guys. Maybe some of your favorite places too. They work with the grass roots to make things happen. For every $1 donated TPL conserves nearly $5 worth of land.
=> http://www.tpl.org/
Walk in beauty,
William
P.S. Consider giving a membership to Body & Soul Mentor to someone you love. Maybe even to yourself.
http://bodyandsoulmentor.com/
* * * * *
Feel free to pass this newsletter on, just leave the contact information intact, fair enough?
* * * * *
Body & Soul Mentor private member web site http://www.bodyandsoulmentor.com/
My Blog and archives -- http://www.VitalArts.net/art/
My RSS feed -- http://vitalarts.net/RSSFeed.html
* * * * *
William Wittmann, M.Ed., LMP is a Life Coach and Alternative Healer.
You can subscribe to William’s Newsletter free by going to http://www.vitalarts.net/.
Vital Arts, Incorporated, 4227 E. Madison, 2-C, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
The darkest day of the year, Winter Solstice, arrives on December 21st for those in the northern hemisphere. Filled with magic, the light's renewal causes me to rejoice.
How about you?
Solstice feels like the energy of the full moon, but multiplied by many big numbers. This powerful energy is part of why people are a bit nuts this time of year. If you align with the energy and celebrate it, it can renew you and restore you.
What do you feel and what do you notice?
The light in the dark forms a most life affirming notion. Yes?
Get some candles and send some blessings to people on this day. Or you can choose the time of the great world traditions of this season instead.
The idea remains the same.
Bless
Bless everyone and everything.
Bless parts of yourself you like and bless parts of yourself you don't like as much.
Bless people you like and bless people you don't like.
Bless your leaders and your politicians, the ones you like and the ones you don't like.
Gifting
This season makes for a great time to donate to good causes.
Three Recommendations -
Open Doorways Reading Room. A fellow reader of this newsletter founded it. Read more page HERE.
=> http://goo.gl/gNcbw
Heifer Project - You can help feed deserving folks, help them to be prosperous so they can educate their children, and make them wonderful independent contributing citizens. Read my article - The Perfect Gift.
=> http://goo.gl/WtCWZ
Trust for Public Land - Conserves land for people - parks gardens, wild spots. Some of my favorite places have been saved by these guys. Maybe some of your favorite places too. They work with the grass roots to make things happen. For every $1 donated TPL conserves nearly $5 worth of land.
=> http://www.tpl.org/
Walk in beauty,
William
P.S. Consider giving a membership to Body & Soul Mentor to someone you love. Maybe even to yourself.
http://bodyandsoulmentor.com/
* * * * *
Feel free to pass this newsletter on, just leave the contact information intact, fair enough?
* * * * *
Body & Soul Mentor private member web site http://www.bodyandsoulmentor.com/
My Blog and archives -- http://www.VitalArts.net/art/
My RSS feed -- http://vitalarts.net/RSSFeed.html
* * * * *
William Wittmann, M.Ed., LMP is a Life Coach and Alternative Healer.
You can subscribe to William’s Newsletter free by going to http://www.vitalarts.net/.
Vital Arts, Incorporated, 4227 E. Madison, 2-C, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Christmas is Coming....Are You Ready?
Mary's Christmas
It was anything but an idyllic, silent night on that cool Bethlehem evening when a scared teenager gave birth to the King of kings. Mary endured the pain of her baby’s arrival without the aid of anything more than the carpentry-roughened hands of Joseph, her betrothed. Shepherds may have been serenaded in nearby fields by angels singing praises to the Baby, but all Mary and Joseph heard were the sounds of animals, birth agony, and the first cries of God in baby form. A high-magnitude star shone in the night sky above the outbuilding, but the manger scene was a dreary place for these two out-of-town visitors.
As Joseph laid the infant in Mary’s arms, a combination of wonder, pain, fear and joy must have coursed through her heart. She knew, because of an angel’s promise, that this tiny bundle was “the Son of the Highest.” (Luke 1:32) As she peered through the semidarkness into His eyes and then into Joseph’s, she must have wondered how she was going to mother this One whose kingdom would never end.
Mary had much to ponder in her heart on that special night. Now, over 2,000 years later, each of us needs to consider the importance of Jesus’ birth and His subsequent death, resurrection, and promise to return.
- Dave Branon, Our Daily Bread
Something to Think About
Based on Luke 1: 26-38 from The New Serendipity Bible for Study Groups
1. What do you think was the hardest for Mary to comprehend?
a. The fact that she was favoured by God
b. A pregnancy before marriage
c. Who her child was going to be
d. How all this fit into God’s plan
2. Why did God choose Mary to give birth to his Son?
a. She earned the honour by her holy life
b. She was at the right place at the right time
c. Her lineage was correct
d. He had her in mind from the beginning
e. Only God knows why He picked her
3. Mary’s initial reaction to the angel’s appearance was:
a. Fear
b. Confusion
c. Doubt
d. Faith
e. Concern
f. Curiousity
4. If an angel were to reveal God’s plan for my life today, I would:
a. Ask a lot of questions
b. Wonder if I had any say about it
c. Rejoice that God could use me
d. Worry about my ability to carry it off
e. Run away scared
f. I’d rather not know the future; I’d prefer to be surprised
5. After this encounter with the angel, how did Mary envision herself?
a. Ascending a throne
b. As a lowly servant
c. As a surrogate mother
d. As an ordinary person
6. Why did the angel tell Mary about Elizabeth’s condition?
a. To prove God’s power
b. To unfold the rest of God’s plan
c. To encourage her
d. To give her something else to think about
7. My biggest concern about bringing Christ to my world is:
a. I don’t know enough about Him
b. I’m not sure if Christ has entered my world
c. I never know what to say
d. I’m not sure I am ready for people’s reaction
e. My own life does not always reflect God’s holiness
f. It may require some major changes in my life
8. One way I can bring the Saviour into the world right now is to:
a. Talk about my relationship to Christ with others
b. Help those in need around me
c. Do everything in a spirit of joy and gratitude
d. Work with honesty and integrity in the marketplace
e. Persuade my family and community to observe God’s laws
f. Celebrate God’s love in worship with other believers
9. I have the easiest (E) time and the hardest (H) time believing that:
a. All the days ordained for me were written in God’s book ahead of time (Ps 139:16)
b. God has saved us and called us to holy life (2 Ti 1:8-9)
c. I am an important part of the body of Christ (1 Co 12:27)
d. In Christ I can bear fruit for His kingdom (Jn 15:5)
e. To be great, I must become a servant of Christ (mt 20:26-28)
10. If indeed “the Lord is with me,” then I am encouraged that:
a. God can use even me, despite my flaws
b. Serving Him will bring me joy and fulfillment
c. God will guide me each step of the way
d. He will carry me through my time of struggle
e. He has the power to carry out His plan
God Bless...Have a Blessed Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas
Fran Watson
http://www.franwatson.ca/
It was anything but an idyllic, silent night on that cool Bethlehem evening when a scared teenager gave birth to the King of kings. Mary endured the pain of her baby’s arrival without the aid of anything more than the carpentry-roughened hands of Joseph, her betrothed. Shepherds may have been serenaded in nearby fields by angels singing praises to the Baby, but all Mary and Joseph heard were the sounds of animals, birth agony, and the first cries of God in baby form. A high-magnitude star shone in the night sky above the outbuilding, but the manger scene was a dreary place for these two out-of-town visitors.
As Joseph laid the infant in Mary’s arms, a combination of wonder, pain, fear and joy must have coursed through her heart. She knew, because of an angel’s promise, that this tiny bundle was “the Son of the Highest.” (Luke 1:32) As she peered through the semidarkness into His eyes and then into Joseph’s, she must have wondered how she was going to mother this One whose kingdom would never end.
Mary had much to ponder in her heart on that special night. Now, over 2,000 years later, each of us needs to consider the importance of Jesus’ birth and His subsequent death, resurrection, and promise to return.
- Dave Branon, Our Daily Bread
Something to Think About
Based on Luke 1: 26-38 from The New Serendipity Bible for Study Groups
1. What do you think was the hardest for Mary to comprehend?
a. The fact that she was favoured by God
b. A pregnancy before marriage
c. Who her child was going to be
d. How all this fit into God’s plan
2. Why did God choose Mary to give birth to his Son?
a. She earned the honour by her holy life
b. She was at the right place at the right time
c. Her lineage was correct
d. He had her in mind from the beginning
e. Only God knows why He picked her
3. Mary’s initial reaction to the angel’s appearance was:
a. Fear
b. Confusion
c. Doubt
d. Faith
e. Concern
f. Curiousity
4. If an angel were to reveal God’s plan for my life today, I would:
a. Ask a lot of questions
b. Wonder if I had any say about it
c. Rejoice that God could use me
d. Worry about my ability to carry it off
e. Run away scared
f. I’d rather not know the future; I’d prefer to be surprised
5. After this encounter with the angel, how did Mary envision herself?
a. Ascending a throne
b. As a lowly servant
c. As a surrogate mother
d. As an ordinary person
6. Why did the angel tell Mary about Elizabeth’s condition?
a. To prove God’s power
b. To unfold the rest of God’s plan
c. To encourage her
d. To give her something else to think about
7. My biggest concern about bringing Christ to my world is:
a. I don’t know enough about Him
b. I’m not sure if Christ has entered my world
c. I never know what to say
d. I’m not sure I am ready for people’s reaction
e. My own life does not always reflect God’s holiness
f. It may require some major changes in my life
8. One way I can bring the Saviour into the world right now is to:
a. Talk about my relationship to Christ with others
b. Help those in need around me
c. Do everything in a spirit of joy and gratitude
d. Work with honesty and integrity in the marketplace
e. Persuade my family and community to observe God’s laws
f. Celebrate God’s love in worship with other believers
9. I have the easiest (E) time and the hardest (H) time believing that:
a. All the days ordained for me were written in God’s book ahead of time (Ps 139:16)
b. God has saved us and called us to holy life (2 Ti 1:8-9)
c. I am an important part of the body of Christ (1 Co 12:27)
d. In Christ I can bear fruit for His kingdom (Jn 15:5)
e. To be great, I must become a servant of Christ (mt 20:26-28)
10. If indeed “the Lord is with me,” then I am encouraged that:
a. God can use even me, despite my flaws
b. Serving Him will bring me joy and fulfillment
c. God will guide me each step of the way
d. He will carry me through my time of struggle
e. He has the power to carry out His plan
God Bless...Have a Blessed Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas
Fran Watson
http://www.franwatson.ca/
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Random Acts of Kindness
Random acts of kindness are those little sweet or grand lovely things we for no reason.
The unexpected kindness of a stranger
Submitted By: Betty
Yesterday, as I approached the front door of our public library, a white-haired gentleman stepped back to hold the door for me. You see, I have to go everywhere these days with a walker, and folks are constantly holding or opening doors for me, so this was not unusual.
However, I told the gentleman that the door had an automatic opener, and he did not need to stay to hold it open. He said "Here I thought I would have an opportunity to be useful."
At that, I backed up, let the door close, and allowed him to reopen the door, this time using the automatic control. His comment then was "Well, now I feel like I have accomplished something helpful and worthwhile today."
We never know, do we, how someone else is feeling… we seniors seem to feel we can take care of ourselves at all times. That random act of Kindness brightened not only my day, but to my joy and delight, also the day of that kind, gentle, white-haired senior citizen. I felt a glow for the rest of the day, and, hopefully, so did he!
So, gentle readers, never hesitate to offer kindness... you may find to your amazement that there is more kindness in your community than you ever believe possible.
"If you have not often felt the joy of doing a kind act, you have neglected much, and most of all yourself."
Author:A. Neilen
"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into a flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light." - Author:Albert Schweitzer
Check out the Random Acts of Kindness website for some ideas on how you can make life better for those around you. You'll feel better for it!
BANABU
Fran Watson
http://www.banabu.ca/
http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/Stories/Features/Kindness-101.html#
The unexpected kindness of a stranger
Submitted By: Betty
Yesterday, as I approached the front door of our public library, a white-haired gentleman stepped back to hold the door for me. You see, I have to go everywhere these days with a walker, and folks are constantly holding or opening doors for me, so this was not unusual.
However, I told the gentleman that the door had an automatic opener, and he did not need to stay to hold it open. He said "Here I thought I would have an opportunity to be useful."
At that, I backed up, let the door close, and allowed him to reopen the door, this time using the automatic control. His comment then was "Well, now I feel like I have accomplished something helpful and worthwhile today."
We never know, do we, how someone else is feeling… we seniors seem to feel we can take care of ourselves at all times. That random act of Kindness brightened not only my day, but to my joy and delight, also the day of that kind, gentle, white-haired senior citizen. I felt a glow for the rest of the day, and, hopefully, so did he!
So, gentle readers, never hesitate to offer kindness... you may find to your amazement that there is more kindness in your community than you ever believe possible.
"If you have not often felt the joy of doing a kind act, you have neglected much, and most of all yourself."
Author:A. Neilen
"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into a flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light." - Author:Albert Schweitzer
Check out the Random Acts of Kindness website for some ideas on how you can make life better for those around you. You'll feel better for it!
BANABU
Fran Watson
http://www.banabu.ca/
http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/Stories/Features/Kindness-101.html#
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Being Your Best
We moved our Japanese Maple out of the shade of the Aspens maybe a month ago, placing it closer to our front door in full sun. Before, a few leaves were red, most others green or kind of purple. Since being replanted it has exploded in an all over palette of red and crimson and scarlet and magenta. It is a constant delight. And we think it’s very happy! I hope this image delights you.As I read this quote on Paul and Layne’s blog today I thought about how it relates to people. How often do we wither when we are in the wrong workplace, the wrong relationship, the wrong situation for us?
Think of the changes you have seen in people you know when they met the “right” person, got the “right” job for them or moved out of a bad situation. Just like the Maple, they burst into life and their happiness explodes around them affecting everyone and everything.
If you are in a bad situation, you owe it to yourself to move into the light. Expose yourself to the warmth and possibilities. Explore your potential. If it is your job, look around and find another one. Don’t be trapped by false thinking. Maybe you’ve been told, “You’ve got a good job with good pay, you should stay there.” If you are unhappy, then all the money isn’t going to make you happy. You owe it to yourself to explore the type of job you really want, one that will make you happy. You are worth it.
If you are in a bad relationship, it’s time to move on. If you are in an abusive relationship, it’s time to run as fast as you can away from the situation and get yourself into a safe place. Every relationship has its ups and downs, as well as some bumps and hiccups, that’s normal, but if you can’t find any of the joy, then why stay? But be honest, not deceitful. Don’t carry on with another person while you are still in the relationship. Make a clean break. You need to get to know yourself before you start over or you may find yourself in the same type of relationship you just left.
You are what you believe you are. Your thoughts make you. Think happy, positive thoughts. Let them course through your body and burst forth like the leaves on the maple. Be bright. Be happy. Be who you really are!
To being your best self
Fran
www.banabu.ca
Friday, November 19, 2010
Paths of Life
Had you trodden a different path,
Life sweeter might have been;
And riches might have come your way,
With every day serene.
Dream not of yesteryears, I say,
But make the utmost of today.
What's the weather like today where you live? Is it bright and sunny, or is it overcast and dull like it is where I live. A dark, foggy morning can often cause a bit of depression in the kitchen, where chores must be done, or in the office, where nobody feels like singing. But, of course, such circumstances are a challenge, aren't they. Here are a few lines by Viney Wilder which may help us make it through those dull days.
Do the job that lies before you'
Keep your courage one more day.
You can never guess how often
You affect some other life
By the fact that you're a doer,
Not a quitter, in the strife.
Just say a little word today
That brings a happy smile.
Just do a little kindness which
May warm some heart a while.
Just share the burden, if you may,
Of someone on the road today.
Life is better when you are helping others. It warrms both your heart and theirs and makes everyone's day a little more pleasant, and the gift you give to others gets passed on.
Have a wonderful, wonderful day, no matter what the weather where you are.
Fran Watson
Life sweeter might have been;
And riches might have come your way,
With every day serene.
Dream not of yesteryears, I say,
But make the utmost of today.
What's the weather like today where you live? Is it bright and sunny, or is it overcast and dull like it is where I live. A dark, foggy morning can often cause a bit of depression in the kitchen, where chores must be done, or in the office, where nobody feels like singing. But, of course, such circumstances are a challenge, aren't they. Here are a few lines by Viney Wilder which may help us make it through those dull days.
Do the job that lies before you'
Keep your courage one more day.
You can never guess how often
You affect some other life
By the fact that you're a doer,
Not a quitter, in the strife.
Just say a little word today
That brings a happy smile.
Just do a little kindness which
May warm some heart a while.
Just share the burden, if you may,
Of someone on the road today.
Life is better when you are helping others. It warrms both your heart and theirs and makes everyone's day a little more pleasant, and the gift you give to others gets passed on.
Have a wonderful, wonderful day, no matter what the weather where you are.
Fran Watson
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Inspiration - You Never Know Where It Will Strike You
You never know when you may be the lucky recipient of an inspirational moment, something that causes you to take pause and think and really appreciate what you have and the incredible resilience of fellow human beings.
Last night I went with my wife to a local hole-in-the-wall pizza parlor where we heard rumor live jazz was going to be played. As our neighborhood is sadly lacking in after-hours-entertainment of this type, we showed up early and got a good seat, close to the action but not so close that you had to shout to be heard. It was a small place, probably seating about 50 people max so the setting was very intimate so we were just a few feet away from the live performers.
Within twenty minutes, the first musician climbed the stage with saxophone in hand. He did a wonderful job playing two soulful songs with the background provided by a drummer, keyboard, and bass player. He finished his second song, accepted his light applause, and returned to his table where a well deserved adult beverage awaited him.
We learned that this was how the evening was going to progress with numerous musicians of all ages and proficiencies stepping up to play a few songs and then making way for the next performer. There was a small whiteboard on a stand and whoever wanted to play just signed up, with ages ranging from what looked like about 20 to what was definitely at least 65. What fun – we were in store for some talent-filled times over the next two hours.
Enjoying our pizza, I observed the other members of the audience as they filtered in to find a seat. A pair of twins took a table next to us, an older gentleman sat at the nearby bar air-drumming along with the music, and students from the local college joined the growing ranks. I noticed a man who came in on a pair of crutches, struggling a bit to navigate the narrow path between booths and tables, but with a big smile on his face. He sat down with the twins and listened to the trombone performer currently wailing on stage. The young brass player finished his first song, took a breath, and started his second and final rendition.
About this time, I noticed the man on crutches working his way up to his feet and then carefully to the booth in front of us. I was rocking out to the jazz and assumed he just wanted to get a little closer to the action. I saw him raise a small suitcase from the floor and carefully place it on the table top. He opened it and took out a mouthpiece that was to fit on the end of the saxophone stored within. Holding it carefully while balanced on the end of the seat, he adjusted the reed and wetted it and fiddled with it, preparing for his performance.
The trombone player finished, took a bow, and headed back to his seat. The man with the crutches carefully rose with his saxophone suspended around his neck. With one crutch on his left side, he started forward, his free hand moving from chair to chair to keep him stable. The stage was about 10 feet away but it took him a few minutes to manage the distance. He was offered a chair to sit on but turned it down, instead leaning against the booth closest to the stage. Once situated, he turned to his right to face the audience and share a brief smile. The song to play was agreed upon and with a one and a two and a three, they began. And he was good. Not just good, but GOOD! Crisp, clean notes rolled from his instrument, tight harmonies with the others on stage, smooth transitions, just pure sweet music. I may have imagined it, but I swear he had a smile on his face while he was playing. He finished his first song and was heartily applauded by the audience and his fellow musicians. A quick breath and he started in on his second song which was equally as beautiful. Inside of me, I felt a pride for what he had done and admiration for what it must have taken to get here.
How difficult must it have been to focus on playing such beautiful music when at any moment you might slip from your perch and end up on the floor?
How much effort and commitment and never-say-die attitude did it take to get that good despite his physical challenges?
How much faith in himself was needed just to participate and excel amidst a group of generally younger, universally talented, and physically fit fellow musicians?
You never know where you will find inspiration. You never know when someone’s strength may become your strength. And you never know just what you might find at your local pizza parlor on an average-every-day week night.
Inspiration is everywhere if you just tune in to hear it. Now that’s music to my ears…
David Bernard is a guest blogger for PickTheBrain. He is the founder of the blog Love Being Retired.
I was inspired....hopefully you were too.
Fran
Last night I went with my wife to a local hole-in-the-wall pizza parlor where we heard rumor live jazz was going to be played. As our neighborhood is sadly lacking in after-hours-entertainment of this type, we showed up early and got a good seat, close to the action but not so close that you had to shout to be heard. It was a small place, probably seating about 50 people max so the setting was very intimate so we were just a few feet away from the live performers.
Within twenty minutes, the first musician climbed the stage with saxophone in hand. He did a wonderful job playing two soulful songs with the background provided by a drummer, keyboard, and bass player. He finished his second song, accepted his light applause, and returned to his table where a well deserved adult beverage awaited him.
We learned that this was how the evening was going to progress with numerous musicians of all ages and proficiencies stepping up to play a few songs and then making way for the next performer. There was a small whiteboard on a stand and whoever wanted to play just signed up, with ages ranging from what looked like about 20 to what was definitely at least 65. What fun – we were in store for some talent-filled times over the next two hours.
Enjoying our pizza, I observed the other members of the audience as they filtered in to find a seat. A pair of twins took a table next to us, an older gentleman sat at the nearby bar air-drumming along with the music, and students from the local college joined the growing ranks. I noticed a man who came in on a pair of crutches, struggling a bit to navigate the narrow path between booths and tables, but with a big smile on his face. He sat down with the twins and listened to the trombone performer currently wailing on stage. The young brass player finished his first song, took a breath, and started his second and final rendition.
About this time, I noticed the man on crutches working his way up to his feet and then carefully to the booth in front of us. I was rocking out to the jazz and assumed he just wanted to get a little closer to the action. I saw him raise a small suitcase from the floor and carefully place it on the table top. He opened it and took out a mouthpiece that was to fit on the end of the saxophone stored within. Holding it carefully while balanced on the end of the seat, he adjusted the reed and wetted it and fiddled with it, preparing for his performance.
The trombone player finished, took a bow, and headed back to his seat. The man with the crutches carefully rose with his saxophone suspended around his neck. With one crutch on his left side, he started forward, his free hand moving from chair to chair to keep him stable. The stage was about 10 feet away but it took him a few minutes to manage the distance. He was offered a chair to sit on but turned it down, instead leaning against the booth closest to the stage. Once situated, he turned to his right to face the audience and share a brief smile. The song to play was agreed upon and with a one and a two and a three, they began. And he was good. Not just good, but GOOD! Crisp, clean notes rolled from his instrument, tight harmonies with the others on stage, smooth transitions, just pure sweet music. I may have imagined it, but I swear he had a smile on his face while he was playing. He finished his first song and was heartily applauded by the audience and his fellow musicians. A quick breath and he started in on his second song which was equally as beautiful. Inside of me, I felt a pride for what he had done and admiration for what it must have taken to get here.
How difficult must it have been to focus on playing such beautiful music when at any moment you might slip from your perch and end up on the floor?
How much effort and commitment and never-say-die attitude did it take to get that good despite his physical challenges?
How much faith in himself was needed just to participate and excel amidst a group of generally younger, universally talented, and physically fit fellow musicians?
You never know where you will find inspiration. You never know when someone’s strength may become your strength. And you never know just what you might find at your local pizza parlor on an average-every-day week night.
Inspiration is everywhere if you just tune in to hear it. Now that’s music to my ears…
David Bernard is a guest blogger for PickTheBrain. He is the founder of the blog Love Being Retired.
I was inspired....hopefully you were too.
Fran
Do You Need Pruning?
Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
Raymond Lindquist
Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.
Herman Hesse
One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.
Michael Cibenko
********************************
Article from Dawn Brown's Perception Shift Newsletter - Enjoy!
This fall I went on a tour of the wine region in Southern Ontario. The words of one vineyard owner struck a chord with me. He told our group that he prunes 95% of his grapevines. Without pruning you end up with lots of grapes, more than the vine can handle and so quality suffers.
This reminded me of a beautiful flowering plant I had in my office years ago. Over time it flowered less and less and then it started to look scraggly. I just couldn't get it to thrive the way it had in the past. A colleague told me I needed to cut it back. That sounded cruel and I politely refused. He offered to do it. Again, no thanks!
There came a time when the plant looked more dead than alive and I agreed to let him prune it. I should have stayed in the room while he did it. When I returned there was nothing left of the plant - just a couple of stumps.
Funny thing happened after a few weeks though - life reappeared. And in no time I had a plant that was healthy and more beautiful than it had ever been. That plant became my metaphor for letting go of what no longer fits who I am while clearing a space for rebirth to happen.
We hang on to things, people, situations, memories - long past their expiration dates. Replaying memories over and over, painful or happy ones, can keep us stuck in the past and stop us from seeing and appreciating the beauty in the present.
Now is a good time to do a life inventory. What needs to exit your life for your own personal and professional growth?
**********************
dawnbrown@perceptionshift.com
phone: 613-728-0887
web: http://www.perceptionshift.com/
Now avaialable - Dawn's latest book "Been There, Done That... Now What?" http://www.beentheredonethatnowwhat.com/
**********************
A very thought-provoking question. Do you have "stuff" hanging around in your house? In your office? In your mind? Are there things you should get rid of that you've been hanging on to for "sometime" or "a rainy day"? Is it time for you to prune?
Have a wonderful day
Fran Watson
Raymond Lindquist
Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.
Herman Hesse
One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.
Michael Cibenko
********************************
Article from Dawn Brown's Perception Shift Newsletter - Enjoy!
This fall I went on a tour of the wine region in Southern Ontario. The words of one vineyard owner struck a chord with me. He told our group that he prunes 95% of his grapevines. Without pruning you end up with lots of grapes, more than the vine can handle and so quality suffers.
This reminded me of a beautiful flowering plant I had in my office years ago. Over time it flowered less and less and then it started to look scraggly. I just couldn't get it to thrive the way it had in the past. A colleague told me I needed to cut it back. That sounded cruel and I politely refused. He offered to do it. Again, no thanks!
There came a time when the plant looked more dead than alive and I agreed to let him prune it. I should have stayed in the room while he did it. When I returned there was nothing left of the plant - just a couple of stumps.
Funny thing happened after a few weeks though - life reappeared. And in no time I had a plant that was healthy and more beautiful than it had ever been. That plant became my metaphor for letting go of what no longer fits who I am while clearing a space for rebirth to happen.
We hang on to things, people, situations, memories - long past their expiration dates. Replaying memories over and over, painful or happy ones, can keep us stuck in the past and stop us from seeing and appreciating the beauty in the present.
Now is a good time to do a life inventory. What needs to exit your life for your own personal and professional growth?
**********************
dawnbrown@perceptionshift.com
phone: 613-728-0887
web: http://www.perceptionshift.com/
Now avaialable - Dawn's latest book "Been There, Done That... Now What?" http://www.beentheredonethatnowwhat.com/
**********************
A very thought-provoking question. Do you have "stuff" hanging around in your house? In your office? In your mind? Are there things you should get rid of that you've been hanging on to for "sometime" or "a rainy day"? Is it time for you to prune?
Have a wonderful day
Fran Watson
Friday, November 12, 2010
Transform Your Life
If you have never heard of SARK, you owe it to yourself to check this out. Get 90 fabulous tools for healing and transforming your life with SARK's Transformation Exper!ence!
If you have heard of SARK, you've probably already been here, but if not, hurry on over!!!
Enjoy
Fran
If you have heard of SARK, you've probably already been here, but if not, hurry on over!!!
Enjoy
Fran
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Pencilling My Thoughts
Whenever I read the paper, the first part I turn to is the comics. I like to lighten up my life a little. There is too much doom and gloom on the front pages.
Most of the time I find comics that make me chuckle, some that make me laugh out loud and occasionally some give me pause to think, such as one I read recently. The grandfather was sharpening his pencil with a knife and his grandson was watching.
The grandfather said to him: “We are all kind of like a pencil. The most important part of us is on the inside. Sometimes we spend too much time erasing and not enough time writing, or sometimes we do too much writing and forget to sharpen the pencil. And sometimes we spend too much time sharpening and we end up as a useless stub.”
That’s something to think about isn’t it?
Do we beat ourselves up over our mistakes, trying to erase the past? Do we play the “if only” game? I remember my mother used to say, “If ifs and ands were pots and pans, the beggars would ride on horseback.” The full Scottish proverb is: "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. If turnips were swords, I'd wear one by my side. If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no need for tinkers' hands."
What is done is done and no amount of thinking or worrying can undo it. Try as you might you can’t erase it, so you may as well begin to use the other end of the pencil and begin writing.
You need to write/right your life. Begin by writing down your goals and your dreams and move towards them one line at a time, but don’t get so busy writing that you forget about everything else and become dull.
Remember that your body needs rest. Don’t get caught up in the whirlwind of life or son you will be operating at less than your best, like the unsharpened pencil. Take the time to sleep, to rest…to sharpen up.
We can also sharpen up by reading and studying, but again, we can spend so much time learning that we forget about actually taking part in life and we find that life has passed us by and all the things we could have done we can no longer do. We have become a stub, no longer effective.
The grandchild then asks a very powerful question: Can I be the knife?
Wow! How perceptive of him. He is asking the question, can I be the one that helps to shape the lives of others, that helps to keep them sharp, but doesn’t let them do it too quickly, that let’s them move at just the right pace, sharpening/helping them when they need it but letting them learn and grow as they need to?
A person in this role has the opportunity to shape lives. Who are these people? Think about the roles of parent, teacher, leader. How do these people shape the lives of others. How do you sharpen the lives of those around you? Do you keep them sharp, or allow them to get dull. Do you try to sharpen them too much? Are your words and manner abrasive? Or are you gently shaping them into a point, allowing them to write their lives at a steady pace.
I did some research on the Pencil Story and found that it is a parable – author unknown and thought I would share it here with you.
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him back into the box. “There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”
“One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.”
“Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.”
“Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”
“Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.”
“And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
And five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.
By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart.
[Author Unknown
Further research led to this version:
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. “There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be. “
#1 — You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand. “ #2 — You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil. “ #3 — You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. “ #4 — The most important part of you will always be what’s inside. ` ` #5 — On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition you must continue to write. “ The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in his heart. “
But now the pencil lay on the dark wood table, feeling insignificant and rather sad. Beside him on the desk was a colorful tin can, filled with every kind of beautiful pen to be had. There were silver fountain pens and a neon felt tip marker. There was also a classy ballpoint whom everyone called Parker. “ “What a loser,” they said of the pencil, as they observed his wooden frame. “Don’t bother with him, he’s a nobody,” said Parker, “He doesn’t even have a name.” “
Now the world was at war and their owner was a Soldier who was tasked to bring peace to the land.
“What we need is a map,” the Soldier had said, at the desk across from his Officer the other night. “If someone can fly me over the city unseen, I can draw a map from the sky. The map will tell you where to go and how to win, and soon we’ll put an end to this fight.” “
The Officer had agreed and now the Soldier would fly, but first he discussed with his wife. “I’ll need something to draw with, something dependable . . . something that won’t fail me mid-flight.” “ The Soldier looked at his dark wood desk, and observed all the pens in the can. He studied each one, their bodies all shimmering, and he weighed them all in his hand. “This one won’t work,” he said of a pen, “the ink might blot on the map. This one needs to be refilled every few hours, and this one will dry out without a cap.” “ He looked at each one and always found something wrong, or anticipated problems if he used it in the sky. “I need something that would work whatever the conditions, and I need it soon my dear wife.” “Then take this pencil.” his wife finally said, handing him the frail and battered yellow thing. “It will write no matter what, it will write on a plane — it’s the best writing tool you can bring.”
“ The Soldier smiled, kept the pencil in his pocket, and took it with him on the plane. He finished the map and the map helped bring them peace … and the pencil has never been the same. “ The pencil was now nothing more than a stub; what was left of his lead was now broken. His eraser was gone, his wood frame had split, and some time ago his metal ring had been stolen. “
Now he stood before the Pencil Maker, and waited for him to say those five words. “”Well done, my faithful pencil,” the Pencil Maker said, “You have written what you were meant to write in the world.”
These thoughts and many more were raised as I pondered that particular comic, so you can see why I like to begin with the comic section of the paper.
A bit of trivia: William Munroe manufactured the first American lead pencils in 1812. N.J.Conte made the first pencil and it was made in 1795.
The humble pencil is, globally, one of the most common tools used to write on paper, and there are a wide range of different types of pencils, but who invented the most widely-seen type of pencil (graphite with wood casing) seen today, and in doing so creating a stereotypical image for a product that is used at home, work, and school?
Although there were early attempts at making a pencils from ancient Egyptians and Romans, and also in the 1500’s, where English farmers used plain graphite to mark sheep. Both were reasonable methods for their purpose, the material on its own would leave marks on the user’s skin and were prone to breaking easily.
In 1795, a French officer belonging to the army of Napoleon invented and patented the first quality pencil on earth. Nicholas Jacques Conte (aka NJ Conte) discovered that ground graphite, when mixed with the right kinds of clay, produced the best lead for pencils. A great myth is that pencils are made of lead, but the thin black material in pencils is actually a mix of graphite, carbon, and clay. NJ Conte, managed to turn this graphite into powder, mixing it with moist doughs of clay and then pressing the materials into thin sticks, which were then ‘cooked’ to make the ‘pencil lead’. The modern wooden casing seen in most original pencils today would soon follow, providing a no-mess and more shatter-resistant protection for the product. The Faber family would soon take on this product into mass production, and the rest is history.
To date, there are 350 different types of pencils, used for a variety of purposes, and fitting different budgets. With a variety of shades and new and creative methods being sold for novelty (e.g. giant, twisty, ect.), it is an ever-expanding product, and one that is used in all walks of life, as it is very difficult to live a lifetime without using one.
Hope you enjoyed this
Fran Watson
http://www.banabu.ca/
Most of the time I find comics that make me chuckle, some that make me laugh out loud and occasionally some give me pause to think, such as one I read recently. The grandfather was sharpening his pencil with a knife and his grandson was watching.
The grandfather said to him: “We are all kind of like a pencil. The most important part of us is on the inside. Sometimes we spend too much time erasing and not enough time writing, or sometimes we do too much writing and forget to sharpen the pencil. And sometimes we spend too much time sharpening and we end up as a useless stub.”
That’s something to think about isn’t it?
Do we beat ourselves up over our mistakes, trying to erase the past? Do we play the “if only” game? I remember my mother used to say, “If ifs and ands were pots and pans, the beggars would ride on horseback.” The full Scottish proverb is: "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. If turnips were swords, I'd wear one by my side. If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no need for tinkers' hands."
What is done is done and no amount of thinking or worrying can undo it. Try as you might you can’t erase it, so you may as well begin to use the other end of the pencil and begin writing.
You need to write/right your life. Begin by writing down your goals and your dreams and move towards them one line at a time, but don’t get so busy writing that you forget about everything else and become dull.
Remember that your body needs rest. Don’t get caught up in the whirlwind of life or son you will be operating at less than your best, like the unsharpened pencil. Take the time to sleep, to rest…to sharpen up.
We can also sharpen up by reading and studying, but again, we can spend so much time learning that we forget about actually taking part in life and we find that life has passed us by and all the things we could have done we can no longer do. We have become a stub, no longer effective.
The grandchild then asks a very powerful question: Can I be the knife?
Wow! How perceptive of him. He is asking the question, can I be the one that helps to shape the lives of others, that helps to keep them sharp, but doesn’t let them do it too quickly, that let’s them move at just the right pace, sharpening/helping them when they need it but letting them learn and grow as they need to?
A person in this role has the opportunity to shape lives. Who are these people? Think about the roles of parent, teacher, leader. How do these people shape the lives of others. How do you sharpen the lives of those around you? Do you keep them sharp, or allow them to get dull. Do you try to sharpen them too much? Are your words and manner abrasive? Or are you gently shaping them into a point, allowing them to write their lives at a steady pace.
I did some research on the Pencil Story and found that it is a parable – author unknown and thought I would share it here with you.
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him back into the box. “There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”
“One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.”
“Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.”
“Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”
“Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.”
“And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
And five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.
By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart.
[Author Unknown
Further research led to this version:
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. “There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be. “
#1 — You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand. “ #2 — You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil. “ #3 — You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. “ #4 — The most important part of you will always be what’s inside. ` ` #5 — On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition you must continue to write. “ The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in his heart. “
But now the pencil lay on the dark wood table, feeling insignificant and rather sad. Beside him on the desk was a colorful tin can, filled with every kind of beautiful pen to be had. There were silver fountain pens and a neon felt tip marker. There was also a classy ballpoint whom everyone called Parker. “ “What a loser,” they said of the pencil, as they observed his wooden frame. “Don’t bother with him, he’s a nobody,” said Parker, “He doesn’t even have a name.” “
Now the world was at war and their owner was a Soldier who was tasked to bring peace to the land.
“What we need is a map,” the Soldier had said, at the desk across from his Officer the other night. “If someone can fly me over the city unseen, I can draw a map from the sky. The map will tell you where to go and how to win, and soon we’ll put an end to this fight.” “
The Officer had agreed and now the Soldier would fly, but first he discussed with his wife. “I’ll need something to draw with, something dependable . . . something that won’t fail me mid-flight.” “ The Soldier looked at his dark wood desk, and observed all the pens in the can. He studied each one, their bodies all shimmering, and he weighed them all in his hand. “This one won’t work,” he said of a pen, “the ink might blot on the map. This one needs to be refilled every few hours, and this one will dry out without a cap.” “ He looked at each one and always found something wrong, or anticipated problems if he used it in the sky. “I need something that would work whatever the conditions, and I need it soon my dear wife.” “Then take this pencil.” his wife finally said, handing him the frail and battered yellow thing. “It will write no matter what, it will write on a plane — it’s the best writing tool you can bring.”
“ The Soldier smiled, kept the pencil in his pocket, and took it with him on the plane. He finished the map and the map helped bring them peace … and the pencil has never been the same. “ The pencil was now nothing more than a stub; what was left of his lead was now broken. His eraser was gone, his wood frame had split, and some time ago his metal ring had been stolen. “
Now he stood before the Pencil Maker, and waited for him to say those five words. “”Well done, my faithful pencil,” the Pencil Maker said, “You have written what you were meant to write in the world.”
These thoughts and many more were raised as I pondered that particular comic, so you can see why I like to begin with the comic section of the paper.
A bit of trivia: William Munroe manufactured the first American lead pencils in 1812. N.J.Conte made the first pencil and it was made in 1795.
The humble pencil is, globally, one of the most common tools used to write on paper, and there are a wide range of different types of pencils, but who invented the most widely-seen type of pencil (graphite with wood casing) seen today, and in doing so creating a stereotypical image for a product that is used at home, work, and school?
Although there were early attempts at making a pencils from ancient Egyptians and Romans, and also in the 1500’s, where English farmers used plain graphite to mark sheep. Both were reasonable methods for their purpose, the material on its own would leave marks on the user’s skin and were prone to breaking easily.
In 1795, a French officer belonging to the army of Napoleon invented and patented the first quality pencil on earth. Nicholas Jacques Conte (aka NJ Conte) discovered that ground graphite, when mixed with the right kinds of clay, produced the best lead for pencils. A great myth is that pencils are made of lead, but the thin black material in pencils is actually a mix of graphite, carbon, and clay. NJ Conte, managed to turn this graphite into powder, mixing it with moist doughs of clay and then pressing the materials into thin sticks, which were then ‘cooked’ to make the ‘pencil lead’. The modern wooden casing seen in most original pencils today would soon follow, providing a no-mess and more shatter-resistant protection for the product. The Faber family would soon take on this product into mass production, and the rest is history.
To date, there are 350 different types of pencils, used for a variety of purposes, and fitting different budgets. With a variety of shades and new and creative methods being sold for novelty (e.g. giant, twisty, ect.), it is an ever-expanding product, and one that is used in all walks of life, as it is very difficult to live a lifetime without using one.
Hope you enjoyed this
Fran Watson
http://www.banabu.ca/
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Passion provides potential
How Wanting Something with Your Whole Being Makes it a Reality
Written by Daniel Wood on October 31, 2010 - 9 Comments
Desire is the bread and butter of success. If you don’t desire your goals enough, you won’t be able to muster the motivation to go after them, the courage to put yourself out there and you will not be able to tap into the enormous potential your desperation will let you access.
Everyone has dreams and goals in their lives. But most don’t believe that it is possible possible or don’t want them enough to care. To succeed you need to harness you dreams into an obsession, a burning desire that allows you to push yourself further then you every could without.
The Most Successful People in the World
If you look at the successful people in our community the only thing they have in common is that they wanted something and they went and got it.
We have people with lots of education, no education, rich backgrounds, poor families, different ethnic backgrounds, some who were popular growing up, others who were outsiders.
The only thing all these people have in common is their desire, they all have a burning desire to succeed.
Chris Gardner
If you have seen the movie “The Pursuit of Happiness” about Chris Gardner’s life you will have seen how a dream can change a life.
He was a black man from a small town with very little education. One day he makes the decision to change his life. He is going to be a stock broker and he stakes his entire future on that goal.
He tells his son “If you want something, go get it. Period.”
**Side note from Fran...I saw the movie. It was very powerful! The Pursuit of Happyness indeed. We make our own happiness with our choices.**
That is the same philosophy we all have to adopt if we are to succeed.
No one is going to make it easy
We have all hit hard times, it is the will to succeed that can turn it around and make your dreams reality.
When I was new in sales I had become one of the top salesmen at my company.
I worked hard every day and dreamed about getting a managerial position.
After 18 months of toil a spot opened up. I considered myself an obvious choice for the role so I applied, and get the answer, “You are too valuable a salesman, we cannot lose your sales figures. Sorry.”
This put me down and it took a long time for me to get my motivation back. At last I realized that it was up to me if I was going to get a managerial position.
I started working hard again. Harder then ever before. I started asking for more responsibility, for opportunities to lead and prove that I could handle the role.
Within 5 months the company created a new managerial position for me. The only reason I got the position was because I wanted it so badly.
Conclusion
Anything you want and anything you dream about can be yours, if you want it. All it takes is a desire so strong that it almost becomes an obsession combined with a focused effort on that goal until it becomes a reality.
Sooner or later your goal will become truth and you will have what you have dreamed about.
This was a guest post by Daniel M. Wood, posted at pickthebrain.com (great site - lots of wonderful information). If you like his articles head over to http://lookingtobusiness.com and take a look. He writes about sales technique, motivation and success.
To your success!!!
Fran
Written by Daniel Wood on October 31, 2010 - 9 Comments
Desire is the bread and butter of success. If you don’t desire your goals enough, you won’t be able to muster the motivation to go after them, the courage to put yourself out there and you will not be able to tap into the enormous potential your desperation will let you access.
Everyone has dreams and goals in their lives. But most don’t believe that it is possible possible or don’t want them enough to care. To succeed you need to harness you dreams into an obsession, a burning desire that allows you to push yourself further then you every could without.
The Most Successful People in the World
If you look at the successful people in our community the only thing they have in common is that they wanted something and they went and got it.
We have people with lots of education, no education, rich backgrounds, poor families, different ethnic backgrounds, some who were popular growing up, others who were outsiders.
The only thing all these people have in common is their desire, they all have a burning desire to succeed.
Chris Gardner
If you have seen the movie “The Pursuit of Happiness” about Chris Gardner’s life you will have seen how a dream can change a life.
He was a black man from a small town with very little education. One day he makes the decision to change his life. He is going to be a stock broker and he stakes his entire future on that goal.
He tells his son “If you want something, go get it. Period.”
**Side note from Fran...I saw the movie. It was very powerful! The Pursuit of Happyness indeed. We make our own happiness with our choices.**
That is the same philosophy we all have to adopt if we are to succeed.
No one is going to make it easy
We have all hit hard times, it is the will to succeed that can turn it around and make your dreams reality.
When I was new in sales I had become one of the top salesmen at my company.
I worked hard every day and dreamed about getting a managerial position.
After 18 months of toil a spot opened up. I considered myself an obvious choice for the role so I applied, and get the answer, “You are too valuable a salesman, we cannot lose your sales figures. Sorry.”
This put me down and it took a long time for me to get my motivation back. At last I realized that it was up to me if I was going to get a managerial position.
I started working hard again. Harder then ever before. I started asking for more responsibility, for opportunities to lead and prove that I could handle the role.
Within 5 months the company created a new managerial position for me. The only reason I got the position was because I wanted it so badly.
Conclusion
Anything you want and anything you dream about can be yours, if you want it. All it takes is a desire so strong that it almost becomes an obsession combined with a focused effort on that goal until it becomes a reality.
Sooner or later your goal will become truth and you will have what you have dreamed about.
This was a guest post by Daniel M. Wood, posted at pickthebrain.com (great site - lots of wonderful information). If you like his articles head over to http://lookingtobusiness.com and take a look. He writes about sales technique, motivation and success.
To your success!!!
Fran
Roaring Lions? Living Longer?
I am a member of Joe Vitale's Gold Club and this month's feature was Peter Rangar. After listening to the CD, I went to his website and I have just subscribed to his newsletter. You may also be intrigued by him. Check this out.
Roaring Lion Publishing/Peter Ragnar - The Roaring Lion Publishing online store featuring Peter Ragnar\'s books,and health products for physical fitness, success and personal growth.
Live long and prosper!!
Fran
Roaring Lion Publishing/Peter Ragnar - The Roaring Lion Publishing online store featuring Peter Ragnar\'s books,and health products for physical fitness, success and personal growth.
Live long and prosper!!
Fran
Monday, October 25, 2010
Pathways to Success
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
Helen Keller
Get your copy of the Pathways to Success ezine by clicking on the image below.
I hope you enjoy this ezine as much as I do.
All the best
Fran
Helen Keller
Get your copy of the Pathways to Success ezine by clicking on the image below.
I hope you enjoy this ezine as much as I do.
All the best
Fran
Monday, September 27, 2010
Focus On Abundance
Focus on Abundance
by Sandy Forster
Australia's Leading Prosperity Mentor
by Sandy Forster
Australia's Leading Prosperity Mentor
Abundance,
Wealth, Prosperity, Financial Freedom – we all crave it, not just for
what the money will do, but for the choices it will give us, for the
fun we can create with it, for the life we can live with it. Why is it
that some people seem to attract money and riches so easily, and others live their entire lives struggling to make ends meet?
Why does it often seem that the rich just get richer and the poor just get
poorer? Well guess what – it’s not about how MUCH money you make, but how you THINK about money and what you DO with that money that will make all the difference between whether you will live a life of Prosperity or one of continual money challenges. But no matter what your situation – it CAN be changed. If you desire MORE Abundance in your life – then read on!
Living the life of your dreams instead of just dreaming about it is all about creating a Millionaire Mindset. And that’s my specialty! I have been a Prosperity Mentor for over 4 years with clients from all over the world. I love to share different strategies, skills, exercises and ideas on how to keep your mind focused on raising the levels of Wealth in your life. Because the more you focus on something, the FASTER you will attract it into your life.
Take a moment to think about where your focus or predominant mental attitude is. And if it’s more on your bills, debts and lack of money, then you MUST begin to focus on wealth, riches and prosperity – or you will
never be able to attract it into your life. A surprisingly simple but
amazingly powerful exercise to attract prosperity to you takes less than a minute a day, and if you do this daily, you’ll be amazed at what you begin to attract into your life. This exercise is called Abundance
Breaths and basically all you need to do is breathe. Well, actually,
it’s a little more than that…
As already stated, you become what you focus on. Too often, it can be challenging to know exactly what you do want. You get caught up in trying to make up your mind - “Do I want this or that? What if I get that and I really would have preferred this?” “I thought I wanted this, but now I think I want that”.
Sometimes it’s easier if you can just focus on the feeling of abundance, rather than the specifics of what that abundance will be. It is the feeling that has the attraction power anyway. You can get specific when all the money comes in!
What you should do before this exercise to create avalanches of abundance and prosperity is find a comfy chair and sit down with your feet flat on the floor, back straight and hands resting in your lap with palms facing up. Gently close your eyes and keep them closed. Before you get started just imagine that you are now surrounded by tiny, minute particles of abundance; that you are immersed in a sea of prosperity and you can reach out and touch it and bring it into your life whenever you desire (which you can!).
When you’re ready, take a long, slow, deep Abundance Breath in to the count
of three, totally expanding and filling your lungs. Imagine all the
while that you are breathing in those particles of prosperity and they are filling every fibre of your being. Feel that feeling of being flooded with abundance. Hold your breath for the count of nine and feel every atom, every cell in your entire body being plumped up with prosperity, filled with abundance, vibrating with riches. And then slowly, to the count of six, breathe out that Abundance to circulate throughout the Universe – really force all that air out.
Once again, take another long, slow, deep Abundance Breath in, and this
time, see your body light up from the inside out, glowing with
prosperity, sparkling with riches, dazzling with wealth. I like to
imagine that my body is glowing from the inside out with that same
golden glow that radiates from Scrooge McDuck’s millions, or the gold
in Aladdin’s cave! Once again, hold for the count of nine, seeing that
glow, feeling that glow, then on the out breath, once again breathe out
the abundance to circulate throughout the Universe.
One last time, slowly breathe in a huge big Abundance Breath for the count of three, and while you hold that breath for the count of nine, imagine
and feel what it’s like to be totally abundant, amazingly wealthy, to
have achieved financial freedom and be rich beyond your wildest dreams.
Feel how that feels; feel how light and free and good that feels.
Expand that feeling; feel it flood through your body. Embrace that amazing feeling throughout your body, mind and spirit. And for the last time, slowly breathe that abundance and prosperity out to circulate throughout the Universe.
And when you’re ready, slowly open your eyes, feeling prosperous, feeling wealthy, feeling rich, rich, rich! As I said, this is a very easy, very powerful little trick you can do daily or many times, if you want to attract MORE into your life. It only takes a couple of minutes, but has amazing money-magnetizing powers. Once you get really good at your Abundance Breaths, you won’t even need to close your eyes – you will be able to feel those feelings, see your body glowing with prosperity and really feel you are beginning to attract money anytime, anywhere – what fun! Remember, the idea is to focus on what you DO want – and that’s a life filled with prosperity, abundance, riches, wealth and happiness!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sandy Forster, Author of the International Bestseller How to Be Wildly
Wealthy FAST, offers more exciting free resources, articles, tele-conferences, books and live events in the areas of prosperity, success and personal empowerment at http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=3732846
Become Who You Want TO Be - Wildy Wealthy
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Sunday, September 5, 2010
Top 10 Things to do In 5 Minutes
THE TOP 10 THINGS to DO WHEN YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES or LESS
–written by James Vuocolo **
----------------------------------------------------
This list is simply meant to be suggestive of things to do when you are waiting for a client, standing in line, waiting to be seen by the next available clerk, etc. See how many other things you can think to do in under five minutes!
1. Read your mail.
Carry an envelope or two in a store with you. When you have to wait in line, take it out to read.
2. Check your weekly appointment schedule.
A daily calendar and/or scheduler is a great companion in a line, waiting room, etc. Use the time to keep it current.
3. Write a note, or dictate a memo into a portable cassette recorder.
No time to write? Why not dictate a note for your assistant to write out and send later on? Even a few minutes in a line will provide the time needed to make an outline for a letter to compose later in the day.
4. See who is within a few feet of you to chat with.
It's amazing how effective networking can be when we're willing to smile and strike up a conversation with others waiting near to us. "It sure is a hot/cold day" can turn into a tremendous friendship and/or business adventure if we dare to share!
5. Outline your thoughts on paper.
Have a speech to give? A paper or report to write? Use these few minutes as a time to organize and be clear about your purpose and goals. It could pay big dividends later in the day!
6. Make a quick phone call.
A cellular phone is terrific in line - but a nearby pay phone will do. Take a few minutes to order something nice to be delivered to your spouse or significant other just because of the bond you share. Call the client you've been putting off getting back to, and make it clear that your time is quite limited at the moment ... he/she will still appreciate the fact you were thoughtful enough to call! If all else fails, use the time to phone your aging parent/ aunt/ uncle/ mentor, just to say "Thanks!"
7. Practice deep breathing/relaxation exercises.
You may seem a bit "strange" to a few others around - but you'll definitely feel better for it!
8. Read something close by that you would not otherwise take time to examine.
The magazine section at the supermarket check-out line, or the rack in the dentists' office is a good example. Now is the time to examine some publication you would probably never spend a nickel to buy for yourself. You'll either enjoy the experience or confirm the reasons you had for never buying it. Which is it for you? Inquiring minds want to know!
9. Clear away your clutter!
This is a terrific time to go through you pockets, calendar, attache case, purse, etc. and be rid of the old gum wrappers, envelopes, etc. that have been getting a free ride for much too long! Lighten up!
10. Floss your teeth.
You may want some privacy in a nearby rest room or hallway for this one – but why not? It's a good habit, and your dentist and teeth will thank you for it into old age!
Copyright 97, 98, 99, 00, 2001 www.CoachVille.com
This content may be forwarded in full, with copyright, contact, and creation information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit context. For other uses, permission in writing from CoachVille is required. Questions: email editor@topten.org
About the Author
This piece was originally submitted by James S. Vuocolo, D.Min., Professional Life-Coach, Ordained Minister & Behavioral Analyst, who can be reached at netcoach@Soulbusiness.com, or visited on the http://www.soulbusiness.com .
******************
I hope you enjoy this article.
Fran Watson
BANABU
–written by James Vuocolo **
----------------------------------------------------
This list is simply meant to be suggestive of things to do when you are waiting for a client, standing in line, waiting to be seen by the next available clerk, etc. See how many other things you can think to do in under five minutes!
1. Read your mail.
Carry an envelope or two in a store with you. When you have to wait in line, take it out to read.
2. Check your weekly appointment schedule.
A daily calendar and/or scheduler is a great companion in a line, waiting room, etc. Use the time to keep it current.
3. Write a note, or dictate a memo into a portable cassette recorder.
No time to write? Why not dictate a note for your assistant to write out and send later on? Even a few minutes in a line will provide the time needed to make an outline for a letter to compose later in the day.
4. See who is within a few feet of you to chat with.
It's amazing how effective networking can be when we're willing to smile and strike up a conversation with others waiting near to us. "It sure is a hot/cold day" can turn into a tremendous friendship and/or business adventure if we dare to share!
5. Outline your thoughts on paper.
Have a speech to give? A paper or report to write? Use these few minutes as a time to organize and be clear about your purpose and goals. It could pay big dividends later in the day!
6. Make a quick phone call.
A cellular phone is terrific in line - but a nearby pay phone will do. Take a few minutes to order something nice to be delivered to your spouse or significant other just because of the bond you share. Call the client you've been putting off getting back to, and make it clear that your time is quite limited at the moment ... he/she will still appreciate the fact you were thoughtful enough to call! If all else fails, use the time to phone your aging parent/ aunt/ uncle/ mentor, just to say "Thanks!"
7. Practice deep breathing/relaxation exercises.
You may seem a bit "strange" to a few others around - but you'll definitely feel better for it!
8. Read something close by that you would not otherwise take time to examine.
The magazine section at the supermarket check-out line, or the rack in the dentists' office is a good example. Now is the time to examine some publication you would probably never spend a nickel to buy for yourself. You'll either enjoy the experience or confirm the reasons you had for never buying it. Which is it for you? Inquiring minds want to know!
9. Clear away your clutter!
This is a terrific time to go through you pockets, calendar, attache case, purse, etc. and be rid of the old gum wrappers, envelopes, etc. that have been getting a free ride for much too long! Lighten up!
10. Floss your teeth.
You may want some privacy in a nearby rest room or hallway for this one – but why not? It's a good habit, and your dentist and teeth will thank you for it into old age!
Copyright 97, 98, 99, 00, 2001 www.CoachVille.com
This content may be forwarded in full, with copyright, contact, and creation information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit context. For other uses, permission in writing from CoachVille is required. Questions: email editor@topten.org
About the Author
This piece was originally submitted by James S. Vuocolo, D.Min., Professional Life-Coach, Ordained Minister & Behavioral Analyst, who can be reached at netcoach@Soulbusiness.com, or visited on the http://www.soulbusiness.com .
******************
I hope you enjoy this article.
Fran Watson
BANABU
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Who Are You?
Defining Moments
By Mark Susnow
Take a second and think about your life. Think about who you are, what you are doing and the people in your life. How satisfied are you? All of your past experiences, the people you have met and the choices you have made have contributed to who you are. Without any of these experiences you wouldn't be who you are today. Your beliefs about what is possible in your life are a reflection of these past experiences. Those moments from the past have also prepared you for the fast pace of the modern world. You have more choices than you realize. You also have more strengths than you realize. You can change how you think, what you do and who you hang out with.
Part of discovering who you are and what you are capable of requires you to reflect upon some of the key moments from your past. We all have experienced "defining moments." Those moments that define who you are and what you stand for. Those moments that help you create clarity about your life purpose and your life values. Sometimes those moments are in response to life's challenges. It's when you rise to the occasion. It's when you become the person you always wanted to be.
And at other times those moments are in the form of challenges. Challenges that force you to make a decision that ultimately determines your character and your destiny. To help you in this process of remembering and discovering I will share with you some defining moments that have contributed to my journey.
Expanding my sense of personal power was at the core.
What I mean by personal power is the ability to create the life you want by expanding what is possible. It's the ability to consciously determine your life path and to stay on purpose. It's making a commitment to your self and keeping it. Staying on purpose requires you to say "no" to the distractions and influences that are taking you off course. This involves discipline and though challenging for almost everyone is essential. I was a smoker while in college and in law school. I wanted to quit but wasn't ready to stop. As I was preparing for the bar exam I set up a personal challenge. I knew if I was successful with this challenge my sense of personal power would be expanded. I quit smoking the day before the bar exam. Although I failed the bar exam the first time and had to take it again, I have never smoked a cigarette since. This defining moment expanded my belief in what was possible in my life.
Developing a clear sense of boundaries was the next building block.
When I was a young lawyer and struggling, I had planned a trip to Greece and Israel with my girl friend. It was going to be my first vacation since I started practicing law. My biggest client who gave me a sense of financial security wanted me to change my plans so I could complete his project sooner. He let me know that if I didn't comply with his wishes he would get someone else. The time on my calendar was already blocked out and if I didn't take the vacation now who knew when I would have another chance. I went ahead with the trip and the client got another lawyer. This defining moment for me established at a young age the importance of personal boundaries. It also established for me the importance of living a life in balance which has always been one of my strengths.
Making the decision to take time for quiet reflection was the next step.
When I was 29 my life was falling apart. It was one of the darkest periods of my life. And because of what I was experiencing I was the most open and vulnerable. The next defining moment was when I decided to begin meditating. Regardless of how busy I was or what was going on in my life I always began my day with this practice. This practice has helped me integrate my many interests and responsibilities.
All of these moments as well as many others have contributed to who I am today. Of course there have been continual challenges since then and the ride has had its share of ups and downs. But what helps me get through these challenges are the decisions that I made in the "defining moments from the past." They have helped give me the inner strength and faith to navigate the challenging waters of life's journey.
I bet if you reflect back upon your life, you will discover your own defining moments. After you have revisited them, build upon them to help you discover your destiny.
Imagine making a decision today or tomorrow that can potentially define the direction your life takes in the future. What will this decision be? When will you make it? Let me know.
Thanks for being in the Letters on Life network. There are now over 1300 subscribers all over the world that are reading Letters on Life. Perhaps many more as most of you are forwarding it to friends in your circle. Thanks for your continuing support and referrals.
Journey On
Mark
About the author:
Mark Susnow has a unique background. Formerly a successful trial attorney for 30 years, as well as musician, he integrates what it takes to be truly prosperous in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation practice. As a personal coach, leadership consultant and inspirational speaker, Mark provides inspiration and motivation to many business leaders and professionals. He knows what it means to have a big vision and has demonstrated the courage and energy it takes to accomplish it. Consider contacting Mark and be sure to visit his website http://www.inspirepossibility.com
***************************************
What is Your Defining Moment?
Fran
By Mark Susnow
Take a second and think about your life. Think about who you are, what you are doing and the people in your life. How satisfied are you? All of your past experiences, the people you have met and the choices you have made have contributed to who you are. Without any of these experiences you wouldn't be who you are today. Your beliefs about what is possible in your life are a reflection of these past experiences. Those moments from the past have also prepared you for the fast pace of the modern world. You have more choices than you realize. You also have more strengths than you realize. You can change how you think, what you do and who you hang out with.
Part of discovering who you are and what you are capable of requires you to reflect upon some of the key moments from your past. We all have experienced "defining moments." Those moments that define who you are and what you stand for. Those moments that help you create clarity about your life purpose and your life values. Sometimes those moments are in response to life's challenges. It's when you rise to the occasion. It's when you become the person you always wanted to be.
And at other times those moments are in the form of challenges. Challenges that force you to make a decision that ultimately determines your character and your destiny. To help you in this process of remembering and discovering I will share with you some defining moments that have contributed to my journey.
Expanding my sense of personal power was at the core.
What I mean by personal power is the ability to create the life you want by expanding what is possible. It's the ability to consciously determine your life path and to stay on purpose. It's making a commitment to your self and keeping it. Staying on purpose requires you to say "no" to the distractions and influences that are taking you off course. This involves discipline and though challenging for almost everyone is essential. I was a smoker while in college and in law school. I wanted to quit but wasn't ready to stop. As I was preparing for the bar exam I set up a personal challenge. I knew if I was successful with this challenge my sense of personal power would be expanded. I quit smoking the day before the bar exam. Although I failed the bar exam the first time and had to take it again, I have never smoked a cigarette since. This defining moment expanded my belief in what was possible in my life.
Developing a clear sense of boundaries was the next building block.
When I was a young lawyer and struggling, I had planned a trip to Greece and Israel with my girl friend. It was going to be my first vacation since I started practicing law. My biggest client who gave me a sense of financial security wanted me to change my plans so I could complete his project sooner. He let me know that if I didn't comply with his wishes he would get someone else. The time on my calendar was already blocked out and if I didn't take the vacation now who knew when I would have another chance. I went ahead with the trip and the client got another lawyer. This defining moment for me established at a young age the importance of personal boundaries. It also established for me the importance of living a life in balance which has always been one of my strengths.
Making the decision to take time for quiet reflection was the next step.
When I was 29 my life was falling apart. It was one of the darkest periods of my life. And because of what I was experiencing I was the most open and vulnerable. The next defining moment was when I decided to begin meditating. Regardless of how busy I was or what was going on in my life I always began my day with this practice. This practice has helped me integrate my many interests and responsibilities.
All of these moments as well as many others have contributed to who I am today. Of course there have been continual challenges since then and the ride has had its share of ups and downs. But what helps me get through these challenges are the decisions that I made in the "defining moments from the past." They have helped give me the inner strength and faith to navigate the challenging waters of life's journey.
I bet if you reflect back upon your life, you will discover your own defining moments. After you have revisited them, build upon them to help you discover your destiny.
Imagine making a decision today or tomorrow that can potentially define the direction your life takes in the future. What will this decision be? When will you make it? Let me know.
Thanks for being in the Letters on Life network. There are now over 1300 subscribers all over the world that are reading Letters on Life. Perhaps many more as most of you are forwarding it to friends in your circle. Thanks for your continuing support and referrals.
Journey On
Mark
About the author:
Mark Susnow has a unique background. Formerly a successful trial attorney for 30 years, as well as musician, he integrates what it takes to be truly prosperous in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation practice. As a personal coach, leadership consultant and inspirational speaker, Mark provides inspiration and motivation to many business leaders and professionals. He knows what it means to have a big vision and has demonstrated the courage and energy it takes to accomplish it. Consider contacting Mark and be sure to visit his website http://www.inspirepossibility.com
***************************************
What is Your Defining Moment?
Fran
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Power of Positive Thinking
"If you think positive, all the problems in the world will not make you a failure.
If you think negative, all the help in the world will not make you a success."
-Warren Deaton
It would be awesome, wouldn't it, if we could test our level of 'positivity' and our level of 'negativity' just like we can test batteries...
How would you test today? "B" Positive???
Fran Watson
What do you think your test results would show?
If you think negative, all the help in the world will not make you a success."
-Warren Deaton
It would be awesome, wouldn't it, if we could test our level of 'positivity' and our level of 'negativity' just like we can test batteries...
How would you test today? "B" Positive???
Fran Watson
What do you think your test results would show?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
New's from Mike Kemski
Hi Fran,
I just got an absolutely amazing email from a very
special student in the BANABU Ultimate Life in 6
Weeks Tele-Class.
In fact it was so powerful, simple, clear, and
effective I had to stop everything I was doing and
send this email right away.
We just got done with Principle 2, The Law of Duality
and this wonderful lady Michelle C. was doing what
happens when you install the 11 principles into your
mind, she was silently creating powerful change in her
life where it matters most, inside herself.
See, one of the key points with the duality principle
is that when you have challenges and problems in your
life they are actually what give you the strength to
grow and succeed.
Michelle put it in such a simple and powerful way that
I had to share it with you.
She said you can't have a 'WOW' until you have an 'OW'!
And I am adding to that if you don't have either you
just have a WO.
In other words if you have no adversity in your life
(OW's) you wont be able to even recognize the success
(WOW,s).
And if you do nothing (WO) then you will never have
adversity or challenges but you will also never have
the success or achievement that you want.
Who ever new that 'WOW' could be such a powerful word?
It became a life changing word for Michelle and for
me now!
This is how the BANABU way of life is always. You
have these great distinctions by installing the 11
Principles in your mind and then they become more and
more powerful when you share them with others.
In that process you suddenly start to have this miraculous
life with all kinds of great people, things, and successes
coming into your life.
So one little three letter word just became a powerful
lesson in success.
Thanks Michelle, for passing the torch and sharing what
you learned with me so we can all benefit from it.
I got the duality audio up and ready to go!
You and the entire BANABU community are truly amazing
people and I am grateful to be surrounded by such a
great energy.
Mike and Jeff
http://www.banabu.com
P.S. If you haven't got your copy of the 11 Principle
E-Book yet do it today! Don't wait (WO) until you're
ready. Get it now so you can use your (OW) to create
a WOW!
www.banabu.com
P.P.S. One more thing for you. Another awesome person
living life the BANABU way, Emilie U. sent me this to
share with you. It is a simple way to brighten your
(and everyone around you) day!
A SMILE
A smile cost nothing, but gives so much. It enriches
those who receive it without making poorer those who
give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it
sometimes lasts forever.
None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without
it and none so poor but that he can be made rich by it.
A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will
in business and is the countersign of friendship. It
brings rest to the weary cheer to the discouraged,
sunshine to the sad, and is natures bath antidote for
trouble.
Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen,
for it is something that is of no value to anyone until
it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you
a smile.
Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much
as he who has no more to give.
*************************
You too can change your life with the BANABU principles
Fran Watson
I just got an absolutely amazing email from a very
special student in the BANABU Ultimate Life in 6
Weeks Tele-Class.
In fact it was so powerful, simple, clear, and
effective I had to stop everything I was doing and
send this email right away.
We just got done with Principle 2, The Law of Duality
and this wonderful lady Michelle C. was doing what
happens when you install the 11 principles into your
mind, she was silently creating powerful change in her
life where it matters most, inside herself.
See, one of the key points with the duality principle
is that when you have challenges and problems in your
life they are actually what give you the strength to
grow and succeed.
Michelle put it in such a simple and powerful way that
I had to share it with you.
She said you can't have a 'WOW' until you have an 'OW'!
And I am adding to that if you don't have either you
just have a WO.
In other words if you have no adversity in your life
(OW's) you wont be able to even recognize the success
(WOW,s).
And if you do nothing (WO) then you will never have
adversity or challenges but you will also never have
the success or achievement that you want.
Who ever new that 'WOW' could be such a powerful word?
It became a life changing word for Michelle and for
me now!
This is how the BANABU way of life is always. You
have these great distinctions by installing the 11
Principles in your mind and then they become more and
more powerful when you share them with others.
In that process you suddenly start to have this miraculous
life with all kinds of great people, things, and successes
coming into your life.
So one little three letter word just became a powerful
lesson in success.
Thanks Michelle, for passing the torch and sharing what
you learned with me so we can all benefit from it.
I got the duality audio up and ready to go!
You and the entire BANABU community are truly amazing
people and I am grateful to be surrounded by such a
great energy.
Mike and Jeff
http://www.banabu.com
P.S. If you haven't got your copy of the 11 Principle
E-Book yet do it today! Don't wait (WO) until you're
ready. Get it now so you can use your (OW) to create
a WOW!
www.banabu.com
P.P.S. One more thing for you. Another awesome person
living life the BANABU way, Emilie U. sent me this to
share with you. It is a simple way to brighten your
(and everyone around you) day!
A SMILE
A smile cost nothing, but gives so much. It enriches
those who receive it without making poorer those who
give. It takes but a moment, but the memory of it
sometimes lasts forever.
None is so rich or mighty that he can get along without
it and none so poor but that he can be made rich by it.
A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters good will
in business and is the countersign of friendship. It
brings rest to the weary cheer to the discouraged,
sunshine to the sad, and is natures bath antidote for
trouble.
Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed or stolen,
for it is something that is of no value to anyone until
it is given away. Some people are too tired to give you
a smile.
Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much
as he who has no more to give.
*************************
You too can change your life with the BANABU principles
Fran Watson
Friday, April 16, 2010
Dream Boogie - SARK
This is huge! SARK just announced you can download a free recording of her Dream Boogie class!
Big news! Best-selling author and artist SARK (aka Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) has just announced that she is inviting anyone to download the recording of the first class of Dream Boogie with SARK for free, just so you can experience "Dream Boogie" first-hand and see what it's all about, without any cost or obligation. Registration is open through Wednesday April 21, but if you sign up by SARK's birthday (Monday April 19), you get a bonus jump-start workbook called "SARK's Purple Dream Crayon: A Playbook for Naming Your Dream"
SARK has been teaching workshops all around the world for over 25 years, but Dream Boogie is actually her very first live teleclass series. It’s a dream productivity program that is packed with inspiration and innovation to help you move from dreaming to DOing.
In addition to the free call on Wednesday, you can enjoy some fun, free "Dream Boogie" samples, including interview audio snippets, plus colorful SARK videos, workbook downloads, and other funky little goodies for your dream.
Fran
P.S. Visit Planet SARK for more info
Monday, March 22, 2010
THERE'S SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON HERE!
THERE'S SOMETHING FISHY GOING ON HERE! from Rebecca Fine - SOGR
The situation looked grim for Johnny Yokoyama.
The seafood market where he had once been an employee but was now
the owner was more than $300,000 in debt and sinking deeper fast.
In fact, employee morale was at an all-time low, and the business
was almost as dead as the fish no one was buying.
Now fast-forward to today and imagine yourself in Seattle's
lively landmark, the Pike Place Market, overlooking Puget Sound
and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains beyond. As you walk closer
to the crowd gathered near the open-air center of this sprawling
bazaar you can't help wondering what all that laughter and
shrieking are about ...
... until you see a hefty two-foot long salmon
flying over the gathering and into the waiting
arms of the young man behind the counter --
and the crowd goes wild!
Someone asks another rubber-aproned fellow for two pounds of
halibut. "TWO POUNDS OF HALIBUT!" the order-taker calls out. "TWO
POUNDS OF HALIBUT!" comes the reply, in unison, from EVERYONE
else on the fish market crew.
Tourists are snapping photos like crazy, even handing their
giggling toddlers up to pose with fish bigger than they are. And
every so often, someone leans in for a closer look at that giant
monkfish -- the one there on the lower shelf, that
prehistoric-looking fish with a mouth as big as a dinner plate.
But that someone doesn't linger long because
one little tug on the string that's tied to
the fish's tail and hidden under the ice
makes that fish MOVE-- and makes the
curiosity-seeker straighten up fast!
This is certainly like no fish market you've ever seen before.
Then you notice that in addition to all the silliness and
good-natured clowning, something else is happening here.
People aren't just laughing, they're buying fish.
A LOT of fish!
Now, in his life-changing 1910 rediscovered classic, The Science
of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles has laid out for us the basic
principles by which the Pike Place Fish Market crew has turned
what appeared to be failure into a stunning "World Famous"
success.
No, they didn't have the book to guide them; they just happened
onto some of these principles in an instinctive way. Their backs
were against the wall and they clearly saw that SOMETHING had to
change.
Amazingly, they didn't focus on the obvious question: How can we
sell more fish?
Instead, they imagined a thriving market filled with happy
customers and happy employees. And then they realized that if
visitors were to enjoy the experience, first THEY had to change
their own thinking and their own behavior.
Sound familiar?
Oh, you see those two dozen executive-looking types over there,
giggling like little kids? The ones wearing the matching jackets
emblazoned with their famous corporate logo? They're here as part
of a seminar on how to revitalize their customer service teams.
Turns out the fish flingers have stumbled upon some "secrets"
that big corporations spend millions looking for. In fact, there
are now several seminars, a couple of training videos, and even a
best-selling book endorsed by some of the world's top business
speakers and authors -- all aimed at spreading this "fish
philosophy" to other businesses.
So what exactly happened to turn a dark, dingy,
dying seafood store into the star attraction of
a famous city's famous landmark?
Well, listen up to the four main principles as outlined by
Charthouse Learning Corporation's CEO John Christensen. Not too
long ago Mr. Christensen wandered into the Pike Place Fish Market
craziness just as I did (although I don't know if they hooked him
with that monkfish gag the way they "caught" me!). ;-D
Mr. Christensen is the man who immediately realized that there
was something special going on here that needed to be "world
famous." Here's what it boils down to:
1. "Play: We put more energy into what we enjoy, and finding ways
to 'play' can lead to greater productivity and creativity. Play
is NOT about acting irresponsibly. In the livable workplace, it
is about finding ways to have more fun accomplishing serious
goals."
Now Mr. Wattles doesn't say anything about "play" at all -- and
it's a little difficult to imagine it being taken seriously back
at the turn of the last century when the "efficiency movement"
was the darling of the industrial world. But today we can easily
see that a light-hearted sense of "play" can be a major component
of achieving consistent "efficient action."
(Wally DOES advise "full enjoyment." Close enough!) ;-D
2. "Be There: The glue in our humanity is in being fully present
for one another. Being there also is a great way to practice
wholeheartedness and fight burnout, for it is those halfhearted
tasks you perform while juggling other things that wear you out."
"Put your whole mind into present action," Mr. Wattles says. And
when one of the fish market guys stops goofing and turns to help
a customer, that customer becomes the only other person in the
place.
Don't you wish EVERYONE you deal with in the course of a normal
day had that kind of focus?
(Don't they wish YOU did, too?)
3. "Choose Your Attitude: When you look for the worst you will
find it everywhere. When you look for the best you will find
opportunities you never imagined possible. You have the power to
choose your attitude. If you find yourself with an attitude you
don't want, you can choose another."
Mr. Wattles says, "You must learn to see the underlying truth in
all things," and we know that our prevailing attitudes make this
either possible or impossible. If your attitude is negative,
you're expressing faith that what you do NOT want is on its way
to you. But as Mr. Christensen notes, if the attitude you have at
the moment isn't serving you -- or anyone else -- you can always
choose again!
4. "Make Their Day: When you 'make someone's day' (or even
moment) through a small kindness or unforgettable engagement, you
can turn even routine encounters into special memories. Few
things are as rewarding and infectious as lifting another
person's spirits, and the act of serving others quickly returns a
feeling of satisfaction."
What a wonderful way to embody Mr. Wattles' advice always to
"give more in use value than you take in cash value!"
The fish guys add value to every transaction in many ways: By
letting the customer know that s/he is important (whether s/he
buys anything or not!), by providing a light moment of
entertainment (simply by being themselves and not taking
themselves too seriously), and in countless other ways, large and
small.
See, making money selling fish isn't just about selling fish.
It's the same with ANY business. And if you think you aren't "in
business" just because you work for someone else or some big
company, look at it this way: You ARE in business -- a one-person
business with you as CEO, employee, and even as the product or
service!
(Maybe your "business" is taking care of
your home and family. Same principles
STILL apply!)
You can learn a lot from a bunch of fishy guys in Seattle, and in
a moment I'll send you off to do just that. But first, let's wrap
this up with a brief excerpt from the book, Fish!, a modern
"business parable" that teaches the valuable lessons at the heart
of the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market's stunning turnaround:
"Let me tell you about my grandmother. She always brought love
and a smile to her work. All of us grandkids wanted to help in
the kitchen because Grandma was so much fun. In the process a
great deal of kitchen wisdom was dispensed. Us kids were given
something truly precious, a caring adult.
"I realize now that my grandmother
didn't love dishwashing. She BROUGHT
love to dishwashing, and her spirit
was infectious.
"Likewise, my buddies and I realized that each day when we come
to the fish market we bring an attitude. We can bring a moody
attitude and have a depressing day. We can bring a grouchy
attitude and irritate our coworkers and customers. Or we can
bring a sunny, playful, cheerful attitude and have a great day.
We can choose the kind of day we will have.
"We spent a lot of time talking about this choice, and we
realized that as long as we are going to be at work, we might as
well have the best day we can have. Make sense to you?"
Makes sense to me! And if you agree, my friend, take a closer
look. See, what the Pike Place Fish gang intuitively discovered
is that ...
... if their situation was to change,
first THEY had to change.
And so they did. They decided to turn their dreary and
unprofitable work into fun. Fun for themselves and for everyone
who steps into their world, whether they buy fish or not.
Ask Johnny Yokoyama what he's most proud of these days and he'll
tell you: "My employees and I made Pike Place Fish 'World
Famous!'"
Then ask him what "World Famous" means to him, and you get the
real scoop: "It means that we never stop creating possibilities
-- every day gives us the opportunity to grow, to learn something
new, to get better than we were yesterday. We are gonna make your
day!"
Why not make it YOUR objective to become "World Famous?" To find
ways to bring the same "sunny, playful, cheerful attitude" to
YOUR job or business or to ANY- and EVERYTHING you do -- and to
begin to revel in the delight of seeing the very same kind of
RESULTS, including the ones you can take to the bank?
If the fish guys can do it, so can YOU!
Here's where you can meet the Pike Place guys and gals, see and
hear the fun, check out their philosophy, and pick up some great
seafood recipes, too!
--> http://www.pikeplacefish.com
Have FUN, my friend -- and remember to watch out for those
low-flying fish!
Certain Way Productions Inc., 5190 Neil Road, Suite 430,
Reno, NV 89502, USA. Phone: 775-333-5949 Fax: 314-480-9229
CUSTOMER SERVICE: at-your-service@scienceofgettingrich.net
Get more information about SOGR - Science of Getting Rich Click Here for a Free Book
Enjoy
Fran Watson
The situation looked grim for Johnny Yokoyama.
The seafood market where he had once been an employee but was now
the owner was more than $300,000 in debt and sinking deeper fast.
In fact, employee morale was at an all-time low, and the business
was almost as dead as the fish no one was buying.
Now fast-forward to today and imagine yourself in Seattle's
lively landmark, the Pike Place Market, overlooking Puget Sound
and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains beyond. As you walk closer
to the crowd gathered near the open-air center of this sprawling
bazaar you can't help wondering what all that laughter and
shrieking are about ...
... until you see a hefty two-foot long salmon
flying over the gathering and into the waiting
arms of the young man behind the counter --
and the crowd goes wild!
Someone asks another rubber-aproned fellow for two pounds of
halibut. "TWO POUNDS OF HALIBUT!" the order-taker calls out. "TWO
POUNDS OF HALIBUT!" comes the reply, in unison, from EVERYONE
else on the fish market crew.
Tourists are snapping photos like crazy, even handing their
giggling toddlers up to pose with fish bigger than they are. And
every so often, someone leans in for a closer look at that giant
monkfish -- the one there on the lower shelf, that
prehistoric-looking fish with a mouth as big as a dinner plate.
But that someone doesn't linger long because
one little tug on the string that's tied to
the fish's tail and hidden under the ice
makes that fish MOVE-- and makes the
curiosity-seeker straighten up fast!
This is certainly like no fish market you've ever seen before.
Then you notice that in addition to all the silliness and
good-natured clowning, something else is happening here.
People aren't just laughing, they're buying fish.
A LOT of fish!
Now, in his life-changing 1910 rediscovered classic, The Science
of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles has laid out for us the basic
principles by which the Pike Place Fish Market crew has turned
what appeared to be failure into a stunning "World Famous"
success.
No, they didn't have the book to guide them; they just happened
onto some of these principles in an instinctive way. Their backs
were against the wall and they clearly saw that SOMETHING had to
change.
Amazingly, they didn't focus on the obvious question: How can we
sell more fish?
Instead, they imagined a thriving market filled with happy
customers and happy employees. And then they realized that if
visitors were to enjoy the experience, first THEY had to change
their own thinking and their own behavior.
Sound familiar?
Oh, you see those two dozen executive-looking types over there,
giggling like little kids? The ones wearing the matching jackets
emblazoned with their famous corporate logo? They're here as part
of a seminar on how to revitalize their customer service teams.
Turns out the fish flingers have stumbled upon some "secrets"
that big corporations spend millions looking for. In fact, there
are now several seminars, a couple of training videos, and even a
best-selling book endorsed by some of the world's top business
speakers and authors -- all aimed at spreading this "fish
philosophy" to other businesses.
So what exactly happened to turn a dark, dingy,
dying seafood store into the star attraction of
a famous city's famous landmark?
Well, listen up to the four main principles as outlined by
Charthouse Learning Corporation's CEO John Christensen. Not too
long ago Mr. Christensen wandered into the Pike Place Fish Market
craziness just as I did (although I don't know if they hooked him
with that monkfish gag the way they "caught" me!). ;-D
Mr. Christensen is the man who immediately realized that there
was something special going on here that needed to be "world
famous." Here's what it boils down to:
1. "Play: We put more energy into what we enjoy, and finding ways
to 'play' can lead to greater productivity and creativity. Play
is NOT about acting irresponsibly. In the livable workplace, it
is about finding ways to have more fun accomplishing serious
goals."
Now Mr. Wattles doesn't say anything about "play" at all -- and
it's a little difficult to imagine it being taken seriously back
at the turn of the last century when the "efficiency movement"
was the darling of the industrial world. But today we can easily
see that a light-hearted sense of "play" can be a major component
of achieving consistent "efficient action."
(Wally DOES advise "full enjoyment." Close enough!) ;-D
2. "Be There: The glue in our humanity is in being fully present
for one another. Being there also is a great way to practice
wholeheartedness and fight burnout, for it is those halfhearted
tasks you perform while juggling other things that wear you out."
"Put your whole mind into present action," Mr. Wattles says. And
when one of the fish market guys stops goofing and turns to help
a customer, that customer becomes the only other person in the
place.
Don't you wish EVERYONE you deal with in the course of a normal
day had that kind of focus?
(Don't they wish YOU did, too?)
3. "Choose Your Attitude: When you look for the worst you will
find it everywhere. When you look for the best you will find
opportunities you never imagined possible. You have the power to
choose your attitude. If you find yourself with an attitude you
don't want, you can choose another."
Mr. Wattles says, "You must learn to see the underlying truth in
all things," and we know that our prevailing attitudes make this
either possible or impossible. If your attitude is negative,
you're expressing faith that what you do NOT want is on its way
to you. But as Mr. Christensen notes, if the attitude you have at
the moment isn't serving you -- or anyone else -- you can always
choose again!
4. "Make Their Day: When you 'make someone's day' (or even
moment) through a small kindness or unforgettable engagement, you
can turn even routine encounters into special memories. Few
things are as rewarding and infectious as lifting another
person's spirits, and the act of serving others quickly returns a
feeling of satisfaction."
What a wonderful way to embody Mr. Wattles' advice always to
"give more in use value than you take in cash value!"
The fish guys add value to every transaction in many ways: By
letting the customer know that s/he is important (whether s/he
buys anything or not!), by providing a light moment of
entertainment (simply by being themselves and not taking
themselves too seriously), and in countless other ways, large and
small.
See, making money selling fish isn't just about selling fish.
It's the same with ANY business. And if you think you aren't "in
business" just because you work for someone else or some big
company, look at it this way: You ARE in business -- a one-person
business with you as CEO, employee, and even as the product or
service!
(Maybe your "business" is taking care of
your home and family. Same principles
STILL apply!)
You can learn a lot from a bunch of fishy guys in Seattle, and in
a moment I'll send you off to do just that. But first, let's wrap
this up with a brief excerpt from the book, Fish!, a modern
"business parable" that teaches the valuable lessons at the heart
of the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market's stunning turnaround:
"Let me tell you about my grandmother. She always brought love
and a smile to her work. All of us grandkids wanted to help in
the kitchen because Grandma was so much fun. In the process a
great deal of kitchen wisdom was dispensed. Us kids were given
something truly precious, a caring adult.
"I realize now that my grandmother
didn't love dishwashing. She BROUGHT
love to dishwashing, and her spirit
was infectious.
"Likewise, my buddies and I realized that each day when we come
to the fish market we bring an attitude. We can bring a moody
attitude and have a depressing day. We can bring a grouchy
attitude and irritate our coworkers and customers. Or we can
bring a sunny, playful, cheerful attitude and have a great day.
We can choose the kind of day we will have.
"We spent a lot of time talking about this choice, and we
realized that as long as we are going to be at work, we might as
well have the best day we can have. Make sense to you?"
Makes sense to me! And if you agree, my friend, take a closer
look. See, what the Pike Place Fish gang intuitively discovered
is that ...
... if their situation was to change,
first THEY had to change.
And so they did. They decided to turn their dreary and
unprofitable work into fun. Fun for themselves and for everyone
who steps into their world, whether they buy fish or not.
Ask Johnny Yokoyama what he's most proud of these days and he'll
tell you: "My employees and I made Pike Place Fish 'World
Famous!'"
Then ask him what "World Famous" means to him, and you get the
real scoop: "It means that we never stop creating possibilities
-- every day gives us the opportunity to grow, to learn something
new, to get better than we were yesterday. We are gonna make your
day!"
Why not make it YOUR objective to become "World Famous?" To find
ways to bring the same "sunny, playful, cheerful attitude" to
YOUR job or business or to ANY- and EVERYTHING you do -- and to
begin to revel in the delight of seeing the very same kind of
RESULTS, including the ones you can take to the bank?
If the fish guys can do it, so can YOU!
Here's where you can meet the Pike Place guys and gals, see and
hear the fun, check out their philosophy, and pick up some great
seafood recipes, too!
--> http://www.pikeplacefish.com
Have FUN, my friend -- and remember to watch out for those
low-flying fish!
Certain Way Productions Inc., 5190 Neil Road, Suite 430,
Reno, NV 89502, USA. Phone: 775-333-5949 Fax: 314-480-9229
CUSTOMER SERVICE: at-your-service@scienceofgettingrich.net
Get more information about SOGR - Science of Getting Rich Click Here for a Free Book
Enjoy
Fran Watson
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Stuck?
There is a wealth of information on the internet and oftentimes we suffer from information overload. I subscribe to a Weekly Word by Joe Nunziata.
This week's word struck a chord with me as I am feeling a little stuck right now. I have 2 jobs, 2 Toastmasters Clubs, 2 homes (mine & my Boyfriends) and I feel stuck not knowing which direction to head in.
This Week's Word: Stuck
Every day someone I speak to says, "I feel stuck." My questions is, "Why do you feel stuck?" In almost every case this feeling is based on what we feel should happen. If the situation does not follow the exact path we believe it should, we feel stuck.
In reality this is your negative ego setting you up for failure. When you cannot control a situation you begin to feel frustrated. You want it the way you want it, when you want it...right! Sounds a little like a spoiled child.
The next time you feel stuck ask yourself...why? Are you really stuck or are you being a brat?
I decided to take another look at last week's word - CLARITY
This Week's Word: Clarity
Where are you going and how will you get there? This is something many of us ponder on a daily basis. Unfortunately most people are unclear regarding their desires and dreams.
How can you expect to move forward when are living in a fog? You will require clarity and focus to move your energy in a positive direction. Is your mind clear or are you filled with distraction?
You will gain clarity when you remove the drama and disruption from your life. The more you attach yourself to the material world the more difficult it will be. Stay focused on what you desire and the universe will give you the clarity you seek.
Therein lies the clue on how to get unstuck - FOCUS. That's exactly what I need.
I need to FOCUS on what it is that I want. How can I do that? Back to Joe's Weekly Word.... there it is. I need the space to think clearly.
This Week's Word: Space
Most people today live very busy, over-stuffed lives. Unfortunately most of what we stuff ourselves with is not feeding our souls. We have become fast-food junkies in our spiritual lives as well. Much of our energy is focused on accomplishment and survival.
Creating a better life requires space for new energy and opportunity to enter. Nothing new and exciting can enter when you fill in every minute of your life with tasks and obligations.
Take a look at your busy life, make it your priority to create some space and quiet time. This will help you create space for higher energy and more love. Without space no new energy can enter your life.
Next I need something more - a little faith in myself and my purpose.
This Week's Word: Faith
Many of us grew up connecting our faith to religious beliefs. We were conditioned to believe in something most us did not understand as children.
True faith is belief in yourself and the ability to hold that feeling. In times of struggle or adversity it is very easy to lose faith in what you are doing. Those with the fortitude to endure these difficult times will surly be rewarded.
We all lose our faith from time to time. When this happens move into a feeling of gratitude and love. Suddenly your faith will be restored.
And the way to restore it - Gratitude - Joe comes through again.
This Week's Word: Gratitude
We all have many blessings in life but at times tend to focus on the negative aspects of this world. Many people spend the majority of their lives fixated on what they do not have or how they have been wronged.
Every morning I begin my meditation in a state of deep gratitude. This helps to elevate my level of energy vibration and create a positive focus for the day.
Start to feel gratitude for the simplest things in your life. Food on the table, a warm bed or a kind word. This will help you move into a much higher level of energy and love. Be grateful and the universe will bless your life.
I am indeed grateful that I found Joe's Weekly Word and that it continues to bless my life. I encourage you to sign up for your own Weekly Word by going to info@jnunziata.com and asking to be subscribed.
So, if you are STUCK, get some CLARITY and SPACE, keep the FAITH and express your GRATITUDE.
Have a wonderful week!!!
Fran
This week's word struck a chord with me as I am feeling a little stuck right now. I have 2 jobs, 2 Toastmasters Clubs, 2 homes (mine & my Boyfriends) and I feel stuck not knowing which direction to head in.
This Week's Word: Stuck
Every day someone I speak to says, "I feel stuck." My questions is, "Why do you feel stuck?" In almost every case this feeling is based on what we feel should happen. If the situation does not follow the exact path we believe it should, we feel stuck.
In reality this is your negative ego setting you up for failure. When you cannot control a situation you begin to feel frustrated. You want it the way you want it, when you want it...right! Sounds a little like a spoiled child.
The next time you feel stuck ask yourself...why? Are you really stuck or are you being a brat?
I decided to take another look at last week's word - CLARITY
This Week's Word: Clarity
Where are you going and how will you get there? This is something many of us ponder on a daily basis. Unfortunately most people are unclear regarding their desires and dreams.
How can you expect to move forward when are living in a fog? You will require clarity and focus to move your energy in a positive direction. Is your mind clear or are you filled with distraction?
You will gain clarity when you remove the drama and disruption from your life. The more you attach yourself to the material world the more difficult it will be. Stay focused on what you desire and the universe will give you the clarity you seek.
Therein lies the clue on how to get unstuck - FOCUS. That's exactly what I need.
I need to FOCUS on what it is that I want. How can I do that? Back to Joe's Weekly Word.... there it is. I need the space to think clearly.
This Week's Word: Space
Most people today live very busy, over-stuffed lives. Unfortunately most of what we stuff ourselves with is not feeding our souls. We have become fast-food junkies in our spiritual lives as well. Much of our energy is focused on accomplishment and survival.
Creating a better life requires space for new energy and opportunity to enter. Nothing new and exciting can enter when you fill in every minute of your life with tasks and obligations.
Take a look at your busy life, make it your priority to create some space and quiet time. This will help you create space for higher energy and more love. Without space no new energy can enter your life.
Next I need something more - a little faith in myself and my purpose.
This Week's Word: Faith
Many of us grew up connecting our faith to religious beliefs. We were conditioned to believe in something most us did not understand as children.
True faith is belief in yourself and the ability to hold that feeling. In times of struggle or adversity it is very easy to lose faith in what you are doing. Those with the fortitude to endure these difficult times will surly be rewarded.
We all lose our faith from time to time. When this happens move into a feeling of gratitude and love. Suddenly your faith will be restored.
And the way to restore it - Gratitude - Joe comes through again.
This Week's Word: Gratitude
We all have many blessings in life but at times tend to focus on the negative aspects of this world. Many people spend the majority of their lives fixated on what they do not have or how they have been wronged.
Every morning I begin my meditation in a state of deep gratitude. This helps to elevate my level of energy vibration and create a positive focus for the day.
Start to feel gratitude for the simplest things in your life. Food on the table, a warm bed or a kind word. This will help you move into a much higher level of energy and love. Be grateful and the universe will bless your life.
I am indeed grateful that I found Joe's Weekly Word and that it continues to bless my life. I encourage you to sign up for your own Weekly Word by going to info@jnunziata.com and asking to be subscribed.
So, if you are STUCK, get some CLARITY and SPACE, keep the FAITH and express your GRATITUDE.
Have a wonderful week!!!
Fran
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Who is Responsible for Your Life???
Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life - STARTING TODAY!
by Jack Canfield
This isn’t a trick question.
Certainly you know the answer—the person who has been responsible for the life you live right now: YOU.
Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing... Your income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors.
I've often said that you are either creating or allowing everything that is happening in your life.
I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but often times people convince themselves into thinking that external factors are the source of their failure, disappointment, and unhappiness.
External factors do not determine how you live. YOU are in complete control of the quality of your life, by either creating or allowing the circumstances you experience.
When I hear people complain about the state of their life (be it their problems with personal finances, weight, their jobs, or general dissatisfaction), I like to help them see things differently.
If they feel “stuck” and unable to move forward for whatever reason, I ask them to scrutinize both what is working well and what isn’t working well in their life and see how they’ve arrived at where they currently are.
For example, if a woman tells me she’s unhappy with her weight—she travels frequently, and has no to time to exercise or seek healthy foods—I point out that her weight is not a result of her travels and schedule. It’s an outcome of what she chooses to eat and how she chooses to move, regardless of her daily agenda. Why not make a conscious effort to pre-plan healthy meals and snacks, even if it’s on the go, and sneak in 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there to be physically active (hey, I know some frequent flyers that make it a habit of running through airports!).
If you’re frustrated with any area in your life, then it’s time to take a little inventory.
Certainly there are wonderful things happening, whether it’s your job, your romantic relationship, your children, your friends, or your income level. Your accomplishments are just as important as your missteps.
First, congratulate yourself on your successes; and then take a look at what isn’t working out so well. What are you doing or not doing to create those experiences?
Watch out! If you find yourself beginning to complain about everything but the choices you’ve made, then you need to take a step back. See if you can stop blaming outside factors for your unhappiness.
When you realize that you—and only you—create your experiences, you’ll realize that you can un-create them and forge new experiences whenever you want.
How empowering is that!
You must take responsibility for your happiness and your unhappiness, your successes and your failures, your good times and your bad times.
All too often we choose to claim the successes and blame the failures on others or other circumstances. When you stop blaming, however, you can take that energy and redirect it to focus on shaping a better situation for yourself. Blaming only ties up your energy. Imagine roping all the energy into a positive effort.
Some ideas to make this happen:
1. Believe, Believe, Believe! Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to accept the fact that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. Sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.
2. Take no less than 100% responsibility . Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don't waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.
3. Stop complaining . Look at what you are complaining about. I’m fat. I’m tired. I can’t get out of debt. I won’t ever get a better job. I can’t stand the relationship I have with my sister. I’ll never find a soulmate in life. Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.
4. Make an immediate change. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it, or makes you feel bad about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain?
You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.
5. Pay attention. Looking to others for help and guidance is helpful, but don’t forget to stay tuned in to yourself—your behavior, attitude, and life experiences. Identify what’s working and what isn’t. If you need to, write it all down. Then…
6. Face the truth and take action for the long term . You have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you’ve already taken an initial step in the right direction, now’s the time to plan additional steps to keep moving you forward, faster.
Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?
If you need just one thing to do different today, than you did yesterday, make it this:
Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you’ll discover it's much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!
© 2010 Jack Canfield
* * *
Article Used with permission:
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Are you "stuck" in this area? If you'd like me to personally help you clarify your vision for the year, align your goals with your purpose, and develop a detailed action plan to turn your dream into reality... www.TheSuccessPrinciplesWorkshop.com
by Jack Canfield
This isn’t a trick question.
Certainly you know the answer—the person who has been responsible for the life you live right now: YOU.
Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing... Your income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors.
I've often said that you are either creating or allowing everything that is happening in your life.
I think everyone knows this in their hearts, but often times people convince themselves into thinking that external factors are the source of their failure, disappointment, and unhappiness.
External factors do not determine how you live. YOU are in complete control of the quality of your life, by either creating or allowing the circumstances you experience.
When I hear people complain about the state of their life (be it their problems with personal finances, weight, their jobs, or general dissatisfaction), I like to help them see things differently.
If they feel “stuck” and unable to move forward for whatever reason, I ask them to scrutinize both what is working well and what isn’t working well in their life and see how they’ve arrived at where they currently are.
For example, if a woman tells me she’s unhappy with her weight—she travels frequently, and has no to time to exercise or seek healthy foods—I point out that her weight is not a result of her travels and schedule. It’s an outcome of what she chooses to eat and how she chooses to move, regardless of her daily agenda. Why not make a conscious effort to pre-plan healthy meals and snacks, even if it’s on the go, and sneak in 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there to be physically active (hey, I know some frequent flyers that make it a habit of running through airports!).
If you’re frustrated with any area in your life, then it’s time to take a little inventory.
Certainly there are wonderful things happening, whether it’s your job, your romantic relationship, your children, your friends, or your income level. Your accomplishments are just as important as your missteps.
First, congratulate yourself on your successes; and then take a look at what isn’t working out so well. What are you doing or not doing to create those experiences?
Watch out! If you find yourself beginning to complain about everything but the choices you’ve made, then you need to take a step back. See if you can stop blaming outside factors for your unhappiness.
When you realize that you—and only you—create your experiences, you’ll realize that you can un-create them and forge new experiences whenever you want.
How empowering is that!
You must take responsibility for your happiness and your unhappiness, your successes and your failures, your good times and your bad times.
All too often we choose to claim the successes and blame the failures on others or other circumstances. When you stop blaming, however, you can take that energy and redirect it to focus on shaping a better situation for yourself. Blaming only ties up your energy. Imagine roping all the energy into a positive effort.
Some ideas to make this happen:
1. Believe, Believe, Believe! Have unwavering faith in yourself, for good and bad. Make the decision to accept the fact that you create all your experiences. You will experience successes thanks to you, and you will experience pain, struggle, and strife thanks to you. Sounds a little strange, but accepting this level of responsibility is uniquely empowering. It means you can do, change, and be anything. Stumbling blocks become just that—little hills to hop over.
2. Take no less than 100% responsibility . Successful people take full responsibility for the thoughts they think, the images they visualize, and the actions they take. They don't waste their time and energy blaming and complaining. They evaluate their experiences and decide if they need to change them or not. They face the uncomfortable and take risks in order to create the life they want to live.
3. Stop complaining . Look at what you are complaining about. I’m fat. I’m tired. I can’t get out of debt. I won’t ever get a better job. I can’t stand the relationship I have with my sister. I’ll never find a soulmate in life. Really examine your complaints. More than likely you can do something about them. They are not about other people, other things, or other events. They are about YOU.
4. Make an immediate change. Are you unhappy about something that is happening right now? Make requests that will make it more desirable to you, or take the steps to change it yourself. Making a change might be uncomfortable for you. It might mean you have to put in more time, money, and effort. It might mean that someone gets upset about it, or makes you feel bad about your decision. It might be difficult to change or leave a situation, but staying put is your choice so why continue to complain?
You can either do something about it or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.
5. Pay attention. Looking to others for help and guidance is helpful, but don’t forget to stay tuned in to yourself—your behavior, attitude, and life experiences. Identify what’s working and what isn’t. If you need to, write it all down. Then…
6. Face the truth and take action for the long term . You have to be willing to change your behavior if you want a different outcome. You have to be willing to take the risks necessary to get what you want. If you’ve already taken an initial step in the right direction, now’s the time to plan additional steps to keep moving you forward, faster.
Isn’t it a great relief to know that you can make your life what you want it to be? Isn’t it wonderful that your successes do not depend on someone else?
If you need just one thing to do different today, than you did yesterday, make it this:
Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Decide to make changes, one step at a time. Once you start the process you’ll discover it's much easier to get what you want by taking control of your thoughts, your visualizations, and your actions!
© 2010 Jack Canfield
* * *
Article Used with permission:
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Are you "stuck" in this area? If you'd like me to personally help you clarify your vision for the year, align your goals with your purpose, and develop a detailed action plan to turn your dream into reality... www.TheSuccessPrinciplesWorkshop.com
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Live Life Today
Do you believe that you have to wait until things calm down a bit before you get your act together?
Do you keep telling yourself that tomorrow you will get at that chore you’ve been putting off, that course you’ve been wanting to take, that phone call you’ve been going to make, take some time to look after yourself, go to the spa, take a hot bath, etc. etc.?
Well then, you are normal. Most of us are waiting until tomorrow, but the truth is, as Sarah Ban Breathnach says, “life never calms down long enough for us to wait until tomorrow to start living the lives we deserve. Life is always movement, always change, always unforeseen circumstances.”
So, what are our options? How do we begin working on this life of ours to make it more satisfying? Sarah says “We can accept, bless, give thanks, and get going. “ Wow, what a concept. Accept things as they are. Give thanks for our circumstances and then just get on with things.
As I read the thought for January 25th from Sarah Ban Brethnach’s Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, I was struck by how many things I have let slide. How many times procrastination has crept in and how many opportunities this has cost me. How many times have you had a thought, “I should call so and so”, but then let it slide only to find out later that something happened to that person, they moved away, or they died and that opportunity will never come again. How many friendships have you let slide? How many times have you turned down the chance to do something just for yourself – taking a nice long bath for instance. I can hear you now - “Oh, I couldn’t do that, there is laundry to do, dishes to be done, the house to clean, etc., etc., etc.” Well, those things will always be there. It’s time to stop making excuses. You will NEVER FIND THE TIME to do anything. You need to MAKE THE TIME to do what it is you want to do.
Sarah encouraged me to “Call a friend for lunch, begin to read or even write that novel, organize your papers, try a new recipe for dinner, smile at everyone you meet, sit and dream before a blazing fire, pick up your needlepoint again, act as if you’re grateful to be alive, scatter joy.” Simple things to get us started on LIVING out life instead of letting it pass us by.
Now it is your turn. Think for a moment about one thing that you can do that will bring you genuine pleasure…and then do it.
Think about one thing that will move your business forward…and then do it.
Think about one thing that will improve your relationship (if you are in one)….and then do it.
Simple things, and easy to do…IF we just go ahead and do them.
What will you do today????
Fran Watson
Do you keep telling yourself that tomorrow you will get at that chore you’ve been putting off, that course you’ve been wanting to take, that phone call you’ve been going to make, take some time to look after yourself, go to the spa, take a hot bath, etc. etc.?
Well then, you are normal. Most of us are waiting until tomorrow, but the truth is, as Sarah Ban Breathnach says, “life never calms down long enough for us to wait until tomorrow to start living the lives we deserve. Life is always movement, always change, always unforeseen circumstances.”
So, what are our options? How do we begin working on this life of ours to make it more satisfying? Sarah says “We can accept, bless, give thanks, and get going. “ Wow, what a concept. Accept things as they are. Give thanks for our circumstances and then just get on with things.
As I read the thought for January 25th from Sarah Ban Brethnach’s Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, I was struck by how many things I have let slide. How many times procrastination has crept in and how many opportunities this has cost me. How many times have you had a thought, “I should call so and so”, but then let it slide only to find out later that something happened to that person, they moved away, or they died and that opportunity will never come again. How many friendships have you let slide? How many times have you turned down the chance to do something just for yourself – taking a nice long bath for instance. I can hear you now - “Oh, I couldn’t do that, there is laundry to do, dishes to be done, the house to clean, etc., etc., etc.” Well, those things will always be there. It’s time to stop making excuses. You will NEVER FIND THE TIME to do anything. You need to MAKE THE TIME to do what it is you want to do.
Sarah encouraged me to “Call a friend for lunch, begin to read or even write that novel, organize your papers, try a new recipe for dinner, smile at everyone you meet, sit and dream before a blazing fire, pick up your needlepoint again, act as if you’re grateful to be alive, scatter joy.” Simple things to get us started on LIVING out life instead of letting it pass us by.
Now it is your turn. Think for a moment about one thing that you can do that will bring you genuine pleasure…and then do it.
Think about one thing that will move your business forward…and then do it.
Think about one thing that will improve your relationship (if you are in one)….and then do it.
Simple things, and easy to do…IF we just go ahead and do them.
What will you do today????
Fran Watson
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