CTS Daily Inspirations

Daily Inspiration 2-13-12

2012-02-13T00:02:00.000-08:00

"I'm on the patch right now, where it releases small doses of

approval until I no longer crave it, and then I'm gonna rip it off."

-- Ellen DeGeneres

I love Ellen DeGeneres, thinking her to be wild, kooky and funny. I love how she put this about looking for approval from others. It is a precarious place to be and in that position, it is disempowering and creates much disappointment. So, she makes fun of it and that is a good thing.

I have another quote by another favorite person of mine, Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate. He said, "Do not look for approval except for the consciousness of doing your best."

These two quotes together are so good and where one acknowledges the approval seeking supplement and the need to get off that drug, the other acknowledges the best way to not need it and to keep moving forward by doing simply your best.

Just Do Your Best And Let The Rest Ride On By.

Spread Some Joy Today--Smile that smile of knowing you are doing your best. It really is joy, isn't it? Of course, the shortcut is just to smile regardless. Joy follows closely.

Daily Inspiration 2-12-12

2012-02-12T00:02:00.000-08:00

"All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy,

and great things in that which is small."

-- Lau Tzu

A highrise office building, a house, a shed, a chair, a table, are all things that are difficult and easy. Which ones are which? They are both easy and difficult. The main difference as to which they are is based predominantly on how I choose to think about them. The largeness of smallness of a project is not the issue. Walking 10 feet or 10 miles is both walking. Building a table is like building a house or an office building in the same kind of comparison.

Much of the time we consider that something physically large is more difficult, or that a larger idea is more difficult and so we have a tendency to get hung up on the perceived difficulty of something and find reasons to avoid it, put it off, delegate it, or other methods of avoidance. If, however, we thought about it as easy, we would have no issue with getting going on the project, while fully understanding that something larger may have a tendency to take more time or more help. That doesn't make it difficult unless we consider it so.

So, as we look at opportunities that may come up in our lives, we often bring this big and small thinking along with us and it affects our decisions and certainly our activity and/or commitment levels.

Why not choose to look at all these things as easy? They certainly can be. The possibilities that change in thinking will open up are larger than the highrise office building and can be as easy as the table.

I Am Coming To The Conclusion That EVERYTHING Is Perception. How Empowering!

Spread Some Joy Today--Make a choice that everything will be easy today. Get your easy button out and punch it whenever you feel the urge. I love my easy button! (Staples.com about $5 and way fun.)

Daily Inspiration 2-11-12

2012-02-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

"Be faithful in small things because

it is in them that your strength lies."

-- Mother Teresa

A few years ago, I heard an idea called the "pre-paving of intentions." It was presented by Esther & Jerry Hicks on a CD I was listening to and one way I use it is to have more faith. I do it in a small practical way and that leads having confidence to do it in larger ways.

Here it is how I use it: I get in my vehicle to go somewhere, and I state to myself that my intention is to have safe, timely and enjoyable travel to and from all destinations today. Then I immediately let go and relax. Now normally, if I am going to an appointment or traveling a distance where traffic can be an issue and such, my body tenses up and it used to happen so regularly that I barely even noticed it. The only way I used to notice it was by my getting upset that someone is going too slow or other perceived obstacles to my getting where I want to go on time. Then I would always be watching the mirror and the side entrances for the speeding police because I was often pushing the limit to make sure I get there on time.

With this pre-paving statement and then relaxing, I find this intention always coming true. Let me repeat that: I find this intention ALWAYS coming true. Now, my ego doesn't always believe it like my trusting inner self, but if I feel myself getting the slightest bit tense at any time during the trip, I just remind myself of the intention and then relax again. The key is really the relaxing part. Another way to say that is being faithful, or having faith that what I intend is true.

I now use this more and more because I see that it works and I see the way it works and why it works. Try it yourself. I no longer worry about being on time and even when it would appear that I wouldn't get there on time at the beginning of the trip, find myself arriving with time to spare. I no longer worry about the speeding police, I just drive and relax and enjoy the journey.

Practical Daily Activities Of Intention and TRUST!

Spread Some Joy Today--Let go of your need to "control" everything. You have always had the power to control yourself. Do that instead.

Daily Inspiration 2-10-12

2012-02-10T00:02:00.000-08:00

"What difference does it make how much you have?

What you do not have amounts to much more."

-- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

I never saw this quote until tonight and it is a beauty! What a wonderful thing to ponder. . .

Even those with "all the money" have a pittance in comparison with what they do not have. Even those will "all the property" have a pittance in comparison with what property they do not have. And, on it goes.

Of course, we see those who have more than us, especially those on the television, and maybe it is substantially more, yet whatever they have is a pittance in comparison with what they do not have.

And so it goes. . .

Kind Of Puts Things In Perspective. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Rejoice in what you have! It really doesn't matter so much what you don't have because that would be about as much as the richest person ever. How fun.

Daily Inspiration 2-9-12

2012-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

"The new broom sweeps the cleanest."

-- Arthur H. Kenny

The first car dealer I worked for beginning in September 1972 was Arthur H Kenny and when I became sales manager in January 1975, he first shared the above sentiment with me. I was the new broom.

He was a delightful Irish gentleman, and always had a smile and a laugh and seemed to know what he wanted and got what he wanted. Though I essentially worked for the General Manager and he was the owner, I'll never forget him coming to the first sales meeting when I was the new manager and him speaking to the organization about his confidence in me in the position. It was the only time I recall him ever coming to a staff sales meeting.

He was so proud of his son who rose to the level of Bishop in the Catholic Church and he relished going to the installation ceremony at the Vatican. He was a smart and wise businessman who had many investments, mostly in property, many with influential partners. Many of these had substantial returns and he did well.

He was a leader and a good speaker. Before becoming a Chevrolet auto dealer with a partner in Vallejo, CA, he was a zone manager for Chevrolet Motor Division. He grew up in Calistoga CA and his family owned a hotel there for many years.

I can remember that often he had his door open and he would be working or on the phone with someone, as he was at the dealership often and regular. He found a General Manager who he could trust and let him run the store for the most part, but one always knew that Art was the man in charge.

One time we had a huge contest to sell 50 Chevy LUV trucks in a specified period and I had ordered enough to try to get that done and it was considerably more than we would have normally stocked. One day three truck loads came all at once and were unloading all those little LUV trucks. I was watching and Art came out to get in his car and said to me, "I sure hope you know what you're doing!" Of course I did, and I also believe that from him that was a statement of encouragement because he said it with a smile. We sold 48 because we couldn't get two more from anywhere, otherwise we would have hit the number.

I loved him, though I wouldn't have said it that way back then, and I love the memory of him today. I've used that phrase that Art used above, but never liked it much. I've seen a lot of people abuse the idea of it. I think he got the phrase from an old Irish saying, "A new broom sweeps clean, but the old broom knows the corners." I like that one so much better.

Loving You, Art! Thanks For The Memories!

Spread Some Joy Today--Remember someone today that gives you some joy. It doesn't really matter if they are dead or alive. They are always alive in your mind.

Daily Inspiration 2-8-12

2012-02-08T00:04:00.000-08:00

"You have to sow before you can reap.

You have to give before you can get."

-- Robert Collier

Many people are enamored with the idea of being an entrepreneur. They like the idea of it especially as it might be compared to an explorer, a scout, an adventurer. They might even spend time studying some of the more famous of those that are called entrepreneurs. It's exciting to think about.

Probably most of those people would be shocked to know that those famous entrepreneurs and all those who never became famous have one thing in common. It is that they understood the idea of giving before receiving, or sowing before reaping.

That's the part that isn't so glamorous and there are so many things that the entrepreneur will do that many would consider a stupid amount of work for very little or even zero pay--indeed, sometimes even paying out of pocket for the privilege of getting to work toward their dreams.

It is interesting to see clearly those who do not understand because they say things like, 'how much will I be getting?' and such. They are looking for the getting before the giving and the reaping before considering sowing.

Sometimes a better question to ask people who express interest in a thing is this that I borrowed from Wayne Dyer recently: "What are you not willing to do to have this that you want?" That answer is telling.

For Entrepreneurs, Giving May Seem Disproportionate From Receiving, But It Is Only An Illusion.

Spread Some Joy Today--Give your love out today with no concern whatsoever as to what you may or may not get in return. You will find the giving is actually far superior to receiving.

Daily Inspiration 2-7-12

2012-02-07T00:02:00.000-08:00

"There is no limit to the power of loving."

-- John Morton

We all have so much more power than we think we do. Each and every one of us has the power to erase the idea and practice of war and any list of harm to other human beings. We are not powerless, but powerful. There is not now nor has ever been a dictator or evil leader who had the power on their own to cause war or any large scale harm. It requires a team, and usually a very, very large team.

The power is always within each individual of choice to love or not to love; to be loving or not to be loving. And, as we understand this infinite power we have available, there is virtually nothing that could compare.

Think about who makes the bombs, bullets, ships and planes. It isn't the army, navy or marines.

Now, bring this bold idea down to the much smaller world of our working lives. What do we do to earn money? Do we do things that we would not normally choose to do in order to make a dollar? Do we allow our bosses, our supervisors to guide us in ways that doesn't match our own values for the sake of keeping our jobs? We each have a choice each and every day how we will respond to calls made upon us, and it is this choice that determines war and peace. We also have the power of those choices moment to moment.

There is no limit to the power of loving as long as we choose it, nor a limit to how often we can choose it over another idea that may nor serve us.

There Is Love. . . And The Absence Of Love.

Spread Some Joy Today--Choose love. There are infinite ways and means available.

Daily Inspiration 2-6-12

2012-02-06T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Life is the sum of all your choices."

-- Albert Camus

The other day I was thinking how people think about mistakes. Many think they are bad, a very few think they are good. I think they don't exist. I don't make mistakes. I make decisions.

In this I endeavor to make choices of thought and/or action; however, even in my procrastination of decision, a decision is yet made and a result is yet earned. I cannot avoid it, and only potentially prolong it--maybe. Nonetheless, the outcome is the outcome and if I go around measuring each decision and/or result as to the rightness or leftness, I am not served.

A better question to ask is 'what did I learn from this?' To answer this question matters not whether is is good or bad or indifferent. Instead, I made a decision, I earned a result and what did I learn from that? Perhaps I will make a change of decision next time--or at least, we might like to think so.

Another tool is to remember that everything is temporary. When I was much younger, I thought that there were many things that were permanent. Greater wisdom teaches us otherwise, and it is helpful to remember.

So, I recommend to let go of judgement of right and wrong, mistake or success, and think instead of stimulus and response. We learn more in this way.

Next Time You See Someone Counting Their Mistakes, Ask Them, "How's That Working For Ya?"

Spread Some Joy Today--Trust your emotions. If it feel good, it is. If it doesn't feel good, it isn't. Sure helps making decisions then, doesn't it?

Daily Inspiration 2-5-12

2012-02-05T00:04:00.000-08:00

"You never lose by loving.

You always lose by holding back."

-- Barbara de Angelis

Some years ago, I started doing something strange. I started telling people I loved them. It isn't strange for me to say 'I love you' to my wife, my parents, my brothers and sisters, children and relatives, but it is strange to tell your clients, especially man to man, or people you barely know and so on. I say strange because I never see or hear it done in this context and it is a damn shame.

Think about this quote by Anatole France for a few minutes: "You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working; in just the same way, you learn to love by loving." In other words, practice makes perfect! In addition, practice is worthy of such a feeling as love.

As to why, I like what W. H. Murray says so simply and yet profoundly: "The more the soul knows, the more she loves, and loving much, she tastes much."

Back in 1996, I read the Bible and was at that time enamored by the sheer magnitude and depth of the love of Jesus. I took that love quite literally and began to love everyone more, paying special attention to those that were harder to love. You know the type--the overbearing, micro-managing boss; the persistent bill collector; the rude person, and such. They were a challenge, but I practiced and slowly opened my heart to them regardless of their attitude toward me. It was often miraculous in how in a very short time, these people not only changed for the better, but became much more lovable.

I continued to practice it and began telling many of my clients that I loved them. I could sense that they were uncomfortable in that conversation but I also know it is because they are not used to hearing it in this context. I have persisted all this time and I put it in writing to many of them and periodically tell them, and most certainly show it to them in my warmth and interest in them and my praise of them.

And guess what? They somehow become more loving too. Every once in a while they say it back to me, though that is not the point. The point is that I love them because that is how I feel and want to express it, and as W. H. Murray says. "the more the soul knows, the more she loves, and loving much, she tastes much."

I Taste Much. . . And It IS GOOD!

Spread Some Joy Today--Love your fellow person regardless of their relationship or position in relation to you. You'll be glad you did.

Daily Inspiration 2-4-12

2012-02-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

"Mental stress is 100% perception.

It is always self-inflicted."

-- Albert Strong

We've all felt uptight, overloaded, grumpy, and generally out of sorts from time to time. Some people experience these things regularly and complain about it all the time. Most people blame others or outside circumstances for their ill feelings and even claim to feel that the world is coming down on them.

The good news and the bad news, depending on where you are at the moment is that there is no such thing as someone putting mental stress on you. You are putting it on yourself completely. It is your reaction to some stimuli and not the stimuli that is the source and that source is within each of us. All so-called stress is just perception, or how we perceive something.

The good news and the bad news is that we all have the same exact 100% control over our perception as we choose to use it, or choose to ignore it. In every case, it is a choice from within ourselves and it is never something that others have any power to do for us.

Since becoming aware of this fact, I am continually reminding myself that if I am feeling uptight, I need to choose different thoughts, and sometimes the best way to do that is to physically do something like go outside, walk around the block, smell the fresh air, or anything pleasant that takes your mind into a mode of appreciation. Find ANYTHING to appreciate, then another, another and keep going until your well being is fully returned.

Just because you are aware, doesn't necessarily mean that you won't have to consciously choose. However, the best news is that you and you alone have that choice.

Once Aware, We Can Never Go Back To The Safety Of Ignorance. For That, I Am Thankful.

Spread Some Joy Today--Joy is not in some thing, or some circumstance. It is also 100% a choice to choose it or let it go.

Daily Inspiration 2-3-12

2012-02-03T00:03:00.000-08:00

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool

I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.

Because almost everything--all external expectations, all pride,

all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away

in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

-- Steve Jobs

What a great philosophy to live fully. . . NOW! And, in reading it, I had to reflect and think if I have been letting things, circumstances or other people stop me from doing what I want to do. I also know there isn't time or resources to do everything that comes into my mind, yet in looking back I believe that I have accepted challenges to do and become even in the face of fear or uncertainty. What is more interesting is that I am doing it much more often now than ever before and it feels. . .

AWESOME!

Just Because You Want To Do Something, Doesn't Mean You Have To Do It Very Long To Have Done It.

Spread Some Joy Today--Decide to do something you've been putting off. Maybe something simple, maybe more complicated, but doing it is where the joy is!

Daily Inspiration 2-2-12

2012-02-02T00:02:00.000-08:00

"The wicked leader is he who the people despise.

The good leader is he who the people revere.

The great leader is he who the people say,

'We did it ourselves'."

-- Lao Tzu

This is an interesting quote to contemplate. Another way to look at it is that the wicked leader is discomfort, the good leader is comfort, and the great leader is empowerment.

It is easy to see the wicked leader as one to avoid. It is easy to see the good leader as a friend, caring, and often we might miss the real value of the great leader as one who empowers, encourages our own inner drive and enthusiastic spirit to come out as if we alone were in charge.

We are.

Often, we may not recognize the opportunity we all have, and thereby potentially create a great leader by default.

Everything Is A Choice. Staying. Going. Becoming.

Spread Some Joy Today--Love somebody. Tell them so.

Daily Inspiration 2-1-12

2012-02-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Just because everything is different

doesn't mean anything has changed."

-- Irene Peter

Sometimes I see a quote and immediately fall in love with it and the depth and wisdom of it, and especially the succinctness of it. This quote by Irene Peter is one such quote.

It immediately brings to mind politics, which is something I avoid talking about from pretty much any angle as it is a dangerous mine field at best. Having finally succumbed to watching the documentary, An Inside Job, the other night, this quote by Irene takes on a whole new dimension. If you've seen it, you can relate I'm sure.

I see it in other arena's too. The car business where I spent 25 years of my life at dealerships, this quote is quite literal there, and from my vantage point of the outside looking in, it is even a better view than ever before.

So, I think that it is so easy to see everyone else and their changes that don't change, and now I have to look at my own. Well. . . I don't really have to, except to admit that I have stones and a glass house. . .

. . . And Politics Without Going To Washington. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--By laughing all you can. There is nothing that releases the tension, relaxes the spirit as much as laughter.

Daily Inspiration 1-31-12

2012-01-31T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Service which is rendered without joy helps neither

the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures

and possessions pale into nothingness before

service which is rendered in a spirit of joy."

-- Mohandas Gandhi

I have been blessed in my life to have served so many with the spirit of joy. There have been rare exceptions to this. I think the reason that I've been able to do this with a variety of employers including myself is that I have always endeavored to take ownership of what I was doing.

I know some who do just what is expected of them and no more; who get paid by the hour and act like it is their unjust due, when with a mere change in their outlook of their state in the working world might have a more fitting reward.

I don't think that it is up to the employer to provide anything more than an opportunity to serve and be compensated for that service. The rest of it is completely up to the individual and the attitude they bring to the job and their own life.

I rejoice in the ability and willingness to serve with joy. It is truly its own reward and compensation doesn't really improve it.

To Serve, Or Not To Serve? That Is The Question.

Spread Some Joy Today--Find ways to be of more service to more people.

Daily Inspiration 1-30-12

2012-01-30T00:02:00.000-08:00

"In theory there is no difference

between theory and practice.

In practice there is."

-- Yogi Berra

You've probably heard that you should have a complete written business plan with depth of detail, projections, cash flow examples, mission statements, operational concepts, and exit strategies. Some people make a living doing these. To them, there is no difference between theory and practice.

Then, there's the successful business builders ignoring the difference between theory and practice by practicing it.

Yogi Was Much Smarter Than He Sounded Like. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Do your thing. . . do what you wanta do. . . do your thing. Respect yoself!

Daily Inspiration 1-29-12

2012-01-29T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Allowing yourself to smile

takes 99% of the effort."

-- Simon Travaglia

I love this quote because it seems to be true and also because it points to the immense value of letting go of resistance.

For someone to smile, it is merely a matter of letting go of the resistance to it, and that is 99% of the effort to smile. When we are not in resistance, a smile would be totally natural, effortless and plentiful. Yet, many times we have a resistance to it for a wide range of reasons and circumstances. In allowing it to be by letting go, we are whole.

This same strategy and understanding then makes it easier to do a number of things that perhaps we have been avoiding, missing or wanting. As we focus on the circumstances and surrounding resistance, we are holding ourselves at bay from our desires, but by letting go, the power is instantly engaged and allowed.

Getting Out Of Our Own Way Is The Prime Directive.

Spread Some Joy Today--Allow that smile to be felt and seen openly!

Daily Inspiration 1-28-12

2012-01-28T00:02:00.000-08:00

"A journey of a thousand miles

must begin with a single step."

-- Lao Tzu

I've talked with a lot of people who were going to do something but put it off because they thought it was too big, too hard, or cost too much money, etc. The only way it moves past this roadblock is by making a decision to move. Procrastination and excessive fact finding is not a decision.

That reminds me of a story Jim Rohn told once where he said there was a builder who was going to build a skyscraper, and he began bringing materials to the building site, and then he kept bringing materials, and kept bringing them, but never built anything.

We get hung up on the things we have to do--the list of excuses--and that is just procrastination or avoiding a decision when there is something that we want but are giving "socially acceptable reasons" why we cannot possibly. Denis Waitley says, "everything is something you decide to do, and there is nothing you have to do."

I love how Anthony Robbins says it: "Using the power of decision gives you the capacity to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant."

Whatever it is that you might have been wanting to do, have faith that it is but a decision away from the first step of movement toward it.

There Will Be Plenty Of Time To Look Back. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Pretend that you just took a joy pill that produces a chemical balance in your body and brain that causes you to feel really, really good and to be in awe of all around you, loving everything you see. Since its just a decision, you don't really need the pill, but props are fun sometimes. . .

Daily Inspiration 1-27-12

2012-01-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Sometimes, in a summer morning,

having taken my accustomed bath,

I sat in my sunny doorway from sunrise

till noon, rapt in reverie."

-- Henry David Thoreau

When I read this quote, I read joy, and especially joy in the moment; drinking in the moments and enjoying oneself caught in a spirit of awe and wonder.

I think that the majority of my life I had almost none of these, and now I have them all the time; albeit, not necessarily from sunrise to noon. They last how ever long they last and I roll around in them with an effortless and joyful smile filling up my entire face. I feel full and overflowing, at peace with everything, loving every thing and every one. Maybe it lasts a minute, 5 minutes, or longer. It doesn't matter.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with weather, for it works at any time, in any condition. The amount of money or possessions I possess doesn't matter either.

What does matter, is that I pay attention!

And. . . Just ENJOY IT FULLY!

Spread Some Joy Today--What brings you to feeling joy? Make a list! Check it twice!

Daily Inspiration 1-26-12

2012-01-26T00:02:00.000-08:00

"You cannot overestimate

the unimportance

of practically everything."

-- John C Maxwell

What I love about this quote is how true it is. This and yet we disbelieve its truth by considering so many unimportant things important.

One thing really good to learn is that importance is a flexible and relative term. A great question to ask is how important is it really? How about compared to life or death? How about having 24 hours to live?

Now, if we have six months to live, that would change the importance of things as when we are 16 and immortal. As well, having six months would be different than having 24 hours and I wonder what is left that is really important having 24 hours to live? A hug? A kiss? Kind words of love? Anger?

Something to consider. . .

I Have. . . I Choose Love AND Joy. . . And Laughter.

Spread Some Joy Today--Do you know people that commonly make you laugh? Frequent their care!

Daily Inspiration 1-25-12

2012-01-25T00:08:00.000-08:00

"Your chances of success in any undertaking

can always be measured by your belief in yourself."

"You can do anything you think you can. This knowledge

is literally the gift of the gods, for through it you can solve

every human problem. It should make you an

incurable optimist. It is the open door."

-- Robert Collier

It has been said so many wonderful ways that to believe in ourselves is one of life's greatest answers. Besides these great ones from Robert Collier, there is a famous one from Henry Ford, "if you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."

Of course there were so many from the last century, often coined as the century of new thought, but this idea of believing in oneself is pretty much as old as time. It's just that we haven't seen those quotes as much maybe. So, I thought that since this idea is so important to everything we do, I would share a few more with you.

"Everything is possible for him who believes." - Mark 9:23, the Bible

There are many quotes on this subject in the Bible. My personal favorite is from Matthew 17:19-20: "Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you.""

"They can. . .because they think they can." - Virgil

"A person under the firm persuasion that he can command resources virtually has them." -- Livy

"What this power is, I cannot say. All I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when you are in that state of mind in which you know exactly what you want and are fully determined not to quit until you get it." -- Alexander Graham Bell

"What The Mind Of Man Can Conceive And Believe, The Mind Of A Man Can Achieve." -- Napoleon Hill

Spread Some Joy Today--Give something away that you've been holding on to that you don't really need. There is joy is letting go.

Daily Inspiration 1-24-12

2012-01-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

"In order to eliminate the negative influences,

simply ignore them."

-- Lao-tzu

It's funny to me, but I read this quote for the first time today and it is so perfect because that is exactly what I started doing and still do today to keep focused on the positive things I want to focus on and avoid getting tangled in the negative, needy things that are always clamoring for attention. I do it by not paying any attention to what the negativity or what is going on that I don't care to see. And, it is absolutely amazing how well this works right from day one.

Now, other people will try to persuade you to pay attention to the news and the problems, but it is not really that hard to say no, thanks. It also gets easier with practice to the point that I don't pay much attention to the distractions anymore.

Empowering Myself Is So Cool. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Stop the 'fine, how are you' routine to the common, 'how are you?' question. Practice some creative and joyful answers! How about, 'off the chart!' 'I don't think I've ever felt this good!' 'I think today is the best day of my life!' or 'I can't imagine the hottest rock star feeling quite this good.' What a difference, don't you think?

Daily Inspiration 1-23-12

2012-01-23T00:07:00.000-08:00

"Deficiency motivation doesn't work. It will lead to a

life-long pursuit of try to fix me. Learn to appreciate

what you have and where and who you are."

-- Wayne Dyer

It took me a long time to understand this idea of appreciating where I was when I wanted something more. In addition, as a young manager, I was taught to teach deficiency thinking in order to supply sales candidates with "motivation." Wayne's so right, it doesn't work.

Part of the reason that it doesn't work and this is the something that it took me until lately to understand this is that it causes one to see themselves as lacking; as not complete; broken in need of repair. Even if a goal is hit then, it is so much less satisfying that we think and we may even begin thinking that we don't deserve it or we didn't earn it and so on. But the biggest reason to me is we are beginning from a position of imperfection or brokenness trying to move to a position of wholeness. It's not really a fun place to be.

On the other hand, when we appreciate who we are, where we are now and what we have now in pursuit of what we want, we are going from a position of wholeness, not needing, but wanting more in our lives, our work, to have more fun, and more enjoyment--to become more.

These are two very different places of beginning. I have learned to appreciate what I have and it is so much better. I now love my life now just the way it is rather than being unhappy with my life hoping to be happy someday. Nothing can compare.

We Were Perfect When We Were Born, But Slowly And Surely Lost Track Of That. It Is Never Too Late To Relearn Our Perfection.

Spread Some Joy Today--Practice loving yourself and appreciating what you have and where you are regardless of your circumstances in comparison with the rest of the world. The more you practice, the more joy you will have to share.

Daily Inspiration 1-22-12

2012-01-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Because our entire universe is made up of consciousness,

we never really experience the universe directly we just

experience our consciousness of the universe, our perception

of it, so right, our only universe is perception."

-- Alan Moore

The world is flat is one perception of old. People held to it with all their strength. A few ventured to consider and experiment and develop a different perspective. So, now, in today's world, we think, how could they have believed the world is flat? It is because we now can see pictures of the earth from space that clearly show that the earth is not flat. We think it is crazy and uneducated to think it is flat when it is clearly not. Yet, this fact many not have changed a lot of people's perceptions in the flat world days.

It is easy to put those flat-worlders in the category of being wrong, whereas, we with all our knowledge and insight are truly in the right category. We're right, they're wrong. A classic argument. But, are they really?

Giving this somewhat more thought, I think they are neither right or wrong because each is viewing the world from their own perspective, and perspective isn't something that is right or wrong, but something that is fashioned out of the knowledge and prejudices we have--more like each looking through our own eyes seeing what we see and to each what we see is real to us.

Next time we try to move someone from their solid-grounded perspective to try to have them adopt our own, we might consider other alternatives. We could allow them to continue to own their perspective and appreciate their unique view as okay and even perfect for them at this moment in time. There are all sorts of people who do not have ears to hear or eyes to see except this that they know now. We can choose to respect that perspective. Rather than try to change them, we just honor them and allow them to be who they are and where they are as we can do also with ourselves.

Doesn't This Apply In So Many Ways In So Many Situations With Communications With Others?

Spread Some Joy Today--by relaxing in criticism today. Allow others to be what they are, especially those who do or say things you may not have previously liked. Allow them to be them and you to be you and everyone is okay today. If need be, you can pick up your prickly stick tomorrow. It is always available.

Daily Inspiration 1-21-12

2012-01-21T00:04:00.000-08:00

"Through pride we are ever deceiving ourselves. But deep

down below the surface of the average conscience a still,

small voice says to us, something is out of tune."

-- Carl Jung

"Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are

often used synonymously. A person may be proud without

being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves;

vanity, to what we would have others think of us."

-- Jane Austen

I ran across a wonderful quote by Jane Austen above. The quote above it is more typical of how I've heard about pride--as if it is always a negative; such as being boastful, etc. But when I read Jane's quote, I instantly loved it because it explained it so well and it just felt good. Yes, it just felt right.

One of the things that I never used to pay much attention to is how I feel inside about something, and now I have learned to go with that feeling as if it is the ultimate guidance about everything in my life. So, when I read the Jane Austen quote, I instantly felt good about it and when I read Carl Jung's quote, I instantly felt bad about it, so I will choose to ignore Carl and embrace Jane.

I'm learning that life is much easier than I thought it was by paying attention to how I feel about things. Not from a conscience point of view, but just how I feel when I think about it. It is proving to be the most perfect guidance.

I Knew That Feeling Good Had Value, But So Does Feeling Bad. . . Move Toward. . . Move Away. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--I'll tell you something I find joyful: whatever the weather is at any given time, enjoy it! Never complain about it. Leave that to others. Instead, enjoy it, appreciate it, marvel in it.

Daily Inspiration 1-20-12

2012-01-20T00:06:00.000-08:00

"In a controversy, the instant we feel anger

we have already ceased striving for the truth,

and have begun striving for ourselves."

-- Buddha

This is a great way to tell when I'm going down the wrong path. I think we naturally via our ego want to protect our position rather than consider an alternative, no matter how good it may be. Feeling anger is a result and I think that should be looked at as a reason to immediately stop and let go of our position if we can encourage ourselves to do that and allow a different thought to enter.

This applies as equally to any argument of a personal or business nature. The moment we feel anger, we need to be aware and change direction, or release the argument. To continue will not be beneficial.

There Is Much Value In Considering Anothers Perspective Along With Our Own.

Spread Some Joy Today--Enjoy the scenery today, even if it is from your office window.

Daily Inspiration 1-19-12

2012-01-19T08:58:00.000-08:00

"I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one

advances confidently in the direction of his dreams,

and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined,

he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.

He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary;

new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish

themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded,

and interpreted in his favor in a more liberal sense, and he will

live with the license of a higher order of beings. In proportion

as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less

complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty,

nor weakness weakness. If you have built castles in the air,

your work need not be lost; that is where they should be.

Now put the foundations under them."

-- Henry David Thoreau

Today I was thinking about encouraging words. I love that old song, Home On The Range and my favorite line, "where never is heard, a discouraging word." As I was thinking about it, I thought I would share with you three quotes that are in my top ten of encouraging quotes.

I've heard the Thoreau quote hundreds of times, but rarely in the fullness of the way it was written in Walden, so I thought I would share it the way it was written.

Here is number two about living fully. I remember recording this quote in a booklet over 30 years ago that contained a number of quotes and I called it my inspirational book. Here it is from one of my favorite authors, Jack London:

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."

And the third quote below is at the top of quotes that have moved me in my life, and it is just as powerful now as it was when I first read it. Here it is:

"There Is A Tide In The Affairs Of Men, When Taken At The Flood, Leads On To Fortune." -- William Shakespeare

Spread Some Joy Today--Enjoy your day as if you only had a handful left. . .

Daily Inspiration 1-18-12

2012-01-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Happiness is not a thing.

It is not something to be pursued.

It is not even something we attract.

It is always an attitude;

a perspective that we choose."

-- Albert Strong

Many people choose an unhappiness response to some event. They choose to grieve. The key word is choose. Many do so because that's what they were trained to do under certain conditions, or it is what is expected of them--the right thing to do. Some even assign specific periods of time where this is expected and falling short of the full expected time frame wouldn't look good to others in the community.

There are all sorts of spoken and unspoken cultural expectations of behavior. Of course, to go along means you're part of the culture and in the group, and to choose another way is what we call the outsider.

It's not even going against the crowd. Although, I've found that the crowd isn't all that insightful. It is merely choosing one's own way and if in so doing, it requires walking away from the crowd, so be it.

I've often chosen the crowd in years past. I've chosen unhappiness, depression, outrage, anger and more. Now as I look back, I find it interesting how people will choose those things over happiness, joy, well being. I know that I did, and yet I cannot exactly explain why except that it was expected or that I got some egotistical value from it, such as, sympathy, seeming support, and more. Whatever the benefit that came never seemed to be worth the effort that it took to endure the symptoms.

So, finally, as I found mentors that convinced me it was a choice and deep inside, I also knew it to be true, I now choose happiness and joy even as others choose opposites. I no longer care much about being in the group because it isn't any fun and once you get that you have the power, you just can't go back, and there isn't any reason to do so.

Take Courage: Choose Happiness.

Spread Some Joy Today--choose to be joyful. Just for the heck of it.

Daily Inspiration 1-17-12

2012-01-17T00:02:00.000-08:00

"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing,

while others judge us by what we have already done."

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Isn't it the truth, Henry. All the more reason that we are the best judges of ourselves and not to listen except with a mild interest what others have to say about us and what we have done, are doing, or intend to do.

Heck, if we really listened to others opinions, we would be bound to their expectations, limitations and prejudices. I reckon that the better we get at not paying much of any attention to outside opinions, the smarter we will be.

It's okay to ask for opinions, or advice (opinions), or counsel (opinions), and it is perfectly okay to reject all of them! I believe that the real value of asking opinions is to clarify our own thinking.

Here's the best thing I've ever learned: pay attention to how you feel when deciding to do or not to do something, or when listening to sage advice. If it feels good, it is, and if it feels bad, it is. This is why you and I can be the only real judge, because it is only we who experience the feeling and thereby the perfect solution.

Be Bold. Believe In Your Own Power Of Thought.

Spread Some Joy Today--When you see someone and they have that look of confidence, peace and joy, pay attention to their expressions and body language. Now duplicate it. That's the backdoor version of joy.

Daily Inspiration 1-16-12

2012-01-16T00:02:00.000-08:00

"We have all a better guide in ourselves,

if we would attend to it,

than any other person can be."

-- Jane Austen

Believing in ourselves, and in our own wisdom to guide our own lives, even ignoring or discounting what others tell us makes all the difference in how we flow through life and in our work. As a sales manager for over 40 years, it is personal confidence that has always set the good sales person from the mediocre regardless of other factors in my own experience. As a result, it is the quality that I tried my best to instill in others for their own benefit and ultimately everyone else's.

I love how Jane says it so well. Swami Vivekananda takes it a step or two further in saying, "If faith in ourselves had been more extensively taught and practiced, I am sure a very large portion of the evils and miseries that we have would have vanished." Another author, e. e. cummings fills in some color by saying, "Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit."

I've seen firsthand what that calm, confidence looks and acts like, and it is rather like even forgetting oneself because the confidence level is such that there is no need to focus there; almost as if it is a given. Joseph Campbell captured that thought this way: "When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness."

This is where I've been heading all my life and I am beginning to feel that as an experience. I have found that it is not a destination, but a journey and the journey IS the destination.

I'll leave this post with one of my favorite quotes on this subject:

"If We Did All The Things We Are Capable Of, We Would Literally Astound Ourselves." -- Thomas A Edison

Spread Some Joy Today--by being YOU!

Daily Inspiration 1-15-12

2012-01-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

"If there is anything that we wish to change in the child,

we should first examine it and see whether it is not

something that could better be changed in ourselves."

-- Carl Jung

I love this quote, and I especially love it when you change the word child, like this: "If there is anything that we wish to change in another, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves."

As I contemplate this, it speaks such power of control in our own lives; of how we can choose how we will look at a situation, and thereby how we will respond, react, and feel about it, and the other person who we at first think needs changing.

If there is something that we don't like about another person that we think they should change, by immediately changing from looking at them to looking at ourselves and what we can do is telling and helpful. Though we continue to challenge ourselves to think there is someway that we can change others, we cannot. We only have that power toward ourselves in how we look at people and situations.

It is so easy to see the faults in others and to like people that are more like we are. It is when people are different that we have a grand opportunity to grow and love. Maybe we need more patience, a more open mind, a change in the way we view right and wrong, whether we even live the ideals that we claim to uphold so fiercely.

This is an acquired skill. I know it is worth the practice and determination of acquisition, and that it will benefit us like nothing else. We can even learn to appreciate those differences and celebrate them.

What We See In Others Is In Ourselves. What Do You WANT To See?

Spread Some Joy Today--Relax all your prejudices today. The easy way to do that is to look at each person around you today and find things to appreciate. Focus on those things and prejudice melts away.

Daily Inspiration 1-14-12

2012-01-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

"You have to allow a certain amount of time

in which you are doing nothing in order to have

things occur to you, to let your mind think."

-- Mortimer Adler

Have you ever taken a break from work by doing something that requires almost no thought, or just relaxing, or lightly napping, and a problem you were working on or a situation that you needed an answer for was suddenly solved?

It seems that the harder I try to figure something out, it is in the letting go of it, relaxing away from any thought of it, that the the easy solution comes through without any effort on my part. I have practiced letting this happen and find it so valuable.

Next time you have issues that are bugging you, practice letting go of the issue and just relax, read a book, watch a movie, work in the garden or take a nap. With just a small amount of practice, I think you will find as I have that this special time is very productive no matter how it may appear to others.

No Need To Play Tug o' War, Just Drop The Rope.

Spread Some Joy Today--Have some fun. Enjoy yourself!

Daily Inspiration 1-13-12

2012-01-13T00:02:00.000-08:00

Today, I want to share a little longer piece that I dearly love:

The Spirit of Opulence

by Thomas Troward

"It is quite a mistake to suppose that we must restrict and stint ourselves in order to develop greater power or usefulness. This is to form the conception of the Divine Power as so limited that the best use we can make of it is by a policy of self-starvation, whether material or mental. Of course, if we believe that some form of self-starvation is necessary to our producing good work, then so long as we entertain this belief the fact actually is so for us. “Whatsoever is not of faith”—that is, not in accordance with our honest belief—“is sin”; and by acting contrary to what we really believe we bring in a suggestion of opposition to the Divine Spirit, which must necessarily paralyze our efforts, and surround us with a murky atmosphere of distrust and want of joy.

But all this exists in, and is produced by, our belief; and when we come to examine the grounds of this belief we shall find that it rests upon an entire misapprehension of the nature of our own power. If we clearly realize that the creative power in ourselves is unlimited, then there is no reason for limiting the extent to which we may enjoy what we can create by means of it. Where we are drawing from the infinite we need never be afraid of taking more than our share. That is not where the danger lies. The danger is in not sufficiently realizing our own richness, and in looking upon the externalized products of our creative power as being the true riches instead of the creative power of spirit itself.

If we avoid this error, there is no need to limit ourselves in taking what we will from the infinite storehouse: “All things are yours.” And the way to avoid this error is by realizing that the true wealth is in identifying ourselves with the spirit of opulence. We must be opulent in our thought. Do not “think money,” as such, for it is only one means of opulence; but think opulence, that is, largely, generously, liberally, and you will find that the means of realizing this thought will flow to you from all quarters, whether as money or as a hundred other things not to be reckoned in cash.

We must not make ourselves dependent on any particular form of wealth, or insist on its coming to us through some particular channel—that is at once to impose a limitation, and to shut out other forms of wealth and to close other channels; but we must enter into the spirit of it. Now the spirit is Life, and throughout the universe Life ultimately consists in circulation, whether within the physical body of the individual or on the scale of the entire solar system; and circulation means a continual flowing around, and the spirit of opulence is no exception to this universal law of all life.

When once this principle becomes clear to us we shall see that our attention should be directed rather to the giving than the receiving. We must look upon ourselves, not as misers’ chests to be kept locked for our own benefit, but as centers of distribution; and the better we fulfill our function as such centers the greater will be the corresponding inflow. If we choke the outlet the current must slacken, and a full and free flow can be obtained only by keeping it open. The spirit of opulence—the opulent mode of thought, that is—consists in cultivating the feeling that we possess all sorts of riches which we can bestow upon others, and which we can bestow liberally because by this very action we open the way for still greater supplies to flow in. But you say, “I am short of money, I hardly know how to pay for necessaries. What have I to give?”

The answer is that we must always start from the point where we are; and if your wealth at the present moment is not abundant on the material plane, you need not trouble to start on that plane. There are other sorts of wealth, still more valuable, on the spiritual and intellectual planes, which you can give; and you can start from this point and practice the spirit of opulence, even though your balance at the bank may be nil. And then the universal law of attraction will begin to assert itself. You will not only begin to experience an inflow on the spiritual and intellectual planes, but it will extend itself to the material plane also.

If you have realized the spirit of opulence you cannot help drawing to yourself material good, as well as that higher wealth which is not to be measured by a money standard; and because you truly understand the spirit of opulence you will neither affect to despise this form of good, nor will you attribute to it a value that does not belong to it; but you will co-ordinate it with your other more interior forms of wealth so as to make it the material instrument in smoothing the way for their more perfect expression. Used thus, with understanding of the relation which it bears to spiritual and intellectual wealth, material wealth become one with them, and is no more to be shunned and feared than it is to be sought for its own sake.

It is not money, but the love of money, that is the root of all evil; and the spirit of opulence is precisely the attitude of mind which is furthest removed from the love of money for its own sake. It does not believe in money. What it does believe in is the generous feeling which is the intuitive recognition of the great law of circulation, which does not in any undertaking make its first question, How much am I going to get by it? But, How much am I going to do by it? And making this the first question, the getting will flow in with a generous profusion, and with a spontaneousness and rightness of direction that are absent when our first thought is of receiving only.

We are not called upon to give what we have not yet got and to run into debt; but we are to give liberally of what we have, with the knowledge that by so doing we are setting the law of circulation to work, and as this law brings us greater and greater inflows of every kind of good, so our out-giving will increase, not by depriving ourselves of any expansion of our own life that we may desire, but by finding that every expansion makes us the more powerful instruments for expanding the life of others. “Live and let live” is the motto of the true opulence."

--Thomas Troward, from “Hidden Power and Other Papers Upon Mental Science”

Daily Inspiration 1-12-12

2012-01-12T00:02:00.000-08:00

"The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread

and coming out with only a loaf of bread

are three billion to one."

-- Erma Bombeck

Murphy's Law-isms. They're pretty funny and at the same time insightful and interesting. Recently, I became aware of a new Murphy's Law that I call the Murphy's Law of Shopping Carts. It goes like this: Wherever you stop your cart to look at something several feet away, someone will immediately come along who needs something your cart is blocking.

I noticed this phenomenon about a year ago and since I do a lot of the grocery shopping, I have found it fascinating to watch this law take place in a very high majority of the times I park my cart, no matter how carefully I try to find a place that would be safe. It almost always takes place in a minute or less even when there is no one visible in the aisle when I park. Now it is really interesting and funny to watch it happen, and as I go back to the cart, I smile at them with quiet laughter inside at how they succeeded in making the law true.

Murphy's Shopping Car Law. See how it works next time you're in the store. Park your cart on purpose and walk several feet away to look at something else. Just for the fun of it.

"A Bargain Is Something You Can't Use At A Price You Can't Resist." -- Franklin P Jones

Spread Some Joy Today--Make sure to keep humor close at hand and in large supply.

Daily Inspiration 1-11-12

2012-01-11T00:02:00.000-08:00

"The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is

his success, his influence, his power for good.

Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom."

-- James Allen

I find myself fascinated more often as I realize that I am living and experiencing ideals that I have desired in my life, yet at earlier times seemed hard to attain. As soon as I realize that I am fulfilling one of my ideals, I have to pause for a moment and smile with joy. Many of these ideals may seem simple to many, and they really are, and at the same time so powerful. One of them is a calmness as described by James Allen.

It happened again today as my wife and I drove out to a favorite spot in the Suisun Marsh, just a couple miles from our house. We drive about three miles into the marsh and stop at a boat landing and watch boats come in and go out for a few minutes. We often stop on the way for a Starbuck's to sip on the way.

It's a very low traffic area, but sometimes people are in a hurry to get to the other side, so I had one such behind me, so I pulled aside momentarily and let him pass, then continued on. As I was driving I just realized how calm I was, how calm my driving was, how I was enjoying all of the scenery on the way out and on the way back. Time almost stood still. It was so peaceful and relaxing and wonderful. There was no hurry to get to the stopping point and no hurry to get back.

Another interesting thing I've noticed is that people say things about me always having a smile, not in a hurry, looking like I'm enjoying life, being very patient and so on. Many of these people are people who have seen me many times like store clerks and such. Each time I hear them say something like that it is a joy to hear that the outward me is showing off the inward me. It's also reinforcement that I am living those ideals of being calm, content, joyful.

I love how Lao Tzu expresses this idea by saying, "be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." That is really how it feels to me.

I Am Continually Grateful And Every Day Expanding My Joy All The More.

Spread Some Joy Today--Don't you know that joy is so contagious. Want to make a difference? Find joy in your life and others will think it is pixie dust and want it as well.

Daily Inspiration 1-10-12

2012-01-10T01:05:00.000-08:00

"Cease trying to work everything out with your minds.

It will get you nowhere. Live by intuition and

inspiration and let your whole life be Revelation."

-- Eileen Caddy

I love this quote by Eileen Caddy and deep inside I know it to be true, yet externally, I've had so much practice at trying to run things that it has become challenging to let go of command. And, letting go is a great way to look at it. Lao Tzu said it this way: "By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond the winning."

Of course the biggest issue is that we are not taught to let it go, but to pick it up, run with it and make the touchdown without looking over our shoulder. I have found there is a certain amount of unlearning that goes with learning something new. Oops, there's that letting go thing again. . .

I do have to say that I am very much into practicing the idea and activity of putting the oars in the boat and relaxing in the inspiration of release, and even though sometimes it may be moment to moment, it is powerful when I allow it. I think that is also another key component: allowing it by letting go of resistance.

In any case, it is working bit by bit and I find joy in the successes.

The Stream And The Row Boat Is A Perfect Way To Visualize This Theme.

Spread Some Joy Today--by trying to determine when you're rowing upstream. Even though you may not know it is happening all the time, whenever you do, relax and let it go and you will have immediate joy.

Daily Inspiration 1-9-12

2012-01-09T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Imagination rules the world."

-- Napoleon Bonaparte

"Set your sights high, the higher the better.

Expect the most wonderful things to happen,

not in the future but right now.

Realize that nothing is too good.

Allow absolutely nothing to hamper you

or hold you up in any way."

-- Eileen Caddy

"Live The Life You've Dreamed." -- Henry David Thoreau

Spread Some Joy Today--by being your natural joyous self by releasing all fear.

Daily Inspiration 1-8-12

2012-01-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

"The living moment is everything."

-- D. H. Lawrence

This has probably happened to you as well. I'll be reading something, watching a movie or video, listening to an audiobook, and the vast majority of the time, I find things of interest and learn from them. But, sometimes, something jumps out at me as if it is screaming for me to remember it. It might be part of a line, a quote, a line in a book, yet what makes it different is how it stands out.

This happened a few nights ago watching the movie, The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon. It's a pretty interesting movie, and at one point, David, the lead character played by Matt Damon said this phrase that jumped out at me: "All I have are the choices I make."

That is a great phrase to contemplate. That is what sets us apart, isn't it? It is what makes life worthwhile if you think about it a bit more deeply. It is also our history, our destiny and our present all in one answer as to how things are or have been, or will be.

Some years ago, I sat down and wrote a long piece about choices I had made in the earlier portions of my life and how those choices were consciously made and each one created, or had visible results. It was fascinating to do this because it made me so much more aware of the power of NOW. It is our now or the present that we make all of our choices.

If I look back and regret my choices, I can't do anything about what has been other than to think about it differently; however, I have the opportunity every moment of every day to consciously make a different, better, more appropriate choice, or just a new choice. And that is the hope that we all have no matter where we are. This is something we all share in common. We all have hope if we want it and that hope is formulated by the fact that we can choose a different thought, a different action each and every moment.

Next time we might be lamenting where we are compared with where we might rather have ended up, the best thing to do is this:

1. Realize that our own choices have brought us here regardless of circumstances that surround us. Realize or be aware of it and then accept responsibility for those choices. Others did not make them for us.

2. Get excited about the hope that we all share in by being able to make choices today, right here, and right now that have the power to change and shape what is. Whether it is a change in the way we view something, or an action that will cause a change makes no difference. They are both choices and our same hope.

"Nothing Is Worth More Than This Day" -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Spread Some Joy Today--Don't be concerned about other people's choices, only your own. Take joy in your own power!

Daily Inspiration 1-7-12

2012-01-07T00:02:00.000-08:00

"At college age, you can tell who is best at taking tests and

going to school, but you can't tell who the best people are.

That worries the hell out of me."

-- Barnaby C Keeney

People have devised all sorts of tests, such as, I.Q. tests, personality tests and you name it to find out if someone is qualified or is to be a fit in a certain place. No matter what, they are limited in what they can tell us and yet we tend to give them far more value than they deserve. That reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Albert Einstein: "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."

I remember becoming a brand new sales manager at a car dealership at age 25 in 1972 and sometime during the next year, the general manager bought into a personality testing program to help determine the right candidates for positions in the store. So, I took the test to test the test. It came back that I was not recommended for the job of sales manager.

Have you ever known when you felt like you had a calling to do something and then did it? That was me in the sales manager position. I felt like I had a calling to it and I think I was pretty good at it, in spite of the personality test opinion. After that episode and a couple more for good measure, the test went bye-bye.

Over the next 25 years of doing that job, I've run across other tests and none of them were really very helpful. Part of the problem is that a large percentage of people seem to tense up on taking tests and it skews the results to say the least of it and can make it worthless in others. Frankly, I think throwing a wet noodle against a wall and seeing if it sticks is just about as accurate.

The best judge that I've found so far is if people like what they are doing. If they enjoy the work, they will want to learn more about it and improve their skills at doing it and then they will enjoy it all the more. Another judge is how they seem to fit in how they communicate, handle themselves and such. Another is how they respond to encouragement and guidance. Then again, some are seriously good at the interview and not so good at the position. All in all, it is as my mentor Jim Rohn has said: "the reason for training is to find out who you have."

Don't Need No Tests To Tell Me What I Can See With My Own Eyes, Hear With My Own Ears, And Feel With My Own Feelings.

Spread Some Joy Today--Feeling good and feeling good about yourself is the most important thing you can choose to do today and every single day of your life. It doesn't matter who says otherwise. You deserve it, so just do it.

Daily Inspiration 1-6-12

2012-01-06T00:02:00.000-08:00

"The world we see that seems so insane is the

result of a belief system that is not working.

To perceive the world differently, we must be

willing to change our belief system, let the

past slip away, expand our sense of now,

and dissolve the fear in our minds."

-- William James

I heard something today that I've heard and seen so many times in my business life and I immediately got tense, upset and wanted to blog about it and expose it and make mayhem with it, and. . . Well, I'm sure we've all felt that way from time to time. And, what good would come of that? Would the problem as I perceive it vanish in fear of my anger? Would my urge to write it out cause enlightenment on the situation or people involved? The answers would be none, no and no. In truth, about all I may get is someone else upset and then we could create a club, elect officers and create a mission for the betterment of _________, by eradicating ___________. Of course, we know how many thousands of those already exist saving mankind from mankind.

Then we get into the right and wrong. Albert Strong says that "right and wrong are just two perceptions of the same thing." Calling a thing right or wrong doesn't really help except to create some more clubs and fund raising opportunities. The worst deception is that I'm right, so surely they are wrong. That's a rather dangerous place to get to, if you know what I mean.

Our belief system is more a fluid state than we may realize. A belief is just a thought we keep thinking, so we can certainly choose to change it anytime we want. The key word there is 'can.' I understand the not wanting to part, but then the problem is still wagging the dog.

I can't change what other people think, let alone what they do. I've tried that for a lot of years in every way I can possibly think of and with extremely spotty and poor results. I didn't even consider much through that how it was that I even had the right to do so had it worked as I had hoped.

No. Since I've finally realized with clarity that I cannot change others, I learned that I can however, change me any time I want and as often as I want with almost perfect results. I call that my enlightenment.

So, now back to today when I was feeling that tense emotion, I only experienced it very briefly because now I know that it cannot possibly help, so I immediately turned to changing how I was perceiving the situation, or my thoughts about it, and then thinking about thoughts that caused me to feel better and I instantly felt better.

It is in my allowing of others to be whatever they choose to be and do for themselves that maintains my own well being. Besides bringing me more happiness and joy, it keeps me out of so many of those clubs.

Violence [mental or physical], Even Well Intentioned, Always Rebounds Upon Oneself." -- Lao Tzu

Spread Some Joy Today--Be cool. Chill. Let it go. Think about beautiful things, lovely things, and happier thoughts.

Daily Inspiration 1-5-12

2012-01-05T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Owning is not nearly as interesting

or exciting as wanting to own."

-- Albert Strong

I was looking around at many of my possessions, most of which are small, but make up space in numbers. I was thinking that most of them I haven't even touched in years and would not really miss them if they were no longer here. That made me think of what is important in the things we own.

If there were an emergency of some kind where we had to evacuate fairly quickly, what would be important enough to want to take? Of course it may be different with a certain amount of time, right? So play the game with me if you feel like it. . . To keep the focus on possessions, I'll say that the family is safe and away already, animals are out, and it is just you remaining. What would you take if you had an hour to get out of your house? What would you take if you had only 15 minutes? How about 5 minutes?

It seemed to me that the rest of it is rather insignificant.

I was thinking back to when I was 21 and just got married and lived off base in Delaware in the Air Force. We lived in a furnished 40' trailer in a trailer park and we ended up leaving there for California with only one piece of furniture that we owned and I still have it and use it today, but all of our possessions fit in a small U-Haul trailer towed behind my car. Most of that was accumulated while we lived there however minimal. We weren't really lacking anything important then, nor am I now, but there is a vast difference in the number of possessions.

I'm not thinking of getting rid of them and like many of them, but it is interesting to consider that they are not really very important after all. They just seemed important at the time.

How Did I Ever Live Without All This Stuff?

Spread Some Joy Today--Next time you watch a movie, watch all the credits and mentally thank each and every person listed for their efforts to bring you the joyful experience of seeing it. Realizing there are so many working to bring you joy is so cool.

Daily Inspiration 1-4-12

2012-01-04T08:35:00.001-08:00

"My father taught me to always do more than you

get paid for as an investment in your future."

"We get paid for bringing value to the marketplace.

It takes time to bring value to the marketplace,

but we get paid for the value, not for the time."

-- Jim Rohn

We all need mentors and they are so much more easily found than people imagine. Jim Rohn, who died a short time ago, was and IS one of the most profound mentors I have and I can remember the first time I ever heard one of his tapes back in late 1980. The reason they are easy to find now is the magic of the recorded voice and books. Jim has done quite a few of both and I can recommend them to anyone without reservation and state without hesitation the value is hundreds or thousands of times the cost.

This idea above about providing value and doing more than you get paid to do is not a new idea, nor was it new when Jim Rohn said it, and I think that it always is worth repeating what I think are fundamentals such as this concept.

Many people think they make so much an hour and that they are selling their time, but it isn't the time they provide that means anything at all, it is the value. However, the idea I want to elaborate a bit on here is not just the value, but what the first quote about giving more than you get paid for speaks to. It is the very last few words: "an investment in your future."

Although I believe that to be valid and true, I think in a deeper sense that the greatest reason for doing more than you get paid to do is not for the employers' benefit, but our own. Not just about how you may grow from it and become more in the future, but focusing on the present, how you will feel about yourself by that act today, right now.

From my own experience, I adopted this idea very early and with rare exception have always provided more value; albeit, that more value often benefited me somewhat more than my employers.

I'll give you an example of what I mean. For 25 years of my life, I was in the car business and spent the first two and a half years as a salesman on the line. I was eager to do well, to improve myself, learn the craft. It was so common for the sales people to hang out and shoot the breeze, most often complaining about something or another. While they were moving the air around, I was studying the cars on the showroom, watching a movie about them, reading a brochure from cover to cover for the tenth time.

I wanted to learn how cars were ordered, so I watched and learned and then asked if I could do some, and very shortly ordered all the cars for the dealership and didn't ask for, nor receive a dime for it, but all of these things not only provided value to the dealership and my employer, but they gave me more experience, confidence and skill which made me the sales manager of the store at age 25, while the other sales people were still shooting the breeze and complaining.

This same fundamental is with me today, and now the only difference is that I am the employer. . .

Invest In Yourself For Your Own Benefit First As Others Will Benefit As A Matter Of Course.

Spread Some Joy Today--Love yourself today, just because.

Daily Inspiration 1-3-12

2012-01-03T01:01:00.000-08:00

"The war was a mirror; it reflected man's every

virtue and every vice, and if you looked closely,

like an artist at his drawings,

it showed up both with unusual clarity."

-- George Grosz

Ever get in an argument with someone with accusations going back and forth, with the familiar, "you always (never) (should) (didn't) (etc.)______," or you this or you that? I know that I have. Then today, something told me to look at that differently. . .

Suppose as you were making those accusations, the person in front of you became a mirror and all you saw was yourself? Wouldn't it be interesting to say the same exact things but be saying them to yourself?

One thing is clear. We might not feel so strongly about it--what ever it is--and we may very well feel that what was said was really unnecessary and pointless.

Sometimes It Is Really Good To Talk To Ourselves. Maybe Even Prior To Talking To Someone Else. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Is there anything better to spread than joy?

Daily Inspiration 1-2-12

2012-01-02T00:02:00.000-08:00

"As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth,

so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind.

To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again.

To make a deep mental path, we ust think over and over

the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives."

-- Henry David Thoreau

Just a bit of encouragement for your resolves. . .

"Those Who Remain Unmoved By The Wind Of Joy Silently Follow The Path." -- Bodhidharma

Spread Some Joy Today--What you find joy in, you do.

Daily Inspiration 1-1-12

2012-01-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

"One resolution I have made,

and always try to keep, is this:

To rise above the little things."

-- John Burroughs

Sounds like a good idea to me . . .

Happy New Year!

Spread Some Joy Today--Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Daily Inspiration 12-31-11

2011-12-31T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Treat those who are good with goodness,

and threat those who are not good with goodness.

Thus goodness is obtained.

Be honest to those who are honest,

and be also honest to those who are not honest.

Thus honesty is attained."

-- Lau Tzu

Philosophy such as in this Lau Tzu quote escaped my understanding until recently. I was taught or learned rather to respond in kind. And even though I then lose my place and position, it was the fair thing to do--an eye for and eye and all that sort of thing.

Now I realize that in so doing, I've given up the thing that I thought I valued, such as the goodness, or the honesty to fight the evil-doers and liars, only to become as they and ultimately show how little I valued the previously held ideals.

It makes perfect sense to me now that treating all with goodness maintains the value of goodness. It also means that I make the choice by choosing goodness.

How does this apply in real life? I've worked a few jobs where things my boss told me to say or do were against my values, yet because they were my employer, my source of income, my livelihood, I folded and did as was requested or instructed feeling crappy about it, yet doing it nonetheless. I could see how the client was looking at me and thinking about me, but I felt that I had no choice. I mean, it wasn't exactly like breaking the law or anything, it was just not right in my mind--more like a difference of opinion or outlook. Yet, no matter how I tried to justify it or whitewash it, it was still distasteful to me.

Today, I would respond differently and take the risk. This is probably one of the big reasons that I am in business for myself because I can make the decisions and feel good about them and do what I think is right. Now if something doesn't feel right to me, I am in total control of changing it until it does. Thus rightness or integrity is obtained.

"If You Don't Change Direction, You May End Up Where You Are Heading." -- Lao Tzu

Spread Some Joy Today--Love yourself first and foremost.

Daily Inspiration 12-30-11

2011-12-30T00:02:00.001-08:00

"Our attitudes control our lives. Attitudes are a secret power

working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of

paramount importance that we know how to harness

and control this great force."

-- Irving Berlin

I teach sales and have done that since 1975, and yet I'm continually learning about this subject, even today. What I have found by asking and by observing is that most salespeople that I've been around want silver bullets and magic genies to aid them and they almost all want to know more about closing sales. They want the right lines to say, the right sequence to say them in to speed up the process and help them be more successful. They typically rank closing the sale as the most important step in a sale.

To me, the close of a sale is a forgone conclusion to a well thought greeting--and even before we even meet the potential customer in our attitudes about what we do and how we do it.

If we have an attitude of desiring to improve our skills and be the best that we can be at what we do, we will learn with an eager mind and the skills will flow accordingly. This helps us believe in ourselves and in our own abilities. Let's call this preparation.

Then, it will be in our best interest to have an attitude of sincere and helpful service thinking what will be best suited for our new customer. It should be obvious that it is far more important what the customer wants than what we might want. We are the servant as salespeople, not the customer.

Next, is learning to pay far more attention to asking good questions, than in making a presentation. We can't be of service if we aren't clear what our customer wants. Once we are clear on what our customer wants, and can supply that, a presentation is like a bit of icing on a cake.

Last is all encompassing and the single most important quality in a good salesperson: Confidence. This comes from all of the above and I call that a momentum maker. It is this place of feeling good about yourself, what you do, how you do it and your focus on service and integrity.

With this, there is no need to learn much about closing sales. There are only a few things that make a really good salesperson in my opinion. These are desire, attitude, and confidence.

Manipulation Is So Yesterday. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--choose your own attitude. No one else is qualified.

Daily Inspiration 12-29-11

2011-12-29T00:03:00.000-08:00

"I think love has something to do with allowing

a person you claim to love to enter a larger

arena than the one you create for them."

-- Sting

Love is such a fascinating thing. I am continually amazed at love and the various aspects and values of it. It's like I'm observing and participating at the same exact time.

One aspect I've seen that is so interesting is that sometimes I can love someone from afar more than I could if they were near. I think it is as Sting is saying, it is allowing the loved one to be more than I might have them be. As Gerald Jampolsky said, "love is the total absence of fear. Love asks no questions. Its natural state is one of extension and expansion, not comparison and measurement."

Do you ever just think of someone from the past, or someone who you haven't seen in a long time and have a strong outpouring of love for them? Do you think they feel that? Somehow I think they do. Have you noticed how you feel about them when you do see them and how that same feeling and outpouring is only enhanced, yet still may be mostly internally shared? In other words, the external expression is too little to show how you feel?

I've also heard it said very poetically by Wayne Dyer, "love is the ability and willingness to allow others that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you." The only way this happens is without fear, and allowing them to enter that larger arena than the one we create for them.

Sometimes Not Being There Can Be More Powerful And Loving. By Letting Go, We Gain So Much More.

Spread Some Joy Today--by loving everyone you can whether near or far.

Daily Inspiration 12-28-11

2011-12-28T00:02:00.000-08:00

"The art of living does not consist in preserving

and clinging to a particular mode of happiness,

but in allowing happiness to change its form

without being disappointed by the change."

-- Charles Morgan

I love this quote by Charles Morgan. I have learned it well; albeit, most of my life, I clung to a great many particular modes or requirements. Now I think I could choose to be happy under almost any circumstance, and I believe this because I've been practicing doing just that.

To me this quote speaks of unconditional love and also allowing or being very flexible.

It is so darn easy to love the lovable. It is so darn easy to be happy under pleasing circumstances of my choosing. However, to have plans change mid-stream, or have others inject their preferences, it could be an opportunity for a little pouting, or attempted manipulation, or just plain being a disagreeable person.

What really sets our love apart, demonstrating to all our flexibility and allowing is to have changes come unexpectedly and yet consciously change our thinking to choose happiness and joy based on the new criteria.

If you're an avid pouter as I was, people will be very surprised by your new flexibility and cheerful demeanor under recognized trying circumstances. And, you will know better than anyone what a joy it is to have that full level of control in choice and response.

How Easily And How Curiously We Go From Plan A to Plans D, E or F Is A Very Important Skill.

Spread Some Joy Today--Changing is easier when you do a little at a time. The key is to keep going.

Daily Inspiration 12-27-11

2011-12-27T00:03:00.000-08:00

"This is the true joy of life--the being used for a

purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one,

the being thoroughly worn out before you are

thrown to the scrap-heap. . . ."

-- George Bernard Shaw

"A mind always employed is always happy.

This is the true secret, the grand recipe, for felicity."

-- Thomas Jefferson

"Happiness. . . it lies in the joy of achievement,

in the thrill of creative effort."

-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt

"Do you want my one-word secret of happiness?

It's growth--mental, financial, you name it."

-- Harold S Geneen

"There is joy in work. . . .There is no happiness except

in the realization that we have accomplished something."

-- Henry Ford

I've had a wonderful trip away from home base and was thinking about happiness, so I looked at a few pages of quotes in a book I have and have shared a few samples above from some famous people.

What made me think about happiness, was thinking that something needs to be a certain way in order for happiness to be a result and I've always had a problem with this because these things are illusive and seemingly selective.

Though people may choose to be happy under a lot of circumstances, it can also be a burden to try to line those things up in hopes of the desired result.

I've chosen to forget about external things, or in fact, any things to lead toward happiness. I have found the simplest way to achieve happiness under any and all circumstances. It is as easy as choosing to be happy and the way to that is choosing happier thoughts at any given time.

What is interesting to me about this is that I am in 100% total control and another interesting thing is that other people are noticing and saying they notice such a difference. Though I may find things that I enjoy, it is not the thing that creates the happiness, but the enjoyment.

"How Simple It Is To See That We Can Only Be Happy Now, And There Will Never Be A Time When It Is Not Now." -- Gerald Jampolsky

Spread Some Joy Today--Don't worry. Be happy.

Daily Inspiration 12-26-11

2011-12-26T08:30:00.001-08:00

"If you don't love something,

then don't do it."

-- Ray Bradbury

I have come to believe the essence of this quote by Ray Bradbury and it has had a powerful effect on me. I would modify it to have it be even more important to me by stating it this way: "If I don't love something, I need to relax in it for a short time to see if I might change my mind about it, then act according to my desires."

Sometimes we might be wanting things to be a certain way and then outside influences may want something else of us and we have a conflict within us. If we focus on our desire to have things a certain way, we are then focusing on the conflict and we are not in a happy place. But, if we allow the suggested changes to settle in a bit, we might find they are more desirable than they first appear. Or not.

We still have time to stick to our guns, so to speak, or we can choose a different decision that includes the outside influences. Either way is perfect because we will then be following our love rather than resisting it. Sometimes it is perfect to say no. Sometimes it is perfect to change our mind. It is always perfect to love and to make our decisions from the nurturing vantage point of love.

Love Is Our Connection To The Infinite.

Spread Some Joy Today--Do what you love and love what you do. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Daily Inspiration 12-25-11

2011-12-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

"We shall see but a little way if we

require to understand what we see."

-- Henry David Thoreau

"I know this world is ruled by infinite intelligence. . .

Everything that surrounds us--everythng that exists--proves

that there are infinite laws behind it. There can be

no denying this fact. It is mathematical in its precision."

-- Thomas A Edison

Merry Christmas!

"Faith Is Not Belief Without Proof, But Trust Without Reservations." -- Elton Trueblood

Spread Some Joy Today--by sharing yours. It's the only way. . .

Daily Inspiration 12-24-11

2011-12-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Joy is not in things, it is in us."

-- Richard Wagner

This afternoon, on December 23rd, I went into a Wal-Mart to get a few things while on a trip and it was quite busy as you might imagine a couple days before Christmas. The weather outside was 66 degrees and clear, so it was an awesome day in December. I looked at every single person that I could see in the store. Not a single one out of the hundreds of people had a smile on their face.

That seemed very odd to me. I thought for sure there would be some, or a few at least. I was having a wonderful time, and thought that I would look directly at some of them as I walked through the store. Hardly anyone even made eye contact. I kept smiling and even tried smiling more brightly, and it didn't seem to make a difference.

Sometimes the more of us that are in a space, the less we have any meaningful interaction. One very easy thing that can change that is simply to smile at one another acknowledging them. Or, maybe getting those things is so important that we can't be bothered.

Merry Christmas! Have A Great Time.

Spread Some Joy Today--practice your smile and your own joy. If others follow, fine, but we are all responsible for our own joy.

Daily Inspiration 12-23-11

2011-12-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

"Kind words do not cost much. . .

Yet they accomplish."

-- Blaise Pascal

On a long driving trip, we stopped at a chain burger place, and placed our order. The order came out a bit slower than it might normally and there were other people in line, yet this young man who took the order was unfazed, calm, cool and collected.

After we enjoyed our food, I decided to walk over and get that employee's attention and say something to him. What I said was this, "I just wanted to let you know that when we were in line and you took our order, I felt there was an aura about you that spoke calm confidence, and I can tell you that that is one super quality for managers. Keep up the good work."

He wasn't a manager. . . yet, but I was impressed in such a short few moments. So how did he take it? He was beaming as if I just made his day and he thanked me.

The reason I tell this little story is that you probably have done as I have and have had people impress us in one way or another and then in our busy-ness, we move along and do nothing. Maybe we thought about saying something, but doing it is way more interesting than just thinking about it.

I've begun doing this quite often with almost identical results, and it is so rewarding to the one I tell and to me as well. Yet, I don't do it for me. It's fun. Try it. Next time someone impresses you, or there is just something that you feel is special about them, let them know. See what happens.

Reach Out And Touch Someone!

Spread Some Joy Today--Always keep a keen eye for any opportunity at any kind of appreciation, however insignificant it may seem on first thought. Then appreciate liberally.

Daily Inspiration 12-22-11

2011-12-22T01:06:00.000-08:00

"We have to live today by what truth we can get today

and be ready tomorrow to call it falsehood."

-- William James

I remember reading many years ago a statement attributed to Confucius. It was, "mind is like parachute--function only when open." Whomever it came from, matters not. It makes good sense.

In history, it wasn't but just a few hundred years ago that the majority thought the world was flat and that if we ventured off into the distance on the ocean, we would go off the edge into oblivion. In even less time, we used to laugh at the idea of man flying through the air. Even less time than this was the reality of the affordable personal computer. And now look at us dropping truths like cast away empty seed shells of a truth that is no longer.

William James said it another way: "Truth lives, in fact, for the most part on a credit system. Our thoughts and beliefs pass, so long as nothing challenges them, just as bank notes pass so long as nobody refuses them."

I think William James nails it. We accept what we can today, all the while being ready for something that will challenge its validity.

"Truth Is What Works" -- William James (For Now. . .)

Spread Some Joy Today--Call someone you've been meaning to call and conveniently forgetting. Make their day.

Daily Inspiration 12-21-11

2011-12-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

"To say, "well done" to any bit of good work

is to take hold of the powers which have made the effort

and strengthen them beyond our knowledge!"

-- Phillips Brooks

Some time back, I gave up on big changes, looking for the epiphanies as life changers. Tonight I realized something profound in the smallest of changes that becomes a seriously powerful agent for positive change--appreciation and praise. Now, I've known this for some time, so it really isn't new, but what I realized tonight was that I have begun doing it as a habit instead of consciously deciding to do it. I realized that I was doing it as I became conscious of my doing it. I can't tell you how powerful that is--to be doing in unconsciously as a matter of course.

Those cartoons in the newspaper when I was young that had a chaotic situation going on with the caption, 'What's wrong with this picture?' along with other things like that including teaching by parents, etc., created this idea to find things that were wrong or seemingly out of place and then focus on those. It is one of the least powerful things we can do and it creates a world that is full of flaws and always in need of repair.

A far better scenario is to find the things that are worthy of appreciation and praise and they would be in serious quantity with a bit of practice. Tonight I was just driving across town about 2 miles on my way home and I was appreciating and praising all the way home about how nice the new building looks where there was something not nearly so nice before, how this improved and that, how much I enjoyed the blue sky, the truck I was driving, the amazing transportation most of us have, how long some businesses have been around and still doing their thing and so much more. It was kind of amazing to catch myself in this rampage of appreciation.

How fun! How rewarding!

Isn't That The Real Value Of Practice? To Get So That You Don't Even Think Much About It Anymore?

Spread Some Joy Today--Begin practicing appreciation of things in your life today at work, while you're out and about, at home, about the world in general. Do this often and watch the change in you!

Daily Inspiration 12-20-11

2011-12-20T00:14:00.000-08:00

"The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white.

Neither need you do anything but be yourself."

-- Lau Tzu

Tonight I was watching a DVD by Esther Hicks and something came into my awareness with gusto. She said, "I am where I am and it is enough. It is enough because I am where I am." It was all about making peace with ourselves and where ever we may be at this point in time.

So much of the time I might be focusing on my current reality, or what is happening right now. Maybe it is an issue, a problem, a not knowing what to do or such, and that has a tendency to cause me to be not pleased with my current state of affairs, or where I am at this moment. As I continue to think about these things in this place, they expand and become more and it won't be long on this path before I am overwhelmed with it, or worse.

The only way things are going to change for the better is as I have better feeling thoughts about them and where I am. As I do this, I find that the solutions come, or the problems seem to vanish with little or no effort from me other than changing my thinking about them.

As I beat myself up about where I am that perhaps I shouldn't be or didn't want to be, or didn't ever want to be, I expand the problem. When I apply this affirmation that 'I am where I am and it is enough, and it is enough because I am where I am,' I begin to allow more pleasing thoughts to get me realigned and back on track toward making things better.

It is amazing how this works. . .

Gray Skies Are Gonna Clear Up, Just Put On A Happy Face. . . Seems Trite, But Is Powerfully True.

Spread Some Joy Today--Find every reason you can today to feel good.

Daily Inspiration 12-19-11

2011-12-19T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Most people who ask for advice from others

have already resolved to act as it pleases them."

-- Khalil Gibran

Surely we don't really want advice. What we want is agreement. What we want is support. What we want is encouragement, but just the right kind.

I found another interesting quote along these lines from Pierre Corneille: "When the patient loves his disease, how unwilling he is to allow a remedy to be applied." So many times, like many patients who seek advice from doctors, second, third, fourth opinions, are holding their position where they are looking for answers that please them or reinforce their position. I've seen this resistance first hand and it is fascinating how one will hold on to the disease or the problems arguing vehemently against ideas that might move them away from where they are. It's as if it is a comfortable place to be in disease.

Often we want to help and yet we cannot because we are not allowed to. That could be frustrating if we focus on our not being able to complete our desired objective. Many times, we must let it go and let them deal with it--even so much as to walk away from it in order to maintain our own well being. It is strange and yet true.

It is only ourselves we can change and not another. If we focus on our own well being and yet be open to the possibility of encouraging another who is open to it, we do ourselves and everyone else the best service.

This Brings New Meaning To The Phrase, Live And Let Live.

Spread Some Joy Today--The truest love is allowing others to be what they choose for themselves. Be an allower.

Daily Inspiration 12-18-11

2011-12-18T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Man is a tool-using animal.

Without tools he is nothing,

with tools, he is all."

-- Thomas Carlyle

All my life I've had tools. Early in life I was an auto mechanic, so I used tools, yet I've never owned the tool sets that a lot of mechanics have, all branded the same, many polished metal or chrome plated tucked into gargantuan tool chests on wheels gleaming in the sunlight ready to do battle.

As I was thinking about all the tools I've owned over the years and the ones I own today, it came to me that about 95% of them never see the light of day. Yet there are a very few tools that are what I would call indispensable. I thought I would share my two favorite and most used tools:

This is my most used tool drawer except for the hammer drawer, and these two tools are my most used and well-worn trusted workhorses: A 40 year old pair of side cutters with orange plastic sleeves, and my most respected tool of all: RoboGrip! It is flat amazing what I've used my single pair of RoboGrip pliers for. Some of the other pliers in the drawer haven't seen use in many years.

It just goes to show that we don't need nearly as much as we think we do.

Some Things Don't Need To Change That Much To Be Way Better Than They Were. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Buy a pair of RoboGrips for your favorite friend! They'll love you for it.

Daily Inspiration 12-17-11

2011-12-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

"A good wife is one who serves her husband

in the morning like a mother does,

loves him in the day like a sister does,

and pleases him like a prostitute in the night."

-- Chanakya

I remember when I was in my late teens, at work my boss said something very similar to this quote by Chanakya. It is a popular idea, and I probably subscribed to it for at least part of my life, but not for some time.

I would say it differently today:

I want a partner who is of similar mind, yet not so similar that we complete each other's sentences, and have interests and challenges that help cause curiosity and excitement. Someone who is alive, full of life and appreciative of life and living. Someone who is fun to be with, who makes me laugh and is full of love. Someone who encourages and wants the best for me and her at the same time. Someone who is willing to risk in order to expand and be more than yesterday. Someone who enjoys touch and is sensual. Someone who enjoys friends and is generous in nature. Someone I look up to and look forward to. Someone without jealousy, and never ever uses the word 'should.' A valued partner, and enriching friend, a lover of life, and a liver in love.

That's all. . . of course, in order for that to work, I must be those things as well. I cannot expect others, no matter their title, to do that which I am not willing or interested in doing or being.

Happiness Is Being Happy! That Was Easy!

Spread Some Joy Today--Think about this: What are the rules for you to have joy? What needs to happen? How do things need to be? The more rules you have, the less joy you can have.

Daily Inspiration 12-16-11

2011-12-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

"Always continue the climb.

It is possible for you to do

whatever you choose,

if you first get to know who you are

and are willing to work with a power

that is greater than ourselves to do it."

-- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

As You Go Through Life

Don't look for the flaws as you go through life;

And even when you find them,

It is wise and kind to be somewhat blind,

And look for the virtue behind them;

For the cloudiest night has a hint of light

Somewhere in its shadows hiding;

It's better by far to hunt for a star,

Than the spots on the sun abiding.

The current of life runs ever away

To the bosom of God's great ocean.

Don't set your force 'gainst the river's course,

And think to alter its motion.

Don't waste a curse on the universe,

Remember, it lived before you;

Don't butt at the storm with you puny form,

But bend and let it go o'er you.

The world will never adjust itself

To suit your whims to the letter,

Some things must go wrong your whole life long,

And the sooner you know it the better.

It is folly to fight with the Infinite,

And go under at last in the wrestle.

The wiser man shapes into God's plan,

As water shapes into a vessel.

-- Ella Wheeler Wilcox

A Bit Of Poetry For This Wonderful Day!

Spread Some Joy Today--Choose to see what pleases you and choose to ignore and not recognize anything that doesn't. This alone will change your life!

Daily Inspiration 12-15-11

2011-12-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

"Stop stewing and start doing!

Take action TNT.

Today, Not Tomorrow."

-- Denis Waitley

I was looking for a quote on something else and this one jumped off the page at me. How many times I have said, 'I'll start tomorrow,' or 'I'll start fresh on the first of the month,' or 'On January 1st, I'll begin anew,' and so many more BS statements. I say BS because, they never seem to happen when I do that. There always seems to be something that gets in the way--especially the fact that I don't feel the way I felt when I decided to delay in action by making a decision that has no power.

All of our power is in the NOW! It is what we think now, what we do now that will affect the future, not the other way around.

It seems to me that the only time anything of importance was changed was when I made the decision to change it NOW, this minute, this day, and go from there. Once in motion, there can be a bit of momentum to help things along. Heck, I quite smoking thousands of times, but it didn't get done until I just got started now. That was almost ten years ago now, and I'm so glad I made that now decision back then.

Whatever you want to get done for real, make your decision and get moving right now, whatever it is and I'm sure that alone will make all the difference.

There's No Time Like The Present!

Spread Some Joy Today--Enjoy yourself whatever you are doing for your personal pleasure only. Others can't help but notice.

Daily Inspiration 12-14-11

2011-12-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Bad times have a scientific value.

These are occasions a good learner would not miss."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I hear a lot of people say these are bad times, and I'm certain that same sentiment is expressed in the media regularly. The real truth is that this is just a perspective, an opinion that may or may not be shared universally. Indeed, I don't think these are bad times, but great times.

I don't mean to intimate that there are not certain financial challenges in today's business environment, but to call them bad evokes a certain attitude toward those challenges that cannot in any way shape or form improve them. The best someone with this attitude can get is to wait long enough for things to change, then perhaps it is possible they might then call those times good.

Regarding challenges to business, I love how Henry Ford says it: "Business is never so healthy as when, like a chicken, it must do a certain amount of scratching around for what it gets." He should know, living through the toughest of financial challenges many times successfully.

In addition, there are thousands of businesses that are growing every year for the last several years including our own. In spite of challenges, people can find a way when they want to.

How We Look At Things Has EVERYTHING To Do With What We See!

Spread Some Joy Today--Do a random act of kindness today. Pass up the close-in parking place and let the person behind you have it, be exceptionally generous to a beggar, stop and offer to help someone. These are just a few ways. . . It's big fun!

Daily Inspiration 12-13-11

2011-12-13T10:01:00.001-08:00

"When once a decision is reached and execution is

the order of the day, dismiss absolutely all

responsibility and care about the outcome."

-- William James

I study people, including myself all the time. I'm an observer and watch people especially in business. There is one thing that I have found to be something that truly sets leaders apart in life and business. It is the ability to make decisions quickly and then let go and move on.

I know many who fret about making decisions and want to create committee's to study the subject. They are so afraid of making a bad decision that they end up rarely making one at all. In a leader, this creates a bottleneck of work, so that the work must slow to the pace of the decision maker--or, go around him or her. Often this is the case.

I believe that the highest paid people in business are those who can make calculated decisions very quickly and then delegate the implementation of them immediately. If the decision maker doesn't clear the decks and keep them clear, they can't do what they are so highly paid to do: make decisions.

I know many who make decisions and then hold on to them. This will not serve well. This is micro-managing in extreme. No one knows what is going on from one day to the next. This is fear in action.

I also know those who make rash decisions. They are able to make decisions, but forget to take into account the bigger picture of how those decisions will affect others, the operation, etc., and how it will affect future decisions. The trouble here is called chaos.

Whenever worry or fear are involved in the decision or after the decision, it will turn out poorly. We need to make decisions from a point of inspiration rather than necessity. This will make letting go of them much more fruitful.

Personally, I don't make decisions as fast as I would like and am working on that aspect of my habits, but once I make one, it is easy enough for me to let go of it. The delegating part is a bit sticky too, and I will continue to make that more effective.

How are you at making decisions?

"All My Life, Whenever It Comes Time To Make A Decision, I Make It and Forget About It." -- Harry S Truman

Spread Some Joy Today--"Peacefulness follows any decision, even the wrong one." -- Rita Mae Brown

Daily Inspiration 12-12-11

2011-12-12T00:33:00.000-08:00

"I think the most important thing you need to

understand about the power of technology,

is that you can also turn it off."

-- Tiffany Shlain

I had another awesome day, yet different from yesterday. Today, I was inspired several times by watching some YouTube videos.

I do several blogs and on one called Terry's Thoughts and Things, I post mostly videos that have touched me in some way and the vast majority of them are from the TED organization, which in the last few years has exploded around the world through their TEDx program.

In one I watched today, Tiffany Shlain, a film maker, gave a talk and showed a 4 minute video at the end and the talk is all about connecting and interdependence. It is a very uplifting talk in that to me, she believes the world is getting better, not worse. So many think the opposite and it is refreshing to hear it said differently. During her talk, she said, "If we want this world to be better, we have to believe in humanity."

She also spoke of technology and how "technology is just us." Technology serves, and it also commands.

As an owner of an Internet business, I am using technology so much every single day, and sometimes it is a bit overwhelming. This is why what Tiffany said in her talk about the ability to unplug or turn it off struck a chord with me. So, I am going to try it this coming Saturday and unplug from every screen in my life for 24 hours. It will be interesting to see how that feels. She claims that it slows the day down dramatically. I could use a little of that from time to time.

Below is a video link to her talk and her organization address is www.LetItRipple.org

"We Have To Believe In Humanity." -- Tiffany Shlain

Spread Some Joy Today--Give a loving hug for more than 6 seconds.

Daily Inspiration 12-11-11

2011-12-11T01:37:00.000-08:00

"There's no reality except the one contained within us.

That's why so many people live an unreal life.

They take images outside them for reality and

never allow the world within them to assert itself."

-- Hermann Hesse

I love this quote by one of my favorite authors, Hermann Hesse. On the surface, it seems heavy, but is so simple and true. Today was a perfect example to me how true it is.

Today, I had the most wonderful day. People that read the Daily Inspirations probably aren't impressed with that because I pretty much have a good day every day. Yet, today was dramatically better, and the thing that made it better is that I woke up this morning with a firm intent to fully enjoy myself and my day--to seek joy and to love life. And, so it came to be as I desired it to be. . . exactly.

You know, sometimes we eat food, even food we love in such a way that no one could know that this was true. At breakfast this morning I was enjoying some sourdough french bread and butter with the same relish as Bill Murray did in What About Bob? I stood there in the kitchen with the toast and some coffee and just had a love affair with it all. It was glorious.

The rest of the day went the same direction, and I enjoyed every second of it. It was magical. I felt rich today. I was far more generous than normal. I helped others in ways I normally wouldn't do, and even enjoyed some work time at a leisurely pace.

For the last couple of years, I've been focused on finding ways to feel better on purpose as a strategy to have a more joyous life. I've practiced it generally, but nothing like today--or maybe now I'm just getting good at it from the practice. Today it made such a dramatic difference, so I will duplicate it tomorrow to prove it isn't a fluke.

Wouldn't It Be Nice To Have A Glorious Day Any Time You Choose?

Spread Some Joy Today--Choose to today. See what happens.

Daily Inspiration 12-10-11

2011-12-10T00:03:00.000-08:00

Making A Difference Week

"Act as if what you do makes a difference.

It does."

-- William James

Final installment on the Making A Difference Week thoughts. This one comes full circle to this: We all make a difference! We can't help but make a difference.

Think of it as the smallest pebble or droplet that falls into a smooth and calm body of water. It matters not if it is a bowl two inches deep and a few inches wide or whether it is the Pacific Ocean. When that drop touches the surface there is a ripple effect that expands outward for even a great distance.

Probably the real difference is twofold. One, we may not realize that we make a difference. William James makes that clear with the quote above. Two, we may not realize that we have the power to purposely make a difference. In his quote above, he says to "act as if." This is to purposely choose to recognize the power that we can make a difference to others, and the way to get started is to act as if what we do, say and think matters. It does.

It comes down to a question of what. What kind of difference am I making? What kind of difference do I want to make? A good answer is another question: What makes me feel good? When I find thoughts to think, things to do that cause me to feel good, I am on the right track of making a difference actively. Doing things, thinking the way other people want me to be or think won't do that. It must be driven by what makes me feel good.

So, whether we choose on purpose, or choose by not choosing, we all make a difference in this world. Viva la difference!

"Your Thoughts, Words And Deeds Are Painting The World Around You." -- Jewel Diamond Taylor

Spread Some Joy Today--Enjoy making a difference because you do!

Daily Inspiration 12-9-11

2011-12-09T00:02:00.000-08:00

Making A Difference Week

"I choose to believe I can and will change

the world with my words and thoughts."

-- Rod Williams

Making a difference can be as strong or stronger in thoughts, words, and music. The quote above came from Rod Williams, a musician. Here is one of his songs: Beautiful Again.

I know that words, thoughts and music has changed my life in several ways. One, I became a songwriter, and musician sharing many of my own thoughts through music and word. I was greatly influenced by the music and words of others. At the very top of that list is Paul McCartney along with the McCartney/Lennon combination. Under that I have a long list of artists, songs, music that has touched me and moved me throughout my life and continues today with new artists.

The song is a unique thing in that this combination of music and lyric has much more power together than apart. It has the power to move us to action, the emotion, to joy, to sadness.

Of course writers have the power to make a difference in the written word. I can produce a very long list of written works that have made a dramatic difference in my life including The Bible, Dale Carnegie, Mark Twain, John D Martini, Stephen R Covey, Andrew Carnegie, John Grisham, Jerry & Esther Hicks, James Allen, and hundreds more. Each have contributed to who I am and I call that making a difference! They and others continue to this day to make a difference in me, who I am and what I do, all of which helps me make a difference in others.

"Thousands Of Candles Can Be Lighted From A Single Candle, And The Life Of The Candle Will Not Be Shortened. Happiness Never Decreases By Being Shared." -- Buddha

Spread Some Joy Today--How about sending Christmas cards in July? Sounds like fun!

Daily Inspiration 12-8-11

2011-12-08T00:02:00.000-08:00

Making A Difference Week

"Two roads diverged in a wood and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

and that has made all the difference."

-- Robert Frost

I've been writing this week about making a difference and how many people can do that for their lives and in the affect on others. Robert Frost's excerpt above made me think about how making a difference is achieved by our decisions. Whether we travel the road more traveled or less traveled is simply a choice, but the choice will always have far reaching aspects that have an accumulated effect on us and others.

Here's another way to look at the aspect of decision by a quote from Heidi Wills, "we can choose to be affected by the world or we can choose to affect the world." This speaks to me of making a difference by choosing to do so on purpose through decision.

"There's A Difference Between A Philosophy And A Bumper Sticker." -- Charles M Schulz

Spread Some Joy Today--Get excited about your power of decision. Choose.

Daily Inspiration 12-7-11

2011-12-07T00:03:00.000-08:00

Making A Difference Week

"It's easy to make a buck.

It's a lot tougher to make a difference."

-- Tom Brokaw

Some of us may be focused so much on the making a buck aspect of life; i.e., maintaining what we have, expanding what we have, servicing what we have, like a juggler keeping several balls in the air without dropping them, that there is little time or energy left for making a difference in other ways.

Of course, making money and providing a level of functionality is important and valuable. It is one way to make a difference. Yet, I know from experience that sometimes it becomes a burden instead of making a difference by putting a shadow over more important aspects of life, including family.

Sometimes we may get confused about the value of money in the scheme of things. Yet this I know for sure: money doesn't buy or create happiness. If anything, it would be the other way around. Still sometimes we think we will be happier or happy when, and so on, but it only becomes extended to the next thing or things or level.

To me, making a difference is so much about being whole and sharing that whole-ness, and the good news about that is that money has no bearing on it at all. Sure I can give more money if I have more money, and that can be good, but that is the least of requirements to make a difference anywhere.

It's really the little things that we can share that make very big differences. I know of a cute little card that one of my bosses at a job I had was and is one of the most valuable "things" in my life, also a plaque with a poem and all my sales staff's names engraved on it that I love. It might be that little note inside the cover of a book that I was given.

It's not just things either. It's sometimes just a knowing. Like seeing someone you love and giving them a hug because you love them and you just feel connected even when they aren't there or you don't talk for a long time. Or some things that you might hear that someone else said about you that felt so good to hear reinforcing your hard work or vision. It might be just thinking about someone that is special to you and giving them a mental hug without them knowing a thing about it.

All of these "little things" make a difference and they don't cost a dime, require a big house, late model car, good credit. In fact, they are free.

"How Wonderful It Is That Nobody Need Wait A Single Moment Before Starting To Improve The World." --Anne Frank

Spread Some Joy Today--Send some loving thoughts, give some virtual hugs, buy a card and send a lovely note, thank someone. Appreciate often.

Daily Inspiration 12-6-11

2011-12-06T00:03:00.000-08:00

Making A Difference Week

"The world is moved along, not only by the

mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the

aggregate of tiny pushes of each honest worker."

-- Helen Keller

Volunteers are the salt of the earth I think. There is so much in this world that would not be done if it were not for the unpaid efforts of millions of volunteers.

I have been a volunteer in many cases. In one case my volunteer efforts consumed approximately 30 hours per week for 9 years, while I worked a full time job besides. That's about 14,000 hours. Zero dollars, but amply rewarded.

Some might say, how can I get experience? and I will say that one way is to find a way to volunteer your services and get the practice that causes experience. If we always look to be paid for what we can do, we are somewhat limited.

There are so many places and ways to volunteer. You won't have to look far to find them and if you just engage with people, I think they will find you soon enough. I recommend being very choosy. Do what you love, for in so doing you will be more of a help to others and have a good time doing it.

Today, I continue to do volunteer work in many ways and hours in different ways, and I highly recommend it. Part of it is helping others and that is great, but I think that the majority of it is helping ourselves, and I think that is grand. There is nothing better than to be selfish in this way because we are serving ourselves in a fulfilling way and at the same time serving others in a helpful way.

"In Giving You Are Throwing A Bridge Across The Chasm Of Your Solitude." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Spread Some Joy Today--People know you care, but still like to hear it now and then. One good way I learned is to say this: "Have I told you that I love you lately?"

Daily Inspiration 12-5-11

2011-12-05T00:25:00.000-08:00

Making A Difference Week

"You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that your truly give."

-- Kahlil Gibran

I believe that we all want to make a difference and that desire is a driving force. Often we may not know how or when we will make a difference, but I now believe that if we are being our truest self and relaxing in this, that we cannot help but make a difference.

Many years ago, a salesman that worked at a dealership I worked at called me out of the blue to tell me what a difference I had made in his life and how his life had changed for the better as a result. I didn't work directly with this man, and according to him it was a few sentences of encouraging words I gave him at the perfect time.

With some people--probably people you are in direct contact with on a regular basis, it is easy to make a difference just by loving them, caring about them and encouraging them. What was so interesting to me about this incident is how it opened my eyes to how we can be an encouraging spirit in ways we didn't realize, or that what we do and say can have far reaching effects more than we might have imagined. Included in this is the fact that people may not ever call you up and say anything to you about what a difference you may have made, yet the deed is done anyway.

I don't mean this to open this up to have a feeling of responsibility here. We can't really change people, only they can do that for themselves. I love how Benjamin Disraeli said this by saying, "the greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." I think we all have the answers all the time within us, yet sometimes it takes something from an encounter with someone else to help them be revealed.

Now with the publication of these Daily Inspirations, I hear from total strangers how something has made a difference. I rejoice it that, and in the fact that I helped reveal it to themselves, as I rejoice in those who also have done and continue to do so for me. I am inspired and encouraged by so many, and even many who have long been dead, yet their words linger on to continue to inspire and encourage. How I am blessed that they chose to make a difference to others.

"My Life Is My Message." -- Mahatma Ghandi

Spread Some Joy Today--Encouragement is love. Help someone else see their true self.

Daily Inspiration 12-4-11

2011-12-04T00:20:00.001-08:00

Making A Difference Week

"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life

with a catchers mitt on both hands.

You need to be able to throw something back."

-- Maya Angelou

Giving is such a complicated thing sometimes. This is the Christmas season and it is traditionally a time of giving gifts to family and friends. Then, this time of year the Salvation Army red kettles are out in force, along with lots of sign holding people in the major driveways. There's the big organizations, the churches, homeless shelters. There is no shortage of the needy. In fact, there never has been.

Each of those are the tangible aspects of giving and usually involve money, and it seems that they are all competing for the dollar during this spending time. I think giving in these ways is a good thing.

I think of how we can give back, or rather share ourselves, our abundance, throughout the year, week in and week out as a habitual part of our lives. We can volunteer. There will always be plenty of openings for volunteers. We can share our resources, or our abundance with others regularly. As good as all these are, they are things.

Here's another way we can give regularly that is more than meaningful--it is life itself. Mother Teresa said it well: "There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are more dying for a little love."

Thinking about giving back from the life that was given by our Creator, however we perceive this, I can think of only one single way that fits into every religion and is also the one way that makes any sense. What can we give to the Lord (World, Universe, Buddha, God, etc.) today or any day? We can give the Lord (World, Universe, Buddha, God, etc.) away. And the way we do that so that it is meaningful is by giving love.

The best that we can do as Christians is to love one another. The best we can do as Buddhists is to love one another. The best we can do as Muslims is to love one another. The best we can do for God is to love one another. The best we can do for ourselves is to love one another.

Just Imagine This Kind Of World Where Everyone Loves Each Other. It Must Start With Me.

Spread Some Joy Today--Want joy? Become a lover of people and all that is happening in your life. Wanting more is great from a place of loving where you are, what you are doing and who you are.

Daily Inspiration 12-3-11

2011-12-03T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Wisdom is learning what to overlook."

-- William James

I absolutely love this definition of wisdom by William James. I've always known it was discernment and that is easily expressed as a choice in my mind, and as well, learning what to overlook follows in that same way.

The main reason that I love this definition of wisdom is that I've come to believe that having wisdom is equal to love and where love is concerned, I think knowing what to overlook speaks perfectly to this subject.

Love And Wisdom Are Perfectly Aligned

Spread Some Joy Today--Find some ways to laugh a good deal today. Watch a funny video online, read something funny, or better yet, laugh at yourself. It softens everything else in your day.

Daily Inspiration 12-2-11

2011-12-02T01:58:00.000-08:00

"Celebrity gives us delusion of self importance."

-- Al Goldstein

The photo above is one of my favorites to help keep me in proper perspective to the vastness of the world and beyond. There I am but a spec above the Pacific Ocean--a speck of it at least.

It's easy to live in our own world, up close and personal, become engaged in reacting and responding to the stimuli around us. It is a very good thing to step outside of that comfort zone or war zone for just a few hours to realign with the grander scheme of things.

It also makes God so much more than we many times make Him out to be.

The World Knows I'm Much More Important To Myself

Spread Some Joy Today--Get away a bit and change your perspective for a few hours.

Daily Inspiration 12-1-11

2011-12-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Why should we think upon things that are lovely?

Because thinking determines life.

It is a common habit to blame life upon the environment.

Environment modifies life but does not govern life.

The soul is stronger than its surroundings."

-- William James

Stuff happens. Sometimes even coming with physical feeling and mental trauma, yet continuing to placate those symptoms with like minded thoughts will only prolong the effect and then it turns into an endurance run.

How can we think of something more pleasant when it is throbbing? Sometimes the situation is so close or so loud that the best thing to do is find any kind of relief. Take a nap, a bath, a day off, or something like that. From that new vantage point, you can begin working, or rather playing, with considering things that are lovely and other better feeling thoughts. Maybe it is a little at a time, moving to better thoughts and then better and so on.

If this is practiced with awareness of the need, it won't be long before you find it a piece of cake to move from feeling bad to feeling great. Or, we can choose to remain where we are. There are really only two choices: to feel better or to feel worse. We always have the control box in our own hand.

We Are Far More Powerful Than We Realize.

Spread Some Joy Today--Decide today that there is nothing more important than that you feel good, and choose thoughts that cause that feeling.

Daily Inspiration 11-30-11

2011-11-30T00:20:00.000-08:00

"I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things. . .

I play with leaves.

I skip down the street and run against the wind."

-- Leo Buscaglia

I love this time of year. It's just a bit chilly, highs in the low 60's, lows around 40, a touch of fog in the morning, sun in the afternoon. Leaves are taking their sweet time turning colors other than green, then falling gently to the ground, and right about now they are coming down in the thousands as you can see by the sidewalk in the photo.

I took Charlie the little black dog out for a walk and he's not nearly as fond of this time of year as me. I had to take a photo of some of the huge leaves that are as big as he is, and he is afraid of them when the wind moves them around, especially when the wind moves them toward him. If it is calm, he's brave enough though, yet he would rather walk around them than over them whenever that option is available.

I read a Leo Buscaglia book way back in the 1970's about him having a class over at his house and his neighbor coming over to complain about the leaves on his lawn. So the lover that he is, invited guests to help rake the leaves into bags and he brought them into the house and spread them all over the living room floor. Everyone was happy then.

I've always remembered that story, although I cannot remember which book, nor can I find it. So, out and about a day or two ago, I took some shots on my camera phone of some of these leaves all over the walkway. I wanted to sweep them up and put them all over the living room floor at my house. Of course, that would never work unless I lived alone.

Yet, I love leaves. I love seeing them all over the patio and driveway and have no interest in blowing them away or raking them up. In fact, I am done with the lawn mowing and now all the leaves that are there will remain until spring. It's winter food for the nightcrawlers and I love watching them gather them into piles and feast on them while I sleep.

Other people prefer clean walkways, clean patios and all that. I'm happy for them that they like those things, but I just don't share that feeling. The leaves add character, color and a comfortable, relaxing view, even enhancing the concrete as far as I'm concerned.

So, I thank Leo every year about now for sharing that wonderful and enduring story. Thanks Leo! I love you!

We All Love Things In Our Own Special Way

Spread Some Joy Today--How ya doing on your love list? Remember? Write, 'I love. . .' at the top of the page and then write as many things as you can, then add a few each day or each week. It's fun and expands your joy rather easily.

Daily Inspiration 11-29-11

2011-11-29T00:02:00.000-08:00

"The sense of smell can be extraordinarily evocative,

bringing back pictures as sharp as photographs of

scenes that have left the conscious mind."

-- Thalassa Cruso

My business partner and I were chatting about how smells will propel us to a specific place in our lives and how it happens in an instant. This has always fascinated me.

Sometimes I'll be walking up the driveway at my house and a certain smell will take me to my grandma's house in the summer time back around 1960. I think that is fascinating how that smell triggers that memory of that specific place and time so long ago.

I was reading an interesting piece called How Smell Works and it was saying that it isn't just the smell but the association with a conditioned response in that it is sort of filed with a specific time, place and event.

In the article it mentioned chlorine and swimming pools. When I smell wet concrete on a hot sunny day, it takes me back to about 1957 at the community plunge laying on the concrete decking after swimming and laying face down smelling that wet concrete smell.

These associations are random that I am referring to, but people like Tony Robbins have changed people's lives using mental and physical associations to help guide people to positive change. That's fun and interesting too.

Isn't is so cool how our minds, our bodies, and other things all work together and that we can carry memories that seem insignificant at the time for a lifetime?

Memory Lane By A Nose With My Eyes Closed

Spread Some Joy Today--Enjoy some sweet laughter today. Besides, it's fun.

Daily Inspiration 11-28-11

2011-11-28T00:02:00.000-08:00

"You have to listen to what resonates within

your own gut. You find your direction there.

Your voice comes out."

-- Kathy Mattea

There was a time through the best part of my life that I had been searching for answers. I've now read many hundreds of books and each author has given me some piece, however large or small toward that end. And, I continue to read and study some authors today as I accumulate more information to sift through.

I seek knowledge and wisdom, different ways of looking at the same thing to strengthen my understanding. When I find something that resonates with me, I follow it and see what comes, and if it doesn't resonate within me, I let it be.

I've come to rely on and believe in the value of my own guidance rather than that from outside myself--my inner guidance system if you will. As I learn to use it like a body out of shape that grows in strength and agility from exercise, I become more adept at using it and paying attention to what it is telling me through the way I feel. It is simply the most powerful tool I've ever found.

I've often had a problem following some doctrines and supposed guidance from without. I even believed that was possible, yet I found it so hard to follow because much of it just didn't resonate with me--it wasn't truth to me. So I would pick and choose and that worked better. I would pick the things that resonated and felt right and let lay the ones that did not. Others have had opinions of my picking and choosing and I would let them have them, and kept going anyway doing the best that I could.

I now believe very strongly in my own power of focus, my own inner guidance because it is the only thing that makes any sense to me. I believe that we all have this exact same capacity and guidance and we may or may not be aware and/or we may or may not choose to make use of it. I think that we all know and have always known what resonates within us and what does not even though we may or may not have paid much attention to it. The good news is that at any time we can become aware, exercise our innate power and follow our own guidance.

What I Learn From Study Only Confirms What I Already Knew Deep Inside.

Spread Some Joy Today--Publicly recommend someone you know well enough to do so. Linked-in is a good place, or Yelp, Facebook, and others.

Daily Inspiration 11-27-11

2011-11-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Of all the things that matter,

that really and truly matter,

working more efficiently

and getting more done,

is not one of them."

-- Mike Dooley

I love this quote by Mike Dooley. As much as I would like to be more organized and to do things more efficiently, I agree that these are of relative importance.

What this causes me to realize is that why is so much more important than what.

Think about that.

It's Always Those Little Things That Aren't So Little.

Spread Some Joy Today--Forget about Christmas cards. Give hugs.

Daily Inspiration 11-26-11

2011-11-26T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Sometimes, the people who stand in the way

and create obstacles are actually helping the most

because they confront you and force you to come up

with your best, enabling you to become a greater achiever."

-- Dr John Demartini

I've seen a number of instances where this is easy to see in someone else, but not nearly so easy to recognize in ourselves. Yet, I am committed to learning and I am learning more about this interesting issue of challenges from others. It seems to be more typical in people close to the person, than in strangers, or acquaintances.

One situation that I've dealt with for a long time, I've wanted to quit many times, and the longer that I deal with it, I find myself making use of all the studying I've been doing in the last few years and getting to put it into practice instead of just words.

It is enlightening to realize that I am making substantial progress and am learning by practice to respond rather than react and to have things bounce off rather than be absorbed. And, the most interesting thing to me is that I am finding myself grateful for the challenges because it makes me better, more focused, with greater confidence and poise, along with greater love and capacity to love.

It's the last part that makes it all worthwhile.

Anyone Can Love A Blessing, Yet Loving A Challenge Can Turn It Into A Blessing.

Spread Some Joy Today--When you perceive someone blocking you or challenging you, try seeing them as helping you instead. It will require practice, but the practice will be fun.

Daily Inspiration 11-25-11

2011-11-25T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Step number one for changing the entire world,

is falling in love with it as it already is.

The same is true for changing yourself."

-- Mike Dooley

I've been a sales manager for several companies most of my life and one of the assumptions that was given me early on is that we want salespeople who are hungry and wanting more and going into debt to get them. The theory was that if they had those obligations, including spouse and family, they would be more motivated to perform because they would then have the motivation to do so.

It's all crap. It's not only crap, it's disgusting, seriously flawed and counterproductive. Going into debt to have motivation is ridiculous and it's a stupid thing to teach. Besides, I've seen it work exactly the opposite wherein the sales person is carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders and falls into overwhelm very easily. This creates attitude issues in how they see their lives relative to the larger responsibilities they have, creating new stress.

The other theory that I was taught early on was that sales people needed to be dissatisfied with where they were in order to have motivation to move toward something better.

It's all crap. Making a choice toward something we want is cool, but being dissatisfied with it as a requirement to have motivation to move is not as logical as it sounds and is not satisfactory in execution. Wanting something better is natural. Being dissatisfied with what we have is being ungrateful and is unnatural.

They used to tell me that you have to be unhappy with where you are in order to desire something more. I believe we will always desire something more because we are creators and we are choosing constantly. This is best done from a place of being satisfied, appreciative of what we have and where we have come. Then, the movement toward something more is a choice of contrast, but the contrast need not be dark in order to move toward the light.

Learning to love where I am at any given time is a relatively new thing for me and I can assure you that it is a wonderful feeling to have. It is a better thing to teach in sales as well. I love how Jim Rohn says to, "learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want."

Whatever Decision We Make From A Place Of Feeling Bad, Will Be A Bad Decision. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--by loving who you are, what you have, and where you are at the moment. You can change it any time you want, and enjoying it while it is here is perfect.

Daily Inspiration 11-24-11

2011-11-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought;

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."

-- Gilbert K Chesterton

G K Chesterton went a bit further in stating that, "the aim of life is appreciation; there is no sense in not appreciating things; and there is no sense in having more of them if you have less appreciation of them."

The one most significant thing that has changed in my life in the last four years is that now there is not one single day that goes by without my finding many things to be thankful for and stating such in one way or another.

If I could recommend any one thing for every single person on the planet, it would be to learn to be in a state of appreciation every day as often as it is possible to do so. Joy is better than money, things, and time.

And, I especially want to thank those of you who have been sharing this journey with me in these Daily Inspirations where ever you may be. It is an honor, a privilege and a joy to share these thoughts.

You Make Me Feel Like Dancin' . . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Each and every day is a brand new opportunity for joy. Take advantage of all you can!

Daily Inspiration 11-23-11

2011-11-23T00:13:00.001-08:00

"We allow no geniuses around our studio."

-- Walt Disney

I'm guessing that Albert Einstein would share this sentiment. To me, this is saying that no one is so good that they can't make some coffee, pick up some trash, draw the boring scenes, or any of the other things that are part of the overall operation. It doesn't mean that we put focus there, but that there is a willingness to be on a team.

I can also see it the other way in that we only allow geniuses and we surround ourselves with geniuses. I like this idea even better. Not that they are better than anyone else, but that they naturally realize their capacity and are willing to express their uniqueness and their creativity without the fear of stepping outside of complacency.

In fact, I try to surround myself with people who are geniuses, who bring more to the table, help expand my own knowledge and skill.

As a guitar player, I would ask if it would be better to be surrounded by guitar geniuses, or people at or below my level? It would be geniuses. I would not learn much of anything from people below my level, nor at my level. Where I'm at on guitar, the world is full of guitar geniuses.

Whatever sport someone is in, I am sure they would find greater joy in playing with and against geniuses.

Some people might think of geniuses as arrogant, as in, 'I'm cool and you're not.' I don't. I think we are all geniuses in one way or another and the more we allow ourselves to be that unique genius, the better our life is in general.

Encourage A Genius. Encourage That One In You.

Spread Some Joy Today--by taking the time to appreciate in wonder the nature you can see, the wonderful machines that people have made for you to enjoy, the exchange of commerce that allows all to participate in so many ways.

Daily Inspiration 11-22-11

2011-11-22T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Clarity is magnified when you

change the word should to want."

-- Mike Dooley

Since the mid-1970's when I studied Transactional Analysis (I'm okay, you're okay, parent, adult, child), I've played with completely deleting the word should from my vocabulary. I learned then that this word is a parental word and I've also heard it enough times in my life from every angle. I haven't completely succeeded, but the best thing to me about becoming aware is that once there, it is so much easier to deal with and get back on track quickly.

You should do this, you should do that, you need to do this, you need to do that. . . these are phrases that just make me want to rebel! Especially when it is someone else. Yet, sometimes I find my self saying it to my self, if you know what I mean. Yuck! That feels just as bad, maybe even worse.

The easiest way to change that feeling is to change the word should to want. Now it even sounds silly coming from someone else. . . you want to do this, you want to do that, but it is much cooler when I'm talking to my self: I want to do this, I want to do that. Much better, don't you think?

Next time someone says you should do something, be something, think something, buy something, say to your self, 'No, I don't! If I want to I will and if I don't I won't!' There ya go! Take charge. You are, after all, in charge of you and no one else can do that job as well.

I Think I Will, Because I Want To.

Spread Some Joy Today--by thinking loving thoughts and externalizing that in a smile.

Daily Inspiration 11-21-11

2011-11-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

"What was most significant about the lunar voyage

was not that men set foot on the moon,

but that they set eye on the earth."

-- Norman Cousins

I think this quote from Norman Cousins is very powerful and interesting. I look at it in that we sometimes get so focused on an objective and what that objective is going to bring us and all the new information it may contain, and then we may also find that what was even more important was something else entirely, but without the original goal, would not have been found.

There are many products that were found after the goal to do something else was reached, and those products were so different than anyone would have anticipated, such as 3M Post-it Notes. In our Internet company, Upward Trend, we started out to do be a website company and after two years changed to a service company with the Trend Setter Package and it changed everything, but would have never been found without the original goal and moving toward it.

I can just imagine being on the Moon for the first time and looking at Earth and being so amazed that the Moon has lost its original significance.

My wife loves to ride out into the Suisun Marsh. We go to a boat launch area called Belden's Landing, park facing the dock and inlet and watch the boats come in while we sip a Starbuck's. We walk the dog and then after about a half an hour, head back home about 5 miles each way. It's kind of peaceful.

We've learned, or at least I have, that it isn't the goal of parking and watching the boats, but the view getting to and from that really matters. What I love about where I live is that I live in the city, but I can travel 15 minutes in any direction and be in the country. The marsh is wide open spaces only a couple of miles from home.

Yesterday, there was an overcast sky with a mixture of cloud types, gray and teasing rain. On the way back, there was the most spectacular Godlight I've ever seen. A Godlight is a name I give light that comes through in rays so that it stands out rather than just lighting up everything. Off in the distance over near San Francisco, there was a Godlight so bright and it was the only real light. It came out of a hole in the clouds and was brighter than I have ever seen before. It was so awesome. I didn't have my camera or my phone, so it has to be recorded in my memory. Finding this was not what we had in mind, but it made everything else insignificant.

You Never Know What You'll Find On Your Way To Someplace Else. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Make a date today to have the time of your life, to enjoy every moment you can today. Act as if . . .

Daily Inspiration 11-20-11

2011-11-20T00:05:00.000-08:00

"What is the difference between an obstacle

and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it.

Every opportunity has a difficulty,

and every difficulty has an opportunity."

-- J Sidlow Baxter

Shit happens. I've always loved that phrase. It displays an attitude toward events and circumstances that we feel are outside of our control and it is a peaceful relaxing in that something is there, and it is what it is and it is okay for now. To me it is not resignation, but more a way of acceptance.

Another way to say that is that difficulties happen. And it is our own resistance to the difficulties that creates the stress we get in our lives. We resist it by giving it undue attention, finding someone or something to blame for it, worrying about it, telling others about it and so on. The more attention we give the difficulty, the more difficulty we seem to have, even growing in significance and effect.

It will only be the temporary acceptance of the difficulty, or allowing it to be what it is that we can begin to see the opportunity or better said, opportunities that always exist in difficulties. The more we accept control, responsibility, the more we can accept and the more this is done, the easier the flow of the opportunities. This would be sped up somewhat by praising the difficulty for bringing to your attention the opportunities that it is bearing!

There will even be a point with practice that you become excited and even joyful at the onset of difficulty because of the solid knowledge of what that means.

I know that is not what most of us are taught, and I have found that there is much I have had to unlearn, and learn a better way. Instead of being pissed off, angry, complaining, sharing it with anyone who will listen, seeking sympathy, bemoaning and all the things that keep the difficulty in front of us, learning to embrace, be thankful, appreciate and accept is the most powerful and fruitful way to get to the opportunity that we really want, or the solution that lies within.

The best way that I have learned to deal with this is using the metaphor of a boat in a stream. As I row upstream, I am resisting, causing great effort, growing weary, taking one step forward and two back, and all of that. The way to see the opportunity is to stop rowing immediately, put the oars in the boat and relax and trust. It always comes. Yet, sometimes I pick the oars up again and when I realize that I've done that from habit, I take control again, and relax. With practice I get so much better at it.

There Are So Many Opportunities, I Get To Choose.

Spread Some Joy Today--Accept yourself the way you are right now. Love yourself the way you are right now. Believe in yourself the way you are right now. Accept responsibility for yourself the way you are right now. Decide to change if desired, but do it from a position of already being perfectly fine.

Daily Inspiration 11-19-11

2011-11-19T07:25:00.001-08:00

"Winners take imperfect action

while losers are still perfecting the plan."

-- Tony Robbins

I love this statement by Tony Robbins except that I don't see winners and losers, but just choosers and each choice creates an outcome.

I have done my best to live this creed. So many of the things that I've done through my life, I just decided I wanted to do it and began imperfectly, then began to almost immediately improve and then constantly improve.

Sometimes those decisions and beginnings ended up going for a time and then were discarded for something different. NBD. In fact, I learned so much from the process of doing that I could become an advisor to others to save them time and money.

I've changed careers in much the same way. I was an auto mechanic and didn't enjoy that as much as I would like, so decided with my knowledge of cars, I could sell them. So, I went and got a job selling cars. Then, decided I wanted to be the manager, and in a very short time, became the manager. Then, I grew weary of where that dealership was going and decided to leave and open a musical instrument store, and within 3 weeks it was opened.

I could have sat around and planned out all of these moves looking for the numbers, creating a strategy, how-to list of marketing, purchasing, and so much more. The longer I did that, the further away the actual doing would get.

There was a time I used to look back and regret decisions because they didn't work out exactly as I would have liked, but I have learned that this is a complete waste of time and energy.

Everything that we do is of value in some way or another. It doesn't matter how long we do it, whether it was a financial success or not. If we think of the experience of doing, of creating something out of our minds into reality, that in and of itself is fulfilling. In fact, I have become so appreciative of what I've done in these decisions and action because there is a bit of each that makes me whole.

Take Some Imperfect Action. Today!

Spread Some Joy Today--Realize that you are the authority when it comes to you. No one else has the knowledge and skill about you as you do. There is joy in that.

Daily Inspiration 11-18-11

2011-11-18T01:04:00.001-08:00

"I had a ninth grade teacher who told me

I was much smarter and much better

than I was allowing myself to be."

-- Scott Hamilton

I say Thank God! for people like Scott Hamilton's ninth grade teacher. It's rare enough based on my own school experience that any teacher takes the time to even communicate such grand encouragement to a student with six periods and 30-45 kids in each class.

Then you might get out into the work world and hear only what needs to be improved on your job without any encouragement to wash it down with.

As a result of the lack of encouragement I found in my life, I've really had a strong desire to be an encourager of others. And I do. . . most of the time. Yet, sometimes in my endeavor to encourage, I give a bit too much I think. As a salesman and sales trainer a lot of my life, I call that talking past the sale, or buying it back. It's very easy to be so enthusiastic and let my encouraging spirit lead them to become a bit overwhelmed--especially if it is a substantial change from where they are now. It's far too convenient to be on the outside looking in, yet that is the needed perspective.

I love to cook, and it reminds me of the value of seasoning. I love salt and pepper and there is a point where, if I put in too much of either, it is not a good outcome.

Other times, people aren't really looking for encouragement, they're looking for justification. They just play it poorly, making it seem that encouragement would be the desired thing.

Who knew that encouragement would be so tricky? It is. Everyone is in a different place. Some just want me to help justify their failure, and I'm not much into that, but I have learned to see the signal and let go, put the oars in the boat and float away.

When people are ready, the encourager appears. Encouragement is in the person who is encouraged. My joy is just to share or shut up as the case may indicate.

. . . Where Ever Is Heard, An Encouraging Word. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--As Arthur said in the movie, "sometimes I just think funny thoughts!" It's a game changer.

Daily Inspiration 11-17-11

2011-11-17T00:02:00.000-08:00

"Allow the world to live as it chooses,

and allow yourself to live as you choose."

-- Richard Bach

I heard it when I was a kid: 'Live and let live.' I never saw it in practice. It was one of those things people say that I call 'idealisms.' So, most all of my life, I've stood in judgement of others behavior, while pretending to not be critical. Of course, I've stubbed my toe on that many times through living and trying to become a better person, especially a more loving person. It wasn't without a certain amount of success, so it has been progress.

Then, I started picking up pieces here and there. Richard Bach is an example, and Gerald Jampolsky, Leo Buscaglia, Dr. Thomas Harris (I'm Okay, You're Okay), Wayne Dyer, Eric Berne, and others. Each was added to the other and my perspective was improved. Yet, it wasn't until 2007 when I one day bought The Secret Audio by Rhonda Byrne, that opened my mind to the idea of the Law of Attraction that it all started coming together for me. That book, led me by studying the various participants in that work to Jerry & Esther Hicks. It was here that I learned so much more about the idea of the Law of Attraction, but something even better in what they called the Law of Allowing, and they also call it the Art of Allowing, and I think the latter speaks more to the heart of it. It is this concept that I have wanted to learn the most because in essence it is peace.

I love how Wayne Dyer puts it: "Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you." That, of course, is the essence and activity of unconditional love. And, it is from unconditional love that allowing exists, bringing it all full circle and so plain and simple as the most fundamental truths are.

I practice it daily, and am not perfected in it, yet progress is evident. It is indeed a challenge sometimes to let go and allow, especially when I think I know better, but I have to do as Jennifer Aniston says below and let a mirror be held up to me. As I see that I am a work in progress, I must also accept that others are as well. Maybe they want to learn what I've learned, and maybe not. It doesn't matter. I am learning to love them in their choice for themselves, whatever that choice is.

If I look at it as if we all came here on purpose to have certain experiences, it is easier to then allow them to have what they came to experience while I accept my own. And, since I believe that we are all from the same source, though appearing to be so different sometimes, that encourages me to allow and love even more.

Yet there is one other way I've seen this as well. It is called the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And, I would have to add to that line, and then, let them choose for themselves.

"True Love Brings Up Everything--You're Allowing A Mirror To Be Held Up To You Daily."

-- Jennifer Aniston

Spread Some Joy Today--"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are." -- Marianne Williamson

Daily Inspiration 11-16-11

2011-11-16T01:09:00.000-08:00

"Just one mental shift--focusing on the abundance

of your environment--switches your psychological

settings so that your life automatically improves in

many areas you may think are unrelated. This is

essentially a leap from fear to faith."

-- Martha Beck

Turn on the news for the last several years and at the top of the news is the economy and how bad things are. It is true. They said it was. It's on the national and local news.

The first thing I have to mention is when has the news ever focused on anything other than what's wrong? According to the news, what's wrong is what is news. If it was right it wouldn't be news.

It's all fear. The news promotes it, many if not most believe it and spread it to one another in conversation. It's a focus on lack--what we do NOT have, what we should have but don't, what we used to have that went away.

And, there's always, always someone or something to blame and the blame is widespread because there is confusion about who or what to blame. Yet, that does nothing to the fire of fear except throw some more fuel on it. Since when did blame ever help resolve an issue? Never. Instead, it magnifies it.

What will absolutely change this focus on lack, is to change our focus to one of abundance. It's truly the only thing I know of that will change the way we feel about what is going on around us, and within us.

Sometimes people say to me that thinking about abundance is so hard when they are losing their home or struggling to make ends meet. My answer has become that it is only hard when you choose to make it hard. To me, it is very, very easy. It doesn't matter how much money I have or don't have, I can feel the abundance in my life when I choose to.

Here's how easy it is to go from feeling lack to feeling abundance: Choose a better feeling thought. As Einstein so aptly said, to do the same thing and expect a different result is the definition of insanity. We have to change our thinking if we want things to change at all. Choose a better feeling thought--just a little better. Then choose another. When your mind reminds you of the lack of dollars in your pocket, stop immediately and choose a better feeling thought.

How to choose a better feeling thought? My best method is to find something, anything at all to appreciate. Maybe it is the color of the leaves on the tree at this time of year, the color of the sky at sunset, the smile in a child's face, the enthusiasm in a child's play, the wagging of the tail on the dog. It doesn't really matter what you focus your appreciation on, anything or anyone will do. Once done, then find another.

Whenever you are appreciating anything, you are automatically feeling abundance. We all have such abundances in our lives when we choose to see them. Even if the dollars are few, it is amazing how you can even become appreciative of that if you choose to. One way is to give to someone who needs it more than you some of the money that you do have. If you do that with your heart in it, you won't even miss that money regardless of how little you thought you had.

Another way is to put a $100 bill in your wallet or purse and mentally spend it. Think of all the things you can afford to buy if you wanted to buy them. Spend it time and time again mentally. If you spend it ten times, you've spent $1,000. Don't have $100? Sell something you don't need, have a garage sale, put it on eBay. It will help you feel that financial abundance that so many are missing right now.

Appreciate your life as it is now and see the abundances all around you and that will change everything.

Choose To Feel Good. It Is 100% A Choice.

Spread Some Joy Today--Give something you have that you no longer need away. Don't sell it. Give it.

Daily Inspiration 11-15-11

2011-11-15T00:52:00.000-08:00

"How much would it improve the quality of your life

if you could find a way to be "always up" despite, or even

because of, what was happening around you and to you?"

-- Kirsty Dunphey

I ran across a person named Kirsty Dunphey on the Internet a few years ago. I don't remember exactly how that came about, but she produces a newsletter about every week or so and I've now subscribed for probably three years. She lives in Tasmania, an island just below Australia, and she is an author, business owner and public speaker. I've also republished some of her pieces from her newsletter with her permission when one strikes a chord in me.

A few newsletters back, she made a statement and an offer which I thought was fascinating as I took her up on it. Basically she said that she knew I probably read the newsletter, but the chances were good that I had never read one of her two books. She was right. Her offer was to ship it for a flat $10 from Australia (this means the book is almost free because the shipping is almost that amount), allow time for me to read it, and then pay her what I think it was worth to me. I thought that was unique, so I immediately went for it. The book I chose is her latest and the title is, "Retired At 27; If I Can Do It Anyone Can." (It is available on Amazon.com, or her website)

The book arrived this afternoon and I've already read more than one third of it, and it has some gems in it even at this early stage. One gem is that she was staying at a friends' home in Sydney and at the end of the night they gathered for some dessert and drinks and her friend asked his girlfriend what the highlight and lowlight of her day had been. That led to a grand discussion of everyone's day.

She calls what she learned from this the high, low and positive. It is common to be positive when talking about the highlight of your day, but when it comes to the lowlight, we could go into the dumper if we didn't have a twist she added of asking what the positive aspects came from each of the lowlights mentioned.

She also mentioned that she is not one to keep a diary; however, she began writing down on purpose the highlight or highlights of her day--just a sentence perhaps, but acknowledging them for more memorable storage. She says that, "in looking for the bright moment each day, it guarantees that I appreciate the day for what it has been and that I am always looking to the positive."

Finally, she says, "by making this a daily habit, I am making it permanent and I cannot think of a better thing to make permanent than seeing the joy in each day." Bravo! I totally agree.

I've enjoyed a lot of what Kirsty has shared on her Internet sites. It is interesting to me how we find people that provide value to us and they may not even be aware. In Kirsty's case, I've communicated that a couple times via email. I'm grateful that she has been bold enough to put her newsletter out there and to continue to send it over time. Thanks Kirsty! See more from Kirsty at www.kirstydunphey.com.

Positive Thinking Doesn't Mean Negative Things Don't Happen. It Is How We Respond To Them And How We View Those Things That Can Make It A Positive Thought Or Experience.

Spread Some Joy Today--Joy is rarely about what happens to us, and most often is about other people, and how we choose to see things. Seek joy everyday.

Daily Inspiration 11-14-11

2011-11-14T00:03:00.000-08:00

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly

trying to make you something else

is the greatest accomplishment."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

A couple of days ago, I was talking with my business partner and we were discussing me and how some people react to me in a way that I find odd. I've heard it before and it's funny to me because I am not that way inside of myself. Finally after some discussion, I responded, 'It's not my problem. I'm being the best Terry Minion that I can be and that's all I can do.' As it came out, I thought it was an interesting phrase that I'm being the the best me I can be, and I felt good about it.

It puts me in the company of the likes of Bob Dylan, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Abraham Lincoln, Elvis Presley, and so many more. I am unique as they are. I am being the best that I can be as they are and were. I have just as much capability and opportunity as they (though I may have used mine differently). It is great company to be in.

It also puts me in the company of Mrs. Raney (one of my high school teachers), Dennis Pullman, Ed Blake, Art Johnson, and many others you've never heard of. They chose to just work on being the best they could be and let the rest fall away.

Some people have a lot of rules of the way we should behave and what to do and how to do it and what we should be, and that's all just leading us away from ourselves in pursuit of something we are not.

So many also have rules about what you should have accomplished. I am not what I have done. I am not what I have. They are not even indicators of where I am or should be on some scale that they made up. None of that matters really.

Here's what matters more to me: To be the best I can be day by day, whatever that is is okay. To love with all my heart as many people as I can. To encourage and assist people to be the best they can be and to love with all their heart. To be bold enough to try and do; to try new things that I didn't know I could do until I did them and not to be very concerned about where I am on the scale. As an example, I'm a musician and songwriter and am unique at that, and frankly don't care what it means to anyone else. It is an expression, not an expectation. And, to have fun and feel as good as I can feel, to see what I don't like as contrast that leads me to what I do like. To seek joy every day and to see how much joy I can experience. To share. To experience. To touch others and be touched. To live.

Happiness Is Being Selfish Enough To Choose.

Spread Some Joy Today--Forget about other people's expectations today. Just let it be. Enjoy your day. Choose fun thoughts. Send love mentally. That's cool.

Daily Inspiration 11-13-11

2011-11-13T00:02:00.000-08:00

"My memories are inside me--

they're not things or a place--

I can take them anywhere."

-- Olivia Newton-John

This evening I was thinking of memories and experience and how they play together. I was particularly thinking of purposely trying to save memories, or create a memory by photography or video. It made me think of so many tourists I see that have their camera around their neck, their camera bag and supplies and trying to capture everything they can.

That thought then caused me to think of how many times it seems that the act of trying to save the memory creates something different and cheats the experience.

I remember times when I was younger and how I tried to document as much as possible to create these memories to view later. There are binders full of prints that maybe I looked at once, then they go in the cupboard for years.

In my later years, I take the camera, but record very little--sometimes, not any. Yet all the memory of the experience is with me still and a far greater portion of the event is captured in sight, sound, smell, touch, and emotion inside me and that is superior to any mechanical device. The really interesting part is that though I record every nuance of the experience, by not trying to record it mechanically, or manually, I get to fully enjoy the experience unencumbered. Indeed, some of my best memories are recorded in this way.

It seems that my grandparents on my mother's side spent their lives recording everything in film and movies. I now have them and they are in many boxes, perhaps thousands of photos, many of relatives I haven't a clue about. They have no value since they've gone because their value was to them. This is as it will be with all of my photo records.

The camera has its place, and I love beautiful and interesting photography, and I even like taking photos myself from time to time, but what I have been learning to enjoy the most is the experiences themselves.

"I'm Always Fascinated By The Way Memory Diffuses Fact." -- Diane Sawyer

Spread Some Joy Today--Do something nice twice today. Once for yourself, and once for someone else. Start with you.

Daily Inspiration 11-12-11

2011-11-12T00:05:00.000-08:00

Thought vs Action Controversy Week

"We don't see things as they are;

we see things as we are."

-- Anais Nin

This last installment on the theme of thought versus effort comes down to one short little word: Why. Frederich Nietzsche said, "He who has a big enough why to live for can bear almost any how." Dr. Viktor Frankl backs that up as well in the form of meaning in his book, Man's Search For Meaning.

We had a lady next door who has since moved away who loved to iron. I'm serious. She loved to iron clothes. I never met anyone who actually loved to iron clothes until I met her. To many if not most, ironing is drudgery, hard work, tedious. So it was just a different thought that changed a tedious, hard job into an absolute joy.

Ever notice when you're doing something out of obligation or duty and you seriously don't want to be there or be doing that thing or event, that the day just goes into slow motion and the clock takes forever to move and your body feels like it weighs a lot more than it did yesterday, and well. . . it's work and it's very unpleasant. Then, something happens that gets your interest. Who knows what it is, but all of a sudden, it's not so bad, then as time goes on, maybe it's even better than this and you begin to enjoy yourself and it changes everything. You just lost a bunch of weight in the last few minutes, your droopy face has spark and light, and the only thing that happened was a thought change. Something changed the thought and the thought you had was controlling how you were feeling. And, it can change in a moment.

When I was working for others, I liked what I did, but more often than I would have liked there was crap I had to deal with that was unpleasant and undesired. I did it because I had to and felt crappy about it the whole time. Now, as my own boss, I have lots of problems to deal with, but they aren't really problems and I don't have a problem dealing with them. In fact, I often seriously enjoy solving them. It's just a change in attitude or thought. Before I had to, didn't want to and now I want to and am glad to solve it. Big difference, but just a difference in thought.

But, you don't have to go into business for yourself to have that change in thought or attitude. Begin where you are with what you have to work with and turn it from work into fun. Begin by finding one thing about what you do today to appreciate, and then appreciate it, love it, praise it. Next, find another and another and another and pretty soon you'll be loving your job and what you do and everything about it.

In my opinion, the way to change anything toward more positive feelings is to learn to appreciate--sincerely appreciate something, anything, and then continue to repeat that process and you will see miraculous changes. I'm beginning to think that the key to life in general is learning to appreciate everything--you, your life, your body, your personality, your family, your boss, the place you live, the neighborhood you live in, the place you go to church, the neighbors, the government, and so much more.

I think I can get to the point that I am just a lover, appreciating everything, including the contrast that allows me to choose appreciation.

Effort Is No Longer Any Kind Of Work. It Is A Natural Extension Of My Thoughts Of Appreciation.

Spread Some Joy Today--There is nothing that is external that will bring you joy. It is 100% an inside job.

Daily Inspiration 11-11-11

2011-11-11T00:08:00.000-08:00

Thought vs Action Controversy Week

"The person we believe ourselves to be

will always act in a manner

consistent with our self-image."

-- Brian Tracy

Driving downtown today, I listened to a radio commercial about hormonal imbalance and how this system will get you into balance so you can lose weight when all else has failed. In fact, the dieting industry--and it is indeed an entire and huge industry--has a crazy long list of different diet programs that are guaranteed to get results that the other diets have failed to do and blah, blah, blah, blah.

Want to lose weight? Stop eating. It is guaranteed to work, but just like every other kind of diet like low carb, no carb, no starch, calorie counting, Atkins, South Beach, North Woods, Deep Lake and all those others, they only work for a while on MOST people. On some it works for a while longer.

And, of course, you know how much effort and even cost is involved in any of these diets, whether you're starving yourself of food, or just the foods you really, really like the best. Sacrifice is painful. It is WORK, commitment, nose to the grindstone, on the treadmill at 8, gym after work, and more. Whew! I've lost a pound just writing it.

Yet, the only thing that will keep the weight where it is said to be wanted in the new and improved us, is a new self-image or picture we hold of ourselves in that new place, and then holding focus on that image, enlisting belief. This is nothing at all but thought.

It is how we think about ourselves and how we imagine ourselves to be that we are. A diet could only change that for a small period, then if we haven't changed our self-image, or thoughts, we will be right back matching our previous thinking. This happens all the time with people trying to lose weight through effort.

The key is that it doesn't require effort, or a special plan, or menu. The key is seeing yourself where you want to be and loving yourself in the meantime.

And, this doesn't just apply to diets, but applies in our work, our hobbies, our home life too. Think your way to where you want to be and the effort will be effortless.

"What Does A Thought Look Like? Just Look Around You, Right Now. . . To See Yours." -- Mike Dooley

Spread Some Joy Today--How many elevens are there today? It's kind of fun!

Daily Inspiration 11-10-11

2011-11-10T00:04:00.000-08:00

Thought vs Action Controversy Week

"If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure,

stop trying to balance them.

Instead, make your work more pleasurable."

-- Donald Trump

Consider the dialogue from this Star Wars clip:

"Luke: Oh, no. We'll never get it out now

Yoda: So certain are you? Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?

Luke: Master, moving stones around is one thing, but this is totally different.

Yoda: No. No different. Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.

Luke: All right. . . I'll give it a try. . .

Yoda: NO! Try not! Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Space ships are much harder to levitate than 1 foot diameter stones. Everybody knows that, right?

So, God created the earth and all that we know and see. Do you think God broke a sweat when He created the moon? Or maybe it was the universe that stressed Him out. Or maybe He was so challenged by the acorn, or the dust mite. I'm sort of speculating, since I couldn't answer for God that He didn't stress over any of it. I'm guessing that a button or a continent was all the same when it came to effort. Or, was there any effort at all?

Maybe it's just we humanoids that think that the bigger something is the harder it is to fix, or maybe it's the problem that's closest to us at the moment. As Luke continues to try his best and put forth all the effort he can muster, he cannot raise the ship and quits in defeat. Isn't that how we've all felt sometimes. Maybe now. I can't do it. I don't have enough power. It is beyond me.

Yet, it is in our letting go of the struggle to perform, jump through the hoops, seize the day, that we are able to allow. That word allow is so important. Shhhhhh. Relax. Allow. Everything is okay. Life goes on. It will all be perfect. It is perfect.

When we relax, take a breath, refocus, find things to appreciate, to be grateful for, this puts us in the space where any decision we now make will become almost effortless in action, where before, all the effort we could muster wasn't enough. As Yoda says, "only different in your mind."

Leaping Tall Molehills With A Single Bound. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Forgive someone you've been holding on to. They way is to release it and let it float away like a leaf on a stream. Watch it disappear. . .

Daily Inspiration 11-9-11

2011-11-09T00:06:00.000-08:00

Thought vs Action Controversy Week

"Success is living up to your potential. That's all.

Wake up with a smile and go after life. . .

Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it."

-- Joe Kapp

Here's a phrase that indicates a lot of sweaty effort: 'I gotta ______.' I gotta, I have to, I must, If I don't, are all a bunch of work. Whatever thought is involved is all related to some kind of fear.

Truth is, we don't gotta. Turn to thought instead with I wanna, or wouldn't it be nice if, I love ____, I have abundance all around me, I am blessed. That will change everything.

I just watched an interesting movie a couple nights ago called The Company Men. If you haven't seen it, the movie is about a large corporation downsizing and letting a lot of people go and how they dealt with that. If I had watched this just a few years ago, I would have been depressed plugging in to their all to currently related issues, but this time I watched it with a completely different attitude.

Anyway, there was a whole lot of 'I gotta,' going on in that movie. They weren't focused on what they had, but what they no longer had. The more they focused there, the angrier they got and the harder they tried to get it back, the further away it got.

What's really interesting is that I've found that same thing to be true in my life. And, it doesn't change for me significantly until I let go of that and get back into thoughts that are empowering. Once the thoughts are there, the results change and it all works as we might think it was meant to be.

Joe Kapp's quote above is a good way to look at thinking about life. Seek joy. I have found that the more I seek joy, the less anything at all worries me. In a world full of worries as in The Company Men and in our daily news, that is a wonderful place to be.

Here's a really positive thing to do to help invigorate your thinking. Create a love list. Here's an example:

I love a full tank of gas

I love the smell of wet concrete on a hot day

I love watching people play guitar

I love walking

I love listening to the birds around my house

I love feeling joy . . .

You can carry a little notebook and jot new ones down as you periodically look at your past entries to renew your spirits. It's fun and you might even find it interesting what makes the list.

Perhaps you can see that it is all about thought and the more positive thought, the less the effort, even to the point of effortless in action. With negative and fearful thinking, it is all about work, hard work, drudgery, things you have to do that you don't really want to do and more. Joy changes all that very quickly.

I Love Feeling More And More Joy! I'm A Joy Freak!

Spread Some Joy Today--Start your love list and start with at least 20 items. You'll find that you love a lot more about your life than you thought.

Daily Inspiration 11-8-11

2011-11-08T10:59:00.001-08:00

Thought vs Action Controversy Week

"When you have got an elephant by the hind legs

and he is trying to run away,

it's best to let him run."

-- Abraham Lincoln

When my thinking is lined up and clear, any action required is pretty much effortless.

I love this quote by Abraham Lincoln because I experience this all the time and I have learned to generally follow this advice and to let him run. It's like this Daily Inspirations. I truly want what I write here to be valuable to anyone who happens to read it and to myself in writing it, especially since I probably learn more by doing them that anyone else might. However, in trying to do well, I find myself searching hard, racking my brain as they say, struggling. That struggle produces almost nothing but lost time. It is amazing how I can do that for a couple of hours and not make the slightest progress. Sometimes, I don't even realize I'm doing that, but when I do, I stop immediately and let the elephant run. See ya! Have a nice run! Whew!

As I relax in the absence of the elephant, I find a peace come over me and I do whatever I need to do to distract myself from thinking any more about that subject for a while. Maybe it's an hour, or more, but soon after truly relaxing in it and letting go of the elephant, what I needed just comes to me out of the blue. Flash! There it is, and I sit down an type it with almost no effort at all.

I could have sat there and tried typing, working hard, nose to the grindstone, no pain, no gain and all that, but that turns everything into a four letter word. Who wants that? That's something we all want to avoid generally.

So, the answer is in the thought, not the effort. It is in the relaxing and not worrying about anything. It is in being at peace with the way things are for the moment. Then, in that clear space, what it needed will come and then the effort will be so small, but more important than this is that it will produce far more.

Effortless Is FUN! Struggle is WORK.

Spread Some Joy Today--Think of someone in your life who could use some encouragement, then act on that and find some interesting ways to encourage them.

Daily Inspiration 11-7-11

2011-11-07T00:03:00.000-08:00

Thought vs Action Controversy Week

"No pains, no gains."

"It is not ease, but effort--not facility, but difficulty,

that makes men. There is, perhaps, no station in life

in which difficulties have not to be encountered and

overcome before any decided measure of success can be achieved."

-- Samuel Smiles

When I see these quotes--and there are thousands more like it--I see a belief that success cannot come without difficulty, much effort, pain and more. And, of course, as we see these quotes and we've heard them since we were little, we think that it must be the case, or it must be true. Then we reluctantly set out to become more by getting through all these barriers and then finally, at some time after the smoke has cleared, maybe we will have been one of the few who made it through.

Maybe it's time to go to the Spin Doctor and get an attitudinal. They can stick that scope up there and pull out those barriers that hinder the flow of success. Clear those passageways! Let 'er rip!

It all comes down to what we believe. And a believe is just a thought we keep thinking, so if we believe there has to be pain, great struggle and effort, then that is what it will have to be. To believe one thing and expect a different result is insanity. So we get what we believe and we get what we get.

And, of course, all this struggle, effort and pain comes from the activity or action which must fail many times in order to succeed.

Yesterday, I talked about how some win and some don't and the difference is not activity but thought. As I thought more about it for today's Daily Inspiration, I realized that many times in my life, I focused on what I wanted and achieved it very easily. The only problem is that there has been no consistency in that. Has that happened to you too? We learn how to get through once and then can't seem to get through again.

I think the biggest reason for this is the above. It is the belief that we carry from the outside influences in our lives, such as, teachers, television, radio, friends, well-meaning relatives and seeing life go on all around us. We see what is and we get more of what is.

Yet, those few times when we got through so easily, which was such a joy, we didn't believe these things, it just sort of happened. I think that was a very strong desire that overcame all the negative influences, and when we want things but that really strong desire is not there, we cannot get through.

When I was a salesman, I was not on the top of the board very often, but put a trip to Hawaii on the agenda, and I'm number one without a doubt. I won four trips to Hawaii, along with trips to Acapulco, Bermuda, British Columbia, London, along with a cruise to the Bahamas. There was serious strong desire for these, but no consistency otherwise.

The rest of the times my effort was hard, and the pickin's were few, because, well, that's the way life is supposed to be, right? There's no free ride, no gain without pain, no reward without sacrifice and all that rot.

Or not. . .

Which Is Harder? Thought Or Effort? Maybe It Depends On The Prize. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--For lunch today, why don't you treat yourself. Take a little extra time and do something to give yourself some joy.

Daily Inspiration 11-6-11

2011-11-06T00:19:00.001-07:00

Thought vs Action Controversy Week

"We clothe events with the drapery of our own thoughts. . ."

-- James Allen

As I often do in these Daily Inspirations, I talk about things I'm learning or finally getting that I've studied for a time as a way of clarifying it even further and sharing it at the same time. Lately I've been giving a good deal of thought about activity vs thought, ease vs effort, struggle vs surrender. There is some conflict in different authors on this and the traditional says effort and the new age says ease and so on. I am lining up with ease, but it has been a challenge to release all my past learning and outside influences; a.k.a., habits, or comfort zone.

So, I'm thinking of some examples to reference to help demonstrate this difference.

I'm thinking of winning contests, door prizes and so on. My partner, Ryan wins them all the time. I could go to the same event and buy a hundred tickets, and his will be pulled not once, but several times. I've seen him win three items and more than one event. It's amazing.

I ask him what that's all about and he just believes he will win. He expects to win. He doesn't think that much about it, but believes. He sort of lets it go. It works like clockwork for him. This is an example of thought achieving results.

On the other side of this issue, I've seen people that I know who were very much into entering every contest on the planet and getting nowhere with it. They calculated the odds, did everything they could think of to maximize the possibility of winning, but they were hoping for the big payoff and always working the angles. This is an example of doing activity in trying to achieve results.

In Matthew 21:22, the Bible says, ". . .all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." The key ingredient there is believing, which is rare enough. It is easy to ask, even to demand, cry for, cajole, but believing is another level of thought. In this example, the prayer is the action and the believing is the thought. The thought is far more powerful and more likely to have the results that we claim to want.

Tonight I was trying hard to think of everyone I knew in the field I've spent a lifetime in because I need to bring someone into our company to help us expand, and all of a sudden it struck me what I was doing and what a habit it is and how unproductive it is. I've mentioned the sign on my wall that says, "What is MY job and How is GOD's job." As I looked up and saw that sign, I remembered that figuring out who is not my job. That's the action part. It's habitual, yet ineffective. I need to focus on the thought part of this which is clarifying what I want and visualizing it already being done and believing that it will come to pass, then let it go and let God take it from there.

Dream And Then Go There - We Are The Artist.

Spread Some Joy Today--Do an ARK, an Act of Random Kindness today.