Make 2010 a Real New Year

Here we are 2010!

Believe me I never thought I'd live this long.

So to make 2010 a real new year I will follow the advice of Earl Nightengale:

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored."

Earl Nightengale was considered one of the most effective people of his time. Here is an example of why:
During his lifetime, Nightingale wrote and recorded over 7,000 radio programs, 250 audio programs as well as television programs and videos.

He was also one of 12 survivors of the attack in 1941 on Pearl Harbor on the USS Arizona.

So, he has some credibility to suggest that I love every minute of life, as his life was not a smooth ride.

In 2010, I take on loving every minute of life given to me. I thank the spiritual guide within and without for all the gifts I've been given, for all the people I've met and worked with, for all the experience that had me grow and become aware.

I savor life like I savor good wine, chocolate, and art. I am grateful.

"To everything, turn, turn, turn, there is a season"

We are coming into a new year, a new decade. On this day, the 30th of December 2009, complete any past grudges, grievances, mistakes, failures, and upsets.

Start the New Year, the new decade 2010, with a clean plate, a clean mind, a clean heart.

One way to do this is to write all the upsetting things that happened on a piece of paper, really spend the time to write is all down. Then take the pages (cause you know there will be more than one!) and burn them! Light a fire in the fireplace, or get the BBQ going strong with some coals, and burn those pages.

Let the burning of these pages represent the completion of all these past dramas, and free yourself from carrying them with you.

Then take a new sheet of paper and write how your life is now. Write what you want as already having happened, give yourself the feelings of having that life now.

Take that paper and keep it by your bed to read each night.

Then sit back a be awed as to how these things come to you.

Setting Goals

Setting goals is one of the most important intellectual activities to engage in. Actually it's necessary.

But how do we set goals so that they become achievable?


Try this:

Set your first goal to become more aware, to become your greatest friend, to become who you really are, not your temper, or limited thinking, but who you are deep down.

Truth be told we all fear being great. If you quiet your mind a bit and really look, you will see it just in the deep crevasses of your mind. We fear being mis-used, that's what causes the fear of being great. We'd rather be a pop celebrity than be great.

So why not take on being great, being the best you can be, being a leader in your field.

Why not you take on developing you to your highest capacity?

That's a goal worthy of who you really are.

Miracles

Miracles do happen.
When I least expect it, when I am 'at my wits end', when I give up on my expectations; miracles occur.
That is what this quote says to me.

A million dollar answer comes from letting go of your position, and yet not letting go of you.

Those two statements, seemingly at odds with each other, or paradoxical, is at the essence of a million dollar answer.

You let go of being righteous, and find your true self. Sometimes that is stopping an argument, sometimes that is stepping up and speaking.

Funny thing, there is no way of knowing if you are doing the right thing. Sometimes it looks like you are doing the opposite of what should be done, of what 'everyone knows' is the right way. Sometimes you just do, and miracles occur.

Here is what I do know, miracles don't occur when you do nothing.

Getting Things Done

I've noticed, lately, I'm living my life like a big 'to-do' list. I'm just getting things done. But I get no pleasure when things get done, I'm only present to the next list of things that 'have to be done'. So there is little joy, happiness, or fulfillment in my list. Not exactly how I want to move into 2010.

So how do I put the joy back into the things that need to be done, like balance the check book, prepare for 2009 taxes, walk the dogs at 6 am, get on the elliptical and do my 30 minutes of exercise?

What can I focus upon?

Yes, I've read all the books and even taught all the right things to do and say to people. However, in a pinch, I've noticed that something new needs to be done to generate accomplishment.

So, I'm on a discovery in 2010: What does give me joy? Satisfaction? Full Self-Expression?

I'm not a fame girl, don't really care to be famous, want to be successful, just not famous. I love providing service to others. And even when it looks like you need to hit them over the head a bit. ;)

So, this year will be about finding that path, one of allowing the spirit within expression.

Goal setting & goal achieving part 1

Hey it's the end of one year and the beginning of a new one. Time to set some goals!

This article is in two parts. The first is about setting the goal the second is about achievement of the goals.

Goal setting and goal achieving are two completely different activities. Most people misunderstand this completely. Just knowing that they are two completely different activities raises your ability to achieve your goals. But if you really want to reach the stratosphere of achievement pay attention to how you set them.

It's just like a quarterback who sets the football for the kicker; the setting of the ball makes or breaks the kick. You can learn how to set your goals and be assured of a solid foundation in achieving them.


Lets take apart goal setting and goal achieving and see the differences between the two.

Goal setting is an intellectual exercise, goal achieving is a spiritual exercise. I will get into goal achieving in the second part of this series. But for now lets just look at goal setting.

Goal setting is a time when you look intellectually at what you have and what you lack, and begin to put a goal to achieve what you currently do not have and add it to the column to what you do have.

This might seem obvious, but it is very important. If you can see this you will be able to set your goals with more freedom and effectiveness.

Notice that the idea is to put what you do not have into the column you have.
The game of a goal is to change the columns. It's to add to the have column and diminish the have not column.
The game in it's essence is to have more in the 'have' column and less in 'have not' column.

Here is where we get lost in setting goals we begin with what I will call the negative mind set. We set goals with negative emotions attached to them. And that, right there, is in essence why most goals get lost somewhere in February, never to be seen again. We have negative emotions in what we see we want compared to what we do not have and that puts a downward spiral to our goals.

Ever wonder if that might dimmish your goal achieving capability?

It does! Big time.

So to be effective in setting goals I suggest you take some time and set goals from a new emotional place, one called: you can see yourself already having accomplished your goal. You can see it, feel it and emotional are involved that you have it already.

Why? Because your subconscious mind does not know the difference between what is real and what it imagines. Don't believe me? Okay look up on Wikipedia about visualization for athletics, or the astronauts, or read about Russian studies in training their Olympic contenders in the 1950-60's. They trained their people to see the goal as already won.

So take time to visualize what you see and your goals for 2010. then write them down in the most positive and present tense language you can such as; 'I have the job of my dreams', 'my office is beautiful', 'I have clients that love to work with me', or 'I am paid exceptionally well'. The best stand by if you can't think of any other way to say your goals say this: “I am so happy and grateful now that I have..........”

So take some time, at least the same amount of time you spend planning your vacations in setting a few goals for 2010.

Here are some categories that you can look at in setting your goals:

Health
-physical
-mental
-spiritual
-emotional

Wealth
-net worth
-investments
-savings
-income

Career
-awards
-advancements
-recognition

Relationships
-family
-friends
-coworkers
-clients

Contribution
-giving time
-giving donations
-volunteer on Board of Directors for Non-profit

Okay, see you in part two: Goal Achieving!

Problems 101

Problems are not what we think they are.

The truth about problems is, we will always have them, like anything else in the world. Problems are rampant in the bible, if you ever read it, it's all about problems and how someone raised himself or herself above the problem and succeeded.

I was around for the Vietnam war, and it seemed our country was going to break itself in two during that chaotic time. People argued at work, at home and at church. I remember thinking that if we could only stop the war we could go back to being good to each other.

And then the war did stop, and the arguments and resentments continued. The people that were the strongest critics of the war kept on criticizing.

I realized at that moment that as a species we were always going to have problems, or issues, or friction. The true test of our mettle and courage is how we handle the issue.

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
Einstein said.

So, the real question becomes not "how do I solve this problem" but "what questions can I ask that will free my thinking to create new ideas"

Set a small time each day for creative thinking, and watch how fast you resolve problems.

Breathe

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.
e. e. cummings

I choose to be me today. Me, in all my terror, complexity, shame, love, joy, fear, and kindness, I choose to just be.

Breathe.

Today I live in thanks

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.
e. e. cummings

Today I live in thanks, in deepest thanks for each moment of life. Life in it's innumerable experiences, the darkness and the light. In pain, suffering, joy and love. Each moment brings me awareness of who I am. Of how I am built, designed, and how I can grow.

Today I choose to grow, to express myself freely. I create a life of service that expends my awareness and builds my dreams.

Today I live in thanks.

Stress and you. Part one

An age old question seems to be: what causes stress and how can we manage it?

Stress seems to be the target all of our ills in todays fast paced living. Stress gets blamed for everything from Tiger Woods infidelities to Andre Agassi's drug abuse to Brittany's head shaving..
Display any of what we consider bad temper or destructive impulses and we say: stress did it.

Well, lets take a look at the causes of stress.

We think of stressful events as not only unpleasant, but more importantly sidestepping them at all costs. However, try as we might, stress wins every time, from traffic, to 'the kids' to school projects due next week, to work projects due 'yesterday', stress is a major focus.

Sometimes certain events press in on our minds such as financial uncertainty of the global economy, job losses, terrorists, gang violence, changes in our climate, it seems there is no escape. So the natural tendency is to try to bypass stressful situations, or ideas, but is that possible? It appears stress has been added to our list of unavoidable like death and taxes.

Somewhere on that beautiful tropical island, where we all want to live, drinking wine punch and nibbling on coconuts maybe these types of things don't happen, but in our current world with instant messaging and connections many situations are bound to happen. The question becomes can we alter our reaction to these events?

I've asked several people: What stresses you out?

There are two very separate categories of stressful things. Each had subsets within them.

The categories are: things not working and overwhelm or what I will call too much to do too little time

Part one of this article will look at the first: things not working. Part two deals with overwhelm and part three will give some tips and tequniques on handling reactions to stressful situations.

So things not working

As my friend Charlie R. said so clearly:
“When things I don't know how to fix break, or things I don't know how to handle fall apart, that's when I feel the most stressed.”

Dianne S. said:
“Traffic! Especially stop and go traffic, it feels like someone else in in control of my time and speed”

John P. said
It isn't just one thing it's usually a series of things that break or fall apart in succession, like I bought a computer desk and needed to put it together, the screw doesn't fit in the hole with the washer that came with the desk, so I try a new screw but the screwdriver that I had out doesn't work with that screw, I need to get another screwdriver from the tool drawer, now the drawer is stuck so I pull it faster than normal and it fly open and ll the tools in the drawer fall to the floor. That stresses me.”

Ann J. said:
“The computer! Things seem to be going well, then all of a sudden wham, nothing. I've got a virus I don't know how to stop it, or clean it up. I feel so incapable. I should know what to do.”

Steve L. said
“Driving in traffic. A few years ago I had a girlfriend in a city about a 1-2 hour dive away, on good days it was a one hour drive on bad days 2 hours, it took me quite a few moments to shake off that drive. Even though the rewards were great, I got to see my girlfriend, but the cost was too high.”

Mary K said:
“Not finding things. I don't know where things disappear to but one minute there are there and the next gone! Where did they go? I spend time looking for something that should be easy to find.”

Carl W. said:
“When something isn't going well in my relationship and I don't know what to say, or if I should say anything.”

Dan M.
“My job, when I don't get the contract signed, or don't get the client what they need on time, it just gets frustrating.”


All these are under the heading: Thing don't work, or aren't working like they should, or this is not how I thought it would be. How we pictured it in our minds is not matching up with how it currently is.
But it isn't merely that our pictures aren't lining up, what happens is we stop functioning and feel that we've tried and failed. “I give up!” Is the resounding call.
Not just failed today, but somewhere where it really matters, where people are keeping score, we've failed.

That appears to be the common denominator in this level of stress. The interesting thing is we have in expectation of our behavior, or the results we are supposed to produce and it's clearly not being met. Bingo! Our stress meter goes way high.

Part Two: Overwhelm or too much to do too little time.

Free CD: Introduction to Abundant Results

Hi

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If you would like a copy of my CD just send me your address to: briewells@yahoo.com and I will put one in the mail for you.

You could have it by Christmas, and begin to really think yourself into the results.

It's my gift to you!

Meditation

I don't know about you, but I struggle meditating. I fidget, open my eyes to see the time, think all sorts of things.

What I do, is not meditation, just passing time. ;) Or I get maybe 2-5 minutes of meditation in, the rest is just thinking time. And not very restful thinking if you know what I mean.

I remember, years ago, I met a guy who meditated daily, and he said when he first started meditating he had so much energy, he couldn't believe it.

That just hasn't happened with me. I realize a pit fall of living is to compare your results with others. To constantly see how you are doing in comparison to how others do. It's like comparing apples and oranges. Yes, they are fruit, but different in every other way possible.

So, I keep at it, knowing this is one of the best things I can do for myself in this hectic life we live today, with it's rush, rush, get it all done now life.

I trust that meditation is a key to sanity, clarity, and true joy.

What if it is working out?

What if everything going on, the economy issues, the war issues, peace issues, health issues, and on and on, is how it looks while it's working? What if this is our access to abundant thinking, abundant living, and joy? What if we could realize this is it and laugh as we move through life?

I notice I can breathe more when I think this way, that there is nothing to get to, nothing to worry about, this is how we are doing it. We are fixing the economy, the global warming, the hunger, the peace talks, health care, the security of our lives.

This is how it looks, and I don't agree with all of it, but I'm not meant to agree 100%. I'm meant to live with contrast, diversity, growth, and find joy in that.

It just looks different than I think it should, or that my memory tells me it should look like.

That poses a freedom of thought, an acceptance of being and of how the divine works.

Where are we headed?

We live in amazing times. We can fly anywhere in the world, and within hours land in a far off place only dreamed of less than 100 years ago. But with all this movement, where are we headed?

We just finished off the Thanksgiving season, and are now quickly headed to the Christmas season, the season of giving. But what exactly are we giving?

Maybe the recent layoffs and the financial squeeze everyone is feeling these days is a wonderful opportunity to re-evaluate what we give and how we give.

I learned early from my oh so broken family, that money was supposed to sooth the wounds of bad behavior, bad tempers, and guilt from a too quick tongue. Money and gifts were supposed to be what was accepted instead of an apology. It was supposed to be the apology. So Christmas was to make up for all the transgressions of the past year.

I remember thinking this was a silly way to live one's life.

With the lesser economy, maybe just listening to each other could be the greatest gift.

I'm a Writer now

I'm a Writer now, I am a writer for Examiner!.com. It is a enewspaper. I am the writer in business, work and balancing life, and health.

wow!

I will be interviewing several people to see how they balance their work responsibilities and family, friends, and plain old enjoyment.

I will also post the longer versions of the interviews right here!

On target to move to serving the spirit within. Thank you all!

Slipping in Between The Cracks!

It's the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday , as the stores have called it. That means the day will be in the black, in the flow of abundance, not in the red, or in debt.
We all put positive hopeful thoughts on today, it will be a 'sign' of the worlds shifting to prosperity thinking.
It's funny I've been taught to only trust what I can see, taste, touch and smell. But there are bigger things in this world. And those are untouchable, un-smellable, and invisible.
That is what I choose to focus on today, the important things that we cannot see with our naked eyes. Like the stars in the daytime, or the emotional connections between great friends.
That's what I call slipping in between the cracks. The things unknowlable from our current perspective.
Have a wonderful and prosperous day!

I just wish I wouldn't get upset

I can remember sitting in French class and , as I saw it, failing my French test, thinking; "I just wish I wouldn't get so upset about things why do I always get so upset?".
Somehow I decided that to get upset was one of the worst things I could do. Don't know where I got that from, no incident special, probably just life itself. But I've carried that one around for years.
Every once in a while I think I have room to get cranky or speak up, and it doesn't turn out as I think it should, and wham, I'm back to suppressing, giving up and giving in.
As far as I can tell, that's not really life, that's my conforming to a set pattern of how I've been taught to be, not being itself.
I was once told; "It's not what you say, it's who you are being, that has you be heard or not".
Sounds good but I can see I made that one more opportunity to suppress myself even more, cause obviously if you are being the right way, you will get heard, right?
Mark Joyner from Simpleology says what we need to do in this climate is get stronger. But what does getting stronger look like? More stubborn? More fierce?
Personally, I just wish I wouldn't get upset. I wish I could view all circumstances as opportunities, and joyfully embrace each one. Yeah, not quite there yet. :)

You get what you expect

I keep reading and hearing that our world is a feeling based universe. Makes sense, as before language, we were just communicating feelings, much like animals.

And I've read, ask for what you want with the feeling of already having received it. So you thank for what you want as if you have it in your hands.

I can see my flawed thinking. I've lived as if what I want is out of reach, the feelings I have on a regular basis are; not yet, or it won't really happen, or oh well, I'd better take what I can get, cause the 'real' thing ain't coming.

Now I can see my 'job' is to catch myself inside of those feelings and chang them to one of prosperity, or 'I have it already and I am grateful".

It's a harder job than I ever thought to catch myself thinking inside scarcity, lack, doubt and worry. That is so common, that's the normal way of thinking. I risk looking foolish, and like a kind of dunderhead with my mind in the clouds. I didn't realize I was so influenced by what others thought of me. Must be something I learned as I've aged, cause I certainly never cared before. Like a gentle snowfall, my worry of what others think of me has crept silently into my thoughts, indistinguishable.

So the phrase "You don't get what you want, you get what you expect" now makes more sense than ever.

Vision and Focus

I had a Great Aunt that was a concert pianist, she 'practiced' her scales on the piano everyday for at least an hour. Then she would begin to really work. She would practice the pieces she was preparing to perform, or challenge herself in playing old pieces. But she was focused on her craft.
I was wondering if we have that kind of focus these days? And can we produce the same results if we don't?
Needless to say my Great Aunt grew up in a time of no TV, or computer or Internet games, so her experience of time was different. But she also grew up in a time of having to work very hard, manual labor was how most people earned their living, and she was an expense for the family being a musician.
So how did she keep focused, and play each day when all around her the pressure to bring in money for the family, and to get married, settle down, stop all this dreaming of being a piano player must have felt insurmountable?
That really is the question each of us must ask each day of ourselves.
Oprah Winfrey has said she asks each night : "Please allow me to provide what you want from me God"
Not just one night a week, every night.
That is a million dollar prayer. A clear focus to provide what is wanted and needed, and you are the vessel through which your vision becomes a reality.
A million dollar prayer will result in a million dollar answer. But like my Aunt it takes practice, persistence, dedication.
I think dedication is something many of us fear. To really dedicate oneself to something, for no apparent reason, or if you will make money at it, just because it fulfills you.
that is true dedication.

Feelings Are Good? pt 3

So, to continue on the feelings blog. I experienced that many feelings are just considered bad. Anger, upset, arguing, defensiveness, confusion, doubt, fear, and on and on. There most certainly is an unspoken judgement, "You should not be like that" in the background. No one would say that out loud, but it is there none the less. In my experience, it puts a kind of mental girdle on me in expression. It seems almost unlawful to have a temper outburst. Primarily for someone who is considered advanced, or aware. Imagine if the Pope had a temper flare up? How would we react? It's like we are supposed to be human in only small packets of expression. How is that supposed to work?

Yes, I focus on the good, each day I thank the universe for my wonderful life, my ability to have joy in any circumstance, but sometimes I just feel like screaming.

Feelings are Good? part 2

So yesterday, I write this blog about how feeling are supposed to be good for you. No less than 60 minutes of posting that blog, I have what I would lovingly call a melt down. I communicated my insecurities publicly and regretted it, spilled my coffee twice, could not find my keys... well, you get the picture.
Some days it feels like all I do is dodge bullets, like this super hero. But my problem is, I'm not a super hero, I do not bend steel in my bare hands or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound to quote the old Superman TV show.
Lately, it just feels like I'm not dodging very well, and getting hit.
I've read over and over, that I'm the one in charge of my feelings, I get to say whether a person 'gets under' my skin or not. And I'm also told that there is a thing called the butterfly effect, that we all are intricately connected. So, how do you remain centered, regardless of the circumstances and interconnectedness of us all? How does that work?

Feelings Are Good?

"You're supposed to to cry, you're not supposed to shove your feelings under the rug." Ellen Degeneres

'Of course, duh! Everybody knows that', I thought when I first read this quote from Ellen Degeneres . But then I asked, wait why do I think I know what she is saying? It started me on a truth telling expedition and I saw how many times I was taught not to express myself. To not be angry or laugh or smile so much. Anyone remember "I'll take that smile off your face." or "I'll give you something to cry about"?
I've been trained to be uncomfortable with extreme emotions, mine as well as others.
I learned early on that emotions were not safe, anytime and anywhere.
That's just silly.
Our universe responds to emotion. Emotions are the vibration we all talk about in the Law of Attraction. So what on earth are we thinking when we suppress our emotions?
Being aware is more important than ever, and different than I ever thought it was. I'm only now begining to get a glimpse of what it means to be self-aware.

Sunday Morning

Sunday morning starts like any other morning. The same routine of activities.
But there is a relaxed quality. There is no time line to worry about, no matter what social event I have agreed to, or bills to pay or quicken to update. There is a kind of air, space, timelessness quality to my steps.

I still wake up to the same complaints about myself, I guess that got programmed in at an early age and it does take considerable focus to re-program complaints about 'not being enough', or whatever.

It's the peace between 7 am - 10 am that I love. In these moments I breathe and think into solutions. I ask myself 'what's next to fulfill on your vision', or 'who would be good to connect with next?'. I don't ask it from panic or worry, as if I must force the world to bend my way, I remain open for something to surprise me.

Now here 's the kicker, sometimes it works, sometimes, it's just quiet. But I remain respectful of whatever appears.

I wonder if that isn't a quality we Fast-Food, get a quick answer, generation have lost. The respect for the quiet. And in that quiet magical answers will apeear, if you breathe.

Ever talked with someone on a cell phone and they sound like they are in a wind tunnel?

Wow is that hard to hear. I always sound like I'm shouting. It's embarrassing.

Well, it's Saturday so I'm about to get on my eliptical and do 20 minutes of working out!

Later

Inspiration from Flowers

The first time I ever saw a Bleeding Heart Plant I was walking home from school. I was in 3rd grade. It was a wonderful late spring day, we knew there were only few more days of school then summer vacation. So I was already happy about that. ;)
I walked home with about 10 other kids that lived on my block. I counted, one day, and I realized we had 45 kids from ages 0-16 living on our block. We could always get a game of basketball, touch football, baseball, capture the flag, or kick the can going in an instant.
Well, 10 of us were walking home and I saw some pink flowers dangling from under a bush. They were heart shaped! These beautiful flowers dangling under the deep green leaves were like a special gift. They didn't have a strong perfume smell like most flowers, but they were so delicate and unique.
Each spring, we would watch for that plant to bloom. It was an extra special moment when we could see the hearts.
I wonder if life isn't made up of these tiny beautiful moments. Each one opens our eyes, heart, and breath to the exquisite beauty that surrounds us.
Helen Keller said: "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows."
It seems to me that in our time a great change, great upheaval, the point is to keep our focus towards the light. Breathe into bringing out the best in you and your family, community, and ultimately that has a chance of changing the world.

Start today with a laugh

An MG Midget pulled alongside a Rolls-Royce at a traffic light. "Do you have a car phone?" its driver asked the guy in the Rolls.

"Of course I do," replied the haughty deluxe-car driver.

"Well, do you have a fax machine?"

The driver in the Rolls sighed. "I have that too.

"Then do you have a double bed in the back?" the Midget driver wanted to know.

Ashen-faced, the Rolls driver sped off. That afternoon, he had a mechanic install a double bed in his auto.

A week later, the Rolls driver passes the same MG Midget, which is parked on the side of the road--back windows fogged up and steam pouring out. The arrogant driver pulls over, gets out of the Rolls and bangs on the Midget's back window until the driver sticks his head out. "I want you to know that I had a double bed installed," brags the Rolls driver.

The Midget driver is unimpressed. "You got me out of the shower to tell me that?"

Vision is more than sight

"Vision is the art of seeing the invisible" Jonathan Swift author "Gulliver's Travels"

The more I read about how our brains work, how we really learn and develop, the more convinced I am that visualization is key to accomplishment.

I was watching a Doctor talk about how he helped a man relieve severe pain in his phantom arm. Yes that's right phantom arm. We have heard about people who have had arms or legs amputated, and the person still has feelings in that limb. they still experience the limb as present. These people are not delusional, they are fully functional adults, however, their body gives them sensations of the limbs being there.

Well, one man, who lost his arm in a motorcycle accident, was experiencing severe pains in the lost arm. He said he could still feel his hand clutching the motorcycle bar, and he could not let go. His 'hand' would go into spasms.

Now this was quite depressing for the man, as he knew he had no arm there. So how do you treat pain relief for something that isn't there? The nerves get in a loop and keep firing the pain signal, like a broken record, it doesn't stop.

This doctor got an idea. He placed a mirror in a box and had the man put his hand in the box so he could look into the box and see the mirror image of his real hand, giving his brain the image of his 'lost hand'. He told the man to move his hand and unclench his fist. He did and the man experienced the release of his pain.

The man was so grateful. He actually had no pain for three days, but the pain came back. He called the doctor and asked for the box with the mirror to have at home. He now uses it whenever he feels the pain in the lost arm.

So what does this say? Vision is critical. My vision of my success, my contribution to my family, community, and our world is more important than my IQ, degrees, awards, and all that mumbo-jumbo.

Vision is a personal journey. No one can do it for you, although much of the media wants to program us to want what they tell us to want.

Each morning as I wake up and evening as I go to sleep I visualize myself in my perfect career, smiling at my desk, feeling the feelings of accomplishment. Vision is critical!

Receiving

Whatever we are waiting for - peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance - - it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart." Sarah Ban Breathnach

I have heard myself; and a few of my friends say, "Okay! I'm ready to receive NOW...any time NOW....I've given enough NOW, it's time for me to GET."

Yeah, I've said it more than a few times. Funny thing, with that attitude I don't get what I'm looking for. Or if I do get it, I don't recognize it.

For years I was looking for the reincarnated Clark Gable to swoop me off my feet, fall in love with me and ask me to marry him. It never happened. All the time I usually had a great Clark Kent right next to me, but I wasn't in a mind set to receive. I wanted someone else to validate me. And come on, Clark Kent just didn't feel validating. When I could feel my worth, then I was ready to really love someone.


So, what does the mean for me about my dream job?

I keep reading that the universe will respond abundantly to the vibration of whatever I am passionate about, focused upon, committed to, and what I really believe is possible.

"really believe is possible"

I asked myself "what do I really believe is possible?"

I found all sorts of negative thoughts and feelings there. Aha! I thought, like Sherlock Holmes. No wonder!

These negative thoughts and feeling sneak in, they know every crack, and back door through my positive armour. I could feel the truth of how I really think, how I constantly judge and evaluate myself, and how that keeps me from an abundant frame of mind.

Each morning as I wake up, I say over and over, "Thank you" I picture myself having fun at work, feeling fulfilled, joyful at what I am doing. I actually got myself to tears this morning picturing myself in this new capacity.

Well, that's what I've got for today! Thanks for reading along. Love and prosperity to you all

Be on Alert!

I am grateful for my awareness, for cell phones, for my dogs. for early morning walks. and for my car.

All this might sound strange, but I was walking my dogs in the park this morning, as we do every morning. (6 AM) Talking on the cell phone with Steve and Charlie, my coaching buddies, and I noticed a man hanging around the play sets.

As I am at this park everyday at this time, I know the usual people that come and go during the early morning. There is the guy on his bike with the two huskies, the two women that take a speed walk with their yellow lab, the husband and wife with their Jack Russel Terrier and a big mutt, and the lady with her two boxers.

We all come and go at various times. Today I was alone in the park. Which I was happy about, that meant that my dogs could run freely.

I was on my cell talking to Steve and Charlie, and I noticed a man. I thought it was strange. He seemed to be pretending to work out, but actually not getting anything done.

I kept my awareness towards him, finished my call with the guys and hooked up the dogs and began to walk to my car.

The man was working his way towards me. This was when I noticed he was in jeans, not sweats.

"Oh god, I thought, lets get the dogs in the car quickly." The dogs complied and I got in the car fast. The man had covered ground quite fast. I locked the car up and drove away.

I have no proof the man was 'after' me. Just the hairs on the back of my neck on full alert.

I will tell the other ladies that use this park to watch themselves from now on.

And I am grateful for my awareness. For my dogs, my cell phone and my car!

A Tale of Play

Play is the fastest way we learn, grow and develop as humans. Why then do we lessen our experience of play as we age?

Looking at the images of paintings and frescoes throughout the ages, play has always been depicted, but interestingly enough, in these images adults are playing too. In our current images of play, it seems limited to children, adults take a back seat.

What has happened? How have we gotten so serious?

Kevin Carrol, a man dedicated to the resurgence of sport and play in life. His book The Red Rubber Ball is fantastic.
Some questions he suggests we ask:

# What are some "play words" that resonate with you?
# What were the favorite games you played as a child?
# Did you do magic or have magical experiences?

Play. It is important, it is vital.

I am grateful I have playful puppies to remind me of the joy of life through play.
I suggest to myself and to you, dear ones. to play to your dreams. Play to your dream job, marriage, vacation, home, car, or whatever you dream about. Play to it.

Dreaming at Disneyland

"If you can dream it you can do it." Walt Disney

So, yesterday, my husband and I went to Disneyland for some much needed R&R. He has been working 7 days a week 10-12 hour days. I've been under my own stress.

We walked through the park and rode our favorite California Screamin' rollercoaster in California Adventure. the best smoothest rollercoaster ride ever! lol

We found a place in the park in Main Street that had displays on Walt Disney and his dream called "Disneyland"

We were taken step by step on how he dreamed it, how he got his engineers and animators to dream too.

I asked myself: what are my dreams and am I willing to put them to the test of becoming real?

My dreams: to be a public speaker, to write best selling books, to teach all I have learned in the skill of listening, compassion, creating an environment of respect, to love fully and freely, to be a vehicle for spirit to speak through, and to be paid well while doing it.

What is your dream?

Could it Really Be That Easy?

I read, or study, about 1 hour a day. In all that reading, each author states to get what you want, three things are needed.

1. Focus on what you want
2. Create the feelings of having what you want
3. Take actions consistent with the thoughts and feelings you are creating.

If it is that easy, why do we have so many books written on this material?

Is it our rational mind discounting what we know 'is' and how things 'work' around here?

What if it were that easy? What would that mean? What about all the struggle we have experienced? What of all the pain?

When I ask these qustions with no attachment to how I think things should be, it expands my vision. But not just ask these things once and feel confient I have an answer, but ask these things again, and again.

Day Two

"The first principle of success is desire--knowing what you want. Desire is planting the seed." Robert Collier.

I've read words similar to this for years. "You must know what you want, get clear in your mind what you want."

I thought, many times, that I knew exactly what was being said. "I know" I can hear that little voice in my head say. "Of course, I know, and I know this other thing too......."

Yesterday I asked myself to 'not know', to be willing to allow other answers to come forth. What an interesting day.

I found myself catching assumptions of life and how it works. Things like "It takes time for that to happen, money isn't easy to make, struggle is how it happens."

Wow! Each time I caught myself in that I would simply ask if that was true. I began to question thoughts that were automatic in the area of money.

BTW: one person who reads this blog has thought of me for a job. How cool is that?

An Expereiment for a New Career

"The person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to him positive results." Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

I have chosen to get my miracle job, by keeping a clear focus on having already received that job. I will spend 1 hour each day meditating on having gotten the most rewarding job, with people I enjoy working with.

The funny thing is I did this in romance and found the love of my life, my husband Jeff.
So, why not do it in the area of career and finance. Why would somehting work in one area and not another? That doesn't make sense.

Quite an experiment, huh? This will put to a test the notion that middle class people "believe it when they see it, world class people know that they have believed it when they see it." Steve Siebold in "177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class"

Visit my blog often as I live this great experiment. I will keep up with my daily quotes and my experience of them for you.