Freditorial- You are cordially invited to an unprecedented event, something that has never take place before. It’s a once in a lifetime event, the likes of which have never been seen before. And it will happen only once in the history of mankind.  And here’s the exciting part: YOU are the main attraction! 

The event is…June 2, 2010. The curtain has just opened. The event lasts only 24 hours. There is no script. Your only direction is to live without precedent and to allow your best thoughts to find you. 

Lights, camera, ACTION!

Pioneers don’t know what’s out there, but out there they go anyway. That’s why being a pioneer takes such courage. Courage means to have a purpose and to have heart.

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it. I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

Mahatma Gandhi
1869-1948, Indian Nationalist Leader

Freditorial

Detach from the outcome! I often mention this phrase to my coaching clients. To borrow a catch phrase from an old infomercial about a crockpot: “Set it and forget it.”  In other words, set the Big Goal and then detach emotionally from the goal and turn your attention and emotions to the things you need to do to attain the goal. 

For instance, if your goal is to double the gross revenue in your business, set the goal and detach from it. Then pour all your Vital Energy into the activities needed to realize your goal. Stop worrying so much! Be IN THE MOMENT! When you adopt this attitude, you get into harmony with the Law of Cause and Effect. As soon as you become attached to a thing, you are blocking out many other things. If you listen to a symphony orchestra, but all you hears is drums, you’ll miss the symphony. Do you want to fly? Then allow the FULLNESS of your life experience to lift you skyward.

Be creative—in your thoughts, in your feelings, and in all your actions.  Apply your uniqueness to everything you undertake.

Whatever you feel compelled to do—be it write music, design software, do floral arrangements, clean teeth, or drive a taxi—do it with your unique flair.  Being creative means trusting you inner calling, ignoring criticism or judgment, and releasing resistance to your natural talents.

Freditorial:   Robert Russell was once asked, “What is the secret to success?”  He responded, “There is no secret to success; success is just a matter of doing little things in a successful way every day.”  I really love this answer, as it implies that every little thing deserves our best effort.  Whether it’s opening the door for someone, conducting business, or having dinner with your family.  Do you leave your unique mark on everything you do?  Are you conscious of your uniqueness every time you enter a room?  Do you complete every task with enthusiasm, in a perfectly successful way, giving the best YOU to every tak?  If not, when do you suppose would be a good time to start?  Bear in mind the words of Dr. Suess: “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

Few deny that intelligence governs the universe. It matters not whether you call this intelligence Universal Mind or Providence or God or merely Nature. All admit Its directing power. All admit that It is a force for good, for progress. But few realize that our own minds are a part of this Universal Mind in just the same way that the rays of the sun are part of the sun.

I’m a big last minute shopper. Not a trait I’m proud of but hey, that’s me. A few years ago I was shopping with the older of my daughters on Christmas Eve, as usual.  We were in the toy department, not really shopping for anything but we came across the nerf toys and started a sort of hide and seek/nerf war with each other. We really didn’t have time for this with so much left to do, but oh well…it’s Christmas. If you can’t be a kid then, when can you?

People rushed and grumbled by with sour faces and unkind words, as is often the case when stress, time restraints, and holidays combine. Just as we moved on to the Tickle Me Elmos (my favorite toy of all time—I own three) a woman approached us. She said, “I observed how much fun you were having and you made my night…I got a few extra dollars in my Christmas bonus, and I want to share it with you.”

At that point, she handed me a plain, white, sealed, envelope and quickly walked away, as our confusion and “thank you’s” still hung in the air. We opened the envelope and found two $50 bills.

I was in no way in need of money, but the gesture brought tears to my eyes all the same. We both stood there baffled. Why out of a packed store did she choose us? Was it the Christmas stockings I had pulled on my feet over my boots, the silly jingle bells tied to my purse, our foolishness and play that possible led her to believe that we were on a day pass from the nearby mental hospital? I still wonder, but I’ll never know.

Now, what to do. At the same time my daughter and I looked up at each other. Still standing in the spot where she had left us, as if frozen in time. At that moment, we both knew exactly what to do. We would find two other people in this store who were genuinely happy and give them the gift she had given to us. Not so much the gift of money, but this inexplicable feeling that neither of us could define.

Unfortunately, although you would think this would be a simple task. It was virtually impossible. The later it got, the more irate they all became. Wandering the store for what felt like hours, we finally came across our first “victim”. She was all alone, but the joy she felt came through loud and clear. We quickly explained the story, handed her a new, plain white envelope, turned and walked away. It was the most amazingly odd feeling either of us had ever experienced. Soon we found the second person and repeated our story once again. You would think the emotion would lesson for us, but if anything it grew even stronger.

We went home that night and retold the story but in our hearts we knew only those touched could truly understand. Since then we go back to that store, a few hours before closing on Christmas Eve and repeat the process every year. Amazingly, the feeling is still exactly the same. It’s unbelievable that one person, one moment can change your life forever.

I imagine you’ve heard this phrase recently, or some variation of it. And those who make such statements are quick to point fingers of blame: it’s the liberals fault, it’s Bush’s fault, it’s the terrorists fault; and so on. Well, if you ask me, the ingrates are running the asylum! What’s lacking from the collective consciousness of the world is gratitude.

For starters, let’s take the media. It’s no secret the media, in all its various forms, favors negativity. The media, in short, are a fraternity of fault-finders. Ask any prior or standing President about the media, and you’ll get an earful on this topic. No matter who’s in office, the pundits have a field day. And the general public follows suit. When I talk politics with anyone—a rare conversation for me—I find myself talking to a sound bite, not a person. I don’t sense a genuine conversation. I don’t hear original thoughts. I rarely hear good questions or authentic curiosity. I hear a person who’s made up his or her mind based solely on what they hear on the television or read in the papers. Such conversations tend to be black and white…and usually spiced with bitter resentment.

But the negativity is not limited to the media. Faultfinders are everywhere. In homes. In businesses. In classrooms. Let’s face it, everyone is imperfect so faults are easy to find…if you’re looking for them.

Why not be a good-finder?

Yes, there are plenty of things wrong with the world. All of us are surrounded by flawed people, unsavory circumstances, and crooked politicians. So when is the last time you blessed unfavorable circumstances? And from my readers I hear a collective, “Huh?”

In Joseph Murpy’s outstanding “The Power of the Subconscious Mind” he provides this powerful affirmation: “I put up no resistance to conditions that seem to overcome. Rather I BLESS them! I know all things are working together for my good, and I am working with them in the wisdom and powers of the Spirit. I put myself and all affairs lovingly in the hands of God, with a childlike trust. That which is for my highest good will come to me.”

You see, gratitude is, among other things, a choice. When you adopt an attitude of gratitude in all things, not just those that appear favorable on the surface, you flow positive energy at all times. A grateful mind always expects the best, and gives the best. Whether you flow positive energy (gratitude, love, joy) or negative energy (anger, resentment, complaints) is a matter of choice. It is not dependent on who’s in office or the unemployment rate. It is dependent on YOU.

You would not be you if not for all the things that happened in your life, good and bad. The way you’ve handled adversity says a lot about your character. On your journey to a goal, the way you’ve responded to roadblocks determines whether or not you attain the goal. You would never appreciate the exhilaration of reaching the mountain top if not for the heartache experienced in the valley. So why not give thanks for all things, even those that did not seem to be favorable at the time.

When you fill your mind with gratitude daily, you attract differently. You vibrate differently. You radiate joy. When you become a good-finder, you validate the good in every person you meet. You become a life-affirming person. You build up, and don’t tear down. You leave every person with a feeling of increase, not failure.

Isn’t that a lot more desirable than finding faults or expressing ingratitude?

Yes, the world we live in seems mad. But gratitude will cure the madness. So let’s take back the asylum. Let’s build a tidal wave of gratitude and douse the world! It starts with you. YOU can change world. That’s how special you are!

To contribute your special gratitude essay to my soon-to-be published best-selling book, log onto www.telltheworldchangetheworld.com.  Let’s share the power of gratitude with the Universe.  Your story counts!  And it’s doing no good to anyone buried beneath burdens, gripes, and fears.  It needs to be shared!  So show me what you’ve got!

Make this little test regularly to keep you on the right track. Whenever you leave a person, ask yourself, “Does that person honestly feel better because he has talked with me?”

Freditorial
Do you view a conversation as an opportunity to learn something new? To gain a deeper understanding of the person you’re speaking to? Are you spending most of the conversation listening or speaking? Well, here’s a quick news bulletin: if you spent most of the conversation solely trying to make a point, you probably didn’t learn anything new and you probably didn’t gain a greater understanding of the person. 

What’s more, you probably missed an opportunity to validate someone, to leave a fellow human being with a better feeling about themselves. Listening is important, folks. How important? To quote Paul Tillich: “The first duty of love is to listen.”