Monday, February 25, 2008
Joke for the Day
A man was walking on the beach one day and he found a bottle half buried in the sand. He decided to open it. Inside was a genie. The genie said,” I will grant you three wishes and three wishes only." The man thought about his first wish and decided, “I think I want 1 million dollars transferred to a Swiss bank account. POOF! Next he wished for a Ferrari red in color. POOF! There was the car sitting in front of him. He asked for his final wish, " I wish I was irresistible to women." POOF! He turned into a box of chocolates.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Should I stay or Should I go?
Subject: An interesting article
Should I stay or should I go?
By John Demartini
The general feeling among South Africans is doom and gloom based on various facts and perceptions. South Africa is the crime, murder and Aids capital of the world. It used to have the best roads and now they are full of potholes.
There seem to be only fraudsters at the top of the police force. The country's leadership under Mbeki is rudderless. The head of the ruling party is up on corruption charges.
Now a basic infrastructural commodity such as electricity is being rationed. This will directly influence future foreign investment, which in turn will increase unemployment, poverty and crime. Mines are periodically forced to shut down, losing billions, which will adversely affect the economy.
People who seek ease get continued difficulty
This also brings us to the unthinkable - we could lose the 2010 World Cup. And the even more unthinkable: are we slowly going the same way as Zimbabwe?
A poll taken by Carte Blanche recently confirmed that the majority of affluent South Africans had absolutely no faith in Eskom sorting out the power problems. There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel... literally. The question on everybody's lips is: Should I stay or should I go?
Human behavioural specialist Dr John Demartini has some thoughts on the subject.
His teachings take him all over the world, enabling him to experience a vast array of living standards. Originally from the US, his work brings him to South Africa for extended periods about four times a year.
The question is not should I stay or should I go?
It is wiser to ask: What awaits me if I leave? Unquestionably there are challenges in South Africa, but you are living in a fantasy if you think there won't be a new set of challenges and drawbacks when you move to another country. People who run away from a challenge get more challenges to face and manage. People who seek ease get continued difficulty. It's the way it is - the integration of complementary opposites.
You have to get into proactive mode
The challenges in this country, like the power shortage, will also birth more opportunities. New enterprises will blossom as a result. Out of crisis always emerge the greatest leaders.
You may not realise it, but your challenges are unifying people in SA and making them think more creatively. SA is a seed of opportunity for entrepreneurs who could contribute to transformation.
Anyway, why run from your heritage? A situation like Eskom is a temporary glitch and it is unwise to let it interfere with your long-term visions and goals.
Remember, the greatest tension in the slingshot shoots the highest rock.
There is never a crisis without a blessing. So let's look at the blessings in the power situation. This may be a lesson to government to think beyond 10 years and accommodate a 50-year vision so subsequent generations benefit from these lessons.
On a day-to-day level, no power to your television is probably making families communicate more. Gold mines might have temporarily shut down, but the gold price shot up.
If you have made up your mind to go, that's fine, but if you are staying, bitching without taking actions towards solutions is not going to help. Don't let naysayers interfere with your dreams and opportunities.
However, staying means you cannot afford the luxury of sitting back. You have to get into proactive mode. Yes, it may seem insurmountable, but if every individual helps at a grass-roots level by figuring out how to empower the people around them, it will make a massive collective difference.
Nelson Mandela is the perfect example of just one person who stood up and changed things. You know the famous words of John F Kennedy: "It's not what your country can do for you - it's what you can do for your country."
Long-term visionaries know to stay the course. They don't focus on how things aren't being done; they always look at what is being done and what can be done on an individual basis. They are always solution-oriented and not problem-focused.
You are not at the mercy of your government; it's the other way round. They are there because the majority of people voted for them. If you don't like their vision, rally around and change it. In the meantime, don't wait on them to sort out the problems, make it a community project.
Contrary to the current thoughts of disillusionment and uncertainty, which are largely driven by emotion, remember foreigners believe in South Africa.
Look at Oprah Winfrey, who has built a school here, and Richard Branson, who has invested every aspect of his brand here, including buying a game reserve. Temporary setbacks won't stop these people.
Look at the history of social dynamics. Nations have risen and fallen for centuries. They have taken one step back and two steps forwards.
South Africa has made massive strides in the past few years. When I first got here South Africa was nothing like I envisioned. I was very impressed. And in the three years I have been regularly coming here, I have seen great progress in the landscaping, buildings and living conditions.
Would I invest in this country? I already have. I have ploughed in copious amounts of time and energy and this is the only place I have established an office outside of the US. My worldwide branding is currently being created here and my working visits are getting more frequent and prolonged.
I am even looking at possibly investing in a lodge in a game reserve. I have also experienced three robberies from my hotel room, but that isn't going to curb my long-term goals in South Africa.
Crime is an issue that needs to be tackled in a much larger forum than this. However, I will go as far as saying that when there is a high polarity between the haves and the have-nots, there will always be tension between the two camps and crime is the byproduct.
Closing the gap is the wisest strategy and this cannot be done through entitlement. Entitled people generally don't feel purposeful and are therefore not creating their own lives.
Education and mentoring, which translates into self-worth and true empowerment, is the only solution. I also believe that newspapers could play a massive role and be the hero in changing perceptions as they reach the masses. Their actions could even transform the government.
If you decide to stay and fight for your birthplace then you need to go from victim to victor mentality. Make the South African mantra: "I will stay and help build a great nation." And remember, if you become grateful for what you have, you will get more to be grateful for.
# Visit drdemartini.co.za
Interesting, hey?
Regards,
M.
Should I stay or should I go?
By John Demartini
The general feeling among South Africans is doom and gloom based on various facts and perceptions. South Africa is the crime, murder and Aids capital of the world. It used to have the best roads and now they are full of potholes.
There seem to be only fraudsters at the top of the police force. The country's leadership under Mbeki is rudderless. The head of the ruling party is up on corruption charges.
Now a basic infrastructural commodity such as electricity is being rationed. This will directly influence future foreign investment, which in turn will increase unemployment, poverty and crime. Mines are periodically forced to shut down, losing billions, which will adversely affect the economy.
People who seek ease get continued difficulty
This also brings us to the unthinkable - we could lose the 2010 World Cup. And the even more unthinkable: are we slowly going the same way as Zimbabwe?
A poll taken by Carte Blanche recently confirmed that the majority of affluent South Africans had absolutely no faith in Eskom sorting out the power problems. There seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel... literally. The question on everybody's lips is: Should I stay or should I go?
Human behavioural specialist Dr John Demartini has some thoughts on the subject.
His teachings take him all over the world, enabling him to experience a vast array of living standards. Originally from the US, his work brings him to South Africa for extended periods about four times a year.
The question is not should I stay or should I go?
It is wiser to ask: What awaits me if I leave? Unquestionably there are challenges in South Africa, but you are living in a fantasy if you think there won't be a new set of challenges and drawbacks when you move to another country. People who run away from a challenge get more challenges to face and manage. People who seek ease get continued difficulty. It's the way it is - the integration of complementary opposites.
You have to get into proactive mode
The challenges in this country, like the power shortage, will also birth more opportunities. New enterprises will blossom as a result. Out of crisis always emerge the greatest leaders.
You may not realise it, but your challenges are unifying people in SA and making them think more creatively. SA is a seed of opportunity for entrepreneurs who could contribute to transformation.
Anyway, why run from your heritage? A situation like Eskom is a temporary glitch and it is unwise to let it interfere with your long-term visions and goals.
Remember, the greatest tension in the slingshot shoots the highest rock.
There is never a crisis without a blessing. So let's look at the blessings in the power situation. This may be a lesson to government to think beyond 10 years and accommodate a 50-year vision so subsequent generations benefit from these lessons.
On a day-to-day level, no power to your television is probably making families communicate more. Gold mines might have temporarily shut down, but the gold price shot up.
If you have made up your mind to go, that's fine, but if you are staying, bitching without taking actions towards solutions is not going to help. Don't let naysayers interfere with your dreams and opportunities.
However, staying means you cannot afford the luxury of sitting back. You have to get into proactive mode. Yes, it may seem insurmountable, but if every individual helps at a grass-roots level by figuring out how to empower the people around them, it will make a massive collective difference.
Nelson Mandela is the perfect example of just one person who stood up and changed things. You know the famous words of John F Kennedy: "It's not what your country can do for you - it's what you can do for your country."
Long-term visionaries know to stay the course. They don't focus on how things aren't being done; they always look at what is being done and what can be done on an individual basis. They are always solution-oriented and not problem-focused.
You are not at the mercy of your government; it's the other way round. They are there because the majority of people voted for them. If you don't like their vision, rally around and change it. In the meantime, don't wait on them to sort out the problems, make it a community project.
Contrary to the current thoughts of disillusionment and uncertainty, which are largely driven by emotion, remember foreigners believe in South Africa.
Look at Oprah Winfrey, who has built a school here, and Richard Branson, who has invested every aspect of his brand here, including buying a game reserve. Temporary setbacks won't stop these people.
Look at the history of social dynamics. Nations have risen and fallen for centuries. They have taken one step back and two steps forwards.
South Africa has made massive strides in the past few years. When I first got here South Africa was nothing like I envisioned. I was very impressed. And in the three years I have been regularly coming here, I have seen great progress in the landscaping, buildings and living conditions.
Would I invest in this country? I already have. I have ploughed in copious amounts of time and energy and this is the only place I have established an office outside of the US. My worldwide branding is currently being created here and my working visits are getting more frequent and prolonged.
I am even looking at possibly investing in a lodge in a game reserve. I have also experienced three robberies from my hotel room, but that isn't going to curb my long-term goals in South Africa.
Crime is an issue that needs to be tackled in a much larger forum than this. However, I will go as far as saying that when there is a high polarity between the haves and the have-nots, there will always be tension between the two camps and crime is the byproduct.
Closing the gap is the wisest strategy and this cannot be done through entitlement. Entitled people generally don't feel purposeful and are therefore not creating their own lives.
Education and mentoring, which translates into self-worth and true empowerment, is the only solution. I also believe that newspapers could play a massive role and be the hero in changing perceptions as they reach the masses. Their actions could even transform the government.
If you decide to stay and fight for your birthplace then you need to go from victim to victor mentality. Make the South African mantra: "I will stay and help build a great nation." And remember, if you become grateful for what you have, you will get more to be grateful for.
# Visit drdemartini.co.za
Interesting, hey?
Regards,
M.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Secrets Everyone Should Know
************************************
Secrets everyone, starting out, should know - by Michael Masterson
************************************
"So, what's it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don't recommend it."
- Bill Watterson
Many of my friends believe that kids today have a more challenging life than we did when we were young.
"It's more dangerous out there."
"Good jobs are harder to find and harder still to keep."
"It's just so much tougher for kids these days."
That's the view of Tamara Draut, who works for an agency that promotes government action and whose book, Strapped. is subtitled "Why 20- and 30- Somethings Can't Get Ahead." But are things really tougher for graduates today?
I'm doubtful. When I graduated from university, I was R50,000 in debt. So was my friend Eric. Peter wasn't in debt, but he was about to be married so he had different financial concerns. Back then, unemployment was higher than it is now. Bad jobs were scarce. Good jobs were non-existent.
Peter, Eric, and I were doing everything we could to make money, but it was tough. We knew we couldn't save our way out of our situation. We knew we had to earn more money. So we started a little business. An above ground-pool installation business. We had no connections and no capital, but we had spent the previous summer building pools, so we did have some experience.
We went to a local pool distributor and offered to put up his display pools for free if he'd recommend us to his customers. He let us try one pool, and it took us eight hours - three times longer than it should have - to finish it. But it was built well and he gave us a recommendation.
One recommendation led to another. And before we knew it, we were working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, running four crews and making R2,100 apiece a day. We did that for 10 weeks straight. At the end of that summer, Eric and I had fully paid off our school loans, and Peter was able to put a down payment on a starter home for himself and his new bride.
I was able to not just get rid of my debt, but buy myself a car and pay to have my parents' house repainted.
That gave me a taste for entrepreneurship that I've never tired of.
I tried to write down everything I know about starting out and becoming successful - as an entrepreneur and as an employee. Here's some of what I noted:
* Don't fret about your problems. And don't wait for the government to solve them. Create a personal plan for success and follow it.
* If you can get a great job (and it's not impossible), then get to work earlier than everybody else and work harder and longer than everybody else, and do everything you can to work smarter than everybody else.
* If you can't get a great job, start your own business. Service-oriented businesses, though they have drawbacks, are the easiest and cheapest to launch. The good habits you (hopefully) developed in college will serve you well in this competitive, primarily blue-collar, environment.
* Get an apartment with two or three roommates. And, believe it or not, you can live very well for practically nothing. Good food, wine, and entertainment don't have to be expensive.
* Save much more than the experts tell you. Pay the government first (taxes can't be avoided), your loans next, and then put 15% of your income into an investment account. If you don't make enough money to do that, get another job. Work 16 hours a day if necessary.
* If you begin to feel sorry for yourself, volunteer to work for an institution that treats people who have real problems - like cancer, AIDS, ALS, etc.
* Give yourself a little time once a week to slow down and smell the roses. Then get back to work.
This is probably not the kind of advice that Tamara Draut would like to hear, because it doesn't do much to solve the "starting-out problem" on a global level. But I'd like to think it can help individual people - graduates and young people - become wealthy despite the challenges posed by our shaky economy.
Secrets everyone, starting out, should know - by Michael Masterson
************************************
"So, what's it like in the real world? Well, the food is better, but beyond that, I don't recommend it."
- Bill Watterson
Many of my friends believe that kids today have a more challenging life than we did when we were young.
"It's more dangerous out there."
"Good jobs are harder to find and harder still to keep."
"It's just so much tougher for kids these days."
That's the view of Tamara Draut, who works for an agency that promotes government action and whose book, Strapped. is subtitled "Why 20- and 30- Somethings Can't Get Ahead." But are things really tougher for graduates today?
I'm doubtful. When I graduated from university, I was R50,000 in debt. So was my friend Eric. Peter wasn't in debt, but he was about to be married so he had different financial concerns. Back then, unemployment was higher than it is now. Bad jobs were scarce. Good jobs were non-existent.
Peter, Eric, and I were doing everything we could to make money, but it was tough. We knew we couldn't save our way out of our situation. We knew we had to earn more money. So we started a little business. An above ground-pool installation business. We had no connections and no capital, but we had spent the previous summer building pools, so we did have some experience.
We went to a local pool distributor and offered to put up his display pools for free if he'd recommend us to his customers. He let us try one pool, and it took us eight hours - three times longer than it should have - to finish it. But it was built well and he gave us a recommendation.
One recommendation led to another. And before we knew it, we were working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, running four crews and making R2,100 apiece a day. We did that for 10 weeks straight. At the end of that summer, Eric and I had fully paid off our school loans, and Peter was able to put a down payment on a starter home for himself and his new bride.
I was able to not just get rid of my debt, but buy myself a car and pay to have my parents' house repainted.
That gave me a taste for entrepreneurship that I've never tired of.
I tried to write down everything I know about starting out and becoming successful - as an entrepreneur and as an employee. Here's some of what I noted:
* Don't fret about your problems. And don't wait for the government to solve them. Create a personal plan for success and follow it.
* If you can get a great job (and it's not impossible), then get to work earlier than everybody else and work harder and longer than everybody else, and do everything you can to work smarter than everybody else.
* If you can't get a great job, start your own business. Service-oriented businesses, though they have drawbacks, are the easiest and cheapest to launch. The good habits you (hopefully) developed in college will serve you well in this competitive, primarily blue-collar, environment.
* Get an apartment with two or three roommates. And, believe it or not, you can live very well for practically nothing. Good food, wine, and entertainment don't have to be expensive.
* Save much more than the experts tell you. Pay the government first (taxes can't be avoided), your loans next, and then put 15% of your income into an investment account. If you don't make enough money to do that, get another job. Work 16 hours a day if necessary.
* If you begin to feel sorry for yourself, volunteer to work for an institution that treats people who have real problems - like cancer, AIDS, ALS, etc.
* Give yourself a little time once a week to slow down and smell the roses. Then get back to work.
This is probably not the kind of advice that Tamara Draut would like to hear, because it doesn't do much to solve the "starting-out problem" on a global level. But I'd like to think it can help individual people - graduates and young people - become wealthy despite the challenges posed by our shaky economy.
Monday, February 11, 2008
The Top 10 Steps to Making Major Life Changes By Steve Davis
The Top 10 Steps to Making Major Life Changes By Steve Davis
1. Identify the payoffs and price of staying where you are. There are certainly good reasons you have for not already having made a transition. Do some soul searching with trusted allies or through journaling to uncover what payoffs you're receiving for not making the change. At the same time, identify the price you are paying for maintaining the status quo. When your conscious mind gets that the price is greater than the payoff, you'll be much clearer whether it's in your best interest to keep things the same or to make a change.
2. Begin developing a reserve of everything. A difficult transition can be made much easier when you have reserves in many areas of your life. Develop a plan to put away enough money to support yourself for the next year or two. Seek out trusted friends and associates for your personal support team who are excited and committed to supporting you. Simplify your life in terms of time and clutter to free up the space for something more in alignment with what you want. Look at other life areas such as relationships, recreation, family, etc. that you can beef up to help you through the transition. Keep in mind that it's better to be over prepared and succeed than to fail because you were under prepared.
3. Develop a vision of what's possible to pull you through the transition. Not knowing what might happen if you change careers or leave a long-standing relationship can be very frightening. Fear of the unknown can keep you stuck. It can also keep you from honestly discovering and exploring the options that are always there. Once discovered, you can use these options to develop a vision of what your life will look like after your transition. Make up your vision if it isn't coming to you naturally, but make it good. Your vision will form the matrix on which you will create your new life and give you the inspiration and courage you need to move on.
4. Uncover your self-judgments. Guilt is rampant in our culture. So is the vendetta against selfishness. Suffering is supported and nurtured by friends, family, religions, etc. So it's not surprising that many of us, deep down, don't feel we deserve to have what we want. It's critical to dig down and uncover any judgments you may be holding against yourself, knowing that they are usually subconscious and may require some work. For example, you may feel that you're not good enough or deserving of what you want. Or you may feel that the transition you're about to make will hurt someone in your life and that you'll be responsible for their pain. Or you may feel that you're not smart enough, resourceful enough, bold enough, or just plain "enough" to make this change. Acknowledge these judgments then forgive yourself for holding these false perceptions about who you really are. Because the truth is, they are only ideas and you will create yourself each moment based on the new idea you can hold about who you are.
5. Give up playing the victim. Are you complaining about being in the situation you're in? Are you blaming others for this scenario? Or maybe you've accepted full responsibility for this situation and just beat yourself up for not making the change. If any of the above are true, you are playing the victim. It's time to come to grips with the fact that you have been forfeiting your power to make the change you say you want. Even if you're blaming yourself for not being happy or for having the courage to make the change, then part of you is beating up another part of yourself, hence there's a victim in there somewhere. To the degree you play the role of victim, you are losing power. So wake up and own your full power to create the life you desire, no matter what.
6. Give up analysis that breeds paralysis. We are so conditioned to figure things out before we leap, that sometimes we become paralyzed to take the actions our bodies are directed to take from the beginning. This is particularly true if you are an engineer, scientist, or other type of technical person who experiences the world more through analysis more than feeling. I was an engineer once and from my own experience know this to be true. The mind is meant to be used to create and to keep us safe. If it's stuck in a pattern rehashing the same ideas over and over, trying to figure out what will happen if, then you're probably stuck in a mind-loop. It's time to quit thinking and start doing. Ask your body what action to take, and then just take it. Often the information you're seeking will only be made available after the action is taken. Wisdom often comes in the motion, not the analysis.
7. Risk failure. Has the fear of failing got you stuck? If so, define what failure would look like for you. Imagine the worst possible thing that might happen. Can you live with it if it does happen? Can you make course corrections before it happens or after it happens? The answer is almost always "yes." I suggest removing the word "failure" from your vocabulary. Instead, realize that each of your actions will simply yield a result. This result will be one you want or one you don't want. Simply take the result as feedback from the universe on your action and take the next appropriate action. Viewed from this perspective, mistakes are merely indications that a course correction is needed and not to be taken personally. Pilots are checking their compass all the time and making course corrections based on this feedback. They'd never get anywhere if they took every off-course reading as a personal failure. Give up the concept of failure and take flight!
8. Access your inner warrior. Within each of us, men and women alike, there is an aspect that is built for bold, decisive action. This part of us is instinctual. It looks out, not only for our survival, but also for our soul's mission. It is not concerned about sacrificing Self for another, yet, in certain circumstances will give its very life for another if that is in alignment with its mission. You get messages from this part of yourself all of the time. These messages may come in the form of feelings in your body in response to certain actions, environments, or experiences. They may come in the form of "gut" feelings in certain situations. Or they may be just a sense of direct "knowing" that has no rational foundation. If you are contemplating a difficult transition, and have "contemplated" yourself into a corner, it may be time to let your inner warrior take over for a while. Just experience "knowing" what you need to do, then commit to doing it without thinking anymore about it until it's done.
9. Don't go to your deathbed wondering what would have happened if... It's easy for us to forget how short our lives really are. Many of us live as if we'll never die. We waste away our hours and days working jobs we hate, living just for the weekends, or "putting in time" until retirement, while living like zombies the other 70% of our lives. We may live in a relationship that drains and devalues us thinking it might magically get better somehow, someday. We deny our feelings or make excuses for frittering away our lives. Enough I say! I challenge you to project yourself forward to your death. It's real and it's coming for you! No questions about it. See yourself on your deathbed and ask yourself if the life you're living now is all you dreamt it to be. Write your own obituary today. How close are you to living your passion? Let this vision be a motivator to get off your butt and follow your dreams!
10. Get support to prepare and walk with you through the transition. Big life transitions can be overwhelming to accomplish on your own. There is no shame in asking for help from your friends, relatives, or from a coach. In fact, enough of the right kind of support can make a seemingly difficult transition, relatively easy. I've had a lot of help in making a couple of big transitions in my life. Being a former lone-ranger, asking for and accepting help from others was difficult at first, but really nice once I got used to it. Now I wouldn't think of starting a major project or making a big change without relying heavily on my support system of close and loving friends, and my coach. Do whatever is necessary to make change easy on you. You're worth it.
About the Submitter: This piece was originally submitted by Steve Davis, MS, MA, CCUG, Life Coach and Infopreneur, who can be reached at steve@livingmastery.com, or visited on the web.
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 by Thomas J. Leonard. May be distributed if full attribution is given and copyright notice is included.
Thought you'd enjoy,
Regards,
M.
1. Identify the payoffs and price of staying where you are. There are certainly good reasons you have for not already having made a transition. Do some soul searching with trusted allies or through journaling to uncover what payoffs you're receiving for not making the change. At the same time, identify the price you are paying for maintaining the status quo. When your conscious mind gets that the price is greater than the payoff, you'll be much clearer whether it's in your best interest to keep things the same or to make a change.
2. Begin developing a reserve of everything. A difficult transition can be made much easier when you have reserves in many areas of your life. Develop a plan to put away enough money to support yourself for the next year or two. Seek out trusted friends and associates for your personal support team who are excited and committed to supporting you. Simplify your life in terms of time and clutter to free up the space for something more in alignment with what you want. Look at other life areas such as relationships, recreation, family, etc. that you can beef up to help you through the transition. Keep in mind that it's better to be over prepared and succeed than to fail because you were under prepared.
3. Develop a vision of what's possible to pull you through the transition. Not knowing what might happen if you change careers or leave a long-standing relationship can be very frightening. Fear of the unknown can keep you stuck. It can also keep you from honestly discovering and exploring the options that are always there. Once discovered, you can use these options to develop a vision of what your life will look like after your transition. Make up your vision if it isn't coming to you naturally, but make it good. Your vision will form the matrix on which you will create your new life and give you the inspiration and courage you need to move on.
4. Uncover your self-judgments. Guilt is rampant in our culture. So is the vendetta against selfishness. Suffering is supported and nurtured by friends, family, religions, etc. So it's not surprising that many of us, deep down, don't feel we deserve to have what we want. It's critical to dig down and uncover any judgments you may be holding against yourself, knowing that they are usually subconscious and may require some work. For example, you may feel that you're not good enough or deserving of what you want. Or you may feel that the transition you're about to make will hurt someone in your life and that you'll be responsible for their pain. Or you may feel that you're not smart enough, resourceful enough, bold enough, or just plain "enough" to make this change. Acknowledge these judgments then forgive yourself for holding these false perceptions about who you really are. Because the truth is, they are only ideas and you will create yourself each moment based on the new idea you can hold about who you are.
5. Give up playing the victim. Are you complaining about being in the situation you're in? Are you blaming others for this scenario? Or maybe you've accepted full responsibility for this situation and just beat yourself up for not making the change. If any of the above are true, you are playing the victim. It's time to come to grips with the fact that you have been forfeiting your power to make the change you say you want. Even if you're blaming yourself for not being happy or for having the courage to make the change, then part of you is beating up another part of yourself, hence there's a victim in there somewhere. To the degree you play the role of victim, you are losing power. So wake up and own your full power to create the life you desire, no matter what.
6. Give up analysis that breeds paralysis. We are so conditioned to figure things out before we leap, that sometimes we become paralyzed to take the actions our bodies are directed to take from the beginning. This is particularly true if you are an engineer, scientist, or other type of technical person who experiences the world more through analysis more than feeling. I was an engineer once and from my own experience know this to be true. The mind is meant to be used to create and to keep us safe. If it's stuck in a pattern rehashing the same ideas over and over, trying to figure out what will happen if, then you're probably stuck in a mind-loop. It's time to quit thinking and start doing. Ask your body what action to take, and then just take it. Often the information you're seeking will only be made available after the action is taken. Wisdom often comes in the motion, not the analysis.
7. Risk failure. Has the fear of failing got you stuck? If so, define what failure would look like for you. Imagine the worst possible thing that might happen. Can you live with it if it does happen? Can you make course corrections before it happens or after it happens? The answer is almost always "yes." I suggest removing the word "failure" from your vocabulary. Instead, realize that each of your actions will simply yield a result. This result will be one you want or one you don't want. Simply take the result as feedback from the universe on your action and take the next appropriate action. Viewed from this perspective, mistakes are merely indications that a course correction is needed and not to be taken personally. Pilots are checking their compass all the time and making course corrections based on this feedback. They'd never get anywhere if they took every off-course reading as a personal failure. Give up the concept of failure and take flight!
8. Access your inner warrior. Within each of us, men and women alike, there is an aspect that is built for bold, decisive action. This part of us is instinctual. It looks out, not only for our survival, but also for our soul's mission. It is not concerned about sacrificing Self for another, yet, in certain circumstances will give its very life for another if that is in alignment with its mission. You get messages from this part of yourself all of the time. These messages may come in the form of feelings in your body in response to certain actions, environments, or experiences. They may come in the form of "gut" feelings in certain situations. Or they may be just a sense of direct "knowing" that has no rational foundation. If you are contemplating a difficult transition, and have "contemplated" yourself into a corner, it may be time to let your inner warrior take over for a while. Just experience "knowing" what you need to do, then commit to doing it without thinking anymore about it until it's done.
9. Don't go to your deathbed wondering what would have happened if... It's easy for us to forget how short our lives really are. Many of us live as if we'll never die. We waste away our hours and days working jobs we hate, living just for the weekends, or "putting in time" until retirement, while living like zombies the other 70% of our lives. We may live in a relationship that drains and devalues us thinking it might magically get better somehow, someday. We deny our feelings or make excuses for frittering away our lives. Enough I say! I challenge you to project yourself forward to your death. It's real and it's coming for you! No questions about it. See yourself on your deathbed and ask yourself if the life you're living now is all you dreamt it to be. Write your own obituary today. How close are you to living your passion? Let this vision be a motivator to get off your butt and follow your dreams!
10. Get support to prepare and walk with you through the transition. Big life transitions can be overwhelming to accomplish on your own. There is no shame in asking for help from your friends, relatives, or from a coach. In fact, enough of the right kind of support can make a seemingly difficult transition, relatively easy. I've had a lot of help in making a couple of big transitions in my life. Being a former lone-ranger, asking for and accepting help from others was difficult at first, but really nice once I got used to it. Now I wouldn't think of starting a major project or making a big change without relying heavily on my support system of close and loving friends, and my coach. Do whatever is necessary to make change easy on you. You're worth it.
About the Submitter: This piece was originally submitted by Steve Davis, MS, MA, CCUG, Life Coach and Infopreneur, who can be reached at steve@livingmastery.com, or visited on the web.
Copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 by Thomas J. Leonard. May be distributed if full attribution is given and copyright notice is included.
Thought you'd enjoy,
Regards,
M.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
The tree that never had to fight
The tree that never had to fight
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.
The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.
Good timber does not grow with ease.
The stronger wind, the stronger trees.
The further sky, the greater length.
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.
Where thickest lies the forest growth
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars,
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.
Author unknown
"The only thing standing between me and greatness is me..." Woody Allen
For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.
The man who never had to toil
To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.
Good timber does not grow with ease.
The stronger wind, the stronger trees.
The further sky, the greater length.
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.
Where thickest lies the forest growth
We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars,
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.
Author unknown
"The only thing standing between me and greatness is me..." Woody Allen
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