Conceive and Believe

(excerpted from the New Jim Rohn Weekend Event DVD/CD series)

Is thankfulness a survival skill? Perhaps most of you would respond with, “No, Jim, thankfulness is not key to survival”, and I would tend to agree with you. Most of us have probably already solved the necessary problems of survival, gone beyond that and are now working to achieve our desires. But let me give you this key phrase, “Learn to be thankful for what you already have, while you pursue all that you want.” I believe one of the greatest and perhaps one of the simplest lessons in life we can learn is to be thankful for what we have already received and accomplished.

Both the years and the experiences have brought me here to where I stand today, but it is the thankfulness that opened the windows of opportunities, of blessings, of unique experiences to flow my way. My gratitude starts with my parents who raised me, gave me an incredible foundation that has lasted me all of these years and continues with the mentors that I’ve met along the way who absolutely changed and revolutionized my life, my income, my bank account, my future. I am also very thankful for the people, the associations, for the ideas, for the chance to work and labor, and to produce results, all of that has brought me to this place, to this weekend. I’m grateful for it all.

What a unique opportunity each one of you here has, so many of us; representing different countries, nations and cultures, to appreciate the uniqueness of our own experiences that has brought us all here, together, for these three days to learn new skills and sharpen old ones. For the countries we represent; we have freedom and liberty. These are extraordinary times, about eleven years ago the walls came tumbling down, in Germany, and it started a wave of democracy and freedom like the world has never seen before. We as a country and as a world have so much to be thankful for. Always start with thanksgiving; be thankful for what you already have and see the miracles that come from this one simple act.

Now thankfulness is just the beginning; next, you’ve got to challenge yourself to produce. Produce more ideas than you need for yourself so you can share and give your ideas away. That is called fruitfulness and abundance. Here’s what I think fruitfulness and abundance mean - to go to work on producing more than you need for yourself so you can begin blessing others, blessing your nation and blessing your enterprise. Once abundance starts to come, once someone becomes incredibly productive, it’s amazing what the numbers turn out to be. But to begin this incredible process of blessing, it often starts with the act of thanksgiving and gratitude, being thankful for what you already have and for what you’ve already done. Begin the act of thanksgiving today and watch the miracles flow your way.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine.
Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved
worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine, go to
http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com

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I often meet people who say things like, “I’ve been working on mindfulness for over twenty years.”

My response is always this: “Oh, you poor thing! Have you tried *playing* with mindfulness? It’s very effective, and much more fun!”

They tend to look at me like I’m some kind of kook, and then ask the million-dollar question: “How can you play with mindfulness?” Glad you asked….

We tend to think of mindfulness as something that develops only after years of dedicated meditation. We must sit for hours, contemplate in silence for days, go on retreats for weeks, practice daily for years. Okay, that can work.

The unfortunate thing is that it IS work, and consequently, it’s about as appealing to most folks as lying on a bed of nails. Sure, they want to develop a clearer perspective on life. Yes, they want to become calm and contemplative. Of course they want to live more meaningfully and with greater joy. But does it have to be so hard?

Absolutely not. You see, while most people knock politely on that front door of meditation in order to get inside the House of Mindfulness, I like to sneak people in the back door to steal a few cookies. Why can’t we play with mindfulness, dance with it, treat it like our favorite goofy cousin who happens to be brilliant instead of our strict uncle who happens to have a Ph.D?

Why can’t we tiptoe toward mindfulness through eyes-wide-open exercises that are engaging, uplifting, informative, and–dare I say it–fun?

Mindfulness should be like a big game of mental hide-and-seek: “Where am I now? Gotcha!”

As a student of Buddhism for nearly 30 years, I have the greatest respect for the Buddha and the philosophy that developed around his teachings. I have tremendous admiration for those who have dedicated themselves to a regular meditation practice.

But it’s disturbing to me that mindfulness is seen as “belonging” to Buddhism and that meditation is seen as the only vehicle that will take us there. This sounds a bit like, oh, attachment? Clinging, perhaps?

I just can’t find it in my heart to believe that the Buddha would be ticked off about the idea of developing mindfulness in whatever way works best.

Not everyone likes the idea of meditation, but here’s the cool part: those who start off with easy, enjoyable exercises often find themselves seeing the value in sitting still. In fact, many clients say they’d never have started with meditation, but they so enjoyed “playing” with mindfulness that they have begun a regular sitting practice!

Sneaky? Sure, but that’s part of playing. Fun–in whatever form that takes–is what keeps us going back for more. If you’re not grinning, you’re not winning in this big ol’ game of life.
If “working” on mindfulness isn’t working for you, try playing instead.

Throw open the doors.
Let your inner monk go out
and play. It’s recess!

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training in Portland, Oregon. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 100 countries. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.massageyourmind.com

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Privately held companies range in size form very small “Mom & Pop” operations with revenue as low as $100,000 or less, to huge multi- million dollar distributors with locations all across North America. Wholesale distribution also has some mega-distributors with sales ranging from $1 billion to as much as $27 billion. The majority of wholesale distributors are family owned.

Family owned organizations, both small and large, with succession issues, family preparation and second and third generation leadership issues have been subjected to the evolution of leadership. These organizations are often founded by an aggressive, highly talented entrepreneur. Many of the principles of leadership that helped build the success that the organization enjoyed in the past is not the type of leadership that will maintain that success through generations of ownership. Contrary to some “leadership authorities” belief, the Machiavelli theories on leadership just don’t apply today. Niccolo Machiavelli is considered by some a leadership guru who lived during the renaissance period and is often quoted and written about today. Machiavelli believed that “Men are more ready for evil than good.” “A leader’s goal is one of power and domination.”

The Evolution of Leadership

Times have changed, leadership has evolved. The days of the “Lone Wolf” leader at the top who dominates with power are gone. Successful privately held organizations have gone through the leadership evolutionary process. They understand that today’s leader must create change in the organization to meet the needs of their customers, to meet the needs of their employees and to meet the needs of their vendor partners. It involves a particular life cycle change. This change varies according to the generation of leadership.

More often than not, the “seat of the pants” based on intuitive judgment leadership style of the founder with highly autocratic methodologies won’t work in today’s business environment. Today’s environment demands a stable administrative structure that requires a change in the nature of past leadership practices. Simply put, it’s an evolution from a highly reactive, autocratic individualistic style to a more empowering, people employee oriented proactive style. It’s about going from a “Lone Wolf” leadership style to a “Lead Wolf” leadership style that has confidence in the employee’s ability to make things happen and empowers the employees to get the job done.

Founders and even second and third generation successors may find it difficult to make the transition from the “Lone Wolf” to the “Lead Wolf” leadership style. When this happens, ownership may put personal needs ahead of business needs and the organization is not managed in the best interest of its customers, its vendors and its employees. Organizations that are still run in the “Lone Wolf” style have an owner at the helm that has a strong dominating personality that is likely to be a poor listener. This “Lone Wolf” syndrome is easy to recognize. The same problems seem to arise over and over. Market share deteriorates, cash flow problems exist, there may be a vision but no plan exists to accomplish that vision. Anxiety may set in and the owner becomes defensive or even paranoid and resorts to blaming others for the lack of success or pending failure. Without outside intervention, executive coaching, a solid board of directors or even an advisory group, the company may end up being sold or worse yet the company may go into a death spiral. (e-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for the article “The Death Spiral” and the “Leadership Thought Provoker” Checklist)

The Lone Wolf Leader Still Exists

This doesn’t mean that there aren’t some “Lone Wolf” leaders that still exist today that are successful. Remember, they have a strong entrepreneurial spirit that makes them dynamic and decisive. They often have a clear vision and these traits can drive a company for some time. However, I submit to you that the “Lone Wolf” leaders that have not evolved today cannot maximize the success of their organization. They will not leverage the competitive advantage that has become the life line of their survival. The strong traits that brought them success in the past quickly become liabilities in today’s environment. They don’t believe in empowerment. They don’t believe in long range planning. They are reluctant to develop structure, policy and procedure because it inhibits the ability to shoot from the hip and it slows them down. They mistakenly believe that shooting from the hip is part of their competitive advantage because it worked so well in the past. They can make reactive crisis-driven decisions with little or no help from their management without recognizing that they must identify and correct the root cause. If they do have a board of directors, they are hand picked friends that basically do whatever they want and challenge very little. They count on only those that seem to be the most loyal and they motivate by fear and guilt. Sure, they’ll hold staff meetings but it’s more of an exercise in power to report on crisis intervention or simply to chew people out. They have difficulty in letting go of the past.

Evolution has Created the Demand for Lead Wolf Executives

Successful growing organizations have gone through the experience of change. In fact, these organizations recognized the necessity to create change. That is what leadership is really about; the ability to create change. These successful organizations have developed their employees along the way. The Lead Wolf executives have earned the respect and trust of their employees by demonstrating respect and trust in the employees themselves. Most employ a servant, situational leadership style that is based on an empowerment platform. They develop future leaders; make proactive decisions based on calculated risk. They employ root cause analysis even if they don’t formally call it that. They employ best practices and make staffing decisions based on responsibility, competency, training and capabilities. They develop a real board of directors that provide value to the organization, challenge the executive staff and hold them accountable. The Lead Wolf executives recognize and believe that leadership is an invitation to greatness that we extend to others. Successful leaders understand that they must give back what they have learned. They become mentors.

The Evolution is a Growth & Learning Process

Owner executives that have evolved to the Lead Wolf style of leadership have gone through an individual growth and learning process. They have accepted the fact that they may not have all the answers. More importantly, they recognize that they don’t have to have all the answers. Many have found a mentor or an executive coach outside the organization. Changing a leadership style is not the easiest thing in the world to do. Coaching becomes a very useful resource. This evolutionary process includes:

• Enhancement of their instinctive curiosity and a strengthening of their focus on being a customer driven organization. Service and quality become a way of life within the organization and it is used to support their competitive advantage.

• Taking their vision and redefining it as an end game which challenges their executive team to create a strategic plan to meet this end game. This plan incorporates growth and profitability as well as other specific goals and objectives.

• The recognition that employees are the most precious asset and backing up that recognition by the willingness to invest profits in the development of these employees.

• Empowerment that is accompanied by the resources necessary to succeed and accountability for results.

• Utilizing a board of directors as a resource while sharing management challenges seeking policy and guidance. Incorporating contingency planning and scenario planning as a regular exercise.

(e-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for Board of Director information including a sample director application form and qualifications)

Wholesale distribution organizations increasingly are characterized by a large and incredibly complex set of independent relationships between highly diverse groups of people. That is what the evolution is about. To be successful, the Lead Wolf executive determines how to get active involvement, innovation and creativity out of their employees. Success depends on more than just “best practice” success drivers. Success demands a superior level of leadership—a level that requires deep commitment. This commitment will not flourish in workplace environments that are still dominated by the Lone Wolf–“slap & point” or the “carrot and stick” method of management often used in the past.

The Lead Wolf Executive

Lead Wolf executives get results. They are high impact leaders. They are consistent, explicit and concise and they command a presence when they walk into a room. They have enough charisma to turn the dullest moment into a high-energy event. When they move on, others want to go with them. They have a following. Their openness and honesty create a legacy which people admire and look up to. They gain commitment and foster trust.

Creating change, managing during turbulent times, or fostering growth all depends on balance and the Lead Wolf type of leadership. No one person can make a company successful. It takes a lot of people, but one person with a command of leadership, utilizing the Lead Wolf style can transfer enough influence, creating enough leadership amongst the management group to guarantee success. Management must figure out how to get more active involvement and creativity out of their employees. Questioning of the status quo and the generation of new ideas is a mandate of success. That success depends on a superior level of performance, a level that requires deep commitment.

Most of us are not born leaders. We are not adept at communication. However, a good percentage of us long to become leaders of men and make deep connections in our careers that lead to commitment, a commitment to success. For family owned organizations, leadership is passed on from generation to generation. To achieve objectives, each generation must understand the following basic principles of leadership.

• Honesty

• Integrity
• Respect
• Trustworthiness
• Sincere concern of others
• Willingness to take calculated risk

Once these principles are learned and practiced, leverage of these leadership skills to develop the management team is the next step. Lead Wolf family executives that have gone through the evolution of change understand this and they are clear as to what their responsibilities are.

“The true test of a successful leader is that he leaves behind the conviction, the will and the understanding to carry on.”

“Leadership is easy, just find a bunch of people going in the same direction and jump in front of them”——–Willie Nelson

The Lead Wolf executive understands the importance of making emotional connections with the management team that surrounds them. They must encourage these people to open up, share dialog and reveal dreams. They must teach and mentor. It’s not as easy as Willie Nelson would have you believe. Leveraging their leadership entails advancing their personal agenda by advancing the agenda of others. A good leader is not intimidated by the success of others. They encourage others to succeed and help them fulfill their wants and needs. Leveraging leadership helps determine the hidden factors in communication. Understanding inferences and assertions become a key component to understanding people. Lead Wolf executives have high questioning and prospering skills that allow them to drill down to real facts and issues. Leveraging their leadership allows successful leaders to establish emotional connections, which diminish fear and intimidation. This encourages enthusiasm and cooperation and that is what being a Lead Wolf leader is all about. (e-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for the Leadership Thought Provoker Checklist)

Dr. Eric “Rick” Johnson (rick@ceostrategist.com) is the founder of CEO Strategist LLC. an experienced based firm specializing in Distribution. CEO Strategist LLC. works in an advisory capacity with distributor executives in board representation, executive coaching, team coaching and education and training to make the changes necessary to create or maintain competitive advantage. and a Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management from Capital University, Columbus Ohio. Rick recently completed his dissertation on Strategic Leadership and received his Ph.D. He’s also a published book author with four titles to his credit: “The Toolkit for Improved Business Performance in Wholesale Distribution,” the NWFA & NAFCD “Roadmap”, Lone Wolf-Lead Wolf—The Evolution of Sales” and a fiction novel about teenagers called “Shattered Innocence.”You can contact them by calling 352-750-0868, or visit http://www.ceostrategist.com for more information. Rick is also an accomplished speaker, member of NSA. Contact Rick for your upcoming events.

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Read these four simple steps that reveal how to get into the habit of being persistent. The average person can easily learn and practice these all-important steps.

1. Always know exactly what you want and allow your whole being to strive, without wavering, to follow the path to fulfilling your plan.

2. Design a good plan and don’t let it lie dormant for any waking moment.

3. Develop the ability to turn away, avoid and become oblivious ever you encounter negative thoughts, influences and suggestions.

4. Associate yourself with those who know and will support you in your decision to carry on. Support is a great “picker-upper”.

HOW MUCH IS A GOOD ALIBI WORTH?

If I only had enough money… If I only had more time… If other people only understood me… If I had no fear, what would they say… If I was only given a chance… If I only had the talent to do what I want to do… If I dared to stand up and assert myself… If my family only understood me… If I could just get started… If someone would just give me a break… If I only knew where to find out all about it… If I knew how, everything would be so easy… If good luck came my way, I’d be rich… If more people would only listen to me… If I had the right education… If I had been given a better chance… If I could meet the right people… If I didn’t have to take care of the house and kids If I had someone to help me, I could get started… If only I had the personality to start a business… If I didn’t owe so much money… If I only knew how to do it… If I were sure of myself, I would start tomorrow… If I had a business of my own, I’d have it made.

IF… you’re truly a sincere person… do you really have the courage to see yourself as you really are?

Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer

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Surfing is mindfulness in action. Riding the biggest waves is an all-out, fully-present-or-die-trying proposition.

Thanks to a persistent case of aquaphobia, I’ve never tried surfing. However, I’ve done my share of snowboarding, and I am trying to imagine what it would be like to carve the slopes with several tons of avalanche chasing me down the mountain.

First of all, I would have to hike to the top and wait to catch the biggest avalanche, getting pummeled by several in the process. Oh, and then try not to think too much about the abominable snowman poised to take a hunk out of my leg when I least expect it.

Yeah. I’m stoked.

I don’t really “get” surfing, but I stand in awe of it. It’s impossible to avoid acknowledging the strength, timing, grace and heart-blazing courage required just to catch those enormous waves, let alone ride them smoothly without wiping out.

Whether or not you’re into water, “Riding Giants” is a breathtaking film guaranteed to raise your pulse rate. Following the rise of big wave surfing from its ragtag roots in the fifties to the jet-ski boosted endorsement deals of today, “Riding Giants” offers a fascinating look at surf culture in all its guts and glory–not to mention its sun-bleached hair, wave-toned bodies, and plenty of pre-cancerous skin cells.

Although several world-class surfers are profiled, the one I find most amazing is Jeff Clark, a 43-year-old native of Half Moon Bay, California who is credited with discovering Mavericks, a notoriously gnarly big wave mecca twenty miles south of San Francisco.

Clark spotted the monstrous waves from the cliffs of Half Moon Bay as a teenager. One day, he decided to paddle the half-mile in chilly ocean water to check it out. Never mind that he was too far out for his worried friend–or anyone else–to save him. Forget that these waves would turn out to be so huge that, years later, seasoned pros from Waimea would find them jaw-dropping. Disregard the razor-sharp rocks waiting to chew up anyone unfortunate enough to be slammed to the shore.

Clark had his first of many ride-of-your-life experiences that day. He couldn’t believe the power of it, the magic, the unimaginable thrill.

He went out to surf that incredible vortex every day. Alone. For fifteen years.

I’m guessing that his parents were either a) clueless about where he was, or b) powerless to prevent him from returning. He couldn’t find anyone insane enough to join him.

He wasn’t doing it for the attention, for the chicks, for the cameras, or for the money. He was out there getting pounded for the sake of that big ol’ grin on his face and the unfathomable sense of connection to something larger than himself.

Clark was like some modern day ascetic, putting himself through tortuous rites and death defying acts of faith while living in seclusion. He became one with the water on a daily basis through rigorous attention and exhaustive exploration.

I am humbled. I envy him. And I can’t stop thinking about how most of us will never have this all-consuming passion or such a magnificent opportunity to experience oneness with anything.

Jeff Clark may be crazy. He may be obsessed. But he is a man whose mindfulness has inspired and elevated him–and saved his skin on numerous occasions.

We should all be so lucky to discover such a wondrous wave.

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com

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Have you ever noticed that since the early part of the 20th century, nearly every new scientific theory manages to sound more and more like the same sort of metaphysical philosophies science once dismissed? Well, it’s happening again and this time our views on the structure of the universe, the power of human consciousness and even the nature of reality itself are being challenged by a startling new finding: that many hard to explain events and scientific puzzles become suddenly clear and easily understood if we consider that everything we see and experience around us is not in fact a physical reality, but rather our own interpretation of an infinitely large, dynamic and multidimensional hologram, constructed by and interpreted through our own consciousness.

Most people are familiar with the concept of a graphic hologram - an image imprinted on a special film that, when illuminated with a certain type of laser, projects a 3-dimensional picture that you can view from any angle. One of the most fascinating features of holograms is that if you cut the original film into pieces, each snippet will still project a complete and unblemished version of the original image. In other words, because of the unique structure of a hologram, no matter how small you divide it each piece contains all the information of the whole.

So what does the possibility of a holographic universe have to do with leadership and change? Simply this - that the nature of a holographic universe is the same as that of a holographic image, only on an infinitely larger and more complex scale. Quite literally, in a holographic universe every person, every dust mote, every particle contains all the information of the whole universe within itself. Even more intriguing is the prospect that we (our combined consciousness) almost certainly have a hand in, if we are not entirely responsible for, creating what we perceive as reality around us.

There are three important implications about the nature of reality, and for creating change in that reality, that we can draw from the theory of the holographic Universe:

The entirety of the whole exists within each part

This aspect of living in a holographic universe has been expressed for centuries in a single, eloquent word - nemaste (literally, the divine in me recognizes and salutes the divine in you). This belief, that God-nature is not only at the core of our being but also expressed through us, may now have grounding in sound scientific theory. If we are indeed part of a holographic universe, then each of us contains all of the information, all of the aspects and all of the power contained in the whole, on a smaller and less complex scale. We would be, literally, created in the image of All That Is.

In fact, we would be miniature holograms in nature as well. Some studies on human consciousness and the way in which the brain and body functions support this. In one experiment, doctors found that no matter what parts of rats’ brains were removed, the researchers could not “cut out” memories of how to do previously learned tasks, suggesting that the brain stores information holographically and that all parts contain the necessary information to reconstruct the whole. Likewise, emotion, feelings and even memory have been found to originate throughout the body, rather than emanating from a single point or source, and extend well beyond the confines of the physical body - far enough, according to some studies, to have effected measurable change in nearby participants.

If consciousness creates the physical world, then a change in consciousness can change the physical world

While this has been accepted as philosophical and spiritual fact for eons, scientific backing for this idea has only recently begun to appear. If the consciousness can deeply and sincerely alter its own perception or reality, the surrounding reality would change to match it. This in turn supports the concept that we are all connected in some way beyond the material universe. If the material universe is merely a holographic construct of our consciousness, then the appearance of physical existence and the individuality of that existence is simply part of that illusion, one our consciousness must reside outside of.

In fact, these aspects of holographic reality provide stunningly elegant explanations for quite a few hard-to-explain events, like spontaneous healing, action at a distance and the placebo effect. The reality we see can change dramatically depending on our understanding of it, and our external connectedness outside of the physical universe means that there really is no such thing as true distance, in either time or space, but merely the illusion of such created by our limited point of view.

The whole is an emergent phenomenon of the parts

An emergent phenomenon is a behavior or state of being that is greater than the sum of its parts, yet that reflects the nature of those parts. For example, life is an emergent phenomenon; the unique quality that we call “life” is determined to a great extent by the nature of its constituents, and yet life is far more than simply the sum of the atoms and molecules that comprise it.

Likewise, a holographic image is made up of and is determined by the nature of the light that was used to create it. Change the angle of that light or the source of that image and you get an entirely different picture. In a holographic universe, not only would we (the constituents) reflect the nature of the universe, but the nature of the universe would also be a reflection of us. Therefore, if we changed the nature of our own reality, it would alter the nature of reality around us.

Of course, the whole influences the part to a greater degree than the part can influence the whole, which is why you cannot fly when you jump off the Empire State Building no matter how sincerely you believe you can. Experts in probability theory call the propensity for more likely alternatives to merge together and grow stronger, while less likely alternatives die out, hardiness. They propose that this action explains why we all see the same reality despite the fact that experiments have shown that the physical nature of reality changes every time it is observed. Apparently, the harmonic resonance of the most probable outcomes amplifies their “footprint” in reality and drowns out individual sour notes to the contrary, creating a stable but continually evolving shared perception.

Those who would be leaders or change agents in a holographic reality must understand that meaningful leadership and lasting change cannot be imposed by surface actions, regardless of their intent. Instead, change and leadership ideals must be “impressed” into the surrounding reality, much like a seed crystal impresses its form on the surrounding crystallization matrix. This can only be done by embodying a complete and detailed representation of what we want the larger whole to look like, and thereby changing the very nature of the parts that make up the whole. If we can then help others do the same (which will be easier, since our own transformation and contact with others will begin to change their own perception of reality), the effect spreads exponentially.

Of course, religious and philosophical leaders have accepted the concept of reality as having these holographic aspects for eons. This belief is apparent across all ages and cultures - in Gandhi’s exhortation to “…be the change you wish to see in the world,” in the Bible’s promise that what any two or more believers will agree on or ask for will be made so, in the Sufi belief that every breath we take destroys the old reality and creates the new, and that the physical world is merely an insubstantial “movie” created by the flickering image of this creation and destruction projected on the screen of our consciousness.

The implications for the nature of leadership and change in a holographic universe, both for us as individuals and for society as a whole, are quite simply breathtaking. And yet, at the same time, these “startling new findings” only confirm what spiritual teachings across the span of human time have always held to be true: that we are all connected outside of the illusion of the physical universe (which we create and alter to serve our needs), that we are all created in the image of God and possess the God-nature within us and that the only way to create real, lasting change is to completely alter our actions, thoughts and beliefs so that we actually begin to embody the change we wish to see on a deep, cellular level - to change reality by changing our conscious awareness and understanding of its very nature.

Science, society and our understanding of reality seem to have made a giant circle to approach their beginnings from behind, like the mythological snake eating its own tail. But before we agonize over the waste of time and energy that this represents, as some might do, perhaps we should consider that maybe the journey was the point. Sometimes you have to walk around the world to realize the beauty and value of your own backyard.

(c) Soni Pitts

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Soni Pitts is the Chief Visionary Butt-Kicker of SoniPitts.Com. She specializes in helping others reclaim “soul proprietorship” in their lives and to begin living the life their Creator always intended for them.

She is the author of the free e-book “50 Ways To Reach Your Goals” and over 100 self-help and inspirational articles, as well as other products and resources designed to facilitate this process of personal growth and spiritual development.

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The Home of the souls is the destination for a person to return to the roots; it is the origin, it is the Kingdom of Gods. The word faith means to be truthful. Faith is the origin of Tao, virtues and merits.

We addressed God as “Lao Mu” whose full title is “The infinite Bright God, who is absolutely pure, is the utmost supreme and divine, reigns the three domains and ten directions, and is the lord of all souls.”

In this Part One known as Admonition One, Lao Mu said:

In the beginning, Heaven and Earth were not separated and all was a void with no men or matters.

All souls were free of worries, anxieties, relaxed and carefree. All souls were pure and followed Lao Mu wherever she went. In the Kingdom of bliss, the souls roamed and played freely, rode the green dragon and the colorful phoenix with infinite solemnity. Freely tour the mystic sceneries of Heaven, unafraid of coldness, heat and without restrictions. There were divine fruits, delicate juices, heavenly music, wore flying shoes and divine apparels. This was 60,000 years ago. Before this, the cycle was the same and it goes back to time immemorial. Then the indescribable energy begins and lives took forms.

The spirit (Qi) matured and after 10,800 years, the spirit was full and the sky or the spiritual world was created. After another 10,800 years the earth was completed with the sun, moon and the stars. The pure spirits rose and dwell in the spiritual world and the contaminated spirits descended and formed into continents, lakes, oceans, mountains, rivers and gave rise to all beings and matters. Another 10,800 years later the spiritual world interacted with earth and the sun and moon illuminated together. The spirit of “Yin” and “Yang” (positive and negative) complemented each other and lives took form and begin. This is the mysticism of Heaven and the origin of one cycle of Heaven and Earth which is 129,600 years. It is fixed and repeated itself endlessly. This mysticism cannot be fully described even by deities and the immortals.

The earth was without human but already inhabited by other life forms. Then Lao Mu ordered the pure souls to descend to earth. Time after time the pure souls returned and refused to govern the mortal world. Without a choice Lao Mu devised a plan and made wine from her blood after biting her middle finger. At Tri-Peak, Lao Mu lured the pure souls to get drunk in an installed grand immortal pool. Lao Mu then took away the flying shoes and the divine apparels and the pure souls took form and became human, men and women. Then Lao Mu said, “Be the origin of mankind and teach your children to do good so that they too can return to Heaven. Wait until the Last Catastrophe of the Third Period when Tao of Heaven is made available to everyone, then Lao Mu will personally write and deliver letters to you and personally ferry you all back.”

Now the fate of the spirit have come so Lao Mu sends the Laughing Buddha to spread Tao of Heaven to amass righteous souls back to Heaven.

Author: T.A Chew
http://www.white-sun.com

T.A Chew, an accountant by profession, had visions of Goddess of Mercy more than ten years ago. Since then he became a vegetarian, converted his house into a Temple and written a few books to propagate the teachings of Tao of Heaven.

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Feel that rising tide of anger? Surf’s up! Start paddling.

Whenever we feel angry or frustrated, we get a blast of adrenalin coursing through our bloodstream. In the fight or flight response to stress, our bodies rely on our appendages. We need to hit, kick, jump or run away, and our bodies help out by sending extra blood to our limbs.

If we were living in the wild and had to actually fight off a predator or run away to escape, this would make perfect sense. But in a typical day, we just don’t need those survival mechanisms like we used to. In fact, we do our best to thwart our body’s response to stress by suppressing our physical reactions.

Oh, sure, we still use our extremities to express our anger. We raise our fists, pound on the desk, slam doors or cupboards, kick the garbage can, or stomp our feet. Still, since we’re trying to be civilized and all, we use words more than body parts to react to whatever upsets us. This is good in that we don’t want to go around hitting people. Slugging your boss may be biological, but it won’t get you too far in your corporate climb.

So, instead of the fight or flight response our predecessors relied upon, we’ve developed more of what I call an “explode or seethe” response. Some of us react right away when we’re upset. We clench our fists, do some wild gesticulating, raise our voices, or slam the phone down. Others tend to seethe. We suck in our breath, count to ten, hold it, and keep our frustration covered by a tight smile or maybe a little gasp of exasperation, but that’s about it.

There’s also the classic combo of the seether/exploder. You know the type: they just keep their heads down, don’t say a word, and then out of the blue they go into a tirade that rattles the roof.

It’s interesting that we consider a seether as more evolved than an exploder. We value those who are able to keep their emotions in check. In our culture, the seethers are the “nice” people who surprise us by keeling over from a heart attack or stroke. We’ve been programmed to sit and seethe. It’s as though we’re stepping on the gas (adrenalin) and slamming on the brakes (inactivity) at the same time. Try doing that in your car, and you’ll burn up your engine. That’s what we’re doing to our bodies.

What do we do after a hard day? We sit and watch television. We play video games. We go to a movie. We collapse on the sofa and listen to music. We go out to eat and drink.

We’ve eliminated a lot of the activity of daily life. We don’t scrub floors, churn butter, wash clothes by hand, hoe the garden, walk everywhere, or otherwise eliminate our stress through regular movement. We sit in our cars, sit at our desks, and sit in front of the television. It’s no wonder we’re obese and suffering from the effects of stress!

The sit-and-seethe starts early. Consider a two-year- old having a tantrum. Picture a little body flailing about, all arms and legs. That’s adrenalin in all its glory! No suppression of instincts, just a pure, unadulterated expression of physiology at work.

We can’t have kids growing up and throwing tantrums. It’s just not socially acceptable. So, we give the two- year-old a “time out” to cool off. This is like asking a charging bull to sit and sip a bit of tea in that proverbial china shop.

With all our blood rushing to our extremities, our brains are getting the leftovers. This is the worst possible time for us to be logical. When we’re angry and that adrenalin is surging, we’re far more likely to say things we’ll regret and to make decisions that will have us shaking our heads later. If you react verbally or respond intellectually in that adrenalin moment, you’re going to have some clean-up in aisle 12 later– apologies and general repair of relationships and projects.

Most of us have learned that we need to step back when we’re really upset in order to avoid making a mess of things. Here’s something you may not know: it takes a full 90 minutes for your body to get back to normal after experiencing a blast of adrenalin.

Ninety minutes. That means that a simple “time-out” for your child isn’t likely to relax him, and postponing that important meeting for 10 minutes while you cool down isn’t going to guarantee that you’ll be fully capable of handling your issue in a level headed way.

If you really want to take advantage of your body’s natural mechanism for survival, you might as well learn to work with it. The good news is that, with a little flexibility, we can use our physiology to help us thrive and even make us healthier.

You’ve got to move, and you’ve got to breathe. Isn’t it convenient that those two go together so well?

Here are the four best strategies for surfing your adrenalin wave: *Paddle. Your arms and legs need movement, so look for acceptable ways to get active. Go to the restroom and do some jumping jacks if you can’t sneak away for a walk or head to the gym for a workout. Move some boxes. Sort the recycling. Reshelve some books. Beat the rugs. Shake out the comforters. Go for a run. Crank up your stereo and dance with the kids in the living room. Jump on the exercise bike or go cycling around the neighborhood. Walk to another part of the building. Find a corner and do some push-ups. Activate those appendages!

*Laugh. When we’re angry, our bellies tighten up. We take shallow breaths at the chest level. This just adds to the brain drain! We need to relax enough that our bellies can move freely as we breathe, and if we don’t get that by doing some cardio that makes us huff and puff, the next best thing is to laugh. Get a laugh partner, and agree to call and guffaw–no talking allowed. Bust a gut, and breathe deeply.

*Sing. You need some serious exhalations, so jump in the shower and blast out your favorite power ballad. Get in your car and sing along with the radio. Releasing sound is therapeutic in itself. Throw in some dance moves, and you’ve got it covered!

*Avoid meditation. Ignore what you’ve heard about thinking through your anger. Mindfulness is immensely valuable, but trying to meditate when you’re really angry is not realistic or helpful. Be active first, and then sit. The only way to handle that adrenalin in a healthy way is to engage physically. You’ve got to be calm to be mindful. Get control of yourself physically before using your mind to address a problem.

Next time you get mad, get moving.

Work with your body instead of against it. Learn to surf that adrenalin wave, and you’ll become a better decision maker, a more relaxed parent, and a healthier human.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse as well as a former personal fitness trainer. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 80 countries. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.

maya@massageyourmind.com

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We watch the star athlete calmly make the final shot, score the winning goal, or lead his team for a touchdown in the final minute of the game. We marvel at their talent and their determination, but what we value and admire most is the supreme confidence they display – they know they will succeed.

Confidence is an attribute that is alluring, attractive, valuable, desirable and contagious. Most everyone aspires to greater levels of it, even if they feel confident most of the time. It is a trait that will help us create greater results for ourselves and when leading others. Any trait with this much benefit is one worth developing. And yes, you can develop and strengthen your confidence.

Consider these five steps as the building blocks for greater confidence in any part of your life.

1. Remind yourself of past successes. Confidence builds on past success. Since you have had success before, you can (and will) have it again. We strengthen our confidence in any activity when we review or remind ourselves of past successes. If you are trying to build confidence in a new area, past success can still help us strengthen our confidence. For example, if you have had success in doing something new in the past, review those experiences when trying something else new – even if it is in an entirely different part of your life.

2. Read and listen to positive materials. Fill your mind with positive and affirming words, ideas and stories. Read things that enhances your skills or knowledge in the area in which you want to build your confidence. Read materials that are generally uplifting and affirming, and read biographies of successful people. You will find that many of them had troubles in life, came from tough situations and still succeeded. If you have ever thought, “Well, if they can do, I could too.” Then you realize that we can build our confidence by reading about others stories. Reading and listening to positive materials is about reinforcement, encouragement, and learning. All three of these components are needed for greater confidence.

3. See your future success. Olympic athletes, corporate executives, and successful people in all sorts of endeavors visualize future success. Confidence will grow when we see ourselves succeeding. Think about it, if you know you will succeed, your confidence will soar, right? Visualizing future success does that very thing for us. Our minds cannot tell the difference between something real and something vividly imagined. So vividly visualize your success. What will it look like, smell like, and taste like to have succeeded? Who will be with you, what will you be hearing and where will you be? How will you be feeling at that moment? Putting this much detail into your vivid picture improves the likelihood of success, and supports greater confidence!

4. Reframe failure. Thomas Edison spent a long time trying to create an incandescent light bulb – to create light from electricity. He is attributed with saying, “I have not failed, I have discovered twelve hundred materials that don’t work.” 1,200! Perhaps you feel you can reframe your failures as learning experiences – as a chance to find out what doesn’t work. But would you be able to do so 1,200 times? Know that failures will occur - and your confidence won’t be as shaken when they come. Use the failures as an opportunity to learn. Realize that every failure puts you that much closer to success. When we reframe our failure as a learning experience we reduce our fear and increase our confidence.

5. Take confident action. You wanted confidence to help you try and succeed in new ways, right? So get out there and get at it! You have to put your confidence to the test. You have to practice. And, while you are taking action, make it confident action! Remember that if you act confident, you will be more confident. Review the other steps you have been taking to build your confidence. If you are driving towards your new action step, remind yourself of past successes, again. Visualize the successful outcome, again. Build your confidence at every step of the way, but remember it all must lead to action.

These steps are a regimen for strengthening and building your confidence in any life situation. Use these steps and I am confident, you will be more confident.

Kevin is Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group (http://KevinEikenberry.com), a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. Kevin publishes Unleash Your Potential, a free weekly ezine designed to provide ideas, tools, techniques and inspiration to enhance your professional skills. Go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/current.asp to read the current issue and subscribe.

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I get some of my best ideas for my column from my clients.

One idea that really seems to work for one of my clients is having a daily success program. What’s a daily success program? It’s simply a daily routine designed to create a successful, well-lived day, and a successful well-lived life as a result. More than a daily schedule or day planner, a daily success program is designed to help you create a compelling day, keep you on track with your goals, wake up each day excited to begin the day, and go to bed at night feeling like you have had a day well-lived.

I realize that’s a fairly bold statement, but read on to see if, and how, it could work for you.

What do most people think of when they first wake up in the morning? Usually something like, “Is it Saturday yet?” or “How many times can I hit the snooze button and still be to work on time?”

Not a great way to start the day.

I wonder what would happen if you awoke each day and asked yourself questions like:

What’s great about today?

What am I grateful for today?

What am I looking forward to today?

What can I contribute today?

What small steps can I take today that will have a lasting positive effect in my life?

If nothing else, it breaks the pattern of waking up like a grouchy grizzly bear.

After a positive start to the day, how do you keep your momentum going?

Answer: Think small!

What’s that you say, how do you achieve anything thinking small? Because that is the only sure way to achieve any lasting long term change.

Here’s what I mean: Most people set out thinking big, try to do too much at once, can’t do it all, get frustrated, and then give up. Sound like anyone you know? Perhaps like the person who stared back at you in the mirror this morning?

The Power of Persistence and Thinking Small

In the battle between the rock and the river, the river always wins. Not because it is stronger than the rock, but because it takes persistent small actions.
By taking small actions each day, momentous change can take place.

So here is another tool to add to your daily success program: pick a small action to take each day to improve your life. If you just do 1% better each day, you will build incredible momentum, and become virtually unstoppable.

But what if I don’t know what to do? First off, as I tell my 2 kids, stop whining! Now that I have got your attention, it’s crucial to get it that you do not have to know what to do before you get going. Try different strategies, if they work, keep doing them. If they don’t, keep trying other strategies.

Remember this

success comes from good judgement
good judgement comes from experience
experience comes from bad judgement.

One of the quickest ways to be successful is to get a lot of experience. Sure, you may blow it every so often, but that’s just another lesson in what not to do.

Another tool to add to your daily success program is what I call “the must do’s” and “the must not do’s.” What are three things, unique to your own situation, that you must avoid each day? What are three things that you must do each day? Once you get into the habit of thinking this way, it becomes a success habit.

At the end of your successful day, it can be helpful to reflect back on what you have noticed and learned that day. Ask questions such as:

What did I learn today?
What did I contribute today?
How can I improve on today?
How can I make tomorrow even better?

If you practice and install these four simple routines:

wake up questions
small actions
“the musts”, and
day-ending questions,

you will notice an almost immediate difference in your attitude, your energy, and your results. So what are you waiting for, get going and get growing!

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

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