Ghost, Goblins, and Spirituality.

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How could I let a holiday like Halloween go by and not write something about spirituality.  Well I can't, so I won't.  There are all kinds of emotions when it comes to Halloween.  Some people love it, while others think it is something from the pit of hell.  I have found that most people who happen to believe in the latter statement have little or no true knowledge of spirituality, other then the stuff they have been spoon fed since they were young.  So today lets delve into spirituality and maybe you just might see things a little differently after today.

First and foremost we are all spiritual beings.  You may not recognize this, but it is truth.  Your spirit has always been and will always be.  When you depart this mortal body of yours your spirit will reign eternal.  It can never die, and therefore it is infinite.  Now almost everyone knows that infinite is never ending, a pretty good description of your spiritual essence.  That being said, we need to take away the stigma of spirituality as something that comes from the darkness of the world.  I have seen so many people go off a cliff because someone would dare say something about a ghost, a presence in a home, or any number of things that go bump in the night.  Most of the hysteria surrounding spirituality comes from an ignorance of it.  Now I'm not trying to put anyone down, but why is it we disparage things?  I held certain beliefs for many years about my own spirituality, but like so many before me I have evolved and in that partial enlightenment, I have come to a better understanding of what it is to operate from a spiritual level.  Now I am far from being fully enlightened, but I dare say I have a better grasp of what it is to walk in my highest self then many out there.  It is time that all people come to an understanding of what their Highest Self is.  Then, and only then, will they be able to be who and what they were created to be.

Most everyone I know believes in angels.  Many people have seen them, and even more have been the recipient of their divine interaction in individual lives.  We accept angels, at least most people do. What is the difference between an eternal angel and others who share the same environment?  I am speaking of those who have departed this life.  Your Grandparents, Great Grandparents, moms and dads, each have the same eternal spirit and all of them are still very much alive and well.  Let me repeat, those who have departed are still very much alive, just not in the physical likeness that we remember them.  Having the knowledge of this has enabled many to eliminate the sting of death, or in some cases the fear of death.  I know I am eternal.  I know I will continue on forever.  You are also eternal and will continue on forever.

So what are ghosts and goblins?  What are those creatures that have been depicted in movies, stories written about in books, and experiences that many have had.  I can remember the movie The Exorcist.  It scared the daylights out of me.  I thought that there were demons all around, and I would certainly run into them at some point in my life.  Walking around in the darkness of night would scare the hell out of me, and forget about walking around a cemetery at night, not this kid.  We have been shown so many horrific things dealing with spirits and demons that we now believe that anything that has the word spirit attached to it, will mirror the images that have been portrayed in the movies.  I am not here to say that those things do not happen or exist.  I am not one to say that they have all been made up.  I am sure they happen, but I don't let these things ruin my day and you shouldn't either.  You have within you a spiritual essence that is far better then any demon or spook out there.  What you need to do is come to an understanding of that essence and learn how to work it into your everyday life.

Simply because youngsters dress up once a year and get candy does not make them or their parents worshippers of the dark.  When it comes down to it, it's all about the candy.  It is a time to go out and just have a good time.  Seriously folks, it's time to relax a bit and just enjoy.  If putting on a costume and parading around the streets is going to bring about the apocalypse, then we have really missed the boat on this.

Once you understand who and what you are then all this nonsense about ghost and goblins will simply fade away.  Yes there are forces out there that would like to cause havoc, but that can only happen if you have not assumed your rightful place and that will only happen if you fail to realize who and what you are.  I am a spiritual being, first and foremost.  I am eternal and infinite.  Until such time as you can accept this position, then you will probably be bothered by those nuisance beings out there who like to wreak havoc.  I like Halloween, not because it glamorizes Ghost and Goblins, but because it let's moms and dads do things with their kids and that creates memories.  We have so soiled a fun event with over thinking it.  If you are offended by Halloween then I suggest you take a hard look at what you think spirituality is all about. Once you understand who and what you are then worrying about this fun event will go away and then just maybe you an enjoy yourself a little bit more.  Happy Halloween and enjoy.

I had no idea. Amazing, simply amazing.

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Amazing, simply amazing.  That's how I see my life, and that feeling of amazement continues with each day that I am on this spiritual journey.  Now I am no different then so many others who are also on this journey we call life.  My story is not that amazing, at least not to the average person that I might come in contact with.  I have had my share of screw ups, and I have had many victories in my life.  I have been blessed with those who I love and that love me.  I have had opportunities that many would kill to have, and I have met some pretty astounding people.  The thing that amazes me is that I still have a long way to go on this journey but I look forward to each and every step of it.

I had no idea that my life would take the path it is on right now, and yet there is nothing that I would change.  I love writing.  I love speaking to people, either individually or in groups.  I love sharing my understanding of destiny and why it is so important that people discover their true destiny.  I think the thing that amazes me the most is that I have been blessed with a passion and the ability to work in that passion.  This is what I desire for everyone.  The opportunity to turn your passion into a vocation is the greatest thing anyone could experience.  Unfortunately there are so many who will never do this.  It may not happen because they have never discovered their passion.  It may not happen because others have crapped all over their passion and told them every reason why what they desire to do is rubbish.  It may simply be that they have never held the belief that they have just as much right as anyone to walk in their destiny which more often then not is in direct line with their passion.  No matter the reason, it is time to turn things around and accept those things that have been promised to you.

If I had known how much pleasure I would receive when I sit behind my computer writing, or speaking to others, I certainly would have begun it years ago.  I do not look at those years when I was wandering about trying to discover my rightful place as lost years.  I see those years as learning opportunities, stepping stones to where I am today.  As I have said so many times in the past everything we go through is a learning experience and we can and should learn from everything we go through.  If you are not learning from them it is because you have chosen not to learn from them.  Not the wisest thing to do, but let's face it, something that everyone does from time to time.

If you are not amazed at what you are doing in the moment then might I suggest that you take a look at where you are right now and do some soul searching.  There is nothing worse then looking back at one's life and wondering where all the time went.  Looking back and wishing that you had taken advantage of all the opportunities that presented themselves to you, yet you never took advantage of them.  When I talk with people and ask them about their current profession and the vast majority tell me that they would rather be doing something else, I have to wonder why they aren't.  Why are you refusing to move forward and at least make an attempt at doing something you love?

Living a life of regret will do nothing more then put you into an early grave.  Given the option to love what you are doing or staying put and doing something you hate, doesn't it make sense to make a move?  I mean really, staying in something you hate because you feel as though you have no other choice is lunacy.

Life is amazing, and everything you experience should have amazing written all over it.  Ask yourself this simple question:  am I doing what I always dreamed of doing?  Have I experienced all the things I wanted to experience?  It's never too late to start experiencing things.  It's never too late to try something new.  It's never to late to be amazed at what life can bring to you and you can bring to others.  What amazes me is that there are people who have given up on life, as if there will never be another opportunity for them to experience true happiness and joy.  I desire to be amazed at everything I get to experience, at everything I get to do, and I want this amazement to follow me until I take my last breath.  I don't intend on leaving this planet for many years to come, so I fully intend to be amazed until that moment comes.  If you cannot set the expectation that you will be amazed, then you will fall into the trap that so many have fallen into of just living and nothing more.

My life is amazing, simply amazing, and your life can be the same.  It is time to set the expectation, the intention, that life is going to take on new dimensions, new direction, new beginnings.  If you are tired of being stuck in a go nowhere existence, then what have you got to loose by setting your sights on something you always wanted to try but haven't yet.  I want you to experience all the amazing things that life has to offer you.  I want you to talk to others about your life in the hopes that they will be motivated to go after the amazing things they desire in life.  Life is amazing and until such time as you can be amazed at your life, you will only be looking at things from a distance and that is no way to look at things.  Get involved with amazing.  Look for the amazing.  Be the amazing.  It just might amaze you how things change, and change is never bad, never.  Reach for amazing and see if things don't turn around, and turn around in an amazing way.

Twinkle, Twinkle little star.

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Our planet is about the size of a grain of sand if you added up all the deserts and beaches in the world in comparison to the total universe.  We are so small and yet each of us are as unique as each single grain of sand, and each of us have abilities that are mind blowing.

I was sitting outside last night just looking up at the stars.  I wondered just how far away each of them were, and then I began to think about the massiveness of the universe.  In that moment I also began to think about just how special each of us are.  I mean we were put here by a creator who is not a respecter  of people.  God does not sit up in some celestial kingdom deciding who will have riches and who will live in poverty.  The decision was not made whether one will be sickly or healthy all their life.  It's not as if God has this lottery wheel and what ever spin it lands on is your fate in life.  We have been conditioned by man to accept certain things as truth when in reality most of what man says we have to go through is simply an illusion designed by man.

I want you to understand a few things this morning, and this is something that I have been writing about for some time, but I feel as though it is timely to go over it again.  If you see yourself as insignificant then that is what you will always be is insignificant.  If however, you see yourself as special, which you are, then special is what will follow you throughout your entire life.  I'm going to pound this thought into you if it's the last thing I do.  There are so many people walking around with thoughts of failure, thoughts of fear, and thoughts of "what's it matter" that it's a wonder they are able to function at all.

One must accept the divinity that resides in them or they are doomed to walk in those things that most people dread.  Your design is one of perfection.  Your being here right now is also in that perfection of God.  I am not here to push one single religion.  Truth be told I do not care for organized religion.  I think that most people have been sold a bill of goods when it comes to understanding the true nature of the Creator of the Universe.  Jesus the Christ, walked in total illumination.  You have within you the same ability to walk in illumination.  You can know what it is to walk as a spiritual being.  All the garbage that man has placed in our minds about this and that, is simply that, garbage.  Why in God's name do you think we are destined to live in lack?  Why do you think we need to live in fear? Failure? Depression?  None of these things are reflected in the true nature of God, nor are these things that Christ allowed to operate in his life.  We are no different that Christ and the sooner you can accept this fact, the sooner you can begin to walk in a way that is congruent to who you were designed to be.

There will be those who will squirm while reading this, but that is because they have bought into those things that man has decided are right.  I'm here to tell you that most of what we go through in life that is contrary to the true nature of God is avoidable if you will simply recognize the divinity that resides in you.  I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself on this, but repeat it I will until you begin to believe what I am telling you.  It has taken me years to understand who and what I am.  I have been through more testings and trials in my life then I would like to admit, but I have learned more about me, and in this knowledge I have begun to live the life that I was always intended to live.  You too are able to live the life you were intended to live if you will forsake what man has told you and simply understand that God placed you here for a specific purpose.  You have passions that are inside of you to lead you to the intended life you are supposed to be experiencing.

I know how hard it is to bypass what you may have been taught as a youngster.  Since your birth you have been told what life will be like.  Since you were able to think for yourself you have been bombarded with what is acceptable and what is not.  It is time to see yourself for who you really are and set yourself apart from those who refuse to see themselves in the light of this new illumination.  Let me ask you this one simple question:  is what you are going through right now feel right?  The work you might be doing right now, your chosen profession, does it feel right to you?  If the answer is yes, good for you.  If the answer is no, then I suggest you begin to look inside of yourself and figure out what will make you feel good and start going after it.  I have said this a bunch of times in the past, the heart is incapable of lying to you.  Your heart is guided by God's Spirit, and God's Spirit is in you, as you are in God's Spirit.  If you cannot see this then you have bought into the lie of man that you are insignificant.  Don't do this!

Stars might be millions of light years away from us, but their light can still be seen.  If we can see stars that far away, then they can see us.  If your light has not been shinning for others to see, then maybe it is time to turn up the light and let people see you for who you really are.  There is a light in each of us and it is there for other to see, for others to learn from, and for others to benefit from.  Together we can turn the light on for others and together we can change this planet.  You are a shining light to others and they need all the luster you can provide to them.  It is time to share who we are with others and help them light up.

One step at a time.

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The journey may seem impossible, but it truly begins with the very first step, and it really is made one step at a time.

I remember climbing the Statue of Liberty years back.  Standing outside and looking up I was unaware of what it would be like when I got inside and began my trek to the crown.  It was quite easy at the beginning but at you got closer and closer to the finish the staircase got smaller and smaller.  Truth be told if one was claustrophobic they would have a very difficult time in such tight quarters.  The climb up Lady Liberty is not unlike our spiritual journey.  In the beginning you are setting a foundation and things seem to be pretty easy, but at you get on with your journey then things get a little tougher, a little harder to understand, and far more difficult to implement those things that you are learning.

No matter how you look at it, your spiritual journey, needs to be taken one step at a time and you cannot try to skip steps in an effort to get done sooner.  Trying to take two or three steps at a time because they seem easy is only going to delay your reaching the top.  Certainly it would seem that taking two or three steps per stride would benefit you, but not really.  Each step in your journey is set in place to teach you things that you will need to know for the additional steps that will be taken down the road.  If you miss one then you are going to miss information or knowledge that will be vital to your development later on in life.  I cannot stress it enough that this is one journey that you will have to take your time with and not try to circumvent the process.

This generation we live in right now seems to be focused on having it right now.  Many individuals don't want to wait for anything, and in their yearning for more, they skip many things that in the end will spell ruin for them.  This journey to spiritual enlightenment will never be complete if you try to take the easy way out, or if you try to skip steps.  I wish I didn't have to remind people of that, but I see people who have tried to push through the process not realizing that they are failing to set a firm foundation and sooner or later what they think they have built will come tumbling down on them, and in all likely hood, on top of those closest to them.

To those who are looking for instant gratification what I am about to say is going to send them into orbit.  This journey is one that you will never complete.  The staircase is never ending, and you will be learning your entire life.  With each question answered in your spiritual journey, you will probably come up with a dozen or so more questions.  The ones who think they have become fully enlightened are the ones you need to worry about, or maybe better put, stay clear of.  You give certain individuals a little bit of knowledge and immediately they are ready to conquer the world, or at least their little corner of the world.  I consider myself fairly grounded and comfortable in my spiritual skin, but I also know that there is much more to learn.  What I know I am glad to share with others, but always with the caveat that I don't know it all.  Humility is important when you are talking about spirituality, and spirituality is never what it can do for you, but rather how you can better the rest of humanity with your gifts.

If you are just beginning your spiritual journey, or maybe you have been on your personal trek of awakening for some time, enjoy the process.  Enlightenment is something that is incredible, and life changing.  If it's worth having, it's worth working for.  Don't take short cuts, and never think you know it all.  Pride comes before a fall, and pride is nothing more then your ego telling you that you have achieved enlightenment.  Anyone who is willing to take this journey will learn quickly that there is no room for ego.

I encourage you to talk with others who are on this journey.  Ask them the questions you have, but beware:  you have within you the greatest B.S. detector in the world, your spirit.  Get to know the sound of your spirit.  Listen to what it is speaking to you and make the determination that you are going to heed the advice provided to you from your spirit.  I have not loved every aspect of my journey, but I have learned with each step that I take, and I like you have had to learn to take it one step at a time.  So what's it going to be?  Will you begin this journey and allow it to take you where you need to go, or will you continue on wondering what is next, what should you be doing, and who and what you are?  There is no better time then to take your first step, and in taking it, open yourself up to the many possibilities out there for you. I wish you well and I will be watching to see how you are doing.

Look Deep, and then you will find true happiness.

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Yep, there are days when we just have to look around and realize that things are pretty darn good.  I always appreciate these days much more then the other ones that seem to drag on and on, with no end to the malaise that seems to be the day. The question I have for you today is how do we find that happiness?  How do we zero in on those things that will put a smile on our face and allow us to extend that smile to others around us?

Happiness seems to be fleeting at times especially when we are faced with the many situations that pop up around our daily activities, or as some put it the "daily grind".  Well it only has to be a grind if you let it.  You control the pace of any day.  And, before you go and say that you can't control what goes on each and every day of your life, let me tell you that you can.

If someone is always focused on those things that bring you down, then you are only postponing the joy that should be present in your life each and every day.  We as spiritual beings have been equipped with the ability to manifest anything we want in life.  It is my desire to teach you that what you desire should be in line with your true nature and the nature of the Creator of the Universe, God.  If you can come to an understanding of God's nature, then you can activate this nature in your life, and then happiness will follow you each and every day of your life.  This may seem like an impossible task, but I assure you that it is possible, and once you step into this realm then there will be very little that will ever keep you from wanting to stay in this place.

I was having a discussion with a friend yesterday who is trying to figure out what to do about school and the fact that he is not at all happy with what he is studying and not even sure if this type of work is what he wants to do.  Well this lead me to discuss passion and why passion is such a vital part of our life and why we should follow our passion.  One's passion is no ones business except the person who has the passion.  We have allowed man to rob us of the joy of our passion simply because what we desire may be contrary to what they think we should be doing with our life.  Last time I checked it was my life and no one else's.  The last time I checked my happiness was based on what brought me joy and not what others thought I should be doing.  Last time I checked I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do with my life, and I think I have a pretty good handle on just what that is, so why let someone come in and screw it up?

True happiness is when you are confidently walking in your passion.  Your passion might be in the form of a job, a vocation.  It might be in the form of a hobby.  It might be your surroundings and those who surround you each and every day.  There is no pre-set mold for anyone's passion.  Each person will have a different one and each person has the right to display their own passion any way they see fit.  Your passion is there, no doubt about it.  The flame of your passion may have been quenched by the toil of the past days, months, or even years, but that ember is still very much inside of you.  Your passion is that one thing that you cannot let go of.  It keeps popping up time and time again.  It is there just begging you to pick it back up and experience the joy that will come from walking in it.  Your True Destiny is all about your passion.  There is a reason you are passionate about something, and that something is probably your destiny.

Given the option to work with your passion vice just longing for it, what option would you choose?  I love my time when I get to sit down and write.  The joy, happiness, and sheer peace that I feel while I am writing is enough to bring tears to my eyes.  These tears are tears of joy because I am doing what I was put here to do.  Each person has that passion in them, it may not have been discovered yet, but it is there.  Until such time as you can put your finger on it, true happiness will stay away.  Certainly you will experience bits and pieces of happiness, but nothing that could compare to the happiness you are feeling when you finally step out into your destiny.

Some people ask me why I spend so much time either talking or writing about passion.  It's pretty simple really:  passion is what will set you free.  Passion is what will take you to your rightful place.  Passion is what will bring you to a place of perfect peace, total joy and happiness, and an understanding of why you are here.  As I said to my friend, if your passion is to be a professional bungee jumper, then be the best damn jumper you can be.  It doesn't matter what others think, what matters is that you are pursuing your passion, your destiny.  Let all those who want to crap on your idea stay in the unhappy situations they seem to always find themselves in.  You move forward and do what you feel like you should be doing.  In the end you will be walking in happiness while they are still trying to figure out what is going wrong in their life.

It is time to look deep and be honest with yourself.  It is time to ask the simple question, "what makes me happy?"  Happiness is there for you, but you must want it.  You control it, no one else.  Find your passion and then you will find your happiness.  This I know, and this I share with you now.  It is time to discover your passion and in doing so discover what a life full of happiness is like.  I look forward to hearing about your discoveries.

The Essence of Man.

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What are we really?  I mean when you get down to it, what makes us who we are?  Are we mere flesh and blood, or is there something much bigger, much grander, much more meaningful that many have never known about themselves?  Today lets answer some of those questions and see if we can't begin to accept who and what we are.

I am a huge history buff and I love reading and learning about those who have come before me.  The history books are full of stories about great adventure, great achievements, and great events that have taken place and that have immortalized certain individuals.  Sadly, what the history books do not show is what got those people to where they were.  What is it that separates the average from the great?  What singular trait helps to thrust certain people into the limelight?

There are people who dream of achieving great things, but there is something that holds them back.  It could be fear of failure, it could be that they simply do not have faith in their own abilities to accomplish what is in their heart to accomplish.  Others seem to ride a wave of success and everything they touch turns to gold.  So once again I am forced to ask what is it that separates the average from the great?

I dare say that the only thing that holds people back is that they have yet to discover the greatness that resides inside of them.  This greatness was placed in your by a loving creator who wishes nothing more then to see you be who you were created to be.   Those who have succeeded before you knew what was behind their achievements.  Achievements, true achievements are not handed to someone on a silver platter just because you may have been born into the right family, or others before you did the bulk of the work and you simply inherited it because of your place in the birth line.

You are, and will always be an infinite being.  This may seem contrary to what you have been conditioned to believe all of your life, but the truth will eventually be made known to you.  As a Spiritual Being you have within you a source of unlimited potential.  As a Spiritual Being you are able to manifest all that you desire in life.  The only thing holding most people back is that they either do not believe this or simply do not know the truth about their true essence.  Well today you are in a very good place because you can now come to an understanding of your infinite side, as Dr. Wayne Dyer states come to an understanding of your Highest Self.

If you are unable to accept your Spiritual Side then you will never accomplish all that you were intended to accomplish.  Certainly you may have a modicum of success, but nothing could ever measure up to what can be accomplished when you fully grasp and accept your spiritual side.  I see people who do some pretty amazing things, but my question behind each of these achievements is what is the motivation for doing them.  Is the motivation to gain words of praise, monuments to what you did, or is the motivation to leave humanity better off then before you got here?

There is nothing wrong with obtaining great success, but in my book it is far better to achieve success while doing for others.  All of my success is not centered on me selling books, or winning awards.  My success is in helping others come to a place where they understand who and what they are, and in that understanding accomplishing the things they were put here on earth to accomplish.  Being centered and knowing why you are here is all together different then being self-centered and only doing because it brings you glory and praise from others.

Why is it that there are people who cannot even imagine doing something astounding?  They simply go through life one day at a time.  There may be buried deep within a desire to do more, but the battles they have fought thus far have kept them knocked down and empty of any desire to step out of their comfort zone and dare to do something else.  These people have not accepted, nor do they understand their spiritual side.

I can't sit here and tell you that I fully and completely understand spirituality.  What I can tell you is that I know who and what I am, and with each day I attempt to learn just a little bit more, and with each passing day I grow stronger and more determined to be that Infinite Being.  It all begins with one deciding that they will no longer fall prey to what man's conditioning says life has to be like.  Man in an effort to control others has said what is right and what is wrong.  Man has limited us in achieving spiritual awareness, and this has been done simply because those before us could not or world not accept spiritual truths.

It is time to begin to understand your greatness.  It is not a greatness to be better then others, it is a greatness to help others become better.  Once you realize who you truly are then the need to be the best seems fall behind just being you.  It is time to begin your journey, and just know this, if life is a journey there is no need to go it alone.

It's a way of life. Try it on for size.

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Let your yes be yes and your no be no.  Translation:  if you say you're going to do something do it, swear to your own hurt.  I have seen people promise one thing and never fulfill that promise.  This generally happens because some people just don't want to be inconvenienced and more often then not something comes up that is more enticing then honoring what they said they would do for someone else.

Now this is not my main point this morning but it will tie in nicely so just give me a few minutes to lay some groundwork and you will see where I am going with this.

When I was younger I had ideas that one day I would become President of the United States.  I am thankful to say that I no longer desire that, but at one point in time that is what I was contemplating, fleeting as it may have been.  Anyhow, I had people who would ask if they could be a part of my Cabinet when or if I made it to Washington.  My response was quite simple: no.  It wasn't that I was trying to be mean or anything like that.  Let's supposed that I did make it to the White House and let's say that is wasn't for many years.  How could I promise something to someone years ahead of time not knowing if the situation would be right for it.  If I had said yes, then I would have been bound by my words, and I will tell you that I never try to break my word, not for anything.

The words we speak, the promises we make have power in them.  If you are going to live a spiritual life then you need to understand the power in your words, the power in your thoughts.  How irritating is it when you have taken the time to invite people over to your home for a meal, and then they simply never show up?  There is no call to advise you that they have changed their mind, they simply just never show up.  Some people would call this rude, which it is, but it is even more than that.  It is a sure sign that these people are not aware of their words nor the power that words play in our everyday life.

Every word we speak, every thought that we have, has life in it.  Sometimes the life span of a word or thought is short, but even a short duration is enough to throw one's life into a tailspin.  If you are speaking words that do not share or join with your divine nature, then you are certainly going to experience things that you might not wish to experience.  There is a reason that I am suggesting you watch your words and the sooner you are able to grasp this the sooner you can change what has been happening around you.

There was a time when I was so destitute that all I could do was bemoan my current situation.  I had yet to identify with the fact that I was causing more destitution to follow me around because I kept speaking about it.  If you don't think that your words and thoughts have power then I really have fallen down on the job.  We create the environment we live in.  Now this does not happen over night, but I guess it could.  Most of what we live through was brought here out of ignorance.  Now I am not saying you are ignorant, what I am saying is that the words we speak, that quite often we are not even aware of what we are saying, have the ability to mold and shape your current life.  I have said this many times in the past but it bears repeating now.  If you desire peace, joy, and happiness in your life, then begin by sowing peace, joy, and happiness.  What ever you put out there in the universe is going to come back around to you sooner or later.  That being the case then why in tarnation would you want to sow things that are counter to your true nature?

I have made a point of watching the words that come out of my mouth.  I proclaim that I am peace, that I am joy, that I am happiness.  I declare all these things because I am these things and I want to operate and live in these things. I also speak about being a writer, a lecturer.  All those things that I hold in my heart, that I know to be true, are the things that I speak.  Now there will be those who will discount all of this, but what are you going to do.  You can lead a horse to water...oh to hell with it, if you can't look and tell that what I am writing is spot on, then maybe we need to have a little one on one intervention.  OK, I know I am being a little nutty with this, but that's only because it is of such importance to each one of you.  Our words, your words, are what will be the cornerstone of what is awaiting you.  You can choose to set your path and make it smooth and ever so relaxed, or you can make it rocky and a terrain that is not passable by anyone.

Words and thoughts, your words and thoughts, are what you can expect to be front and center.  You control what your life is going to look like.  You are the creator of your surroundings.  I cannot make you believe this, you are going to have to know this.  You will have to come to terms with certain things, then and only then will you be able to make any needed change that needs to be made.  Please think long and hard on what I write today.  When you begin to realize that your words and thoughts control your future, then maybe you will begin to design your future with your own words and thoughts.  The ball is in your court now, make the right decision.

Infinite, Never Ending, Eternal, remind you of anything?

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As I write this morning I am reminded more than ever that life is not some fleeting thing that simply begins and ends.  As infinite, eternal beings we will never die.  Certainly our bodies will eventually give out.  It may be after many years, or for some it may come sooner then others would like.  However, our true essence, our spirit will live on forever and that is what I choose to focus on today.

I lost a wonderful young man in my life last night to Brain Cancer.  Joshua was only 29, but he did so much and grew so much over the years.  As a young man he had struggles just like most other people.  He questioned what he was supposed to do in life.  He wondered why he had been dealt certain things in his life that others seemed to be able to escape.  As his foster dad I tried to impart certain things that I thought would prepare him for the adventures he would certainly experience as he grew up and moved on.  I will never know what impact I had on his life, but he certainly impacted me in a very big way.  Josh now is free from those things that caused him to suffer greatly and now his true essence is free from the bonds of this existence and he is able to soar with the angels.

If you are able to recognize your true essence, that which is your highest self, then the sting of death is one thing you will never have to worry about.  I have been re-reading a wonderful book by my favorite author Dr. Wayne Dyer.  The book is titled "Wishes Fulfilled"  and it speaks extensively on what it means to understand and walk in a knowledge of our Highest Self.  I have read this book at least a half a dozen times and each time I walk away with new understanding of what it means to be a Spiritual Being that inhabits a mortal body.  I have gained new insight into what my purpose is and how to walk in that purpose.  I no longer look at death as something to fear, but rather to embrace.  I know that Joshua's Spirit is just as alive right now as it was while he was still breathing.  His spirit is still with us, it hasn't changed, it never will, and it will always be around.

When I look at things that are infinite and eternal I really come to one conclusion: we are the only things in the universe that are infinite and eternal.  Your spirit knows no limits, therefore it is infinite. Your spirit is eternal, so it will keep going and going and going, never ending, always just being.  How many people have never given thought to this?  How many people look at death as the end, and not the beginning?  I will miss Josh, but truth be told I am envious, because now he is able to be free from the limits of mortality and free to travel at the speed of thought, anywhere he chooses.

As an Infinite Spiritual Being we are just that infinite.  As an Eternal Spiritual Being we are just that eternal.  As a human being we are only limited to the degree that we limit our belief in who and what we are.  It's easy to look at life and say that it must end, but the life, the body, that is a shell, was never intended to be the end all of life.  Far too many times we look at life and simply put it into a box.  The box has four sides, all equal, and people see life as birth, living, and then death.  True to a degree, but life is so much more then simply living and then dying.  Life is coming to a full understanding of your significance, your infinite spirit and your ability to walk in a life truly worthy of the title Spiritual Being.  Why am I taking so much time as of late to talk about spirituality?  If everyone knew about spirituality and walked in it there would be no need for me to write about it.  Sadly there are millions of people, perhaps billions of people alive today who haven't the foggiest notion of what true spirituality is all about let alone walking in it.

When Josh left this physical plane he was united with a full understanding of his spiritual being.  Did he understand who he was while in his earthly body, only he could tell us for sure, but now he completely understands.  My point in saying all this is, now is the best time to come to an understanding of who and what you are.  There is no reason to wait until you leave this plane.  If someone were to give you the keys to life, and all you had to do was unlock the door and step into it, wouldn't you take those keys and unlock the door?  You have a golden opportunity to understand what it is like to operate as a spiritual being while still having a human existence.  You have the ability to unlock the mysteries of life while still having a human existence.  You have the ability to understand the infinite nature of who you are while still having a human existence.  The question I have for you is do you want it?  Do you want to know your infinite side?  Do you want to understand your highest self?  I cannot make you want it, or do it, or even try to understand it, that rest squarely on your shoulders.  I will howler say this: coming to terms with who and what you are will turn your life around.

I will miss Joshua and will always love him as a son, but I am so happy that he is free from the chains that kept him down and now he is free to experience the best part of who he is.  Life can be long or short, but what is most important is that you make the most of the time you have here on this physical plane and come to an understanding of your spiritual self.  Then and only then will you be able to begin walking in your destiny.

I am......what?

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I would like you to finish this sentence:  I am.....  What was the first word that came to mind?  Did you say I am beautiful, I am smart, I am dynamic, I am happy, peaceful, or I am full of joy?  Did the first word that came into your mind build you up, or did it tear you down like the negative words we have had to hear from others around us?  If your first thought was I am dumb, fat, ugly, stupid, then I can tell you for sure that you probably have experienced lots of those feelings recently, and if you are like so many would give anything never to have to feel that way again, am I right?

Well today you are going to have the opportunity to turn your life around, and you will never have to turn back and experience the hurts of the past.  Today I am going to share with you just what it means to be a Spiritual Being that inhabits a mortal body. If you are ready to have a life altering experience then I want you to take a deep cleansing breath and take a walk with me.

What many people do not understand, whether it be because they have never thought of it, or because they simply can't believe it, is that what you say and think becomes your reality sooner or later.  The Law of Attraction is just as much a spiritual law as the Law of Gravity is a physical law.  You will never be able to change gravity as it pertains to our existence here on earth, and the same can be said about the Law of Attraction.  Just because you may not understand or believe that the Law of Attraction is real doesn't mean that it will not have an affect on you and your life.  What I am asking you to do is to become a full participant in this thing we call Spirituality.  What I am asking is for you to put an end to the suffering that many have experienced at their own hand, or in some cases because of the words they have spoken.

There have been books written about this law as well as movies detailing what the Law of Attraction is all about.  I will not bore you with a regurgitation of all the information, but suffice it to say far too many people who are living or maybe better put, existing, in lousy situations would do well to research this spiritual law.  If you are prone to using words that are contrary to the way you would like to live, then you will be the recipient of those things you speak.  Once again, crying out to others because you have no money, or because you are trying to gain sympathy for feeling lousy, is nothing more than a request to continue to be poor and feel crappy.  You have to get to the point where you begin to speak words that will lift you out of the trap you may have been in for years.  I am beautiful, I am a genius, I am more than able to accomplish this task.  These are the words that need to proceed from your mouth and out into the universe.  Now there will be those who will discount all that I am writing today because quite frankly mankind has discounted these words for ions.  The conditioning of man has done nothing but trap people in self-imposed prisons.  It is time to unlock your cell and be free, and who knows, maybe experience freedom for the very first time in your life.

When this universe was created it came about simply because the Creator of the Universe spoke it into existence.  Whether it came because of the Big Bang or however you want to interpret the creation of all you see right now matters not, the truth is it was spoken into existence.  We as a creation of the Creator makes us able to speak things into existence as well, both good and bad.  Problem is most people have crapped all over this idea because they have been told by others that this is not possible and what we go through in life is there to teach us something.  I agree that all happenings in our life are learning opportunities, but does that mean that we have to take the good with the bad?  My answer to that is no, not in the slightest.  When you realize that you have the ability to get above this, then you will finally rid yourself of the scourge of man's inability to know the true nature of God and walk in that nature.

When I lay down to sleep each night I speak my "I ams".  I am a writer, I am a speaker, a healer, I am abundant, and I am perfect health.  When I speak this then I am putting the rest of the world on notice that this is how I see myself, how I talk about myself, and how I expect to live.  Problem with most people is they have been trained to think that saying things like this is nothing more than poppycock and an act of futility.  Well those are the same people who will have to continue to live in strife, disharmony, and fear.  I choose to depart from this and pick up what I know to be truth.

Will you be able to rid yourself of every negative word instantly? Probably not, but even if you change just a few of your words it will mean a huge change in your life.  Look at it this way:  if what I am writing is in deed poppycock then you have nothing to loose.  If what I am saying is utter nonsense then you will continue living the way you are living right now.  If I am right however, then isn't it worth your effort to try to change your words and in changing your words and thoughts, change your life?  If I am wrong you loose nothing, if I am right, you gain everything.  The decision is yours.

Let your "I am" statements be ones that create opportunity, bring happiness and joy, and not the opposite.  We have been prisoners in our own little world for too long and it is time to be released and experience life the way it was intended to be experienced and not just the way that man dictates it.  Your words can bring joy and happiness, and given the other option I choose joy and happiness.

Why what we think is often the first step.

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It all started with a little mouse.  It all began with an idea.  It all began with a dream.  Walt Disney imagined a world where everyone could just forget about life for a day and enter his magic kingdom and loose themselves in a land of make believe.

Today we can see the results of Walt's imagination.  We have Disney Movies, Disneyland, Disney World, and countless other attractions and events, all because he dared to imagine the what ifs.

I encourage you today to throw away any notion that your imagination is nothing more than random thought, and pick up on a new paradigm that says that imagination is the beginning of everything.  First you have to know that your imagination comes directly from your spirit, your essence.  I've said this many times before but there is nothing around you today that did not begin in someone's imagination.  Those first thoughts that began a process of doing something, saying something, discovering something, all leading to things that we see, use, and work with each day of our lives.  This computer was once just a thought.  Your car, a thought.  Your clothes, a uniform, just a thought.  There are people who have begun business empires because of a single thought.  The race to space began with a thought.  There have been millions of things created because someone believed in their own imagination and ran with it.

If we fail to realize the power of our own imagination then we are doomed to live a life that is void of anything of significance.  I've known many people who discount those tiny thoughts they have because they have so little faith in who they are.  If you cannot see the significance of you being here right now then I guess it really doesn't matter what thoughts come to you and ultimately what you might do with those thoughts.

Albert Einstein said this, "Imagination is more important than knowledge.  Knowledge is limited.  Imagination encircles the world."  Imagination is truly a gift from your creator.  Imagination is what will place you on your path to your true destiny.  When I first thought about writing a book I also imagined what I would be doing once the books were written.  I could imagine all the crowds that I would be talking in front of.  I imagined the doors that I would be able to open for others to walk in their destiny.  I saw things that would change the face of this planet.  My imagination was ripe with thoughts about what if.  I've never thought of anything as much as I have thought about True Destiny and the direction that I wanted to take the company and the effects it would have on other people's lives.  I have begun to live my life as thought what I have imagined is already in existence and what I desire is already mine.

Imagination is such a powerful thing, and it is yours.  Allow me to give you a word of warning:  just because you have a thought does not mean you go out and shout it from the roof tops.  Even though you may believe that what you have imagined can and will come to fruition, there are those around you who would love nothing more then to talk you out of it.  It is wisdom to lock some of those things that are churning in your imagination into a lock box until such time as it is prudent to bring them out in public.  There are far more naysayers out there then there are people who believe in their imagination.  There will be people who will tell you why you can't do what you are dreaming, and they will try to tear apart any thought that would make them feel as though they have missed opportunities in their own life.

What are some things you have imagined for your life?  Have you believed any of them or have you discounted them because others thought you crazy or insane for thinking such things?  If you can imagine it chances are there is a reason you are having these thoughts, and if you have begun to look at your destiny then chances are these thoughts go hand in hand with what your destiny is all about.  Your imagination is powerful and it holds the key to you walking in your destiny and accomplishing those things that you were created to do.  Your imagination is in touch with your spirit and your spirit is never going to tell you something that does not benefit you in some way.

It is time to embrace your imagination and those things that are coming from it.  Imagination does indeed encircled the world, and your imagination is there to take you on the trip of a lifetime.  I wish you well in your journeys and I know it will be a trip that will be written about for days and years to come.

The bigger they are the harder I fall.

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Keeping with the whole topic of spirituality, I thought I would talk a little today about love. What love does, what it doesn't do, and why so many people really don't understand what love could do to change the entire landscape of this planet.

Let me start out by asking this very simple question: where does love come from?  Did it come from your parents?  Do you create your own love, or do you pick it up from others around you?  Can love make or break you?  These are all good questions, but I think the most important question has to be, what does love have to do with me?  If you are ever going to fully understand the importance of you being here right now, then the first thing you have to know, feel, and believe is that you were born from love.  I'm not talking the love that your biological parents shared, but the love of the Creator of the Universe, God.  We have managed as humans to change the definition of love.  We simply see love as that which exist between two people, or between an owner and his or her pet.  We see love for a job, a car, money, any number of things out there.  But, can you see that your creation was for no other reason then love?

If one can accept the premise that we were formed out of love, and because of love, then one would have to accept the truth that we are love.  We might not always display it, we may not always feel it, but that isn't to say love is not all around us, engulfing us with each breath we take.  As a spiritual being there is no other way to look at our creation.  Regretfully we have allowed the good intentions of Man to screw up the concept of love.  We have allowed the conditioning that we have been exposed to since our birth to dictate what love is.  It is time to get back to basics and accept why you were put here and the force behind that placement.

Love as defined by others is simply that mushy feeling inside that we get when the person of our affection either walks past us, into the same room we are in, or simply throws a smile our way.  Love is the comfort one feels when their emotional and physical needs are met by the object of their affection.  I don't disagree with this, but that is only a small aspect of love.  Do you love yourself as much as you love others?  Do you realize that you are the object of affection for others and does this knowledge bring you comfort?  Do you see the rest of the world's occupants as others worthy of this love and do you wish it for everyone you come in contact with?

Love comes with a price.  Once you understand love, once you accept it for yourself, and once you acknowledge that it is for everyone, then you will have embarked on a journey that you will not be able to quit, nor will it ever end.  Truth be told, once you begin this journey, you have lost the right to pick and choose who you love.  Even the most vile among us is deserving of love.  Hard to administer at times as this person may have hurt, harmed, or even brutalized people you know, or yourself for that matter.  When you accept the premise of love then you accept the responsibility to administer this love to everyone you come in contact with, whether you feel like it or not.  If at the time of your creation God decided to hold back love, simply because it was a matter of like or dislike, then he would not be God.  If you choose to hold back your love from others simply because they have done something you do not like, then you have abdicated your rightful place, and you have only done this because you could not see the bigger picture.  Love is never about what is in it for me, love is simply what am I able to do for others.

If what I am writing today makes you cringe, then I will say that you need to look at love in an entirely different way.  Because we are asked to love every one does not mean we have to condone behavior that is contrary to our way of life.  There are people who will commit heinous crimes.  The punishment handed down is normally justified, but this person is still deserving of love.  Yes they deserve to be punished, but love is love and they still were created from love.  Yes there is contradiction when it comes to love, but that is only because man has convoluted the true aspect of love. If we are able to recognize the kind of love that brought each of us into existence, then we will be one step closer to being able to display this same kind of love to those around us, and then we will begin to change the world one person at a time.

Love is what we are, what brought us here and it is what will keep us moving ever closer to a world where others know and will walk in their True Destiny.  Without a knowledge of real love it will be nearly impossible to step out into your destiny, and walking in your destiny is why you were put here in the first place.  Love is hard to handle, but once you get a firm grip on it, your life and those around you will change forever. The bigger they are the harder they fall, but falling in love with all of humanity is something worth doing, and once again, something that we all need to do.  Discover the power of the love that created you and then you will begin to walk in that love for all others.  Safe journeys to you.

My word is my bond.

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If you didn't mean it then why did you say it?  If you didn't want the results why did you do it?

It seems like we get what is coming to us and we get it because we have put it out to the universe in a way that makes it impossible for anything else to happen other then what you have asked for.  Now this may seem like some type of double talk but just stick with me and you will see what I am talking about when its all said and done.

I started re-reading a book that I had read several times in the past simply because there were things going on in my life that I didn't like and I had to figure out why I was doing what I was doing.  Being a human being I am just as prone to making mistakes as anyone. I would like to think that I have matured enough to watch what I say and do on a daily basis and even though I have gotten much better with the words that escape out of my mouth there are times when I need to be reminded of the power of my words.

Over the next few weeks, and who knows maybe even months, I am going to be sharing with you my understanding of what it is to be a Spiritual Being.  There have been all kinds of books written about spirituality and to some degree there is much to be learned from reading them.  However, simply reading a book is not going to get you to understand the significance of your presence here on earth.  You must get to the point where you own it.  You can read a book about driving a car and from an intellectual standpoint understand it completely.  That does not mean that you will have the ability to drive a car the first time you sit behind the wheel.  It will take practice, patience, and a desire to drive.  The same can be said about understanding what it is to be a Spiritual Being, one who fully walks in their knowledge and operates according to spiritual law.

True or false:  your spirit, your true essence is eternal.  That would be true, in fact your spirit has always been, and will always be.  It will never die, and it was never born, it just is.  Hard as this may be to comprehend, you must realize the significance of this fact.   True of false: Spirituality is reserved only for those chosen by a supreme being who have proven themselves worthy.  That is false, false, false.  Oh did I mention that that last statement is false?  Spirituality is nothing more than coming to terms with who you really are.  We are not mere mortals who occasionally have a spiritual experience.  We are spiritual beings who just happen to inhabit a mortal body.  Problem with depending on the mortal side of things to go through life is that we have been conditioned to think like mortals.  It is man who claims rights to all the downsides of life.  Among these would be a life of scarcity, fear, doubt, and other things that keep us from walking a true spiritual life.  True or false:  our thoughts and words are what dictate what we go through as humans.  This is so true it is almost scary.  I have learned over the years that I was the architect of my life, both the good and bad that I have experienced.  I would love to say that I have only manifested good in my life, but the evidence is contrary to that.  I have been guilty of creating fear, doubt, and scarcity.  It was never planned, but my limited knowledge of the power of my thoughts and words kept me trapped in a world that man said I needed to be in.

My spiritual awakening came in quiet moments.  Moments of introspection, moments of quiet reflection, and moments when I could put down the conditioning of man and pick up my new vision of life as it should be.  You have the same ability to do this, all it will take is a will to be the person you were designed to be.  It's easy to say to someone that they need to watch the words that come out of their mouth, it is entirely a different thing to adhere to this.  I have done pretty well with this, but there are still days when I will slip and I will tell you that I have learned to quickly keep those words in check.  I know the power of words and thought.  I know what I should say and should think.  I know that I have a ways to go, but I will tell you this, I am so thankful I am in the place I am today.

Spirituality is not something you do, it is who you are.  You are a Spirit, and with this comes unlimited potential, and unlimited possibilities. Those who cannot see this have fallen prey to what man has dictated as normal.  There is nothing normal about living in lack, living in fear, and living in doubt.  Man says it is normal, not the Creator of the Universe.  God did not put you here right now just to take up space.  You have a destiny, a calling, a purpose for being here.  Whether your life is short, or you live to a ripe old age, there is something that you have been designed to do.  If you desire to accept your destiny, then you will have to accept the fact that you are first and foremost a Spiritual Being, with all the rights and privileges that go along with it.

As you can see my word is my bond.  That bond can bring good or it can bring evil.  Not evil in the sense of darkness, but evil in terms of not walking in enlightenment.  I choose enlightenment, and you can do the same.  As we progress in this spiritual walk I encourage you to take time to be silent.  Take the time to reflect, and spend your quiet moments accepting the greatness of your design and the greatness of your being here.  This journey you have accepted will bring you joy, but first you must accept who and what you are.  Let's take this journey together, as I have said before, if life is a journey, why go it alone?

A day to remember.

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There are days that most people will never forget.  9/11, November the 22nd, 1963, and December 7th, 1942 to name just a few.  I can vividly remember where I was and what I was doing on 9/11.  There are days that will stay with us for as long as we live, and there are other days that have occurred that we would rather forget.

I  can remember the day that my daughter was born, not realizing how my life would change because of this remarkable young lady.  I can remember so many days, moments, and events.  It's good to remember, and we can learn from past events and happenings, but what I see many people do is not let go of the past and that makes it almost impossible to step into the future.  

I feel as though there's a tendency with a lot of people to hold on to things much longer then is healthy for them.  Something will happen and they chew on it and chew on it for days, weeks, and in some cases years, but all they have done was extend the life of something that should have died off long ago.  Don't misunderstand me, I believe there are certain days and events in each of our lives that warrant remembrance.  I remember when I finally made the decision to begin writing my first book.  The time frame from the first thought of writing and finally putting pen to paper was a 15 year gestation period, but thankfully it was birthed.  It happened at the right time and it has opened doors for me that were once just a dream.  I can also remember things that I should have done but didn't and now I am having to live with the consequences of my inaction.  Still, I can look back and know that things have happened just as they needed to happen and I have learned from the past, boy have I learned from the past.

What I want you to remember is some of the "whys". Why did you do this, or do that?  Why did you think this or think that?  When we can get to the bottom of the whys, then we can get to the bottom of many things in our lives.  I also want you to realize that even though we may not always know why things happen, they do happen for a reason, and the outcome of any situation is always going to be a learning experience.

Let me digress for just a moment as ask you some simple questions:  Do you remember the last time you felt confident in your future?  I mean, is there a confidence in you that just knows that things are as they should be?  Are you as confident about your future as you are familiar with your past?  Have you forgotten what has brought you this far and what will carry you into the future?  Many will be able to answer all of those questions, while some will ponder a few, and others still will not have the answers to any of them.  As questions go, these are pretty simple.  These are questions that people have been asking themselves for years, and these are questions that people will continue to ask into the future.  What is important is not so much what others will do with these questions, but what will you do with them?

I want today to be a day that you remember into the future, because today was the day that you accepted your place in the Universe and said I want to be a part of this place.  Until such time as you can see yourself as a part of the bigger picture, you will not be a part.  If you are able to remember today, then I can assure you that you will have plenty of tomorrows, at least enough tomorrows to walk in your destiny.  Forget about lost time, days spend wandering around trying to figure things out.  We will never get back the days of last week, or last month.  We will never be able to turn back the hands of time. What we must do is move forward and accept our rightful place in the universe.

I want today to be a day you remember for a long time to come, and when you remember you look back fondly on what you have learned and what you have been able to teach others.  It's a good day when you can look back and realize that there is nothing holding you back now.  Let this be a day to remember.

As clearly as I can remember historical events of the past, I clearly remember when I discovered my destiny.  I want you to experience the same thing.  On that day, there will never be anything that will be able to sweep this event from your mind.  Discovering and walking in your destiny is why you are here.  Discovering and walking in your destiny is what others need from you.  Discovering and walking in your destiny will help you shed your mind of the past, a past that may have held you down for years.  In years to come you will be able to quote the immortal lines "Oh yes I remember it well." It is your time to remember, your day to remember.

Do you live to work, or just work to live?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/venosdale/8446248658

I'm all about working hard, but I'm more concerned about doing something I love.  Many have said that hard work never killed anyone, I disagree.  Working hard in a job that you hate will kill almost any chance of one ever discovering what life is really about, and the chance of finding the one thing that really will make you happy.

I have worked hard my entire life, but until now I was just working to live.  I now have the great blessing of doing what I love and loving every minute that I am doing it.  It is no effort at all, at least from an emotional stand point.  I never sit behind my computer and wish that I could be doing anything else for a profession.  This is the first time since I retired from the Air Force twenty years ago that I can confidently say that I am living to work and not just working to live.  My question to you this fine day is what category do you fall into.

If you get up on a Monday morning already wishing that it were Friday then I can pretty much bet that you are in the latter category of working to live.  There is such a dramatic difference between the two, and yet far too few people understand that, or are at least willing to admit it.   There was a poll that came out earlier in the year that showed that over seventy percent of those polled would say that they hate their current job.  I honestly believe the number is higher then that, but who in their right mind would publish a number that is almost 80 to 85 percent.  Even if you believe that the number is only seventy percent, that is still staggering, and that is sad beyond words.  How in the world can seven out of ten people claim to hate their job.  That tells me that seven out of ten people are simply working to live, and that is a travesty.

If I were to ask you what you would be doing right now if money, training, experience, were not a factor, what would you tell me?  Would you leave your current position and do something different?  Would you tell that life sucking boss of yours to go pound sand and high tail it out of there to do something you always dreamt of doing?  I will tell you one thing, until such time as you make the decision to let go of what does not serve you, and pick up on the one thing that does, then you will continue to work to live and not the other way around.

I am simply amazed when I talk to people about their current profession and I get the response that they have no other choice.  There are bills to be paid, retirement to consider, and all kinds of reasons why they cannot make a change.  I understand, really I do.  I have been there.  I have been trapped in a job that I could not get out of.  I had bills to pay just like many of you.  I had a mortgage, a car note, credit card debt, and acid in my stomach just to complicate issues.  I was on my way to an early grave, and it took a huge wake up call to wake me up and figure out that this was not the way I wanted to spend the rest of my working life.

If you find yourself in this very same position then I implore you to listen to what I am about to say and take it to heart.  You can go round Robin Hood's barn ten thousand times and if you do not make a decision to change things up, you will continue to have that acid in your stomach, that knot in your throat, and that sickening feeling that life could not suck much more then it does right now.  If you cannot find a passion for what you are doing right now, then drop what you are doing and find your passion.  Until such time as you do this you will be trapped in your current situation and there will be nothing you can do to change what you are experiencing in the moment.  I would hate to think that had I not made some changes in my life that I would still be doing a job I hated.  There are so many people trapped in dead end jobs.  When I say dead end jobs I'm not talking about jobs that have no chance for promotion or upward mobility. I am talking about dead end jobs that will suck the life out of you and never provide you an opportunity to walk in your destiny.  If the job you have right now is doing nothing to help you achieve your goals, nothing to help you obtain your dreams, and nothing to make you feel as though you are the most important person on the face of the earth, then I would tell you to drop them like a hot potato and find someone or something that will do it for you.

I do believe that if things are worth having then they are worth working for.  I also believe that if you are going to do something you might as well do it right, and do it with all of your heart.  If you are not following your heart, walking in your destiny, then I will tell you that you will never be able to give everything you are to a job.  If you do not believe that your current job is the job of your dreams, then you will not be able to give it your all.  This is not to say that you do not have the talent, what I am saying is that your heart will not be in it, and if your heart is not in it, then it is impossible to give 100 percent.  You of course can challenge me on this assertion, but I do not think you will change my mind.  When you love what you do then it is so easy to give 100 percent.  When you love what you are doing, then there is hardly a day that goes by that you don't wish you could be working in this field right now.  When you love what you do you can hardly wait to get back to work because work is now your playground and you simply get to have fun the entire work day.  So let me ask you this:  are you enjoying your total work day now?  Do you hate to see Friday come, knowing that you don't get to do your job again until Monday?  Based on the polling numbers I saw, there aren't very many people that fall into this category.

It is time to live to work and not the other way around.  When you love what you do then in fact you will never look at things the same way again. That job that you used to have has now become a vocation and not just an occupation.  This can all be yours if you will look deep into yourself, be honest with yourself, and release any fear that says you must stay where you are right now.  Have faith to do the right thing, and that faith will guide you to the promised land.  This land is full of dreams, full of laughter and joy, and full of the one thing we need most: promise.  Start dreaming, and start putting your needs first.  Without your efforts this world will never move forward and we really need this world to move forward in a positive way.

Remember me this way.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dionnehartnett/8072482906

What will the history books say about you?  What will people remember most about me?  Will we do something so great that the world will raise a monument to our memories, or will we just exist and go away without anyone noticing that we are no longer around?

I know how I want to be remembered, do you? I've written many times in the past that to me I want to go away with people remembering me as a great friend.  One who put the needs of others ahead of my own and that I wanted to leave the world a better place.  This does not come from a place of conceit but rather because I want others to discover the greatness in themselves, and in doing so they will help others discover the greatness they resides inside of them.

I know of many people who have achieved some pretty fantastic things in life.   We have had historical figures who have saved entire cities and towns, others have invented things that have changed the face of this planet.  There are people who have done things that might seem to be pretty insignificant, but to the one person who was the recipient of this action, it changed their life.  So how do you want to be remembered?

If you had the opportunity to look back at your life after you have departed this existence, what do you think others will be saying about you?  It is my hope that those who knew me, those who read my books or postings, and those who benefited from my efforts will simply acknowledge that they are better now for having known me.  Once again not a point of conceit, rather a desire to share who I am with others.

We try to pass on our best traits to our children so that they will be able to function in this world and have opportunities that we either missed or messed up.  We want our friends and loved ones to have lives that are free from worry, free from fear, and full of peace, joy, and happiness.  Do we do this because we want those monuments in our honor, or do we do this because that is who we are?  If I leave and no one ever places a statue of me in the City Square does that make me a failure?  I hardly think so, but there are others out there who are looking for these things as a testament to what they accomplished in life.

If your first thought about why you do something is how will it be remembered by others, then I will tell you that you will go through your entire life trying to reach a point that will be impossible to reach.  If your ego is what drives you, then you will never get that peace you seek because you will never be able to accomplish enough to put the ego in check.  Please don't misunderstand me, I know that we can never take ourselves out of the equation all together.  There is always a motivation to do things, the question is, what is your motivation?  If the motivation is simply to gain the praise and admiration of others, you might very well succeed at this, but what could have been the result had you placed your needs for admiration behind the needs of others?

We have been conditioned by man to believe that only those who reach the top will somehow be remembered for their great feats.  We have been conditioned by man to think that only doing something truly phenomenal will get one in the history books.  I happen to believe that the history books have left out a whole lot of people who have done a whole lot of good in this world.  I have known people who have not done anything worthy of a paragraph in any historical recap of things, but what they did for me changed my life.  Many people who have changed my life probably don't even realize the role they played in my life nor the significance of that role.  I don't know if I could ever go back and tell each one what a special gift they imparted in me, but I know what they have done, and I know I would not be the person I am today were it not for them.

If in your life you have only managed to help one solitary person, then I will tell you that you are worthing of a monument.  Changing one life could change the face of this planet.  We must get away from thinking in terms of greatness, and instead thinking in terms of greater.  What is the greater gift, displaying love, understanding, and comfort to a single individual, or building an empire worthing of mention in the history books?  If it is your destiny to build an empire then great, if done for the right reason you will impact other's lives.  If the completion of this empire is nothing more then fuel for your ego, then you will still be empty inside.

Being remembered is something we all want, but let the reason be one that places others ahead of yourself.  My tombstone will read something pretty simple, "He was a friend".  I will sell millions of books, make thousands of speeches, but in the end, I simply want to be remembered as someone who loved others enough to put their needs ahead of my own. What do you want to be remembered for?  It is time to answer this question.  I may take you time to get the answer but that's OK,  until you can get the answer I bet that your time will not run out.