Wrapped up in my sadness Where’s the space for gladness I’ve spent too long letting myself down I could be known for being joyful I have the capacity for that I’ve even been called the life of the party Oh, how long has it been since then What excuses have I fed my mind To …
Space for Gladness lyrics / poem by James Barnett Read More »
My Heart: What do you wanna be when you grow up? Me: I already am grown up. My Heart: Then you begin to see yourself clearly. You’re gaining clarity about who you already are. Me: I’ve longed for a definite direction to go in. I’ve seen certain other people have a clarity of purpose. They know …
Me: I’ve had trouble getting excited enough about my own life. Why is that? My Heart: Are you comparing your own life to dreams you’ve had? Me: Yes, at least partly. There’s the dreams I’ve had for how I’d like my life to be and there’s the dreams I’ve had when my eyes were closed. My Heart: There’s …
Me: I don’t trust my own voice. My Heart: That is an extremely common problem to have. You don’t want to stand out. You don’t want to look like a fool. You don’t trust yourself. Me: I don’t see the value of what I have to say. I consider that others have already said something …
Faith Is Like a Muscle. You’ve Got to Exercise It to Make It Stronger Read More »
My Heart: Are you looking for comfort? Me: It would help, yes. My Heart: What troubles you? Me: The central issue of why I’ve avoided being connected with you, my heart. My Heart: The avoidance of connection with me for so much of your life. Me: I remember a period of time when I felt numb. I couldn’t feel anything. My Heart: You …
These conversations with my heart can seem like “Dear Diary” entries. I especially enjoy the interactivity of the back and forth conversations. What’s on Your Mind? What’s on Your Heart? My Heart: What’s on your mind today? Me: I’m annoyed. My Heart: That’s interesting. I ask you what’s on your mind, and you mention an emotion you’re …
I like to think of my heart as being a more mature version of myself. I consider my heart to be a mentor for me, and I enoy the conversations that we have. Microscopic Faith or Faith as Visible as a Mustard Seed? Me: I have long considered fear to be my biggest obstacle, but recently …
Microscopic Faith or Faith as Visible as a Mustard Seed? Read More »
As before, a conversation with my heart started with my heart asking me a question. Since I didn’t answer the question the first time I was asked, my heart kept asking the question over a period of multiple days. Here is the result from when I finally joined the conversation… Proving Fear and Doubt Wrong My …
Now and then, I’ve heard a voice come through clearly. Not an audible voice. An inner voice. One that encourages me to listen to it on a regular basis. One that can be all too easy to forget and ignore. Earlier this month, I heard the voice ask me a question, and that led to …
My girlfriend and I have been away from each other for over 8.5 months. I got to return to Canada to take care of some personal matters, and she stayed in Portugal to take care of our two cats. At the same time, we both decided to apply for the resident permit in Portugal because …
A recent conversation with my girlfriend about things in the past sparked our interest in the subject of blessings in disguise. We discussed our previous misfortunes in love and relationships, in financial losses and missed opportunities. In times of sorrow, our pain and suffering blinded us from recognizing the silver lining of the seemingly unfortunate …
What Is a Blessing in Disguise — A Reflection on a Chinese Fable Read More »
There once was a cranky king who got angry with three men, and he tried to have them burned alive. That cranky king was Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and the three men were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were Jews. Nebuchadnezzar had conquered the kingdom of Judah and brought many captives from there back with him …
What is AWAI about? AWAI stands for American Writers and Artists Inc., which is a company that trains people to make a living as a writer. You can work remotely. You can design your life and have the freedom that you’ve suspected could be possible for you. At least that’s the idea. There is, as with …
What Is AWAI About – A Writing Exercise from the Accelerated Copywriting Program Read More »
What is Proverbs about? The Book of Proverbs is a well-known example of wisdom literature, which is a literary genre where we can learn wisdom from. What is wisdom about? Wisdom can include the following: • Discernment / Understanding / Insight; • Knowledge; • Good judgment; and • Correct application of knowledge. When you and I learn …
What Is Proverbs About – Learn and Apply Wisdom with The 5 Year Proverbs Challenge Read More »
Imagine this scenario. You’re newly married, and you’ve just gotten your wife pregnant. Only thing is, the two of you never discussed beforehand if you even wanted to be parents. So, What Do You Do? After all, you never got a vasectomy. You didn’t use a condom. And you didn’t pull out in time. You …
What’s with all the yelling? There is a gentler way. It can’t just be that yelling is the default reaction. On that note, why react at all? Why not respond instead? Why not admit that the other person has feelings, too, and is worth being treated with care? I’ve been on both sides of the …
What’s With All the Yelling? There Is a Gentler Way Read More »
“The secret to living is giving.” – Tony Robbins Where can I start with giving? “Give, and it will be given to you. … For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Luke 6:38 “The Law of Giving is very simple. If you want joy, give joy. If love is what …
The Secret to Living Is Giving. Where Can I Start With Giving? Read More »
I don’t envy cops. They’re in a line of work that I can so easily imagine isn’t enjoyable for them. There’s the physical risk involved. Their lives are at risk. There’s the social stigma. Regular citizens avoid them even if those citizens have nothing to hide and nothing to be afraid of. And there’s all …
What I’ve Learned from 4 Times I Got Pulled Over by the Cops Read More »
This happened many years ago, but I still don’t like thinking about it. That 2009 Kia car is the car I had the longest out of all the cars I’ve had. Yes, there were definitely some troubles with the Kia, especially in the beginning. Even with all that, I had gotten attached to that car. …
What I Learned From When a Drunk Driver Totaled My Car Read More »
Another day has dawned. Sometimes sunny. Sometimes not. The next day of your life has arrived. Seemingly without fanfare. But it’s here. What are you going to do about it? You could lie in bed, like I have, for hours. Refusing to get up and get going. Or you could get up right away and …
Children, in certain ways, are much wiser than adults are. Children understand the importance of playing and having fun. They are more accepting of themselves and others. And they know how powerful the imagination is. Somehow, somewhere those wise practices and attitudes typically get lost during the transition from childhood to adulthood. What if you …
I’ve been watching a webinar series by Mike Dooley. The previous post “Miracles Happen Every Day. Here Are Some of Mine” was me working through the first worksheet. The exercise there was to help me admit that miracles have happened in my life before and that miracles can keep on happening, too. The second worksheet …
Mapping the Future: Mike Dooley’s 3 Steps for Creating Change Read More »
I struggle with identifying miracles that have happened in my life. I also struggle with doing personal development exercises, including this one from a Mike Dooley webinar. “What’s your miraculous story? When have you experienced a transformation that completely took you by surprise or wildly exceeded your expectations — a miracle that was sparked by a situation …
Miracles Happen Every Day. Here Are Some of Mine Read More »
See this scar? The one on my left wrist? That’s from when my front teeth got knocked out. I scraped my wrist when I landed on the pavement. And this scar? The one on my left knee? That’s from when I fell and scraped my knee on gravel when I was a boy. I had to …
In a previous post, I gave my review of the “Learned Optimism” book by Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology. I explained what learned optimism is, and I recommend that you go to the review so you can familiarize yourself with the concept and what’s involved in applying it to your life. ==> Click here …
How to Apply Learned Optimism: A Sample Disputation Record Read More »
What is an overdose about? Over a period of 19 years, I overdosed multiple times on multiple substances. Wanna know what the silliest part of it is? Each time was an accident. I thought I could handle larger amounts and not suffer any consequences. The possibility of overdosing didn’t enter my mind at all. Using and …
What Is an Overdose About – My History of Non-Fatal Overdoses Read More »
If I dare to be humble enough, then I admit that I can learn from anyone and anything. Truly, the learning opportunities are unlimited in life. Got my front teeth knocked out when I was 17. Okay, what did I learn from that? Nearly drowned when I was 18. What did I learn? “My parents …
What I’ve Learned from Cats and Kittens about Life Read More »
Dear Speaker, As an introvert, I’ve often wondered what speaking is about. I’ve seen so many other people throughout my life talk as if they know exactly what to say in each circumstance while I’m surprised if I say anything at all. There are countless times where I’ve been thankful that I did talk, but that …
What Is Speaking About: An Introvert’s Perspective Read More »
New year’s resolutions are well known for not working out. How many don’t work out? At least 4 out of 5. And the ones that fail typically don’t make it as far as the end of January. Even with the odds being against you to this extent, people still set new year’s resolutions anyway. Setting …
Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail and the Word of the Year Alternative Read More »
I’ve seen it. Perhaps you’ve seen it, too, The proud grandparents. Happy that they made it far enough to have grandchildren. A reward for keeping their own children alive long enough? A chance to relax and not feel so responsible for how a younger generation turns out? Whatever it is, grandparents get the opportunity to …
Why Being a Grandparent Can Be More Fun Than Being a Parent Read More »
Dear Friend, Have you ever had a situation where you were right, but you still lost? Yes, and probably more than you care to admit to. Remember those times in your life as I tell you about some lessons I learned from getting my teeth knocked out. I had the right of way, and I still lost my …
Lessons Learned from Getting My Teeth Knocked Out Read More »
Heart disease. Cancer. Depression. Anxiety. Diabetes. Obesity. These various forms of sickness are some of the major killers throughout the world. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I submit the idea here that humanity is stronger than any sickness. And if we can conquer sickness, then that opens up a whole world of …
Want to Live Longer? Then Say Goodbye to Getting Sick Read More »
Here is the template that you can download and use to put your vision for your life in writing. No sign up required. For more information, see the “LifeBook Online Review: How to Design Your Life” post. If you have any questions or comments, then please add them in the comments section below. Conclusion Thank you …
How to Design Your Life: Get Your Life Vision Template Read More »
Does anyone remember the Peanuts book “Happiness Is a Warm Puppy”? It contains a series of “Happiness is …” statements accompanied by Charles M. Schulz’s illustrations. Here are some of the statements from the book: “Happiness is an umbrella and a new raincoat.” “Happiness is a pile of leaves.” “Happiness is sleeping in your own …
What Is Happiness About? The Elusive Search for Something Real Read More »
This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. What is depression about? Depression can hit you at any time and at any place. Sometimes it makes sense when it hits. Like when someone you know has died or you …
What to Do When Your Depression Hits the Hardest Read More »
There is more to experience, see, hear, taste, touch, smell, feel, and learn than can be done in one lifetime. Yet… Even with all that, there are certainly times when it doesn’t feel like enough. When you’re feeling bored with life, what do you do? If you’re wondering where to look for variety in the …
8 Places to Look for Variety in the Monotony of Life Read More »
Dear Great One, Here you are. You’ve made it to another day in your life. Congratulations are in order. You’re still breathing, and you still have time to fulfill your mission in life. It’s a mission that’s going to require a lot more from you than you ever thought possible. Good thing you’re about to …
Isn’t freedom a good thing? How could freedom possibly be unhealthy? Isn’t freedom something that we need more of, not less? All good questions, and I will address each one of them. I’m here to challenge thoughts that have held us back, including me. Certain types of freedom are unhealthy. I’ll explain why that is, …
Why These Types of Freedom Are Unhealthy… and What You Can Do About It Read More »
Dear Friend, Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were forced to get clear and to take immediate action? Yes, and probably more than you realize, too. You likely don’t give yourself the credit that you deserve. You’ve been backed into a corner before. You could have given up, but you didn’t. …
What I Learned From When I Was In Over My Head and Bouncing Off the Bottom Read More »
Dear Lifelong Learner, You are too important to leave your growth to chance. The sooner you accept that and do something about it, the better off you’ll be. Success, especially sustained and lasting success, requires a plan. A plan that you’ll apply and adjust as necessary. As with many other things in life, it helps …
Personal Learning Plan Template: Your Path for Intentional Growth Read More »
This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. When it comes to this topic, I couldn’t help but think about the tagline or slogan that shows up in Scotiabank’s marketing. “You’re richer than you think.” The concept is quite …
The Genius Equation: You’re Closer Than You Thought to Revealing the Genius That You Are Read More »
“My parents were separated before I was born. I never met my dad. He died when I was 18.” Whenever I shared those three sentences with people, I saw their hearts break right in front of me. I wasn’t trying to break their hearts, and I wasn’t looking for sympathy. I was simply sharing something …
I Have Never Met My Dad – Making Peace with the Past Read More »
This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. Depression. Obesity. Laziness. Premature death. What do all these things and others have in common — besides being global epidemics? They are symptoms of a greater problem facing all of humanity. …
How to Find Your Inner Strength – and Why That Matters Read More »
This website aims to create a learning space to discover who we are and the unlimited potential that we each have within and also to convert these discoveries into definite actions and results. Personal development programs/courses, books, retreats, metaphysics, and quantum physics are among the various modalities which facilitate the quest for the giants within …