Friday, March 21, 2008

In Times Like These...

Thanks Debi for sharing this...

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Friday, March 14, 2008

At the top of your game

I was half way to my destination and halfway through my phone interview when suddenly I noticed I was heading in the wrong direction... not the road, but certainly on my career path.

while I was answering the questions to the best of my ability I could was very much aware when it took a turn for the worst. I simply wasn't saying what he wanted to hear. My heart sunk along with his tone, because from the description, this job sounded really exciting.

As the call and my chances came to an end, I played the conversation over again in my head. Even if this was not the right job for me, I wanted to take away some valuable lesson.

What stayed very clear in my head was this:

You must always be at the top of your game.

You may or may not be THE ONE, but if you're not the best you can be, you're never going to be THE ONE for anything.

Why is Tiger Woods worth a billion dollars? Because he's at the top of his game. How did Albert Einstein devise his Theory of Relativity? Or Edmund Hillary get to the top of Mt. Everest? Because they too lived their life at the top.

So what about me? Am I stretching out for my own top? or playing out a safer, smaller game? Is every day an unfolding of my unlimited potential? or a folding inward to a sheltered little ball?

It all comes down to how we see it... and the choices we make upon them.

This wasn't a business call... this was a wakeup call.

Do you hear it ringing?

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Your time will come

I was drawn to watching Joel Osteen on TV this morning. There was just so much power coming off the screen that despite the pull of the computer in the other room, his words seemed so much more important.

Over and over again he emphasized saying to yourself "my time will come!" Now usually someone says that meaning "you're gonna get yours sucka!" but he meant really "you are going to get yours... as long as you believe you will."

It's actually in the most trying times that you have to believe that.

Believe that the BEST is yet to come... that the next shoe to drop is to complete a brand new pair, not to trample you down.

That's the funny thing about faith... you actually have to take that step BEFORE you know if it's going to be alright. (Why else do you need that other shoe, if not to take a step with?)

So often people hold off, waiting for a sign that it will be successful before they even try... yet history will tell you that it was those that stepped out in blind faith that journeyed the farthest.

I needed that message more than anyone today. My breath has been too shallow lately, my steps too small. I've had guilty moments where I thought of loss; even when I know how powerful positive thoughts can be. I have felt the power of thinking big, and the loneliness of thinking small.

I know what it feels like to be knocked down, only to be knocked down again... but I remember what it feels like to stand tall... and to step out blindly... not into the darkness, but the light.

And the light can hurt too, when you first step into it... but once you feel the warmth, you don't let the cold keep you down.

My time will come.

It's about time.

Friday, March 07, 2008

The Best

Here's a story I received in an email from Bob Proctor's Insight of the Day. It was so inspirational that I just had to write the author and tell her so...

Making The Best Of A Bad Situation

As long as I can remember, there have been two things, other than our children, that my husband has had a deep passion for; golf and flying. As a young 18 year old, I can remember our first date-a blind date I might add, in which, Steve was going to college full time, fueling airplanes after classes and working on his flight hours at night-this was his passion, his vision and his future and he had set out on a course to graduate from college, become a major airline pilot, and hopefully someday own his own company as well.

Within a matter of years, Steve became an airline pilot with United Airlines, I graduated with a Masters degree in Communication/Journalism and we lived the "American Dream." Great house, beautiful children, money in the bank and the love and support of wonderful friends and family-until that day.

Arriving home from a three day trip on September 10, 2001, Steve walked into the random chaos of our home. With a two year old and three and a half year old, toys were always scattered everywhere, nothing was ever organized and sleep was a luxury, not a need. However, the sound of little feet running to greet him after each trip and a wife with a big smile on her face because she had a little bit of relief for the next 24 hours was what it was all about during that time. All in all, life was good, dinner was done, kids were bathed and Steve, who had been doing Boston-San Francisco trips all month, was home for 24 hours before flying to Chile for three days and then home for about a week-a week in which would include spending time with the kids and possibly a round of golf. Of course, his time on the course was not the same as it had been prior to kids-it was like sleep, a true luxury.

The next morning, our lives, as those of every American, were forever changed. In route to the store, Steve called, "come home, United has lost a plane in route to San Francisco." The tone in his voice was one in which I will never forget. "This is your route and your airplane," I remember screaming as we watched the horrific news that day. It had been speculated and later confirmed, that the terrorists had been in and out of the Boston airport, possibly on one of Steve's flights the past week as a test run. As the phone rang with people calling to see if Steve was home, we cried and knew the worst was yet to come.

And boy did it come. It was apparent, that Steve could be laid off at anytime. By Christmas time, most of the lay-offs had happened on the pilot end of the company, and Steve was one of the lucky ones-but a 50% pay cut happened right before the holidays. But who were we to complain, Steve was alive and had a job.

We decided that if any opportunities came up for me to go back to work, we should seriously consider it. So in the winter of 2002, I began to contact my previous group of co-workers and business associates and Steve and I decided to join up with some of my fellow co-workers from the "pre-kid" days and start a series of community lifestyle magazines-Lifestyle Publications. The magazines focused on people making a difference in the community. By year 3, we were mailing out over a 100,000 magazines a month and were purchased by a large publishing group, due to an offer we could not refuse. Steve continued to fly and I was happy as a stay at home mom to three wonderful children, active in their school and loving life once again.

About the time when you begin to get really comfortable in your daily routine, inevitably life throws you a curve ball to see how you are going to handle it and once again, we had another one hit us.

18 months ago, Steve came home from an international flight with a stiff back, through some misdiagnosis and mistreatment, he suffered a ruptured disk within days, and within a matter of three months underwent 2 surgeries, 3 epidurals, countless pain pills and was told he could not play golf or fly an airplane for at least a year, possibly two. But then, as it has done throughout our lives, The LAW OF POSITIVE ATTRACTION kicked in again, just like it did after 9/11-Steve took this injury as an opportunity. An opportunity to begin to publish his dream magazine, one in which he had put on paper over 4 years prior-but with flying, the Lifestyle magazines and 3 kids-there was no time-until now.

Along this uncertain road, and at times tragic events that have occurred in our life, the determination to succeed, and the faith in God, our personal strengths, the unbelievable support of family and the positive people that we have met, we have risked it all once again and believe that the Law of Attraction has already delivered to us and will continue to deliver to us because we ask for the success every single day.

So here we are today-a year under our belt with Golf Fitness Magazine, a magazine that teaches you how to play your best golf by improving your body and mind. The magazine continues to grow and grow and grow- The people that we have met and the lessons we continue to learn, once again make this "extreme risk" an experience we would not ever give back.

We now live with the attitude that this will be the biggest and best Golf magazine in the country and that Golf Fitness Magazine can offer something for everyone.

In addition, Steve has been given the green light to go back flying and to play golf, and his vision since age 18, is now forever a reality.

Kristi Gomen

A year ago Kristi and her husband Steve founded Golf Fitness Magazine to fill a void in the market place. They understand the importance of making a positive impact in the lives of others. To send Kristi your thoughts on this story email her at: Kristi@golffitness-magazine.com and to support their great magazine please go to: www.golffitnessmagazine.com/subscribe

................................

These people not only founded a magazine, they founded TWO! Each time taking something that could have devastated them into obscurity, and making a difference... not only in their life but the lives of others.

So no matter how trying these times get, think about what you're doing... and what you're doing about it.

It's not the hand that we're dealt, but how we play the game that counts.


Tuesday, March 04, 2008

A dentist who cleans your spirit too...

I first heard of Dr. Joe Capista through my good friend, Kathleen Gage. Every so often she gives me an opportunity to review a book, and if I like it, to give my endorsement and participate in the bonus program.

So when I got my copy of "What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success?" I thought, "hmm, what CAN a dentist team me about business life and success?"

And you know what? Quite a lot actually...

Right off the bat he tells the story of how he turned his dreams into goals and went about achieving them. See, it really isn't as painful as a root canal.

I really liked what Dr. Joe had to say about balance of life too. After all, I have my video on the Law of Balance, so you know I'm going to like this chapter.

Check out some sample chapters at http://www.joecapista.com/samplechapters.htm

So why am I talking about him now?

Well, simply put.. he's having a special that I'm a part of.

If you buy his book "What Can a Dentist Teach You about Business, Life and Success?" today, you get a whole bunch of bonuses ($2,551 worth actually)... one of which is the ebook version of my cartoon collection.

If you've been to my site, or checked out my pages on social networks, you've see my cartoons about success, work, life and business... and you'll understand why my stuff fits in so nicely with his stuff.

But you don't just have to take my word for it (though you really should take my word for it, seriously, you should)

The fact is, Dr. Joe built a life that is filled with abundance, prosperity, health and love. His book is filled with incredible information that it has been endorsed by people like T. Harv Eker, Pat Croce, Peggy McColl and Joe Nunziata.

Go check out all the details at http://www.joecapista.com/amazon.htm and pick up a copy TODAY (because TODAY is when the special is on)

I tell you, when you read this book you will be amazed and you're going to thank me for recommending it.

http://www.joecapista.com/amazon.htm

Keep the light on!

GuruStu


PS. Can you help us get the word out? Please forward this message to anyone you know who wants really great information on success principles that work.

http://www.joecapista.com/amazon.htm