YOU NEVER KNOW WHO THEY MAY BECOME

This is a picture of the lovely lady in my life as a young child. Obviously I did not know her then. Still as a very young child she began to develop the amazing traits that led her to become the amazing woman I now share my life with.

What is the point of all this? One, my lady was cute even then. More to the point children’s future can be greatly determined by their formative years. That is why they are called ‘formative’ as the person they will end up as is being formed. Sure there are those who can overcome a traumatic childhood. Break out of cycles of abuse and abandonment. Still it is far easier for them to face challenges and reach their potential when they start out with love and encouragement. Do not shelter your children but give them the tools and support to face the challenges life is sure to throw at them.

What all this means for us is that we must pay close attention to the example we set for future generations. Not just as parents, but as responsible adults. Children watch and learn from everyone in their environment, not just Their parents. Do your part. As the saying goes “it takes a village to raise a child”. If it’s done correctly you end up with an adult like the one who came from that adorable baby above.

THE MAGIC KEY

When I first saw this picture I thought “that is kind of redundant”. Actually it is quite profound. Seeing the best in the world, or the ‘glass half full’ is a good part of what keeps me happy. Does that mean denying the half of your glass that is empty? Not at all. It is merely focusing on the part that is full.

In my own life there have been countless situations that could certainly look terrible. If you need an example please see the previous post about the pigeon. I know that in life whatever you look for you will find. Stop and read that last line again, maybe even a third time. Let it sink in. This is really the key to both happiness and success in your life. If you are focused on what is working in your life and what there is to enjoy and be happy about you will find it. Truth is that it is there all along just waiting to be noticed.

My law of attraction friends will tell you that whatever you focus on expands. I believe that, but I also believe this: the more you focus on something the better you get at finding it. It may seem like more of what you are focusing on is appearing, but I also think you are also noticing more of what is already there.

Why is this so important? Let’s recap. What you focus on both expands and you tend to notice that thing easier and more often. That means you get to choose what your life will be filled with! Want joy and prosperity? Start to look for all the opportunities for both joy and prosperity in your life. Now, before you say “Neil, I try but there are still problems” that is true, we need to focus on them only enough to develop and begin working on a solution. After that, switch to what you have to be grateful for.

If you are anything like me, you may still have some lingering doubts. That’s good, do not accept what I am saying without proving it to yourself. I have a little experiment for you. Try this for at least 3 days, more if you like. Pick a color you enjoy. Mine would be blue, but pick whatever color you like. As often as you can for the next couple of days try to notice all the things of that color when you enter a room. By about the end of the third day you should notice something. Things of your determined color seem to jump out at you. They seem to be all over the place. This experiment works easier because there is no emotion attached. Changing to a positive focus takes a little more work, but you can see how it will happen using this little activity. Do it with a friend. Compare your results and discuss them with each other. Share this post with others and get them involved as well. Remember you create your own life.

JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS!

Many times in my life I find myself in situations where I do not come out on top. Almost always those situations leave me with a great lesson or at the very least a great story. This is just such a story.

During high school I had a friend named Matt. We are still friends, this just happens to take place when we were both in high school. Often we strolled home together and discussed life,love and our philosophy about them both. During one such conversation when I remarked what an amazing day I was having a pigeon, in what was surely an attempt to keep me humble or prove how good his aim was, decided to use me as his personal bathroom. After my companion had a chuckle at my expense we began to do our best to remove the memory of the bird.

Fast forward a few days later, the next time the two of us found ourselves walking the same path. As we passed a local historical society I saw…a pigeon. I calmly and politely asked Matt for a rock and informed him I was going to have pigeon for dinner.

His response is one I will never forget. He looked me dead in the eye and said “you can’t hate all pigeons because one pooped on your head. That’s like racism”. After giving him a look that most have looked like a mix of insanity and confusion, I stopped looking for a weapon, shrugged my shoulders and walked on.

Other than providing you with a bit of humor in your day, this story serves a purpose. When someone treats me harshly I am reminded to look further to what may be behind their actions. I also do not judge the group based on the actions of the select few.

So next time you see a pigeon remember this story and remember to not hate any person (or bird) based on the actions of one.

Watch “THE JOURNEY OF LOVE” on YouTube

A speech I recently made at a friend’s wedding

BE A HERO

I used to be a big fan of mighty mouse as a young child. His motto was “here I come to save the day”. I sent my lady this picture as I was on my way to pick her up from somewhere sure wasn’t thrilled to be. It was initially done to generate a smile from her and to be a joke.

Still as I look at this picture and think about it the picture gives us another lesson. When I picked up my lady I was saving her, albeit from stress and a bad day, but still I was saving her. I was, at that very moment, a hero. It made me feel good to be able to do. How many chances do you have in a day to be a hero? Can you do laundry so your spouse can get ready? Can you take out the garbage without being asked? Look for any opportunities to be a hero. As you are doing these things feel free to shout the mighty mouse motto as you do, “here I come to save the day!”.

Save someone else’s day and share this post with them.

WHAT CHILDHOOD TEACHES ME EVEN NOW

This is one of my favorite childhood characters. Harold is a little boy who draws stories to life with his purple crayon. I remember asking my mom to read these over and over again to me which she must have hated because there is only one line on each page. In the stories if harold ever becomes lost, scared or in trouble he simply draws his way out of it.

Here is the funny thing, years later when I began to study law of attraction and self-improvement books I realized the great parallel. In life when we become scared, lost or find ourselves in situations we do not desire it is up to us to draw up a solution. Sure it might not be as easy as using a purple crayon, but it is up to us to create our own reality.

So when you are faced with challenges, remember harold and draw up your own solutions. Perhaps you could even use a purple crayon! You may even want to pick up a book by Crockett johnson.

Watch “THE HEART OF A POLITICIAN” on YouTube

WILL YOU TAKE THIS PLEDGE WITH ME?

Today is Monday. The start of a brand new week. Let us all read and commit to the pledge above. Whether you have a generally optimistic outlook on life, or are sunshine challenged, let us all commit to doing our best to see the good in the life we are living. Even in the most challenging lives there is something to be grateful for. Even if it is the ability to be reading this. So let us to commit to focus on the light in our lives. Yes, there will always be some dark, but there is always light as well.

Need more motivation? What we focus on tends to grow. Let me explain. Have you ever had someone do something to upset you? Perhaps someone close to you? We all have. Now have you ever just sat and thought about it? What happened? You became more and more angry. On the opposite end of things, can you recall when sometime did something to show you how much they cared? If you sat and thought about that you may be so overwhelmed you all but tackle them with a hug when you see them.

In both cases you increased the feeling of each by focusing on it and thinking about it. So take take this pledge and for the next week do your best to focus on the positive. If you slip and begin to notice the negative just congratulate yourself for noticing and start all over again.

Feel free to share this with anyone you would like to take the pledge.