My 2-year-old granddaughter, Briannah likes to sleep. She takes a nap with little or no resistance and goes to bed at night without a fuss. She did not inherit this trait from her mother, Alicia. Both of my daughters eschewed naps at an early age and kept me hopping the entire time they were awake.
However, Briannah seems to enjoy the cuddliness of a soft blanket, the cozy feeling of her stuffed bear, and her bed time routines. I can’t help but think that she has happy dreams. Sometimes I ask her what she dreams about and she does try to tell me.
One time her aunt Brittany (who Briannah and her sister Rosannah call Aunt Birney) babysat them one day and I watched the girls the following morning. When I asked Briannah what she dreamed about she tried to tell me something about princesses and Aunt Birney. I didn’t understand the whole story, but it did seem like a pleasant nocturnal experience for her.
I did not have happy dreams until well into middle age. It seemed my sleep was littered with a mish mash of the day’s events and threats of natural disasters – particularly tidal waves. Fortunately I lived most of my life in Arizona so this was not a serious threat in my awakened state. But just to make sure I don’t have any other watery disasters I usually wake up to pee at 2 a.m.
Last night I had a dream about playing basketball. I tried to make a shot and the ball fell embarrassingly short. I remember thinking that my upper body strength was in dire need of exercise. This is true in real life too, but I don’t need try to shoot hoops to recognize this obvious fact. However, I was tenacious in my dream, practiced a few layups and finally made a shot from the free throw line by executing the granny shot maneuver. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective.
Next I decided to work on my vertical jump. This is laughable, so I’m glad my slumbered state was kinder than reality. In my dream I had the ball, squeezed my eyes shut, let the energy well forth from my body, then I shot a couple feet into the air. Then I stopped. Yes, in mid air I hovered in one spot. However, rather than falling back to the ground like any good Newtonian-believing mortal, I slowly, but effortlessly rose the rest of the way to the ceiling. Being the cocky little being I am in my dreams, I touched coup on the ceiling every time (because I could.)
This is counter to my thoughts and actions in real life where I believe you have to use tremendous effort and never backslide. And being vertically challenged, it is a rare ceiling that has been touched by my stubby, little fingers.
The problem was the time between when I willed myself into the air, stopped and continued the effortless part of my ascent, took a couple of seconds. This was still a lot of fun, but if I was going to block any shots, I was going to have to make the whole process one, smooth move.
Fortunately, after a few attempts I was not only able to do this jump vertically, I could do a gravity-bending side to side maneuver as well. I was defying gravity, blocking shots and dunking the ball with ease. Woohoo!
I don’t know where that dream came from. I’m 5 foot 2 inches tall, middle aged, haven’t touched a basketball in years. I need only look at my chest to realize that I, nor my body parts, can defy gravity. But it was a cool dream none the less.
After I woke up I thought that the dream symbolized balancing effort (revving my internal engine) and letting go of the urge to want to control everything and creating an opportunity for the universe to work a little magic.
As I shift into my daily routine today I can’t say that I feel compelled to shoot hoops or jump in the air. But I have to admit, the ceiling looks a lot lower today than it did yesterday.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Bouginvillea Blossoms Reach Out And Touched Someone
One of the most gratifying aspects of writing the Erase Negativity blog is when something I wrote has a positive impact on someone. This comment was the result of an article I wrote that was also posted on the internet. The writer asked to remain anonymous but gave permission to print the message and the picture. If you want to read the article you can visit
http://goarticles.com/article/Letting-Aggravation-Blow-Away-in-the-Wiind/2875924/
Recently, I typed in" bougainvillea" and looked at all the sites, and that's how I came upon your article. My brother, age 55, just died from a horrible cancer. He was very proud of his potted bougainvillea plant and always pointed it out when I visited.
I have been getting blossoms in the most unusual places around my yard, and one in my garage, and I feel that that is a way he is contacting me. There are plants around my neighborhood, as I live in Miami, Fl. where there are so many!, and there is one a block and a half away with the same fuchsia color, but no other yards have had them "fly" into their yards, as I do check for that.
Anyway, reading your article brought such joy to me, the way you described giving up and letting the blossoms fall and move where they want.
Getting all those blossoms for several days really has made me happy, and I have been bringing them in my house as a remembrance. (I know they are a pain to grow, so I don't want to actually grow one in my yard)
I will look in to buying your book, as I do have a little negative predisposition. If I hadn't looked up bougainvillea on the internet I would never have known about your book or website.
Thanks,
http://goarticles.com/article/Letting-Aggravation-Blow-Away-in-the-Wiind/2875924/
Recently, I typed in" bougainvillea" and looked at all the sites, and that's how I came upon your article. My brother, age 55, just died from a horrible cancer. He was very proud of his potted bougainvillea plant and always pointed it out when I visited.
I have been getting blossoms in the most unusual places around my yard, and one in my garage, and I feel that that is a way he is contacting me. There are plants around my neighborhood, as I live in Miami, Fl. where there are so many!, and there is one a block and a half away with the same fuchsia color, but no other yards have had them "fly" into their yards, as I do check for that.
Anyway, reading your article brought such joy to me, the way you described giving up and letting the blossoms fall and move where they want.
Getting all those blossoms for several days really has made me happy, and I have been bringing them in my house as a remembrance. (I know they are a pain to grow, so I don't want to actually grow one in my yard)
I will look in to buying your book, as I do have a little negative predisposition. If I hadn't looked up bougainvillea on the internet I would never have known about your book or website.
Thanks,
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Mowing is a Pain in the Grass
The sun peaked out from behind a cloud. A sudden burst of excitement and initiative ignited within me. Normally a shining sun would have been something I took for granted, but since my recent move from Arizona to the Pacific Northwest, I knew I had to act quickly.
It was time to mow the lawn.
I went to the garage and yanked out the extension cord. The orange electrical snake was a tangled mess.
“I don’t remember packing it that way,” I muttered to myself.
It’s the same reaction I have when I bring out the Christmas tree lights. There is no telling what naughty things cords do when placed in boxes and left unsupervised. Is this how they mate?
However, rather than try to solve this universal mystery (second only to what happens to all the missing socks from the dryer) I decided to literally make hay while the sun shines. I pulled out the grass catcher. After several attempts, I gave up on how to get the grass catcher to work. It had been more than a decade since I mowed the lawn (due to desert landscaping and not willful neglect.) Finally I remembered that I NEVER could figure out how the darn thing worked. The answer to that mystery left with my ex¬¬ husband.
“Oh well,” I thought. “I’ll just mow and rake afterward.”
I mowed about six inches and the cord disconnected. This was the first of 86 disconnections, 157 swear words from me and 4,682 snickers from my new neighbors. The cord in the wall outlet worked fine, but the prong on the outlet in the handle of the mower was bent and came loose easily.
I suppose I could have taken the time to fix the problem, but after experiencing the fickle nature of Washington weather, I figured I better trudge ahead. Part of my concern was my environmentally-friendly electric mower does not have a lot of power. In the past I had neglected my lush Arizona lawn for a week and when I tried to mow through my backyard jungle, the engine overheated and caught fire (true story.)
With no money, no mower and more grass than ever, I was forced to ask my sister, Tina, if I could borrow her machine. This seemingly innocuous contraption was later dubbed, “The Beast.” The first problem started when I tried to get “el pain-in-the-grass” into my mini van. Neither Tina, my friend, Andrea, (who came along to assist) nor I are weight lifters, so this took some doing. However, after much laughing, crying and swearing, we finagled the mower into the van. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the door to close. So, in my aggravation (and impatient desire to get my grass cut) I had Andrea drive the van and I sat on the floor, held onto the seat with one hand and The Beast with the other.
Once we unloaded the mower at my house (thankfully only a mile away) we faced the next problem. I pulled and pulled on the starter cord, but the engine would not engage. Assuming my arm was weak from the drive, Andrea gave it a shot. She tugged until she pulled a muscle in her shoulder. My friend and roommate, Vanessa, also took her turn with the beast and wounded her arm (and pride) in the process. However, it finally started, I mowed the lawn and somehow returned The Beast back to Tina. On payday I bought another lawn mower.
Because I could get an environmental rebate from my utility company, I bought the exact same model electric mower as I had before. In retrospect, this is akin to breaking up with someone and asking if they have an identical twin you can date.
But I digress. Back to my Washington lawn.
I would mow, replug the cord, stop, toss the cord out of my way, mow, stop, make sure that the lump of brown stuff was mud and not a deposit from a former canine resident, mow, stop, replug again, swear and start the process all over.
Then I tried to mow uphill. I don’t know who is weaker, me or my electric mower. It was 40 degrees outside and I was sweating more than I did in the desert. I tried changing the direction of my mowing, getting a head of steam and trying to run up the hill, and finally just mowing downhill (the cord kept disconnecting anyway, so what the heck.)
Finally, the job was done. And a good thing too, as the sun disappeared and the rain fell on my newly mowed yard.
So what is the morale of this story you may ask? Does this anecdote depict the importance of perseverance, the value of overcoming obstacles, or something more mundane like the benefits of hiring a lawn service?
I’ll let you, dear reader, decide for yourself.
I just know that when I woke up the next day, gazed out the front window to admire the handiwork of my newly mowed lawn, I had only one insightful thought.
“Oh my gosh, that grass looks like a bad haircut!”
It was time to mow the lawn.
I went to the garage and yanked out the extension cord. The orange electrical snake was a tangled mess.
“I don’t remember packing it that way,” I muttered to myself.
It’s the same reaction I have when I bring out the Christmas tree lights. There is no telling what naughty things cords do when placed in boxes and left unsupervised. Is this how they mate?
However, rather than try to solve this universal mystery (second only to what happens to all the missing socks from the dryer) I decided to literally make hay while the sun shines. I pulled out the grass catcher. After several attempts, I gave up on how to get the grass catcher to work. It had been more than a decade since I mowed the lawn (due to desert landscaping and not willful neglect.) Finally I remembered that I NEVER could figure out how the darn thing worked. The answer to that mystery left with my ex¬¬ husband.
“Oh well,” I thought. “I’ll just mow and rake afterward.”
I mowed about six inches and the cord disconnected. This was the first of 86 disconnections, 157 swear words from me and 4,682 snickers from my new neighbors. The cord in the wall outlet worked fine, but the prong on the outlet in the handle of the mower was bent and came loose easily.
I suppose I could have taken the time to fix the problem, but after experiencing the fickle nature of Washington weather, I figured I better trudge ahead. Part of my concern was my environmentally-friendly electric mower does not have a lot of power. In the past I had neglected my lush Arizona lawn for a week and when I tried to mow through my backyard jungle, the engine overheated and caught fire (true story.)
With no money, no mower and more grass than ever, I was forced to ask my sister, Tina, if I could borrow her machine. This seemingly innocuous contraption was later dubbed, “The Beast.” The first problem started when I tried to get “el pain-in-the-grass” into my mini van. Neither Tina, my friend, Andrea, (who came along to assist) nor I are weight lifters, so this took some doing. However, after much laughing, crying and swearing, we finagled the mower into the van. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the door to close. So, in my aggravation (and impatient desire to get my grass cut) I had Andrea drive the van and I sat on the floor, held onto the seat with one hand and The Beast with the other.
Once we unloaded the mower at my house (thankfully only a mile away) we faced the next problem. I pulled and pulled on the starter cord, but the engine would not engage. Assuming my arm was weak from the drive, Andrea gave it a shot. She tugged until she pulled a muscle in her shoulder. My friend and roommate, Vanessa, also took her turn with the beast and wounded her arm (and pride) in the process. However, it finally started, I mowed the lawn and somehow returned The Beast back to Tina. On payday I bought another lawn mower.
Because I could get an environmental rebate from my utility company, I bought the exact same model electric mower as I had before. In retrospect, this is akin to breaking up with someone and asking if they have an identical twin you can date.
But I digress. Back to my Washington lawn.
I would mow, replug the cord, stop, toss the cord out of my way, mow, stop, make sure that the lump of brown stuff was mud and not a deposit from a former canine resident, mow, stop, replug again, swear and start the process all over.
Then I tried to mow uphill. I don’t know who is weaker, me or my electric mower. It was 40 degrees outside and I was sweating more than I did in the desert. I tried changing the direction of my mowing, getting a head of steam and trying to run up the hill, and finally just mowing downhill (the cord kept disconnecting anyway, so what the heck.)
Finally, the job was done. And a good thing too, as the sun disappeared and the rain fell on my newly mowed yard.
So what is the morale of this story you may ask? Does this anecdote depict the importance of perseverance, the value of overcoming obstacles, or something more mundane like the benefits of hiring a lawn service?
I’ll let you, dear reader, decide for yourself.
I just know that when I woke up the next day, gazed out the front window to admire the handiwork of my newly mowed lawn, I had only one insightful thought.
“Oh my gosh, that grass looks like a bad haircut!”
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Change, Flying Laptops and Staying Cool Under Pressure
Change is inevitable, but sometimes it’s a pain. For instance, my kind and loving spouse, CB, bought me a new computer. I used it for the first time while we were traveling to Washington. I type a lot, but the keyboard is a little different and I keep hitting keys that change the size of the text, move what I wrote to different parts of the page and sometimes toss me into hidden parts of the computer that I didn’t know existed. It’s as if a little gremlin is playing jokes on me.
Of course I know it’s my hand placement, not a computer devil. But the experience is creating a little internal demon in me. I have to fight the urge to take my new laptop and throw it out the window. When I finally took a break from my task I realized that I had ground my watch band into my wrist. My computer at home has a wrist guard, so this is usually not a problem. Ironically, I did not even notice the discomfort until I took a break. However, now that I see the words “stainless steel band - China” are imprinted in my wrist like a tattoo, I want to curse all things electronic, items made in China, all gifts from my spouse, computers, as well as the very world that doesn’t stay the same long enough for a luddite like me to adjust.
Of course it makes no sense to curse devices, or all thing remotely connected to the source of our aggravation, but how often have we engaged in this senseless behavior? The truth is that all of us have situations in our lives that evoke a sense of anger. That is why we addressed the issue in our book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. Here are a few tips that may help.
ERASE NEGATIVITY
•When you start to lose control or feel angry, move away from the situation or person that is causing the infuriating reaction. If at all possible, take a walk. Do not drive when you are mad.
•Choose your words carefully. Replace irate language and thoughts with more rational ones. Instead of thinking, “this is awful,” “everything is ruined,” try saying, “this is frustrating, but it’s not the end of the world.”
•Every time you feel yourself entertaining angry thoughts, hold your hand out and say, “Stop!” Even if you have to stop yourself 100 times a day, do it until you feel you are in control again.
•Avoid absolute words like “never” or “always” when talking about yourself or someone else.
•Remind yourself that getting upset will not fix the situation. Angry outbursts will alienate others. Even if your fury provides a temporary feeling of power, in the long run, you could actually make things much worse.
EMBRACE THE MAGIC WITHIN
•Close your eyes. Breathe deeply through your nose. Put your hand beneath your breast and feel your diaphragm filling with air. You do not want to inhale through your chest. Hold your breath for a count of 10. Release the air through your mouth. Do this at least five times.
•As you inhale, repeat a soothing word or phrase such as “I am calm” or “relax.”
•Close your eyes and smile for at least 30 seconds to one minute. While you are smiling, repeat in your mind that you are calm and happy. It is impossible to stay angry when you are smiling. This may feel silly at first, but give it a try anyway.
•Visualize a relaxing experience. This image can either be from your past, or your imagination. Hold the image for at least one minute and continue to breathe deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
François de la Rochefoucauld once wrote, “The only thing constant in life is change.”
Since change is inevitable, the best thing to do is to find a way to reduce our aggravation about it and find a way to make it work for us. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “We change, whether we like it or not” so we might as well change for the better and enjoy the benefits of erasing our negativity and embracing the magic within.
Of course I know it’s my hand placement, not a computer devil. But the experience is creating a little internal demon in me. I have to fight the urge to take my new laptop and throw it out the window. When I finally took a break from my task I realized that I had ground my watch band into my wrist. My computer at home has a wrist guard, so this is usually not a problem. Ironically, I did not even notice the discomfort until I took a break. However, now that I see the words “stainless steel band - China” are imprinted in my wrist like a tattoo, I want to curse all things electronic, items made in China, all gifts from my spouse, computers, as well as the very world that doesn’t stay the same long enough for a luddite like me to adjust.
Of course it makes no sense to curse devices, or all thing remotely connected to the source of our aggravation, but how often have we engaged in this senseless behavior? The truth is that all of us have situations in our lives that evoke a sense of anger. That is why we addressed the issue in our book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. Here are a few tips that may help.
ERASE NEGATIVITY
•When you start to lose control or feel angry, move away from the situation or person that is causing the infuriating reaction. If at all possible, take a walk. Do not drive when you are mad.
•Choose your words carefully. Replace irate language and thoughts with more rational ones. Instead of thinking, “this is awful,” “everything is ruined,” try saying, “this is frustrating, but it’s not the end of the world.”
•Every time you feel yourself entertaining angry thoughts, hold your hand out and say, “Stop!” Even if you have to stop yourself 100 times a day, do it until you feel you are in control again.
•Avoid absolute words like “never” or “always” when talking about yourself or someone else.
•Remind yourself that getting upset will not fix the situation. Angry outbursts will alienate others. Even if your fury provides a temporary feeling of power, in the long run, you could actually make things much worse.
EMBRACE THE MAGIC WITHIN
•Close your eyes. Breathe deeply through your nose. Put your hand beneath your breast and feel your diaphragm filling with air. You do not want to inhale through your chest. Hold your breath for a count of 10. Release the air through your mouth. Do this at least five times.
•As you inhale, repeat a soothing word or phrase such as “I am calm” or “relax.”
•Close your eyes and smile for at least 30 seconds to one minute. While you are smiling, repeat in your mind that you are calm and happy. It is impossible to stay angry when you are smiling. This may feel silly at first, but give it a try anyway.
•Visualize a relaxing experience. This image can either be from your past, or your imagination. Hold the image for at least one minute and continue to breathe deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
François de la Rochefoucauld once wrote, “The only thing constant in life is change.”
Since change is inevitable, the best thing to do is to find a way to reduce our aggravation about it and find a way to make it work for us. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “We change, whether we like it or not” so we might as well change for the better and enjoy the benefits of erasing our negativity and embracing the magic within.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Cleaning Out Hearts, Souls and Toilets
I’ve seen a few articles about spring cleaning in the newspaper and on television. I’m semi-motivated to do a little seasonal clean-up – but I thought it would be so much nicer to write about it than to actually do it. It reminds me of a former boss of mine who said that every time she had the desire to exercise she sat down until the feeling went away.
I used to be very enthusiastic about cleaning. Needless to say, this “need to clean” has long since lost its luster. I appreciate a clean house, and my house is always presentable, but the excitement of polishing furniture, vacuuming carpets and scrubbing the bathroom is not my idea of a good time.
In my youth, I actually enjoyed cleaning. I’d play my favorite Bonnie Raitt tapes and I’d scrub while grooving to the music. I remember my youngest daughter, Brittany, who was maybe 4 years old at the time, would run through the house with her hands on her ears and yell, “No! No more Bonnie Raitt!” I think I should have played more than one album over and over.
Another one of my pet peeves is clutter. I love getting rid of things more than most people enjoy collecting it. I would love to live a simple life with fewer attachments, but this has never happened because I’m always partnered with hoarders. My mother was a product of the Depression, so she kept everything. Why she thought the utility bill stubs from 1946 would come in handy, I’ll never know. However, it isn’t uncommon, because my spouse, CB, not only keeps everything, somehow my spousal pack rat inherited the family archive of utility bills, doctor bills, college tuition payments etc. as well. All of these items are at least 30 years old – and some are old enough to collect social security.
I don’t want you to think I’m wasteful. When I have things, I do use them. And I am a huge believer in reuse and recycle. But after a while it is time to let go. That is why I felt vindicated when I interviewed Lisa Montgomery, one of the top feng shui practitioners in the southwest, about how to improve the energy in the home.
Here are some tips that are listed in the Home Sweet Home Chapter.
• Give the house a thorough cleaning. Qi stagnates in a messy environment. Not everyone enjoys cleaning, but your life is worth it. Clean up your act and keep it that way.
• Get rid of clutter.
• Box items you don’t use and put a date on it. If you haven’t used it in a year, sell it, give it away or donate it to charity.
• Take an inventory of the things in your house. Pay attention to how each object makes you feel. If you experience a negative sensation, get rid of it.
• Surround yourself with things you love. If that means getting rid of that ugly lamp you inherited from Aunt Tilly, so be it. You don’t wear Aunt Tilly’s clothes and you don’t have to live with her ugly furnishings.
It’s raining today. It’s a perfect daytime for cleaning. It’s not my favorite chore, but I’m going to do it. I see a few stacks of papers to recycle, some magazine that I will donate to the library, and the toilets…well…I don’t need to go into that. Well, actually I DO need to “go” in there, but I digress. Sometimes you just have to buck up and get things done – pleasant or otherwise.
For those of you who would like to clean a little negativity out your hearts and minds, please pick up a copy of my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. It's $15 on Amazon, but you can still get it at the sale price of $12.99 at several bookstores in Arizona, California, Colorado and Washington.
If you contact me through my website www.EraseNegativity.com or email me at Markspr@cox.net I can send an autographed copy of the book for $15 and I'll pay the shipping. Happy cleaning...
I used to be very enthusiastic about cleaning. Needless to say, this “need to clean” has long since lost its luster. I appreciate a clean house, and my house is always presentable, but the excitement of polishing furniture, vacuuming carpets and scrubbing the bathroom is not my idea of a good time.
In my youth, I actually enjoyed cleaning. I’d play my favorite Bonnie Raitt tapes and I’d scrub while grooving to the music. I remember my youngest daughter, Brittany, who was maybe 4 years old at the time, would run through the house with her hands on her ears and yell, “No! No more Bonnie Raitt!” I think I should have played more than one album over and over.
Another one of my pet peeves is clutter. I love getting rid of things more than most people enjoy collecting it. I would love to live a simple life with fewer attachments, but this has never happened because I’m always partnered with hoarders. My mother was a product of the Depression, so she kept everything. Why she thought the utility bill stubs from 1946 would come in handy, I’ll never know. However, it isn’t uncommon, because my spouse, CB, not only keeps everything, somehow my spousal pack rat inherited the family archive of utility bills, doctor bills, college tuition payments etc. as well. All of these items are at least 30 years old – and some are old enough to collect social security.
I don’t want you to think I’m wasteful. When I have things, I do use them. And I am a huge believer in reuse and recycle. But after a while it is time to let go. That is why I felt vindicated when I interviewed Lisa Montgomery, one of the top feng shui practitioners in the southwest, about how to improve the energy in the home.
Here are some tips that are listed in the Home Sweet Home Chapter.
• Give the house a thorough cleaning. Qi stagnates in a messy environment. Not everyone enjoys cleaning, but your life is worth it. Clean up your act and keep it that way.
• Get rid of clutter.
• Box items you don’t use and put a date on it. If you haven’t used it in a year, sell it, give it away or donate it to charity.
• Take an inventory of the things in your house. Pay attention to how each object makes you feel. If you experience a negative sensation, get rid of it.
• Surround yourself with things you love. If that means getting rid of that ugly lamp you inherited from Aunt Tilly, so be it. You don’t wear Aunt Tilly’s clothes and you don’t have to live with her ugly furnishings.
It’s raining today. It’s a perfect daytime for cleaning. It’s not my favorite chore, but I’m going to do it. I see a few stacks of papers to recycle, some magazine that I will donate to the library, and the toilets…well…I don’t need to go into that. Well, actually I DO need to “go” in there, but I digress. Sometimes you just have to buck up and get things done – pleasant or otherwise.
For those of you who would like to clean a little negativity out your hearts and minds, please pick up a copy of my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. It's $15 on Amazon, but you can still get it at the sale price of $12.99 at several bookstores in Arizona, California, Colorado and Washington.
If you contact me through my website www.EraseNegativity.com or email me at Markspr@cox.net I can send an autographed copy of the book for $15 and I'll pay the shipping. Happy cleaning...
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Student of Happiness
I returned to my alma mater today. I gave my spouse, CB, a ride to school and chose to hang out near the music building and use the venue to do a little writing. I spend a lot of time in my home office, so sometimes it’s helpful to have a change of scenery.
I graduated from community college in 1985. It was an 11-year process to earn a two-year degree. I’m sure many folks thought I’d never finish. But, if I am anything, I am persistent. Once I moved on to Arizona State University I completed my bachelor’s degree in three years. So in total, it took me 14 years to earn a four-year degree. However, in my defense, I gave birth to both of my daughters, worked part time and still kept up with my responsibilities of being a wife, parent and volunteer.
If I had gone to school full time during that time during my 14-year educational stint perhaps I could have done something more prestigious, like become an orthopedic surgeon. Instead of wielding a scalpel, I have a pen and computer. I do not have a MD after my name, but I am a healer of sorts. That is why I decided to co-write the new, self-help book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. My co-author, Jackie, and I saw people in pain and we decided to do something to help.
It all started when Jackie and I were discussing some of our favorite self-help books and how they had helped us. Then the conversation shifted to people we knew who were in terrible emotional pain and very negative because of it. We wondered, “What would it take to help someone like that?” We brainstormed and decided that there needed to be some sort of primer, or “read this first” book that could help them erase their negativity. Then once they were no longer entrenched in negativity, they could go on and enjoy the optimistic messages in other books. Our thought was that if a person doesn’t erase their negativity first, any optimistic front would just fall apart.
I’ll be honest, sometimes ongoing education is a pain. After my marathon process to earn a Bachelor’s degree, it was years before I wanted to park my butt on one of those uncomfortable little wooden desks and listen to a lecture again. But I did. I also learn in other ways such as webinars, reading, attending lectures etc. Like it or not, we are always learning new things. Sometimes we continue the educational process by replaying old, negative messages about our past. That is about as useful as studying for a urine test. But I digress.
Whether or not you are in a classroom, learning is a life-long process. For instance, Jackie and I chose to focus our energy on the topic of erasing negativity. Why? Because negativity is a killer of happiness, a robber of the spirit and the best friend of despair. No one is born negativity (although I’ve met some crabby babies.) Pessimism is a habit we learned. The good news is we can take steps to learn how to erase it.
That is why I’m reaching out to individuals to offer free, 30-minute phone consultations to the first five individuals who qualify for this offer (yes I make you fill out a form, but it is not a big deal.) Please contact me through my blog, www.erasenegativity.blogspot.com, website, www.erasenegativity.com or email me at MarksPR@cox.net and let me know if you are interested.
Forget about the old cliché about you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. There is no time like the present to begin a new journey toward a happier, magical life. I look forward to hearing from you. Now go home. Class dismissed.
I graduated from community college in 1985. It was an 11-year process to earn a two-year degree. I’m sure many folks thought I’d never finish. But, if I am anything, I am persistent. Once I moved on to Arizona State University I completed my bachelor’s degree in three years. So in total, it took me 14 years to earn a four-year degree. However, in my defense, I gave birth to both of my daughters, worked part time and still kept up with my responsibilities of being a wife, parent and volunteer.
If I had gone to school full time during that time during my 14-year educational stint perhaps I could have done something more prestigious, like become an orthopedic surgeon. Instead of wielding a scalpel, I have a pen and computer. I do not have a MD after my name, but I am a healer of sorts. That is why I decided to co-write the new, self-help book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within. My co-author, Jackie, and I saw people in pain and we decided to do something to help.
It all started when Jackie and I were discussing some of our favorite self-help books and how they had helped us. Then the conversation shifted to people we knew who were in terrible emotional pain and very negative because of it. We wondered, “What would it take to help someone like that?” We brainstormed and decided that there needed to be some sort of primer, or “read this first” book that could help them erase their negativity. Then once they were no longer entrenched in negativity, they could go on and enjoy the optimistic messages in other books. Our thought was that if a person doesn’t erase their negativity first, any optimistic front would just fall apart.
I’ll be honest, sometimes ongoing education is a pain. After my marathon process to earn a Bachelor’s degree, it was years before I wanted to park my butt on one of those uncomfortable little wooden desks and listen to a lecture again. But I did. I also learn in other ways such as webinars, reading, attending lectures etc. Like it or not, we are always learning new things. Sometimes we continue the educational process by replaying old, negative messages about our past. That is about as useful as studying for a urine test. But I digress.
Whether or not you are in a classroom, learning is a life-long process. For instance, Jackie and I chose to focus our energy on the topic of erasing negativity. Why? Because negativity is a killer of happiness, a robber of the spirit and the best friend of despair. No one is born negativity (although I’ve met some crabby babies.) Pessimism is a habit we learned. The good news is we can take steps to learn how to erase it.
That is why I’m reaching out to individuals to offer free, 30-minute phone consultations to the first five individuals who qualify for this offer (yes I make you fill out a form, but it is not a big deal.) Please contact me through my blog, www.erasenegativity.blogspot.com, website, www.erasenegativity.com or email me at MarksPR@cox.net and let me know if you are interested.
Forget about the old cliché about you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. There is no time like the present to begin a new journey toward a happier, magical life. I look forward to hearing from you. Now go home. Class dismissed.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Shifting My Attitude To Earn More Money
I was interviewed by Vickie Champion on a series of questions of “Things I Wish I knew in my 20s about (money, relationships, health etc.) I’m one of several men and women who are featured on her you tube site.
Here are my thoughts on “What I wish I knew in my 20s about money.”
“When I was growing up there was a lot of fear in our house about not having enough money. I remember the milk man knocked on the door to collect his payment and my mother had told my older sister to tell him she wasn’t home. I didn’t know about this arrangement so I poked my head into the doorway and said, “She’s home. She’s in the bedroom.” I remember my sister brushed me aside and the milkman came back a few days later after my mom received money from my dad’s paycheck. I remember asking my mom about money and she showed us the bills and how much money came in and how much needed to go out. I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I never asked for money after. Not even the dues for girl scouts (a dime a week). I just told them my girl scout leader I forgot the money. Eventually I stopped going – even though I enjoyed it.
This fear of not having enough money stayed with me as an adult. I also had this misguided notion that if I DID acquire more money – such as working an extra shift as a waitress – I was somehow taking it from someone else.
That was decades ago and I’ve become a little wiser.
One thing I wish I knew in my 20s about money is The Law of Attraction - or that like attracts like. For example, fear of not having enough put me in the perfect position for creating more of what I don’t have – enough money. However, the opposite is also true. Believing that there is an abundance of money, opportunity, good health and happiness for me to enjoy, helped me attract more in my life.
Now I have a new mantra. I say, “I am happy, healthy and prosperous.” Another one is “Money comes easily to me.” Once I changed my attitude about attracting money – things got a lot easier. So if there is one thing I wish in my 20s about money is that you attract what you focus on – so you might as well focus on something great.”
I recently put this idea to work - again. My health insurance and other expenses increased so I knew I needed to earn more money. I suffered a moment of dread (I AM human after all) but quickly realized this type of panic-based thinking would only make things worse. Instead of immersing myself in a pity party, I shifted my attitude, released my fear, focused on creativity and abundance and dove into action. Before long I had a list of opportunities to explore regarding gaining new clients and increasing opportunities for my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.
Guess what happened? Doors started opening, I earned a spot as a guest on two top-notch radio shows, a client expanded my services for an extra $250 for the next three months, I booked my major client on a television show and I stretched two single hits into doubles in softball.
No one is immune from setbacks, but the faster we can move on to more productive and creative thinking and action, the faster we will reach our goals.
In honor of the Chinese New Year I would like to end with a quote from Confucius.
"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."
Here are my thoughts on “What I wish I knew in my 20s about money.”
“When I was growing up there was a lot of fear in our house about not having enough money. I remember the milk man knocked on the door to collect his payment and my mother had told my older sister to tell him she wasn’t home. I didn’t know about this arrangement so I poked my head into the doorway and said, “She’s home. She’s in the bedroom.” I remember my sister brushed me aside and the milkman came back a few days later after my mom received money from my dad’s paycheck. I remember asking my mom about money and she showed us the bills and how much money came in and how much needed to go out. I was probably 8 or 9 years old. I never asked for money after. Not even the dues for girl scouts (a dime a week). I just told them my girl scout leader I forgot the money. Eventually I stopped going – even though I enjoyed it.
This fear of not having enough money stayed with me as an adult. I also had this misguided notion that if I DID acquire more money – such as working an extra shift as a waitress – I was somehow taking it from someone else.
That was decades ago and I’ve become a little wiser.
One thing I wish I knew in my 20s about money is The Law of Attraction - or that like attracts like. For example, fear of not having enough put me in the perfect position for creating more of what I don’t have – enough money. However, the opposite is also true. Believing that there is an abundance of money, opportunity, good health and happiness for me to enjoy, helped me attract more in my life.
Now I have a new mantra. I say, “I am happy, healthy and prosperous.” Another one is “Money comes easily to me.” Once I changed my attitude about attracting money – things got a lot easier. So if there is one thing I wish in my 20s about money is that you attract what you focus on – so you might as well focus on something great.”
I recently put this idea to work - again. My health insurance and other expenses increased so I knew I needed to earn more money. I suffered a moment of dread (I AM human after all) but quickly realized this type of panic-based thinking would only make things worse. Instead of immersing myself in a pity party, I shifted my attitude, released my fear, focused on creativity and abundance and dove into action. Before long I had a list of opportunities to explore regarding gaining new clients and increasing opportunities for my book, Erase Negativity and Embrace the Magic Within.
Guess what happened? Doors started opening, I earned a spot as a guest on two top-notch radio shows, a client expanded my services for an extra $250 for the next three months, I booked my major client on a television show and I stretched two single hits into doubles in softball.
No one is immune from setbacks, but the faster we can move on to more productive and creative thinking and action, the faster we will reach our goals.
In honor of the Chinese New Year I would like to end with a quote from Confucius.
"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence."
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