Change

Good Morning,

The mind in its natural clear state is always fundamentally open. We tend to cloud our own natural inherent clarity with doubt, hesitation, fear, anxiety, and all kinds of self protective habitual patterns. We can regain the natural radiant clarity of our minds by exploring and reversing some of these patterns. Just as we tend to our gardens, we can cultivate openness and clarity while noting and dissolving the habits that obscure it in the first place.

This may all sound like simple advice, but how many of us openly face the scenarios and dramas our minds create? How many of us recognize the fact that our minds feed us false information, create dramas, and experience feelings that serve no real purpose? Now how many of us would like to have the intelligence and insight to recognize these moments and the courage and willingness to deal with them as they arise?

Believe it or not, in some ways we have trained ourselves to possess the qualities that cause us the most harm. These can include being self centered, uptight, jealous, or short tempered. Remember all states of being ARE LEARNED. We may not know when, how, or why we learned doubt ourselves. . . but we DID learn it. The good news is that we can also train and teach ourselves to be expansive, open, generous, and patient.

Our thoughts are not as solid as we make them out to be. They actually come and go in a somewhat random and haphazard fashion. We have a tendency to repeat certain patterns because they become familiar. It is entirely possible to step out of these patterns altogether and through mindfulness develop more positive habits that benefit ourselves and others.

We create our world and our society everyday in our collective minds. It is there that we create the societies that we live in and laws that govern them. It is with our minds that we raise our children and regulate our world. There is always talk of wanting to change the world, to make a better place for ourselves and others.

We can do so. . .all we need to do is change our minds. :)

Peace and Love, Jim

The Path

Good Morning,

As we live we may have a feeling we are making some kind of journey and that it has shape and direction. We are going from here to there, with some specific idea of where we have been and where we are going. The issue is that this approach is based on and idealized version of our experience. In reality, our journey is unfolding as we go along.

Learning to bring full attention to that journey is what some call the "path." As countless people (Jesus, Buddha, Ghandi to name a few) have pointed out before us "the path is the goal." This means that what we experience as "obstacles" along the way is usually just a sense of "OUR OWN EXPECTATIONS FALLING APART." These same obstacles can be viewed differently, as the basis for re-engaging our attention and working through whatever arises.

A revolutionary approach for me personally is to see that the OBSTACLES CAN ACTUALLY BECOME THE STEPPING STONES OF MY PATH. That my irritations, boredom, emotional upheavals, and wandering mind are the basis of the path itself, they are in effect the foundation of what we have to work with! Without obstacles would there really be a path at all?

By touching in on these difficult aspects of our experience - really tasting them (compared to running from them) and then allowing them to exist without judgement or manipulation - we are tuning into a new kind of spaciousness that is refreshing and creative.

Have a beautiful day and carry this thought: The path of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.

Peace and Love, Jim

Mind

Good Morning,

I know many people who work out and exercise on a regular basis (myself included). Ask anyone of them why and they will most likely say to be healthy and know the limits of what they are capable. Many people who exercise regularly forget one of the most important workouts - mental training.

Yes mental training. We should give some effort to training our minds because everything begins there. It may seem strange but many of us don't know our own mind. We can practice (through mindfulness) recognizing when our mind and body or not integrated: The body is right here but our mind is somewhere else. When we bring effort to the the practice of bringing mind and body together, we develop a more harmonious, efficient, and creative relationship with ourselves and the world.

Working with our minds is a process of uncovering and understanding layers of discursive thinking and habitual patterns. When we do this we must take an open and nonjudgmental attitude towards whatever we discover. By doing so we can work with our present situation without adding stress and ambition. The point here is simple; Whatever body we have, whatever mind we have, whatever our circumstances, we should look at it with an open heart and a spirit of exploration.

Avoid judgement or harsh criticism when getting to know your mind, these only set you up for bitterness and discursiveness. Instead slowly replace judgement with curiosity, why do I want that? What is making me feel this way? Why am I letting this affect me in this way? You will quickly find that there is more room to expand, to see and understand when we remove the harsh light and language of self criticism. You will find room to grow.

When the body and mind work together we can fully experience clarity of mind and radiant health. It's the recipe for confidence, interest and friendliness in our lives. We need not look outside or ourselves for these virtues, for they are with us us and available to us at all times. If we only know how to work with our minds.

Have a gorgeous day and hold this thought: Once you start a working on something, don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.

Peace and Love, Jim

Magic Hat

Good Morning,

I was twelve years old the first time life taught me a Noble Truth (the second one). My parents had taken us shopping, and I saw a magic hat kit that looked so fantastic it took my breath away. My father saw my reaction, and he remarked, You don't need any more magic tricks, you have plenty.

But that wasn't true -- nothing I had was near as magical as what was portrayed on the fantastic package for the magic hat kit. It came with a top hat that would vanish rabbits (not included) and produce milk all at the wave of the included magic wand. I wanted that magic hat more than I had ever wanted anything.

After seeing it in the store, the TV commercials began and soon I could think of nothing else, and I could not contemplate living without it. So I started cutting lawns after school. I worked hard and saved everything and each day I thought about the object of my desire. The magic hat provided me with many wonderful fantasies, and soon my entire future and even my very identity became designed around it.

The day came when i finally had saved enough money to purchase the hat and my mother took me to buy it that very weekend. The ride home seemed endless as I eagerly anticipated ripping the box open and becoming the magician of my dreams. When we finally got home I ran to my bedroom to open the box in private, after all magicians do not reveal secrets.

I will always remember opening that box and seeing a cheap plastic hat (that did not even fit my head) with poorly fitting parts and tricks so badly designed you could see how they were done simply by looking at the hat. My world was shattered. My grief overwhelmed me. I suffered every waking minute feeling cheated and tricked. My career as the world greatest magician had been ruined.

My father had a rule: Whatever we want or start is okay as long as we see it through to the bitter end. This included me learning every trick that came with the magic hat and giving a small performance for the family. From that moment on, every day my suffering unfolded like clockwork. While my friends were out skating in the neighborhood I would have to get out that hat and spend hours learning it's silly tricks.

These tedious sessions gave me time to reflect, and I realized that if I had not wanted that hat quite so much, if I had not painted such grand fantasies, life would definitely have been more to my liking at the time.

In all I endured two whole weeks of this drudge before I gave a small show to family and friends. It was not my best performance, but it allowed me to quietly cause the stupid hat to disappear without my parents noticing.

I recall this story often when I see myself wanting, craving or grasping for something and it is one that effectively reminds me of what cravings and desires can lead to when we place the wrong values on them. I did go on to have a successful little career as one of the youngest magicians on the circuit. I eventually did amaze and wow audiences of all ages and I did so with nothing more than everyday items and some professional tricks acquired over time.

That silly little plastic hat may have disappointed me, but the lesson it taught, enlightened me.

Have a beautiful weekend.

Peace and Love, Jim

Perceptions

Good Morning,

With mindfulness it's easy to see how every perception or thought I have defines who I am. What I see is a product of what I am able or inclined to see. What I say only describes my own mentality, nothing else. Indeed, what else could I possibly undertake to describe other than my own perceptions? In keeping with this idea, I have observed that everyone's judgments and opinions reveal more about themselves than anyone else. It's uncanny how often people describe themselves when speaking of others.

A few years ago on a speaking tour I met two co-speakers in a hotel restaurant, and we soon fell into a conversation about the desk clerk. The first man said, Did you see how slow this guy is? I'm glad he's not on my payroll! The second man replied, Slow I could take, but his smiling all the time would drive me nuts!

Well, at least he's mellow,I offered, having observed this man to be unusually content, as if he were at peace with himself..

Further conversation at the bar revealed that the first man had lost his own business, and was now undergoing stress management therapy. The second man had been unemployed for some time, then divorced, and was in an unhappy period of his life.

As for myself, I was happily engaged in a creative project at the time, and to my perception the man in question was simply enjoying his life.

Have a beautiful day and perceive this: It is one of the most common mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive. Look beyond your own views and see there are no limits.

Peace and Love, Jim

Secure

Good Morning,

I am overwhelmed by the obsession in this country with security. Everything seems to be about becoming secure. Why, when everyone is more obsessed with security than ever before, do most people feel more insecure than ever before? What is security? Is it even possible? More importantly is it the point of our existence? Because it doesn't feel like becoming secure is why I am here.

To learn how to love, connect and bring about peace we need to look at how to reverse the current paradigm that so desperately rushes us down toward a more secure less free fate. The more we become obsessed about being secure, the more narrow we become. The more fundamentalist, the more terrified of risk, and the more unable to step outside of our own little tribes, frameworks, houses and nations.

Many believe that in order to achieve and maintain freedom we must secure it, lock it down and manage it. Unfortunately i have not yet seen the math work out that way (so to speak). What we really need to ask ourselves is what is security? All things in life are transient by nature so how secure can we make life? The point is to become free: free of fear, free of attachment, free of jealousy, free of all those things.

Have a beautiful day and remember this - The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage.

Peace and Love, Jim

Seeds and Chickens

Good Morning,

So many friends and people I meet lately seem to be trading in their routines, un-fulfilling jobs and preconceptions about a full life in for something else. A chance to find and create their own happiness on their own terms. It is a brave decision and not one for the faint of heart, but it seems to be working those I have spoken with and witness in my daily life.

It is a good thing and reminds me of a simple children's parable.

Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile soil.

The first seed said, I want to grow! I want to send my roots deep into the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth's crust above me ... I want to unfurl my tender buds like banners to announce the arrival of spring ... I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals!

And so she grew...

The second seed said, I am afraid. If I send my roots into the ground below, I don't know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts ... what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe.

And so she waited...

A yard hen scratching around in the early spring ground for food found the waiting seed and promptly ate it. Soak up the rays and shine my friends, soak it up and shine!

Peace and Love, Jim

Starting

Good Morning,

When we wake up in the morning what is our first thought? Usually it begins with some variation of "what about me". For example we may say; I hardly slept at all last night, I am so tired or I have so much to do today, how will I ever get it done. In both cases we are are starting the day off with our own concerns. There is nothing inherently selfish bout this, but if these types of thoughts start our day, then they ultimately drive our lives and fear and self absorption rule us. We become so fixated with our own happiness that our minds begin to shrink. Our days become full of difficulty because other people are inevitably getting in the way of our plan.

In our modern culture, we often feel we do not have enough; we need more to be complete. What if we have not learned what is enough? Then even when we have enough, we will not know it. It is said that the pleasure of a king and beggar are the same. It does not matter if you're rich are poor - the determining factor of success and happiness is contentment. Understanding this does not mean we are always going to get the perfect parking spot or that everything will go our way. There are always going to be hassles. The difference is we will no longer take it personally - "why me".

With right understanding and a little less thinking about about self (always looking out for number 1) we will begin to realize that life simply happens and we can crumble beneath unfortunate events or use the power of our minds to rise above them. This requires feeling comfortable in our mind and heart. Try to begin every morning contemplating what we are going to do not only with our lives but the way our lives touch others. We will all grow by benefitting those around us.

If we have compassion, love and understanding for everyone - all beings, beyond notions of friends or enemies, all of our wishes will be fulfilled and the basis of true happiness is ours.

Have a wonderful day and consider this: Real happiness educates us out of self into something far finer; into a selflessness which links us with all people.

Peace and Love, Jim

Steps For A Better You

Good Morning,

As someone who had always suffered from low self esteem and a mind clouded with doubt I have collected and compiled many "steps" or items to do that have helped me overcome my poor mental training and habits. I thought I would end the week by sharing some of these steps and i encourage everyone to find a few here that appeal to them and take up practicing them for a week or so. I believe the difference that comes from a subtle shift in perception and attitude can be quite powerful and life changing. It's not magic or crazy fantasizing, it's just working with your mind. Have a great weekend and remember you are perfect as you are, the mind just does not want to believe it! :)

Take full responsibility for your life. Stop blaming others. See yourself as the cause of what happens to you.

Do things you like to do. Don't stay in a job you don't like. Participate in life at the highest level you can.

Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. Be gentle and kind and patient with yourself.

Give yourself the simple pleasures of life abundantly. Wear clothes you feel good in, get a massage etc.

Watch what you say. Avoid self put-downs. Stop being critical of yourself and others.

Take care of your body. Give it exercise and good food.

Be willing to create a life-style that generates and nourishes self-esteem. Associate with others with high esteem.

Acknowledge yourself frequently. Keep a diary of your successes and accomplishments.

Avoid comparing yourself with others. Remember that it's who we are, not what we do, that's important.

Give yourself permission to do nothing periodically. periodically. Schedule time by yourself.

Frequently take deep breaths. Discover the benefit and pleasure of breathing fully.

Eat first class frequently. Don't look at the right side of the menu.

Stop trying to change others. Focus your attention on being the way you want others to be.

Look into a mirror regularly and say "I love you, I really love you".

Stop feeling guilty and saying "I'm sorry". See mistakes as valuable lessons and avoid judging yourself.

Consciously generate positive thoughts and feelings of self-love in place of old thoughts of inadequacy.

Be willing to laugh at yourself and at life. Stop taking yourself so seriously.

Accept compliments from others without embarrassment. Don't invalidate their positive thoughts and feelings about you.

Be kind to your mind. Don't hate yourself for having negative thoughts. Gently change your thoughts.

Keep your awareness and your thoughts focussed in present time instead of living in the past or future.

Acknowledge others frequently. Tell them what you like and appreciate in them.

Invest money in yourself. Go to seminars, workshops and courses that develop your talents.

Make a list of 10 things you love doing and do them frequently.

Treat yourself as you would treat someone you really loved. Praise yourself.

Peace and Love, Jim

One Step

Good Morning,

Some recent family events have opened the door to discussions of purpose and meaning in ones life, and how important it is at any age to understand that purpose and meaning in life are something you create not something you give, get or find around the next corner. If you want to feel more alive, commit yourself to purposeful endeavors. A life without commitments is a life without purpose. A life without purpose could lead to a life without meaning.

Begin projects that will take weeks, months or years to accomplish. Accept responsibilities that you may even regret in the future. Take a stand for a cause you believe in, and hold true to it regardless of what other people think. If it fills you with passion for life, then it will balance off the mundane obligations that once filled your days. Committing yourself to purposeful endeavors does not just add color to your life; it is the lifeline that connects you to the Source of all that is beautiful and meaningful.

If you are unhappy, give yourself over to making others happy. Do volunteer work at hospitals, shelters or nursing homes. Visit the sick, elderly or terminally ill. If you are shy or uncomfortable with people, do the same for animals. Animal rescue leagues and shelters are filled with cats and dogs that suffer from a lack of love. Just a simple smile, hug and a little attention can do wonders to heal and comfort any soul.

It doesn’t matter what you do. What matters is that you do something. Whether you help people or pets, create paintings or books, grow gardens or plants, the only requirement is that you make a commitment and follow through with a smile. Be willing to open your heart and put love in all that you do. By simply showing up and following through with your commitments, your presence, intentions and passion will be felt and appreciated throughout the world. And the ripple effect you create with your zest for life will fill your own heart with an abundance of love. In effect, you will have found happiness from a single purpose. Imagine the power of several new commitments.

It doesn’t matter if we are helping millions or a single individual, the simple act of making one other person’s life a little more comfortable, happier or filled with love is empowering beyond belief because we get back what we give to others. On the other hand, we can’t give what we don’t have. So your purpose may be to bring peace and comfort into your own life. This, too, will create a ripple effect that will influence the entire world.

Yet it all begins with one step—one commitment.

Peace and Love, Jim

Valentines Day

Good Morning,

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I remember making Valentine hearts for my mother and getting ready for the giving of Valentine cards at school (and all the candy!). It was one of the few holidays when an an oversensitive guy with an open heart could really be comfortable. I was one of those kids that gave everybody a Valentine card and could not wait to collect my own. It was silly, but I enjoyed it none-the-less.

These days I still enjoy the tradition and look forward to small holiday and it's hubbub. The fact that this heart-centered if not over-commercialized day falls around the same time as Tibetan New Year also reminds me to make new year's resolutions relating to those I love and renew my commitment to cultivating goodness of heart. My resolutions usually involve opening my heart and mind; listening better; learning to forgive and to love even those I don't know or even like; and coming to accept and bless the world, rather than fighting with it or trying to escape from it.

Today is a great day to reflect on the lessons I have learned and one of the greatest among life's lessons is how to love and to love well, and to BE love, as well to give and receive it. I believe love is central to not only to happiness, growth and fulfillment, but is really the answer to all of life's situations.

Happy Valentines day to each of you. You are loved.

Peace and Love, Jim

Impressions

Good Morning,

Life is not like taking a walk through a forest with an accurate compass. It's more like walking through a long, high labyrinth. A labyrinth is a circular path that will, if you just keep walking, bring you to the center. You may feel disoriented, not know exactly where you are, but you're not lost.

I walked a labyrinth once. A grand one located in Miami at the Viscaya Villa and gardens. I walked along the path taking deliberate steps, with my mind open and my heart listening. At the time, I was looking down as my foot made contact with the earth. A powerful emotion coursed through me. I realized that this footprint was completely unique. Never before seen, never again to be experienced as it is, even by me. It was wholly, completely it's own, created by the relationship of my foot to the ground. The moment was a dance of parts creating a whole: the blade of grass, the dirt, my foot, the surrounding air, and the sun that shone upon it. It was sacred, never to be again as it is now.

I once watched a documentary about the life of Buckminster Fuller called Thinking Out Loud. In his mid-twenties he went through an incredibly difficult period. His only daughter had died very young, when she was still a toddler, and he was drinking heavily to deal with the pain. As the story was told, he was contemplating suicide near a lake one evening. As he looked out over the water, he realized he could not kill himself. He had collected certain knowledge that was wholly his own, his footprint in this world, if you will. As such, he could not kill himself, as it was his obligation to share it with others.

I now understood his reasoning. You might not know where you're going, even how you got here, but know this much: where you are is exactly where you need to be. The unique footprint called "you" is being created now. Our own footprint may seem lacking at times, yet Buckminster Fuller saw hope in his footprint even at the darkest hour. This is the responsibility at hand: to see your footprint as it is, special and unique. The world needs your footprint.

But you have to see it first.

Peace and Love, Jim

Understanding

Good Morning,

Recently I have felt a little overloaded and overwhelmed at work. One particular client seems to run the entire studio through the ringer at least once a week. Despite my best efforts to maintain some sense of balance and understanding, they always seem to push the buttons that cause me to spiral into old habits and ways of reacting.

The predicament reminds me of a story told about Ralph Waldo Emerson, the famous nineteenth-century poet and essayist. Seems he was out one day trying to get a calf into the barn, but he made the common mistake of thinking only of what he wanted: Emerson pushed and his son pulled.. but the calf stiffened his legs and stubbornly refused to leave the pasture.

The housemaid saw their predicament. She couldn't write essays and books; but on this occasion at least, she had more horse sense, or calf sense, than Emerson. She put her maternal finger in the calf's mouth, and let the calf suck her finger as she gently led him into the barn.

The lesson is simple but profound: The best way to help and influence others is by considering their desires, not just our own.

Have a beautiful day!

Peace and Love, Jim

Small Gestures

Good Morning,

Today I am feeling a little under the weather, but I wanted to share a very touching story that was shared with me by a reader of the The Daily Buddha blog. It is a little long but it brought tears to my eyes with it's touching message. Find the time to read it and hopefully it move you to understand the power of our actions so matter how small.

(As told by Shane M.) One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.

His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"

There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "Damn boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous.

Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach... but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse.

Peace and Love, Jim

Against The Odds

Good Morning,

Years ago a John Hopkin's professor gave a group of graduate students this assignment: Go to the slums. Take 200 boys, between the ages of 12 and 16, and investigate their background and environment. Then predict their chances for the future.

The students, after consulting social statistics, talking to the boys, and compiling much data, concluded that 90 percent of the boys would spend some time in jail.

Twenty-five years later another group of graduate students was given the job of testing the prediction. They went back to the same area. Some of the boys - by then men - were still there, a few had died, some had moved away, but they got in touch with 180 of the original 200. They found that only four of the group had ever been sent to jail.

Why was it that these men, who had lived in a breeding place of crime, poverty and prejudice had such a surprisingly good record? The researchers were continually told: "Well, there was a teacher..."

They pressed further, and found that in 75 percent of the cases it was the same woman. The researchers went to this teacher, now living in a home for retired teachers. How had she exerted this remarkable influence over that group of children? Could she give them any reason why these boys should have remembered her?

"No," she said, "no I really couldn't." And then, thinking back over the years, she said amusingly, more to herself than to her questioners: "I loved those boys...."

Peace and Love, Jim

Bridges

Good Morning,

In the Indiana Jones movie, The Quest for The Holy Grail, Indy finds himself at the precipice of a bottomless chasm. On the other side of the abyss stands the sacred temple in which the cup of Christ awaits him. Indy has searched the entire world for the Holy Grail, defied all kinds rats, skeletons and villains, nearly lost his father, and risked death many times to come to this point.

Now he is so close and yet so far. Standing alone, looking down into this endless gorge, he remembers the instruction that was foretold to help him when he reached this point in his journey: Faith. Indy takes a deep breath and steps out over the chasm. He sees nothing to stand on, but he decides to follow the advice to *Trust*. As soon as he leans out over the abyss, a bridge appears and he finds himself fully supported on a solid mass. The entire chasm, which seemed quite impossible to mortal eyes, was but a test of Faith. The bridge was there all along, but it could only be seen by those who stepped onto it. Faith is the vision of things unseen. Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible.

How many bridges have you not crossed because you couldn't see them? How can you view things differently this time and notice the hidden gold within every fear or obstacle? Will you give yourself the permission to leap across the chasm of your fears?, knowing that when you do, you'll transform not only yourself, but your world as well?

How many missed opportunities for joy and fulfillment are waiting for you, right now as you read this? Can you see the possibilities of daring to Dream a bigger Dream for yourself, your family, your community, your world?

The possibilities are endless! As you become the co-creator of your world, you'll realize how incredible your power really is. As you share your Dream with others, you'll liberate them as well!

Dare to Dream my friends, DARE to Dream! and you'll build a bridge to your Dreams and in ways you haven't imagined!

Peace and Love, Jim

Bank

Good Morning,

Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day and every evening the bank deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course!!!!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day.

If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow". You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success!

Make the most of today.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade. To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper. To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the bus. To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident. Treasure every moment that you have! And Treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

Remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery and today is a gift. That's why it's called the present!

Peace and Love, Jim

Worry

Good Morning,

I have spoken a here in my posts a great deal about worry. I only do so because it is a state of mind that afflicts us all and one I personally feel we can all conquer and rid ourselves of. If we were to keep a record of all the things we worried about during a given period of time, we would discover, in reviewing them, that the great majority of our anticipated problems or troubles never come to pass. This means that most of the time we devote to worrying, even the constructive kind that prompts us to try to come up with a solution to what is troubling us, is wasted. Thus, we not only caused ourselves unnecessary mental anguish, but also took up valuable minutes and hours that could have been spent elsewhere.

To avoid this, it is often necessary to subject potential sources of worry to the coldly objective and analytical light of reason. Once, shortly before a major concert before a standing-room-only audience, a member of Arturo Toscanini's orchestra approached the great Italian conductor with an expression of sheer terror on his face. "Maestro," the musician fretted, "my instrument is not working properly. I cannot reach the note of E-flat. Whatever will I do? We are to begin in a few moments."

Toscanini looked at the man with utter amazement. Then he smiled kindly and placed an arm around his shoulders. "My friend," the maestro replied, "Do not worry about it. The note E-flat does not appear anywhere in the music that you will be playing this evening."

The next time we find ourselves in the middle of worrying about some matter, we might be wise to stop and ask ourselves what the odds are of the problem really coming to pass. We may be able to go on to something more constructive.

Have a beautiful day and carry this thought - Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.

Peace and Love, Jim

Thankful

Good Morning,

Growing up I believe we are all told or taught to be thankful, but many times we are not told what to be thankful for. In my case I always heard that we needed to be thankful for what we have (there are those with less) or to be thankful that I got anything at all. Although valuable lessons, these basic understandings never shed light on the fact that we should attempt to be thankful for all things. . .good, bad, painful or pleasurable. It was many years before the power of unconditional thanks became apparent. These days I am simply happy to be and appreciate all gifts of learning that come my way.

Take a look in your own life and find the gifts that maybe were overlooked or even avoided, you will be thankful. :)

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

Have a beautiful weekend! Peace and Love, Jim

Shake and Step

Good Morning,

One of my favorite parables is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' and after carefully assessing the situation, he decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on the mule that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like it would bury him, actually saved him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT US! Remember that reason, logic and a clear mind regardless of our situation are excellent ways to "SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

Peace and Love, Jim

Shake and Step

Good Morning,

One of my favorite parables is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' and after carefully assessing the situation, he decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on the mule that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, STEPPED TRIUMPHANTLY OVER THE WALL OF THAT WELL! What seemed like it would bury him, actually saved him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT US! Remember that reason, logic and a clear mind regardless of our situation are excellent ways to "SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

Peace and Love, Jim