Choosing the Best Possible Life

Take Time This Weekend to Think About This

I love weekends. Particularly long weekends. Time for long dog walks, introspection, and reflection. Time to figure out exactly what it is we're pursuing in life. Fittingly, with a quarter of the year having passed, Mark Morgan Ford gives you plenty to think about with three questions below. Take some time to reflect on these questions and let us know what you decide.

Craig Ballantyne

"You have only one life, and no one else will live it for you. Shouldn't you take the time right now to figure out what that life is all about?" - Harry Browne

---

By Mark Morgan Ford

Someone once said that the three most important decisions in life answer the following questions:

1. What are you going to do?
2. With whom?
3. And where?

I thought that was pretty nifty when I first encountered it 15 years ago. Today, I still think it is practical wisdom wrapped in a nutshell. From time to time, we should stop and consider the choices we have made--and can still make, however old we are--so that we can have the best possible lives.

My Career in 300 Words

When I was a child, I wanted to be many things--a policeman, a circus strongman, and a writer. Movie-generated illusions I had about the excitement and romance of such professions formed these ambitions.

My early work experience was very dull, since my youthfulness and poverty limited my job choices. I had a paper route and worked in the delicatessen down the street and in a car wash on the other side of town.

During my high school years, I worked weekends and summers as a grunt for hire, cleaning out warehouses, shoveling snow, painting houses, etc. In college, my buddies and I started our first real business, installing above ground pools all over Long Island. We had four crews running simultaneously, made what seemed like tons of money, and had fun. 

It was a very good introduction to entrepreneurship, but I knew it wasn't going to be my career. After getting a master's degree from the University of Michigan, I enrolled in the Peace Corps and went to Chad (in north-central Africa) for two years. There, I taught English literature at the University of Chad in N'Djamena.

In addition to teaching, I did some writing on the side (editing the Peace Corps newsletter and writing a book on local oral poetry) and got great enjoyment from it. So when I returned to the states in 1977, I began looking for a job as a writer. I got one with a small newsletter publishing company in Washington, D.C.

I was initially happy with that work, but after several years of doing the same research and writing virtually the same story every week, I told my boss I wanted to run his business. 

He agreed, and I did it. Two years later, I became the editorial director for a larger business in Florida. A year after that, I became my boss's partner. 

That, in a nutshell, is the history of my career. I have put it in front of you to make a point: 

The "what to do" in my life was not the result of thoughtful choice but of expedient decisions based on circumstances. It took me to a good place eventually, but the path, in retrospect, seems half accidental.
 
I believe that is true for most of us. We begin with youthful dreams. They dissipate with experience. We take a job to make ends meet, and then another to improve our income, and then another, and before we know it, we have had a "career." 

It is a meandering path. Sometimes, we find that what we are doing is something other than what we really want to do.

What Are You Doing?

As I said above, it is never too late to ask, "Am I doing what I want to do? Is it giving me all of the benefits I want and need? How close is it to my perfect job?"

Take a few moments now to think about it. It might help to look at this brief list that identifies what--for me--are the most important characteristics of the perfect job.

Your Perfect Job

• I would be happy to do the work I do for free.
• I believe it has value--to me and to the people who pay me for it.
• It is fully challenging. It engages both the logical and the creative sides of my brain.

If you find that the "what to do" of your life is not perfect, don't panic. If it is paying the bills, it is something. Our first responsibility, as moral citizens of the world, is to support the financial well-being of our families.

But if your work falls short in other areas--if, for example, it doesn't challenge your intelligence and imagination--you should commit to making changes.

If you are lucky, you may discover an opportunity to slip into your "perfect" job. More likely, you can move toward it step-by-step by making adjustments, as I did in my career. To help you in this regard, I recommend that you read my book The Pledge.
 
The Perfect Partner

I had always considered the question "with whom" to be about one's spouse. And that is probably its original meaning. But it is also relevant to one's occupation. 

The people with whom you work--your boss, your partners, your colleagues, and your employees--determine to a great extent both the satisfaction and the success you will have from your working life.

If you stop to think about the work experience you've had, you will realize that much of the pleasure or pain you've experienced came from the relationships you had--your interactions with the people with whom you worked.

And you may think that you have no choice in these matters. After all, you can't hire your boss. But in fact, you can. In choosing the business you work for, you are choosing your future colleagues. 

If you find yourself in a toxic work environment (a work environment that is political, rather than entrepreneurial), don't hesitate to look for a better company.

And when it comes time to hire employees, don't consider only their work skills and talents. Consider also whether or not you will enjoy working with them.

The following characteristics should help you choose the best possible partners:

• He/she respects you
• You have his/her back
• He/she has yours
• You don't expect him/her to change. You are happy with him/her as he/she is.

These four characteristics may seem obvious, but I managed to ignore them for most of my working life. Gradually, I came to recognize how important it was for me to make good choices in terms of partners. These are the characteristics that, after all of these years, seem most important to me.

The Perfect Place to Live

Where you live and work is important too. The physical environment you naturally prefer very much affects your perfect life. (Do you love the mountains, the plains, the beach? Do you prefer big, bustling cities or tranquil little towns?)

When you are starting out, you must go where the work is. But as you move up the ladder of business success, you will have more choice in the matter. This is especially true in today's world, where in so many industries one can work remotely.

Consider, also, your commute. Some people enjoy spending an hour or more every day commuting. They use this time profitably to listen to music or books on tape and so on. 

Other people--such as I--prefer a very short commute. Locating my office a mile from my home has enhanced the quality of my life. I can walk, bike, or drive there in less than 15 minutes.

More specifically, the quality of your immediate work environment--your office--affects the quality of your life. Since you are likely to be spending a big portion of your active day in that one place, make sure you like everything about it. 

Your office should not be an accidental, junky place that has what you need. It should be a haven where you can work productively and a bit of paradise filled with art and artifacts that give you pleasure.

Putting It All Together

Whether you are young or old, beginning a career or enjoying a retirement job, you can find good answers to all three questions.

Start today by thinking about the three questions I listed at the beginning of this essay. Conjure up your perfect life. And then begin the process of having it.

An Effective Solution

When conflicts arise, we tend to believe we are communicating correctly. It's the other person who has no clue. Of course, they are thinking the very same thing about us.



So, how do we resolve interpersonal conflicts?

First, we need to become aware that, while we are working unconsciously out of our own Belief System, our counterpart is doing exactly the same. And, we all think that the way we see the world is the same way everyone else sees the world. It's important realize the fact that - in practically every case where there is conflict - we are both working out of two very different sets of beliefs.

Next, we practice staying conscious of this; constantly "checking our premises" - qualifying that we are making decisions based not just on appearances but on what really is.

Here's a very effective way to work with "Beliefs" and Belief Systems in order to practically ensure that both you and the other person come out winners.

When in conflict or confrontation, ask yourself four questions:

1. How is my personal Belief System distorting the actual truth of the situation?

2. How is his or her personal Belief System distorting the actual truth of the situation?

3. What questions can I ask this person that will clarify my understanding of their version of the truth (their Belief System)?

4. What information can I give that will help them clarify their understanding of my version of the truth (my Belief System)?

As the saying goes, within conflict between two or more people, there are generally three truths: your truth, their truth, and the actual truth (those first two truths are actually beliefs).

Through questions, as well as a caring exchange of information, the real truth can usually be discovered, generating understanding, respect and peace. This leads to results in alignment with our Belief Systems in which both people win, feel great about the situation, and about each other.

You and I were both trained early on to think falsely about what we are capable of. What I’d like to do this week is undo those old knots and free you to expand your thinking into living a truly wealthy life.

I mean wealthy in every way! You are capable of vibrant health, having meaningful and fulfilling relationships, and deep enrichment giving your gifts to the world. Let’s reprogram your bank account for even more riches to come pouring in. Let’s reprogram your heart for even more love. Your mind for even greater more inspired thoughts.

Believe in the Higher Power

1. Belief in the Higher Power Produces the Ability to Claim Your Personal Power - To respond in faith to the word of the Lord instead of react to the negativity and fear-based suggestions around you is the key to claiming your personal power. This is an effective way to counter the enemy's negativity and take back your personal power that God has given you. 
   
2. Belief in the Higher Power Lets You Redefine Your Situation - When you find yourself in a very challenging environment due to the attack of the enemy, the word of the Lord allows you to look at your situation as a wonderful opportunity to practice holding the light amidst the negativity. Each word of comfort and correction serves as an opportunity to respond with faith, personal power, unconditional love and wisdom, instead of reacting to fear and circumstance. 
   
3. Belief in the Higher Power Deflects Negativity At All Costs - Your prophecy is your personal power to keep other people's negativity away from you. When armed with the word of the Lord, no one or no thing can speak anything different into your atmosphere when you stand firm on the word of the Lord in your life.

Living with Children

by Michael Webb


A lot of my readers commented that a big mistake made when they
became parents is forgetting they were a husband/wife.  It is very
tempting to let this cute little bundle of joy become the center of
your world and to identify yourself first as mom or dad.  Your
husband or wife should always come first.  While that might sound
unloving to your children, it actually gives them a great deal of
comfort and stability knowing that their parents are very much in
love with each other.

The following are tips sent in by readers.

Be sure to let your children see you kissing, holding hands and
snuggling.  They might find it gross at some stage in their life
but it will be an invaluable lesson as to the importance of
intimacy in a relationship.

Spend time making memories instead of spending money making
clutter; children enjoy the boxes more than the toys that came
inside.

Schedules breed security; it's is really nice to know what will
happen next, especially, when you're talking about food, or parents
coming home.

Church is important.  Go as a couple and continue after the
children come along.  Start early by taking the child and establish
the pattern of going as a family.  Church fellowship and others
giving encouragement is needed, especially in this day and age when
families are so fractured.  We need the mentoring of older godly
men and women.

When the children misbehave, be united in your discipline!  Even if
you don't agree with a particular decision, stand united.  Kids
learn quickly how to divide and conquer and play one parent against
the other.

If at all possible be a stay at home Mom all through their
schooling. The first thing teens yell out when they come home is
"Mom."  It isn't only the young ones that need a parent in the home
to meet them, the teens do too even if they would never admit to
it.  A smoothly run home and a sense of calm at home are worth a
great deal more.

Limit what the children can be involved in.  They don't need to be
doing every activity or sport that comes along. Especially don't
start too early.  Let the kids be kids and let them have child's
play. You may want your child to excel at some particular activity,
but remember it is you that will be taking them to all the
practices and going to all the games, bringing the snack and buying
the coaches gift at the end of the season.  These activities all
have their place but shouldn't take over family life.

Do not let the kids interfere with you and your mates sex life.  Do
not say, "We can't do it now the kids will hear."  So what if they
hear, how did they get here?  In all actuality if the children
happen to hear you, and are old enough to realize what is going on,
they will be happy knowing that their parents love each other.

Children learn by example.  Even though they may cry when you go
out to a movie, plead that you take them with you, even find ways
to try to make the two of you feel guilty, DON'T give into that!
The example of being a loving couple to your spouse will far
outweigh the fear they have when you go out on your 'date'.
Reassure them, make sure they are comfortable and safe with the
person you are leaving them with, you may even give them a call
before they go to bed, but do not ruin your marriage to save a
relationship with your children.  It will only backfire later.
They will see that if they whine enough they will get their way and
become spoiled by you.

We have consistently put the children to bed together, keeping a
routine that they can count on through the years.  As the children
have gotten older the routine is Daddy doing the "flying bananas
into bed" routine while Mommy prepares to read a story or hear
bedtime prayers.  Once the children are in bed, we know we have
time to steal away to our little "haven" to enjoy recounting the
day and listing the blessings together.

My husband and I have been together for 6 1/2 years; combined we
have 5 children ages 3-12.  We home school full-time in addition to
the many various extra activities that the children belong to.
Everyone knows that Friday nights belong to Mom & Dad!  We may go
out to eat; take in a movie; or just go to the bedroom and lock the
door!  Just these few hours alone seem to recharge our batteries to
keep the FAMILY a healthy & happy unit.

I have been divorced for twelve years and one of the things that
might have helped us keep our relationship strong would have been
to leave the kids with a babysitter once in a while.  We never did
that, we never even thought of doing that.  Once the kids were born
we never went out as just a couple.  Again, we never even thought
of it, too bad, because, even though we love our kids so very much
we lost touch with each other.

The very first thing we decided was that our bedroom was off
limits. Not only children, but mother/mother-in-law, friend,
guests...and so on.  It is our peaceful haven from the world.  We
decorated it in a pleasing manner to both of us and we can both
relax after work and kid's bedtime with disruption.

The kids know they will be going to bed at the same time every
night. If a television show comes on after bedtime we will tape it
for them. There is not discussion or argument on this issue.  This
in turn allows my husband and me at least 2 hours of 'child-free'
time in the evenings.

Although schedules are wonderful, it is important to also teach
your children early on to be flexible. Otherwise, it is impossible
to travel or do other things that might make them miss a nap or eat
a couple hours late. Rigid children can turn into rigid adults, and
that is not a good thing.

Law of Increase-Gratitude Again!!!

We are all in an evolutionary growth cycle, which means that no matter how great your life has become, no matter how available you are to the Law of Life, you’re still evolving.  There’s still more to grow.

 

You can say you want success, but any time you are agreeing with conditions that are difficult, any time you talk about how life is unfair, or any type of energy that is of a lower nature or out of harmony with the thing you really want, you are creating resistance in the flow of what you want coming to you.

 

So how do you remain open?  By being in agreement with all that is prosperous and remembering that gratitude is the great multiplier.

 

It invokes the Law of Increase.

How you handle your money

Believe it or not, can be used as a spiritual practice.  You can amplify your realtionship with the flow of abundance as you participate with more awareness in earning, spending and giving.

 

Be part of the flow.  You activate the law of receiving by giving.  Appreciate value and put your resources toward that which is in greatest harmony with the life you want to create.  Be grateful for what you have!  When you pay your bills be sure to remember and appreciate having had that phone work all month, having the water flow freely.

 

Notice when you feel restricted around money and take a deep breath, and offer gratitude instead.  This is a powerful re-pattterning that will invite more prosperity into your life.

 

Stay in the Flow

15 Reasons to Learn Astral Projection

By Abhishek Agarwal, 
People often wonder as to what possible benefits one can get through Astral Projection or Out-of-body-experiences. Let us look at some of them:
1. Fly and have fun!
In the Astral world even the sky is NOT the limit. You can fly way beyond the blue skies. Or glide through the air or float like a balloon. Want to have a bird's eye view of our city? No problem! Or maybe jump off mountains and somersault in mid-air! Imagine being able to glide over the ocean like a seagull, or dive inside and swim like a fish!
If you want you can even propel out into the infinite space and explore the planets, heavenly bodies and other distant galaxies. We can visit any city on this planet and other planets as well. We can go and check out friends in another corner of the world!
2. Confirmed belief in life after death
A fully conscious Astral Projection gives us the ability to obtain firsthand knowledge that we can exist outside our bodies. It provides us irrefutable personal evidence that we are immortal.
If it is possible for our consciousness to exist outside our body, then it is also possible that our consciousness survives physical death. This belief removes fear of death completely. It reassures us that there is life after death and you absolutely know that you continue after kicking the bucket!
3. Get glimpses of your past life and know your purpose of existence
As we experience more and more Projections, we start getting glimpses of our past lives. These memories aid in finding our purpose of existence.
The information gained can help us know ourselves better. We can overcome certain traumas and cure certain illnesses. We get a sense of universalism, the feeling of which is ecstatic.
We expand self-awareness, increase our level of maturity, and also accelerate our spiritual evolution.
4. Meeting Guides
Through Astral Projection you can meet your Spiritual Guide who can be a source of inspiration and also help you evolve spiritually.
5. Learning
All sorts of hidden knowledge can be acquired through Astral Projection; knowledge that cannot be acquired in every day life. You can learn about ourselves, about our Earth, the Universe, or about anything else. You can meet advanced enlightened beings, even from distant ancient traditions, and learn from them. You can even attend esoteric schools and temples and learn about the mysteries of life and death…
6. Increase Psychic Abilities
Regular Out of body experiences enhances your paranormal and psychic abilities such as clairvoyance, ESP, precognition, telepathy, premonitions, prophecy, the ability to see auras and many other psychic abilities. This is a natural result because we become more in tune with our internal energy systems and also become sensitive to universal energies.
7. Personal development and well-being
Through Astral Projection we become better in all spheres of life.
We have a sense of overall well-being, increase in self-confidence, control of stress, emotional balance, heightening of intellectual capacities, and expansion of self-knowledge. Out-of-body experiences help us to break free from old mental ruts and habits. We get a more enlightened perspective of our current existence and this expansive vision is instrumental in awakening new levels of personal growth and understanding.
The recognition that we are more than just physical beings, gives us firm belief that we are capable of much more than previously imagined. Once we consciously control our non-physical self, we can unlock the unlimited knowledge of our subconscious and harness our ability to explore the universe.
8. A reduction in hostility and increased respect for life
Those who have experienced an OOBE, realize that they continue after death. The also become aware that along with their consciousness, their personal responsibility also continues. Hence many feel that harboring hostility towards other fellow souls can be very self-destructive.
Due to the personal knowledge obtained concerning our spiritual interconnection, Astral Projectors seem to start detesting violence and killing.
9. Experience tranquility
Many Astral Projectors report feeling at peace with themselves and others. They develop an inner tranquility that is hard to describe.
10. An increased desire for answers
Astral Projection often sets people on a personal spiritual quest to solve the mysteries they have held since childhood. Questions like – What are we? What is our purpose? Do we continue? These questions and many more can be answered only through personal experience. Out-of-body exploration helps us to obtain the answers we seek.
11. Meet deceased loved ones
We can meet our loved ones who have left the physical plane. These meetings are very helpful because we can request for their guidance and healing.
12. An increased zest for life
There is a certain excitement inherent in Out-Of-Body exploration because by exploring the non-physical realms, we become the ultimate explorers. Life itself becomes an adventure, an exciting journey of discovery. Every Projection is an opportunity to experience a new adventure. This inner excitement also stems from the fact that we are blazing a path much ahead of our time.
13. Increased knowledge, wisdom and intelligence
Only experience creates wisdom. Out-of-body experiences provide knowledge and wisdom far beyond the limits of our physical perceptions. This knowledge is first hand and is not imposed by other teachings and beliefs.
Many people also report that their out-of-body experiences have enhanced their awareness and intelligence.
14. Increased Spirituality
Many Astral Projectors report meaningful insights into their spiritual nature. Instead of viewing themselves as Physical beings possessing a soul, many start to recognize themselves as soul temporarily possessing a Physical body. There is a feeling of connection to something far greater than them.
15. Healing
With the knowledge and control acquired through Out-of-Body experiences, we learn to utilize our own energies in favor of other beings. We can heal others, and ourselves mentally and physically.

To the Opportunity of Expansion

Life is a spiraling progression, seeking to express itself through every one of us.  This entire universe is in an evolving process of becoming.  This means that there’s an opportunity to view what looks like a problem to you now, as you would view a child’s difficulties.

 

When you can see a child’s problem from the adult perspective, it’s easy to perceive how the child will move past it or outgrow it.

 

Having a challenge doesn’t have to mean having a problem; You can use it as an opportunity to practice expanding.

 

You can imagine yourself becoming bigger, larger, and greater than the “problem” you’re facing, and with that, life brings you the empowering result that you’re holding in mind.

 

In honor of International Women's Day

By Andrea Pozzi:-

I was asked to think about what advice I would give to myself at the beginning of my career. Below are five messages I would tell my younger self around career advancement.

1. Don't focus so much on a particular job but rather on the characteristics of the job: identify the aspects that are important to you, what gives you energy, what interests you. Do you like projects or do you prefer to have structured tasks? What skills and strengths do you want to leverage and use? Ten years ago, I was struggling with what direction I wanted my career to take. I had spent several years focused on trying to get a specific job and then when I had that job I found I was completely bored. I knew I had to make a move, but to what? That was when I started to evaluate not specific job titles or positions but rather all the pieces that make up a job--what did I want those pieces to be? Once you have those pieces identified, recognize opportunity, seize it and be true to yourself. As women, we frequently make decisions because we feel an obligation or a commitment, even though what we decide may not be best for us. One of my best career decisions was based on what was right for me even though I had another commitment at the time.

2. Decide on your own personal definition of success. Don't focus on titles or levels but rather are you passionate about your job? Does it give you meaning and purpose? Have patience--experience is rich and it all adds value. Even jobs that are unrelated and not part of a set career path will combine into a unique experience, knowledge and skill set that you can draw upon throughout your career. Make sure you apply lessons learned, especially from the jobs that were difficult or not that good of a fit.

3. Being good at your job requires much more than just being smart. Success in any career, job, or even task requires more than mere intelligence. Certainly book smarts can help but career advancement requires many things such as perseverance, good communication skills, flexibility, adaptability, and most of all, experience. From my perspective nothing can replace experience and good judgment. Maybe it's because I'm a risk manager. The best risk managers don't just rely on quantitative models but draw upon their experience and differentiate themselves through their judgment.

4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. This was a tough one for me to learn: ever since I was a child I had an "I'll do it myself" mentality. However, over time I began to discover that teamwork was important to me, that I got my best ideas and was my most creative when brainstorming with others. I realized that it's much better to raise your hand than to fail and, more important, that your boss doesn't want you to fail and will not think any less of you if you ask for support. It's not a weakness to ask for help, it's a strength and no one has ever turned me down when I requested help. I do have admit that in times of extreme stress, I sometimes still struggle with this. It's my default behavior, so I always have to be careful not to revert to it.

5. Feedback is not personal and it is under your control. You can decide to act upon it or you can decide that it is incorrect. If it is incorrect, then you need to determine if it is a perception issue and what behavior is leading to that perception. Feedback helps you to become more self-aware, which then enables you to make the necessary changes for you to succeed

How to Become A Master of Life

I want to summarise the important things I have been explaining to you:

1. You have many needs, both 'lower level' (e.g. food) and 'higher level' (e.g. love).

2. Your needs are the 'voice' of the organism called a 'human being' telling you what it needs for survival as a human (not survival at any level, e.g. as a cringing, naked half-starved beast.)

3. Your needs are never filled, finally, for all time. They are cyclical. Your two dozen (or so) needs cycle round and around. At any one moment, several are urgently screaming at you, a few are muttering for attention and others are satisfied - for now.

4. When a need is not filled, you feel discomfort and then pain. This is the human organism's method of alerting the higher part of your mind (the strategy part) to come up with some plans, pronto, for filling that need.

5. If a need has been unfilled for a long time, when you attend to it you feel a burst of an emotion we call 'joy.' This is your instant reward for getting started. It is not a sustainable feeling.

6. Gradually, as you master how to juggle your needs and respond to them in a timely fashion, your reward is a feeling we call 'contentment.'

7. The trick is to become a 'master of life' - a master juggler. This is not a 'natural' state. You need to work at it and practice it. You also need an instructor. (If you have ever tried your hand at juggling, you will know it is impossible to learn, by yourself, from first principles. But if someone shows you the step-by-step method, then anyone can learn to juggle three balls in around five hours. Five balls? Come back in five years!)

In case you have not yet realised this fact, it is going to take time for you to become a 'master of life'.

A good time to start is... now.

Lack of water will kill the organism called 'man' in a few days; but solitary confinement will kill a man (not the organism but his spirit) in a few months.

Starvation will kill a woman in two weeks; but total lack of love, warmth or affection will kill a woman (not the organism but her spirit) in a few short years.

When Your Life Suddenly Takes a Turn for the Worse

Time to Bounce Back

Life is the wildest roller coaster ride you will ever take. Today you might be on the climb. Or you might be whizzing through a hairpin, chaotic turn, wondering when it will end. Some days you might be hurtling at seemingly breakneck speed toward a dip. If you are, then today's message is for you. If you're on the way to - or at - the bottom, for whatever reason, then it's simply time to bounce back. You can do it. We're here to help. Craig Ballantyne

"If I fail, I try again, and again, and again. If YOU fail, are you going to try again? The human spirit can handle much worse than we realize. It matters HOW you are going to FINISH. Are you going to finish strong?" - Nick Vujicic

---

By Mark Ford

A new client who agreed to sign up with you suddenly cancels.
A promised promotion evaporates.

The deadline your plumber swore to passes without anything having been done.

The trick to dealing with disappointments like these is to have a "What if it doesn't happen?" plan in place almost from the start.

The idea is to create a Plan B every time you create a Plan A. And if you create a good Plan B and spend some time visualizing it (after you have visualized Plan A), you won't feel disappointed if Plan A falls through.

If, for example, you are hoping to be in London for Christmas this year, go ahead and book the arrangements - but spend a few minutes thinking about what you could do instead if, for whatever reason, the trip falls through. (A special Christmas at home - celebrated in some new and interesting way - may turn out to be even better.)

A fallback plan also works in the event of an unforeseen interruption in your routine. Always being prepared with a list of tasks you have wanted to accomplish for a long time is a good way to turn unexpected down time into a rich, rewarding experience.

A few years ago, for example, I tore up my knee and had to have surgery that put me on my back for two weeks and off the Jiu Jitsu mats for six months. For someone with my schedule (and addictive mentality), this could have been very bad. But since I'd had prior knee injuries and, therefore, knew that I was likely to undergo this operation some day, I had developed a fallback plan that made the recovery time bearable.

My fallback plan for the two weeks in bed (and on painkillers - which meant I couldn't do any meaningful work) was to catch up on all the great movies I had never seen or seen only once. My fallback plan for the six months of Jiu Jitsu inactivity was to use the time to rest and restore my shoulders and back, which were seriously ailing.

The movie-watching plan went very well. I saw two or three great movies a day - more than 30 in all. I also managed, during the second week, to read a half-dozen business publications that had accumulated on the corner of my desk. Far from feeling blue and abused, I was in a very good mood during that early period of convalescence - and that was entirely due to the fact that I felt like I was finally getting to things I had long wanted to do.

My fallback plan for the six months of inactivity was more challenging. I still went into the Jiu Jitsu academy every free moment (and I occasionally helped out with a lesson), but, mostly, I was frustrated by not being able to train again - a feeling that intensified as my knee got better.

But because I used that time to have my shoulders and back worked on, after putting it off for more than three years, I felt that I was accomplishing something. And because of all the care I took in healing my body, when I finally began training again, I was able to compete for the first time in years with an injury-free (though age-addled) body. That felt good.

Spend five minutes today asking yourself:

• "What positive development in my career am I counting on right now?"
• "What will I do if it doesn't happen?"

Then ask yourself the same questions about your personal life.
If you don't have a fallback plan, develop one. When you do, make sure it's something you can be happy with. If it isn't, work on it some more. You'll find that the more time you spend refining it, the more attractive it will become.

And in case you unexpectedly end up with time on your hands, prepare now by making a list of projects and/or tasks that you have always wanted to do. (Have you been thinking about writing a novel? Researching your family tree? Have you long been frustrated because you can't speak a foreign language? Can't dance the salsa?)

Spend some casual time thinking about your "dream" projects, refining them, and imagining how you can make them happen. The more time you spend doing this, the more excited you'll be about it. And then, when the time comes (and it almost certainly will), you will move from disappointment to anticipation in no time flat.

Offer compassion in abundance today

Undoubtedly there is someone in your life right now who you wish would be different than they are.  They may be a tiny bit difficult, or dealing with them may be a really immense challenge for you.  We all have these people, and they are our greatest teachers.

These individuals will show you where your compassion ends.  They will test your resolve to remain positive.  They will show you where your love needs to stretch.

 

Consider the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who refers to the Chinese who invaded Tibet as, “My friends the enemy.”  His strategy?  He prays for them.  He could say terrible things about them, but instead, he chooses to focus on how to love them, on where he can offer compassion instead.

 

Isn’t that inspiring?

 

Open to the Possibilities

The universe speaks to each of us in a unique manner, according to our own level of consciousness.  

 

This is the way that parents connect with their children also.  You wouldn’t speak to your two-year-old the way you would speak to your twenty-year-old.  Love connects at the level of awareness.

 

Your Life might speak to you about any number of desires:  Health, wealth, relationship, or creative expression --But it always speaks in a language you can understand.

 

No matter what you desire, or what you hear, Life always moves in the direction of the upward pull toward greater freedom and fuller expression.  The universe is always congruent with the life you are living and the possibility of the next expanded version of yourself.

 

Would it be OK with you, if Life got a whole lot easier?

 

Open to the Possibilities

4 Commitments Prophecy Automatically Makes to You

: 

1. A Prophet Makes a Commitment to Reveal God's Secret - The Lord will reveal His secrets to none other than His servant; the prophet. When a Prophet is speaking to you, the potential is automatically there for you to learn a wondrous secret that God was keeping just for you. 
   
2. A Prophet makes a commitment to bring you the good news - Divine exhortation, edification and comfort is in every word that the Prophet is commanded to speak. 
   
3. A Prophet makes a commitment to help you understand yourself - When you don't know which direction you are headed in or when you can't seem to understand God's plan, it is the Prophet who makes the commitment to bring forth clarity that you can understand and apply in your life for the turnaround. 
   
4. A Prophet makes a commitment to your success  - Success is more than money. A prophet helps create success in all that you do: your service, your relationship with family and friends, your career and even your relationship with God.

3 Truths Prophecy Will Reveal About Your Dreams:

1. Prophecy will Reveal That it's Your Dream and No One Else's - God is speaking of no one else's dream except yours when your word is given. It is up to you to either bring that dream into reality or allow it stay dormant on the inside of you.
2. Prophecy Will Reveal There's No One Else to Blame For Your Dreams - When your prophecy is spoken, there is no one to blame for should your dream(s) shatter except you and it is impossible to be a victim because you and only you are imagining everything. You don't need to wake up and remember that you are dreaming in order to change your life, heal yourself and others. All you have to do is take total responsibility for your word!
3. Prophecy Will Reveal  that You Choose What You Want Your Dream to Be - Your Prophecy is spoken into your life and from that moment on, you are responsible for shaping the dream into a vision of reality. For instance, the Lord can speak a new home into your life. At that moment, your actions will decide whether that home will be a dream come true or will you sleep at the wheel of opportunity and end up moving into a home somewhere less than adequate. This could be the difference between a mansion and a mobile home.

Six Passions Prophecy Will Perpetuate in Your Life:

 

1. Prophecy will induce a passion for time
   Your Prophecy will cause you to be an early riser, full of pursuit to bring your word to past in a timely manner. There is something magical in rising early, and seeking God.
2. Prophecy will induce a passion for information
   When you hear the word, you become aware. The more you become aware the more you want to become aware of. Your prophecy will induce a passion for knowledge in those areas that God has spoken into your life.
3. Prophecy will induce a passion to simplify
   Once you know your plan of action through your prophecy, you will want to simplify everything in your work and life. You will want to start eliminating the unnecessary. Everything that has nothing to do with your prophecy and purpose should be eliminated. They shouldn't occupy any space in your daily life, because they are just a waste of time and energy.
4. Prophecy will induce a passion for patience
   You can never embrace a life of passion in the middle if a busy, stressful, and chaotic environment. Your prophecy will teach you how to give birth to in the quiet hour. You will have to be patient and hear His voice. esus meditated and consulted His Father for wisdom and strength. Who are you consulting?
5. Prophecy will induce a passion to network
   When the Lord has a plan for your life, He will often surround you with passionate people. You'll find the good advice, the necessary push, and the continuous encouragement in brand new connections that God will place in your experience. Jesus had twelve prolific disciples. Shouldn't you be around a prolific set of people?
6. Prophecy will induce a passion for gratitude
   When your word begins to come to past, you will undoubtedly recognize the power of prophecy and you will become grateful for what you have and at the same time for the better that God has provided. Rest assured that when you're clear about your purpose in life, you'll recognize better opportunities much easier.

The First 3 Undeniable Effects of Prophecy in Your Life:

1. Prophecy Reassesses your THOUGHTS:
   An effective life requires effective use of thoughts. No matter how sophisticated, or even enlightened your prophetic word is, you will always have a steady stream of negative influence that needs to be confronted and dealt with on a consistent basis. You must keep positive thoughts that will help activate and hold onto the promises of God.
   
2. Prophecy Modifies your FEELINGS:
   All feelings are incredible sources of energy, even paradoxically that, the more negative and painful they are the more energy they have locked up in them for use. Prophecy is the good news and the good news helps you activate the good feelings that should be associated with the fulfillment of the word of the Lord. 
   
3. Prophecy Changes your BEHAVIOR:
   Lastly, whether your prophecy becomes effective depends ultimately on your behavioral choices. Making effective behavioral choices however highly depends on your awareness and choice of thoughts and how you cope and adapt to the resultant feelings or feelings precipitated by external events. The road to fulfillment is never easy however when you wait on the Lord, you can exhibit a more prayerful, expectant and abundant behavior.

To your Inner power!!!

It’s up to you to learn how to give intelligent direction to the creative power that is moving through you right now.
Consider water.  It takes on any shape.  It doesn’t matter what kind of container you give it; Taking on the shape is effortless.

Your creative power is like that water; It will take on any shape you give it.

Whatever sphere of expression you would like to activate, to amplify, to experience more freedom and fulfillment in, consciously guide intelligent thought to that idea.
Where your attention goes, energy flows.  

Allow the creative power within you to flow into your ideas.  Build the picture in your mind and you will begin to see increasing results at a surprising pace.