The Go Giver – Law of Receptivity February 8, 2010

Our last law was the Law of Receptivity – The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

What are your thoughts on this law?
Were you able to apply it this week?

To recap, here are the The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success:

The Law of Value
The Law of Compensation
The Law of Influence
The Law of Authenticity
The Law of Receptivity

If you enjoyed this book, then be aware that the author’s have another releasing this week February 18th. “Go – Givers Sell More”
You can visit here http://www.gogiverssellmore.com/ and download the first chapter.

The Law of Receptivity.

THIS is a hard one for me to accept. I was brought up just as mentioned in the book – with the teaching “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Isn’t it funny, how even though there weren’t any words after the phrase, our brain interprets and puts the words “so just give and give, but don’t receive anything, because then you aren’t a good person if you are expecting to GET”.

I really liked the way Pindar explained the law of Receptivity in conjunction with needing to inhale AND exhale breath.

I had to read the pages twice to really let it sink in….and I think it’s still sinking…..

So, last week, something so simple as allowing my mom to make dinner for us two nights. It was HARD to do. She is 65. I’m younger. I should be caring for her. She has mediocre health. I should be the one preparing meals FOR my parents, not accepting meals. But, I decided this week to let her do it – and just give a hearty THANK YOU.

Is it as easy as that to apply the law? And how does it all come full circle?
I don’t KNOW YET! But, I know it will!

And now with these laws under my belt, I’m ready to start applying them in all facets of my life!

The Go Giver – Laws #2 and #3 January 23, 2010

Law #2 – The Law of Compensation -
“..how many people you serve, and how well you serve them”
Law #3 – The Law of Influence
“..influence is determined by how abundantly you place
other people’s interests first.”

I was able to apply both the laws today at work.
We had a special project that needed massive action.
The company organization that needed to do it doesn’t have
a supervisor right now. There is someone filling in, but she still
has her current organization to run.
I took the initiative to help the other organization and get
“down and dirty, roll up the sleeves” and get the job done.
I placed that organizations needs (to look good by getting
their tasks done) ahead of some of my own tasks that
needed to get done. True, what THEY needed to get
done directly affected ME on Monday. BUT, 2 weeks ago,
I would have just gone on with my own huge pile of
duties on my desk. Instead, I rethought my actions
and applied the Laws. Don’t even know if anything
will result later…but I knew that I “helped the team”
and was able to walk out of the door at the end of the
day feeling good about the decisions I made.

Stop the “Bad Thing” Label January 21, 2010

From Srikumar Rao, professor teaching personal mastery and the best-selling author of Are You Ready to Succeed?

“”Whenever something happens that is not in line with our desires, we get disappointed. We stick the label “bad thing” on it. And when we do, we experience it as such. In truth, we do not know whether something unexpected is “good” or “bad,” and we may never know.

When Greyston Bakery filled its first order for brownies for Ben & Jerry’s, the thin brownie sheets stuck together in 50-pound lumps and could not be separated. You could certainly label this a “bad thing.” But Ben pondered what to do and ultimately Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream was born— one of Ben & Jerry’s most popular products.

So don’t stick a label “bad thing” on whatever happens to you that you don’t like initially. Who knows, that may be the very thing that you need to break out into a brilliant new future. “”

And to THINK – this is my FAVORITE FAVORITIST B&J Ice Cream – and it was a MISTAKE?!

The Go Giver – Week 2 January 18, 2010

The first assignment was reading pages 1-34.
This reading included the first Law – The Law of Value.

Week 2 -
The first Law.
When I first read this one, “The Law of Value”
I really had to think and think about what I
could possibly give or do to give value.

On Tuesday, while I was still thinking about everything
I had read a couple of situations happened. One of which was
hubby getting our lunch and we were shorted
some of the packets of dressing. I didn’t think I needed
all of mine, so I took hubby the remaining.
The next day, I brought him a soda (without him asking).
Now, I was not particularly thinking about these actions
as my “Value” actions.
BUT, he made a comment later in the week about all
the “little things ” I had started doing to help him.
It was then that I think I realized what the “Value” Law
was all about. Giving something as little as “yourself” without
even the thought of something in return coming
into my mind. Just learning to give and give so that it comes natural…

This is SO exciting!

The Go Giver – Week 1 January 9, 2010

The Go Giver
Check in Jan 9

Hello fellow readers! Are you ready for your journey?

If you are undecided about reading the book yet,
you can visit http://www.thegogiver.com/book.php
for the free first chapter!!

For those that are ready for this journey I would encourage you
to download the 5 Principles poster found at

http://www.thegogiver.com/buzz-giveaways.php

Your assignment for this week is to
1.Read pages 1-34.
2.DO the first principle!
(so the sooner you read the pages, you will know
what the principle IS and have opportunity to DO it!)

We will talk about it next week!

Week 12 – Recovering a Sense of Faith, The Artist’s Way December 21, 2009

Week 12 – Recovering a Sense of Faith

I can’t believe this journey is over?! For 3 months we have been discovering “ourselves” and my oh my what a journey it has been! This book forced me to ask myself questions I had never been asked, and to answer them! I am so thankful for the journey that has only BEGUN through the insight of this book! So, for our final Check -In:

1. How many days did you do your morning pages? Is this a practice you have accepted as a permanent part of your spiritual/personal practice? How was the experience for you?
I did my pages 4 days this week. The other 3 were more like sentences, BUT I did get something on the paper – in my NEW pretty journal! YES YES YES, this will be a part of my daily practice! This experience of journal writing first thing in the morning before my brain engages was very eye opening!

2. Did you do your artist’s date this week? Will you allow yourself these on a permanent basis as well? What did you do? How did it feel?
I splurged this week and did an artist’s date pedicure and manicure. This particular nail salon does “Spa” treatments with lots of scrubs, lotions, oils. The entire experience is very relaxing and the Espresso (coffee) treatment was very pleasing to the senses (smell). I just set back with my eyes closed and enjoyed the fragrance, the spa music, the water fountains splashing…..ahhhhhhh. And YES, I will continue an Artist Date every week.

3. Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?
YES – earlier this week I was at a book store. I was trying to find a book about Yoga (which is something I have discovered that I LOVE, although I’m a beginner and my poses are not that “pretty” YET). I saw an older than me lady carrying a magazine that said “Beginner Yoga” and approached her to ask her about where she found it. We then got into a lengthy conversation about how Yoga had helped her in the past. She had not been doing Yoga for 10 years, and was going to get started again. Bingo – Synchronicity. Found the exact magazine/book I was looking for in less than 5 minutes!

4. Share one of your Tasks you did.
Number 8 – I AM going to write the story book which is actually a story line I would tell my son when he was about 6 or 7. I would make up a continuing story each night. Now, it’s time to delve into my memory and reconstruct/ create new and get them all onto paper!

The Artist’s Way (Week 11, but 10) December 17, 2009

NOW , this is Week 10 – Recovering a sense of Self-Protection.

Somehow, I accidentally got a week ahead. So I had to go back and work the REAL
Week 10!
We will be back on schedule, so this week you are reading Week 12 Recovering a Sense of Faith.

1. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? Have you recommended morning pages to anyone else? Why?
I did my pages every day this week I even bought a very pretty journal book to continue writing. I finally decided to ditch the spiral notebook! AND, yes, I was discussing these pages a few weeks ago with my son. He is going to start doing them (after finals) so I purchased him a new journal as one of his Christmas gifts.

2. Did you do your artist date this week?
I did an Artist Date – Home Spa Day (one of my vacation days). I actually did two days. Nothing but pure relaxation. It was absolutely the most WONDERFUL thing I have done for myself in months – heck, probably years. Spa music all day, eating fresh fruits and broths, learned Yoga, home facial, pedicure, candles, nap, rest and RELAXATION. I also spent time writing, journaling and started working on a book.

3. Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?
YES, we had a catastrophe this week. Had to do some quick rearranging of furniture and I was frantic trying to find where to put my heirloom china – as I really didn’t want to put it in storage. I opened a kitchen cabinet I don’t use often, and found that 6 weeks ago ( I forgot I did this) I had cleaned it out -so I had the perfect space I needed!!!

4. Discuss one of this week’s Tasks.
#7 Plan a week of nurturing yourself ( I used THIS WEEK!) This actually happened in perfect synchronicity with a blog post I read about
“using the guest towels”. A women expressed how she used her worn out, holey towels for herself, when perfectly beautiful guest towels were in the guest bathroom. That was only used maybe once a year.
I thought about that, and thought about how many things of my possession were saved for “special” occasions – and how I should treat myself.
1. We use an eclectic supply of plastic cups around our house – this started back when our son was small, so that if a glass was knocked off or over, it wouldn’t break. Here he is NOW in college, and we STILL use the cups. SO, I threw them all away except for a couple (for when working outside) and pulled down all the glassware I haven’t used in years.
2. Remember the heirloom china? Well, It’s getting USED because every day of living life and BREATHING is SPECIAL!
3. I threw away all my holey “foundation” wear and Santa bought me an early present.
4. I let myself have 2 days of doing nothing but things for MYSELF. It was all about ME. Not to sound greedy, but it was the first time in probably 20 years, lol.
5. The 2nd day of Home Spa Day
6. I spent 30 minutes of listening to relaxing music and watching my fish. All quiet except for music and the serenity of just watching. NO THINKING ALLOWED. Just WATCH. It was …WONDERFUL.
7. Tonight, I pull out a box of yarn I bought last year – and I am going to learn to CROCHET! The plan is a scarf!!

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar December 14, 2009

(A friend sent this to me via email…..toooo good not to share!)

What ever happened to doing the best job possible? …………… and……….

Making a conscious decision to have a great day!

Ducks Quack – Eagles Soar

No one can make you serve customers well….that’s because great service is a choice. Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: ‘I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk I’d like you to read my mission statement.’

Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment….

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, ‘Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.’ My friend said jokingly, ‘No, I’d prefer a soft drink.’ Wally smiled and said, ‘No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.’ Almost stuttering, Harvey said, ‘I ‘ll take a Diet Coke.’

Handing him his drink, Wally said, ‘If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today..’

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, ‘These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.’

And as if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts…

‘Tell me, Wally,’ my amazed friend asked the driver, ‘have you always served customers like this?’

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. ‘No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.

He had just written a book called You’ll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.’

‘That hit me right between the eyes,’ said Wally. ‘Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers.. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.’

‘I take it that has paid off for you,’ Harvey said.

‘It sure has,’ Wally replied. ‘My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.’

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I’ve probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give this man a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn’t do any of what I was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us? Smile, and the whole world smiles with you….. The ball is in our hands!

A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up… let us do good to all people. Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.

Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.

Meet.. Pearl Harbor December 7, 2009

Today marks the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor

This man is returning to the scene, for the first time since that fateful day.

An picture of the scene is here.

Walter Lord’s Book, Day of Infamy is here.

Week 10 – Recovering a Sense of Autonomy December 5, 2009

1. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? Are they getting easier or still difficult?
In the simplicity of Micheal Clouse “just give me the number” – 1, and that was this morning. But NOW, I DO have the story .
See, I have had trouble sleeping for over 2 years now. My nights were usually disturbed at least 2 times a night. I usually always woke up somewhere in the 4-5am range because my “over stressed mind” would start worrying and wake me up . Between some new supplements and my “freedom from the clock” experiment ( for the Thanksgiving weekend, I used the alarm clock on that Thursday morning in order to be up to leave out of town. After that, until Monday morning – I did NOT live by a clock. No alarms, no wristwatch. We did what we wanted based upon OUR time, and were not regulated by “the clock”. It was such a freeing experience. I decided to try giving myself some more of the freedom. But, it meant I didn’t use an alarm clock to wake up early for morning pages. Instead, I used my husband’s alarm to wake up an hour later – no time for pages.) But I was enjoying such peaceful and restful sleep that I didn’t mind it – until I REALLY started missing MY morning pages.

2. Did you do your artist date this week? Have you considered scheduling an Artist’s Day?
I bought a little artist’s kit and am going to doodle around with some artistic abstract creations today.

3. Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?
We pass a building every day driving in to work. We pass this orange Texas University Longhorn car every day driving in to work. We have seen that this car pulls in to that building every day. My husband assisted at a funeral this week, and low and behold if the man who drives the car wasn’t at the funeral (a neighbor of the deceased). He took me to meet the man at the building – who happens to be the VP of the company. A VERY creative company! We are going back later this month for a tour of the facility.
I thought it was a pretty cool synch =) (the company is Wooten Metals in Dallas TX http://www.wootenmetal.com/ )