Motivational Monday: We All Need To Be Dreamers

Today is a Federal holiday marking the birthday (he was actually born on January 15 to be precise) of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.

He was, of course, a pioneer for the civil rights movement. He would ultimately become at age 35 the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. It is difficult to imagine history without his trailblazing footsteps firmly marked upon it.

Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech is his most quoted and well known.

He was, indeed, a dreamer. We all need to be dreamers.

But how many of us actually have dreams for ourselves (or even all of mankind) that are anywhere NEAR as specific and focused upon as Dr. King’s were?

We SAY we know what we want, most of us. But do we REALLY know? Can we REALLY? Describe them in a tenth of the detail and vision of what was contained in the “Dream” speech?

The sad answer is NO. We have many wants and desires, but they are often chaotically jumbled in our minds and sometimes in contradiction to each other.

We need today to honor the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. We also need to honor his capacity to dream as big as he did. And we owe it to ourselves to start honoring our own dreams as well.

Make it your goal TODAY to shape and mold and nurture your dreams, no matter how big they are. They are waiting to explode into creation. And if you are going to dream, should it be for anything less than something BIG?? Always dream big. Aim high. Try to overshoot your comfort zone.

Your dreams are your creations.

And as their creator, shouldn’t you get cracking?

This Tale Isn't Just For Mice

I took one of our sons and baby daughter to see the “The Tale of Despereaux” the other day, the film adaptation of the Newbery Medal-winning book by Kate DiCamillo.

The film was not only cute and fun and entertaining, it offered something that many films today fail to—a positive and encouraging message.

Despereaux is a mouse unlike other mice—he is born without the instinct to cower in fear of everything around him. His family, friends, and fellow mouse citizens are frustrated and discouraged by the fact that he just won’t be afraid like all the other mice.

“Oh, he’ll learn to be afraid. Just give him time,” his family is told.

But not this mouse. He becomes the Don Quixote of rodents. After reading a book about knights and castles and dragons, he is determined to set out into the world with no regrets and no fears.

His chivalry and bravery lead him to ultimately rescue a princess, restore hope to an entire kingdom, and teach us all a thing or two about compassion, courage, and forgiveness.

“The Tale of Despereaux” calls each of us, young and old alike, to reach for the pinnacle of our potential. The seemingly simple story of a mouse becomes a broader vehicle to teach us all that who we are today is just a tiny shadow of what we are ultimately destined to become. You ARE someone special. You DO have something to contribute. And you CAN be more than who you are.

Don’t be fooled. This isn’t just a movie for the kiddies. Use it as an excuse to see it, if you must. But don’t be afraid to open up discussions with them about the positive and beautiful and encouraging message behind the beautiful artwork and elegant story.

Go see this. It’s a wonderful movie that makes you want to run out and read the book if you haven’t already.

It provides a motivational message that is grossly lacking not just in movies, but in our society at large.

Don't Let The Media Rain On Your Parade!

Finally. I can take a deep breath. I have been vindicated.

I have been telling you for MONTHS now that the mainstream media has made the economic situation far worse with it apocalyptic storytelling of doom and gloom.

And now there is a poll out finding that the overwhelming majority of Americans agree with me.

77% of Americans said they felt that the U.S. media has made the financial downturn worse by projecting fear into the hearts and minds of the American people.

The poll found that most felt the media carried some responsibility for the lack of confidence in the economy.

Remember what I have always told you—and it is a fundamental law of the universe—what you THINK about you BRING about.

Everyone knows a friend or relative or co-worker who always talks of illness and is seemingly always—surprise, surprise—SICK.

We all know people who speak only of failure and then turn around and fail…AGAIN.

My favorite analogy is that of the sports coach getting his team pumped up. The coach doesn’t pump them up for defeat. They don’t instill thoughts of failure. “Let’s get out there and LOSE this one, team!! GO, go, go!! SURRENDER at any cost!!”

Neither does the military commander send his troops into battle with thoughts of anything less than VICTORY.

Of course not. That would be silly and quite counterproductive in both examples.

Most of us, unfortunately, get our vibrational pulse from the media. The media can change our entire MOOD, whether it’s reporting on the weather or sharing predictions on an election.

The best we can do is fight this negative drumbeat. It does NOT have to become OUR reality. Sure, the economy isn’t what it has been or could be. But is it really helpful to start off yet another year with more predictions of heartache, bankruptcy, and doom?

So don’t let the news bring you the blues.

It’s way too much power to give the media anyway.

'Tis The Season

'Tis the season to be jolly??

Yeah, right!

I have a couple of stories to share with you about the right and the wrong way to act during this or any season.

I was heading home from work this week and got on the freeway as I always do. The merge lane is rather short, like me. It doesn’t give you a lot of time to get yourself into the flow of traffic before you are forced to exit again.

So I put on my turn indicator, looked over my shoulder, checked my mirrors, and proceeded to merge into the flow.

And out of nowhere, some idiot in a pickup truck comes BARRELING up the lane, flooring the gas peddle, and SCREAMS up to me and forces me back into the other lane. I nearly missed the merge because of this disgraceful human being.

I was boiling with rage. And then I let it go. I had to or I would have had a stroke right there on the freeway.

I accepted the reality that some people are really just awful and some get pleasure in doing stuff like that. Somehow it elevates them. Makes them bigger than the rest of us. Probably the kind of guy who would shove a grandma out of the supermarket line just so he could get to his football game on time.

My second story is a more pleasant one and reassures me that there are still good, kind people out there, too.

I was at Costco this week as well and another customer and I made our way to the milk fridge at the exact same time.

Neither of us noticed that there was seemingly only ONE box of fat free milk left. I technically got there a few paces ahead of him, so by the popular definitions of life, I was “entitled” to take the milk first.

But I didn’t. I offered it to the other man.

He was astonished by my thoughtful act.

“No, really! Please. I want you to take it. It’s not that important to me,” I said.

“Thanks SO much,” he said. “Milk was the main reason I came by the store today. Thank you.”

It felt nice to do this. It filled my heart with light and warmth. I remembered the jerk from earlier in the week who had nearly driven me into a ditch and wondered how anyone could feel good as their heart filled with darkness and nastiness.

The punch line is that just a little ways back in the giant fridge was a new, uncovered pallet of more fat free milk.

So we both ended up getting our milk and we both were able to walk away with an example of the humanity we can extend our fellow citizens.

These stories also are perfect illustrations of the choice we make every day to radiate positive or negative vibrations. That speed demon on the freeway was no doubt spreading his miserable experiences that day with the world. It wanted to make everyone’s day as awful as his own.

Me? I preferred my simple, magical moment in the dairy aisle. It’s moments like these that truly remind us of the joy and good cheer we should be spreading.

This, and every season.

Half Full or Half Empty? Depends on Your Point of View!

Researchers are once again confirming what many of us have known for a very long time. And that is, the way you react to something determines the outcome of any given event or action. And the way you react to something stems from the type of personality that you have.

This is common sense.

It explains why some people react to traffic snarls with clenched teeth and white knuckles and profanity laced tirades and others sit back and learn something new from a book on tape or catch up by calling back clients during the delay.

It also explains why some people are crashing and burning on all the doom and gloom out there, especially with regards to the economy.

Some people are clearly panicking and others are keeping their heads on tightly. Why?

Because there are those who realize they are in control of their lives and those who have yet to realize this. There are people who thrive under pressure and see opportunities everywhere and those who see everything through a lens of dread and lack of opportunities.

The beauty of all of this? I have come to learn beyond ANY doubt that YOU and I are completely capable of changing this. Even though it was not the conclusion of this particular study, we all have the power to change the way we see things.

We CAN choose to see the glass as half full instead of half empty. But the key word here is CHOOSE. It’s up to us.

Is it easy? Nope. I got unfortunately grouchy this morning when three calls were coming in at the same time and then the doorbell rang and then the dog barked and the baby screamed and the checkbook was nowhere to be found. But within minutes, we can change our focus…take a deep breath…and continue on.

Life can be a constant bike ride UP hill or a nice, coasting experience downhill. Most of the time we peddle up hill unnecessarily.

Keep this in mind as you tackle this Monday!

Motivational Monday: The Next 100 Feet Ahead

There was a beautiful fog this morning that reminded me of San Francisco days. It blanketed the neighborhood with a magical mist that clung almost to the sidewalk.

As I was driving the kids to school, the trees lining the streets appeared only a couple at a time.

This reminded me of how life and all its adversities and blessings unfolds before each and every one of us.

How many of us don't spend countless hours and days of our lives worrying about what lies ahead? We often can't see results or goals because they are just around the bend.

Life really is like those tree lined streets shrouded in fog this morning.

We have to have faith that the next pair of trees and the rest of the road are actually there in front of us, even if we can't see them.

Life unfolds this way. Just remember that this is OK.

You don't need to see miles ahead necessarily. All you need to know is that the road usually won't disappear a couple of miles ahead. There won't be an ominous black hole.

The road will take you where you eventually are intended to be. Trust in that truth.

The fog is beginning to lift even as we speak. Go make the most of this precious day!

WoW: Too Much Online Adventuring Can Lead To Collapse!

I picked up my son’s reserved copy of Blizzard Entertainment’s second expansion for its online juggernaut, WORLD OF WARCRAFT (www.worldofwarcraft.com), when it launched last Thursday. THE WRATH OF THE LICH KING has been anticipated for a very long time by fans.

For those of you unfamiliar with WoW (as it is affectionately called by players), it is an online virtual world of warriors and warlocks, humans and orcs and night elves, swords and sorcery—all inspired by the Granddaddy of them all, the original EVERQUEST.

More than 10 million people worldwide play WoW, a subscription based game where players log on to quest, level their characters up, and hang out with friends to fish, fight, or freely roam the massive countryside of valleys, deserts, swamps, and tundra.

I remember buying the original WORLD OF WARCRAFT the day it launched back in November of 2004.

People are STILL playing it…subscriptions keep increasing by the millions…because it is a game that never ends. Content is literally added on a weekly basis, if not more frequently. New quests and locations are added constantly. The game day operates on a true 24 hour clock. So if you play at night, it's night in the game, etc. Talk about an immersive environment.

That’s what leads many to be addicted to it.

I know when I first started, I could barely put it down. It offered me a nightly escape from a collapsing marriage and stressful days.

My son started playing in last year and soon got sucked in as well.

Thank God for parental controls. A password protected setting allows parents to block in AND out times when younger players can play. We use this with our son. And I would have to guess many people try to use it with their spouses as well.

And you thought people only lost their partners to football on TV?? Think again. Games like WoW and Everquest have claimed many relationships, jobs, and other real world events.

But like anything else, people HAVE TO KNOW THEIR LIMITS.

I was inspired to write this because not only am I a fan of the game (I am currently a level 70 warrior—the highest you could get until this latest expansion raised the cap to 80), I am concerned that people taint a good thing through their own irresponsibility.

Case in point—a story I saw on the news this week about a 15-year-old in Sweden who COLLAPSED from playing it. He had some friends over and they played, pretty much nonstop, for 24 hours!!

Don’t you think doing ANYTHING for that long would lead you to collapse??

Try reading a book for that long or studying your algebra or brushing your teeth. The human body and mind were not meant to be pushed like this!!

But it makes it easy for people who already hate games like this to blame the industry for poisoning our children (and adults).

The boy’s father was somehow oblivious to the fact that his son and half a dozen friends were in HIS house, playing a game for 24 hours straight.

The father is to be blamed in this case.

He claims he will limit the time his son can play WoW.

GREAT idea, Dad! Too bad you waited for your son to collapse and jeopardize his health before taking a stand!

Our son plays when homework and chores are completed and for mapped out, supervised periods of time. Isn’t that just common sense??

As for me, I am no longer addicted.

But I AM anxiously awaiting my Collector’s Edition which comes in a beautiful box filled with a hardcover book on the art, a DVD on the making of the game, the soundtrack, maps and a special in-game pet that only owners of the very limited edition get.

Hey, I am just completing my set! Leave me alone! Don’t you have something better to do than snicker at me?!?! Go level your Rogue or slay a Murloc, for goodness sakes.

I would go play the game for a few but the servers are down every Tuesday for several hours. Wonder how that kid in Sweden will possibly get by and cope.