Motivation Savvy

POSITIVE TIP # 28

2008-07-06T22:59:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 28 Your Attitude determines who you Attract

If you aren't completely trilled with your friends and/or the people you associate with, always realize that to a large degree, Your Attitude Determines Who You Attract.

If you want to be around Positive people, start being more Positive. If you desire to be around people with Energy, start being more Energetic.

If you would rather be with Leaders instead of Followers, start making quicker decisions and quit procrastinating. You have the power to decide who you want to run with or hang with and if they aren't the President of your Fan Club, or at least a high ranking member, you also have the power to replace them.

Be willing to surround yourself with people that truly desire more and sincerely want the best for everyone around them and you will be well on the way to a more satisfying life.

POSITIVE TIP # 27

2008-07-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 27 Character building Days

No matter how prepared you are or how positive you may be, it's guaranteed that you will experience many days where it seems like absolutely nothing goes right and everything that could possibly go wrong does.

It's like Mr. Murphy decided to rewrite his famous Book of Laws with you in mind. As always, you have a choice. You can allow these negative events to destroy your day, your week, or even your Career, or you can welcome them as a Gift. That's right, a Gift.

These days are called Character Building Days. If we embrace them, they will enable us to grow, mature, learn, adapt, and yes, even teach us some humility.

POSITIVE TIP # 26

2008-07-06T22:56:00.003-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 26 Multiple Streams of Income

A great way to become financially successful is to develop Multiple Streams of Income.

This may be a part-time Job, Royalties from a Product or Service that you've developed, buying something at wholesale and Selling it at a Flea Market, buying Rental Property, building Residual Income from a Networking or MLM venture, or simply baking Cookies and selling them on weekends.

Write out a Positive Affirmation that says; I am developing Multiple Streams of Income. You will start to see many different ideas and opportunities that you've passed over in the past.

POSITIVE TIP # 25

2008-07-06T22:56:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 25 Control your Money

Most people work for their Money instead of allowing their Money to work for them. A simple but effective way to start to learn to Control Your Money is to always Pay Yourself First.

Develop the habit of taking a minimum of 10% of any and all of your income and paying yourself first by saving it, or better yet, investing it for your future.

Over a period of time you'll start to appreciate the earning power of money and compounding. Your Money will now be making you even more Money.

POSITIVE TIP # 24

2008-07-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 24 Questions we Ask Ourselves

We should all be aware of the Questions we ask ourselves.

Instead of asking; Why am I so forgetful?, how about; What can I do to start remembering better?.

Instead of; Why am I so sloppy?, how about;

How can I become neater and more organized?
Instead of; Why am I so unlucky?,
how about;
How can I become better prepared to recognize opportunities?

If we want better Answers, we need to start asking better Questions.

POSITIVE TIP # 23

2008-07-04T03:11:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 23 Self-Esteem and Self-Image

Since childhood you've been taught that's it's so important to be concerned with what other people think about you. I will suggest that it's more important what you think about yourself. Be aware of your SelfEsteem and Self-Image and continually be working to improve them. Learn to accept Compliments by looking that person in the eyes and saying; Thank You.

Realize that you are a walking, talking Miracle of Life and you are unique and special. Also, please appreciate that no one can intimidate you, or make you feel bad, or make you feel inferior unless you allow them to. Since I never finished High School I used to allow people with higher educations intimidate me until a wise man reminded me that the only thing they have that I don't, is a Degree, and we all know where some people stick them.

POSITIVE TIP # 22

2008-07-04T03:10:00.002-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 22 The Power of Visualization

You've probably heard of many great stories and examples of the power of Visualization, including the POW who played 18 holes in his head everyday for his 8 years of imprisonment and then shot par his first day back on the Golf Course. When you learn to visualize the end result of your efforts, it dramatically increases the odds for a successful outcome.

If you're planning on buying a different Car within the next year, go to the Dealership today and take a Camera. Have a friend or the Salesperson snap your picture sitting in the exact model that you want and have your local Photo Store or Drug Store blow it up into a Poster. Then, look at it many times each day as you are reading your written Goal out loud and be prepared for some amazing results.

POSITIVE TIP # 21

2008-07-04T03:10:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 21 Confidence comes from being Competent

The only reason for a Salesperson to have any Call Reluctance, either over the Phone or In-Person, is a lack of Confidence. You can become Confident by becoming Competent.

You might need to improve in working through Screeners, handling Brush Offs during the first few seconds of the Call, learning the best answers to commonly asked Questions, skills to help you Qualify more effectively, how to make a more effective Presentation, getting better at relating Benefits with Features, being able to help the Prospect compare your Product or Service to the Competition, learning more ways to handle the most common Objections, or even improving your Closing skills, etc. Eventually your goal should be to become an Unconscious Competent.

POSITIVE TIP # 20

2008-07-02T22:50:00.004-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 20 Are you Frustrated or Fascinated?

The Quote; We can choose to be Frustrated or Fascinated teaches a great lesson about life. If you truly experience everyday of your life as a Gift, it becomes easy to teach yourself to become fascinated at things and events that most other people allow themselves to become frustrated over.

The way you now react to people, actions, and even words are all habits they you've developed over time. If you find yourself becoming frustrated easily, simply say the words; Now that is really Fascinating the next 16 to 21 times that something crazy happens. You'll be amazed at the results as well as your new peace of mind.

POSITIVE TIP # 19

2008-07-02T22:50:00.003-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 19 Learn when to say “NO”

A great way to discipline yourself to get a lot more done each day is to Learn when to Say NO. Too many times as we go through life, we try to be everything to everybody and take on so much that it seems like our plate is always overflowing.

One helpful hint is to learn to delegate duties and responsibilities to others rather than trying to do everything yourself. Another tip is to prioritize your duties with an A, B, or C so you don't end up confusing activity with accomplishment. And finally, we need to be able to politely decline each and every request for our time, talent, and energy, by Learning when to Say NO.

POSITIVE TIP # 18

2008-07-02T22:50:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 18 Develop your Potential

There's a wise proverb that says; When you're green you grow and when you're ripe you rot. Unless you are learning something new each and every day of your life, the odds are that your Competition will pass you by, sooner than later. I urge you to constantly Develop your Potential.

This might be learning new communication skills, management techniques, product knowledge, features and benefits of your competition, personal growth, expanding your knowledge and expertise of a favorite hobby or area of interest, etc. Just as any Company will constantly invest time and money in Research and Development, you should do the same.

POSITIVE TIP # 17

2008-07-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 17 When to Yell “YES”

We received great feedback regarding our comments about having more Fun. Needless to say, we need to work at having Fun in order to make Selling more enjoyable. Another great Tip is to yell YES after every negative Phone Call or Presentation that doesn't result in a Sale.

Instead of dwelling on the negative aspects we can psych ourselves and stay positive by yelling YES. Why? Because it's one less sick and demented person we have to talk to before we make another Sale. Of course, if you're selling face-to-face, please don't yell YES or someone will throw a net over you and take you away.

POSITIVE TIP # 16

2008-07-01T22:55:00.002-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 16 Play with a Stuffed Animal

If you sell face-to-face, you might only need to speak with a few negative Prospects each day. If you sell over the phone, you may be exposed to dozens or even hundreds of mean and nasty Secretaries, Screeners, and even Prospects on a daily basis. A great idea is to have a Stuffed Animal on your desk and pretend it's your Prospect or Customer.

As you're speaking with them on the phone, you can reach over and tickle or stroke the Animal. And, if you get upset you can wack it upside the head. Of course, if you get real frustrated you can even drop-kick it across the room. The key of course is that you'll be taking out your frustrations on the Stuffed Animal instead of allowing them to build up inside of you.

POSITIVE TIP # 15

2008-07-01T22:55:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 15 Become Jealous of your Time

The richest Billionaire and the poorest Bum both have one thing in common. They both start each and every day with 1,440 minutes in their time bank. Every day it's up to us to invest our time wisely or waste it foolishly.

A recent survey stated that the average salesperson wastes 6 minutes an hour. Although I personally feel that's a gross understatement, let's assume it's correct. If we work an 8 hour day, that's 48 minutes a day.

Multiplied by 5 days, that's 240 minutes a week which is 4 hours. If you times that by 50 weeks, that's 200 hours or an amazing 5 weeks a year. I hope you can see from this example that we all need to Become Jealous of our Time.

POSITIVE TIP # 14

2008-07-01T22:53:00.002-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 14 Develop a Positive Expectant Attitude

It's great to have a Positive Attitude however it's even better to develop a Positive Expectant Attitude.

In other words, always expect the best to happen instead of the worst. Unfortunately, too many people go through life always expecting negative outcomes and it almost ends up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Always remember that those who fear the worst are seldom disappointed. Someone once said the F.E.A.R. simply stands for False Expectations Appearing Real. It's great to be prepared for the worst case scenario in case it happens however we shouldn't worry about it or it could become reality.

POSITIVE TIP # 13

2008-07-01T22:53:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 13 Make a Commitment

A wise man once said; Until we Commit we are only taking up space. If you look around I'm sure you'll start to notice many people that seem to go through life only taking up space.

I encourage you to Make a Commitment to become the best at whatever you do. Even though you may find yourself doing something for a living or even called upon to do a project that you aren't absolutely in love with, don't use that as a crutch for not doing the best you possibly can.

Take pride in your work and your reputation and eliminate any possible excuses that might keep you from performing to the best of your ability. Why not examine everything you do in life (even relationships) to determine if you've really made a commitment to do your very best so you end up with the best possible results.

POSITIVE TIP # 12

2008-07-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 12 Reward Ourselves and Others

A nice little success secret of life is to learn to Reward Ourselves and Others each and every day.

If we continually wait around for others to do nice things for us, unfortunately we might have a long wait. It could be as simple as picking yourself a flower, or buying a little trinket, or investing a few minutes to watch a beautiful sunset. We should also reward others who have done something nice, accomplished something special, or just because they are who they are.

Take a moment out of your busy day and buy them a Greeting Card, or leave them a nice voice mail, or by simply telling them; Thank You, or Congratulations, or I really appreciate you, or I'm proud of you. Kindness is fun to give away because it keeps coming back.

POSITIVE TIP # 11

2008-06-26T23:04:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 11 How to become a World Expert

When I originally met my Mentor, one of the first and greatest Tips he taught me was how easy it really is to Become a World Expert. He explained that knowledge is power and if you invest one hour a day to study any one Subject, that within 5 years you would be a world-expert in that particular Subject.

It might have something to do with the Industry you already work in, a favorite hobby, or even an interest you had many years ago and got away from. Just imagine what that knowledge will be worth to you in the future. You can earn an income from writing Articles, Books, Audio or Video Tapes, and even as a Speaker, Trainer, or Consultant and take total control your financial destiny.

POSITIVE TIP # 10

2008-06-26T23:00:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 10 Pass on something Good

A great lesson in Life is learn to Give of yourself without expecting or demanding anything in return. One way to practice that is to Pass on something Good everyday. You could offer to carry something for someone, or run an errand, or maybe mow the lawn for an elderly neighbor. If nothing else, why not give a complete stranger a compliment and watch how you've just brightened up their day.

If you haven't already done so go rent the Movie called Paying It Forward. It's a great positive Movie about someone doing something nice for you and than you need to pay it forward 3 times.

POSITIVE TIP # 9

2008-06-26T22:59:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 9 Your Greatest Power

Possibly the greatest Gift that we've been given by our Creator, is the Power of Choice. There is almost an endless list which includes what you feed your Mind and Body, how you dress, wear your hair, who you associate with, and yes, even your Attitude.

You should welcome Positive influences and discourage negative ones. Please don't invite people to dump garbage into your mind. When someone offers; Did you hear what happened to . . ., before you choose to give them permission to share their rumor or gossip, simply ask them; No I didn't however before you tell me, is it something that will make us both feel better and brighten our day?

I'll guarantee they will go some place else to dump. In addition, when someone wants to tell you about all of their trials, troubles, and tribulations, before you choose to listen, you might say; By the way, before you tell me everything, I read the other day that 50% of the people we tell our troubles to could care less and the other 50% are actually happy that we're so miserable.

Now what did you want to talk about? Again, they will head for lower ground to find someone who wants to be as miserable as they do.

POSITIVE TIP # 8

2008-06-26T22:58:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 8 Accept Responsibility

The majority of people go through Life blaming their lack of Success on others, events, or circumstances. Having been a self-made failure for 34 years, I can testify that you will start to take control of your Life when you are willing to

Accept Responsibility. That means you must accept total and unconditional Responsibility for your Success, or the lack of it. Quit blaming anyone or anything else and appreciate that there has never been a truer saying than; If it is to Be, it's up to Me.

If there is any part of your professional or personal life that you aren't completely thrilled with, first realize that YOU are the one who caused it or at least added to it. Once YOU have accepted responsibility you will soon discover that YOU can also change it. Make a list today of those things that you would like to change and then start attacking that List.

POSITIVE TIP # 7

2008-06-19T23:02:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 7
We need an Accomplishment List

Once you start setting and achieving Goals, it’s very important to start what we call an Accomplishment List.

Every time you reach another Goal, write down what you accomplished, the date you achieved it, and how it made you feel. Use this for all of your Goals, including Short, Medium and Long Term Goals.

From time to time in the future you’ll be faced with adversities and/or things might not seem to be going as well as you might have wanted. During these trying times simply take out your Accomplishment List and see how far you come, how much you've grown, and everything you've accomplished.

It's a great pick-me-up and will get you back on track in record time.

POSITIVE TIP # 6

2008-06-19T23:01:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 6
Replacement Goals Reap Rewards

One critical factor that most Speakers or Trainers neglect to mention when teaching Goal Setting is what to do after you achieve a Goal.

There is a real danger lurking after you’ve worked for days, or weeks, or even months to achieve something special and then achieve that Goal. If you quit working toward something extra you run the risk of falling back into a comfort zone with the other 95% plus people on the face of the earth.

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t enjoy whatever you accomplished and worked so hard to achieve, however you absolutely must immediately set a Replacement Goal.

The moment you achieve any Goal decide specifically what you want to accomplish next, set a due date, write it down in the form of a Positive Affirmation, and continue to grow. Always remember that; When you’re Green you Grow and when you’re Ripe you Rot.

POSITIVE TIP # 5

2008-06-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 5

Negative Affirmations are Never Good

Believe it or not the average person uses up to 5 Negative Affirmations every waking hour to program themselves for failure each day.

If you pay close attention, you might start noticing yourself and others saying things like; This is so hard, or I can't do this, or I never have enough time to get stuff done, or I can't ever remember names, or I'm such a klutz, or I always catch a Cold this time of year, or With my luck I'll probably mess this up.

Since the Sub-conscious mind does not have the ability to doubt or reason, it totally believes whatever we program into it. If you look outside tomorrow morning and it's overcast and you say; What a crummy day, the sub-conscious doesn't know you're only referring to the weather. All it heard was the programming of the day, that's it's going to be a crummy day.

Be willing to try an experiment and pay close attention to how many Negative Affirmations you catch yourself using over the next week. Every time you hear yourself using a Negative Affirmation, stop, even if it's in mid-sentence and either say Cancel or try to replace it with a Positive Affirmation.

POSITIVE TIP # 4

2008-06-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 4

How many of the 3W’s do you have ?

One common trait among successful Individuals is that they have one or more of the 3 W's. In fact, the more Weird, Warped, and/or Wacko you are, the more success you will enjoy.

In other words, take what you do in Life seriously however don't be so serious while you're doing it that you become mechanical or boring. Be willing to be a little different, or off-the-wall, or unusual, or humorous, or enthusiastic, or theatrical, or unpredictable, or friendly, or entertaining, etc.

Try to bring a little Sunshine into your Customer's day. Work at developing your own unique Personality and Style. Always remember that people will do Business with you when they like you.

POSITIVE TIP # 3

2008-06-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 3
What is your Purpose in Life ?

If you ask 10 people on the street; What is your Purpose in Life?, 9 out of 10 will have no idea what you're asking.

I encourage you to do some soul searching, determine the great Gifts that we've been given in such magnificent abundance, and then decide why you are here. Until someone proves me wrong, this is not a dress rehearsal. We get one shot at life so start to live it to its fullest.

Back in 1977 when I finally decided to start to take charge of my life, I read a neat saying; Those who work at becoming the best they can be become and those who help others become the best they can become, are doing the most important job in the World because they are completing God's work.

Wow, that struck me like a lighting bolt. Based on that saying, I wrote out my Purpose in Life which is; To become the best I can become and help others get more out of their lives.

I've been fortunate because that Purpose has served me faithfully, or should I say that I have served it faithfully, for over 25 years. I humbly offer that you will start achieving amazing things when you have a Purpose.

POSITIVE TIP # 2

2008-06-19T04:23:00.001-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 2

Gratitude is better than Garbage !Too many people waste their time and energy worrying about what they don't have, which in turn can lower their self-esteem, their self-image, and put them in a negative mind set.

Instead, why not concentrate on the wonderful gifts we've been given and all of the positive things that we have to be thankful for.

A great idea is to make up a Gratitude List, which might include where we live, our health, our family, our abilities, and even our accomplishments, etc. The next time we have a tendency to start thinking about our failures or shortcomings, simply take out and start reading our Gratitude List.

POSITIVE TIP # 1

2008-06-19T04:19:00.000-07:00

POSITIVE TIP # 1

A Magic Word or Phrase does indeed create MagicOne of the quickest and easiest ways to develop a dramatically improved Attitude is to become your own Success Coach. You start by picking out a Magic Word or Magic Phrase that you’ll have the opportunity to use 50 to 200 times a day when people ask you how you’re doing.

Instead of whining at them by saying; Not bad for a Monday, or OK I guess, you can say;
Great or Outstanding
or Getting Better by the Minute or
If I was any higher on Life I could go Duck Hunting with a Rake

Several interesting things will happen:
[1] It gives you something to live up to. If you tell 50 people a day that you're Awesome, how can you now be Negative? You'd be the biggest hypocrite in the World.
[2] You will start to believe it. Imagine telling yourself 50 to 200 times a day that you are Super. After a few days you actually start believing that you are Super.
[3] You will drive people nuts. Always remember that misery loves company and when people see that you are enjoying life, they will start to get jealous. They'll actually start asking you what you are so happy about or what someone is putting in your water at work.

Self-Motivation: A How-To Guide

2008-06-19T03:17:00.000-07:00

Every day I get up at 7:08am. I'm on the road by 7:52am. Swipe my company ID at 8:23am. I walk in, boot up my computer, put my lunch in the fridge and settle in for a day that is already looking like yesterday. I can sit at my desk and clank away at the keyboard for hours. I can take my lunch break at 1pm and tell everyone to "have a good night" at 4:30pm.

The point is, that many of us get sucked into the monotonous world of corporate routine. There's no cheerleader urging me on to complete that latest project with a bang. No kind words of appreciation. No true incentive. At the end of the week, it will be the same paycheck. But fear not! Here are five tools that will help self-motivate - and they're all less embarrassing then bringing pom-poms to work!

Set Personal Goals.
Long-term, short-term and everything in between! Write them down and keep them visible. Look at them often and assess what you are doing to reach them. Failure is not an option. Be sure to reward yourself - as long as it means you don't fall off the wagon.

Look on the bright side.
Feed your heart and mind positive info on a regular basis and you can actually retrain your subconscious to have a better attitude. Think about it, Who would YOU rather feel like at work: Tony Little or Tony Soprano. Be infectious, you'll not only stimulate your co-workers - but others too.

Do not compare.

Whatever lights your fire, is OK! Some people want to achieve success so they can accumulate wealth and fame. Others just want to feel accomplished. Many just want to show their ex-friends on MySpace how successful they've become.

Try to do it for you, but I say grab onto whatever makes you move and ride the wave. It's also okay to use simple motivations - like the fact that your current job is feeding the family and keeping a nice roof over your head.

See the future.

Visualize what it will be like to finish whatever you are working on in a positive light - even if it's not terribly realistic. For example, if you boss just asked you to write a proposal comparing X to Y, see yourself completing it to perfection - and then getting rewarded with a trip to Hawaii.
Don't underestimate the power of self-fulfilling prophecy.

We usually think of the phenomenon leading to bad stuff, but it can lead to good too!

Keep rolling.

A mistake many of us make is getting too many opinions (solicited or not) from other people. If you believe in a project, you must go with it and let criticism bounce off of you. Tenacity is half the battle. Once you start putting too much credence into other people's beliefs, you will surely shortchange your efforts.

Sometimes, so I don't get discouraged, I keep a project to myself. And when it's complete, I sell it like it's the best thing since Mallowmars. Share in the comments below on what works for you when it comes to self-motivation.

One last piece of advice, which comes from media mogul Russell Simmons who once imparted this knowledge when we were interviewing him for a TV segment - and I'm paraphrasing: "If you tell yourself you're a lawyer, you ARE a lawyer. You don't need a piece of paper telling you that you are.

Go to the library. Read the books.

Believe that you are a lawyer, tell people, get cards made up - and at that moment - you are a lawyer." Look, this statement might have some flaws. And I don't think Russell was suggesting anyone impersonate a profession. But I think his point is pretty clear: you are what you believe. I hope you make yourself a success!

by Jobacle.com

How to manage your life

2007-09-26T11:52:00.001-07:00

“People don’t want to blame things on themselves;
they want other people to be held responsible for their
lives. People get very angry at me because they’re very unhappy and
they say, ‘Gee, if I only had the opportunity, if I only had the
education.”

“And I say, ‘Hey, those things don’t really matter. You’re
responsible… as of right now. You can change your life.’”

True Love

2007-07-04T03:45:00.000-07:00

True Love

Moses Mendelssohn, the grandfather of the well-known German composer, was far from being handsome. Along with a rather short stature, he had a grotesque hunchback.

One day he visited a merchant in Hamburg who had a lovely daughter named Frumtje. Moses fell hopelessly in love with her. But Frumtje was repulsed by his misshapen appearance.

When it came time for him to leave, Moses gathered his courage and climbed the stairs to her room to take one last opportunity to speak with her. She was a vision of heavenly beauty, but caused him deep sadness by her refusal to look at him. After several attempts at conversation, Moses shyly asked, "Do you believe marriages are made in heaven?"

"Yes," she answered, still looking at the floor. "And do you?"

"Yes I do," he replied. "You see, in heaven at the birth of each boy, the Lord announces which girl he will marry. When I was born, my future bride was pointed out to me. Then the Lord added, 'But your wife will be humpbacked.'

"Right then and there I called out, 'Oh Lord, a humpbacked woman would be a tragedy. Please, Lord, give me the hump and let her be beautiful.'"

Then Frumtje looked up into his eyes and was stirred by some deep memory. She reached out and gave Mendelssohn her hand and later became his devoted wife.

Barry and Joyce Vissell

Heart Song

2007-07-04T03:43:00.000-07:00

Heart Song

Once upon a time there was a great man who married the woman of his dreams. With their love, they created a little girl. She was a bright and cheerful little girl and the great man loved her very much.

When she was very little, he would pick her up, hum a tune and dance with her around the room, and he would tell her, "I love you, little girl."

When the little girl was growing up, the great man would hug her and tell her, "I love you, little girl." The little girl would pout and say, "I'm not a little girl anymore." Then the man would laugh and say, "But to me, you'll always be my little girl."

The little girl who-was-not-little-anymore left her home and went into the world. As she learned more about herself, she learned more about the man. She saw that he truly was great and strong, for now she recognized his strengths. One of his strengths was his ability to express his love to his family. It didn't matter where she went in the world, the man would call her and say, "I love you, little girl."
The day came when the little girl who-was-not-little-anymore received a phone call. The great man was damaged.
He had had a stroke. He was aphasic, they explained to the girl. He couldn't talk anymore and they weren't sure that he could understand the words spoken to him. He could no longer smile, laugh, walk, hug, dance or tell the little girl who-was-not-little-anymore that he loved her.
And so she went to the side of the great man. When she walked into the room and saw him, he looked small and not strong at all. He looked at her and tried to speak, but he could not.
The little girl did the only thing she could do. She climbed up on the bed next to the great man. Tears ran from both of their eyes and she drew her arms around the useless shoulders of her father.

Her head on his chest, she thought of many things. She remembered the wonderful times together and how she had always felt protected and cherished by the great man. She felt grief for the loss she was to endure, the words of love that had comforted her.
And then she heard from within the man, the beat of his heart. The heart where the music and the words had always lived. The heart beat on, steadily unconcerned about the damage to the rest of the body. And while she rested there, the magic happened. She heard what she needed to hear.

His heart beat out the words that his mouth could no longer say....
I love you I love you I love you Little girl Little girl Little girl
And she was comforted.

Patty Hansen

All I Remember

2007-07-01T00:32:00.001-07:00

All I Remember

When my father spoke to me, he always began the conversation with "Have I told you yet today how much I adore you?" The expression of love was reciprocated and, in his later years, as his life began to visibly ebb, we grew even closer.... if that were possible.

At 82 he was ready to die, and I was ready to let him go so that his suffering would end. We laughed and cried and held hands and told each other of our love and agreed that it was time. I said, "Dad, after you've gone I want a sign from you that you're fine." He laughed at the absurdity of that; Dad didn't believe in reincarnation. I wasn't positive I did either, but I had had many experiences that convinced me I could get some signal "from the other side."

My father and I were so deeply connected I felt his heart attack in my chest at the moment he died. Later I mourned that the hospital, in their sterile wisdom, had not let me hold his hand as he had slipped away.

Day after day I prayed to hear from him, but nothing happened. Night after night I asked for a dream before I fell asleep. And yet four long months passed and I heard and felt nothing but grief at his loss. Mother had died five years before of Alzheimer's, and, though I had grown daughters of my own, I felt like a lost child.

One day, while I was lying on a massage table in a dark quiet room waiting for my appointment, a wave of longing for my father swept over me. I began to wonder if I had been too demanding in asking for a sign from him. I noticed that my mind was in a hyper-acute state. I experienced an unfamiliar clarity in which I could have added long columns of figures in my head. I checked to make sure I was awake and not dreaming, and I saw that I was as far removed from a dreamy state as one could possibly be. Each thought I had, was like a drop of water disturbing a still pond, and I marveled at the peacefulness of each passing moment. Then I thought, "I've been trying to control the messages from the other side; I will stop that now."

Suddenly my mother's face appeared—my mother, as she had been before Alzheimer's disease had stripped her of her mind, her humanity and 50 pounds. Her magnificent silver hair crowned her sweet face. She was so real and so close I felt I could reach out and touch her. She looked as she had a dozen years ago, before the wasting away had begun. I even smelled the fragrance of Joy, her favorite perfume. She seemed to be waiting and did not speak. I wondered how it could happen that I was thinking of my father and my mother appeared, and I felt a little guilty that I had not asked for her as well.

I said, "Oh, Mother, I'm so sorry that you had to suffer with that horrible disease."
She tipped her head slightly to one side, as though to acknowledge what I had said about her suffering. Then she smiled—a beautiful smile—and said very distinctly, "But all I remember is love." And she disappeared.

I began to shiver in a room suddenly gone cold, and I knew in my bones that the love we give and receive is all that matters and all that is remembered. Suffering disappears - love remains.
Her words are the most important I have ever heard, and that moment is forever engraved on my heart.

I have not yet seen or heard from my father, but I have no doubts that someday, when I least expect it, he will appear and say, "Have I told you yet today that I love you?"

Bobbie Probstein

Love: The One Creative Force

2007-07-01T00:29:00.000-07:00

Love: The One Creative Force

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor. . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.
Mother Teresa

A college professor had his sociology class go into the Baltimore slums to get case histories of 200 young boys. They were asked to write an evaluation of each boy's future. In every case the students wrote, "He hasn't got a chance."

Twenty-five years later another sociology professor came across the earlier study. He had his students follow up on the project to see what had happened to these boys. With the exception of 20 boys who had moved away or died, the students learned that 176 of the remaining 180 had achieved more than ordinary success as lawyers, doctors and businessmen.

The professor was astounded and decided to pursue the matter further. Fortunately, all the men were in the area and he was able to ask each one, "How do you account for your success?" In each case the reply came with feeling, 'There was a teacher."

The teacher was still alive, so he sought her out and asked the old but still alert lady what magic formula she had used to pull these boys out of the slums into successful achievement.
The teacher's eyes sparkled and her lips broke into a gentle smile. "It's really very simple," she said. "I loved those boys."