Posts
“We should dig the well before we’re too thirsty.” That was the Chinese proverb Jack would spout to inspire his son Franky and his pet donkey, Luckyone, along with the other dedicated workers on his farm, to get on with it lickety-split when flavour-of-the-month notions flooded his head. Outfitted with an untamed imagination and a cream-of-the-crop view of himself, Jack had a uncanny ability to charm the people around him into getting his dirty work done like dinner. To say the least, his Atilla the Hun leadership style was remarkably noteworthy.
Jack loved his farm. Above all he adored flaunting the fruits of the toil of labourers who marched to the beat of his drum. His mind tripped into high gear one day, over a conversation he had with a crony. Showing off the precision-straight furrows Franky and Luckyone had ploughed, Jack conceived an idea to streamline his operations.
To keep his farm running as tickety-boo as it did in his head, it tickled his fancy to sneak some new blood into the midst of his workers. He made up his mind to hire himself a high-falootin right-hand man. In fact, Jack rhapsodized in his vision of modern farmers like himself all across the land, each having their very own patronage-appointed right-hand man.
Sure, the change would be a kick in the gut to Franky who had grown up devoting his most cherished years to the farm, with the faithful help of Luckyone -- but times they were a changin’. “It is what it is,” Jack exclaimed as he bamboozled Franky and others into an upheaval in his attempt to usher in new blood and shed what may. Feeling like he'd fallen into a bewildered haze of disbelief, hoping it was all just a nightmare he's soon awake from, Franky truly believed his father would soon flip-flop to a new flavour-of-the-month plan for the future. He purposely and vividly imagined his dad would abandon this notional structure he was threatening to impose, without any regard to the mass confusion, and the crushing blow to morale it would inflict on the loyal crew.
“It’s going to be okay,” Franky said, thinking out loud and meaning to reassure himself and the others. “Soon my dad will introduce a new flavour of the month and we’ll get ready to dig that well instead.” With his relentless arrogance though, Jack, forged onward in oblivion to the devastation of his relationship with his son Franky, who for whatever reason still wished so to admire his father -- and with equal and apalling disregard for all the others who had toiled with pride and integrity for the good of the farm. Jack audaciously introduced his new wonder, Charlie, who fit perfectly into the devilish image concocted in his more and more evidently half-lame brain. As the new right-hand man Charlie was no stranger to dirty work, Jack knew he was just the right guy to step into it on the farm. In unison, Jack and Charlie chimed a banal, “We should dig the well before we’re too thirsty.”
Ominously, soon after Charlie’s arrival on the farm, Luckyone awoke in horror one day, to find herself in a dark, dank, and lonely place, just like deep situational depression. She cried out heartbreakingly to get the assistance she expected would come naturally from anyone who could see through the tainted scheme of the wrongdoers. When Jack himself heard the commotion, he went running with Charlie right at his side, to see what it was all about. Reeking of irony even more than she did of the bilge she was in, there was Luckyone looking up to them from the depth of a derelict well she and Franky had dutifully helped to dig for a gung ho flavour-of-the-month plan that Jack had sampled years earlier. He and Charlie had to think quickly of a way out of this particular pickle they'd unwittingly put themselves into when they discovered it was going to be so easy to get Luckyone and the othersw to go quietly along with their devious plan to clean house. In their blue funk, with total disregard for common sense and humane decency, Jack decided to just fill the neglected well with all the dirt that was piling up since he'd undertaken his baneful initiative. It felt like way too much trouble to think of a way to lift Luckyone out of what he'd dumped her into. She didn’t fit in well anyway with Jack's plan for his new streamlined operation.
Jack decided he'd better send Franky out on a proverbial wild goose chase to distract him while Charlie recruited help to fill the pit, with the more and more woeful Luckyone still at the bottom. Unbeknownst to the members of the ad-hoc committee struck to help with the shovelling, it was Charlie who had deviously led Luckyone to the depression she was in and willfully tipped her over the edge to hit rock bottom. The devil is always hidden in the details.
Some of the shovellers did wonder fleetingly if there might be something more humane that could be done. All the same, regarding the farmer as a leader among them, most of them simply resigned to go with the flow. They didn’t all actually shovel of course. Some just stood by and watched the others aiding and abetting in the atrocity. After all, Jack said he wanted the well filled. ”What can you do?” they mused. "It's his farm after all." To get the whole nasty deed over and done with as quickly as possible, some of them actually did grab their shovels to help Jack and Charlie mudslinging and filth-flinging over the once loved Luckyone.
At first Luckyone screeched in terror, unable to believe what was happening. Hardening their souls to avert each and every own consciencious feeling they each had, the mob of shovellers had to be strong in their resolve to continue what they had started. With their collective integrity dangling by just a thread, some were feeling an annoying sense of remorse about the obvious fate they were inflicting on the faithful old donkey. To the hard-headed relief though, Luckyone eventually calmed down as though in acquiescence to the morose destiny in store. She was presumably too exhausted to fight any further -- just as they had all hoped. Not having to hear her pleas to their principles made it easier for the mob to continue without having to endure the annoyance of niggling pinches of guilt.
When When Jack mustered the gall to peer down into the well that the mob was dutifully transforming into a grave, he was astounded. With each shovel load that the band of followers dumped onto her, the sanguine burro was doing something Jack could never have imagined was possible. There stood Luckyone, strong and calm, shaking off the dirt as it landed on her head and back. To what would turn out to be the good fortune of all, Luckyone sensed the quiet support and encouragement from her friends on the farm as well as the unbearable longing that Franky would suffer if she were to succumb to the wicked plan of the sheepish ones. She was able to draw the strength and resolve she needed to fight for what was right. While the throng of adherents continued to shovel, Luckyone kept shaking it off and taking a step up. When she finally stepped firmly up onto level ground she trotted off immediately and exultantly to find Franky.
Wouldn't you know the shovellers circled around the old well were in perfect formation for a congratulatory round of pats on the back for the achievement of having “helped out.” Jack and Charlie even gave each other a big ol’ high five for masterminding Luckyone's rescue. Some among them must have struggled you would think, with the sense of evil and betrayal in which they had been willing to partake. Those ones made up their minds to join more honourable circles so that when what goes around comes around, they could hope to be the better for it.
In the years that followed, Franky marveled at how different the outcome would have been for everyone if Luckyone had just laid down to accept the sinister fate the accomplices had drummed up. What finally happened with faithful old Luckyone was that she vengefully gnawed off her rightful pound of flesh from Jack and Charlie for trying to bury her alive, along with the hopes and dreams of Franky and the other workers. They learned a valuable lesson when the festering wounds from their bites got infected and they both became so sick they had to take an early off-ramp and retire early from the farm they had professed to love so much. It all goes to show -- "If you try to cover your, er uhm -- Luckyone, it will come back to bite you.
Luckyone was a donkey and did what she felt she had to do to strike a chord for justice. As real-life good fortune has it, we don't all have to be asses and seek revenge. We can just decide to be Luckyones and to take each challenge we face as an opportunity to shake it off and take a step up!
Ardently,
Kathleen Betts
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
So Much To Do!!!
Hello dear Blog Readers:
According to the legendary and inspiring football coach, Lou Holtz, the definition of success and happiness goes more or less like “Something to do, someone to love and something to hope for.” By that measure, working moms and working dads and teachers and kids and neighbours and friends and grandparents and colleagues and just about everybody I know is a resounding success, basking in the glories of elatedness.
Some of us just mix things up a little thinking we’ve met with some degree of failure because we have lots to do, many people who rely and depend on us, and great dreams we have yet to achieve. Mr. Holtz’ quote can help us put things back in perspective when we remember how very much more fortunate we are to be in our situation than what we would be if we had nothing to do, nobody to care for, and no goals to strive for.
Here's to our success!!
Ardently,
Kathleen
According to the legendary and inspiring football coach, Lou Holtz, the definition of success and happiness goes more or less like “Something to do, someone to love and something to hope for.” By that measure, working moms and working dads and teachers and kids and neighbours and friends and grandparents and colleagues and just about everybody I know is a resounding success, basking in the glories of elatedness.
Some of us just mix things up a little thinking we’ve met with some degree of failure because we have lots to do, many people who rely and depend on us, and great dreams we have yet to achieve. Mr. Holtz’ quote can help us put things back in perspective when we remember how very much more fortunate we are to be in our situation than what we would be if we had nothing to do, nobody to care for, and no goals to strive for.
Here's to our success!!
Ardently,
Kathleen
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Canadian Voices
Book Launch November 10, 2009
from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
at the SUPERMARKET ART BAR
268 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2L9
Canadian Voices is a powerful and moving collection of prose and poetry, which stretches across the boundaries of age, skin color, language, ethnicity, and religion
to give voice to the lives and experiences of ordinary Canadians.
This vibrant, varied sampler of the Canadian literary scene captures timely personal and cultural challenges, and ultimately shares subtle insight and compassion written by a wide spectrum of stylistically and culturally diverse authors. Canadian Voices is more than simply an anthology — it is a celebration of wonderful writing by some of today's finest emerging Canadian writers.
This book is an ambitious, lasting, and meaningful work of literature that will not soon fade away. It is an exceptional reading experience to be enjoyed and savoured.
Participating Authors:
John Ambury
N. Patricia Armstrong
Elizabeth Barnes
Dahn Batchelor
Kathleen Betts
Yvonne Blackwood
Karim Bondrey
Alison E. Bruce
Altug Cakmakci
Mauro Cappa
Joan Chisholm
Christina Clapperton
Nancy Kay Clark
R.G. Condie
Juliet Davy
Jasmine D’Costa
Susan Desveaux
Sally Dillon
Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews
Graham Ducker
Mary Craig Gardner
Zita Hinson
Sherry Isaac
Manny Johal
Nancy Jonah
Fatmatta Kanu
Perparim Kapllani
David Kimel
Sharon Knauer
Bianca Lakoseljac
Karen Lam
John Maar
Maria Pia Marchelletta
Cassie McDaniel
Gemma Meharchand
Braz Menezes
Jatin Naik
Lisabeth Neuman
Judy Powell
Sylvia Price
Elana Rae
Maheen A. Rashdi
Pratap Reddy
Larry Rodness
Philomena Saldanha
Mel Sarnese
Andrew Scott
Marian Scott
Reva Stern
Sandor Stern
Steven H. Stern
Anna Stitski
Hailun Tang
Linda Torney
Edwin Vasan
Herb Ware
Karol Zelazny
Zohra Zoberi
Hope you'll be able to join us for the event!
Proudly promoting my cohorts and shamelessly self-promoting : )
Ardently,
Kathleen
from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
at the SUPERMARKET ART BAR
268 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2L9
Canadian Voices is a powerful and moving collection of prose and poetry, which stretches across the boundaries of age, skin color, language, ethnicity, and religion
to give voice to the lives and experiences of ordinary Canadians.
This vibrant, varied sampler of the Canadian literary scene captures timely personal and cultural challenges, and ultimately shares subtle insight and compassion written by a wide spectrum of stylistically and culturally diverse authors. Canadian Voices is more than simply an anthology — it is a celebration of wonderful writing by some of today's finest emerging Canadian writers.
This book is an ambitious, lasting, and meaningful work of literature that will not soon fade away. It is an exceptional reading experience to be enjoyed and savoured.
Participating Authors:
John Ambury
N. Patricia Armstrong
Elizabeth Barnes
Dahn Batchelor
Kathleen Betts
Yvonne Blackwood
Karim Bondrey
Alison E. Bruce
Altug Cakmakci
Mauro Cappa
Joan Chisholm
Christina Clapperton
Nancy Kay Clark
R.G. Condie
Juliet Davy
Jasmine D’Costa
Susan Desveaux
Sally Dillon
Josie Di Sciascio-Andrews
Graham Ducker
Mary Craig Gardner
Zita Hinson
Sherry Isaac
Manny Johal
Nancy Jonah
Fatmatta Kanu
Perparim Kapllani
David Kimel
Sharon Knauer
Bianca Lakoseljac
Karen Lam
John Maar
Maria Pia Marchelletta
Cassie McDaniel
Gemma Meharchand
Braz Menezes
Jatin Naik
Lisabeth Neuman
Judy Powell
Sylvia Price
Elana Rae
Maheen A. Rashdi
Pratap Reddy
Larry Rodness
Philomena Saldanha
Mel Sarnese
Andrew Scott
Marian Scott
Reva Stern
Sandor Stern
Steven H. Stern
Anna Stitski
Hailun Tang
Linda Torney
Edwin Vasan
Herb Ware
Karol Zelazny
Zohra Zoberi
Hope you'll be able to join us for the event!
Proudly promoting my cohorts and shamelessly self-promoting : )
Ardently,
Kathleen
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The 333 Story by Bob Proctor from Chicken Soup for the Soul
Hello Dear Readers led here from Good News Toronto Fundraisers or from other places of inspiration,
As we embark on our fundraising adventure, I can hardly think there can be more compelling story to help us grasp how very very realistic our target is.
The 333 Story by Bob Proctor, Chicken Soup for the Soul
I was doing a weekend seminar at the Deerhurst Lodge, north of Toronto. On Friday night a tornado swept through a town north of us called Barrie, killing dozens of people and doing millions of dollars worth of damage. Sunday night, as I was coming home, I stopped the car when I got to Barrie. I got out on the side of the highway and looked around. It was a mess. Everywhere I looked there were smashed houses and cars turned upside down.
That same night Bob Templeton was driving down the same highway. He stopped to look at the disaster just as I had, only his thoughts were different than my own. Bob was the vice-president of Telemedia Communications, which owns a string of radio stations in Ontario and Quebec. He thought there must be something we could do for these people with the radio stations they had.
The following night I was doing another seminar in Toronto. Bob Templeton and Bob Johnson, another vice-president from Telemedia, came in and stood in the back of the room. They shared their conviction that there had to be something they could do for the people in Barrie. After the seminar we went back to Bob's office. He was now committed to the idea of helping the people who had been caught in the tornado.
The following Friday he called all the executives at Telemedia into his office. At the top of a flip chart he wrote three 3s. He said to his executives "How would you like to raise 3 million dollars 3 days from now in just 3 hours and give the money to the people in Barrie?" There was nothing but silence in the room.
Finally someone said, "Templeton, you're crazy. There is no way we could do that." Bob said, "Wait a minute. I didn't ask you if we could or even if we should. I just asked you if you'd like to." They all said, "Sure we'd like to." He then drew a large T underneath the 333. On one side he wrote, "Why we can't." On the other side he wrote, "How we can." "I'm going to put a big X on the 'Why we can't side.' We're not going to spend any time on the ideas of why we can't. That's of no value. On the other wide we're going to write down every idea that we can come up with on how we can. We're not going to leave the room until we figure it out." There was silence again.
Finally, someone said, "We could do a radio show across Canada." Bob said, "That's a great idea," and wrote it down. Before he had it written, someone said, "You can't do a radio show across Canada. We don't have radio stations across Canada." That was a pretty valid objection. They only had stations in Ontario and Quebec. Templeton replied, "That's why we can. That stays." But this was a real strong objection because radio stations are not very compatible. They usually don't work together. They are very cutthroat. They fight each other. To get them to work together would be virtually impossible according to the standard way of thinking.
All of a sudden someone said, "You could get Harvey Kirk and Lloyd Robertson, the biggest names in Canadian broadcasting, to anchor the show." (That would be like getting Tom Brokaw and Sam Donaldson to anchor the show. They are anchors on national TV. They are not going to go on radio.) At that point, it was absolutely amazing how fast and furious the creative ideas began to flow.
That was on a Friday. The following Tuesday they had a radiothon. They had fifty radio stations all across the country that agreed to broadcast it. It didn't matter who got the credit as long as the people in Barrie got the money. Harvey Kirk and Lloyd Robertson anchored the show and they succeeded in raising three million dollars in three hours within three business days!
Hope you enjoyed Bob's story. It reminds me: That's why we can raise $60,000 to keep Good News Toronto alive and well and inspiring all of us and our neighbours too. We'll have our own 60K in 60 Days Story to tell by the end of August. Really, if you go by the math, I suppose we have even more than 60 days, but 60K in Seventy some days doesn't have the same zeal and appeal. Let's roll.
Ardently,
Kathleen
As we embark on our fundraising adventure, I can hardly think there can be more compelling story to help us grasp how very very realistic our target is.
The 333 Story by Bob Proctor, Chicken Soup for the Soul
I was doing a weekend seminar at the Deerhurst Lodge, north of Toronto. On Friday night a tornado swept through a town north of us called Barrie, killing dozens of people and doing millions of dollars worth of damage. Sunday night, as I was coming home, I stopped the car when I got to Barrie. I got out on the side of the highway and looked around. It was a mess. Everywhere I looked there were smashed houses and cars turned upside down.
That same night Bob Templeton was driving down the same highway. He stopped to look at the disaster just as I had, only his thoughts were different than my own. Bob was the vice-president of Telemedia Communications, which owns a string of radio stations in Ontario and Quebec. He thought there must be something we could do for these people with the radio stations they had.
The following night I was doing another seminar in Toronto. Bob Templeton and Bob Johnson, another vice-president from Telemedia, came in and stood in the back of the room. They shared their conviction that there had to be something they could do for the people in Barrie. After the seminar we went back to Bob's office. He was now committed to the idea of helping the people who had been caught in the tornado.
The following Friday he called all the executives at Telemedia into his office. At the top of a flip chart he wrote three 3s. He said to his executives "How would you like to raise 3 million dollars 3 days from now in just 3 hours and give the money to the people in Barrie?" There was nothing but silence in the room.
Finally someone said, "Templeton, you're crazy. There is no way we could do that." Bob said, "Wait a minute. I didn't ask you if we could or even if we should. I just asked you if you'd like to." They all said, "Sure we'd like to." He then drew a large T underneath the 333. On one side he wrote, "Why we can't." On the other side he wrote, "How we can." "I'm going to put a big X on the 'Why we can't side.' We're not going to spend any time on the ideas of why we can't. That's of no value. On the other wide we're going to write down every idea that we can come up with on how we can. We're not going to leave the room until we figure it out." There was silence again.
Finally, someone said, "We could do a radio show across Canada." Bob said, "That's a great idea," and wrote it down. Before he had it written, someone said, "You can't do a radio show across Canada. We don't have radio stations across Canada." That was a pretty valid objection. They only had stations in Ontario and Quebec. Templeton replied, "That's why we can. That stays." But this was a real strong objection because radio stations are not very compatible. They usually don't work together. They are very cutthroat. They fight each other. To get them to work together would be virtually impossible according to the standard way of thinking.
All of a sudden someone said, "You could get Harvey Kirk and Lloyd Robertson, the biggest names in Canadian broadcasting, to anchor the show." (That would be like getting Tom Brokaw and Sam Donaldson to anchor the show. They are anchors on national TV. They are not going to go on radio.) At that point, it was absolutely amazing how fast and furious the creative ideas began to flow.
That was on a Friday. The following Tuesday they had a radiothon. They had fifty radio stations all across the country that agreed to broadcast it. It didn't matter who got the credit as long as the people in Barrie got the money. Harvey Kirk and Lloyd Robertson anchored the show and they succeeded in raising three million dollars in three hours within three business days!
Hope you enjoyed Bob's story. It reminds me: That's why we can raise $60,000 to keep Good News Toronto alive and well and inspiring all of us and our neighbours too. We'll have our own 60K in 60 Days Story to tell by the end of August. Really, if you go by the math, I suppose we have even more than 60 days, but 60K in Seventy some days doesn't have the same zeal and appeal. Let's roll.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Extra Extra Read All About Good News Toronto On-Line for June 2009
Extra Extra Read All About It! The June issue of Good News Toronto is ready for reading. Good News Toronto (GNT) is a not-for-profit newspaper distributed on the first Tuesday of the month in the TTC and throughout the GTA. As the Editor, Eva Karpati tells us, Good News Toronto celebrates the multitude of inspirational people who live in Toronto, with the goal of inspiring each other and motivating all of us to continue to make this city rich in everyday heroes.”
GNT is a monthly gazette of all good news and only good news and comes to you completely free of charge. Talk about good news! Because we are all concerned about the environment and about spreading the good news as far and wide as we can, GNT is vamping up its on-line presence. Please check it out at http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/. Keep an eye out too for the next issue in September, when the site will be all the more enhanced. Any feedback you can offer is greatly appreciated.
If you do like to have a traditional hard copy of the paper to sit and read with your coffee, or while you’re doing whatever you do, wherever you read the paper, you might prefer to subscribe to ensure you always get your copy every month for the rest of the year. It costs only $18.00 per year (to cover delivery cost of postage.) You can get more details by visiting the site or writing to info@goodnewstoronto.ca ,or calling 416-661-2556.
We hope you’ll enjoy the good news. When you savour every delightful morsel of inspiration to be gleaned from the pages of GNT, you'll feel empowered to handle all the news that comes your way for this day, any day, and everyday. Last but not least, if you have good news you would like to share, please report it to Good News Toronto at: info@goodnewstoronto.ca. Sharing your “good news” of an everyday hero among us will inspire others to do more good for the world around them as well and gladness will come full circle. Happy Reading!
Ardently,
Kathleen
GNT is a monthly gazette of all good news and only good news and comes to you completely free of charge. Talk about good news! Because we are all concerned about the environment and about spreading the good news as far and wide as we can, GNT is vamping up its on-line presence. Please check it out at http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/. Keep an eye out too for the next issue in September, when the site will be all the more enhanced. Any feedback you can offer is greatly appreciated.
If you do like to have a traditional hard copy of the paper to sit and read with your coffee, or while you’re doing whatever you do, wherever you read the paper, you might prefer to subscribe to ensure you always get your copy every month for the rest of the year. It costs only $18.00 per year (to cover delivery cost of postage.) You can get more details by visiting the site or writing to info@goodnewstoronto.ca ,or calling 416-661-2556.
We hope you’ll enjoy the good news. When you savour every delightful morsel of inspiration to be gleaned from the pages of GNT, you'll feel empowered to handle all the news that comes your way for this day, any day, and everyday. Last but not least, if you have good news you would like to share, please report it to Good News Toronto at: info@goodnewstoronto.ca. Sharing your “good news” of an everyday hero among us will inspire others to do more good for the world around them as well and gladness will come full circle. Happy Reading!
Ardently,
Kathleen
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Talk about good news!
Extra Extra Read All About It! The April issue of Good News Toronto is ready for reading. This monthly gazette is all good news and only good news and comes to you completely free of charge. Talk about good news!
Good News Toronto (GNT) is a not-for-profit newspaper distributed on the first Tuesday of the month in the TTC and throughout the GTA. As the Editor, Eva Karpati tells us, Good News Toronto celebrates the multitude of inspirational people who live in Toronto, with the goal of inspiring each other and motivating all of us to continue to make this city rich in everyday heroes.”
Because we are all concerned about the environment and about spreading the good news as far and wide as we can, you can check out the latest issue on-line. Please visit http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/. If you do like to have a traditional hard copy of the paper to sit and read with your coffee, or while you’re doing whatever you do, wherever you read the paper, you might prefer to subscribe to ensure you always get your copy every month for the rest of the year. It costs only $18.00 per year (to cover delivery cost of postage.)
For more information, you can visit the site or write to info@goodnewstoronto.ca or call 416-661-2556. We hope you’ll enjoy the good news. When you savour every delightful morsel of inspiration to be gleaned from the pages of GNT, you'll feel empowered to handle all the news that comes your way for this day, any day, and everyday.
Last but not least, if you have good news you would like to share, please report it to Good News Toronto at: info@goodnewstoronto.ca. Sharing your “good news” of an everyday hero among us will inspire others to do more good for the world around them as well and gladness will come full circle.
Happy Reading!
Ardently,
Kathleen
Good News Toronto (GNT) is a not-for-profit newspaper distributed on the first Tuesday of the month in the TTC and throughout the GTA. As the Editor, Eva Karpati tells us, Good News Toronto celebrates the multitude of inspirational people who live in Toronto, with the goal of inspiring each other and motivating all of us to continue to make this city rich in everyday heroes.”
Because we are all concerned about the environment and about spreading the good news as far and wide as we can, you can check out the latest issue on-line. Please visit http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/. If you do like to have a traditional hard copy of the paper to sit and read with your coffee, or while you’re doing whatever you do, wherever you read the paper, you might prefer to subscribe to ensure you always get your copy every month for the rest of the year. It costs only $18.00 per year (to cover delivery cost of postage.)
For more information, you can visit the site or write to info@goodnewstoronto.ca or call 416-661-2556. We hope you’ll enjoy the good news. When you savour every delightful morsel of inspiration to be gleaned from the pages of GNT, you'll feel empowered to handle all the news that comes your way for this day, any day, and everyday.
Last but not least, if you have good news you would like to share, please report it to Good News Toronto at: info@goodnewstoronto.ca. Sharing your “good news” of an everyday hero among us will inspire others to do more good for the world around them as well and gladness will come full circle.
Happy Reading!
Ardently,
Kathleen
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Over-The-Top -- It's Not Bragging. It's Inspiring.
Welcome Dear Readers led here from Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, Dale Carnegie, Microskills, and other places of inspiration:
I'm inviting everyone to write in the most over-the-top thing that has happened to you or to someone you know. Even better, write about the most over-the-top thing you dream of doing. We can all aim together to inspire and motivate each other to strike the abundance we deserve. It's gotta feel better to be over-the-top than to be toned down. Let's all step out of our comfort zones together and feel how it feels. It will be exhilarating. My husband called me over-the-top one time. I need to thank him for setting a high standard to live up to when he laid down that challenge. One last word of caution for us all to share. Be careful not to protect yourself and others from the opportunity to do greater things!
While I was doing the dishes with my Mum one day after a family dinner, she said she had one recommendation for this blog she dutifully reads from time to time. Mum thought I should tone it down a bit. With the greatest of intention to offer helpful advice, Mum said, "It's a little hard to read much of it for too long." We talked about it for a bit, trying to pinpoint what exactly she was recommending, while treading carefully to avoid hurting any feelings. "Maybe it's a little too optimistic could be what you mean" I offered, or maybe even "A little Pollyanna’ish?" "No," we decided that was not quite it and we got sidetracked before we finished our discussion.
I think I figured it out as I thought about it more afterward. I think we were looking for "over-the-top." Maybe it's all a little too over-the-top. Thinking more about my mother's advice, I agreed that maybe I should tone it down a bit to strike a balance that might make it a little easier to read more of it. That was right before the thought burst to mind that what would be even better than toning it down a bit would be taking it up a notch.
There’s plenty going on out there in the world to tone it down and strike a balance so that we can maintain our middle-of-the-packth place or maybe even finish in also-ranth. Mum’s caution to me serves as a great example of the well-intended advice that we give as parents to protect our children from doing something where there is a risk of getting hurt or of being criticized. Those of us who are lucky enough to have parents who say and do things to protect us are secure in the sense that our mothers and fathers care so much about us they cannot bear to see or feel our hurt.
Fortunately, from this sense of security, we can decide to draw the strength of self-confidence. We can listen to what our parents say and do to help us feel secure and loved and we can watch what they and others who influence us positively do to set a good example for us to follow, at any age, to develop the confidence we need to lead the way and then invite others from the middle of the pack to join us as we go over the top. Come to think of it, my mother’s a little over-the–top.
Thank you Mum for your made-with-love words of caution that give me a sense of security and thank you too for showing me how to stay grounded while going over the top! With a healthy sense of security bestowed upon us with love from our parents, and the confidence we need to take the risk to step out of our comfort zone in the middle of the pack, we can aim for and achieve success to the nth degree and strike abundance instead of striking the status quo balance we’ve worked so hard to maintain for as long we have.
In the human race, keeping up with the middle of the pack has its merit. Just imagine though how you can rejoice and be glad in it when you make your breakaway or make your splash. Instead of striking a balance, we could strive, along side our parents and our children, to strike abundance. With all the toning it down that's already going on out there, we're well equipped to keep the balance we've all been living and to keep ourselves at the same level or lower, without me or anybody else jumping onto that band wagon. To strike abundance, to make our dreams come true, exactly what we need to do is to take it up a notch from where we are toward where we want to be.
Over The Top To You,
Kathleen
I'm inviting everyone to write in the most over-the-top thing that has happened to you or to someone you know. Even better, write about the most over-the-top thing you dream of doing. We can all aim together to inspire and motivate each other to strike the abundance we deserve. It's gotta feel better to be over-the-top than to be toned down. Let's all step out of our comfort zones together and feel how it feels. It will be exhilarating. My husband called me over-the-top one time. I need to thank him for setting a high standard to live up to when he laid down that challenge. One last word of caution for us all to share. Be careful not to protect yourself and others from the opportunity to do greater things!
While I was doing the dishes with my Mum one day after a family dinner, she said she had one recommendation for this blog she dutifully reads from time to time. Mum thought I should tone it down a bit. With the greatest of intention to offer helpful advice, Mum said, "It's a little hard to read much of it for too long." We talked about it for a bit, trying to pinpoint what exactly she was recommending, while treading carefully to avoid hurting any feelings. "Maybe it's a little too optimistic could be what you mean" I offered, or maybe even "A little Pollyanna’ish?" "No," we decided that was not quite it and we got sidetracked before we finished our discussion.
I think I figured it out as I thought about it more afterward. I think we were looking for "over-the-top." Maybe it's all a little too over-the-top. Thinking more about my mother's advice, I agreed that maybe I should tone it down a bit to strike a balance that might make it a little easier to read more of it. That was right before the thought burst to mind that what would be even better than toning it down a bit would be taking it up a notch.
There’s plenty going on out there in the world to tone it down and strike a balance so that we can maintain our middle-of-the-packth place or maybe even finish in also-ranth. Mum’s caution to me serves as a great example of the well-intended advice that we give as parents to protect our children from doing something where there is a risk of getting hurt or of being criticized. Those of us who are lucky enough to have parents who say and do things to protect us are secure in the sense that our mothers and fathers care so much about us they cannot bear to see or feel our hurt.
Fortunately, from this sense of security, we can decide to draw the strength of self-confidence. We can listen to what our parents say and do to help us feel secure and loved and we can watch what they and others who influence us positively do to set a good example for us to follow, at any age, to develop the confidence we need to lead the way and then invite others from the middle of the pack to join us as we go over the top. Come to think of it, my mother’s a little over-the–top.
Thank you Mum for your made-with-love words of caution that give me a sense of security and thank you too for showing me how to stay grounded while going over the top! With a healthy sense of security bestowed upon us with love from our parents, and the confidence we need to take the risk to step out of our comfort zone in the middle of the pack, we can aim for and achieve success to the nth degree and strike abundance instead of striking the status quo balance we’ve worked so hard to maintain for as long we have.
In the human race, keeping up with the middle of the pack has its merit. Just imagine though how you can rejoice and be glad in it when you make your breakaway or make your splash. Instead of striking a balance, we could strive, along side our parents and our children, to strike abundance. With all the toning it down that's already going on out there, we're well equipped to keep the balance we've all been living and to keep ourselves at the same level or lower, without me or anybody else jumping onto that band wagon. To strike abundance, to make our dreams come true, exactly what we need to do is to take it up a notch from where we are toward where we want to be.
Over The Top To You,
Kathleen
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Keep Any Promise in 2009
Dear Readers,
What would it feel like to keep all your new year's resolutions, and every promise you make? Yes—fantastic! Imagine how it would feel. Create a mental picture of yourself living a life where you are doing what you want most for yourself and for others. While many of us have been living a life of broken promises—to ourselves, our families, the world— the good news is we can change. At any age, the cost of not keeping our promises is staggering: in failed relationships, stalled careers, lack of connection, and poor physical and mental health. Are you living life to its fullest every day, or are you ambling through life to see what happens?
I recently came across a wonderful resource by author and inspirational speaker Karim H. Ismail called Keep Any Promise: a blueprint for designing your future. I found the material to be both inspiring and very practical! With the wonderful blueprint this book offers, I know this book can help us find our way to financial abundance, great health, wonderful relationships, a strong spiritual connection, and a positive world impact. How would you like a step-by-step blueprint to keeping your promises—and building and achieving the future of your dreams?
Karim shares the inspiring stories of twelve “ordinary” people who do extraordinary things. You will learn how they embrace their fears, change their thinking, reach for the seemingly-impossible, achieve great goals, and keep their promises. These dramatic stories will help you learn how to build and transform your own unique life. I hope you will click here: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=853142 to learn more and to take the first step along the path from where you are, to where you want to be. One small click for you here --one giant leap toward reaching your true potential.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Psst! The e-book is only $24.95. You could be on your way for that little, that soon. The 3 CD audio set, or instant download audiobook are also very affordable, for those of you who would like to take advantage of your commute time to learn the stories of the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary people. There is also the traditional hardcover book option for those of you who would like to hold it in your own hands and flip back and forth through your pages and highlight as you go along. Best of all, the 120 page Keep Any Promise Life Blueprint workbook, a $149 value, is a free download once you purchase the book in any format.
What would it feel like to keep all your new year's resolutions, and every promise you make? Yes—fantastic! Imagine how it would feel. Create a mental picture of yourself living a life where you are doing what you want most for yourself and for others. While many of us have been living a life of broken promises—to ourselves, our families, the world— the good news is we can change. At any age, the cost of not keeping our promises is staggering: in failed relationships, stalled careers, lack of connection, and poor physical and mental health. Are you living life to its fullest every day, or are you ambling through life to see what happens?
I recently came across a wonderful resource by author and inspirational speaker Karim H. Ismail called Keep Any Promise: a blueprint for designing your future. I found the material to be both inspiring and very practical! With the wonderful blueprint this book offers, I know this book can help us find our way to financial abundance, great health, wonderful relationships, a strong spiritual connection, and a positive world impact. How would you like a step-by-step blueprint to keeping your promises—and building and achieving the future of your dreams?
Karim shares the inspiring stories of twelve “ordinary” people who do extraordinary things. You will learn how they embrace their fears, change their thinking, reach for the seemingly-impossible, achieve great goals, and keep their promises. These dramatic stories will help you learn how to build and transform your own unique life. I hope you will click here: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=853142 to learn more and to take the first step along the path from where you are, to where you want to be. One small click for you here --one giant leap toward reaching your true potential.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Psst! The e-book is only $24.95. You could be on your way for that little, that soon. The 3 CD audio set, or instant download audiobook are also very affordable, for those of you who would like to take advantage of your commute time to learn the stories of the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary people. There is also the traditional hardcover book option for those of you who would like to hold it in your own hands and flip back and forth through your pages and highlight as you go along. Best of all, the 120 page Keep Any Promise Life Blueprint workbook, a $149 value, is a free download once you purchase the book in any format.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Teach Your Parents Well
Dear Readers,
We learn so much from our children. What I have had the good fortune to learn is that my children give me strength and confidence I didn't know I had. I have realized over the years and through experience that I can do things I didn't think I could, simply because I need to for my children. Through their innocence, needs and dependence on parents or others who influence them, our children help us realize we can do things, that without them we would be unable to do.
We can be masters at manufacturing in our minds, a barrage of excuses to ourselves to rationalize our deficiencies. We think we are too fearful, too uneducated, too weak, too shy, too technically challenged, etc... etc... etc... When our children need our help, we can find ourselves effortlessly doing what we had supposed we were incapable of for whatever excuse we had fabricated to keep us from ever even trying. We can come to this realization through routine interactions.
From as far back as I can recall, jumping off that dock into Chandos Lake was one of the most absolutely gleeful activities throughout my childhood and still is to today. With my brother, Sean, and my cousins, Margaret and Karen, I could spend hours every day of the blessed time we spent together at Chandos, jumping off the dock, splashing into the lake and swimming around to the ladder to do it all over again and again and again. I just had to be sure to never let my feet touch the sandy bottom of the lake in the shallows as I made my way around to the ladder. That would have been too scary. When, heaven forbid, I did accidentally touch that murkiness, I would shudder in horror and let out a screech of terror, fearing that whatever was lurking in the soft soggy sand would surely swallow my vulnerable appendage. I carried the fear with me into adulthood. It was no trouble at all for me to uphold my belief, until something changed my perspective that is...
My epiphany occurred when I was at my grandmother's cottage on Chandos Lake. In all the years I had been jumping off my grandmother's dock into Chandos Lake I had painstakingly ensured my feet did not touch the bottom of the lake. With parenthood comes challenges. To coax my toddler to gleefully jump off the dock, I quickly realized it would be a tricky endeavour, unless I could stand on my own two feet to be there for my child. When children were depending on me to be there for them while they were learning to jump off the dock and make their own splash into the lake, it became more and more difficult to keep my own feet safe from the danger that was lurking in the murky bottom. It was difficult to tread water and dog paddle while coaxing my little treasures that there was "nothing" to be afraid of. "Just jump in," I would say. "I'll be here to catch you."
What I would catch occasionally was myself stoically asserting, "There's nothing to be afraid of," while I was madly treading away to keep my feet up and safe from whatever it was I was so afraid of. When our own children need us to be able to do something that had previously seemed impossible, we find we suddenly are quite capable. I just had to finally put my foot down. That is, I just put both feet down on the bottom with a quick little grimace and decided if others had been able to touch down without losing an appendage, I could too.
The benefits were manifold to say the least, although I didn’t immediately realize the magnitude of the leap forward I made with one small step down. Although the lake bottom was a little squishier than I would have liked it to have been, the secure foothold to step up to my responsibilities was quite firm. I am so grateful to my children for helping me plant my feet firmly on the ground to discover with full confidence that the benefits outweigh the risk of harm.
The gift of confidence we receive through parenthood is ours to give back and instill in our own children so that they too can have their feet planted firmly on the ground to stand tall and march proudly from where they are to where they want to be. As children teach their parents well, we have the glory of teaching our children well. It’s beautiful.
Ardently,
Kathleen
We learn so much from our children. What I have had the good fortune to learn is that my children give me strength and confidence I didn't know I had. I have realized over the years and through experience that I can do things I didn't think I could, simply because I need to for my children. Through their innocence, needs and dependence on parents or others who influence them, our children help us realize we can do things, that without them we would be unable to do.
We can be masters at manufacturing in our minds, a barrage of excuses to ourselves to rationalize our deficiencies. We think we are too fearful, too uneducated, too weak, too shy, too technically challenged, etc... etc... etc... When our children need our help, we can find ourselves effortlessly doing what we had supposed we were incapable of for whatever excuse we had fabricated to keep us from ever even trying. We can come to this realization through routine interactions.
From as far back as I can recall, jumping off that dock into Chandos Lake was one of the most absolutely gleeful activities throughout my childhood and still is to today. With my brother, Sean, and my cousins, Margaret and Karen, I could spend hours every day of the blessed time we spent together at Chandos, jumping off the dock, splashing into the lake and swimming around to the ladder to do it all over again and again and again. I just had to be sure to never let my feet touch the sandy bottom of the lake in the shallows as I made my way around to the ladder. That would have been too scary. When, heaven forbid, I did accidentally touch that murkiness, I would shudder in horror and let out a screech of terror, fearing that whatever was lurking in the soft soggy sand would surely swallow my vulnerable appendage. I carried the fear with me into adulthood. It was no trouble at all for me to uphold my belief, until something changed my perspective that is...
My epiphany occurred when I was at my grandmother's cottage on Chandos Lake. In all the years I had been jumping off my grandmother's dock into Chandos Lake I had painstakingly ensured my feet did not touch the bottom of the lake. With parenthood comes challenges. To coax my toddler to gleefully jump off the dock, I quickly realized it would be a tricky endeavour, unless I could stand on my own two feet to be there for my child. When children were depending on me to be there for them while they were learning to jump off the dock and make their own splash into the lake, it became more and more difficult to keep my own feet safe from the danger that was lurking in the murky bottom. It was difficult to tread water and dog paddle while coaxing my little treasures that there was "nothing" to be afraid of. "Just jump in," I would say. "I'll be here to catch you."
What I would catch occasionally was myself stoically asserting, "There's nothing to be afraid of," while I was madly treading away to keep my feet up and safe from whatever it was I was so afraid of. When our own children need us to be able to do something that had previously seemed impossible, we find we suddenly are quite capable. I just had to finally put my foot down. That is, I just put both feet down on the bottom with a quick little grimace and decided if others had been able to touch down without losing an appendage, I could too.
The benefits were manifold to say the least, although I didn’t immediately realize the magnitude of the leap forward I made with one small step down. Although the lake bottom was a little squishier than I would have liked it to have been, the secure foothold to step up to my responsibilities was quite firm. I am so grateful to my children for helping me plant my feet firmly on the ground to discover with full confidence that the benefits outweigh the risk of harm.
The gift of confidence we receive through parenthood is ours to give back and instill in our own children so that they too can have their feet planted firmly on the ground to stand tall and march proudly from where they are to where they want to be. As children teach their parents well, we have the glory of teaching our children well. It’s beautiful.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Good News Toronto -- Good News Everywhere
Hello Dear Readers,
Just a quick note today to remind all that the December edition of Good News Toronto came out on December 2. You can see it on-line at http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/.
There are some awesome articles and inspiring stories that you don't want to miss. When you savour every delightful morsel of inspiration to be gleaned from its pages, you'll feel empowered to handle all the news that comes your way for this day and any day.
In reality, there is a lot of great news and good stuff happening in our city and in our lives every day. Sometimes we just have to pay more attention to it to appreciate it and to resist the temptation to get bogged down in the negativity, that given its due is just as much in our reality.
The editor of Good News Toronto, Eva Karpati, aims to level the lopsided playing field where all forms of media meet in a an all out competition of one-up-manship for the most sensationalistic story they can present. While it's true that the gory details of the sensationalism are based mostly in fact, we can choose to simply accept that there are some bad things happening while we focus our attention on the glory of the good things that are also happening. Then we can engage in the one-up-manship of recounting a tale of "something even more wonderful" that happened or even better, we can actually contribute our efforts on making something even more wonderful happen for ourselves or for others.
Good News Toronto includes a regular feature called Random Acts of Kindness. When you have the good fortune to witness such an act, please do report it to info@goodnewstoronto.ca, and share the exhiliration with others who would love to know about it.
The October issue of Good News Toronto featured an article on a charitable organization called Basketeers. Please visit their website to learn more about the great things they are doing: http://www.basketeers.ca/region_basketeers.php. The December issue of Good News Toronto includes a short update to applaud the organization on their achievement of providing 912 baskets overflowing with useful items for women leaving shelters to set up on their own. Wow!!! When you think about it, there really are so many great people out there doing great things. When you read about it in Good News Toronto, you want to become a part of it and share in the good will toward others and the sense of accomplishment and gratification you get from helping others. One of my favorite inspiring thoughts comes from the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson in his quote: "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
When I Googled a few words to find the exact wording of that quote, I stumbled on this site: http://www.helpothers.org/index.php. When something looks too good to be true, it's worth looking at. Hope you'll enjoy the inspiration. There's so much good stuff, it's overwhelming. Share the good news. Let us all know about something even better that happened to you or to someone you know or someone you know of. The playing field is levelling. Game on!!!
Ardently,
Kathleen
Just a quick note today to remind all that the December edition of Good News Toronto came out on December 2. You can see it on-line at http://www.goodnewstoronto.ca/.
There are some awesome articles and inspiring stories that you don't want to miss. When you savour every delightful morsel of inspiration to be gleaned from its pages, you'll feel empowered to handle all the news that comes your way for this day and any day.
In reality, there is a lot of great news and good stuff happening in our city and in our lives every day. Sometimes we just have to pay more attention to it to appreciate it and to resist the temptation to get bogged down in the negativity, that given its due is just as much in our reality.
The editor of Good News Toronto, Eva Karpati, aims to level the lopsided playing field where all forms of media meet in a an all out competition of one-up-manship for the most sensationalistic story they can present. While it's true that the gory details of the sensationalism are based mostly in fact, we can choose to simply accept that there are some bad things happening while we focus our attention on the glory of the good things that are also happening. Then we can engage in the one-up-manship of recounting a tale of "something even more wonderful" that happened or even better, we can actually contribute our efforts on making something even more wonderful happen for ourselves or for others.
Good News Toronto includes a regular feature called Random Acts of Kindness. When you have the good fortune to witness such an act, please do report it to info@goodnewstoronto.ca, and share the exhiliration with others who would love to know about it.
The October issue of Good News Toronto featured an article on a charitable organization called Basketeers. Please visit their website to learn more about the great things they are doing: http://www.basketeers.ca/region_basketeers.php. The December issue of Good News Toronto includes a short update to applaud the organization on their achievement of providing 912 baskets overflowing with useful items for women leaving shelters to set up on their own. Wow!!! When you think about it, there really are so many great people out there doing great things. When you read about it in Good News Toronto, you want to become a part of it and share in the good will toward others and the sense of accomplishment and gratification you get from helping others. One of my favorite inspiring thoughts comes from the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson in his quote: "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
When I Googled a few words to find the exact wording of that quote, I stumbled on this site: http://www.helpothers.org/index.php. When something looks too good to be true, it's worth looking at. Hope you'll enjoy the inspiration. There's so much good stuff, it's overwhelming. Share the good news. Let us all know about something even better that happened to you or to someone you know or someone you know of. The playing field is levelling. Game on!!!
Ardently,
Kathleen
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Formula for Self Confidence Simplified for Early Learners
Welcome again Dear Readers led here from Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, Dale Carnegie, Microskills, and other places of inspiration:
As I have had the good fortune of many verbal requests, I am posting this version of the formula again today for easy retrieval. Hope this is helpful...
As promised in the guest column you may have read in the November 21 edition of the e-zine, Napoleon Hill, Yesterday and Today, the "Simplified Formula for Self-Confidence for Early Learners" follows immediately below.
“Simplified” Confidence Formula for Children (by Kathleen Betts, October 2008)
Adapted from the Formula for Self–Confidence in Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 1937
1. I promise to practice doing things that will help me to get better at doing the special things I want to do most in my life.
2. I can close my eyes and make a picture that I can see clearly in my imagination, of myself doing the special things I want to do most.
3. Each morning when I wake up and each night before I sleep, I will say out loud “I know I can” while I think about what I want most to do and to have.
4. I have written down the words and drawn a picture of myself, to show clearly what I want to do most and what I want to have most.
5. I know that being the person I want to be and having what I want most, will last a long time if I am sure to always be honest and fair with others.
Others will be fair to me and helpful to me, because I am fair and helpful to others.
Others will believe in me, because I will believe in others and in myself.
I will read this page out loud every day until I can remember it and I will keep repeating it out loud every day so that I get ideas and choose to do things that will help me to achieve what I want most so that I can be the person I made in the pictures on paper and in my imagination.
Name: _____________________ Signature: __________________________
The “Simplified” Children’s Formula for Self-Confidence by Kathleen Betts has been adapted from Napoleon Hill’s Formula for Self Confidence with the consent and approval of the Napoleon Hill Foundation.
Kids may like to customize the formula even more to name a particular goal they are working toward instead of saying generics like "thing(s) I want most" and "special thing(s)." I hope this is a helpful tool to parents who are working together with their children to optimize potential and opportunity.
For more information on the work of Napoleon Hill, please visit the website at http://www.naphill.org/
If you are not already a subscriber to the inspirational weekly e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, please click on this link if you are interested: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3.
Ardently,
Kathleen
As I have had the good fortune of many verbal requests, I am posting this version of the formula again today for easy retrieval. Hope this is helpful...
As promised in the guest column you may have read in the November 21 edition of the e-zine, Napoleon Hill, Yesterday and Today, the "Simplified Formula for Self-Confidence for Early Learners" follows immediately below.
“Simplified” Confidence Formula for Children (by Kathleen Betts, October 2008)
Adapted from the Formula for Self–Confidence in Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 1937
1. I promise to practice doing things that will help me to get better at doing the special things I want to do most in my life.
2. I can close my eyes and make a picture that I can see clearly in my imagination, of myself doing the special things I want to do most.
3. Each morning when I wake up and each night before I sleep, I will say out loud “I know I can” while I think about what I want most to do and to have.
4. I have written down the words and drawn a picture of myself, to show clearly what I want to do most and what I want to have most.
5. I know that being the person I want to be and having what I want most, will last a long time if I am sure to always be honest and fair with others.
Others will be fair to me and helpful to me, because I am fair and helpful to others.
Others will believe in me, because I will believe in others and in myself.
I will read this page out loud every day until I can remember it and I will keep repeating it out loud every day so that I get ideas and choose to do things that will help me to achieve what I want most so that I can be the person I made in the pictures on paper and in my imagination.
Name: _____________________ Signature: __________________________
The “Simplified” Children’s Formula for Self-Confidence by Kathleen Betts has been adapted from Napoleon Hill’s Formula for Self Confidence with the consent and approval of the Napoleon Hill Foundation.
Kids may like to customize the formula even more to name a particular goal they are working toward instead of saying generics like "thing(s) I want most" and "special thing(s)." I hope this is a helpful tool to parents who are working together with their children to optimize potential and opportunity.
For more information on the work of Napoleon Hill, please visit the website at http://www.naphill.org/
If you are not already a subscriber to the inspirational weekly e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, please click on this link if you are interested: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Quotable Quotes for Inspiration
Dear Readers,
I often find myself trying to recall a particular quote that has struck a chord with me and from which I have drawn inspiration. I hope you can find some strength and motivation too from the following montage of finely spoken and written words, which I felt were just too good to pass up.
"When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life, and only to the extent you are clear."
Janet Attwood
"Whether you think you can or can't, you're right."
Henry Ford
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
William Churchhill
"Holding anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
The Buddha
"The real person you are is revealed in the moments when you're certain no other person is watching. When no one is watching, you are driven by what you expect of yourself."
Ralph S. Marston, Jr.
"You can be as you choose to be. It's an act of discipline sometimes, but it can be done."
Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard
"You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you."
Sarah Ban Breathnach
"Who you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear a word you're saying."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"One comes to believe whatever one repeats to oneself sufficiently often, whether the statement be true of false. It comes to be dominating thought in one's mind."
Robert Collier
"Begin to be now what you will be hereafter."
Saint Jerome
"We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us."
Virginia Satir
"Whether it's praise, love, criticism, money, time, space, power, punishment, sorrow, laughter, care, pain, or pleasure... the more you give, the more you will receive."
Mike Dooley
"Thoughts become things... choose the good ones!"
Mike Dooley
"Tell the World what you intend to do; but first show it."
Napoleon Hill
"Growth is not steady, forward, upward progression. It is instead a switchback trail; three steps forward, two back, one around the bushes, and a few simply standing, before another forward leap."
Dorothy Corkville Briggs
"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."
George Bernard Shaw
"The two things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision."
Robyn Davidson
"The moment you commit and quit holding back, all sorts of unforseen incidents, meetings and material assistance will rise up to help you. The simple act of commitment is a powerful magnet for help."
Napoleon Hill
"Transport of the mails, transport of the human voice, transport of flickering pictures - in this century as in others our highest accomplishments still have the single aim of bringing men together."
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
Muhammad Ali
"You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world's happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime."
Dale Carnegie
"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, Something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my "life".
Fr. Alfred D'Souza
"Take time to accept responsibility. Your life is exactly that - It's your life. It is created by you. You are constantly making choices, constantly creating new experiences. And although we can be affected by circumstances which can seem to be completely out of our control. Essentially, we decide the direction in which we walk."
Nicolas Watkins
"The world is not about you. It is about the impact you have on others. The sooner you learn this lesson, the quicker success will come."
Neil Thornton
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Aristotle
"Some men see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say 'Why not?' "
George Bernard Shaw
"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about."
Dale Carnegie
"Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down."
Charles F. Kettering
"The key to being joyful is being grateful."
Jackie Pflug
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
Dale Carnegie
"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising, which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires...courage.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"My days of whining and complaining about others have come to an end. Nothing is easier than fault finding. All it will do is discolor my personality so that none will want to associate with me. That was my old life. No more."
Og Mandino
"You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins."
Jim Stovall
"When you understand, that your disappointment in another's behavior or choices always stems from their immaturity, or yours, rather than their unkindness, or yours, it becomes much harder not to keep skipping through life, giddy with joy, smelling the flowers. Moreover, when you understand that with enough maturity on your end you can always find peace in all of your relationships, it becomes much harder not to run down the street kissing everyone you meet on both cheeks."
Mike Dooley
"Throw your heart over the bar and your body will follow."
Norman Vincent Peale
"Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one."
Russell Lynes
"It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, 'Always do what you are afraid to do.' "
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Here's how to view every decision you've ever made: It was right. Here's how to view every path you've ever chosen: It was right. Here's how to view every trend, friend, and dance you've ever moved with: They were right. And here's how to view the fact that you even exist at all: "I" was totally on fire."
Mike Dooley
"The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart, head and hands."
Robert M. Pirsig
"Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow."
Thornton Wilder
"I am who I am today, where I am today, because this was my choice and it has served me well. However, it no longer serves me, my choices have changed, and I give thanks for the amazing changes that now sweep through my amazing life."
Mike Dooley
"To waken interest and kindle enthusiasm is the sure way to teach easily and successfully." Tryon Edwards
"Success, happiness, peace of mind and fulfillment-- the most priceless of human treasures--are available to all among us, without exception, who make things happen--who make *good* things happen--in the world around them."
Joe Klock
"Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
Dale Carnegie
"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
Helen Keller
"A valuable lesson I've learned from making music is to never let anyone intimidate me. Every student, celebrity, CEO and math teacher in the world has experienced love, loneliness, fear and embarrassment at some point. To understand this is to level a sometimes very lopsided playing field."
Anna Nalick
"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Childhood is that state which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstacle instead of an opportunity."
Kathy Williams
We are so fortunate to have some among us who have the gift of eloquence and are able to put into fine words the thoughts and notions that can lead us to success, happiness, fulfillment and action for the better good of all.
Ardently,
Kathleen
I often find myself trying to recall a particular quote that has struck a chord with me and from which I have drawn inspiration. I hope you can find some strength and motivation too from the following montage of finely spoken and written words, which I felt were just too good to pass up.
"When you are clear, what you want will show up in your life, and only to the extent you are clear."
Janet Attwood
"Whether you think you can or can't, you're right."
Henry Ford
"Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
William Churchhill
"Holding anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
The Buddha
"The real person you are is revealed in the moments when you're certain no other person is watching. When no one is watching, you are driven by what you expect of yourself."
Ralph S. Marston, Jr.
"You can be as you choose to be. It's an act of discipline sometimes, but it can be done."
Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard
"You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you."
Sarah Ban Breathnach
"Who you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear a word you're saying."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"One comes to believe whatever one repeats to oneself sufficiently often, whether the statement be true of false. It comes to be dominating thought in one's mind."
Robert Collier
"Begin to be now what you will be hereafter."
Saint Jerome
"We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us."
Virginia Satir
"Whether it's praise, love, criticism, money, time, space, power, punishment, sorrow, laughter, care, pain, or pleasure... the more you give, the more you will receive."
Mike Dooley
"Thoughts become things... choose the good ones!"
Mike Dooley
"Tell the World what you intend to do; but first show it."
Napoleon Hill
"Growth is not steady, forward, upward progression. It is instead a switchback trail; three steps forward, two back, one around the bushes, and a few simply standing, before another forward leap."
Dorothy Corkville Briggs
"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."
George Bernard Shaw
"The two things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision."
Robyn Davidson
"The moment you commit and quit holding back, all sorts of unforseen incidents, meetings and material assistance will rise up to help you. The simple act of commitment is a powerful magnet for help."
Napoleon Hill
"Transport of the mails, transport of the human voice, transport of flickering pictures - in this century as in others our highest accomplishments still have the single aim of bringing men together."
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
Muhammad Ali
"You have it easily in your power to increase the sum total of this world's happiness now. How? By giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged. Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime."
Dale Carnegie
"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, Something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, or a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my "life".
Fr. Alfred D'Souza
"Take time to accept responsibility. Your life is exactly that - It's your life. It is created by you. You are constantly making choices, constantly creating new experiences. And although we can be affected by circumstances which can seem to be completely out of our control. Essentially, we decide the direction in which we walk."
Nicolas Watkins
"The world is not about you. It is about the impact you have on others. The sooner you learn this lesson, the quicker success will come."
Neil Thornton
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Aristotle
"Some men see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and say 'Why not?' "
George Bernard Shaw
"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about."
Dale Carnegie
"Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down."
Charles F. Kettering
"The key to being joyful is being grateful."
Jackie Pflug
"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
Dale Carnegie
"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising, which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires...courage.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"My days of whining and complaining about others have come to an end. Nothing is easier than fault finding. All it will do is discolor my personality so that none will want to associate with me. That was my old life. No more."
Og Mandino
"You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins."
Jim Stovall
"When you understand, that your disappointment in another's behavior or choices always stems from their immaturity, or yours, rather than their unkindness, or yours, it becomes much harder not to keep skipping through life, giddy with joy, smelling the flowers. Moreover, when you understand that with enough maturity on your end you can always find peace in all of your relationships, it becomes much harder not to run down the street kissing everyone you meet on both cheeks."
Mike Dooley
"Throw your heart over the bar and your body will follow."
Norman Vincent Peale
"Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean."
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one."
Russell Lynes
"It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, 'Always do what you are afraid to do.' "
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Here's how to view every decision you've ever made: It was right. Here's how to view every path you've ever chosen: It was right. Here's how to view every trend, friend, and dance you've ever moved with: They were right. And here's how to view the fact that you even exist at all: "I" was totally on fire."
Mike Dooley
"The place to improve the world is first in one's own heart, head and hands."
Robert M. Pirsig
"Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow."
Thornton Wilder
"I am who I am today, where I am today, because this was my choice and it has served me well. However, it no longer serves me, my choices have changed, and I give thanks for the amazing changes that now sweep through my amazing life."
Mike Dooley
"To waken interest and kindle enthusiasm is the sure way to teach easily and successfully." Tryon Edwards
"Success, happiness, peace of mind and fulfillment-- the most priceless of human treasures--are available to all among us, without exception, who make things happen--who make *good* things happen--in the world around them."
Joe Klock
"Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are."
Dale Carnegie
"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
Helen Keller
"A valuable lesson I've learned from making music is to never let anyone intimidate me. Every student, celebrity, CEO and math teacher in the world has experienced love, loneliness, fear and embarrassment at some point. To understand this is to level a sometimes very lopsided playing field."
Anna Nalick
"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Childhood is that state which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstacle instead of an opportunity."
Kathy Williams
We are so fortunate to have some among us who have the gift of eloquence and are able to put into fine words the thoughts and notions that can lead us to success, happiness, fulfillment and action for the better good of all.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Monday, November 24, 2008
Think and Grow Confident!!!
Hello Dear Readers,
I have a great news story to share. It's the most over-the-top thing that's happened to me in the last little while and maybe ever, except for the births of PB, GB, RB and DB. On November 21, 2008, my first ever published article was born!! With great pride and a sense of accomplishment and more drive than ever before to set and reach for loftier goals, I've copied the article herein from the prestigious e-zine, Napoleon Hill - Yesterday and Today Issue 96 November 21, 2008. For those of you who are interested in subscribing to the Napoleon Hill Foundation's distinguished weekly inspirational e-zine, voila the link: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3. I can hardly express how thankful I am to Judith Williamson, Director of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, for her encouragement and inspiration and for her kind invitation to submit my article to be included in the guest column. Thank you thank you thank you thank you to all of you too who take your precious time to read what I write with the hope of helping. Thank you too to Katherine Young from Microskills (www.microskills.ca) in Toronto for laying down a challenge and to Karim Ismail at Keep Any Promise (http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=853142) as well as Darrell, Dave, Michelle, Erin and Bill at Dale Carnegie for helping me set and achieve goals. Thank you always to PB, GB, RB & DB and to Mike and Mum and all my family for encouragement and to all my friends and colleagues at Microskills and Dale Carnegie and other places of inspiration for the positive influence you have provided.
Here's what I had to say:
Think and Grow Confident!
Many experts in the field of personal development profess that we are all born with the confidence we need to go ahead and make a splash, without worrying ourselves about getting wet. Kathy Williams insightfully captures this observable phenomenon in her quote, "Childhood is that state which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstacle instead of an opportunity." Somewhere along the line, through the mostly well-intended nurturing of parents and other influences, as children we learn to quell our confidence and enthusiasm in order to keep ourselves safe from harm as well as criticism. Paradoxically, the inherent danger of learning to save ourselves from these hazards is that we may become so risk-averse that we don't see the opportunities to make a splash as easily as we would have been able to see them through the bright eyes of a child. Somewhere along the line, we need to find the right formula to optimize our potential to do as much good as we can for ourselves and for others in the short time we share together here in our living years. Were it only that we could equip ourselves as children with a tool to help us strike that balance as early as possible.
Confidence has a most significant impact in determining potential for exceptional achievement over mediocrity. In pondering the significant benefits of developing and maintaining self-confidence, from early on, a familiar jingle for a popular hygiene product called Sure, comes to mind. To that familiar tune, we can wonder, are our children "confident, confident, (or) dry and secure?" We learn well through life’s usual trials and triumphs to subdue our confidence sufficiently to safely reach the milestone of a mid-life crisis apparently unharmed, but too often without any exceptional accomplishments. Safely shrouded in a sense of near emptiness, droves of us are propelled to the self-help section at a big box book store where we meet an overwhelming array of resources to choose from in that fragile state. The words of my bright-eyed five-year-old not yet quite having quashed his confidence and enthusiasm at that tender age, loom large as I can hear him as clearly as if he were right now blurting out as he does from time to time, “Now that’s gotta hurt!” with a subtle and striking emphasis on “gotta.” In my own experience, which I suppose to be far from unique, my selection from the shelf was Napoleon Hill’s all time best seller in the self-development field, Think and Grow Rich, to help me navigate the path from where I wanted to scream, “I quit!” to where I have now regained sufficient confidence to actually look for a puddle of water in which I can make a splash.
For many of us who have broadened our horizons either in the wake of a crisis, or for any good reason have awakened ourselves to a new commitment to succeed, as adults we discovered the “Formula for Self-Confidence” while reading the book and endeavoring to partake of the benefits available to us through Napoleon Hill’s life’s work dedicated to helping the masses find their way to the riches of self-fulfillment. Having learned throughout our lives to navigate clear of the muddied waters through two, three or four and some decades of experience, the “Formula” helps us overcome trepidation and embrace a challenge to regain the confidence that was rightfully ours from birth. Being one of the many who shares in this good fortune, I wished dearly I had discovered the formula much earlier in life.
As prescribed by Napoleon Hill himself, I found myself reciting the formula out loud once a day, sometimes in the presence of my own four precious children, aged 9, 7, 5 and 3. I noticed to my delight, that my children were more than receptive to reciting the formula along with me. One thing I have been unfalteringly confident of throughout parenthood is that I am the luckiest mother ever in the whole wide world and it is my sincere hope that all other parents out there experience the same sentiment. As has been the case of caring parents across cultures for generations through the annals, it is second nature to us to do our best to steer our children clear of harm and criticism, and of course to stay out of puddles. Ideally though, to achieve the utmost in keeping our children safe from all harm, including that of potentially passing up an opportunity, we need to preserve their confidence by equipping them with the sure footing they need to know when and how to get closer to the edge, or nearer to the fire, or to get their feet wet, even if it does make their parents gasp and chastise in fear of our precious little ones being hurt.
While parents cannot and probably should not eliminate the gasping and well-intended chastising that emanate from us almost unwittingly in our conviction to keep our children safe, we can make a conscious effort to also equip them from an early age, with the benefits of Napoleon Hill's recommendation for building self-confidence. With great optimism, imagining the exponential potential gains my children might enjoy if confidence was fostered from the beginning to grow with them, I thought they might derive even more benefit if the language was adapted somewhat to be more age-appropriate for bright-eyed, open-minded, happy-go-lucky, splash-through-the-puddles, early-years learning. With my own renewed confidence and with much gratitude and respect to Napoleon Hill and the Napoleon Hill Foundation, I introduced the following adapted version. There is also a more simplified version intended for very early learners, available on my blog site at www.commuteducation.blogspot.com.
I hope the Formula for Self-Confidence Adapted for Children will be a helpful tool to my own children and to other parents and children who are aiming to strike a balance while learning the lessons of life together, striving for the riches of fulfillment and reaching for our lofty goals to make dreams of a world as good as it can be come true for all of us. When you think about it, what’s the worst that can happen when you take the risk of jumping in a puddle? When we and our children get our feet wet, we can hope and plan to leave a print or a trail of footsteps we would be proud to have others follow. Equipped with knowledge and the confidence to strike a balance, we are better prepared to also think and grow confident about what is the best that can happen.
Ardently,
Kathleen Betts
N.B. The adapted versions of the Formula for Self-Confidence are entered on this blog site under separate posts. I hope you will find them useful tools to help instill and foster self-confidence in children you know.
Please do share your success story with us. It's not bragging when you let us know about something good that happened. It's inspiring. We all love and benefit from a good news story.
I have a great news story to share. It's the most over-the-top thing that's happened to me in the last little while and maybe ever, except for the births of PB, GB, RB and DB. On November 21, 2008, my first ever published article was born!! With great pride and a sense of accomplishment and more drive than ever before to set and reach for loftier goals, I've copied the article herein from the prestigious e-zine, Napoleon Hill - Yesterday and Today Issue 96 November 21, 2008. For those of you who are interested in subscribing to the Napoleon Hill Foundation's distinguished weekly inspirational e-zine, voila the link: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3. I can hardly express how thankful I am to Judith Williamson, Director of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, for her encouragement and inspiration and for her kind invitation to submit my article to be included in the guest column. Thank you thank you thank you thank you to all of you too who take your precious time to read what I write with the hope of helping. Thank you too to Katherine Young from Microskills (www.microskills.ca) in Toronto for laying down a challenge and to Karim Ismail at Keep Any Promise (http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=853142) as well as Darrell, Dave, Michelle, Erin and Bill at Dale Carnegie for helping me set and achieve goals. Thank you always to PB, GB, RB & DB and to Mike and Mum and all my family for encouragement and to all my friends and colleagues at Microskills and Dale Carnegie and other places of inspiration for the positive influence you have provided.
Here's what I had to say:
Think and Grow Confident!
Many experts in the field of personal development profess that we are all born with the confidence we need to go ahead and make a splash, without worrying ourselves about getting wet. Kathy Williams insightfully captures this observable phenomenon in her quote, "Childhood is that state which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstacle instead of an opportunity." Somewhere along the line, through the mostly well-intended nurturing of parents and other influences, as children we learn to quell our confidence and enthusiasm in order to keep ourselves safe from harm as well as criticism. Paradoxically, the inherent danger of learning to save ourselves from these hazards is that we may become so risk-averse that we don't see the opportunities to make a splash as easily as we would have been able to see them through the bright eyes of a child. Somewhere along the line, we need to find the right formula to optimize our potential to do as much good as we can for ourselves and for others in the short time we share together here in our living years. Were it only that we could equip ourselves as children with a tool to help us strike that balance as early as possible.
Confidence has a most significant impact in determining potential for exceptional achievement over mediocrity. In pondering the significant benefits of developing and maintaining self-confidence, from early on, a familiar jingle for a popular hygiene product called Sure, comes to mind. To that familiar tune, we can wonder, are our children "confident, confident, (or) dry and secure?" We learn well through life’s usual trials and triumphs to subdue our confidence sufficiently to safely reach the milestone of a mid-life crisis apparently unharmed, but too often without any exceptional accomplishments. Safely shrouded in a sense of near emptiness, droves of us are propelled to the self-help section at a big box book store where we meet an overwhelming array of resources to choose from in that fragile state. The words of my bright-eyed five-year-old not yet quite having quashed his confidence and enthusiasm at that tender age, loom large as I can hear him as clearly as if he were right now blurting out as he does from time to time, “Now that’s gotta hurt!” with a subtle and striking emphasis on “gotta.” In my own experience, which I suppose to be far from unique, my selection from the shelf was Napoleon Hill’s all time best seller in the self-development field, Think and Grow Rich, to help me navigate the path from where I wanted to scream, “I quit!” to where I have now regained sufficient confidence to actually look for a puddle of water in which I can make a splash.
For many of us who have broadened our horizons either in the wake of a crisis, or for any good reason have awakened ourselves to a new commitment to succeed, as adults we discovered the “Formula for Self-Confidence” while reading the book and endeavoring to partake of the benefits available to us through Napoleon Hill’s life’s work dedicated to helping the masses find their way to the riches of self-fulfillment. Having learned throughout our lives to navigate clear of the muddied waters through two, three or four and some decades of experience, the “Formula” helps us overcome trepidation and embrace a challenge to regain the confidence that was rightfully ours from birth. Being one of the many who shares in this good fortune, I wished dearly I had discovered the formula much earlier in life.
As prescribed by Napoleon Hill himself, I found myself reciting the formula out loud once a day, sometimes in the presence of my own four precious children, aged 9, 7, 5 and 3. I noticed to my delight, that my children were more than receptive to reciting the formula along with me. One thing I have been unfalteringly confident of throughout parenthood is that I am the luckiest mother ever in the whole wide world and it is my sincere hope that all other parents out there experience the same sentiment. As has been the case of caring parents across cultures for generations through the annals, it is second nature to us to do our best to steer our children clear of harm and criticism, and of course to stay out of puddles. Ideally though, to achieve the utmost in keeping our children safe from all harm, including that of potentially passing up an opportunity, we need to preserve their confidence by equipping them with the sure footing they need to know when and how to get closer to the edge, or nearer to the fire, or to get their feet wet, even if it does make their parents gasp and chastise in fear of our precious little ones being hurt.
While parents cannot and probably should not eliminate the gasping and well-intended chastising that emanate from us almost unwittingly in our conviction to keep our children safe, we can make a conscious effort to also equip them from an early age, with the benefits of Napoleon Hill's recommendation for building self-confidence. With great optimism, imagining the exponential potential gains my children might enjoy if confidence was fostered from the beginning to grow with them, I thought they might derive even more benefit if the language was adapted somewhat to be more age-appropriate for bright-eyed, open-minded, happy-go-lucky, splash-through-the-puddles, early-years learning. With my own renewed confidence and with much gratitude and respect to Napoleon Hill and the Napoleon Hill Foundation, I introduced the following adapted version. There is also a more simplified version intended for very early learners, available on my blog site at www.commuteducation.blogspot.com.
I hope the Formula for Self-Confidence Adapted for Children will be a helpful tool to my own children and to other parents and children who are aiming to strike a balance while learning the lessons of life together, striving for the riches of fulfillment and reaching for our lofty goals to make dreams of a world as good as it can be come true for all of us. When you think about it, what’s the worst that can happen when you take the risk of jumping in a puddle? When we and our children get our feet wet, we can hope and plan to leave a print or a trail of footsteps we would be proud to have others follow. Equipped with knowledge and the confidence to strike a balance, we are better prepared to also think and grow confident about what is the best that can happen.
Ardently,
Kathleen Betts
N.B. The adapted versions of the Formula for Self-Confidence are entered on this blog site under separate posts. I hope you will find them useful tools to help instill and foster self-confidence in children you know.
Please do share your success story with us. It's not bragging when you let us know about something good that happened. It's inspiring. We all love and benefit from a good news story.
Friday, November 21, 2008
“Simplified” Confidence Formula for Early Learners
Welcome Dear Readers led here from Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, Dale Carnegie, Microskills, and other places of inspiration:
As promised in the guest column you may have read in the November 21 edition of the e-zine, Napoleon Hill, Yesterday and Today, the "Simplified Formula for Self-Confidence for Early Learners" follows immediately below.
“Simplified” Confidence Formula for Children (by Kathleen Betts, October 2008)
Adapted from the Formula for Self–Confidence in Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 1937
1. I promise to practice doing things that will help me to get better at doing the special things I want to do most in my life.
2. I can close my eyes and make a picture that I can see clearly in my imagination, of myself doing the special things I want to do most.
3. Each morning when I wake up and each night before I sleep, I will say out loud “I know I can” while I think about what I want most to do and to have.
4. I have written down the words and drawn a picture of myself, to show clearly what I want to do most and what I want to have most.
5. I know that being the person I want to be and having what I want most, will last a long time if I am sure to always be honest and fair with others. Others will be fair to me and helpful to me, because I am fair and helpful to others. Others will believe in me, because I will believe in others and in myself.
I will read this page out loud every day until I can remember it and I will keep repeating it out loud every day so that I get ideas and choose to do things that will help me to achieve what I want most so that I can be the person I made in the pictures on paper and in my imagination.
Name: _____________________ Signature: __________________________
The “Simplified” Children’s Formula for Self-Confidence by Kathleen Betts has been adapted from Napoleon Hill’s Formula for Self Confidence with the consent and approval of the Napoleon Hill Foundation. For more information on the work of Napoleon Hill, please visit the website at http://www.naphill.org/
I hope this is a helpful tool to parents who are working together with their children to optimize potential and opportunity. Kids may like to customize the formula even more to name a particular goal they are working toward instead of saying generics like "thing(s) I want most" and "special thing(s)."
If you are not already a subscriber to the inspirational weekly e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, please click on this link if you are interested: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3.
Ardently,
Kathleen
As promised in the guest column you may have read in the November 21 edition of the e-zine, Napoleon Hill, Yesterday and Today, the "Simplified Formula for Self-Confidence for Early Learners" follows immediately below.
“Simplified” Confidence Formula for Children (by Kathleen Betts, October 2008)
Adapted from the Formula for Self–Confidence in Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 1937
1. I promise to practice doing things that will help me to get better at doing the special things I want to do most in my life.
2. I can close my eyes and make a picture that I can see clearly in my imagination, of myself doing the special things I want to do most.
3. Each morning when I wake up and each night before I sleep, I will say out loud “I know I can” while I think about what I want most to do and to have.
4. I have written down the words and drawn a picture of myself, to show clearly what I want to do most and what I want to have most.
5. I know that being the person I want to be and having what I want most, will last a long time if I am sure to always be honest and fair with others. Others will be fair to me and helpful to me, because I am fair and helpful to others. Others will believe in me, because I will believe in others and in myself.
I will read this page out loud every day until I can remember it and I will keep repeating it out loud every day so that I get ideas and choose to do things that will help me to achieve what I want most so that I can be the person I made in the pictures on paper and in my imagination.
Name: _____________________ Signature: __________________________
The “Simplified” Children’s Formula for Self-Confidence by Kathleen Betts has been adapted from Napoleon Hill’s Formula for Self Confidence with the consent and approval of the Napoleon Hill Foundation. For more information on the work of Napoleon Hill, please visit the website at http://www.naphill.org/
I hope this is a helpful tool to parents who are working together with their children to optimize potential and opportunity. Kids may like to customize the formula even more to name a particular goal they are working toward instead of saying generics like "thing(s) I want most" and "special thing(s)."
If you are not already a subscriber to the inspirational weekly e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, please click on this link if you are interested: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Confidence Formula for Children (aged 9 - 14)
Welcome Dear Readers led here from Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, Dale Carnegie, Microskills, and other places of inspiration:
As it appeared in the guest column you may have read in the November 21 edition of the e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, the formula for self-confidence adapted for children, follows immediately below.
Confidence Formula for Children (by Kathleen Betts, November 2008)
Adapted from the "Formula for Self–Confidence" from
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 1937
1. I know I am able to do the special things I want to do most in my life. I choose to practice doing things that will help me get better at doing what I want to do most. I promise to start now and to keep practicing whenever I can.
2. I know that the things I think about most will become real things in my life. I will spend 10 minutes every day just thinking about what I want to do most and what I want to be. I will close my eyes and make a clear picture in my imagination, of myself doing the special thing I want to do most.
3. I can feel more confident by telling myself over and over that I believe in myself and that I know I can, so that the things I want most to have and to do will become real things in my life. Each morning when I wake up and each night before I sleep, I will say out loud “I know I can” while I think about what I want most to do and to have.
4. I have written down the words and drawn a picture, telling and showing exactly what I want to do most and what I want to have most. I will always keep trying until what I want to have and to be become real things in my life.
5. I know that being and having what I want most, will only last a long time if I am sure to always be honest and fair with others. I will always tell the truth and I will always do things that will be helpful to others too, when I am working to get the things that I want. I will always think about how what I do will matter to and will affect others, before I do it. That way I will be like a magnet for good things and good people who will help me find ways to do what I want to do most. Others are fair to me and helpful to me, because I am fair and helpful to others. I will always do my best to be caring, content, satisfied, giving and helpful toward others because I know that others will be good to me and that I will have success, when I think good things about others and myself, when I do good things for others and myself, and when I am loving toward others and myself. Others will believe in me, because I will believe in others and in myself.
I will sign my name to this formula, I will read it out loud every day until I can remember it and I will keep repeating it to myself out loud every day so that I get ideas and choose to do things that will help me to achieve what I want most, so that I can be the person I made in the pictures on paper and in my imagination.
Name: _____________________ Signature: __________________________
The Children’s Formula for Self-Confidence by Kathleen Betts has been adapted from Napoleon Hill’s Formula for Self Confidence with the consent and approval of the Napoleon Hill Foundation. For more information on the work of Napoleon Hill, please visit the website at http://www.naphill.org/
I hope this is a helpful tool to parents who are working together with their children to optimize potential and opportunity. Kids may like to customize the formula even more to name a particular goal they are working toward instead of saying generics like "thing(s) I want most" and "special thing(s)."
If you are not already a subscriber to the inspirational weekly e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, please click on this link if you are interested: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3.
Ardently,
Kathleen
As it appeared in the guest column you may have read in the November 21 edition of the e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, the formula for self-confidence adapted for children, follows immediately below.
Confidence Formula for Children (by Kathleen Betts, November 2008)
Adapted from the "Formula for Self–Confidence" from
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, 1937
1. I know I am able to do the special things I want to do most in my life. I choose to practice doing things that will help me get better at doing what I want to do most. I promise to start now and to keep practicing whenever I can.
2. I know that the things I think about most will become real things in my life. I will spend 10 minutes every day just thinking about what I want to do most and what I want to be. I will close my eyes and make a clear picture in my imagination, of myself doing the special thing I want to do most.
3. I can feel more confident by telling myself over and over that I believe in myself and that I know I can, so that the things I want most to have and to do will become real things in my life. Each morning when I wake up and each night before I sleep, I will say out loud “I know I can” while I think about what I want most to do and to have.
4. I have written down the words and drawn a picture, telling and showing exactly what I want to do most and what I want to have most. I will always keep trying until what I want to have and to be become real things in my life.
5. I know that being and having what I want most, will only last a long time if I am sure to always be honest and fair with others. I will always tell the truth and I will always do things that will be helpful to others too, when I am working to get the things that I want. I will always think about how what I do will matter to and will affect others, before I do it. That way I will be like a magnet for good things and good people who will help me find ways to do what I want to do most. Others are fair to me and helpful to me, because I am fair and helpful to others. I will always do my best to be caring, content, satisfied, giving and helpful toward others because I know that others will be good to me and that I will have success, when I think good things about others and myself, when I do good things for others and myself, and when I am loving toward others and myself. Others will believe in me, because I will believe in others and in myself.
I will sign my name to this formula, I will read it out loud every day until I can remember it and I will keep repeating it to myself out loud every day so that I get ideas and choose to do things that will help me to achieve what I want most, so that I can be the person I made in the pictures on paper and in my imagination.
Name: _____________________ Signature: __________________________
The Children’s Formula for Self-Confidence by Kathleen Betts has been adapted from Napoleon Hill’s Formula for Self Confidence with the consent and approval of the Napoleon Hill Foundation. For more information on the work of Napoleon Hill, please visit the website at http://www.naphill.org/
I hope this is a helpful tool to parents who are working together with their children to optimize potential and opportunity. Kids may like to customize the formula even more to name a particular goal they are working toward instead of saying generics like "thing(s) I want most" and "special thing(s)."
If you are not already a subscriber to the inspirational weekly e-zine, Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, please click on this link if you are interested: http://mailer.napoleon-hill-news.com/common/SignMeUp.html?customerId=3.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Keep Any Promise!
Dear Readers,
What would it feel like to keep all your new year's resolutions, and every promise you make? Yes—fantastic! Imagine how it would feel. Create a mental picture of yourself living a life where you are doing what you want most for yourself and for others.
While many of us have been living a life of broken promises—to ourselves, our families, the world— the good news is we can change. At any age, the cost of not keeping our promises is staggering: in failed relationships, stalled careers, lack of connection, and poor physical and mental health. Are you living life to its fullest every day, or are you ambling through life to see what happens?
I recently came across a wonderful resource by author and inspirational speaker Karim H. Ismail called Keep Any Promise: a blueprint for designing your future. I found the material to be both inspiring and very practical! With the wonderful blueprint this book offers, I know this book can help us find our way to financial abundance, great health, wonderful relationships, a strong spiritual connection, and a positive world impact. How would you like a step-by-step blueprint to keeping your promises—and building and achieving the future of your dreams?
Karim shares the inspiring stories of twelve “ordinary” people who do extraordinary things. You will learn how they embrace their fears, change their thinking, reach for the seemingly-impossible, achieve great goals, and keep their promises. These dramatic stories will help you learn how to build and transform your own unique life. I hope you will click here: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=853142 to learn more and to take the first step along the path from where you are, to where you want to be. One small click for you here --one giant leap toward reaching your true potential.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Psst! The e-book is only $24.95. You could be on your way for that little, that soon. The 3 CD audio set, or instant download audiobook are also very affordable, for those of you who would like to take advantage of your commute time to learn the stories of the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary people. There is also the traditional hardcover book option for those of you who would like to hold it in your own hands and flip back and forth through your pages and highlight as you go along. Best of all, the 120 page Keep Any Promise Life Blueprint workbook, a $149 value, is a free download once you purchase the book in any format.
What would it feel like to keep all your new year's resolutions, and every promise you make? Yes—fantastic! Imagine how it would feel. Create a mental picture of yourself living a life where you are doing what you want most for yourself and for others.
While many of us have been living a life of broken promises—to ourselves, our families, the world— the good news is we can change. At any age, the cost of not keeping our promises is staggering: in failed relationships, stalled careers, lack of connection, and poor physical and mental health. Are you living life to its fullest every day, or are you ambling through life to see what happens?
I recently came across a wonderful resource by author and inspirational speaker Karim H. Ismail called Keep Any Promise: a blueprint for designing your future. I found the material to be both inspiring and very practical! With the wonderful blueprint this book offers, I know this book can help us find our way to financial abundance, great health, wonderful relationships, a strong spiritual connection, and a positive world impact. How would you like a step-by-step blueprint to keeping your promises—and building and achieving the future of your dreams?
Karim shares the inspiring stories of twelve “ordinary” people who do extraordinary things. You will learn how they embrace their fears, change their thinking, reach for the seemingly-impossible, achieve great goals, and keep their promises. These dramatic stories will help you learn how to build and transform your own unique life. I hope you will click here: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=853142 to learn more and to take the first step along the path from where you are, to where you want to be. One small click for you here --one giant leap toward reaching your true potential.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Psst! The e-book is only $24.95. You could be on your way for that little, that soon. The 3 CD audio set, or instant download audiobook are also very affordable, for those of you who would like to take advantage of your commute time to learn the stories of the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary people. There is also the traditional hardcover book option for those of you who would like to hold it in your own hands and flip back and forth through your pages and highlight as you go along. Best of all, the 120 page Keep Any Promise Life Blueprint workbook, a $149 value, is a free download once you purchase the book in any format.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Striking Abundance -- Over-The-Top O' The Mornin To You!
Welcome Dear Readers led here from Napoleon Hill Yesterday and Today, Dale Carnegie, Microskills, and other places of inspiration:
While I was doing the dishes with my Mum the other day after a family dinner, she said she had one recommendation for this blog she dutifully reads from time to time. Mum thought I should tone it down a bit. That gave me a great idea. I think I should take it up a notch. With the good intention to offer helpful advice, Mum said, "It's a little hard to read much of it for too long." We talked about it for a bit, trying to pinpoint what exactly she was recommending, while surely treading carefully to avoid hurting any feelings. "Maybe it's a little too optimistic?" I offered, or maybe even "A little Pollyanna’ish?" "No," we decided that was not quite it and we got sidetracked before we finished our discussion.
I think I figured it out as I thought about it more afterward. I think we were looking for "over-the-top." Maybe it's all a little too over-the-top. Thinking more about my mother's advice, I agreed that maybe I should tone it down a bit to strike a balance that might make it a little easier to read more of it. That was right before the thought burst to mind that what would be even better than toning it down a bit would be taking it up a notch.
There’s plenty going on out there in the world to tone it down and strike a balance so that we can maintain our middle-of-the-packth place or maybe even finish in also-ranth. Mum’s caution to me serves as a great example of the well-intended advice that we give as parents to protect our children from doing something where there is a risk of getting hurt or of being criticized. Those of us who are lucky enough to have parents who say and do things to protect us are secure in the sense that our mothers and fathers care so much about us they cannot bear to see or feel our hurt.
Fortunately, from this sense of security, we can decide to draw the strength of self-confidence. We can listen to what our parents say and do to help us feel secure and loved and we can watch what they and others who influence us positively do to set a good example for us to follow, at any age, to develop the confidence we need to lead the way and then invite others from the middle of the pack to join us as we go over the top. Come to think of it, my mother’s a little over-the–top. Thank you Mum for your made-with-love words of caution that give me a sense of security and thank you too for showing me how to stay grounded while you go over the top!
With a healthy sense of security bestowed upon us with love from our parents, and the confidence we need to take the risk to step out of our comfort zone in the middle of the pack, we can aim for and achieve success to the nth degree and strike abundance instead of striking the status quo balance we’ve worked so hard to maintain for as long we have. In the human race, keeping up with the middle of the pack has its merit. Just imagine though how you can rejoice and be glad in it when you make your breakaway or make your splash.
Maybe instead of striking a balance, we could strive, along side our parents and our children, to strike abundance. With all the toning it down that's already going on out there, we're well equipped to keep the balance we've all been living and to keep ourselves at the same level or lower, without me jumping in on that band wagon. To strike abundance, to make our dreams come true, exactly what we need to do is to take it up a notch from where we are toward where we want to be.
I'm inviting everyone to write in the most over-the-top thing that has happened to you or to someone you know. Even better, write about the most over-the-top thing you dream of doing. We can all aim together to inspire and motivate each other to strike the abundance we deserve. It's gotta feel better to be over-the-top than to be toned down. Let's all step out of our comfort zones together and feel how it feels. It will be exhilarating. My husband called me over-the-top one time. I need to thank him for setting a high standard to live up to when he laid down that challenge. One last word of caution for us all to share. We will be careful not to protect ourselves from the opportunity to do greater things!
Over The Top To You,
Kathleen
While I was doing the dishes with my Mum the other day after a family dinner, she said she had one recommendation for this blog she dutifully reads from time to time. Mum thought I should tone it down a bit. That gave me a great idea. I think I should take it up a notch. With the good intention to offer helpful advice, Mum said, "It's a little hard to read much of it for too long." We talked about it for a bit, trying to pinpoint what exactly she was recommending, while surely treading carefully to avoid hurting any feelings. "Maybe it's a little too optimistic?" I offered, or maybe even "A little Pollyanna’ish?" "No," we decided that was not quite it and we got sidetracked before we finished our discussion.
I think I figured it out as I thought about it more afterward. I think we were looking for "over-the-top." Maybe it's all a little too over-the-top. Thinking more about my mother's advice, I agreed that maybe I should tone it down a bit to strike a balance that might make it a little easier to read more of it. That was right before the thought burst to mind that what would be even better than toning it down a bit would be taking it up a notch.
There’s plenty going on out there in the world to tone it down and strike a balance so that we can maintain our middle-of-the-packth place or maybe even finish in also-ranth. Mum’s caution to me serves as a great example of the well-intended advice that we give as parents to protect our children from doing something where there is a risk of getting hurt or of being criticized. Those of us who are lucky enough to have parents who say and do things to protect us are secure in the sense that our mothers and fathers care so much about us they cannot bear to see or feel our hurt.
Fortunately, from this sense of security, we can decide to draw the strength of self-confidence. We can listen to what our parents say and do to help us feel secure and loved and we can watch what they and others who influence us positively do to set a good example for us to follow, at any age, to develop the confidence we need to lead the way and then invite others from the middle of the pack to join us as we go over the top. Come to think of it, my mother’s a little over-the–top. Thank you Mum for your made-with-love words of caution that give me a sense of security and thank you too for showing me how to stay grounded while you go over the top!
With a healthy sense of security bestowed upon us with love from our parents, and the confidence we need to take the risk to step out of our comfort zone in the middle of the pack, we can aim for and achieve success to the nth degree and strike abundance instead of striking the status quo balance we’ve worked so hard to maintain for as long we have. In the human race, keeping up with the middle of the pack has its merit. Just imagine though how you can rejoice and be glad in it when you make your breakaway or make your splash.
Maybe instead of striking a balance, we could strive, along side our parents and our children, to strike abundance. With all the toning it down that's already going on out there, we're well equipped to keep the balance we've all been living and to keep ourselves at the same level or lower, without me jumping in on that band wagon. To strike abundance, to make our dreams come true, exactly what we need to do is to take it up a notch from where we are toward where we want to be.
I'm inviting everyone to write in the most over-the-top thing that has happened to you or to someone you know. Even better, write about the most over-the-top thing you dream of doing. We can all aim together to inspire and motivate each other to strike the abundance we deserve. It's gotta feel better to be over-the-top than to be toned down. Let's all step out of our comfort zones together and feel how it feels. It will be exhilarating. My husband called me over-the-top one time. I need to thank him for setting a high standard to live up to when he laid down that challenge. One last word of caution for us all to share. We will be careful not to protect ourselves from the opportunity to do greater things!
Over The Top To You,
Kathleen
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Another Day, Another...? You Name It
Dear Reader,
Thank you for visiting. Please do post a reply with a good story about what happenned to you today or to someone you know who is a forward thinking optimist.
I am hearing so many great stories from all of you who talk to me in person about what is happening for you. Your stories are inspiring to me and they are to others as well. Please share! One-up-manship for the greater good of all is not bragging. It's inspiring.
I have another fantastic passage to share with you today from Vic Johnson's book Day by Day with James Allen. With all the pessimism we are being bombarded with lately in the news about how our economy is suffering, this one is another that really is "worth thinking about" as Vic so aptly affirms as he sums up each entry in the very inspiring reading journal.
Conqer Doubt
"Thoughts of doubt and fear can never accomplish anything. They always lead to failure." - As a Man Thinketh
There is significant economic evidence that the Great Depression might have been avoided but for the "panic" that swept over the country (and the world) after the 1929 stock market crash. What should have been no more than a deep recession, altered our world forever because of the prevailing "thoughts of doubt and fear."
So great were the thoughts of fear that President Rooseveelt felt compelled to deliver a speech about it. By the way, FDR's speech with his now famous, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," was suggested to him by Napoleon Hill, author of the classic Think and Grow Rich.
If the thoughts of many can bring such great tragedy to our wolrd, is it any wonder that our personal thougths can do so much damage to our "individual world?" When we spend inordinate amounts of time fearing some thing or event in the future, many times that which we fear comes upon us. When it does, we wring our hands in despair and wonder why it had to happen to us, when in reality, we are responsible for our troubles.
Bob Proctor says that the process begins first with a thought of doubt, which causes an emotion of fear, which maninfests itself physically as anxiety. Anxiety robs us or our power, our energy and our purpose. Severe anxiety can even undermine our health. And it's all brought on by a thought of doubt.
I have found three things that help me conquer doubt. First, change your mind about the doubt, and keep it changed. If you have a doubt about whether you're going to have enough money to make it to the endd of the month, change your mind about it. Whenever the doubt creeps in, affirm to yourself that "I always find a way to have enough of what I need." I love what Emmet Fox says about this, "If you will change your mind concerning anything and absolutely keep it changed, that thing must and will change too. It is the keeping up of the change in thought that is difficult. It calls for vigilance and determination."
The second thing that overcomes fear and doubt is action. "Do the thing you fear and fear will disappear" is more than a nice rhying aphorism. It's some simple wisdom that always works!
And the third and most important thing to overcoming doubt and fear is Faith. Fear and Faith are directly opposite views of the future and the cannot co-exist. My Faith is in a Creator who has given me dominion over all things. Your Faith may be elsewhere, but know this: Faith and fear cannot be present at the same time.
And that's worth thinking about.
From Meditations for the Month by Vic Johnson
printed with the permission
Copyright (C) 2003-2008 Vic Johnson.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Change your thoughts, change your life
Free eBook - As A Man Thinketh James Allen's timeless cassic http://www.AsAManThinketh.net
Once again reader, it astounds me how relevant so much of what I read in Vic Johnson's journal is to so much of what is happenning in my life and in the lives of others I speak with. I am thankful for the opportunity to share his musings, in hopes that some of you who are reading will find what he has written to be as inspiring and helpful as I do.
Ardently,
Kathleen Betts
Thank you for visiting. Please do post a reply with a good story about what happenned to you today or to someone you know who is a forward thinking optimist.
I am hearing so many great stories from all of you who talk to me in person about what is happening for you. Your stories are inspiring to me and they are to others as well. Please share! One-up-manship for the greater good of all is not bragging. It's inspiring.
I have another fantastic passage to share with you today from Vic Johnson's book Day by Day with James Allen. With all the pessimism we are being bombarded with lately in the news about how our economy is suffering, this one is another that really is "worth thinking about" as Vic so aptly affirms as he sums up each entry in the very inspiring reading journal.
Conqer Doubt
"Thoughts of doubt and fear can never accomplish anything. They always lead to failure." - As a Man Thinketh
There is significant economic evidence that the Great Depression might have been avoided but for the "panic" that swept over the country (and the world) after the 1929 stock market crash. What should have been no more than a deep recession, altered our world forever because of the prevailing "thoughts of doubt and fear."
So great were the thoughts of fear that President Rooseveelt felt compelled to deliver a speech about it. By the way, FDR's speech with his now famous, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," was suggested to him by Napoleon Hill, author of the classic Think and Grow Rich.
If the thoughts of many can bring such great tragedy to our wolrd, is it any wonder that our personal thougths can do so much damage to our "individual world?" When we spend inordinate amounts of time fearing some thing or event in the future, many times that which we fear comes upon us. When it does, we wring our hands in despair and wonder why it had to happen to us, when in reality, we are responsible for our troubles.
Bob Proctor says that the process begins first with a thought of doubt, which causes an emotion of fear, which maninfests itself physically as anxiety. Anxiety robs us or our power, our energy and our purpose. Severe anxiety can even undermine our health. And it's all brought on by a thought of doubt.
I have found three things that help me conquer doubt. First, change your mind about the doubt, and keep it changed. If you have a doubt about whether you're going to have enough money to make it to the endd of the month, change your mind about it. Whenever the doubt creeps in, affirm to yourself that "I always find a way to have enough of what I need." I love what Emmet Fox says about this, "If you will change your mind concerning anything and absolutely keep it changed, that thing must and will change too. It is the keeping up of the change in thought that is difficult. It calls for vigilance and determination."
The second thing that overcomes fear and doubt is action. "Do the thing you fear and fear will disappear" is more than a nice rhying aphorism. It's some simple wisdom that always works!
And the third and most important thing to overcoming doubt and fear is Faith. Fear and Faith are directly opposite views of the future and the cannot co-exist. My Faith is in a Creator who has given me dominion over all things. Your Faith may be elsewhere, but know this: Faith and fear cannot be present at the same time.
And that's worth thinking about.
From Meditations for the Month by Vic Johnson
printed with the permission
Copyright (C) 2003-2008 Vic Johnson.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Change your thoughts, change your life
Free eBook - As A Man Thinketh James Allen's timeless cassic http://www.AsAManThinketh.net
Once again reader, it astounds me how relevant so much of what I read in Vic Johnson's journal is to so much of what is happenning in my life and in the lives of others I speak with. I am thankful for the opportunity to share his musings, in hopes that some of you who are reading will find what he has written to be as inspiring and helpful as I do.
Ardently,
Kathleen Betts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Shoes, Shoes, Wonderful Shoes!
Hi all,
I have to share a great secret with you in hopes it will be helpful to you and your family.
There is a fantastic place in Toronto to get shoes for men, women and children. It's The Shoe Company Clearance Warehouse. The deal they have right now is 10% off the first item, 20% off the second item and 30% off the third item. Children's shoes range in price from about $4.99 to $19.99. They have a good selection of brand names. I got 3 pairs of children's boots for about $48.00. They were $19.00 each then the percentage discounts were applied. I got 3 pairs of children's dress shoes and a sweater for about $24.00.
The stuff is good quality brand name. The selection is hit and miss. Because it's a clearance outlet, you just have to choose from the sizes and styles available. Often they have what I need and sometimes it's a lost cause for me. Plan to need to spend an hour or so to search through the racks if you're shopping for more than one person. I try not to bring kids with me as the shelves are high and the aisles are long and it's easy to lose little ones and to end up leaving frustrated with nothing because I've been to preoccupied with keeping track of children instead of focusing on finding discount shoes for them.
I hope you'll find it's a great resource. There are often shoes for adults as well for as low as $9.99. There is also a small selection of clothing from which you can find the occasional gem.
The address is:
The Shoe Company
Warehouse Outlet 42 Kodiak Crescent Around the corner from Allen and Sheppard Downsview, ON M3J 3G5 P:(416)631-6522
The hours are:
Monday - Wednesday 10:00 - 6:00 Thursday - Friday 10:00 - 7:00 Saturday 10:00 - 6:00 Sunday 11:00 - 5:00
Does it get any better? Shoe shopping we can afford (sometimes)!
Here's a link:
http://www.theshoecompany.com/locator.ep#Ontario
Talk to you soon. Let's get those business plans done. Let's get our businesses up and running. Even when we're rich and famous, we'll still love buying discount shoes at The Shoe Company Warehouse on Kodiak. We can share the money we save on shoes for our own families by buying shoes for other families who can't afford them (yet.) We can be springs in the trampoline then for other families who are trying to set up their own small businesses that they will grow into large businesses, just like what we are doing now.
Ardently,
Kathleen
I have to share a great secret with you in hopes it will be helpful to you and your family.
There is a fantastic place in Toronto to get shoes for men, women and children. It's The Shoe Company Clearance Warehouse. The deal they have right now is 10% off the first item, 20% off the second item and 30% off the third item. Children's shoes range in price from about $4.99 to $19.99. They have a good selection of brand names. I got 3 pairs of children's boots for about $48.00. They were $19.00 each then the percentage discounts were applied. I got 3 pairs of children's dress shoes and a sweater for about $24.00.
The stuff is good quality brand name. The selection is hit and miss. Because it's a clearance outlet, you just have to choose from the sizes and styles available. Often they have what I need and sometimes it's a lost cause for me. Plan to need to spend an hour or so to search through the racks if you're shopping for more than one person. I try not to bring kids with me as the shelves are high and the aisles are long and it's easy to lose little ones and to end up leaving frustrated with nothing because I've been to preoccupied with keeping track of children instead of focusing on finding discount shoes for them.
I hope you'll find it's a great resource. There are often shoes for adults as well for as low as $9.99. There is also a small selection of clothing from which you can find the occasional gem.
The address is:
The Shoe Company
Warehouse Outlet 42 Kodiak Crescent Around the corner from Allen and Sheppard Downsview, ON M3J 3G5 P:(416)631-6522
The hours are:
Monday - Wednesday 10:00 - 6:00 Thursday - Friday 10:00 - 7:00 Saturday 10:00 - 6:00 Sunday 11:00 - 5:00
Does it get any better? Shoe shopping we can afford (sometimes)!
Here's a link:
http://www.theshoecompany.com/locator.ep#Ontario
Talk to you soon. Let's get those business plans done. Let's get our businesses up and running. Even when we're rich and famous, we'll still love buying discount shoes at The Shoe Company Warehouse on Kodiak. We can share the money we save on shoes for our own families by buying shoes for other families who can't afford them (yet.) We can be springs in the trampoline then for other families who are trying to set up their own small businesses that they will grow into large businesses, just like what we are doing now.
Ardently,
Kathleen
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Accept No Limits (Vic Johnson)
Hello again Life-Long Learners,
I have had the good fortune of uncovering a very inspiring resource and I have the honour and privilege here to share it with you in the hope you will find it helpful as you strive for the greatness you are capable of achieving...
Accept no Limits
"A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses." -- As a Man Thinketh
You are not limited to the life you now live. It has been accepted by you as the best you can do at this moment. Any time you're ready to go beyond the limitations currently in your life, you're capable of doing that by choosing different thoughts.
We each earn the income we do today because that is the amount we have limited ourselves to earn. We could easily earn 5, 10, 20 times or more if we did not limit ourselves through the thoughts we maintain.
Don't believe that's true? Surely you know people who earn much more than you who don't have your education, your skills, or your intelligence. So why do they earn more than you?
I love the story of George Dantzig that Cynthia Kersey wrote about in Unstoppable. As a college student, George studied very hard and always late into the night. So late that he overslept one morning, arriving 20 minutes late for class. He quickly copied the two math problems on the board, assuming they were the homework assignmnet. It took him several days to work through the two problmes, but finally he had a breakthrough and dropped the homework on the professor's desk the next day.
Later, on a Sunday morning, George was awakened at 6 a.m. by his excited professor. Since George was late for class, he hadn't heard the professor announce that the two unsolvable equations on the board were mathematical mind teasers that even Einstein hadn't been able to answer. But George Dantzig, working without any thought of limitaion, had solved not one, but two problems that had stumped mathmaticians for thousands of years.
Simply put, George solved the problems because he didn't know he couldn't.
Bob Proctor tells us to "keep reminding yourself that you have tremendous reservoirs of potential within you, and therefore you are quite capable of doing anything you set your mind to. All you must do is figure out how you can do it, not whether or not you can. And once you have made your mind up to do it, it's amazing how your mind begins to figure out how."
And that's worth thinking about.
From Meditations for the Month
by Vic Johnson
printed with the permission
Copyright (C) 2003-2008 Vic Johnson.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Change your thoughts, change your life
Free eBook - As A Man Thinketh James Allen's timeless cassic http://www.AsAManThinketh.net
I feel strongly that reading the texts compiled by Vic Johnson in his book, Meditations for the Month Day by Day with James Allen, has been an effective element in my journey to overcome a significant challenge and to ultimately take a leap into entrepreneurship to pursue my passion instead of worrying about contributing to my pension. When you remove limitation and open your mind to the possibilities of your own great potential, you set yourself in motion in the direction of the destination of your specific goal. Ideas will flow into your conscience to answer the hows that would otherwise be obstacles on your course from where you are to where you want to be.
Through the power of your own thoughts when you believe that you can, you make yourself as unstoppable as anyone else who has found their way to greatness. It's just plain simple and true. Once you know where you're going and figure out how you're going to get there, what is there to stop you? Again, I hope you will find Vic Johnson's thoughts which I will be printing periodically over the next few weeks, to be as helpful to you as I have found them to be.
Let's begin...
Ardently,
Kathleen
I have had the good fortune of uncovering a very inspiring resource and I have the honour and privilege here to share it with you in the hope you will find it helpful as you strive for the greatness you are capable of achieving...
Accept no Limits
"A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses." -- As a Man Thinketh
You are not limited to the life you now live. It has been accepted by you as the best you can do at this moment. Any time you're ready to go beyond the limitations currently in your life, you're capable of doing that by choosing different thoughts.
We each earn the income we do today because that is the amount we have limited ourselves to earn. We could easily earn 5, 10, 20 times or more if we did not limit ourselves through the thoughts we maintain.
Don't believe that's true? Surely you know people who earn much more than you who don't have your education, your skills, or your intelligence. So why do they earn more than you?
I love the story of George Dantzig that Cynthia Kersey wrote about in Unstoppable. As a college student, George studied very hard and always late into the night. So late that he overslept one morning, arriving 20 minutes late for class. He quickly copied the two math problems on the board, assuming they were the homework assignmnet. It took him several days to work through the two problmes, but finally he had a breakthrough and dropped the homework on the professor's desk the next day.
Later, on a Sunday morning, George was awakened at 6 a.m. by his excited professor. Since George was late for class, he hadn't heard the professor announce that the two unsolvable equations on the board were mathematical mind teasers that even Einstein hadn't been able to answer. But George Dantzig, working without any thought of limitaion, had solved not one, but two problems that had stumped mathmaticians for thousands of years.
Simply put, George solved the problems because he didn't know he couldn't.
Bob Proctor tells us to "keep reminding yourself that you have tremendous reservoirs of potential within you, and therefore you are quite capable of doing anything you set your mind to. All you must do is figure out how you can do it, not whether or not you can. And once you have made your mind up to do it, it's amazing how your mind begins to figure out how."
And that's worth thinking about.
From Meditations for the Month
by Vic Johnson
printed with the permission
Copyright (C) 2003-2008 Vic Johnson.
All rights reserved worldwide.
Change your thoughts, change your life
Free eBook - As A Man Thinketh James Allen's timeless cassic http://www.AsAManThinketh.net
I feel strongly that reading the texts compiled by Vic Johnson in his book, Meditations for the Month Day by Day with James Allen, has been an effective element in my journey to overcome a significant challenge and to ultimately take a leap into entrepreneurship to pursue my passion instead of worrying about contributing to my pension. When you remove limitation and open your mind to the possibilities of your own great potential, you set yourself in motion in the direction of the destination of your specific goal. Ideas will flow into your conscience to answer the hows that would otherwise be obstacles on your course from where you are to where you want to be.
Through the power of your own thoughts when you believe that you can, you make yourself as unstoppable as anyone else who has found their way to greatness. It's just plain simple and true. Once you know where you're going and figure out how you're going to get there, what is there to stop you? Again, I hope you will find Vic Johnson's thoughts which I will be printing periodically over the next few weeks, to be as helpful to you as I have found them to be.
Let's begin...
Ardently,
Kathleen
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