A Better Life

"If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it, even if I did not have the ability in the beginning."

-- Mahatma Gandhi

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Do you want a better life?  It’s waiting for you and it’s never too late to start.  A better life begins when you believe that it can happen and believe that you’re worthy of such a life.  God did not create you to live a mundane life.   Instead, he instilled in you great potential.   He also created a universe full of abundance.  The key is awareness.  You just need to develop a greater awareness of your potential and the abundance that surrounds.

Once you become aware, you have to believe it to be possible.  The beginning of all belief takes form in thought.   It’s important to understand that positive thoughts can only produce positive results, whereas negative thoughts can only produce negative results.  Keep in mind that you are responsible for your thoughts, nobody else!  No one can make you think a certain way.  If you’re currently getting negative results in your life, your thoughts are predominantly negative; plain and simple!  People, who refuse to accept ownership of the results that they’re getting in life, fail to understand that their results are a manifestation of their thoughts.  Lacking this understanding, they view themselves as a victim of circumstances; circumstances in which they have no control.  Consequently, they believe there is no better life.

Since we are the ones responsible for our thoughts, we get to choose how we think.  We not choose to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts.  When we begin to believe that a better life is possible, we start attracting the things (abundance) that will move us in the direction of a better life.  You see, those things have always been out there; it’s just that our belief system never allowed us to be aware of them.  Believing there’s a better life, will create a new found awareness of all the possibilities/opportunities life has to offer.  Once you develop this awareness, you'll find that you have all the energy and resources that you need that leads to a better life.

So, choose to think positive thoughts.  Say to yourself repeatedly, "God created me as a unique person and I'm worthy of living a life of happiness and fulfillment."  Remember, a better life awaits you and it's just a thought away! 

It’s your life: live it, love it & celebrate it!
MJD

Leadership Presentation

Follow the link below for a Powerpoint presentation that I produced on leadership.

Hope you enjoy it!

www.jacksonswish.org/leadership/2008leadershipauto1.ppt

Life's Lessons from a Dog

“We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults.  Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment.”
~George Eliot

***

Our family has a Golden Retriever, named Coach.   Coach's name was bestowed upon him by a family decision. I had recommended the name to my family largely as a result of my passion for coaching sports.  Being a coach, my primary responsibility is to teach.  To me, a coach is really a teacher with a whistle.   

Coach really is a coach.  Why? Because he is a teacher!   He has taught me some very valuable lessons about life.  His presence serves as a constant reminder to me that life was meant to be enjoyed.

These are the life lessons that Coach has taught me:

Live in the Moment: To coach, there is no past, nor future.  Hence, he is not burdened by his past, nor is he anxious about his future.  Living in the present, allows him to focus on what is important at that moment; it may be his family, chasing a squirrel, or playing fetch.  Since time is irrelevant and the present is the only thing that exists for Coach, he is fully tuned into what is important to him during the moment.

The Importance of Exercise:  When Coach hears my alarm clock or hears me stirring early in the morning, he greets me full of energy.  He is ready to go for our morning run.  His excitement and energy far outmatches mine early in the morning.  Coach looks forward to getting out and getting his daily exercise.  He is my running partner.  His excitement reminds me of how thankful I should be for my health and the ability to get up each morning and exercise.  He has taught me to exercise because I can!

The value of play:  Out of the blue, Coach will appear with a toy in his mouth.  The toy tells me it’s play time.  Coach reminds me that even with a hectic life it is necessary to take a time-out and play.  Play is what reenergizes us a keeps the creative spirit of childhood alive within us.

Friendship:  “Man’s best friend” – Isn’t that the truth!  Coach’s companionship and incessant loyalty far outmatch anything that I have observed in the human realm.  He reminds me that in order to be a true friend, I must willing to give freely of myself and commit to being there for my friends.  Coach does not judge me.  He accepts me for who I am.  I too must refrain from casting judgment and accept my friends for who they are.

Being Thankful:  Coach gets fed once a day.   As soon as you place his dish in front of him he commences his "dinner dance."   His dance consists of backward steps, a few circles and a few jumps.   His dance reminds me of how excited and thankful I should be should be about all my gifts from God.  It is the same thing day after day for coach – the same time of day, the same bowl and the same food.  Yet, he remains excited.  The excitement in his dance reminds me to never take anything for granted, no matter how mundane they may appear.

Unconditional love: By far, the most endearing characteristic of a dog is unconditional love.  No matter how I treat Coach, he loves me the same.  His love is not based upon circumstances.  It is a genuine love.  If I ignore him, he loves me the same.  If I yell at him, he loves me the same.  If I punish him, he loves me the same.  It doesn't matter if I leave for 30 seconds or 30 days his love for me never changes.  Coach teaches me that the purest form of love is a love freely given with no expectations of anything in return.

A great coach teaches lessons; lessons about the game, and more importantly, lessons about life.  Although he is just a dog, Coach just might be one of the best coaches I have ever had. 

Thanks for the lessons Coach! 

It's your life: live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD

Dreaming Big

"If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."
- Henry David Thoreau
***

In 1990, Jim Carrey was a relatively unknown actor/comedian. Like all newcomers to the entertainment industry, Carrey was struggling to make in a profession were hopes and dreams are shattered daily. Carrey refused to give up on his dream of making big. In order to stay focused on achieving his goal, Carrey decided to write himself a check for acting services rendered in the amount of $10 million dollars. The check was post-dated for Thanksgiving Day 1995. Carrey carried that check with him at all times. 1994 he was paid $800,000 for his role in Ace Ventura and received $7 million for his co-starring role in Dumb and Dumber. He earned several millions more 1995 for his roles in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Batman Forever. Today, Jim Carrey gets paid $20 million per film.

Jim Carrey wasn't afraid to dream big. The act of writing a post-dated check to himself demonstrated that he believed that he could achieve great success as an actor. The check, being with him at all times, kept his dream alive and in the forefront of his thoughts.

Napoleon Hill once said "We become what we think about." Today, March 24th, is a day to dream big. Once you identified your dream, make it a point to think about daily. If we become what we think about, dreams really can come true. Just ask Jim Carrey!

It's your life; live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD

Failing Forward!

Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."
-- Henry Ford

***
Failure is not a dirty word!

Why is it that some people allow failure to pull them down and keep them down?
It's only natural to experience feelings of sadness, disappointment, rejection or maybe even a little anger after failing at something. To deny these feelings would be to deny your human existence. It is the ability to think and feel that sets us apart from all other living things in this world. The initial feelings we experience from failure should be used as a catalyst to begin thinking of new ways in which we can improve and become better person.

Those that allow failure to pull them down and keep them down think of failure in a negative sense. Whereas, those that succeed in life, see failure as a necessary step in order to achieve success. Those that are weighed down by failure, either blame themselves, or someone else for their failure. The most damaging is to blame somebody else for you failure. When you don't accept responsibility, you falsely accuse someone else. When you accept no responsibility, you become blind to the need for change.

Those that internalize the cause of their failure, blame themselves because they do not see themselves as capable or worthy of success. Throughout their life they have come to believe that for them success is fleeting and failure is final. They generally have low self-esteem and do not like themselves. Blaming themselves serves to reinforce a condemning ego that says, "See I told you that you that you couldn't do it."

Those that do succeed don't blame their failures on themselves or others. They attribute their failure to a faulty process or plan. They see failure as an opportunity to get it right. Failure allows them to go back to the drawing board with more information than before. Failure's initial feelings do not last long. The feelings are quickly converted from negative energy to positive energy. It is the positive energy source that feeds determination and gives a person satisfaction knowing that success lies ahead.

Thomas Edison, perhaps the greatest inventor of all time, once said, "I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward."

It's your life; live it, love it & celebrate it!
MJD

Am I a Fireman Yet

Am I A Fireman Yet??

In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that. But she still wanted her son's dream to come true.

She took her son' s hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?" Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and said, 'Let's see if we can make your wish come true.'

Later that day she went to her local fire department where she met Fireman Bob. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.

Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And, if you'll give us his sizes, will get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat -- not a toy one -- with an emblem of the Phoenix fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. There are all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."

Three days later, Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day, and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in different fire engines, the paramedics van, and even the Fire Chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, Billy lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible. One night, all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically. The head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept -- thought that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and ask it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Billy. The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire?" "It's the department coming to see one of its finest members, one more time. And will you open the window to his room?" About five minutes later a hook and ladder fire truck arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window. 16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room.

With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him. With his dying breath, Billy looked at the Fire Chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now. "Billy, you are, and the head chief, Jesus is holding your hand," the chief said. With those words, Billy smiled and said, I know, he's been holding my hand all day and the angels have been singing." With that he closed his eyes for the last time.

Have a great March 19th. This is your day and you're the one who will choose how you'll spend it. Make every effort to be the difference in someone's life today!

It's your life; live it, love it & celebrate it!
MJD

Remembering

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

An Irish Proverb

"May you never forget what is worth remembering, or remember what is best forgotten."

St. Patrick's Day is day when the Irish remember and celebrate their heritage. March 17th is a day of rememberence. For us, it can be a day to set aside some time remember our history. More importantly, the people in our lives who have had made a significant impact. It may have been your parents, your siblings, a teacher, a coach, a neighbor, a friend, a boss, a coworker or somebody else. Don't let the passing of years erode the memories of people who have help shape our lives. If the person has since passed away, pause and spend a little time honoring their memory. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for the privilege of having such a person in your life. If the person is still living, send them a note of thanks. Let them know how much they have impacted your life. Often times, a person does not truly realize the profound impact they've had on someone else's life. After all, if a person has made a difference in your life, they're certainly deserving of being recognized for that. Take 5 minutes to write a thank you note; it will be the best 5 minutes that you spend today. In the process you will make two people feel better: yourself and someone else!

Also today, make it a point to let go of a grudge. Harboring a grudge is self-defeating. The only one that loses is you A grudge robs you of energy; energy that could be used on productive things. A grudge does nothing to the other person. While you are caught up in a whirlwind of negative emotion, which is physically draining, they go about their business unaffected by your grudge. Remember, it is your grudge. You maintain ownership of it. Since you maintain ownership of it, you have the choice to let go of it.

THANKS TO EACH ONE OF YOU FOR MAKING AN IMPACT IN MY LIFE!

It's your life; live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD

Living Like Royalty

"They are not poor that have little, but they that desire much. The richest man, whatever his lot, is the one who’s content with his lot."

—Dutch proverb

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30-Second Timeout Talk

Do you live like royalty?  You may not realize it, but you really do!  It's all a matter of perspective.  To people living in depressed conditions, we live a life fit for kings and queens.  We are blessed with abundance.  Abundance comes from the Lord above and the good news is there is no short supply.

Still don’t believe you live like royalty - then ask a starving child  what they had to eat yesterday; ask a homeless man to show you where he slept last night; ask a little girl why her clothes are tattered and torn and what happened to her shoes; ask an impoverished woman why she risks criminal behavior when she’s stealing food to feed her family.  All will tell you that you live a royal life compared to them.   

If you appreciate what you have in life, you will always have enough.  However, when you focus on what you don't have, you constantly search for more and more.  The problem is the searching will never end until you finally learn to appreciate what you have.  To help you – each morning when you arise try reciting, “The secret to having it all is knowing you already do!”

So you do live like royalty.  You may not be sporting a crown or tiara, but don't be fooled, you really do enjoy the comforts of life; comforts that all too often are taken for granted. 

All hail to the king/queen!  Remember, it comes down to a matter of perspective!

It's Your Life: Live it, Love it, Celebrate it!

MJD

Pain of Regret or Discipline

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments."
~Jim Rohn

***
When determining any course of action one may experience one of two types of pain: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.

The pain of discipline is felt in the present moment.  Plain and simple, the pain of discipline is all about sacrifice.  It requires you to give up something in the present for a greater reward in the future.  The pain is experienced through sacrifice, hard work and perseverance.  You must put yourself into a position to forego immediate gratification for future benefit.  It is the focus on these benefits that allows one to endure the pain of being disciplined. 

The pain of regret takes place in the future.  Like a thief in the night, this type of pain sneaks up on you.  Because one is living in the moment, the pain is not readily apparent to them.  When someone is consumed with immediate gratification, it is difficult for them to picture their future.  To them, there really is no need to see their future; they are living their life according to the "pleasure principle."  The pain of regret will gradually build  until reality slaps them in the face.  Once they realize they’re experiencing the pain of regret it may be too late.  The pain of regret can last a lifetime.  In most circumstances, time will not be on your side.  In most cases, opportunities have presented themselves that are now gone forever.  A classic example is a person who devotes their entire life to moving up the professional/corporate ladder at the expense of spending time with their family.  They become so focused on the here and now.  They forget what is really important.  Time is not on their side.  They will not get a second chance to watch their children grow up. That opportunity is gone forever!  Eventually, this person will endure the pain of regret for the rest of their life.  You have heard it said before, “A dying man never says, I wish I would have spent more time at the office.” 

Too many of us go through life living with the pain of regret: wishing we had done something differently.  The pain of regret gets worse as we age. When we get older,  we begin to think about all the missed opportunities.  We start to wonder what we could have done, or worst yet, what we could have become.  The pain of regret will can haunt us until the day we die.  However, In some instances, it is not too late to overcome the pain of regret if an opportunity still presents itself.  You might ask, how do you overcome the pain of regret?  Simple, invoke the pain of discipline in your life!

If you asked 500 people who endured the pain of discipline if they regret it, it's not likely that one would say they regret it. If you asked 500 people who chose to avoid the pain of discipline if they regret it, I bet all, if not most, would say they now live to regret it. 

It doesn't matter if you commit to spending more time with your children, going back to school, or something like starting an exercise program; the key is that you're willing to endure the pain of discipline.  I urge you take that first step.  Embrace the pain of discipline, It is a pain that you’ll live to never regret! 

It's your life; live it, love it, & celebrate it!
MJD