Inspire the Sleeping Giant Within

Inspire The Sleeping Giant Within

TheCubanGuy.com

Copyright ©2001 Andres Lara1

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INSPIRE

THE SLEEPING

GIANT WITHIN!

BRIEF, SIMPLE YET PROFOUND LIFE-ALTERING

MESSAGES & STORIES

BY ANDRES LARA

PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER


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THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED

TO ALL OF THOSE WHO

HAVE A DREAM.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAM

TAKE ONE STEP AT A TIME

DON’T SETTLE FOR LESS

JUST CONTINUE CLIMBING

FOLLOW YOUR DREAM

IF YOU STUMBLE DON’T STOP

KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR GOAL

AND PRESS ON TO THE TOP

FOR ONLY ON THE TOP

CAN YOU SEE THE WHOLE VIEW

CAN YOU SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

AND THAT YOU CAN DO

CAN YOU THEN HAVE A VISION

TO SEE SOMETHING NEW

PRESS ON AND FOLLOW YOUR DREAM.

~AMANDA BRADLEY

MY STAFF

CHIEF EDITOR SHANELLE DAVIS

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROSA CARUSONE


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This book should be read two pages at a time. On the left page, you will find my life-altering messages. On the right page you will find an inspirational story or poem that parallels my writing. The stories and poems on the right are some of the best inspirational stories and poems that top motivational speakers all around the world use to touch, move, and inspire their audiences. These are the stories and poems that have inspired me throughout my journey. I am certain that they will inspire you as well. From time to time, I will challenge you to take action. If you do, your life will be transformed. Though the principles in this book are simple, they are often neglected and not put into use. Remember, it’s not those that know the most that create results, but those who consistently use what they know. Take me, for example; I was still in college when I wrote this book. There were people with more knowledge than I had, but they were busy getting more knowledge. I used the little that I knew and it turned out to be enough to accomplish one of my dreams— write this book. The more you learn, the more there is to learn. So if you take action with the little you know, it would be more than enough to reach your dreams. Therefore, I encourage you to take action when I challenge you to. The idea that you are not qualified, trained, or ready might come up to you. Do it anyway. I wasn’t ready, trained, or qualified to write this book. But I did it anyway. So it’s with you. The principles here are simple, but enough to make your life extraordinary and accomplish your dreams.


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My heartfelt appreciation, love, and gratitude to My family in Cuba and in here (USA),

My princess Rosy and her family, My friends and mentors,

Montclair State University, EOP Program,

Human Relation & Leadership Institute, Robert E. Criner,

Dr. Robert Gilbert, Ed Agresta,

Dr. Wayne Bond, Bob Quintana, Gary Moriarty

Special thanks to God


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Missing Pieces 41 How To Be Happy 42 Gratitude 43 The World Is Mine 44 Be Creative 45 Opportunities 46 Struggle 47 The Butterfly 48 Change The World 49 The House Of 1000 Mirrors 50 Scooping Out Obstacles 51 Live 52 Risk 53 Risk Much 54 Only We Know 55 Follow Your Dream 56 Usefulness 57 Obstacles Into Possibilities 58 The 8th Day Of The Week 59 Tomorrow 60 Become Interesting 61 What Do You Hear? 62 Our Thinking 63 Our Thoughts 64 Mission Fun 65 Take Time 66 Rough Beginnings 67 Go Beyond 68 Making It 69 Don’t Quit 70 Attitude 71 Attitude 72 The Secret To Life 73 Today, I’ll Love 74

Be A Creator 7 The Carpenter 8 No Other Choice 9 No Choice But To Win 10 Uncamouflage Yourself 11 Our Deepest Fear 12 A Loved One’s Life 13 The Starfish 14 We Are Different 15 I’m Special 16 It Will Pass 17 Keep Swimming 18 Welcome Failure 19 Persist 20 One More Step 21 Don’t Stop 22 Stop Searching 23 Stone Cutter 24 Faith 25 The African Impala 26 Worries 27 The Power Of Worries 28 Self-Image 29 The Chicken 30 The Power Of Unity 31 Innocence Growing 32 Hard? 33 Burden 34 Do It Right 35 In A Hurry 36 Gain Mastery 37 Weakness or Strength 38 Welcome Darkness 39 Be Thankful 40


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To Be Optimistic 75 Optimism 76 Acknowledgement 77 Efficient Secretary’s Secret 78 Love Overflow 79 It’s It 80 Experiencing Miracles 81 If Tomorrow Never Comes 82 Flexibility 83 Be Flexible 84 Small Things? 85 One Simple Smile 86 Perfect Incompletion 87 What’s Life 88 Tactical Competition 89 Create Don’t Compete 90 Calm Self 91 Tao Story 92 Optimize Time 93 Seize The Day 94 The Hero Within 95 You Are the One 96 Life 97 Keep Believing In You 98 Decisions 99 Riddle 100 Impossible? 101 Anything Is Possible 102 Welcome Ending 103 Becoming A Butterfly 104 Genuinely Notice 105 At the Day’s End 106 Empowering Excuse 107 Use Your Excuse 108

End Lacking 109 The Echo Of Life 110 What’s Important 111 Big Rocks 112 Finding Happiness 113 The Mexican Fisherman 114 Believe 115 I Think I Can 116 Judging 117 Can You Hear Me? 118 Angry 119 The Fence 120 Personal Growth 121 Criticism 122 100% Responsible 123 Hole In My Sidewalk 124 Auditioning 24/7 125 The Bishop’s Gift 126 Tactful Advice 127 Just Listen 128 We Are The Miracle 129 Twenty Dollars 130 Knowledge 131 We Have Enough 132 Let It Slide 133 Live Your Dash 134 Web Choices 135 About This Book 136 Keep Updated 137


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Message

1 Be A Creator

How would our world be, if we were the creators? Incredible. Well, we are. We create it with our actions. Every action we take has a direct impact on us, whether we are aware of it or not. “What goes around comes around.” It does! This is like the cook who poisons his restaurant’s food to gain revenge from his employer. To soon after, come home and find his entire family poisoned, and wonder, “How did it happen?” They ate his poisonous food. Our actions good or bad will always return back to us. Let’s do everything today as if we were meant to be the recipients; we might very well be. “We live in the world that we ourselves create for others.”

~Andres Lara


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The Carpenter An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife and his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said “yes,” but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career. When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well. So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points, we do not give the job our best effort. Then, with a shock, we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that, we would have done it differently. Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project". Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today. ~Author Unknown


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Message

2 No Other Choice

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You must always have plan B and C ‘in case’ plan A doesn’t work.” Beware of this belief, it weakens our drive and diverts our focus. It’s virtually impossible to succeed at anything, thinking about what we would do, if we failed. This is similar to a couple that is married and is constantly looking for candidates in case the marriage doesn’t work out. Silly? Not really. Many times, we invest more energy on alternative plans than in our initial plan. No wonder plan A often fails. Every plan works, if we give ourselves no other choice. Let’s put all of our eggs—heart, soul, body, & mind—in ONE basket behind plan A. Get rid of any alternative plan; it will only divide our strength and focus. We will have no choice but to succeed. "The minute we start talking about what we're going to do if we lose, we have already lost." ~George Shultz


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No Choice But To Win A long time ago, a great warrior faced a situation. It was necessary for him to make a decision, which insured his success on the battlefield. He was about to send his army against a powerful foe, whose men outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to the enemy's country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his men before the first battle, he said, “You see the boats going up in smoke. That means that we cannot leave these shores alive unless we win! We now have no choice —–We win—– or we perish.” They won. ~Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hills “Guarantee your success by cutting all chances of retreat.” ~Andres Lara


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Message

3 Uncamouflage Yourself

At times, we become modest about our accomplishments, fearing to make others feel inferior. As a result, we camouflage our accomplishments. The more we accomplish, the more we should show off. Not to provoke inferiority, but to inspire and provide others with a vision about what’s possible. Let’s celebrate our accomplishments by making everyone around us aware of them. Our intention to inspire will come across. “We can hide our lions’ mane to fit in with the mice or we can inspire the mice to have the courage of a lion.” ~Andres Lara


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Our Deepest Fear Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marianne Williamson Read by Nelson Mandela


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Message

4 A Loved One’s Life

Imagine that there are three people drowning in the ocean and only one lifeguard. The lifeguard saves only one person, our loved one. Did that lifeguard make a difference? Absolutely. What if the lifeguard, overwhelmed by so many people drowning, sits back, and watches everyone drown while saying, “Too many people need help. I cannot possibly make any difference.” It never happens? It does, everyday. In fact, WE are that overwhelmed lifeguard. Frequently, we grow discouraged with so much happening: kids shooting their peers, teenagers dumping their kids, etc. So we say “Too many people need help. I cannot possibly make any difference.” We don’t need to make a difference in everyone’s life. Mother Teresa didn’t. Yet we can make a difference in the life of one person who might be someone else’s loved one. “If I make a difference in one person’s life, then I’ve made a difference.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.


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The Star Fish Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man. The young man wasn't dancing; he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean. As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean." "I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?" "The sun is up, and the tide is going out, and if I don't throw them in they'll die." "But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it? You can't possibly make a difference!" The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked up another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one." There is something very special in each and every one of us. We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference, and if we can become aware of that gift, we gain through the strength of our visions the power to shape the future. We must each find our starfish. And if we throw our stars wisely and well, the world will be blessed. ~Author Unknown


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Message 5

We Are Different It is no accident that we are different. There is something that we were created to do, that only a person with our qualities can do. Yes we might be skinnier, fatter, shorter, slower or simply funny looking. Yet that’s no reason for us to shy away, but rather to shine throughout the way, and celebrate our differences. Everything different is unique and valuable. Diamonds are valuable...not because they are like other rocks, but because they are different. If they were like most rocks, they would be regarded as simply another rock. We are not simply another person; we are different; we are unique; we are valuable; we are special. We are special... not because we are like everybody else, but we are special because we are different. “The world is an incredible unfulfilled tapestry. And only you can fulfill that tiny space that is yours.” ~Leo Buscaglia


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I’m Special I’m special. In the entire world there’s nobody like me. Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person like me. Nobody has my smile. Nobody has my eyes, my nose, my hair, my hands, my voice. I’m special. No one can be found who has my handwriting. Nobody anywhere has my tastes for food or music or art. No one sees things just as I do. In all of time, there’s been no one who laughs like me, no one who cries like me, and what makes me laugh and cry will never provoke identical laughter and tear from anybody else ever. No one reacts to any situation just as I would react. I’m special. I’m the only one in all of creation who has my set of abilities. Oh there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things I am good at, but no one in the universe can reach the quality of room full of musical instruments. Some may excel alone, but none can match the symphony sound when all are played together. I am a symphony. Through all of eternity no one will ever look, talk, walk, think, or do like me. I’m special, I’m rare. And in all rarity there is great value. Because of my great rare value, I need not attempt to imitate others. I will accept– Yes, celebrate my differences. I am special and I am beginning to realize that it’s no accident that I’m special. I’m beginning to realize that God made me special for a very special purpose. He must have a job for me that no one else can do as well as I. Out of all the billions of applicants only one is qualified; only one has the right combination of what it takes, that one is me. Because I’m special!

~Author Unknown. Source: Sharing A Vision


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Message

6 It Will Pass

Frequently, we head down new roads— new positions, relationships, etc —where we need to endure many challenges. These challenges come at us like an upset flock of bees stinging us all at once. A storm on the sea will eventually calm down. If we stay afloat during the storm, we will easily make it through when serenity comes. The real challenge is not the storm, but our belief that the storm will last forever. We tell ourselves “Why bother to keep moving forward through a tunnel that SEEMINGLY has no light at the end; and every step we take forward, we experience more hopelessness.” Let’s bare the storm. Every beginning leads to an end. Whatever we are going through will come to an end, eventually. NO MATTER WHAT, NO STORM LASTS FOREVER. " If you stand out in the rain long enough, you will eventually see the rainbow." ~Greg King


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Keep Swimming

Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl. One was an optimistic soul.

But the other took the gloomy view. "We'll drown," he lamented without much ado,

and with a last despairing cry, he flung up his legs and said "Goodbye." Quote the other frog with a steadfast grin,

"I can't get out but I won't give in, I'll just swim around till my strength is spent,

then I'll die the more content. "Bravely he swam to work his scheme,

and his struggles began to churn the cream. The more he swam, his legs a flutter, the more the cream turned into butter. On top of the butter at last he stopped, and out of the bowl he gaily hopped. What is the moral? It's easily found...

If you can't hop out, keep swimming around!

~Author Unknown


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message

7 Welcome Failure

Discouraged by consecutive unsuccessful attempts to accomplish our dreams, we surrender them and say, “It was never meant to be.” If Thomas Edison said, “It was never meant to be” after his ten thousand “failures” inventing the light bulb, we would still be on darkness. Our success in avoiding “failure” is our “failure” in attaining success; for success and “failure” come in one inseparable package called.... Life. For every 1,000 homeruns, Babe Ruth struck out 2,000 times. Successful people are not those who never fall, but those who fall and opt to get up. What dreams have we surrendered lately, discouraged by “failures?” Let’s pick them back up and pursue them even more intensively. “We don’t fail when we lose, we fail when we quit. ” ~Andres Lara


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Persist Want to take a guess? Who is this person?

Age Failed in business 22 Defeated in legislator election 23 Failed in business again 24 Loss sweetheart 26 Nervous breakdown 27 Defeated for speaker 29 Defeated for elector 31 Defeated for Congress 34 Defeated again for Congress 39 Defeated for Senate 46 Defeated for Vice President 47 Defeated for Senate again 49 Elected for Presidency 51 Who? It is Abraham Lincoln. Calvin Coolidge, our 30th US President said it all: Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on’” has solved and always will the problems of the human race.


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Message

8 One More Step

Accomplishing our dreams is like going to Las Vegas and putting coin after coin in one slot machine. Then with no hope, and only one coin left we say, “I’ll try another machine.” To find out, as we walk away, that the next person who puts a coin in THE SAME slot machine wins the big prize. Yes, the big prize. Accomplishing our dreams is just like that slot machine. After we give our dreams up for other alternatives, we realize 50 years later that if only we gave ONE MORE STEP— one more coin— we would have won the big prize, our dreams. We might have not succeeded in past attempts, yet that says nothing about our next action. At times, all we need is ONE MORE STEP towards our dreams. "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." ~Thomas Edison


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Don’t Stop A group of skiers, who camped on a skiing camp, went all at once to ski. John, a very adventurous skier, wanted to try a steep slope so he asked, “Does anyone want to ski down that slope?” The entire crew looked at each other in fear and shook their heads, “Nope.” John, fearless of the steep slope, went on it for hours. One of his skies broke and it was turning dark. So he decided to walk back. For hours he walked, but his way back he couldn’t find. He fell through a crack and wounded his arm. His blood froze like a frozen river. He walked and walked, but he wouldn’t find the camp. He walked when he couldn’t ski, he crawled when he couldn’t walk. When his legs were numb, he dragged himself with his hands. When his hands were numb, he zigzagged his body forward like a snake. But every move forward was painful. He wanted to give up. But he kept at it. Seventeen miles he crawled leaving a red trail from his wound. Then he said, “I can go no further.” He lay still hopeless on the cold snow and his body froze like a piece of frozen chicken. Minutes later, he died. Next day, the storm was clear. Skiers woke up and one step from the camp they found a body. It was John’s body. ~Told by Dr. Robert Gilbert

“No matter what circumstances you are going through, you might be a step away from attaining your dreams. Think again before giving up.” ~Andres Lara


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Message

9 Stop Searching

There are lots of things waiting for us: that special someone, that ideal job, that incredible opportunity. How come we look and look and cannot find it? Maybe we don’t need to look anymore, because we already have that which we are looking for. Yes, we already have it. We are rarely fulfilled and pleased with what we find. Perhaps there was no reason to look for it to begin with. We tend to search so vigorously for what we want that in the search we disregard the very thing that we were searching for. Stop chasing a lion that looks like a deer. Because at the end, you might, unfortunately, catch it. Let’s not move an inch. Let’s look at our lives. That which we are looking for has always been with us. If we invest our energy to enjoy what we have, we will live a more joyful life. “We travel all around the world searching for what we need to return home to find it.” ~Andres Lara


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There was once a stonecutter who was dissatisfied with himself and with his position in life. One day, he passed a wealthy merchant's house and through the open gateway saw many fine possessions and important visitors. "How powerful that merchant must be!" thought the stonecutter. He became very envious, and wished that he could be like the merchant. That he would no longer have to live the life of a mere stonecutter. To his great surprise, he suddenly became the merchant, enjoying more luxuries and power than he had ever dreamed of, envied and detested by those less wealthy than himself. But soon a high official passed by, carried in a sedan chair, accompanied by attendants, and escorted by soldiers beating gongs. Everyone, no matter how wealthy, had to bow low before the procession. "How powerful that official is!" He thought. "I wish that I could be a high official!" Then he became the high official, carried everywhere in his embroidered sedan chair, feared and hated by the people all around, who had to bow down before him as he passed. It was a hot summer day, and the official felt very uncomfortable in the sticky sedan chair.

Stone Cutter

He looked up at the sun. It shone proudly in the sky, unaffected by his presence. "How powerful the sun is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the sun!" Then he became the sun, shining fiercely down on everyone, scorching the fields, cursed by the farmers and laborers. But a huge black cloud moved between him and the earth, so that his light could no longer shine on everything below. "How powerful that storm cloud is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a cloud!" Then he became the cloud, flooding the fields and villages, shouted at by everyone. But soon he found that he was being pushed away by some great force, and realized that it was the wind. "How powerful it is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be the wind!" Then he became the wind, blowing tiles off the roofs of houses, uprooting trees, hated and feared by all below him. But after a while, he ran up against something that would not move, no matter how forcefully he blew against it--a huge, towering stone. "How powerful that stone is!" he thought. "I wish that I could be a stone!" Then he became the stone, more powerful than anything else on earth. But as he stood there, he heard the sound of a hammer pounding a chisel into the solid rock and felt himself being changed. "What could be more powerful than I, the stone?" he thought. He looked down and saw far below him the figure of a stonecutter.

~Benjamin Hoff

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Message

10 Faith

It is not our lack of ability that keeps us from succeeding, but our lack of faith to dare the unknown. Imagine that a hunter falls into a deep hole while running from a tiger. After the fall, a rope is thrown from above. Scared by what might be on the other end, the hunter does not dare to climb out and starves to death in the hole. We are like that hunter. Many times, we would rather live entrapped in the frustration and agony of well-known jobs and relationships than to step into the unknown-- new jobs, relationships, etc. Let’s step forward in spite of our fear of the unknown. We all have the ability to pull ourselves out of our current situation. The question is, “Do we have the faith required?” “Faith is to believe in what we cannot see. The reward of faith is to receive what we believe in.” ~Saint Augustine


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The African Impala The African Impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animal will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.

~Sunday Sermon "All God's testing has a purpose, someday you will see the light. All he asks is that you trust him, walk by faith and not by sight." ~Author Unknown


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Message

11 Worries

Ninety per cent of our worries are unnecessary. Some of our needless worries are about our past, which we cannot change, our health, or things in the future that might never happen. Worries do not generate solutions, but only more worries. It’s like running on a treadmill for two hours expecting to end at a different location. Worries drain our energy, vitality, and aliveness. Just like a treadmill, they take us nowhere yet work us out and eat all of our time and energy. Worries are the most effective way to waste time and generate stress. Let’s terminate useless, agonizing worries. Let’s set a goal that will target what we are worrying about. Then let’s follow through on our goal with ACTIONS. At the moment we start taking action, we stop worrying. Our energy level will either be consumed by worries or stimulated by actions that produce results. “Worries do not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” ~ Corrie Ten Boom


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The Power Of Worries Death was walking toward a city one morning and a man asked, "What are you going to do?" "I'm going to take 100 people,” Death replied. "That's horrible!" the man said. "That's the way it is," Death said. "That's what I do." The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death's plan. As evening fell, he met Death again. "You told me you were going to take 100 people," the man said. "Why did 1,000 die?" "I kept my word," Death responded. "I only took 100 people. Worry took the others." This interesting tale portrays so well what the National Mental Health Committee reported a few years ago - half of all the people in America's hospital beds are constant worriers. Mental distress can lead to migraine headaches, arthritis, heart trouble, cystitis, colitis, backaches, ulcers, depression, digestive disorders and yes, even death. Add to that list the mental fatigue of nights without sleep and days without peace, and then we get a glimpse of the role worry plays in destroying the quality and quantity of life. Worry is, and always will be, a fatal disease of the heart, for its beginning signals the end of faith. Release the regrets of yesterday, refuse the fears of tomorrow and receive instead, the peace of today. FREE YOUR MIND, YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID. ~Author Unknown


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Message

12 Self-Image

We can soar like an eagle or stumble like a chicken. We can meow like a kitten or roar like a lion. We can howl like a wolf or squeak like a mouse. It’s all up to our self-image— how we see ourselves. We are what we believe we are. It’s like the kitten that grows with lions. Though it has the tiny body of a kitten, it can possess the mighty confidence and mindset of a ferocious, dangerous lion. Consequently, it will act like a lion. It doesn’t matter who we are, but who we believe ourselves to be. Let’s create a vivid image in our mind of who we want to be. Then with our eyes closed, envision it every day in our mind. If we see it enough; we will believe it and act accordingly. “We are what we believe we are.” ~Benjamin N. Cardozo


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The Chicken Once upon a time, there was a large mountainside, where an eagle’s nest rested. The eagle’s nest contained four large eagle eggs. One day an earthquake rocked the mountain causing one of the eggs to roll down into a chicken farm located in the valley below. The chickens knew that they must protect and care for the eagle’s egg, so an old hen volunteered to nurture and raise the large egg. One day, the egg hatched and a beautiful eagle was born. Sadly, however, the eagle was raised to be a chicken. Soon, the eagle believed he was nothing more than a chicken. The eagle loved his home and family, but his spirit cried out for more. While playing a game on the farm one day, the eagle looked to the skies above and noticed a group of mighty eagles soaring in the skies. "Oh," the Eagle cried, "I wish I could soar like those birds." The chickens roared with laughter, "You cannot soar with those birds. You are a chicken and chickens do not soar." The eagle continued staring, at his real family up above, dreaming that he could be with them. Each time the eagle would let his dreams be known, he was told it couldn’t be done. That is what the eagle learned to believe. Soon, the eagle stopped dreaming and continued to live his life like a chicken. Finally, after a long life as a chicken, the eagle passed away. The moral of the story: You become what you believe you are; so if you ever dream to become an eagle follow your dreams, not the words of a chicken. ~Author Unknown


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Message

43 Calm Self

While some shrink and breakdown when faced with difficult times, others expand and develop. In the middle of every difficult situation lies an opportunity. Of course not everyone can see it. Only those who quiet their inner-self when facing difficult times can see opportunities. We cannot see our reflection in running waters, for only calm waters can reflect back. Neither can we see the reflection of opportunities when undergoing difficult times if we don’t calm our tides of complaints. Yes, there are difficult times, but our whining won’t make it any easier. When facing difficult times, let’s remind ourselves that opportunities will only reflect back on calm waters— calm self. "In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity."

~Albert Einstein


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Tao Story An old farmer plows his farm with the only ox he has. As the ox pulls the plow, it breaks its leg, which makes it useless to the farmer. “Wow you have very bad luck,” says the farmer’s next-door neighbor. The farmer replies, “Maybe so. Maybe not.” The neighbor shouts, “You must be crazy, that’s the worst thing that can happen to any farmer.” The wise old farmer once again says, “Maybe so. Maybe not.” The next day a wild horse comes to the farmer’s farm. Since he didn’t have his ox, he decides to catch the horse to plow the soil. The farmer catches the beautiful wild horse. With the wild horse, the work gets done 10 times faster. The farmer’s neighbor observes this and comes by to say, “You just got yourself a nice horse. You are definitely a lucky man.” The farmer once again says, “Maybe so. Maybe not.” The neighbor, upset at the farmer’s replies explodes, “You sure are an old mad man. You just got yourself a nice horse 10 times better than your old ox and you don’t consider yourself lucky. I cannot understand you.” The next day, the farmer’s son falls off the wild horse and breaks his two legs. The neighbor comes by and says “Wow, you are definitely an unfortunate being. Your only son now has both legs broken. Who is going to help you now? You are definitely in big trouble, don’t you think old man?” The farmer looks at his neighbor and says, “Maybe so. Maybe not.” The neighbor leaves infuriated saying “You are definitely an old mad person. You can’t admit how unlucky you are.” The next day, the country’s army shows up in town drafting every able young person for the war, including the neighbor’s only son. Yet they didn’t take the farmer’s son because of his temporary handicap. Moral: Many times, we make quick, inaccurate conclusions about our situation. Remember, whatever we are going through is neither bad nor good. “Maybe it is” or “Maybe it is not.” Allow time to be the deciding factor, not us.


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44 Optimize Time

We have all heard “I don’t have time.” Do we all have twenty-four hours in a day? Of course, we do not. Some people only have 4 hours in a day. We have as many hours in a day as we use. If we use only 4 hours in a day, then that’s all we have for that day, 4 hours. This is similar to the person with a closet that holds twenty-four pair of shoes, but only wears one pair, for the other ones are too tight. How many pairs of shoes does that person have to use? As many as he/she uses, only one. We have as much time as we use. Some of us get a day’s value out of a month while another person gets a full month value out of a day. How can we optimize our time today? “We have as much time as we are willing to use.”

~Andres Lara


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Seize The Day

$86,400 A Day: Imagine there is a bank, which credits your account each morning with $86,400. Carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every cent, of course! Well, everyone has such a bank. Its name is TIME. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as a loss, whatever of this amount you have failed to invest in good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the records of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow". You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success! The clock is running. Make the most of today! ~Author Unknown


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45 The Hero Within

Frequently, we look at so much chaos in the world and ask ourselves, “How can there be so much bad stuff happening, yet such a scarcity of leaders like Muhammad Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, etc? “The world is definitely imbalanced,” we conclude. Actually, the world is perfectly balanced; it has everything it needs. Yes, including heroes like those previously mentioned. Where are those heroes? Look no further. We are it. The hero is within all of us. Unfortunately, many of us don’t unleash that hero within, unless circumstances make it a must. Today, let’s not wait for circumstances. Today, let’s unleash that hero within by choice. “Fools do things when they MUST; leaders do them when they choose.” ~Andres Lara


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You Are The One

A man once stood in front of God, his heart breaking from the pain and injustice in the world. “Dear God,” he cried out, “look at all of the suffering, the anguish and distress in the world. Why don’t you send help?” God responded furiously, “I did send help. I sent you.”

~Author Unknown


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46 Life

Whether we like it or not, life is the way it is; at times harsh, unfair, unreasonable, or simply “difficult.” The journey to accomplishing BIG dreams is as “difficult” as the journey to accomplishing little dreams or any dreams at all. We could settle for a little, tiny, mediocre life or for the life we love; either way, we will pay the same price. It’s like going to an ice cream shop and buying an ice cream flavor that we dislike just because it seems cheaper. To later find out that the flavor we love was the same price. Whether we choose BIG or small, excellence or mediocrity, life will be as “difficult.” Let’s pursue BIG dreams; they will cost as much as little dreams. Let’s not settle for anything less than the very best. “Mediocrity is as expensive as excellence, though it might look otherwise.” ~Andres Lara


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Keep Believing In You There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren't the way you had hoped they would be. That's when you have to tell yourself that things will get better. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down, but those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself and all that you are capable of. There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them. Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are. So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be, because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.

~Author Unknown


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47 Decisions

Decisions alter our lives. This is a common misleading belief. Only decisions that are followed by actions alter our lives. A decision, in and of itself, is nothing. A decision followed by an action produces and impacts everything. A decision is the map to a golden island. An action is the ship that will take you to that island. A map without a ship is as useless as a decision without an action. Whenever we make a decision, an action must automatically follow. If not, the decision will be useless. What decisions have we made lately without following it with an action. Let’s take immediate action on it. It is the only way to produce the results we want. Let’s make a decision right now about something that we have been putting off. Follow it through with an action. “Dozens of decisions are worth pennies. One decision followed by an action can be worth a billion dollars.”

~Andres Lara


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Riddle

There are three frogs on a log. One decided to jump off the log.

How many frogs are still on the log? Come on you have to think.

How many frogs are still on the log if one decided to jump?

Did you say two? The right answer is three.

There are three frogs still on the log. One mentally decided to jump.

It doesn’t mean that it physically jumped.

If you make a decision and take no action

towards the completion of that decision, You are still in the same place and have advanced not an inch.

~Told by Dr. Robert Gilbert


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48 Impossible?

“Impossible” is a misused word. There are lots of things that seem impossible. There are mountains that seem insurmountable, ships that seem unsinkable, and ideas that seem undoable. “Undoable,” someone said about stepping on the moon. “Unsinkable,” someone said about the Titanic. “Unmanageable,” someone said to Mother Teresa. “Unattainable,” someone said to Martin Luther King, Jr. Yes, all these things once seemed impossible. Yet now we look at them and say, “No big deal.” Seeming impossible does not mean it is impossible. It simply means, “It seems impossible.” Let’s name three things that seem impossible for us to do in our lives. If we were given fifty million dollars to get them done, would we get them done? Then, it is not impossible; it just seems impossible. "All things are possible until they are proved impossible. And even the impossible may only be so, as of now."

~Pearl S. Buck


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Anything Is Possible If there was ever a time to dare, to make a difference, to embark on something worth doing, IT IS NOW. Not for any grand cause, necessarily...but for something that tugs at your heart, something that's your inspiration, and something that's your dream. You owe it to yourself to make your days here count. HAVE FUN. DIG DEEP. STRETCH. DREAM BIG. Know, though, that things worth doing seldom come easy. There will be good days. And there will be bad days. There will be times when you want to turn around, pack it up, and call it quits. Those times tell you that you are pushing yourself that you are not afraid to learn by trying. PERSIST. Because with an idea, determination, and the right tools, you can do great things. Let your instincts, your intellect, and your heart, guide you. TRUST. Believe in the incredible power of the human mind. Of doing something that makes a difference. Of working hard. Of laughing and hoping. Of lazy afternoons. Of lasting friends. Of all the things that will cross your path this year. The start of something new brings the hope of something great. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. --- by trying.

~1991 Macintosh ad


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49 Welcome Ending

Every time we depart from somewhere, we arrive elsewhere. Every time someone waves us farewell, someone else welcomes us elsewhere. There is no such a thing as the end. Every end is but a beginning. The end of college is the beginning of a career; the end of a relationship is the opportunity to begin a healthier one. Dinosaurs’ extinction brought other species to life that wouldn’t have survived otherwise. Let’s welcome every ending. There needs to be endings, so beginnings can emerge.

“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end, may also be the beginning." ~ Ivy Baker Priest


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Becoming A Butterfly

How does one become a butterfly? You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar. You mean die? Yes and no! Life is changed, not taken away. Once you are a butterfly, you can really love the kind of love that makes new life. It's better than all the hugging that caterpillars can do.

~Trina Paulus Hope for the Flowers


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50 Genuinely Notice

We compliment friends, relatives, and loved ones with the intention to make them feel acknowledged. Compliments are a powerful approach to acknowledge others. Yet, at times, we might feel inauthentic—fake—about saying “nice things” that we really don’t mean. A sense of acknowledgement is not only triggered by nice comments, but also by just noticing others: “You got a haircut. When did you get it?” Our noticing them makes them feel complimented and acknowledged without any phony, flattery comment. Let’s genuinely notice people around us. Take a pause for 20 seconds to point out something about each person that comes across today. We will feel more connected to them and they will feel GENUINELY NOTICED. “Noticing others is the best way to let others know that we exist.” ~Andres Lara


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At The Day’s End Is anybody happier because you passed his way? Does anyone remember that you spoke to him today? The day is almost over, and its toiling time is through; is there anyone to utter now a kindly word of you? Can you say tonight, in parting with the day that's slipping fast, that you helped a single brother of the many that you passed? Is a single heart rejoicing over what you did or said; does the man whose hopes were fading, now with courage look ahead? Did you waste the day, or lose it? Was it well or sorely spent? Did you leave a trail of kindness, or a scar of discontent? As you close your eyes in slumber, do you think that God will say, you have earned another day by the work you did today? ~Author Unknown


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51

Empowering Excuse

We are constantly creating excuses to make sense about our lives’ circumstances. There is nothing wrong with excuses as long as we use them to move forward. Throughout our lives, we will undergo many inevitable circumstances: diseases, deaths, heartbreaks, financial instability, etc. We can use those circumstances as an excuse to move backward and make others feel sorry for us or as a stepping stone to move forward and inspire others. A child born in poverty can end up saying, “I’m poor because my family was poor” or “I’m rich because I couldn’t stand being poor.” We are never at fault for falling down, BUT WE ARE for not getting up. Let’s create empowering excuses to move forward. Let’s ask ourselves, “How can we use our current circumstances as an excuse to move forward? “We have forty million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse.” ~Rudyard Kipling


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Use Your Excuse There were two brothers in a small village in the Eastern Cape. The twin brothers grew up knowing nothing but poverty. Their father was an alcoholic and their mother a domestic worker. They grew up with very little. On their way home one-day, their parents were involved in a bus accident and died instantly. The brothers' condition became even worse. At age 17 they separated. Years and years later, a family member decided to find them and have a family reunion. One of the brothers was a wealthy engineer, owning a construction company. He had a wife and three beautiful kids. The other was an alcoholic with no sense of direction for his life. The family member asked the engineer, "How did your life turn out like this?" "What did you expect with a childhood like mine?" He answered. She moved on to the other brother with the same question. "What did you expect with a childhood like mine?" was his answer. This tells us that it’s not what happens to us, but how we react to it that makes the difference.

~Author Unknown


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52 End Lacking

We tell ourselves, “I cannot give what I don’t have.” That’s right. We cannot give a house that we don’t own. However, it is different when we talk about love and caring. Love and caring are not possessed by anyone, and to think we will ever possess them is a trap. They will emerge in our lives ONLY out of our giving them away. Life, at times, doesn’t go in the order we think it goes— A, B, C or 1, 2, 3. Life, frequently, occurs as a count down— 3, 2, and 1. Give love and caring, then we will experience love and caring. It won’t happen the other way around. Let’s end lacking by being a giver. “What you keep to yourself you lose, what you give away, you keep forever.” ~Axel Munthe


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The Echo Of Life A son and his father were walking on the mountains. Suddenly, the son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!! "To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" Curious, he yells: "Who are you?" He receives the answer: "Who are you?" Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!" He receives the answer: "Coward!" He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?" The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention." And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!" The voice answers: "I admire you!" Again the man screams: "You are a champion!" The voice answers: "You are a champion!" The boy is surprised, but does not understand. Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE. It gives you back everything you say or do. Our life is simply a reflection of our actions. If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart. If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence. This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life; Life will give you back everything you have given to it. YOUR LIFE IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. IT'S A REFLECTION OF YOU! ~Author Unknown


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28

Become Interesting

How can we make people gain interest in what we have to say? How do we get others’ undivided attention? Who is the most interesting person to watch on TV? It’s, of course, us. Who is the most interesting person to listen to on the radio? Again, it’s us. Who do we look for, first and foremost, in a group picture? Of course, we look for ourselves first. If people want to talk, who would they talk about better than that person who is very special to them...themselves. We all love to talk about what’s important to us or what’s interesting to us. Who is more important or interesting than ourselves? If we want to become interesting to others let’s skip how great we are and let’s talk about how great THEY are. “Talk to a man about himself and he will listen for hours.”

~Benjamin Disraeli


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What Do You Hear? A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American said, "I hear a cricket." His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!" "No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket." "That's crazy," said the friend. The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. "That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have super-human ears!" "No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for." "But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise." "Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. "See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you.” ~Author Unknown


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27 In Our Thinking

Whether we think we can or not, we are right. Whether we think we can rise or not, we are right. Whether we think the world is out to get us or support us, we are right. Whether we think there is much more misery than prosperity or more prosperity than misery, we are right. Whether we think people are evil in nature or good at heart, we are right. Whether we think we are destined for failure or greatness, we are right. Our lives are guided by our thinking. Our world is labeled by our thinking. We act according to our thinking. We become our thinking. Our success, therefore, depends on our thinking. “We are today where our thoughts have brought us; we will be tomorrow where our thoughts will bring us.”

~James Allen


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Our Thoughts “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world.” ~Buddha

Watch your thoughts They become words

Watch your words

They become actions

Watch your actions They become habits

Watch your habits

They become character

Watch your character For it becomes Your destiny.

~Unknown

“You live with your thoughts -- so be careful what they are.”

~Eva Arrington


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30 Mission Fun

“After I settle into my new job, I’ll vacation with my significant other.” “After my next promotion, I’ll spend more time with friends and family.” Who are we kidding? In life, there is always a next step to move up to. Ironically, in our pursuit for happiness through accomplishments, we keep ourselves busy and away from experiencing the very thing that we are looking for, happiness. It is like going to the mall to buy an outfit for a party, and miss the party itself because of the time we took searching for the outfit. Let’s not put off life until we accomplish our NEVER-ENDING list of goals. Let’s accomplish goals WHILE having fun with the people around us. What fun things are we going to do today with our significant others? “Enjoy life while you have it because it won’t last forever.”

~Andres Lara


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��

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Take Time

Take time to laugh It is the music of the soul.

Take time to think It is the source of power.

Take time to play It is the source of perpetual youth.

Take time to read It is the fountain of wisdom.

Take time to pray It is the greatest power on earth. Take time to love and be loved

It is a God-given privilege. Take time to be friendly

It is the road to happiness Take time to give

It is too short a day to be selfish Take time to work

It is the price of success.

~Unknown


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31 Rough Beginnings

Imagine that life is a marathon where a big, steep hill is facing us right at the starting line. Intimidated by such rough beginning, many refuse to start the race. We think to ourselves, “If this is the beginning, how would the rest be?” Those who quit life’s race, because of a rough beginning, would never find the stunning truth. There is only one steep hill, the beginning one, the rest are small speed bumps along the way. Only those who risk going far will get far. Everything in life is “hard” before it becomes easy. Yet life will always remain “hard” if we don’t proceed beyond the rough beginnings. “It is just the little touches after the average man would quit that make the master's fame.” ~Orison Swett Marden


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Go Beyond A man meets a guru in the road. The man asks the guru, "Which way is success?" The bearded sage speaks not but points to a place off in the distance. The man, thrilled by the prospect of quick and easy success, rushes off in the appropriate direction. Suddenly, there comes a loud "Splat!!!" Eventually, the man limps back, tattered and stunned, assuming he must have misinterpreted the message. He repeats his question to the guru, who again points silently in the same direction. The man obediently walks off once more. This time the splat is deafening, and when the man crawls back, he is bloody, broken, tattered, and irate. "I asked you which way is success," he screams at the guru. "I followed the direction you indicated. And all I got was splatted! No more of this pointing! Talk!" Only then does the guru speak, and what he says is this: "Success is that way. Just a little after the splat."

~Author Unknown


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32 Making It

Quitting is a provocative choice when “we have given all we got,” and we are still not making it. Though many of us do turn back, the few that trudge through surprisingly get to see the whole view. Making it is not a place to get, but a constant process that we all must face. We might be making it, even when it doesn’t feel like it. At times, “struggle and hardship” are part of the process of making it. Unfortunately, many of us fail to recognize that we are making it, turn back and quit. Making it is a series of steps, not a specific place. No matter what, we are always making it, unless we quit. “You are not finished when you are defeated; you are finished when you quit." ~Richard Milhous Nixon


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Don’t Quit When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must —– but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about When he might have won had he stuck it out: Don’t give up, though the pace seems slow—

You might succeed with another blow.

Often the foal is nearer than It seems to a faint and faltered man,

Often the struggler has given up When he might have captured the victor’s cup,

And he learned too late, when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out—

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt— And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar; So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit—

It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

~Author Unknown Source: Sharing A Vision


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33 Attitude

Life is not what happens to us, but rather how we react to it. Our attitude towards life will determine life’s attitude towards us. What is attitude? Attitude is looking for what we have, rather than what we lack; looking for what we like, rather than what we hate; looking for what’s right, rather than what’s wrong. We can complain about our family or we can rejoice that we are not orphans. We can complain about being sick, or we can celebrate being alive. Looking for what’s great. THAT is attitude. We can be glad that thorns have roses or complain that roses have thorns. It’s all up to our attitude. Let’s alter the quality of our lives by altering our attitude towards it. Ask, “What’s great about our current situation? “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”

~William James


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Attitude I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight. I have responsibilities to fulfill today. My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have. Today I can complain because the weather is rainy or I can be thankful that the grass is getting watered for free. Today I can feel sad that I don’t have more money or can be glad that my finances encourage me to place my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste. Today I can grumble about my health or I can rejoice that I am alive. Today I can lament over all that my parents didn’t give me when I was growing up or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born. Today I can mourn my lack of friends or I can excitedly embark upon a quest of being friendly. Today I can whine because I have to go to work or I can shout with joy because God has given me the power to *create* wealth. Today I can murmur because I have to do housework, or I can feel honored because the Lord has provided shelter for my mind, body and soul. Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped. And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. What today will be like is up to me. I get to choose what kind of day I will have. ~Author Unknown The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It could make or break a company---a church---a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past---we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude---I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you--- We are in charge of our ATTITUDES.

~Charles Swindoll. Source: Sharing A Vision


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34 The Secret To Life

The secret to life...love. Love can make a minute longer than a century and a century shorter than a minute. As Erich Fromm said, “Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.” Love is to human beings as water is to plants. Yes, it’s essential. Without it, our heart will shrink like a dried tomato. Love has no time to judge, for it is busy rejoicing our differences. Love listens without interrupting, for it knows that being present is simply enough. Love is never in a rush, for it knows that there might not be a tomorrow. Love is never right, but simply loving. Love others without expecting anything in return, for love is its own reward. Let’s add life to our lives; choose being loving over being right. “Where there is love there is life.” ~Mahatma Gandhi


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Today, I’ll Love Today, I will love without the expectation of a response. Today, I will love deeply. Today, I will love without hesitation or reservation. Today, I will love for the sheer joy that it brings. Today, I will love with honor and courage and dignity. Today, I will love because it is all that I am and all that I can do. Today, I will love all beings, as I know they are the one great Spirit in perfect expression. Today, I will love without judgment. Today, I will love honestly and compassionately. Today, I will give thanks and honor to all messengers and messages that show me the way to love. Today, I will learn from the angels about flying lightly with the wings of love. Today, I will allow love to flow through me like a mighty river. Today, I will be patient when anything that doesn’t look or feel like love comes up for healing. Today, I will stand strong on the solid foundation that love has built in my life. Today, I will remember that I am never in love alone. Today, I will love because it is my divine birthright and my divine destiny. Today, I will know that God is real, because I love. Regardless of what appears before me today, I will love. I will love, simply love. ~Author Unknown Source: Sharing A Vision “You can't buy love, but you can pay heavily for it.”

~Henny Youngman


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35 To Be Optimistic

To be optimistic is to believe that we will prevail tomorrow at what we “failed” today; to believe that there is much more to life than our current situation. To be optimistic is to see the storm today, and acknowledge the possibility of a sunshine for tomorrow; to look for beauty in the midst of ugliness; to know that that which causes us much worry today, will make us laugh a few years from now; to look for the best in every situation, and if there is none...create it. Know that tomorrow will be a new day. Let’s optimistically look for the opportunity of its newness. “The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity.” ~Winston Churchill


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Optimism In order to better understand people's views of the world, a researcher once placed two children, one a pessimist and the other an optimist, alone in separate rooms. The pessimist was placed in a colorful room full of all kinds of imaginative toys...the optimist was put in a room filled with horse manure. The first child played in the room for a little while, but soon came to the door asking to leave because the toys were boring and because they broke too easily. Likewise, the young optimist soon came to the door...but rather than asking to leave, she asked for a shovel. Of course, the researcher asked the child why she wanted a shovel. She replied, "With all this manure around, I know that there must be a pony in here somewhere." ~Unknown

Optimistic Creed Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet. Make all your friends feel that there is something special in them. Look at the sunny side of everything. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give everyone a smile. Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others. Be too big for worry and too noble for anger.

~Christian D. Larsen Source: Sharing A Vision


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36 Acknowledgement

“Good job.” “That was excellent.” “Glad to be in your team.” “Way to go.” “You are the one.” “You are a superstar.” Have we ever received such acknowledgements, which have made us feel highly appreciated? Giving acknowledgements to people is like giving treats to little puppies. If every time a puppy barks we give it a treat, it would frequently bark to receive more treats. Likewise, if we acknowledge people for a specific behavior, they will carry on that specific behavior to keep receiving acknowledgements. There is plenty that we can acknowledge others for. It will sprout the best on them. If we have any concern or fear, let’s acknowledge them with cheer. Then, it will be an acknowledgement to ourselves for being brave and going beyond our fears. “Everyone wants to feel appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.” ~Mary Kay


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Efficient Secretary’s Secret

Arnold Bennett, the British novelist, had a publisher who boasted about the extraordinary efficiency of his secretary. One day while visiting the publisher's office, Bennett asked her: "Your boss claims you're extremely efficient. What's your secret?" "It's not my secret," said the secretary, "it's his." “Each time I do something for him, no matter how insignificant,” she explained, “he never fails to acknowledge and appreciate it. Because of this, I take infinite pain with everything I do for him.”

~Author Unknown

Source: Aspiring To Greatness


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Message

37 Love Overflow

If we want to experience love overflowingly, let’s give up on our preconceived definition of love. We frequently tell ourselves, “True and real love is this way. Other than that, it is not real love.” This is like tourists who wait for months in New York for an airplane that will take them to Florida. While waiting, they disregard buses, trucks, trains, helicopters, and ships, which can take them to the same destination. Similarly, we disregard love in its many ways of existence because of our idea of “how it’s supposed to look like.” Let’s not fix our mind to one specific description of love. Love, like transportation, can come to us in many different ways. “Everyone admits that love is wonderful and necessary, yet no one agrees on just what it is. ~Diane Ackerman


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It’s It A long time ago, a horrendous flood was wiping out an entire village and its inhabitants. While all the villagers frantically evacuated the village, a very religious man patiently sat in his house waiting for God to save him. A person on a boat comes by the house and yells, “Come on, jump on the boat let me save your life.” With water up to his neck the man says, “No, I am waiting for God’s help.” The boat leaves. The water now covers almost the entire house, so the man climbs to the top of the roof. Suddenly a helicopter comes by and yells “Come on, hold on to the ladder. Let me save your life.” But the man once again refuses, “No, I am waiting for God’s help.” Unfortunately, the man drowns and dies. Once in heaven, the religious man furiously comes to God and in a demanding voice says, “How could you let me die like that? I had faith in you. I knew that you would come for me, but you let me die. How could you do that to me? In a gentle voice God says, “My son, I have never forsaken you. I saw you drowning and I sent a boat, but you refused to get on it. Then when you cried for help again, I sent a helicopter, but again you refused.” ~Author Unknown


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Message

38 Experiencing Miracles

Many times, while in the midst of tough times, we fail to acknowledge the biggest miracle of all, being alive. Going through tough times is not something that everyone has the privilege of experiencing. Many, who are no longer part of this physical world, would do or give anything to be in our place for, at least, one minute. For those who still don’t consider life a miracle, try missing a day out of life. It’s only in their absence that we recognize miracles. Let’s not wait for miracles to be absent to yearn for them. Let’s instead rejoice in them now. Let’s acknowledge miracles: being alive, breathing, seeing, etc. What miracles are we currently experiencing? “Every moment of light and dark is a miracle."

~Walt Whitman


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If Tomorrow Never Comes If I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep. If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more. If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would videotape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day. If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute or two to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming, you would know I do. If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away. For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything right. There will always be another day to say our "I love you's", and certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do's?" But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget, Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, and today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight. So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today? For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day, that you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish. So hold your loved ones close today, whisper in their ear, tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear. Take time to say, "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you" or "It's okay". And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today. ~Author Unknown


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Message

39 Flexibility

While pursuing our dreams, we have to jump many hurdles; the further we go, the higher they become. Our approach— to jump over every hurdle— is excellent, yet not always effective. Restless and unable to continue jumping such high hurdles, some of us give up. Then, we trade our high dreams for something mediocre. Only to end up fifty years from now resigned, cynical, and wondering, “What would have happened if?” We sell out! Let’s not sell out on our dreams; let’s change our ineffective approaches to go about them. What goals or dreams have we given up because we were “unable” to attain them? Go for them again, this time just take several different approaches. What different approaches are we going to take today? “When you can't go over, you MUST go under.”

~Jewish Proverb


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Be Flexible

A young social studies teacher applied for a job in a small rural community. He was asked by one of the board members whether he thought the world was round or flat. Eager to get the job, he replied, “Sir, I can teach it either way.”

~The Aging Sage Flexibility allows you to be ready for whatever curve lies ahead in life instead of getting blindsided by it. From 1967, when the Swiss patented the digital technology, they rejected it in favor of the traditional ball bearings, gears and main springs they had been using to make watches for decades. However, the world was ready for this advance, and Seiko, a Japanese company, picked up the digital patent and became the leading watch manufacturer in the world almost overnight. Fifty thousand of the 67, 000 Swiss watchmakers went out of business because they failed to embrace this new technology. It was not until years later that the Swiss caught up and regained their position in the marketplace with the creation of Swatch watches. Learn to be flexible; It makes the curves in your life path much easier to maneuver. ~Chrie Carter-Scott If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules, (Broadway Book)


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Message

40 Small Things?

“To make a difference in the world, we need to do something big.” True? Not true at all. Our actions are like small snowballs that roll down the hill and create a huge avalanche. “Small things” make a huge difference. Think about it. A simple smile on a babies face, a hug from a grateful friend, even a look of gratitude from a relative can alter our entire day. And as a result, our interactions with others will alter and others will go on to alter theirs. It will be like a snowball effect. “Small things” DO make a huge difference: calling friends and thanking them for being our friends, calling the cashiers in the supermarket by their names, etc. What “small thing” are we going to do today to make a huge difference? "If you think that something small cannot make a difference - try going to sleep with a mosquito in the room." ~Unknown


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One Simple Smile

She smiled at a sorrowful stranger. The smile seemed to make him feel better. He remembered past kindnesses of a friend and wrote him a thank you letter. The friend was so pleased with the thank you that he left a large tip after lunch. The waitress, surprised by the size of the tip, bet the whole thing on a hunch. The next day, she picked up her winnings and gave part of it to a man on the street. The man on the street was grateful; he ate for the two days he had nothing to eat. After he finished his dinner, he left for his small dingy room. He didn't know at that moment that he might be facing his doom. On the way he picked up a shivering puppy and took him home to get warm. The puppy was very grateful to be out of the storm. That night the house caught on fire. The puppy barked the alarm. He barked till he woke the whole household and saved everybody from harm. One of the boys that he rescued grew up to be President. All this because of a simple smile that hadn't cost a cent.

~Author Unknown

“We can do no great things; only small things with great love.” ~Mother Teresa


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Message

42 Perfect Incompletion

Life is perfectly complete within its incompletion. We are taught that in order to have a normal happy life, we need to have a complete life. As a result, many of us set off on a futile journey to complete life’s incompletion. This is like the person who unendingly pours water on a bottomless container and expects to fill it up. Silly, isn’t it? There will always be incompletion in life: unpaid debts, unattained goals, etc. Just like the bottomless container, life is not meant to be complete. “Life’s incomplete business won’t cease unless life ceases itself.” ~Andres Lara


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What’s Life?

What is life? Life is a gift...accept it

Life is an adventure...dare it Life is a mystery...unfold it

Life is a game...play it Life is a struggle...face it Life is beauty...praise it Life is a puzzle...solve it

Life is opportunity...take it Life is sorrowful...experience it

Life is a song...sing it Life is a goal...achieve it

Life ...fulfill it.

~David McNally Even Eagles Need a Push


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Message

42 Tactical Competition

Some people say “competition” keeps the world moving forward. This is a trap that many of us fall into. Plain competition does not always move us forward— in fact, it might push us backward. Tactical competition moves us forward. We could be racing cars in a racetrack where no other car goes above 5 MPH. Since our car goes up to 6 MPH, we always beat the competition. Later on, while racing on a different raceway with different competitors, we find that our car, at 6 MPH, does not stand A CHANCE with other competitors’ cars that go up to 400 MPH. Use tactical competition. If the competition falls behind, let’s set new and higher standards. Let’s not get too comfortable. “We might be training in the minor leagues to tryout for a major league team.” ~Andres Lara


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Create, Don’t Compete An agent once contacted a very famous singer, “I would like to invite you to a concert here in New York. You would sing with Elvis Presley and many other famous singers.” The famous singer jumps on the other side of the phone and shouts, “I will accept with only one condition.” “What would that be?” asks the agent. “Well, I have always competed against Elvis Presley. I have never beaten him. I would like to beat him this time. I would like to make one dollar more than he is making for this concert. If you refuse, I won’t do it.” The agent excitedly says, “That should be no problem.” A week after the concert the famous singer gets his paycheck. He gets a one-dollar paycheck. Elvis Presley was doing the concert for charity and was making no money. Be aware of just competing with others. Instead of competing, use tactical competition— constantly raise your own standards.



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Message

9 The Power Of Unity

Oftentimes, we disregard the power of unity. Yes we can definitely get far on our own, but we can get farther in unison. One small spider web is extremely fragile. Yet when many of them come together, they can tie up a lion. One brick by itself is insignificant and has no value. Yet when many bricks are put together, they can create costly cathedrals and palaces. One drop of water can easily evaporate and disappear. Yet when many drops of water come together, they can create a mighty eternal river. One color of paint is worth cents. Yet when many colors are combined together, they can create masterpieces like Mona Lisa. Let’s experience the power of unity. If we are aiming far, let’s unite our forces with others that are aiming towards the same direction. “United we stand, divided we fall.” ~George Pope Morris


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Innocence Growing Once upon a time there was a little grape stem. She was so glad to be alive. She drank water and minerals from the soil and grew and grew. She was young and strong and could manage quite well all by herself. But the wind was cruel, the rain was harsh, and the snow was not one bit understanding. The little grape stem experienced pain. She drooped, weakened and suffered. "It would be so easy to stop trying to grow, to stop trying to live," thought the little stem. She felt poorly. The winter was long, and she was weary. But then the little stem heard a voice. It was another grape stem calling out to her…"Here, reach out, hang on to me." But the little stem hesitated. What would this mean? She wondered. For you see, the little stem had always managed quite well… All by herself. Then ever so cautiously, she reached out toward the other grape stem. “See, I can help you," it said. "Just wind your tendrils about me, and I will help you lift your head." And the little stem trusted. Suddenly, she could stand straight again. The wind came...and the rain...and the snow. But when it came, the little stem was clinging to many other stems. And although the stems were swayed by the wind, and frozen by the snow, they stood strongly united to each other. And in their quiet strength, they smiled and grew. One day, the little stem said, "Here, hang on... I will help you.” And another stem reached up to the little grape stem. And together, all the stems grew...Leaves budded ... flowers bloomed … and finally the grapes formed.... And the grapes fed many. ~Author Unknown


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Message

10 Hard?

“Life is too hard,” at times we complain. Too many things to worry about— babies, rent, family gatherings, business transactions, etc. “Life is definitely hard.” Not only are we convinced, but also we have tons of evidence, which we frequently use to convince others. Compared to what, is our life hard? If we compare ourselves to couples who cannot have babies because of infertility; to people who have to spend Christmas, birthdays, and holidays by themselves because their relatives are in another country, or to millions of people who are currently unemployed; is our life really hard? We could compare 2 + 2 to 1+1 and say 2 + 2 is hard. We can also compare 2 + 2 to 89 x 77 and say, “Wow, 2 + 2 is not that hard after all.” In fact, we would be happy solving 2 + 2. Compared to what, is our life hard? “When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?” ~Sydney J. Harris


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Burden A man once complained to God, “This is not fair God. You’ve given me a cross too big to bear. I have too many problems. Look at my life. Bad things just seem to happen to me. I cannot bare my cross anymore.” God spoke, “Is there anything that I can do for you?” The man complaining said, “Well God, I know that everyone has to bare their own cross, but you’ve given me one too big for me to bare. I can only deal with so much.” God replies, “My son, I will let you in the warehouse where the crosses are stored and if you find anything smaller than what you have, you can exchange your cross for it.” The man excitedly jumps up and down. They both walk to a warehouse and the man goes inside. In the warehouse, cross’ sizes were as big as the Empire State Building. The man looks everywhere. Suddenly, he finds a cross that is the size of a dash of sand. He picks it up in his hand and says, “God, God, I found it. This is the cross I want to bare. There is nothing smaller than this in here.” God replies, “My son, I can give you any other cross but that one.” “Why?” asks the man in an upset tone. “You said I could have any cross in here.” God replies, “My son the reason why I cannot give you that cross is because that is the same cross that you have been carrying all your life. ~Author Unknown


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Message

15 Do It Right

Many times, we do things quickly because we lack time. Yet, it’s when we lack time, the most, that we must take our time.

How many times have we done things over just because we did not do them right the first time? It’s like a rescue team answering to a drowning person in the ocean. Since they are in a rush, they quickly leave the bay. Once by the drowning person, the crew excitedly yells, “Just on time.” To realize at that moment that they left on land the only person qualified to rescue others— the master scuba diver. We can spend our entire lives getting acknowledged and celebrating things we do right, or doing things over. What are we going to do right today? “If we don't have time to do it right we must have time to do it over.” ~ Anonymous


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In A Hurry

A martial arts student went to his teacher and said earnestly, "I am devoted to studying your martial system. How long will it take me to master it?" The teacher's reply was casual, "Ten years." Impatiently, the student answered, "But I want to master it faster than that. I will work very hard. I will practice everyday, ten or more hours a day if I have to. How long will it take then?" The teacher thought for a moment, "20 years."

~Author Unknown


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Message

16 Gain Mastery

Ordinary people pay lots of attention to strengthening their weaknesses and little to their strengths, while extraordinary people pay little attention to their weaknesses and a lot to expanding their strengths. We can end up being a jack-of-all-trades or the master of one. How good of a basketball player would Michael Jordan be if he focused all his time and energy on bettering his skills as a base ball player? If we want to achieve an enormous mastery like Michael Jordan and other extraordinary people, we have to focus all of our resources on one specific area of our lives. Then do nothing else but that. What are we gaining mastery of? “It’s better to achieve an enormous mastery in one area of our lives than to accomplish mediocrity in several.” ~Andres Lara


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Weakness or Strength Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength. Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study Judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese Judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the Sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the Sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the Sensei intervened. "No," the Sensei insisted, "Let him continue." Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and Sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?" "You won for two reasons," the Sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of Judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm." The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength. ~Bits & Pieces, August 15, 1996, Economic Press Inc.


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Message

17 Welcome Darkness

Imagine life with everything we wanted: no problems, breakdowns, annoyances, disappointments, or frustrations. Everything just perfect. No need for anything, we have it all. We will be happy, yet only MOMENTARILY. A major part of our lives’ happiness doesn’t always come from perfection, but from having a sense of appreciation for what we have. For us to increase the appreciation of “life’s perfection,” there needs to be some imperfection. Or else, we won’t be able to appreciate perfection. There needs to be winter so we could appreciate summer. There needs to be darkness so we could appreciate light. Welcome “life’s imperfections”-- confusion, frustration, hate, etc-- for they have us appreciate “life’s perfections” – peace of mind, tranquility, and love. “Scarcity cultivates appreciation.” ~Andres Lara


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Be Thankful Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made an effort. It's easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings. ~Author Unknown


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Message

18 Missing Pieces

“I need to get my life together before I help somebody else.” It sounds logical, yet it’s not always true. Let’s think of our lives as a jig saw puzzle with missing pieces. Endlessly we put pieces together, to always end up incomplete. Too busy figuring out how to put OUR pieces together, we refuse to help others who cry for help. We tell them, “I’ll put mine together first, THEN I’ll help you with yours.” Not realizing that the person crying for help has our missing half of the puzzle. At times, the satisfaction we get from lending a hand to those in despair is the greatest natural high we can ever experience. Who are we going to lend hand to today? “Heal another's heart and in the process you will heal your own." ~Dan Kelly


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How To Be Happy

Are you almost disgusted with life, little man? I'll tell you a wonderful trick

That will bring you contentment, if anything can Do something for somebody, quick!

Are you awfully tired with play, little girl?

Wearied, discouraged, and sick- I'll tell you the loveliest game in the world,

Do something for somebody quick!

Though it rains like the rain of the flood, little man And the clouds are forbidding and thick,

You can make the sun shine in your soul, little man Do something for somebody, quick!

Though the stars are like brass overhead, little girl,

And the walks like a well-heated brick And our earthly affairs in a terrible whirl,

Do something for somebody, quick! ~Author Unknown

"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know:

the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to

serve." ~Dr. Albert Schweitzer


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Message

19 Gratitude

We are never happy with ourselves. Short people want to be taller, tall people want to be shorter; skinny people want to be fatter, and fat people want to be skinnier. The happiest people on this planet do not have the perfect body, face, or size. Their secret? NO MATTER WHAT, they are always grateful about something. They are grateful about their ability to smile, talk, see, listen, move, feel, etc. Though we rarely attach value to these qualities, our lives will be hell without being able to see or hear. Let’s focus on what we like about ourselves, instead of what we do not like about ourselves. Let’s take a minute and think about, “What can we be grateful for in our lives?” Write down five meaningful things. Let’s post these qualities in a daily-visible place. “Since we cannot have what we like, let us like what we have.” ~Spanish Proverb


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The World Is Mine Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair; I envied her -- she seemed so gay -- and I wished I were as fair. When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle; she had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, she smiled. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two feet -- the world is mine! And then I stopped to buy some sweets. The lad who sold them had such charm. I talked with him -- he said to me; "it's nice to talk with folks like you. You see," he said, "I'm blind." Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. I have two eyes -- the world is mine! Then walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue. He stood and watched the others play; it seemed he knew not what to do. I stopped for a moment, then I said; "Why don't you join the others, dear?" He looked without a word, and then I knew, he could not hear. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two ears -- the world is mine! With feet to take me where I'd go, with eyes to see the sunset's glow, with ears to hear what I would know. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I'm blessed, indeed! The World Is Mine! ~Author Unknown


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Message

20 Be Creative

At times, we complain because of too many challenges; when instead we should celebrate them, for they bring a unique opportunity to grow. It’s like the two farmers who are given a piece of land, where every planted seed returns poisonous fruits. Overwhelmed by the challenge, one farmer gives up, while the other one enthusiastically grows the poisonous fruits, makes pesticide, and sells it to other farmers to eliminate their mice plague. At the end, every farmer in the village needed the pesticide created by this farmer’s poisonous fruits. Every challenge brings the opportunity to grow or sink. It’s up to us what we make of it. Let’s ask ourselves, “How can we use our current challenges as an opportunity to grow? Let’s be creative. “If God gives you lemons make lemonade.”

~Dale Carnegie


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Opportunities

Two shoe salesmen were sent overseas to scout for new markets. Their first stop was a country where everyone was barefoot. The first salesman sent back a telegram to the home office saying, “Leaving tomorrow. No one wears shoes.” The second salesman’s telegram was very different. He said, “Great potential market. No competition.” ~Lair Ribero, Success Is Not Accident, St. Martin’s Press


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Message

21 Struggle

Unless we are willing to experience struggle by doing something beyond what we have already mastered, we will never grow. Struggle, like growth, occurs out of doing something beyond what we are already capable of doing. There is neither struggle nor growth in exercising our biceps with empty hands. Yet if we hold 10 lbs. and do repetitions, we would struggle with the weight and our muscle will grow like flooded lake. At times, the very struggle that we so much avoid is the same struggle necessary for us to grow. “Without a struggle, there can be no progress."

~Frederick Douglass


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The Butterfly A man found the cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body (or head) and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that at any moment the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.

~Author Unknown


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22 Change The World

Our world is but a reflection of who we are. Therefore, if we want to change the world, all we have to do is change ourselves. We don’t need to change our parents for yelling at us, but rather listen to them carefully when they speak. We don’t need to change those who treat us like little kids, but rather act more mature around them. We don’t need to change our supervisors for not trusting us, but rather do an outstanding job consistently and gain their trust. The world is not something mystical or unknown. The world is an exact reflection of that which we choose to ignore about ourselves. The way to change the world is not by changing the world, but by changing ourselves. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

~Mahatma Gandhi


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1000 Mirrors Long ago in a small, far away village, there was place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often." In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again." All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet?

~ (Japanese folk tale) Told by Chris P. Cash When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.

~UNKNOWN MONK 1100AD


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Message

23 Scooping Out Obstacles

Elusively we think that after we settle the unsettled, real life will begin. This is similar to a sailor who scoops water out his sinking boat telling himself “When all the water is out of the boat, I’ll enjoy the sailing.” What this sailor doesn’t know is that his boat will never be water-free because it has a hole. We are like that sailor. We postpone life’s enjoyment to scoop out obstacles from our lives. To later find that as we scoop out two obstacles, two new ones emerge. Our lives will never be obstacle-free; obstacles are life itself. To wait for obstacles to cease so we can enjoy life is to wait for life itself to cease. How are we going to enjoy today in spite of current obstacles? “Let’s not ignore obstacles, but let’s not have obstacles have us ignore life.” ~Andres Lara


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We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage. We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway. One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza. He said, "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, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

Live

This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that you have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time... and remember that time waits for no one... So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy... Happiness is a journey, not a destination. ~Author Unknown


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Message

24 Risk

To live is to risk dying. To love is to risk being hurt. To take risks is to risk failing. What is life without risks? Nothing. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Everything that has ever been accomplished was accomplished by taking risks. There is nothing certain in life, but if we risk much we will accomplish more than those who risk nothing. There is no bigger risk in life than to risk nothing. If we risk nothing, we will accomplish nothing, amount nothing, and be nothing. What risky action are we going to take today towards the attainment of our dreams? “Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.” ~Frederick Wilcox


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Risk Much

To laugh is to risk appearing like a fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement. To explore feelings is to risk exposing your true self.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair.

And to try is to risk failure. Only those who will risk going too far

can possibly find out how far they can go.

~T. S. Eliot Source: Aspiring Community


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Message

25 Only We Know

There sure is an easier way out. There sure is a race where we can easily end victorious. Yet, is that really our race? The pursuit of our dreams is like the climbing of a steep mountain. The climbing can be long, agonizing, and seemingly never ending. It’s then that many of us trade our challenging climb for a smaller one. Then as others clap and cheer for our victory, from the top of the smaller mountain, we silently look at our initial mountain, shrug our shoulders, sigh, and pretend a victory . Only we know which mountain is still unclimbed. There need to be no pretense with ourselves. Are we climbing our mountain or are we celebrating on the peak of a smaller one? Only we know. “I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.” ~George Burns


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Follow Your Dream

Follow your dream Take one step at a time

Don’t settle for less Just continue climbing

Follow your dream If you stumble don’t stop

Keep your eyes on your goal And press on to the top

For only on the top Can you see the whole view

Can you see what you have done And that you can do

Can you then have a vision To see something new

Press on and follow your dream

~Amanda Bradley Source: Sharing A Vision

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." ~Theodore Roosevelt


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Message

26 Usefulness

Life throws many obstacles at us. We can either use those obstacles to move us forward or backward. At times, we get so engrossed in our misery that we fail to acknowledge our blessings. If we take a minute to reflect on what’s currently happening to us, and ask, “How can we use this to grow and expand?” We will command our minds to search for creative, useful ways to use our current situation towards our advantage. We can either build a strong foundation with the bricks that life throws at us or be crushed by them. How can we creatively use our current situation to move us forward? “Let’s warm ourselves since the house is on fire.”

~Italian Proverb


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Obstacles Into Possibilities There was once a company that sold bible the old fashion way, door to door. They hire a new guy through a newspaper ad without interviewing him and send him a whole training package with videos. Three months later, the Sales Manager comes to the company’s president and says, “Boss I have to tell you something amazing. That guy we hired three months ago in Washington. He just set a one month sales record.” The president impressed by such rare yet fortunate incident says, “ I want you to go personally to Washington and figure it out how he is doing this. We can make him our Sales Trainer.” A week later the Sales Manager comes back and says, “Boss this was the most amazing person that I have ever met in my life.” “What does he do? Asks the boss impatiently. “Well, first of all, he has the most severe stuttering problem that I have ever heard, says the Sales Manager. “If he stutters, how can he sell anything to anybody?” Asks the intrigued president. “Listen to this,” the Sales Manager says, “he knocks on a lady’s door. The lady opens the door. Then he says, ‘Ms. would you like to bu...bu...bu….bu...bu...bu….bu...bu.. .buy ….a ... bi...bi...bi...bi...bi...bible?’ Then he gives her the bible and as she subconsciously starts looking through it. He at the right moment says, ‘Or would you ra….ra….ra….ra.. .ra…. ra...ra….ra...ra...ra..ra..rather….I...I...rea..rea….rea….rea...rea…...read it…..to ..to...you?”



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Message

27 The 8th Day Of The Week

We constantly say, “Someday I’ll accomplish my dreams.” To wake up fifty years later not having accomplished anything. What will be done someday will be done no day at all. There is only seven days in a week and someday is not one of them. If we want to accomplish our dreams we need to schedule real specific days and times for when we are going to work on them; this will bring our dreams into existence. What dreams do we want to bring into existence? What specific days and times are we going to work on them? “What may be done someday will be done no day.”

~Scottish Proverb


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Tomorrow

He was going to be, all that a mortal should be, tomorrow. No one should be kinder or braver than he, tomorrow.

A friend who was troubled and weary, he knew, Who'd be glad for a lift and who needed it, too;

On him he would call and see what he could do, tomorrow. Each morning he stacked up the letters he'd write, tomorrow.

And thought of the folks he would fill with delight, tomorrow. It was too bad, indeed, he was busy today,

And hadn't a minute to stop on his way; More time he would have to give others, he'd say, tomorrow. The greatest of workers this man would have been, tomorrow.

The world would have known him, had he ever seen, tomorrow.

But the fact is he died and he faded from view And all that he left here when living was through

Was a mountain of things he intended to do, Tomorrow.

~Edgar Guest


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Message

53 What’s Important

We do plenty of things throughout the day; in fact, we do so much that at times we miss doing what’s really important to us. All of our focus is on getting as much done as possible. More does not always mean better. We all had a day where we accomplished ONE thing that made a huge difference for us. What made the difference? We accomplished what was important to us. Important things are things that we value greatly: spending time with family, taking our loved ones out, going to our favorite play, etc. Quality outperforms quantity. We always have plenty to do. Yet the more we do, the more we have to do. Let’s align with what’s important to us. Let’s ask ourselves, “What’s really important to us at this moment? What do we value the most in our lives?” Then, let’s do that. “If you want to make good use of your time, you've got to know what's most important and then give it all you've got.”

~Lee Iacocca


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A while back I was reading about an expert on the subject of time management. One day this expert was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration I'm sure those students will never forget. After I share it with you, you'll never forget it either. As this man stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz." Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. He produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.

Big Rocks

Then he smiled and asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!" he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some more things into it!" "No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all." The title of this letter is The "Big Rocks" of Life. What are the big rocks in your life? A project that YOU want to accomplish? Time with your loved ones? Your faith, your education, your finances? A cause? Teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. ~Unknown


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Message

54 Finding Happiness

Though many of us search for happiness, only a handful of us find it. Searching is not always the answer to find. Some of us search restlessly day-and-night for happiness not realizing that by just quitting our struggling search, our lives will be easier and more accessible to experiencing happiness. This is like the person who swims across the ocean to ask a sage, “How can I experience more happiness?” To have the sage reply, “Next time take a boat.” Let’s start accessing happiness by making our lives easier. Let’s invest the time we spend searching for happiness in enjoying life. At times what we have and what we are searching for is the same thing. “Some of us will find happiness if we quit struggling so desperately for it.” ~William Feather


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The Mexican The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, "Only a little while." The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?" The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family’s needs." The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?" The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life." The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. The proceeds from the bigger boat could buy several boats. Soon you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and later New York where you will run your ever- expanding enterprise." The Mexican fisherman asked, "But how long will this all take?" The American replied, "15 to 20 years." "But what then?" asked the Mexican. The American laughed and said, “That's the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich; you would make millions." "Millions? Then what?" The American said, "Then you would retire; move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

~Author Unknown


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Our beliefs affect our actions and our actions affect our results. Therefore, if we believe that we CANNOT attain our dreams, we will act accordingly and our dreams will become unattainable. If we believe that we CAN attain our dreams, we will act accordingly, and our dreams will become attainable.


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55 Believe

A firm belief is the foundation to every accomplishment. We can accomplish the impossible as long as we believe that it can be possible. To bring a dream into reality, all we need is the belief that we can accomplish it, and we will. As Buddha once said, “He is able who thinks he is able." During tough times it is not the strongest, fastest, or smartest who always makes it through, but those who firmly believe they can make it.

“Whether we believe we can or cannot, we are right.”

~Author Unknown


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If You Think You Can

If you think you are beaten you are; If you think you dare not, you don't;

If you want to win but think you can't;

It's almost a cinch you won't. If you think you'll lose you're lost;

For out of the world we find

Success begins with a fellow's will; It's all in a state of mind.

Life's battles don't always go

To the stronger and faster people, But sooner or later the people who win

are the people who think they can

~Walter D. Wintle Source: Aspiring Community


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Message

56 Judging

We frequently judge others for their actions. Yet little do we know that our judgment says little about others and much about us. We cannot love people in our lives if we are constantly judging them. Are we being loving when we judge our significant others? We cannot be kind when we judge. Are we being kind to our significant others? We cannot find beauty when we judge. Are we seeing beauty in our significant others? If we are not experiencing kindness, beauty, and above all love, it’s not because there is none, but because we are too busy judging others. Remember, judging says little about others yet much about us. “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”

~Mother Teresa


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Can You Hear Me? A man was having some difficulty communicating with his wife, and he concluded that she was becoming hard of hearing. So he decided to conduct a test without her knowing about it. One evening he sat on a chair on the far side of the room. Her back was to him and she could not see him. Very quietly he whispered, “Can you hear me?" There was no response. Moving a little closer, he asked again, "Can you hear me now?" Still no reply. Quietly he edged closer and whispered the same words, but still no reply. Finally, he moved right behind her and said, "Can you hear me now?" To his surprise and chagrin she responded with irritation in her voice, "For the fourth time, yes!"

Source: Our Daily Bread, June 2001


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Message

56 Angry

We tell ourselves, “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words would never hurt us.” There is no bigger lie. Angry words CAN hurt us painfully. ”Speak when you're angry, and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret," said Lawrence J. Peter. We become angry when we feel attacked or hurt. Consequently, we attack back with nasty words, which instead of solving the problem at hand creates more problems. Albert Einstein once said, “The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them." Let’s postpone dealing with what angers us today till tomorrow; we will be much more objective, act instead of react, and save ourselves the regret of hurting someone we care for. “If you are patient in a moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.” ~Chinese Proverb


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The Fence There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, “You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence." The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one.

~Author Unknown


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58 Personal Growth

One of the most sought after feelings is growth. A high level of self-image, self-assurance, and self-importance is derived from the feelings of growth. When we experience growth within a job, relationship, or community; we develop likeness and loyalty towards it. Unknowingly, we guard ourselves from growth. We reject that which pushes us to grow “negative feedback.” As displeasing as “negative feedback” is, it makes us aware of what’s missing. Implementing what’s missing allows us to experience a higher level of growth. Let’s ask, “What is missing from our performance as a friend, spouse, coworker,” and “What can we do next time that we did not do today?” Interview one person today and give them permission to be honest. Let’s thank them for sharing, and implement what’s missing. Then we will experience a tremendous feeling of growth. . "To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."

~Elbert Hubbard


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Criticism How a person reacts to criticism often means the difference between success and failure. Take the case of Ole Bull, the famous Norwegian violinist of the past century. His practical father, a chemist, sent him to the University of Christiania to study for the ministry and forbade him to play his beloved violin. He promptly flunked out and, defying his father, devoted all his time and energy to the violin. Unfortunately, though he had great ability, his teachers were relatively unskilled, so by the time he was ready to start his concert tour he wasn't prepared. In Italy, a Milan newspaper critic wrote: "He is an untrained musician. If he is a diamond, he is certainly rough and unpolished." There were two ways Ole Bull could have reacted to that criticism. He could have let it make him angry, or he could learn from it. Fortunately he chose the latter. He went to the newspaper office and asked to see the critic. The astounded editor introduced him. Ole spent the evening with the 70-year-old critic, asked about his faults, and sought the older man's advice on how to correct them. Then he canceled the rest of his tour, returned home, and spent the next six months studying under really able teachers. He practiced hours upon hours to overcome his faults. Finally, he returned to his concerts and, when only 26, became the sensation of Europe. ~Author Unknown


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Message

59 100% Responsible

We blame external forces for what happens to us. “I don’t workout because of my hectic jobs,” “I’m an underachiever because of my background,” “ I cannot have fun because I have a family,” etc. We can be eternally upset and blame our jobs for keeping us from working out or we can take responsibility for not managing our time properly. We can blame our background for our lack of accomplishment or we can take responsibility for lacking the drive to accomplish. We can blame our family for keeping us from having fun or we can take responsibility for not making fun a priority. The more we blame forces outside ourselves, the more we remain powerless about our current situation, and the less able we are to change them. Let’s take responsibility for one thing today. “We are 100 % responsible for what happens to us. If we are not, then who is?” ~Andres Lara


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Hole In My Sidewalk CHAPTER ONE I walk down a street and there's a big hole. I don't see it and fall into it. It's dark and hopeless and it takes me a long time to find my way out. It's not my fault! CHAPTER TWO I walk down the same street. There's a big hole and I can see it, but I still fall in. It's dark and hopeless and it takes me a long time to get out. It's still not my fault. CHAPTER THREE I walk down a street. There's a big hole. I can see it, but I still fall in. It's become a habit. But I keep my eyes open and get out immediately. It is my fault. CHAPTER FOUR I walk down a street. There's a big hole. And I walk around it. CHAPTER FIVE I walk down a different street.

~Portia Nelson


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60 Auditioning 24/7

Is there an ultimate secret to attract the people we want into our lives? Absolutely. We can attract virtually anyone. The secret is simple: Treat everyone as though he/she was Mr. or Ms. Right. For one thing, they might very well be. But even more important, people are constantly getting reference about who we are by the actions we take towards those around us. In few words, we are auditioning 24/7 for the role we want out of life. Only the few who recognize this get to have the role they are after...attracting that special someone. Now, we have an advantage over everyone else. We know that we are auditioning 24/7. Let’s play a game for today as such. Let’s treat everyone we meet as though he/she was Mr. or Ms. Right. “Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come.” ~Chinese Proverb


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Bishops’ Gift Once a church had fallen upon hard times. Only five members were left: the pastor and four others, all over 60 years old. In the mountains near the church there lived a retired Bishop. It occurred to the pastor to ask the Bishop if he could offer any advice that might save the church. The pastor and the Bishop spoke at length, but when asked for advice, the Bishop simply responded by saying, "I have no advice to give. The only thing I can tell you is that the Messiah is one of you." The pastor, returning to the church, told the church members what the Bishop had said. In the months that followed, the old church members pondered the words of the Bishop. "The Messiah is one of us?" they each asked themselves. As they thought about this possibility, they all began to treat each other with extraordinary respect on the off chance that one among them might be the Messiah. And on the off, off chance that each member himself might be the Messiah, they also began to treat themselves with extraordinary care. As time went by, people visiting the church noticed the aura of respect and gentle kindness that surrounded the five old members of the small church. Hardly knowing why, more people began to come back to the church. They began to bring their friends, and their friends brought more friends. Within a few years, the small church had once again become a thriving church, thanks to the Bishop's gift.

~Author Unknown


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61 Tactful Advise

Let’s save our time and effort. When people ask us for advice, let’s not give it to them. After all, they are NOT really asking for it. Prior to asking us for advice, people have their mind already made-up about what they should or should not do. What they are REALLY searching for is for something that reinforces their pre-set, unsaid standpoint. It is no wonder, frequently; they get defensive about our advice. Most of the time, our advice conflicts with their pre-set standpoint. When someone asks us for advice, let’s be tactful. Redirect their searching-for-advice question back to them, “What do YOU think about that.” Many times, they already know the answer and happily give it to us. “Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.” ~Erica Jong


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Just Listen When I ask you to listen to you and me start giving me advice, you have not done what I asked. When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me that I shouldn't feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings. When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem, you have failed me, strange, as that may seem. Listen! All that I asked was that you listen--not talk or do--just hear me. Advice is cheep. Thirty-five cents will get you both Dear Abby and Billy Graham in the same newspaper. All I can do is do for myself. I am not helpless--maybe discouraged, but not helpless. When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself, you contribute to my fear and inadequacy. So, please listen and just hear me. If you want to talk, wait a minute for your turn--and I'll listen to you.

~Author Unknown


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62 We Are The Miracle

There may be times when we feel like the entire world is collapsing on our shoulders: unending debts, feelings of loneliness, lack of certainty about our life’s purpose, etc. It’s then when we must remember of how valuable we are. Yes, we are extremely valuable. In fact, we are priceless. No matter how low, old, or disgusting we feel our value never dwindles. If a wealthy stranger comes by and asks, “I need one of your arms or legs or functioning kidneys, how much would you sell it to me for?” How much? We know better. No money in the world would buy a piece of us. Imagine how rich we are to just have our entire self. When we are low, let’s realize that we need no other miracle in our lives but ourselves. We are the miracle. "The most important factor in the miracle of life is YOU!"

~Pete Zafra


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Twenty Dollars A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and grounded into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him.

~Author Unknown


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63 Knowledge

We have all heard, “Knowledge is power.” At times, we become obsessed with getting more information, training, or strategies. Ironically, the more we learn, the more there is to be learned. More knowledge does not necessarily mean more results. We don’t need more knowledge. If we only used 5% of the things we knew, we would be among the most effective people on this planet. What we know often times makes little, if any, difference at all. We all know at least one thing that if we stop doing it, our lives would be much better. Yet we don’t stop doing it. Knowledge without action is like a car without wheels. It is useless. Actions create results. Knowledge in and of itself creates nothing. What NEW action are we going to take today? “Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.”

~ Heber J. Grant


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We Have Enough Lester was given a magic wish by the goblin who lives in the banyan tree, and with his wish he wished for two more wishes. So now instead of just one wish, he cleverly had three. And with each one of these, he simply wished for three more wishes, which gave him three old wishes, plus nine new. And with each of these twelve, he slyly wished for three more wishes, which added up to forty-six--or is it fifty-two? Well anyway, he used each wish to wish for wishes 'til he had five billion, seven million, and eighteen thousand thirty-four. And then he spread them on the ground and clapped his hands and danced around and skipped and sang, and then sat down, and wished for more. And more...and more. They multiplied while other people smiled and cried and loved and reached and touched and felt. Lester sat amid his wealth stacked mountain-high like stacks of gold, sat and counted--and grew old. And then one Thursday night they found him dead--with his wishes piled around him. And they counted the lot and found that not a single one was missing. All shiny and new--here, take a few and think of Lester as you do. In a world of apples and kisses and shoes, he wasted his wishes on wishing.

~Shel Silverstein


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64 Let It Slide

Imagine our significant others and us locked in a cage filled with starving lions, where NOBODY WILL COME OUT OF IT ALIVE. Would we argue about small stuffs with our loved ones; or simply let it slide and enjoy their presence before being devoured? Life is like that cage filled with starving lions. Nobody will come out of it alive. Since we never know when the lions— diseases, accidents, etc— may attack or how long we have, the least we could do is enjoy the present moment. Yes, our significant others normally do little things that might annoy us, let it slide. Don’t take life so seriously. Let’s make today a peace day. No matter what happens, let’s not take it too seriously. Let it slide. “Let’s not take life too seriously because we won’t come out of it alive anyway." ~Warren Miller


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Live Your Dash I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning... to the end. He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. (1934-1998) For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth… and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth. For it matters not, how much we’ve won; the cars...the house...the cash, what matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash. So think about this long and hard. Are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel. And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've never done before. If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile. Remembering that this special dash might only last a while. So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash… would you be proud of the things they said about how you spent your dash?

~Linda Ellis


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About The Author Hopeless about his future, in 1994 at the age of sixteen, Andres escaped on a boat from Cuba. Without his parents in a foreign country, he virtually supported himself through high school exchanging his labor at restaurants for food. He used to painfully communicate with others with two words in English and nonverbal messages. Encouraged by the pain of harsh criticism about his accent, for years Andres study on his own Self Development to build his shattered confidence. A few years later, while at Montclair State University he challenged his worst fear— speaking in front of others—and started sharing the same principles that he used to build his confidence. World-class pioneers such as Robert E. Criner, Dr. Robert Gilbert, Napoleon Hills, Dr. Maltz Maxwell, Anthony Robbins, Bob Quintana and others have influenced Andres’ philosophies on Self-Growth. His mission is to share his result-producing strategies in a powerful, provocative, and respectful manner with everyone. Andres presents workshops, seminars, and keynote speeches all throughout the country. He has conducted Keynote speeches for the Beauty Industry, workshops for national conferences at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Boston College, Saint Elm’s College, William Paterson, and Montclair State University. He has also trained YMCA’s, YWCA’s, The Ready Foundation, NJALA Library Association, NJ EOP Professional Association, Plant Parenthood, NAACP Youth Group, and other non and for profit organizations. Among his famous workshops are Overnight Success, Shoot For The Moon & Land on The Moon; Being in The Zone, The Next Level In Relationships; Access to Power Through Communication; Self-Mastery; and Mastering Influence. He has also published inspirational articles for the newspaper, magazines, and his own daily newsletter. He is also the author of several editions of Everyday Inspiration a monthly inspirational book. Andres is also a young philanthropist who has created a few scholarships for the community, one among them is the Key To Success Scholarship. He has received several Service Awards for his dedication and commitment to society.


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About This Book This book emerged out of a “FAILURE.” I was asked to write an article for a magazine. Excitedly, I wrote day and night for two days. To later hear, “Sorry we cannot publish this.” In the midst of disappointment an idea came to me, “Why don’t I write a book out of small inspirational passages like that one?” My eagerness rose, till my past came to haunt me. I had unsuccessfully tried it before. Later on, at the bottom of an email message I noticed a statement, “Build your own newsletter for FREE.” I said to myself, “What if I create a daily inspirational newsletter and send it to friends? I have never tried that.” I followed through with the idea; I sat in my room for an entire week creating a newsletter. At the school’s cafeteria (Montclair State University), I collected friends’ email addresses and promised a daily newsletter. Before I knew it, hundreds of people subscribed to my newsletter. Even when I didn’t want to write, I wrote because I knew friends awaited it daily. This is called the Positive Peer Pressure Principle (PPPP), which took care of the one-day-some-day-I’ll-do-it syndrome. I thought I could put all my daily inspirational messages together for a year-round book and make a 365-page book. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed thinking of 365 pages. My first book “failed” because all I thought about was getting 400 pages done. “You cannot eat an elephant all at once; you can only eat it a bite at a time,” I thought. I said to myself, “I can put a monthly book out of the 30 messages that I already have.” Suddenly, all of the overwhelming feelings were replaced by enthusiasm. I already had 30 messages. I put all the 30 messages together and went around the school selling my book to professors, students, and anyone who was able to read. I was so excited about the book that people bought it book just to find out what I was so much excited about. I sold the first, second, third, and fourth edition. Right when I was starting to get overwhelmed thinking about the year-round book, I said “What if I combine what I have up to now with some of the stories and poems that have inspired and impacted my life?” Suddenly, I had something new and more reachable to concentrate on. I worked on it day and night and this is it…. you are reading what I put together. As for the year-round book, it will be finished soon. As for now, I am enjoying a sense of completion while working on it. No matter what you do, break it into small pieces and you will feel accomplished and more enthusiastic about working on your bigger projects or goals.


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For Workshops, Trainings, & Talks Visit Author at: TheCubanGuy.com

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Inspire the Sleeping Giant Within