Receiving while Giving Back

The post today is about finding ways to give back to your community. It doesn't take much and there are a lot of places that need your participation. Walk a dog at a shelter, go and visit with someone at a senior living complex, buy locally raised farm goods, help your neighbor clean up their yard or attend a fund raiser for your favorite charity. I guarantee you will receive so much more than you will ever give!

For anyone in the Minneapolis area, check out this event! All Proceeds go to help the Simpson Housing Services  who's mission is to "house, support and advocate for people experiencing homelessness." You give a little and receive something very cool!

The first ever Art 4 Shelter benefit for Simpson Housing Services is happening on May 5th, and we want you to be there!

Art 4 Shelter is an exhibit and sale of over 1000 original artworks on paper by emerging and established artists. Each 5"x7" piece will sell for $30. A list of participating artists is continually updated on the Art 4 Shelter website (art4shelter.org) and will be posted the night of the event.

The works themselves will be signed only on the back. You may end up with a work by a famous artist, or be the first to discover an unknown talent. Either way, you will end up with art that you love while supporting Simpson Housing Services!

This event is free and open to the community. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sun, Rain, Snow, Sleet

Part of our happiness and positive living seems to revolve a lot around weather. Maybe that is why I love to watch the weather station. There is something exciting about finding out what is going to happen tomorrow or the next day and with some accuracy. Now I know most of us think that the weather person is suppose to be always right, but I am glad they aren't! Where is the fun in always being that prepared!

Okay, back to the weather. So this weekend the weather report was sunny and 70 degrees with light winds. Yesterday and today came and sure enough the weather was sunny and 70 degrees. I got up in the morning knowing I didn't need to wear a sweater and that I could ride the motorcycle to the dealer without getting wet! Pretty good prediction and I was able to plan.

Now the weather is suppose to change so I now have time to plan what I will or will not do for the next 5 days. I will need a coat and maybe a sweater. I won't be riding nor will I be cleaning up the lawn. Whoa! I get to see 5 days out and know so much.

As I am watching the weather I start to think how wonderful it would be if we could predict our lives out 3-5 days? What if we knew exactly how we would act, react and feel? What if we could forecast our positive and purposeful living?

Well folks we can and maybe with the same accuracy as the weather guru on T.V.! It is all about planning and looking at the pieces that impact the outcome. Let me give you an example.

Let's say we look at the pieces for my next few days:
1. I know I will be working out with the personal trainer tomorrow
2. I know I need to go grocery shopping this week
3. I know I have a few calls out to friends in search of a Financial Planner
4. I know the ice is not out so I won't be fishing and
5. I know the Harley is in the shop so I won't be riding.

Okay, so this is everything I know right now.

I know that I will have a positive impact on my health by continuing with my personal trainer
I know I will feel better about my health by working out
I know that I am getting closer to financial freedom by getting a financial planner
I know I can fish by next week
I know I will get the Harley back end of this week
I know I have money to go grocery shopping

What would my prediction be for the next three or four days?
I predict I will be sore from working out but will be better off because I went
I predict that with my action towards financial freedom I will be debt free and able to look at the future retirement plans soon
I predict that the ice will eventually be gone and I will go fishing
I predict that my friends will get back to me and I will be spending time with one or more of them by the weekend!

To many times we just wait and see what happens! I am here to say "BE THE WEATHER"! Write down what you know is happening, what you know will most likely be your action or reaction and then predict what the outcomes will be! If you never plan or predict you can never know. Here's to positive and purposeful planning and predicting!

Time Stands Still!

Have you ever gotten so much into a groove that time seems to stand still? For me time has stood still for 6 weeks now!

Don't get me wrong - time standing still has been an amazing adventure, but it seems like yesterday it was mid February after being laid off. Between that time and now I have been amazed at how much I have gotten done - ceiling in a laundry room, new job, loving the job, motorcycle ride, garage cleaning, closet cleaning, outside trash cleaning, donated a ton of new sweatshirts, and even had time for family and friends. Time has just stood still and allowed me to do so much.

I guess we all go through the stage of time being on our side or not, but when you can be 'in the zone' for six weeks it is pretty incredible. I asked myself tonight why? Why have my stars been so aligned and so 'in the zone' lately?

Well, let's explore. Six weeks ago when I had no job I sat down with a stranger who became an instant friend. She said one line "Congratulations, now you can have the life you want instead of the life you have!" Whoa. I thought she was just being an excellent life coach, but after 6 weeks of learning and growing more into myself I understand how those words are so true. You see we all have a life - good, bad or in between we all have a life. But do you have the Life that you want? Do you know the life you want?

It comes down to you and you alone! When I had no job, no prospect of a job I thought I was crazy to not feel crazy. And then I remembered, a job is only one piece of my life and although I wanted a job it wasn't the only thing I wanted for my life. I want friends, deep relationships, financial security, time to play, energy to explore, an open mind, a learning environment in which I can become more; in short I want a life I am proud to call my own.

It didn't happen overnight but I had a conviction like never before and I knew if I would stop and visualize the life I wanted I could accomplish just that. I have been 'in the zone' for 6 weeks and it isn't going away...nor do I want it to go away. It is a high like none other when every day you wake up and you know you have the best life possible and time stands still again!

Ability to see past Mother Nature

Many times during the Spring we are all faced with the environment around us that includes clouds, cold, rain, snow and a number of other "Mother Nature" events.

We rarely get our perfect day and actually have it come true. Too hot, too cold, too cloudy, too rainy, too sunny...okay, maybe not too sunny, but you get the picture. Mother Nature gives us what comes NOT what we order.

This can also be the case in our personal lives. We feel at times there is a Mother Nature involved in our day to day personal issues and occurances and as with the weather sometimes it is too hot, cold, cloudy and so on.

Now I am a firm believer in a Higher Power as I know for me personally guidance and direction is necessary, but I also believe that no matter what I believe if I don't include action and attention in my day to day life I go crazy over the hot, cold, clouds, rain and personal weather.

The movement from waiting into action and attention is necessary, but not easy. It means you need to take accountablity for who you are and the life you live every day! Crazy, I know, but true! If you just let Mother Nature handle things - they of course will be handled, but you will have no say in the matter.

I like to think that I should be in control over my life. I have control over my actions and reactions. I have control over what I do and how I do it. Even when my personal Mother Nature acts up and out of control I know I control my actions and reactions.

Today, look at your day and everything that happened "to you" or "by you". What could have you changed? What could have you controled? What was your action and reaction to Mother Nature?

The sounds of Spring

It is easy to see the signs of Spring. Robin's in the yard, brown grass, melting snow and tree buds are everywhere the eye looks.
You can smell Spring as well. It smells like wet dirt from all the snow melting over the ground. It smells like new growth and there is a freshness in the air so when you open the windows to get a little 'fresh air' you can smell the difference.
The sounds of Spring are also there. Birds singing, kids playing, baseball bats clinking and as of today Harley's running.
I love the signs and smells of Springs, but I really love the sounds of Spring. There is something about hearing the 'ting' coming from a baseball bat that just makes me smile. There is something about the sound of loud Harley pipes starting up for the first time in 4 months that really makes me smile as well.

I know so many people just never stop to see, smell, and listen to Spring. It is an incredible energy from knowing the world around you is alive. It invigorates you and you feel like you can do anything.

Starting my Harley was just one Spring event that I got excited about today. Meeting up with old friends tonight also is making this Spring day even more special.

So, what are you doing today to get excited? Excited about Spring and excited about your future! Spring means growth and exploring a new. What is your personal sound, sight, smell or Spring Event?

April showers already?

As I sit looking out the window this morning I am watching the rain hit the deck in numbers. As long as winter seemed, it seems like spring rains are coming much earlier than I expected. Now I am not complaining, I love spring for so many reasons and it is my favorite four seasons coaching phase of growing and learning, but what do we do when it comes earlier than normal?

It reminded me of life. We sometimes don't have the opportunity to pick the exact day or time something will happen, sometimes the rains come when they want...not when we want. Many of us think or want to be in control of every step in our lives, but sometimes the rain comes early. Sometimes the growing comes early and sometimes late.

It is what we do with our personal time lines that makes or breaks us. If you are so set on one way and do not yield to the world around you and within you it will be frustrating and filled with fear. None of us know the exact time of growing, learning, feeling, or experiencing. What we know is that we will do each of these four things.

So, as you look out your world window today notice how it changes - with or without you. Take that vision and transform it to your life. What does your short term future look like? Does the timing matter or is it the event that matters? Planning for the event with a time frame is one thing..spring coming today is another.

Write down what events you need to complete in the next month as spring starts. What are you doing to grow, learn, feel and experience? Not tomorrow and not the next day, but within the growing phase. The rains will come on their terms, so control what you can. Control your plan.

Be a Personal Master to your Young Grasshopper!

One of my favorite shows growing up was Kung Fu. No, not the fighting but the lessons. There was aways a lesson at the end of each episode. The Master would say "Remember this Young Grasshopper" and then give some profound yet meaningful hint to life.

Some days I feel like the Master, but most days I feel like the Grasshopper and the Master is a Voice in my head!
I think to be able to hear a Master you must be willing to listen to your heart. See! That sounds just like something Kung Fu Master would say! Profound yet very meaningful. Sometimes I become my own Master's voice in my head. Here are a few examples.

This morning on my way to work I saw two cardinals sitting in a pine tree. I was sitting at a light so I had a little time to watch them. As I sat there watching my Master voice came and said "Sometimes you need to sit still to see all the beauty around."

Tonight as I was working out with my Personal Trainer I had a 30 second break between sets and with nothing to say or do my Master voice came and said "A 30 second recovery can make you stronger."

I wasn't sure what to write this week for the blog posts until one of you wrote me a quick note asking for more posts. As I read the words my Master voice came and said "Even in your silence your words speak loud."

It is like I have a fortune cookie mind! I love this about me and when I catch my Master voice speaking to me I listen.

As you go into your Friday remember to listen. Not to those around you or to the world around you, but to your personal Master Voice. It takes practice and it takes time to really appreciate the corniness that sometimes comes from it. Just do me a favor and stop and listen. What do you hear?