Insurance or I'm-sure-ance

We all have it. Insurance.

It's supposed to protect us from risks that may prove expensive.

That concept works with medical, auto, and life insurance, but what about write-your-life-story insurance?

Huh?

That's right. There is no insurance for that because there is no risk involved.

You possess all you need to live a wondrous, awesome life.

Nothing and no one can come against the Universe's plan for you.

Yes, I'm sure.

The Blue Moon is Coming!

The phrase "once in a blue moon" means something is rare or doesn't happen very often.

Tomorrow night, we will see a rare event in the sky. On July 31, there will be the second full moon of the month. The last time this happened was in August 2012.

Every month has a full month, but since the lunar cycle and the calendar year aren't perfectly matched, about every three years we get two full moons in one month.

But, no, it won't really be blue; that's just the name it was given to differentiate it from the 'regular' full moon of the month.

When you see the blue moon tomorrow night, remember this one life-changing fact:

Blue moons happen.

They may be rare but they do happen.

Keep that in mind when you write your life story.

You can do it.

Look for all of life's possibilities; they are there waiting for you.

How to Banish Fear Forever

Fear is your enemy.

But it can be banished forever.

Yet, you cannot attack fear with traditional methods, like punching or kicking.

Fear can only be defeated by blinding it.

The arena for the showdown between you and fear is in your mind.

Fear uses your eyes to 'see' and your mind to 'think.'

To win against fear, change your focus from what you fear to what you love. (Remember, love is the opposite of fear.)

When fear no longer 'sees' something to be afraid of, it leaves.

Blind fear by blocking what you think.

Fears are only the stories we tell ourselves based on what we think we see.

Write your life story instead.

The Stuff of Superheroes

Meet the axolotl.

It's a neotenous salamander. (That means it keeps its larval form even after reaching maturity.)

That's all very interesting, but the axolotl has an amazing ability.

It has the healing power of a superhero.

When an axolotl is hurt, perhaps cut or even has a limb torn off, coagulation begins immediately and new cells start to grow. So far, that sounds kind of normal, right?

But the axolotl does more than heal the wound. This tiny superhero can actually regenerate blood vessels, muscle, bone, and even nerves.

In just a few months, it can grow a brand new limb.

But you won't see the axolotl flying around in a superhero cape; this salamander just goes about its life as if everything is normal.

And it is.

The axolotl is writing its life story every day.

Just like you should be. No, you don't have this salamander's ability to heal, but you do have a lot of amazing qualities.

And you have access to the limitless resources of the Universe.

When we look for awesome, inspiring, and mind-blowing things in the world, we will find them.

When we look for awesome, inspiring, and mind-blowing things in our own lives, we will find them.

Write your life story. You really do have a lot to write about.

Some Things are Infinite

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."
                              Maya Angelou

"You greatest awakening comes when you are aware about your infinite nature."
                              Amit Ray

"The power of imagination makes us infinite."
                              John Muir


Writing your life story is living every moment in the knowledge that you have a special place and purpose in the world.

You  have access to all the resources of the infinite Universe.

You have the power to achieve your goals and dreams.

Your life story will never close with the words 'The End' because you and the impact you have on the world is infinite.

Step into your place and move forward.

Now.

Making it Real

There is one simple way to make something real and valuable in your life: love it.

When we love something, it becomes a significant and integral part of our lives.

Do you love the idea of writing your life story and living your life to the fullest?

Or does that thought somehow frighten you?

(Remember fear is the opposite of love and will prevent you from moving forward.)

Take a few minutes today to quietly visualize yourself achieving your goals and dreams.

Love that image. Make it real. Make it happen.

The words "live" and "love" are different by one letter: I.

And that I is you.

We begin to "live" when we "love."

Start now.

Show Up

There is really only one thing you need to do today: show up.

Show up to life.

Be 'in' every moment.

Look for the good in people around you.

Be aware of opportunities to use your skills and resources to help others and impact the world.

Acknowledge that this day is given to you as a present to enjoy.

Showing up is the biggest part of writing your life story.

And also the easiest.

Belief: 100% or Nothing

Belief comes as a whole unit: you believe in something or you don't.

For instance, you believe 100% that the sun will rise each morning, right? You do not ever worry or think about this event either.

All you do is wake up each morning and begin your day.

But do you really believe you will have an amazing, successful life? Do you believe that your dreams and goals will be fully realized?

Or, do you make excuses, explain about all the obstacles in your way, and then take a nap?

That's not belief.

Let's try this again.

You are here in the world, right now, for a purpose. 

Life is meant to be lived in happiness.

You have goals and dreams that will be achieved.

You have a life story that you need to write. 

All you need to do is wake up each morning and begin your day.

Believe 100% in yourself.

Fun House Mirrors

Fun house mirrors use a simple bit of science.

By setting up concave or convex mirrors, the light that is reflected off them and back to the eyes creates a distorted image of reality. 

The eyes 'think' that the image of you (that is distorted) is real. That image is sent to the brain, you see it, and believe it. 

Okay, you know that the crazy fun house image isn't really you, but how would prove it to your mind?

Your mind uses images to process thoughts. It 'sees' a distorted view of yourself and that becomes reality to the mind.

In a fun house, all you need to do is step away from the mirror and reality resumes.

In real life, you need to stop holding distortions of yourself.

I'm not good enough.

I can't achieve my goals.

I have too many problems and obstacles in my way.

These are all distortions that send a false image to the mind.

Step away from these false thoughts and start living in reality.

You can do it.

You will live an extraordinary life.

Write your life story in reality.

Believe me, it's fun.

How to Believe in Yourself (1 simple step)

"Believe in yourself" is possible when you follow this simple step:

Do work that matters.

Do something with your life that matters to you and to other people.

And how do you do this?

Show up.

Every day.

Look for opportunities to use your skills and talents.

Look for ways to positively impact the world around you.

When writing your life story, it may involve becoming famous, being applauded, or making a lot of money.

But it will definitely be doing work that matters.

Start now.

Odds and Ins

There are odds and there are ins.

The odds of getting attacked by a shark are 300,000,000 to 1.

But don't you scan the waters in the ocean before you jump in?

The odds of getting hit by lightning are 10,000,000 to 1.

But you never stand under a tree during a storm, do you?

The odds of getting hit by a falling coconut are 250,000, 000 to 1.

But you always walk around a coconut tree, right?

What are the odds of you writing your life story, being successful, and living happily ever after?

100% IN your favor.

Go do it.

Problem or Solution? Pick One

You can't have both the problem and the solution. You need to pick which one you want.

Problems and solutions cannot coexist.

Isn't that a great thought?

And yes, we can consciously decide which one we want to think about.

Don't get bogged down with the idea of a problem; rather, actively seek a solution.

Talking about a problem only makes it larger, since whatever we focus on becomes bigger.

And talking about that problem is a choice.

Choose solutions...and write your life story with a happily-ever-after ending.

Love and Fear

There are really only two emotions: love and fear.

One moves you forward and the other cripples you.

One causes you to make perfect decisions and the other causes you to make bad ones.

One will help you write your life story and the other will tell you it's impossible.

Choose love over fear every day and every time.

That's the only way to live.

Where's Waldo Writing His Life Story?

Do you remember Waldo? He would be hiding in a detailed drawing and we were encouraged to find him.

It was a lot of fun finding Waldo, and the books were very successful.

I guess it would be safe to say that Waldo was living and writing his life story. His unique skills were wearing a striped shirt and merging into the background of a variety of scenes.

Aren't your skills and dreams and goals bigger than that?

If Waldo, a 2-D character, can achieve success, (do you know how many books he sold?)  imagine the possibilities that can happen in your life.

Write your life story. It's right there in front of you.

How to See Blind Spots

We all have blind spots.

Here's a quick demonstration:

Blind spots are caused by an area at the back of the retina where the optic nerve enters the eyeball and which is devoid of rods and cones and is not sensitive to light.

Or to put it simply, there is an area in the eye that cannot process images, even though the image is there.

When writing your life story, you may also have blind spots.

You may not 'see' things that are there.

Like your abilities and skills. Or even the certainty of you achieving your goals and dreams.

Here's something to remember:

You cannot see what you don't believe.

To get rid of your blind spot, believe what you cannot see.

No, that isn't a crazy thing to do.

You have proof that your eyes do not tell you the whole story because of a physical blind spot.

Yet, the image is there. The eyes just do not 'see' it.

In life, you have a destiny that is successful and amazing.

Believe it. See it. Write it.

Help Wanted

The Universe is looking for people to make a difference in the world using their unique skills.

Applicants need clearly defined goals and dreams that they expect to achieve.

The only requirement is a positive attitude. No training or degrees are needed.

This position offers lifetime benefits and total satisfaction.

You will be writing your life story using words, actions, and emotions to impact the world and fulfill your destiny.

Start immediately and continue through infinity.

Hello Pluto

NASA's New Horizons missions flew close to Pluto this week and sent us some images of this planet that isn't a planet anymore.

Once upon a time, Pluto was considered a planet. The news headline in the March 21, 1930 issue of Science told the story: "A New Planet Beyond Neptune."

But in 2006, it was demoted to the status of dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union.

Although Pluto met two of the criteria for planet status, such as orbiting the sun and having sufficient mass for self-gravity, it didn't 'clear the neighborhood around its orbit.'

Basically, it means that Pluto didn't have gravitational dominance over its surrounding areas.

Or to put it in layman's terms:

Pluto didn't make enough of an impact in its part of the Universe.

Let's look at Pluto through the lens of writing our life stories.

Pluto has all the basic elements of a planet.

We, too, have all the basics for writing our life stories, such as having goals and dreams, as well as the resources and skills to achieve them.

But Pluto's 'flaw' was not generating enough of an impact in the Universe.

We don't want that to happen in our lives.

Unlike Pluto though, we can increase our impact in the world.

How?

By taking forward steps each day. Each step will add to the previous ones in an exciting principle called the compound effect.

Make an impact in the Universe. Write your life story.















But in 2006, it was relegated to the status of dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union (IAU). So why was Pluto demoted?
The news headline in the 21 March 1930 issue of Science was simple and muscular: “A New Planet Beyond Neptune.” 

The first two letters of Pluto's name are the initials of Percival Lowell, who looked for a ninth planet but died before finding it. On 18 February 1930, Clyde Tombaugh, who worked at the observatory Lowell established, discovered Pluto after a meticulous search.

Win the Lottery Today Or...

...write your life story.

Which one is better?

Let's look at the options.

If you won the lottery, you would get an enormous amount of money to spend on anything you want.

If you write your life story, you would live out every dream you ever had, achieve all your goals, and be perfectly happy and successful.

I know which one I'm going to do.

The Power of Vacations

People take vacations for different reasons.

Some want to relax in the sun and be away from the noise and congestion of a city job.

Others want to explore the world and see the sights, like the Grand Canyon or the Eiffel Tower.

And some people want to test their abilities by mountain climbing or scuba diving.

Yet, no matter what kind of vacation you prefer, the underlying idea is the same:

...Vacations provide a way for the brain to be distracted which helps us return to our normally scheduled lives with a new attitude and possibilities.

Which is very important when you are writing your life story.

When you do the same things day after day, you probably also have the same thoughts day after day.

In some ways that's good since having certain activities on 'auto pilot' streamlines our day. Like driving a car or even brushing our teeth.

The problem comes in when we have negative thoughts that get ingrained into our lives.

That's when we need to step back physically, emotionally, and mentally. We need to remove ourselves briefly from our normally scheduled routines and do something different.

This allows our brains to be 'distracted' which is a very good thing.

When we are trying to solve something, (like achieving our goals) our brains constantly seek a solution.

The best way to solve a problem is to distract the brain with another activity.

The brain will continue to seek a solution to the problem while performing another unrelated task. When you come back to your regularly scheduled life, your brain will present you with new possibilities.

Tap into the power of the vacation, even if you just take a walk around the park.

Troxler's Effect (and what it means to you)

You can experience Troxler's Effect right here, right now:

The reason why the background faded after staring at a particular point is because peripheral images tend to disappear when the focus of the eyes is steady.

As soon as the eyes move, the background image reappears.

Besides being a cool optical illusion, I want you to remember this principle when you are writing your life story:

Whatever you focus on becomes larger or more clearly defined.

When you are seeking to achieve your dreams and goals, they should be your focus.

This will cause the 'background' of uncertainty to disappear. You will not 'see' the obstacles you imagine are hindering you.

Hold that thought and write your life story.

Monarchs are Amazing (and so are you!)

Imagine a life that is measured in months but includes a 3000 mile journey.

That's the life story of the monarch butterfly.

Perhaps from a human perspective, a short life and a grueling road trip doesn't seem like fun, but for this butterfly it's vitally important.

Here are a few quick facts:

When migrating, the butterflies travel about 75 miles a day.

They migrate in colonies of more than 20 million.

The butterflies that migrate to Mexico have never been there before but travel on instinct.

They weigh less than a gram.

Impressive, aren't they?

The life story of the monarch butterfly should also reassure us of our own place in the Universe.

If a tiny butterfly can live such an amazing life, can we expect anything less for ourselves?

Write your life story.

Do You Believe in Magic?

Here is one definition of magic:

    ...the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces

I like my own definition better:

Magic is a mindset.

Magic is a way of looking at events that happen to you, other people, or the world in general.

It's a way for you to believe in something that you may not be able to understand logically.

At one time, primitive cultures considered fire and the solar eclipse forms of magic. Today, we have perfectly good scientific explanations for these things.

Yet, science can't really explain everything in our world. Like how birds migrate without a GPS or why we have gravity.

What's reassuring is that we don't need to know the explanation of something for it to work. 

That's quite a relief, especially when we think about gravity. I don't fully understand it, but I use it every day.

When writing your life story, you will have times when you seriously don't know how to accomplish your unique dreams and goals.

Rather than trying to figure it out, I suggest just go on living and looking for opportunities.

Just like gravity supports every step you take,  the 'magic' of your dreams will move you forward into the life you were destined for.

Weird But True

Here are some weird but true facts:

Nowhere in the Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme does it say he is an egg.

There are more fake flamingos in the world than real ones.

There are more stars in space than there are grains of sand on every beach in the world.

Okay, but what does all this have to do with writing your life story?

The truth is the truth whether we believe it or not.

When I say that you are an amazing person destined to impact the world with your unique qualities and goals, that's the truth.

Believe it.

Do it.

What's Your Favorite Invention?

When you consider all the amazing inventions that have impacted society in a positive way, what one do you feel is the greatest of them all?

Is it the wheel? This invention dates back to 3500 B.C. and although we think of wheels as being significant to transportation, the first wheels were not used as such. Rather, this invention led to the creation of potter's wheels.

Perhaps you think a more recent invention, like electricity is more important? Hmmm...what doesn't run by electricity today?

How about Facebook? Yes, that's a major invention with a powerful influence in the entire world.

No matter what invention you think is most influential, there is one underlying and amazing principle in all of these creations.

Someone saw something that didn't exist and made it.

Sounds kind of like writing your life story, doesn't it?

We may not 'see' our awesome story but it's there waiting for us.

We have everything we need to accomplish our unique purpose.

Go make it happen.

Yes, There's a Day for That!

We all love celebrations and in July we have our pick of them.

Here are just a few:

July 3- Eat Your Beans Day

July 11- Cheer Up the Lonely Day

July 12- Paper Bag Day

July 22- Hammock Day

July 31- Talk in an Elevator Day

There are days set aside all throughout the year to celebrate a variety of things.

These days of celebration were created by people who saw the need, and the fun, of celebrating certain events.

How about we create our own day?

Today I proclaim National Celebrate Yourself Day.

Go out and do something you love. Give yourself a pep talk about achieving your goals.

List all of your awesome qualities.

And of course, write your life story.

(Guess what? Today is also National Chocolate Day, so feel free to celebrate yourself with chocolate! See, how easy and fun life is?)

The Difference Between Blinking and Winking

The ability to see is an amazing and complex process.

Blinking has an important purpose. Primarily, blinking helps to lubricate the eyeballs and also protects them from dust and debris.

But an interesting study showed another reason for blinking.

Scientists determined that briefly closing our eyes might help up gather our thoughts and focus attention on the world around us.

What's even more interesting to me is the fact that blinking is on 'auto-pilot.' We don't need to stop and think: Blink.

Guess what?

The whole wondrous process of you writing your life story and sharing your unique dreams and talents with the world is on 'auto-pilot' too.

I like to think of this as the difference between blinking and winking.

Blinking is necessary, but winking takes the action to a new, fun level.

Write your life story. It's as easy as blinking.

Lost But Found

Do you have a Lost and Found at work or school?

Someone 'loses' an item and someone else 'finds' it and returns it to this central location.

The simple idea is that the person who lost the item will come to the Lost and Found and get it back.

But here's a cool thought:

Nothing is ever lost.

It's just where you can't see it.

Case in point: If you lose something, another person can see it, find it, and bring it to the Lost and Found.

Do you feel you lost your opportunity to succeed in this world and achieve all of your goals and dreams?

You didn't. You just need to see it again.

Perception is everything.

We see what we expect to see, and, sadly, we don't see what we think is lost and gone.

Write your life story with the certain knowledge that everything you need to succeed is in you.

Wow!

Happy 4th of July!

Later, I will be watching the fireworks and listening to comments like:

"Wow!"

"Isn't that amazing?"

"Brilliant!"

"That's awesome!"

Are you using words and phrases like that as you write your life story?

You should be.

Blocking Goals

Blocking a goal in soccer is a good thing.

But when you're writing your life story, blocked goals are very frustrating.

Athletes are trained to zero in on the  goal zone. When they're playing a game, every movement is directed toward scoring a goal.

I applaud their focus.

That's what we need when we are writing our life stories.

Focus.

First, clearly define your goals. Yes, write them down.

Can you imagine playing a soccer game where the goal is 'somewhere over there?' No, the goal area is clearly defined.

Our goals need to be spelled out in detail.

Then, as we go through our days, we keep these goals in mind.

Look for ways to move toward those goals. Every day.

 You already have what it takes to succeed.

Write your life story and win.

Seeing, Believing, and Living

Venus and Jupiter have been giving us a dazzling display in the skies.

They had an apparent close encounter, which astronomers call a conjunction.

What's interesting is that although the photos seem to show the planets in close proximity, they are actually millions of miles apart.

Hmm...our senses can be deceiving.

When we think about how awesome and successful our lives should be, our 'senses' sometimes get things wrong too.

Like a 'sense' of discouragement, disbelief, or incredulity.

Don't believe everything you think you see; be confident in the fact that you were created for a wonderful purpose.

Go live it.

Write your life story with a sense of wonder and excitement.

People are Puzzling, Aren't They?

Are there people in your life who annoy you, make you angry, or are just plain disagreeable?

Yep, that's normal.

Here is a life secret:

      ...Everyone in your life is there for a reason.

While we completely understand that our friends are there for love and encouragement, the less-than-nice people have a purpose too.

Usually, they are sent into your life for you to learn something.

The most effective way to deal with annoying people is to start looking at them as a positive addition to your life.

Think of these people as a piece of your life story's puzzle.

Have you ever put together a puzzle? You may have had an odd-shaped piece that didn't seem to go anywhere. It was frustrating, until all at once, it clicked into place.

Your life story is filled with a variety of people who are puzzling.

But it's all good.

Go write your life story.