Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Yes, I just had another birthday. June 26th. They just seem to fly by now. As a kid, a birthday came about once every millennium, but now, about every few months. That has to be the reason for it...there's no way its been 42 whole YEARS since I first took a breath...

How could that be?

Let's see...I remember being a little kid...then moving when I was going into 4th grade. Going on to Jr. High. Going into high school. Graduating. Attempting college. Working multiple jobs. Getting married. Having a child.

But 42 years....OLD? Unbelievable. Where does all the time go?

Honestly though, I wouldn't change much. Sure, I'd like a nicer car, house, have a great bod etc, but I'm grateful for the life I have now.

"Where you are going is MUCH more important than where you've been."

I don't know if that's someone's quote, but it's what came to me today. Because that's how I feel. And I hope you do too. You can test that by asking yourself "don't you wish you knew THAT 10 years ago?"

Your answer should be "He_ll yes!" That will tell you that you are on the right track. That you are growing, seaching and discovering yourself more and more.

(Now if you say "it doesn't matter", I'd worry a bit.)

But nearly all of us are searching to improve ourselves. I think that's human nature. To be a better ME, whatever that means to each of us. And that's what's so enjoyable and facinating about us in general.

So, what path are you on? Are you working on a better you too? Let me know.

The Dummy Tax....

Ever heard that term before? "The Dummy Tax." Doesn't sound very good, does it? Well, you are right. It's not good. And unfortunately, most of us fall into the "dummy" category, and pay this tax.

Actually, I should pluralize it: The Dummy Taxes...because they are EVERYWHERE and you are a victim almost everywhere you go, and everyday you live.

"Well then, I'll just stop buying..." Sorry, you'll still be taxed. You still pay.

"Still? What is this "dummy tax" or "taxes" as you say...?"

Ready? Are you sitting down?

The Dummy tax is the humongous fees that you pay VISA, because you couldn't pay MasterCard, so you borrowed from Paul to pay Mary back. Then, it gets worse because you need VISA again to pay for your darn trip to Disneyland.

Sound familiar? I'm not through yet...

The Dummy tax is the fee you pay to remain in the lowest sector of societies income scale because you think earning OUTSIDE of what college taught you to do is somehow wrong or that you have no time. Now look at people like Mick Jagger, Oprah or Tom Hanks...they work where they are CELEBRATED.

Dummies earn a paycheck from a job that only tolerates them.

The Dummy tax is the higher interest rate on credit cards and mortgages because your credit is less that 620....

Ouch! That was me...

It's about being so dumb that you allow an employer to pay you per hour rather than per customer or actual work performed. Also, the employer gets to earn money over and over off YOUR CUSTOMERS even if you leave the company, or are laid off.

So, who's prospering from your efforts? You, I hope. That's what I've always felt is fair. If I do the work, obtain the client, win the account, shouldn't that be mine? If their business continues for 20+ years, don't I deserve a cut?

Yes, you do. But you won't get it, because you signed your "rights" (compensation) away when you accepted the job. But no one tells you that.

Mick Jagger. Tom Hanks. Oprah. Remember them? They know better. It's called residual income.

Ever heard of a song called "(I can't get no) Satisfaction?"

Well, Mick and his bandmate/buddy Keith Richards wrote that one afternoon early in 1965. That was 43 years ago.

Since then the song has been estimated to have made nearly 500 million dollars.

FIVE HUNDRED MILLION. DOLLARS.

Does that happen where you work? I don't think so.

Be CELEBRATED. Not just tolerated. You're worth more than they are willing to pay you.

Start working for yourself. Stop working for Visa and Mastercard.

You're worth it.

Thought for the week (Week of June 23rd)....

"What was Captain Hook's name before he had a hook for a hand?"


Discuss.

Are you a "failure"?

GOOD! So am I...many times over.

And I'm excited about that, because I learned long ago that you learn more from your failures than from your successes. Reggie Jackson struck out more than ANYONE else who ever played in Major League Baseball. 2597 times. That's a lot of failure. But he also hit 563 home runs and is in the Hall of Fame because he was WILLING to fail that much.

So you need to ask yourself TWO very important questions:

1) Are you willing to fail? (If "yes" continue to question #2)

2) How much?

Wow. Some people never think of it like that, but its true: the biggest successes in life aren't the people who never failed...the biggest successes are the people that fail over and over but refuse to give up.

But some people want to play it "safe". They are happy punching the clock everyday at the same time, going to luch at the same time, and going home at the same time.

(Rinse and repeat daily for 40 years.)

But that wasn't me. I knew...from the time I was about eight years old, that what I really wanted to do was to help people. And now finally, (I turn 42 this month) I do it every day.

So what about you?

Do you KNOW...I mean really, really KNOW that YOU are BETTER than the life you currently live? Even though others may step on your dreams, do you still keep pushing forward? Are you always telling yourself "I know that I was meant for something, I just haven't found it yet..."

If so, I'd like to hear from you. Tell me how you failed, how you were knocked down in life, but got right back up. I'd like to share some things with you that may help you succeed more often.

I'm here. Its what I do.

(Below, I've posted a video of famous "failures". Of course THEY knew that they weren't failures, and kept moving forward until...SUCCESS!)

Thought for the week (Week of June 16th)....

Why do bullies always ask "what’s your problem" when they're obviously not going to solve them?


Discuss.

When Life Hands You Lemons...

Yes, it happens to all of us...even us bloggers:-) What would you have done in my shoes?

Mobile post sent by jeffbunnell using Utterz.  Replies.  mp3

The Starfish Story....

This story is very famous; sometimes the old man is the boys grandfather, other times the main characters are mother and daughter. What matters most is that the message remains the same...


"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, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.

He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"

The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean."

"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.

To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."

Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "I made a difference to that one!"


Every day we all come in contact with people that we may never meet again. Did you make a difference in their life? You may have, with just a simple wink, a smile, or holding the door open for the mother with groceries in her arms. Big or small, we all have the power to make a difference.

Thought for the week (Week of June 9th)....

Why do people say "The alarm just went off" when really it just came on?



Discuss.

Great Poem that I want to share...

I found this earlier today and really wanted to share it with everyone...

I Asked God...

I asked God to take away my pride.
God said "No. It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up."

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said. "No. Her spirit is whole,
her body is only temporary."

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said "No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is earned."

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said "No. I give you blessings,
happiness is up to you."

I asked God to spare my pain.
God said "No. Sufferings draw you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me."

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said "No. You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful."

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, "No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things."

I asked God to help me LOVE others,
as much as God loves me. God said....

" Ahhhhh............ Finally you have the idea!"

Thought for the week (Week of June 2nd)....

Does Hawaiian Punch really come from Hawaii?

Discuss.