I would like to share a story of how Gratitude and Guidance play into our lives…

It was almost a decade ago but I can still remember it because it was a wake-up call for me.

On that particular day, my beloved wife was feeling a bit down and out of sorts. So while I was out at the store I saw the November copy of Oprah Magazine and I bought it for her thinking it might cheer her up a bit…

Little did I know, as usual something way smarter than me was guiding my actions.

For three days in a row, I too had been facing massive challenges. These challenges came in a wide variety, ranging from character attacks, professional attacks, to a personal journey back to my emotional childhood in which I questioned the very value of the love I offer. To say the least, it was a tough week! At one point I was in deep pain and although I knew it was emotional, my physical heart hurt. I gave my wife the magazine and went about my day.

A little later that morning, I entered my office and saw that my beloved wife had taken a page out of the Oprah Magazine I had bought her and clipped it up on my computer. I would like to share with you what it said about gratitude.

“Gratitude comes easily when our lives are in order-when the bills are paid, the children are behaving, our health is good. But our challenges are what bring the chance for transformation. And it is for our deepest pain that we can be most grateful, because we know our hardship will deliver a lesson that refines our character. As you practice gratitude this month, give thanks not only for what you have but also for what you have escaped. When difficulties arise, ask yourself, “What is the lesson for me in this?” And when you can give thanks in the midst of your trial, know that are becoming your finest.”

~OPRAH MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2000

As I sat at my desk, tears of gratitude poured down my face. I became instantly aware of all the things in my life that I had to be grateful for including the amazing woman I am blessed to call my wife.

On the surface, it’s easy for people to judge me as a tough guy. I lost my boyish looks during a rock-climbing incident in 1990 and my muscular body is evidence of my sport of bodybuilding. However, below the obvious, I am a deep thinker, a spiritually centered being, someone who likes a good laugh and despite the exterior, I am a big softy.

It is in these moments of awakening to everything I have to be grateful for that I know my reason and purpose in life.

This article is an except from my upcoming book “Don’t Read This…Unless You Want More Money” due for release in early May 2010.

I look forward to your feedback and comments.

With gratitude,

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Winning is an Inner game… for two.

I know how you feel, I’ve been there…I know you have your reasons to say ‘no’ to yourself, reasons to say ‘no’ to your dreams. 

Maybe you’ve been knocked down too many times, and you just don’t know if you can get up again.  But, know this:  As you stand here on the edge between where you were and where you want to be, life will throw you curve balls, life throws curve balls at us all.

Life may seem cruel and hard and what you need to know is, if you believe that then life will knock you down and it will keep you down, if you don’t find the courage to stand up.

Those around you may tell you that you are not good enough, and they may say it so often that you may even begin to believe it. If that happens, you will find yourself looking for someone or something to blame and every time you do, you are telling yourself that you don’t have what it takes to get up.

That’s a lie!

Life will knock you down, but that doesn’t matter anywhere as much as how hard you can get knocked down without giving up on yourself and on your dreams. I know you’ve been hurt, I know you’ve been disappointed…now what?

Many get hit and they never get up, others go to a certain point and they stop.  Let me ask you what would happen if you got up again?

What would happen if you held a greater vision of what you were capable of, and you held this vision despite everything they told you?

Don’t get me wrong, it might not be easy but, let me share with you what more than twenty-five years of research has shown: What is likely to happen firstly is there will be resistance; it could be resistance from your own ego-mind doing its best to keep you safe in the same old, (often miserable) comfort zone. Sometimes, the resistance is external, those who love you, telling you to be careful, “you don’t want to make a fool of yourself” or some other equally rational answer.

Seriously, stop for a moment and let me ask you this:

When you get to your deathbed…

do you think you’ll regret the times you looked foolish pursuing your dreams in order to live the life you came here to live, or do you think you would experience much more regret at not looking foolish and never reaching what you deeply now know you are capable of?

Listen carefully, your ego-mind can be like a ruthless crooked lawyer building a case using whatever it can while calling its lies “logical reasons”.  What you have to do is employ the fierce power that is the fire in your heart that cries out for you to live your dreams.

I get it! You’ve been knocked down and it hurts, the question is, will you get up?

And what will get you up?

What is it that will have you spring to your feet like Rocky and say,

“Is that the best you’ve got!?”

Decide you can, decide you can’t, either way you’re right.

Winning is an inner game and so is losing!

It’s a game played by two: Your authentic self, that gently whispers for the expression of your dreams and your ego-mind that wants to keep you ’safe’ screaming at you to stay safe by repressing those dreams.

I sign off each of these writings with the statement: ‘live with courage’ because…

courage is not the absence of fear, courage is when you are terrified and you get up and do it anyway!

Share this with your friends and leave me your feedback.
Until next time, “LIVE WITH COURAGE’’,
Dõv…

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