One morning back in 1986, as was usual for me, I drove down to the Girlie Restaurant on I44 next to the Sleepy Bear Motor Hotel in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The west side of Tulsa was not the best of places to find a good breakfast on Sunday morning. But, I had been eating at the restaurant for a few months and it was not bad.

I retrieved a copy of the Tulsa World newspaper from the machine out front after depositing fifty cents and strolled to the back, sliding into a booth that allowed me a full view of anyone coming or going in the restaurant.

I had been sitting there about fifteen minutes when a couple of women came in. One was somewhat older than the other, possibly a mother and daughter. They selected a booth on the opposite side of the aisle from me, a little towards the front, with the younger woman facing me, and the older woman turned away.

The older woman looked to be in her fifties with some gray showing and wearing thick glasses. She was a little on the heavy side for her height, but not terribly so. She appeared to be talking to her daughter all the while.

I’ve been told that my ability to notice or pay attention skills did not function well at times. But, I want to tell you, I did notice that the younger woman looked strange. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was there. She was taller than her mother, slim, had short blonde hair and blue eyes and was not a bad looking woman.

Before she sat down, I saw that she wore a medium length dress, bare legs and a pair of loafers. She had nice looking breasts and. . . wait a minute! All of a sudden it clicked. She was a double amputee! Both arms were missing just below her shoulders! How in the world was she going to eat, I thought to myself?

The waitress had my order; two eggs, sausage, biscuits and gravy. Where was she anyway? Sure seems slow today for some reason. I continued to roam the sports page, occasionally glancing up from the paper.

It was then that I noticed something peculiar going on across the way. No, it wasn’t that the woman with her back to me had lit a cigarette and was puffing away? What grabbed my attention was that she handed the cigarette to her daughter and she took it with her foot!

I did a double take, leaning to one side to see around the waitress as she placed my order on the table. I had to see this. The woman had her foot on the table and took the lit cigarette between her toes. She tilted her head slightly, taking a drag off the weed then let the smoke ease from between her slightly spaced lips then the corner of her mouth.

Gosh that looks easy, I thought. Well, the food hasn’t arrived yet. Let’s see how she handles that.

I glanced through the paper, took a sip of coffee, a bite of eggs and sausage then returned my attention to the two women sitting across the way.

Good! I murmured to my self. Here comes their food. Let’s see how she does this. A cigarette is one thing, but a fork, a spoon, a cup of coffee. . and pancakes?

Well! I could not believe my eyes. She ate her pancakes, bacon and drank coffee as if nothing was the matter at all. If I had not seen it, I would not have believed it.

I finished my breakfast and continued to read the paper. While, across the way, the two ladies sit a while longer, smoking and sipping coffee. They may have been talking about me.

“Who is that strange gawking, nobody at the back of the restaurant,” the girl may have asked her mother.

Anyway, I never forgot that pair of ladies and their most unusual actions in the Girlie Restaurant on I-44, that Sunday morning in 1986.

Benjamin J Cox is an author, novelist, poet, speaker, writer and humorist. He has written a book, Insider Dreams, a 911 Novel. He was born on a dirt street in a Waldron, Arkansas, in 1943. He graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He is married with three children, five grandchildren. He is the President of Mayes County Writers Club, the Treasurer of Pryor Creek Investment Club and a member of Will Rogers Toastmasters Club. He is retired and lives with his wife in Pryor, Oklahoma. He like to run, enjoys big band dancing, Speaking before groups, and writes every day.

It’s always a painful thing to be wronged, especially by someone close to you, whom you had trusted so much.

It’s one thing to be wronged by a person you are not that close to. But when a person who is very close to you does you wrong, how do you handle it?
Do you get angry with the person, and let your anger off at the fellow? Or do you keep quiet about it and nurse a grudge about the person?
How can you deal with such a deep emotional wound?

The moment in your life when you are wronged is not the time to take any rash decision that you might regret later. Some people have taken extreme actions, in reaction to such an event. But no matter their excuses, they have had to face the wrath of the law and the consequences of their actions. Even if they get let off the hook, the whole experience is not worth it.

The best way to deal with such a situation is to open up to a trusted person and really heal. Talking about the pain in your heart helps it to reduce, and helps you to get over it gradually.
Bottling up your pain, struggles and emotional hurts and wounds does not help you at all.

Rather, it makes you the more depressed and you are likely to do what you normally wouldn’t do.

To remain sane and healthy, you should find a close friend, a counselor or a minister to talk with. Talking about the wrong done you helps a lot in unburdening your mind.
And that helps you a lot in getting over the whole sad episode.

Don’t carry your hurts, wounds and pains alone. Find someone you can trust to talk things over with today. It could be the greatest favor you would do yourself.

At times when we are low, we all need encouragement and support. Femi offers practical, life changing and useful advice on how to handle various life’s issues. He has helped many people to find practical solutions to their problems. Read more about you also can benefit at http://www.femigbadamosi.wordpress.com or http://www.opportunitiesglobal.com

‘Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.’
William James, 1842-1910, Psychologist and Author

‘Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.’
Matthew 5:5, The New Testament

What do Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Professor Mohammed Yunus of Bangladesh, Immaculee Ilibagiza, Rwandan holocaust survivor, and the Amish community in Pennsylvania have in common?

Let me briefly tell their stories based on the little information I have read.

Prof. Yunus teaches economics. What made him increasingly uncomfortable was the ever-widening gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots.’ In his country, millions of people were destined to never raise their heads in life because in the eyes of the current banking system the poor are not credit-worthy. Prof. Yunus thought differently; he thought that applying for and getting a loan or credit was a basic human right and was the only way to start to close that gap.

So he started up his own system, called ‘microcredit,’ where he loaned small amounts of money to poor struggling families who wanted to start a business so they could provide basic necessities for their families through their own efforts. These loans were around $100-500US and required no collateral. They now have established the Grameen Bank which services millions of people and has helped countless impoverished men and women start home-based businesses. (Interesting to note that no-one has ever defaulted on their loan repayments even though they have no contracts and the deal is based on trust.)

Immaculee Ilibagiza was a teenager during the Rwandan holocaust in 1995. She spent 90 days in a bathroom with 8 other Rwandan women hiding from the murderous Hutu extremists. She lost both her parents and two brothers in the massacre and managed to escape, eventually getting a job with the United Nations and migrating to the US with her husband.

Once the war was over, Immaculee went back to Rwanda to her village to piece together what happened to her family and to complete that chapter in her life. This included visiting the man who murdered her family in prison. When he was brought to her, the man fell to his knees and couldn’t even look her in the eyes. She asked him to look at her and when he did, she simply said ‘I forgive you’ and left. The man couldn’t stop crying.

The Amish community in Pennsylvania suffered a terrible loss when 10 girls were brutally attacked and shot by Charles Roberts, five of whom died. Although this caused shock waves around the world, the Amish quietly went about their business, living and taking care of things the way they always have: with forgiveness and love in their hearts.

It was reported that an Amish neighbour went to comfort the murderer’s family after he shot himself; that they also attended his funeral; and that, when a fund was set up for the grieving families, an Amish leader insisted that one also be set up for Roberts’ family.

Here are the common threads I see:
1. They are all unremarkable, simple people yet their actions are an example to us all.
2. They live according to their beliefs, not seeking rewards or recognition but simply doing what they think is right.
3. Their humility (and by that, I mean an acceptance of life) in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles has led to actions that have irreversibly changed and touched people’s lives, and the world.
4. They take 100% personal responsibility for their lives, living on their own terms without blaming this, that or the other for their plight.

I don’t believe these people are blessed with anything extraordinary. They are ordinary people, just like you and me. I don’t believe they ever intended to do anything in their lives that would be worthy of media attention. They followed what was in their hearts. Most of us may never be rich or famous but we are all influential. These stories prove that beyond doubt.

Given we are experiencing much despair and disillusionment with leaders, government, churches and business, it’s time for us to look elsewhere. It’s time for us to put our hands down and stop pointing fingers of blame or throwing them up in resignation. At this time of year, when there is so much talk of ‘peace and goodwill among men’, we cannot afford to remain idle any longer.

We need leaders, yes; but what I see happening more and more is that true leaders and leadership is coming from among the people and not from ‘the elected few.’ We need to appoint ourselves as leaders because no matter how small your contribution YOU CAN and DO make a difference – the question is ‘what sort of difference do you want to make?’ Whatever you decide, DO IT NOW.

Till next time,
Love, light and laughter to you

Jenny
Life Coach, Best Year Yet Program Leader

Jenny Mallos is a coach and author who works with individuals and groups to find and follow their own path with a heart. She uses practical yet powerful techniques that help people break free from their fixations and habits which are the major cause of stress and unhappiness. Her genuine warmth and sense of humour make even the most confronting issues easier to tackle.

Jenny believes that relationships are the underpinning of our lives and that the most important thing is living a life of purpose and meaning. Whether you are working on your business, your health, relationships or some other facet of your life, Jenny can help you find clarity and a way to true happiness and fulfillment.

For more information, please visit Jenny’s website at http://www.totaltransformationlifecoaching.com or send an email to coachjen@totaltransformationlifecoaching.com to set up a FREE 30 minute consultation.

Break down your daily life into the simplest form. What does this mean? Break your day down to its most simple form. I want to keep this article as short as possible to keep with the theme. Here’s a bullet list of things to ponder on a daily basis that may help you provide purpose to your days here on this great place called Earth.

Do good deeds for the sake of doing good deeds.
Expect nothing, except the best from yourself.
Simplify relationship matters.
Simplify business matters.
Simplify spiritual matters.
Simplify personal matters.
Wake everyday with a goal and work towards it.
Don’t allow yourself to fall victim to negativity.
Work smarter.
No matter what, expect more from yourself.
Focus on the big picture.
When someone makes a mistake, forgive them.
Do something wonderful for someone else…and refuse any returned favors.
Revisit a challenge you gave up on in the past.
Strike up a meaningful conversation with someone.
Surprise someone with a genuine compliment.
Bring a pie to your neighbor.
Learn a good joke.
Tell a good joke.
Donate your time to a charitable cause.
Start a charitable cause.
Shake hands firmly.
Smile at least 12 times a day.
Laugh out loud for no reason.
Shake out your limbs and encourage someone else to do the same.
Plan for tomorrow.
Kiss that special person in your life like you’ll never see them ever again.
Call your mom…or dad.
Forgive someone who needs it.
Be assertive.
Be eternally positive.
Be forever faithful.
Be persistent.
Grow everyday.
Live today like there is no tomorrow.
Never give up!

.

©2007 noobdogs.com

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“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…”
(Philippians 3:10)

Christianity can’t exist without resurrection. The main difference of Christianity and other religions is the reality of resurrection. All other religions have founders who were born, lived and died – only Christianity is worshiping Jesus who was not only born, who not only lived and died, but He rose again from the death.

A well known Easter song says: “ Christ is resurrected from dead, stepping with death over death and giving life to those laying in the tombs”. The apostle Paul says that there is no faith and hope without resurrection.

Our tendency is to put more accent on Christmas, because of the commercial aspect, but you can’t be a Christian without believing and without experiencing the resurrection.

The purpose of Paul was to know Jesus and to personally experience the power of Jesus resurrection.

The power of resurrection brings victory over sin. Is not only about forgiveness of the sins, but it’s about being victorious over the root of the sins, the sin itself. The resurrection is giving us power to be like Jesus, sinless and accepted by God.

Without the existence of the resurrection there is not salvation, because Jesus would have been only a good teacher, a kind man who died unjustly…and this is the end of the story.

Resurrection is showing us that Jesus’ sacrifice was accepted and the New Covenant is now valid.

The power of resurrection brings victory over death. The fear of death is the worst enemy of our happiness. We live our lives under this dark cloud – death and our lives are affected dramatically by the fear of death. But since we know that Jesus was there and is victorious, we are no longer afraid to die with Him, because we know that we will be resurrected with Him.

The power of resurrection is the power to live. “And the life is worth to live, because He lives.” Many people don’t find a good reason to live, but the apostle Paul says he knows and pursue only one purpose and this is enough for him: TO KNOW JESUS.

Knowing Jesus is not the boring Sunday service, is not the boring and long sermon, but is a living relationship, a wonderful daily experience of His character, of His providence and of His love.

Why do you live? Is your life full of power and joy ? If not reconsider your position toward RESURRECTION and start living it’s experience in your life.

John Urs-http://www.saltlightmin.com

Feel free to print and publish this article as long as you don’t modify the content and post the author and weblink. God bless you!

Have you ever told yourself that your life is so boring? Have you ever asked when will it change? Have you ever found yourself realizing that your time was so wasted? Have you ever realized that the sudden change in your life is not bad though it is not good either? Have you ever told yourself that you should have been contented rather than longed for such change in your life that could not be switched back?

Well, I have. But the thing is I have never ever had regrets nor anticipated those changes in my life. What I always tell myself is: Be brave enough to face the challenges along the way for they cannot harm you if you will not let them. They can even make you strong if you will just let them. Changes always come along. You can never take them back but you may always look back. If you have to, then do it, if it makes you feel better. Just do not let them make you come back to where you have started. Always, as in always, look for the signs to continue and walk along the way. And always remember: each and every road you take will lead somewhere and that place could be the place that you have been looking for in your life. If it is not the place you want, then go ahead and take another road. It might not be the right road but it is the road you have chosen and the path you have taken so stand for it and get through with it.

A long journey, it may seem, but keep in mind that life itself is a journey.

Alona has been working in a foreign country for almost six (6) years now. Experiencing a lot of ups and downs in her life inspired her to write some articles that would make people be inspired despite of all the challenges in life: from emotional to financial challenges in life.

You can check out her blog on how she made it through with all these challenges at http://lucas528.blogspot.com

I have noticed a trend lately and it involves the insertion of a phrase before what we do to pay the bills each month. It isn’t an important phrase and it really doesn’t have any right to be inserted in the first place, but it is just the same, now-a-days. The unimportant phrase I am referring to is the phrase ‘justa’. Think back to a time when either you or another inserted the phrase before stating your title or profession, such as “I’m ‘justa’ stay at home mom”, or “I’m ‘justa’ furniture mover”.

This phenomenon has lead me to wonder how many years of higher education it would take for one to be fortunate enough to have a profession or title that didn’t follow the phrase ‘justa’. I also wonder, while on the subject, if professional criminals have to follow the same unwritten rules, as we do. I mean do they have to say, no sir, I’m ‘justa’ get-away driver? What about, ‘justa’ jewelry thief and ‘justa’ bank robber? Or is this just a silly phenomenon not worth mention?

If we study the whole silly phenomenon just a bit, I think we will find that the whole phrase insertion process is a product of egotism? Some so-called, superior ‘other’ person, sometime referred to collectively as ‘them’, told us that we must insert the phrase under penalty of something, because ‘they’ were better than us because we had, only a low level job. While on studying, I did wonder if I would find that the insertion process was nothing more than a product of our own low self esteem, therefore self inflicted or justly due to another’s egotism, and/or a combination of both. The fact that certain higher paying professions are exempt from having to insert simply re-enforces this point. However, this isn’t carved into stone and seems to be as full of special conditions as the original insertion unwritten rules.

After wrestling with all the unwritten customary insertion policies and rules of use, I was left wondering; if a cancer doctor would introduced himself as ‘justa’ doctor of medicine, would anyone allow him to operate? I have also wondered on Sunday mornings lately, if I would still be in the pew if the minister introduced himself as ‘justa’ minister. What about ‘justa’ police officer on a poorly lit side street at two in the morning? Would I allow ‘justa’ fireman to carry me down the ladder away from a burning building. Lastly, I’ve wondered how many strong healthy young men and women would follow the orders of ‘justa’ president!

You see, the more I unraveled the unwritten rules and conditions for the phrase insertion I realized that it was all silly rubbish and truly needed to be done away with! It was simply nothing more than a product of our own low self-esteem. How many times have we conditioned the ears of our children to such foolishness by saying I am ‘justa’ car salesman or ‘justa’ home school mom? As silly as it sounds, it is even more silly for us to use the phrase insertion in the first place. Now if someone, who thought a bit more of themselves than they should have, gave us the phrase and all the insertion rules, I say give it back! We don’t need the phrase and we surely won’t miss it. We can and will live very well without its silly nonsense.

There are no ‘justa’ anyone’s. If you replace the phrase with a more fitting, and descriptive word, such as lowly, unimportant, or ineffective. Then one would be forced to stop and remove the inserted phrase all together, because we now would be entering the ‘political correctness’ arena and we don’t want to go in there! In the process of removing the inserted phrase ‘justa’, we all became more important and needed once again, worthy of love and friendship! It’s like everyone all of a sudden just received a promotion by throwing out the inserted ‘justa’ phrase! Now we can once again be proud of ‘a honest days work’!

Theresa Twogood is Executive Director of OLIN e-Publishing Company- http://olin.tk -Denver Colorado.

Does our mind control our body and health? So much research has been done on our thoughts and how they affect our body physiologically and mentally. That leads me to think about our prayers for healing. If God answered a prayer for healing and “fixed” our health problem, would it stay fixed? Would we remain totally healthy if our thoughts were part of the reason for making us unhealthy in the first place?

If our “old nature” got us into the fix, then it would take us right back into the same problems. God tells us to renew our minds and I bet there’s more to that than we even realize.

Romans 12:1
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. “

In our stressful and super speed world, we don’t take much thought for being a living sacrifice. We’re not used to being hungry or thirsty. We are more used to having things our way and right away. God calls it our “reasonable service” to be a living sacrifice. We are commanded to not be conformed to this world and given the power to transform ourselves by renewing our minds. And in the renewal of our minds, we prove what is the perfect will of God. I do believe in that perfect will is good health because 3 John 2 says, “2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

And there it is again … as our soul prospers. Our soul is our mind, will and emotions, so we are back to what we allow our mind to think on. The more I keep my thoughts on things that God tells us to think of, the better I will be emotionally and physically.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things.

How much power do we have within to keep ourselves healthy? I ponder this often and meditate on God’s words to us and I pray that you will do the same.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help us to slow down and take time to realize what we are thinking about. What thoughts are driving us throughout the day to perform, to overdo, to feel lonely, depressed and hopeless. Help us not to allow those thoughts. Holy Spirit make us aware instantly when our thoughts are not pure, lovely and of good report. Place within us a desire to focus on Your Word and Your Truth throughout every day. Amen.

Donna L. Watkins lives in Central Virginia with her wonderful husband enjoying birds, wildlife, gardening, forests, nature travel and her cat, Squeek. She has one grown-up son who inspires her life in many ways. Read more of Donna’s articles at TheHerbsPlace.com and subscribe to her free mailing, A Healing Moment. http://www.theherbsplace.com/ahm.html

When my friend sensed that in a few weeks the light of life was about to be extinguished, and that there was no more hope for him, he called me to his side and said, “If only I had lived my life differently, I might not have felt such an emptiness now. Promise me,” he caught my hand, “Promise me that you won’t make the same mistake.” And when I asked him what mistakes, he asked me to get a pen and paper and to jot down his last words. Here they are in condensed form:

1) Talk less; listen more.
2) Listen to your grandfather’s stories about his youth. When he’s gone, you will relive the bond through these memories.
3) Invite friend over for a snack or dinner even if the house is a mess.
4) Eat popcorn in the living room even though its messy.
5) Invite the friends who have children home. Don’t worry about their children creating a mess.
6) Sit on the grass even though it dirties your pants.
7) Never buy something just because it lasts for a long time or because it is practical.
Stay in bed and at home when sick and stop pretending that the world cannot go one without me for a day.
9) Light up the wonderfully crafted candles and let them burn out. Better this than they accumulate dust in the closet.
10) Share life’s responsibilities with a partner, not only expenses.
11) (Meant for Women) Instead of waiting for the pregnancy to get over, cherish each moment in your heart. Understand that the life in you is the only chance you will get to help god create magic.
12) Let your children hug and kiss you whenever they wish to. Don’t stop them by saying things like: later, go wash your hands first, we have to eat dinner.
13) Say the following two phrases as often as possible: “I love you” and “I am sorry.”
14) Stop worrying about who loves or and who doesn’t or about what others have or don’t have.
15) Cherish all personal human relations.
16) Play with a pet every day. Laugh and run with it and take part in all its antics.
17) Spend more time with the people who love you.
18) Stop sweating because of all the small details and problems of life.
19) Grab every moment, look at it and live it. That moment will never return again.

Her name was Susan, and she had one six year old daughter. Susan taught me these few basic ideals that I have tried to follow in honour of her memory. It has made me a better man, a much nicer husband and in general, a happier person. Even now I can hear her say that God has blessed each and every one of us, and that we should accept these blessings and strive to become stronger both physically, mentally and also emotionally. I will always remember what she said to me the last time we met: “Jack, you are lucky. Don’t blow it.”

Jack Reider, who audits online casinos for a living, and Susan D. were childhood friends. They went to the same kindergarten, attended the same schools and even went to the same university. But. 10 years later, the dreaded disease rang Susan up.

There you are, going about your day minding your own business when BAM, life reaches out to you and not necessarily in a good way.

Just when you were feeling a little smug about your life, someone upstairs with very bad timing and an even worse sense of humour pulls the rug out from under you. As you sit dazed and confused trying to name the configuration of stars that are orbiting around your head, it eventually clears and you realize you had just encountered one of life’s little knocks.

After your misadventure, you got back on the horse of life. You forget that this little incident ever happened and it is business as usual, until the next time. Each time you take a step forward, it seems life is there to knock you back down. You win at bingo, your car breaks down, your son needs money for College tomorrow, and your credit card is cancelled, your mortgage is due, the cheque you have been waiting for gets put on hold, you buy a new car, and someone hits you on the highway and runs off, you finally accept a date and your date leaves you between the main course and dinner. You could be the next Alanis Morrisette’s hit song and no, it’s not ironic.

These are not one off events and they no longer seem coincidental. You have become this week’s headline in the tabloids “Hit men from the Universe Target Suburban Single Mom”. Okay that’s probably not true, the tabloids are known to make stuff up, but somehow you are tied to your very own big black cloud. Now no matter where you go, or what you do, bad luck is following you around like white on rice!

Finally, (what took you so long?), you ask the Big Question. “Why me”? “I’m a nice person. Ok so maybe I had a spider killed the other day but I didn’t do it myself. I did order the hit, sort of, I asked someone who shall remain nameless to rid the room of the arachnid so technically, yes I am an accessory to a crime, but, I didn’t say kill it, and is this enough to warrant a mountain of bad luck ?

Tell me, what have I done to deserve three years my life to be turned into a shambles? Looking upward I turn to the heavens and bargain in good faith with the higher powers for this to stop. Hello? Anyone there? What, did everyone go out for lunch? Surely there is one person still listening, what about YOU are you still here?

So, everything is going wrong now and what started out as a whollop to get my attention seems to have turned into colossal never ending streak of torturous bad luck that could almost be funny except it’s happening to me. Is it happening to you too? Remember the old “Sure its funny until someone loses an eye’. Yeah well it’s not funny anymore. Any more dealings with the Black Cloud people and the hungry and homeless will no longer be them, it will be Me!

All joking aside, the last three and half years have been an incredible challenge for me in every way.
I have suffered on all planes, physically, emotionally and spiritually and it all started when I was involved in a horrific motorcycle accident. I have always felt that the Universe was trying to tell me something back then and I think it was STOP! It seemed that I was too busy to listen so it got my attention the only way it knew how, it struck me with a large and dangerous weapon, a moving vehicle. I must be an awful interpreter because Life continues to give me messages and whole lot of Attitude!

Today, I look for the bright spots and small wins that come into my day and celebrate them or this nightmare I have been living through, would carry me away on a sea of depression and pain.

Believe me when I tell you that I have my days when I don’t know where the strength to go on will come from. Days when I wonder is this it? Will today be the day I finally give up and stop fighting? Will today be the day I finally have my breakdown? It seems to me that I have spiralled down to depths I didn’t even know existed (below P3), yet somehow when you hit bottom, you know there’s no where else to go but up.

“How much can one person stand?” Have you ever seen someone in a wheel chair and thought to yourself “I would never be able to live life like that”
You would be surprised to find out just how much you will take. We tend to sell ourselves short and when push comes to shove, you will find that you are much stronger than you would ever give yourself credit for. The will to live is very strong in the human spirit. We will hold on until we can’t anymore.

Some days I think my experience the past 3 years has been a training ground so that I can inspire others and motivate them through their hard times.
Remember earlier I said that I have faith that things will turn out alright in the end and I still believe that.

If I didn’t believe there was a lesson, or an opportunity for learning or even a purpose behind all this pain and suffering, I don’t think I would be able to tolerate getting back up. In order for me keep my perspective and stay positive I had to work on my Life Muscles so I could fight back and stay in the Ring.

Belief is a core muscle for me and as you know, core muscles are stabilizers. These need to be rock solid because they provide the framework for our body. Belief tells me that there is a higher purpose to this madness and chaos and eventually all will be revealed to me. My heart knows this to be true. I believe part of that lesson is to help others.

Faith- My muscle faith assures me that eventually everything will work out ok. It always does. Things are as they are supposed to be. Faith and Belief work together to provide the framework for maintaining a positive presence.

Receiving was the weakest muscle in my arsenal and one I had the most difficulty training. Since I was always the one who helped others, allowing others to help me felt foreign and uncomfortable. I have learned that not only do I need to allow others to experience the pleasure that comes with giving, but I also am not an island and do need to share the load at times. I know how easy it is to shut people out when you are feeling really down, but it is imperative that you allow them in as frequently as you can.

Humour- I have found that having a sense of humour is essential to helping me get through tough times. Everybody has their conception of what is funny and humour differs with culture, age and sex. I find that the Great comedians are the ones who capture everyday life, as mundane as possible and poke fun at its ordinariness. In this universality lives humour. Find a friend who makes you laugh. April makes me laugh so hard I can’t breathe any more. It’s perfect. Laughter is so beneficial to ones spirit that there have been studies done where people reversed cancer just by laughing daily. Use this muscle 3 TID, it’s to your advantage.

Love- Whenever I feel like giving up it is my deep love for my children that anchors me to earth and gives me my reason for being. My family is my source of inspiration and invention. The love I have for my friends and the love I receive from my friends, this love keeps me afloat when I feel like having a pity party and the love I have for myself and the Universe is what keeps me caring about the Why and who I can help.

Positive Spirit- I won’t lie and say that there aren’t days when I wish things were like they were pre accident, but there have also been some pretty fantastic post accident days and great learning opportunities for me when I think I have become a stronger person, and more empathetic coach.
I have had time to work on myself and find out who I am and what I want. It’s not every day we are tested to our limits and beyond, and I am glad to know that I passed the test.

I used to think I was a positive person, but I had NO IDEA just how far that energy went. It’s easy to be positive when everything is going well, but to know that I sustained it through the tough times and that it not only benefits me, but comforts those around me is a wonderful thing to know.
I do believe that things always work out in the end and I know it is this above all that allows me to sit here today with a big smile on my face.
In summary,

• Know that you are not alone. There is always someone who is willing to listen and help. (IF you don’t know anyone feel free to contact me. I promise I will be there for you).
• Allow people to help you and give you what you need (even if it embarrasses you)
• See the opportunities for growth and creativity that can come from hardship
• Use these lessons to strengthen your arsenal and help others
• Have Faith that things will get better and that they work out in the end
• A Positive attitude and a change of perspective can result in an Immediate improvement of circumstances
• Don’t forget to laugh and look for humour during the worst moments
• You are STRONGER than you can even comprehend
• Believe in yourself and find your purpose for being

Your Life Muscles are very similar to the ones inside your body. If they are not used to exercise they may feel unfamiliar and sore when you first start using them, but just like the muscles in your arms and leg, these have an incredible memory and they bounce back quickly.

Frankie is a dynamic Guerillia Coach who specializes in the impossible. For Coach Picasso and her clients it’s always Mission Unstoppable. Her motto is “No man or dream gets left behind”! She leads, trains, supports, motivates and inspires individuals and teams to produce exceptional results in their lives. Now catch her Radio Show Freedom Fighter on Coach of the Airwaves.
The past is not your potential for potential has no bounds. Choose to break free from your self-imposed limits. Use your imagination to create a life of endless possibility. Experience your magnificence first hand ….Coach Frankie Picasso
Contact Frankie at coachpicasso@sympatico.ca or http://www.coachoftheairwaves.com