Miramichi Blog

I took advantage of the great weather today and took my dogs for a walk in the woods. I brought my camera and snapped a few pics on my way. Here they are:







Les

I found this great little tool to help me keep organized. This website publishes a monthly checklist of things to be done during the month to help you organize your home and office. You don't do them all at once, just a few every week and by the end of the month if you've checked off everything on the list you'll be more organized.

Here's the March Checklist:

____ Spring has sprung! Use empty space in armoires, trunks, luggage, extra closets, or out-of-the-home storage areas for out-of-season clothes. Or, if you prefer to leave out of season clothing in your current closet, put those items all to one side. Cover them with plastic bags to keep them dust free until next season.

____ Wipe away smudges and fingerprints from mirrors, faucets and glass-front cabinets.

____ Get rid of old, ratty dishcloths, sponges and potholders. Replace them with fresh new ones.

____ Go through your kitchen cabinets and discard old food items that have been sitting there for years, such as yeast, baking powder, herbs and flour. Rethink buying an herb in the future, unless you know you're going to use it often. Buy flour, baking soda and yeast in smaller amounts so they don't go bad next time.

____ Give yourself more drawer space in the kitchen by using a basket, canister or flowerpot to store ladles, spatulas and wooden spoons.

____ Spend one day this month catching up on your laundry. Once you're caught up, vow to do a load a day, so you never fall behind again

____ March 7th-13th is National Procrastination Week. Do the one thing you've been procrastinating on, and get it off your list.

____ March 9th is National Organize Your Home Office Day. Celebrate by getting the clutter off your desk, tackling a pile of paperwork, or cleaning out old files on your computer.

____ Think of thirty 10-minute tasks you want to do to get your home or office ready for spring. Write each task on a separate index card and toss all the cards in a box. Each day, draw one card. Tackle the task you draw from the box. At the end of 30 days, you'll be thrilled with your accomplishments and ready to enjoy spring!

by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!
Want to get organized? Get your FREE Get Organized Now! Idea-Pak, filled with tips and ideas to help you organize your home, your office and your life, at the Get Organized Now! Web site http://www.getorganizednow.com

Life Lessons

Until we learn a lesson, we keep getting it again, and again!

IF PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU
If your friends expect you to solve their problems, carry their stuff, clean their mess, buy their lunch, and you keep doing it, it will keep happening.

IF YOU KEEP GETTING RIPPED OFF
If you allow yourself to be cheated by landlords, auto mechanics and repairmen, it will keep happening.
Until you find some courage or learn some skills, you will bleed money.

IF YOU KEEP DATING JERKS
If you tolerate rude, lazy, selfish boyfriends, figuring any relationship is better than no relationship, you'll meet an endless stream of "partners from hell".

History repeats itself until we make a stand.

You might say, if I was somewhere else, maybe Hawaii, or if I had different friends, I wouldn't have these problems!

Yes you would!

When we have a weakness, it's like a magnet. Wherever we go we attract the same lessons.

It's a law of life.

Miserable people say, "Why does everything happen to me?"
Effective people say, "I'd better learn this lesson, it keeps coming back!"

Assume that every problem in your life is a lesson to make you stronger. Then you never feel like a victim.
You do it for your benefit.

from THE DAILY GURU
www.ConsciousOne.com

Crocodile Dundee

This morning I came to work looking forward to the day and in good spirits because of the sunshine...until...I opened the door to the office and immediately felt a strange presence. I looked around hesitantly and found the source of my discomfort perched on top of the office supplies cabinet.



I screamed for awhile "What is it?!!, What is it?!!, What the $#%^ is it?" until I realized nobody else was here. Apparently Wally, or "Wally Gator" as we sometimes call him, thought it would be funny to bring in his stuffed friend to share with the rest of us.



I freaked out for awhile, hiding my eyes, screaming & cringing everytime I had to walk past it until I finally did what any brave girl in trouble would do.

I called Dale.

Dale is in charge of building maintenance here at Miratech and is always ready for a challenge. I think I took him by surprise today though..lol..he came down expecting to find something broken and instead ended up playing Crocodile Dundee.

He put it in a black garbage bag for me and hid it in the backroom. And as an added bonus he mopped the floor while he was here. What more could a girl want?

As for Wally...I haven't forgotten about him yet.

Last night I visited the Deux Maples Art Gallery. The owner of the gallery, Esther Nye, had invited me to a special exhibit of work by local artist, Colleen Knowles. It was my first time visiting the gallery since it opened, but I can say with all confidence that it certainly won’t be the last.

What an amazing night!!

Many people are quick to say an appreciation for the arts doesn’t exist on the river, but events like this prove them wrong. A full house of over 70 people gathered to soak in the creations, mingle and discuss art.

I was particularly drawn to the featured artist’s work, although there were others on display as well. I recognised some paintings as the work of artists I had written profiles about in Bread ‘n Molasses and noted the names of others that I would like to profile later.

It’s difficult for me to describe Colleen Knowles’ art. It’s diverse and sometimes abstract. I think her work would appeal to a broad base of people because there’s a little something for everyone.

My sister, who attended the event with me, particularly enjoyed the textured works using shards of stained glass and smooth stones like buttons. As a writer, I was of course drawn to the words. Definitions snipped from a dictionary framed the collage type creation I enjoyed most.

For those who appreciate art a bit more concrete, one wintery blue scene reminded me of a festive Christmas card, while another painting of a street front brought Norman Rockwell to mind.

There is one thing beyond dispute, the body of work I saw last night was phenomenal. My emotions ran the gamut from warmth and passion to longing and wistful. Like all good art should I was at times inspired, at times contemplative and always spurred into thought.

With any luck, you’ll be able to read a profile of Colleen Knowles and see some of her work for yourself in an upcoming issue of Bread ‘n Molasses.

Catch of the Day

Melanie & I had a great day today! We went to 993 TheRiver and recorded the Mighty Miramichi Business Catch of the Day for the month of March.



Usually the guys at the radio station record these ads but we decided to give it a try ourselves and have some fun. Under the guidance of "The Brad" we selected the background music, prepared the script, and made the recordings. We ooohh'd & aaahh'd over his cool computer program for editing the recordings and putting it all together, and secretly admired his great hair.



Even though we started out all nervous and excited I think we did okay! Thank you Brad & 993TheRiver for teaching us something new....and Wally thought we knew everything!

Before I redecorated my bedroom, across one wall ran a banner that asked the question, “If not now, then when?” It was the first thing I saw every morning and the last thing each night. The reason I strung this banner was to help motivate me in my creative writing.

Being a journalist and writing non-fiction newsy type articles involves a process quite different from creating fiction.

As a journalist, you’re trained to remain objective and aloof. You must never get involved with the story, just uncover the facts and report them whatever they may be. You’re the impartial observer, trying to get at the truth without influencing the outcome. It took me years of training and practice to reach the point where I was able to step back and let the facts speak for themselves. I found though that this type of writing is a kind of art itself and I became quite good at it.

With Bread ‘n Molasses I don’t have to stick to just the facts. I can interject with my congratulations for a job well done, or say how cool I think something is, or recommend a product or service I really like. It’s just the nature of the publication — we’re not a newspaper or newsmagazine so our editorial mandate is more laid-back and informal. Still, sometimes I fall back on my journalism training and write a straight “just the facts M’am” news story because for me it’s the easiest way.

Fiction writing is totally different. Whereas in news stories you keep your feelings objectively at bay and don’t become personally involved, creating fiction is the most intimate personal thing you can do. It’s a crazy roller coaster ride of a process — you feel everything all your characters feel, you see everything they do, it’s like you’ve lived all their lives, shared all their experiences.

If you stood outside my door and listened to me when I’m working on my fiction you might be tempted to cart me off for a psychiatric evaluation. You would hear me talking to myself, arguing with my characters, pacing the floor trying to make a point, rolling around holding my sides with laughter, sobbing uncontrollably and occasionally screaming because something has just popped up and scared me. To say it’s an intense process is a huge understatement!

After you go through this process several hours everyday for weeks or months with a particular short story or scene from a novel; it can be a bit terrifying to think about sharing that with other people. It’s a huge risk to show family and friends let alone send it off to people you don’t know in hopes they’ll publish it. The story becomes like a child you’ve given birth to and it’s hard to step back and release it into the world. It’s really hard to accept feedback for what it is and not feel personally attacked. This is part of the process, developing the thick skin so you don’t shatter every time someone criticises the story, distancing yourself from the work so you can look at it objectively.

And that’s why I had hung this banner across my room. “If not now, then when?” My dream is to create and publish fiction – it’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child and first learned to read. This was the message I needed to see everyday in order to get past my fear of rejection and send my fiction into the world. This was my motivation for overcoming my fear. I found a great article that talks about this. Go ahead, check it out, and then make your own sign. What is fear holding you back from creating?

Have you seen this poster? The one with a polar bear lying on an ice floe? The caption says, "When I get the feeling to do something, I lie down until the feeling goes away."

Yep, I'm talking about procrastination. I come from a long line of procrastinators. If it's possible for this sort of thing to be passed down through genes, our family has a lot of this bad 'P' type blood :-)

Procrastination is a terrible thing. You feel horrible. The things you procrastinate about are a constant worry at the forefront of your mind zapping all your energy. Procrastination becomes an exhausting activity and stress generator, as anyone who has ever slipped into the 'P' mode will tell you.

I’ve been a procrastinator for as long as I can remember and my mother is the first to say that I “get it honest.” But this year as part of my new life strategy and goals I’m determined to change my wicked ways.

I’m already making some progress. Usually, when I’m putting together a new issue of Bread ‘n Molasses there is always one story that I procrastinate about editing or writing. It might be that I’m not particularly interested in the subject. Or there’s a lot of picture sizing and cropping that goes along with it. Or I have to interview someone that’s difficult to get in touch with. Or the story is in hard copy and I have to retype it from scratch — whatever my reasoning, there’s always one story that seems a bit more daunting than all the others and I procrastinate. And that means I leave it to last.

I know, I know, it makes much better sense to dig into the most difficult story first and get it out of the way, but that’s not how I’ve been going about it — until now. I’m changing the way I work, implementing new systems, and becoming more organised, procrastinating much less. Now, I identify the story I feel most inclined to procrastinate about and do it first. It helps. I have an energy toward the end of the task that I didn’t have before.

I’ve still got a long way to go, of course. Rome wasn’t built in a day, I’m not kicking my life-long procrastination habit in a few short weeks. This is just one example from one part of my life of how I have been procrastinating and what I’m doing to change the situation. I hoped by sharing this that you might be able to help me take this even further. Do you have any tips, tricks or solutions that can help me (and any other procrastinators who might be reading) finally kick procrastination to the curb forever?

Thought for the Day

"Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."

-- Og Mandino


THE OPTIMIST CREED

Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

Talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

Make all your friends feel there is something in them.

Look at the sunny side of everything.

Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

Give everyone a smile.

Spend so much time improving yourself that you have no time left to criticize others.

Be too big for worry and too noble for anger.


This also came in one of my newsletters this week, and again I'm not sure of the source. If anyone knows I'd appreciate it if you would fill me in. I like this a lot, in keeping with the Mighty philosophy.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

(Written by a former child)

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things could be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking."


--- Author Unknown

This came in one of my newsletters this week and I really liked it, lots to think about for parents and aunts like me. I wonder does anyone know where this originated? Or who the author is? I'd be interested to know.

Here's another good article with an exercise to do. I don't think I've linked to it before. It's called Honoring what is Right about Ourselves Rather Than what is Wrong and it's part of The Enchanted Self series by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein.

Still looking for someone to write the next chapter in our novel. Any takers?

Thoughts for the Day

"People are like stained glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun's out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is light within."

-- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross


"The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball."

-- Doug Larson

Hello fer Snow!

This is a picture sent to us by our buddy Glen in Moncton. He took this picture yesterday, looking out his window at a store across the street. This store is quite close to his house and on a good day, he can throw a rock and hit this building (not that he normally throws rocks at local retailers, but you get what I mean).



If you squint your eyes and get real close you can just about make out the outline of a building. Hey Glen, I hope you have a snowblower buddy!

Congratulations Melanie Carr!
She is the winner of the second leg of our Mighty Miramichi staff contest.



The race is on, and her & Wally are neck & neck for the Grand Prize! We'll find out the winner at the end of this month.

Quote of the Day

"Leaders care more than others think is wise; they risk more than others think is safe. They dream more than others think is practical and they achieve more than others think is possible." --unknown

Today I found another article called “Leaving the Tribe” to Find Your Own Unique Path in Life that offers another way of looking at what I was talking about the other day. Interesting and there's an exercise. Enjoy!

Check out the Mighty Miramichi Photo Gallery for some great pictures from the White Gold Ice Sculpture Contest!

Les

I’m a bit of a reality TV nut. I love watching the Life Television network, which is pretty much all reality all the time. But I also watch a fair bit of the big network shows like American Idol, Celebrity Mole and lately, The Surreal Life.

I don’t know why I watch The Surreal Life. It’s so cheesy you can’t look away. It’s a WB program where different celebrities live together in what has to be the tackiest mansion in Beverly Hills. (Ooops! Sorry Glen Campbell.) The celebrities this year are Erik Estrada of CHIPS fame, Rob Van Winkle AKA Vanilla Ice, porn star Ron Jeremy, Baywatch babe Traci Bingham, Tammy Faye Messner of evangelistic notoriety, and Trishelle Canatella from another reality series called Real World Vegas.

Heading into this season I was most interested in how Tammy Faye would react to living with a porn star, and all the partying and nudity I figured would happen. If you were on the planet at the time you must remember Tammy Faye’s tears streaking her face in black mascara, the pleas for money, the sex scandal, and later criminal charges. Watching that play out on television and in the news left me with certain opinions and questions about Tammy Faye. So, when I knew she was going to be on this program I expected her to be close-minded and preachy, slippery and fake, fanatical and even untrustworthy. I expected hellfire, brimstone, and constant preaching.

I wasn’t alone in these expectations. Almost everyone I’ve talked with who watches this program expected the same thing. But here’s the thing, we were wrong. This of course is a terrible violation of one of the four agreements — never make assumptions. But that’s a secondary point, and not at the heart of what I wanted to share.

In one episode all the celebrities accompany Tammy Faye to a book signing. I didn’t even know she wrote books, and I certainly never thought one of her books might be something I’d be interested in reading. (Again, my bad.) She spoke to a cross-range of fans. Some held signs that said they were from a certain church, while others were drag queens made up to look like Tammy Faye. Her fans were every size, shape and colour from all different walks of life and cultures. I was blown away by the way she fielded questions and what she had to say. There wasn’t any of the judging or preaching I expected. It was just the opposite. She was totally open, non-judgemental and accepting. For the first time ever I saw Tammy Faye as a real person, as a woman who’s just trying to figure out her life the same as the rest of us. I felt a connection. I liked what she was saying.

The thing she said that completely flipped the switch for me was when she was asked about her ex-husband, Jim Baker. She told a parable about carrying a dead man around on your back, how it’s impossible to carry him forever. Exhausted, you’ll collapse face first into the dirt and you won’t have the strength to push him off. That dead man on your back will eventually kill you, so you’ve got to stop carrying him around. Throw him off and choose to live your life. This just blew me away, what a great way to get the point across that if it’s not worth saving or can’t be saved you need to just let it go. Immediately, I could identify dead bodies weighing not only on my back but on family and friends too.

So now, I’m glad I decided to watch some cheesy reality television. The next time I see that Tammy Faye is going to be on a program you better believe I’ll be tuning in and her book earns a spot on my wish list.

The White Gold Festival took place during the past week. As part of the festivities, the annual snow sculpture contest was held. The first place winner was The Douglastown Plaza with their octopus sculpture, built by the Animation students at NBCC Miramichi as well as Mighty Miramichi's Melanie Carr.







The second place winner was Cowboys with their diamond ring sculpture.



Third place went to Riverfront Convenience.



Among the entrants, was Mighty Miramichi's Sky Park neighbour, FatKat Animations.



Congratulations to everybody who participated!

Les

People are sometimes a little surprised to find out that I've known I wanted to be a writer since the fourth grade. Even earlier I kind of suspected, but in grade four I won my first writing contest, placing above kids in the fifth and sixth grades. That's when I had an "A-HA!! I’m good at this! This is what I'm supposed to do!" moment of clarity. That's not to say I had my whole life figured out since I was 10 years old. I knew I should write but had no idea what sort of writing I wanted to do or even how many different kinds of writing there were. Throughout the years my focus shifted a lot. I’ve dabbled in everything from fiction, poetry and drama to speeches, advertising and journalism. I enjoy some forms better than others, but one thing has remained constant since I was a kid and that’s my desire to write. It’s my purpose in life and I was fortunate enough to realise that at a young age.

I realise not everyone is as fortunate or consciously self-aware, but on some level I think we all know what we’re supposed to be doing. If you aren’t consciously aware, you should take the time to look deep within yourself and find out. Here’s an exercise from Cheryl Richardson’s Life Makeover that will help.

1. Finish the following sentences with at least ten answers for each one:

I am
I will not
I would like
I will
I love
I hate

2. What advice would you give yourself at this time in your life? (fill at least one page)

3. Imagine you were interviewing *you* and answer the following questions:

What three major choices brought you to this point in your life?
Looking back, what three things do you wish you had tried?
If you had to choose an object that represented your future, what would it be?
If you had to choose an object that represented your past, what would it be?
What tasks or assignments would you say you've been given in your life so far?

4. Complete the following four exercises:

List three internal changes you'll need to make to live a more meaningful life.
List three external changes you'll need to make to live a more meaningful life.
List three positive qualities that you feel proud of possessing.
List three qualities that you'd like to develop.

5. If you could try five new jobs over the next year what would they be?

Once you've finished the exercises, put the answers somewhere out of sight for safe keeping. Turn to December 1st in this year's calendar and make a note of where you've hidden this information. Then, forget about it until the end of the year. There’s a second part of the exercise Cheryl says we’ll do in December. You may want to sign up for the life-makeover newsletter just in case I forget to post the second part. But even if you only do this part, it’s still a valuable exercise. When you look at your answers again, in retrospect, you may find you know yourself better than you think you do.

Happy Monday! Hope you enjoyed your weekend. I sure did! I shut down the computer and spent a little time reconnecting with myself this weekend. I need to do that every once and awhile just to take stock and see if I'm on course or if I'm wandering off the path a little. I'm happy to say I'm right on track and I woke up this morning refreshed, revitalized and ready to face the week!

There was an interesting article this morning in my Sir Froggie's Pond newsletter ("Even pond-scum has a purpose for sustaining life - Think what human beings are capable of!") called Dream Beyond Your Circumstance. I hope you'll read it.

This is a personal pet peeve of mine. Actually, it drives me completely insane. I've always dreamt without boundaries, set goals beyond my current circumstances. I believe I can do anything I set my mind to doing and I tend to believe you can too. There is absolutely nothing that drives me more nuts than when someone says,

"Oh, you can't do that, how would you make a living?"

"I can't do that, who would look after the kids?"

"You know what I've always wanted to do . . . but it's impossible."

"But what about this? . . . what about that? . . ."

Being a big dreamer, I run into this type of response a lot. Some people think I walk around with my head in the clouds, that I don't acknowledge reality. I say better to be soaring above the clouds than to have my head buried in the sand unable to see past the end of my nose ;-) But this type of thinking truly infuriates me. Yes, the 'can't do that but what about this' thoughts are usually valid concerns, real obstacles, but are they barriers you can't overcome? I don't think so. Part of achieving any goal is to identify the possible obstacles and plan a way around them, over them, through them -- whatever works to get you past it and onto the other side.

You've heard the saying, "Where there is will, there is a way." I believe this is true. If you want to do something badly enough, if you're willing to do anything to achieve your goal, if you think outside the box and look for creative ways to get what you want -- you can achieve it, whatever it happens to be.

So, don't be one of those negative nay-sayers. The next time somebody says something which might appear on the surface to be a bit outrageous or unrealistic don't say, "But you can't do that, what about this?" Instead say, "Great idea! Is there anything I can do to help?" And please, if there's something you're hiding deep down inside that you'd really like to do but you don't see how it's possible -- let it out!! Dare to dream! You're a smart cookie, figure it out! There's got to be a way to get past whatever obstacle you think is stopping you from achieving this goal.

Last night I went to the local writers' group meeting. It was the first time I've attended in well over a year. There were a lot of new faces, some people I knew, and some I didn't. One that I only knew through email, so now I have a face to put with the name.

It was nice. We did some writing exercises which is always good to get those brain cells swirling. Some people read. I read a terrible old short story from years ago. Nobody else shared any fiction. This is part of my ultimate goal to reconnect with my creative writing this year. The jury is out on whether it actually helped or not, but it certainly didn't hurt. I'm looking forward to going again next month, anxious to write something fresh to share with the group.

Four Principles*
=================

1. "Be impeccable with your word."

Why be impeccable with your word?

Words are our power. We can choose to use our power with good intent or bad intent.

We reap the result of the choice we make.


2. "Don't take matters personally."

Why shouldn't we take matters personally?

What other people say is based on what THEY are experiencing.

Their perception is just that - THEIR perception. It is not necessarily real. Negativity expressed by others will not affect us unless we allow it to do so.

We have the power to choose.

3. "Don't make assumptions."

Why not make assumptions?

Our perception is a fabrication. To know what is real, we have to ask appropriate questions. If we do not ask questions and if we believe our assumptions, we mistake
fiction for fact.

4. "Always do your best."

Why always do your best?

We will love and respect ourselves if we do our best.

"Our best" is not always "The best," and the best we can do will change as our circumstances change.

Your best will not be the same when you are sick as opposed to when you are well. When we do the best we are able to do, we can be free of self-loathing and guilt. When we do our best, no one, especially ourselves, can or should ask for more.

*This is a summary of The "Four Agreements" a book written by Don Miquel Ruiz.

“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t, we are afraid.”
“Come to the edge.”
“We can’t, we will fall.”

“Come to the edge.”

And they came.
And he pushed them.

And they flew.

~French Poet ~ G. Apollinaire

Thought for the Day

"You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence is not an event - it is a habit." -- Aristotle

I just had to share this quote with all of you today because it really rings true with me. My main goals for this year can be summed up in this quote because that's what I'm working toward -- creating new work and personal habits which guide my life in the pursuit of excellence.

It's a good thing to always keep in the back of your mind. When you're screaming at your family, sobbing at your desk, speaking badly about someone behind their back, poking fun at those less fortunate, complaining, peaking out from behind a wall of disorganized files, or whatever you find yourself doing -- remember, these are the things that define you, this is who you really are -- is this the way you want to be? Is this the best you can do?

I read a really good article today in the Self Improvement Newsletter I receive from www.selfgrowth.com It struck a chord with me, so I thought I would share it with you too.

The Top 10 Benefits to Knowing & Living Your Purpose
By W. Bradford Swift ©2001, Life On Purpose Institute, Inc.

As the founder and director of an organization with a name like Life On
Purpose Institute, I guess it's not surprising to hear me say that I feel
that one of the most important matters that anyone can do for themselves
and the world is to become clear what their true purpose in life is and to
then live true to it. So, I'd like to point out some of the many benefits
to knowing and living your life purpose.

These are some of the benefits most commonly shared by the clients of Life
On Purpose Institute as well as ones that I have personally experienced by
clarifying and living my own life on purpose.

1. Focus

When you clearly know your life purpose, it becomes a truing mechanism
allowing you to focus more clearly on what matters most to you. Many
people report that this has been one of the most valuable benefits to
going through the Life On Purpose Process (tm), especially once they begin
to use their life purpose to make their decisions and choices in where and
how they are going to invest their time, energy, money and talents.

2. Passion

For many people clarifying their life purpose becomes the key to unlocking
their passion for life. The passion becomes the fuel that propels them
forward in expressing their life purpose, often in extraordinary ways
beyond anything they would have considered before they clarified their
purpose.

3. Being Unstoppable

People living on purpose become unstoppable, particularly the longer they
live true to their purpose and the more they allow their purpose to shape
their life. People without clarity of purpose often finds themselves
stopped or stuck in life, which isn't surprising because they haven't
tapped into their passion so they're like a high powered automobile
without any fuel in their tank.

4. Fulfillment

Living a life in which you are regularly expressing your life purpose and
allowing it to shape your decisions, your thoughts, feelings and actions
is simply a whole lot more fulfilling. A life on purpose is filled with
meaning, and people on purpose realize they are making a difference in the
world simply by being in the world.

5. Living a Value-based Life

You will learn as you delve more deeply into the Life On Purpose Process
(tm) that an integral component of a person's life purpose are their core
values -- those intangibles of life that mean the most to them. Our core
values are at the heart of all the values we've been taught we 'should
value.' Think of it like 3 concentric circles. The largest circle is
composed of our 'should values,' the next circle inside that one is our
'chosen values' -- the should values that we actually choose to hold onto
and live from. The last circle is our 'core values' -- those chosen values
that truly matter most to us. Since these core values are an integral part
of your life purpose, when you are living a life on purpose, you are
living a 'value-based' life, rather than a 'lifestyle-based' life.

6. Fun

Let's face it, living on purpose is simply a lot more fun than living a
life based in fear and shoulds. People who know their life purpose and are
living it have a renewed zest for life. They can bring purposeful play to
almost any situation and find or create ways to have each day be a
reflection of their true joy and purpose.

7. Integrity

For me, a life on purpose is a life of ultimate integrity. It's a life
that is whole and complete. People who know their purpose and are living
it, know who they are and why they are here. They live true to their core
values as they serve themselves and others through the expression of their
life purpose.

8. Trust / Faith

As people clarify their life purpose and begin to live true to it, many of
them report a surprising increase in synchronicity and serendipity in
their lives. It's as though the Universe is rewarding them for the courage
to live true to their purpose. With this comes a deepening in trust and
faith for most of these people, as they realize that indeed there is a
greater force in the Universe than themselves and they are an integral
part of that force.

9. Grace

According to the dictionary, grace is 'the unmerited divine assistance
given man...' and people living on purpose often report living a
grace-filled life. When you commit to living true to your purpose,
something amazing begins to happen. The Universe lines up with your
intention and commitment. Perhaps this quote says it best:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back,
always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creativity
there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless
ideas and splendid plans:That the moment one definitely commits oneself,
then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have
occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising ones
favor all manner of assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have
come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it; boldness has genius,
power and magic in it." W. H. Murray

10. Flow

And perhaps we can summarize the other 9 benefits under this last one.
People living on purpose live in the flow of the Universal stream of
consciousness. Rather than fighting against the current, they allow the
current of what's wanting to happen to happen. They allow what's wanting
to flow to flow. They know that while they may never completely understand
or comprehend God's divine design and plan for this Universe, they can
still be an integral part in its realization.

About the Author
W. Bradford Swift founded Life On Purpose Institute so people could have more fulfilling and satisfying lives through clarifying their life
purpose, which you can now do 24/7 from anywhere in the world with the
Life On Purpose Process ONLINE Program. Learn more

I'm curious, has everyone forgotten about our little novel we were working on before Christmas? Anyone interested in starting it up again? Volunteers for a new chapter? Anyone? Anyone at all?

‘Tis the season for figure skating. It’s one of the very few sports I enjoy watching on television. It’s more artistic than a football game, more graceful than a wrestling match. I love dance and gymnastics and figure skating is like a combination of both with the added challenge of ice.

I’m particularly enthralled with the pairs skating — the throws, the side-by-side spins and jumps, the complicated dangerous lifts. Exciting stuff! But then there are the men and women’s singles, increasing in difficulty every season. I sit on the edge of my seat holding my breath while I wait to see who will land the quads, who’s layback spin demonstrates the best lines and speed.

Sometimes the competition is fierce. Everyone skates clear, practically perfect. Nobody makes any obvious errors. But then there are the other times.

If you’ve ever watched a figure skating competition you know what I mean. The skater begins with a brilliant smile, builds speed with the music, leaps into the air for the first jump — and then something goes drastically wrong. The body tilts the wrong way, the blade slices into the ice at an odd angle, and the skater collapses as the audience winces, “Ohhh!”

Silence engulfs the arena as everyone ponders the same thought; “Will the program be saved?”

Usually, it is. The skater regains control and finishes the program strong. But sometimes the confidence is shaken, the timing is thrown off, the momentum can’t be regained, and the audience watches in horror as the skater stumbles awkwardly through the footwork sequence, spins dangerously close to the boards, and continues to fall — jump after jump after jump.

It’s painful to watch these programs. In a desperate attempt to gain some points and confidence the skater often starts adding disastrous unscheduled jumps, and the audience sends silent prayers for a solid landing that never materialises.

But here’s the thing that strikes me most about these horror shows on ice — the skater never quits. He or she pushes to the end of the program no matter how many falls, no matter how out of sync with the music. And when the final note fades and the skater is left alone at centre ice wearing a whole lot of regret and a grim smile, the audience comes onto their feet and applauds the effort, the determination, the sheer guts of it all.

It is very rare for a skater to quit. I think I’ve only seen it once and it was because of a technical problem with the skate blade. Once the music starts, skaters are committed to the program. Anything can happen in that three or four minutes. It can be great or it can be terrible, but either way, you can count on the skater to be there on the ice at the end.

Now, imagine if everyone approached their lives with this sort of strength and determination. What if nobody ever quit? What if nobody ever let fear of failure stop them from reaching their goals? What if everyone shrugged off their embarrassment or humiliation and focused on doing better next time? Imagine a world filled with figure skaters. Imagine the accomplishments!