I’ve been posting a lot of videos of the Daily Motivators in our online community.
Please post your comments!
If everyone believed in themselves the way I believe in myself, the world would definitely be a better place. People would be happier – more focused on their goals and dreams and less focused on their problems. I would show you how I do it, but it has to come from the inside. You find it by searching fearlessly. When you do find “it” you know because you unlock the most incredible passion inside and you recognize that nothing can stop you now from reaching your goals. It doesn’t matter anymore when people tell you how difficult it will be. Those words have no meaning. It’s as if there is no longer room in my life for that kind of vocabulary. It has no place inside of me or around me and I even find myself removing myself from people who show any signs of a lack of faith in me. It doesn’t make any sense to engage with people like that. I want people who encourage and excite me. I want people who want what I want – to be free from the bondage that most people have imposed on themselves by labeling themselves with all kinds of limitations. A thousand versions of “oh I’ll never be able to do that” or worse “oh you’ll never be able to do that”. Those kinds of words are like spiritual poison. The other day I was talking with someone who said to me,
“..but Seth you have to be realistic!”
My response was “what does realistic look like?” Your reality is whatever you create. If we area created in G-d’s image then we all have the power to create. We create our own reality based on what we believe we are capable of doing and stopping exactly where we believe we are limited. So what does YOUR reality look like? What can you accomplish? Is there anything you can’t accomplish if you put your whole entire mind and heart into it? You owe it to yourself to find out who you really are as defined by what you really want to be doing with your time and your life. It makes me so sad when I speak to people who are admittedly unsatisfied with their lives yet they won’t do anything to change things because they think they can’t. They think it’s unrealistic. What’s unrealistic is to think that anyone or anything in this universe could possibly have intended for me to do or be anything other than what and who I have the potential to be. What and who I love to be.
Some people tell us that we have to do what they do – that we have to go according to their plan in order to achieve their kind of success. They’re wrong. You have to go according to your plan – you have to be dong what YOU love to do and what you want to be doing more than anything else in the world because when you are doing what you love to do that much, then no one and nothing can possibly stop you. Nothing can come between you and your ultimate success – there’s no room for obstacles, only ways to get around and over them. You can’t help but become the best at it because you love it more than anyone else. No one can possibly compete with you. There really is no competition because there is plenty to go around and your version of it is unique – no one else can possibly duplicate it because it has your own unique blend of spices added to it based on your own unique experience. This can never be duplicated. It can be mimicked, but never duplicated.
So to me, at this stage of my life it would be insane to be spending my time doing anything other than all of the things I love and none of the things I don’t love, and yes if I had it my way, everyone and I do mean EVERYONE would be in business for themselves. There would be no more employees – just people contracting to help other people and getting paid to live a life they love.
Imagine a world like this where everyone is so happy and grateful for the life they have that they can’t help but constantly look for more and more ways to help and give back. No one is bitter and no one is every telling anyone else that they can’t accomplish anything they want in their lives.
I think we have probably all read that e-mail that talks about a “Reason, A Season, or a Lifetime”. In case you haven’t or you’ve forgotten how it goes, or you just want to read it again for inspiration I am posting it in the You’re A Miracle Blog.
Sometimes when you have reached a point that you thought for sure a friend was in the “Lifetime” category, you find out otherwise. They sort of slip from that category into the reason or season categories. This can be painful. How do you deal with a friend you’ve had for what already seems like a lifetime who turns around and attacks you, attacks your character. It’s one thing to attack someone’s actions, and an entirely different thing to attack one’s character.
So what do I do when my character is attacked? It takes everything I have not to strike back. Not to attack back and tell them where their character sucks. Ironically the mere act of doing what they have done in these situations is a direct reflection of a character that sucks.
There are so many little phrases that come to mind, 2 really stand out. First I have learned that I have to ask G-d what he (or she J) would have me do in this situation. What kind of man would you have me be? Then I have to keep asking. Literally all day long because my mind keeps going back to how hurt I am by this. It would be different if it came from someone I wasn’t close to. Even in the very specific case that I am writing about I am talking about a person whose opinions are so mass produced that I shouldn’t give them any credence at all by rights. Buy “Rights” have nothing to do with it. This is about feelings. Feeling pass and we move on. I found that yesterday by asking G-d to be with me, by asking G-d constantly to help me be the man G-d would have me be, I was ok. In fact things worked out strangely enough that my phone was unable to accept e-mail yesterday and I was with a new client where it just wasn’t necessary for me to have internet access on my own computer. I could have asked, I purposely didn’t. This enabled me to focus on my work, and I had possibly one of the most productive days of my career to date. No exaggeration. The client could not believe what I was able to accomplish in a day. I came home and there were some e-mails to respond to. Including one additional one from my former friend. I sent him one final response and finished it by saying that there would be no more e-mails from me and no more friendship between us. This of course makes me sad. It’s true – I’ll get over it.
The second phrase comes to mind here. Pray for him. Most people hear this and say “WHAT?!”. Why would I do that? I read the perfect answer to that question in the book I am reading now called “The Committed Life“. Let’s say you are dealing with a negative, bitter, angry person. Let’s just say that ok? The obvious thought is to stay as far away from someone like that as possible. Of course this is exactly what that person is trying to accomplish. Somebody like this pushes people away ironically because they are afraid of being alone. So if I see to it that no one can come close to me then I can blame others for my unhappiness and take no responsibility of my own for it. Of course it isn’t until I do take responsibility for it that I find the power to do something about it. As long as it is everyone else’s fault there is nothing I can do about it. As miserable as that is, in many respects it is much easier because I can just sit on my couch blaming the world for my unhappiness instead of actually making the effort to change. Changing takes great effort – especially to change at the core levels. Most of us have to have some sort of traumatic experience in order to bring about that deep a desire to change. A near death experience – drug addiction, a terrible accident, or worse than anything the loss of a dear loved one.
So what/how/why do I pray for someone like this? The answer is actually simple as described in the book referenced above. Let’s say I pray and ask G-d to make this person happy? Let’s say I pray and say, “G-d please bring this person all of the happiness they would really like to have in life”. Now let’s just say that my prayers are answered? Let’s say this person finds real happiness in his or her life? So much so that he or she changes at the inner core? What will happen? For one they might just leave you alone forever out of shame. Or, they might come back sincerely remorseful for whatever harm they’ve caused you. You might just lose an enemy and gain a friend in one shot. So yeah, I’m praying like hell for him!
G-d please bless him and give him all of the happiness he can possibly enjoy in life! Amen!
I wanted to post this – obviously I didn’t write it. I love it though, and I love you!
Reason, Season, or Lifetime
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
— Unknown
There are some confessions we have to make. In fact, I’ve learned that we have to confess everything to someone, but not all things to everyone. Some confessions will hurt the ones we love and only serve our own selfish desires to be relieved of the guilt. Maybe even merely the guilt we feel about feeling the way we do. Not necessarily loving someone else, but even being angry at the person we love. Telling the person we are angry at that we are angry at them is only going to hurt them and spread more frustration and anger. When I discuss my frustrations with someone else I don’t tell the person I am frustrated with that I am discussing those frustrations with others. Even if I know I am doing everything for the purpose of being a better friend, husband, son etc.. The buck stops here. I can decide how to react to things, and what things to discuss and with whom. The goal for me is to see how I can take every situation and turn it into (if it isn’t already) a situation in which I can make the world a better place. By reacting to anger with love. By reacting to frustration with love. By treating pain with love. By healing every ailment with courtesy, kindness, justice, and love.
We give credit where credit is due and for all of our knowledge, wisdom, and successes we give credit to God, The Universe, A Spirit of The universe – whatever you want to call it. For our failures we can attribute that we did not rely on the source. We did not rely on our creator because when we rely entirely on our creator success is inevitable. Isn’t it also true that many of our failures are only failures in our perception? Isn’t it true that we find out later most of the time that what we once thought was a failure was simply a derailment that got us onto the right track where we otherwise may have gone off to the wrong one? Maybe it is fair to say that there really are no failures other then the failure of our perception – the failure on our own parts to recognize a situation for what it is? Just a situation. This to shall pass (Not my words of course).
The ultimate outcome of expressing my frustration about someone I love to another person should be that I find the guidance and the assurance that I need that everything is going to be ok for starters. Next I should learn where my conduct has been poor. Where my conduct may have lead another to react poorly to me. Because I can only change my own conduct. With this knowledge I can re-enter the relationship a new man. I can see where I can do right, and I don’t need to be concerned with where the other has done wrong. That is their responsibility. I will never be able to make another see their part in things – they have to do that on their own. By focusing on what I can give – what I can bring to the relationship I am empowered and the universe WILL give me what I want – it’s inevitable. So if I am giving love I will definitely get love in return. I just can’t be caught up in “how” I will get it, I just have to trust that I will get it.
Confess everything to someone, but not all things to everyone and most of all.. be careful who you confess to!
Every day you come into contact with people and every time that happens you make a difference in someone’s life. Remember that and you are bound to make even more of a difference in the lives of everyone you come into contact with. It’s true that you cannot fail at anything you want to succeed in and the best way to get there is to help others. Encourage others to chase their dreams. Ever tell someone about a dream of yours? A fantasy that you want to see come to life and they respond negatively telling you why it won’t work? Those people are dream crushers. Find out what other people dream about, it may give you some ideas and it puts you in a position to help them realize their dreams. Even by encouraging them and telling them how great it is that they have a dream you help them get closer to it. Every time you do that for someone, you’ve just taken a step closer to realizing your own dreams, whatever they are. I know this because that is how the Universe works. The more you give, the more you have. Beat people to the chase! Don’t make them tell you what they want, find out and then think of ways you can help them get it. Offer them words of encouragement. Let them know that you are there waiting for them at the finish line because it has happened already simply because they desire it. Everyone else just has to catch up! Tell people that it’s important to you simply because it is important to them. This reminds people that they are not alone. It makes them feel good, and that will make you feel good. How many people did you smile at today? Did you smile at them or did you just walk by them without acknowledging them. I’ve tried both and I promise the smile always feels better and it definitely looks better. Doesn’t it feel good when someone smiles at you? As long as it’s not one of those creepy I want to take you home and lock you up kind of smiles J.
When you start your day ask God to help you to know what kind of man or woman you should be today. Ask how God would have you be in this moment. Then a moment later ask again. And Again. Keep doing that all day and you will find that you are developing a relationship with your creator. You will find that this relationship with your creator brings you peace, encouragement, passion, and you will find that this relationship eliminates fear. Fear is not real – it is based on things that we make up in our minds. I got a big bill the other day and I had to remind myself that it was just a piece of paper with a number on it. It can’t hurt me. I’ll pay it and I’ll move on. You have a power greater than any human power in your life, a power that lives within you. A power that is greater than any obstacle that will ever be placed in front of you. Remember that. You have nothing to fear. You will not lose as long as you keep giving. You will keep gaining and gaining. Life is good, even when you can’t see the good in it!
Faults are easy to find if you look for them. Look for people’s Assets – I guarantee you’ll find yourself surrounded by them!
Have you ever known a person who spent or seemed to spend most or all of their time gossiping? Most of that time is spent finding fault with people and then sharing with others of course while the person is not there to defend himself or herself. This is the lowest form of conversation – vexatious to the spirit; this person will suck the life out of you almost every time you speak to them.
Try spending the whole day finding and talking about the assets you can see in a person. Make a point of greeting every person with a warm and friendly smile, even if you don’t like them. Yes this is fake – but just because you don’t like a person doesn’t mean you have to rob them of their happiness by letting them know it. Of course it also means you don’t pursue a relationship with them unless you are sincerely trying to find out more about them for yourself so that you can understand them better and then by seeing their assets you might come to like them. They might just become your best friend. When you pray for someone you don’t like to become a better person that prayer might just be answered. That person may go from being an enemy to a friend – a double win for you!
With the right outlook on life you can really accomplish anything you want to. You can be unstoppable. Nothing can stand in your way. Every dream, hope and vision of yours can become a reality. So what blocks us from these things? Anger, Jealousy, gossip – nothing is more of a waste of time than gossip. Always keeping my mind’s eye on the image of what I want my life to look like, inside and out it becomes easier and easier to see which things help me get closer to that picture, which things take me away from it, and which things don’t really get me anywhere. Then as I see things through this filter it is a simple matter of choice – which direction do I want to go in today. The more often I chose to do things that take me in the direction of my image, my “Whale” as I put it in a recent Daily Motivator, the faster I get there. It’s that simple.
So what about people? Again it’s simple – each and every person I spend time with falls into 1 of 3 camps – they either motivate and inspire me to reach my goals, or they drag me down – away from my goals, or they don’t move me one way or the other. Another simple choice, really – who do I want to be around? Which camp do I want to be in today?
You’re A Miracle! Get Excited about today!
The realization that my life is filled with miracles is exciting enough to attract more miracles
It works just like that. The formula is really simple too. I wake up in the morning and look around myself. I acknowledge that what I have around me is truly a miracle. A place to live, clothes on my back, food to eat. Then I look at all the extras – the people in my life who care about me. The great friends and family that I have. The toys, computers, programs, photos to share, facebook friends – my whole community around me. This is all a miracle. As I form this perspective the feeling is intense – gratitude so deep and so strong that it feels like a high. This fixes my mood. I have everything I need and things just keep getting better. With this feeling inside of me I bring forth a winning attitude. Then the opportunities come my way and I don’t even feel like I am trying. That’s because I did my part at the beginning of my day – then I just showed up and The Universe took care of the rest for me.
That’s all I have to do each day is recognize that I have a power in my life that is going to show up for me. All I have to do is show up. None of this really belongs to me, it is all just borrowed and I am lucky to have whatever I have.
When I first got clean one of my biggest fears was handling my finances. This was not something I did very well when drugs and alcohol consumed my life and after several rehabs and finally some time clean I was humble enough to recognize that just because I was clean I wasn’t going to become an instant financial management wizard. Who knew I was going to eventually develop a company that does this for businesses :).
The one thing that seemed obvious enough was that if I wanted some peace of mind about this I needed to have a plan. this means a budget of some sort. Sure enough as I laid out my budget, looking first at my expenses and then at my income the mere act of doing this made a difference in my stress level because even before I knew the outcome I knew I was doing something about it and that in itself was enough to bring me some peace. Then once I had finished, reviewed it a number of times to be sure it was complete and saw that with the right job I needed to make $16/hour to make it all work I was relieved because i knew it was not going to be a problem getting a job paying that much, especially with an accounting degree.
Over the years I’ve learned and this past week I learned once again that the same is true of time management. If I want to be able to relax and get excited about today, I cannot be spending my day worrying about when I am gong to get everything done. I need a plan. I need a list of tasks (commonly known as our “To Do List”) and then I need to transfer those tasks from the To Do List into my calendar so that I know clearly when each thing will get done. This is how I get the peace of mind I need so that I can relax knowing that everything has been taken into account and that everything I need to do can and will get done. As I lay this out I may find that I just do not have the time to do it all. This is when it is time to ask for help. First I should have somebody help me with the “time budget” and if that doesn’t yield a workable solution then the next step is to see which task(s) I can delegate.
So these days I plan my month every month just before the month begins. Then throughout the month I am constantly reviewing and updating the plan. This goes for the time and the financial, and between those two I really do have pretty much everything covered!
Please enjoy the video:
I need to change things in order to keep up with the Universe. The world around me is constantly changing. I am constantly changing. Sometimes it is a matter of dismantling everything, acting as if I have no plan at all for life and then from this starting point of ‘0’ I can re-construct my life with no past influences, no future influences, just what is in front of me right now. I lay out out in list form and then transfer the items to a schedule. This is how I get peace. This is how I find comfort. My peace of mind and comfort comes from knowing that I have some sort of plan for what I will do, when and how while at the same time maintaining the flexibility that comes from recognizing and most importantly accepting that things will change, and I will not always be able to stick 100% to that plan. I have to be ok with that, otherwise I get stuck.
If I find myself stuck, the best thing to do is start over, acting as if there is no plan and then re-construct. I can do this any time and as often as I like and I can get excited about the new beginning every time I do this, every day, every hour, every minute. It all comes down to one thing. Perspective.
You're A Miracle! 
You must be logged in to post a comment.