Become Like A Tree That Bends With The Wind

Let's face it. It's not going to happen. There is not a lottery ticket on life. It's usually a series of ebb and flow, up and down, side to side, down, then up again.

Human nature tends to look for the pot at the end, but what if it were the journey that counted? 

In the journey, if we don't stop and remember to be thankful for where we are, for the people who have crossed our paths, and yes, even the situations that caused us grief -- we miss out on the whole point of what life is about: the experiences and relationships that shape us. Harboring grudges, bitterness, and hate only makes us less appealing, shortens our lifespan, and makes everyone around us miserable.

Here's to mastering gratitude, focusing on love, and wishing our enemies well. Maybe if we try that, our ebb and flow will bring us a little more joy.

From Professional Athlete to Incapacitated in a Moment Alone

Imagine watching TV at home, then getting up to leave the room, and all of a sudden, without warning, you can't walk. Not just a blip on the radar, you're faced with a long and painful rehab, unanswered questions, and struggling to learn how to move, when it once seemed seamless.

That's the story of former professional lacrosse player +jim moss.

Moss was considered one of the top box lacrosse players in the world. He's been a member of Team Canada, had numerous all star appearances and accolades, and has been one of the game's biggest ambassadors. He won a Mann Cup with Brampton in 2002 and was inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame.

While it is difficult to put ourselves into his position, knowing what it is like to be an elite athlete in one moment then have your legs cave in the next, what makes Moss' story even more remarkable is his attitude. He never looked at this situation as permanent.

The story gets better after he realizes that he is more than just an athlete, that his physical condition does not dictate who he is as a person. That's when he set off to inspire the world by sharing his gratitude for the little moments of happiness in social media. It's a concept that exploded, and then The Smile Epidemic was born.

He explains more in an interview with +Virtual Newsmakers.

Can't Is Not An Option

There is a story in Alvin Law's book: Alvin's Laws of Life where he is a frustrated kid who was accompanied by his therapist to a Canadian Football League game. Not his favorite team, but he was thrilled to be able to attend a live event.

Alvin was annoyed because doctors and therapist had been trying to "normalize" him to fit in for years. Born without arms, he had actually learned how to use his feet for hands, and quite well, at that. Meanwhile, the medical experts were forcing him to wear prosthetic arms, which in those days were uncomfortable, heavy, and cumbersome.

To play along with his therapist, he used these arms to pick up a cup of soda, but as the cup got closer to his face, the arms stopped working. They were stuck. So instead, he took off his shoes and picked up the cup from the security of the prosthetic arms and finally took his drink.

I love this story. To read how he tells it is has me rolling off the chair laughing every time.

But this story is a symbol.

If everyone conformed to society norms, then there would be no inventions, technology would not have evolved, we would not have a lot of the comforts we take for granted today.

Sometimes, you need to make up your own rules, as long as they are not hurtful to others.

I encourage you to visit Alvin's website to get a copy of his book. It's a good read and it will inspire you, no matter what types of challenges you face.

Perception and the Fight Club Rules

I've never met Kevin Trudeau. I cannot tell you first-hand if he kicks puppies or snuffs out butterflies. What I can tell you is he has been one of the single-most positive influences in my life for the past year and three months.

There is no doubt he can be controversial, off the wall, and just plain out there. So when I saw the ABC News piece about Kevin, it kind of made me smile. It just goes to show that no matter what side of a fence one sits on, everyone is in good company.

December 2011, I was introduced to the 14-CD package Your Wish is Your Command. It was everything I was looking for at the time. It was the missing key to all the motivational puzzles. It took over where Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich left off.

Money was tight, but I joined the Global Information Network. I never really looked at it from the multi-level marketing aspect that many people do. I looked at it for the value that the audios had brought to the table and how they impacted my thinking...which for everyone is a constant challenge. The bathroom mirror is not unlike a vehicle side mirror: outward confidence and togetherness is not always as it appears.

I listen to one or more of the GIN audios over and over again nearly every day. I listen to them when awake and many times play them when I go to sleep so they stick to the subconscious brain. They have been my lifeline.

From outward appearance, some of my choices and ventures may look as unconventional and crazy as Kevin's do to the haters. Sometimes I question my own choices, but hindsight means you have to live with them and work through them accordingly. That said, what has happened since GIN and KT have come into my life is that a dream project materialized. This is where the craziness steps in. This project is out of my normal genre, but it also includes an element of it. When it finally launches, it will allow me to work in a way I've always dreamed of: tapping into extreme creativeness, using every form of media known to man, and seeing final products that entertain, inspire, and even create a few jobs in the process. 

The sacrifices made (shelter, belongings, time, lots of debt) have been extremely personal, but will be worth it in the end. All the dogs will be sent to the pound and a new beginning means working at something that is way bigger than me or anyone else involved. I knew I had to risk everything to do my part to see it through. So while things like this do not happen overnight, the challenge is to keep the focus while juggling the back end of survival. I know I am not alone. Any project worthwhile demands the same sacrifices. Just look at Walt Disney and Milton S. Hershey who went bankrupt several times over before their existing companies came to being.

The Global Information Network may indeed feel like a scam to the people in the ABC piece, and KT may seem like he is too good to be true. It all boils down to the messages in the GIN audios. It's about every one of us as individuals. The hardest thing in the world to do when other aspects of your life are crashing around you is this: BELIEVE. Without belief, nothing will manifest except the belief you hold that it won't happen. 

There is a close friend of mine who has had similar challenges. Knowing that has been comforting and encouraging, especially as I watch him now on his upward swing. Pointing a finger and judging him would mean my life is perfect and that I have never made a bad decision.

We are all the sum of our choices, for sure. They may not always be the best ones, and sometimes the decisions lead to a venture really worthwhile, which allows you to go back and make good on all those other choices. The one thread that binds it together is belief. 

We Can Learn A Lot From A Squirrel

January 21 is a special day. Besides Martin Luther King Day and Inauguration Day, according to one of my Facebook friends, it is also Squirrel Appreciation Day.

It's no secret that I love squirrels. They are full of personality and so much fun to watch. They can be quite tame, too, once they get to know you.

Squirrels are eating machines. Somewhere in Southwest Calgary, there is a stash of peanuts a mountain high. Besides the meal they would consume in my yard, they'd scurry off to save some of the grub for later.

I'd always laugh when I shopped for critter feed and overhear an older couple saying, "I wish the squirrels would stay out of the birdseed."

I used to think, "I wish the birds would stay out of the squirrel feed."

They don't process the same way we do. It's not like a squirrel will see birdseed in a yard and think, I can't eat that, it's for birds only. No. If the seed is on one of those "squirrel-proof" feeders, you can be assured that the squirrel will infiltrate the device to get to the seed. He has nothing but time to plot his technique.

The one thing squirrels are that many humans are not is persistent.

Squirrels never rest until they win their prize. Once they determine there is something they want, they will go to any length to eat it.

Squirrels teach you to stretch your limits and not let any obstacle be an excuse for you to not reach your goal.

Squirrels embrace diversity. They mingle with the other animals in their community, even their enemies. They will also warn others of impending danger from a common predator. Their sense of friendships and community is admirable.

When they do find their goal, squirrels will stand their ground and not let anyone take it away from them, until they choose to share.

So dust off your inner squirrel and go after your dreams. The best part is that some of the spoils will drop to the ground so that others can go for that ride with you.

In the meantime, Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day.