Power Of Encouragement

Two frogs named Will and Fern fell into a deep pit together. At first, they thought it would be easy to jump out. But after lots of failed attempts they cried for help and a crowd of animals gathered around the pit.

Everyone agreed it was hopeless so they urged Will and Fern to accept their fate. The harder the trapped frogs jumped, the more the crowd yelled at them to give up. Finally, Will stopped trying. Fern refused to quit and with one mighty try she leaped out of the pit.

The crowd was amazed. Someone asked her why she kept trying when everyone told her she had no chance.

Fern was baffled. “What are you saying?” she asked. “I’m a bit deaf. I was sure you were all cheering me on. I couldn’t have done it without your encouragement.”

I learned of this story from a woman who was in a transitional housing program recovering from a long period of drug abuse, homelessness and hopelessness. She wanted everyone to understand how important positivism and encouragement can be to help people who seem down and out to get up and out. She said she got out of her own pit because caring people helped her believe in herself and gave her the confidence she needed to jump a little harder.

There will always be people in your life ready to tell you what you can’t do. Real friends root for you, support you and help you discover your inner talents and strengths.

I hope you will find and treasure those kinds of friends and be one yourself.

Remember, character counts.

Michael Josephson
www.whatwillmatter.com

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A Change of Hearts

This is a great story by Bob Perks.

Many years ago on a trip to Kentucky for a speaking engagement, I had one of those “meant to be moments” I treasure. The plane was delayed and I was nervous.

They finally announced boarding. Now, I don't believe for a moment that I'm the only person who goes through this. From the moment I enter the plane I start scanning ahead to see my seat.

"Who's sitting next to me on this flight?" I wonder. 

"Is there anyone in my seat already?" 

"Are there any screaming babies nearby?"

Flight time is precious time for me. I sleep, write or read. So screaming babies and frequent bathroom people become a problem.

Today I get to sit next to a beautiful young girl who appears to be about 12 years old. As I approach my seat she seems nervous, perhaps a little apprehensive and I must say very disappointed. You see walking in front of me was this handsome young male teenager. I could see that sparkle in her eye dim as he walked by and I sat down. I'll admit I was nervous and concerned. She was traveling alone and I was one of those strangers her parents told her not to talk to.

"Hi! My name is Bob,"I said.

"Hello!" she replied without giving her name.

Then we spent the next one hour and fifteen minutes not saying a word.

She was a typical kid. She never sat still for longer than five minutes. Often times she reached into her carry on and pulled out what appeared to be six brushes, four packs of gum and all the empty wrappers, a bag filled with jawbreakers, a tube of rainbow colored sugar crystals and a foot long licorice.

Oh, yes she also ate two bags of airplane peanuts. I gave her mine.

It wasn't until the last 15 minutes of the flight that I heard it. That sweet sounding Voice that said "Give her one of your books!"

Again and again I heard it repeat, "Give her one of your books!" And so I opened one up, signed it and said, "I am a professional speaker and author. I'd like to give you one of my books if you would permit me."

She giggled a bit and said “Yes” followed by "Oh, thanks!"

I then began to explain the story.

"It's a fictional story based on actual events. I changed the names but basically much of this is true. My oldest son, Keith had cancer and that's part of this book."

"Oh, I'm sorry",she said. 

"No need to be. He's doing just fine, thank you. Where are you from?" I asked.

Then for the next ten minutes this young lady never stopped talking. In fact, as we were leaving the plane she talked and walked backwards down the aisle.

Much of what she said was all a blur for me after she said these words: "Wow, I just saw the Hershey Medical Center mentioned in there. Is that where your son went for his cancer treatments?" she asked.

"Yes."

"That's where I had my heart transplant," she said with a big bright smile.

Heart transplant. This child had a heart transplant. Then I took notice. Right at the top of her pink t-shirt, just below her collar bone, the beginnings of a scar peeked over her collar. This vibrant young, beautiful girl had the heart of a donor. Obviously a young donor who lived in a family who cared enough to save another child's life.

She continued to share the details of her stay at Hershey. I continued to listen in amazement. For the story she told was a familiar one. She was the girl down the hall we all prayed for. I never knew how things turned out for her until today.

They say some lives cross because they were meant to. This was more than a chance meeting. I discovered that this child leaving Pittsburgh to go home to Kentucky was a patient in the same hospital, on the same miraculous floor, at the same time my son was there. That little Voice inside of me kept telling me to give her a copy of my book. I argued. The Voice won...as always.

The last words she said to me was..."My Mom always told me that God was going to call me home but then He had a "Change of Heart!"  Do you get it?" 

Then she giggled and laughed as she walked through the last door into the arms of her loving family.

I got it. 

Bob Perks is an inspirational author and speaker and a truly remarkable human being. The story you just read is an actual true story. You can receive his messages sent 2-3 times each week by visiting his website http://www.BobPerks.com I know you will be glad you visited his site.

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Turning Dreams Into Reality: The 7 Lessons I’ve Learned

Here is an inspiration story on having a dream...

In 1995, I was engaged to a guy who wasn’t very nice. I believe that every person comes into your life for a reason, though, and his reason had to do with introducing me to Laguna Beach. He brought me to the Surf & Sand Resort on New Year’s Eve 1995, and on New Year’s Day, I wrote a “resolution” that I would eventually move to Laguna Beach. Even in that short, overnight visit, I knew I’d come home.

The first action to take when you’ve pictured your dream: Record it in writing.

Five years later, a big company transferred me to San Diego to help them revamp a large website. It was a three-year contract, but eight months later, having completed the assignment, I turned in my resignation to skip back across the line to entrepreneurship. On my way from the office to my house, I called Bob Proctor to tell him the news. He asked my plans, and I said, “I’m not sure, but I’m not ready to move back to Denver yet.”

“Where do you want to live?” he asked

“Well, I’d LOVE to live in Laguna Beach, but it’s SO expensive.”

…Silence greeted me on the other side. I knew I had just said the worst possible thing to the man who preaches that nothing is impossible unless YOU make it so. Finally, he said, “Diane.”

I winced, waiting.

“I want you to drive to Laguna Beach right now. Find one of those places where you can rent a mailbox and start forwarding your mail. Today.”

So, I did.

The other thing I’ve learned about having a dream: ACT on the darn thing, even in just a small way, as if you EXPECT it to happen.  

Two weeks later an email arrived in my “in” box from someone I had absolutely no connection to. Completely out of the blue. They were renting their cottage in Laguna Beach for the winter.

Three weeks later, I was a resident of Laguna Beach.

In the years that have followed, Laguna Beach has continually proven a magical “vortex” for me. When I needed to find a larger home for me and my beloved Merlin (a Great Pyrenees), the dream happened in the form of a tiny “For Rent” sign next to a mailbox.

(Next hint on fulfilling a dream: Actively look in all the usual places, but be open to it showing up in an unexpected way.)

When I decided it was time to move to the beach, I had my famous Bob Proctor Goal Card written out and was searching fruitlessly for months. One evening, a friend and I trotted down to my favorite beach for a picnic and, having no knowledge of my search for a beach condo, he looked up at the condo complex looming above us and said, “Wouldn’t it be awesome to live in THAT place?”

I couldn’t believe I had never noticed this place before. With the image of that condo complex in my head, I revised my Goal Card that night.

(Another lesson learned: Slight revisions to the dream are OK. Dropping the dream completely, not OK.)

The next morning, I called the management, asking if rentals were available. She assured me no new rentals had opened up there for years. Two DAYS later, I saw a new, tiny “For Rent” sign on the side of the highway and knew it would lead me to that very same complex. It did, and I was moving into this magnificent place weeks later.

The magic continued again when I decided it was time to move above into the penthouse.

The magic continued again when, in 2008, I decided to start writing a blog – 

LagunaBeachBest.com – and, in mere months, I had collected thousands of subscribed readers. Two years later, having written hundreds of blog entries, I announced that I was going to create the first “travel guide” for Laguna Beach and call it Laguna Beach’s Best.

So, here’s one problem with having a dream: When you talk OUT LOUD about acting on your dream, eventually every friend who's heard you drone on and on about your PLAN to act on your dream begins to ask you for an ETA.

Initially, my announcement had been met with raucous approval from friends far and wide. After all, how hard could this be? Since 1989, I’ve been writing, editing and finishing books for budding authors and famous people. Since 1995 – eighteen years – I’ve had an agency of genius talents helping me do everything else for books, from cover design and layout to websites and marketing materials. Piece of cake.

For two years, I TALKED and PLANNED and TALKED some more … And, by Christmas last year, my raucous supporters were beginning to turn on me. The question, "When's the book going to be done?" began to pepper me like those "mine-mine-mine" seagulls in the movie, Finding Nemo.

In March this year, I reluctantly pulled up to the “Book Starting Line.” I rallied a single troop – Patti Knoles – the most patient, amazing book designer in the universe. She readily agreed and vroomed up next to me, tires smoking, engine gunning, grinning over at me. What could I do? I couldn't back down now. She was already asking for the back cover copy, for criminy's sake.

That's when the terrible realization about having a dream hit me …

Once you make your “Declaration of the Dream,” God/the angels/the Universe are going to be peeling rubber ahead of you, halfway to the first turn while you’re still idling at the START line. The Universe is like that - it's not much for excuses when it's time to lock and load a dream you keep blabbering on about.

Granted, you have every right to TRY to put a governor on that Universe. Over the last few months, I tried a few tactics (aka: excuses) of my own … I was too busy with my clients to work on my own stuff … travel guides require so much fact checking … I had to re-take larger photos of many of the entities … the print bids were ghastly sums.

At that last excuse, I sent an email to Patti. This was costing too much money, I didn't have it in the coffers, and we should just shelve the book until 2014.

I pictured her sitting there at her computer, halfway through the design of the book with the biggest sections still looming. She could have said to herself, "Good. I'm tired of this book. Good decision."

I 

waited on the other side, computer humming, watching my email, wondering how long it would be before she would respond. Three minutes later, she wrote, "I'm going to keep working on the book. It's a great book, Diane. It'll work out."

The most important fact I learned that very moment about dreams: When you see someone faltering on their dream, believe in it for them.

I remember years ago, when I had talked about reaching what appeared to be an unfathomable dream, Bob Proctor told me, "Diane, if you don't believe in this dream of yours, I'll believe in it for you."

For years, I've told client after client the same. They hit that Terror Barrier; they hit that fear, and they start to back away, scrabbling back to what they know, what's comfortable. 

Who needs a dream anyway? And I tell them that I believe, that my team believes, and we always bring that person through to the other side.

One person believed in my dream more than I did at that moment. And at that very moment, everything changed.

Two questions I leave you with:

1.     What are you doing to act on your dream?

2.     Whose dream can you believe in today?

What you do – or don’t do – will change everything.

Diane Armitage

As an Internet strategist, writer and website creator for global entities and renowned motivational speakers, it wasn’t long before Diane Armitage had set up her own Internet blog to begin writing about everything she loved in Laguna Beach, too. Begun in 2008, the blog – www.LagunaBeachBest.com - continues to gain a large and loyal worldwide following of subscribers.

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Better to Ask than Assume

The late Bill Love used to tell the story of a psychiatrist, engineer, and doctor who got lost in the Canadian woods. Stumbling on a trapper's cabin but getting no response at the door, they went inside for shelter and waited for his return.

In the corner, on a crude platform at waist-high level, was a wood-burning stove. It quickly became not only the focus of interest for their half-frozen bodies but the center of their conversation as well.

The psychiatrist explained the stove's unusual position as evidence of psychological problems brought on by isolation. The engineer, on the other hand, saw it as an ingenious form of forced-air heating. The physician surmised the poor fellow had arthritis and found it too painful to bend over to fuel his stove.

When the trapper finally arrived, they could not resist asking about the stove whose warmth had saved them. "Simple," he said. "My stove pipe was too short."

I wasn't along for that hunting trip, but I've been where those guys were that day. I've tried to read someone's mind. I've seen motives that weren't there. I've walked into situations, caught a snippet of what was happening, and made a fool of myself by some badly chosen response. Or I've used a perfectly innocent slip of the tongue as my excuse to take offense. I can be a real jerk at times!

On occasion, the victim has been a stranger. At other times, it was a friend from church or colleague at work. Most often, it has been my wife or child.

Communication is a wonderful thing - when it happens. But there are so many barriers. 

Each of us brings baggage to every situation. Words can be vague or carry very different nuances for people from different backgrounds. Then there are the prejudices and blind spots all of us have.

Lots of confusion could be eliminated and far more progress made this week by following this simple rule: When something isn't clear, ask. Don't assume. Don't guess. Don't mind-read. Try swallowing your pride and say, "I'm not sure I understand. Do you mind explaining that to me?"

This simple strategy could save you embarrassment, time, and money. More important still, it might save one of your life's most important relationships.

Rubel Shelly

Rubel Shelly is a Preacher and Professor of Religion and Philosophy located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In addition to church and academic responsibilities, he has worked actively with such community projects as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, From Nashville With Love, Metro (Nashville) Public Schools, Faith Family Medical Clinic, and Operation Andrew Ministries. To learn more about Rubel please go to: www.RubelShelly.com

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Inspirational Leadership

Listening to politicians’ nasty rhetoric, one might think that leadership has to be aggressive and confrontational, but consider this parable about leadership.

A student assigned to write an essay about an effective leader wrote this story:

“I’ve been taking a bus to school for years. Most passengers keep to themselves and no one ever talks to anyone else.

“About a year ago, an elderly man got on the bus and said loudly to the driver, ‘Good morning!’ Most people looked up, annoyed, and the bus driver just grunted. The next day the man got on at the same stop and again he said loudly, ‘Good morning!’ to the driver. Another grunt. By the fifth day, the driver relented and greeted the man with a semi-cheerful ‘Good morning!’ The man announced, ‘My name is Benny,’ and asked the driver, ‘What’s yours?’ The driver said his name was Ralph.

“That was the first time any of us heard the driver’s name and soon people began to talk to each other and say hello to Ralph and Benny. Soon Benny extended his cheerful ‘Good morning!’ to the whole bus. Within a few days his ‘Good morning!’ was returned by a whole bunch of ‘Good mornings’ and the entire bus seemed to be friendlier. People got to know each other.

“If a leader is someone who makes something happen, Benny was our leader in friendliness.

“A month ago, Benny didn’t get on the bus and we haven’t seen him since. Everyone began to ask about Benny and lots of people said he may have died. No one knew what to do and the bus got awful quiet again.

“So last week, I started to act like Benny and say, ‘Good morning!’ to everyone and they cheered up again. I guess I’m the leader now. I hope Benny comes back to see what he started.”

Remember, character counts.

Michael Josephson
www.whatwillmatter.com

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