I talk to a lot of people about the beliefs they have adopted over their lifetime.  We talk about how many of these beliefs that were handed down to us are good beliefs, but there are some beliefs that limit us in our growth. The power is in having the ability to know which ones are debilitating.

William George Jordan goes on to say, “In it’s supreme phase, this attitude of life is rare, but unless one can begin to put himself in harmony with this view, the individual will only creep in the truth, when he might walk bravely. With the love of truth the individual scorns to do a mean thing, no matter what be the gain, even if the whole world would approve.”

When was the last time that you stopped to consider what the popular thing to do is, vs. what the truthful and honest thing to do is? We are  a society based largely on greed and getting what is “ours”. Compassion and empathy are riding in the caboose on this train.

Jordan finishes by saying, “He would not sacrifice the sanction of his own high standard for any gain; he would not willingly deflect the needle of his thought and act from True North, as he knows it, by the slightest possible variation.”

We are living in persuasive times. Morals and truth do not seem to have much meaning anymore. It is not too late to lead by example. It is up to you to make a difference to the world and it starts in your community and in your home. Denouncing frivolous television and shady politicians is a good place to start. Injustice happens daily and we all have the power to seek what is right and be emotionally intelligent. Our society is screaming for the truth. Follow the truth and keep your compass pointed towards True North.

These videos are powerful and I recommend them to anyone who is having difficulties with finances, relationships, children, or any other emotional based pain they may be experiencing.

We are all dealing with something in our lives at some point whether it comes down to a death in the family or maybe we are struggling with our spirituality. I was reading through past blogs that I have written from 5 years ago and I find it eerie that I was commenting on the wild ride that we were having with the recession. The sad truth is that things really haven’t changed much since then. We may be in for more of the same ride for awhile.

This is why it is important to fortify your inner strength and try to deal with anything that may be hampering your personal growth. Robbins talks about the 7 important core human needs.

Certainty
Uncertainty
Variety
Significance
Connection/Love
Growth
Contribution

We will have these needs in our life and they will keep us in life situations that we might have thought twice about staying in at one time or another. We will manifest these needs regardless if they are positive or negative. It is when they are negative is when we need to re-analyze our life situation.

We all have the ability and the power to change our life for the better in many ways. Watch these short videos and you might see things that will help answer some of your personal questions about yourself.

http://robbinsmadanescoachtraining.com/?p=629

But that sad truth is that many of us are living in our past. We have painful experiences that will keep us chained to the drama that has happened whether it was a death in the family or maybe a bad financial experience. It can be as small as being bullied on the playground as a child or being dumped by a boyfriend or a girlfriend.

I have had my share of painful experiences, for example losing my father at a fairly young age and dealing with a few not so wonderful experiences in business. But to stay in the past is never productive. Only for reference on what mistakes not to repeat and to remember fond memories.

The point being is that we need to stay focused on the present and not be living too far in the future or the past. The pain of drama can overwhelm us, but to acknowledge the emotion first and then take action in a mind of acceptance is not easy. It takes practice.

We need to practice this daily or whenever the drama becomes too overwhelming. Most of the thoughts that come into our mind are often the reason for fear, doubt and worry. And sometimes they never come true.

Mark Twain said, ” I have had more bad things happen to me in my life than most people, the good thing is that most of them never came true.”

Be careful of the drama we can create with our thoughts.

My point is that there are so many options in this world today that we need to look way back and average the teachings of the great masters over time. There is one thread that winds its way throughout history of all the great teachings and that is to be compassionate and empathetic. Have a giving spirit and know that you can make a difference to many by giving a little every day. That may be as simple as taking someone you know that is having a hard time out for a cup of coffee. Small gestures make a big difference.
Don’t be stuck on the matters of the world and what some call success. We all have different ideas of what success is, but these thoughts are driven by beliefs that are handed down from many different channels in our lives.
When your ego is behind the wheel and driving your decisions, it is easy to forget the lessons that have been there for centuries. I believe that there is no big secret. Hold your spiritual beliefs close to your vest and cherish them. Don’t force them on others. This is the ego wanting to be in control. Humans seem to have a need to be right. In the end it really doesn’t matter. You are special and you have the ability to go out and make things happen in your life and the lives of others. Today is your day to blossom and grow. Continue to thrive and open the doorway to your full potential!

It is an interesting quote in many ways as it really makes your mind twist. Even though we live in a country that was founded on Judeo Christian values, there still are many times and instances where we see people here acting with very cruel and harsh behavior, often in the name of their religion. I am not talking about just in the US in particular. If you stop and think about what is happening in many places in the world we can see the widespread anger everywhere, as seen the past week in Afganistan over the burning of the Koran. Two Americans that were there to help the Afganistan people were killed because of the actions of someone else. These two soldiers probably had families and may have been reservists that were called to duty to simply do what they were told to do.

What is the sense in the attempt to help a people like the Afghani people? Let’s face it, this is a politically based campaign and we are there for many other reasons other than helping the country to be free of the Taliban. It is truly sad for the many innocents that will have to endure their uncertain futures at the hands of these merciless and hateful miscreants.

But what is the point of the hatred? Their beliefs have them on the verge of complete insanity. Especially when you consider that we are all facing one major enemy on this planet. There is a growing evil and it knows no boundaries. If someone were to burn a bible would we be in the streets trying to kill the people that were from the same country of the bible burner? Especially if they were there trying to help us to be free of our predicament? It is further evidence that we cannot be policing all of the problems of the world, even if the effort, at some level, was made to make a positive difference. God Bless the soldiers that have given their lives to do what they were told, many with a good heart. Shame on the hate filled hearts of those who would show so much disdain for people that were trying to help them. Since I began to write this post 2 more U.S. officials were killed over this same belief. Bring our troops home. The mission is over.

The Republican party and the Tea Party are throwing everything they have to try and defeat President Obama. Once again, the media is spinning its web trying to convince us of who is the right candidate, and we are sitting here once again looking at a field that is largely reminiscent of a beauty pageant that has no truly beautiful participants. The Republican candidates appear to be willing to devour the front runner Romney even to the point that they would jeopardize the only real candidate that has a chance of beating the incumbent Potus. No matter what the outcome of the primaries, the Obama campaign team is undoubtedly eager to get their chance to defend their title.

I ask that, if possible, do not get hung up on the politics of our elected leaders. Don’t lock your mind on to the games that are played in politics. Instead, let’s take a close and hard look at the lack of true emotional intelligence that runs through the veins of this political and media machine. These people are our only hope to continue to prosper and live what has been called the  American Dream. We all have the right as taxpaying citizens in this democracy to vote in representatives and leaders at all levels of government. But the sad truth is that most people that would stand up for the values and the constitution that our founding fathers took so much time, pain and loss to create, can’t either afford the cost it takes to get elected, or else they see what it can do to your family life and simply don’t want to go through the trouble.

I find it very disheartening to watch the mud slinging and the petty non sense that is associated with the political process. Some people don’t mind it and even thrive on that type of energy. When I watch the talking heads on t.v. and the reporters who bring us the election information, it almost makes me wonder if I am missing something. Am I the only person that feels this way?

In the book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman talks about the need to be empathetic and to identify your emotions before you react to certain situations. I don’t discount the fact that the candidates and the President himself are all intelligent people, as they are educated people. But that does not mean that they are truly emotionally intelligent. Before you vote in this coming Presidential election in November, ponder these questions… do they really have empathy for the 16 million people that are unemployed in this country? Do they really care enough to take the time to follow through on their bloated campaign promises? Are they serious about creating jobs for the people that are caught in the economic whirlpool that we have stuck in for the last 6 years? Do they really want to cut senseless spending and analyze the waste of taxpayer dollars that are being syphoned from our savings and checking accounts? Or are they just looking for a way to secure their legacies and feed their egos at our expense?

It is a very simple litmus test. How do they live their lives? Do they practice what they preach? Do they spend money that isn’t their’s because in their minds they deserve it? This is a democracy, not a monarchy. It should not be perceived that by getting elected into the most powerful position in our country that you can do whatever you want whenever you want at the expense of others. You don’t vacation and throw extravagant parties when people are suffering that are under your leadership. This is a sign of disconnect from reality.

We still have the ability to turn this country back into the shining diamond that it once was for our ancestors. But we need to be very clear to our elected officials that we are tired of the greed and the insanity. We can use technology to get the message out. We can encourage our children, co-workers and friends to vote. We can pass this blog on to others and get te conversation started. These are the little things that we can do that will make a difference.

Being emotionally intelligent is quite simple. It has been practiced by all of the great spiritual teachers in history. We need to become more compassionate and conscious. We are all here for a very short period of time. What can you do in your neighborhood or family to make a difference? We need leaders. We need you.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season

Could it be that the message that Jesus had for us is needed now more than ever? Are we compassionate to our friends and family? Are we compassionate to our enemies? Do we always want more and never appreciate what we do have? Political Correctness seems to have hijacked most of our traditions and has people walking on egg shells.

We need to be aware of other’s rights to celebrate what it is they choose to as long as there is no harm to others. If there was a celebration for Buddha’s birthday in the magnitude that Christmas is celebrated, would anyone be bothered by the presence of Buddha ornaments or paraphernalia? I don’t think so. So what is the problem? Is it the denial of the message that Jesus had?

I encourage you to remember the words of Jesus over this holiday season. Many of us have traveled the road of want and greed, only to find that when it really comes down to it, all we really have is each other.

Besides that, here is the real bitter pill for those who want to see Jesus removed from the holiday celebrations in the world… the next time you say “Happy Holiday” or “Holiday Party”, remember that the word holiday is derived from the Old English word: “haligdaeg” which means, Holy Day…

His presence and lessons carry on… Merry Christmas!

As we watch the events unfold on the news regarding “Occupy Wall Street”, it concerns me deeply that some of the people that are participating in these protests are sending the wrong message to the world. They seem to have started out with a common purpose, scattered as it might have been. But now it appears to have been highjacked by people that are intent on causing disruption and mayhem. Is it possible that it is the same people who started the protests in the first place. Who is really behind OWS anyway?

The idea that we may at some time be able to change the way we treat one another by focusing on our own levels of compassion and self awareness is still a powerful concept. But to disrupt innocent peoples lives and create disruption is so far away from what is possible and smacks of the same greed and selfishness that got us into this economic mess in the first place.

Emotional Intelligence is something that can be taught and passed on to others. Unfortunately, so is anarchy and intimidation. Do not go down the path of confusion and hatred. There is a better way. But it takes patience and compassion. We are all in this together.

“To be truly challenging, a voyage, like a life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise, you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea… “cruising” it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot, or will not, fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about.

“I’ve always wanted to sail to the south seas, but I can’t afford it.” What these men can’t afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of “security.” And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine – and before we know it our lives are gone.

What does a man need – really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in – and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all – in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade.

The years thunder by, The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed.

Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of purse or bankruptcy of life? ”
— Sterling Hayden (Wanderer)

Untitled from James Evanow on Vimeo.