My Birthday Wish for You..

Dear Friends and Family, I'm going to break with tradition and tell you my Birthday Wish.

43 years, that's how long I have been alive....43 years when I think about that number it seems surreal.
A part of me still feels like a child and a part of me feels like a Man and I have recently come to grips with the inescapable truth, the truth that has been hiding in the back of our minds, the inescapable truth that sooner or later we all have to confront.

My Life is moving to the otherside of the hourglass, more specifically I have realized how precious Life is and how lucky I am to have had 43 years of it.

Yesterday a race car driver died at 33, leaving behind a wife and two children, within the last few months I have had friends and family confront sickness and death. Conversely I have seen new Life born, miracles of recovery, hope and love in places there should be none.

This life is truly a miracle and a blessing and is not to be taken for granted not even for a second.

On this my 43rd Birthday My Wish for you is that you will never forget that you are guaranteed nothing in this life other than the moment you have right now.

That you are an original, and were created for more than you are. The people that you see everyday, one's you know, one's you don't, one's you like, one's you dislike. These people are not strangers, they are your Brothers and your Sisters and for every moment you withdraw from them, chastise them, speak ill of them... you are hurting your family.

There is but one race and that is the Human Race, There is but one Father and that is the Heavenly Father, There is no greater love than showing your Fathers Love to your family and by family I mean all of you.

This is my Wish for You..........

A Man's Destiny Part IV

Men, we learned that our first lesson is Understanding, who we are and what we created to do and be.

Lesson number II is acceptance of these things, and acknowledgement that we have a specific role to play and much to learn in how to play it..in essence we have to accept that we started without knowledge and understanding and as we grow we must seek out and accept guidance, wisdom and teaching from our earthly brothers and fathers and our pray for guidance from our Heavenly Father.

Without acceptance you become as a ship on the sea without a rudder, driven by the forces of nature and man, which will inevitably cast you upon the rocky shoals and tear your vessel apart. You must accept that you know nothing and seek out knowledge and wisdom, which in turn acts as food for the spirit and sustenance for the soul.

Everything that has happened now, has also happened before, everything you will think and experience has been thought and experienced a multitude of times by other men before you were even born.

Yes you are unique, there has never been another you before, as for your life's joy's and sorrows, your thoughts and struggles these are not exclusive to you they are in all men..... those before, those during and those to follow you.

Lesson II:  Acceptance
Accept who you are, what your responsiblities are, and what your role is on this Earth.

Please take the time and watch this short video

Author Steven Covey tells a similar story in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, the vernacular of the story is called Shifting your Paradigm. In plain English it means be careful in judging things by their appearance, more often than not things are not what they appear to be.

Keep this in mind the next time you feel the urge to color a person , place or situation with your crayons, you just might be coloring with the wrong ones.

A man's destiny part III

 

OK, now that I have your attention let's take this thing called Manhood from the beginning, we were all boys once and we all have had some vastly different childhoods and some similar ones also. Some were not so great and some were pretty good. Here we are now.. We Are Men! OK well what are we supposed to do and become from here? Well depending on your age your thoughts regarding that question will vary to many extremes.

The first thing I can tell you for certain is that most of what your Father, Brother, Uncle, Friend, Boss or Mentor, all older and wiser than yourself have told you is True... Life is hard and life is not fair and to be a warrior in this world you will have no rest. Your enemy does not tire, he does not rest, he will be relentless in his attacks on you from the time you wake until the time you slumber and even then he will occupy your dreams.

Your shield and your sword are all you have to keep the beast at bay, do not be far from them for they will provide you and your family protection from the never ending attacks designed to make you falter to make fail in your responsibilities as a man.

Do not fear in your charge, do not fear in your duty, do not fail.... for this battle has gone on for centuries and it's outcome has already been determined...at its ending you will be Victorious.

Lesson number 1: Life is hard, Life is not fair, There will be seasons of sowing and there will be seasons of reaping, there will be times of pain and suffering and there will be times of joy and prosperity. These things will all come to pass in your lives my Brothers and you must Hold The Line! For if you do not you will fall in battle and your bones will be crushed into dust.. Do not fail in your charge, bind yourself with fellow brothers for a cord of many threades will hold strong, but a cord of one may unwind or break. This lesson is the first you must accept and take to your warrior hearts.

Your Brother Angeli.

A Man's Destiny part II

Men, I write these posts, sometimes based on my own experiences and sometimes based on something more, something I am called to do. They all have the same purpose to add a spark of thought, hope, wisdom, humility it doesn't matter what the spark is as long as it set a flame in motion.

My last blog received an unusually high response from you, my brothers, so I will go where I feel led and create a series of posts relating to this topic. The topic of regaining our place as Men and how, why and what it means to be a Man.

We are more than Conquers, We are more than Slaves, we are the embodiment of our creator and entrusted with duties that only we are capable of carrying out. There will be times that you want to give up, there will be obstacles that seem insurmountable, there will be times that you can go no further.

It is in these times that you must not rely upon your own strength but in the strength of your Father for his strength knows no bounds, has no limits...it is perpetual and everlasting and will carry you through the dark days ahead.

You were created for strength and created by strength..do not let doubt take this knowledge from you....

Rise up and take your place!

A man's destiny I

Men, have you felt that longing in your soul to retake that which has been given to you by God, that inexplicable feeling of emptiness and loss of purpose you feel is not what has been intended for you by your creator. You were created to be protectors, to be teachers, to be warriors in this world, against not what you think is the enemy..( Your Fellow Man. Your Brothers.)

But Rather to protect against the true enemy, the true deceiver of your hearts and minds. This battle will rage on till it's predetermined end and until that day we must.... I SAY WE MUST! Persevere through the temptation and loneliness and suffering that afflicts each of us. We are but Men and with that knowledge we are flawed by design, and rightfully so.. Which of us has earned the right to claim himself worthy.. Worthy of redemption... My Brothers I say to you, worry not redemption has been freely given to you already, all that is required is your acceptance.

Be Strong, Be Sober and Vigilant for your enemy the Deceiver lies in wait like a hungry Lion wanting to devour you.

Let your Hearts become Free and take your rightful place.. the place God designed you to be.........

You Let Me Be The Hero

Today is my brother Ralph's Birthday and I wish to send a special Thank You to him and my other brother Kris, they have lifted me up when I could not lift myself, they never gave up on me even when I had given up on myself. They are my Angels and although I stand sometimes in silence and pride, I truly could not stand at all if I thought they were not there to catch me if I fell. I wish My brother Ralph all of the blessings he deserves for the man he is and the steadfast commitment to his family and friends he lives with every breath. My brother Kris is an example of courage and commitment for all he has endured and these two men make me so proud to call them Brothers. Thank You both for who you are and what you do.

I Love you.....

The Sunset Limited - A Must See Movie

I watched this movie over the weekend and found it to be a powerful and insightful glimpse into humanity and the difference between hope and despair, intellect and simplicity, faith and nothing. I warn you that it is raw, and it is dark, but it is also insightful and you might learn something about yourself in watching it.

"I Was There" Tribute to September 11, 2001

and Jesus wept and so did I..............

Old and Wise

A young man consumed with a quest for truth and wisdom heard a story of an old and very wise man who lived on the peak of a volcano which rested on a remote island somewhere in the Pacific ocean. The man, obsessed with his quest set sail for the island to find the Wise old man and to gain wisdom from him.

The journey was long and arduous there were many times the man thought he was to be doomed along the way. Finally he reached the island and exhausted he fell into a deep slumber on the beach. When he awoke he looked around and saw a billow of smoke from the rim of the volcano, with much haste he climbed the walls until he reached the crest. There he saw a very old man in simple tattered garb peacefully smoking on a pipe of sorts, one that was fashioned out of coral.

Without forethought he loudly exclaimed to the old man "I have come to gain wisdom". The old man without looking up or missing a puff of his pipe replied, I was wondering when you would come, taken aback by this statement I asked what do you mean? Well, I have been waiting a long time for you; for me I asked? why have you been waiting for me? you and I have never met.

With that the old man lifted his head and as though a portal through time had opened I found myself staring into my own face. Who, Who are you I shouted as I slowly withdrew, I am what you seek,
I am wisdom!

I asked what do you mean you are wisdom and why are you in my image? He replied; wisdom is not a book you can read, a place you can go, or even a lesson that you can learn. Wisdom comes with Life and Life comes with living; the wise old man that you came here seeking is you after living your Life.

I finally understood that the things I sought could only come to me as my life unfolded and my experiences would provide me opportunities to gain wisdom. With that I set sail back to my home and pondered, was I the old man or was the old man me?

Pherhaps we were one...........

Your strength is your weakness

I had a reoccuring dream, I would find myself in a clearing with a small hill in front of me and a large stone covering the entrance to a cave. I would tirelessly push, pull and pound on the stone door only to be defeated in my efforts. After weeks of this I collapsed defeated in both body and spirit. Suddenly a man appeared riding on a simple mule, garbed in simple a white cotton tunic. the man asked may I help, are you in need of assistance? I replied It's no use I have tried tirelessly to move this stone and have failed every time.

The man asked why are you trying to remove the stone? I was told that all the answers to my questions, the healing and wisdom I seek are behind this door. The man smiled and said what you seek is not within this cave what you seek is within you.

Puzzled by the statement I asked what do you mean? The man dismounted his mule and sat down beside me and asked do you seek these things because you believe yourself to be weak? Yes, I replied, I search for strength and understanding. The man smiled and said the answers you seek do not elude you because you are weak, they elude you because you are strong. I know this for that is how I created you, your strength and pride keep you from the answers you seek. It is only when you lay them down and accept my gifts, my wisdom and my Love that you will truly understand and be at peace.
With that the stranger stood up and mounted his mule, as he began to turn and ride away he said to me, I made you perfect, the only thing in your way is you.
I awoke from the dream and pondered; was this a dream or was this my answer?

A Tribute to Mom - One Heartbeat At A Time

This is for my Mom, If you have been blessed with having a Mother that cares as much for you today as she did when you first opened your eyes and saw her face. Then please let her know how much you appreciate her.

Man of the Hour - Pearl Jam lyrics

I grow weary teaching the same lessons over and over again, are you people really that ignorant and aloof of things to come that you really do not see what is in front of you. You are burning the fuel in your gas tank and when it is gone there is no place to refuel. You will be alone on the road without shelter, comfort or solice. Carpi Diem "seize the day" make your life matter , regardless of it's current status. If you are Poor then embrace those around you, if you are rich then do the same, for the time you spend here will be the flap on a butterfly's wings compared to the the time you spend after here. I implore you to wake up and embrace life , say what needs to be said , do what needs to be done, love what needs to be loved and experience what needs to be experienced. A fool lives his life as a fool with no end, but a wise man lives his life as a gift with an expiration date.

Please don't be a fool, you will never regret the things you said and did in your dying moments, you will always regret the things you didn't say or do..............

Kenny Chesney - Way Down Here

This is for those of us that by chance or by choice, find ourselves alone, maybe broken hearted or maybe just broken either way your still alone. So if your gonna be down.. might as well be way down here...........:)

Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying

In the last 48 hours two Men that I admire and hope to call friends have experienced opposite ends of the spectrum of life, one has just had the birth of his second daughter and is witnessing new life and a hope for things that can be, the other is on his death bed and as I write this I am unsure of if he is still with us. Listen to these words, You have been promised no amount of time, and whatever time you are given is not given by you. Try very hard to spend your time on those things that matter and not on those things that do not.

As a side note both men are in their 40's and healthy, think about that when you assume you know what tomorrow has in store.

I Saw God Today - George Strait

This goes out to a dear friend, his wonderful wife and loving family.

 May your new baby girl bring untold joy to your lives and may she recognize what good fortune God bestowed upon her to have been born into such a family.

American Soldier

Just a little reminder, the reason we get to enjoy our Sundays, is because they chose to sacrifice theirs. Remember to allways thank a Soldier when you have the chance.

"Friendship"

If you find yourself with one true friend then count yourself as truly blessed.

It's What HAPPENS In That Six Minutes.......

Six Minutes, If you don't know what they're referring to it's a high school wrestling match. More importantly it's what the message means, life is made up of a number of minutes all joined together like links in a chain. These minutes as a whole mean little more than providing a method to determine how long we have lived. What we do in each of those minutes determines how much we have lived.

What are you doing with your next 60 seconds?

When Life has you feeling Down, Keep these Words in Mind...

If you don't think that this video applies to you then I encourage you to wake up from the dream you are having and realize Life is not always pleasant, and sometimes there are not always happy ever afters. There is after all just life, and it is more fleeting than you realize. So maybe, just maybe try to experience what you can, while you can. For it truly is a beautiful thing, sadness and all.

Angeli

Disney World Fireworks Display "Wishes" Magic Kingdom

There was a time in most of our lives that we believed in Magic! We believed that anything was possible. Well would you believe me if I told you it's true.. I mean It's really true. Everything that you experience today, every electronic gadget you have, every luxury you enjoy was the result of some one's dream, and some one's determination to see that dream turned into reality. Those are the success stories, unfortunately there are those with as many dreams that give up, Life and circumstances drive the dream from them and they surrender. Life is hard and there truly are no fairytale endings, even if you succeed you will endure pain, loss, criticism along the way. If you really believe in what you dream and you truly believe that the world will be a better place with your dream becoming a reality and most importantly you think it really will make a difference, then I urge you to never let the child inside of you disappear and always believe that your dreams can come true.

One Last Cry with Lyrics

If you have lived enough years you have lost someone special, maybe it was your fault maybe theirs or maybe no one's. The pain is bad no matter how it happened. Life is a series of experiences some fantastic, some painful to the core. You see that is how God designed it to be be, not that we would experience pain ..... but that we would experience life... feeling.... joy ....and sadness, how can you appreciate someone fully unless you first experience the loss of someone. Take stock of the gifts and the people God has put in your life, and never forget that he can remove them just as easily.

How to avoid being a target.

Does it ever feel like everybody is always aiming for you, dodging arrows can get a little exhausting after awhile. Well here's some good news, I can tell you how to take that bullseye right off of your back and start living in peace. Are you ready for it? STOP DOING ANYTHING!

That's right, you heard me, stop doing anything! You see the only time people attack you is when you're visable and the only time you're visable is when you're doing something.

Of course there's a downside to that, when you stop doing anything you die, that's right you Die! Imagine a life where you do nothing, love nothing, try nothing and risk nothing. You would be hard pressed to say that is a life at all. The purpose of life is to run, to jump, and yes sometimes to fall, without those things you might as well have never been born.

So I say rather than dodging the arrows, invite them, become a target and Live. God did not put you here to be a turtle if that were the case you would have been born a turtle, he created you to be a rabbit.

 So get out there and jump around, see what's around the corner and don't forget to keep eating the carrots.

austin powers dr. evil bling bling hard knock life rap

Well another week has past, and I bet you anything, something didn't work out just perfect for you.
You made somebody mad, or somebody made you mad, problems at work, at home, the cat threw up on the bed, or maybe you did. It's enough to make you scream sometimes, I get it I've done it.... scream that is.
I tell you what, why don't we just take 1 minute and 58 seconds and enjoy the video and have a laugh... at ourselves and at everyone else.  Enjoy!

tribute video

The other day I was having lunch at five guys, and a group of marines came in, both men and women some young, some older. What I found so interesting is that they would not start eating unless they could eat together, a few of them surveyed the restaurant and finally picked a spot, pulled some tables together and then they all sat down to eat. What does that say about friendship, better yet what does that say about devotion? I so wish that everytime I sat down in a restaurant or anywhere else for that matter I would see such connection in people, maybe, just maybe we could learn a thing or two from our men and women protecting this great nation. Next time you see a service member don't forget to say thank you, not just for what they do to protect us, but for what they do to inspire us.......

Pebble in a Pond

Did you ever hear the story about the pebble in the pond? It's a very simple one, everything you do in life creates a ripple and the ripple expands, eventually the simple act of tossing the pebble in the pond has effected countless things by the ripples it created.

Here is a snippet of a conversation on face book I recently had with a guy I know from Brazil  referencing a brief conversation I had with him over a year ago

Message to me:  OK good and sorry again, well...business is going okay. Can't complain at all.
And is funny because I remember one day you stopped at work and we were talking, I told u I was unsatisfied and everything and you told me to hold and be patient that one day someone or somehow I would find who would give me the right value. I gotta admit I was not sure of going on my own, I even try going back to my old job, but I end up given a try and here I am. Thank God I am doing way better than when I was working at that company not just that I have much more family time than ever, i love being my own boss.

Reply:  Life is like an Easter egg hunt, we scramble around looking for the eggs in the most unlikely of places when all along they are usually hiding in plain sight. Opportunities don't just appear out of the blue from time to time, they are always there we just have to open our eyes and look around. I'm glad that you have found yours. Good luck and best wishes, and remember to never stop looking for the eggs... their sitting right in front of you.

 Everything you do, everything you say, everyone you meet.. your creating a ripple, make sure it's a good one.

valentine's day

It's been said that valentines day is just for girls, I can see how a guy could feel that way.
I mean really, it's usually the guy who sends the flowers, buys the chocolate, makes the dinner reservations right. It's a lot of pressure......or is it? What would life be without someone to share the highs and lows, to tell how your day was, pat your head when your not feeling well... take it for granted do you?  I've been watching couples argue and complain over the littlest of things and I wonder if they only knew how empty their lives would be without each other. You see, the things that are most important are usually the things that we see every day, the people that are already in our lives, not the one's we imagine might be. Maybe Valentine's day should be like Christmas, a celebration of God's greatest gift, someone to pick us up when we fall, forgive us our faults and love us unconditionally.

A must read for Men...I am a champion

Men, today is a day you have waited for, you have longed for... today is Superbowl!
Why do we throw so much of ourselves into events that inspire us, that motivate us, events that bring us to life? When we were boys we dreamed  of greatness... and for most of us that was only a dream. Somewhere along the way life happened, you took a job, got married, started a family and gave up on the dream of  becoming a champion.  Well here's a slap in the face for you, the dream wasn't a dream, only your perception of what is was supposed to look like was wrong. Being a champion doesn't mean that you beat your opponent in a sporting event, have a ring, trophy or cup. Being a champion is being a good father, a devoted husband, a responsible employee, a trusted friend. You wan't to be a champion then start focusing on being the best on your own field of play, you do that and I promise you......the stands will fill themselves.

Casting Crowns - Who am I

People don't last forever, they really don't

I was reminded the other day how fleeting life is and the things and the people that we take for granted pass  through our lives in the blink of an eye. This video was played around the time a good friend of mine lost her father way to early in her life and his. I recently contimplated my own parents age and knew that there were more sands at the bottom of the hourglass than at the top. People don't last forever, they really don't. If you have something unsaid then I implore you to say it now, for there are only so many tomorrows.

Stop for a moment

I met God in the morning

Touching Story - Starfish

The Secret to You..A Gift From The Secret Scrolls.

The Cards you've been dealt

No Soup For You!

                                   How do we deal with difficult people?

 

Research shows that supportive relationships are good for our mental and physical health. However, dealing with difficult people and maintaining ongoing negative relationships is actually detrimental to our health. It’s a good idea to diminish or eliminate relationships that are filled with conflict. But what do you do if the person in question is a family member, co-worker, or someone you otherwise can’t easily eliminate from your life?

The following are tips for dealing with difficult people who are in your life, for better or for worse:

 

 

        Here's How:

1. Keep Conversations Neutral Avoid discussing divisive and personal issues, like religion and politics, or other issues that tend to cause conflict. If the other person tries to engage you in a discussion that will probably become an argument, change the subject or leave the room.
2. Accept The Reality of Who They Are In dealing with difficult people, don’t try to change the other person; you will only get into a power struggle, cause defensiveness, invite criticism, or otherwise make things worse. It also makes you a more difficult person to deal with.
3. Know What's Under Your Control Change your response to the other person; this is all you have the power to change. For example, don’t feel you need to accept abusive behavior. You can use assertive communication to draw boundaries when the other person chooses to treat you in an unacceptable way.
4. Create Healthier Patterns Remember that most relationship difficulties are due to a dynamic between two people rather than one person being unilaterally "bad." Chances are good that you're repeating the same patterns of interaction over and over; changing your response could get you out of this rut, and responding in a healthy way can improve your chances of a healthier pattern forming. Here’s a list of things to avoid in dealing with conflict. Do you do any of them?
5. See The Best In People Try to look for the positive aspects of others, especially when dealing with family, and focus on them. The other person will feel more appreciated, and you will likely enjoy your time together more.
6. Remember Who You're Dealing With Seeing the best in someone is important; however, don’t pretend the other person’s negative traits don’t exist. Don’t tell your secrets to a gossip, rely on a flake, or look for affection from someone who isn’t able to give it. This is part of accepting them for who they are.
7. Get Support Where You Can Find It Get your needs met from others who are able to meet your needs. Tell your secrets to a trustworthy friend who's a good listener, or process your feelings through journaling, for example. Rely on people who have proven themselves to be trustworthy and supportive, or find a good therapist if you need one. This will help you and the other person by taking pressure off the relationship and removing a source of conflict.
8. Let Go Or Get Space If You Need It Know when it’s time to distance yourself, and do so. If the other person can’t be around you without antagonizing you, minimizing contact may be key. If they’re continually abusive, it's best to cut ties and let them know why. Explain what needs to happen if there ever is to be a relationship, and let it go. (If the offending party is a boss or co-worker, you may consider switching jobs.)

Tips:

1. Try not to place blame on yourself or the other person for the negative interactions. It may just be a case of your two personalities fitting poorly.
2. Remember that you don't have to be close with everyone; just being polite goes a long way toward getting along and appropriately dealing with difficult people.
3. Work to maintain a sense of humor -- difficulties will roll off your back much more easily. Shows like "The Office" and books like David Sedaris' Naked can help you see the humor in dealing with difficult people.
4. Be sure to cultivate other more positive relationships in your life to offset the negativity of dealing with difficult people.

Guide since 2005

Elizabeth Scott, M.S.

 

 

No soup for you video clip:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lfZg-apSA

 

What Should I Be When I Grow Up?

What Should I Be When I Grow Up?

I don’t have a job!

Miserable place to be isn’t it? I don’t think you have the
privilege to write about a subject this intense unless you have
been there. I’m here to tell you: I’ve been there.

It’s humiliating, discouraging, frustrating, demoralizing,
maddening, embarrassing, and on and on. Well, here’s the bottom
line about losing your job: You were supposed to move on. It’s
time to open yourself to new possibilities. They are everywhere.
Unfortunately, none of us can move on until we go through the
following stages:

Stage 1: Complete Shock. “I don’t know what I am going to do.”
Stage 2: Denial. “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”
Why me?
Stage 3: Anger. “The nerve of them to do this to me.”
Stage 4: Depression. “It’s going to take forever to find another
job.” “I don’t have that many marketable skills.”
Stage 5: Acceptance. Ok. Next chapter. It’s time to move on.

Now all of us who have been in this position vacillate from stage
to stage. The lucky ones get to Stage 5 sooner than later and
live happily ever after. However, if you are one of the normal
“laid off” individuals who lost your job, you find it quite
difficult not to be angry. You probably also will say things
like, “I will never forgive him or her for doing this to me.”

My motto through life has always been “It’s not what happens to
each of us that matters, it’s how we handle it.” Some of us stay
down way too long while others skip right through the stages and
never look back.

I know you are reading this and that someone is saying, “But you
don’t know my circumstance!” No, and you don’t know mine. We
could exchange war stories and even get pleasure from doing it,
but I do know this: It doesn’t matter how it happened, where it
happened or even why it happened; it’s so important to deal with
the fact that it did happen and to know that you are supposed to
be somewhere else to learn other valuable lessons.

For those of you who are still out of work while reading this,
I would guess you are either angry right now or depressed.
Understand that finding a job is a numbers game. The following
is an excerpt from one of my books on interviewing, “Hire Me!
Secrets of Job Interviewing.”

Interviewing is a numbers game, so know your numbers

Anyone making a career change needs to know the statistics of
interviewing. (If we were gamblers, we’d call them odds and tell
you that this book stacks them in your favor, but I prefer to
look at it as keeping the chance-taking to a minimum.)

Understanding these “facts of interviewing” may release some of
the pressure that goes along with the game, and who wouldn’t like
less stress in their life?

First of all, what is a game? According to a popular dictionary,
a game is “a competitive activity governed by specific rules or
the total number of points required to win the game.” That
definition makes it clear that interviewing is indeed a game.
The rules are already established before you start, even though
most people don’t know them.

Imagine playing any game and not knowing the rules! How could you
possibly expect to win, or if you did, how would you even know?

If interviewing is a numbers game, then being aware of how many
interviews, resumes, handshakes, buildings and companies you must
encounter before you find the right job is an important rule in
this game. The following numbers, based on a large metropolitan
area, have been studied for several years. They do change
depending on the time of year, economy, etc., so what you
see are averages:

You have to send out 32 resumes to get 1 response

You have to send out 47 resumes to get 1 live interview

You have to go to 21 interviews before you get an offer

At our company, employers pay us to find the perfect match. We

usually interview 85 people a week to send 20 to our client

companies. Of the 20 candidates sent out, approximately eight

will get a job offer.

These numbers could discourage you, but my hope is that they will

help you better understand rejections. Most “no thank you's”

aren’t personal; you just have to do your numbers.

Just remember that the greater the numbers in your networking,

the better your chances of having a “choice” when it’s time to

make your career decision.

Good luck to us all who have been fired, laid off, downsized or

right sized. There is a wonderful new career out there waiting to

embrace you. Be grateful for the push in the right direction.

(Article reprinted by permission from Today’s Arizona Woman:

Celebrating Success, December, 2001, p. 16)

---
Patricia Noel Drain is the co-founder of MAXIMIZING SUCCESS, INC.

The next Life changing Wealth Building Bootcamp will be held in

Phoenix AZ Oct 28-30 2005. For more information go to

http://www.maximizingsuccess.com and tell them Patricia sent you.

Ms. Drain is an international author and speaker living

in Arizona. Visit her at http://www.buildagreatbusiness.com

"Ignorance is Bliss"

"Ignorance is bliss" Definition: Not knowing something is often more comfortable than knowing it.

I hate to admit it but there is something to be said about that phrase, after all there's a lot in life that we would rather not know about, worry about or even think about. life is inherently simpler just not knowing

The challenge with that thinking is that a life spent with blinders on Deny's you of one of the greatest gifts and responsibilities you have been given; your ability to think, to grow and to become more than you are.

What would have happened if the world, had decided to ignore the genocide happening in World war II. Mother Teresa chose to ignore the suffering in Calcutta, Jonas Salk chose to ignore the rampant spread of Polio and the quest for a cure. President Lincoln chose to ignore the abhorrent practice of Slavery.

That's the big picture, but let's bring it a little closer to home. What would happen if you ignored the warning signs of your teenager going down a bad road, Your spouse or partner slowly becoming more distant to you, the chronic pain you've been having in your chest...Really what would happen?

Is Ignorance really Bliss? Take a long look at the things you choose to "Not Know About". 

        

 Is your life really better by not knowing......Is It?

*Written by Angeli 01/13/11

FAMOUS POETIC ORIGIN:   “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘Tis folly to be wise.”

    

   English poet Thomas Gray (1716-1771) 

   From the last two lines of his poem
“On a Distant Prospect of Eton College.”

       This is the origin of the now proverbial phrase “ignorance is bliss.” In the poem, it referred to young people who are happily oblivious to the difficulties they will face as adults — and to the ultimate, inescapable fate of death. “Ignorance is bliss” is now more widely used to suggest that people are better off not knowing about something that might make them unhappy or fearful. It is often used satirically, when noting that people often prefer to ignore issues they should be dealing with or concerned about. 



Employee Motivation: Principles of Greatness

Braveheart - Freedom

Nike Football Leave Nothing

75 YEARS

"SOMEDAY I'M GOING TO.." have you ever said those words? I bet you have. We all plan on getting to "It" someday, the problem is that when someday comes we are already gone. Ok, so why don't we do those things while we still have time? One word "FEAR" we fear failing, risking, ridicule, financial hardship and the list goes on and on.

75 years, that's what you get if your lucky, 75 years! That means 75 winters, 75 springtime's 75 summers and 75 autumn's "If your lucky". Not a lot of time when you think about it, is it?

So if time is a limited resource, wouldn't it be wise to get the most out of it. What really is the worst that can happen? ridicule, loss of respect and oh no the dreaded failure. I hate to burst your balloon but the odds are that 1 year after your gone less than 10 people will think of you... and after 5 years, less than 3, after that you probably won't be thought of at all.

If that's true then who cares what "they" think; after all it's your movie, you choose the story, the actors, hell..even the music.

I challenge you to become, maybe for the first time, the director, producer and STAR in your play. A little play titled "My Life"

*Written by Angeli 01/12/11
Click on the links below for some great videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7dLbOVUnZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=064YQ7fAlqQ

 

Of all the gin joints

secondhand lions clip

Follow the Signs

Did you ever notice that from the time you leave home till you arrive at work how many traffic signs and devices you navigated to get to your destination? I bet you never paid much attention to the seemingly innocuous thing as the traffic control device. Would you have been able to get to work without them? If so would you arrive when you were supposed to? My guess is probably not.

Traffic Signs and Signals are strategically placed to ensure the safety of motorists and the uninterrupted flow of traffic. Which in turn equates to you and I arriving at our destination on time and in one piece. Of course the opposite is true for those that ignore the traffic device and run the red light, exceed the speed limit, fail to stop at the stop sign, etc... Bad things will eventually happen.

Navigating your course through Life is very similar, there are "Traffic Signs" to keep you on the path and to keep you safe; Ignoring these lead to the inevitable delay or collision in your Life. There are no guarantees that you will always arrive safe and on time, but you are far more likely to do so if you follow the Signs....

*Written by Angeli 01/10/11

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING (Muhammad Ali)

Nike Just do it commercial

Something to ponder.

Shrek-Onions.avi

BIRTH

Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and grieve at a funeral?
 It is because we are not the person involved.
- Pudd'nhead Wilson