There is a cricket in my wall this morning! It is a very energetic cricket, continuously chirping to let me know he is there. The cricket has been at this now for hours. I wonder if he is tired! I also wonder if there are any other crickets in my wall! Knowing my two sons, […]
Written on October 6th, 2006
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There is a cricket in my wall this morning! It is a very energetic cricket, continuously chirping to let me know he is there. The cricket has been at this now for hours. I wonder if he is tired! I also wonder if there are any other crickets in my wall! Knowing my two sons, it is highly likely that they brought the cricket inside and let it go. In that case that cricket can make all the noise it wants, and no other cricket will ever hear him!
My question then is: will the cricket continue to try and find other crickets? Or will he have faith that another cricket will somehow make it inside the house? Is the cricket going to keep on making the noise, with nothing to eat, nothing to drink, until it dies in the wall?
What about you? Are you doing something over and over that is not working? Maybe you are in the wrong place! Have you considered other options for doing what you are doing?
For instance, are you happy doing the work you do? If you are, congratulations! If not, how long are you going to drag yourself to work every day before you look at other options?
The difference between the cricket in my wall and us is this: The cricket will most likely die in the wall because he doesnt have the power of reasoning to understand his options. You, on the other hand, have this power and were given the power of choice. Every day you can make decisions that change everything. Every minute is a brand new chance, with new choices to make.
Are you making your choices? Or are you, like the cricket, hoping something happens?
Miami Phillips is an ANSIR Certified Personal Coach who believes personal growth is an essential ingredient to being happy and contributing to this world.
How to Achieve Big Goals in Little Ways (i-mail article)Doug C. Grant
“And just when do you plan to begin?”
I received this i-mail right in the middle of a great TV show. During a commercial break some guy with washboard abs came on the screen trying to sell me an expensive piece of exercise equipment. I suppose that’s what triggered the i-mail.
I attempted to ignore the intrusion but this never works. i-mail is like e-mail except it doesn’t come with a delete button. It’s sent internally.
As much as I wanted to continue watching the show, I knew I had to answer. “Okay…just what is it that I’m supposed to begin?”
“Getting your body in shape. Remember that promise you made to all of us down here? You were definitely going to get serious about exercising. We’ve been looking forward to that. You don’t know what it’s like living in the middle of all this flab. Nothing down here really works with any zing.”
“Hey…I thought you understood. I can’t just rush into something like this. Getting back into shape is a huge goal. It takes planning. Finding the right exercises. Scheduling time.”
“In other words, you have no intention of starting.”
“Whoa. Now you’re putting words in my mouth. I didn’t say that. You simply don’t appreciate what a commitment I’m making.”
From somewhere below came a loud snort. “Commitment! I don’t think it’s even a hazy wish.”
“So what do you want? A five mile run every morning?”
“No…but a walk around the block might be nice…at least to begin with.”
“Big deal. What’s that supposed to accomplish except ten minutes of waving at people and trying to avoid the Johnson’s dog.”
“It’s called momentum, my friend. That’s a wonderful thing when you’re going after a big goal. And believe me, getting things in shape down here is a big, big goal.”
“I still don’t understand how a walk around the block is going to accomplish anything.”
“Turn off the television and I’ll explain.”
I did so with reluctance. Not that it probably mattered. I noticed somebody had just been killed and I didn’t even recognize the character. Which meant I was a few miles behind on the plot.
“That’s better,” my Other-Self murmured. “Now, pay attention and learn something.
“You don’t start off big goals with big steps. If you do, you’ll end up stumbling over your feet. It’s sort of like the old joke, ‛How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
“Stupid joke if you ask me. Who would want to eat an elephant?”
“That’s not the point but never mind. You start working on any big goal by doing something small toward reaching that goal. Then tomorrow you do something else small. And every day after that. The important thing is to keep up the momentum.”
“Yeah…I see what you mean. So I start by walking a block today. Then a block and a mailbox tomorrow. And pretty soon I’m making real progress toward becoming that guy with the great abs. Do you honestly think I could development a stomach like that?”
“Well…anything’s possible I suppose.”
“Sounds like you’re putting me down. Come on now, I need an image to inspire me?”
“Okay…if washboard abs are your thing, go for it. But inspire yourself with small steps and tiny victories. Think in terms of progress. If you do, the big goal will happen without burnout.”
“Okay, so I have this big goal, like getting into shape. But I begin in a small way such as a walk around the block. Then I congratulate myself on getting started. The next day I go a bit further and hold a progress celebration. Then, after enough celebrations, I arrive at my goal. Hey, I think I like that approach. Tomorrow I will definitely begin.”
“Have you noticed it’s not raining out? Nice evening for a walk RIGHT NOW, don’t you think?”
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Read more ‛i-mail articles’ at http://www.dougcgrant.com You can also be among the first to receive new ‛i-mail articles’ by subscribing free to Doug C. Grant’s bi-monthly e-zine, THE EMPOWERED MATURITY PAGE. It’s for anyone wanting to boost their life up a notch or two. Subscribe at: mailto:empoweredpage@smartautoresponder.com
Doug C. Grant retired from a successful career as a nationally recognized business writer & marketing consultant. He now helps members of the ‛Over-50′, crowd live healthier, happier and more productive lives through his Empowered Maturity Web Site (http://www.dougcgrant.com) and an on-line interactive seminar.
How to Successfully Live Today…TODAY! (i–mail article)Doug C. Grant
Article Title: How to Successfully Live Today…TODAY!
Author Name: Doug C. Grant
Contact Email Address: doug @dougcgrant.com
Word Count: 831
Category: Motivational/Inspirational
Doug C. Grant, 2002
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Publishing Guidelines: Thank you for publishing this
article in its entirety including the resource box. When possible, please notify me of publication by sending either a website link or a copy of your ezine upon publication via email to doug@dougcgrant.com —————————
How to Successfully Live Today…TODAY!
(from the ‛i-mail’ files)
by Doug C. Grant
“Caught you, didn’t I?”
Another intrusive i-mail had arrived. I was in the middle of doing what I considered to be an extraordinarily good job of relaxing on our balcony. But the i-mail message took care of that. Unlike e-mail, which can be ignored or deleted, my internal i-mail demands immediate attention.
“You didn’t catch me doing anything but relaxing,” I muttered in response to Other-Self’s accusation. “And I don’t appreciate the interruption.”
“You weren’t relaxing and you know it. You’ve got everyone upset down here. Stomach is really in a stew.”
“Oh, come now, I was simply wool gathering.”
“Perhaps. But all your wool was getting knotted up in angry thoughts about the money you lost last September.”
“Okay. So I’m still a little ticked. I was lied to. I’ve got a right to nurse some hard feelings.”
“Who gave you that right?”
Other-Self has a way of asking such questions. Of course I didn’t have an answer so I decided on belligerence as my defense. “I’ve got every right. I was hurt.”
“Oh, that’s really smart. You were hurt so now you’re going to hurt yourself again and again by dwelling on the same hurt. Not only that, but you’ve just wasted a half-hour composing all sorts of bitter accusations and put-downs for yelling at someone you’ll probably never see again.”
“Yeah…well, I like to be prepared. Just in case. Besides, making up a lot of nasty things to say makes me feel better.”
“Maybe you’re getting some mental lollipops out of the exercise but not us. The way I figure it, you’ve just needlessly aged your body 104 minutes during your half-hour of anger-stress. Send down a few more such thoughts and you can go for the full two hours.”
“Hey, I don’t need to listen to this. I’m the one up here having to wrestle with all the anger thoughts. And they aren’t going away just because I tell them to.”
“Of course they will. You just haven’t tried.”
“TRY! What’s to try. Angry thoughts just come. So what am I supposed to do? Sit around in a coma?”
“Let me put it this way. What would you do if a dirty, unshaven sinister looking bum knocked on your front door and demanded to live with you?”
“I’d slam the door in his face.”
“Very good. Now ask yourself this. Did you have any control over whether that bum knocked on your door or not? Don’t bother to answer. Of course you didn’t. The only real choice you had was whether to invite him in or slam the door.”
“I see your point and maybe that might work…sometimes. But I’m still so angry about getting conned out of my money that I can’t help thinking about it.”
“Well isn’t that interesting. You’ve just admitted that you’re a spineless wimp controlled by a free-wheeling brain. That’s too bad. I really thought we had something going between us.”
“That’s not fair. Can I help it if my anger is so strong that the thoughts keep returning?”
“No. But what would you do if the bum kept returning?”
“I suppose I’d keep slamming the door.”
“Well, finally a smart answer. Now, let me ask this. If you keep slamming the door in that bum’s face, what do you think he will eventually do?”
“Go away, I suppose.”
“Are you beginning to get the picture?”
“Yeah…except you make this thought avoidance business sound like a cake walk.”
“It is, actually. The only thing hard is persistence. Right now shut and lock the door of your mind to all your yesterdays. Visualize the door actually closing but leave a small window for peeking back at warm memories and successful experiences.
“Next, close the door on all your tomorrows. But again, leave a small window for productive planning and goal setting.
“Your life is now enclosed in a single room. But it’s the best room possible because it’s the only real place you can live. It’s called ‛Today’.”
“Okay, sounds neat and all that. But I’ve been across the hall enough to know that two minutes after locking away my past and future the angry thoughts will come roaring back.”
“Of course they will. That’s to be expected. But who says you have to live with them? Just stand on the other-side of your ‛Today’ door and shout, “Go away!” Five minutes later you may have to do the same thing again…and again. But with persistence, the thoughts will disappear forever.
“Well…I’ll give it a try. But it won’t be easy. It’s so hard to keep from thinking about my money and that lying piece of crude. I can see him now stretched out beside a pool in some warm climate just…”
“Excuse me, but perhaps you didn’t notice. Your ‛Today’ just snuck out an open door.” ___________________________
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Read more ‛i-mail articles’ at http://www.dougcgrant.com You can also be among the first to receive new ‛i-mail articles’ by subscribing free to Doug C. Grant’s bi-monthly e-zine, THE EMPOWERED MATURITY PAGE. It’s for anyone wanting to boost their life up a notch or two. Subscribe at: mailto:empoweredpage@smartautoresponder.com
Doug C. Grant retired from a successful career as a nationally recognized business writer & marketing consultant. He now helps members of the ‛Over-50′, crowd live healthier, happier and more productive lives through his Empowered Maturity Web Site (http://www.dougcgrant.com) and an on-line interactive seminar.
Written on October 6th, 2006
Read more articles on Cricket.