Archive
December 10th, 2007
A Time to Give Thanks…and Carry Two Rocks
It’s been a few weeks since we gathered around the table and enjoyed Thanksgiving in America with family and friends. It seems that the moment we’re digging into leftovers, however, the idea of “giving thanks” is long past and consumerism has set in (think holiday shopping, talk about gift lists, and so on). I know a lot of people who would choose Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday and Christmas as their least favorite holiday. And I can see why: Thanksgiving bears little expectations; it’s a truly authentic holiday that includes every American. As soon as Santa makes his entrance on storefronts and the retailers start the heavy seasonal advertising, though, I sense a shift in the cultural tone.
I’m a big fan of the holidays—don’t get me wrong. But I think it’s important to keep in mind what lies at the core of the holiday spirit: a semblance of gratitude. Physical gifts and Christmas decorations aside, the holidays should be a time when we offer up our most authentic selves to our loved ones. There is no need to spend money, either. Looking for a the perfect gift may be as easy as offering up your time. It might help to keep two Gratitude Rocks in your pocket or purse throughout the holidays. Let one remind you to be grateful of general for all the things in your life—your family, your friends, your experiences, and so on. Then let the other rock represent a specific act that shows your gratefulness to another person or group of people. For example, if a special friend has fallen ill, “pay back” your appreciation for having them in your life by taking over or sharing the role of caretaking. This will ultimately reward you in ways you never could have imagined.
Got a story about holiday gratitude you want to share? Write to me and I’ll post the best ones!
November 3rd, 2007
Are You a Manager or a Leader in Your Family?
I always get a rise in people when I share with them the following: paying for a college tuition is like robbing your child. I call it parental theft.
Managers are not the same as leaders, and when it comes to family dynamics this cannot be more true. And critical to the lifeblood of your family’s future success…(continued on next page)
October 9th, 2007
When Cancer Strikes,
Is the Law of Attraction Dead?
Last week several Ask Lee e-mails came in from people wondering how to apply the lessons from The Secret to bad things that happen in life like illness and disease. After all, if the Law of Attraction is so powerful and true, then how does one explain the “attraction” to terrible times when someone we love gets sick?
First, let me start by stating plainly that the Law of Attraction isn’t the only law. The Law of Attraction works in conjunction with other laws. Laws do not bend or adjust to fit individual circumstances. Some laws are natural laws, associated with nature. We know that when certain elements combine we get a hurricane. We also know that if we jump off a building we will engage the law of gravity and go splat. Then there are those laws that have less to do with physical nature, such as the laws of choice and consequences. We have control over our choices, but we may not have control over the outcomes from our choices. If the outcomes appear negative and we dwell on all of the negativity, we will attract more negativity. One way to overcome this is to focus on the learning aspect. Ask yourself, “What am I supposed to be learning from this experience?” That question can help you to move out of being a victim and move into that space of being a grateful learner. (continues)
Teen Empowerment Workshop
for Young Adults
Wow! What a Weekend at the Teen Empowerment Workshop. Kudos to All Who Helped Make It Happen…and Let’s Get Ready for the Next One:
A heartfelt thanks goes out to all who participated and those who made a donation or sponsored a teen. The event was such a success that we are already planning for the next one in early 2008. Be a part of it! Motivating the Teen Spirit offers life-changing, interactive skills programs designed to address the challenging issues of the teen experience—one teenager at a time.
YOU can make a difference in the lives of our young adults without even attending this next workshop. All you have to do is sponsor a teen who would otherwise not experience this enriching opportunity that will shape a successful future. What better way to make a profound investment in the future of our children and the world at large.
Donations and sponsorships are being taken today. Please contact Jennie Smith (801) 397-3300 or go to www.motivatingtheteenspirit.com for more information.
It’s the best way to invest in the future of our world.
Calgary Saturday October 13, 2007. Register now for this fast paced, informative weekend, good for both the beginner and the more experienced investor.
At “Discover The Truth About The Secret” you’ll be exposed to every technique, every tip, and every idea....in short...the complete collected wisdom of 5 Stars of the Secret will be yours for the taking...absolutely nothing will be held back If you can be in Los Angeles on October 19th, 20th and 21st, register here.
Here's Lee and Raymond together in Mexico
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Five stars of the hit movie “The Secret” will reveal how the movie was actually made at the event.
Jack Canfield of ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ fame headlines a group of four other ‘Secret’ stars who appeared in the movie: Bill Harris, Lisa Nichols, Lee Brower and Hale Dwoskin.
According to Raymond Aaron, who was filmed for ‘The Secret’ and is the organizer of this event, most of the speakers in the movie had little time to prepare, “We just sat down in a chair and gave our top-of-mind thoughts about ‘The Law of Attraction’ and because most of us filmed were professional speakers we didn’t see anything wrong with this approach. However, afterwards many of us realized that it would have been nice to have a chance to expand and clarify our thoughts about ‘The Law’...”
The speakers at the event will talk about how they make ‘The Law of Attraction’ work in their own lives. Plus they will address criticisms about the movie and speak about common mistakes many people make when they attempt to use ‘The Law’.
Are You a Cruiser, Striver, or Thriving Driver?
Pop Quiz: Do you own your present life or are you just renting?
When I talk about taking ownership of your present, I often refer to specific zones of wealth in which we all choose to live. You might find yourself living your present in one or more of these zones, but having a clear understanding about which zone best describes you can help you re-direct your path to a more fulfilling, rich life…continues
When Life Seems Out of Your Control,
Get a Rock in Your Pocket!
We may be in the exciting throes of turning that annual summer-fall corner as the kids head back to school and we feel that inspiring “get back to work” mentality kick in, but there’s a lot going on that can put a damper on your late-summer spirits. The news keeps churning stories with uncertain endings. Today I heard speculation that we could be heading toward a recession given the woes on Wall Street and this “mortgage meltdown.” Add to that the noise churning up from the Campaign trails, reminding us of all that’s wrong or failing in our country.
Granted, we all have our own personal stresses and tasks to worry about, but the onslaught of other things to think about beyond the realm of our families can make the bag of worries exceedingly heavy. Unsettling news in the media can actually exacerbate one’s personal concerns—subconsciously bringing us down and making it hard to feel good about the future. It can even spring a leak in our family bank.
This is when I remind myself to be grateful for all the good things in my life. Gratitude is my secret weapon for trumping daily stress and gaining the perspective I need to continue to move forward with a positive state of mind. If you haven’t heard my Gratitude Rock story, I encourage you to go here and read about it. You just might find that having a rock in your pocket won’t weigh you down—it will make you feel lighter!
“Up Close and Personal with the ‘Gratitude Rock’ Dude”
There's a good interview up with Michelle Anton over at Entrepreneur.com It's a wide discussion covering a lot of ground on being an entrepreneur. If you've read it and have any comments or questions I'd love to hear from you.
What Quadrant Living and the Minnesota bridge tragedy have in common
A cornerstone of Quadrant Living is the “Capture”—capturing our experiences, examining what worked, and banking how we can do more of what we did right. This past Thursday, August 2nd, marked an exhilarating new experience for me. I did 16 interviews with radio stations across the U.S. between the hours of 6 and 10 in the morning. This was definitely a team effort, and because I am the naive newcomer to this kind of work, my team was intuitive enough to match me with a media coach several days prior. At first, I thought, “Why do I need a media coach? All I have to do is get on the phone and talk, right? What’s so hard about that? Hummm…”
Boy, was I wrong. There is so much more to doing good interviews than I ever imagined. And it didn’t take that first interview for me to realize this. The coach expanded my awareness immensely, and I am thankful for the insights.
The night before the interviews, my publicist called from a bowling alley to give me a heads up on the bridge collapse in Minnesota. We knew that several of the interviews would probably be postponed due to the tragedy, and it came as no surprise that WXCE radio for the Minneapolis area did in fact re-schedule.
As for the others that were still a go, however, they actually went very well. I do get excited whenever I talk about Quadrant Living and can often babble on about various angles of my message. One thing that never left my mind, though, as I worked my way from interview to interview was the bridge collapse in Minnesota. This sudden tragedy raised an important question: “What if I were asked how Quadrant Living and the Brower Quadrant could help the people of this area?”
I have thought about this a lot since…continues
