You must try this

I think we all realize how difficult it can be to make major changes in our lives. Over the years we've been programmed to react in certain ways. Even when we know we should make changes for some reason we resist. To illustrate how our programming affects us, try this little game:

1. While sitting where you are; at your desk, in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while you are doing this, draw the number 6 in the air with your right hand.

Your foot changed direction, didn't it? You can try it again if you want, however there is nothing you can do about it. Your brain is just wired that way and there is little you can do about it, unless you meticulously practice it for hours.

Fortunately, if we want to make changes to improve our lives we don't have to make drastic changes. Just slow progressive improvements and before we know it, life is great.

Now go try this out on your friends....pass the frustration on, you know you want to!

Eduardo

BONUS; To remain optimistic when others are losing their heads, is an incredible advantage.

"A crisis is too important to waste"

"there is no such thing as failure only lessons"

I read a few days the comment, 'a crisis is too important to waste' by President elect Barrack Obamas chief of staff. The jest of the statement was that in a time of crisis, changes are possible that would not otherwise be. People are more open to different methods and ideas in a time of crisis.

"to remain optimistic when others are losing their heads, is an incredible advantage"

This has me thinking of the incredible wisdom in that statement. I've seen the benefits of a crisis in action around me. I remember the friend who went through a painfully embarrassing bankruptcy and is now a Judge. I've seen others go through a painful divorce and now are very happy with a much better choice. I've seen a friend go through a transplant and failing health, get closer to his kids and become a much better person.

"the lesson will be repeated until it is learned"

This is the sad part, some people, businesses and even countries are doomed to repeat the crisis if the lesson is not learned. A crisis is a golden opportuntity to learn a valuable lesson if we look for it. Much easier to take the time to ask, what is the lesson here?

"nothing is all good and nothing is all bad"

The only difference between those who survive a crisis and come out all the better for it is attitude! An attitude of hope and belief that we will find the lesson, make a change and prosper from it. An attitude that we will perservere and ultimately overcome. And then we get brag to the world how smart we actually were.

"everything changes"

The stock market does not go up forever and it does not go down forever. No matter how good your life there will be moments of misfortune. No matter how desolute life can be the sun will shine again. Resilance and adaptability will always carry the day.

"within every crisis is a benefit so great that it literally dwarfs the crisis"

Pessimistic people persist in their beliefs that the world is against them, until they succeed and make it a reality. The only reason to look backwards is to learn a lesson or to marvel at the beauty of it. Only the fool accepts what life deals out, the wise evaluate, make changes and prosper.

Smile, everything is not as it seems, it is much better!

Eduardo

P.S. If all else fails I remember the immortal words of Homer Simpson...BEER, now there's a temporary solution!

This or something better

"maybe the reason we don't always achieve our intentions and goals is because they just aren't worthy of us"

I can't recall where I first heard the phrase, this or something better, but it has always stuck in my head. I love the idea that there might be something even better in store for me then what I originally desired.

So now whenever I decide to manifest something I think worthy into my life, I always add the thought....this or something better. I figure if the universe is limitless, then why should little Eduardo put limits on the big guy. I may not be willling to settle for less but I'm sure as heck willing to settle for more!

In the past year I've been witness to many good people manifesting incredible things in their lives, including myself. Frequently, we got more than what we intended. So the proof is out there,it works.

I can visualize it now, readers writing down....I intend to win the lottery...this or something more! And, who knows, maybe it will be something more. If so, remember your amigo Eduardo, who put you onto this.

Smile, it will make you richer!

Eduardo

Rules for humans

"This is something that you should print and put somewhere to see often"



1. We only get one body. We may not like it, but it's the only thing we are guaranteed to keep for a lifetime.

2. We will learn lessons. Every person or incident is our teacher.

3. Lessons often appear as mistakes or failures. The only real mistake is not learning the lesson.

4. A lesson is repeated until learned. And if we are still here, we still have lessons to learn.

5. If we don't learn the easy lessons, they get harder. Pain is one way the universe gets our attention.


6. We'll know we've learned when our actions change. Only action turns knowledge into wisdom.

7. We will tend to forget these rules.

8. We can remember anytime we wish.


It's not known who wrote these rules but the more you read them the more you will appreciate the wisdom. Imagine if we taught these lessons to our kids while they were growing up. We would save them a lot of unnecessary pain. I read this a first a long time but (see rule #7).

Of course if you wanted to be a contrarian you could live by Thomas Edison's words...

"There ain't no rules around here!
We're trying to accomplish something"

Smile, everything is not as it seems, it is much better!

Eduardo

I'm (almost) as good as the real thing

"the quickest path to success is to have a good mentor"


Those crazy researchers at Standford University have come up with another gem. If you are a computer geek, we should get together, we could make a fortune on this one!

Here is what their research revealed; when they studied sedentary people (that's code for couch potato's) they found that an automated, exercise, reminder phone call, had about the same (get up and go) power as calls from human counsellors. Think about that? We are just as motivated by a machine generated message as from some qualified expert.

Just think of the possibilities? We could sell little message machines to mothers that they could have motion actived in little Johnny's room. When Johnny retreats to his room, the machine would nag him to clean his room, just like the real Mom does. I'm sure Mothers around the world would gladly buy our machine to do the nagging for them!

Next thing the woman of the household would want is a programmable, husband nagger machine. 'Take out the garbage, cut the grass and don't be late for supper' are just a few of the pre-programmed messages on our machine (in a very sweet voice of course).

Now before I incur the rath of women all over the planet, let's get serious. What does this latest research really tell us? I'm thinking that whenever we tackle changes in our lives we need support,encouragement and reminders. There are huge opportunities for those with the technical expertise to assist those who want to lose weight, quit smoking or just become more successful.

Encouragement is addictive and pleasing to all of us.

This is something we know so well when we are kids, however as we get older we forget just how important it is. It is so much easier to critize and find fault. I wonder if anyone really ever got nagged to success?

So what should be do with this knowledge? First, let's surround ourselves with positive; images, sayings and people. Let's feed our brains with encouragement, making sure there is more good stuff going in that crap. This is why I always have my little magic cards in my car and on my desk.

Maybe you would like to get a daily, automated phone call from Eduardo, telling you what a wonderful person you are and reminding you to (fill in the blanks)________________. NO? Well, then how about, from someone you deeply admire and respect?

Eduardo

When was the last time you slayed a dragon

"come on, admit it, you have a dragon in your closet, don't you"

Confused? Let me explain. I got to thinking about what is holding me up from being and achieving my hearts desires. I came to the conclusion that my biggest (dragon) is procrastination. Yep, there are times when I know that I should do something but;

*it seems unpleasant
*I have some unidentified fear
*I feel lazy
*I'm not motivated
*I've somehow built it up in my mind to being something hard and difficult

And that is what I call a 'personal dragon' Just like the mythical dragon, most of what I'm feeling, isn't real. And yet, it seems real and getting barbequed by a fire breathing dragon is not a pleasant thing to contemplate.

However, I, Sir Eduardo have decided to slay my personal dragon (procrastination) So I got to thinking how I would make it so? I came to the conclusion I needed at least 4 things;

*motivation (some beautiful damesel to rescue and claim as my perfect love)
*a constant reminder to myself
*since my dragon is imaginary, I will fight it with my imagination
*I intend to have fun doing it

So now you can see the necessity of the 'magic card' you see pictured above. Yes, it's whimsical and little goofy, but then that's me! I need to remind myself that my dragon is not real and not to be feared. What fun could I have if I had to grit my teeth and struggle to beat back my habit. I don't do difficult. No, not Eduardo, he will have fun doing it.

Amazingly, this being only my first full day with the magic card, I've already conquered a few tasks that I had been putting off.

Now where that's that hot beautiful damsel, I was promised?

Sir Eduardo The Dragon Slayer

You don't need to be smart to be rich!

Phew, I'm feeling better after reading about the research that scientists just completed at Ohio State University!

A great mind does not always make for a great fortune. The richest people in the world are apparently no smarter than you and me. In fact the very brightest are more likely to have financial problems.

"the easiest way to double your money
is to fold it in half"

However, being smart does lead to high income, just not 'Warren Buffet' type of money. So you can send the kids off to college, comfortable in the knowledge that they will have a great chance to be high income earners. However, they likely won't become filthy rich. (I wonder what jealous poor guy made up that phrase...filthy rich).

So I guess that leaves us with the question....what does lead to great wealth. The answer seems to be an unshakeable belief in one's ability, a clear goal and plan plus a totally positive attitude.

I wonder if the same thing would apply to happiness?

"always borrow money from a pessimist,

they don't expect to be paid back"

In conclusion, your IQ has really no relationship to your wealth. A little belief, goes a long way!

Eduardo

"a nickel ain't worth a dime anymore" Yogi Berra

Beyond the obvious....10 Money saving tips!

"the art is not in making money, but in keeping it"

I remember somebody said; money is like sex, when it is plentiful, you barely think about it, when you have none...it's all you can think about! Some of us barely pay attention to money until we suddenly realize that it is almost all gone. In these tought times, more people are suddenly thinking about money. And my amigos, Eduardo is here for you, read on. Here are my top 10 tips!


1. Sooner or later everything goes on sale. Patience is always rewarded when it comes to saving on purchases.

2. Take care of what you like. A little preventive maintenance will make things last longer and work better. (works for relationships too)

3. Watch less TV. Studies show conclusively that the more TV you watch, the more you spend. Some really big brains are paid massive amounts of money to devise ways to seperate you from your cash. Their job is to amplify your wants and make you buy stuff you don't need.

4. Shared ownership. Six years ago a friend and I bought a houseboat together. We've had mountains of fun with it and the cost of purchase and maintenance has been 1/2 of what it would of been if I had bought it alone.

5. Make your own. I love wine. My friends like wine. I make wine. I save money. What can you make?

6. It's cheaper to be healthy. This is really just an extension of #2 however it bears repeating....take care of yourself.

7. Make them an offer they just might accept. Don't be shy, in these days when retailers are seeing sales slump, your buying position is enhanced so why pay full price.

8. Simplify. Come on, do you really need the latest gadget? Maybe you need less stuff. Stuff needs to be maintained, that takes more time and money.

9. Focus on what is real. Here's the rub....the things you usually spend the most money on (cars, TV's etc) are greatly devalued a few years down the road. Time spent with friends and family (free) are priceless.

10. Buy used. A while back I purchased a new watch. A very nice looking piece of jewelry that set me back a few pesos. My son decided he wanted one so he went on ebay and purchased one he thought was better. It was used. It cost him a fraction of what I spent. Two days later I'm looking at his and mine and thinking...there is no way that anyone on the planet would know that he spent a tiny amount for the same damn watch....Lesson Learned!

BONUS. Buy me a beer. This is the most important lesson...it's also called The Law of Reciprocity (ok I made that up, but it sounds good right?). I know what's knocking around in your skull when you read that! You are thinking, how is buying Eduardo a beer going to save me any money? Well amigo, my great tips will probably save you mucho money and you want to reward the source so that these great ideas will continue to flow, don't you?

Smile, life is best lived as play!

Eduardo

"money, if it does not bring you happiness, it will at least help you be miserable in comfort" Helen Gurly Brown

A better way to communicate

"You hear what I say, but you don't know what I mean"

It's not the words that we get wrong, it's our interpretation of those words that gets us into trouble. Let me explain. Suppose someone says to you, 'it annoys me when you say those things'. There are several ways you could interpret that statement.

You might think to yourself... what I just said, annoys the other person a little, when they are having a bad day but otherwise, it's not much of a big deal. Or, you might think to yourself...that person really dislikes me saying those things. So which is the truth?

Well what if, the person said to you...on a scale of 1 to 10, my level of annoyance about, what you said, is a 10. If this came from the mouth of your significant other, I'll bet you would thinking....we won't be getting jiggy tonight! And if they rated it only, a 1 or 2, then you could assure yourself, it will be forgotten in a few minutes.

So there you have it, a very simple method of communication that leaves no doubt as to the depth and meaning of what was said.

Now on a scale of 1 to 10, how much do I feel like goofing off for the day....make that a 10!

Eduardo

The more you smile, the richer you become!

"this thought will just blow you away"

I'm always professing that life was meant to be fun, easy and over-flowing with abundance. Ever since I adopted that mantra, I have been discovering the truth and wisdom within my declaration. Now, it seems that success and happiness might be easier than even I thought.

Laughing all the way to the bank

Research has been proving that the more you smile and laugh, the more successful we tend to become. I imagine that there are many logical explanations for this. First, a smiling person is more approachable and deemed to be more self confident. Also, we naturally just want to do business with people we like and we like to be around happy people. Smiling has proven to makes us more attractive and whether we like or not, attractive people get more breaks in life. And that's just a small part of the benefits of smiling and laughing.

"smile and you will have better relationships"

In research done by studying the smiles of 20 year old women, it was found that 30 years later, those that had the biggest smiles (measured by crinkles around the mouth and the eyes) had the most satisfying and long lasting relationships. Again, this makes sense, since a warm smily person would just have to be easier to live with, right?

"a smile is an visual expression of gratitude"

This may sound trite and even trivial to say that if you smile more you will get more of what you want out of life, but research says this is TRUE! If I were teaching a course on how to become more successful and happy, the first thing I would teach would be to dramatically increase your number of smiles and laughs per day. Hard work, inspiration, goal setting etc. will only get you so far. To become successful and happy we need others to help us short cut the process. And the first step to getting people on our side is to smile. Simple, huh?

This is the most exciting thought I've come across, since I started blogging. We can have more abundance and happinesss, and it all starts with smiling more. And, yes...you can fake it, until you make it. Smiling when you don't particularily feel like it, can change your mood and your bank account.

"this is so profoundly simple, it just makes me want to laugh"

Here are some benefits, I've found (based on research) when you increase you smiles per day

*makes you look younger
*improves brain functions
*relieves stress
*lowers blood pressure
*changes your mood (quicker than drugs)
*builds self confidence
*leads to more friendships
*makes you more attractive and approachable
*strengthens the immune system
*live longer (and happier)

"could this be the path to enlightenment"

No research to demonstrate this, but my thought is...why not? Maybe, that's why they sell those smiling Budda's. Smiling and laughing makes you more receptive to creative thoughts. I've read several articles where the writers recommend that when you are looking for an idea, you should start by smiling as it puts you in a proper mood to receive ideas.

Smile with your eyes

For a more beautiful and genuine learn to smile with your eyes. First, imagine and try to feel a twinkle in your eyes. Let your eyes beam and then let it spread to your mouth. The smile you will generate from this will convey warmth, sincerity and love. (maybe I should start a smiling dating site, see I'm getting more creative by just smiling about it) Try this, you'll see, it really works.

The more intense the smile the greater the benefit. But wait, here's the problem; after reading this article you might be convinced to smile more....but will you keep it up? Some will and some will quickly fall back into old patterns, and not give this a proper chance to work. And that amigos is why you need the magic card I printed at the start of the article. We need reminders to keep us on track, so print off mine or make up your own. Put it where you will see it often, and when you do see it SMILE. You can also change it up if you like. For instance if you are looking for love, you might have yours say...The more I smile, the more attractive I become (you get the idea) so personalize it if you wish.

"The universal beauty secret that transcends all cultures and time is a smile"

I'm developing the habit of smiling whenever I come face to face with people. I smile when I want to love the moment. I smile when I appreciate nature. Heck, I'm smiling right now, writing this article for you. I even tried keeping track of smiles per day but gave up because, I was doing it all the time and how do you measure a 5 minute smile versus a 5 second smile. Yesterday, I measured my laughs per day....58! I thought that was pretty darn good until I found that young children laugh up to 112 times per day. Then I felt better when I found out that adults aged 42 years only laugh on average 6 times per day. Laughing increases after retirement, but I don't want to wait that long.

I've got a ton more to say on this topic, a books worth I'm thinking. However, I'll leave you with this thought one more time....

"the more you smile, the richer you become"

And that could be richer in; money in the bank, happiness, relationships, spiritual growth, health, and love. Could you imagine how much money we could make if there was a product or drug with these benefits? We would be trillionaires!

"smile, it looks really good on you"

Eduardo

P.S. Please don't assume that I am implying that all you have to do in life is sit around and smile. Of course, there will be inspiration and perspiration involved in the attainment of anything worthwhile. However, don't also diminish the significance of the value of your big googy grin!

Calmness

I am passing this on to you because it
definitely works, and we could all use a little more
calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on
the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace.


Dr. Phil proclaimed, 'The way to achieve
inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and
have never finished.'


So, I looked around my house to see all the
things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving
the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of White
Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a package
of Oreos, the remainder of an old Prozac prescription, the
rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of
chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel right
now.


Pass this on to those whom you think might
be in need of inner peace

Eduardo

P.S. This was sent to me by my amigo Yoda, thanks for the laugh!

Being cracked is a good thing

"there is no limit to what can be done, if it doesn't matter who gets the credit" Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am dedicating this story to all of my slightly cracked amigos. You've taught me that life is too important to be taken seriously. You know who you are!


The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Author Unknown

Smile, it looks really good on you!

Eduardo

Smarter than your average 3 year old?

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"forget that dumb TV show...I believe most of us aren't as smart as a 3 year old"

It's bad enough watching that TV show that asks questions than Grade 5 kids can answer and I can't, now it has occurred to me,even a 3 year old knows stuff I don't (or at least I forgot). Here are some things kids know and we could learn from:

1. Persistance. If you just keep asking, sooner or later someone will give you what you want.

2. There are always 2 answers to every question....the one Mom and Dad want to hear and the truth.

3. The day you learn what the magician knows, it's no longer magic. (a quote from some smart philospher)

4. When you are laughing and having a good time, others want to join in.

5. It's best to ask for something when the other person (mom or dad) is in a good mood.

BONUS: You can get a hug from any lady, as long as you don't stink!

Eduardo

How to make someone cry and have them thank you!

"(American) Thanksgiving is not that far away. I'm going to share with you something that could make your family get-to-gether so special, you'll be thanking me for years"

Of course this idea is not exclusive to Thanksgiving, you could use it anytime you felt it appropriate. Although, special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and religious holidays add a special touch (and a few extra tears).

Suppose that you have someone in your life that you feel you are greatly indebted to. So you want to show them your gratitude and you want to do it in a way that will be profound. This technique will do the job for you, but be warned....bring a big box of tissues!

"silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone" G.B. Stern

First, you write a letter to that person and express as fully as you possibly can how you feel about what they've done for you. Pour your heart into this as it must be as genuine and heartfelt as you are capable of. Don't send that letter!

Next, get face to face with that person. If you think it appropriate, and it can be even more powerful if others that person loves and respects are present. Read your letter to them. Then stand back because the tears will start to flow from the recipient of your gratitude. Then before you can say...your welcome...your tears will join in the outpourning of emotion. Then the dams break and soon everyone is crying like a baby.

The experience can be so moving and emotional that it will be remembered by everyone present, for the rest of their lives. The bonds of friendship will be stuck together like crazy glue.

It would be perfect if this is where the story stops, but there is more. People who have tried this say that it starts a chain reaction. Soon others want to try it on someone they love. As it spreads the tears flow like rivers and the hugs and 'I love you's' become an unstoppable avalanche.

"before we know it, we will have flooded all the rivers, raised the sea level and...healed the world"

Eduardo

P.S. I'd love to lay claim to the idea, but I got from the book...A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink

I'm here to help ladies!

I just read a very significant report out of the University of North Carolina. It has incredible implications for all you ladies who stop by this site.

Here is the short version of what the researchers found. Women who are hugged regularly have a lower risk of heart disease. Good grief, I don't want to lose you ladies who visit here. The right thing to do would to be to offer myself up so as to save your lives.

Smile, if you need a hug, I'm here for you!

Eduardo

I'm damn proud of you Americans!

I am blessed to have some American friends that I really like (ok one of them can be really annoying at times) and tonight I kept thinking to myself...I am so damn proud of those Americans!

As a proud Canadian and like most of the world I stand in awe of what Americans have done...electing the first black President. All countries have a dark moments in their history. Tonight I believe Americans cast light into those dark shadows. I am in awe.

Tonight I watched on my TV the birth of a true multi-racial democratic society. One thing many Americans don't understand is the effect that they have on the rest of the world. Earlier tonight I saw a news piece about how the world would vote (if they had one). Virtually the whole world felt that Obama would be their choice. Tonight the world felt that it had won!

As a political junkie I understand that politics can be a dirty war. But I also stand in awe with the gracious concession of John McCain. A decent man, a war hero gives his due to his worthy opponent. The fact that he was black was totally inconsequential.

Only time will tell whether President Obama is the right man at these difficult times. I am however confident that this is the right man for America and the world. Just for the record I would normally cheer for the other side.

I listened to the speech of President Obama, watched the tears in the black Americans and I felt the pride and the hope of this generation. I witnessed the children of Barack Obama the President elect on the stage, I thought to myself they are not black they are just kids. Color lost its importance and a nation grew up in front of my eyes.

What a remarkable young man this President of the United States of America. What an incredible orator. I'll pray for his success.

As someone who considers himself a citizen of the world, I'll have an extra glass of wine tonight to celebrate my American friends. That statement that 'all men are created equal' was played out in front of me on my TV. I told my son..... remember this time, it will be a monumental moment in history. Well done!

Eduardo

Making career decisions

There are several things that are critical to your success and happiness when you are faced with starting or buying a business or making a career change. I want your life to fun, easy and abundant, so I have developed this incredible guideline. Please don't make any decision without checking it out first.

Prior to making that big decison ask yourself these 4 important questions:

1. What will I do? Is this something that I find ethical, rewarding, and profitable?

2. Where will I do it? You don't want to trap yourself into living someplace where you will be unhappy a year from now. Nor would you want to end up in a place that would leave you physically or emotionally unhappy.

3. Who will I do it with. Whom you end up working with or employing can have a major impact on your success.

4. This is the Truthteller extra....Will I have fun doing it? To me, this is the most important consideration. If you enjoy what you do and have fun with it, then it won't be work but more like play. You will have more energy and creativity.

Life gets fun, easy and abundant when you have all 4 of these suggestions answered to your satisfaction.

Smile, the more you do, the richer you'll be!

Eduardo

Wisdom quotes

"it doesn't take many words to speak the truth" Chief Joseph

"we had religious differences, he thought he was God and I didn't, so one of us had to leave" unknown

"the true worth of a person can be found in how they treat those who can do nothing for them" unknown

"you can get everything you want if you help enough others get what they want" Zig Ziglar

"what we think we know gets in the way of what we are capable of"

"man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play" Heraclitus

"when science finally discovers the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to find they are not it" Bernard Bailey

"you may not understand me, but I do, and that's the only thing that really matters" Eduardo

Smile, we are just as responsible for the good we didn't do as the fun we didn't have.

Eduardo

P.S. How about sharing your favorite quote

I can't walk but I can dance!

"argue for your limitations and sure enough they are yours to keep"
Richard Bach

(this article was written by my friend Gracie)

A while back I became wheelchair bound. For a while I sat around sucking my thumb. I guess a lot of people do that. I really hate self pity so I got out of it pretty quick. I still had to learn how to do a lot of things differently. I even learned how to dance using a wheelchair! There are a lot of advantages to being two wheeled not two legged!

I know, it sounds crazy, but it's true. Here is a partial list, but there are many more than this.

1.Your dance partner can't step on your toes!

2. Going downhill is kinda like a carnival ride.

3. Going uphill gives you a really ripped upper body.

4. Since I started wheeling myself about I can beat a lot of people

at arm wrestling.

5. Stores put really interesting stuff on the bottom shelves

(at my eye level)

6. Little kids wave at me all the time because now I'm down where they

are.

7. I never stub my toe!

8. My shoes last forever because I don't wear them out.

9. Handicapped parking is close to the front door of stores.

10. I have learned to do wheelies so all the kids think I'm cool.

"what matters most about people is their ability not their disability"

So there it is, some of the things that are great about being in a wheelchair. I realize that people do expect me to be a little pitiful on first glance. When they find out I'm not even a little bit pitiful they have to

re-think their ideas about handicapped people. So I guess that is the eleventh good thing...I get to be a role model and who would have ever thought that could happen?

"I can't walk but I can dance"

Gracie

The easiest way to improve your life

"it's not who you know,
it's who you know that likes you"

I've been writing for the last year about how to make our lives; fun, easy and over-flowing with abundance. Lately, I've been wondering...what is the easiest way to accomplish that? If there was just one thing that could impact our lives in a positive way, what would it be?

In search of an answer, I tried to think of who I knew that seemed to have a charmed, happy and profitable life? I could think of many people, some I knew and some I read about. So I asked myself, what do they have in common? And the answer is.....

"they are all likeable"

People who are likeable tend to get the best jobs, build the best companies, have more friends, better relationships and enjoy life more. Sounds good, right? But that doesn't even touch the benefits of being likeable. Here are a few more benefits;

* Doctors give more time and better care to patients they like
* Likeability is the most consitent predictor of election results
* Likeable people inspire others to give more
* They get better and quicker service from retail businesses
* Likeable students get better marks from teachers
* They get forgiven quicker for misdeeds (I need that one)
* They have better physical and mental health
* Live longer and happier lives

There's more but you get the point. Things come quicker and easier for likeable people. We favor them and do what we can to make their lives fun, easy and abundant. And this amigos is one of the biggest secrets I've ever learned...

"it isn't the choices we make about other people that makes life enjoyable, it's the choices they make about us"

There will always be the foolish few who actually prefer to go it alone. Their attitude is I don't need other people to make it. And with supreme effort, they still succeed. I'm just not one of those who wants to make any more effort than is necessary to reach my desires. If others want to help me out and make my life easier, I say welcome onboard. Life is fun, easy and abundant when others want you to succeed because they like you.

I've decided that at Eduardo's Happy School, the first subject taught will be....How to be more likeable! I can't think of a more important subject. My graduates will all be taught this vital skill and as a result will be world leaders in likeability.

Now that we have established that the most important skill to attain in life, is likeability, the obvious question is how? I've been researching and applying my limited brain power to provide you some answers. Appreciating the limited brain power aspect you will have give me more time.....so come back tomorrow!

I promise you some fresh insights. I might even go into more depth than the ever popular method of...buying the first round.

Smile, I really, really like you!

Eduardo