We went to Hawaii with my son, his wife and three children a couple of years ago.  After spending a fun day on the beach, Ryan age three, said his evening prayers as follows, “Thank you that Uncle Marnie died so we could come on this fun vacation to Hawaii.” You see, his great uncle Marnie had died a couple of months earlier and his dad inherited some money which made the trip possible.  Of course, we all missed Uncle Marnie, but right then Ryan was grateful for his vacation.  In fact, we all were.

I watched a video today about the life of Michael Jordan Segal, who defied all odds after being shot in the head as a young medical student. Today he is a husband, father, social worker, freelance author and inspirational speaker.

His four year old daughter talked him into going to an amusement park on a very hot sticky day.  They waited in line 45 minutes for the first ride.  As the attendant buckled them in, he said, “I could tell by the way you walked that you are disabled.  We have a policy that if you are disabled you can go to the front of the line.”  His daughter got very excited and said, “Daddy, thank goodness you got shot.”

Every misfortune carries with it an equal and opposite fortune. We just have to look for it.  Recently two of my favorite people said some things that hurt me deeply until I thought of the treasure that came with it.  They gave me the opportunity to become very clear about my life and what I believe about myself.  I am grateful.

Opportunities like these don’t usually come to us by conscious choice. Mr. Segal said that his daughter taught him something important that day.  She taught him to always look for the positive in ANY situation.  Some times it takes a bit of searching, but there is always something good to be had when we do.  We may have to dig through the pain and do some forgiving before it becomes apparent, but it is worth the dig to find the treasure.

Simple Self-Coaching Tip:

Think of some of your most difficult problems–pick three.  Go digging for the hidden treasures.  Think about it.  Write about it.  Be grateful.  Gratitude is the fuel of all that is good in life.

“I love my life!  I hope you love your life, too!”

Check out “About Renae” above and leave a comment below.  Let’s get acquainted.
I’m going to be around for a long time and I hope you will, too.

Go to my website http://www.womenlovinglifeworldwide.com and receive
FREE “A Handbook For Women–Celebrate Your Strengths And Live Your Highest Purpose.”

“I hope to see you again soon.”

My hands were trimming bushes and laying drip tape in my garden this morning but my mind was somewhere else. I stuck the ear buds in my ears and clicked my ipod, thinking I was getting something else, but Sheldon Pickering’s magnificent piano album “Hope” is what I heard.  It was lovely background music for gardening, but that wasn’t all.  After a track of “Hope,” I heard John C. Maxwell teaching about leadership.

Evidently my ipod was in ’shuffle’ mode so I listened to Sheldon’s music and John’s leadership training back and forth for over an hour.  John is a prolific author and one of the most powerful and effective trainers of leaders worldwide.  I was privileged to hear him in person and then received a CD each month for six months.  A favorite book of his is called “Leadership Gold.”

Today he talked about giving a seminar called “Leadership 360,” leading those above, beside and below you in rank.  A student asked him if it is harder to lead people above, beside or below you.  He told him, “None of the above.”  He was surprised since that is what the seminar was about.  Finally he said that the one hardest to lead is the one inside you.  “If I could kick the one who is he hardest to lead I wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week.” Isn’t that the truth?  We all need a coach.

He made a commitment early in his career that he would never teach others something he isn’t living, or at least working hard at it.  He would invite guest speakers to teach subjects he believed in but wasn’t adequately living at the time.

I know there are times I am guilty of attempting to teach things I am not living very well.  Since I can’t kick myself, all I can say, is “Please forgive me.  I will do better in the future.”

By the way, listening to inspiring words mixed with inspiring music is a great way to learn.  Today I got more out of gardening than I expected.   I must have learned everything John said at a much deeper level because of Sheldon’s music.  You will know because you will see me being a more effective leader.

Simple Self-Coaching Tip:

You are the leader in your own life and family. How are you doing?  Ask yourself if you are practicing what you are preaching.  There is always room for improvement.  Coach “YOU” is the only one who can see to it that you are being true to your word. What will you do about it today?

“I love my life!  I hope you love your life, too!”

Check out “About Renae” above and leave a comment below.  Let’s get acquainted.
I’m going to be around for a long time and I hope you will, too.

Go to my website http://www.womenlovinglifeworldwide.com and receive
FREE “A Handbook For Women–Celebrate Your Strengths And Live Your Highest Purpose.”

“I hope to see you again soon.”

Have you ever given a gift to someone who didn’t want it? I made a teddy bear for a child once.  He looked at it and said, “I don’t like it!”  I think it was the color.  Hmm, what’s a grandma to do?

As an adult child of loving parents, I was plagued with depression. I felt like I had a hole in my heart.  Then my parents died when I was thirty.  I was an infant in my adult progression.  I was in pain and I wanted to find someone to blame.  I blamed my parents.  I blamed my siblings.  I blamed my childhood.  I rummaged in the garbage for a lot of years until I found myself.  You could say, I learned to coach myself. I stood up and cleaned myself off.

I learned that I was the only one who could fill the hole in my heart. God would help me but I had to let go of the pain for him to take it.  I had to receive the love of my parents in order to see my life as perfect for my growth and experience to become who I am.  I had to let go of blaming my siblings in order for us to bond and enjoy life supporting one another.  I had to let go of childhood pain and look for the enjoyable times in order to think my life wasn’t a waste.  I had to let go of the painful past in order to receive God’s gift of healing.  It is the only way.

I have become someone who can bless the lives of others because I am not encumbered by perceptions of lack in myself or others.  I love you. You can receive it or not. You can coach yourself to change your perception at any time.  It is up to you.  Live in joy or sorrow.  What will it be?

Simple Self-Coaching Tip:

Sit down with Coach “YOU” and say, “It is time to receive all the love I want.  I choose JOY!” And mean it.  You will find the way to do that.  God intends it to be so.

“I love my life!  I hope you love your life, too!”

Check out “About Renae” above and leave a comment below.  Let’s get acquainted.
I’m going to be around for a long time and I hope you will, too.

Go to my website http://www.womenlovinglifeworldwide.com and receive
FREE “A Handbook For Women–Celebrate Your Strengths And Live Your Highest Purpose.”

“I hope to see you again soon.”

Did I tell you that I love to garden? Well, if I did, it doesn’t include digging or fertilizing.  Planting is fun, but the rest should be done by someone else.

There was a break in the spring rains and I was ready to plant. The garden was tilled a couple of months ago.  I begrudgingly applied the fertilizer.  When it was time to plant I wanted someone to turn the soil one more time to stop the growth of any ambitious weed seeds.

That someone turned out to be me and I was mad. I wanted my husband to do it, but he has a bad hip.  I wanted the grandsons to do it, but they were busy with sports.  I wanted my children to do it but they were busy with work and children.  Besides that, I didn’t ask.

I already had the plants and my vision of tomato sandwiches in August. I got the fork and turned the soil one last time.–complaining as I did.  “I shouldn’t have to do this.  I am entitled to help.  If my husband can’t do it he should get someone without my asking.  I hate this.”  By the end of the evening, I was exhausted, but the plants were in the ground.

We live in a world where a lot of people think they deserve something they haven’t earned. If they are unemployed, the government owes them .  If they need help their parents owe them.  If they are behind on their payment the bank owes them.  If they want the soil turned, their children owe them.  Ouch!

What makes us think we are entitled to something we haven’t earned and who knows for sure what that may be?  Does it say somewhere that my husband should read my mind?  Does it say somewhere that life should be easy after retirement?  I hope not.  It is hard to be ambitious and motivated when we feel entitled.  It is hard to have a good attitude when we think someone else should do it for us.

I had a wonderful time today, spading around my rose bushes and fertilizing.  I dug up the flower bed and planted petunias.  I did it without a murmur.  I am not entitled to it but I will love seeing the beauty produced by my good work.  The attitude of entitlement made me miserable.  The attitude of gratitude brought me joy.  It seems that I have a choice.

Simple Self-Coaching Tip:

Scan your habitual thinking for pockets of ‘entitlement.’  Examine them to see how they make you feel. Switch them to an attitude of gratitude and see how that feels.  Which do you like better?  What are you attracting?

“I love my life!  I hope you love your life, too!”

Check out “About Renae” above and leave a comment below.  Let’s get acquainted.
I’m going to be around for a long time and I hope you will, too.

Go to my website http://www.womenlovinglifeworldwide.com and receive
FREE “A Handbook For Women–Celebrate Your Strengths And Live Your Highest Purpose.”

“I hope to see you again soon.”

I love good company and I love inspiring events. This time I was going to have both.  My cousin, who is a young chick just like I am, called to say “Get Motivated!  Business Seminar” was coming town.  There were big name presenters like Ziz Ziglar and John Walsh and even Sarah Palin.  It was cheap.  Did I want to go?  No brainer!  My husband was out of town.  I could use Marriott points to stay overnight first class and have a great time with cousin Kelly.  I’m in!  I made the reservations and even bought extra tickets to share; they were so cheap.  I knew some of my entrepreneurial friends would want to go.  That was  three weeks ago.

I called Kelly a few days ago to make sure she was still planning to go.  ”Yes, but barely–so much to do.”  If I was going, she was.  I was. After much advertising among family and friends, my daughter Becky was the only one who wanted an extra ticket.  Becky had double booked.  It is her son’s birthday.  No, she won’t be going.  Kelly called this morning to say she is sick—-and tonight was to be the night in the hotel!  What is a girl to do?  No husband away, free first class hotel room within walking distance of the event and I am the only healthy well-planned woman of the bunch.  Shall I go alone?

Yes, I do want to go somewhere alone. I called and made an appointment for a massage tonight.  I will sleep better and wake up so renewed and happy I will be able to garden, write another blog and do whatever else my heart desires.  That even sounds better than a motivational business seminar.

I called to cancel the hotel room and they said there were no reservations for me tonight. Somehow, someone was confused when I made the reservations.  The date they had was two days ago.  What do you know!  There was no room for me anyway.  How could I have created all that drama without even knowing it just so I could have a massage tonight? Don’t you wish you had tickets to the big event tomorrow?  Give me a call.

Simple Self-Coaching Tip:

Make a list of six things you can do “instead of” when disappointments come up. Start with something as simple as “Sit down with my favorite drink and think something pleasant.” to “Get a massage.”  It’s always good to be prepared for the unexpected window of time when you can do exactly what you enjoy doing.

“I love my life!  I hope you love your life, too!”

Check out “About Renae” above and leave a comment below.  Let’s get acquainted.
I’m going to be around for a long time and I hope you will, too.

Go to my website http://www.womenlovinglifeworldwide.com and receive
FREE “A Handbook For Women–Celebrate Your Strengths And Live Your Highest Purpose.”

“I hope to see you again soon.”

Giving blood every three months is something I enjoy doing. It isn’t that I enjoy being stuck with the needle or even the snacks afterward.  (–especially since they don’t give Fig Newtons any more.  I threatened to quit donating when that happened.)  I have a higher purpose in mind.

I will never forget the phone call from the hospital on June 4, 1978.  The nurse wanted to know what my blood type was because my mother was in surgery at the time. The doctor had accidentally severed a main artery and she was bleeding profusely.  Fortunately I knew my blood type was O+, the same as hers.  I rushed to the hospital and lay there having my blood taken.  They immediately took it to the operating room where my mother received it.

The process has improved in our day.  No one would go into surgery without an adequate supply of blood close at hand.  Blood is donated on a regular basis and banked for future use.

I had time to think while lying there today.  Parenting is a perfect example of giving your “life blood” for a higher purpose. The questions might be, “Am I willing to give? Do I give a trickle? Do I give late? Do I prepare ahead and have enough to give?” It takes forethought to be a conscious and giving parent.

A conscious and giving parent would “bank for the future” of their children, preparing ahead of time to be the kind of parent their child will need.  When an extra supply of love, patience, courage, or humor are needed, the supply is ready and available. Knowledge and experience are the only ways to know for sure if you qualify.  However, the choice is yours to prepare for the unpredictable need for a life-saving transfusion at any moment. Fortunately, it is something you can choose to do and get better at it with practice.

Simple Self-Coaching Tip:

Choose to coach yourself more effectively in one area; such as, “I will focus on listening to what my child is saying instead of thinking what I am going to say next.”  Now that is “blood in the bank.”

“I love my life!  I hope you love your life, too!”

Check out “About Renae” above and leave a comment below.  Let’s get acquainted.
I’m going to be around for a long time and I hope you will, too.

Go to my website http://www.womenlovinglifeworldwide.com and receive
FREE “A Handbook For Women–Celebrate Your Strengths And Live Your Highest Purpose.”

“I hope to see you again soon.”