“Good travels at a snail's pace. Those who want to do good are not selfish, they are not in a hurry, they know that to impregnate people with good requires a long time.”
Mahatma Gandhi

In addition to their day-to-day sleeping habits, snails also go into a deep sleep to avoid adverse weather conditions and periods when food is scarce. In colder climates they hibernate during the winter months, and in hotter climates they estivate during the summer months. When they go into hibernation or estivation, they seal themselves safely inside their shells with a layer of mucus that forms a hard cover over the opening.
Seems like the only excuse I can find for the recent lapse period of time that I was not motivated to write was I inadvertently became the snail. I needed to hibernate so I could make it for the journey ahead of me. Hopefully it will be a long journey because my eighth decade of life is rapidly approaching.
 
A few things awakened me from my rest period. I received a call from a friend wanting to know if his name was no longer on my mailing list of readers of Positive Pops. The second tap on my shell came from a friend that is a well-known spiritual teacher. She wanted me to know how much she enjoys my postings.
 
Being a success driven person I decided to check out on my website to see if anyone had read any of my previous postings. I was definitely surprised to learn that in one month 10,000 people had clicked on to my website. Finding this quote of Gandhi encouraged me to pick up my pen and start writing. As I have mentioned in previous posts, my initial motivation for writing a blog was to offer encouragement for our grandchildren who are bombarded with negative news. Hopefully that encouragement will come from my sharing positive things that are happening in my life and ideas that may open the doors for positive possibilities.
 
Once again reflecting on what has encouraged me to write, I realize it is the support from friends who see a value in the good that comes from ideas I share.
 
This week offers a good opportunity to think of someone you would like to encourage by sending a note or making a telephone call letting them know the positive difference they are making in the world. There are many things I observe that often do not get recognized for the value they contribute to making our world a better, more humane place. I have been deeply moved as I have observed the way in which several couples in our Good Timers group have cared for their ninety-plus year-old mothers affording them the respect and dignity they deserve as they approach the end of their lives.
 
This posting is to let you know I am back from hibernation. I will have a posting next week on experiences I have had that reassure me that we are indeed connected to members of our family even though they crossed over many years ago. They are definitely watching over us and making a positive influence in our lives.
 
 

“The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don't.”
                                                                                                                               
---Marie Kondō
 
 
It has always amazed me that some people will eagerly embrace new ideas to live a life of abundance. Whereas others will repeat the same patterns and continue to complain about how bad things are in the world. The world cannot change if we do not change OUR WORLD which must start in our own environment. Everything I share in my posts comes from what I have personally experienced and have had success in implementing in my life. I also eagerly seek insights from professionals who teach these principles who have witnessed their effectiveness time and again. It is very encouraging too when friends share ideas that are working for them.
 
Presently we have a huge number of people participating in making positive changes because of the Lent/Spring season. It is a season that encourages us to do something in our lives that will help us live life fully and experience more joy and abundance.
 
I want to share what a friend decided to do for Lent and then I will share an idea from the book in my tool box that supports what they are doing. A couple in our senior social group decided they would do something positive for Lent this season. Instead of “giving up something” they focused on positive action. Every day for 40 days they are going through their closets, attic and house seeking something they are no longer using. They then bring these items to a charity to be distributed to those in need.
 
I know they are doing this as a spiritual practice, but it is backed up with support that clearing clutter has life changing benefits. In the book that I have referenced in previous postings Feng Shui Your Life comes the following information:
“Clearing clutter and cleaning space are the first steps in creating awesome energy within yourself and your surroundings. If you start with a clean slate, your dreams and goals will manifest much faster and easier.”
 
On my dream board I have a picture of a chair for our living room I wanted to replace a chair that no longer fit after we purchased new living room furniture. It was still in great shape and had rarely been sat upon. We held on to this chair waiting until we found another that we liked. We could not find the perfect chair, so we finally decided to give away that chair to a local charity. Last week we decided to just browse around furniture stores with no pressure for an immediate purchase. As we were exiting the last store we intended to visit, we found the exact chair we wanted. Once the space was open, we found exactly what we wanted.
 
Whenever we make a positive change it is not easy when we are doing it alone and do not have support. Now is a great time to make a positive change by implementing a new practice because we do have the support. A large group of people are doing Spring Cleaning, and many are embracing “positive action” for Lent.
 
You may want to share your success story in the comment section. How is your Lenten options/Spring Cleaning progressing?

​“The way we experience the world around us is a
direct reflection of the world within us.”
                                                                                        ---Gabrielle Bernstein:
 
Today Lent is a much-anticipated day for those of us who live in New Orleans. As soon as the fireworks and New Year’s parties are over, we get ready for endless partying until midnight of Fat Tuesday. This year I participated in many of these activities. Some of the partying became public when a video was posted on Facebook of me line dancing on the street while waiting for a parade. I did have a great time!
 
I am excited about the upcoming 40 days because these six weeks offer me a quiet reflective time to select one or two things from my tool box to seriously practice daily. This discipline can assist me in making a major positive change in my life.
 
In the past I have written about a tool I use daily, writing and saying affirmations. Some people have said to me that this sounds like a New Age practice.
It may be that for some but for me it creates trust and faith that what I want to attract in my life will manifest if I truly believe it will happen.  One of my favorites affirmations is “I accept good graciously into my life. All of my needs are met abundantly for me now and always.”
 
I feel encouraged about the message I am sharing with others when I receive confirmation from people I hold in high regard. A few days ago in Fr. Richard Rohr’s daily reflection he talked about the importance of affirmations.
“We have been conditioned to focus on the negative in ourselves and others. Think of a negative phrase you have said aloud or thought to yourself that stems from a sense of shame rather than your inherent dignity. Turn it upside down and say, in the first person, present tense, an affirmation of your God-given value. For example:
 
I don’t have enough....I have everything I need.
I am alone....I am indwelled by God’s presence.
I am worthless...I am precious in God’s eyes, I am honored, and God loves me.
 
Repeat the positive statement aloud, slowly, with intention and trust, several times. Then rest silently in the awareness that you are already and forever, without any effort or achievement on your part, a beloved child of God.”
 
I believe the practice of daily affirmations during the 40 days of Lent can create unlimited possibilities and perhaps even create a habit that can certainly enrich your life.
 
 
 
 
 

​“No person was ever honored for what he received, but for what he gave.”
                                                                                                ---Calvin Coolidge
 
A few days ago I listed a few tools that may be of benefit to you during this upcoming season of Spring and Lent. One of the ideas was, “Pay it Forward.” I gave a suggestion of telling the cashier in the fast food line to apply your change to the next person’s bill.
 
The next morning in the newspaper the headlines were that Tom and Gayle Benson’s charitable foundation gave $5 million dollars to a local high school.
My immediate thought was I am telling my readers that passing on change from a $20 bill will make a difference in someone’s life and the Bensons just gave away millions. A few days later I received a confirmation that small acts of “paying it forward” do matter. Regardless of the dollar amount people appreciate the generosity.
 
Every year during the Mardi Gras season we support a local school’s annual fund raiser that is on the parade route. We purchase a package from them that includes parking, grandstand viewing and food.  When we entered the parking lot the organizer of the event thanked me for supporting them and said they were especially grateful for my additional donation. My wife looked at me and said how much extra money did we give because they seem to be so grateful. I told her when checking out as I registered on line, a pop-up appeared and asked if I would consider making a $20 additional donation. I checked “yes,” not giving much thought to such a minimal amount. It was very surprising to me that my small gift was even recognized.
 
One day we may all be in  the financial position to make large charitable contributions. In the meantime  this recognition of a small donation supports the benefit of giving from your substance because it does make a difference.
 
You may want to share with the readers any situation you experienced when “Paying it Forward” made a difference.
 
 
 
 
 
 

“Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.”.
 ---Sarah Ban Breathnach

A powerful energy will soon be upon us to give us a second chance of achieving our new year’s  goals. As I mentioned in previous postings statistics are not in our favor because 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. We can reverse those statistics and greatly increase our odds for success in achieving our goals by getting a jump start in preparing for the upcoming wave of support.
 
I just read an article by Savannah Marie on The History of Spring Cleaning  and why it is important. The following is paraphrased from that article: “Spring cleaning is not unique in the U.S. it’s actually practiced all over the world in one variation or another. Spring is the most popular time, which seems to have roots in religion. Part of why it’s so popular to go through spring cleaning is that it makes us feel better. Having a clean space is good for you It reduces stress, increases productivity, and helps promote gratefulness.”
 
My wife is a pro when it comes to removing clutter to allow a constant flow of new energy to enter into our house. She keeps a shopping bag in the corner of our office in which she puts household items we are not using or clothing we no longer wear. Every month we stop by the Habit for Humanity bin to recycle those items that are no longer of use to us.
 
In the Christian tradition we have two opportunities to assist us in making positive changes to achieve our goals in life. The first is March 6, the first day of Lent, and the second is March 20, the first day of Spring.
 
Everyone has their unique tools to help them achieve their goals in life. I personally have more success in taking positive action during the Lenten season instead of focusing on giving up something. Often the positive action I take becomes a normal practice that offers long term life changing benefits.
 
Take advantage of the Lenten and Spring seasons to renew the commitments you made in the beginning of the year to achieve your goals. It is a great time to commit to taking action by using the tools that work for you and help you make a positive change in your life.
 
Below is a recap of a few of the tools I have talked about that may be of benefit to you during this wonderful season of Spring and the Lenten season.

• Every day write down three things you are grateful for.

 

• Turn negative expectations around by writing a few affirmations to help you experience success.

 

• Turn off all electronic devices and spend 5 minutes in quiet meditation.

 

• Read a book that offers inspiration.

 

• Keep your Dream Board current by adding postings for additional things you anticipate attracting in your life.

 

• Pay it forward! Simple things work best. When in line at your favorite fast food place tell the cashier to apply the change to the bill of the next person in line.

 
Spring is the season of rebirth and renewal. Make the most of it!
 
 

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times,
always with the same person.”
---Mignon McLaughlin

There are so many electives offered in high school and college curriculums today to help young people become successful in their careers. However, few if any, are offered on living a lifetime commitment in a relationship. When we were involved in the Marriage Encounter movement in our early years of marriage, we were invited to teach a course on communication in relationships at a local high school. When we stated that Love is a Decision and not a feeling it created quite a stir and tremendous discussion. Anyone who has remained married for over 50 years as we have can share many stories of the often times they have had to practice
“Love is a Decision.”
 
Valentine’s Day should be a national holiday because so many young married couples need a day just to focus on rekindling their romance. When you consider the fast pace of society, both spouses working, carpooling kids to school and nonstop after school activities filling every hour of the day, there just isn’t much time to focus on romance.
 
All relationships, including those in professional and social groups, go through three phases: romance, disillusionment and true joy.
In early marriage if romance is not evident the relationship typically heads for disaster very quickly. This is certainly evident by the high rate of divorce. It takes time and work to come up with creative ideas to spice up romance regardless of how short or long we have been married. One of our most memorable occasions  was when I rented a room at a downtown hotel and checked in. I had brought Jeanne’s clothes and makeup to the room earlier. I told her our company was having a small gathering with the Vice President at a suite in the hotel.
Of course when we knocked on the door to enter there was no one there. Jeanne thought we were in the wrong location! I then said, “Let’s go downstairs to have dinner and then come back to our room.”
 
On the Marriage Encounter weekend we taught the value of each spouse writing a daily love letter for 10 minutes while  apart and their sharing those letters with one another before going to bed. Fr. Chuck Gallagher was insistent that all team couples had to participate in that practice daily or they could not give weekends. Instead of searching for a Valentine card that has the right message it may be a good way to spark the flame of romance by getting a $1 notebook and spending  10 minutes writing what you truly appreciate about your spouse and why you would not want to go on living without them.
 
Happy Valentine’s Day!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“The happiest people in the world are those who feel absolutely terrific about themselves, and this is the natural outgrowth of accepting total responsibility for every part of their life.”                                                                                                 
 Brian Tracy

r 

The  gift of curiosity coupled with an urgency to take immediate action to seek new discoveries afford me many blessings in my life. A particular incident in my career comes to mind now. I developed my own creative marketing approach in my field. It was innovative, yet uncomplicated. I thought this tool would be of value worldwide. I was on cloud nine when I received an invitation to go to Switzerland to talk about this approach at an international marketing conference. It was disappointing  to say the least when two European representatives expressed their lack of interest remarking that they already had their market share and there was no reason for them to put out such additional effort.
However it continued to prove beneficial to me and I continued to use that approach until I retired.
 
For some time I have been sharing through my postings some of the tools and ideas I have been implementing to facilitate a life of abundance. I realize many people have successfully used their own tried-and-true approach. My disappointment comes when I am approached by those who express a desire to make positive changes, but they do not take move to the next step, the action,  to implement any of the ideas.
 
The following three areas that created both excitement and resistance to change have surfaced this year by my readers:
 
Realistic Budgets
For many it seems easier not to deal with the consequences of debt, overspending retirement savings, and paying ridiculous interest rates on credit card debt. One thing I am proud about with managing our budget is I have never paid interest on any credit card charges. In fact I benefit from charging everything possible because I receive 1:5% rebate on all charges and I pay the balance in full every month. Some years this rebate will pay for a mini vacation that is listed on my Dream Board.
 
Dream Boards
A few weeks ago I received a letter from the author of the book Feng Shui Your Life. She appreciated my passing on her website when I quoted from her book the tremendous success people are having with this tool of a Dream Board to create a life of abundance. On the same day I received a reply from one of my readers saying they still have not found the time put together their Dream Board. As I review mine right now on my office wall, I see two on the postings we have on our board that we have already manifested.
 
Positive Thinking
To think positive in a world that is focused on negativity offers a challenge for those who want to turn around their negative thinking. If you listen to conversations with family and friends, you can sometimes hear their predictions of a negative outcome long before it becomes a reality. They have become so accustomed to talking that way they are not even aware they are setting themselves up for failure.
 
 
The following information is paraphrased from the book I read Happiness Gene by James Baird, PhD with Laurie Nader PhD. http://www.drjamesdbaird.com/
It’s a leap of the mind to think that because a handful of scientific experiments have shown a direct cause and effect between positive emotional states and genetic changes that can change the course of human evolution by becoming a happier person. But really what do you have to lose? Anxiety, depression, Low self-esteem, destructive patterns of behavior?
And what do you have to gain?  A positive outlook on life, consistent optimism, resilience in face of adversity, the ability to perceive opportunities instead of feeling overwhelmed by obstacles?
 
This book along with many others that I have in my tool box helps me when I begin to question myself if all this positivity can work for everyone.
 
 
 

​Prayer is not about changing God,
but being willing to let God change us.
                                                                                         ---Richard Rohr
 
Often, I hear people comment “My prayers were not answered.” The two miracles for a major medical healing I have recently experiences came from a community praying together for a person present and one in another state. The first person of our prayers intentions successfully recovered from a both a heart and a kidney transplant and the second is thriving after a kidney transplant.  Both of them  personally took positive action to increase the odds of answered prayers. The road to these miracles was not easy for either recipient. They both endured very long and arduous months of ups and downs. But they kept “keeping on” towards their goals.”
 
Sometimes people get discouraged when prayers aren’t answered in the way they expected. I can relate to this in a very personal way. Eight years ago my wife, Jeanne, had a minor case of the shingles, but it immediately caused major non-reversible nerve damage. For many people dealing with constant pain for such a long time, they may have turned sour on life and cut themselves off from everything including preparation for family events and holidays, and all social activities. The persistent pain could have even affected their faith or belief in the power of prayer. Jeanne amazes me with her attitude. We are sensitive to her situation but have basically continued to celebrate life and enjoy our family and friends.
 
What I have experienced from this unforeseen challenge in our senior years has amazed me. It has  helped bring out the best in those who have been praying for her. It has also made Jeanne relatable to those who are experiencing lifelong pain. It has influenced many, many people get the shingles vaccine.
 
What does this have to do with my tool box of resources that can help in creating a life of abundance? Having resources available can prepare you to make the best of life’s experiences, the good and the unfortunate. Both offer unlimited opportunities. Since I am a person who has an insatiable curiosity about new experiences, I have many resources I use to pray and nurture my spirituality. There are many free inspirational prayer publications that I receive daily by email. In addition to those resources, nature can offer an amazingly prayerful environment. I have a passion for working in the garden and that often provides my most prayerful time of the week. My daily grateful journaling helps me keep a positive expectation of life.
 
Prayer is the key that has helped me change my mindset even when it seems the prayers are not being answered, at least in the way I expect. It has taught me to accept the challenge and courage to keep moving forward. It saddens me when I hear words spoken by others that God must be punishing me, or God is angry with me because of these challenges in my life.
 
Several years ago I attended a workshop given by a friend Mary Jo McCabe, a spiritual intuitive, and these were just a few words she said at this event on prayer. https://www.maryjomccabe.com/
“God is energy, God is love. The life force within you is God and through prayer, you touch God by blending with this life force. It is necessary for you to recharge, to come together with this energy, in order to feel a true connection to life. Through prayer, you learn how to fly again.”    
 
Prayer is essential and action has to be taken to assist in the manifestation of our dreams that we pray about. That is the reason we get a high level of success with our Dream Board postings. Remember Dream Board postings do not have to be focused primarily on material manifestations. It is just as important to post ambitions to make a positive influence in the world. On January 1, 2019, I  posted that my blog would achieve a far-reaching goal of 3,000 weekly visitors. Today my visitors increased from 2,500 to 3,082. I am pleased to be reaching so many readers. Thanks to so many of you for sharing my blog with others.