 Romance is the glamour which turns the dust of everyday life into a golden haze.” ― Elinor Glyn Happy Valentine’s! For those of us living in New Orleans participation in the Christian tradition of the Lenten season is a welcome change of pace. It offers us a great opportunity to do something positive after two weeks of nonstop partying to celebrate Mardi Gras. This year offers us a dual opportunity to include romance in our Lenten practice; the first day of Lent is also Valentine’s Day. Regardless of your religious practice you may want to include some of these ideas during the next 40 days. You may want to spend a little time today writing down a list of ideas of romantic experiences that you want to include in your daily life for the next 40 days. Romance can be experienced by being passionate and fully present in whatever you are doing in life. If your job is hum drum what can you do to make it more exciting and interesting? If you are not happy with the energy level of your body it may be a good time to adjust your diet and initiate a routine of exercise few times a week. Look at the primary relationships in your life. Even the best relationships will always benefit with an infusion of attention and care. The typical Valentine gift of flowers and candy will be gone in a few days. How about initiating a new practice like writing a note for the next eight weeks letting your spouse or significant other know they are appreciated and hold a special place in your heart. Be specific about what you value about them. When Lent is over and we celebrate the Resurrection on Easter Sunday the foundation will have been put in place to truly celebrate the investment of time and energy to enhance the relationships most dear to our hearts.
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 “Only from the heart can you touch the sky.” —Jalaluddin Rumi In today’s society we expect instant results. I am surely among that number. One major influence that has fostered this attitude is the experience of purchasing items on line and receiving them at my front door within two days. I do not have to do anything but enter in my credit card number and place my order! Now when I go to a department store I get very impatient when I have to wait in line to pay for my purchases. I’m not alone in my distress. Each person in line is fidgety and grumbling. The same attitude prevails if an appliance breaks. We want it fixed instantly or we just get a new one to replace it. Unfortunately this mindset is subconsciously brought into many marriages. If the relationship isn’t working or proving to be very satisfying many young people don’t seem to have the patience to seek help before it deteriorates to the point that it cannot be fixed. Too quickly or too easily they just decide to “throw out” the relationship and seek a “replacement.” What is not often in the news is the success that so many couples are having living out a long term relationship. Most of our friends have recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. In my previous posting I mentioned that love is a decision and not a feeling. This is such a key concept in any valued relationship. When things are not going great it is necessary to pull out the trump card and remember “love is a decision.” When we taught a marriage course many years ago at a local Catholic high school the girls were very encouraged to hear that the other key thing is all relationships constantly go in and out of three phases. This was something they were already experiencing in the relationships with their siblings and friends. The following are those three phases that are always changing in any relationship:
 One advantage of marriage is that, when you fall out of love with him or he falls out of love with you, it keeps you together until you fall in again. ~Judith Viorst It was recently stated in the local newspaper that New Year‘s resolutions are getting close to falling into the high category of failure. Only a small percentage will be kept after March 1. My Dream Board has been catching my attention daily. It constantly reminds me of my intentions for this year. One of the postings is getting close to fruition. I posted “I am attracting 2,500 weekly readers to view my blog.” Because of this increased readership of last week’s posting I am close to reaching the goal. I will continue to explore this topic for the next few postings. I will offer the following recommendations to our teenage grandchildren as they enter the dating scene. It is what I would also suggest to anyone beginning their search to attract a lifetime partner. · The marriages of our family and those of the parents of our friends are the best role models for what we want for our marriage. · The communication with close friends and family teaches us how to relate to a future spouse. The best gift our friends can give us is to bring out the best in us and reflect the goodness in us that we do not always see in ourselves. This is the one gift we will want to give to our spouse and one will always appreciate receiving. When I got serious about finding a person I wanted to attract for a lifetime relationship I gave serious thought to exactly the kind of person I wanted to attract. I wrote a list of the qualities I was seeking in a spouse. I carried this list in my pocket. That was my Dream Board then! At a very young age I believed if you knew what you wanted in life and focused in that direction it would show up! The next thing that I did was pray that I would make the right choice in finding a spouse. My office was close to a Church that I visited frequently to attend Mass. I had no idea the person with whom I would be going on a blind date was at the same Church at the same time I was there. These two tools writing down what you want to attract and praying about it gets positive results. The success of this came last year when my wife and I celebration of our 50th Wedding Anniversary. This will be an event I will never forget as it offered us an opportunity to reflect on the many blessings we have in our life. I am grateful for my answered prayers and my Dream Board manifestation. Because of that I am enjoying life with my lifetime best friend, my wife.  Without love, our earth is a tomb.” ― Robert Browning In today’s world we seem to have very little control of the negative things bombarding us on the internet and television. I would like to focus this posting on the following positive statement. “Lifetime marriages can change the world.” When we don’t see our leaders making a difference we can offer hope to others just by living out three key areas in our marriage. They are communication, commitment. and celebration: We were blessed in our early years of marriage to experience a Marriage Encounter weekend that was focused entirely on communication skills. It has been 46 years since that weekend experience but we still apply many of the principles today. Communication Our Dream Board, Prosperity Budget, our social and personal schedules are always discussed weekly. I have found that when we are both focused on the dreams and goals we want to manifest in our lives they materialize much faster. However, open and honest communication is a key component to make this successful for both in the relationship. It is imperative that we spend time communicating our hopes, dreams and expectations with one another. Commitment Most great accomplishments in life are achieved by a steadfast determination to stay on the path to reach a goal. Commitment is a key element of success. This is certainly true in relationships. In our first 50 years of marriage there have been many ups and downs. We have not always agreed on the same things. We have experienced hurt feelings and disillusionment but were taught very early in our marriage on that Marriage Encounter weekend that “Love is a decision,” and not a feeling. It’s a decision to honor our commitment to one another and work things out. So we then take the time to talk and listen. Celebration This word encompasses a broad spectrum of experiences and can be as varied as any two people in a relationship. Take the time to celebrate life! It may mean having a date night, or setting aside a special time at home to really talk and get a pulse on how things are going that week. It’s so easy to take our primary relationships for granted. Passion is important in many areas of our lives. It carries us through the difficult times. In a relationship it is critically important that we be passionately invested in the wellbeing of each. That could mean celebrating the things that are important to each of us. We must have a passionate drive to keep our love for one another exciting and extraordinary. We seem to remember when we need to put gas into our car so that it will not stop on us but we don’t remember to fuel our marriage. The love we have for one another offers hope to a world that is desperate to find kindness, compassion, and joy.  In the process of letting go, you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself. Deepak Chopra We are definitely in exciting times for manifestation in our lives. Last week’s topic on Dream Board created a huge interest. My wife and I spent two days fine tuning our postings and now have our Dream Board completed. Below is a picture of our 2018 Dream Board that is hanging in our office.  Another topic of discussion with our family on New Year’s Day was the necessity to start our new year with a clean slate. This is done by releasing everything that is holding us back from living a life of abundance. It is important to set aside 20 minutes and write down everything that you want to release that held you back in previous years. Following are a few examples of few you can release:
Many of the things we need to release are so painful to face we keep them buried in our subconscious mind and fool ourselves into thinking they have no influence on our creating a life of abundance. These are the ones that are the major stumbling blocks and must be written down to be released. Remember no one will see this list but you. At one time I suggested this list be attached to a balloon and released so that you would see a visible sign they are gone forever. Because of the environmental issues with balloons I now suggest other means that will still give you a visible sign. If you have a shredder in your house I suggest shredding that list. Another way is to go outside and burn the list. However before destroying your list I suggest you light a candle and spend a few minutes reading what you wrote. Then say a prayer of thanksgiving that you have made the decision to release all of the stumbling blocks to living a life of abundance. Once you have completed this exercise you are now ready to attract what you want in your life. Write these goals and desires in your notebook. The next step is to create your Dream Board from the list in your notebook. This is a powerful exercise that has worked for me. I believe you can also experience the same high rate of success. Remember, the key to all success is to take action. 
If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.”
-- Andrew Carnegie A recent U.S. News and World Report study shows 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. Since I am a visual person my success rate of attracting what I post on my Dream Board is very high. There are ways I am able to achieve this high rate of success that I will share with you. This year I expect to increase this success rate because I have invited my family to participate. Our eight grandchildren came over New Year’s Day. We had a wonderful lunch then worked on their personal Dream Boards. You can view this video by clicking below. It will also be shown on my Positive Pops U Tube channel. When you have a support group talking about the dreams you have posted on your Dream Board that encouragement keeps you moving forward. In my case I now have support from my family. Our Dream Board is a combination of what my wife and I both want to bring into our lives. We support one another in manifesting our dreams. We have our Dream Board hanging on the wall in our office along with other artwork. That strategic location enables us to see the Dream Board several times a day which actually increases the success rate of manifesting our posted goals and ambitions. Seeing it reminds me of the commercial about the Energizing Bunny. It helps me to focus and never give up on the dream. I encourage everyone to dream big when they post the pictures and sayings of what they want to bring into their lives. It often requires some effort to accelerate the manifestation and increase the success rate. Here is a current example. We are retired on a fixed income but two years ago we posted that we wanted to go on a first-class 21-day River Cruise in Europe for our 50th Wedding Anniversary. We planned it and it happened. Many other great things happened without any more effort than having a picture posted. I know I have shared this previously but I believe it was so powerful in my life that it warrants mentioning once again. I was totally amazed when I was asked by the Vice President of the company to present my marketing strategies at my company’s international marketing conference in Switzerland. That in itself was amazing but they then offered the opportunity to have my wife accompany me on this all-expenses paid 10-day trip. Two years ago I was somewhat disappointed because I posted my investments would increase by 16% but the results were 8%. Last year I decided not to aim that high so I posted my investments would increase 8% and exactly what I posted two years ago happened, a 16% gain. Another lesson learned. Do not give up on your dream even when it does not happen immediately, just stay focused on a positive outcome.  People in the Hall of Fame tend to clap their hands and say, 'OK, I've done it all,' but for me, it was a new beginning.” Jimmy Cliff This year has been exceptional because we had so many things to look forward to with the celebration of our 50th Anniversary. Many of these once-in-a- lifetime happenings were made possible by my practicing what I teach to others. That is why I love the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. It is a time to reflect on those tools that have worked best and to consider new tools I want to have available for the New Year. Two of the major things we experienced this year were posted on our Dream Board: a family beach vacation and a 21-day European River Cruise. When I set up our Prosperity Budget each year I list on the spreadsheet the fixed and flexible expenses and buckets of income to source those expenses. Knowing exactly what it takes to live comfortably and debt free allows me to enjoy life to the fullest. Being on a fixed income in retirement doesn’t offer many possibilities for new income sourcing. That is the reason I have trusted professional consultants to maximize on tax savings and financial planning. It is not always a question of how much money you make but how to maximize the savings by reducing taxes and increasing the rate of return on investments. This year I had posted on our Dream Board the % of return on investments and tax savings I projected using this strategy and it surpassed my projection. To end the year you may want participate in an event that I have previously shared from my tool box, the Balloon Release. Write down all things you want to release that have not worked in helping you to live a life of abundance. Tape that list to one balloon. On the other balloon for 2018 attach the list of all things you want to bring into your life for the New Year. I look forward to hearing from you on ideas that you have used with success previously or the new ones you plan on implementing in this New Year. Happy New Year  When you believe in your dream and your vision, then it begins to attract its own resources. No one was born to be a failure. Myles Munroe Even though my grandchildren have honored me with the title Positive Pops. I still need signs to assure me that I am offering something of value to my blog readers to assist them in living the life of their dreams. I believe in seeking guidance and signs when I make major decisions. I also believe as I focus on the positive I bring about these signs to give me clear direction. Today I read an article “How did the wise men know to follow the star?” The reason that the wise men thought the star would lead them to a king is rooted in the ancient belief that signs in the heavens portended great or terrible things to come depending on who is interpreting the signs. I use several techniques to receive the signs I am seeking to live a life of abundance. One is the tool I use daily. It is a deck of cards given to me by a spiritual intuitive. I use them to get confirmation and guidance I am seeking for the day. I was questioning myself wondering if my blog postings on Positive Pops really make a difference and are helpful to others. The card I drew was a powerful answer. I was the Glove. The message on the card read, “Good fit, supports your desires and offers warmth.” Another tool I use is listening to inspirational CDs while driving. Last week I was listening to a set of CDs from Father Rohr on the life of St. Paul emphasizing that St. Paul was one of the first teachers of Positive Thinking. Even while he was in prison he focused on positive possibilities. This was another sign that same day supported by scripture that writing about positive possibilities can be valuable to others. The Dream Board will be discussed in depth in my next posting. Ideally this is done between Christmas and New Year’s Day. I constantly receive confirmation of the power of this tool as many of the things I post come to fruition. It has proven its value to me to such an extent that I definitely want to assist our grandchildren in forming the habit of an annual Dream Board. We will have a family Dream Board gathering New Year’s Day with the eight grandchildren. They will all be putting together their personal Dream Board for 2018. Merry Christmas and thanks to each of you for the gift of encouragement. I sincerely appreciate your confirmation that you have implemented some of the ideas I write about and you have experienced positive results.  “To all the other dreamers out there, don't ever stop or let the world's negativity disenchant you or your spirit. If you surround yourself with love and the right people, anything is possible.” Adam Green There is an exciting energy emanating from the innocence of children as they anticipate something great happening in their lives. They are looking at magazines and cutting out pictures of gifts they would like. They are searching the internet and sending the website links to their family members and then making their lists for Santa. They are living in a state of “I Believe!” Whatever we focus on in life with belief and passion will definitely happen in our lives.. As adults we sometimes lose that precious innocence to bring about what we really want in our lives. During this time of the year we need to tap into those beliefs and passions for whatever we desire to have in our lives. At my age increasing material possessions is not where I want to focus my attention. What’s important to me now is to surround myself with people who are searching to live life to the fullest socially and spiritually, and who believe they can indeed make a positive change in the world. So I too am “making a list and checking it twice.” I will practice much of what the children are doing with many of my tools I use from my tool box throughout the year. · I believe that writing down goals is imperative to support our passion to bring about what we desire in our lives. · I believe a Dream Board with pictures and affirmations posted on it serves as a constant reminder of what I want to bring into my life. · I believe it is important to begin and end each day in reflection and gratitude. · I believe it is important to surround myself with positive friends who support me. · I believe it is important to have a prosperity budget to help us get the most out of our income sourcing. · I believe in tithing to keep paying it forward! In the next few days you may want to immerse you in the enthusiasm and creative energy of the season. Work out a plan and believe that you can create the life of your dreams.  “Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” Margaret Cousins We are all connecting to a wonderful energy during this Christmas season by thinking of others as we select the perfect gifts for our family and friends. This time of the year offers us so many traditions to keep this positive energy flowing. Even addressing Christmas cards helps us to focus on each person to whom we are sending our holiday good wishes. We could indeed change the world by continuing to make positive overtures to our family and friends throughout the year. This could be an easy task if we could magically store some of this “holiday season” energy in a sealed container and allow a little out at a time during the rest of the year. What my wife and I personally experience during this Christmas season is that feeling of being especially appreciated and valued by family and friends as they choose to spend time with us. It is also uplifting to receive the beautiful Christmas cards and pictures of the many special families in our lives. This is a great time to express to our family and friends the positive influence they have had in our lives. Beautiful words of appreciation and gratitude that are often left to be expressed in Eulogies can be that life changing gift. This is a gift that will truly keep giving because in most cases when a person feels appreciated they become predisposed to “paying it forward.” These gifts of appreciation will last long after the gifts under the tree have been opened. In my career I always went the extra mile in offering my customers value added programs to assist them in increasing their business. When I met with my boss for my annual review he always listed the things he appreciated that I had done to make the company look good. And truthfully his expression of appreciation meant as much to me as the next statement about my salary increase. Today we send ecards, post birthdays and special occasions on Facebook, or send an email of best wishes. This may be old school thinking but there is nothing like receiving a hand written note. You may want to take advantage of this wonderful season to write a short personal note or a brief compliment in a Christmas card or on the gift tag of the present. We are all very familiar with the saying “love makes the world go around.” Much the same thing can be said about appreciation. It makes people smile and puts a spring in their step. I know it motivates me to give more of myself to those who truly appreciate me. |
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