“Turn your obstacles into opportunities and
your problems into possibilities.”
                                                              Roy Bennett                                                        
 
This year has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us. In spite of that we have remained focused on our goals. Last week a friend suggested we connect with a virtual presentation by Matthew Kelly entitled Amazing Possibilities  He encouraged us to write down our answers to 19 dream questions, emphasizing we not judge our ability to succeed.
 
Below are a few of the questions. I filled in my personal answers. 

• As a child what was one of your best memories?

         Spending time at my grandmother’s house. I was her first grandchild and she 
          always treated me in an incredibly special way.

• What fear would you like to overcome?

         Not having sufficient financial income to support my current lifestyle.

• What improvements would you like to make in your home?

         With the current pandemic we are spending much more time outside.
         I would like to increase the size of our patio area and have an outside kitchen. 

• What spiritual habit would you like to develop?

         A greater appreciation of scripture. My dream is to have a weekly small                         gathering in our home to study and discuss both the old and new testaments 
         of the bible.
 

• If you could go on anywhere in the world next year where would that be?   A scenic train trip in the Canadian Rockies.

 
Participating in this workshop made me realize the importance of spending time reflecting on what great things we can create in our lives regardless of what is going on in the world. I realized  that it is those negative thoughts that block my ability to live life to the fullest.
 
I always increase my rate of success in achieving my goals when I write down what I want to achieve and then follow through by posting them on my Dream Board. It still amazes me to see what we have manifested in spite of the pandemic. The following are a few “dreams” that were written and posted.
 
​Remodel our guest bathroom.
Install exterior lighting of the house.
Purchase a whole-house generator.
Increase our tithing during the pandemic.
 
This Thanksgiving offers us a great opportunity as we gather around the table with family to express our gratefulness. Perhaps one or two of the above questions can offer further discussion to nourish our souls with Amazing Possibilities as we nourish our bodies. If you are interested in receiving the entire list that was given to us let me know in the comment section and I will forward it to you by email.
 
 
 
 
 

​ 
“To all the other dreamers out there, do not ever stop or let the world's
 negativities disenchant you or your spirit. If you surround yourself
with love and the right people, anything is possible.”
                                                                                                                                      Adam Green
 
 
Some people think having a positive approach to life in these troubling times is not realistic. I have been reminded by others that what they saw or read in the news confirms that the future looks bleak with the possibility of a recession and proposed tax increases.
 
I was born into a family that had experienced the Great Depression of 1929 and were then confronted with the entrance of the United States into World War 11 only two months after my birth in 1941. To further dramatize the impact the war had on the family two of my young uncles were missing in action and it was not known if they were alive.
 
In spite of horrific conditions in the world and the anxiety of the unknown every Sunday my grandparents had the family over for a huge Italian meal. They gathered around the table for hours to enjoy one another’s presence. Looking back I believe these family gatherings were the critical component that helped them stay functional and encourage one another during a time considered to be the worst time in history.
 
My parents focused on a dream they had to start their own business by opening a corner grocery store. Some people thought this was not a good idea because times were tough. In addition to that certain food products were rationed and could only be purchased with food stamps. It was only natural that they discussed their dreams with the family gathered around the table for Sunday dinners.
 
With a loan from one of my uncles  my parents purchased a double in the city and converted one side into a grocery store. My Mother’s brother formerly missing in action returned home from the war. He leased a space to open a meat department offering fresh cut meats. Times were bleak but they managed to move forward and achieve their dream. My next posting will offer my readers some tools to assist you in achieving your goas on a fast tract.
 
We can be encouraged by reading about what other people are doing to achieve their dreams. The readers of my blog will benefit  hearing from you in the comment section below as to what you are doing to Dream Big with success.
 
Last week I received many replies from my posting. I think this one is a great idea to consider when we gather together for any meal and especially this Thanksgiving.
 
“My daughter and her family share a practice at supper every day. Each person has to say something they are grateful for that day. Their family tradition focuses on thinking positive. I have missed your blog. Thanks for rekindling your positive vibe.”  Tom N.
 

​“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
 William Arthur Ward
 
We are looking forward to celebrating the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Many may wonder about the difficulty to focus on being thankful at this time in this particular year. I know this thought has entered my mind. The year 2020 has presented us with many challenges carrying us into uncharted waters. The following is an excerpt from the message by Rev. Thomas Shepherd in his article Feeling Grateful in All Things that made me aware that things could be worse.​

The First Thanksgiving in America.
“The Winter of 1620-21 devastated the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. Half of its population died from disease and malnutrition. In spite of the harsh conditions, the remaining settlers gathered with their Native-American neighbors to thank the Great Spirit for a harvest to see them through the coming winter. Even when outer circumstances are grim, like the cold winter, and other trials of our ancestors or the global pandemic we have been facing as a human community, (fires, hurricanes, floods) it is still possible to feel gratitude and give thanks.” 

In the coming few weeks I am preparing to see our gathering as one that is focused on what we are thankful for and not about the present problems of our world we live in. To do this I am continuing my practice of journaling what I am grateful for in my life today. The key to the success of this practice is to have a notebook open and ready to jot down a few things that have happened in your life that may have inspired you to live life to the fullest. If this is not yet a practice of yours, you may want to give it a try from now until Thanksgiving.
 
There are many things we take for granted in life every day. Unfortunately, we are so influenced by the negativity of social media that it becomes a practice to pass on this negativity in our conversations with others. It has become our reality because we may believe this is the only time in history that it has been this bad. That is why I shared the quote from Rev. Shepard with you.
 
Once the pandemic became a reality and so many restrictions were placed on us I
got so caught up in the tragedy of this event and I allowed it to block any positive ideas to share. I received several calls asking me why I stopped writing a post for my blog. Finally yesterday in a hypnotherapy session the message came to me again that I am blessed with my positive approach to life and I need to share it with others. I am once again posting on my blog. I am grateful for the encouragement and support I have received from family and friends.

​“Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.”
                                                                                                                       --- Khalil Gibran

February is one of my favorite months of the year. January is always the time for planning, focusing on goal setting and initiating effective positive changes in our life. Now we are immersed in the energy of love, romance and reflection on great memories of the past.
 
In this posting I will share my reflection on some of the lessons we learned in the early years of our marriage. It is quite a challenge to keep romance alive as the years slip by and we are faced with the many challenges of children, careers, money, and extended families.
 
We made a Marriage Encounter weekend a few months after our 5th Wedding Anniversary. That weekend is designed to make good marriages better. At that point we had not experienced disillusionment with one another. I have previously discussed the three stages in relationships: Romance, Disillusionment, and True Joy. The weekend taught us a basic means of communication to keep our relationship strong as we go through these three stages of love again and again in our commitment to one another. We were also shown that our marriage is truly a vocation and very important to our community. At the conclusion of the weekend the presenting teams asked us and two other couples to consider becoming a presenting team couple to spread what we experienced to other couples.
 
For five years we were one of multiple teams giving this weekend experience locally and around the country. There is a saying “You teach what you need to learn.” Over the years we have found that to be so true. We are grateful to have experienced that weekend so young in our marriage. We learned that setting aside the time each day for in depth communication is a key element to growth and closeness in our relationship.
 
It is so easy to take your partner for granted. It takes effort and commitment to keep communication open and honest, to share feelings, to take time for each other. We were also reminded how important the critical role romance plays in our relationship. We learned it takes prioritizing time together to make a good marriage better. Another statement given to us that weekend that changed our perception of relationships  is that “Love is a decision, not a feeling.” We have a choice to act in a loving way regardless of our differences at times.
 
It is very important to set time aside for one another, work on romance and recall the spark that connected us in the first days of dating. If this practice isn’t ongoing then when the challenges of life like illness, financial stresses, job loss, etc., disillusionment become so powerful that it is very difficult to remember the romance of the past.
 
Valentine’s Day is Friday! You may find the card that says exactly how you feel. And of course it is also touching to write a few of your own heartfelt words to the person with whom you have chosen to spend your life. You may also want to consider writing a personal love letter expressing what first attracted you to your spouse and what set off that first spark of romance.
 
You may want to spend some time this week focusing on ideas to experience more romance in your relationship. When we were first married, we could not afford extended vacations. New Orleans is a great city to arrange a staycation. I would make reservations at a hotel for a weekend, arrange a babysitter and surprise my wife.
 
You may want to pull out some pictures of your first dates or you wedding day. Set up a date night where you can share the memories of that special time.
The time you spend working on your personal romance is a gift to others. We are living in a time when the reflection of that love you have for one another can offer hope when most of what we read, and view stirs up disillusionment. One of the best compliments we have ever received was from one of our granddaughters. She told us when she got married she wanted to grow old in a marriage like ours. She commented about the many things we do together and how we enjoy one another’s company.
 
We were blessed as a young couple by spending  five years with Father Gallagher, founder of Worldwide Marriage Encounter. His passion for the enrichment of the Sacrament of Matrimony always helped us to stay focused in that direction. He wrote many books on marriage and co-wrote a powerful book entitled Embodied in Love. The following is a quote from that book, “God created us for love, for he knows that love alone brings us purpose and identity.”
 
You can help spread the message of the power of romance to a larger audience by sharing this post with family and friends.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

​“If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths,
rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.”
---John Rockefeller 
 
In my career I took many risks in trying different approaches to marketing a generic manufactured product that was just like the competitors; the only difference was the label. When I came up with a creative marketing idea that worked, I assumed others in the company would want to duplicate my success. I met with a group of managers and I was told by one individual that not everyone wants to put the same effort into marketing this product, especially if they have to do it. If they are meeting their monthly quotas that is what is most important. I was taken aback by this attitude and very disappointed.
 
Thirteen years after retirement I am still attempting to market ideas that are working for me. Even though past experience tells me otherwise, I still sometimes assume everyone would certainly like to make positive changes in their lives.
 
A light bulb went on at a New Year’s Eve Mass when the priest talked about the high rate of failures in making positive changes or keeping resolutions. He went on to say that perhaps it was the dread because of having to do something. He suggested we just change the words by saying “I want to! We all know we enjoy doing what we want to do and resist having to make changes.” Those words made so much sense to me and I know they will assist me in having success in making positive changes for this New Year.
 
I am no longer suggesting anyone has to do anything. I sincerely ask that you consider the tools I have used and decide if the idea is something you think would be helpful to you and you really want to pursue it. That is the only way it will work and benefit you. My support and encouragement are always available to you.
 
The following are a few examples of how easy it is to just change one word in your approach to achieving your dreams and goals. This change can definitely increase your success in whatever you undertake:
 
I have to lose the extra weight I gained over the holidays. I want to exercise three days a week because it helps me achieve my ideal weight. I feel so good after exercising my body.
 
I have to reduce the time I look at news broadcasts because the negativity stresses me out.” I want to spend more of my free time reading books that I enjoy and listening to music that lifts me up rather than negative news.
 
I have to find the time to set goals, write them down and post them on my Dream Board. I want to complete my Dream Board because having my goals and ambitions visible increases my success rate.
 
You may want to give yourself 10 or 15 minutes in the next day or so to write down everything you think you have to do to accomplish your New Year’s resolutions made just a few weeks ago. Remember the affirmative wording (I want to) that will stir eagerness in you rather than dread. Keep me posted on the success you are having because one testimony has the possibility of encouraging ten other people to follow your lead and change their approach to successfully achieve their goals.
 
 

​“Often removing is improving.”
                                   ---Anonymous Author
 
Last week I wrote about the importance of making a Dream Board to assist in achieving our New Year’s resolutions and intentions. A reader of the blog responded that they had little success with their Dream Board postings from last year and wanted to know what could be blocking their ability to manifest their dreams.
 
One concept that has assisted us in achieving greater success in manifesting our goals is incorporating the Principles of Feng Shui by Jayme Barrett in our daily life. Many of the ideas I implemented came from this book. My wife is a master of what is discussed in chapter three of the book, Clutter and Space Cleaning. “Clearing clutter and cleansing space are the first steps in creating awesome energy within yourself and your surroundings. Just as an artist paints a masterpiece on a fresh canvas, a clean environment is essential for you to implement Feng Shui effectively. If you start with a clean slate, your dreams and goals will manifest much faster and easier.”
 
We have a container in our office in which we put clothing or household items that we no longer need or use. When it is filled it is donated to our favorite charity, Habitat. There are so many emotions that tug at us as we let go of a possession that is no longer useful to us. This is especially true when there is the slightest sentimental attachment. As I said, Jeanne is great at clearing the clutter. This year she realized she was still holding on to the 12-year-old dress she wore for our 40th wedding anniversary. She also had kept the dresses she wore for our children’s weddings. Letting go in this situation was a little more difficult for her because of the treasured moments and emotions stirred by thee special events. But she realized letting go of the dresses would have no effect on the memories.
 
I believe that the success rate of achieving the postings on our Dream Board is greatly accelerated by letting go of “the old” to allow room for “the new.” One example from last year was a picture we found in a magazine of a swivel rocker; we posted on our Dream Board. When we redecorated our living room, we had a difficult time letting go of an accent chair that did not compliment the new color scheme. We shopped extensively to find a new chair but were not successful. We finally decided to give away the chair and just have a vacant space available for the new chair we would purchase.
 
Two weeks later we visited several furniture stores with no success. We were tired but decided to visit one more store. As we were leaving the store Jeanne spotted a chair we had not been shown. There was the swivel chair we had envisioned. It was the exact size and color we had posted on our Dream Board!
 
This week you may want to start with clearing out a few small items that are cluttering up space around the house. Start with items to which you do have no emotional attachment. The next step is to always have a container or brown paper bag in a designated place available to place the items in that you will donate to an organization for recycling. Our local grocery store has a Habitat for Humanity bin that makes it very convenient for us to make decluttering a habit.
 
 

“The thrill of new beginnings is immensely alluring!”
                                                                   Avijeet Das

 
We can always learn from nature as you can see in this picture Roy sent to me that he captured yesterday. Focus on your immediate tasks and you will  fulfill your desired goals.
 
New Year’s Day is a day of reflection on the successes of the past year, anticipation and hope for fulfillment of dreams for the new year. Today I wrote down my first affirmation for the new year “I am open to the endless possibilities of this year!”
 
I also like to take an inventory of what tools I used that helped me achieve my goals for last year and the efforts I need to modify to assure  a higher rate of success for 2020. There were a few things I did last year that were so successful that they even surprised me.
 
Every year I have mentioned that New Year’s resolutions in general have the highest rate of failure of anything we attempt to put into practice throughout the year. It is so easy for most people to just list all the disciplines  they intend to incorporate in their life. Unfortunately after a few months the distractions of daily life click in and the discipline falls by the wayside.
 
I have put into practice a few simple changes in my approach to getting better results and achieving greater success. The number one suggestion I have strongly encouraged with my readers is to make a Dream Board. It is amazing how motivating it is to have that visual display of affirmations and pictures of the things they would like to attract in their life.
 
Last year our Dream Board had 80% success in achieving what was posted. One posting was an error but yet achieved. I had a picture of a trip to Nashville with the Ryman Theatre on it with the words “Grand Ole Opry” sprawled across it. I had forgotten that the Opry had played in its new location in Opryland for several years. Six months before taking the trip I purchased tickets to see whatever may be playing at the Ryman. I kept trying to find out what performers would be there the
Date of our tickets. However the performers were never posted, Until we entered the theatre, we did not know what Country star would be performing. We were seated in the theatre and the curtains opened and it was announced that the last live broadcast of the Grand Old Opry for the season would be preforming. Wow!
 
To accelerate my success in achieving my goals that are posted I adjust my Prosperity Budget to assist me in my success. I like the 10% approach to a personal investment in achieving the goal.
For example I had three travel locations posted on our Dream Board. I determined what the cost of the three trips would be, so I put aside 10% in my budget. The balance I would work out monthly. We have never taken a vacation on credit. Much to my surprise I received my Southwest travel credit card statement saying I earned two air fares to any location to which they traveled. With this extra boost we were able to take all three trips. Dreaming and planning enhance the pleasure of achieving our goals! During the next few weeks I will explore other tactics to achieve the goals we set.
 
This week you may want to think of your hopes and the dreams you want to achieve this year. Gather a few pictures and begin to put together your Dream Board. This is something our grandchildren and their parents are doing. Our daughter-in-law had posted a picture on her Dream Board of a dining room set that she saw in a magazine. It was unique and she thought it could not be found locally. However when they walked into a new furniture store here in New Orleans that exact table was displayed in the showroom. It looks beautiful in their Dining Room.
 
 

“What is hope? Hope is wishing for a thing to come true;
faith is believing that it will come true.”
---Norman Vincent Peale
 
A special thank you to Roy Shackelford for providing me with his beautiful photography for my blog. Often nature has much to teach us.
 
I want to say a few things about myself before sharing a letter I received from a loyal supporter of my blog. This letter could have boosted my ego because I am motivated by success and positive feedback. However, I was truly humbled and inspired. I am a Three on the Enneagram, A Journey to Self-Discovery is the book I read that helped me discover why I generally make decisions based on achieving success. The compulsion of the Three is to avoid failure. Threes grew up thinking their own personal worth consisted simply in the success of their achievements.
 
This awareness of avoiding failure would not have allowed me to take on something as unfamiliar as writing a blog. Several Spiritual Directors strongly encouraged me to tell my story about my positive approach to life. I finally took the risk four years ago and started the Positive Pops blog.  I do realize my success driven personality is fueled by the growing number of followers and the comments from those who are having success implementing recommendations on how to live a life of abundance.
 
It is so easy to get caught up in the “world view” as we are constantly bombarded with negative news. I share this letter not to focus on what is said about me but how we can all achieve unlimited possibilities. It is truly by seeing in the way the writer said in this letter “Seeing with the eyes of Christ.” The following is the letter I received:
 
“Positive Pops: You call your attitude positive. I was praying this morning and I called it ‘You’re seeing it with the eyes of Christ.’ Saint Paul calls it putting on the mind of Christ. I know this smacks of religion for a lot of people. So be it.
 
You have allowed the spark of divinity that dwells in you to take over and live through you into the world. How wonderful if we all could let the God who dwells in us spill out into the world. The great Norman Vincent Peale found a way to get  his message out that was accessible to all. So did your Positive Pops.
 
You ever wonder why this is difficult for most of us? To be positive is to trust, to have faith, to believe. In a way it is giving up control and trusting beyond ourselves. We give our great spark within us power to guide us to the next step. To be positive is to trust that we will be guided. Thank you for helping us to do just that.”
 
This week you may want to focus on implementing a few practices that will help you and others create a life of unlimited possibilities. It could be something as simple as writing three things that you are currently grateful for each morning or writing a Christmas letter to your spouse or friend letting them know what you appreciate about them. Perhaps you can set one goal that you plan to achieve in 2020. Remember any effort, even the smallest, is a step forward.

​“We mostly see what we have learned to expect to see.”
                                                                                              ---Betty Edwards
 
Shawn Achor in his book Before Happiness shares the  quote below from the book Positivity, by Barbara Fredrickson. It offers much hope for those of us who are constantly striving to be positive by availing ourselves to many resources that reinforce our positive possibilities. It also offers hope for people who have come to realize their focus on the negative is holding them back from living the life of their dreams. Hopefully they are now ready to board the train that is headed towards finding new ways of seeing things by focusing on a positive outcome.
 

There are many examples in my life in which I have found new ways of seeing and doing things that have given me support when doubt occurs. A few weeks ago in my article on fourth quarter review I listed the topics that help me stay focused on positive outcomes.
One of my practices is that each morning I write a few things for which I am grateful and then spend time in appreciation. I always include “I am grateful for my wellness and I am grateful for my wife’s healing.” Eric Butterworth with Unity explained, “The practice of gratitude gets us into a full-of-greatness consciousness.”

My wife’s ability to handle pain is an example of deciding to focus on the positive in spite of dealing with 10 years of pain caused by nerve damage from shingles. The first six months the pain was out of control. She secluded herself and just stayed home. Thankfully we found the doctors who could help her partially control the pain with medication. However, the location of the nerve damage causes many complications and can be very disruptive to our plans and daily routines. There are times when it still gets overwhelming and all we can do is patiently wait for the pain to lessen.  
 
Jeanne’s success in enjoying life is possible because she doesn’t focus on her pain. She limits making her pain a part of conversation with others, and pushes forward with a strong desire to fully enjoy our family and friends; making the best of the “good times.” To keep the positive energy flowing and our bodies functioning at its best physically, we both enjoy Pilates every Monday, and take advantage of the gym a few additional days each week.
 
Her passions in life are cooking and responding to the needs of our family, particularly our grandchildren. She certainly attests to the fact that positive activities offer a distraction from the pain. She has been a great sport in participating in my passion of experiencing life to the fullest. We are surrounded by friends who love a good time. The first six months of negativity and hopelessly regarding a cure of the nerve damage was indeed overwhelming. However her attitude to refuse to let it sentence her to a very limited  life is a blessing to me, our family, our friends, and most of all to herself, as she continually opens herself to the many opportunities to live life to the fullest.
 
You may want to pay attention to your thinking and conversation when you first wake up in the morning. Those first thoughts can set the tone for the day. I suggest you surround yourself with posted positive affirmations, an open grateful journal to write one entry every day, and inspirational reading material to assist you to stay focused on your goal of positive possibilities.