Positive Pops

“Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it!”

---Maya Angelou

The Lenten season offers us another opportunity to implement positive practices that will last long after the 40 days of the season. Many people’s New Year’s resolutions have already put aside. Now is a good time to reboot, possibly change the approach to reaching your goals. I suggest you “give up” being defeated and go forward with your plan of action.

For the past few weeks I have been reflecting on ideas for creating miracles in everyday life as suggested in Dr. Dyer’s book Real Magic. Implement a few of those concepts will offer us success in making positive changes. The world is starving for positive experiences with their own families, with their friends, and in their work and leisure environments. We can offer hope to many as positive changes are observed. Another practice from Dr. Dyer’s book Real Magic.

• Learn to act as if the life you visualize were already here.

“Act as if that which you perceive in your mind were already here in the physical world. You create your thoughts, your thoughts create your intentions, your intentions create your reality. If you want to be energetic and you act fatigued, you are sabotaging your own vision.”

I believe affirmations can turn mere thinking into actual achievement by affirming our goals are already being manifested. Many miracles have happened in my life by using this practice. Below are just a few I achieved with daily affirmations. If you are a long-time follower of my blog these were mentioned before but they were for me powerful confirmations of this practice.

I am attracting a spouse into my life that wants to have a family, enjoy living a lifetime together and support me in my passion for living life to the fullest. When I was 19 years old I started saying this in the Jesuit Church in downtown New Orleans. Fifty-three years of marriage to my wife, the marriage and family life we share, are true testaments that this tool is effective.

When I returned home from Europe after two years of military service, I sought a job in sales. Since nothing seemed available, I took a job that was “in an office.” That certainly did not fulfill my dreams or satisfy my ambitions. I started saying the following affirmation: I am going on an interview for a Marketing Position and I will soon get this opportunity. To get the ball rolling I met with an employment agency to put in an application to work in sales. When I returned to the office of my employment the Regional Sales Manager called me into his office with the current Market Manager for the local area. Much to my amazement the Market Manager asked if I would be interested in taking over his territory because he was leaving the company. I retired from that position 43 years later.

After retirement Jeanne and I wanted to be a part of a group of people to gather together monthly and enjoy social activities around the city. We both affirmed the following I am attracting a group of people to celebrate life to the fullest in our retirement years. Shortly after that we were invited to attend a meeting of people who had the same intentions. We were amazed that this happened as quickly as it did. As of this year 2021, that original group of 13 couples will be celebrating their 14th Anniversary of enjoying many social activities which have also included local and worldwide travel.

Affirmations work even if you have to fake it until you make it. They may seem impossible but just try it! Turn the negative thought into a positive affirmation. This seems to train the brain to believe what you are affirming is possible for you to achieve.

I would suggest you take time to listen to the conversations of many people who start their day with the same negative routine, commenting how tired and bad they feel; how the news has them so depressed. It has practically become an affirmation and can easily become a habit of which they are totally unaware. The opportunity is… to turn that day and that life around by saying an affirmation regarding the great things that are expected to happen. The following are a few suggestions:

I feel tired when I wake up.

I am feeling great after my first cup of coffee.

I have many aches and pains.

I am looking forward to my daily exercise program that helps me to focus on my wellness.

I am depressed with the condition of the country.

I am reading inspirational resources about people doing so many great things during troubling times.

Give daily affirmations a try for the next 40 days. It will offer you the opportunity to make positive changes that will have a definite impact on your life long after the Lenten season. You may want to share this post with family and friends so that you will have others participating in making positive changes in their lives for Lent.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created society that

honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”

Albert Einstein

Last week I said I would follow up with a few additional ideas from Dr. Dyers book Real Magic along with personal successes I have experienced practicing these principles. In the past, in reading success stories or coincidental happenings that he talked about in his book, I never imagined they could happen for me. However I did follow his suggestions for implementing a new mind-set. I am amazed at the results.

The following is another one of the fourteen keys he recommends for Creating a Miracle Mind-set.

• Develop a new mind-set toward the concept of intuition.

“You have to be comfortable with the idea that strong “inner pleadings” and “sudden hunches” are truly inner voices offering you guidance. Become comfortable with your intuitive voices and hear them as a loving guide from the non-physical spiritual world.”

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions three of our grandchildren experienced major hardships in having all major senior year events cancelled. Our grandson has been faced with many disappointments. His high school band was invited to perform in Europe last summer and in Disney World. Both events were cancelled of course because of the worldwide pandemic. Beginning in January 2021 he had planned to take tours of several out of state universities. He quickly learned they are not able to offer onsite tours. They have to be done virtually.

As I have said many times, I always start my mornings by writing in my grateful journal. Last week I sensed that I should first send our grandson a text with a few words of encouragement. While writing I wanted to make some comparisons of other times in history when things were incredibly challenging just to survive. I looked at our bookshelf and a title of a book caught my attention. It was a book I read in 1984 written by Victor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning.

My first thought was that this reference would certainly not be relatable to a high school senior. And it would surely be unfamiliar to him. This often happens when I receive an intuitive thought. I begin to doubt if the idea is truly guidance. In spite of that I referenced the book because my intuition seemed to draw my attention to it very strongly. I decided to take the risk.

Victor Frankl tells the moving account of his life amid the horrors of the Nazi death camps. Dr. Frankl spent years as a prisoner in Auschwitz. He survived and became one of the most famous and gifted of all psychiatrists. “Frankl believed that even in the midst of dehumanizing and atrocious conditions, life still had meaning and that suffering had a purpose. Frankl thought that during extreme physical circumstances, a person could escape through his or her spiritual self as a means to survive seemingly unbearable conditions. He believed the spiritual self could not be affected by external forces.”

With some hesitancy I followed my intuition and sent the text with a few quotes from the book. Later that day I received a reply from my grandson “Pops that was POWERFUL. Your message connected because in Religion Class we are currently discussing Victor Frankl and his book Man’s Search for Meaning.”

This experience reinforced how important it is for me to pay attention to intuitive hunches and my inner voice guidance. The key is to take the risk and not allow the inner voice to be ignored. This week you may want to pay attention to your intuition and take the risk of acting on it. Any success you may have experienced in doing this could offer encouragement to others by sharing your story in the comments.

“As our case is new, we must think and act anew.”

---Abraham Lincoln

A few years ago I reached a block in my writing. My mind drew a blank in terms of ideas to share with my readers. A good friend of mine offered me great guidance. She suggested I give myself time to breathe and consider those weeks a vacation. She said “When it is right, you will find something of great interest that you will want to share because that is really the importance of what you do. You share.”

It is good to be back as I am ready and eager to share some of the amazing things that are currently happening in my life. I am so grateful that my friend offered me those words of encouragement when everything looked bleak about the future of my blog. I am also grateful for having this outlet to “teach what I need to learn” and have opportunities to reflect on the personal and spiritual growth I have been blessed to experience.

I would like to offer that same encouragement to the readers of my Blog. If you have not experienced a major turnaround in manifesting your dreams and goals, or if you have not experienced positive changes in your life, do not give up. Keep focusing on your goals. While patiently waiting for your “miracles” keep your thoughts positive. Support your thought processes by reading inspirational material. Boost your positive energy by connecting with people who encourage you and bring out the best in you. Take the time to note the things for which you are grateful and turn a negative thought into a positive affirmation.

Recently in a discussion with a friend I began recalling the amazing things that have recently happened for me regarding a sharpened intuition and our Dream Board manifestation. She immediately responded with the comment “That sounds like stories in the book, Real Magic - Creating Miracles in Everyday Life by Dr. Wayne Dyer.” My wife and I read all of Dr. Dyer’s books and attended his workshop when he came to New Orleans in 1992.

As I mentioned before, having this blog gives me an opportunity to refresh my memory on many past experiences and the steps I have taken to broaden and expand my horizons. The following suggestions for implementing this mindset are quoted from Dr. Dyer’s book Real Magic.

• Practice inner affirmations giving yourself permission to adapt to new ideas such as ‘I am open to an infinite number of possibilities that are presently available to me.’ Keep one little corner of your mind open to miracle making. Talk to your friends and new acquaintances and ask them if they have ever experienced that which you would consider a miracle.

• Create a real-magic zone in your mind. Treat it as your corner of freedom. Retreat there often to ask for living assistance and guidance that is there for you. Affirm to yourself out loud each day that you are a spiritual being having a human experience, and that in this spiritual realm there are no limitations

• Affirm yourself as a no-limit person. If you can conceive it in your mind, then it can be brought into the physical world.

I listed a few ideas from Dr. Dyer’s book, and I will follow up with additional ones with my next posting. I want to give you time to reflect on these ideas and to have time to put one or two into your daily practice. I honestly believe that the current happenings in my life are a direct result of implementing the suggested practices.

“Solution dreams can help you overcome obstacles that are preventing you from growing into your full potential.”

--- Pamela Cummins

Unfortunately Dream work is thought to be done primarily by people who have explored metaphysical teachings. The following supports the credibility of Dream interpretation that I encourage my grandchildren to practice.

This quote is from biblestudy.org by Lawrence Luna “In Psychology, we have to understand the symbols in our dreams so that when we know it, we can identify its significance in our lives. Mastery of dream interpretation takes time and will undergo dream work exercises before you can master it. As you deal with guidance of dream specialist or psychotherapist (in the field of Psychology, not in occult groups) is much needed because if not guided, it may cause psychological problems and from that the psychological growth of the person will be at risk.”

One of the most common means used in Scripture to convey His will is through dreams (Numbers 12:6).

In my experience, resolving issues that come up in my dreams does assist me in achieving goals.

I did not deal with my fear-based dreams for many years that caused terrifying nightmares. Fortunately or providentially I met a Jesuit Priest who assisted me in interpreting my dreams. He suggested I start to journal my dreams and then look up the symbols. Through this process I got a better understanding of the source that created these recurring dreams. This happened thirty years ago.

I still use these resources when I talk to my grandchildren about their dreams. The first step for them is to write down their dream as soon as they awaken.(Initially we explore their dreams together.) I then have them choose the symbols from the dream that seem most significant. These strongest symbols clue them in to the message the dream is giving them. It is gratifying to see their eyes light up when they get the message.

My Dream work continues to assist me in dealing with issues I am often not aware of on a conscious level. The following was a dream I had last week.

I was in a bookstore. A Catholic nun who was bubbly, happy, and very friendly starting talking to me. She said she loved doing what she did in life. She placed her hand over my heart and started massaging it. I said to her, “Are you a healer?” I told her it felt like something inside me has been healed.

I immediately wrote down the dream and picked out a few symbols to look up in my Dream book.

Nun. Aspect of personality that is giving up something but know it is the best choice for you.

Heart. Unconditional love, healing.

In one of my recent blog postings I suggested writing down anything we wanted to release as we begin a new year. I suggested tearing it up or shredding it.

I spent some time reflecting on what I needed to let go of and was ready to be healed within myself. I am basically a flexible person. I basically go along with the flow of life. But I thought about situations in which I get angry and have a difficult time moving on.

These situations basically arise when I experience what I perceive to be an injustice being imposed on someone I love. I spent time reflecting on my entire life and wrote down every event or circumstance I judged to be such a situation. I then shredded the list. This dream helped me clear up these issues from the past and allowed a healing to happen, removing any possible blocks to my goals for 2021.

“Understanding breeds empathy.”

Christopher Eldest.

Several of the readers of my last posting expressed they were totally unfamiliar with the Enneagram. The list below offers a general description of the nine personality types:

Type 1: The Reformer, Idealistic, Orderly, Perfectionistic Person.

Type 2: The Helper, The Concerned, Helpful Person.

Type 3. The Motivator, The Self-Assured, Ambitious Person.

Type 4. The Artist, The Creative, Individualist, Introverted Person.

Type 5. The Thinker, The Perceptive, Analytic, Eccentric Person.

Type 6. The Loyalist, The Likable, Loyal, Dependent Person.

Type 7. The Generalist, The Accomplished, Extroverted Person.

Type 8. The Leader, The Powerful, Expansive, Dictatorial Person.

Type 9. The Peacemaker, The Peaceful Reassuring, Passive Person.

In first looking over the list of types there is a temptation to quickly determine your personality type. Our friends who live in Houston attended several workshops with us on the Enneagram. In the group setting it was helpful to receive guidance from others to narrow down the type that best reflects who we are. We think this website they sent to us offers a great resource to assist you in determining your personality type. https://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test

Based on the answers you check off, you will be shown the number that best suits you, describing your type.

You may ask why I feel so strongly about doing this exercise before determining my New Year’s resolution or moving to the next step of goal setting. The awareness of how we function in the world, why certain ways of doing things are important to us, have helped both my wife and me to have a better understanding of why we react to situations the way we do in our marriage, friendships and with our family. Before retirement it helped me in my communication with my clients.

I would like to quote Don Richard Riso author of Understanding the Enneagram.

“Although self-understanding is the most proper use of the Enneagram, naturally we will also want to use it to understand others” He goes on to say “Indeed, we want to use the Enneagram in our dealings with others precisely because it affords so much insight into them. Understanding others more profoundly allows us to appreciate the good we find in them as well as to become more objective about the things we do not like about them. Since we all tend to think that other people are basically like ourselves, it is helpful to realize that different types think and feel and act quite differently.”

In our marriage we have a lot in common but understanding each other on this level helps avoid conflict and gives us resources to fall back on to understand one another better.

I am a Type 3, the Motivator, I seek new experiences. I am ambitious and want to gather groups to do the things I like doing. My focus is the big picture. I move forward with the big idea and know the details will work themselves out.

My wife is a Type 1: The Reformer – Idealistic, Orderly and a Perfectionist. She wants a detailed plan. It has to be done right. It does not matter whether the task is large or small. No shortcuts if it affects quality.

An example of how we work together is in writing and releasing this blog. I get up early, determine a topic, and start writing. I do not spend time making corrections. I just want to get it finished. When she reads my first draft of my blog, she goes over it carefully checking the details and correcting my errors. I may be the ambitious motivator, but Jeanne’s assistance is invaluable.

I encourage you to consider sharing this blog with family and friends.

There are no good or bad types. It is just about learning more about ourselves and the people in our lives.

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“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

---Mahatma Gandhi

Over the last four years of offering ideas to my readers on ways to achieve their goals for the New Year I have observed some resistance to new ideas. Many people will take the easy road by making the same New Year’s resolutions each year with a renewed resolver to follow through. Unfortunately, statistics have proven that those resolutions typically fail after two months into the year.

Possibly a new approach could be to make a resolution to start to get to know ourselves better in 2021. This goal will surely not be accomplished in two or three months. It can be fascinating, fun but sometimes shocking, affirming but also challenging; affirming…oh yes, I know that is me; challenging…is that really me? A year of self-study can help us to understand why some opportunities create a constructive flow in our lives and other challenges create roadblocks to success. I am approaching 80 but this is an area I continue to explore to enable smooth transitions to change and roadmaps better suited to the person I am.

When my wife and I experienced Marriage Encounter weekends and then proceeded to present the weekends as a team, the first talk given was Encounter with Self. That talk made me realize I did not know myself very well and made it difficult to achieve my goal and share in a lifetime growing relationship with my spouse. That experience happened forty-eight years ago, and it triggered a passion in me to read and attend workshops on spiritual and personal enrichment.

Several years ago in my first posting I said I put together a toolbox of resources. Much of those resources continue to keep me focused on personal growth, spiritual enrichment, defining and fulfilling goals.

I would like to offer you an alternative approach to making New Year’s resolutions. That approach is to spend time reading a book or two on self-discovery. Perhaps you will find approaches to achieving your goals that will go more with the flow of who you are. We all define what is possible or impossible for us to achieve by the advantages and disadvantages we know in ourselves. I have found the following book helpful for me.

Understanding the Enneagram by Don Riso

“Understanding the Enneagram builds on the insights of the groundbreaking Personality Types. With the Enneagram, we have found a master key, one that will unlock many doors. It will give us wisdom we need to escape from our self-imposed prison so that we can embrace a fuller life.”

There are nine personality types. After reading about them I decided I am Type Three: The Motivator. I am ambitious to improve myself, success driven, goal oriented. The unhealthy side of this type three is fearing failure and humiliation.

When I was encouraged to start a blog by several friends, I had to overcome the block of thinking that most people would not be interested in what I had to say. There was the fear of failure!

I will follow up on my next posting with books and resources I have used to change the pattern from unsuccessful New Year’s resolutions to New Year opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.

”Never lose hope. Storms make people stronger and never last forever.”

Roy T. Bennett

I often reflect on ideas to share with my family and friends, particularly ideas that have worked for me in living out what I am proposing for consideration.

I do have to agree with many of my readers that this year has been a challenge to stay positive. It has been a year of disappointments, loss of life of family and friends, and the constant threat of the unknown.

As we begin the countdown to the end of 2020, it is an opportunity to examine and eliminate the possible blocks to your achieving your goals for the new year. I read the following quote in Mike Morrell’s newsletter. He is the collaborating author of many bestselling books with Fr, Richard Rohr. He quotes Valarie Kaur who expresses what we have been experiencing this year and what we might be anticipating for 2021. “What if this is not the darkness of the tomb, but the darkness of the womb?” It is with much excitement that I am anticipating the new birth opportunities of the New Year.

This is the time of year I dream and visualize endless possibilities. The days after Christmas I work out a plan for the New Year. I focus on that plan of action throughout the year and move forward to achieve my goals. I do this regardless of the obstacles that come up, and they always do! That awareness alone is the first step to successfully overcome negativity in the news or from any source can create an energy that stalls forward movement or even totally shuts out creativity.

Since this year has been unprecedented in unexpected hardships and loss, it is key to remove many of those obstacles before any planning and goal setting can take place for the New Year.

The following comes from one of the resources I read in the Daily Word; the theme today is Release.

“I accept all that has come my way. With gratitude, I bless it all. I find the gifts and release what no longer serves my growth. I release any pain of a financial setback. In a joy of restored health, I release any memory of illness. Grateful for all models of connection, I release any pain of loneliness.”

The scripture passage in this reading also gives guidance on how we can have success in moving from a challenging 2020 to a new beginning as we approach 2021.

“Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old.”

---Isaiah 43:18

Before working on my goals for 2021 I will follow the recommendations that come from today’s theme of Release.

I like to do something to symbolize that I am not only writing down what I am releasing I am finalizing it. Once I symbolically finalize it, I choose not to think about it again.

I finalize what I am releasing by writing the releases on index cards then shredding the cards. Many people have a fire pit on their patio. Just put them there and watch them burn! It is important to release the past to create the life of your dreams.

Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness.

Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

--Scott Adams

Often small acts of kindness are done without anyone being aware of them. In spite of that they definitely have a rippling effect than can change lives of the recipient, giver and those who coincidentally observed them. I remember the reaction of someone who viewed something that I did and thought nothing of it. After I parked the car my wife and I walked into the grocery store and this lady said to me, “ I saw what you did.” My initial thought was oh, oh, what did I do. She said, “That was so nice of you to walk around the car and open the car door for your wife.”

Yesterday we received an email from friends saying they thought of us when they read the following quote from the Franciscan Media. “Sometimes we’re graced to be around a grateful person. He or she overlooks the negative to focus on the world’s abundant delight.” The timing of this note of encouragement could not have come at a better time because we were slowly bouncing back from a challenging week.

The following message from a friend as she was reflecting on the kindness of her husband who passed five years ago. It was personally touching because I was in high school with Joel and did not see him again until fifty years later. This was when we were invited to a meeting of retired couples to form a social group. My impression of him in school and in our social gatherings was that he was noticeably quiet and never sought any personal recognition or attention.

Message from Joel’s wife Ann:

“Tomorrow Joel will be gone five years. Sadness still remains and Christmas holidays do not seem to make it better. Hoping and praying to be together one day in the future. Love always to my sweet and kind husband. Cute story: One of the many days Joel was outside cutting grass and all of a sudden, I did not hear the lawn mower. I peeped out the window wondering why he had turned it off. I then observe that he is talking to some man who I thought probably came from the railroad tracks, sometimes they would get off the trains.

All of a sudden Joel reaches down and takes off his shoes. Now I am watching this transpire. He gives the shoes to this man who puts them on and proceeds to continue walking down the street. Joel comes in the house barefoot and I am just looking at him just waiting to hear what he had to say. I kind of knew.

He said the man’s shoes were falling apart and he had asked him for a pair of shoes. I always like telling this story. The sweet things that people do for others when no one is around shows the true nature of a person. I will always miss him no matter how many years go by.”

This Holiday Season many people are stressed financially as a result of the loss of so many jobs caused by the worldwide pandemic. Acts of kindness can be done in many ways according to our individual resources. Your one small (or large) act of kindness can touch many people also though you may not see it yourself.

You may want to share an act of kindness you experienced recently that helped you appreciate what a wonderful world we now live in.

“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.

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

Sir Winston Churchill

The photo from Roy’s artwork that I am sharing in this blog helped me to reflect on something I will do during this Lenten season. My intention is to gather with the grandkids and tell them about my childhood. Life was quite different 78 years ago. We did not have the distraction of electronics that now seems to take up so much of everyone’s free time. I know they will think I must have lived in prehistoric times when I tell them how I amused myself before television. Our family did not get our first television until I was 9 years old. Our weekends were spent visiting family. These visits were typically done around the table for a noontime meal. Conversations were about what was going on in their lives and the lives of relatives who weren’t there. This noontime meal went on for three or four hours. I was blessed to know my great grandparents who were immigrants of Italy and lived on a farm. When they arrived in the United States, they purchased land and started their farm in a rural area. It happened to be Harahan that is now a residential community where we have lived since we were married 52 years ago.

I love celebrations in life and feel blessed to have been born in a city that offers unlimited opportunities to participate in year-long celebrations. We have just ended the month-long Mardi Gras celebration. It was great gathering with family and friends as we viewed parades. I am now ready to delve into the Christian tradition of the Season of Lent. This is a great time to add a few disciplines into our life and to review our goals that we intended to accomplish when we celebrated the beginning of the new year.

As a child growing up Catholic, I was taught that Lent was a good time to give up something. That idea has greatly expanded and now includes the positive action approach of doing something helpful or beneficial for yourself and others. One suggestion is to introduce something new into our life like exercising three days a week, reading spiritual and inspirational articles, attending a personal growth lecture or workshop. Perhaps the commitment could be to visit family or friends we have not had the time to be with in quite a while. A great aspect about the 40-day Lenten Season is there are many others who are participating in this season with us and can support our intentions.

Here are a few ideas for positive actions that will enrich your Lenten Season.

• · Visit a family member that may be in a hospital or nursing home.

• · Many older people live alone and can no longer drive. Offer to take them to the grocery or drugstore or perhaps just offer to pick up a few items they may need.

• · Pay it forward each week of Lent. This can be done in small ways like paying for the next person’s coffee or pick-up meal.

• · With our busy schedules we may have missed a friend’s or family member’s birthday. Invite them to lunch and surprise them by picking up the tab. Include a cupcake or birthday dessert. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Your thoughtfulness will be greatly appreciated!

• · Start a book club with a few friends and have everyone read a spiritual or inspirational book. Meet bi-weekly or monthly to discuss the positive messages and how each of your lives are being affected.

• · Gather with family or friends and discuss your childhood experience and beliefs that were passed on to you. Our friend Peggy wrote a book Tell Me Your Soul Story that is available at Amazon. It is an excellent tool to use in developing a sense of connection to everyone on this journey of life .

You may want to share your plans for this Lenten Season with my readers. You can make a positive difference in your world and the world around you.

“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.