Sunday, May 22, 2011

May 22nd, 2011 - My Aha Moment

Hello All, I attended and joined earlier this week a new meet-up called "NYC Singles Love Club".
The names makes it sound like the group was a get together to match up compatible singles with each other. The event though was a talk hosted by the author of: "LET LOVE IN: Open Your Heart & Mind to Attract Your Ideal Partner (Wiley 2010)", by Debi Berndt. What her talk was about and what her book teaches is how to discover what your possible blocks are, and what negative mind chatter you might have going on preventing you from finding and having a healthy love relationship.

I found the talk and what I have read so far in her book to be quite insightful. Oh, by the way I won the raffle for this book.  At the end of Debi's talk, she had a raffle and gave four prizes away.  The first raffle was her new book, which I won! I must say, I had an 'Aha' moment at this time in the talk.  When Debi mentioned that she would be giving 4 prizes away, I decided inside myself that I would win the first item she gave away, and saw inside my mind her picking my name and calling it. I have had other such moments in my life where I visualize a certain outcome I desired, and it had came to be.

One being this apartment I now live in.  It was 5 years ago, and I was in a really bad situation.  I was living with a roommate who happened to have an abusive boyfriend (I hadn't knew about their volatile relationship, till after I had moved in).   By December of that year, things had reached a very dangerous level, and in the middle of the night I had to leave my apt, and travel to my best friends house and sleep on their couch.  My friend said I could stay on their couch till I could find a new place.

Well, Christmas time isn't usually the best time to look for a new apt., but I had, prior to going out one weekend, visualized and make the goal for myself, that by that evening I would find an apartment for no more than $700.00 per month. I went to 5 different real estate offices in the Bay Ridge area, all of which laughed at my request, saying it would be impossible to find even a studio apt. at that price in this neighborhood.  I held steadfast, and advised them each that an apartment will come in for the price range I'm requesting, and asked that they just called me when it did.

I'm certain most if not all of these offices promptly threw out my application once I stepped out of their office. By 5pm that evening, I was ready to call it a day, when I saw the final & 5th real estate office across the street and decided to make one last stop.  As expected this agent also tried to convince me that what I was asking for was completely unrealistic, when her phone rang.  She picked it up and took down a new listing. She hung up and smiled at me and said, " You are not going to believe this,  but that was a new listing for a studio apt. for $563. per month. Interested in going to check it out?"  Of course I said I was, and off we went. The build was very clean and the apt. was in great condition. I took it and moved in on December 23rd five years ago.

You are probably wondering why I'm mentioning all this, and what exactly was my 'Aha moment' on the evening when I won Debi's book; well it occurred to me if I could visualize a new apt. or wining a raffle, why have I not been able to visualize a healthy life long love partnership?  Earlier this year I wrote in my first posting in this blog, "My Dream Life".  I wrote exactly the life I wish to create and have.  My 'Aha moment' upon winning Debi's book, was that in "My Dream Life" essay I had outline a pretty nifty life for myself, but it was like reading a fiction story.  No where in the essay was I actually living in this life. In other words, I had not visualized me inside this perfect life, and what it would be, and feel like to be inside of it.
I realized further that this is one of the reasons I have not been able to create a life long love partnership yet. I also realize that I have quite a few blocks to work through as well.  So, I will continue along my journey to My Dream Life.


Sunday, May 15, 2011

May 15, 2011

It’s been another eventful two weeks. I've been busy with several new projects. One of which is a new book I’m writing called: "101 Mistakes and What I Learned". The idea came to me by an exercise posted in a book called: Cracking the Millionaire Code: Your Key to Enlightened Wealth - by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen. In one exercise the authors asked that you jot down 101 of your mistakes or difficult times in your life, and what were lessons you learned from these experiences.

They went on to explain that most of us grow the most, during the difficult times in our life, or when problems or mistakes arise. The 'Ah' idea than came to me, that they are indeed correct, I have had the most growth in my life during these times great difficulty, strife, or when mistakes are made, or problem arise. It was at those times that I had to stretch myself, beyond the ordinary; and get creative.

This is the third book of by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen I've read (The other two being "The One Minute Millionaire" and "Cash in a Flash"). Some people misinterpret these titles thinking these books are just scams on how people can make a quick buck, without any effort. In fact while reading "The One Minute Millionaire." a person sitting next to me in the train, smugly asked me, "How exactly do you accomplish that, without robbing a bank or winning the lotto”, he said "? He was referring to making a million dollars in a minute. I tried within the limited time we had together to explain, that the books were not making claim that you could simply make a million dollars in a minute, but were focusing mostly I advised on our mind set, and how that affects the level of a person’s success, not only with money but in all areas of life. This particular person seemed to want to stay in ‘Victim Mentality’ mode, as I call it, because he simply laughed and said what I was saying was complete nonsense.

I took no offence to this persons comment, because I know most people, including myself till quite recently felt the same way. I had felt victim to my circumstances, and really did not see a way out. What I’ve gained most from their books is that each of us is born with our own unique God given talents and gifts. What Mark and Robert’s books try to get people to see, is you can tap into, and identify what your own unique gifts and passion are and make for yourself a very wealthy life (& not just monetary either, but in all facets of your life). The best way they state to get started is to figure out what your gifts, talents and passions are, is to look for your “Low Hanging Fruit” as they call it. That is, what are you already doing that you are good at and love?

For some people it may be making jewelry, knitting, writing, childcare, fixing cars, etcetera. When I first read this, I was purely stumped, I for the life of me, could not think of anything. I wrote a number of things that I loved to do, but most of them cost money or required much more training. I certainly could not see a way in which I could transform my life, and do something I really loved, and create a life of wealth in all areas of my life. So now what?

I put the question away for a couple of days and sat on it. Then one day, the idea popped into my mind. I remembered recently two of my close friends mentioning, that they loved hearing my stores. I remembered being a little perplexed when they said this, because I usually just talk about stuff happening in my life; ordinary things. I queried further and asked what they meant, and they both said that I was a great story teller; I made the ordinary stories come alive.

Hence, I realized my lowest hanging fruit was my stores, and the format I’ve decided to start with is my life’s lessons. Not only have I learned much from these lessons, perhaps someone could also learn from my mistakes (and possibly avoid some of the hardships I’ve caused myself). I’m posting each of my lessons from my new book in my new blog: http://pipermama1.blogspot.com, you are all welcome to check them out. Any and all suggestions are welcome. :-)