Friday, February 19, 2010

My thoughts on Generosity

I've been thinking about the idea of giving and generosity. There are lots of opinions floating around about the law of attraction. Call me a traditionalist, but I still call it Karma.

There's an old cliche'(As a writer, I have low opinions on cliche') that says, "generous to a fault". Despite my low opinion of cliche', this one is very descriptive of my main problem with generosity. Let me set the record straight, first. I love the idea of generosity. In my opinion, generosity is a wonderful energy and everybody should try it on every once in a while, to see how it fits and how you feel when you're wearing it. It looks good on almost everyone.

When you give more than you have to give, you're doing it wrong. Generosity is for surplus. If you've got a lot of something; money, jewels, love, information, etc., give it away until you feel fulfilled. You'll end up attracting an equal amount of energy back in whatever form represents your highest and greatest good. That's the way Karma works. Goodness returns to the giver.

If you don't have enough money to pay your rent and you give money away, you're being a fool. If however, you don't have money to pay your rent but you perform random acts of kindness, you're doing it right. Give what you've got lots of. Love, kindness, praise, wisdom; all of these are tremendously valuable and are meant to be given freely.

This line of thinking relates to the Tao. It's about balance. Balance in all aspects of your life is called Joy. Joy feels really good. Joy is better than sex or chocolate, although the three aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. I've even seen them hanging out together on occasion.

Love is a circle. Healing is a circle. Give back to the world everything you receive in amounts that feel right and support who you are and what you do. Overdoing generosity is no longer generosity. It's silliness.

The question for this post: How has generosity improved your life? Thanks for commenting.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Zen Management

I've been thinking about the concepts of leadership and management lately. A new career opportunity presented itself to me recently and, as is typical with the way my mind works, I started the contemplation process. Sounds official, doesn't it? It really isn't. It's my way of utilizing not only my mind but also my heart in making decisions. Much of life is based on choices we make and I am committed to making choices that allow me to enjoy the ride.

I've read lots of articles and books. I've listened to what leadership/management types have to say. So far, it looks pretty straight forward and in alignment with my way of thinking. Here's what I've come up with so far.

Leadership is about being calm and assertive. That's funny because it is also the general wisdom when dealing with animals. Keep your cool and maintain a demeanor that lets people know that you are in charge. I can dig that. I was born in the Chinese year of the dog. That doesn't really mean anything, I'm well aware of that, but I use it as a way of focusing skills I already have. I'm loyal (to myself, friends, and people I love), honest, and have a fundamental belief in justice. All of these things seem pertinent to being a good leader.

A good manager also should respect the people they work with. People perform better when they feel valued. A quick, sincere compliment given to a worker who has done their job well is a powerful tool. If you do good work as a manager, your team is going to be better equipped to handle things when they get weird. Treat people as though they are intelligent and valuable and they will tend to emulate those traits.

Embrace responsibility. Taking on responsibility is a great way to learn your strengths. This may well be the single most important component of being a great manager. You may make mistakes but you'll be a better person for it. Pay attention to these mistakes and you have improved your skills as a manager and as a human being. Encourage your employees to do the same. Help them to realize that they are strong and capable and they'll make your job easier. An entire crew of responsible people will make your business thrive.

The last tip to being a good manager is to be honest. Lying is disrespectful. I've heard all kinds of nonsense about when lying is appropriate. There is no such thing as a white lie. That term was invented by people who lie, plain and simple. Honesty is a sign of respect for both yourself and people around you. Besides, if you get caught in a lie, you usually end up looking like an idiot.

The question for this post: What traits do you look for and admire in a leader and why? Thanks for commenting.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Words and Prosperity

Words are excellent ways to move energy. They can be used to perform acts of kindness, express gratitude, and convey information. Words can also be used to make you rich. That's a good one.

Ask any successful motivational speaker if words are powerful. Words can be used to make you broke. Words can also make you rich. I'll go with rich.

My favorite usage of words for manifesting prosperity is brainstorming. This can be done by yourself with written words or with others. Think of prosperity, then write down the first ten concepts that enter your mind. Pick the most surprising and make another list using it as your focus.

This technique can stimulate new ways of thinking about money and your relationship to it. I have also seen it used to help people realize some of the nonsense they have floating around in their minds about prosperity.

With a group, it's even better. Spoken words have the energy of vibration to back them up. Since matter directly responds to vibration, it's an easy step to move from saying good things about money to making good things happen.

Use these brainstormed ideas to motivate action steps. As soon as you get an idea that makes you feel excited, think of at least one thing you can do immediately to make it happen. When inspiration talks, it's a good idea to listen. The Universe responds well to purposeful motivation.

My hope is that all of you make money today in a way you've never thought of before.

Let's take this opportunity to share some of our favorite words. My question for this post is: What's your favorite affirmation for manifesting prosperity? Thanks for commenting.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

More Thoughts about Prosperity

Prosperity isn't all about money. To be prosperous, a person needs to be happy, healthy, and have enough money or other resources to meet their needs.

In order to be prosperous, it's good to pay attention to prosperous people. Unhappy people don't know how to be happy. Unhealthy people don't know how to be healthy. Poor people don't know how to be wealthy.

To hell with regret, there’s only learning. Everything you’ve ever done has gotten you to where you are now. Congratulate yourself for all the good things you've done. Learn from everything else.

So you’ve pissed off some people in your life. So has everybody else. If it bothers you, learn from it.

Is there emotion associated with money?

That depends on the person. Generally speaking, hell yes.

I still get emotional about money. I know it's neutral and is only a form of energy but I still beat myself up about it occasionally. I'm getting better about it, though. I started looking at money as another form of energy. That helped me to become objective about it. Energy comes in, energy goes out. Money should do the same. If money doesn’t come in, you’re likely broke and miserable. If money doesn’t go out, you’re probably an unhappy miser. Still miserable. Neither deficiency nor stagnation are balanced.

I would suggest you become very friendly with money and prosperity. Think about money as an ally. Think about prosperity like you would about a trusted friend. Invite it in, offer it a beer or a cup of herbal tea. Have a good, long conversation with it and get to know it better. Like all good buddies, in the long run, you'll be glad you got to know them.

The question to you, dear readers, is, "How would you describe your relationship to prosperity?"

Monday, February 8, 2010

Zen Prosperity

It’s better to be a good person with wealth than a good person that’s broke. Being broke doesn’t help anybody. To be blunt, being broke pretty much sucks.

As for saving the world, I’ll work with the wonderful wisdom of Mohandas Gandhi. I’ll be the change I wish to see in the world. I take action steps every day to improve my wealth. To clarify, wealth to me includes money, friends, happiness, and health. All the stuff that makes the life experience more enjoyable. Money all by itself is only a piece of the total package. As in all things, it's about balance.

Positive affirmations and other power-of-positive-thinking techniques work to keep me inspired. I am aware, however, that without taking action steps, all the positive affirmations in the world won’t help.

Every day I ask myself: What can I do today to best accomplish my goals? Then I listen and take my own advice.

Taking responsibility for your own well-being is the best thing you can do for yourself.

The question for you today is: What are your feelings about the quote, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

Sunday, February 7, 2010

My thoughts on Honesty

I have long been a believer in the virtue of Honesty. Honesty is a fundamental. The importance of being honest with yourself and being true to your own nature is paramount. I can't imagine living my life knowing that I was doing anything else. If you can't be honest with yourself, how could you expect anyone to believe anything you say?

I don't remember the last time I openly told a lie. I do remember the feeling I had when I was caught doing it. It was not pleasant. Even if I bought into the concept of blaming others for my own actions, I wouldn't have been able to. Nope, it was all on me. The person I had lied to knew it and I could feel their respect for me swirling down the drain. Yeah. Not the kind of thing that gives you warm fuzzies. Lying is a quick way to lose a friend. Being honest is a good way to gain one.

Be honest with yourself. Be honest with others. You will genuinely be a better person for it.

The question today is: How would you describe your relationship with honesty?