Success is a REAL Yes!

Today I am giving a 1-day workshop on success intelligence and the inner-life of a leader. The workshop is taking place in Manhattan, and is being hosted by One Spirit. One of the themes I will be exploring is “The Real Yes.”

I believe a leader is anyone who senses the big YES in their belly and immediately goes into labour; I believe a leader is someone who feels the deep YES in their heart and dares to follow it; I believe a leader is everyone who listens to the true YES in their mind and trusts it as their guide; and I believe a leader is who you are when you identify the real YES of your soul and really live it.

Leadership is receptivity; leadership is heartfelt; leadership is listening; leadership is being who you really are. So what is your real YES? What is it that you really say YES to?

On this note, I offer you something I once wrote called “The Real Yes.”

I took a chance.
And, yes,
I took a risk.

And, yes,
I gave it a go,
And, yes helped me
get past "No."

I can,
I know I can.
I'm able,
I know I'm able.

I will,
I know I will.
No longer am I
standing still.

I heard myself say,
"but," and "no," and "won't,"
"maybe," and "if," and "only,"
and "shan't", but it was "Yes!"
that got me past "can't."

"Yes" brought out the best in me.
I said "Yes!"
A real "Yes!"

Everyday Abundance: Being on Purpose

This evening I will be giving a talk on Everyday Abundance at One Spirit in New York.  One of the themes I will focus on is the relationship between abundance and living a life of purpose.

I notice that when I feel I am on purpose I want for nothing else.  Being on purpose, separation gives way to connectivity; being on purpose I become open and receptive; being on purpose I feel very, very present; being on purpose I am illogically generous; being on purpose I am in the flow; being on purpose I enjoy a vital engagement with life; being on purpose the neurotic static of my ego is barely noticeable and I feel in tune with something greater than myself.

This evening I will introduce the theme of being on purpose with a poem I wrote called “Money and Purpose.”   Here it is:

Money does not exist

in heaven.

But it can buy you

many things on earth.

 

So what is the true value

of money?

Isn’t it true that anything

of real value has

no price?

 

Let’s talk about exchange rates,

like economists do.

What are you trying to

exchange money for?

 

Are you trying to buy yourself

some freedom?

Are you hoping that enough money

will make you feel secure?

 

Do you still believe that money

can create joy?

Will more money really make

you feel abundant?

 

The ego will always try to sell

you something that is

already yours.

 

The richest person on earth is the

one who collects his Divine

tax-free inheritance.

 

Money or not, rich or poor, bull

market or bear market,

keep investing in the

treasures of your soul.

 

Don’t be distracted by what can

go up or down, and what

can be won or lost.

 

Focus only on your divine purpose,

and all of the necessary funds

will be made available.

Memorial Day: Remembering What is Real

Today is Memorial Day in the US. It is a time for reflection. It is a time to meditate on deeper truths. It is a time to remember what is real. It is a time to re-commit to your true purpose.

Here is a contribution to the importance of remembering. It is a poem I wrote for Happiness NOW. It is entitled: "A Mad, Forgetful Moment."

There once was a moment,

a mad, forgetful moment,

that slipped past eternity into time.

And in that moment,

mad and forgetful as it was,

out of nowhere an entire world,

separate from God, was dreamed up.

And although it was only a moment,

it felt like forever.

And although it was only a dream,

it felt so real.

In this mad, forgetful world,

the Ocean prayed to God,

"Give me water. I want water".

The Sun, brilliant and bright, would pray,

"Dear God, fill me with light."

And the mighty, powerful, roaming Wind would plea,

"Set me free, set me free."

One time, all of sudden,

and I don't quite know why,

the Silence began to speak,

"God grant me peace, grant me peace."

Then, Peace Itself, fell to its knees.

"Dear God, please, what can I do to be more peaceful?"

Now, looking quite perplexed,

prayed, "Dear God, what next?"

even eternity began to pray,

"I want to last forever and ever and ever."

Infinity felt small.

"Dear God, help me to grow."

And life itself, began to cry,

"I don't ever want to die!"

And you and I,

who are the essence of love,

we cried out for love.

"God please love me," we prayed.

"God, fill me with love," we prayed.

"God, grant me love."

Mad and forgetful as it was,

that moment in time soon slipped, tripped,

and fell away back into eternity.

It's all over now, save the memory,

- a mad, forgetful memory,

it too ready for eternity.

Bo Holden: Shall We Have Some Fun Today?

My daughter, Bo, has recently celebrated her second birthday.  As you can see by the picture of her, she is all grown up now. 

Recently, Bo has taken to waking me up each morning with a little question that she whispers ever so sweetly into my ear.  The question is, Daddy, shall we have some fun today? 

What an invitation.

It’s the way Bo says it that really gets me.  She makes it sound so appealing. How can I say “No” to her?

Having fun is Bo’s greatest priority.  To her, that’s what life is for.  On waking, she chooses fun.  This choice is entirely spontaneous.  Nothing has to happen first before she chooses fun.  She doesn’t check to see if it’s the weekend; she doesn’t look outside to see what the weather is like; she doesn’t go online to check the Dow Jones index; she doesn’t look up her credit rating; and she doesn’t check her blood pressure first. 

Bo’s decision to enjoy her day appears to be entirely unassisted.  For example, she doesn’t meditate first, and then choose fun; she doesn’t do an affirmation, and then choose fun; she doesn’t drink a shot of wheatgrass or espresso, and then choose fun.  She doesn’t wait for the day to go well before she decides to enjoy it.  Bo simply enjoys herself.

And we can do the same.

In my book Be Happy I ask you to consider the question: what sort of a day have you decided to have today?  Are you conscious of what you decided?  Indeed, can you find the place in your mind where you have decided already how good today will be? 

In every moment there is a choice. 

And it is never too late to change your mind and enjoy yourself more.

Interview: Be Happy for KUSI San Diego TV

Over the last few weeks I have been travelling across America giving talks, workshops, and interviews on my latest book, Be Happy. Some of my personal highlights include visits to the I Can Do It! Conference in San Diego, the Unity Church in Houston, and Kripalu in Massachusetts.

Happiness is an important subject to us all, and this is especially true now in these difficult economic times.  Media interest in my work has been very high.  Attendances for my talks and workshops on Be Happy have been healthy.  And on the day of its launch, Be Happy went straight into the top 100 on Amazon. 

The recession is causing us to rethink our life.  In particular, it is making us think what true happiness is, what blocks our happiness, and also what can help us to enjoy greater happiness.  To see another recent TV interview I did for KUSI TV in San Diego, click here. 

Robert Norton: By the Seashore

One of my greatest joys is to celebrate the successes of my friends, especially when their successes bring so much joy and inspiration to others.  On that note, I want to tell you about Robert Norton.

Robert Norton is a gifted musician.  He recently discovered that one of his tracks, called By the Seashore, from his album Painting the Ocean, is featured on a You Tube video called The Wave that has now been viewed over 380,000 times.  To acknowledge this, Robert has made the track available as a free download at his website www.robertnortonmusic.com  

My friendship with Robert goes back a long way.  Robert has played live on my 8-week happiness course for the last ten years.  Some of his albums, like Follow Your Joy and Accepting Yourself, feature music that was recorded on these events.   When I write my books, and when I sit to meditate, I often play Robert’s songs.  His music helps me in my own creative journey. 

Most recently, Robert has provided music for my Be Happy Online 8-week course, hosted by Hay House.  Robert has generously made these tracks available for a free download at www.robertnortonmusic.com  For further information about Robert’s workshops and concerts you can also visit www.creative-journeys.co.uk

Interview: Kripalu and Fox TV

I have just enjoyed a wonderful weekend at Kripalu, a retreat center for yoga, health, and holistic living, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.  I was there to give a three-day workshop on Be Happy.  My wife Hollie and daughter Bo came too.  We loved it.  Thank you Denise Barack, for the invite.  Thank you to those who attended the workshop.  And thank you to everyone who made us feel so welcome.

The Kripalu program is packed with inspiring offerings on health and wellness, science and spirituality, creativity and yoga.  While I was there I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Thurman who was facilitating a workshop on Everyday Yoga and also Michael Beckwith who was teaching on Spiritual Liberation.  I would definitely recommend Kripalu.  Great programs.  Great location.  Great people.  Great food!

On Sunday afternoon, I made a trip over to Boston, to do an interview for Fox25 on Be Happy.  It’s five minutes long, and you can watch it here.