Daily Reading - Allen James' Daily Guide to Success series - Readings from June 6th - June 10th

Again I say...thanks for your patience with my postings. I'm having to jump from computer to computer; where I live out in the country doesn't provide service so I have to use my phone to post, which prevents me from sharing postings to Goodreads.

 

Calendar Books by Allen James daily reading for June 6th from "The Journey: A Calendar Book"..."When you think of an invention that sounds like a best seller, think again before acting on it".

I personally find today's reading to be pretty hilarious (Although I don't hear the sound of throngs of laughter from my audience). I was talking with an old friend last night and our discussion went to events which took place over 20 years ago. As we talked about how the experiences of years past mold us into who we become, I couldn't help but think how unfortunate it is many of the "experiential lessons" we learn through the "school of hard knocks" seem to never be given a 2nd opportunity to be applied.

However, there are times when our decision making skills can be kept in check simply by "thinking again". Through the years I've had numerous "great ideas" for inventions, none of which I'll name here for fear someone will take it and run with it... A friend of mine, we'll call Jim, and I use to sit out on my back deck and come up with invention after invention which we KNEW would be a best seller, only to never follow through with their development.

But there was a time when I decided to do just this, to follow through. I developed the idea all the way through to the creation of a prototype of the item. I then contacted the location of the "Got an Invention?" office in St. Louis and set up an appointment to see them. On the day of the appointment I drove all the way up to West Port, got out of the car, walked up to the entrance of the building, and then turned around and went home. I had chickened out. I had enough time on the drive up to "rethink" my idea and talk myself into believing it was all about getting money out of me (they were going to charge me $350.00 to even consider my idea).

Was it best to turn around and leave? More than likely; two years later I saw my exact item on a blockbuster movie at the theater. I'm sure it took more than two years for it to go from thought to product creation; someone else had already thought of the idea and developed it before I.

The point? Always think things through. Check out your options. Research your avenues. Don't expend time and energy when it can be spent in activity more productive.

Keep looking up. AJ






Calendar Books by Allen James' reading for June 7th from "The Journey: A Calendar Book"....

"Know who you really are, then try your best to fake everyone out".

Let's face it, no matter how much we know ourselves or no matter how positive our self-image is, there are still aspects about ourselves we would like to improve or we don't like.

When we tout we don't care what others think about us we're lying to ourselves. These aren't negative attributes at all. Continuing to better ourselves is important in working toward personal success. It keeps us on our toes.

Maslov's "Hierarchy of Needs" tops out at self-actualization", or in other words, enlightenment or perfection. I don't believe we can get there in this existence.

Certainly we strive to attain it, but reaching self-actualization would mean we have nothing more to attain. We would become complacent, thus stagnant.

When we accept this and really know ourselves, we can then model who we wish to attain to be. "Faking everyone out" is surely putting it blunt....but this the reality. Accepting who we are requires being truly honest with ourselves.

As Shakespeare said in so many words, the world is a stage, we are but actors in it.

Be true to yourself....and always....keep looking up. AJ







Our reading for June 8th from Allen James' "The Journey: A Calendar Book"....

"Be aware of those with whom you work".

We spend the majority of our lives at work....2nd to the time we spend sleeping (such a travesty), thus being very aware of our co-workers helps immensely in our journey to personal success.

As I've stated before, there aren't too many people with whom I can't get along, but there have been three times in my life where a single co-worker has created a work environment where it has been a challenge to say the least.

Trust has always come easy for me, possibly to a fault. I've learned the difficult way to make sure I tread lightly around co-workers.

Low self-image and feelings of inadequacy can encourage those co-workers who seem to think competition is a standard in the workplace to spread their unhappiness like a virus.

I've found the best way to handle this situation is to just do my job. Being affable and getting through the day sometimes is my only life saver.

Certainly I'm not saying I'm miserable at work, the opposite is usually true. I love what I do and the fruits of my labor. I just am aware much more these days of the fact bullying does't cease after adolescence.

Be aware of those of with whom you work. Know the "good guys" from the "bad guys", then steer clear of the bad guys and always strive to be one of the good guys. Personal success comes no other way.

Keep looking up AJ





Calendar Books by Allen James' reading for June 9th...from our featured calendar book for 2013, "The Journey", "Sleep under the quilt your mother made by hand for you".

Allen James' calendar books are intended to encourage positivity and to support the reader's journey to personal success, thus are to be interpreted in a personal manner by each reader.

I emphasize this because today's reading could easily get a response such as, "My mother never made a quilt for me". A personal interpretation would look at it from the point of view we should cherish those things significant others did for us out of love, whatever they be.
I recall when I was a child sleeping under a quilt my grandmother hand made for her grandchildren. I don't know when she gave them, whether as birthday presents, Christmas gifts, or just because she knew we needed warmth in the cold of Kentucky winters; but I certainly remember the warmth they provided.

People just don't quilt by hand much these days. Which is what makes today's reading even more special to me.

At 61 my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She was given 6 months to live. For the year prior to her diagnosis she spent every evening sitting in "Momma's chair" piecing together material swatches and then quilting those swatches into quilts. No one knew she was ill, not even she. Yet it was as if instinctively Mom was aware her days were numbered.

That Christmas she gave as gifts quilts she had sewed by her own hands to each of her 6 children, as well as one for my girlfriend at the time.

What a gift. A mother's love. A symbol of the warmth she had always provided and the comfort she wished to provide even long after she was no longer with us.

When I sleep under Mom's quilt I can but imagine with each stitch her nimble fingers working diligently to complete each quilt for her beloved children.

She passed away the next March. This symbol of her compassion will bring me warmth and comfort for years to come. Almost 20 years later I still sleep under the quilt my mother made by hand for me. Life truly does continue after death.

What's your special something which memorializes your loved one?

Keep looking up. AJ







Our posting today is a quote by rock and roll icon, Janis Joplin, who certainly knew the real significance of these words, "Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got".

Janis Joplin was a tragic hero to be sure. Quickly running from an adolescence filled with bullying and mockery, ironically, upon returning to her 10 year high school class reunion determined to prove herself, she found no matter how famous one becomes, there are some boundaries which cannot be crossed without pain and anguish.

Dead at only 27 due to a heroin overdose in 1970, Joplin had fought compromise on every front, truly having only herself in the end. "Janis Joplin has passed into the realm of legend: an outwardly brash yet inwardly vulnerable and troubled personality who possessed one of the most passionate voices in rock history. It could be argued that her legacy has as much to do with her persona as her singing. Music journalist Ellen Wills asserted that 'Joplin belonged to that select group of pop figures who mattered as much for themselves as for their music. Among American rock performers, she was second only to Bob Dylan in importance as a creator-recorder-embodiment of her generation’s mythology'"(rockhall.com).

Compromising "self" is giving up on all OUR needs and desires and to be sure, when we compromise "self" we find unhappiness. As unique individuals, how unfortunate to spend this uniqueness miserable. We are too precious to waste our life on anything other than enjoying what we have to offer the world; our positivity and the personal successes which can inspire others.

Don't compromise who you are. Believe in who you CAN be by BEING who your are.

Keep looking up. : ) AJ