Don’t miss GregoireToday on Thursday 7/16 at 1:30 pm ET / 10:30 am PT!

Judith Wright is the author of The One Decision: Make the Single Choice That Will Lead to a Life of More. An internationally recognized speaker and seminar leader, she founded the Wright Institute with her husband after twenty years of developing innovative education and personal-growth programs.

Have you ever wondered how you might carve more meaning and purpose out of your crowded days? The answer is simple: cut out the “soft addictions.” As Judith Wright reveals in this revised and expanded edition of her classic self-help book There Must Be More Than This, many of us are addicted to seemingly harmless and socially sanctioned habits such as shopping, watching TV, and gossiping-robbing us of our time, clouding our clarity of mind, and masking our deeper longing for lasting joy.

According to Wright, soft addictions are seductive because they satisfy powerful desires-and we easily become hooked because they are perceived as “normal” behavior, behavior that doesn’t seem to demand the extraordinary measures of a drug or alcohol addiction. Yet soft addictions do call out for action and in this groundbreaking book, Judith Wright explains why they are so damaging and outlines an effective plan for overcoming these negative habits to discover more passion, love, commitment, and meaning in our lives.

                                       Visit: www.judithwright.com

A friend recently told me about her financial advisor who always responds to the “How are you doing?” question by saying, “Livin’ the dream, livin’ the dream.”  She said that his response is always oozing with cynicism.

Her comments brought a smile of recognition to my face as I thought about a particular friend at the gym who responds to the same question with, “Just another day in paradise” with the same cynical tone.

It sounds like in both cases the individuals are going through life’s motions, but not enjoying the ride.  They’re pushing themselves through another joyless day. They’re not able to savor each of life’s precious moments. How sad.

Why are so many of us unhappy with our lives and unable to see our way through the sadness?

I think that it’s because we find ourselves in situations – careers/jobs, relationships, lack of relationships, addictions to food, alcohol or drugs – and feel like we’re stuck.  We feel like we have to stay in this situation forever.  We’re feeling hopeless. We’re feeling like we’ve dug a very big hole and we no longer have the energy or know-how to climb out.

We’ve all felt that way at some point over the course of our lifetime.

What’s gotten many of through these predicaments in the past?  Some of us have faith in ourselves and our ability to persevere. We can have a difficult morning, day or weekend, but we’ll eventually pull ourselves out of the rut and move on. 

Others have a strong faith in God and believe that God  is always listening to us and responding to our prayers – even when we don’t get what we’re praying for!!! We believe that we’re getting exactly what we need in response to each prayer in order grow, evolve and maximize our potential.  We believe that there is no problem that cannot be overcome with faith in God.

Tough jobs, difficult relationships, physical sickness and all of life’s difficulties are opportunities for us to develop resiliency and faith. Situations like these cause us to slow down, listen to our souls, pray and contemplate change.  We want to change because we realize that something is just not right.  It’s time for a chiropractic adjustment of our life so that it’s in alignment with our soul.

If you’ve felt this way lately or are feeling this way today, try looking upon your current situation as a blessing – as grace from God.  Try to figure out what good can possibly come from this situation.  Something good results from every situation when you’re looking for the good and for the opportunity to learn.  Ask yourself, “what message is this obstacle asking me to listen to so that I can learn and make the necessary modifications to how I’m living my life?”

Realize that you’ve been presented with an obstacle – a gift -  that you’re capable of solving.  It’s going to cause you to think. It’s going to cause you to get creative. It may cause you to go silent and listen to your soul. It may bring you to your knees in prayer.

It may be calling you to release whatever it is that you’re holding onto that is causing you to feel angry or sad and refocus your life on your special mission or purpose.

The result of your contemplation and prayers will be a decision for you to make changes in one or several aspects of your life.  It may be a new job or vocation. It might be a new way of caring for your  physical health. It might be to seek counseling to repair a relationship.

You are capable of bringing joy and happiness into your life.  When you slow down and listen to yourself and listen to God, you’ll remember why you’re here and what you’re supposed to be feeling – love.  We are love. When we’re not feeling that way, we understand that we’ve somehow alienated ourselves from our core identity.

In the future when you respond to the question, “How are you doing?”, make sure that your response is authentically happy because you realize that each day is a gift and a blessing and that you’re committed to living each day in alignment with your highest self.  We’re called to be genuinely Livin’ the dream!

When the words being spoken by an individual or group of people are inconsistent with the levels of excellence that the organization (family, church, school, etc.) has determined, I’ve been trained to implement a second strategy which is a 3-step process directed toward the individual or group:

“Stop it, that’s not how we speak within this family.” (This quickly and firmly signals that this is not how we speak within this organization)

“You’re better than that” (This nurturingly lets the person or group know how good they are or are capable of being)

“The next time, I’d like you to….(insert what you do want)” (This triggers the thought to what we do want, how we do want to speak, how we do want to behave)

Where might we learn that gossip is not a good thing to be doing? When I asked myself that question, I came up with 3 answers: 1. scripture, 2. house of worship, 3. within our family.

Once we learn any new idea, concept, trait or behavior that we’d like to make part of our normal behavior, here’s a repeatable process that’s easy to implement.
1. Understand the Current Reality (how you’re behaving now)
1. In this situation you are a person who either initiates or participates in gossip
2. Determine what the Ideal End Result is that you’re seeking.
1. In this case an Ideal End Result might be that you’d become a person who neither initiates gossip or participates in gossip of any kind, in any environment, at any time.
3. Write an affirmation (a present-tense statement of fact or belief) which you can repeat to yourself multiple times a day until you’ve assimilated this thought in the place of the old thought
1. Sample Affirmation (of what you do want): I keep my thoughts and language positive at all times and easily think and speak positively about other people at all times.
4. Find a time each day when you can read each of the present-tense written affirmations so that you can visualize yourself being this type of individual.

We’re not going to find the perfect church, gym or seminar because every organization and every place where people congregate is full of imperfect humans.

We create better families and organizations by displaying the levels of constructive talk and actions which we consider to be consistent with our levels of excellence.

As you continue your process of mental, physical and spiritual improvement on a daily basis, you’re contributing to the improvement in the quality and quality of every group to which you belong.

Waiting for perfection in the world will be a long, frustrating process. Coming to terms with the fact that imperfect people exist within every faith community and all groups of people, will allow you to flex your compassion and patience muscles.

Adding your imperfect presence to each of these imperfect groups creates unity. When we’re participating within any community, we can contribute toward the increase in its level of civility.

You make the world better a better place by showing up and contributing your own unique brand of love, compassion and patience.

We become diseased (dis-eased) when we’re out of balance.  It is our body’s way of letting us know that we’re not taking care of ourselves. It’s the body’s signal that we’re neglecting ourselves or others in some way.

Take the Balanced Life Quiz:

Using a scale where 1 is low, 5 is average and 10 is high, answer these 3 questions:

• What grade would you give yourself mentally? (10 means you speak to yourself and others in a positive, constructive fashion 100% of the time)
• What grade would you give yourself physically? (You know what ideal physical health looks and feels like for you)
• What grade would you give yourself spiritually?

The maximum score is 30.  What was your total score?

Because the mind, spirit and body are connected as part of one being, when something is bothering us mentally or spiritually, that problem frequently manifests itself somewhere in the body. Tension in the neck, chest pain, back pain, stomach problems and headaches are examples of physical symptoms that are frequently caused by non-physical problems.

When we treat these problems with medicine (drugs) or surgery before understanding the root cause of the problem are we dealing with the real problem?

When we neglect our bodies, we sometimes put on excess fat as a result of eating habits that are out of control (been there, done that). When we don’t sleep enough, our eyes are tired, we can’t stop yawning and our minds are not their best. When we don’t exercise our bodies on a regular basis, they become stiff and inflexible.

Once we’re aware, it’s easy to become mindful of proper care for the body – proper amounts of food, exercise and rest on a daily basis.

When we stop paying attention to our thoughts and words, it becomes easy to take-on the all-too-frequent negative attitudes of those around us. We allow our minds to be filled with what we hear on television, radio and on the web. It’s easy to become sarcastic and critical of self and others when we stop maintaining responsibility for our thoughts and words. Our thoughts and words either build us and others up or they’re tearing people apart.  It’s what come out of our mouths that is harmful, not what we put into them.

We implement the same process to repair the mind as we do for the body. Awareness of our thoughts and words causes us to become quick to hear and slow and mindful of what we think and what we say.

If you‘re at all like me, meals are a priority. No one ever has to remind me when it’s time to eat. My wife will attest that as soon as I complete one of my 5 meals a day, my next question to her is something like, “what’s for lunch?” or “where are we going for dinner?”  Eating is a huge part of my day and life. I’ve made it a real priority.  I also know that if I don’t keep food in my body continuously, it will very quickly signal that something is wrong. My demeanor changes (yes, I get grumpy!), I feel tired  and might eventually even get a headache.

Inattention to the body causes dis-ease.

Inattention to the mind causes dis-ease.

Inattention to the spirit causes?

• Hopeless feelings.
• Feelings of being disconnected from others and from God.
• We frequently become hostile toward others and sometimes to ourselves.
• Our sense of worth diminishes because we feel empty regardless of how busy we are or how much money we earn. There is a huge piece of our beings that is hungry for spiritual food.

Within the last month, we’ve had two great authors on the Gregoire Today program who’ve talked about monastic life and its’ applicability to life outside of the monastery – Thomas Matus and Dennis Okholm.  One of the many things that struck me from my conversation with Dennis Okholm last week was the fact that monastic monks work 6 hours per day, study 3 hours per day and pray 4 hours per day.

I asked the author if the study and prayer times were per day or per month!

In addition to their work and study discipline, part of their practice is to stop and pray several times per day.  They do this as a reminder to themselves of why they’re working and why they’re studying so that no aspect of their life becomes more important than God.  Muslims do a great job of keeping Allah the priority in their lives with 5 separate prayer times throughout the day.

Would short bursts of prayer throughout the day keep us spiritually connected and help keep our priorities in order too?

Because each of us is a unique being, I think that each of us is responsible for determining what the ideal balance is for us so that our entire being is full and satisfied each and every day – mentally, spiritually and physically.

Our bodies are full of food at all times and running at their ideal weight, getting the proper amount of sleep and exercise.

Our minds are full of positive thoughts about self and others. We are patient, constructive and understanding.

Our souls are full of God’s spirit which provides us with a feeling of being whole and complete. We feel united with each human we meet and we greet them as brothers and sisters in spirit. Our hearts are full of joy ready to show love and compassion to others.

When we’re honest with ourselves, most of us would admit they we spend too much time working or in recreation and not enough time with our spouses, or our families, or in the care of our spirits, minds and bodies.

I see many people taking medicine or having surgeries performed to heal their bodies. I notice others taking drugs to assist with depression.  The body’s natural state is health and will be more likely to stay that way with proper daily care.

More often than not, we can heal ourselves with love and attention.  It is the same prescription used to heal others.

Below are some questions that you can answer to develop your own customized process for daily mental, spiritual and physical health:

• How long should you be sleeping on a daily basis to be at your best?
• How often should you be eating to have your body constantly satisfied and at its’ best?
• Should you be eating more or should you be eating less so that your body will be at its’ ideal healthy weight?
• How often and for how long would you exercise to keep your body healthy?
• What could you be doing to monitor your thoughts and spoken words on a daily basis so that your thoughts and words are healing yourself and those around you?
• How much time would you spend in prayer and meditation each and every day so that you are whole and complete and feeling united with God and others?

We are at our best when we are our best – mentally, spiritually and physically. Today is a great day to evaluate yourself in each of these areas.

What changes are you going to make so that you are full and complete – lacking in nothing- on a daily basis?

There was an article on 3/10/10 on CNN.com titled, Archdiocese defends decision to deny children because of lesbian parents. In the piece it mentions that, The archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, is defending its decision not to re-enroll two children in a Catholic school in Boulder next year because their parents are lesbians.

The meaning of the word Catholic comes from a Greek word meaning universal.  To me, this means that each of us is part of the same Spirit, the same Creator, the same Universal God.  We are all breathing the same air, drinking the same water and all connected spiritually – whether we’re aware of it or not.

At the physical church that I’ve been a part of since 1964, there are plenty of good seats available for people who would like to be part of the Universal God’s family – for two reasons.

The first is I hope that we’re a community that is welcoming to all humans. The second is that the attendance of my generation is significantly lower than the prior generations. I’m pretty certain that if individuals who were not 100% sin-free in the Catholic Church’s eyes were asked to leave my church (or our parish school), the pews and the school would be empty. That would be the case at every school and every house of worship – everywhere!

Faith is a daily process of deliberately choosing to come closer to God. As far as I know, this process of uniting with God (and each other) will not end until we become 100% like the image-and-likeness-of God in which we were created and this may not happen until we attain 100% union with God in Heaven.  In the mean time, we’re called to strive on a daily basis to come to know and love God (and each other).

One of the many ways for us to attain this unity with God and with others is to be part of a faith community. The couple mentioned in the CNN article is trying to offer their two children the same gift that my parents gave to me – a Catholic school education.

When we’re part of a private school or church-like community, we become part of the culture within that community. Children who are fortunate enough to attend a private Catholic school receive education about God as part of their education. They receive religious education, attend church services and become acquainted with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

When my son attended his fantastic Catholic high school, he not only studied Christianity but, he was exposed to and educated in other faiths.  This education caused him to become a more inclusive, understanding and compassionate individual.

Our problems exist because of our separation from God. When we’re united with God, we’re at-ease, peaceful, loving and trusting.

Because all organizations – including faith communities  – are run by humans, mistakes are made. Forgiveness is one of the most important concepts taught by Jesus Christ. He tells us to Love one another as I have loved you. He’s tells us that he or she who is without sin can cast the first stone (at other sinners).

Individual churches can and do make mistakes.  An archdiocese  can make a  mistake. Priests make mistakes. Ministers make mistakes. Lay people make mistakes. We all make mistakes.  Knowing this, it’s incredibly important that we develop our compassion and forgiveness muscles.

When on the phone last week with a great friend of mine he said, My God is the God of 2nd chances, in reference to a particularly large mistake that he thinks he made several years ago.

That’s my God too.  And I thank God for that – literally.  If I were not granted second chances by God, by my family and friends and by myself, I don’t know where I’d be today.

Churches, temples, mosques and schools of faith are where sinners go to heal and learn how to become God-like as part of a community.

Sinners are everywhere. Faith communities are where sinners who understand that they are not-yet-perfect go for support, love, understanding, accountability, knowledge and to heal.

To the couple and their children, I apologize to you on behalf of all people and institutions that make mistakes. I ask you to please seek another Christian school for your children if you are not welcomed back with open arms at your original school of choice. God wants you and your children to be part of the Universal family.

If they don’t invite you back, I’ll encourage you to forgive them.

One of the churches in my neighborhood recently had a two-word invitation on the sign outside the church: Sinners welcome.  That message was from the Universal God of second chances.

To inspire, is to breathe spirit into the life of another.  I learned those words from a dear friend of mine several years ago. When we receive this spirit, it is received in sound, words and thought that bring feelings of happiness to each cell in our body. We can feel that uplifting spirit throughout our entire body.

Who or what is your source of inspiration?

Who breathes spirit into you with words of love and hope which encourage you to live a life today and every day with joy, bliss and optimism?

Do you get this inspiration from cable news?  Perhaps you get it from work – your manager or co-workers?  Members of your family?  From looking at your W-2, 401K or  retirement statements?  If you answered yes to any of these, does the inspiration last? Is it permanent and unwavering?

During a recent 16-hour seminar that I delivered, one of the attendees who’s been to prior sessions commented publicly about me saying, you have more energy than anyone that I know.  She went on to say, how do you maintain that consistent level of energy over such long periods of time?

Energy is contained in all matter. There is energy moving very slowly within solids – rocks, trees, etc.  There is a higher form of energy found within liquids that moves quicker. The energy that is contained in light and sound and moves considerably faster and is higher form.

Have you ever seen the energy in the speed of sound? We depend upon it every day as we listen to each other.  How about the energy that’s in cell phone transmission? That energy moves instantaneously across the world.  I can sit in Massachusetts and send a text to my daughter in Mexico and she’ll receive it within seconds.  That type of energy is real but, I can’t see it.

I guess that there must be information and energy which exists and is very powerful but,  can’t be seen or perceived with our senses.  Is it possible that we’re being too sensible?

The highest and purest form of energy comes from the spirit.

People who bring us information which causes us to smile and become filled with joy and hope are considered to be uplifting because we feel higher when in the presence of their energy. They’re a joy to be around. We welcome their company and are usually sad when they leave.

How can we feel this way all the time?

People who bring us information that causes our bodies to deflate like a balloon with a hole in it  are considered to be demotivating because their presence causes us to feel depressed. They are bringing us a lower form of energy.

You have a choice as to what types of information and energy you allow to penetrate your senses. You control the types of energy which you allow into your life with the choices that you make each and every second.

When you wake-up and turn on the news, what type of energy do you think that you’re receiving? Another 200 lives were lost when… The stock market was down yesterday… The top 3 automakers have announced sales that are down 27 percent since…. Another sports hero has fallen off his pedestal….  Unemployment is up for the 14th straight……

When watching movies, television shows and video games that have to do with death, murder, violence, drugs and sarcastic humor, what type of energy do you think you’re assimilating?

Why would we knowingly allow ourselves to be subjected to these lower forms and levels of energy?

The information that we receive is either life giving or life taking?  It’s very easy to determine whether you’re experiencing life giving versus life taking energy by continuously and mindfully asking yourself, Is this making me feel more positive and optimistic about life and my future or is this activity draining and depressing me?

Music, books, television, websites, radio, CD’s and other people are sources  of information that either lift us or lower us. With a little bit of effort, each of us can intentionally decide whether or not we choose to spend time on anything which causes us to lose our energy and feel deflated.

When one of my wife’s dear friends heard that the book club was going to read The Power of One, she responded by saying, I hope that’s not one of those self-help, motivational books!. The Power of One would not be classified that way but, even if it were in the self-help category would that be so bad?

Maybe her friend was afraid that if she read a self-help or a spiritually inspirational book she’d learn that there is a path leading toward  a happier life? Maybe she was concerned that she’d find out that there is a possibility for her to become more responsible for her happiness and that there are things that she can do to ensure that her life, and the lives of her children and husband, are happy, peaceful and full of purpose? Maybe she was afraid to find out that she could change if she wanted to??

Once we learn that there is no reason to be lacking in faith, hope and love, the responsibility for being faith-filled hopeful and loving is on us. We no longer have anyone  to blame for our lack of serenity.

Our serenity comes from within and is freely given to all who ask.

For many people this is not good news because we’re used to having someone or something to blame for our unhappiness. Can  you imagine accepting responsibility for your happiness each and every day?

Can you envision a life of joy that has taken up a permanent residence inside of you that is contagious?

Can you imagine being contagious with something that everyone wants to catch?

Visualize being filled with peace, love, joy, faith and hope. What would you look like?  How would you feel?

Understand that the most wonderful and everlasting gifts in the whole world are given to you free of charge.  They are here for the taking. Your only investment is in time.

I just figured it out while sitting here this morning.  It took me 48 years and the light just dawned.  We place no value on things that are freely given.

I may gripe but, I’m okay shelling out $150/month for cable television. (Entertainment/distraction)

I’ll occasionally and happily pay $125 on a dinner for two. (Social activity and food)

I’ll pay $1300 per month for the peace of mind that comes from having health insurance that I plan on never using. (Protection against financial devastation as a result of physical illness)

The dinner is over and done with as soon as I leave the restaurant. The cable service is billed on a monthly basis and will terminate as soon as I miss paying the bill.  The health insurance money goes out the door each month and has no residual value in 30 days.  It too will be canceled as soon as I miss one payment.

Why don’t we invest in the things that are free, everlasting and can never be terminated or taken away from us?  Is it because of perceived low value?  Is it because of the thought that nothing can work well that is free or inexpensive?  Is it because we’ve never been exposed to these concepts or never had the courage to try?

The only source of joy, happiness, peace, tranquility and inspiration that is permanent is God.  All other sources are temporal (limited by time).  Being plugged-into God is being plugged into The Source of life and energy.

People frequently disappoint.

Jobs eventually disappear.

Technology will be discontinued.

Food dissolves.

Companies are dismantled.

The body may become diseased.

Invest the time in activities which nourish the soul and promise to uplift and inspire:

• Prayer (talking to God) always makes us feel better.
  • We feel better when venting to people who may or may not be able to help. Try talking to God.
• Meditation (listening to God)  allows us to become centered.
  • Centered on what?  Centered on the source of our life and on our future (beyond earth).
• Scriptural Reading allows us to fill our minds with God’s Word. What do we receive?
  • Words of inspiration, confidence and love filled with God’s grace. Promises made by One who never disappoints.
• Group worship provides us with the support and fellowship of faith-filled people.
• Serving others is an activity which causes us to feel uplifted.

Allow the spirit of God to infiltrate your mind and soul and fill each cell of your being with  energy and life.  This is a gift that is freely given.

In order to give, you must be able to receive.  Allow yourself to receive inspiration from The Source of all Inspiration.

On Facebook last week, a friend wrote about his thankfulness for the electricity that just returned to his home after a snow and ice storm.  He didn’t appreciate the electricity all that much until he was without it for 5 days.

Another friend who exercises every day is finally back exercising after being sidelined on crutches with a bad back since October.  Only after this event does she now appreciate her ability to drive and to bend over and lace her sneakers. She had lost the freedom to be able to get in the car and go where she wanted, when she wanted.

I recently got a small glimpse into the freedom that I take for granted each and every day when I lost it for a day and half.

A few weeks back was my turn to serve the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by showing up for jury duty at 8:30AM about 30 miles (60 minutes) from my home.  In order to get in my daily morning routine of prayer, scripture, meditation, affirmations, breakfast and exercise and still arrive on time, it meant an even earlier wake-up call than normal.

As I happily approached the front door of the courthouse, I read the sign on the door that said NO FOOD OR DRINK and wondered how I’d maintain my healthy eating habit of consuming a small meal every three hours if I were chosen for a jury. With a sense of excitement and adventure at the break of my usual work routine, I opened the door and saw three courthouse workers sitting around a metal detector. I gave them a gregarious good morning and heard nothing in response but the sound of silence (think crickets).  I couldn’t imagine that three humans in an empty room would not respond to a warm greeting on a dark and rainy morning so, I gave them a second and significantly louder good morning. This time I received a grunt from one of them.  At that point, I knew that I was not in Kansas anymore.

I don’t think that they’re used to seeing any happy humans enter that building.  Most of the jurors are not happy to be there, the lawyers seem stressed, unhappy and rushed, those on trial are nervous and distracted and the courthouse workers seem to be just going through the paces. I can almost hear the self-talk going on in the minds of the courthouse workers (think eeyore), Nothing ever changes much here- miserable people, same hours, same building, same rules, same laws, same uniform. The entire culture within the system is comprised of lots of do’s and don’ts, gloom and doom.

After a few minutes of waiting in the lobby next to the metal detector, I was told to go down the hall and wait in the second waiting area for jury members.  I was given a number (4) – like a convict – and told to be seated and wait for further instructions.

Where was the Marriott concierge lounge attendant greeting me with, Good morning, Mr. Gregoire, and offering to get me a coffee and my choice of USA Today or the Wall Street Journal?

If I really was at the Marriott, it must’ve been their newest, really low-end brand – The Jailhouse Marriott – The hotel designed by prisoners, for prisoners. This place that I found myself lock-ed in by law had no manners, no coffee, no food, no drink and lots of rules! What’s with all the rules?  Why can’t I drink in the juror’s waiting area? I was even willing to use a sippy-cup if they’d give me one.  I was thirsty!

I found out from the unbelievably polite and considerate judge (a glimpse of light and hope within the darkness) why there wasn’t any coffee for the jurors.  They had purchased a coffee machine and had neglected to send it out to bid so, they were forced to remove the coffee machine from the courthouse. I’ve since notified Carolyn (my wife) that henceforth, each item that is purchased within the Gregoire household must be sent out to bid. We need more rules, paperwork and bureaucracy within our home too!

Because I was lost in Bob Kull’s fantastic book – Solitude – preparing for my interview on Friday, I was pretty happy to sit at the table with the other prisoners (I mean jurors) and finish reading the book.  The next thing I knew, my silence was broken as the court officer (names omitted to protect the guilty) said, “you can’t be chewing that gum in here”!  After the initial shock of his question, I looked over my right shoulder toward him and said with a big smile on my face, you’re kidding, right? He said, “No, I’m not kidding. We have rules here!” I guess the Diet Coke that the woman next to me was consuming was allowed because of an amendment to one of their laws.

In order to put things into perspective, I’ve worked for myself since  March of 1999 – I have a great boss who imposes very few rules upon himself or others! I work when I choose to work and I stop working when I choose.  I am blessed to have enough food at home that I eat and drink whatever I choose, whenever I choose.  When I travel – which is quite often – I’m fortunate to stay at Marriott properties most of the time and am treated with dignity and respect by their well-trained staff. This is the reality in which I live my ideal life.

Life and freedom are about choice.  We get to choose every word, every thought, every gesture and every action. It’s all an act of creation. This freedom allows us to create the ideal lives and the ideal world.  Constructive cultures are found within families, companies and countries whereby people have the ability to choose (think for themselves).  That type of culture assumes that people are smart, accountable and know what’s right and what’s wrong.  It assumes that people do NOT need to be told what and how to do things. This type of environment results in creativity and productivity because people are NOT being told what to do.

On 2/24/10 at approximately 8:10AM, I gained an even stronger appreciation for each and every freedom that I enjoy on a daily basis because for that entire day and the next morning, I was not free. It was not just because of the way that I noticed the court officers treating me and the other jurors, it was the entire judicial system that made me Thank God for my freedom and pray that my wife, children and I would never be on trial in a court of law.

I was chosen for a trial whereby a man was charged by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with assault and battery and obstruction of justice.  In this case, the lawyers that are paid to represent the best interests of their clients proceed to ask detailed questions of the witnesses, defendant and plaintiff of an event that took place exactly 12 months ago.  I am not kidding you when I tell you that  I don’t remember the subject of a blog that I wrote 2 days ago. If you remind me of the topic, I will remember it but, the detail of what I wrote on any given day is unimportant (to me).

Because of my vocation and the education that I’ve received from some of the best minds in the world in the fields of psychology and spirituality, I understand the importance of living in the present and thinking about an even more ideal future.  I spend very little time in the past. The judicial system is all about the exact detail(s) of what happened in the past.

One of the secrets of life is to live in the present and enjoy being where you are at each and every instant.  You have the freedom to live this gift today. Are you?

I recently asked you to appreciate this thing called life.  Today, we remind ourselves to cherish the wonderful gift of freedom.  Freedom to what?

• Freedom to think and to focus on positive thoughts about yourself and others.
• Freedom to work wherever you choose doing whatever you want to do.
• Freedom to spend every minute of every day exactly how you choose.
• Freedom to speak to others and say exactly what you’ve been wanting to say, but afraid to do so.
• Freedom to eat whatever you want, whenever you want.
• Freedom to set goals for the ideal life that you envision.
• Freedom to know that today and each and every day is an opportunity to start over. Life is full of 2nd chances.
• Freedom to chew gum anywhere (except a courthouse).

What are you free to do that you’re currently not doing?  Why?

As far as I can tell, there are only two types of prisons.  One type is the one we end-up in if we’ve been convicted a breaking one of societies many laws.  I can’t encourage you enough to do everything possible to avoid ending up in that type of prison.

The second type of prison is the self-imposed type that we place ourselves in with our self-limiting thoughts. I can’t get another or new job.  I’ll never have a good relationship with my family. I’m in a lousy marriage.  I can’t be myself around people because, if I’m just myself, people won’t like me. I don’t have the time to get a degree.  My schedule won’t allow me the time to exercise.

Many of us keep ourselves in self-created prisons with our thoughts.  Fortunately, you can break-out of your prison today or any day you choose and no one is going to come after you.  Once you recognize that you’re the judge, jury and warden of your own prison, you get to free yourself whenever you choose.

There are no guards keeping you in.

There are no dogs ready to chase you.

There is no barbed wire preventing you from leaving your imaginary walls.

Listen to your inner-wisdom.  You have the power to release yourself from the self-imposed rules and laws that you’ve been allowing yourself to use to regulate  – and limit- your life.

It’s time to break-out! You are free to move-on.

Earlier this week, I read an article on USA Today.com titled, Supreme Court declines new 10 commandments fight. It mentioned: the justices on Monday left in place a lower court decision that a Ten Commandments marker in Haskell County, Okla., must go.

Am I a little bit torn when reading the news?  Yes.  But, that’s my opinion as a life-long practicing Judeo-Christian.  Would I be offended if there were commandments or principles from other faiths?  No, I would not.

I’m fascinated by the beliefs of individuals whose faith is as strong – or stronger – in their religion as I am in mine. I’m always thinking to myself, I wonder what I’m missing? It’s become a part of my mission to know, understand, respect and very frequently incorporate concepts from other faiths that complement or strengthen my Christianity.

Although these markers and symbols are nice, we do not need them to live the principles without any excuses each and every day.

In my very humble opinion, having symbols of faith – 10 commandments markers, Stars of David, Christmas Trees, candles in windows, Menorahs, etc. – are visible signs of reverence or consideration for God.  When I see the Star of David, I immediately think of God.  When I see a crucifix, I think of God.  In that sense, each of these symbols is a reminder for me to incorporate God into each of my thoughts, words and actions on a minute-to-minute basis.

Do we need external symbols in order to make spirituality the central component of our lives?  No.

I think that too frequently, these religious symbols are much like corporate mission statements and value statements which hang upon the lobby walls at companies which no one is capable of repeating, much less practicing on a daily basis.

The 10 Commandments marker in Oklahoma is not about the marker. It’s a visual reminder to each of us of how to keep God central in our lives by following the principles given to Moses by God. As we’ve become much more religiously diverse in the United States and as certain groups have sought to ease God out of our public awareness, these longstanding and emotionally strong symbols are quickly being removed from public locations.

The objective of creating corporate mission and value statements is the hope and expectation that each person within the company walks, talks, and acts in accordance with these concepts.  If each person understands what they are and has assimilated the trait or principle into their subconscious mind then, the framed statements on the walls serve as visible reminders to employees and also point out to corporate guests exactly how they should expect to be treated by employees of this company.

It’s the same situation with the 10 Commandments, the Bible, The Torah, The Qur’an and every religious book or symbol.  The books and symbols are useless if the values and concepts are not lived and observed on a daily basis.  An unused Bible on the bookshelf is just as useless as the unused treadmill in the corner.  Each must be utilized frequently if we expect to gain any of the spiritual or physical benefits.

I do not Trust in God because In God We Trust is printed on the back of the one-dollar bills in my wallet.  I am oblivious to those words along with which president and any other symbols which may be on that bill or any other bill. I trust in God because of a seed planted in my brain about 43 years ago by my parents that was nourished during prayer prior to every meal at home and by attendance and participation at church 52+ times per year.

I learned very young that God was very important in the lives of my parents and my grandparents. Because my parents had always given me solid information in every other area of my life, I considered this knowledge to be very valuable too.

Faith is about the relationship that exists between you and God. It’s a feeling of effortless perfection that results from time in solitude communicating with your best friend. When this relationship is solid and the communication is flowing both ways, the result is a human with a sense of purpose and direction who possesses an unlimited supply of faith, hope and love. That endless supply of faith, hope and love gets replenished on a daily basis by staying connected to the Creator. The love that we receive is shared with God and with every person with whom we come in contact on a daily basis.

You know when you have the words of a song, or poem or jingle permanently imprinted in your mind?  Those words have become part of your second nature and were imprinted because of reading or hearing the words over and over and over. They’re a part of you. We can intentionally make the 10 commandments, the Gospels, the teachings of Buddha or any spiritual information permanently part of our second nature by repeating the words in our minds that we choose to live our lives. In order for it to become second nature, repetition is required.

The words imprinted in your mind and soul that you use to love God and each other can never be taken away from you by the Supreme Court or by any lower court. These words have come to us from a higher kingdom.  This kingdom is in your midst. Your mind, body and soul contain the emotions of the permanent markers that you use to love and serve every second of the day.

Within the world of Christianity, there is a song that has been indelibly imprinted in my mind for several decades.  Part of the chorus goes, And they’ll know that we are Christians by our Love, by our Love, yes they’ll know that we are Christians by our love.

Not by our 10 Commandments markers.

Not by our clothing.

Not by our religious jewelry.

Not by carrying a Bible around in our arms.

Not by our Christmas Trees in the front windows or wreaths on our front doors.

We’re called to BE and live the word of God.  We get to show it every minute of the day by how we love each other.

Do others see your faith in your words, in your actions and in the love that you show to others?

Why do we put people on pedestals during the Olympics?

Team USA's Evan Lysacek (Yuri Kadobnov/Getty Images)

Because they’ve placed in the top 3 positions in the world - within a particular event, within a particular sport. Tiger Woods was placed on a pedestal by many of us for the same reason – because he was the dominant player in the world – within a particular sport.

For Tiger, and the Olympians, that is the only reason that they’re on the pedestal: dominance within one event or one sport – they were not put there for any other reason.

They may have other very strong  traits or qualities in addition to their athletic ability but, we usually don’t know much more about the person except for their one, dominant skill. Each person that you and I have placed on a pedestal was put there because they were good at some THING.

What do we do to athletes, musicians, actors and politicians whom we’ve placed upon a pedestal when they show vulnerability in another aspect of their lives?  We crucify them!  We act as if we expect them to be perfect role models in every area of their lives – husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, role-models  – just because of their proficiency in one particular area.

How long would you and I last if we were one of those placed upon a pedestal by others?

Should we be placing people on pedestals above us in the first place?

Is it fair that we quickly push people off their pedestals and begin belittling them as soon as they reveal that they’re human and imperfect in other areas of their lives?

My name is Bob and I’m not perfect. Phew! I’m glad that I got that out of the way so that your expectations will be lower.  It’s so easy for me to say that because, despite my daily efforts, I understand that I fall short of what I’m capable of becoming. I’ve been given a tremendous amount of potential and I have NOT utilized all of it – yet.

Although I wouldn’t mind being put on a pedestal because of my relatively medium height (I’m short!), I don’t belong there.  If each of us were to be put  on the ideal pedestal, it would be one which automatically adjusted so  that each of us would be at identical heights. Can you picture each of us at exactly the same height looking eye-to-eye with Tiger, Gold Medal Olympians, musicians, politicians and other people whose internal value is exactly the same as yours and mine?

You see, although we have different jobs, incomes, faiths, languages and skills, we all have the same internal spiritual value.  We’re all part of the same universal spirit. Each person’s spirit is valued equally by the only One capable of putting a value on you.

We’re all part of the same universal spirit. We all came from the same creator.

We’re all being drawn and called toward our creator and spiritual perfection like a flower is drawn toward the sunlight.  We’re seeking the light. We’re seeking love. We’re seeking a feeling of unity and oneness.

My position in the world is not above you.  It’s not below you.  It’s beside you walking hand-in-hand.

The only person who can see you as less valuable than any other person in the world is YOU. It’s not our financial net worth that matters.  It’s not our intellectual net worth (IQ) that matters. It’s not our physical net worth that matters most either. The only thing that is lasting and permanent that we’ll take with us upon our departure from this earthly realm is our spiritual net worth.

How much time are you investing on a daily basis in your spiritual capital?

When we accept the idea that our spiritual value is the same as every other person’s, we begin looking at every person in the world as a peer – as a spiritual brother and sister.  Each of our brothers and sisters has received some sort of spiritual gift but, that gift does not make them any more valuable than any other person.  Your spiritual esteem allows you to see each person as one who complements you.  Our unique gifts and talents complement those of the people around us.

When joined together in one spirit, humanity becomes complete and whole. When we stop fighting each other, this will be the end result.

Why do we resist what we truly desire?

So, although we can recognize that each person has gifts and some people excel in a particular area, no one belongs on a pedestal above you. Each of us is allowed to be an imperfect human who is striving for perfection.  How do we accomplish this quest for spiritual perfection?

It becomes very easy for us to notice, recognize and acknowledge the spiritual beauty that’s in others once we realize it in ourselves. We develop and nourish our souls by feeding them with soul food – silence, meditation and prayer. We move toward perfection as we move into unity with our souls.  Moving toward unity with our soul is a deliberate move toward oneness with the God within.

Our souls need to be nourished, fed and nurtured much like our bodies and minds. The soul food which is digested on a daily basis, brings our bodies and minds into oneness with our souls and into oneness with our Creator. Once this occurs, we feel a very strong sense of connectedness to ourself, to God and to all other people.  We move from a state of competition into one of cooperation.  We move from states of envy and despair into ones of compassion, love and joy.

Although I exercise on a daily basis, I know that eventually my body is going to die. This is guaranteed.

Although I exercise my mind on a daily basis through recitation of affirmations and through learning, I know that my mind will eventually fade away or die with my physical body. This too is guaranteed.

I feed my soul on a daily basis because this is the piece of my being that is truly me. Our soul is the only part of our being that will be with us forever.  Because of this fact, this is where I spend a disproportionate amount of my time. I’m intentionally investing in that part of me that will never die – guaranteed.

When my soul is healthy, I feel good about myself, the world, and all of the people in the world. It is a feeling of joy and oneness with God and with all of humanity.

You and I became the recipients of Gold medals at birth – our souls.  We must become silent and go inside ourselves in order to find, retrieve and nurture this gift. Once this gift is acknowledged, you’ll notice the Gold medal worthiness inside of all people just waiting to be recognized.

Team Germany's Eric Frenzel (Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images)

Recognize the vibrant, living soul inside yourself first and then you’ll see it in others quite easily.

No one deserves to be on a pedestal above you and no one deserves to be in a position below you.

The goal is to be united in spirit with one another.

Our souls are longing to be acknowledged by us and united with God.  Once this occurs, we’ll then seek unity with all beings.

My 16-year old daughter came home from school for the weekend and notified us that she’d forgotten her iPhone charger at school and that her phone had died.  She was forced to spend a half a day at work without her lifeline to the entire world.  She was lost.

Those of us who use technology of any kind know that if we do not charge the device, it dies completely.

That got me thinking about the parallel between technology and humans.  With smart phones and notebook computers, all we need to do is plug them into an outlet on a daily or periodic basis and the device will remain charged.  What’s the best way to charge humans?

For humans to be our best, we require three distinct sources of energy to run optimally – mental, physical and spiritual energy.  Ideally, we would recharge each of these areas on a daily basis. By remaining fully charged in each area, we’re guaranteed to operate efficiently for at least the next 24 hours.

What happens when we’re not properly charged? Instead of just shutting down completely like a phone, we begin breaking down in one or more of the three distinct areas.  For many people, we think that these negative feelings are normal.  They are normal feelings for humans who do not understand how to properly maintain themselves. They are not normal feelings when we care for our high-performance bodies like they were any of our prized possessions.

Physical break downs manifest with symptoms like excess weight, loss of muscle, physical weakness, high blood pressure and feelings of fatigue.   Mental break downs  show up in our negative self-talk, criticism of others, cynicism and destructive emotions.  Spiritual breakdowns manifest themselves when we’re lacking in faith, hope and love (of God, self and others).

People who cherish their cars wash the exteriors frequently (care for our bodies), detail the interiors at least weekly (care for our minds) and make sure that the engine is serviced regularly by an authorized dealer (care for our souls).

Why do many of us seem to care more for things than we do for our own well-being? I think that it’s just a lack of knowledge because we receive more education in school about language, math, history and science and very little about  how to care for our self.

On a daily basis, I see people investing time, energy and resources into their professions and into their families but, they neglect to spend enough time investing and charging themselves.  Neglecting our minds, bodies and souls on a daily basis is like heading out the door with a poorly charged cell phone.  We will only last for so long before we stop working.

Most of us know how long we need to plug in the computer or cell phone so that it is charged enough to service us for the day.  Do you know how long that it takes you to fully energize your soul?  your body? your mind?

Would it be unreasonable to allocate 1 hour in each 24 hour day to take care of yourself?  If you think that’s a large amount of time to invest in yourself, how much time do you spend working each day?  Would you consider yourself to be in peak physical, mental and spiritual condition?  Do you have any idea how you would perform every minute of your life for yourself, family and others if you were in peak condition in all three areas?

Technology comes with a manual that tells us how to care for the device.  Humans don’t come with a written manual so, we’re forced to figure out how to care for ourselves on our own.

Here is the short version of the Human Owner’s Manual:

Body: Congratulations on the choice of your earthly body.  The body that you’ve chosen has been designed to last for a minimum of 100 years with proper care. Below is the summary of how to maintain your body in peak condition.  Details can be found later on on the manual.

• Sleep for  6-8 hours each day
• Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes each day to keep your body in prime condition.
• Eat 5-6 small meals every 3 hours so that you do not overeat from being too hungry

Mind:  Your mind was created as a receptacle to hold thoughts about yourself, others and about the beautiful world in which you live. Like a tape recorder it records literally every though that you have so PLEASE be very careful about how you speak to yourself.  You create your own self-identity with your thoughts.

• Spend 15 minutes (or longer) per day creating the thoughts that you wish to dominate your life.
• Convert all of the goals that you have into one-sentence, present tense affirmations and read them as if you’re sculpting the ideal being because you are.
• Try not to give sanction to the negativity in the world and please dispute the information that is coming your way from other humans and the media.

Spirit/Soul: You are s spiritual being that is temporarily making residence in a human body.  It is critical that you maintain your soul on a daily basis because it is your connection to God and to every other human in the world. The best way to maintain your soul is by maintaining a strong daily relationship with God as you would any other person – by talking (prayer) and listening (meditation).

• It is highly recommended that you spend at least 15 minutes per day in conversation with your Creator.
• 5-10 minutes of prayer for yourself and for others allows you to remain connected to the source of your spiritual being.
• 5-10 minutes of meditation per day allows you to silence your 60,000 self-centered thoughts that you create per day long enough to be able to listen to God. This practice will allow you to remain focused on your really long-term goals (after your life inhabiting your early body ceases)

By allocating 60 minutes per day to your mental, spiritual and physical health, you will remain happy, healthy and peaceful during your time on earth.  For questions about your mental, spiritual or physical health, please address your questions in the form of prayer to your creator.  All responses will be responded to on a first-come, first-served basis during your meditation time.