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.

A good friend’s 6-year old son recently asked his father while looking at a Bowflex ad together, “Dad, why don’t you look like that man?”  My friend smiled at his beautiful son after giving a few seconds of thought to the innocently truthful question and responded, “because I don’t pay attention to my health the way that man does”.

Does my friend have the potential to have a world-class Bowflex body?  Yes.  He just hadn’t made this a priority in his life over the last several years.  In his words, “I’ve settled comfortably into middle class mediocrity”.

We can focus on sports, music, health or anything else and get results. We display our values day-in and day out by how we spend our time.

How much time do you spend on a daily basis investing in yourself? Not work, not your hobbies, not with social media, not your children – on your mind?  on your spirit? on your body?

Have you allowed yourself to settle into mediocrity of self as you’ve devoted time to activities that reduce sense of self instead of increasing sense of self?

It seems that many of us spend a disproportionate amount of time focusing our thought, effort and attention on work (money).  When gainfully employed and making financial ends meet, we tend to justify the imbalance in our lives with the fact that we’re being good providers for ourselves and our families. Because we’re so busy with work and the rest of the activities that monopolize our time every day, we subconsciously block out the aches, pains and feelings in our bodies that are signals of the neglect in the other areas of our lives.

Are you willing to slow down long enough to listen?

A lot of the people who’ve been friends of mine for decades have recently found themselves among the unemployed. They’ve gone from not having any time to devote to themselves mentally, spiritually and physically to having way too much time on their hands after the lay-off.   Many of them are experiencing a tremendous feeling of emptiness and loneliness with the void created without work.

Several of them are questioning their own value now that they can no longer identify themselves with their profession.  Too many people associate their worth with their job or with another person.  When the job ends or a person is no longer involved in their life, the sense of worth evaporates.

You were born without a job and without a significant other and you were considered quite valuable at birth. Your value as a human does not fluctuate like the stock market or like a currency. Your value does not increase or decrease with age.

You’re valuable all the time! I’ll bet that your most valuable asset is the one that gets the least amount of your time on a daily basis.

We’re spiritual beings that are temporarily living in human bodies with human minds. Although our internal value does not fluctuate, if we ignore, or deny our primary worth – our spirituality – we feel lost and ungrounded when we’re not doing. That’s probably why we spend so much time doing and little or no time just being.  We’re afraid of being silent. We’re afraid of what we might start thinking if our brains were not distracted with the incessant noise. What questions would we have to start answering if we gave ourselves time to think?

When we spend time just being – silent and still – we’re able to feel a sense of peace with ourselves and eventually with others.  When spending time on a daily basis in this silent, meditative mode, you may also feel or sense or  presence that seems to come from within.  There is tremendous wisdom inside each of us that only presents itself when we care enough to listen.

This Presence or Spirit manifests itself to us most often when we’re still and silent – in meditation, in nature, in prayer, in church.  This sound of the Spirit gets drowned out by the sound of the iPod, television, radio, trucks, computers, background music and all of the other loud sounds that distract us from ourselves and from the wisdom and Spirit within.

When you wake-up in the morning, how much time do you spend with yourself in silence before reaching for the television remote, your iPod or your cell phone?

Prior to going to sleep at night, how much time to you spend in silence, in gratitude, in communion with self?

Would you benefit from centering yourself and your thoughts in meditation and prayer? What would it be like to deliberately fill your mind and soul with positive thoughts, words and prayers for yourself and others before allowing the very negative outside world to infect your mind? Would you sleep better at night if you spent time in prayer, gratitude or meditation prior to falling asleep?

The silence of your mind and soul is where you are guaranteed to fill yourself with the positive energy to sustain yourself for a period of time so that you’ll be able to deal with the negative energy that begins bombarding you once the television, radio, Blackberry or computer is turned on.

The sense of worth that comes from being in touch with our Spirit within is the cornerstone of our worth.

Why would we even consider spending time acknowledging our spirituality – especially if our lives appear to be going well?

• Our Spirit is the source of our worth.
• It is our connection to our Source, our Creator.
• It is our connection to every other human in the world.
• It is the only piece of our being that is permanent. The mind will die. The body will die.
• Once we acknowledge, accept and embrace this connection, our feelings of isolation  from others and competition with others go away. The isolation is replaced with a sense of belonging with others.
• Spirituality is our source of faith, hope and love.

What would you and I do if we wanted to be a world-class Spirit- one with God and one with other humans – with a never ending supply of faith, hope, love and joy?  That potential is already inside every one of us just waiting to be released like a genie from the bottle.

We’d do the same things that the world-class athletes, musicians and superstars from every field of work do.  We’d allocate time to the things that we consider most important. We’d make our spirituality a priority. We’d read books to understand how others have manifested their world-class spirits. We’d seek out teachers, coaches and mentors to assist us in the process.

Attaching your worth to something that is the most valuable and that never depreciates in value is the guarantee that you’re investing your time wisely – regardless of how much or how little time you invest on a daily basis.

• Companies and jobs will come and go.
• Sporting teams win sometimes and lose much more often.
• Investments appreciate sometimes and depreciate quite frequently.
• Cars, homes, jewelry and other material goods decay and usually decline in value.
• We earn money. We spend money.  It doesn’t matter how much we earn, there is still something missing.
• Video games are a fun distraction. What are they distracting us from?

Associating our sense of value with anything that is outside of us is a recipe for disappointment.

When your sense of worth goes up because of the high value that you place on your spiritual health, your connection to other humans and your connection to God, you also find yourself speaking to yourself and others much more kindly.  Love starts pouring out of your body – even when you’re not speaking. It’s evident in the sparkling of your eyes and your tranquil body language.

You’ll also start taking better care of your physical body because you know that it truly is the temple where your Spirit has chosen to live.

Our minds, bodies and spirits are all connected.  When the Spirit is acknowledged and appreciated, we immediately start valuing our minds and bodies and treat them as miraculous gifts too.

Can you envision buying a beautiful new car and having it delivered to your home?  It’s clean on the outside and freshly waxed. The inside was just detailed. The car just received the proper amount of high quality oil.  The windshield washer fluid receptacle is full. You turn the key in the ignition but, nothing happens.  Not only is there no gas in the car but, you’re unaware that the source of energy for your car even exists.  You’re confused as to why you continue to turn the key and the car won’t move.

Something must be missing.

Your detailed body is beautiful but, somehow feels empty.

You drink 8 bottles of expensive bottled water every day but, still feel unquenched.

The organic food that you eat is healthy but, something inside still craves more.

You’re earning lots of money but, never seem to have enough.

Something must be missing.

When we’re running our lives on spiritual empty, we’re trying to live and move at 65MPH with our energy tank on E.

You have time to do many things well. You have time to invest in yourself mentally, spiritually and physically AND succeed in the other roles in your life.  Might you have to cut-back on other activities which you deem to be less important in order to nourish yourself?  Yes.

You are a priority.

It’s very easy to love others and be accepting of others when our spiritual tanks are full.

Fill your  spiritual tank on a daily basis and enjoy the feelings of worth, joy and unity that come from within.

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.

Gregoire Today is live Friday, March 5th at 1:30 pm ET / 10:30 am PT

Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, CMT, CST-D has taught internationally about conscious awareness and its relationship to the healing process. For over 25 years, Suzanne has masterfully taught her step-by-step practice of present moment awareness. The more fully you inhabit all aspects of yourself, the more capable you are of listening to that quiet voice within.

The practices of Full Body Presence give you the ability to accomplish this and to help you find a deeper awareness in the moment, even in the midst of chaos, family and work demands, or the pressure to perform. This deeper awareness also brings a fuller sense of trust and confidence in yourself, and in the world.

Visit Suzanne at www.FullBodyPresence.com

Full Body Presence is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and a bookstore near you!

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?

What’s so great about life?  Have you taken the time to answer that question lately?  Maybe we should take the time today to remind ourselves just how precious this (once-in-a-lifetime) gift is.

One of my 20-year old son’s high school classmates committed suicide last Wednesday.

There have been several suicides and murder-suicides in Massachusetts over the last couple of months so, I’ve become very sensitive to this topic. We know that we have problems as a society when life is so intolerable that we choose to end it ourselves. When there is disease in one of us, there is disease in all of us.

After considerable deliberation, I chose this topic today with the hope that we can be of assistance today and forever in noticing the signs of despair in ourselves and others before the problems seem insurmountable.

Each of the major problems in our life starts out small and treatable.  Most major debt started out small and manageable. Almost every bad marriage began with a happy, smiling wedding day. Excess, unhealthy fat was put on our bodies one pound at a time. It’s the accumulation of the untreated small problems on a daily basis that seem to overwhelm us at some point.

When you notice a look on someone’s face that tells you that something is just not right, it may be the kind word or touch from you that restores their confidence in themselves and in humanity.  Humans can be remarkably fragile.  Although most of us face the world on a daily basis with strong exteriors designed to prove how strong and tough we are, I’ve learned that most of the time these exterior facades are the thickness of a tissue and can be torn quite easily at any time.

When our foundations are weak, the best of us can fall at any time.  That’s why we’re frequently surprised when someone commits an act of violence upon themselves or others.  We were unaware of how unstable they really were beneath the Kleenex-thin exterior which seemed to say I’m okay.

My only qualification to write about this topic is as a fellow human. I am not a doctor, therapist or member of the clergy.  I understand the pain that I’ve experienced so far in this world but, can’t come close to understanding the pain that others have felt and are feeling today.  Pain, like pleasure, is a unique experience.

My present understanding is that each of us was born as an innocent and integrated being – soul, mind and body.  Each of us is a gift to the world that is waiting to be nourished and developed – by others when we’re young and by ourselves (and hopefully others) once we mature.  Because we’ve been born into very different families within drastically diverse family and social cultures – some positive and constructive, others more negative and destructive – some of us are nourished and cherished while others are not treated with the dignity and respect that each person deserves.  Many of us are beaten down mentally and spiritually by the people we look up to the most.

Is it fair that some of us are loved, respected and given educational benefits that others don’t receive?  I don’t think so but,  I’m not the designer of this master plan. I do however have tremendous faith in the Creator of the plan. So, although I do not understand everything, I know with every cell of my being that there is always hope – for everyone.

I also know that those of us who have received tremendous gifts and backgrounds are called to love and nurture others who are hurting. There are lots of people who need our love and support because they’re not getting it at home – or anywhere else. Sometimes the pain that we’re feeling is physical, sometimes it’s in our minds and at other times it’s spiritual.  Usually, when one area of our being is hurting, the other two hurt at the same time.  Our minds, bodies and souls are seamlessly integrated whether we’re aware of it or not.

A strong being – mentally strong, physically strong and spiritually strong – provides a solid foundation which supports us as we deal with the trials of every day life.  When the  foundation is strong, the pain that comes our way on a daily basis is put into proper perspective as just an insignificant blip on the radar of life. Our hearts, minds and souls tell us that this too shall pass.  When we believe that this trial or problem will pass – it does.  When we believe that it will stay with us forever – it does.  Our beliefs are very strong so, pay attention to the beliefs that you’re using to rule your life.

It’s easy for us to see when a physical wound becomes infected, it’s red and swollen and very sensitive to touch. It’s not quite as easy to see infections of the mind and soul in ourselves.  When we’re healthy-mentally, spiritually and physically, it becomes pretty easy to spot the infections in ourself and in others.

Symptoms of infections in the mind and soul (expressed with words or self-talk):

What’s the use, it won’t work anyway.

• A possible signal of lack of belief in self.

It doesn’t matter how hard I try, it’s never good enough for him (her).

• A possible signal that the person is trying to please others to feel good about self.

I can’t.  It won’t work. There’s no way I can do that.

• A possible signal of a lack of efficacy. A lack of belief in the ability to cause the change that is possible and that one desires.

Nobody cares about me.

• A signal that the person may be looking for love from others rather than seeking God’s love and an internal sense of self worth.

Because so many of us are struggling on a daily basis trying to keep ourselves and our families going (frequently financially), we can’t completely depend upon others to assist us with any of our infections. It is our responsibility to maintain our healthy soul, mind and body each and every day.

Should we be investing less time in earning money and more time investing in ourselves and our families?

Am I willing to have less stuff in my life so that I can devote more time to my own well-being and to the well-being of others?

Intellectually, we know that the mechanical devices in our lives need some attention or they will eventually stop working.  My car and heating system are two examples of the machinery in my life that have to be maintained if I want 100% reliable transportation and moderate temperature in my house at all times.  The alarm system in our house blatantly starts yelling at us (usually in the middle of the night) when a motion or smoke detector needs attention.  I’ve noticed that my body, mind and soul also blatantly notifies me (usually in the middle of the night too!) when part of my being needs service.

We need to slow down long enough to be able to hear our mind and soul speaking to us.

When the house alarm needs servicing, I’ll do what I’m capable of doing by myself (change the batteries) and then call-in a professional.  I take care of this immediately for a very good reason – the alarm keeps beeping at me until I fix the problem.  I think that our minds and souls do the same thing but, much more subtly.

When our minds and souls are beckoning us like a smoke detector’s beeping, what do we do?  Do we deal with the problem or do we drown out that noise with something louder than the internal beeping that is trying to  tell us that we need service?  I’m becoming very aware that many of us will stay tremendously busy with anything – work, television, radio, smart phone, hobbies – so that the noise of the busyness is louder than our internal cry for help.  We intentionally distract ourselves so that we don’t have to pay attention to the real problem.  By engaging in mindless activities that distract us from the real issue, we avoid becoming mindful.

Those of us who’ve been to any type of counseling know that the patient is always the person who comes up with the fix to the issue.  The counselor’s role is to ask enough questions of us so that we can self-diagnose, determine the real (root) problem and begin the process of fixing the problem (frequently with the assistance of an expert).  We never argue with our own diagnosis but, usually argue with the diagnosis of family and friends.

Please become acutely aware of signs of negativity and despair within yourself and in the people around you.  It’s usually pretty easy to deal with an issue or two when they’re small (think cavities).  When we ignore the mental and spiritual decay for too long, the problem becomes more challenging – but, never impossible – to fix (think root canal).

Over the last five weeks, great authors from drastically different walks of life – monk, therapist, psychiatrist, counselor, radio show host -have come on the Gregoire Today radio show and each has talked about the value of spending quiet time on a daily basis. This silent time (sometimes referred to as meditation) allows us the time to listen to ourselves and to listen to God (this is a by-product of the quiet time whether we’re seeking Spirit or not). It’s a time when we get to intentionally align our mind with our soul.  It’s a time to listen  to ourselves because we know when we’re off-track of how we’re supposed to be living life. It’s a precious time to ask questions of our Creator and listen to the answers when the noise of life is not drowning out the responses.

You and I can deal with any problem or problems when they’re small and when our foundations are strong.  It’s when we ignore the problems that they become overwhelming and unmanageable.

Seeking assistance from professionals is a sign of strength – not weakness.

Nothing is impossible for God.  Ask and it will be given.  Seek and you will find.  Knock and the door will be opened. Repeat these words and you’ll begin believing them.

Will you begin the practice of 10 minutes per day of solitude to invest in  your mind and soul?

Will you start the practice of speaking kindly to yourself and to others so that we’re habitually building each other up instead of tearing each other apart?

Will you commit to maintaining a healthy mind, soul and body for yourself because you cherish the gift of your life and are committed to a strong foundation?

Will you answer for yourself the question of What’s so great about life?

I think when you take time to answer this question, you’ll be filled with a tremendous sense of gratitude.

You are loved.

Years after losing his lower right leg in a motorcycle crash, Robert Kull traveled to a remote island in Patagonia’s coastal wilderness with equipment and supplies to live alone for a year. He sought to explore the effects of deep solitude on the body and mind and to find the spiritual answers he’d been seeking all his life.

With only a cat and his thoughts as companions, he wrestled with inner storms while the wild forces of nature raged around him. The physical challenges were immense, but the struggles of mind and spirit pushed him even further. Chronicling a life distilled to its essence — the fundamental mechanics of daily survival — “Solitude” is also a philosophical meditation on the tensions between nature and technology, isolation and society. With humor and brutal honesty, Kull explores the pain and longing we typically avoid in our frantically busy lives as well as the peace and wonder that arise once we strip away our distractions. He describes the enormous Patagonia wilderness with poetic attention, transporting the reader directly into both his inner and outer experiences.

Kull went into solitude fishing for enlightenment, seeking The Answer, but came back empty-handed. Wilderness, he found, is a place to clearly see the insanity of denying that the world is as it is. He discovered that life itself teaches us all we need to know — once we pause to really listen.

Solitude is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and bookstores everywhere. You can find Bob Kull at www.BobKull.org.

Family Time  | Social Time  | Physical Health Time

Work Time  | Education Time  | Community Service Time

Spiritual Time

We allocate time on a daily basis to the people and activities which we value the most.  Time management is a function of our values. Whether we realize it or not, we display our values each and every minute of the day by how we spend out time. Since that’s the case, this is a great time to begin allocating your time intentionally.

How would you rate how well your life is balanced?  If you were to create a bar graph in a spreadsheet that showed how well you’re doing based upon your potential in every area of your life, would the height of each of the bars be equal or are you doing significantly better in some areas of your life than in others?

If you said that you’re doing much better in some areas than others, you’d me among the vast majority of people. Why is that?

According to estimates, most people  – approximately 97% – do not have goals.  Without goals, we’re taking life my chance and not intentionally creating the ideal life.  Once you’ve decided what your goals are in every area of your life in which you’d like to improve, you can then prioritize them according to your values – most important to least important.

A next logical step would be to create and allocate specific times on your calendar on a daily basis for the people and activities that you value most.

During what time of the day will I exercise tomorrow?  For how long?

When will I be able to call or visit my Mom?

Will I be able to be with my family for at least one family meal? Breakfast?  Dinner?

When will I have silent time for meditation or prayer or yoga?

When will I begin work and commit to leaving work?

There are certain things that you and I allocate time for EVERY day – meals, bathing, etc.  Some people allocate specific time for watching the news, reading the newspaper and other activities.  Would you like to add specific time every day to invest in yourself, your family, your community?

By following the exact same process that we use for meals and bathing, we can deliberately allocate time every day for the things that we value but, are currently not doing.

When we increase our expectations of what we’re able to accomplish on a daily basis because of our new priorities, we end up accomplishing what we value most and become more productive with our time.  DId you ever notice that on the days where you have a lot to accomplish, you accomplish a lot?  We have that same potential every day. When we intend to accomplish a lot, we end-up wasting very little time.

Habits and routines are good things when they’re good habits and good routines. Setting new goals and priorities causes us to modify our existing routines and habits to make room for our new valuable habits.

Some of us are morning people and others are night owls.  There is no right time of day to accomplish what your heart desires. The key is to be deliberate about routinely blocking time on your calendar for the activities that you value the most.  When that activity reminder pops us on your calendar, it’s time to switch gears.

Sometimes a calendar pop-up triggers the transition from one part of our life to the next.

Sometimes it’s a venue change – from work to home.

Sometimes it’s a change of clothing that triggers that it’s time to enter another segment of my life which I value.

By compartmentalizing your life into activities that are of most importance to you, you’re also saying no to activities that are of lesser or no value. When you’ve committed time on your calendar to yourself or to another person that you value, it makes it easy to say no to the extra demands from others.

Are any of you old enough to remember the old children’s television show Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood?  I watched that show on a daily basis as a young boy.  Mr. Rogers used a sweater (zippered cardigan) to signal when it was time to leave his land of make believe and go back to the reality of his every day life.  When in the land of make believe, he always had on his cardigan. When he left, the cardigan would go into the closet and he’d transition into another jacket which signaled to him that this compartment of his day had ended and it is now time to enter another segment of the day.

You and I can accomplish the same thing with clothing, calendars and/or deliberate venue changes.

I’m a morning person. As soon as I awaken in the morning, I take off my pajamas and immediately put-on exercise clothing.  That initial  clothing change signifies that the body rest time of day has ended and it’s now time to invest in my personal health (no excuses) time of day.  While in my workout clothing, I meditate, pray, read the bible, eat breakfast and recite affirmations from the solitude of my home (or hotel room when traveling).  After I finish with that routine, it’s off to the gym to exercise my body. I choose this time of day for these activities because I’m a morning person and because this is a no excuses time of day for me.  Most of the world has not interest in speaking or meeting with me during this Bob Time.  This is a sacred of time each day in which I invest in the health of my entire being.

Once I’m finished at the gym, I shower and put on clothing for work. Depending on the day, it will be either business attire to speak in front of a group or shorts or jeans if it’s a day to write or be on the radio.  Again, the change of clothing signifies that the mind/body/spirit time of my day has ended and it’s now time for the business portion of the day.

If I’m working around my home, my wife and I agree on what time we’ll be eating lunch and dinner together and who’s responsible for dinner preparation. Once the time and roles are agreed upon, I know exactly when my business day will end and when I’ll transition into time that is dedicated 100% to my wife (and children when they’re home).  Because lunch and dinner have to do with food, and because I’ve been known to occasionally spill food (only on good clothing, never on clothes that I don’t care about), my transition into lunch and dinner happen with one of my favorite aprons.  Yes, I said an apron.  Not just any apron either. One of my favorites is an apron that looks like a men’s black-tie and tuxedo. I’ve been wearing that apron since 1998 (I got it at a computer trade show many moons ago in New Orleans and there is a date at the bottom).  My family and friends know that I always wear an apron while in the kitchen and during meals. The apron is a sign of family, food, friends and entertaining. Our friends – Dreana and Greg – bought me a fire-engine red apron from Newport, RI last summer which reads, I may be crabby but, I’m cute! The aprons are a signal to me that I’ve finished work and am now focused on family and food.

If the evening does not require leaving the home, at some point after dinner in the early evening, I’ll transition into my best Hugh Hefner attire which signals that it’s time to relax with family, read the paper and transition into sleep time.

When we know what the ideal day should look like, it’s easy to intentionally create it. Using a calendar to block-off time, clothing-changes and venue changes are three ways of compartmentalizing your life so that one area of life does not encroach upon and steal time from any of the other important areas in which you choose to grow.

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.

What better use of our time could there be than to learn how to sustain inner-peace, hope and love at all times?  Our minds, souls and world peace depend on that investment in ourselves.  Peace is established one mind at a time.