Hello!

Welcome to another issue of Appreciation in Action.  I hope you are enjoying the spring and finding much to appreciate about yourself and others right now.  My wife Michelle and I continue to appreciate the miracle of our little girl, Samantha.  She is almost four months old.  Scroll down to the bottom for another cute photo of her.  As you can tell, I am very proud papa!

Thank you for being on this list.  I am honored, grateful, and excited to connect with you this way on an almost monthly basis.  Have a fantastic next month.

With Gratitude and Appreciation,

Don’t Wait ‘Til it’s Too Late - Appreciate

I recently attended a funeral for a former youth baseball coach of mine.  There were hundreds of people at this funeral, as this man was loved and adored by so many in the community.  His death had come as a shock to all of us and it happened right in the middle of the high school baseball season that he was coaching.  It was a sad and moving event, as most funerals are.

As I sat there and listened to the family members, friends, and current and former players who stood up to express their love, appreciation, and admiration, I wondered to myself (as I often do at memorial services) if these things were shared consistently with my former coach while he was alive.

A funeral is often an intense example of our lack of appreciation.  It is not that we do not care, do not love, and/or do not appreciate the people around us; we just don’t always take the time to let them know in a meaningful way, until it’s too late.  Whether it’s because we are busy, we think they already know how much we appreciate them, we are uncomfortable expressing our feelings, or we get upset with them over something “big” or “small,” there are a myriad of reasons why we withhold our appreciation, even from those we love most.  Sometimes we simply just take them for granted and assume they will be there forever.

I recently heard Oprah Winfrey say, “Don’t waste the roses on the casket, give them to the person while they’re still alive.” 

What if we took the time to acknowledge and appreciate the people around us on a regular basis, as if it were the last time we were going to see them?  What if we randomly created opportunities to let other people know how important they are to us and the positive impact they have had on our lives.  We have the ability to do this and it is really simple.

Don’t wait ‘til it’s too late, appreciate the people around you.

Think of three people in your life who you really appreciate.  These people might be friends, family members, co-workers, teammates, or just people you run into on occasion.  This week, take some time to appreciate each of these people in a heartfelt way.  The best and most powerful way to do this is to look them in the eye, open your heart, and tell them what you appreciate about them.  Be specific and most importantly let them know the positive impact they have on you and your life.  If you are not able to see them in person, you can write a heartfelt card or give them a call and do it over the telephone.  Trust yourself and your relationship with this person – you know the perfect way to acknowledge them.  The key is to do it for no reason.  Let them know how much you appreciate them, just because they are who they are, and you want to make sure they are aware of how important they are in your life.

Peaceful Warrior – Movie Opening – June 2nd

One of my favorite books of all time, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, has finally been made into a movie.  It opens this coming Friday, June 2nd, in select cities around the country.   Peaceful Warrior is not just another movie--its popularity has the potential to literally change lives.  If you have read this book, you know what I mean.  If you have not read the book, you will really want to see the movie.  I hope that you are able to see the movie and that you will tell others about it!  For info about the movie and to find out where it is playing, click below:

http://www.thepeacefulwarriormovie.com

The Secret – A life-altering Documentary

My wife and I recently watched an incredible documentary film on DVD called The Secret.  It is all about the Universal Law of Attraction and it is very powerful.  It is a feature length documentary filled with insightful, wise, and inspiring messages, insights, and teachers.  Neale Donald Walsh, John Gray, Jack Canfield, Mike Dooley, Rev. Michael Beckwith, Esther Hicks, and many other extraordinary people are interviewed.  If you want to be inspired and to learn how to manifest anything you want into your life, you will want to see this movie.  For info about the film and to purchase the DVD or watch it online, click on the link below:

http://www.thesecret.tv

Listen to the archive of me on the “Empower Hour” radio show

I was a guest on the hour-long internet radio program, the “Empower Hour,” at the beginning of May.  Host Susan Schanerman had me on for the entire program and we talked about the Power of Appreciation.  The interview was fun and I have received a lot of positive feedback about it.  You can listen to the entire show recording for free through the archive page of the Empower Hour website.  To listen, click on this link:

http://www.empowerhourlive.com/Archives.html

(scroll down towards the bottom for my show, dated 5/2/06)

About Mike Robbins
Mike Robbins is an expert in success, teamwork, and the power of appreciation. As a former professional baseball player and Internet advertising sales executive, as well as a life-long student of personal development, Mike brings a varied and impressive background to the clients with whom he works. Through his keynotes, seminars, writing, and one-on-one coaching, Mike empowers individuals, teams, and organizations to be more productive, appreciative, and successful. He is the author of the popular audio program, The Power of Appreciation, and the forthcoming book, Focus on the Good Stuff (Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2007). Feel free to contact Mike for more information about his speaking and coaching programs, as well as his products.
 

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Samantha and me, having fun together!

Copyright ©
Mike Robbins