July 15, 2010

In This Issue

Featured Article: Want What You Have

Announcements

Daddy's Little Girls

Hey there, how are you?  I hope you're doing well and enjoying the summer so far!

Last week's article, "Vulnerable Leadership," got lots of positive feedback - feel free to check it out on my blog or on the Huffington Post.

Also, my article from a few weeks ago, "Are You Willing to be Uncomfortable?" was just published on Oprah.com.

Have a great day and rest of your week.  Thanks for being on my list!

With Appreciation,






Want What You Have

(For this week's audio message, click here.)

Recently someone said to me, "Mike, I read the best book of my life a few years ago.  It only had four words in it, 'want what you have'."

As simple of a concept as this is, I was struck by its wisdom and began to think about it in my own life.  Sadly, as I thought about it more deeply, I realized that I put more of my attention and energy than I'd like to admit on either wanting things I don't yet have or thinking that some of what I have isn't quite good enough the way it is.  Can you relate?

How much of what you have in your life do you truly want (i.e. desire and choose)?  How much time and energy do you spend wishing things were different, or that you had a little more of this and a little less of that?

Most of us, even those of us who "know better," spend and waste a lot of time thinking that things will be better when...we lose weight, get promoted, move into a nicer place, make more money, get married, have children, get out of debt, have more free time, start our own business, get the kids out of the house, retire, recover from a specific injury, illness, or setback, or whatever else it is we think needs to change in order for us to be happy and fulfilled.

While the circumstances of our lives - both "positive" and "negative" - do have an impact on us, the truth is that we always have a choice about how we relate to our circumstances and to ourselves in the process.  A great job, big house, large amount of money, fit body, incredible relationship, or anything else we say we want, can't and won’t make us happy if we don't choose to be.

In other words, to create an authentic sense of fulfillment in life, we have to learn how to want what we already have in our lives with gratitude.  One of my favorite and oft-used quotes is from author and teacher Byron Katie.  She says, "When you argue with reality, you lose, but only one hundred percent of the time."

Wanting what we have doesn't mean everything is "perfect" in our lives, which is almost never the case, or that we can't desire for things to change or evolve in a way we deem positive.  It simply means we choose to accept what we have in our life, right now, with a sense of gratitude and surrender.

Surrendering is not about complacency, weakness, or giving up - it's about learning to make peace with life as it is.  It's important for us to remember that the passion, joy, and fulfillment we experience doesn't come from life itself, it comes from us and our ability to accept, appreciate, and celebrate what we have in our lives.

Here are some great questions to ask yourself when dealing with some of the most difficult and challenging aspects of your life (i.e. the stuff you say you don’t want):

• What good is here that I'm currently not seeing?

• What is this situation teaching me that I'm grateful for?

• Why is this happening for (not to) me?

• What would it look like if I surrendered to this instead of fighting against it?

• What aspect of myself can I appreciate more deeply as a way of loosening the grip of this issue in my life?

By asking and answering these questions (and others like it), you'll give yourself an opportunity to look more deeply at some of the challenges in your life, realize that these things are here to instigate growth and expansion, and remind you that you have the ability to choose them consciously - which can take away much of the suffering you may currently experience.

By putting more of our attention on wanting what we already have, and less attention on fixing things or wanting what we don't yet have, we can create a deep sense of peace and joy in our lives, our work, and our relationships, which, more than most specific outcomes or material possessions, is what most of us truly want anyway.

Do you want what you have?  Where would focusing more on wanting what you have (and less on having things be different) make a positive impact on your life?  Share your thoughts, action ideas, insights, and more on my blog here.

To listen to this week's audio message, including additional thoughts, ideas, and tips, click here.




Living the Awakened Life - with Michael Beckwith

Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles, is one of the most profound teachers I've ever experienced.  You've probably seen him in The Secret, his PBS Special, and/or on The Oprah Winfrey Show.  You may have read his award-winning book Spiritual Liberation or seen him speak at a live event or at Agape.  He has put together life-altering, "spiritual support program" called Living the Awakened Life.  This program is filled with inspirational audios, videos, writings, and more from Michael and some of his friends (including me).  For more information about this powerful program and how it can impact your life right now, click on this link.

Great New Book - All Hands on Deck, by Joe Tye

No one ever changes the oil in a rental car. Why? Because they don't own it. Why invest in something that you don't own? What about your staff or those you lead? Do they own their work, or are they just renting space on the organization chart? In his eye-opening and action-inspiring book, All Hands on Deck, Joe Tye will show you why having a culture of ownership is the only sustainable source of competitive advantage. More than just why, he'll show you how by providing a roadmap of action steps that you can take to build that culture of ownership on a foundation of value.  For more information about this great new book and the special bonuses you'll receive when you purchase copies today, click here.

If You Really Knew Me - A New MTV Series Premiers 7/20 at 11 PM

If You Really Knew Me is a new reality series premiering on MTV next week (7/20 at 11 PM).  The show takes place at a different high school each week, and follows five students from different cliques as they go through the life-changing experience of Challenge Day, a one-day, transformational program that breaks down the walls between cliques, and completely changes the way students view their school and each other. Michelle and I have been involved with Challenge Day for the past ten years and are passionate advocates for the miraculous work they do with teens, schools, and communities around the country.  This show is an opportunity to spread the love, awareness, and peace that Challenge Day creates to millions of people all over the world.  Tune in next week to catch the first show and let others know about it.  And, for more information about the show, including a preview, click here.

"We want what we have!"
- Samantha and Annarose Robbins

To see more photos of us and
our mommy and daddy, click here.