The power of the Mouse

Well, they do say you find inspiration in the most unusual places.
In the days between Christmas and the new year, I found myself idly thumbing through Chris Evans' "Memoirs of a fruitcake" whilst recovering from a rather nice meal I cooked for my partner's birthday.


The book is full of interesting anecdotes, but the one that leapt out and hit me in the face was a story about my favourite visionary, Walt Disney.


Now Chris obviously never met Walt, but the story he tells is one of triumph over adversity.


In the early 1950's Walt was in a very precarious position financially. He had been declared bankrupt some time earlier by his own elder brother Roy, who did this in order to protect Walt and let him concentrate on what he did best, without having to worry too much about finances.


However matter were becoming serious and the company was some eleven million dollars in debt. Roy marched into his younger brother's office and told him of the situation and was surprised when Walt laughed. When he questioned his brother about why he was making light of such a serious predicament, Walt said "I remember when the bank wouldn't lend us one hundred dollars, have they really gone and lent us eleven million?!"


The book goes on to say that it was now clear to Roy and Walt that if they wanted to stay in business they would have to make a serious gesture towards the banks. As a result Walt agreed to do something he was dead against. ABC TV had been begging for years to buy the franchise to Mickey Mouse for a TV show, but Walt was very protective of his first and biggest animated star, and the last place he wanted to see him was in everyone's living room in a little glass box in the corner, but he had no choice, he had to let Mickey go to the TV network. The result was the incredibly successful Mickey Mouse club. The result of this unwanted deal was that it catapulted the Disney name high into the stratosphere to a level that even Walt couldn't imagine was possible.


With the proceeds of this success, Walt was able to not only finance all of his dreams, but also to buy out ABC TV too. And all this from something he didn't want to do.


How many times have you said no to something even though you couldn't see the bigger picture? How many times have you been unprepared to let something go? Sometimes your biggest disappointments can become your biggest triumphs.

It's not what happens, it's how you view it. To be alive is to have problems. It's all about how you deal with them, and move on. There are many people on cancer wards right now, men, women, and children, who would gladly swap all of your debts, all of your injuries, all of your woes, just for another chance at life. 

Many things went wrong in 2011 for many people. The best of them will shake it off, learn their lessons, and rise up and above it and move on to success. 

There is a wonderful first line from the 'Star Trek' 'Enterprise' series theme tune. "It's been a long road. Getting from there to here. It's been a long time, but our time is finally near" 

I don't think it could be said any better. No matter how old you are, no matter what your past. The time is now, and tomorrow is yours for the taking. How will you live it? you have limited time! Enjoy every single moment. It is ALL precious. 

How to change your life

Yes, it can be done.


It is never too late to completely change your life.
All it takes is a first step and the will to take it.


The following words are my personal example, and I hope to show you how much it is possible to change, with the right attitude, and a little help. 


Last Christmas I found myself in a very different state of mind to the one I have now. I hated Christmas with a passion. I hated everything to do with it. And not just Christmas either. I was totally fed up with how my life was going, I was angry, disillusioned, and sick. 


I knew I couldn't carry on the way I was. Something had to change, and it had to change now. At first I tried to find answers. Why was I here? What was my purpose? Is there a god? What is the universe? and a whole host of other questions. I researched the major world religions, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Hinduism and others. I looked for answers to the fundamental questions of existence and seemed surprised not to find the definitive answers I was looking for. I looked for meaning everywhere and in everything. In the end I stopped looking. 


That was when I found my answer. 


The way It came to me was by just sitting down. I just sat on the floor. Very still. 
I was home alone and had no work to distract me on that day, so I took the opportunity to just sit. That was the beginning. I sat and just concentrated on my breathing. In and out, over and over. I concentrated on clearing my mind of all thought. I was just being. Simply being. 
I felt the most amazing calm, and I sat for hours, just enjoying the stillness and peace. I found my thoughts becoming clearer. No longer was there the white noise and static of a million thoughts just whizzing around my head. They faded away and I was left with just me, and silence. 
I looked around the room, at the walls, the carpet, the furniture, the window, and listened to the sounds from outside. I didn't judge, or question, or try to make sense of it, I just let it happen. 


Now you may laugh at this, but I realised that I was no different from the carpet I was sitting on! The furniture in the room, the walls I looked at, the people outside, it's all just energy. Atoms, molecules, protons, neutrons, and all sorts of other things bouncing around in different ways. When I die, if I am buried, then all that is left of me will eventually dissolve back into the earth, and it wouldn't be like I was returning to nature, because I have never been apart from it. 


We are nature. We are connected to everything that exists on this planet. For too long we have held the view that we are somehow separate, elevated, above and aloof from the rest of creation. And it has been, and continues to be, our downfall. 


In the same way, we consider ourselves individuals. We think of ourselves as individual human beings living individual lives. And in this thought we are once again wrong. We think we live our own separate lives due to our capability for independent thought, but in reality all of our actions are determined by interaction with other people and with our environment. Most of the incredible slaughter and horror that has occurred since the dawn of civilisation, 'Man's inhumanity to man' has transpired because we think we are individuals.


It got even more interesting when I started considering consciousness. Again I did my research, and this time I was shocked. 


All my research pointed like an arrow to the same answer. 


We are all connected.


We are all brothers and sisters, and our actions affect everyone else on a scale we can barely comprehend. 


It was then that I started to explore with my mind to verify my findings. Using the power of meditation I let my subconscious mind guide me and again the answer I arrived at is that we are are all connected. On every conceivable level. 


My friend Judy Rees describes the subconscious mind as an Elephant, and our conscious mind is the rider. I think that's a great way to look at it. 


What I found, is that your Subconscious mind is part of an immense knowledge. I will use the metaphor of a herd. When we access it, we are accessing the collective knowledge of the herd. This is the vast power that we are all part of. And just like Elephants, we find protection, knowledge, and comfort in belonging to the herd.


When we are born, we go from the subconscious realm, a part of the infinite universe, to having a conscious mind added to our existence. We live our lives and are able to access the subconscious at any time, for our own benefit. Our subconscious is our radio to the mother-ship, or our call to the herd. Some people use that ability to great effect. These are the successful people. Some do it without trying, while others have to work a little harder in order to benefit from it's power. When we die, we give up our conscious mind and return to the realm of the subconscious that we came from. We return to the infinite power. This is the power that some people call God, Allah, Cao Dai, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, Ahura Mazda, Nirankar, and many other names. We have our time, we live our lives and enjoy our many experiences, and then we return to the herd. 


Using the subconscious mind, is why some people are seemingly lucky, or talented, or inexplicably successful, or amazingly creative, or all of these things. By accessing this awesome resource, they are in effect asking for advice and help from not just one mind, but from the infinite collective mind. We all have this connection. All of us. It is our greatest gift. And it is this that finally came to me as I sat quietly on the carpet, pondering my place in the universe. 


I realised that the purpose of me being here, is to do my part to help, protect, connect, and guide some of the other souls separated from the herd on this earth. By living my life to the full, and being as mindful as possible and by doing the things that I love the most, I can contribute more fully to the shared experience. My job is not to be miserable, or depressed, or angry or careless, it is to enhance both my existence and that of everybody around me. Because sooner or later we will all join the infinite once more, and maybe others that come after us will draw guidance from our experiences. 


If you want to change your life, listen to your unconscious mind. 


Mankind may just be a few milliseconds on the clock. In the immense gulf of time our story may have just begun, but we all have our part to play. Each of our stories count. I aim to play my part to the best of my ability, and through my writing I hope that by sharing what I have learned, and more importantly what I am learning, I can play my part in a more active way. 


"We could be a way for the universe to know itself."- Carl Sagan. 




Peace to you all. 

The renewing power of Christmas

Well it's here at last. I'm not a religious chap, but I enjoy Christmas as a time to be closer to friends and relatives, eat plenty of good food, and drink plenty of good drink!


But over indulging aside, the end of the year is a great time to think about all you have achieved over the last year, and all you plan to achieve in the coming year.


At this time of the year, a country that is normally preoccupied with the negative, focuses on the positive. We all enjoy things during this season that have lots of positive energy and it is good to use this to our advantage.


Children especially are aware of this vibration. They plan, make lists, and dream big dreams full of wonderfully positive outcomes. They use all of the faculties of their right brain without even trying. Years of our education system, Newspapers, TV, and other people haven't had the impact on them that we have suffered, and so they can teach us a lot about what it is to dream in technicolor and have no barriers to ambition. Learn from your children!!


You can tap into the positive vibrations by being aware and mindful. if you are having a family get-together, then just take some time to sit and quietly observe, and soak in the lovely atmosphere. Listen to people, especially younger people as they chat, and imagine all the positivity in the room being focussed towards you like beams of light. If you are attuned to it you will feel the energy. I find that if I concentrate enough, and I'm relaxed enough, it feels almost like being plugged into a battery charger. You actually feel your energy levels soaring.


A good technique to easily access a state of relaxation and mindfulness is to use what MindStore calls the 'tip of the tongue trigger.' By placing the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth, it immediately gets your brain to produce alpha-theta waves which are the same ones you produce when you are relaxed and sleepy, and then you just relax and let all the good things happen! I have practiced this often enough now for it to produce immediate and noticeable effects. For me it feels like a floaty sensation. I feel totally calm, relaxed, and attentive, and I'm more aware of what people are saying, without any apparent effort. I really do enjoy it, why not give it a go!


Christmas and new year is also a time of great renewal. We can think of new things to do in a fresh year, and even have a symbolic clean out of some old stuff, not only physically but mentally too. If some people are getting you down, then acknowledge the issue and let it go. Trust in your new positivity to bring a fresh perspective on issues and focus on better outcomes for all concerned. The past will hold you back. Don't give it that power. Let it go. Think of your new year as a sheet of pristine white snow without any footprints. You are going to make the footprints yourself, so make sure each one is in the right place and make it count.


So enjoy your Christmas, and use these techniques to keep your energy up so you can be fully present and enjoy every special moment. Eat your food, drink your drink, don't feel guilty about any of it, and if you get time, (between dealing with wrapping paper and the roast turkey) really have a think about all the things that you are grateful for this year. Simply being alive can be one of them! I'm certain there are at least 20 reasons that you can think of in a short time, try listing them, it's an enlightening exercise!

Forget SMART objectives forever

SMART objectives. Ever heard of them?


If you have, then you have my sympathy. You had to sit through that course too. 


If you haven't then let me enlighten you. 


Apparently, your goals should be: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Targeted. 


The annoying thing is it starts so well too. Specific is good. You are on the right track having a specific goal. 




Measurable? Well that does all depend on what you are measuring. 


Targeted? Targeted is good. It helps to have focus.


Where it all falls apart is with 'Achievable' and 'Realistic.' When did anybody ever get exited and jump out of bed early to aim for a goal that was achievable?.


If you want to shatter any ambition, then make it achievable. The very best goals ever set by mankind have always been so very, very far from achievable. 


Let me list some. 


Putting a man on the moon only 64 years after the first powered flight (Apollo program) 


A minor and almost forgotten Irish rock singer arranging a dual concert watched by over 1.9 billion people across the globe (Live-Aid) 


Forming a world leading computer company from a friends garage (Apple) 


Forming a world leading software company, with no software (Microsoft) 


Starting an immensely successful airline with an old borrowed 747, a loan, and another "Leading British airline" trying every trick in the book, both legal and illegal, to stop you (Virgin)


Creating a global entertainment company after being fired for being "Unimaginative and lacking ideas" and after failure and bankruptcy (Disney) 


Becoming a Nobel prize winning Mathematician after failing maths at school (Einstein) 


Becoming a bestselling author after having your best novel rejected 30 times. (Stephen King, Carrie) 


Just some examples of people for whom SMART objectives would have been dream crushing, spirit breaking barriers. It is also worth remembering that some of these people's dreams were achieved before the advent of mobile phones or computers too! 


Lets look at why SMART objectives fail. 


Imagine you are laying in a meadow. It's a nice summer day, birds singing, warm breeze, the whole bit. You imagination is working overtime and as you lay there you daydream about goals. 
Now because you did that course, you think of SMART goals. You imagine yourself slowly drifting up into the sky to where your SMART goal is. It's a good way up, but you still feel safe, you're in your comfort zone, and you are still relaxed. 
But then you think, "Hmmm. What if I really dream. Let me dream of my most far fetched fantastic dream and ambition." So you do. And you start to float upwards. A long way up, higher, past the clouds. You start to feel unsafe, your heart is beating, but all of a sudden there are other people with you wanting to help, they hold you steady and support you, they love your dream too. It is possible you carry on and reach your goal. 
Maybe you are happy with where you are now in the sky. Don't be hard on yourself, this is O.K. You haven't reached your goal, but you still love where you are. Or maybe you haven't achieved your highest goal, because something you had no control over stopped you short of it. This happens sometimes. This is life. But now look down. No, further than that. Waaaaaay down. Right down there. Can you see it? Down there is your SMART goal. 


The easiest way to crush any ambition is to make your goals Achievable and realistic. Forget it and dare to dream. Think big, and give your dreams power. 
I was once told I would never ever be a pilot. I was too 'Thick', I didn't have the intelligence, and I spent too much time dreaming. If I told you that I was told this when I was 7 years old and it came from the mouth of a teacher, would you believe me? 
I now hold a Commercial Pilots Licence, and a Flying Instructor qualification. I have flown in the UK and the USA, and I have safely flown passengers of all ages from 6 to 90. 
How many other children are told similar things up and down the country? How many employees sit through courses on SMART goal setting? What is it doing to our nation's future? 


Look around your the room you are in. Step outside and look along the street. With the exception of the amazing things created by nature, everything else you see was willed into being by someone's imagination. Every...single...thing. 
Many of those things will have been impossible at one time. Just think about the phone in your hand. If you are my age, when you were growing up this was Star-Trek technology! Impossible dreams happen every day. Everything last thing you need to achieve your most far fetched and lofty ambitions is out there in the world NOW. Every person, every tool, every resource. 


Forget being SMART and go out and claim them. 

Beating the price rises

Filling the car up with fuel these days is an expensive practice. Fuel costs are spiraling upwards, and everyone grumbles that there seems to be no end to the price rises. Groceries too are becoming increasingly costly. Listen carefully on your next trip to the supermarket and it's not hard to overhear people complaining about price rises.
The cost of living is outstripping most peoples budgets and we are all feeling the squeeze.


Well I have some news for you that you may like, and you certainly won't think it's positive.


The situation is going to get worse. Much worse.


But the good news is that we here at Positive Paradise have ways of dealing with it. If we come up against a problem challenge, we find a way around it. We don't hit our heads against a brick wall, we go around it, above it, beyond it.


Let's take fuel first. Never mind looking at petrol prices at different garages, it's a total waste of time.
You will save very, very little. Unless you are covering thousands of miles a week the difference is infinitesimal.
And if you find fuel cheaper at a supermarket, the chances are it is cheap for a reason. Supermarket fuel is notorious for lacking lubricity additives that reduce wear on engine parts, particularly in diesel engines. So your cheap fuel may prove expensive in the long run. It is far better to just use the car less. Try and shop locally, and walk if possible. The fresh air and exercise will do you good, and if you program it into your day properly, it won't take you any extra time. Sooner or later you're going to have to do this because running a car wont just be expensive, it will be ruinously expensive, so get into the habit now! Develop new habits and they will soon become normal.


Drive your car differently. Make it a game to try and get as many miles per gallon as possible from each trip, remember that your car engine is working against aerodynamic drag as well as a lot of other factors, and aerodynamic drag rises at the square of the speed. Simple example. If your drive at 50mph, then accelerate to 100 mph, you don't need twice the power to do 100mph, you need 4 times the power! More then 60% of the power of your engine at the legal speed limit is spent overcoming drag. So slow down! Power=fuel=money!


My advice is to use a bike as much as possible. If it's cold, wrap up. If it's wet, get mudguards. If you're afraid of theft, get a good lock. Can't carry much? get a rack and panniers. No excuse!


Next we move onto groceries. Supermarkets are clever. They are not your friend, and they are not trying to save you money. If they do say they're trying to save you money, it's so you go there more! They want you to spend as much money as possible. Every single time.
If you go into a supermarket with your debit or credit card, then you will spend exactly what they want you to spend. Go with cash, and with a budget. look at the lower shelves where the lower priced items are. (eyes down for a bargain). Buy two-for one, use coupons, plan your meals. Try every little trick in the book. If it seems like hard work, then fine, go back and start moaning again! your choice!


Do you really need that extra bottle of wine because "I've had a stressful day?" or that cigarette? cut down, and watch the money grow, and your health improve. Ask your grandparents about cheap nutritious meals. I'm sure they will know a few, make use of them. Old quite often equals wise!


Food, fuel and other essentials are going to get rapidly more expensive over the next few years. Sooner or later you are going to have to be doing these things. There will be no choice. The world is changing. Be smart and ahead of the game and start developing new habits now. Be doing it, before you have to do it! Don't let it stress you. Think, use your imagination, and start being solution orientated.


This is an abundant world. And you deserve abundance. It will come to you but you need to change. We are in a period of great change, and out of this will come a new type of person. Technologically savvy, thrifty, wiser, less trusting of corporations, big business, and the established order. They will adapt more easily to changing circumstances, be more independent, self reliant, and more ready to use their own initiative to solve problems. You are that person. This is your time, and the time is now.


Yes, I could agree times are hard. I fill my car up, I buy my groceries, I pay my energy bills. But don't you know in your heart of hearts it had to change? We built our futures on easy credit, saw a house as an investment, not a home. We rode the bubble and seemed shocked when it burst and we fell. I fell off that bubble with a lot of other people. But those of us with new wisdom have learned our lesson. For us there are exiting times ahead, and we are ready to face them with enthusiasm. Free of debt and with a new intelligence we are moving forward.


This isn't a credit crunch. It isn't a financial crisis. Or a recession, a depression, or a catastrophe.
It is our chance to shine!!

Strikes, pensions and positivity

Madness.


Up and down the length of the country.


Doesn't it feel like whole sections of society are enjoying the entertainment as we fight like a flock of hens over too little corn?


We tear ourselves apart and become divided. 


We are jealous and envious of our neighbours and even our colleagues because they have different jobs, different pensions, different conditions.


I have quietly watched this week as blame spreads like a virus. It's the Teachers, it's the Cleaners, it's the Firefighters, it's the Politicians, it's the Nurses, it's the Doctors, it's the Bankers, it's the Bin Men.......


On the social networks I have watched the blame spread too. "Cut and paste this to show them who is to blame" as we are asked by friends to show support to people who should at best be insulted by such armchair protesting.


I'm not going to try and tell you who to support. I'm not going to tell you who is right and who is wrong. I'm not going to blame anyone for our situation.
I'm going to let you know what you can do to feel better about it and get on with your life, because you are wonderful, you deserve the best, and you are better than this.


Step 1.
Believe nothing in the news.
Not on TV, not on the radio, not in the papers, not on news websites, nothing. Switch off the TV, re-tune the radio, close the newspaper, go offline. You have your own mind, and your own opinion. There is little good in the news and as I have said before, it mostly negative in the extreme. It will do nothing good for you, and it won't change a single thing. At the very best you will spend 5 minutes tut-tutting, and then spend hours feeling resentful, hurt, and angry. You know how it feels when you read a news article that annoys you. Your heart beats faster, your face reddens, and you get all fired up about it. It's a nail in your coffin, and it will cripple your day. Stop it and do yourself a favour. I mean it! Put it down! 


Step 2.
Don't blame people for their actions.
Everyone has their job to do, and yes that includes bankers journalists and politicians. They all have their part to play, and they are all human too. They hurt, they bleed, they feel sorrow, they feel joy, they live and they die. They are our fellow human beings and they are living their lives just as we are. Don't be quick to blame them if some of their decisions arise from being deeply unconscious. Would you be able to do any better? Yes? Off you go then. Have a go! 


Step 3. 
Be positive about your future.
If you are sick of your situation, then take the advice that works. Remember, that advice is Accept it, change it, or leave it. If you are unhappy about your pension, or your wages, or your conditions, then either Accept it and simplify your life to get rid of the excess and make better use of your wages, Change it, and get yourself promoted, or Leave it and get a better job. Sound simplistic? Well for a simple life take a look at Leo Babauta's zenhabits. Leo is the simple life Guru. 
As for promotion, well your boss did it, and his boss, and his boss! There is always room at the top. This time it's your turn. It is never too late to change and improve yourself!
Can't afford to re-train and get a better job? well if you've been moaning for years that your pension contributions will be worthless, then how about stopping them for a while and paying for some qualifications with the money you will have spare instead? I'm sure it will pay off in the long run, you will learn new things, meet new people, and who knows what good things might happen! 


Step 4. 
Believe that things will change. 
Nothing lasts forever, and the situation so prominent in the newspapers and on TV will change.
Doom and gloom sells papers and boosts TV ratings. Good newspaper sales and high TV ratings makes people rich. Rich people have lifestyles that appeal to people with small minds. Small minded people are full of doom and gloom that they can't afford rich possessions. Doom and gloom sells papers..............And so it goes on. 
Today's worries will be forgotten in no time. Let them go. Make sure life changes for the better by being positive in every aspect of your life. Give up all the old habits and take life unawares by doing things differently. If you do the same things every day, then it is more than likely you will get the same results! 
I am finishing the year with an entirely new outlook to the one I started with back in January! The person I was inside, is now completely unrecognisable to me. I have experienced a complete change in the way I view life, and I honestly feel like I'm glowing inside, all thanks to being relentlessly positive and taking a different viewpoint. To experience this for yourself, just follow these steps and see what happens. 


Step 5. 
Be very grateful, happy and proud of what you do have. 
If you have friends and family then you are rich beyond belief. Value your health, enjoy your freedom, and take a reality check each morning and remember that many of these things are denied to the majority of the worlds population. Your life is worthwhile, your contribution is valuable. You are a living, walking, talking miracle with amazing capabilities. Life is so short! Next time you walk past a graveyard, remember each of those people were once pink, warm, vital humans, who partied, lived, laughed and loved, and now they're gone. Denied forever the chance to embrace life. You're still here, and you're still in the game! 


You have the gift of choice. Will you have a good day, or a bad day? Henry Ford once said:


 "If you think you can, or you think you can't, then you're absolutely right"




So read the steps again, put the newspaper down, turn off the TV, smile, and go for it. The day is YOURS.