Open Your Mind to Open Your Heart

BEST POEM IN THE WORLD

I was shocked , confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven’s door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp–
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

Bob, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloudnine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, ‘What’s the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How’d all these sinners get up here?
God must’ve made a mistake.

‘And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber – give me a clue.’
‘Hush, child,’ He said,
‘they’re all in shock.
No one thought they’d be seeing you.’

Author Unknown

What Does This Say To You?

If you’re like me, you’re feeling a rush of emotional shock right now with that last line.

Judge not and you will not be judged.  Many saints were sinners, and many sinners became great saints.

What message does this poem say to you?

Deb Scott, BA, CPC

Deb is Author of the National Four time Award Winner Book in: Self-Help | Motivation | Best New Non-Fiction | Self-Improvement; The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue - , a Certified Professional Coach at Discover the Amazing YOU! Coaching, and host of the Top Rated Best People We Know Show! on Blog Talk Radio. Self HelpRadio

Taking complex issues and making them easy to understand.  Simple Steps to Stop Suffering Now!  Now available on Kindle.

Sign up for Debs “Mind Vitamins” Newsletter today!

Are you one of the 5 million estimated Americans who experiences the emotional and often devastating effects of fear related stress?

“According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 19 million people in the United States alone suffer from mental illnesses that involve irrational fear responses. These disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.”

Clear the Fear

Do you ever feel paralyzed by fear?
Fear to change yourself, your career, your relationships?
Fear to try something new?
Fear of failure, loss or even what people might think of you?

Yes, everyone experiences fear to some degree, but not everyone uses fear as a stepping stone instead of a stumbling block.

Making Fear a Friend.

At the end of this article our goal is to provide you with tangible tools to:

1. Accurately define what Fear is and what Fear is not.

2. Understand Clinical Data about Fear and Successful Studies how to Overcome Fear.

3. Exercises to help you Clear the Fear from a negative obstacle into a positive opportunity.

Are you Born with Fear?

By definition, everyone experiences fear. “It is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger.” Fear is a necessary survival mechanism in all human beings.

Anxiety- is future-oriented fear because we cannot control what will happen next.

Panic- is becoming intimidated by something that reminds a person of their fear, creating an alarm response.

Physiological changes in the body associated with fear, the “fight or flight” response, can include:

Rapid heart rate
Increased blood pressure
Tightening of muscles
Increased sweating

Good Fear VS Bad Fear

Good fear serves a good purpose. For example, if you have to give a major presentation to a group of professionals at your place of work, fear can motivate you to sharpen your skills to practice and deliver an excellent presentation.

Bad Fear is when fear becomes irrational and excessive, it can become crippling and instigate a cascade of destructive feelings, thoughts and behaviors.

Name a personal experience of Good Fear and Bad Fear below:

Good Fear____________________________________________________

Bad Fear_____________________________________________________

Creating Fear

“In the 1920s, American psychologist John Watson taught an infant to fear white rats. “Little Albert” had no fear of the laboratory’s test animals. He showed joy at the sight of the white rats especially and always reached out for them. Watson and his assistant taught Albert to be terrified of white rats. They used Pavlovian (classical) conditioning, pairing a neutral stimulus (the rat) with a negative effect. Whenever Albert reached for one of the rats, they created a terrifyingly loud noise right behind the 11-month-old child. Not only did Albert very quickly learn to fear the white rats, crying and moving away whenever he saw one, but he also started to cry in the presence of other furry animals and a Santa Claus mask with a white beard.”

“Like Little Albert’s fear of white rats, a person’s fear of dogs is most likely a conditioned response. Perhaps he was bitten by a dog when he was three years old. Twenty years later, the person’s brain (the amygdala in particular) still associates the sight of a dog with the pain of a bite.”

Clearing the Fear

Fear extinction is creating a positive conditioned response that counteracts the negative fear response, usually involving exposure to an outside stimuli. However, scientists have discovered ” stimulating a protein called NMDA (N-methyl D-asparate) in the amygdala can enhance fear extinction.”

Identify a fear you want to eliminate and re-frame:

_____________________________________________________________

"I Want to Clear Away this Fear"

Kerry Ressler, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University is studying the biology of fear. And the impact of a neurotrophic factor known as BDNF. “We’re studying how the biology of the brain is changed by the environment, and how these changes underlie memories and experiences.”

Stumbling Blocks into Stepping Stones

The Prevention magazine article “What are you afraid of?: 8 secrets that make fear disappear” offers these tips for dealing with everyday fears:

1. It doesn’t matter why you’re scared.
   Knowing why you’ve developed a particular fear doesn’t do much to help you overcome it, and it delays your progress in areas that will actually help you become less afraid. Stop trying to figure it out.
2. Learn about the thing you fear.
   Uncertainty is a huge component of fear: Developing an understanding of what you’re afraid of goes a long way toward erasing that fear.
3. Train.
   If there’s something you’re afraid to try because it seems scary or difficult, start small and work in steps. Slowly building familiarity with a scary subject makes it more manageable.
4. Find someone who is not afraid.
   If there’s something you’re afraid of, find someone who is not afraid of that thing and spend time with that person. Take her along when you try to conquer your fear — it’ll be much easier.
5. Talk about it.
   Sharing your fear out loud can make it seem much less daunting.
6. Play mind games with yourself.
   If you’re afraid of speaking in front of groups, it’s probably because you think the audience is going to judge you. Try imagining the audience members naked — being the only clothed person in the room puts you in the position of judgment.
7. Stop looking at the grand scheme.
   Think only about each successive step. If you’re afraid of heights, don’t think about being on the fortieth floor of a building. Just think about getting your foot in the lobby.
8. Seek help.
   Fear is not a simple emotion. If you’re having trouble overcoming your fear on your own, find a professional to help you. There are lots of treatments for fear out there, and no good reason not to try them under the guidance of someone with training and experience

Accepting fear is part of the human condition, being able to identify good fear from bad fear, understanding the science behind the cycle of fear, and what you can do to reframe your fear to work for you, instead of against you, is all possible for you with a little help from your friends.

Love and Blessings,

Deb Scott, BA, CPC  and Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, BA, CPC

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

Listen to Deb and Elizabeth discuss the Topic of Clearing the Fear on Call in Coaching
Or Click Below:

As Featured in The Motivation Marathon.
By Deb Scott and Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Terrific Tips!

Do you want to be a success? Of course your answer is a resounding YES!

The more difficult question to contemplate might be: how do you define and measure your success?

Is it having a specific amount of money?
Being a certain weight?
Traveling around the world?
Receiving recognition and accolades at work?
Experiencing a rewarding relationship with your partner, spouse or children?
Is it an emotional feeling of peaceful well-being?

You can’t turn your talents and passions into success, if you don’t have a clear definition of what success is for you.

Write down your personal definition of success below.

____________________________________________________________________________

The next part of the equation is identifying your talents and passions. You may have a talent which you are not passionate about using, and a passion for something you are not talented to manifest, and you may have some talents and passions which directly overlap. For example, you may be passionate about drawing, but you might not be particularly talented at it. You might be very talented at singing, but not particularly passionate about it. You could be a talented teacher and also very passionate about teaching.

Take a moment to write three things you are talented at, and three things you are passionate about.

Talents                                                                    Passions

1.                                                                                  1.

2.                                                                                  2.

3.                                                                                  3.

A recent study by Dr. Martin Seligman suggested happiness can be broken down into three separate and measurable categories.

A) The Pleasant Life
Having as much positive emotion and as little negative emotion as possible.

B) The Engaged Life
Being completely absorbed by the challenges you face at work, love, play, etc.

C) The Meaningful Life
Knowing what your highest strengths are and using them to belong to and serve something that is bigger than you are.

Combining your talents with your passions in the context of what gives you positive emotions, and powerfully absorbs you in a meaningful way, will inevitably give you true success in being your most authentic self.

One of the best ways to achieve something you want is to find a good mentor. Who can you think of who has already accomplished what you want? What did they do to get it? Who do they associate with? What types of activities and hobbies do they engage in? What types of people do they associate with? What books do they read? What associations do they belong to? What are their daily habits like? These are just some of the questions you can ask.

Name 2 people you admire who already have what you want.

1.

2.

The Texas Medical Association identified 8 characteristics of happy people.

8 Characteristics of Happy People…They…

· devote a great amount of time to family and friends

· are comfortable expressing gratitude

· are the first to offer a helping hand

· express optimism when imagining their futures

· savor life’s pleasures and live in the moment

· make physical activity a daily habit

· are deeply committed to lifelong goals

· show poise and strength in coping with crises

Do you notice a trend, that happiness is developed by nurturing your talents and passions, which ultimately leads to personal success?

Doing what you were designed to successfully accomplish will give you more energy, not less. You will be better at making decisions, leading others, and more resilient in adversity. Your health and immune system will be stronger, and you will enjoy a more satisfying life.

Another psychological study by Chris Peterson indicates truly successful and satisfied people tend to have the following 6 virtues in their character:

· Wisdom

· Courage

· Humility

· Justice

· Temperance

· Transcendence

Which one of these do you identify with most powerfully? Which one of these do you admire in other people? Which ones do you want to experience more frequently?

Once you have clearly defined what success is for you; understanding what talents you have and what sets your heart on fire with passion, you are able to deliberately feed your soul in each area. Ideally, you will be activating one or more of the virtues listed above to reinforce your overall success.

So how can you strategies for success?

Implementing the following three elements into your action plan will result in success:

1. Focus on learning new skills to reinforce your talents and passions.

2. Consistently cultivate what you already do well and enjoy.

3. Eliminate unnecessary stressors which are not a priority to your value system.

You can’t do it alone, and you weren’t meant to! We all learn, grow, and succeed with the help of others. Surrounding yourself with people who inspire your soul to free your talents and passions will carry you with momentum not possible on your own power.

We are here to support your success with tips and tools you can use and trust.  Keep  going and growing to be your best!

Love and Blessings,

Deb Scott and Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino

Listen to Deb and Elizabeth for a Free Call in Coaching event = Click Here or Click the Player Below to Listen to the Replay!

Be sure to sign up for our next Motivation Marathon - Click Here.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go and do that. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

Who is the one person you can name with certainty will be the longest relationship you’ll ever have? The answer of course is – YOU!

If you are going to be spending more time in this life with yourself, aren’t you worth time and effort to discover, celebrate, improve, and enjoy?

Self love and self care is one of the most unselfish actions you can express for yourself and others. Why? Because when you are your best, everyone around you is inspired to be their best as well.

You can only give away the love, happiness, peace and joy in porportion to the amount you posess. You must first own in this life whatever you want to give a way, spiritual gifts included.

You can throw perfume or throw manure, but whatever you throw at someone else has to stick to you first.

It sticks to you first.

Exercise:

What do you want more of in your life? How do you want to feel? Write it down now.
1.
2.
3.

Now write down one simple action you can take today to give this away in your life.
Maybe if you want more understanding you can give away listening to someone with patience and non-judgement. If you want more appreciation, maybe you can send an unexpected thank you card to someone who has been kind to you. If you want more spontaneous happiness, maybe you can surprise someone with a colorful bouquet of balloons. Be creative. Be sincere. Be you.
1.
2.
3.

When you enjoy your own company, others will follow. Don’t expect from someone else what you first can’t do for yourself. Know your strengths, weaknesses, dreams and desires. Learn from others, because you will never live long enough to experience it all yourself.

The seeds you plant today, will be the flowers which bloom in the garden of your life tomorrow. Plant seeds of kindness and you will grow love.

The world needs you. Share your shine. Invest in yourself. Be the best person you were created to be. You’re worth it.

Deb Scott, BA, CPC

Deb is Author of the National Four time Award Winner Book in: Self-Help | Moitvation | Best New Non-Fiction | Self-Improvement;  The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue - , a Certified Professional Coach at Discover the Amazing YOU! Coaching, and host of the Top Rated Best People We Know Show! on Blog Talk Radio. Self HelpRadio

Taking complex issues and making them easy to understand.  Simple Steps to Stop Suffering Now!  Now available on Kindle.

Sign up for Debs “Mind Vitamins” Newsletter today!

If you think you have to have lots of money to start a new business or be a successful entrepreneur, Mike Michalowicz will give you plenty of reasons why you are absolutely wrong. The first, being his very own life story, three multi-million dollar companies later.

You may know him best as The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, via his best-selling book, Wall Street Journal articles, or as seen on MSNBC. One thing is for sure, Mike’s new out of the box paradigm is deeply rooted in a lot of old fashion qualities; honesty, enthusiasm, passion, determination, loyalty and hard work, just to name a few.

Listen to Mike now.

I had the great privilege and pleasure of interviewing Mike on The Best People We Know Radio Show with my Motivation Marathon co-host and CEO of the Best Ever You Network, Elizabeth Hamilton.

Feel the fun, learn some awesome life lessons, CLICK HERE to listen to the show.

Mike’s philosophy focuses on innovation, not money. Listen to story of the Pizza man and you’ll really understand what I’m talking about.

Being an entrepreneur is not necessarily for everyone, but if you’ve had a tug in your heart to create that business you’ve been carrying around in your head for days, months or even years, then you stumbled upon a priceless gift.  Listen to Mike now, and find out why peace, prosperity and happiness is readily available with a price tag no amount of money could buy.

Listen now – you’ll be glad you did.

Deb Scott, BA, CPC

Deb is Author of the THREE time National Award Winning Book The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue - turning your upside down world right side up!, a Certified Professional Coach at Discover the Amazing YOU! Coaching, and host of the hit new Best People We Know Show! on Blog Talk Radio. Self HelpRadio

Simple Steps to Stop Suffering Now!  Now available on Kindle.

Sign up for Debs “Mind Vitamins” Newsletter today!

Studies show time and time again those who are most successful and happy in life, learn from and associate with mentors who have already achieved the level of accomplishment they seek.

“If you keep doing what you’ve done – you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.”

So here’s your chance to do one thing different and get over 40 hours of fantastic tips you can trust, tools you can use, and thoughts worth your time.

The Happy YOU Year – Motivation Marathon
is a rare opportunity and unique chance for YOU to speak with these highly respected experts and speakers LIVE.

Change your life in a positive and dramatic way this new year and learn how to channel YOUR passion and talent into success.

Register now for FREE and Get Started with Your FREE Gifts too!

You’ve seen them featured on:

Oprah, CNN, Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNBC, The Biggest Loser, TLC’s What Not to Wear, The New York Times, The Best Ever You Network, Women’s World, People Magazine, The Best People We Know Radio Show, BBC Travel, Business Week, The New York Post, PBS, Women’s World, The Huffington Post, Better Homes & Gardens, USA Today, Time, Psychology Today, HSN, Harpers Bazaar, HGTV, Elle, Success Magazine, Newsweek, The Ellen Show, and so much more!

With over 40 of the most influential experts and celebrities, speaking over 9 days, the Happy YOU! Year includes some of the most successful certified professional life coaches, authors, celebrities, experts and radio hosts. Each speaker will not only cover how they become successful, but how YOU can take what they learned and apply it to achieving the success YOU deserve, with a rare opportunity to speak with them LIVE.

“The Happy YOU! Year teleseminar promises to be one of the most talked about first of its kind interactive live teleseminars of 2012.”

Our lofty speaker requirements meant long hours of meticulous research before an acceptable list was complete, but our hard work brought together some of the most sought-after names in their respected fields. It is our hope that you will not only listen to the speakers, but take part in the live event by using our free 800 number to call in your questions (in an anonymous, friendly environment) and get answers by our experts and celebrities who can help YOU turn YOUR talents and passions into success.

Speakers Include:

Gary Kobat, Pina De Rosa, Bergen Williams, Lisa Haisha, Forbes Riley, Dr. David Fraser, Debbie Mancini, Keith Keller, Brianna Brown, Dr. Joanne White, Sandra Robinson, Sue Ingebreston, Michelle Mayur, Dr. Nancy Mramor, Eva Gregory, Fred Cuellar, Susan Harrow, Heshie Segal, Jenn Ward, Lisa Tener, Cari Murphy, Sue Jacques, Robin Roffer, Nicole Burley, Annie Jennings, Elinor Stutz, Shea Vaughn, Wendie Pett, Katana Abbott, Dr. Alex Concorde, Jennifer Shea, Marnie Swedberg, Tosca Reno, Wayne Scot Lukas, Lollly Daskal, Devin Alexander, Melissa Galt, Sallie Felton, Donna Seebo, Deb Scott, Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, Debra Oakland, Lisa Nicole Bell, Sandi McKenna, Rick Griffin, Vicky Akins, and Dr. Wendy Walsh.

You can follow all these speakers on my personal twitter list Click Here. 
or at The Best Ever You Network Click Here.

Hosts Deb Scott and Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, are thrilled to have  joining them!

Register Today - It’s Free – It’s Fun – and YOU’RE Worth it!!

Deb Scott, BA, CPC @GreenSkyDeb

Deb is Author of the FOUR time National Award Winning Book The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue- turning your upside down world right side up!  a Certified Professional Coach at Discover the Amazing YOU! Coaching, and host of the hit new Best People We Know Show! on Blog Talk Radio. Self Help Radio. Simple Steps to Stop Suffering : The Sky is Green & The Grass is Blue : Now! Now available on Kindle. Dumping the Drama – Workbook and 30 Minute Audio. Now available on Kindle. Sign up for Debs “Mind Vitamins” Newsletter today!

Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino @BestEverYou

Elizabeth is the CEO and Founder of The Best Ever You Network and the host of top-rated “Best Ever You Show” on Blog Talk Radio. Elizabeth is a certified professional life coach, journalist, actress/on-air personality and author. Her two award winning children’s books “Blueberry – A Cat’s Eye View of Maine” (2009) and “Pinky Doodle Bug” (2011) are available where books are sold. Elizabeth and her husband Peter have been married for 13 years and have 4 boys.

Gary Reichel @DesignThumb

Gary Reichel is owner of Reichel Graphic Design (http://www.ReichelGraphicDesign.com) and Design Thumb (http://www.DesignThumb.net).
He is an accomplished creative professional with over 12 years in the graphic and web design industry. Along with a passion for design, Gary enjoys working close with his clients and is always striving to create compelling and creative layouts, copy and designs, with an emphasis on branding and marketing. Gary also provides search engine optimization services (SEO) and has executed a variety of marketing campaigns that coordinate traditional advertising with internet marketing and social media.

Great People are Grateful People.
As Featured in WE Magazine for Women!

I firmly believe the greatest people I have ever met in my life, are always the most grateful.

Does this describe you?

The grateful person undoubtedly possess one or all of the following qualities I deeply admire: peace, humility and happiness.

A Grateful Person is a Happy and Healthy Person

Research by Dr. Robert Emmons at UC Davis showed adults, youth, children, and even those with medical disabilities benefited in a variety of of ways both mentally and physically from practicing gratitude activities.

Summary of Findings

• In an experimental comparison, those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis exercised more regularly, reported fewer physical symptoms, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
• A related benefit was observed in the realm of personal goal attainment: Participants who kept gratitude lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals (academic, interpersonal and health-based) over a two-month period compared to subjects in the other experimental conditions.
• A daily gratitude intervention (self-guided exercises) with young adults resulted in higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy compared to a focus on hassles or a downward social comparison (ways in which participants thought they were better off than others). There was no difference in levels of unpleasant emotions reported in the three groups.
• Participants in the daily gratitude condition were more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or having offered emotional support to another, relative to the hassles or social comparison condition.
• In a sample of adults with neuromuscular disease, a 21-day gratitude intervention resulted in greater amounts of high energy positive moods, a greater sense of feeling connected to others, more optimistic ratings of one’s life, and better sleep duration and sleep quality, relative to a control group.
• Children who practice grateful thinking have more positive attitudes toward school and their families (Froh, Sefick, & Emmons, 2008).

The good news is emotional resilience is not limited to your genetic make up – you CAN improve your attitude and overall well being by taking an active role in reflecting on the many things you can be grateful for.

What can YOU be grateful for today?

1. Did you get up in a warm house this morning?

It is estimated by the National Alliance to End Homelessness that 2.3 and 3.5 million people experience homelessness in America.

2. Did you have running water to brush your teeth?

The World Commission on Water for the 21st Century, says three billion of the world’s population lives in squalor and misery without access to proper sanitation or clean water.

3. Can you read, write, hear, or speak?

Helen Keller could not read, write, hear or speak – yet she became one of the greatest thought leaders of our time, making the whole world a better place.

Once asked what was worse than being blind, Ms. Keller answered “Being able to see, but not having any vision.”

4. Do you have 2 arms to write and 2 legs to walk?

There are many Wounded Warriors coming home this Thanksgiving and Christmas without limbs protecting the freedom for you and me.

Nick Vujicic has something to say to you about Life without Limbs.

I’ve had the pleasure now to interview over 100 experts and celebrities on The Best People We Know Radio Show - and it never fails – the really great ones are always the most humble and grateful for every blessing they have had the privilege to experience. They are passionate about helping other people be happy.

How grateful are you? Take the Gratitude Quiz.

Count your blessings not your burdens.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” Cicero

Deb Scott, BA, CPC

Deb is Author of the THREE time National Award Winning Book The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue - turning your upside down world right side up!, a Certified Professional Coach at Discover the Amazing YOU! Coaching, and host of the hit new Best People We Know Show! on Blog Talk Radio. Self Help Radio

Simple Steps to Stop Suffering Now!  Now available on Kindle.

Sign up for Debs “Mind Vitamins” Newsletter today!

Memories most Treasured are the Moments which Matter most.
(As Featured in the December Issue of the Best Ever You Magazine)

My Best Holiday Ever!

Busy moms, non-stop active kids, family commitments and a to do list that seems to have a never-ending life of its own.

“Are you kidding? How do I create the best holiday ever with all this going on?”

First, take a moment to define what will truly create your best holiday ever? Is it in the activities or the feelings created during the activity? Is it the material gift, or the eternal memory which it inspires? Is it in the doing, or the being?

The Recipe for Happy Holidays:

1. Create a Family Tradition.

Creating a special family tradition where each person contributes in some special manner is a great way to make any holiday unforgettable. “Family traditions are important in every individual because it strengthens the connections between each member and it bridges the gaps between them.”

It can be a signature dish you cook together, a gratitude tree you decorate reflecting what each person appreciates most about the other, certain prayers you say before your holiday meal, music you enjoy, or even doing errands together in preparation for the celebration itself.

The point is to have fun, create smiles, and an atmosphere where you all feel the love, love, love!

2. Help someone else have a Happy Holiday.

The irony in volunteering is the person you help most is most assuredly yourself!

Helping out at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter probably quickly come to mind, but what about volunteering to watch another family’s child so parents can get some alone time, walking a neighbors dog, visiting the old age home and dropping off some home baked cookies, or keeping socks and food certificates in your car to give to a homeless person you might see going by?

No time to travel in your volunteer effort? How about writing a letter to a Holiday Hero who is away from his/her family this season. The American Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes is a great place to start.

3. Watch an Inspirational Movie together and discuss what you experienced.

Stories and movies are a powerful catalyst for introspective emotion because we see ourselves in the characters and their story as we watch.

Find a movie which inspires reflection on priorities which you value- love, integrity, respect, or simple appreciation for being alive.

One of my favorite Christmas movies is the 1946 Classic, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. It highlights the paradox of what we want vs what we need, and the revelation that often being aware that we may already have it, is the most profound gift of all. George Bailey thought his life was not worth living triggered by a major financial crisis. What he learned by seeing life without him in it, was that he truly did have a ‘Wonderful Life.”

How great would it be to start a family discussion of your favorite scene, message, or quote which especially touched your heart? Al little popcorn and a lot of conversation can be an inexpensive event with a priceless memory.

4. Share Gratitude Prayers together.

I have never met a humble or grateful, unhappy person. Sharing prayers of gratitude for the blessings you have in your life, and praying for those who don’t, keeps you fully in the present moment.

Not only will you feel better when you reflect on the many blessings in your life and family, but scientific studies show “Children who practice grateful thinking have more positive attitudes toward school and their families (Froh, Sefick, & Emmons, 2008).”

I have begun to make a conscious daily effort to capture how many things I can be grateful for in my day from sun up to sun down. From waking up in the morning and being grateful that I had a bed to sleep in with a roof over my head, to the heat in my house, and the water that is running for a hot shower, to every meal I am privileged to eat. Why do I keep it so basic? Because there are many people without a home, heat, running water or food. My two legs that walk are a blessing I can’t allow myself to take for granted, as I reflect there is a soldier coming home who does not have his legs anymore.

From A – Z, or using each letter in your name, there is a way you can start your gratitude list and pray for those who don’t have what you already enjoy. Your gratitude list is somebody else’s best wish list.

5. Give one another the Gift of Time.

In this electric speed information age where everything is instantly available, it is easy to forget the material world is not the real world. In fact, the things we all want most can’t be purchased or touched with the hand, but only felt in the heart: Love, appreciation, respect, happiness.

Why not wrap up a box with the gift of time. An intention to get an ice cream together, visit a museum, go ice skating next weekend, finger paint, or finally make that trip to that ‘somewhere’ you planned for ‘someday.’ You can even volunteer to help an animal by adopting a pet for a day – check out Pets 911 for more information on how to make this happen.

The Gift is In the Moment.

Try one or all of these tips, and discover if they don’t help you have your best holiday ever.

Have an idea? Sharing is caring!

Angel sprinkles and blessings to you and yours for the happiest holiday ever.

Get more ideas to live your best life now with Deb’s THREE time national award winner, The Sky is Green & The Grass is Blue.  A great gift for you or someone you know.  Visit:  Amazon or Barnes & Noble.com.

Deb Scott, BA, CPC

Deb is Author of the FOUR time National Award Winning Book The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue - turning your upside down world right side up!, a Certified Professional Coach at Discover the Amazing YOU! Coaching, and host of the hit new Best People We Know Show! on Blog Talk Radio. Self Help Radio

Sign up for Debs “Mind Vitamins” Newsletter today!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2011
Mom’s Choice Award
The International “Mom’s Choice 2011″ Awards

The Mom’s Choice Awards Honors the Best in Family Friendly Media, Products and Services.

Author and Speaker Deb Scott is Award-Winning Silver Medalist, – in the Self-Improvement – Adult Books category of the “Mom’s Choice 2011” Awards.

“The Sky is Green and the Grass is Blue -turning your upside down world right side up!”

The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) is an international annual awards program that recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating a quality benchmark for family-friendly media, products and services.
Parents, educators, librarians and retailers look for the Mom’s Choice Awards Honoring Excellence seal of approval when selecting quality materials for children and families.

An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others.

A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of PBS’s Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times best-selling author, Priscilla Dunstan, creator of the Dunstan Baby Language; Patricia Rossi, host of NBC’s Manners Minute; Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C., host of the Wright Place™ TV Show; and Catherine Witcher, M.Ed., special needs expert and founder of Precision Education, Inc.

MCA judges are bound by a strict code of ethics which ensures expert and objective analysis free from any manufacturer association.
The evaluation process uses a propriety methodology in which entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal and cost.

To be considered for an award, each entrant submits five identical samples of a product. Entries are matched to judges in the MCA database. Judges perform a thorough analysis and submit a detailed assessment. Results are compiled and submitted to the MCA Executive Committee for Final approval.

The end result is a list of the best in family-friendly media, products and services that parents and educators can feel confident in using.

For more information on the awards program and the honorees, visit MomsChoiceAwards.com.
For more information on http://www.greenskyandbluegrass.com

Multiple Award Winner

This is the third national award “The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue” has been honored to receive. The book also won Best in Motivational Book finalist in 2010, in the National INDE Next Generation Book Awards and Best New Non-Fiction Finalist, USA Best Book Awards.

A great gift for you or someone you know. Get your copy of “The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue!” today on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.com, or a bookstore near you through Ingram Distributors.

Visit http://www.greenskyandbluegrass.com for more.

How do I forgive? More specifically:  How do I forgive the unforgivable?

I believe this is a universal question many of us struggle with. What about you?

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a Forgiveness Global TeleSummit hosted by Nancy Battye with 33 other speakers (click here for the details). The panel and listeners brought up a number of great questions and personal experiences I thought I would share with you.

Here are some highlights to help you heal and forgive.

Forgiveness is in the Will, not in the Feeling

Many people get stuck on being able to forgive because they mistakingly define forgiveness as an emotion instead of an action.

Forgiveness is NOT a feeling. Feelings are nice, and eventually the hope to be free from the emotional negative charge of what you have forgiven, is certainly a worthwhile byproduct of having forgiven. But.. it is not the first step in the process of forgiveness. The very first step is in your free will to make a choice to forgive.

So what do I have to do to forgive using my free will?

You have forgiven if you:

1.Wish no ill will or harm to the person who has treated you unjustly.

2.You pray or send englightenment to the person you are trying to forgive to change for the better – because their soul needs more help than yours.

3.Leave it to God or your Higher Power to resolve the issue in a manner of divine justice for the good of all involved.

Forgiveness is not your idea of making the wrong right, but allowing God to make the wrong right.

Self Forgiveness

Your ability to forgive someone else is a direct reflection of how much you are able to forgive yourself.

Consider the following scenario…

A perfect stranger in the street yells out your are stupid and ugly – how do you react? Probably without much emotion considering the source.

Now imagine the person you love most saying the exact same words to you. How do you feel now? Probably much different from the first scenario. 

Why?

The words were exactly the same – but your emotional response was completely different. The only deduction you can logically make is that it is more than the words which matter to you. It is not what is said – but the source of your emotional connection to the person who speaks to you, what their relationships means to you, what trigger they push in you from your past., and how you view yourself.

Salt only hurts when it hits an open wound. The fact you are in pain proves there is wound open which you need to heal.

When in Pain, Focus on:

1. What is the gut reaction teaching me? What do I need to learn about myself?

2. What is the wound I need to heal?

3. Be grateful for the gift of discovering the real issue and the opportunity to finally heal, so you can be emotionally free from it.

Don’t Obsess

Over thinking the problem, pain and past event does nothing except hurt you again.

If you don’t let go of this negativity, you must ask yourself these two questions:
“Why do I want to keep myself marinated in this poison of self destruction?”
Why do I not love myself enough to stop staying in the pain?”

Give up the hope of a better past.  Focus your precious energy on what you can control and change for the better.

Forgiveness begins with forgiving yourself. Trusting God more, and depending on yourself less. Listening to the whispers and warning signs God may be giving you in the silence of your prayer, or through other people.

Forgiveness is a process

You don’t put an acorn seed in the ground and expect a full grown 20 foot acorn tree to be looking back at you 20 minutes later! Why would you expect this unreasonable result from yourself?

Be patient with yourself, and focus on the size of your God and the great progress you have made. Not the size of your problem or how far you think you have to go.

“He who does not forgive digs two graves.” Chinese Proverb

Deb Scott, BA, CPC

Deb is Author of the 2 x National Award Winning Book The Sky is Green and The Grass is Blue - turning your upside down world right side up!, a Certified Professional Coach at Discover the Amazing YOU! Coaching, and host of the hit new Best People We Know Show! on Blog Talk Radio. Self Help Radio

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