Resolutions & Water Stains

The New Year is a time when a lot of people make resolutions for the upcoming year.  However, as you might have already experienced, those resolutions rarely last very long.  And to explain why I believe that is the case, let me give you a comparison that relates to painting.

Imagine, if you will, that your roof is leaking and water has started to drip from your ceiling and onto your dining room table.  Looking at the ceiling, you would most likely notice that the paint has started to peel and that the water has left a brown stain.

The problem with most resolutions is that they typically focus on the surface of the problem and not the real source of the problem.  In my example, if you were to hire me to come over to repair and repaint the ceiling, would that fix your problem?  Maybe at first, but in time the same thing would happen because the water issue (the real source of the problem) has not been fixed.

Now, think about this for a second... whether it's exercising, eating better or anything else you may have set as your New Year resolution, could it be that it's simply not the real source of the problem?  Is there perhaps a deeper reason as to why you are having difficulty with what ever it is you decided to change.

I say, find the source of the problem... this way, you won't need to make the same resolution year after year.


Happy New Year!!!


Remi :)

The true source of inspiration...

When feeling inspired, is it fair (or right) to send the credit of this experience outwards?

Meaning, is this inspiration really coming from the beautiful painting, the majestic scenery or even that incredible person you just saw or met?

After reading and studying the concept of inspiration for many years now, I have come to understand that inspiration can only come from within.  Certain experiences can help us access that inspiration, but to forget that it still came from inside of us is only leaving us dependent to such outside stimuli.  

To illustrate what I mean, imagine being trapped inside a room with absolutely no light (therefore pitch black and cold).  You don't know this, but there is a window for this room, only the blinds are closed and sealed tight.  If someone comes in and opens up this blind, should you credit that person for the light and warmth that is now filling your room?

While, you can (and should) show your appreciation to the person, painting or event for opening up the blinds to your room... you should not discredit yourself as having something to do with the experience.  You see, inspiration is a message from your soul (a message that you were able to hear or understand during that brief moment).  

So in reality, this message really came from inside of you :)

Live life... Inspired from the Inside

And not... Motivated by the Outside

Money for nothing... (how that system changed everything)

There was a time when people did not work for a pay cheque or profits, they would get up in the morning and go out producing crops (or items of value).  And because one person could not produce every item his family would need, he would produce extra of what he knew best, and then exchange the extra with other producers in the region.

As time evolved, people found it easier to exchange crops & items with coins or notes (which they could then use to exchange with others).  It's much easier to carry a dozen coins than a dozen pigs ;)

Over time the system evolved some more and the banking industry was created.  This system allowed you to receive some coins and notes (now referred to as money) without needing to give the bank any products in return.  In a way the bank was giving you a gift... as long as you promised to give it back at some point (with interest).

Over time, this phenomenon created a mind set where people started believing that they were entitled to purchase items of value even if they couldn't afford to pay for them (or produce anything of equal value in return).  And so the simple concept of exchanging value for equal value evolved into a game of strategy, outwit and con.

The current reality, unfortunately, is that some individuals and companies consider trading as a game where you "win" if you can get AS MUCH MONEY in exchange for AS LITTLE VALUE AS POSSIBLE (the difference is where big profits come from).

So how can we return to the very simple principle of exchanging value for equal value.  The first step in my opinion, is to switch our thinking from "I need to work to make money..." to "I need to produce so I can contribute".

So instead of trying to produce everything that you need for living... why not produce more of what you are best at (like they would do years ago)?  Then you can exchange the extra for other crops or items of value you need for your life.  Sure you'll be getting money for you production (or contribution), but in return you will have given REAL VALUE.

What I want the world to know...

We live in a time of endless possibilities… at a time where there is such a big difference between the old and the new that people are afraid to change… to move on… to be left behind.

I want to help people see their own potential… I want people to know that they have a right – and a duty – to show the world their unique skills.  They have a right to ask for our support as they develop and polish those skills.  We are all in this together; no one is better or worse than anybody else.  We were each given a unique set of skills which we are meant to utilize and develop for the continued evolution of the world.

I want people to know that we are all responsible for our own experience in this life.  We bring to ourselves situations and events so that we may learn and benefit from them.  No one ever said that life was easy… but with this new kind of courage, we can, by working together, make it an inspired and beautiful place to live.

People are afraid of their own potential, that’s why we hesitate to believe our own psychic visions or intuitions (or the ones of others)… and I believe that the new world will see a rise in our ability and duty to follow such guidance… giving birth to a new reality and conciousness for us all... one where we all follow through on the ideas and visions we receive and consider them blessings from the above.

Promising Dilemma

Should you ever break a promise you made to someone else?

If it's to keep a promise you made to yourself... I say yes!

Of course, this is not an easy subject to bring up (to say the least)... but does this mean that we need to avoid it or hide from it?

For the most part, people have the greatest intentions when making promises such as "I will love you for the rest of my life".  But when circumstances (or people) change along the way, is it really best to stick with something that is simply making both of you miserable (and most likely, the people around you)?

Sure you made a promise that you intended to keep... but you also made a promise to yourself long before making any sort of promise to others...

• You promised yourself you'd pursue a life of meaning and fulfillment.  
• You promised yourself you would navigate through life using joy as your compass.  
• You promised yourself you would learn and teach lessons of life... lessons of love.

And while it may not seem like an act of "love" to break a promise made to another.  If it's to keep a promise to yourself, so that both of you can be happier in time as a result... well, that is most certainly an act of love.

YOUR Contribution (a gift to the world)

Have you ever stopped and wondered if you were hiding a part of yourself from the rest of the world?

You see, we were all given a mission for our life, a purpose or calling... but most of us fear exploring this path because it may not already have been walked on.  Meaning, you might have to create this path without knowing exactly where it will lead you.

So instead we conform to what others expect of us (the majority wins in this case).  We go through life asking questions such as...

• What would people want to buy from me?
• Which College are my friends attending next year?
• What would my parents think of this?
• Would others laugh at this idea?
• Is this even a good idea?
• Can I make money with this?  If so, how much?

And as we search and research how to be the best person, company or employer the world would like us to be... we fail to look INSIDE OF US and therefore sacrifice our own self-acceptance and self-worth.

Henri Ford is famous for saying the following...

"If I would have asked others what they wanted, they would have said faster horses"

But instead, Henry Ford, believed he could make automobiles accessible to more people by mass producing them.  And so he did... 

The important thing to point out here is that while there's no doubt that Henry Ford, with the success of his Ford empire, changed the world as we knew it... his contribution is no more important than yours.  The impact of each one of our contributions to this world can not be measured by the perception others have of it, but instead only by the fulfillment it brings to the individual in question.  

• If it feels like you are living your purpose (a meaningful life)... you are making tremendous contributions to our world.  No matter how big or small that contribution may seem to others.
• If you feel resentment towards others who appear to be more successful than you... you have yet to discover the fulness of your own purpose.

So perhaps it's now time for you to turn your attention elsewhere... look inside... and discover the Gift you were meant to share with the rest of us.  We can't wait!

The Power is Shifting (once again)

There used to be a time when individuals would not only associate more with their career, it was also their identity, who they were.  There was the local doctor, the mailman, the nurse, the butcher, the baker and many others.  And during those days, everyone seemed to be treating their customers as they would their neighbors.  Of course, in most cases, they literally were.

Then some businesses realized that, by marketing to a larger group of people, more customers would come to their store and buy their product or service.  This meant more money in the bank for those businesses.  And with this extra money, they invested in some more marketing and made advertizing promises to an even higher number of people.  Television, Radio, Newspaper Ads… all of those cost a lot of money and for the people who had some, it meant they’d make even more.  In time, those businesses distanced themselves from the other smaller ones to a point of even being perceived as untouchable.  And for the longest time they were…

This also lead to a new discovery, because “mass media” was only available to the people who had money, those larger businesses realized that even if some of their customers weren’t completely satisfied with the product or service, they wouldn’t be able to tell the other customers.  At least, not on a scale that would prevent enough of them to come buy again from them.  And so quality started to go down while prices went up.  Of course, this meant even higher profits for the select few. 

But then everything changed…

The new century gave rise to a new phenomenon… Social Media. 

Now, because of Social Media and the Internet, we are seeing a shift in the “power to communicate to the masses”.  Today, everyone has access to a much larger network of people with whom they can share their thoughts, frustrations, great experiences and bad experiences.  And if the news is something those people feel is worth sharing, they do exactly that.  Then other people do the same… until, in a matter of minutes, thousands and thousands of people are hearing about it.  And the best thing about it… it’s FREE!

What does this mean for big businesses?

Well for one, it means that it’s now becoming harder for them to get away with their empty promises.  Customers are much more educated, a lot more skeptic and expect more for their money… and how can you blame them?  After being “taken” all those years they are now looking for some redemption.

Now, the question is... how are you going to adapt to this new reality?