You Can't Give What You Don't Have

If someone comes up to you and asks you for, say, a glass of water, then in order for you to be of service you must have at least one thing: water. Sounds simple, huh?

It is simple. Yet it's harder to see things this simply when we look at more abstract concepts like love, compassion, caring, empathy or inspiration.

Many people are trying to "be" more something. They want to be more loving, more caring, more something. Perhaps they want to be more generous, or more patient, or any number of things.

The problem with this, though, is that -- just like the glass of water -- you can't be something unless you have it. You can't offer someone a glass of water unless you have water. You therefore can't offer someone love unless you have love. Or compassion. Or empathy. Or anything.

So -- how do you "be" all of these things? You must start by accepting yourself. You must start by accepting who you are in your totality. Even if there are "parts of you" (which is really not possible -- you exist as a whole, not as a bunch of components like a car or a computer) that you don't like, accept them.

When you start to accept yourself -- and by this I don't mean that you start justifying your bad habits or rationalizing things about yourself that are destructive and harmful -- but when you start to accept yourself as a whole being, you start to cultivate the qualities in you that, indeed, you will want to share.

In fact, you won't really have a choice. Just like a river must share its water when it has too much -- it must overflow onto the banks, it has no choice -- you, too, will overflow with whatever is inside you. It could be love, compassion, enthusiasm -- you name it. It will be the fragrance of your being.

But you must accept yourself to start the transition.

What is Success?

The Secret is kind of like one of those Zen parables that seem remarkably simple on first glance, but reveal layers and layers (and layers and layers) of enhanced meaning the more deeply you allow yourself to explore. I wouldn’t call this “deceptive simplicity” – rather, I’d call it ‘mysterious simplicity” – because the minute you think you’ve figured something out, there’s a whole new level of meaning to play with.

Take, for instance, the whole idea of success. Now, many people gravitating towards The Secret – either consciously or unconsciously – may feel pulled by the idea of “success.” That is, they want success in some part of their life. They want to experience success. They want to celebrate success. That makes sense. Who doesn’t want success?

But…the very idea of this – wanting success – compels us, whether we want to be compelled or not, to address an even more fundamental question: what is success?

Really. Ask yourself. What is it?

Is it a bank balance? Is it “stuff” that you have – cars, homes, other toys? Is it measured on terms of approval, the way that people vote for a politician (ack!). Or is it measured some other way? Is it measured in terms of peace, of awareness, of love?

I can’t answer this question – and I’m not even going to try. It’s not a question for me to answer for you – only YOU can answer it; and that means, you have to sit back, reflect, and really understand what success “is” to you. Otherwise, even if you GET what you think you want – what you think will make you successful – you won’t actually feel like a success. Somewhere deep inside you’ll feel…empty and confused; because that idea of success hasn’t been satisfied.

Spend some time reflecting on this idea, and developing your personal definition of success. Here’s a big, maybe even life-changing hint to get you going in the right direction: pretend that you were the ONLY person on earth. Really. What would success mean to you?

The Secret of Being Miserable

The...what of what what? Yes, you read that right: The Secret of Being Miserable.

Really. Why not? After all, we've spent a lot of space here talking about The Secret DVD; and we'll continue spending a lot of space on it in the future -- especially when the Sequel to the Secret is released.

But right now, we can take a little detour :) from our path and look at something that many of us have in-depth personal experience with in one way or another: the secret of being miserable.

And before you move that mouse cursor over to the "comment" box, let me take the bold step of confirming that, yes, it is a secret; in the sense that it's something so many of us aren't aware of. You could say it's an unhidden secret. But given that so many of us continually overlook it, it's about as well-guarded as any other secret out there. Maybe it's even more well guarded because it's not well guarded at all! In other words, maybe we're expecting some complicated or "deep" answer that requires years and years of meditative inner-exploration.

Well, that's not what we're going to do here. Instead, we're just going to go out and blurt this unhidden, unguarded secret, and hope that the fact that this isn't wildly-complicated isn't a disappointment to you.

Want to know? Are you sure?

Because once you know what this secret is, you're never really going to be able to fully be miserable again. Oh, you may be miserable from time to time -- but it won't go as deep; it won't last as long. And for some people, being miserable is something they've cultivated for years. Saying goodbye to something that you've spent time with for so long -- even something as utterly destructive as chronic misery -- can be difficult. People become accustomed to misery; just as they become accustomed to joy.

Remember, too, please: we aren't talking about sadness, or even despair. Those are, indeed, authentic emotions that are worthy of experiencing in their own way. When we engage injustice, cruelty, loss of life or health, or any kind of suffering, feelings of authentic sadness and empathy can emerge within us. That is not merely "okay" -- that is HUMAN.

Misery, on the other hand, is a really lousy emotion; it's probably the worst one. Because it's not authentic; it's kind of like a by-product. It's like junk food. It seems to taste okay, but it's not nourishing. It just fills you up, but once it's inside you, it actually starts to act quite...unfriendly. Quite violent. Your body doesn't like it, and it doesn't like you. Misery is the same way. Your soul doesn't like misery; it doesn't align with it. It can do nothing with misery. It cannot transform misery into empathy, into compassion, into silence, into stillness, into anything of value. Just like junk food fills you up with "empty calories," misery fills you up with "empty energy." And your soul DOESN'T LIKE empty energy. It has dignity. It wants authentic nourishment.

So...

After reading all of that, are you SURE that you're ready for this? Because, like I said, even if you disagree with what I'm about to share with you -- and by all means, disagree if you want to! -- if even a tiny piece of your soul grabs hold of the truth of this, it will start to change your whole life. Remember: once your soul hears or reads the truth, it can never let go. That is the "characteristic" of authentic, eternal, timeless truth: it sticks to your soul.

Ready?

It's just one word (see, I warned you it was simple.)

And that word is...

Comparison.

Wait. I know what you're thinking: huh? What?

Shouldn't the "magic word" be something more...well, more miserable? Something like "death" or "pain" or "violence" or "greed" or something?

No. The word for today is comparison.

You cannot be miserable without comparison. Remember: we are not talking about sadness. Sadness is something altogether, qualitatively different. Sadness can be (and often is) quite beautiful and poetic. Sadness is a part of the human experience; it is something that MAKES us human.

But as we said, misery is just a lousy "substitute" for sadness; it pretends to be sadness, but it's just empty energetic noise that can ruin your day, your week, your year, your decade -- and for many people, most of their ENTIRE ADULT LIFE.

Think about it. Really. After you "close" this blog, sit back and think about it for yourself. How can you be miserable if you don't compare?

Comparison is the language of the ego. The ego cannot exist unless it is comparison. After all, the ego is obsessed with analysis: with giving names to things, with categorizing them, with pretending that it "knows" what something is, simply because it "knows" what that thing is called. And how can you know something without comparison?

Don't get me wrong. When you decide what to watch on TV, what websites to visit, what car to buy, what home to buy, or even what to name your new cat, you may indeed be comparing -- but that comparison is entirely different than the kind we're talking about here. That comparison is intelligence. It's simply looking at the reality of different things and making an informed decision. There is no suffering in it; there is no poor me story. There is no emotional drama attached to it. You simply choose the option that fits with your requirements, your goals, or whatever else. That's normal; that's healthy.

But when you dwell in comparison -- when you sit and ruminate miserably on what you "could" have that you don't, what your rivals have that you don't, what you could be "if it weren't for a limitation"...then you are entering the realm of misery.

Sound bizarre? Again: don't take my word for it. THINK about it. Reflect on it for as long as you'd like, and then the next time you feel yourself descending into misery, try and give yourself a little "wake up" call and think of this blog. See the mechanism of comparison as it is working in you.

When you see it, something utterly miraculous happens: you are no longer unconscious of it. You become the witness of your own mechanical misery-making machine. And that's the first step towards joy.

Try it. I'd love to hear about your experiences -- please share!

Until tomorrow...

Are You Embracing Change?

One of the enduring aspects of The Secret is, of course, it’s underlying reference to the Law of Attraction (LOA).

And while LOA is quite simple in and of itself – it’s essentially the principle of like attracts like – there are aspects about it that are a bit more sophisticated and quite elegant. Understanding this deeper level will likely help you understand why LOA is working for you or why it ISN’T working for you.

This deeper elegance of LOA is really about the most emotionally-loaded word in the language; and probably, the word most responsible for more creation, more destruction, more love, more hate, more peace, more war, and more everything than anything else.

This word, of course, is change.

Life is not merely “about change” – it is synonymous with change. If the word “life” were to somehow disappear altogether from the English language, it could (and perhaps even should) be replaced by the word ‘change.’

Life cannot be static. Even if it seems to be routine, ritualistic or just plain repetitive at times, this is a perception; not a reality. As old Hereclitis says: you cannot step in the same river twice. He’s right. Change is built into the very fabric of life. It is the raw ingredient from which life is created, expressed, and ultimately, transformed from one form to another.

Now, here’s the thing: since LOA is an aspect of life, this must mean that LOA is an aspect of change. In other words: if you want to benefit from LOA, you must – by definition – accept change as part of your life.

And that, for many people is…well, it’s a problem! Because change means opening up to something new; it means, fundamentally, surrendering yourself to unimagined possibilities. It means letting go of what you think you know, because what you don’t know may very well be the change that needs to come into your life for LOA to “work” in the way that you want.

Let’s look at a practical example to help illustrate this.

Imagine that you’re in a stressful corporate-type job and it’s just becoming an exhaustive, draining, depressing experience. Instead of looking forward to another day on the job, you’re dreading it. And worse, because you’re getting “older” each day, you find yourself with less energy to stay alive (or merely survive) in your unfriendly, political and “left-brain dominated” corporate landscape.

Now, let’s say that you watch The Secret (click the link to get a copy if you haven’t seen it yet) and accept that, yes, LOA could help you free yourself from this knot of corporate pain and start your own home-based business. You may even have a friend or family member who has started their own home-based business, or you may have seen an Internet site or been to a seminar, and so you have an “idea” of what a home-based business could be about: and you want it!

And so you start absorbing and expressing the LOA principles: ask, believe, receive. And you do this with sincere intensity for several weeks, but…nothing happens. Things at work may have even become worse (it’s possible).

What might be happening here?

Paradoxically, the belief that the ONLY way to change your negative work situation is to start a home-based business (of one kind or another) may, actually, be PREVENTING your solution from manifesting itself! In other words: because you are “locked into” solving your problem a certain way, you may be resisting the change that has to take place into your life. You’re basically trying to PRESCRIBE the universe on “how to help you.” You're directing; not accepting.

The universe, fortunately, doesn’t work that way. Can you imagine the tires on a car all “intent” on going in a different direction – even of those different directions were, in themselves, ethical and “good”? The car would come apart. It would be destroyed; and the tires would actually lose far, far more than they gain, because the very vehicle that “drove” them – the body of their being – would be broken and unable to move them anywhere at all.

The message for you today, is to accept that, maybe, the change that has to happen in your life ISN’T what you envision it to be. Yes, your work situation may be a kind of living hell right now (and many work situations certainly are!). But maybe a home-based business isn’t the kind of positive change that you need. Maybe what you need to do is take a class in the evening, or maybe volunteer some of your time, or let something ELSE come into your life that will, ultimately, create a better situation for you. Maybe your workplace will start letting you do more work at home through the Internet.

Or it may be something that you can’t even imagine right now.

Yes, LOA promises that a solution to your problem is “on the way.” Now it’s up to YOU to position yourself to receive that solution. If you become obsessed with receiving only a particular solution – one that “fits” with your vision of what it “should be,” then you will almost certainly miss out on what is meant for you.

Be open, be alert, be welcome, and be aware. Watch how the universe conspires (in the nice way) to CHANGE your situation to the better.

The universe is always – always – focused on positive change. Always.

Embrace change. And then see how LOA “works” FOR you!

Creative vs. Competitive

One of the most interesting -- and important -- aspects of The Secret is this: creativity is not competition. In fact, they're polar opposites.

However, in today's business world (and probably other worlds, too, such as some social worlds and recreation worlds) it's extremely easy to "believe" in the overwhelming power of "scarcity." And that belief drives us to compete, not to create.

One of the reasons that this is so challenging in everyday life, is that we can easily forget just what it means to create, and what it means to compete. In other words: we can, somehow, delude ourselves into thinking that we're creating when we're really competing. During these times -- and they usually happen when we're under stress and unaware of our present moment realities -- we could really use some simple, clarifying pointers to help guide the way. That's what we'll focus on today.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE COMPETING IF...

• you cannot "win" without making someone else "lose"


• your underlying motivation to take action is based on fear


• you are making decisions and/or taking actions that you know are not in alignment with your values -- but you have to "silence" this inner voice


• you cut yourself off from the feeling of what you're doing, and become completely cerebral and "stuck in your head"


• you do not honestly feel good about your accomplishments; instead, you feel empty, guilty or ashamed


• the value of your contribution has actually taken away something from the world -- it may be very small and perhaps nobody will notice, but YOU know


• if you met yourself (really, pretend that you did), you wouldn't be able to look yourself in the eye and clearly describe what you're doing, why you're doing it, and why you don't stop doing it

YOU KNOW YOU'RE CREATING IF...

• you can only win when other people win alongside you


• your motivations are self-generating; instead of "talking yourself into" doing something, you simply ride a wave of authentic enthusiasm that is beyond your power to incite


• you are not obsessed by the outcome of your actions, but powerfully aware that the means and the ends are, in fact, part of the very same contiuum and are "part" of each other (much as the cloud is part of the rain; and the rain is part of the ocean)


• you are open and adjust to reality and to nature; you don't impose your agenda on the world, but instead, embrace and respond to it


• you would do what you're doing regardless of whether anyone was there to applaud, appreciate, or pay you to do it


• if you met yourself, you'd give yourself a great big HUG for being so creative :)

As you can see, the difference between creating and competing is quite vast; it's the difference between a positive contribution and a negative contraction; between giving something fresh and new to the world, or taking something from it; something that could have been divine and celebrated.

Yes, of course, here in our nice friendly blog, it's easy to see the difference: it's day and night, white and black. But "in reality" -- particularly in the business world -- it's so easy to lose this clarity, and to start "moving" that line between what we know to be creative, and what we know to be competitive.

When those moments emerge in your life -- and yes, they will happen; that's the nature of life to test us in many ways -- then please consider coming back to this safe, friendly blog and re-reading this post (you may even want to bookmark it). It could be the clarifying wake-up call that you need to ensure that your path is the creative...not the competitve.

Tomorrow, we'll talk about something that many of you are going to find very, very interesting -- we're going to visit our old pal Charles Darwin, and re-create his so called "survival of the fittest" observation. It's something that will affect many of you and help you really understand whta Darwin meant -- and what it means NOW. Check back tomorrow and see for yourself!

Until then...

Lessons from Nature!

In this Information Age of ours, surrounded by some pretty cool, technically advanced “information sources” (like a blog for instance!), it’s easy to forget that, despite the amazing (and sometimes not-so-amazing) technical toys at our disposal, we’re still, well, PEOPLE. In other words: we’re organic expressions of nature; not mechanical bio-computers, however clever or intelligent we may think ourselves to be.

And because we are, thankfully, organic expressions of nature, we can – if we wish – take a step back from all of our bookmarked blogs, all of our DVDs (yes, this includes The Secret :), all of our workshops and seminars and other tools of learning in the Information Age, and simply re-connect with the source of it all: nature.

Indeed, if you can clearly and openly re-integrated with the natural world – and it could simply be a tree near your home or a lush tropical rainforest – you’ll find sources of information that will truly amaze you, and potentially transform you.

Really, it must be pretty hilarious for trees and rocks and mountains and flowers to listen to us human beings talk about “the Information Age” as if it’s something new. Do we really believe that anything in the world – that is, anything in nature – could exist, AT ALL, without being influenced by an incomprehensibly divine source of information? Information is natural; and, oddly, it seems that the only living things on the planet who don’t seem to grasp this eternal and rather ordinary fact, are human beings.

No wonder cats look at us like we’re…well, kind of stupid. We are!

Now, the point of this blog isn’t to remind us that we’re…stupid…but instead to invite you to take some time (how about today? How about right NOW?) and step back from your familiar sources of information: the Internet, your Secret DVD, your CDs, your books…whatever you learn from, and go outside and co-exist with something that has a more pure, more integrated connection with the SOURCE of information. In other words: go hang out for a while with a tree, or a rock, or a stream, or a flower.

And when you do, if you simply open yourself up – just as a flower or blade of grass is open and inviting – you’ll experience something…rather difficult to put into words. But I’ll try to put it in words, anyways (since a blank blog would be a bad idea…or maybe not?). You’ll experience insights, connections, clarity, spaciousness, and stillness that will nourish your information-starved soul. You’ll see elements in your own life, and the lives of those around you, that reveal themselves as patterns: which means that you can change them by changing something that you’re doing, or, more likely, the way that you’re doing it.

I know, I know. It sounds weird and “out there” and, really, who is out there marketing for “tree learning”? I mean, people sell all kinds of things – books, seminars, even Secret DVDs. But who is selling “hanging out with a tree”?

Just because nobody’s selling it to you, doesn’t mean that it’s worthless. In fact, it’s invaluable; and YOU have the potential to tap into that invaluable current of REAL information…not just knowledge and endless streams of thoughts and words. I’m talking clarity, insight and vision. THAT is information. THAT is what “informs” us.

So make an effort – a small effort, really, considering the other things you do in your busy life – and go hang out with something natural. A lake, a shrub, a tree…it doesn’t matter. Anything. Everything. The SKY.

Information does not belong to an “age.”

Information is your very nature…and it’s in nature still. We’ve forgotten.

The rocks, trees, flowers…and yes, the cats, still remember. So can you. So will you!

A wonderful Self Help ebook - Gratis

A wonderful Self Help ebook – Gratis.

Now and then we have in our hands some great Personal Development e-books and tools to give away to our readers.

Here is an old classics that I can give, free, to any one who visits this page.

This book has been used as the foundation for many hundreds of self help/personal development programs, books, seminars etc etc etc.

Despite the old fashioned writing, it is still very relevant today.

Please enjoy,

(You are welcome to send it to your friends!)

Richie.

Global Secrets International

http://www.the-secret-dvd.net/

http://www.4lifeselfhelp.com/

The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D Wattles

Rhonda Byrne used this book as her inspiration for The Secret

When you read The Science of Getting Rich, written almost a century ago, you will soon realize that the producers of The Secret used this book as their inspiration for the film.

Bob Proctors program The Science of Getting Rich Seminar is based entirely on the Wallace Wattles book as well.

Although the old-fashioned language and expressions are sometimes a little difficult to understand, it is well worth the read. Certainly you can surely ignore the use of the masculine gender. Mr. Wattles himself makes it clear that the book applies equally to men and women alike. Also too, may we suggest that you take from the mentions of God, and the Christian examples cited, the essence of their meaning. Apply these learnings by thinking of your higher power, whether it be God, Jehovah, Buddha, Supreme Being, the Universe, the Great Spirit or whatever you feel comfortable with.

Normally we include ‘The Science of Getting Rich’ ebook with every purchase from our website but for my blog readers, I would like to offer this for free.

Click here for your copy of The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D Wattles

A ‘Secret’ message to a friend.

After a wonderful break over the Christmas, New Year period I am back on board and ready to start the new wonderful year ahead.

What better way than to start with a new video that we have just made.

Inspired by The Secret movie, my partner Anneli has designed some beautiful e-cards that you can use to send a message to your friends. Pass on your love, friendship, happiness or say thank you to a friend or loved one. Show them that you are inspired or motivated by them, or let them know that they really can achieve their dreams by following their heart.

These e-cards are free to use, please enjoy them.

Check out the video below and then go to Free Secret e-cards.

Make someone smile today.

Here's to an awesome 2008.

Richie.

A ‘Secret’ message to a friend.

How to beat Procrastination

"Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment. "

~Robert Benchley

Does this sound like you?

Here is an article written by my mother Winsome (who also writes for our Secret Website) who has, in the past been a famous procrastinator in my circle of family and friends. They are very simple suggestions about how to deal with procrastination, but are very effective.

Sit down at the start of the day and set your priorities...........Read on.

Procrastination 101 - Don’t do it Now – Put it on Your List

Do you have a “To Do” list?

Do you constantly have trouble completing your “To Do” list?

Here are some of the BEST hints I’ve ever heard about how to tackle something that seems to be innate in most humans – Procrastination!

If you are really well organised, get things done in a timely manner, and do NOT have a huge undoable list called:
“LIST OF THINGS TO DO”,
then don’t waste your time reading this

Procrastination………I am really well qualified to write on this topic, because I have been known to not only have a list of things to do, but in that same list I have even written – ‘read this list’.

I mean to say …….

I am happy to report that I am getting over this ‘List Addiction’
If this strikes a cord with you, then I have discovered the best hint ever. I am not kidding; this has really helped me….

Procrastinate no longer.

We are nearly all aware these days of the importance of goal setting.
You may have read about the recent Harvard study of a class of young men, a generation ago now. Some of whom wrote very clear goals, and some of them didn’t. I don’t think I need to spell out the outcome 40 years later….

So you probably have goals, I hope you do; and have even written them down. We know that goal setting and being very focused about our dream is crucial.
But while you are busy, busy with a list of ‘Things To Do’, a list often of trivial things, you are not really focusing at all.

So what is the BEST hint for Procrastinators?
This is it. From today’s list of things to do – PRIORITISE, look at those tasks and put them in order of importance.
Start with Number 1 and do it until it is done. Then and only then can you allow yourself to move on to Number 2.

Prioritise – what does that really mean?
It means put at the top of the list the MOST IMPORTANT things that will lead you towards your goal.
And all those silly little tasks you put on your list that are easy to do, and that don’t move you directly towards our goal – down to the bottom of the list they go.
It means things like – don’t go checking your emails every 5 minutes to see if something new has arrived, no nipping out for a coffee every so often, instead of doing another task.

It also means doing the important things and NOT the ‘urgent things’. It means not jumping to fill in a survey that was sent to you, or fixing up something for the person who shouts the loudest. It means not putting off something that seems a bit uncomfortable – just get on with it.

Once you start, then you will see what the next step will be.

Bonus Hint Number 2

"To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing." ~Eva Young

If there is a 2 minute job (or less) that pops up – do it NOW.
That’s it, that’s all. Don’t put it on the list to look at over and over again. Just get it out of the way now – and out of your head so that it doesn’t take up valuable space.

Now you will have some time to really work on getting clear about your goals.

"Procrastination is something best put off until tomorrow." ~Gerald Vaughan

This quote is a little rude so I have put it at the bottom of this blog. It made me laugh though:

"Procrastination is like masturbation. At first it feels good, but in the end you're only screwing yourself." ~Author Unknown