When Something Bad Happens

As I begin this 4-part series today, I want to make sure you notice that the saying above is not, "IF bad things happen..." but, instead it is, "WHEN something bad happens...".

Friend, as bad as this may sound it is a fact of life that the longer you live you WILL experience something "bad" happening in your life. That's just part of being alive. Many of you have already experienced bad things happening in your life and, for some of you, maybe even too early in your life.

As I put this together there were many tornadoes that ripped through parts of our country last week that destroyed the lives of many people due to destruction and/or death. Storms come and go in our lives and it's not always the kind of storm that is defined by wind and rain.

As we go through this 4-part discussion we will ask ourselves if we will let these episodes in our lives DEFINE us, DESTROY us or STRENGTHEN us. For those of you that either have been or ARE going through bad times, what impact is it having on your life? Are you handling it - did you handle it - in a way that you wanted to? Hey, don't get me wrong - NO ONE wants anything bad to happen in their life, right? But, again, it is a fact that these things WILL come and we DO have a choice as to how we handle them.

Before we get into this whole discussion let me first of all say that I am NOT here to judge anyone on how they have handled or are handling a crisis in their lives. Too many people find it too easy to do just that - lay down "judgment" on something that they, themselves, either are not going through or have never gone through OR think everyone should handle the way that THEY handled it in their own situation.

We are all different! We all work through and handle things differently. This series is simply designed to be a means of encouragement to those that have been or are going through tough times due to "bad" things happening. It is also meant to be a way to encourage us all to PREPARE for these times before they arrive!

A football team (or any sports team) does not wait until the start of a game to prepare for that game. They begin their preparation MONTHS and MONTHS before that game is even scheduled to take place. The time for us to prepare ourselves for the "storms" that WILL come into our lives is NOT when the wind is trying to blow our door down!

The time to prepare is NOW. And, friend, if you've been there, I'd love to hear from you. I'd love you to share your story with me. I won't use any part of it unless you give me permission to do so, but you may just want to share with me, alone. I'd love to hear from you.

Remember, it's not IF but WHEN. Sure, it'd be great to avoid all things "bad" that may come along the way but, then again, we'd miss out on a lot of good as well.

Think about it and join me again tomorrow.

Until then, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

There is HOPE!

"As long as there is breath, there is hope!"

It's hard to believe, but it has been three years since I first began doing my podcast back on March 2, 2009. And, the very first podcast I did was focused on another of my catch phrases that I use as often as I can - it's the phrase that you see just below the image above... "As long as there is breath, there is hope!" 

What message is more needed today - RIGHT NOW - than a message of hope? We live in a world - not just in our own country, but the WORLD - that seems to increasingly lose sight of hope. Desperation, depression, discouragement, doubt and defeat. This is NOT the life of a winner and it is NOT the life that was designed for you to live!

I do believe that even in the midst of dire situations one can find HOPE. I do believe that it is imperative that one DOES find hope in such situations!

Several years ago I was in a defeated state of mind. I had applied for several jobs that I was qualified to fill and usually had not problem in getting. However, I kept running into roadblocks and, at the time, I had no idea why. One night after receiving another phone call telling me that I did not get the position applied for, I lay in bed with tears in my eyes and told my wife, "I have lost all hope." That's right - I was WAY down and honestly felt that all hope was gone. Thank God for women like my wife who replied, "Mike, if we lose hope, what do we have?"

THAT'S RIGHT! If we lose hope, what do we have? I can answer that for you - NOTHING!

This is why people that feel that they have lost all hope many times feel that they have nothing to live for and, often, attempt and sometimes succeed in taking their own lives.

LISTEN TO ME - as long as you are ALIVE...as long as you are BREATHING - THERE IS HOPE! Regardless of how "dark" things may seem and no matter how "hopeless" your life and situation may seem. God has given you the ability to THINK, REASON and ACT upon those thoughts and your reasoning.

Know this - it likely will NOT be a speedy process but you CAN and MUST understand that you CAN and MUST start taking steps TODAY to make changes in your life. It may be simply making changes on what you allow into your mind - get rid of the negative and replace it with the positive! It may be you changing the way you interact with your family or your coworkers or whoever it may be TODAY. Start TODAY! Don't try to do it all at once, but start making changes NOW.

You are breathing, you are alive and you are ABLE to do what it takes to change the direction that your life is headed at this time. "As long as there is breath there is HOPE!"

There is likely someone out there waiting for YOU to impact their life in a powerful and positive way. Who? I have no idea. When? Again, I have no idea. But here's the key - neither do YOU! But you never know who you will come into contact with that needed your smile or kind word.

Dictionary.com lists this as the first definition for the word "hope" - "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best".

Whatever you do, NEVER GIVE UP! Whatever you do, NEVER GIVE UP HOPE!

Why? Once again, without hope, you have nothing and, my friend, you have EVERYTHING to live for, to work for, to love for when you have HOPE!

Get it? Got it? Good!

Thanks for being a part of Future You University - especially those of you that have been with me over the past three years. And, for those of you that are "newcomers" - I encourage you to stay with me and let me hear from you. I love getting feedback from my readers/listeners.

Whatever you do, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

The Campus of Your Mind

Remember: Today is "Thankful Thursday"...make a list and EXPRESS your thanks today!

Yesterday I began discussing the first part of one of my catch phrases that I say at the start of every podcast, "Your greatest education takes place on the campus of your mind." and, today I will discuss - you guessed it - the 2nd half of this phrase.

We've talked about the fact that your greatest education (mine, yours, EVERYONE'S) is the education that we get by living life each and every day. Now it is important for us to spend a few minutes talking about the "library" that is part of this education - the library that is located on the campus of our mind.

I have discussed on more than one occasion how important it is for us to pay close attention to what we allow in our minds. It has an impact on whether we have a POSITIVE or a NEGATIVE attitude or mindset. Obviously, if we allow positive influence in we will have a positive attitude/mindset and, if we have a negative influence we will have a negative attitude/mindset. Simple, huh?

However, as simple as that is there are so many of us that continue to allow negative influences into our minds and then wonder why we can't seem to make any headway on approaching life with a positive mindset. 

IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

Have you ever heard of your car being a "university on wheels"? This phrase has been used many times to emphasize the fact that, while we are driving we can take advantage of that time by listening to tapes, CD's, mp3's of powerful information by such people as Jim Rohn, Bob Proctor, Zig Zigler and Mike Spillman....yeah, I had to throw my name in there too! 

Why spend time listening to negative news that will likely do nothing but get you discouraged and depressed? Why listen to negative news that seems to focus on "the sky is falling" mentality?

Hey, it's YOUR library. It's YOUR education. It's YOUR curriculum. How's it working out for you?

Remember, it's NOT the certificate on the wall but it IS what you learn on how to navigate through LIFE and keep yourself positive and focused as well as having this positive impact on all that you come into contact with each and every day.

Get your education and then become a TEACHER!

And, as you do so, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike           pocast on iTunes         podcast RSS feed

Your GREATEST Education

This is "Wide-Open Wednesday"...experience the EXCITEMENT of 

today's POSSIBILITY for YOU!

Following the process that I have done over the past two blogs and podcasts, I want to continue today by talking about another one of my "catch phrases" - this is one that you hear at the start of each of my podcasts: "Your greatest education takes place on the campus of your mind."

What do you think of when you read or hear the word, "education"? Most of us would think of an image like the one you find with this blog or, maybe, you have an image of a large building with large columns out front. You may even think about that certificate hanging on the wall of your doctor, lawyer or even your own wall that has a lot of letters following the name on that certificate.

Hey, can I be blunt? (Like I really need to ask your permission, right? Maybe I'm just giving fair warning that it's coming.) I've met a LOT of very DUMB "intellectual" people and I've also met a lot of SMART "uneducated" people - haven't you?

Sure, one may have a higher I.Q. than the other and one may do better on some sort of test than another but, let's get real here - education does NOT have to be confined to the classroom! As I discuss the first half of this catch phrase, I want to take a moment to consider that your GREATEST education is the education that you gain by living LIFE - each and every day.

We've all heard of the "school of hard knocks" and, there is a lot of TRUTH in that phrase, isn't there? You've likely also heard that "common sense is not so common" and, my guess is, you've likely seen that demonstrated by some of those around you as well.

LIFE IS TOUGH! There are "ups" and there are "downs" and, if you live long enough you realize that life goes in cycles with these ups and downs. So, as we continue to live and gain experience through these ups and downs we learn how to HANDLE these and how to pull through to the other side. The "low times" don't stay around for ever and, just as important for us to realize, the "high times/good times" don't always last forever either!

As we experience these things and go through life we should no longer be surprised or shocked at the cyclical nature of life, right? BUT HOW MANY STILL ARE and how many are still unprepared for this fact of life? Some people NEVER learn! 

Yeah, that's right - they FAIL in their education of life!

When I discuss the second half of this phrase I will talk about the importance of what we put in our minds and how it relates to making it through this cycle, so be sure to come back for that. But for now - ARE YOU LEARNING EVERY SINGLE DAY?

Each day is WIDE OPEN (yeah, I'm going back to the "tag line" for today) for us to absorb as much as we can. There is so much available for us... so many people just waiting to teach us a lesson. Wow, I'm sure when you just read that it may have struck you in a negative way. We don't like the idea or phrase, "I'm here to teach you a lesson" because it's usually some sort of threat. 

THINK ABOUT IT! If we will but open our eyes to the people that we come across each and every day we will realize (IF we open our eyes and are willing to see and learn) what a great opportunity we have to LEARN from so many....an endless and continuous supply!

Will you take advantage of this education? ARE YOU taking advantage of this education? If not, why not?

No, you won't necessarily get a certificate on your wall with your name on it and a bunch of letters behind it but you WILL be well educated in one of the toughest subjects that we ALL "take" - LIFE!

Again, be sure to join me tomorrow for the second half of this phrase as I discuss the importance of the "library" that we have in our mind. 

As always, be sure to listen to the podcast that goes along with this (iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 or my RSS feed - http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml )

The opportunity for your greatest education awaits you TODAY...live and learn and, until next time, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

YOU Decide!

It's "Turn-Around Tuesday"...what are YOU waiting for?

Get after it and TURN THINGS AROUND!

Yesterday I shared information behind my specific intentions with my catch phrase, "Make it an AWESOME Day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)" and then focused on the first part of that phrase - "Make Today AWESOME!".

So, guess what? Yup, you got it...I'm going to spend some time discussing the second half and encourage you to decide - YOU decide - to make it awesome!

I said it in the podcast and I said it in a "round-about way" in yesterday's blog - if you're waiting for someone to make you happy or to make your day, week, month, year or life AWESOME then, friend, you're going to be waiting for a very long time.

Again, don't get me wrong - I DO understand that there are people and even events or things that can bring happiness into our lives. But DO NOT MISS THIS POINT - you do not have to rely on other people or other things to be happy!

Do some people, pets and activities ADD TO our happiness and even give us a better quality of life? ABSOLUTELY! But, you can still be happy and you can STILL make your days AWESOME even if these things aren't present in your life at the moment.

It's a choice.Wow, like you've never heard me say THAT before, right?

Think about it - even the daily "tag" for today ("Turn-Around Tuesday") emphasizes this very idea. Stop WAITING, stop WHINING and stop EXPECTING someone else to do everything for you! Stop waiting/whining/expecting someone else to make your life better for you. Stop waiting/whining/expecting for the government to provide for you! (Again, I DO understand that there are situations that may require some of that help - but too many people are waiting, whining and expecting.) Have I made THAT point clear enough yet? :)

That's right - YOU have the ability to make the necessary changes in your life to make your day and life full of AWE. You.

Thank God for those people and occurrences that bring joy to your life but STOP waiting for those people/places/things to be what makes you happy.

Now, let's look at this from another practical side...if you are UNHAPPY and feel that your life is void of anything AWESOME and you are waiting for that special "someone" to make you happy (yeah, I've actually heard people say that EXACT phrase, "I wish I could find someone to make me happy!") then, guess what? You likely won't be the type of person that's going to attract anyone! Blunt, but true! You will come across as NEEDY because you ARE needy if this is how you approach life. You NEED someone else to make you happy.

Are you kidding me?

So, pure and simple - you want to be happy? YOU DECIDE! You want your day/week/month and year to be AWESOME? YOU DECIDE!

Need I say more? Nope.

Be sure to listen to the podcast on this topic (iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-spillmans-future-you/id423660739 or my RSS feed -  http://mikespillman.hipcast.com/rss/futureyouuniversity.xml ) and, as you continue down this path of personal development and improvement be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"
Mike