MaXIMIze - The Maze is in the Mouse

I just finished reading two must-read books this week - Dale Carnegie's "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" and Deepak Malhotra's "I Moved Your Cheese."

We all know in our hearts that worry doesn't solve anything. It just robs the present of its pleasures AND our attention. It can also take our health and vitality from us if we let focus on it instead of letting go and living in the present.

If you feel yourself going down the dark path of worry, stop, breathe, and ask yourself what is truly the worst thing that can happen. To get to this determination - what is truly the worst that could happen - focus on the if/then - IF this happens, or better yet, if I do this, THEN this is the likely consequence - the likely REALISTIC consequence.

Then, ask yourself why that potential consequence scares you so much. Worry is a direct relation to Fear, and if we face Fear head on, we lessen its power over us.

Then, turn your focus to the flip side - what is the BEST that can happen from the situation.

And, somewhere in-between the two, is the most likely, most realistic outcome of the situation.

Just for today. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. Today - this moment - the present. That is where our focus needs to be.

Yesterday is done and gone. Tomorrow is not yet here. Focus on the here and now, not on the there and then.

These are the lessons I am most strongly reminded of from Dale Carnegie's book.

The second book is a rejoinder, a sort of retort if you will, to the now-classic "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson. And, it is where the title of this blog came from - the maze is in the mouse. A very deep thought to ponder indeed, and a strong reminder that we need to be willing to ask those tough questions - Why? being the toughest sometimes - of not only others, but more importantly ourselves - AND to be willing to dig deep for the answers. True change comes from within - within organizations and from within individuals before that.

We as individuals need to acknowledge and accept that our perception of the way things are is likely not REALITY - it may be our reality, but it is not the REALITY - and to be willing to let go of our reality in order to see the REALITY. Only by doing that on an individual level, can we truly effect change at a collective level - whether that be organizationally, societally, or both.

Reading "I Moved Your Cheese" was a Zen moment, a deep AH-HA moment for me.

Couple these with meeting and talking with Joe Ben Jr. and Zach Ben, two artists who create sand paintings and are medicine people from the Dine people (Navajo Nation), about how to truly effect change in ourselves and our communities (HINT: it is not simply by protesting, folks - as Gandhi said, you must be the change you want to see in the world), it was an amazing weekend!

What is the perception you need to acknowledge and let go of in order to be the change you wish to see in the world?

Until next time, NAMASTE!

MaXIMIze - Just for Today

As we are now in April, which is National Poetry Month, and which has a challenge of writing 30 poems in 30 days, for today's coaching post I'm sharing with you what came forth when I focused on the thought "Just for Today."

Just for today - you are enough, you do enough, you have enough
Just for today - believe in yourself, believe in your words, just believe
Just for today - be your dreams, be your prayers, just be
Just for today - whatever you are called to do, do it
Just for today - whatever you are called to be, be it
Just for today - stand in the truth that is you - own that truth, live that truth
Just for today - namaste, namaste, namaste!

I know this is not a usual poetry form, however, it fit the thoughts that came with "Just for Today." As long as we stay in the present, we can do what needs to be done, Just for Today. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, so why not focus on Just for Today?

Until next time, Namaste!