This week I seem to be aware of about ten different paths or programs or challenges or number of days that I could be joining in with, to benefit myself as a human being and also the readers of this blog and the participants in my workshops and groups. They range from the Philosopher’s Notes 50 Day Challenge, to Escaping Mediocrity’s 30 Days to Changing Your Game to Darren Rowse’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog (that I’ve been on and off doing for ages – Darren, it’s brilliant – maybe I just don’t want it to end!).

My post yesterday, where I talked about Shadow Artists was, of course, only one version of ‘my story’ – a story of struggle and what was missing. The way we tell our personal stories – to others and to ourselves – has a great impact on how we go forward in our lives; whether that story is empowering or whether it keeps us stuck in an endless loop, doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over.

“…we’re always at a new edge, there’s always that new frontier that we’re exploring and that comes with a certain level of tension, it comes with a certain level of anxiety at times and doubt at times, and that’s a good thing… celebrate the challenges rather than think they shouldn’t be there.”

It’s day 27 of the Prosperity Experiment and I just couldn’t help it spilling over into this blog . The exercise today is to let yourself free on a Rampage of Appreciation. Just let it all out – all the things you’re grateful for, all that you love, everything that gives you joy or make you feel bliss…. HAVE FUN with it!!! Enjoy. Once you get going, who knows if you’ll be able to stop… Here’s a wonderful example in motion of such a Rampage:

Today is the last day of the Virtual Zen Retreat with wonderful Mary Jaksch and her team – thank-you so much Mary.

And I can’t help but want to share this wonderful and inspiring video from Brother David Steindl-Rast that Mary shared earlier today – pass it forward… and help make a few more people a few degrees happier today!

“Ha ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha! Do you like my evil laugh?” (from me to Hugh MacLeod on Facebook)

I’ve been playing games all this week. Well, no, when I haven’t been coping with our poorest cash flow week this year, and working until 2 or 3am every night, I’ve been playing games. It’s funny how life manifests in extremes sometimes.

It’s been one of those weeks where the subject of money has come up time and time again in my own personal life and in the lives of just about everyone I’ve spoken to it seems. There’s a general sense of there not being enough to go round… it all seems a bit serious and fraught and not much fun at all.

Recently, as is so often the case, the issues that come up in coaching sessions with my clients are also the ones that I’m also finding challenging in my own experience. So, as the long school holidays kicked in (12 weeks here in Spain!) and I had to completely re-assess my daily schedule, it was no surprise that time management and productivity came up with clients too.

Thanks to Brian and his team at Philosopher’s Notes for these great books full of inspirations. Get your Wisdom On!

You reap what you sow….

1. “Whenever you feel ‘short’ or in ‘need’ of something, give what you want first and it will come back in buckets. That is true for money, a smile, love, friendship. I know it is often the last thing a person may want to do, but it has always worked for me. I just trust that the principle of reciprocity is true, and I give what I want.”
   Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert t. Kiyosaki

For at least the last 18 months, I’ve been making a conscious effort to change my ‘Money Consciousness’. For as long as I remember, I’ve been ‘bad with money’. I’ve always pushed money, often spending beyond my means, either by taking short term loans or getting into debt, as I’ve always been determined to do whatever I want to do in life, to live as full a life as possible – despite my bank balance. Depending on what literature you read, this can be a ‘good thing’.