In a recent episode from my radio show, Uplift Your Life: Nourishment of the Spirit, my guest, Red Goldstein, and I explored how his innovative system, SpiritPoint, can help you balance and transform your life. He developed his system for himself and now wants others to benefit. Red expressed so beautifully how he took a soul-crushing experience and turned it into success. At 30 he was doing work he loved as a jewelry designer in the family business, but he wanted to know what his path was to eventual ownership. When he got the devastating news that ownership wasn’t an option, he felt lost. But, as Red put it, God intervened. His neighbor saw potential in him that Red didn’t see in himself. That led to a job at Merrill Lynch and a successful career. At that turning point in his life, Red used the skills he had developed in the jewelry store and transferred them to his new career and his life. He learned from his family how to listen to the customer and provide good service. In a supportive environment at Merrill Lynch, he was able to continue to grow. One of the things that helped him the most was engaging more spiritually. He prayed a lot to find the strength and relied on God to help him but not to do it for him. Red believed God helps those who help themselves. So he took inventory, like he learned to do in the store, and looked at everything in his life. Over the next two years, Red developed his SpiritPoint system, proving again that it isn’t what happens to you, it’s how you respond that matters.
Dr. Paula’s Tip of the Week
In each blog, I share a tip for the week from my e-book, 33 Tips for Self-Empowerment. I wrote this book because when you are self-empowered, you are connected to your limitless higher self, the wiser part of yourself, the part that knows the Truth of who you are. Your tip for this week is: Be positive! The person we judge the most is ourselves. Listen for the ways in which you criticize yourself and others. When you think or hear a negative thought, turn it into a positive. For instance, replace “I’m stupid.” with “I know a lot of things.” Remember, our true nature is love. Begin by loving yourself.
Dr. Paula’s Silver Lining Story
There are two silver lining stories this week. The first one is about a client who took a short break from our work together. I remember when I was in counseling and my therapist would tell me not to take a break. I don’t do that with my clients. I think it’s important they be self-directed. Our healing is in our own hands and we must be open and ready or else we’re wasting our time and money. Last week I received this note from her: “I’m ready to work on some things again. I’ve really been getting a lot out of the Buddhism classes, so I’m feeling okay, but I know I’m not where I want to be yet. Your process works, so I’d like to see if I can make some more progress.” Taking a break was the right course of action for her. She made good use of her time to grow in other areas and to integrate and absorb all the work we had done together. Now we’re doing some deeper work and her next level of healing is progressing because she was ready.
My second story is about me. Last week I did the show from my son’s house. I was there with my grandchildren while my son and his wife were taking a well-deserved vacation. As I was talking with Kac, my son’s dog was sitting on the couch next to me quietly keeping me company. It was as if he knew that Kac was there. I always love it when the Universe does a much better job planning things for me than I could ever do on my own. The backstory here is that just before my Thanksgiving visit to my son and his family, Kac Young was on my show to talk about how to train a dog with compassion and kindness, much like you would raise a child. Having never had a dog, I’ve always been a little uncomfortable around dogs, especially big dogs, like my son’s golden retriever. At my Thanksgiving visit, he was just a pup and still teething. This gave me an opportunity to apply the ideas I had just learned from Kac and to avoid the mistakes that I had made previously. Having gotten off to a good start with their puppy, I was able to continue to grow a positive relationship with him. When I booked Kac for the April 12th show, I had no idea I would be with the dog. The Universe worked things out, though, sending me another sign that I am being guided and taken care of in small and big ways. Sometimes the messages are subtle and seemingly inconsequential unless you choose to pay attention and see the blessing. Some might say it was just a coincidence and how could I possibly see God within such an unimportant event. The truth is that if we are looking, we realize that God is in every experience, big or small, sad or happy, painful or joyful. The more we see the silver linings and blessings within everything, the more miraculous life becomes. We can choose to focus on the positive or the negative. When we see the small blessings and gifts, it prepares us to receive bigger ones. I enjoyed the show with Kac even more than I normally do because I saw the synchronicity and felt the gratitude.
Marian Stephens’ Story
Dr. Paula often talks of synchronicity which intrigues me, but the way it is present in my life eluded me until this show. I have felt that each show and its teachings have been timely and appropriate regarding the difficulties I face, but this is the first time I have felt the content of the show and what happened in my day were intrinsically connected. My family is beginning a “wrap around” program for my eldest son who has schizoaffective disorder and developmental delays. As I have been progressing with my healing journey, I have been searching for ways for my family to heal and came across this program. It is intensive and will require dedication and a considerable time commitment from every family member, including my new husband; so I want to ensure that it will be worth it. Our first team meeting consisting of our social worker, therapist, my son, husband, and both my parents was scheduled for a few hours after Red Goldstein’s show. While listening to the program, I was worried that I was not doing the right thing. Then, Dr. Paula shared her tip of the week, be positive, and I knew this show was going to be exactly what I needed. Uplift Your Life: Nourishment of the Spirit and the wrap around program perfectly complement each other; it is no coincidence that I found this program after beginning to work with Dr. Paula.
Red Goldstein suggests taking neutral aspects of life, such as household chores, and turning them into positives – household chores create a beautiful home. He also encourages listeners to allow others to guide and motivate you in the choices you make for yourself. As I found out in the team meeting, the basis of the program is to find the positive in our lives and focus on that. Learning to stay positive in the present moment by letting go of past conflict is essential to creating a harmonious household. I realized that I tend to hold grudges – not being able to let things slide throughout the day until I have worked myself into an angry, resentful state of mind. If I want to be truly mindful I must allow myself to experience negative emotions, let go, then find and focus on the positive that is in each moment. My husband naturally finds the positive in the ordinary as Red suggests, and I am going to lean on him for positive energy when frustrated. It is amazing how quickly my children follow my lead when I intentionally elevate my mood with positivity, and this changes the entire dynamic of our home.
Dr. Paula asked listeners to determine in which areas of their life they want to have more satisfaction and happiness. The first goal I want to work on in the wrap around program is learning to have fun as a family. This sounds basic, but we have not had an easy few years; and I have lost faith that we can truly enjoy each other. If I choose to focus on the positive aspects of our interactions, I believe I can find happiness and joy in our times together.
Dr. Paula’s Life Coaching Response
Marian, I love your insights and your determination to create more positivity in your family. Being grateful for everything in your life is the best antidote for negative thinking. If something happens that you don’t like, look for the learning. Commit to seeing your life as an opportunity to grow in knowledge and wisdom and character. If you’re having trouble finding something to be grateful for, look for the gifts of increased strength, patience, compassion, empathy and forgiveness. The more you do this, the more you will discover good things coming into your life. There is always something to be grateful for, including, and especially, the gift of life.
For more shows on creating happiness and balance, please listen to:
- Create a Happy Life with Carol Merlo
- Being Awake and Fully Alive with Carra Bradley
- The Four Purposes of Life: Finding Meaning and Direction in a Changing World with Dan Millman
FREE CHAPTER, THE ULTIMATE CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS, FROM MY BEST-SELLING BOOK, NOTHING BUT NET
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