​As we prepare to tidy up and enrich ourselves on these last 5 sets of Two Little Words, in today’s post, I am asking for you to take a very big leap of faith.
 
For you see, today’s short post is really more about tomorrow’s longer post.
 
However, tomorrow’s post is based on today’s post.
 
Got it?
 
Good.
 
Here’s the leap that I need you to take today:
 
At some point in your life, preferably now, I’d like for you to change the meaning of the word "reminder" for you, your family, your friends, and everyone we know.
 
After today, instead of thinking of the word “reminder” as a prompt, cue, recap, or helpful tool to help you remember something, I’d like for you to deconstruct and repurpose the word "reminder" and subsequently see it as “re-MIND-er”.
 
Expanding on this concept…
 
To help change the world into a community of optimistic realists, I sincerely need you and everyone we know to get better at purposefully removing certain things from our minds… and then replacing those things with something entirely different.
 
     I want to release what is there (in your MIND)...
 
          …and then I want to install something different.
 
As we clear up our thoughts, thanks, and those things thereafter, I want to re-MIND your way of thinking into something, somehow, and some way in which you have never THOUGHT possible.
 
Yes… I want to serve as your re-MIND-er.
 
If you concur, please read on…
 
First, let’s preview and agree on this:
 
No matter what people say to you… it’s just data.  

It’s facts, figures, fibs, flagrant fabrications, and fantastic fantasies that are rarely ever true.  Interestingly enough, when people say bad things about other people, nothing really changes.  So why say bad things about other people?  In fact, why say bad things about anything?  Wouldn’t it be better to accept people for who they are… while making yourself better than you were?  

Better yet: Wouldn’t it be best to see the world from an optimistically realistic point of view?  If we can, indeed, do this, we can plan for the worst, and hope for the best. And as long as we have hope, we have the wealth of "we" and what "we" could be. This is The Ideal.
 
Secondly, if you have missed a few days in this series, or if you have missed one, two, or a few of the Two Little Word  combinations, and you’d like to review the first 35 Two Little Words, HERE’S A LINK to the entire series preceding today's post, Day #36. Take your time, and read through them; relax.  
 
Lastly, I will reiterate the meaning and implication of the term re-MIND-er;
 
It’s all about setting and re-setting the mind… your mind… your mindset.
 
You, my friend, have an unlimited power to change your mind.
 
And as I have previously said, you are the most important person in the world… when it comes to you.
 
You are also the most POWERFUL person in the world… when it comes to you.
 
The purpose of this particular post is to help you see a different point of view.  

However, this specific post is merely a request with a very specific guide.  On the path of life, you are the driver.  You control the direction, the speed, and the ultimate destination.  As you create and re-create your path ahead, please remember this:  When we increase the number and associated percentage of happy thoughts in our minds (when we set our MIND up with a full tank of happier thoughts and plans), we are much more likely to select a happy thought when we reach into the far recesses of our mind for a solid solution to an unhappy situation in our lives.  
 
                Re-MIND YOURSELF today…
 
You’re going to need a whole new mindset for tomorrow’s post.
 
Aloha,
John
 
Forgive. Focus. Find. Accept. Adapt. Achieve. ®   

Reaching back to my previous I DARE YOU series, today, I'd like to follow up on yesterday's Two Little Words to SLOW DOWN by referencing something we ALL need to do.

Have you ever coordinated a grand event like a spectacular wedding, an annual military ball, or a large regional or national conference?  Such an event takes massive planning, tremendous work… and, in the end, sometimes it takes sheer willpower and a whole lot of negotiating the right way with the right people to get the job done the way you originally planned.  In any event (that’s a pun), regardless of what happens – or what doesn’t happen – masterminding a major event requires an overall sense of commitment, communication, and, above all, an expert ability to focus intently on the issues… and yet quickly dial back your point of view, depending on the plan, the problem, and the people.
  
Today, I bring you twos words: STOP HERE.
 
For most people, the word “stop” simply means to cease the particular activity; to halt and discontinue all operations.  The two-word title of yesterday’s e-note was “Slow Down.”  And the main point of the e-note implied an almost fatalistic mentality.  In fact, I wrapped up the e-note with these words:
 
“We are where we need to be, when we need to be there.  We’ll get there when we get there.”
 
To be sure, those statements are true.  However, they are far from fatalistic.
 
Actually, I altered the e-note from Day 34 at the last minute (literally).  My original texts under the Slow Down title are more about judging than speed.  In those writings, I discuss the ridiculous American tendency to judge people by their automobiles (this is not solely an American characteristic, but Americans have had a love affair with automobiles longer than any other country).  Anyway, as the original writing on Slow Down states:
 
I am dumbfounded at the number of people who get hellaciously angry while driving along the highway.  It’s not just their anger; it’s the conversations I hear later.  I have heard people jump to a few startling conclusions when it comes to who they THINK was driving the vehicle in front of them on the highway.  Never mind the socio-economic and racist overtones and underhanded remarks… What strikes me most is the sheer lunacy of “predicting” who the person is in the other car.
 
It’s a Lexus; thus he must be a rich snob.  

It’s an eight-year-old SUV, so they must be (__________ fill in a description here).  

It’s a gold Ford Pinto… so she is probably (blah, blah, blah).
 
I’ve actually overheard remarks like this at restaurants, cafés, car washes, and many places in between.  Worse yet, on top of the judgmental stereotyping, road rage continues to be a problem in some areas of the country… including my beloved Aloha State.  Just a couple years ago, shots rang out on the main highway here in Hawaii; someone was angry enough to shoot another driver.
 
               Wow.
 
As startling as this may sound, there are far worse things happening every day, right in your very own personal space.  All too often, we think we know people.  We look at them every day and surmise this and assume that.  We use the power of deduction to engage in acts of reduction… reducing our fellow soul mates to mere suppositions, beliefs, guesses, theories, and little hops of speculation until we can make the full jump to a conclusion. 
 
But like the vehicles on your highway and mine, this path we all walk is a mere freeway of forces far beyond our initial sensorial assessments.  Indeed, there is so much than that which meets our blinded eyes.
 
Our bodies are merely the vehicles our souls use to navigate this stony path along the mantle of earth’s crust.  And like the much-maligned speed demons on the literal highways here and there, there will always (yes… always) be people who cut you off – on purpose or simply by mistake.  For some odd reason, we are most chagrined by those that do it on purpose.  We can’t seem to understand why someone would do that to us (whatever that may be).  Well, count your blessings if you can’t comprehend such behavior.  Because if you could understand their behavior… you would probably be capable of it just the same.
 
As for those other people who slip into our lane on accident, as well as those who really should speed up while in the fast lane, just remember that we have all fallen short of perfection… and we always will.  And THIS, my friend, is the beauty of the highway of life: We are all going nowhere fast.  But as fast as we try to get there… we will get there when we get there.  If this sounds like mumbo jumbo, please bear with me for just a few more lines.
 
Continuing with this sensationalistic allegory… may I politely remind you that, when you are driving your car, tuck, SUV, etc… no one else is driving that vehicle.  Likewise, in these earthbound vehicles that we see each other in every day, no one else can control our respective vehicles.  Actually, that last statement is not quite true; when driving your vehicle, there is actually a time when you can control the vehicle that belongs to someone else.  In real-world terms, police call it a wreck, a collision, a clash, and perhaps an accident.
 
Accidents do happen.  But when you try to control someone else’s life; that’s no accident.  Of course, we can usually think of 312 reasons why we want someone else to do X, Y, or Z.  But to get us going in the right direction, other people are going to need far more reasons than that!
 
               So what’s my point?
 
Whenever you do something grand like coordinate a spectacular wedding, an annual military ball, or a large regional or national conference, you usually have a very specific plan.  Interestingly, the same thing applies for the smaller tasks in life as well.  Take, for example, a trip to the store.
 
When you get in and start you car, you usually know where you are going.  And, as such, there is absolutely no doubt that you will get to your destination.  Say, for instance, you are headed out to pick up a gallon of milk.  There is no uncertainty regarding the successful arrival at your destination.  But what happens if and when you glance at the gas gauge and see that your vehicle needs more fuel.  Does your milk run terminate?  I think not.  Moreover, what if, say, eight more side stops pop up along the way?  Is the successful milk run in jeopardy yet?  I think not.
 
I think you left your home with a purpose. 
 
Today, I offer you an idea regarding a home you left a long time ago.
 
You popped into your vehicle, left Home, and started travelling along this road in life.  Along The Way, a few people cut you off here and there.  Some people actually tried to run you off the road.  And then there were those who stopped to help you when you needed a lift.  There were those who filled you up when you need fuel for your soul.  And there were those who tailgated YOU when you driving too slowly or too fast to even think of looking in your rearview mirror.
 
Yes, for too long, you have been too busy driving, and too busy paying attention to traffic directors who really have no idea how to navigate the traffic around the soul that is within the vehicle called you.
 
Today, I want you to slow down… slow all the way down and… S.T.O.P.

I...
 
I am.
 
I am on purpose.

​As soon as you know your purpose, you will believe it.  And as soon as you believe it, you will live it.  And as soon as you live it, those other snarly drivers will have absolutely no control over you.  As soon as you discover, define, and declare your purpose, you will be able to focus on the finish line.
 
After considering who and what you are not, turn your total focus toward being the best that you are… and becoming the best that you can be.  Don’t waste time, energy, or effort avoiding this, that, and the other.  Racecar drivers don’t avoid starting lines; they focus solely on The Finish Line. 

​And though you are probably not a racecar driver, you are definitely on a journey that has already begun, and you are undeniably speeding toward the finish line.  Accordingly, let’s re-design our lives with the end in mind.  Focus your life-design efforts on the four parts of self that, when properly nurtured and fed, will surely lead you to the victory lane.
 
Aloha,
​John
 
Your mission for today: S.T.O.P. HERE!
 
    1. Watch this video and listen to the words
 
    2. Watch this video and relax:
  
Forgive. Focus. Find. Accept. Adapt. Achieve. ®   

What the world needs now... 

​A few years back, our twenty-something daughter ran back into the house to grab something before she jetted off to work in her sporty sedan.  “Be careful!” I cautioned, “And don’t speed.”  

She didn’t bat an eye and said, “I’ll get there when I get there.”


Ahhhh… so true, so true.  But, of course, whether or not she drove like a speed demon, the same would be true: she would get there when she got there.


​At any point along the equator, the earth is rotating at just over 1000 miles per hour.  Interestingly, as one travels north and south from the equator, the rotational speed decreases to the points at the poles, where the rotational speed is near zero.
 
I find the preceding fact to be a fascinating statement about life here on earth.  

In particular, sometimes it seems like we are all going nowhere… fast.
 
Some time ago, I caught a glimpse of a television program called “The Secret Millionaire.”  As the title implies, the hero of the hour-long show is an "undercover" millionaire who visits various non-profit organizations, and conducts extemporaneous research to see which, if any, of the organizations deserve a portion of his charitable donations.
 
In one sentimentally mushy part of one of the programs, one of the directors of a non-profit organization said, “We get up, come out here every day, work hard, go home, and then get back out here again the next day.”  She punctuated her lamentations with one final statement.  

“It’s hard!” she said (or words to that effect).
 
I was immediately struck by her fondness for pointing out the obvious.
 
Of course, most of us get up, go out every day, work hard, come home, and then get back out there again the next day…. and the next day… and the next day.  But I would not characterize day-in and day-out as “hard.”
 
Of course, I am not she, and she is not me.
 
But we both share a spot somewhere on this earth, where we are all going nowhere fast.  Now when I say “no where,“ I mean that in the geospatial sense.  Specifically, you and I started life on this planet, and I have high confidence that we (you and I) will end our lives somewhere within these vast oceans or miracle-laden continents.
 
So, in that sense, we are going nowhere… fast.
 
How fast?
 
I guess that all depends on where you live on the surface of the earth.
 
It also depends on how you view your self, the world, and exactly how the two entities relate together and one to another.  For example, if you believe you, your self, has what it takes to blow past any realistic goal you create, you are well on your way to creating a whole new world.  Moreover, if you believe the world is on your side, get ready to rock your dreams. 

But what I can say here that will absolutely, unequivocally absolve you of all doubt… and simultaneously launch your faith in S.E.L.F. beyond what you have ever thought possible?  
 
Should I offer a money-back guarantee?  Considering the cost basis of this e-course, I’d say, “Ok!”  
 
But that would not absolve you of all doubt… would it?
 
What if I gave you 33 two-word combinations that provide a solid foundation for dissolving doubt?  
 
Oh… wait; I’ve already done that.
 
What if I told you that people at the equator are rotating at 1000 miles per hour, while people in Iceland are rotating at speeds far less than that?  Would you believe me?
 
In reality, you have no more reason to believe me on one FACT more or less than the other.  In fact, the only reason you believe anything is because you choose to believe it.  Yes, we’ve already discussed this concept of belief (faith)… and the impact that belief, commitment, and faith has on our lives.
 
But this is the e-note for Day 34 of “40 Days and Two Little Words.”
 
This is PRIME TIME.  
 
We are 5 days from the final e-note, and I need you to slow down and take a penetrating look at what we have discussed thus far.  I won’t provide a specific review of the previous e-notes.  However, I will, instead, offer you these morsels to chew on:
 
If we can so easily believe in the concepts of night, day, and time itself, why is it often difficult to believe in something we know far better than theory: our self (?)
 
I’ll tell you why:  
 
We need love.
 
And we need it on a scale that is truly incomprehensible.  
 
Do you know how much love we need?  
 
The scale is incomprehensible because it’s infinitely different for each of us.  
 
Only YOU know what fills you up, and only THEY know what makes THEM feel loved. 
 
However, in the grand scheme of things, I can tell you where we absolutely, unequivocally must start giving and simultaneously receiving the love…
 
…and that is with our self. 
 
We get up, go out every day, work hard, go home, and then get back out there again the next day…. and the next day… and the next day.  
 
For what?
 
I have my answer.  

               ...do you have yours?
 
Is it for the fun of it? 
 
Perhaps it’s for the hell of it?  
 
               I doubt it.
 
Some say “It’s for the money.”  

I say, “Millionaires likely have as many challenges as the rest of us… and, perhaps they have more.  After all, money can cause as many problems as it appears to solve.”  And on this path called life, we really need to slow down and ask ourselves why we think what we think; why we believe what we believe; and if we love ourselves as much as we could or should.  
 
I’m not talking about conceit or even confidence.
 
I am talking about a pure joy to be where you are.
 
Because as much as we would love to zip along the fast lane in life, we are where we need to be, when we need to be there. 
 
We’ll get there when we get there.
 
SLOW DOWN.
  
Why?

Lord willing, I'll tell you tomorrow.

Believe me.

Aloha,
John  
 
Your mission for today: 
 
    1. Go for a 30-minute walk... and walk slowly.
    2. Say these words, "I love you, (your name here)"
    3. Repeat Step 2 more than 30 times.
    4.  Journal your thoughts about this experience.
  
Forgive. Focus. Find. Accept. Adapt. Achieve. ®      

Review the previous 33 Two Little Words HERE

If you have started this awesome journey at Day One, your new journey has truly begun.  

You are 33 Steps along The Path.  

You have moved from there to here, literally and figuratively.  

Maybe this e-course is a refresher; you may have heard of or read some of the concepts and ideals presented in the previous e-notes.  Or perhaps you have gleaned one or two new tidbits – things of which you never gave any real thought – or so you thought.

As I have presented my writings over the past 33 days, I have received feedback along the way. Many of you have provided feedback and appreciation for my venture into the lesser-appreciated realms of race, politics, and religion. Thank you for sharing your various views.
 
Please know that my primary intent is not to garner a reaction.  

My intent is to offer an opportunity to look intently at those things we often use to intensely describe our self. In other words, I am hoping we become more aware of how we choose to identify and represent our self to the world.  Because, as much as we would like to think we are the ones who have defined our own self, we actually choose to allow and empower so many other things to define and shape us.
 
On Day 26, I discussed fear, and the ironic fact that fear is created and destroyed within our mind.  Fear can also be a thunderously powerful architect in your life – if you create it and give it a home.   Notice I make the clear distinction that you are the one who creates fear and gives it a home.  In fact, in all of the last Seven Days, each two-word title is meant for you… no one else.
 
Yes, you are one lone vessel in a virtual sea of souls.  

There are billions of people in this world.  In addition to the earth's current living population, consider the billions of souls who have lived long before you, he, she, and me.  When we give the enormity of that fact some serious thought, we can begin to realize the significance of our insignificance – or the insignificance of our significance (take your pick). 
 
However, as big as the world may seem, and as small as we may appear, the Absolute Truth about you is that you are the most important person in the world -- to you.  You are the one who drives the vehicle that holds your soul along the path in life.  You are the only one who is ultimately responsible and accountable to chart the only path you will ever know – YOUR path. 
 
Yes… when it comes to wading through this vast sea of humanity, YOU are the one who sets your sail to the wind.  And like the little tyke that stands up and falls, only to stand, fall, and stand again… on his way to falling forward into one solid step – and then another… YOU are the only one who steps forward, once more, into the great unknown we call The Future.  

               You are the captain of your soul.  

Accordingly, you must be the one who makes your way.  Get overwhelmingly clear about your intentions.  Confront and conquer your real and imaginary fears.  You simply must make way along your charted course… one day at a time. 
 
And if you encounter that tempest of a storm, continue making (your) way.  "Make way," in this context, is a nautical term that describes a ship's travel and progress through water.  On the other hand...

Stopping "dead in the water" amidst a storm in life is the last thing you should do.  

"Dead in the water" is also a nautical term - one that describes a ship that is not going anywhere; it’s just sitting there, dead in the water.  And though being dead in the water is not necessarily always a bad thing, when we are there for an extended period of time, being DIW can be truly dead… in the water.
 
It’s not just the lack of movement that’s the imminent killer; it’s the constant tossing and battering caused by the wind, waves, and other weather.  Moreover, when the serious winds kick in, a ship not making way is likely to capsize, which is to say "turn upside down" and drown the occupants who do not escape the interior of the ship.
 
So what must we captains of our very own souls do in this vast sea of life?   Shall we just keep making way?  The easy answer is “Yes.”  

The two-word answer is “Yes, and…”

The best answer is...
 
“Yes, and continue making your way.” 
 
What’s my point?  

In our darkest nights, amidst the stormiest of circumstances, sometimes we think the best we can do is to keep our head above the swirling waters of life.  We begin paying more and more attention to the storm, and we begin to assimilate (yes… assimilate) into becoming part of the storm.  We become less concerned about our path, and we become more satisfied – and even happy - with the mere fact that we have not yet gone under.  We pat ourselves on the back for having made it this far.  But this far is not your intended course… and it’s certainly not your destination.  

So let’s rethink how we will choose to respond to the storm.
 
Continue making way… just make sure it’s your way. 
 
               How? 
 
Start by reviewing Day 26, Day 27, Day 28, Day 29, Day 30, Day 31, and Day 32.
 
And remember this:  A little bit of faith goes a long ways.  Why is this important?  Well, if we are going to set our sails to the wind, we are going to have to learn to either harness the wind, trust the wind, or both.  I suggest we opt for the third option: do both.

And trusting our soul's vessel to the Source is definitely not a bad thing.

               Trust me on this one.

Your mission for today: MAKE WAY!

How?

(1) Review your dreams, your goals, and your loosely made plans (chart your course)
(2) Meet yourself in the mirror and say:

• I am making way with My Way.
• My way is the way we will go.
• My dream is to (_____________ fill in your dream here)
• My goals are to (_____________ fill in your goals here)
• My plans are in the making.
• My dreams are on the horizon.         

Feel free to pray along...
 
Please don't just play along.  This is real life.

Aloha,
John

As the author of four fact-based books, I can honestly say that I always forget how much work goes into writing a book... until I begin writing the next book. It's an uphill battle.  

​But, in the end, it's definitely worth it.

Likewise, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people tell me, “I’ve always wanted to write a book.”  Usually, that statement is followed by questions regarding my journey into the realm of the published.  And for every question I get, I always tell people, “Just start writing; don’t worry about the format – or even the content.”
 
Inevitably, the conversation takes a few turns regarding the reasons why they have not yet written their book… as well as reasons why they will never write their book.
 
I always listen in amazement.
 
Why am I amazed?
 
I am amazed at the fact that a person can tell me, “I’ve always wanted to write a book,” and within a few minutes, give me a list of reasons why they will never write said book.
 
               Sad, but true.  

But I am also amazed about good things.
 
For example, many years ago, I worked for a really great leader.  Let’s call him “Ted.”
 
Long after Ted and I parted ways, he developed a rare form of cancer, and doctors gave him a prognosis that would make most people cringe, cry, and crumple under the immense pressure of fact, fiction, and/or freakishly false medical advice.
 
What did Ted do?  

He launched a massive research effort and found a doctor on the other side of the world – and he went there, underwent surgery, and subsequently enjoyed many years of cancer-free life. 
 
Oh, by the way, he subsequently escorted his wife on a once-in-a-lifetime African expedition, deep within the African Safari.
 
               Amazing, but true.
 
Whether Ted knew it or not, he was one of my all-time favorite leaders.  Indeed, over the years following our working relationship, we somehow kept in touch with each other.  And during the lunches that we managed to work into our massively busy schedules, I expressed my gratitude for his leadership. 
 
Interestingly enough, as brilliant of a man as Ted is, I was most impressed with one particular act of passion, pride, and (good) paternalism.  
 
What was that one act?
 
Well… back when I was an unmarried workaholic, I attended a fundraiser where Ted and his wife were also in attendance.  The event was well-attended by the conservative crowd, with a mix of singles, young couples, and a small contingent of older-yet-still-youngish married couples.  Ted and his wife were part of the latter crowd.
 
And there in that cavernous room full of people, Ted sat with his wife close in front of him, her back to his chest, and his arm gently but confidently around her torso, her hand in his, and his hand lovingly holding hers.
 
To me, that one act conveyed so much Truth.
 
It said, “I love this woman, and everyone here should know it.”
 
It also said, “I love this woman, and I know she knows it.”
 
That one act also said, “I love this woman.”  (period)
 
Now, the other people in the room probably thought nothing of this simple act.  But, then again, I believe most people did not pay attention to Ted the way I did.  I liked Ted as a teacher, a leader, and a layperson.
 
               A layperson?
 
Yes… I liked Ted when he was being just plain ol’ Ted.
 
As a leader, he was a teacher.  As a teacher, he was a leader.  And as a layperson... a plain ol’ regular guy... he was still leading and teaching.  Such an integration of principles, politics, and practical preaching inspired me to do great things.
 
Politics?  Preaching?  Yes.  For you see, Ted’s politics were his principles (I never knew his particular American political association – it simply wasn’t relevant).  

And his preaching?
 
Well, as Frances Assisi once said...
 
“Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary."
 
And if you and I are really using this e-course to move forward, we will have to get a tad bit better at using our very own lives to teach others how to live.  

As difficult as other people may appear to be…  

As difficult as our everyday challenges during this pandemic may actually be, let’s skip the words and look forward to teaching, preaching, and leading by example. 
 
That brings us to this 32nd e-note titled LOOK FORWARD.
 
Notwithstanding all that we have read over these last 31 Days and Two Little Words, I’d like for us to begin the actual practice of looking forward.  Please note my use of the word practice.  To practice something is to engage in it habitually and almost religiously.  To practice something is to achieve an act through repetition.  To practice looking forward, we will have to start all over again, every single day, writing a brand-new chapter in our Book of Life.  

Ted understood this fact.  
 
You, too, have a very real opportunity to write a brand new chapter.

Regardless of what has happened over the last few weeks, and regardless of how daunting the stairs look as we climb each successive step, please recall the words of Dr. Martin Luther King when he said, "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."

Together, we can take the next step in faith.

Indeed, I believe in you. I believe in us.
 
Our next new chapter is a not a re-write of the old stuff. 

Looking forward is all about the next first-edition.  

And even though we know life will likely throw us some pretty tough turns ahead, by now we should all know that a bend in the road is not the end of the road unless we fail to make the turn.
 
Looking back will not get us there.  Whether you are sick, shameful, or full of sorrow... positively looking forward, setting goals, making plans, and executing those plans are the best prescriptions for what ails us all.
 
I will close this e-note by sharing a powerful essay by Mr. James Allen.
 
Do with it what you will, but please consider it a gift from me to you.
  
Do it on purpose!   Your mission for today: LOOK FORWARD.
 
Read the letter essay by James Allen (CLICK HERE)
 
Forgive. Focus. Find. Accept. Adapt. Achieve. ®   

​Read the letter essay by James Allen by CLICKING HERE