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From GratitudeLog daily email:
Would you like to hear my secret on how I became
really good at manifesting?
The secret is actually very simple. I live my life
with my eyes and ears wide open. The universe operates
with certain laws that ALWAYS work. One of them is
that the moment you ask for something, the universe
has to answer.
Small signs will start appearing everywhere. The
trick to go from small items to bigger items is to say
thank you whenever something magical happens in your
life. This is where most people completely get it wrong.
They start asking the universe for bigger and bigger
things without ever appreciating the present. There
is so much for you to be grateful for and to appreciate
RIGHT NOW.
If you cannot see that, then there is no way you will
ever be able to turn the cycle around in your favor.
So, start to make gratitude a daily habit and say thank
you every single day for all of the miracles that are
already in your present. Once you do, and you have to truly
mean it, then the doors of the universe will swing wide
open and you will become more and more powerful at
manifesting.
So, start right now and let the universe know what
you are grateful for.
http://www.GratitudeLog.com/worldli
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve you,
Mark
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I just dropped three phones that were sitting in a drawer into an envelope and walked over to the UPS Store - and sent them directly to Phones For Haiti (www.phonesforhaiti.com). It is a partnership between the Red Cross and ReCellular, Inc to raise money for relief in Haiti. Cell phones are also being shipped to Haiti so that relief workers can communicate in the field - which is essential for any sort of effective ground operations.
So sort through that old electronics drawer and see if you cant find a cell phone or two - each one counts, and even if they cannot re-sell your phone to raise money they will recycle it so it doesn’t end up in a landfill.
Triple win: help relief efforts in Haiti, keep e-waste out of our landfills AND eliminate some clutter!
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I recently started expressing what I am grateful for at GratitudeLog (www.gratitudelog.com). It is really awesome! Here is proof, from a weekly email that the founder, Mike, sent out:
I came across this really powerful quote today.
It goes like this:
“When you complain, you become a living, breathing
crap magnet.”
What an awesome quote! If you take a close look
at your life… can you see periods when you fell
into this pattern and things just kept getting
worse and worse?
I sure have. Most often, I have noticed this in
my relationships. As soon as you start focusing
on the stuff that bothers you the relationships
take a turn for the worse.
It is the best and fastest way to see that
“what you focus on expands.”
That is why I wanted to share this quote with you.
It left a sting in my belly because I had to admit
that sometimes I am a crap magnet. At least now
that I am aware of it, I can also choose to snap
out of it as quickly as I see it.
What is even better is that the opposite is also true:
“When you express gratitude, you become a living,
breathing money magnet.”
All I can say is: money, money moneeeeeyyyy!
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So here’s how it all went down.
Yesterday morning, Cody, Christie and myself woke up around 4am. We quickly gathered our belongings in the dark and briefly considered “borrowing” a blanket from our hostel because it was much colder outside than it had been all week. A quick glance out the window of our room gave us a welcome sight: stars. Stars meant no clouds and no clouds meant clear skies for helecopters once the sun came up.
We walked through the plaza of Aguas Calientes one last time. It was more quiet than ever and had began to take on the feeling of a ghost town. Shops were completely emptied out and restaraunts boarded up, their tables and chairs stacked ceiling-high against any exposed windows. The only movement aside from us was a few stray dogs that wandered the narrow streets.
We arrived at the train station, which was the gateway to the helepad. The night before, Peruvian authorities had allowed a large group of tourists into the station to stay the night so they could be the first out in the morning. We decided against sleeping there because we were almost 100% certain that we would be out today.
A line had already began to form outside the station in the dark, and we noticed that many of those gathered were obviously locals of Aguas Calientes with their families and children. We had woken up even before the military, so there was no one there to direct us where to stand. We just knew we wanted to be as close as possible to the train station gates.
Within five minutes, another group claimed their place in line behind us. Within 15 minutes, there were at least 100 people behind us. A lot of cutting in line and saving places was going on, which put everyone on edge. A couple elderly Peruvian women were pouring coffee into styrofoam cups and handing them out to people in line.
Soon after day began to break, Peruvian authorities arrived in their green fatigues and began to police the line. From the outside of the station, we watched soldiers walk through the train cars in the station, waking people up and herding them onto the next staging area beyond the station.
The first helecopter could be heard in the distance, followed by another, and another. Such a welcome sound.
A loud voice then directed all tourists to enter the station, bypassing all the locals in line. It had been military orders all along that tourists were to be evacuated before locals, but I couldn’t help feel a pang of guilt when I passed by several women in line with newborn babies slung over their shoulders. I reminded myself that if they kept with the pace of yesterday’s evacuations, there was no way they would not get out today. So I kept with the order of things and stayed with my group.
Once inside the train station, soldiers rushed us into train cars, and we were each handed bags with water and food, which I devoured over the next hour. The train cars were in a state of dissaray, with blankets and half-eaten food everywhere. They had been used as sleeping quarters for the past four nights. It would be months before they will be in normal operation again anyhow.
Inside the cars, we slept and some stepped outside to smoke cigarettes. Soldiers often came in to bark orders at us in Spanish, but no one translated them into English. My brain was not functioning enough to exercise my Spanish skills, so I just watched everyone else and did as they did.
After about an hour, a hurried general’s voice yelled into the car and everyone began grabbing their bags and exiting the train. On the platform, every few feet a soldier was rushing us along toward the opposite end of the station. Soon we were through another set of gates and walking across the same bridge that Cole and I had crossed three days earlier as the guards had yelled after us.
We were led up a stairway and onto the grounds of an extremely posh resort, which was the only path to the helepad now that the railbed was washed out. People were excited and happy but walked quickly along the cobblestone paths. The sound of landing helecopters became much louder and I knew we were within yards of the landing pad. Suddenly a deafening sound roared overhead and a helecopter landed beyond the trees about a hundred feet from where we were standing.
As we waited in line, a woman from the US embassy walked the line and took down our names and passport numbers.
She explained that we would be evacuated in one of two types of helecopters: a US chopper that holds seven and that would take us to Ollatataymbo where we would be met by a bus that would drive us the remaining 1.5 hours to Cusco.
The other helecopters were Peruvian and held 20 people. Because of fuel limitations these had to return directly to Cusco. She said the US choppers had a much better view and took a more scenic route so I crossed my fingers for one of those even if it meant a longer trip.
Within 5 minutes of the previous helecopter taking off, the next one landed and soldiers counted out 20 people ahead of us in line to descend the path to the helepad.
Almost immediately, they counted out seven more, of which I was the seventh, (yes! I had gotten a small one!) and directed us past where the others were waiting and up a hill through the brush. Soldiers in the distance motioned us to run to where they were standing, which as it turns out, was a second clearing.
We all lined up below and crouched to the ground as we watched an army-green chopper come straight toward us in the distance through the canyon.
It was just like every helecopter scene you have ever seen in the movies.
The noise was roaring and the draft was much greater than I expected. Grass and plants were flattened to the ground and my sunglasses blew off my head. I clutched my backpack and scrambled to put it on backwards so it was close to my chest. Once it landed soldiers slid open the doors and we were rushed up to the landing pad and into the chopper. I was directed to a back seat that faced sideways toward the window. Everything happened so fast I could barely figure out how to put my seatbelt on in time.
In a matter of seconds, the door was sliding closed and the soldiers outside were signaling for takeoff. At first we slowly lifted off the ground and then picked up speed as the soldiers below waved a friendly goodbye.
I was seated next to Cody and both of us were simultaneously trying to photograph and take in the experience. The pilot in front of us turned around and gave us a big smile and thumbs up.
As we ascended into the valley, I could see below us the line of other tourists, the river, the washed away rails, the town of Aguas Calientes, and the road leading to MachuPicchu of which entire sections were missing. We had walked this road and ridden these rails just five days before and now they were completely destroyed.
What came next was completely unexpected (although we had joked about it throughout the week). The pilot treated us to an arial view of the ruins of MachuPicchu, circling the mountaintop in full. The “thumbs-up” pilot in front of us even opened the door so we could get clear photos. He was obviously thrilled by how happy we all were with this experience.
After circling MachuPicchu, we returned the way we had come through the valley and began our 15-minute ride through the valley toward Ollatataymbo. All around us were lush green hills, a spattering of lesser-known ancient ruins, and of course, the now-infamous river.
Soon we could see in the distance the town of Ollatataymbo. We circled the town and I could see the landing pad below: a large soccer field. We had a smooth touchdown and before I could even yell “muchas gracias!” to our pilots, we were rushed off the aircraft and away from the winds of the chopper. We were welcomed and handed bottles of water at a table where our names, nationalities and passport numbers were taken once again. From there we exited the field where a bus was waiting to depart for Cusco. The van was full after Christie, Cody and I boarded, so we left immediately.
Once in Cusco the bus dropped us off in the main square. I got off and felt a huge sense of relief, as well as urgency, and not just because I had to use the bathroom very badly. Mostly because I wanted to get out of this rainy region as soon as possible. Weather conditions were expected to deteriorate over the next few days so I hoofed it to the hostel where my large backpack had been in storage during this whole ordeal. I thanked the hostel owner and grabbed the first cab to the airport I could find. Christie and Cody were staying another night, but I had the beach on my mind. Before I knew it, and as I write this post, I am en route to the Northern Peruvian beach town of Mancora where a cocktail and sandy beach has my name written all over it.
All in all, I have to say this was an incredible experience that I will not soon forget. I met some awesome people and saw the best and worst of human behavior. I am also well aware that while I am moving on to another portion of my trip and adventure, the residents of Aguas Calientes will have their lives disrupted for many months to come, and my thoughts are still with them.
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January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Please take a moment to reconsider your relationship to the word, “Tolerance.”
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I am definitely not the only one. I can see it in people’s eyes walking towards me. The dread. A woman dead ahead. There is a canvasser between us, and thankfully for me his eyes are facing the other way. I can squeak by unscathed, as the woman mumbles a sorry, or fidgets with her phone or simply ignores the canvasser. As I slide by he quickly tries to get my attention but it is too late.
We all know that dance, that silly urban sidewalk dance. And I know I am not the only one that hates it. ”Dont you care about the children?!?!” “Did you know the whales are ALL DYING?!?!” ”WE HAVE NO MORE FREAKING RAINFORESTS AND WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!” The last thing I need is to have someone remind me about all the shitty things on earth while I am walking down the street. I already internalize all this crap in my mind: I KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE IN A GREEDY ORGY OF OUR OWN CONSUMPTION. Thanks, I get it. Thats why I am walking down the street - to get away from my computer for one iota of a second.
Now let me listen to my iPod in peace!
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The Mental De-Tox & Re-New process will help you release and purge negative thoughts and feelings that belong to events of the past year, and to free up energy for focusing on what you truly wish to create in the new year.
The Mental De-Tox & Re-New exercise is a 4 step process beginning with a review of the past year.
Take Inventory
* Look back through your calendar and your journal to find the significant events of your year.
* Rate each significant event on a scale of -10, for dismal or tragic, to +10 for wonderful or fantastic.
Was your year up and down a lot?
Were the events mostly negative or positive?
Did you have a particularly difficult period during the year?
Was there a time of many wonderful things happening?
Release the Lows
Set aside at least one half day for this exercise. You may want to do it more than once for more complete release.
1. Using one note card for each Low event, write answers to the following questions:
a. What regrets, losses, hurts or disappointments remain?
b. Who, or what, do I want/need to forgive?
c. What lesson or hidden blessing is there?
2. After you have written about each event, put your note cards in your pocket, and go out for a walk in a beautiful place. Or if you are not able to walk, sit outdoors or by a window with a view.
3. After walking for 5 minutes, stop, take out a note card, read it and then say to yourself:
“I release everything about this event and carry only the lessons forward with me.”
4. Walk for 5 more minutes and then take out another card and repeat the exercise.
5. Do this until all the cards have been read.
6. After the walk, spend at least 20 minutes in meditation, prayer, or sitting silently, just allowing yourself to release with every breath.
7. You may want to burn these note cards as another sign of release.
Celebrate the Highs
Time to pat yourself on the back, reward your efforts, and express gratitude for all the good you have experienced over the past year.
1. For each High event, write answers to the following on one note card per event:
a. What did I accomplish that was remarkable?
b. Who or what am I grateful for?
c. What did I learn that I want to take forward?
2. After you have written about each High event, put your note cards in your pocket, and go out for a walk. Or if you are not able to walk, sit outdoors or by a window with a view.
3. After walking 5 minutes of walking , stop, take out a note card, read it and say to yourself:
“I celebrate everything about this event and gratefully carry these blessings forward.”
4. Walk for 5 more minutes and then take out another card and repeat the exercise.
5. Do this until all the cards have been read.
6. After the walk, spend at least 20 minutes in meditation, prayer, or sitting silently, just allowing yourself to experience gratitude with every breath.
7. You may want to keep these cards with your journal.
Create the New
This exercise begins with clearing your thoughts to allow for greater inspiration.
1. Begin with a 20-30 minute walk in a beautiful and peaceful place. (Or, sit quietly outdoors or by a window)
2. Prepare to meditate, or sit quietly for a minimum of 20 minutes by reading the following affirmation:
“I allow my mind to become quiet and open.”
3. Meditate and let all thoughts and feelings pass by, returning to the calm experience of simply breathing.
4. After 20-30 minutes of meditation or sitting quietly, in this calm and open state, begin to write in your journal.
5. Answer the following questions.
a. What do I really want for my life ?
b. What changes will I make to create a wonderful year?
c. How will I express my authentic self more fully this year?
6. Write affirmations for each answer and post them where you can see them every day.
May you have a Mindful and Prosperous New Year!
