Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Today didn`t start so well. First, I opened a letter notifying me a tape which stored my consumer data (aka credit card numbers) has not been recovered after a thorough and extensive investigations of its disappearance. A disappearnce that until this letter I knew nothing about. Second, I went to head to the office and my car wouldn`t start. 

Since then the day has turned around and keeps getting better and better!  I have opened emails to find inspirational messages from people I haven`t heard from in some time, read where people have said and posted kind words, and opened a fortune cookie which gave me a hearty chuckle! The fortune read:

• "To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target."

Along that line what jokes, phrases or inspirational stories uplifted you this week?

-------------------------

Nicole Champagne
Email: influencialexpectations@gmail.com
Cell: (734) 262-3730
Soar With Influencial Expectations!

The other day this customer walks into my shop. He says how much for a banner this 4` x15`. I tell him, "about $325." He responds, "Oh that`s ridiculous. Why so much when i can get it down the street for 160?" Mind you this happens all the time but it was my blind response thats the kicker.
I ask him, "Can you make it your self? No? I thought so." "And if you can get it for that price down the street why are you standing in my shop?" My co-worker is shaking holding in the laughter. I asked what so funny? then I realized what had just happened. I guess I needed a break.

"The universe isn`t broken." I posted that on handling adversity and problems. So your car didn`t start? So your personal information may be in jeopardy? How do you know---know for absolute, positive, Scout`s honor sure---that it`s a problem? :-)

Isn`t a problem YOUR interpretation of a set of events? Here`s an example of how a narcissist would contemplate your day, using a different driver. You`d say, "Oh...oh...ow! My leg hurts! I think I broke my leg!"

The response would be, "I don`t see the problem: MY leg doesn`t hurt!"

Life and events have no consciousness. They`re organized, and we might propose a higher or wider level of consciousness, but the things that happen to you have no intent. The car isn`t conspiring in the garage late at night, plotting with the rake and garbage can how to start a revolution and overthrow your regime! :-)

At the moment where your intent is blocked by an obstacle, YOU have the choice to assign a word to the response. Then, after you`ve determined it`s a problem, you have an obligation to also examine your emotional evaluation: "Will I focus all my attention on making this into a bigger problem? Or, will I let it go, and see what action I can take instead?"

The universe isn`t broken. You`ve set forth an intent, presumably, to live toward a goal. The currents of energy surrounding you advance or impede your progress. Only your skill in "surfing the wave" makes the difference. How do you know that your delay in having to find alternate transportation to the office didn`t help you avoid being T-boned at a busy intersection? :-)

 I am still holding my sides from reading this!  Can you just imagine  a car, a rake and a garbage can plotting together?  Wonder what plot scenario they would devise....what an absolutely hillarious creating writing exercise! Or better yet a future cartoon strip!    

-------------------------

Nicole Champagne
Email: influencialexpectations@gmail.com
Cell: (734) 262-3730
Soar With Influencial Expectations!

OADesign,

You make a good point about holding in stress....eventually it will seep out.

I for one find laughter to be the best medicine for stress. Matter of fact, I remember reading where laughter releases endorphines just like exercise does.  I use to keep cartoon clippings in my desk but when I left I must have forgotten them. I miss them. I had some excellent Dilbert, Kathy and others cartoon clippings.  I typically enjoy the cartoons that minimic real circumstances and are strong in irony or poetic justice. 

-------------------------

Nicole Champagne
Email: influencialexpectations@gmail.com
Cell: (734) 262-3730
Soar With Influencial Expectations!

My mom taught kindergarten for many years, a second career she developed when we kids were grown enough to not need so much care. Two things have always stuck in my mind.

The first is that she continually found herself unable to distinguish between a couple of kindergarten toddlers discussing world problems, and two very old men doing the same on a park bench. Same body postures, same seriousness, same trivialit, same complaints (I hate wetting my pants, Johnny...I can hardly wait when I don`t have to wear diapers!).

The second was that kids would often come to her complaining about how their life was miserable. She finally got fed up one morning, and sat the class down to tell them, "Your parents don`t sit up nights in their bedroom plotting how to ruin your life! They aren`t trying to figure out ways to purposefully screw up whatever it is you`re doing!"

I never forgot those two images, and it`s affected my overall attitude on life itself. You`re right: you can usually handle just about anything if you don`t lose your sense of humor. The problem these days is in how many people haven`t seemed to develop that sense of humor in the first place!

you sure told him! whoo! i bet he felt silly!


-------------------------

Look up to the sky and tell me what you see. OPPURTUNITY!