Living & Working On Purpose

Purpose Prize in Life On Purpose's Future?

OK, I'm not 60 yet, not quite but I figured why not start putting this out to the Universe.  I will be 60 in May and I do have a BIG idea that I've dedicated my life to sharing -- Creating a World On Purpose.

Please take a moment to watch this inspiring video from Encore.com about the Purpose Prize they offer each year, and keep me in mind for next year's nomination.  Don't worry, I'll be sure to remind you. <G>

Boy, what a difference Life On Purpose Institute could make with $100K towards creating that world on purpose.

A Fuel Efficient Mercedes 380 SE? It's all Relative

If you've been following my life on purpose escapades over the last several months you may recall that I have a classic Mercedes 380 SE.  It's the one that I was planning on installing the Water4Gas device to see if it would improve the 17-18 MPG's it gets.

(Who knows, that may still happen but acquiring a great deal on a late model Prius put that particular project on the backburner for now.)

I've had the Mercedes up for sale though I've not put a lot of energy into it, and I guess that's a good thing.  Let me explain. 

We have a young man who's been renting one of our Purposeful Properties from us for the last few years so he'd have a nice place to raise his daughter as a single dad.  He works in construction and we all know what's been happening in that business, so his work has been hit-or-miss over the last several months resulting in his getting behind in his rent.  On top of that his car broke down and he's been forced to drive an old jeep that gets only about 5 miles to a gallon, due to its own mechanical deficiencies.

Which is where the Mercedes comes in and my own life lesson.  When this young man learned that the Mercedes gets 17-18 miles per gallon he remarked that he wished his car got that kind of mileage.  It sure would help his gas bill, which, as you can imagine, was eating him alive.  Suddenly, I realized that this was just one other example of how relative the world is in which we live.

While I'm thinking 17 mpgs is atrocious my friend was envious of it. So, since Ann and I believe in this guy and what he's doing raising his daughter on his own, we decided to loan him the car until he gets his other vehicle fix.  I figure the 'relativity lesson' I learned was worth not having a second car for a few weeks, and besides, the loan is a true expression of my life purpose.

Where could you apply the 'relativity lesson' to your own life?  Care to share about it here?

Academy Awards -- A Night of Acknowledgments

OK, my whole family loves movies. We love going to the Flat Rock Cinema just up the street -- a cinebar type movie house that serves my favorite beer along with reasonably priced food.  We love watching them through DVDs we loan from the library or through Netflix or occasionally from Red Box.

And so, the night of the Academy Awards is kind of special to us as well.  In years past Amber has decorated the house and even set up a our own red carpet.  This year was a bit more low-keyed but still a lot of fun, and in my estimation one of the best Academy Awards ever.

I particularly loved how the actors who had previously won awards acknowledged the nominees so thoroughly and authentically, like welcoming them into a very exclusive brotherhood and sisterhood.

One small matter also stood out to me. It was the gentleman who won an Oscar for a short film.  He said something like, "The last four years of my life has been consumed by this 14 minute movie."  Imagine devoting 4 years for a result that lasts 14 minutes. Pretty amazing.

And I became an even bigger fan of Hugh Jackman as I learned that he's not only a talented actor, but also quite a singer and dancer.  His stand on stage at the end of the opening number with his arms outstretched singing, "I am Wolverine,"  was both hilarious and inspiring.

So here's to Oscar night and all the people who contributed to making it happen, and to the many actors, directors and tech people that give us incredible opportunities to be entertained and often show us our own humanity in the mirror.

Is it Possible to Live Prosperously in Turbulent Times?

Aren't you loving these exciting times we're in? Does that sound strange to even say? Yes, these are, to say the least, interesting times (as in the old Jewish 'curse' - "May you live in interesting times.") but these can also be exhilarating times if we don't get too hung up in the drama of the moment... i.e. all the fear and lack based conversations of the media.

Now, I know, it's tough for a lot of people right now. People are losing their homes and their jobs right and left. Ann and I have a home we're renting to a young single dad trying his best to raise his 5-year old daughter. He is months behind in his rent and it's getting tough right now for him and us. But, I realized the other day that if the bank were to foreclose on the property, Ann and I would lose our investment house...but the young man and his daughter would lose their home. So, we sat down with him and started pulling together to find a way he could stay in the house, and so far, it's working.

So, yes, I realize times are turbulent and troubling for many. And yet, it's also a time we can all prosper as well...if, as our new President keeps saying, we all pull together. This is also an opportune time for many people to shift their perspective on 'prosperity.' In my estimation even the dictionary has it wrong -- "the condition of being successful or thriving ; especially : economic well-being." But what if prosperity is more of a state of mind and heart, more of a state of being than anything directly to do with 'economic well-being." This is one of the points Ann and I will be exploring in the March 10th teleclass, Prosperous Living in Turbulent Times. (Register here.)

If you know people who are struggling, especially who are feeling frustrated, afraid, depressed or hopeless during these times, please let them know of this conversation. It's a free teleclass so people from all over the country and the world can join us.

Hope to meet many of you on Tuesday, March 10, starting at 6:30 pm eastern. In the meantime, 'be well and prosper.'

Who’s The Master of Your Life -- God or Mammon Podcast

These podcasts will include an occasional ranting as well, like today before we get on to exploring who is the master of your life. I’ve been watching some of the Sunday political commentary shows over the past few weeks and boy it sure sounds to me that our politicians are missing a few ‘distinctions’ that could greatly serve them during these challenging times, like for instance the distinction of ‘creative alignment.’

The main topic of this podcast is: Who’s The Master of Your Life -- God or Mammon

Simplifying: An Upside to this Major Downturn

A couple week's ago I started this series looking at some of the major upsides to this time of major downturn.  We explored how the Universal UPS truck has been trying to deliver, not one, but three packages with gifts inside -- the gifts of:

*  An opportunity to re-evaluate our lives
*  An opportunity to simplify our lives, and
*  An opportunity to know our true Self

Today we'll look at:

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LIVING ON PURPOSE: PART 2: What are the Upsides of This Major Downturn?
       The Opportunity to Simplify Our Lives
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"If I turn off the TV and there's silence, then what?" That idea is so anxiety provoking that usually we don't turn off the TV.  The choice is more naked about where is it that I will orient my attention. Where will I point my mind in a sense and what will I do with my will? How will I exercise my will?

"The spiritual writers tell us that if you will stay with that, stay in that quiet, in fact, enter it more deeply, and you move beyond feeling
anxious and be in the silence and the emptiness of that moment then grace and God be willing, you will know God a little more. You will also know yourself a little more." ~ Mark Burch, author of Simplicity: Notes, Stories, and Exercises for Developing Unimaginable Wealth

I believe simplifying our lives is an integral ingredient to living true to our purpose, and is often a vital step in identifying our true reason for being alive.  But as Mark's quote points out, it's often not an easy step.  Our culture pulls for a busy, hectic, do...do...do...way of life.  It can be scary to "turn off the TV" or to take a weekend off and really take it off for quiet reflection.

And it's well worth making the effort. 

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Not an End Unto Itself
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Simplicity is really more of a side-effect or a precondition of being interested in working towards a more values-based life.  As Burch writes in his book, "Simplicity:" 

"The lives of people who embrace simple living display a passion for some deeper purpose from which power, possessions and the clutter of busy living represent distractions."

So, simplifying your life is often a precondition to reaching within yourself to find that deeper sense of purpose and meaning, and then continuing to live simply becomes a natural outcome of continuing to live true to your purpose.

And the turbulent times we're in may be the perfect nudge many people have needed to start simplifying their lives.  But how?

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How Do You Eat an Elephant?
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You probably know the answer to the riddle -- You eat an elephant one bit at a time, and then you take another bite, and another, etc.

The same is true for simplifying your life.  You take one bite, then another and another.  Maybe, the first 'bite' is to sit down with your family and explore what a simpler life could be like.  Of course, you may hear some resistance, because simplifying means changing.  And I don't know anything that can be more fear evoking for people than change, which is why it's important to take small bites at first.

Recently, even before the 'economic tsunami' hit our shores, Ann and I decided to take on a simplicity project.  We've done this a few times before in our 20 years of being together, and have always found it to be fun and a valuable experience.  We started by looking at the various products and services that we've been using through the years to determine which ones were really serving us and which ones we could let go of or find a more economical source.

It's a process that we continue.  Some of the results have been:

*  Reducing our Netflix membership. (While we love movies, we've found other ways to enjoy them and weren't really utilizing our membership even though we were getting charged each month.

*  Getting rid of our gas-guzzling van and purchasing a Prius

*  Stopping one of the two audio recording services that we'd been using for Life On Purpose,

*  Replacing our old inefficient furnace with a energy efficient heat pump and back up gas furnace. (We were helped in this endeavor by the Universal UPS truck in the form of our house being flooded and the old furnace being drowned.)

*  With our phone service, we tried Vonage first and then discovering Magic Jack (www.MagicJack.com). It works through the computer, making it possible to make all local and long distance calls in the USA and Canada for fr.ee.  The cost for a whole first year -- under $50.

The list goes on but I won't.  The point is all of this started with the intention to further simplify our life. And the simpler we live the more time and space we have to enjoy our expressing our life purpose.

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The Obstacles to Simplifying
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In today's world, it's not always easy to simplify.  In fact, there are powerful forces pulling in the other direction. Here are a few obstacles you're likely to confront:

*  The fear of change, especially from other family members who may hear your plea to simplify as coming from a place of scarcity or lack.

*  The 'looking good syndrome' -- the feeling that it's important to keep up appearances and to keep up with the Joneses. If this comes up for you, remember this quote from Bo Lozoff of the Human Kindness Foundation:

"American life especially has been about "keeping up with the Joneses," but
it is time we noticed that the Joneses are not happy. One of their kids is
on drugs, the parents are in divorce court, Mr. Jones is on
anti-depressants, and Mrs. Jones is taking anti-anxiety medication. This is
no joke; this is the reality."

Of course, this mentality is strongly supported and encouraged by our culture of consumerism created by Madison Avenue and sustained by the media...but we don't have to buy into it.

Even Oprah has climbed on the bandwagon with a recent show on the thriftiest families in America.  The main point she kept making was that being thrifty is not about feeling deprived. It's about freeing ourselves from the bondage of a consumeristic lifestyle that may be running rampant and sucking the enjoyment out of our lives.

What do you think?  I'd love to hear the pros and cons to simplifying, as well as creative ways you've found to simplify your own life.  Leave your comments on the Living & Working On Purpose Blog right here.

Are you as tired about hearing all the negativity about our worsening economic situation? Makes you wonder if we’re not shooting ourselves in the foot again and again with so much emphasis about how terrible it all it. Oh, I know, as my friend Dave Carpenter pointed out recently, that it’s not all media hype -- there are real houses being foreclosed on.

I know. Ann and I have a home that we’re renting to a young, single dad and his 6 year old daughter. He’s out of work and behind on his rent and we’re about tapped out in our own reserves so we may lose the house. While I’m not excited about losing it -- for Ann and I it’s ‘investment property’ -- for our tenants it’s their home, and we started Purposeful Properties to help turn houses into homes so people like this young man and daughter could build a home.

Yes, I know there are real things happening in our world as a result of the economic situation, but I think we need to counterbalance the pain, fear and scarcity with healing, loving kindness, and maybe some uplifting inspiration. So, today I start a series with this question: What are the Upsides of This Major Downturn?

Simplifying Life in a Complex World (Part 3)

This week we finish up on our theme of simplifying life in this complex world in which we live -- at least for now. Since we started this series our two previous podcasts, you may want to go back and listen to those if you haven't already. Or, if you're so inclined jump in here the topics of Urban Simplicity and the Inner Road to Simplicity, from the Yoga Journal article I wrote in 1996. I think you'll agree that it's just a pertinent today as it was in '96.

What are the Upsides of This Major Downturn?

Well, we've all heard plenty about the major down turn that we're in the midst of. The news media is having a real hay day with it all. Unemployment continues to rise, home foreclosures are everywhere, and no one seems to know quite what to do about it all.

But let's take a step back and look at this from a different perspective.

Let's say for the moment that we live in a universe where there are no accidents.  I know that can be a bit of a challenge in its own right, especially when it looks like there's been a major accident on the universal freeway, but I don't think so.

I think it's more likely that we've been paid a visit from the Universal UPS Truck.

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The Universal UPS Truck
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I still remember when my coach at that time, Michelle Lisenbury Christensen, shared with me about the Universal UPS Truck.  It went something like this:

The Universal UPS truck drives up to your home. Inside it, there's a package with your name on it, and inside the package is a present just for you.  Now, if you don't come to the door when the driver tries to deliver the package, it's not a problem.  The Universal UPS truck will simply return again, and again until the package is delivered, just like a regular UPS truck....with one important exception.

Each time the Universal UPS truck attempts to deliver the package with the gift inside, it gets a bit more intentional, even forceful with its attempts, until finally, if you continue to refuse the package, the Universal UPS truck drives through your living room.

Quite a wake up call, right?  Well, perhaps we're being given the opportunity to wake ourselves up...but to what?

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3 Upsides to this Down Turn
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I think the package we're being delivered has at least 3 gifts inside.  They are:

**  The opportunity to re-evaluate our lives

**  The opportunity to simplify our lives

**  The opportunity to know our true Self

I remember hearing from one of my clients a few years ago that he realized that he was one of the many people so busy climbing the corporate ladder,  scrambling all over each other he'd failed to notice the ladder was propped against the wrong wall, and wasn't going to result in a fulfilling or satisfying life.

What wall is your ladder propped against? Isn't this the perfect time to spend a little time reflecting upon such a question?

This is an ideal time to get in touch with what matters most in our lives.  Is it really having the latest model, gas guzzling car?  Or to be able to rent a private jet to fly to the Super Bowl?  Or to work 50, 60 or more hours at a job your hate so you can afford the 'good life' while ignoring the loving family that's starved for your attention?

I don't think so....even though perhaps we've thought so up to now. 

My daughter was given an assignment recently by one of her teachers to bring in the one thing she'd be sure to take with her if there was a fire in our home, and an person or pet didn't count.

We both realized from the assignment that there wasn't anything more important than our loved ones.  (And we also both agreed we'd grab our lap tops if we had the chance. <G>)

So, this is the time to embrace what matters most to you, and to spend a bit more time appreciating them.  In future issues, we'll examine the gift of simplifying our life and knowing our true Self.  In the meantime, let's discuss what really matters to you right here on the Living & Working On Purpose blog.

Leave your comments including how you're coping with these turbulent times -- what's working and what's not.