Rare Sense Thoughts

Vibrational Match and Alignment With Purpose

2010-03-07T02:19:00.004-05:00

As I continue the experiment of videotaping my live radio show, this week I present my show Rare Sense Thoughts and the theme of Vibrational Match and Alignment With Purpose. Now, the sound is a bit scrathcy in places and I am still working on the lighting but once again, I had fun. I will continue to improve things, in the meantime, I hope you can find some useful information in this segment.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry Shade
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/harryshade

Business Success Through Group Coaching

2010-03-06T14:34:00.004-05:00

As many of you know, my friend and business partner Axel Meierhoefer and I have decided that we will team up and offer group coaching. One theme and/or topic for this endeavor will be along the lines of; How to build a thriving and sustainable business.

No matter what the economic situation is like, it is important to know how to easily and effortlessly build your business, let alone in an economy like we have today. It is critical that we look to the future and create our own successes, be it personally or professionally.

Group coaching is a wonderful way to do this for several reasons; here are just a few of them:

1. Affordability; It is affordable because you share the expense of hiring a coach that you would normally take on alone.
2. Teamwork; You are not doing it alone as the power of teamwork is brought to bear.
3. Synergy; There is synergy when doing things in a group.
4. Support; You get an instant and valuable support network.
5. Accountability; You are now being held accountable by an entire teamand the coaches.

Here is some of what you get when you particpate in our Group Coaching?

1. Two highly successful coaches with over 50 years of experience in coaching and leading organizations.
2. Two highly successful coaches who are innovative, forward thinking and really care for others.
3. Two highly successful coaches who have built highly successful businesses with honesty, integrity and passion.
4. Two highly successful coaches who have the knowledge, and wisdom to take you to heights you never even dreamed of.
5. Two highly successful coaches who are dedicated to helping you be the best you can be

It is our goal to fill our first coaching groups by the end of March, beginning of April at the latest. We are rapidly building the program and will have our new web site up soon. We will also be announcing a preview call/webinar, in which we will present the details of the program and answer you questions.

In the meantime, should you desire to be kept informed and/or have any questions, please contact me at harryeshade@gmail.com or Axel at am@meierhoefer.net.

Make it a great day!

Harry Shade

Tips on How To Be Happy

2010-02-25T01:25:00.004-05:00

Rare Sense Thougths 2/23/10
I decided to experiment and record a video of me doing my live Blog Talk radio show, Rare Sense Thoughts, from this past Tuesday, 2/23/10. And even though it did not come out perfect, that was not the goal. The goal was to have fun and see if this was feasible. I think it was but I would love your feedback on it.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry Shade

Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled & Balanced Life

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/harryshade

45 Lessons of Life Taught Me by Regina Brett

2009-10-21T11:28:00.004-04:00

I have said in the past that when I run across something that I feel is worthy, I will pass it on through my blog. Well, this is more than worthy, this is great stuff. :)

This is something we should all read at least once a week, if not everyday!

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of "The Plain Dealer", Cleveland, Ohio. Here is what she has to say: "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more."

45 Lessons Life Taught Me.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Regina truly has "rare sense" indeed. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today. Please feel free to share this post with anyone you feel would benefit from it and leave your comments.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry Shade
Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled & Balanced Life
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

20 Tips for Permanent Weight Loss

2009-09-09T12:10:00.005-04:00

As I often say, we must keep our body, mind and spirit in balance to live a fulfilled and balanced life. One of the challenges our society faces, especially in the US, is weight gain and obesity. As I stated in an earlier blog post, humans were not meant to be sedentary beings or in other words, "couch potatoes". Our bodies crave movement and along with that, proper nutrition.

In an effort to help those who are challenged with weight gain and are seeking ways to get rid of those extra pounds permanently, below is a 2007 article from the Mayo Clinic with wonderful tips for permanent weight loss.

20 Tips for Permanent Weight Loss

Exercise is one of 20 keys to permanent weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

7/10/2007

Weight maintenance is much like weight loss. The principles are essentially the same: Eat healthy foods, control your portion sizes and exercise regularly. And to keep the pounds off permanently, you need to incorporate the new, healthy behaviors into your routine so that they become a natural part of your daily life. And no, pork rinds and beer twice a week are not on the list.

Here are 20 ideas to reinforce your healthy lifestyle and to keep you committed to permanent weight loss, which seems healthier than our previous commitment to gradual weight gain.

1. Exercise 30 to 60 minutes each day. If time is limited, exercise for several brief periods throughout the day — for example, three 10-minute sessions rather than one 30-minute session. (And if the word "exercise" immediately puts negative thoughts in your mind, substitute the phrase "move your body".)

2. Eat three healthy meals during the day, including a good breakfast. Skipping meals causes increased hunger and may lead to excessive snacking.

3. Focus on fruits and vegetables. Top off your morning cereal with sliced strawberries or bananas. Stir berries or peaches in yogurt or cottage cheese. Liven up your sandwiches with vegetables, such as tomato, lettuce, onion, peppers and cucumber.

4. Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become even larger.

5. Don't keep comfort foods in the house. If you tend to eat high-fat, high-calorie foods when you're upset or depressed or bored, don't keep them around. Availability of food is one of the strongest factors in determining how much a person eats.

6. Plan a family activity. Get the family together to go for a bike ride, play disc golf or kick the ball around in the yard.

7. Eat healthy foods first. Eat foods that are healthy and low in calories first so that when it comes time to enjoy your favorites — sweets or junk food, for example — you won't be so hungry.

8. Pay attention to portions. Serve meals already dished onto plates instead of placing serving bowls on the table. Take slightly less than what you think you'll eat. You can always have seconds, if really necessary.

9. Create opportunities to be active. Wash your car at home instead of going to the car wash. Bike or walk to the store. Participate in your kid's activities at the playground or park.

10. Sit down together for family meals. Avoid eating in front of the television. TV viewing strongly affects how much and what people eat.

11. See what you eat. Eating directly from a container gives you no sense of how much you're eating. Seeing food on a plate or in a bowl keeps you aware of how much you're eating.

12. Vary your activities. Regularly change your activity routine to avoid exercise burnout. Walk a couple of days, swim another and go for a bike ride on the weekend. Seek out new activities — karate, ballroom dancing, cross-country skiing, tennis or Pilates.

13. De-stress your day. Stress can cause you to eat more. Develop strategies that can help you relax when you find yourself becoming stressed. Exercise, deep breathing, muscle relaxation techniques and even a good laugh can ease stress.

14. Eat at home. People eat more food in restaurants than at home. Limit how often you eat at restaurants. If you do eat out, decide what and how much you're going to eat before you start and have the rest boxed to go.

15. Plan healthy snacks. The best snacks include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Fruit smoothies, sliced fresh fruit and yogurt, whole-grain crackers, and carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter are all good choices.

16. Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal, such as bran flakes, shredded wheat or oatmeal. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.

17. Walk for 10 minutes over your lunch hour or get up a few minutes earlier in the morning and go for a short walk.

18. Plan a week's worth of meals at a time. Make a detailed grocery list to eliminate last-minute trips to the grocery store and impulse buys.

19. Look for a distraction when you're fighting a craving. Call a friend, put on music and dance or exercise, clean the house, pull weeds in your garden, or run an errand. When your mind is occupied with something else, the cravings quickly go away.

20. Reward yourself. Losing weight and keeping the pounds off is a major accomplishment. Celebrate your success with nonfood rewards, such as new clothes or an outing with friends.

I will certainly say that there is nothing earth shattering here. Most of what is in this article has been said for years. However, many people with weight challenges keep looking for that magic pill. First of all, what really takes here is time and effort. The weight did not magically appear on your body overnight and will not come off that way. It took time and effort to gain the weight and so it will also take time and effort to lose it. Secondly, to accomplish anything in life it also takes desire, determination & dedication. All the same things that are required to be able to live that life of fulfillment and balance.

Most of all, you have to know that you are worthy to have the life of your dreams, a life of fulfillment and balance. If that includes a life at a lower weight, then know that you are worthy of it. Do not just hope or believe it, KNOW IT, right down to the very cells of your being! Know that you are worthy of every good thing that will come to you, including a healthy body.

Once again, I thank you for reading my words. Please take the time to comment and share your thoughts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled & Balanced Life
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

Are You Living Like You Were Dying?

2009-09-03T14:21:00.007-04:00

I awoke this morning to Tim McGraw's song, "Live Like You Were Dying."

Here is the YouTube video of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiOcW_YR1G8

It is such a wonderful song with a powerful message and it got me thinking about what topic I wanted to write on today and so I decided to ask these questions:

ARE YOU LIVING LIKE YOU WERE DYING?

Or are you simply going through the motions?

What would it take for you to live that way?

Would it actually take a "death" sentence diagnosis from a doctor? Let's hope not!

The funny thing is from the time we are born, in a way, we are essentially dying. Life naturally leads to the death of at least our physical bodies, so why do we not live this way naturally. I mean, if you think about it, given the right circumstances, we do as a child. If we are not one of the unfortunate ones who came into this life in less than ideal circumstances, then our days are filled with play, joy, and wonder.

Then we grow up and alot of that vanishes under the weight of responsibility and societal pressures. We tend to suppress play and curiosity and replace it with worry and busyness. We are no longer simply being, we are into doing and having and have left being behind but like the proverbial three legged stool, we need the being to be in balance.

You see, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, we are technically dying anyway. Every second many, many cells in our bodies die and are replaced. As we age, some of those cells are no longer replaced and eventually we leave our body and venture off into the realm of spirit.

So, what can we do to hold onto those childlike qualities and balance them with the "grown up" circumstances of life. What can we do to live like we were dying, for in fact we are. Just because we do not have that "death sentence" diagnosis, we are still heading to that transitional state called death.

Here are some ideas to live like you were dying:

1. Take time everyday for play, something that makes your heart smile and your soul sing.

2. Learn something new everyday, challenge your mind.

3. Move your body, your body craves and needs movement, we were not meant to sendentary beings, so get up and move.

4. Expand & nurture your circles, make new friends and connect with old ones.

5. Make time to visit and experience someplace new.

6. Take time for just you, get a massage, meditate, listen to your favorite music, whatever.

I am sure you can come up with a whole list of things, kinda like a Bucket List. You know a list of all the things you want to do before you, well, "kick the bucket". However, instead of calling it a Bucket List, why not call it a Living List?

Why wait another second? Go and live like you were dying, simply because that is how we were meant to live.

Thank you for taking the time to read my words. I am blessed that you would do so. Please comment, for this is how we all learn from one another.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Author - Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life.

harry@raresenseunlimited.com

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

What do you reflect upon?

2009-08-25T16:26:00.005-04:00

For anyone who has followed me for any length of time, you know I love quotes and now I have added a thought to get you reflecting even more.

Quote

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." ~Charles Dickens

Thought

"You can't feel resentment and gratitude at the same time. One will always drive out the other. So the question is: Which would you rather be-angry or happy? Indignant or grateful? Upset or serene? Would you rather hold onto your self-righteous resentment or fill your heart with forgiveness and gratitude?"

~Mac Anderson and BJ Gallagher, authors "Learning to Dance in the Rain"

So, what are you reflecting on today?

Is it all the blessings you have or the things that you don't?

Do you look at the positive or the negative?

Where you place your emphasis will show up most in your life.

So, do you want happiness or misery?

Seems like a silly question because who would want misery or pain or anything negative? Obviously, many, many people because that is where they place their focus and their thoughts. Remember what you think about, where you put your focus, the energy that radiates from you, creates your reality. You attract exactly to you what your thoughts produce.

My recommendation, think good thoughts and you will get good results. I am not saying that everything in your life will change in an instant or overnight because like anything else it took time for you to get where you are today and it will take time to change those habits, however, you will feel instantly better when you focus on all the blessings you have and this will get your life going in the direction you want it to go.

And while this is really simple I can tell you that this is where it all begins. Don't believe me? Check in with yourself. How is your life going? What thoughts are you both subconsciously and consciously thinking? Do you ever find yourself saying bad things about yourself in your head? Are you ever surprised by the negative things that come out of your mouth? Would you be friends with you, if you talked about you the way you talk about yourself? Think about it and the answers will reveal themselves.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today. I am blessed that you have done so. Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry
Author - "Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life"
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

My New Bio

2009-07-30T20:03:00.021-04:00

I was asked to write a bio for the web site for a new business venture I am part of called Innovision Global. When I finished I thought, you know this would be good to share on my blog. I feel it is another look into what for me has been a wonderful life as well as a way for everyone to get to know me even better.

So, here it goes:

Meet Harry
Author Father Speaker Husband Trainer Community Leader Coach

Hello everyone. My name is Harry Shade and these are some highlights from my 49 years of living on this rock we call Earth.

For someone from a small town in NE Ohio, I have led a very diverse and exciting life. My hometown has two claims to fame. First of all, Newton Falls was mentioned on The Tonight Show because the zip code is 44444 and secondly it has the oldest wooden covered bridge with a covered sidewalk in Ohio. Pretty cool, huh?

While Newton Falls is not the hotbed of diversity, it is a community in the strongest of words; its citizens are dedicated to supporting one another and the world around them. I feel it is very important that you know where I came from because Newton Falls and the people who live there provided the foundation for my life. There is where I learned to get along with others, to share with one another, to grow friendships and to feel the love and protection of community.

Through hard work and determination, I earned an academic scholarship upon graduation and attended The Ohio State University, one of the most prestigious research universities in the world and of course the home of the Buckeyes football team. Through four years of self discovery and personal growth, I was exposed to some of the greatest academic minds and the most diverse population (52,000 students from 81 countries and all 50 states) I had ever encountered. From Saturday afternoon football games, championships in intramural basketball and bowling and classes such as Philosophy, Forensic Science and Abnormal Psychology, Ohio State provided me with knowledge and experiences that continued to shape my body, mind and spirit. I became totally immersed in the Ohio State community and graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice. I am a Life Member of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, one of the largest alumni associations in the world.

I then enlisted in the U.S. Army and served eight years as a Military Police Officer and Criminal Investigator. I experienced living in Europe, traveling around the world, protecting U.S. Department of Defense & Foreign dignitaries and supervising undercover narcotics and general crimes teams. This is where I honed my leadership and management skills, while being a part of another fantastic community, the U.S. Army. The castles of Europe were especially intriguing to me and I visited many of them, including my favorite, Neu Schwanstein, five times. Once again I fully engaged in the culture and community.

Becoming a father was one of the most profound experiences of my life. My daughter, Melinda, was born in Frankfurt Germany in 1990 and this event would set the stage for continued personal and professional growth. I had always wanted to be a father and have thoroughly enjoyed raising my daughter and watching her grow into a beautiful young woman. She is now a student at The Ohio State University and I could not be any prouder.

Because I wanted to be the best father, person and role model for my new child, I became immersed in the study of self help and personal development. I am intrigued by the creative thought process, and voraciously study intellectuals, philosophers, teachers and leaders such as Gandhi, Buddha, Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, Wayne Dyer, Mother Theresa, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Deepak Chopra and many others.

Working with kids is another passion of mine and so I have been a youth sports coach for the past 31 years. As a coach, I have had winning seasons, losing seasons and have won championships. My most memorable moments however, have been when one of my players would make their very first basket or get that very first hit. I tell my players that through sports I will teach them about life and that the sport they are playing is just a byproduct. My greatest joy is in watching my young players learn and grow as people. I have now coached over 400youth in the past 31 years and call them all my “kids”.

All these experiences led to writing my first book, Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life. In a nutshell, the ideas in this book are what work for me in living what I consider a fulfilled and balanced life. And isn’t that the point? Your life is what you make of it and so what one person considers fulfilling and balanced, is not the definition another would choose. My goal in writing the book was simply to get others to think and determine for themselves what fulfilled and balanced means to them.

I have also had a highly successful Real Estate career, have held many leadership and management positions and have received numerous awards over the years. However, I am most proud of the people I have been able to help grow through my training, speaking writing and coaching.

I currently reside in Columbus, Ohio, with my beautiful bride Tammy, my daughter, Melinda, our Chocolate Lab, Toby and two cats, Holly and Mickey.

Because of all my experiences, teachers, mentors, family, friends and the diverse communities I have had the privilege to be a member; I have evolved into a kind, caring, balanced, dedicated, passionate, responsible, hard working, ethical, honest, straight forward, fulfilled, caring, understanding, insightful, compassionate, spiritual and loving man.

This is what I and my partners bring to Innovision Global and to you as members of our community. These are the types of people you will be exposed to and what Innovision Global is all about….community. WELCOME HOME!

Education

BA, The Ohio State University, Criminal Justice

49 Years of Life!

25,000+ hours of training in leadership, management, goal setting, sales, marketing, investigations, crisis counseling, time management, body language, interviewing, psychology, and customer service through military and civilian channels.

35+ years studying all the major religions including American Indian Spirituality, as well as Spiritual Masters both past and present.

Experience

12 years of both civilian and military law enforcement
where I held numerous leadership positions.

13 years Real Estate Sales, where I received an award for Rookie of the Year as well as being a member of a team of Real Estate agents that averaged over $12 million dollars per year in sales.

Over three decades presenting lectures & seminars

on various topics to tens of thousands of people.

Appointed and then elected to the Plain City Village Council where I served on numerous boards and committees, including the Union County Chamber of Commerce

Well, I hope you enjoyed getting to know me better. I am honored that you would choose to take the time to read my blog. Please share your thoughts, comments and suggestions.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry
Author - Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life.
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

The "Negative" side of life has a purpose.

2009-07-29T13:29:00.008-04:00

I was sitting around thinking about how we talk about balance and harmony in our lives and that perfection is not what we should be seeking but yet (and I have been guilty of this myself) we tell ourselves and others to not have any negative thoughts or avoid negative people. While I will acknowledge that keeping these experiences down to a minimum is desirable, if we are truly living they cannot and should not be avoided.

I have come to realize that those things we call "negative" actually have a place and a purpose in our lives. We live in a world full of dichotomies: up/down; left/right; happy/sad, and positive/negative. And if we are truly living in harmony and balance, both the positive and negative are part of the whole. What I have come to learn is really important, is to to embrace it all for it all is part of life. And of course this quote just happened to show up in my email today:
"Someone once asked Norman Vincent Peale, 'Don't you think life would be better if we had fewer problems?' Peale said, 'I'll be happy to take you to Woodlawn Cemetery, because the only people I know who don't have any problems are dead.' The point is we can't avoid problems, so we might as well expect them and embrace them as opportunities to learn and grow." ~ Mac Anderson, author, Charging the Human Battery http://www.macanderson.com/

So truly, we should not be seeking a life with no problems, challenges and/or negative experiences for they also help us on our path. We should not however dwell in that space but rather learn from all our experiences and move onward and upward.

In her book, The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie Ford makes the truly valid point for acknowledging and embracing the "dark" side of ourselves because we all have it. Some call it our shadow side and while we do not want that dark side to be at the forefront of who we are, it does in fact serve a purpose, if for no other reason than to remind us of who we truly are and what we want to show the world. http://www.debbieford.com/

Negative things happen to us all but if we look at them as another way to learn and grow as Mac Anderson suggested, then are they truly "negative"? I say no, for anything that helps us with our growth must be positive.

So, allow yourself to experience those so called "negative" events. Just recognize what they are and how they can help us. Do not dwell in that space but do not ignore it either for it is part and parcel of who we are as humans. And especially we need not feel guilty or ashamed if we have negative thoughts about anything. We do however, want to acknowledge those thoughts and discover why we are having them. What do we need to work on? How can we learn and grow from them?

I am blessed to have you read my blog and I truly hope I have provided you with some food for thought. Please share your comments, thoughts and suggestions.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Taking care of you!

2009-07-23T20:15:00.006-04:00

"Love yourself so that you may love others. Nurture yourself, so that you may nurture others." - Harry Shade

One of the things I find to be utterly important, especially for those in what I call the helping fields, but anyone in general, is that we take time for ourselves. We need to care for ourselves to be able to care for others.

We are usually doing things for others and so we do not take time to ensure we are well. But if we are not in top form, how do we expect to give our best to others? If we are not our best we cannot possibly give our best to others.

I know what you may be thinking. "I feel guilty when I do things for myself." I cannot take time for me, when I have all these responsibilities." "I feel like if I am not taking care of my family, then no one will."

Well, first of all guilt in all shapes and forms must be removed from our lives for it really serves no purpose other than to stress us out. Secondly, we do not need martyrs. What is needed are people who can care for others because they have cared for themselves.

We cannot be any good for others if:

We are sick!

We are tired!

We are stressed!

We are depressed!

We are depleted!

We are not our best!

So, we must take the time to ensure we are healthy and well. That way we can be at our best and give our best to the world around us.

We must then:

Eat healthy.

Get regular physical checkups.

Exercise our mind and body.

Feed our soul.

Listen to our bodies.

Get plenty of sleep.

Nurture ourselves.

Learn and experience new things.

Hydrate our bodies.

Make time to get away.

Declutter and destress.

In this way, we will be at our best and so will be able to give our best. Once again, this is not a selfish but rather a selfless act.

What are you doing everyday to nurture YOU?

"If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." - Micky Mantle

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I am honored that you would do so. Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments on this subject.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author - Rare Sense, One day It Will Be Common
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Instructions for Life by the Dalai Laama

2009-07-21T14:12:00.006-04:00

This list purported to be from the Dalai Lama, has been around for awhile and yet I was compelled to share it once again. I believe it is because we can never be reminded enough that the simplest things in life are often the most profound.

Instructions for Life . . . by the Dalai Lama

- Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

- When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

- Follow the three r's. Respect for self, Respect for others, and Responsibility for all your actions.

- Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

- Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

- Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

- When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

- Spend some time alone every day.

- Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

- Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

- Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

- A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

- In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

- Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

- Be gentle with the earth.

- Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

- Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

- Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

- Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

I hope you enjoyed this list and will use it's powerful lessons to improve your life and the lives of those you touch.

Thank you for taking the time to read and share my blog. I really appreciate your comments and suggestions.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Are you doing things out of guilt & obligation?

2009-07-19T22:27:00.009-04:00

As much as I like to write original things for you all, there are times when I come across things from others that is definitely worth sharing with you. There are many, many, many, wonderful people out there doing their very best to help spread a positive message and provide superb guidance.

It just so happens that this time, it comes from one of my friends, Pamela Gregory. Pamela has been a guest twice on my Blog talk Radio show. She is a beautiful soul and has blessed many people with her talks about forgiveness and the power it has to change lives. I suggest you learn more about Pamela by going to her web site, http://pamelagregory.com/.

If you would like to listen to the recording of our shows together, here are the links:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/HarryShade/2009/06/18/Talking-Forgiveness-with-Pamela-Gregory

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/HarryShade/2009/06/25/Permission-to-Honor-Yourself-with-Pamela-Gregory

Without further delay, here is a note I received from Pamela as part of her Facebook group, Forgiveness Healing.

Doing the Right Thing vs. Guilt and Obligation by Pamela Gregory

Have you ever noticed that when you've done something for someone because you felt guilted into it, whether by yourself or them, that it didn't benefit either of you in the end? Think back and notice times in your life when you made a decision to do something because you “had” to, and not because you felt it was the right thing to do or had the guidance to do. Guilt and obligation are both negative energies, so the only outcome that could result is a negative one.

Even when you have the INTENTION to want to help, but you do so because you will feel guilty if you don't, it will end up being a lose/lose for both of you.The contrasting affect is, when we do something because we know it is the right thing to do, it benefits BOTH sides. Doing what we know in our heart is right ALWAYS results in a double blessing. Doing the right thing may not be fun, convenient, or something we would choose to do if a certain need didn't exist, but when you look back after the fact, you feel good inside...which is healthy for you, and those you've helped feel the love and care shown by your efforts, which obviously is healthy for them.

This reminds me of a lecture given by Dr. Wayne Dyer. He spoke of a study that showed a rather dramatic boost in the immune system in individuals who were the receivers of an act of kindness. In addition, they discovered the one who performed the act of kindness also had a boost in their immune system...and even an observer of this kind act showed a strengthening in their immune system. This proves, as if we needed proof, that by doing the right thing really does make a difference, in more ways than we ever knew.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't tie in forgiveness here. When you forgive others, it most definitely is “doing the right thing” as the benefits to you are tremendous. When you harbor anger and are unforgiving of ourselves or another, it leads to an acid environment in our body. Acid thoughts create acid in the body. Cancer can only survive in an acid environment. Anger releases high voltage toxic chemicals inside your body, contributing to heart disease. It also pulls calcium from your bones and joints, resulting in arthritis and osteoporosis... the brain shuts down making it impossible to think clearly. Do you see all the dis-ease that is caused by these toxic thoughts? Do you see the damage you are doing to yourself when holding on to the pain and anger from the past?

This is why, FORGIVENESS (letting go of anger) is so HEALING...and is most definitely “doing the right thing” for everyone involved. :)

Share LOVE All Ways ~ Pamela

NOTE: To read this message in other languages, please go to the Articles tab on my website http://pamelagregory, scroll to the bottom to the translator, and pick your desired language...

PS. If you haven't already done so, please consider signing the online petition to create an Int'l Forgiveness Day!!http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/International-Forgiveness-Day/

"Guilt upon the conscience, like rust upon iron, both defiles and consumes it, gnawing and creeping into it, as that does which at last eats out the very heart and substance of the metal." - South

"Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself. Being true to anyone else or anything else is not only impossible, but that mark of a fake messiah." -
Richard Bach

So, are you doing things our of obligation and/or guilt?

Or are you coming from a place of love, joy and positive energy?

Anytime that we do anything with love as the foundation, it benefits everyone involved. So, let's throw out guilt and obligation and replace it with love, love, love. And while we are at it, let's toss in some forgiveness, (which is just another aspect of love), for good measure.

Once again, you bless me every time you read my blog. Please share your thoughts and comments and if you feel it worthy, share my blog with everyone you know!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common

harry@raresenseunlimited.com

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

20 Simple Ways to Get Happy

2009-07-14T12:18:00.007-04:00

From time to time I find other articles that I feel I should share. Things that can help us all be a better people and to live a better life. Today is one such day.

Of course, what would be a blog from me without a quote!

"The truth is that all of us attain the greatest success and happiness possible in this life whenever we use our native capacities to their greatest extent. " - Dr. Smiley Blanton

The below article is from Reader's Digest. Here is the link: http://http//www.rd.com/living-healthy/20-simple-ways-to-get-happy/article16181.html. This is a rather lengthy post but definitely worth the read.

Happiness is ephemeral, subject to the vagaries of everything from the weather to the size of your bank account. We're not suggesting that you can reach a permanent state called "happiness" and remain there. But there are many ways to swerve off the path of anxiety, anger, frustration, and sadness into a state of happiness once or even several times throughout the day. This Reader's Digest article offers 20 ideas to help get you started. Choose the ones that work for you. If tuning out the news or making lists will serve only to stress you further, try another approach.

1. Practice mindfulness. Be in the moment. Instead of worrying about your checkup tomorrow while you have dinner with your family, focus on the here and now -- the food, the company, the conversation.

2. Laugh out loud. Just anticipating a happy, funny event can raise levels of endorphins and other pleasure-inducing hormones and lower production of stress hormones. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, tested 16 men who all agreed they thought a certain videotape was funny. Half were told three days in advance they would watch it. They started experiencing biological changes right away. When they actually watched the video, their levels of stress hormones dropped significantly, while their endorphin levels rose 27 percent and their growth hormone levels (indicating benefit to the immune system) rose 87 percent.

3. Go to sleep. We have become a nation of sleep-deprived citizens. Taking a daily nap or getting into bed at 8 p.m. one night with a good book -- and turning the light out an hour later -- can do more for your mood and outlook on life than any number of bubble baths or massages.

4. Hum along. Music soothes more than the savage beast. Studies find music activates parts of the brain that produce happiness -- the same parts activated by food or sex. It's also relaxing. In one study older adults who listened to their choice of music during outpatient eye surgery had significantly lower heart rates, blood pressure, and cardiac workload (that is, their heart didn't have to work as hard) as those who had silent surgery.

5. Declutter. It's nearly impossible to meditate, breathe deeply, or simply relax when every surface is covered with papers and bills and magazines, your cabinets bulge, and you haven't balanced your checkbook in six months. Plus, the repetitive nature of certain cleaning tasks -- such as sweeping, wiping, and scrubbing -- can be meditative in and of itself if you focus on what you're doing.

6. Just say no. Eliminate activities that aren't necessary and that you don't enjoy. If there are enough people already to handle the church bazaar and you're feeling stressed by the thought of running the committee for yet another year, step down and let someone else handle things.

7. Make a list. There's nothing like writing down your tasks to help you organize your thoughts and calm your anxiety. Checking off each item provides a great sense of fulfillment.

8. Do one thing at a time. Edward Suarez, Ph.D., associate professor of medical psychology at Duke, found that people who multitask are more likely to have high blood pressure. Take that finding to heart. Instead of talking on the phone while you fold laundry or clean the kitchen, sit down in a comfortable chair and turn your entire attention over to the conversation. Instead of checking e-mail as you work on other projects, turn off your e-mail function until you finish the report you're writing. This is similar to the concept of mindfulness.

9. Garden. Not only will the fresh air and exercise provide their own stress reduction and feeling of well-being, but the sense of accomplishment that comes from clearing a weedy patch, watching seeds turn into flowers, or pruning out dead wood will last for hours, if not days.

10. Tune out the news. For one week go without reading the newspaper, watching the news, or scanning the headlines online. Instead, take a vacation from the misery we're exposed to every day via the media and use that time for a walk, a meditation session, or to write in your journal.

11. Take a dog for a walk. There are numerous studies that attest to the stress-relieving benefits of pets. In one analysis researchers evaluated the heart health of 240 couples, half of whom owned a pet. Those couples with pets had significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure levels when exposed to stressors than the couples who did not have pets. In fact, the pets worked even better at buffering stress than the spouses did.

12. Scent the air. Research finds that the benefits of aromatherapy in relieving stress are real. In one study people exposed to rosemary had lower anxiety levels, increased alertness, and performed math computations faster. Adults exposed to lavender showed an increase in the type of brain waves that suggest increased relaxation. Today you have a variety of room-scenting methods, from plug-in air fresheners to essential oil diffusers, potpourri, and scented candles.

13. Ignore the stock market. Simply getting your quarterly 401(k) statement can be enough to send your blood pressure skyrocketing. In fact, Chinese researchers found a direct link between the daily performance of the stock market and the mental health of those who closely followed it. Astute investors know that time heals most financial wounds, so give your investments time -- and give yourself a break.

14. Visit a quiet place. Libraries, museums, gardens, and places of worship provide islands of peace and calm in today's frantic world. Find a quiet place near your house and make it your secret getaway.

15. Volunteer. Helping others enables you to put your own problems into perspective and also provides social interaction. While happy people are more likely to help others, helping others increases your happiness. One study found that volunteer work enhanced all six aspects of well-being: happiness, life satisfaction, self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health, and depression.
16. Spend time alone. Although relationships are one of the best antidotes to stress, sometimes you need time alone to recharge and reflect. Take yourself out to lunch or to a movie, or simply spend an afternoon reading, browsing in a bookstore, or antiquing.

17. Walk mindfully. You probably already know that exercise is better than tranquilizers for relieving anxiety and stress. But what you do with your mind while you're walking can make your walk even more beneficial. In a study called the Ruth Stricker Mind/Body Study, researchers divided 135 people into five groups of walkers for 16 weeks. Group one walked briskly, group two at a slow pace, and group three at a slow pace while practicing "mindfulness," a mental technique to bring about the relaxation response, a physiological response in which the heart rate slows and blood pressure drops. This group was asked to pay attention to their footsteps, counting one, two, one, two, and to visualize the numbers in their mind. Group four practiced a form of tai chi, and group five served as the control, changing nothing about their lives. The group practicing mindfulness showed significant declines in anxiety and had fewer negative and more positive feelings about themselves. Overall they experienced the same stress-reducing effects of the brisk walkers. Better yet, the effects were evident immediately.

18. Give priority to close relationships. One study of more than 1,300 men and women of various ages found that those who had a lot of supportive friends were much more likely to have healthier blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar metabolism, and stress hormone levels than those with two or fewer close friends. Women, and to a lesser extent men, also seemed to benefit from good relationships with their parents and spouses. Studies also find that people who feel lonely, depressed, and isolated are three to five times more likely to get sick and die prematurely than those who have feelings of love, connection, and community.

19. Take care of the soul. In study after study, actively religious people are happier and cope better with crises, according to David Myers, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. For many people faith provides a support community, a sense of life's meaning, feelings of ultimate acceptance, a reason to focus beyond yourself, and a timeless perspective on life's woes. Even if you're not religious, a strong spirituality may offer similar benefits.

20. Count your blessings. People who pause each day to reflect on some positive aspect of their lives (their health, friends, family, freedom, education, etc.) experience a heightened sense of well-being.

I am sure you will have other things to add to this list. What I find most interesting is that like life itself, the keys to happiness are found in the simple things. So, what are you doing to bring happiness to you and the world around you?

Once again, I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. If you feel it has helped you in any way and will help others please send them a link to it. It is my intention to help as many people as I can to be the best they can be. Please share your thoughts, ideas and comments.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author - "Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common"
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Are you in the game of life?

2009-07-13T16:17:00.004-04:00

"I could not at any age be content to take my place in a corner by the fireside and simply look on." - Eleanor Roosevelt

This is so very true for various reasons. If we are not willing to be involved, why then should we expect others to be? If we are not willing to change then how can we expect others to change? If we are content with the way things are, then how can we ask others to question and ponder things?

Life is a series of events and experiences that should both challenge and comfort us, to bring us closer to the source, to inspire us to greater things, to motivate us to be of service, to allow us to show love and compassion.

By just sitting in the corner and simply observing we are missing out on the most rewarding things in life. While some observation is necessary, important and helpful, we cannot allow it to be all that we do, for true living requires that we take action and be involved. When we are fully in the game of life, we are truly living because we are engaging each other, helping each other, encouraging one another and experiencing everything this life has to offer.

So, are you in the game of life or are you simply sitting on the sidelines observing?

Are you content with where you are or looking to grow?

Thank you for taking your precious time to read my blog. It is my intention to inspire you to deeper levels of thought. I encourage you to share your thoughts and comments.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry Shade

Author - "Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common"

harry@raresenseunlimited.com

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Where is your attention?

2009-07-10T16:13:00.011-04:00

Albert Einstein said: "Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves."

So, where is your attention?

Is it where it needs to be?

Is it on the proverbial kiss, the goals you seek?

Or is it scattered and not focused as it should be?

If your attention is in fact where it needs to be, you will reach your goals easily and effortlessly, while having the time of your life getting there.

If not, you will stumble around, lost and bewildered, wondering why things just never seem to work out for you and the experience will not be enjoyable, there will be frustration, misunderstanding and doubt!

Attention is a critcial element to success as it allows you to focus on the plan and the goals. It allows you to not only get the "kiss" but throughly enjoy every sweet second of it!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Author: Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Is fear leading you to failure?

2009-07-10T15:45:00.004-04:00

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." - Albert Einstein

Inherently anytime you risk doing something, you risk both failure and success but wouldn't you say that never risking anything is also a form of failure? And just what is failure anyway? To me failure is never trying, never taking the risk. Failure is not an outcome if you tried and risked something.

As far as I am concerned, failure is only failure when:

You do not even try.

You simply try but do not give it your all. Simply trying is failure because of just that.

You gave it your all and still did not succeed based upon what you perceived success was for you.

But did you really even fail then? I say "no" and the reason I say "no" is, if you gave it absolutely everything you had, you put your heart and soul into it, it would only be a failure if you neither learned nor gained anything from the act.

We, however gain knowledge and/or experience from everything we do. It may not be apparent but we do. At a minimum, the learning happens on the cellular level and so our body learned.

The one thing we all must conquer is fear for fear can and will paralyze us into taking no action and thus risking nothing and so gaining nothing,which in fact then leads to failure.

So, how do we conquer fear? Through love. You see the opposite of love is not in fact hate, it is fear.

As the saying goes, "love can move mountains" and it truly can. So, inject love into everything you do and fear will simply fade allowing you to experience life in all it's glory and splendor. And remember it is the journey not the destanation that matters most because therein lies the knowledge and experiences of life.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Please, feel free to comment and share.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry Shade
Author - Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

A Beautiful Prayer

2009-07-10T01:42:00.004-04:00

As I end my sabbatical from writing this blog, I was wondering what I should open with and it came to me to share this beautiful prayer.

As I was reading the book, "Serpent of Light Beyond 2012: The Movement of the Earth's Kundalini and the Rise of the Female Light, 1949 - 2013" by Drunvalo Melchizedek, I came across a Taos Pueblo prayer that I just had to share:

Beauty before me
Beauty behind me
Beauty on my left
Beauty on my right
Beauty above me
Beauty below me
Beauty is love
Love is God.

This really resonated in my heart and I know it will do the same for you. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Please share you thoughts!

Namaste!

Harry Shade
Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will be Common
harry@raresenseunlimited.com
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

What are you going to do?

2009-02-27T23:37:00.005-05:00

There has been a story circulating recently about a "good samaritan" who was cited by the Colorado State Police for jaywalking, even though, he was doing a good deed for an elderly woman. And to top it off, the "good samaritan" was severly injured during the incident.

Fortunately, common sense has finally prevailed and the citation was voided.

However, it begs the question. Would you have helped in this situation? Or would you have had to think about it because you might get cited for jaywalking?

I have to say that I believe that most people, when seeing the opportunity to help another, would do it without thinking about it. In fact, the "good samaritan" despite his injuries and receiving the citation has said that he would do it all over again.

It is that spirit of human compassion and kindness that we all need to be tapping into right now. It is things like that, which will see us through this down cycle in our economy. It is our hope, our belief, our knowing that everything will be fine in the future that will help us create a brighter future for ourselves.

We need all the "good samaritans" of the world to continue to step forward and show us that love, kindness, joy and peace are not just wonderful thoughts but the way we should be living. If one person can prosper during this time than we all can because what any of us can do, we all can do.

So, what would you do? Or better yet, what are you doing? Are you like the good samaritan that would risk it all for the sake of another? Or are you content to listen to the fear mongers and naysayers and allow them to have the power, that you have given them, to control your life?

It is up to each and every one of us to use the power that the universe has bestowed upon us to make this world a better place for us and future generations to come. Starting this very moment, we can choose peace over war, love over hate, courage over fear, prosperity over poverty, abundance over lack, joy over sorrow and health over disease.

This is our time to step up and create a world that we want, need and deserve to live in. It is time to set aside what divides us and focus on what brings us together.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog to day. You bless me with your presence. As always, feel free to share you thoughts, comments and ideas.

May you have all the love, peace, joy, good health and prosperity, in abundance, forevermore.

Harry Shade - Author

"Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life"

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Are you doing good?

2009-02-13T22:59:00.006-05:00

Are you doing good?

I love the wisdom contained in quotes and so today I wanted to share some of them around a common theme. Are you doing good?

"In the time we have it is surely our duty to do all the good we can to all the people we can in all the ways we can." - William Barclay

Can you imagine how the world would be if we all followed this and made it our mantra?

"The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are." - Stephen R. Covey

What good are you doing today?

"It's simply a matter of doing what you do best and not worrying about what the other fellow is going to do" .- John R. Amos

Are you being as kind as possible?

"Ask yourself constantly, ‘What is the right thing to do?" - Confucius

Are you sharing your love with the world?

"Think in terms of what's good for the other person and success will seek you out." -Mary Kay Ash

Are you sharing your unique talents with the world?

"We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from it". - William Osler

Do you have an attitude of gratitude?

“Attitude as much as anything else will determine the quality of your life!” – Harry Shade

For today, take time today to ponder both the questions and the quotes and see what you come up with. It is always a good idea to reflect on your life and see how you are living.

Are you contributing to society in a positive way?
Are you doing good for yourself and others?
Are you someone people want to be around because you have such a wonderful attitude towards life?
Do you make people feel energized and alive?
Do you leave things better than you found them?
Are you an inspiration to others? Do people seek you out for your guidance?
Do you spread love, peace, joy and prosperity wherever you go?
Do you do and give your best every day?
Do you love with all your heart?

As always, thank you for taking the time to ready my blog. It is my intention to help you experience the Power of E and be more empowered, enlightened and evolved! Please share your comments and thoughts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry
Author - Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Social Traffic - Is this what you have been looking for?

2009-02-03T14:11:00.001-05:00

A BTR radio show segment debut for Social Traffic Inc. looking for evangelists to be the voice of a world-wide, socially conscious business start-up. Listen to the show and go to http://www.socialtraffic.biz to learn more and join the movement.Social Traffic Inc.: "Changing the world, one event at a time."hes.edbd

read more | digg story

Social Traffic - What is it all about?

2009-02-02T12:14:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone,

It has been awhile since I posted as I have taken some time to prioritize and reorganize my life and my business, all the while coaching basketball and getting on board a new business start-up adventure. I have also told you in the past that I would bring opportunities & people to your attention who I know can help you be the best you can be and today is one of those days.

I took the time to really assess where I was going, what I wanted to accomplish and who I wanted to become., something I highly recommend we all do from time to time. While in the midst of this self-discovery hiatus, a recurring thought kept entering my head. What can I do to make a major impact on the world? What can I do to come together with a group of like minded individuals and work together for a common cause that will change the world like never before? And then, just as I have been teaching for years, it was manifested, when I met Simon Ford on Facebook. You see, Simon is the visionary behind Social Traffic and it is everything I was looking for.

You do not have to be a business owner or entrepreneur to join and/or gain something from the experience of belonging to this team. There is no cost involved, other then your time and you do not have to want to become a social marketing expert. All is needed is a burning desire to help make positive changes for the world, all the while having access to training and mentoring to help you with your personal and/or professional growth. Who knows, you may even make some friends for life.

While my blog will still be dedicated to helping you be the best you can be, I have to say that taking a look at Social Traffic Inc. would be a very smart choice in helping you achieve that goal

What is Social Traffic Inc.?

We are a social media marketing company dedicated to building a global organization based upon the visionary idea that we can build it from scratch using human capital. We are doing this by attracting some of the world's most forward thinking, socially conscious, passionate, compassionate people into one cohesive team through the power of social networking, all while supporting and promoting wonderful causes around the world.

Why should I consider joining this movement?

If you are looking to be part of a organization that is creating a paradigm shift in the way social marketing is used. If you are looking to be part of a historical event. If you are seeking personal and professional growth. If you want to support wonderful global causes. If you would be willing to exchange time and effort for some of the most advanced social media marketing training and mentoring ever offered before, then this is something I encourage you to check it out.

Where do I go & how do I get started?

Here are links to our blog, YouTube channel and Social Traffic Segments on my radio show:

http://www.socialtraffic.biz

http://www.youtube.com/socialtrafficinc

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/harryshade

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I am honored and blessed that you would take the time to do so. Please comment, share and suggest future topics.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author - Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

hes.edbd

Martin Luther King Jr. - A Celebration

2009-01-19T11:24:00.004-05:00

On this, the day we celebrate the life and times of one of the world's greatest champions and leaders of the cause for human rights, equality and peace, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I wanted to share some of my favorite quotes, from this wonderful man.

It is my dream, that what Dr. King contributed will be amplified by not only myself but by all those around the world that belive in the principles that he promoted:

PEACE, LOVE, EQUALITY

All quotes are by Dr. King

"The time is always right to do what is right."

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

"It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it."

Not only did Dr. King set the example and provide the leadership to a generation of civil rights evangelists and promoters but directly led the way to the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. That milestone in the history of the United States will be celebrated tomorrow with his inauguration.

Won't you all take time today to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King?

Thank you for reading my blog today and please feel free to comment and provide your own thoughts on Dr. King. I also welcome your suggestions as to future topics.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry Shade
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

Yes, we can all get along!

2009-01-12T12:13:00.003-05:00

I have been saying for years that we have the capacity to look past our differences and those things that we use to separate us and just love one another. Here is a wonderful example of just that from the animal world. Check out this video and you will see what I mean. Then come back here and leave a comment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBtFTF2ii7U

It does not get much simpler than that. I hope this has stirred some deep seated emotions inside of you and that you would help by sharing this with everyone you know, so you too can be a part of the shift in human consciousness happening around the world at this very moment!

Thank you for taking the time to read and watch the information on my blog today. I would appreciate your help with any comments, feedback and ideas for future blog posts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

How to evaluate a situation or decision.

2009-01-08T00:14:00.005-05:00

I had a friend of mine contact me the other day, asking me what to do when you have made a bad decision. I decided to put my response in my blog in the hopes that it will help others.

First of all, get out of the mind set that it was a "bad" decision. It simply was a decision that you made at the time that seemed to be the way to go. No decision is bad if you learned something from it. The beautiful thing is we have the power to choose something different if something is not working.

Do not give away that power by retreating into negative thought. You made a decision, simple as that and now you have the opportunity to either choose something different or make something positive out of your current situation.

Now, here is my 5 Step System to evaluate anything:

Step 1: Sit and make a list of all the pros and cons of the various options. As well as your thoughts and feelings about each. Write down anything that comes to mind and notice if any of these feelings are coming from fear and/or doubt. While doing this ask yourself, "Why am I feeling this way?" Write down your responses.

Step 2: Review the list. Make any additions/corrections as needed.

Step 3: Set the list aside and take some time to ponder it, you know meditate, go into silence, etc; ask the universe and see what guidance you get. This helps to get the emotions out of it. Sometimes when we are too emotional about something, we either block or ignore our inner knowing because of the "noise" or "chatter" caused by the emotional reaction to the situation.

Step 4: Put the list away and do not think on it for at least a day.

Step 5: Go back to the list and repeat Steps 2 and 3 and then see what guidance you get. Then go with your natural "gut" or intuitive feeling. Fear and doubt have a way of keeping us stagnant. They also release the feelings of "I made a bad decision" or "I am not good enough". Simply do not go there but rather seek guidance from that inner knowing. It will never let you down.

Thank you for reading my blog today. I hope I was able to impart some useful information. Please feel free to comment or share things that work for you. I look forward to your input.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
www.raresenseunlimited.com

My 2009 New Year Message

2008-12-31T17:18:00.004-05:00

A huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my blogs in 2008. I hope I was able to provide you with helpful advice, tips and content. As I continue to learn and grow, I will continue to share in the hope that I can help you to learn and grow. You are the reason I do what I do, as it it is my passion and purpose to help others be the best they can be, which in turn helps me to be the best I can be.

So, please have a safe and fun New Year's. I look forward to connecting with everyone further in 2009. Peace, love, joy & prosperity, forevermore, in abundance!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

Social Media - The Dawning of a New Age!

2008-12-18T00:51:00.008-05:00

We are at the threshold of the Age of Consciousness and it is a great time to be alive on earth for we are the new pioneers and our message is one of love, peace, joy and prosperity for everyone, in abundance, forevermore.

"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity". - Albert Einstein

It was the Internet that allowed the free flow of information behind the iron curtain that brought the truth to a people starving for it. Today, social media has now taken what the Internet started and we are doing it at the speed of thought.

We are making connections that only a few short years ago would have been practically impossible to make. And the truth is out and once out can never be put back in again. No longer can the spreaders of hate, greed, disempowerment and fear hide behind the walls of time and distance for neither are an obstacle to the truth today.

“A human being is part of the whole called by us the universe--a part limited in time and space. S/he experiences her/himself, their thoughts and their feelings, as something separate from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of their consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us; it restricts us to our personal decisions and our affections to a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” - Albert Einstein

Now that we know and understand the power of social media, it is our responsibility to use it for good and to change the world for the better. To do anything else would be immoral and cowardly.

So, I for one pledge to do all in my power to use this gift of social media that the universe has provided to usher in the Age of Consciousness, where peace, love, joy and prosperity reign.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.' - Albert Einstein

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I am honored that you would do so. Please share your thoughts, comments, stories and topic suggestions.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

If you are happy now, why complicate things?

2008-12-16T16:27:00.005-05:00

Today, I got to thinking about how we can complicate things in life that are working when we think we need more to be happy. And you know how the universe works, when you need something it will be provided.

Well the story I am about to share has been around for a long time. I know I have received it in an e-mail on more than one occasion. So, as I was searching for inspiration to complete my blog today, I was reading a blog by my friend Dina Sabnani and lo and behold was the exact story I needed to make my point, which she posted about three weeks ago.

Here is the link to her blog: http://divinedeebaby.blogspot.com/

The Fisherman and the MBA!

A boat was docked in a tiny Mexican fishing village.

A tourist complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them. 'Not very long,' answered the Fisherman.

'But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?' asked the tourist. The fisherman explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The tourist asked, 'But what do you do with the rest of your time?'

'I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take an afternoon nap with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs... I have a full life.'

The tourist interrupted, 'I have an MBA and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.'

'And after that?' asked the Fisherman. 'With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to a BIG city! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.'

'How long would that take?' asked the fisherman.

'Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,' replied the tourist.

'And after that?'

'Afterwards? Well my Friend, That's when it gets really interesting,' answered the tourist, laughing.. 'When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!'

'Millions? Really? And after that?' said the fisherman.

'After that you'll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take an afternoon nap with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.'

And the moral is: Know where you're going in life....... you may already be there!

I love this story. It gets right to the point that if we are already happy with our life and where it is going, do not over analyze it. If happiness is the goal and you are truly happy then just be.

There is no need for anything else, no matter what anyone else has to say. This is your life and you get to decide if it is serving you. You get to decide if you are happy or not, successful or not, living or not. Others may give you their two cents worth but in the end it is all up to you.

So, if you are happy then just be happy, if not, then make the changes necessary to be happy and remember being comes from within, so nothing outside of you can truly make you happy, if you are not happy inside.

I love you guys for taking the time to read my blog. I hope I was able to provide some useful information today. Please feel free to comment, share your stories or suggest topics.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Author - Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Dedication, Desire, Drive

2008-12-15T11:18:00.004-05:00

Today while driving to the grocery store I observed two people out jogging. Now the sight of two people out for a morning jog is normally nothing to write about. I mean around the world today there was perhaps millions of people out jogging this morning. So, what made it so special about these two that I should take time to write about it. And why did I include the picture to the right.

It was the circumstances under which they were running. Your see in Central Ohio, it is mid-December, so the weather is not usually really cooperative with outside running and today it was especially challenging. It was about 35 degrees and raining. If you ever experienced running in a cold rain, you will understand that it really is miserable. The rain soaks your clothes making them heavier and heavier and no matter what, your ankles and face get some exposure to the water and cold. Your feet get wet and the cold settles into your bones. And the guy in the picture is obviously challenging himself by running where he is at, higher elevation, bad terrain and he looks dressed for cold weather at the least.

Now, some of you may be saying that these people were nuts for jogging in this kind of weather or across those mountains and that terrain. Couldn't they just have run on a treadmill inside where it was warm? Well, if they have a treadmill then the answer would be yes. If not, then that was not an option. OK, then what about just taking the day off? Again, a possibility but they chose not do so. And why do you think they chose to run in these conditions?

Well, here are my thoughts on this.

First of all, anyone who has ever wanted to accomplish anything knows that there are are obstacles and challenges to overcome. And sometimes it is those very obstacles and challenges that they seek to overcome that make the journey to the goal more worthwhile.

Facing adversity in life and overcoming it makes you stronger, builds character and gives you confidence. Sure it is nice when, from time to time, things come a little easier but after you finished that run in the cold and rain, you feel more alive than ever because you not only made your goal for the day but you did so under adverse conditions. You did not give in to the fear, doubt or challenge but faced it head on. Talk about an adrenaline rush!

Secondly, if you want to succeed or accomplish anything in life you must apply the three Ds; dedication, desire and drive.

Combine these three feelings and you will never quit, never give up and even when defeat is eminent, you will find the victory in the defeat. When the goal will not be reached, you will find the positive in the negative. When the outcome will be less than desirable, you will find the joy in the sorrow. When you just "did it anyway", you will appreciate the journey!

You see these three obviously had some goal they were trying to reach so they were applying the three Ds on this day. And no matter what, they were going to accomplish what they set out to do. No, cold, no rain, no bad terrain, nothing was stopping them from doing what they needed to do this day to work towards their goal. Do you think these three will reach their goals? More than likely yes for they have already shown they have the dedication, desire and drive to do so.

Here is my definition on those three Ds:

1. Dedication: The feeling that no matter what you will work as hard as you can to see something through to the end.

2. Desire: A feeling deep in your soul that there is something you wish to accomplish or attain.

3. Drive: The internal feeling that fuels you when things get the toughest.

So, what goals are you trying to attain? Are you applying the three Ds or are you giving in to fear and doubt? Do you shrink away from challenges or meet them head on?

Thanks for reading my blog today. I hope I was able to provide you with something that you can use to better your life. Please feel free to share a comment, story, and/or provide any suggestions for topics for future posts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Are you doing good?

2008-12-11T13:17:00.002-05:00

I love the wisdom contained in quotes and so today I wanted to share some of them around a common theme. Are you doing good?

"In the time we have it is surely our duty to do all the good we can to all the people we can in all the ways we can." - William Barclay

Can you imagine how the world would be if we all followed this and made it our mantra?

"The most important ingredient we put into any relationship is not what we say or what we do, but what we are." - Stephen R. Covey

What good are you doing today?

"It's simply a matter of doing what you do best and not worrying about what the other fellow is going to do" .- John R. Amos

Are you being as kind as possible?

"Ask yourself constantly, ‘What is the right thing to do?’" - Confucius

Are you sharing your love with the world?

"Think in terms of what's good for the other person and success will seek you out." - Mary Kay Ash

Are you sharing your unique talents with the world?

"We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from it". - William Osler

Take time today to ponder both the questions and the quotes and see what you come up with. It is always a good idea to reflect on your life and see how you are living. Are you contributing to society in a positive way? Are you doing good for yourself and others?

Thanks for taking the time to read this today, I am honored that you would do so. Please share any comments you have about today's post. And to make this blog even better, I am always looking for suggestions for topics.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry
www.raresenseunlimited.com

A Revealing Set of Quizzes

2008-12-08T14:58:00.004-05:00

Who or what is most important to you in your life? Here is a couple quizzes to remind you, in case you have forgotten. We all need little reminders now and then!

On a piece of paper write down the answers to the following, if you can. And no cheating, see if you can do it from memory.

Quiz #1:

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman Trophy winners.

3. Name five people who have won a Pulitzer Prize.

4. Name the last five people that have won an Oscar for Best Actor or Actress.

5. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.

6. Name the last five World Series Champions.

7. Name the last five winners of the Grammy for best new artist.

8. Name the last five Super Bowl champions.

9. Name the last five Indy 500 winners.

10. Name the last five winners of the Masters.

Here’s Quiz #2. See how you do on this one.

1. List a few teachers that have aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends that have helped you through a difficult period in your life.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Name a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

6. Name a half dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

So, which quiz was easier to complete? Most people say it was the second one because those people have had a direct impact on their lives! So, the next time you despair about one of your celebrity “heroes” letting you down, just remember who is really important in your life.

Oh, and for those who are listed in the second quiz, why not take time out ASAP and thank them for contributing, in such a positive manner, to your life. They have helped to make you who you are today!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, I am humbled that you would do so. Please share your thoughts and comments on today's post and offer any suggestions you might have for topics for my upcoming posts.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
Author: Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled & Balanced Life

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com

People You Should Know

2008-12-04T13:21:00.004-05:00

From time to time, I like to feature people that I know you would benefit from knowing. Today I am presenting, Chalen Ewing and Kendra E. Thornbury:

Chalen Ewing, also known by her Cree Indian name Morningstar Woman, is a healer, author, counselor and musician. She has produced an award winning documentary and is a Life Coach Skills trainer. Chalen follows and teaches the old medicine ways and wrote the book "Childhood Lost: The Residential School Experience" concerning the trials and tribulations of Native American children forced to attend residential schools and the impact it had and continues to have on their lives and the Native American communities from which they came.

http://www.morningstarmedicine.com/

Kendra E Thornbury, MA is an international coach, spiritual guide, Manifest Mastermind Coach, speaker, facilitator, writer, entrepreneur & humanitarian. Her purpose is to inspire & guide people to be fully alive. She helps people awaken to the bounty of life and live in joy and prosperity.Kendra is on the cutting edge of spiritual thought and practice. People say she is 'wise beyond her years' and is sought out for her insight and guidance. Kendra is known for her clarity and passion. She is masterful at helping people to get out of their comfort zones, into their true potential and to create the true success they desire. Her practice is grounded in over 17 years of applied study in health, healing, yoga, meditation, ceremony, and music.

http://www.spiritalive.net/

http://www.lessonsinlawofattraction.com/

I had the honor and privilege to interview both women on my Blog Talk Radio Show and you can listen to the archives of the show by going to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/harryshade. After listening, if you would help me out and both comment on and rate the shows, I would be very appreciative, as the comments and ratings help me to continue to improve the show.

Thanks once again for reading my blog, I am blessed that you would take the time to do so. Please feel free to comment, share some people you think we would be blessed to get to know and suggest topics for my blog and radio shows.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

It's Never Too Late!

2008-12-03T15:37:00.006-05:00

Even though this story is a couple years old, it is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. It is also a reminder that age is just a number and it is never too late to go after your dreams. Since the story is rather lengthy, I provided part of it and a link where you can go to read the rest.

Flynt, 59, making comeback with Sul Ross State University
August 23, 2007

ALPINE, Texas -- Mike Flynt was drinking beer and swapping stories with some old football buddies a few months ago when he brought up the biggest regret of his life: getting kicked off the college team before his senior year.

So, one of his pals said, why not do something about it?

Most 59-year-olds would have laughed. Flynt's only concern was if he was eligible. Finding out he was, Flynt returned to Sul Ross State this month, 37 years after he left and six years before he goes on Medicare. His comeback peaked Wednesday with the coach saying he's made the Division III team's roster. He could be in action as soon as Sept. 1.

Flynt is giving new meaning to being a college senior. After all, he's a grandfather and a card-carrying member of AARP. He's eight years older than his coach and has two kids older than any of his teammates.

"I think it was Carl Yastrzemski who used to say, 'How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?' I'd be in my late 20s or early 30s, because that's how I feel," said Flynt, who has made a living out of physical fitness. "That's been my approach to this whole thing. I feel that good. I'm just going to find out if I can perform and make a contribution to the team."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

For the rest of the story go to http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2986313.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments or stories with us!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/
www.blogtalkradio.com/harryshade
http://twitter.com/harryshade

A Time to Give Thanks!

2008-11-27T11:34:00.007-05:00

Today, I want to offer my sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone who takes the time to read this blog. This will be a short post, no fluff, no puff, just sincere love and appreciation.

Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving, which is more or less an American holiday, the tradition of giving thanks for what we have is borne out in many different traditions around the world. From ancient times to today, people have taken the time to give thanks. From celebrating the harvest to new moon festivals to sacrificing to the gods, the idea of showing gratitude knows no boundaries. It transcends time, race, creed, religion, gender and nationality.

So, it is the same today, that we should take the time, not just on special days, but everyday to show our gratitude for all the good things we have in our lives. For the more we acknowledge the good in our lives, the more we attract good things to us.

It is my wish for everyone to have all the peace, love, joy and prosperity, in abundance, forevermore. Take time today to give thanks and show appreciation to those people who have brought happiness and blessings to you.

As always please feel free to share your thoughts and comments!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Keeping Body, Mind and Spirit Tuned Up and Healthy

2008-11-24T16:06:00.003-05:00

In my book Rare Sense, One day It Will Be Common, I provide information on living a fulfilled and balanced life. A huge part of that balance is in taking care of the three parts of us: Body, Mind and Spirit.

Just like a three legged chair that has a weak leg will eventually get out of balance and cause stress on the other two legs, so will that happen to us if we do not take the time to nourish and strengthen all aspects of our very being.

Here are some tips for doing just that.

Body:

Of course the obvious thing here is getting enough exercise but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Good nutrition, taking time to relax, getting enough sleep, getting regular checkups with our doctors, meditation, massage and reducing stress are all key to having a healthy body. For us to perform at our maximum potential our bodies need to be a well oiled machine. The healthier our body is the more alive we feel, which leads to a happier spirit and a clear mind.

Mind:

We must always being looking for ways to stimulate our minds. Whether it be learning something new, playing a game like chess, using meditation, reading stimulating materials, debating the latest world challenges and/or traveling to a new locale, it is imperative that we continue to exercise our minds. Study after study has shown that mental stimulation is perhaps more important to warding off dementia or Alzheimer's than anything else. So, take the time to challenge that brain of yours everyday, especially as you age. A healthy mind allows our body to perform at it's best and our spirit to be light.

Spirit:

There are so many ways to raise and keep your spirits up. You can serve others by volunteering, take time to commune with nature, become active in your place of worship, keep company with happy people, meditate, try new things, go to new places, be grateful and have a career where you live your purpose and passion everyday. Your spirit wants to soar, so give it all the energy and power to do just that by being fully involved with life. When our spirit is free, we feel great and want to sustain that feeling and so we endeavor to continue to strengthen our body and mind as well. For we know that when all three are in sync, we will feel and perform at our best.

There are so many other ways to keep you body, mind and spirit in balance. I juts wanted to provide you with some stimulation in the hope that you will decide to have the life that you want and deserve. I am sure that you have ways that you keep yourself in balance and I woud love to have you share them with us.

As always I welcome your comments, feedback and stories. Thanks for reading my blog today, I am honored and blessed that you would do so.

May you be belessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

The Power of Prayer

2008-11-22T01:00:00.004-05:00

Today I am sharing a story that was sent to me and touched me at the soul level:

This really touched my heart….esp. seeing that Christmas holiday’s are nearly upon us………

A poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once.

Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can."

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer, who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family.

The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?"

Louise replied, "Yes sir."

"O. K." he said, "put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that amount in groceries."

Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more. The grocer stood there in utter disgust.

Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:"DEAR LORD, YOU KNOW MY NEEDS AND I AM LEAVING THIS IN YOUR HANDS."

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; "It was worth every penny of it.

Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs.

THE POWER OF PRAYER: When you receive this, if you are so inclined, please say a prayer. That's all you have to do. Just stop right now, and say a prayer of thanks for your own good fortune. I believe if you will send this testimony out with prayer in faith, you will receive what you need God to do in your and your families' life.

So dear heart, trust God to heal the sick, provide food for the hungry, clothes and shelter for those that don't have as we do. Amen & Amen

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this today and I welcome your comments and stories how faith and prayer have made a difference in your life.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry
www.raresenseunlimited.com

Cherish your time on earth!

2008-11-20T02:28:00.002-05:00

Lately, my days have been so busy that I have had very little time to blog and because of that today's blog is short and to the point. Recently, friends of mine lost their 27 year old daughter in a traffic accident. She left behind three children and a very devastated family.

As I stood in line for the calling hours yesterday evening I could not help but reflect on my life and wondered:

1. Am I loving enough?
2. Am I living enough?
3. Am I making a difference?

I really wanted to answer yes to all of them but I realized that I simply could not do so. Even though I try everyday to love, live and make a difference, I can still do more in all three areas. So, I vowed that I would.

How would you answer those three questions?

What can you do to love more, live more and make more of a difference?

Whatever you do please take the time to tell those you love, "I love you." And let's not sweat the small stuff!

That's all for today! Thank you for reading my blog and always I would appreciate any thoughts, comments, stories and/or questions you may have to share.

Blessings!

Harry
www.raresenseunlimited.com

The Wisdom of Zig Ziglar

2008-11-18T11:45:00.004-05:00

Today, I wanted to share with you one of my mentors and one of the greatest motivational speakers ever to grace a stage. He is known to millions as a sales motivational speaker but he is much, much more than that. Zig Ziglar teaches and speaks about how important it is to be a person of integrity, faith, love and kindness. He teaches the golden rule and personal responsibility. He is the embodiment of someone who walks the walk, while talking the talk. For those of you who may not know Zig Ziglar, I have presented here a few of his numerous books and 25 of my all time favorite quotes. I know they will give you an insight into a man who has lived a passionate and purposeful life. They are not in any particular order of importance.

For more information about this wonderful, remarkable man, go to his company's website: http://www.zigziglar.com/index.php

1. "The most important opinion is the one you have of yourself, and the most significant things you say all day are those things you say to yourself."

2. “Every choice you make has an end result.”

3. "It's not where you start - it's where you finish that counts."

4. “Success means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph. Success is a personal standard, reaching for the highest that is in us, becoming all that we can be.”

5. “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.”

6. “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude”

7. “You cannot climb the ladder of success dressed in the costume of failure.”

8. “The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.”

9. “People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily.”

10. “You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”

11. “If you don't see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner.”

12. “It's not what you've got, it's what you use that makes a difference.”

13. "Remember that failure is an event, not a person”

14. “People who have good relationships at home are more effective in the marketplace.”

15. “This I do know beyond any reasonable doubt. Regardless of what you are doing, if you pump long enough, hard enough and enthusiastically enough, sooner or later the effort will bring forth the reward.”

16. “Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have.”

17. “Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you.”

18. “Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes.”

19. “If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost.”

20. “Little men with little minds and little imaginations go through life in little ruts, smugly resisting all changes which would jar their little worlds”

21. "A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

22. “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want”

23. “If you go looking for a friend, you're going to find they're very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you'll find them everywhere.”

24. “Building a better you is the first step to building a better America”

25. “You cannot perform in a manner inconsistent with the way you see yourself.”

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, I really am honored that you would do so. If you have any comments, stories about Zig Ziglar and how he has influenced your life or a favorite quote, please share it with us.

Also, if you have any suggestions for a topic you would like me to write about, suggestions on how I can improve my blog or questions, please contact me at harry@raresenseunlimited.com. I value your insight and opinions.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

A Lesson from My Army Days

2008-11-13T15:24:00.007-05:00

The inspiration for today's blog actually came from my Internet radio show last night. I had noticed a glitch in the show and so I endeavored to fix it while affecting the show as little as possible. I continued to talk to my guest, told him about the glitch and that we would continue while I fixed it.

Long story short, I made the fix and the show essentially went off without interruption. How did I remain calm and find a solution? I remembered an acronym we were taught in Warrant Officer Candidate school, that at the time was taught to all Army officers and warrant officers. It is AIO and stands for Adapt, Improvise and Overcome.

This lesson has applications for anything you may encounter in your life and is especially important given the uncertainty in the world today.

ADAPT

"Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative." - H.G. Wells

When changes occur in our lives and changes are going to happen, how we adapt to them will determine whether it is a positive or negative experience. Being able to adapt allows us to make or accept those changes in a smooth and effortless way.

IMPROVISE

"The ability to improvise allows one to fully tap into their creative core to bring forth a solution to any challenge." - Harry E. Shade

When things do not go the way you expected or do not work the way you thought they would, how do you deal with it? Those that can improvise or to put it another way create a solution on the fly, will do so in a calm and focused manner because they know that there is a solution. All they have to do is look for it and use whatever means are at hand to effect a positive outcome. You want to think like McGyver here.

OVERCOME

"We grow because we struggle, we learn and overcome." - R.C. Allen

The third and final step in the process is overcome. If you can adapt and improvise, then overcoming is the natural result for the first two steps lead us to the end. When life throws use a curve ball, all we have to do is ADAPT and IMPROVISE and the solutions we create we will allow us to overcome even the greatest of odds. Overcoming is really more mental than anything, we know we can overcome something if we can adapt and improvise.

So, once we have the knowing that we can do the first two steps, we can OVERCOME any doubt or fear of the outcome because we know it is assured.

Today, there is a lot of anxiety, uncertainty and fear in the world, most of it put upon us by others. But if we truly take a moment to step back and apply AIO, we will be certain that the outcome will be positive. One thing we need to do is place ourselves in the natural flow of things and try not to fight the current of change.

I know that there are people losing jobs and homes, as well as, retirement money, however those that can adapt, improvise and overcome, will in the end carve out a positive experience in the midst of all the negativity. Maybe we will learn to budget our money better or perhaps learn a new skill and start a new career. The outcomes are of our creation and so we get to decide if they are going to be positive or negative.

Thank you for taking the time to read this today, I am honored that you would do so. I would love to have you share you comments and stories about how you have used AIO in you own life.That way others may benefit from your experiences and wisdom.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Algae - An energy source?

2008-11-12T00:26:00.004-05:00

I do not have much to say about this (I know, who is this and what have you done with Harry?)other than the fact that I have always known that in nature there are renewable sources of energy that we can tap into, which will not cause irreparable harm to the environment.

And as Merrill Lynch once said: "If you want to see something done, just tell some human beings it can't be done. Make it known that it's impossible to fly to the moon, or run 100 meters in 9.9 seconds, or solve Fermat's Last Theorem. Remind the world that no one has ever hit 62 home runs in a season or stuffed 18 people into a Volkswagen. Dangle the undoable in front of the world. Then, consider it done."

Take a look at this video and pay particular attention to the very last statement made by the spokesman.

http://cc.pubco.net/www.valcent.net/i/misc/Vertigro/index.html

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and watch this video. I encourage you to share this will your circle of influence and as always I welcome your comments.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking!

2008-11-10T15:02:00.007-05:00

A message every adult should read because children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say. I have said before that we are both teacher and student and while this is geared towards children, it is a universal truth for us at all times.

It reminds me of the Liberty Mutual commercials which show people seeing other people commit acts of kindness and so they pass it forward, because at that moment they became the student and then in turn the teacher.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,

and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw you feed a stray cat,

and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw you make my favorite cake for me,

and I learned that the little things

can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I heard you say a prayer,

and I knew that there is a Higher Power

I could always talk to,

and I learned to trust in it.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw you make a meal

and take it to a friend who was sick,

and I learned that we all have to

help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking,

I saw you give of your time and money

to help people who had nothing,

and I learned that those who have something

should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it,

and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw how you handled your responsibilities,

even when you didn't feel good, and I learned

that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that

sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I saw that you cared,

and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know

to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I looked at you and wanted to say,

'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

THIS GOES OUT TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE

WHO DO SO MUCH FOR OTHERS,

BUT THINK THAT NO ONE EVER SEES.

LITTLE EYES SEE A LOT .

Each of us influences the lives of those around us, especially the children.

How will you touch the life of someone today?

Just by sharing this with someone else,

you will probably make them at least think

about their influence on others.

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Thank you for reading this today, I am honored that you would take the time. Please feel free to share your thoughts and stories And by all means please share this with everyone you know!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

The Power of Love

2008-11-07T19:25:00.005-05:00

From time to time, I come across wonderful stories full of wisdom and life lessons. This is one of those stories.

A Wonderful Chinese Story About Love & It's Powerful Effect On Others:

A long time ago in China , a girl named Li-Li got married & went to live with her husband and mother-in-law. In a very short time, Li-Li found that she couldn't get along with her mother-in-law at all. Their personalities were very different, and Li-Li was angered by many of her mother-in-law's habits. In addition, she criticized Li-Li constantly.

Days passed, and weeks passed. Li-Li and her mother-in-law never stopped arguing and fighting. But what made the situation even worse was that, according to ancient Chinese tradition, Li-Li had to bow to her mother-in-law and obey her every wish. All the anger and unhappiness in the house was causing Li-Li's poor husband great distress.

Finally, Li-Li could not stand her mother-in-law's bad temper and dictatorship any longer, and she decided to do something about it! Li-Li went to see her father's good friend, Mr. Huang, who sold herbs.She told him the situation and asked if he would give her some poison so that she could solve the problem once and for all.

Mr. Huang thought for awhile, and finally said, "Li-Li, I will help you solve your problem, but you must listen to me and obey what I tell you." Li-Li said, "Yes, Mr. Huang, I will do whatever you tell me to do." Mr. Huang went into the back room, and returned in a few minutes with a package of herbs. He told Li-Li, "You can't use a quick-acting poison to get rid of your mother-in-law, because that would cause people to become suspicious. Therefore, I have given you a number of herbs that will slowly build up poison in her body. Every other day prepare some delicious meal and put a little of these herbs in her serving. Now, in order to make sure that nobody suspects you, when she dies, you must be very careful to act very friendly towards her. "Don't argue with her, obey her every wish, and treat her like a queen."

Li-Li was so happy. She thanked Mr. Huang and hurried home to start her plot of murdering her mother-in-law. Weeks went by, and months went by, and every other day, Li-Li served the specially treated food to her mother-in-law. She remembered what Mr. Huang had said about avoiding suspicion, so she controlled her temper, obeyed her mother-in-law, and treated her like her own mother.

After six months had passed, the whole household had changed. Li-Li had practiced controlling her temper so much that she found that she almost never got mad or upset. She hadn't had an argument with her mother-in-law in six months because she now seemed much kinder and easier to get along with. The mother-in-law's attitude toward Li-Li changed, and she began to love Li-Li like her own daughter. She kept telling friends and relatives that Li-Li was the best daughter-in-law one could ever find. Li-Li and her mother-in-law were now treating each other like a real mother and daughter. Li-Li's husband was very happy to see what was happening.

One day, Li-Li came to see Mr. Huang and asked for his help again. She said, "Dear Mr. Huang, please help me to keep the poison from killing my mother-in-law. She's changed into such a nice woman, and I love her like my own mother. I do not want her to die because of the poison I gave her."

Mr. Huang smiled and nodded his head. "Li-Li, there's nothing to worry about. I never gave you any poison. The herbs I gave you were vitamins to improve her health. The only poison was in your mind and your attitude toward her, but that has been all washed away by the love which you gave to her."

HAVE YOU REALIZED that how you treat others is exactly how they will treat you? There is a wise Chinese saying: "The person who loves others will also be loved in return."

The Universe might be trying to work in another person's life through you.

Thank you for taking time to read this today, I am honored that you would do so. Please feel free to comment or share an inspiring story of your own.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

www.raresenseunlimited.com

What we can learn from a dog!

2008-11-05T12:31:00.008-05:00

Since I was unable to post yesterday I thought I would do two today. We can learn many things from many different places and one of those places is from a dog. If you have never had a dog as a family member, this may not resonate with you but just so you know that for those that have had the privilege of being blessed with the unconditional love of a dog, this is Universal truth.

Now some of you will probably have read or heard these things before but positive, simple life lessons are always worth experiencing again.

"Dogs are not our whole lives but they make our lives whole" - Roger Caras

The picture is of me with my dog Toby in front of a Brutus Buckeye statue at The Ohio State University.!

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy,dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

"A dog owns nothing, yet is seldom dissatisfied" - Irish Proverb

Makes you want to run out and get a dog, doesn't it? If you are so inclined I highly recommend adopting a dog from a local shelter. You can start by googling dog adoption or go to these links for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and The Humane Society of the United States: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer or http://www.hsus.org/.

"The dog was created especially for children. He is the god of frolic." - Henry Ward Beecher

As aways I welcome your thoughts and stories. It is in the sharing of such things that we all learn and grow together. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am blessed that you have done so.

"Old age means realizing that you will never own all the dogs you wanted to." - Joe Gores

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Wisdom from a child

2008-11-05T12:06:00.007-05:00

I have often said that if you want to have a really profound discussion, talk to a young child, between the ages of 4 and 6 especially.

When we are born, the wisdom of the ages is stamped on our soul. And as children we do not have the filters and all the other stuff that piles onto us through life that buries that wisdom. So, children can readily tap into it at any time without having to clear things away. Here is a story of such wisdom.

The photo is of my daughter Melinda at age 4, with our dog at the time, Spencer! We got Spencer just before Melinda was born and they were together for the first ten years.

A Dog's Purpose (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the
experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker' s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'

Startled, we all turned to him. What
came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?' The six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

If you either have a story about children and their wisdom that you would like to share or would like to comment about this story, please feel free to do so. It is through this sharing that we can all learn and grow together.

Thank you for taking the time to read this today. I am blessed that you have chosen to do so.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Evolving Politics

2008-11-03T10:38:00.007-05:00

Be empowered, enlightened and evolved!

As we come to the close of the 2008 election process, I have been looking for a way to express how I feel about what I want for the U.S. and more importantly the world. And as typically happens when you are open to it, synchronicity came into play and it came to me today from a friend on Facebook, Kendra Thornbury, who passed along this writing. And so I wanted to share it with you.

Evolving Politics by Nikita Gearing

I take a moment to breathe.

I breathe in Peace, I breathe out Peace.

I awaken the Presence of Peace within me now.

My words are a prayer of Peace into the world and now manifest in alignment with the highest good.

I call forth the highest outcome for the U.S. Presidential Election in 2008.

I call forth the election of the 44th President of the United States of America who serves the highest evolution of the U.S. and our world.

I am grateful that Truth, Integrity, Peace, and the New Paradigm are now present and manifesting through the U.S. Presidential Election.

I call forth the reality of Peace, Unity, Consciousness, Sustainable Solutions, and the New Earth resonance.

I intend that the President and the Vice President who serve and create the Highest Good for all peoples of the U.S., all peoples of the world and all of life on our precious planet are now elected -- simply and easily.

I recognize that I play a role in creating Peace, each day, each moment.

I dedicate this moment to consciously create the election of a President and Vice President who support life and serve the highest good of all people.

I am grateful that Truth prevails now, that Peace prevails now.

I am grateful that the highest outcome for the U.S. Presidential Election is now manifest.

I create Peace now.

And so it is.

May peace, joy, prosperity and love be yours forevermore in abundance!

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Right Now

2008-10-30T15:30:00.005-04:00

Today I wanted to share a poem I wrote:

RIGHT NOW
Right now, tell someone you love them.

Right now, be at peace.

Right now, refuse to worry.

Right now, commune with nature.

Right now, help someone in need.

Right now, shelter the homeless.

Right now, feed the hungry.

Right now, care for the sick.

Right now, tell someone your sorry.

Right now, practice forgiveness.

Right now, let your light shine.

Right now, be spontaneous.

Right now, learn something new.

Right now, show compassion.

Right now, exercise your body.

Right now, be one with all.

Right now, because it is all we are ever guaranteed.

I would appreciate your comments and thoughts. Also, if you have something you have written and you would like me to feature it, and you, in one of my blogs, just let me know by submitting them with your information to harry@raresenseunlimited.com. Please put Rare Sense Blog Submission in the subject line. If I use your submission, I will notify you.

That's all for today.

Blessings!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Responsibility

2008-10-30T11:08:00.004-04:00

Today, I wanted to do something different and so I decided to give you a chapter from my book, Rare Sense; One day It Will Be Commmon: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life. It is the chapter on responsibility. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Responsibility

“Enlightenment means taking full responsibility for your life.” - William Blake

One of the biggest challenges in this modern age seems to be taking responsibility for our actions. We try to blame others for our very existence and our life and quickly look to lay responsibility elsewhere than at our own doorstep.

But this is really not possible since we are creating it all. However, if you believe that you do not have control, that you do not create your existence, then it is much easier to not take responsibility for it and to blame others.

As a child, we may lack the maturity as to how to respond to negative things said about us and thus are limited in our ability to choose what to believe. It is especially more difficult when the people who are supposed to love and protect us are the very ones causing the pain. However, once we mature and can make those informed, intelligent choices we can no longer blame others for the choices we make. Of course even children have the wisdom to choose to accept what is said about them. We can choose to internalize it or let it roll of our backs, like water off a duck. Very early on, we sometimes have a better understanding of who we really are. It is when we get older and start accepting someone else’s version of who we are that we start to doubt ourselves.

One of the best examples of not taking responsibility for our actions involved the lawsuit against McDonald’s by the lady who placed the coffee cup between her legs and burned herself. Had rare sense been applied in this situation, that lawsuit would have been thrown out, but in this day and age we are quicker to blame others than ourselves. Let me ask this question? Did any McDonald’s employee place that cup between that lady’s legs or did she choose to do that herself? I know you know the answer, so why was she not made to take responsibility for her own actions?

"I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Taking responsibility for our lives is the rare sense or spiritual thing to do. I have said earlier, we always take responsibility when things are going well, but we want to blame others when it is not. Convenient isn’t it?

Well, that is simply not the way things work in the universe. We were given free will. We are responsible for our lives and the decisions we make. Yes, there are some things that happen to us that make us think that sometimes we are not in control. However, if we really look at our lives, the things that have happened and what our responses to those things have been, we will find that somehow, some way, we created it.

Looking in that mirror is one of hardest things we will ever do, but we must. Because until we do, we will not be able to change our circumstances for we will think that we do not have control, yet what we think about is brought to us.

So, if you think you are not responsible and that you do not have control, things will continue to be created in which you do not have control and your life will seem like it is one disaster after another. Taking responsibility is taking control and having control is using your free will.

Here is something that is going to sound contradictory, so please bear with me. We can think we are not responsible but we still are. We can think we are not in control but we still are. We can think that we do not have free will but we still do. For you see, we have free will and that is one thing that does not change about us. With that free will we are free to think whatever we want to think, but no matter what we think we are responsible for all of it. Either what happens to us or how we are going to react to it. And with that comes responsibility.

If things are not going the way we wish them to be, then we need to take the time to see what thoughts and decisions we have made to create the circumstances we face today. Sometimes we have to go back many years to find the answer, sometimes just a few seconds but we will find the answer because it lies within us.

The good and bad, the ups and downs, all of it! Being responsible is having rare sense because we are telling the universe; I understand who I am and what I am capable of. I understand that I have the gift of free will and that I use that gift each and every moment of every single day! I am in control and I am a creative being, one with God and an integral part of the universe.

“Let us not talk of karma, but simply of responsibility toward the whole world.” - His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Copyright 2007 - Harry E. Shade, All Rights Reserved

If you would like to purchase a copy of my book, please go to my web site, www.raresenseunlimited.com for details. It is available in paperback, e-book and audio versions

Well, that's it. Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments about this post. I look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time, may you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

PEACE!

2008-10-28T22:23:00.006-04:00

When thinking about what to write about today, one thing kept popping up, PEACE! So, as I usually do, I go with my intuition.

"There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find PEACE. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub." - Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

But why is PEACE so important? Because PEACE is a necessary and vital ingredient to our ability to live our life to the fullest. PEACE brings clarity to our minds, vitality to our bodies and calmness to our spirit. PEACE ushers in balance and harmony and removes doubt, fear, anxiety and stress.

"Let tears flow of their own accord; their flowing is not inconsistent with inward PEACE and harmony" - Seneca

In the interest of spreading PEACE, the first thing I want to offer is this poem/mantra by my friend Isabella:

I am peace
surrounded by peace
secure in peace.
peace protects me
peace supports me
peace is mine

All is well.
peace to all beings
peace among all beings
I am steeped in peace
Absorbed in peace
In the streets, at our work,
having peaceful thoughts,
peaceful words, peaceful acts.
sending light and love to end your day!

When I first read this I could feel my body relax, my heartbeat slow down and my mind become silent and clear. In essence peace had found it's way into every cell of my being. What a joyous feeling. Try it, I guarantee you will love it.

"First keep the PEACE within yourself and then you can also bring PEACE to others." - Thomas A. Kempis

Then I came across this breathing exercise:

Slowly, deeply inhale, quietly chanting the word: Peace,
Then, slowly,deeply exhale, quietly chanting the word: Love.

And of course I had to try it and once again I was filled with the overwhelming feeling of peace and love. So, if you are having a rough day and you want to bring peace into your life, you know have two wonderful ways to do it.

"Nothing can bring you PEACE but yourself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I welcome any comments you may have about this post and any techniques you would like to share for finding peace in your life.

That's all for today.

PEACE!

Harry

Fun!

2008-10-27T23:57:00.006-04:00

I was talking to my brother and asked him what he thought I should blog about today. I had several ideas in mind but just thought I would get his thoughts. And so he comes up with one word, FUN! On the surface not all that helpful really, but let's have FUN with it.

"It's kind of FUN to do the impossible." - Walt Disney

Before we can really get into this topic, I believe we need to define FUN. I could get the Webster's definition but what would be the FUN in that? No, I will present my own definition of FUN. It is, my humble opinion, that FUN is a state of mind. FUN can be had anywhere at anytime. There is no need for anything for anyone to have FUN. FUN just is. Of course what I consider to be FUN, will not be FUN for all. FUN after all is a personal thing.

"There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family"." - Jerry Seinfeld

Even though I must admit, it can be easier to have FUN with FUN things in FUN places but once again not necessary to having FUN. No....one can have FUN sitting all alone in an empty room, if you think FUN! And remember that a FUNdamental (I just could not resist) truth is that when you are having FUN you are joyful, which is important for your mental, physical and spiritual well being. Are you having FUN yet?

"To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more FUN?" - Katherine Graham

Now, I will readily admit that FUN is a good topic but then I thought in what context should I write about FUN? Having FUN? Doing FUN things? How about living a "FUN" life? Then it hit me. Make it an acronym. That'll be FUN!

FUN - Finding Uniqueness Naturally

FUN - Feeling Unusually Naughty

FUN - Flowing Undisturbed Normally

"If you obey all the rules, you miss all the FUN." - Katherine Hepburn

Now, I am sure that those of you reading this can come up with some fun acronyms of your own and share them with me in a comment. Wouldn't that be FUN? I think it would be great FUN!

"Getting there isn't half the FUN, it's all the FUN." - Robert Townsend

So, please, let's have some FUN with FUN and let me know your FUN comments. Now wasn't that FUN?

That's all the FUN for today.

May you blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

And A Child Shall Lead Us

2008-10-24T15:45:00.006-04:00

And a child shall lead us!

Here is a link to a wonderful story about, Logan The Sky Angel Cowboy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY&feature=channel

This simple story of love has gone around the world and has been viewed more than 8.6 million times on YouTube. If you have not yet head this remarkable young man, I urge you to go there now. You will be glad that you did. If you have already listened to it, go there again because it is a remarkable reminder.

"Grown-ups never understand anything for themselves and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them." - Antoine De Saint-Exupery

I do find it ironic how people can be so amazed at the wisdom of children. Our soul knows from the moment we are born that we are spiritual beings in human form. In fact, if you really take the time to listen to the children they will speak the most profound truths in the simplest of ways because they have yet to be tainted by all the stuff that is piled on us throughout our lives. They are more innocent and so more in tune with the spiritual.

"He who teaches children learns more than they do." - German Proverb

It is our purpose as adults to cut through all drama and everything life as put on us and return to that place of innocence. There is where we will find our spirituality and the simple universal truths that are imprinted on our very souls.

And so I leave you with this sobering quote by Peter Ustinov - "Did you know that every two hours the nations of this world spend as much on armaments as they spend on the children of this world every year?"

I thank you for visiting my blog today. I know that time is the most precious commodity we have and so the fact that you took your time to be here is humbling.

I would love it if you would share your stories about the wisdom of children, so please post your comments.

If you would like to learn more about me, my book and what I do, please visit http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/.

That's all for today!

Bless the children of the world for they are our future!

Harry

Let Me Love

2008-10-23T12:42:00.007-04:00

Today, I want to share another poem from my friend John McIntosh, "Let Me Love". It is a powerful message as to the responsibility we all share for the common welfare of everyone.

Are you going through your day as a testament to the ever flowing, ever expanding love of the universe?

Are you spreading love or fear? Peace or disharmony? Joy or sadness?
Do you live your life in the cosmic flow of love or do you fight against the current?

Do you understand the simple power of sharing your love with the world?

Do you know the influence you have on those around you?

Do you understand that at all times you are example for someone, even just yourself?

Please take the time to read this wonderful, uplifting poem and hopefully you will understand the role you play in this world.

LET ME LOVE!

Let me not withhold
the overflowing cup
from any who are in need.

Let me,
with every beat of my heart,
extend an ocean
of healing love
to an ever widening circle.

Let me express in every tiny deed,
the grace and peace
that now fills my heart,
that all I touch will be inspired
to do the same.

Let me be an example of faith,
standing tall against the backdrop
of a world lost in fear and attack.

Let me love.

Blessings

John~Teach Only Love~ McIntosh
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgroups.to%2Fspirittracks%2F&h=7ac866252c5ba4ce8f9df2ae0a0df048

BTW, the illustration is from my book, Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life. .

If you have thoughts or comments, please feel free to share them here. I want to hear from you!

May you be blessed always and in all ways

Harry
http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Empowering Women, Part 2

2008-10-22T13:55:00.003-04:00

There are several areas where I have tried to make a difference by empowering women in my own community. I have always known that the place where you can have an immediate and profound impact is right in your own backyard.

Before I go any further I want everyone to understand, especially the men, that by empowering the females in your life, you are helping them to be the best wife, friend, mom, business woman, sister, aunt, cousin, girlfriend and woman that they can be, which will not only have a positive impact on your life, but on the world in general. I am talking about an equality and harmony of souls, so that together we can make this world the best it can be.

It is my hope that through sharing some of what I do, it will give forth ideas on how you can find ways to empower the people in your community and your life.

"Embrace and love all of yourself - past, present, and future. Forgive yourself quickly and as often as necessary. Encourage yourself. Tell yourself good things about yourself." - Melody Beattie

First if all, in my own immediate family. My daughter is 18 now and all through her childhood years I did everything I could to encourage and support her in her activities. I often pointed out that she could do or be anything she wanted as long as she put her mind to it and put forth the effort. I empowered her by never limiting her on things she wanted to try and always being there to provide guidance and coaching. We had many a "serious" talks during the car rides to and from school and not too long ago she pointed out to me that those were some of the most fun times we had together. I taught her to have big dreams and lofty goals and how to work towards those things. I taught her that the only limits were the ones she placed on herself. I celebrated her victories and comforted her in her defeats.

"Think in terms of what's good for the other person and success will seek you out." - Mary Kay Ash

I also tried to lead by example by not limiting my dreams and goals by going out on a limb and starting my own business. While I am not talking all the credit for how she has turned out, I can say that she is a loving, caring, determined, hard working, compassionate, young woman with a very bright future ahead of her.

"I never lose sight of the fact that just being is fun." - Katharine Hepburn

Next, would be my beautiful bride. A few years back, Tammy came to me and said she would like to finish her degree. I knew it was something she really wanted and so I supported her wholeheartedly. She went back to school and during that time I did everything I could to ensure that she did not have to worry about the domestic things, so she could concentrate on school. Well, she not only graduated with her degree but did so with honors. You could not have found a more proud husband on her graduation day and she accomplished something she had always wanted to do.

"Success means that we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others." - Marianne Williamson

As a basketball coach for a Junior High girls basketball team I sit them down just before our first practice and tell them that they will be learning about life and that basketball is just a byproduct. Then throughout the season we have our "life lesson" sessions where we talk about teamwork, dedication, determination, passion, vision, etc.

"One's philosophy is expressed in the choices one makes." - Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

We do exercises like: 1. goal setting; 2. Writing down something nice about each of their teammates, which I compile and give to each of them and 3. defining words and how they relate to basketball and life. I also hand out inspirational quotes and encourage, encourage, encourage.

"It never occurs to me that there are things that I can't do." - Whoopi Goldberg

I know the importance of women having positive male role models and so I do my very best everyday to be that role model. And so what are you doing to empower the people in your life?

Well, that is all for today.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

The Glow Project for Women

2008-10-21T21:58:00.010-04:00

http://www.glowproject.org
One of my favorite things in life to do is empower women. It is one of my passions because I know how critical it is to the very survival of our world. I also know that there are not enough men in this world who are actively empowering women and that is a tragedy of epic proportions. As further evidence and testament of the wisdom of women, I will be offering quotes from some of the most influential women of all time.

"My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment." - Oprah Winfrey

For way too long, we have been a patriarchal society, dominated by male energies and suppressing female energies. The imbalance of these two energies has been the root cause for so many of our social ills. I am not advocating a return to a matriarchal society as that imbalance is not right either. The balance and harmony of these two energies will bring in the dawning of a new era of peace, compassion, love, tolerance and acceptance and must be pursued with all vigor.
"Regret is an appalling waste of energy, you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in." - Katherine Mansfield

I have learned first hand the power of women from my Mom. When her marriage to my father was finally coming an inevitable end, she was determined that for the first time in our lives, we would own our own home. The whole time my parents were married, my father refused to buy a house but rather chose to rent and spend much of his money on alcohol. My Mom wanted us to have a place we could call home and on her small salary as a school secretary and many second jobs, she was able to buy a house. As a single parent, she struggled to pay the bills but she always provided for her children, often going without herself. However, there was never ever a lack of love. She had to assume both roles of Mother and Father and did so with courage, determination and grace. I will never ever be able to repay her for all that she has done for me but I can pay it forward.

"Success means that we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others." - Marianne Williamson

So, to honor my Mom, I encourage all women and the men who support them to go to http://www.glowproject.org/ and learn more about "The most inspiring movie ever created for women!" It is through things like The Glow Project and E-women Network (http://www.ewomennetwork.com/index.html) that this new era will be ushered in. And not a moment too soon!

"I believe that we are solely responsible for our choices, and we have to accept the consequences of every deed, word, and thought throughout our lifetime." --Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

My new venture!

2008-10-20T23:33:00.004-04:00

Today is going to be short and sweet. I began a new venture last week and I am so excited about it. I have my own Internet radio show on Blog Talk Radio (BTR). Now, before you get too excited for me I have to say that anyone can do a show on BTR but not everyone can do it quite like me and so I am excited.

Here is what I am doing with the show: Harry's radio show, Rare Sense Thoughts will combine helpful tips and advice on living a fulfilled & balanced life, spiritual & personal growth, as well as, interviews of experts in the areas of manifestation, spirituality, life coaching, passionate living, psychic phenomenon and more. His goal is to help millions of people be the best they can be in all aspects of their lives.

My tagline for the show is Empowered, Enlightened, Evolved!

The link to the show is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/harryshade and the cool thing is if you cannot listen when the show airs, which BTW is Wednesdays @ 11:00 pm EST, they are automatically archived and soon they will be available through I tunes.

So, I hope you will tune in. I know it will be empowering, enlightening, evolving and fun!

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

On Our 10th Wedding Anniversary

2008-10-17T11:49:00.005-04:00

Well as you can tell from the title, today is my 10th wedding anniversary. You know the old saying that times flies. Well, I like to say that time flies period but it flies faster when you are having fun and so the past ten years have gone at light speed because it has been an absolute blast.

I do tease my wife quite a bit and say things like "Ten years? It feels like thirty!" But in reality, I wish she was the one I had met first.
So, today, my blog is dedicated to my wife, Tammy, because I want the world to know how I feel about her and what she means to me.

I LOVE YOU

I LOVE YOU WITH THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF MY SOUL.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU SAY SILLY THINGS THAT MAKE ME LAUGH.
I LOVE YOU WHEN WE HAVE "QT" WATCHING OUR FAVE SHOWS TOGETHER.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU MAKE ME APPLE CRISP.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE SMART
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE KIND.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE COMPASSIONATE.
I LOVE YOU WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU DON'T MATCH.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU SNEAK PEANUT BUTTER TO THE DOG.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU SPEND TIME WITH MELINDA.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE CARING.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE ACCEPTING.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT.
I LOVE YOU WITH EVERY OUNCE OF ENERGY I HAVE.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU KISS THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I LOVE YOU WHEN WE HAVE DATE NIGHT.
I LOVE YOU WHEN WE LAUGH AT OUR SILLY PETS.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE CARING.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE GIVING.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE PASSIONATE.
I LOVE YOU WITH ALL THE POWER OF THE UNIVERSE.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU ALLOW ME TO BE ME.
I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU ARE YOU.
I LOVE YOU WHEN WE TAKE WALKS TOGETHER.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE LEARNING.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE GROWING.
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE YOU.
I LOVE YOU!

HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY TO MY BEAUTIFUL BRIDE.
HERE'S TO MANY, MANY MORE.
YOU ARE WHY I DO WHAT I DO,
BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO BE PROUD TO BE MY WIFE.

LOVE YA LOTSA MUCHAS!

HARRY

Know There Is A Way

2008-10-16T16:06:00.009-04:00

From time to time I come across articles, stories, poems, etc, that I want to share with you because they are so inspiring, empowering, enlightening and/or uplifting. Today, this one fits all four. This comes from John McIntosh. If you would like to learn more about this beautiful soulful being named John and his spiritual writings please visit this link http://johnhmcintosh.wordpress.com/

When darkness comes and fear fills your heart, Know, there is a way.

When all your dreams come crashing down, Know, there is a way.

When friends cannot be found and there is no one to comfort you, Know, there is a way.

When you are ready to lay down and quit, Know, there is a way.

To know is to find the way.

Knowing cannot be found out there.

Knowing is found in the silence of surrender within.

The way is within.

John McIntosh ~Teach (BE) Only Love~
Copyright 2008 John & Ananda McIntosh

Now, I would like to share an excerpt from Chapter One: Know of my book; Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life, Copyright 2008 Harry Shade.

Next, we come into knowing and when we reach this level the whole universe opens up to us. We say “Aha” a lot! Nothing is impossible. We have a total sense of peace & well being. It is quite clear who we really are, a spiritual being in human form. We now live for the moment and make a life instead of a living. We know that we are responsible for all of it. We are creating life anew, every moment of every day. We know that we make the choices that control our destiny. We are our future.

We understand the perfection of it all, how everything is interconnected,
interdependent, and inseparable. In other words it is all one within itself. There is no separation. Everything is a necessary part of the whole and that whole is God expressing itself.

As John so eloquently said, Knowing is found within. So, go within and you will find the true you and you will know, then, who you really are and that all your answers can be found there.

I will leave you with this quote:

“Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” - Epictetus

That's all for today.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

11 Things to Help You On Your Life Path

2008-10-15T13:59:00.006-04:00

Yes, 11 things, not 10, not 9, but 11. I could have easily made it 10 but 11 just feels right and it is a power number for all you numerologists out there. OK, here goes.

1. Find your passion: What gives you the warm and fuzzies? What do you love to do? Several recent studies have said that upwards of 80% of people do not like what they do for a living. I would say that they either do not know what their passions is or they have not been able to find a way to turn it into a career.

Since, there are 20% of the people who are happy with their jobs more than likely they are passionate about what they do. So, if they can do it, why not you? I suggest two things, get the book "The Passion Test" by Janet and Chris Attwood and step through your fears.

2. Get healthy: Whatever you need to do or can do to be healthier, do it! Today, not tomorrow, today. You know what it is you need to do, so start doing it. No more excuses! Do it now.

3. Serve others: If you are currently doing something to be of service to others, skip to #4. If not, make the time and find a way to serve. You will get more out of it than you give, trust me I know!

4. Try something new: Get out of your boring day to day routine and try something new. It can be new food, new clothes, new hair style, anything. One way you know that you are living life to the fullest is in your experiences. When was the last time you tried something, anything new? If it took you more than 2 seconds to answer that question then it has been too long! Do you know how many different cuisines there are in the world. Tonight, get on the Internet and try a new recipe or restaurant. You'll be glad you did!

5. Get your financial house in order: This one does not require a long explanation why this is important. Finances are the one area in life that causes the most stress, fear, anxiety and relationship issues. So, do something about it and do it now.

6. Learn new stuff: You could say that this goes along with "try something new" but it is actually different. What I mean here is read some books on your career field, watch some interesting shows on the such channels as Discovery, History and National Geographic or take a continuing education course on a subject you know nothing about. It will expand your horizons, your brain cells and possibly your ability to be promoted at work.

7. Get away: Go somewhere, anywhere where you can just get away. Take some time to unwind and recharge. If money is an issue, take a day trip to a State Park or a ride through the country. Go to a festival or visit a themed area, like Amish country, here in Ohio. Whatever you do, just make time to get away! This will definitely help with #2.

8. Get your sleep: You would have to be living under a rock to not of heard about all the studies concerning lack of sleep. It is one of the biggest health issues facing us today. This negatively effects your immune system, your energy level and your ability to focus. Sleep allows you body to regenerate, heal itself and reduces stress. So make sure you are getting enough sleep.

9. Drink your milk: Milk is one of the wonders of nature. 8 ounces of skim milk provides 8 grams of protein for building lean muscle, has only 90 calories and provides many other nutrients and vitamins vital to a healthy body. It has even been shown to help with weight loss by providing everything body needs to help recover from exercise. In fact, there is a weight loss campaign called 24 in 24, 24 ounces of milk in 24 hours. Now, if you do not like skim milk, my wife calls it scared water, then 1% only has 10 calories more and all the same benefits. For those who are lactose intolerant, there are lactose free products, such as Lactaid. For you soy milk drinkers, you may find there are more calories but they also offer skim or fat free varieties.

10. Find a hobby: Doing something simply for the fun of it helps make our lives full. Whether it is scrap booking, photography, puzzles, you name it, having something that interests you and occupies your mind is a great way to spend time. This allows you to focus on other things, which provides time for your body to decompress from the day to day things. It also allows you the opportunity to go into solitude, which is highly important to your physical, mental and spiritual well being.

11. Keep a journal: Keeping a journal is a great way to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper, or perhaps typing into a computer. It allows you the opportunity to review the day and just check in with your inner self to see how things are going. In this hectic world, we often times neglect what going on inside of us, since we are so preoccupied with everything outside of us. Now, this can be a regular journal, where you put down everything and anything or more specific like a Daily Gratitude Journal. Many people I connect with say that they find it works best for them to journal at night just before they go to bed. I happen to journal throughout the day through my blog, other writing, Twitter and in a discussion group where we list at least three things we are grateful for each day. No matter how or when it is very helpful and enlightening.

I realize that I gave you things but not the how or where to look for information. Well, that's because I presume you know where to look. If you are reading this blog then you are on the Internet, start there! I am sure you will have no trouble finding things for each category.

OK, that's all for today. Once again, I know that if you start adding some of these things in your life, you will find it more balanced and fulfilling!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

http://www.raresenseunlimited.com/

Are you being of service?

2008-10-14T15:17:00.010-04:00

Today I want to share with you a few causes or social networking sites that are cause oriented which you may want to check out. I know that being of service to one another is the highest expression of love.

As a prelude, I would like to share this excerpt from my book, "Rare Sense, One day It Will Be Common: A Practical Guide to a Fulfilled and Balanced Life". It is from Chapter 7; Serve:

"Serving others is our way of giving back all that we have received. It is our way of honoring the innate spirituality in ourselves and others. It is how we care for one another and show love and compassion. It is what brings us together when there are so many things we use to pull us apart."

There is a fantastic social networking site that has at its premise serving others. It is Care 2 Make a Difference. My personal profile page can be accessed @ http://my.care2.com/coachshade and the main page is http://www.care2.com/. There you will find groups, discussions, causes and a place to sign petitions. There is also a tab on healthy and green living. This site has attracted over 9.8 million members.

Albert Einstein was so eloquent when he said: "Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living."

Some of you may or may not know it but T.Boone Pickens, a Texas Oilman and billionaire has started a campaign to promote alternative and renewable sources of energy. He is also financing several projects with his own money. This started only a few months ago and there are already over 1.1 million people signed up to help. Go to http://www.pickensplan.com/ for more info on this worthy cause. And of course my personal page is at http://push.pickensplan.com/profile/HarryShade.

"Success means that we go to sleep at night knowing that our talents and abilities were used in a way that served others." - Marianne Williamson, Author of A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

Another social networking site when people are gathering in support of one another and to form groups that support wonderful causes is Powerful Intentions. My personal page here is http://powerfulintent.ning.com/profile/Harry39 and the home page is http://powerfulintent.ning.com/.

"Be alert to give service. What counts a great deal in life is what we do for others." - Anonymous

Now, these are just a few of the hundreds of thousands of causes and social networks that you can get involved in where you can serve others. I just wanted to get you thinking about what you can do to serve others. Whether you pick one of these, start your own or pick something else, please set aside time to be in the service of others. You will feel great and more often than not you will receive more than you give.

Marcia Weider said - "Everyday, use your magic to be of service to others."

You can order a copy of my book via Amazon.com or my website @ http://www.blogger.com/www.raresenseunlimited.com.

The audio and e-book versions are available through YouPublish @ https://www.youpublish.com/people/1810

That's all for today.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

My 30 Year Class Reunion

2008-10-13T15:11:00.005-04:00

Well, the Newton Falls High School Class of 1978 Reunion Weekend has come and gone and so we will get together as a class in another 5 years. This weekend spent with my friends was nothing short of fantastic. I do not know how many other classes can claim what I am about to say but we have always been a very close knit group. While a lot of classes had their cliques and rarely intermingled, we did our very best to accept everyone for who they were and just tried to support each other.

Now, I am not trying to say that our school days were lived in utopia. We teased and picked on each other. There were arguments, fights and hurt feelings, just like any dysfunctional family but family we were and you could still see it at the reunion this weekend. By looking back and reminiscing, the good times by far outweighed any bad. We even got together and sang and danced to "We Are Family". Corny, yeah, but we didn't care! We were amongst cherished friends and it just felt right!

We mingled from table to table, just like we did in the halls of the school. The atmosphere was charged with positive energy. We caught up on our lives and it seemed like yesterday that we graduated, not 30 years ago. But you see that is what happens when people who truly love each other get together. Time has a way of condensing and even standing still. Some how, we did not look or feel almost 50, we were back in high school and having a great time. The thank yous and compliments flew about how great of a weekend it turned out to be, with everyone asking us to start planning the 35 year reunion.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone of my classmates who attended our reunion. You all made it a magical time for me!

Once again, if you have the opportunity to attend a reunion, of any type, go. You'll be glad you did!

That's all for today.

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

Reunions

2008-10-10T12:44:00.004-04:00

Tonight is the beginning of my 30 year High School Class Reunion Weekend. I am so looking forward to getting together with my classmates, many of whom I have not seen in 20 years or more. I love our class reunions because it takes me back to a time of my life that I so thoroughly enjoyed. It is where it all began for me and my friends from school had such a profound impact on my life.

Growing up in a small town like Newton Falls, Ohio, afforded me so many opportunities to grow and learn. Now, my hometown is not the hotbed of diversity but it is where I was taught honesty, ethics, dedication, commitment, the value of work, the value of a dollar, friendship and so much more. The people of Newton Falls embody the heart of soul of the Midwest, where family, God and country are most important. Where friendships last for decades and neighbors look out for one another. Where children are taught to respect their elders and education is highly valued.

I am still very close to several of my classmates today, three of which I have been some of my best friends for 43 years now. My classmates and I supported each other through our childhood. We learned the multiplication tables together. We took on the challenges of puberty together. And we were there for each other during good times as well as bad times. We survived divorces, deaths, sicknesses, heartache and grief together. We celebrated graduations, weddings, births and successes together. And now we come together to celebrate our lives and the roles we played in each of them, one more time together.

Some look upon reunions as a time to see how old we have become. I for one look at them as a celebration of life and everything it has brought us.

So, this weekend, I go home, once more to celebrate with the people who have meant so much to me. We will laugh, we may cry, but we will have fun! If you are having a reunion coming up, for whatever purposes, I urge you to go. You may just have fun and will get to reconnect with those that have had an impact on your life!

"Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven." - Tyron Edwards

That's all for today. I have reunion to get to!

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

Solitude

2008-10-09T16:31:00.004-04:00

How often do you get to just be by yourself? No kids, spouses, significant others, work, anything.

How often do you go into silence? With no music, tv, Internet or other distractions of life.

When was the last time you took a trip by yourself?

When was the last time you took a walk in nature, alone?

When was the last time you went to the movies, out to dinner or to any event alone?

The answers to the questions is not often enough and it has been too long to be able to remember. By nature you are not solitary animals, unless you are totally introverted and that is not many of you. No a majority of you cherish contact with others.

You tolerate the hustle and bustle of life because you think that is how it should be. You must be busy, busy, busy. Otherwise, how is anything ever going to get done? You are forever trying to cram 30 hours of stuff into a 24 day and wonder why you are stressed out, anxious and tired. Mostly tired!

It is because you do not take time to just be in solitude. For some of you solitude is scary. What will you do with yourself? What might you find out about you that you do not like? For others you think it is a waste of time. There is stuff to be done you know? Can you say stroke or heart attack walking?

Of course you can be in solitude and still be doing things, just do them alone. You can garden, work on a project, listen to music, watch a movie or ride your bike. The key here is doing it alone, with no distractions from anything else. And that's the tough part. Now, if you are so inclined, being in solitude, like on a hike, where you are alone in nature can be even more relaxing but the idea here is to mentally remove yourself from the rest of the world.

"The great omission in American life is solitude...that zone of time and space, free from the outside pressures, which is the incinerator of spirit." - Marya Mannes

Here are five reasons for the importance of going into solitude. It allows you:

1. to relax and just be.

2. to take time off from the rigors of everyday life.

3. to recharge your batteries.

4. to get in touch with you.

5. to take an internal inventory.

"One hour of thoughtful solitude may nerve the heart for days of conflict - girding up its armour to meet the most insidious foe." - Percival

So, don't look at solitude as something to avoid or put off when you have time for it. It is something you need to do to maintain your physical, mental and spiritual health.

That's all for today.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

I can! I can't!

2008-10-07T11:38:00.005-04:00

Can't, one of the most destructive words in the English language. All uttering that word does is keep you from accomplishing anything. Like any thought, the moment you even think it, you set into motion; physical, emotional and spiritual energies that will give you just that, can't.

"If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford

My Mom (Eleanor Shade) created the following with the lines I can and I can't:

I CAN...I can advance naturally. Basically you are saying that you have faith and are allowing yourself to move along with the cosmic flow of the universe, with grace and ease. It is a statement born of strength and courage.

I CAN'T... I cannot advance naturally today. You are fighting against the current, which is a waste of both time and energy. You are getting nowhere fast and have no hope of advancing. This is a statement born of fear and insecurity.

”Those who say something can't be done should not interrupt those doing it.” - Unknown

So, if you want to advance naturally banish can't from your vocabulary today!

There short and sweet but food for thought. That's all for today.

May you all be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

F-A-I-T-H

2008-10-07T00:58:00.006-04:00

Can I get an F? F

Can I get an A? A

Can I get an I? I

Can I get a T? T

Can I get an H?H

What does it spell? Faith What? Faith LOUDER! FAITH

One of my friends, Michelle Casto, wrote in a facebook discussion that FAITH = Find Answers In The Heart. I like that for that is where faith lies, in your heart. Your head may say this is impossible but your heart screams, "Have faith!" To learn more about the beautiful soul known as Michelle Casto and the wonderful work she is doing go to her web site http://www.brightlightcoach.com/

Here are some great quotes about faith!

Brian Tracy said - "Be willing to launch in faith, with no guarantees of success. This is the mark of personal greatness."

Henry Beecher Ward said - "Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith."

Martin Luther King said - "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."

Thomas N. Carrurther said - "Faith that the thing can be done is essential to any great achievement."

Albert Schweitzer said - "Every start upon an untrodden path is a venture which only in unusual circumstances seems sensible and likely to be successful."

What is everyone saying here? That without faith nothing can be accomplished but with faith anything is possible. They are also saying that faith takes courage and determination, that faith is the power that helps you overcome your fears.

So have faith in yourself and you will accomplish more than you ever thought to be posible!

That's all for today.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

10 Things to Help You Relax

2008-10-03T21:02:00.008-04:00

In this day and age of too much work, too much stress and not enough time for you, I offer these 10 things you can start today that will help you relax!

The picture to the right is our cat, Mickey. He obviously has no problem relaxing!

“The time to relax is when you don't have time for it.” - Sydney Harris

1. Cut out the caffeine: You have probably already heard this before but it bears repeating. Caffeine is in a fact a drug, a stimulant, and it is really not good for you. And like some other drugs, it is addicting. Yes, I know like other addictive drugs you will have to wean yourself off it and usually that is not a lot of fun. So, I suggest that you do it slowly by cutting out one coffee or caffeinated drink each day or slowly switching to decaf products. Americans are addicted to caffeine, that is a well known fact, which is one of the major reasons why we cannot relax.

2. Schedule a regular massage: Oh, yeah, if you have ever gotten a relaxing massage, you know how good it feels. I would not suggest a deep tissue, shiatsu style massage, those can hurt a little. And how are you going to pay for that regular massage. Start with the money you are saving by cutting caffeine out of your life. If you still do not have enough money, check to see if there is a massage school near you. Their prices are low and the students are going for a grade, the best of both worlds.

3. Expand your musical tastes: There is a lot of music out there that is designed to help you relax. Try some Native American Flute music or other "new age" instrumental music. It is good for the body and the soul.

4. Take a bubble bath: Oh, yeah, you guys too. The combination of the nice hot water and the soaps designed specifically for relaxing are a great combination. Throw in some nice smelly candles and you will be in heaven. There are even some cool fizzy balls also designed to relax those tense muscles.

5. Take up a hobby: There are a myriad of hobbies that can be truly relaxing. Hiking, bird watching, cooking, gardening, painting, sculpting, nature photography and napping come to mind. I am am told that napping can be a hobby.

"No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could find ways to relax for at least five minutes every hour, you'd be more productive." - Dr. Joyce Brothers

6. Take naps: There are numerous studies that say that, especially as we get older, napping has rejuvenating effects. I say don't wait until you get older, when you may actually need them, start now. Of course, it should be 30 minutes or less, so as not to get into that whole REM thing and ruin your normal sleep pattern. I will say that for me naps work too well. If I take a nap anytime during the day, it really effects my normal sleep and I am a night owl as it is. But it may work for you, so give it a try.

7. Get a cat or dog: If you living situation allows it, get a furry ball of love. Once again, study after study have shown that having a pet reduces your stress level and your blood pressure, while releasing those fun hormones that make you feel good. The purr of a cat can just lift your mood and taking the dog for walk has the dual benefit of getting exercise. Plus, when you return home at the end of the day, you always have those furry fuzzies there to greet you. It's is therapy in a natural fur coat.

8. Try hypnotism: There are literally thousands of trained hypnotists available to help you relax using this ancient method. Hypnotists have been known to be able to treat and perhaps even cure all kind of conditions and the ability to relax is one of them. In fact, you can even have the hypnotist at your beck and call thru the use of audio cds. That way you can have a session when and where it is convenient for you and costs a lot less than going to their office. Your eyes are getting heavy.....

9. Try a nice herbal tea: You may be surprised at all the herbal teas on the market today that are designed to help people relax. Ok, maybe not, given the fact that is such a huge market for people who really need to relax. The only caveat I have here is stick with decaf teas, you know so you can do what I talked about in #1. If you do not recall, then refer back to #1.

10. Tap into your spirit: So many of us are trying to find out who we are and why we are here. There are numerous ways to go within and find peace. Books, drum circles, retreats, classes, seminars, TV shows, Internet social networking sites, and the list goes on. Not to mention the traditional religious study groups. If you can find what works for you to be at peace spiritually, you will find it much easier to relax.

"There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

I could go on and on but I wanted to keep this short. I am sure you can come up with other things that can help you relax. I just wanted to give you a start.

That's all for now!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Helicopter Parents; Why You do Not Want to be One.

2008-10-02T18:41:00.004-04:00

"The object of teaching a child is to enable them to get along without their teacher." — Elbert Hubbard

I just recently read an article about "helicopter parents". They are the parents that cannot seem to let go and allow their children to grow up.

I am the father of an 18 year old college student and at her graduation party I kept getting questioned about how I felt about her graduating and moving on. My answer was, "Ecstatic" and then because I got some interesting looks, I went on to explain that I was looking forward to both Melinda and I starting new chapters in our lives. And yes, I would miss her but this was inevitable.

At least, it is supposed to be. Not for "helicopter" parents. For them, it seems, they feel that they need to protect their children well past the age of 18. Some, even into real adulthood, when their children are in their 30's. They attempt to negotiate salaries for them, they advocate for them with their college, landlord, electric company, you name it. They smother their children and then wonder why at age 40, their children are depressed, divorced, not able to handle the consequences of life and moving back in.

It is not only our jobs as parents but our duty to society to raise our children to be independent, productive citizens. It does no one any good when we refuse to cut the purse strings, kick them out of the nest and simply let go.

If you have done your job to the best of your ability then you will more than likely raise a happy, healthy, fully functioning adult. Sure we will always be parents, we will all be needed for advice or to watch the kids, etc. What we don't want to be is a crutch!

Parenting is not easy, I know, and after hearing some really bad stories, I had it better than some. Even though I am divorced from her Mom, I was blessed to remarry a woman who not only loves me but was really another parent to our daughter.

Ok, so how do you keep from becoming a "helicopter" parent?

Here is some advice:

1. They are gonna grow up! You need to realize that right now. No matter what you do and no matter how you parent, they are going to grow up and there is nothing you can do about it. I know this may sound a little silly and you may even be saying, tell me something I don't know. You really need to hear this. One day that new baby will come home from the hospital and it seems like the next time you turn around they are asking for the car keys. It all happens in the blink of an eye and you will be left wondering where 18 years went.

"We've had bad luck with our kids - they've all grown up." ~Christopher Morley

2. Be there! Be there when they start walking. Be there when they learn to ride a bike. Be there on the first day of school. Be there to teach them how to throw a ball. Be there for the first school dance. Be there to take them trick or treating. Be there when they breakup for the first time. Just be there and be involved. Besides the more that you are with them while they are growing up, the more you will be ready for them to go. I am really not trying to be funny here. I mean it you will be ready! Yes, I know you need to earn a living but why not have a life. No amount of money can replace your presence. You may be thinking you are doing it for them, when you work those 60 hour weeks but you are really doing them and yourself a disservice. For more convincing please refer back to paragraph one!

"Your children need your presence more than your presents." ~Jesse Jackson

3. Teach them responsibility! If you teach your kids to be responsible then you will not feel the need do everything for them when they become adults. Responsible children become responsible adults and responsible citizens. Have an age appropriate chore list. When my daughter was between the ages of five and ten, we had a list on the refrigerator that she placed stickers on when she completed them and the chores were things like; brush you teeth, make you bed, etc. Every sticker was worth a small amount of money and every thing she did not do, got money subtracted. As she got older, the chores become more involved, like help with dinner, run the sweeper, etc. She was still rewarded for what she did accomplish and got things deducted for what she didn't. Now, as she got older, especially in her teenage years, the list went away but the expectations did not. Did she always do her chores, of course not, but it instilled work ethic and responsibility in her. How did I know? I would hear it from her teachers and supervisors at work about how responsible she was and what a great work ethic she has. Don't expect that to show up at home but it is nice to hear.

"Patience is the companion of wisdom." — St. Augustine

4. Communicate with them! Talk with them about both the fun things and the serious things. Was it fun having "the talk" with my daughter? No, I was apprehensive to say the least but I knew it was important that she knew how I felt about it. Of course like anything else, keep the topics age appropriate, but talk. My daughter has often told me that she really enjoyed the days when I took her to and from school because we had some really good conversations. Don't shy away from the tough stuff, that's when they need you the most. My daughter and I have talked about religion, spirituality, race, drugs, sex, life, death, Santa Clause, sports and relationships. The older she got the more serious some of the conversations became. You know I often learned things from her and that's really cool.

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." ~ Angela Schwindt

5. Discipline them! Do I believe you should spank your kids? I believe that is an individual choice, so I really have no other opinion than that but I will say that there has to be some kind of discipline. Otherwise how does a child learn boundaries, to follow the rules and that there are consequences to the choices they make. The key here is to try and remember that you are disciplining the act not the child. I always did my best to explain to her what she did and why it was not a good choice. Did I ever lose my temper? Am I human? Yes, especially when she was in her late teens and was more obstinate. I will tell you however, if you can develop the daddy look, then things can go alot smoothly. Most of the time all I had to do was give her the look and she knew she was in trouble. It sometimes still works today! The other big things are be consistent and do not stay upset for very long. Unless it involves taking another life, there is really nothing that they can do that cannot be fixed. My daughter knows there are consequences to her actions because she was taught that at home, where it should be taught.

"Many parents are finding out that a pat on the back helps develop character - if given often enough, early enough, and low enough." - Author Unknown

6. Do not live vicariously through them! You had your shot at childhood, it's over, so get on with it. One of the worse things you can do is try and force your children into some idea of what you think their life should be. This will surely lead you on the road to being a serious "helicopter" parent. Encourage your children to try new things and yes you can encourage them to try the things you did as a child but that should be it, just encourage. My daughter tried gymnastics, band and swimming. She settled on basketball, track and cross country and was involved in several other school activities. It just so happened that I played basketball and ran track but I told her over and over again that she did not even have to play sports, I just wanted her to do things she liked to do. And she knew that I meant it. Then when she decided on those sports, I gave her tips and suggestions how she could get better. I coached her for a few years in basketball but I never pushed her. I let her decide how hard she wanted to work and how much time she wanted to put into it. But, once again I was there for her. I attended the meets and games. I helped pay for camps and gear and I always encouraged her. So, no matter what your children want to try, encourage them and be there for them but do not force them to do something they do not want to do on their own.

"A child can ask questions that a wise man cannot answer." ~ Author Unknown

7. Things are gonna change! Recognize that as your child gets older things are gonna change and you are going to have to face some changes yourself. They are gonna get a license. They are gonna drive by themselves. They might get a job. And you are gonna be concerned. That's natural, that's life! If you taught them responsibility and were there for them growing up then that is all that you can do. Sure, it can be scary when they start doing things on their own but it is the only way for them to test the waters of freedom before they jump ship. You also have to recognize that you have changed too. You are also older and hopefully wiser but you were also once their age and need to recall how you felt at that age. That will keep things in perspective for you.

"Children are one third of our population and all of our future." ~Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health, 1981

8. Have something else to do! I know I have said to be there for them but you also have to make time for things you like to do. You know grown up things like golfing, gardening, working out and watching soap operas and sports. As they grow older and you are needed less and less (yes, that will happen, after all if you are doing it right, that is the natural progression of things) you need to make sure that you have something else to do. Do not, I repeat, do not make them your whole life. That my friend is a recipe for disaster. That way when they strike out on their own you will not have this huge empty void. You will miss them but you will be free to pursue your own interests. Where many go wrong here is they have nothing else to occupy their time and then wonder what they are going to do. They are lost and then try to help the kids. cCn you hear the sound? Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. Sounds like a helicopter parent swooping in to the rescue.

"To an adolescent, there is nothing in the world more embarrassing than a parent." - Dave Barry

9. Work on letting go! I would not suggest that you do this letting go thing cold turkey. Ease into it. Try it on and see how it feels. I think my daughter was about sixteen and a half, a few months after she got her license, when I sat her down and told her that starting then I was going to slowly progress into advisory mode. On things that I felt she was responsible and mature enough to handle I would be giving advice and not telling her what to do. I had her make her own decisions on those things. So, the older she got, the more I advised. Now that she is 18, I am totally in advisory mode. It is kinda cool because the pressure of making decisions and living with the consequences has gone to her. And less stress is what we are all looking for, right? You see, since I taught her responsibility and provided love, advice, knowledge and discipline, I was confident that she could handle things on her own.

"Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn't have anything to do with it." ~Haim Ginott

10. You will always be a parent! Now, don't get me wrong, they may leave but you will always be a parent. You will always be needed for advice, directions, recipes, moving labor, etc. Your role does not end when they venture on to bigger and better things. But you really do not want them coming back to live with you. You have moved on and are enjoying your new life without children. Of course, there may be grandchildren in your future but that is a whole different role entirely. No, you will be needed from time to time. It will not be as often or even maybe as intense but the time will come when that phone will ring and you will be called to action once again. Of course if you have followed my advice, then you will be relaxed and almost stress free as a parent, since you know that you raised a competent, responsible and mature adult!

"It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't." ~Barbara Kingsolver

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Keeping the faith in the midst of a crisis.

2008-10-01T16:23:00.005-04:00

How does one keep the faith during times like these? Who do we turn to? Where can we find answers?

Especially when all you hear is:

The economy is failing, terrorists want to kill us, people are starving, Mother Nature is exacting her revenge with hurricanes, mudslides and wildfires, gas prices are skyrocketing and on and on.

Well, if you have faith, then you know exactly where you can find answers and who you can turn to. Of course that is determined by what you believe in. If you are a Christian then of course you turn to God or Jesus. If you are Muslim, it is Allah. Native Americans pray to the Great Spirit and so on and so forth.

"Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith." - Henry Ward Beecher

As a Spiritualist, I do what I do everyday. I talk to the Creator, Universe, God, whatever you would like to call him/her. I also look inside myself for the answers, for God resides there too. I know who I am, what I am capable of and what to do to fulfill my needs.

Here are some tips on how to get through this time with your faith intact:

1. Know that it will be alright. As I say in my book, Rare Sense, One Day It Will Be Common, we go through three stages on the path to having rare sense and they are Hope, Belief and Knowing. I know that things will get better because I do have Faith that the Universe provides everything I need and in abundance. I also know that if I am lacking anything that it is of my own creation and only I can change the situation. So, if I ever fall back I just have to think of all the times in my life when things were not going so well and remember what I did to change it and then I change it.

2. Don't worry or be fearful. Where has worry ever gotten anyone in their life? Nowhere, except to raise your stress and block you creative thought process. And how many times have you worried over something and it never came to pass. Usually all of the time. So, clear you mind of worry so you can create a solution to your challenges. I know, you are going to say easier said then done, well not really, once again it is a mind set. It is how you think about things and if you know that worry has never gotten anyone anywhere that is productive and positive, then why do it? Only you can change how you see and think about things, so it is up to you to use your power.

3. Show gratitude. There is always something we can be grateful for, always. When you give thanks for what you have now, you are living in the present moment and creating the opportunities for the future. If you really look at things, especially here in the US, we are way better off than hundreds of millions of people around the world, many of whom have little to nothing to eat, no safe drinking water, no medical care or are living in a war zone. Yes, I know there are people in the US who are in similar predicaments but they at least have the opportunity to seek help and get themselves out of it. They have choices that those other people around the world do not have. So be thankful for the good things you do have and you will find solutions through the Universe for the things you need.

4. Take action. If you lost your job, then look for another one. If you need food, seek help. If you need money, find a way, hopefully legally, to earn some. But whatever you do, take action. Sitting around and complaining will get you nowhere. It will however keep you right where you are at. The more action you take the more doors that will be opened to you and the more opportunities will present themselves. One thing that I find hard to tolerate is people who will not do anything to help themselves and then wonder why they are "stuck". They blame everyone but themselves and wonder why the world is against them. The world is not against them, they are doing it to themselves and do not see it or choose not to see it.

5. Improve yourself. If you lack the skills or education level to to make it in today's work place then get more education and/or training. Seek out schools and training programs and apply. If you do not have the money then pursue scholarships, grants, etc to pay for it. Everyday, people find the way to pay for more education so if they can do it, so can you. It takes dedication, determination, hard work and sacrifice. But if you want it bad enough you will find a way to get it.

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King Jr.

My question is, is everything as bad as the media wants us to believe? Or are they just reporting on all the negative things like always and keeping us in fear? Are there no companies making money? Is everyone out of a job? Wouldn't it be better to put our energies into finding solutions to the challenges we have instead of just talking about how bad everything is?

We have been through rough times throughout our history and we have the ingenuity and ability to get through these times too. Every challenge presents opportunities for innovation. Every obstacle presents a chance for us to grow and learn. What is needed for us right now is to remain calm, ignore the naysayers, roll up our sleeves, open our minds and get to work.

“View a negative experience in your life like you'd look at a photo negative. A single negative can create an unlimited number of positive prints.” - Gerhard Gschwandtner

What we also need is courageous, passionate, visionary people to step up and lead us into a new age of collaboration, cooperation and compassion. An age where we care for our fellow man, where we acknowledge that everyone has something to contribute, where we recognize that it is every one's responsibility to ensure that everybody has the basic necessities of life.

If you want a better world then change how you look at yourself and your responsibility to all mankind. True change begins and ends with you. You have the power, you simply have to tap into it. Keeping the faith in the middle of a crisis lies within you. If you know who you are, then faith will come automatically, for you will know how powerful you are and that you can create a solution.

"What worries you, masters you." - Haddon W. Robinson

I know we will find solutions to the challenges ahead. I know what we are capable of and so I have faith that all will be as it should be. In the meantime, I will be doing my part to help and seek answers to the challenges we face. I will be an active contributor in ushering in a new world. So, come join me in creating a world we all deserve to live in, using our faith, love gratitude, wisdom, intelligence, intuition and passion.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Pets and Love

2008-09-30T17:23:00.008-04:00

Today, you will find pictures scattered throughout this post of our pets. The Chocolate Lab is Toby. The white cat is Holly. And the silly white and black cat is Mickey.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

If you have a pet you will know what I mean when I say that they give us unconditional love. Now, some of you might say that dogs definitely do but cats?

Well, even though cats do tend to march to their own drum, you cannot deny that they too have the ability to provide us with unlimited joy with their antics and the purring when they get what we call "scratchy lovies" from their owners. They will come around when you do not feel good and are all soft and fluffy when they decide they want to snuggle with you. (Except for the hairless breeds of course, but I digress)

"When I play with my cat, who knows whether she is not amusing herself with me more than I with her." ~ Montaigne

Now, dogs, they just are bundles of love. They really appreciate when you play with them, feed them, let them outside, quite frankly for anything you do for them. They are always ready to greet you at the door at the end of the day with their tails wagging and that goofy smile on their face. Ok, maybe that is just our dog with the goofy face but you know what I mean. Sometimes Toby is so happy to see us I think his butt is going to fall off from all that wagging.

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." ~ Roger Caras

It has been shown in study after study that those that have at least one pet have less stress and lower blood pressure. Even having an aquarium helps us feel better and fish are not soft and cuddely at all. Why do you think there are so many aquariums in doctor's offices or hospitals? Because the work! Pets help us through loss and grief. They are companions when we do not have much human contact and they just bring a smile to our faces. Now tell me that Mickey's picture below does not make you chuckle.

"Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!" ~ Theophile Gautier

I have been focusing on cats and dogs here but all pets can bring joy in some way. When we care for them they make us feel needed. When they do something silly they make us smile. They are the subject of many a reel of video tape and have even helped people win money on America's Funniest Home Videos.

"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans" ~ James Herriot

Pets are a gift from the Universe. They provide so many good things to us humans that we owe them a hug debt of gratitude. So, remember when you are thinking about what to be grateful for, if you have a pet, do not forget them. If you don't have a pet, after reading this, you may want to consider getting one. Finally, if you do have a pet and you do not treat it with love and respect, then you either need to change your ways or give them to someone who will love and care for them.

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~ Immanual Kant

If you have a pet enjoy it. If not, get one, you'll be glad you did! We have been truly blessed with our pets and all the positive things they have brought to our lives. That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

To be or not to be....

2008-09-29T15:08:00.005-04:00

"To be or not to be, that is the question." - William Shakespeare

That is also the choice and the power we have as human beings. To be or not to be!

I have always liked to hear it when others say that we are human beings, not human doings. I just saw Deepak Chopra utter those words in a television commercial. It gives me a chuckle but it is so true. Otherwise we would be called human doings.

Often, we get so caught up in the doings of life that we forget to just be. We feel like we have to be doing something all the time or else nothing will get accomplished. However this does two things that are vital to our overall well being.

First of all, we ignore the creative thought process. We do not check in with our thoughts to see if they are in line with what we are doing. I have known many, many people that have worked hard all their life and in the end have nothing to show for it. They put in the action but their thoughts were not on prosperity and financial independence. It was on just getting by or I do not have enough money so I have to keep working hard. So, what did they get? I do not have enough money and I have to work hard their entire life or they just got by. They ignored what they were thinking and got exactly what they thought.

Secondly, all that effort and hard work leads to stress and health problems if you do not take time to just be. We all should take a minimum of 10 minutes a day to just be, to relax and let go. More would be much better but we think we have to be "doing" all the time, so start with 10 minutes and increase from there. At the end of this "being" time, you can check in with your thoughts and see if they are in line with what you want. If not, change them. If so, GREAT! But just be!

If you want happiness, be happy. If you want success, be successful. If you want compassion, be compassionate. If you want love, be love. It is in the being or to put it another way our thinking that we are what we are and who we are. You first have to be all those things you seek.

Now, I know it would sound a little silly to say, if you want money, then be money but that is exactly right. If you are thinking poor or lack of money, then you will be poor or have a lack of money. It has been said that what you focus on expands in your life. If you focus on the debt, you will be in debt. If you focus on the illness, you will be unhealthy or more succinctly put, you will be the illness.

Listen to what Shakespeare and Chopra have to say and let's be human beings.

That's all for now!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Copyright 2008 Harry Shade, All Rights Reserved

I love you!

2008-09-26T10:50:00.008-04:00

I love you! The most wonderful, uplifting phrase in all the world. It does matter what language you say it in, it always has the same effect. So, how often do you say it? Do you say it enough to those in your life that matter? Could you say it to a complete stranger?

I tell my wife, child and family members that I can that I love them. We close all our conversations with "Love ya, bye!". I even tell my dog, cats and garden plants that I love them. But I am like a majority of people out there who probably would not and could not tell someone I do not know that I love them. I mean the animals and plants will not try to have me arrested or give me weird looks. OK, so the cats give me weird looks all the time but they are cats, they just do that.

So, how can I say "I love you" without actually saying it. Actually, there are numerous ways I can do this and I will share a few of them with you.

1. I can just smile at people. A smile can say "I love you". It has at least a similar effect as uttering that wonderful phrase. When you smile at someone, you are letting them know that you care. And if they smile back then you have connected on the soul level.

2. I can just think "I love you". Sure, our thoughts are creative. That energy is released into the Universe and does have a positive affect, so why not walk around and think "I love you" about everything, especially yourself. It is the energy that is most important here so release your "love" energy for all the world to feel. Quite frankly we do not tell ourselves enough that we love who we are. Like I have always said it all begins with us, so go ahead, tell yourself that you love yourself.

3. I can give a gift to someone, donate to charity or volunteer for a worthy cause. All of these actions say "I love you" and just like thinking it, you spread the energy.

4. I can just look into someones eyes and with a look of love, I can connect and share the "love" energy, so words are not really even necessary. Did you ever do that? Just look deep into someones eyes and connect with their very soul. Wow, that is always a powerful moment.

5. I can write a poem, song or letter in which I express my love for someone, something or even the entire world.

6. Finally, I can just be loving towards myself and others. I can give a compliment, open a door, help someone load groceries in their car. I can get a massage, meditate, take a walk or eat my favorite desert.

There are as many ways that you and I can spread love either by actually saying "I love you" or doing and thinking loving things. The possibilities are as endless as the Universe.

So, let's all go out there and spread love in every way we can. I know it will have an immediate impact on you and the world.

I leave you today with this quote:

"Don't spend your precious time asking 'Why isn't the world a better place?' It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is 'How can I make it better?' To that there is an answer." - Leo F. Buscaglia

I LOVE YOU!

Harry

Copyright 2008, Harry Shade, All Rights Reserved

It's the little things!

2008-09-25T01:06:00.006-04:00

I have often said that it is finding the joy in the simple, little things in life, that make the most difference and can provide the greatest happiness. Today I want to talk about two of those simple things that make my life so beautiful.

First of all, I want to tell you about my friend, Edward. Edward is a greeter at our local Meijer Department Store, which is a department store and grocery all wrapped in one. (I believe WalMart calls them Supercenters.) Edward is probably in his late 60's to early 70's and emigrated to the U.S., the son of Greek and Egyptian parents. The one thing that stands out about Edward is he always has a smile on his face and not any ordinary smile but rather one that lights up his whole face and is one of the most angelic smiles that I have probably ever seen. There is even a twinkle in his eye.

Now for most people going to the store is not exactly their idea of fun but I truly look forward to seeing Edward. I know earlier I called him a friend but he is more like an angel on Earth. That man brightens up my day every time I see him. I do not know how much he gets paid but he is priceless to me. The way I look at it, Meijer definitely gets their money's worth when Edward is there. I am not the only one Edward has this effect on because I have watched him interacting with other Meijer customers and by their reactions he has many people who look forward to being in Edward's presence.

I do recall several weeks ago that I did not see Edward for about 14 days and I prayed that he was OK and in my heart I knew he must have been on vacation. Well, when I walked in that store and saw him there, I was both relieved and excited. I asked him where he had been and in his broken English he told me he had been on vacation. I was thrilled to see him again and now I can't wait to go to Meijer to see if my angel, Edward is there. I'll tell you another way that Meijer was smart to emply this man. I probably go to that store more than I normally would simply because of Edward.

The next thing is simply playing Frisbee with my dog, Toby. It is so hilarious and joyous to see him get so excited when I ask him if he wants to go play "Frisbee". And the pure joy on his face when he is running back after catching another throw is absolutely priceless. It's funny it does not cost any money to go to the park and play with Toby however the sometimes overwhelming feelings of love and joy I get from it are without a doubt worth more than all the money in the world.

If you want to live a fulfilled and balanced life, seek out the simple things that bring you joy and spend as much time in their presence as you possibly can and when you cannot physically be in their presence, carry them in your heart and they will always be with you.

I leave you today with this quote:

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Copyright 2008, Harry Shade, All rights reserved.

What are you attracting into your life?

2008-09-23T19:33:00.005-04:00

I spoke with someone who called the other day and wanted to run something past me. She was continuing to have some issues with a friend of hers. This friend was constantly correcting her in a very negative fashion. She had tried over a very lengthy time to ask the other party to not be so mean spirited about her "constructive criticism", to no avail. She even went as far as to try and remove this person from her life but always seemed to draw this person into her life.

I listened to the story and as compassionate I was about her situation (I had heard passionate complaints from this person about the very same situation on other occasions.) I just had to ask some very direct questions:

"Why do keep drawing this person back into your life?"

"Why do you feel the need to have her in your life?"

"What about you feels the need to be criticized in such a negative way?"

"Why do you need to have someone tell you your not right or good enough, etc?"

"Why can't you let her go?"

You see, we attract everything to us, be they people, places, things and/or experiences. We do this through our thoughts both conscious and unconscious. We do it because there is a lesson that we need to learn, a choice we need to make or they have attracted us into their life. Yes, others attract us into their lives for the very same reasons. I have said many times that we are both student and teacher.

Where most people have a problem with what I am saying is this makes them responsible for what is going on in their lives. If you can get past the "hurt" of the ego and look at your life objectively, you cannot help but see that what I am saying is the truth. Now, if you are not "learning" anything and you keep attracting the same things into your life, then quite frankly, you are choosing to not learn. Everything we do has choices and consequences attached to them.

After a few minutes of conversing and she providing answers to my questions, she said she wanted to cut ties with this person but felt guilty about it. I then asked:

"Why do you not think that cutting ties with this person is not an act of love?"

There was an "aha" moment right there. I could feel it and hear it in her voice.

You see we also let fear control how we look at things. Fear, guilt, anxiety, hate, prejudices, etc, all can cloud our thinking and judgement. Here is a situation where one person is in emotional pain and is so concerned with the guilt they will feel for getting away from the pain, that they would rather endure the pain. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, too many of us are too familiar with it. Getting yourself out of a detrimental relationship is not selfish, it is self preservation.

Is that not an act of love? Not only is it an act of love, it is for both parties. If you release someone from your life and thank them for their friendship, lesson, experiences whatever they have provided to you and if you can see how you have been good for each other but the time is now to part from one another, then it is an act of love, pure and simple. And no you do not have to verbally express these things to the other party just be grateful in your heart and release them or release the pain or whatever you need to release.

Today I leave you with this quote: "Bad times have a value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Copyright 2008, Harry Shade, All rights reserved.

A Book Review, "Zero Limits" by Dr. Joe Vitale & Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len

2008-09-22T15:51:00.006-04:00

Before I begin the review I do have to say that not having electricity for a little over four days last week, while not allowing me the opportunity to work at my home office, certainly provided time for me to catch up on my reading and one of the books I read was "Zero Limits". Reading that book has been some of the most productive time I have spent in a long, long time.

I have read literally hundreds of self-help, philosophy, spiritual and religious books but before I read "Zero Limits, " by Dr. Joe Vitale and Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len, master teacher of the updated Ho’oponopono system, I had never heard of the Hawaiian Ho'oponopono system.

I was not too far into the book when I filled with both intrigue and some frustration. I was so intrigued that I did not put the book down until I finished it. It took me about three hours to complete it but what I learned will be with me for a lifetime.

Even though I had always knew and practiced that I could not change anyone else, I had always thought that I could at least influence their decisions with my training and guidance. I was not prepared to hear that whatever I encountered in my life was a lesson for something I had to clear from myself, not them. Sure, I know that everything I encounter is a mirror unto myself, I just never had it put to me so eloquently and simply.

Dr. Len is truly an outstanding and wise teacher and Dr. Vitale brings this method to the masses with such integrity and love. I am now practicing Ho'opnonpono everyday and looking for a workshop by Dr. Len where I can experience more of this wonderful system.

One of the most beautiful things about the system is it's relative simplicity. Dr. Len says that he is constantly clearing and that by working on himself he sees changes happen around him. What does he do to "clear" himself and what is the basics of Ho'oponopono. These four statements that you repeat silently to yourself.

1. I love you.
2. I'm sorry.
3. Please forgive me.
4. Thank you.

That's it. This is what Dr. Len did to successfully treat patients locked up in a prison ward for the criminally insane without even seeing them. All he did was read their files and used the system to clear himself. The rest as they say is history.

I highly recommend you get this book and expose yourself to this beautiful system for self improvement.

That's all for today!

Blessings!

Harry

Do you learn from your experiences?

2008-09-12T14:21:00.002-04:00

"There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience and that is not learning from experience." - Archibald McLeish

Do you learn from your experiences, both good and bad? In everything we attract into our lives there are lessons and sometimes the worse the experience the more we can learn from it.

Are you open to learning and growing? Or do you look at life as just something you have to go through until you reach death?

What can learned from the loss of a loved one? Perhaps that life is fleeting and we need to make the most of every moment. That the experiences you had with them were something that molded and shaped you to be the person you are today. That you had something to learn from them and something to teach them in return.

What can be learned from reaching a goal that you set? How about that you could do something that you thought was out of reach. That getting out of your "comfort zone" allowed you to grow. That it was not as scary as you thought it would be.

If something does not go as you had hoped, do you think of it as a waste of time or an opportunity to learn and/or grow? If you chose it as an opportunity to learn and/or grow then it is never a waste of time.

Whether the experiences are good or bad, if you have the attitude that you can learn from them all, then you will grow more than you could ever have imagined. Growth is not always easy or fun but as long as you approach it with a positive attitude, one that says everything and everyone I experience is to help me grow and be better than before I had the experience, then your life will be one of wonder and awe as you continue to on your life path towards enlightenment and spiritual growth.

Some food for thought, that is all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Nothing is impossible.

2008-09-11T23:45:00.003-04:00

I want to start out tonight with a quote:

"If you want to see something done, just tell some human beings it can't be done. Make it known that it's impossible to fly to the moon, or run 100 meters in 9.9 seconds, or solve Fermat's Last Theorem. Remind the world that no one has ever hit 62 home runs in a season or stuffed 18 people into a Volkswagen. Dangle the undoable in front of the world. Then, consider it done." - Merrill Lynch

What do think is impossible for you to do? Sure, some of us have physical and/or mental limitations but even those folks have shown others that what they were told was impossible, they have accomplished.

Really, since we are Spiritual beings in human form, nothing is impossible. Time amd time again when the word impossible has been floated about, someone, somewhere has proved them wrong.

What are your self-imposed limitations? Believe me it is not your environment, your parents, your stage in life, you upbringing, it is you and only you! All the power of the universe resides inside of each and evry one of us, we just have to tap it. We have to clar out the hurt, bad memories and limiting beliefs and allow room for dinvine inspiration to come in. Then we will have the choice to act upon those inspirations or stay stuck in our old beliefs and paradigms.

So, let's get out of our own way and do the impossible. I'm game, how about you?

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

The Power of Gratitude

2008-09-10T21:56:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, my computer modem went out and I was without internet, phones or cable for about 24 hours. Now, I could have lamented the fact that I lost all my technology, after all I do run my business from my house but I try and be grateful for everything in my life, fo it all has a lesson in it.

"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation." - Brian Tracy

So, what did I do with this peaceful repose from technology so as to make it a grateful experience.

Well, first of all, I have a stack of books to read and I took time to finish one and completely read another. They were both by Joe Vitale and if you are in business I would recommend both to get thhings going, keep things going and prosper like never before.

The first one is "There's a Customer Born Every Minute", in which Vitale studies the success principles of the great P.T. Barnum. I found it hard t put down and it is chock full of business wisdom from the master publicity maker.

The other is "Your Internet Cash Machine". Once again Vitale provides practical business ideas, most of which can be implemented immediately and for little to no cost.

I also spent quality time with my wife watching a cute movie, "License to Wed", starring Robin Williams. It is a nice "date" movie!

The other thing I did was spend about forty minutes today in silence. It was inspiring, energizing, relaxing and quite a judicious use of my time. We do not spend nearly enough time in silence. In fact, most of us spend no time there at all and yet it can do so many wonderful things for us.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melodic Beattie

Ok, what has this got to do with gratitude. Well, if I was not grateful for the modem breaking then I would not have had these wonderful personal and life growth experiences.

So, the next time something happens that at first looks to be a nuisance and/or inconvenience, be grateful for it and turn it into something fun and worthwhile.

Thats' all for now!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

You are far more powerful than you think.

2008-09-08T16:26:00.005-04:00

You are far more powerful than you think. How do I know this? Because I know each of us has the power to create. I can go as far to say that we have the power to create life. How can you not believe you are powerful when you have the power of creation inside of each and everyone of you?

In his book, "You'll See It When You Believe It: The Way to Your Personal Transformation", Wayne Dyer takes the old adage that "I'll believe it when I see it" and expertly explains that that is quite backwards. You will not see anything until you believe in it. You have to believe it first or it will never come to be. Here is an excerpt from his book that speaks directly to what I am talking about in this post.

Chapter 1, Page 14, Copyright 2001: "Every man-made creation starts with a thought, an idea, a vision, a mental image. The thought is them applied in some way to form a new product. At this moment I am taking my thoughts, applying them to a typewriter and creating a new product called a book. We all go through this process thousands of times every day. The ultimate in becoming a transformed person is seeing ourselves as unlimited by our form."

We quite often feel as if we are victims of circumstances or beneficiaries of luck, but in reality things don't just happen to us. Like a magnet we bring events and people into our lives through our thoughts and beliefs. If we believe we can have something, we will send out an energy that will draw back the people, circumstances and opportunities that will assist us in obtaining our goals, if we believe the opposite, we will create the opposite. You are in control of your own thoughts and that is a power that cannot be taken away. You can however give it away, through blaming others for your circumstances and/or allowing the past to hold you there so that you cannot create the future you want.

"Whenever your thoughts are are on what you don't want, you are creating by default. You are creating deliberately when you are aware of your thoughts and consciously thinking of what you do want." - Eva Gregory Copyright 2002 http://www.jeannaandevashow.com/

So, we need to ensure that our thoughts on on what we do want and that we are using our conscious mind to actively create what we do want. Don't fall into the trap of focusing on you do not want, as that will give you more of it.

"The world we have created is a product of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking." - Albert Einstein

We need to take each day and use the power that the universe has given us and create the world we want and deserve.

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Simplify!

2008-09-06T00:23:00.004-04:00

It is hard to pick up any magazine, read any newspaper or surf the internet without someone talking about simplfying our lives. What I find a little ironic about it for me is that I have lived my life as simply as possible for as long as I can remember.

When I wrote my book "Rare Sense; One Day It Will Be Common" , I wrote it to be a simple guide to living a fulfilled and balanced life. To me life is nothing if not simple, if you look at it at it's basic level. If you read "Conversation With God" by Neale Donald Walsch, it is loaded with simple ideas on how to live your life. If you read the Bible, God broke it down to 10 simple commandments, all the rest is just filler and reminders. Buddha encouraged simple living in his teachings. The Native American Medicine Men & Women taught their spiritual ideas through simple stories and lessons.

Life is simple, we make it complicated with the weight of all the stuff we pile onto ourselves. The guilt, the fear, the hurt, the anger, the worry and the past.

Here are some suggestions on how to simplfy your life:

1. Get organized.
2. Get rid of clutter.
3. Approach everyday with an attitude of gratitude.
4. Approach everything from a position of love.
5. Set goals.

That's it. Simple! Start with those things and in no time, you will see how simple life can be.

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Sometimes you just need a break!

2008-09-04T20:11:00.005-04:00

Hi all,

I have not blogged in awhile because I decided to take a much needed technology break and combine it with a little family vacation and business trip. So, my wife and I packed up our car and took the scenic route to my hometown and back, with some diversion in between.

Along the way, we stopped in Newark, OH at the Ohio State Campus there to drop off some things to our daughter, then it was off to Coshocton and Roscoe Village. Roscoe Village is a quaint little place with shops, a museum, canal boat ride, living history exhibits and restaurants housed in buildings from the early 1900's and earlier.

We spent part of the afternoon shopping and having a nice lunch in The Warehouse Restaurant. It was a beautiful day. When we were done, we headed for the back roads and after discovering we had went the wrong direction for a time (even though the scenery was beautiful and led us to a gorgeous lake), we got turned around and came upon Gen. George Custer's birthplace and memorial. We stopped, took some pictures and read some information about Custer. We would probably never had been to his birthplace had it not been for taking a little accidental detour

After the little detour we headed up through Carrolton to Salem, OH. It was getting to be dinner time and by simple happenstance we came across a little family restaurant, Annabelle's. We stopped and had a wonderful dinner. If you are ever in Salem, OH, stop by Annabelle's, you'll be glad you did. One other nice thing about the trip was along the drive, we did not listen to the radio, we just talked and enjoyed each other's company and the scenery.

That Saturday, we went to Southfield, Michigan with our daughter (Melinda) and my Mom to visit my Great Aunt, who will be 94 in November. We had a little adventure as Melinda was coming from Columbus and meeting us in Sandusky to go to the Southfield and somehow thought she was supposed to bring our 70# Chocolate Lab (Toby) with her. Needless to say it was a little crowded in the back seat but all went well. When we got to the Southfield, Melinda and I took turns staying outside with Toby since he could not go into the apartment building.

The visit with Tusa (Romanian for Aunt) Eleanor was great. Even though she is sliding physically, she still has her wonderful wit and sense of humor.

Sunday, I had a speaking engagement in Warren, OH, which went very well. I sold some books and made some new contacts. That evening, Tammy and I went to see a friend of hers that she had not seen in 25 years. It was a nice visit as we were at a camp ground and the weather was perfect, the fire smelled great and the tree frogs were serenading us.

Monday, Tammy and I took the scenic route back home, stopping at an outlet mall for a time. Once again, there was no radio, just good conversation and beautiful scenery.

One of the best things about the trip is I took a break from technology. I did not post, check e-mails, nothing. I did get some reading done and I highly recommend "The Power of Intention" by Dr. Wayne Dyer. It was nice, really nice.

So, after all that, here is the lesson. Sometimes the best things in life are simple and free. The time I spent with family and friends was priceless and the time away from technology energizing. My suggestion is take time away from your hectic life. Take a drive along some scenic byway and just be with the ones you love! It is refreshing!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Are you positive or negative?

2008-08-28T22:38:00.003-04:00

From time to time I like to utilize sonderful stories to illustrate points that I teach. Here is one of those stories.

I heard the story about a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he had grown up.

The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that occurred
in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day, the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off.

Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!" to which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to have his friend thrown into prison.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area wherein he should have known not to hunt. Cannibals captured him and took them to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came close to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone who was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb
and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the prison to speak with his friend.

"You were right", he said,"it was good that my thumb was blown off."

And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened.

"And so I am very sorry for sending you to prison for so long. It was bad for me to do this."

"No," his friend replied, "this is good!"

"What do you mean, 'this is good!'" said the King aghast. "How could it be good that I sent my friend to prison for a year?!"

"Well, if I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you, and I would have been eaten!"

I hope you enjoyed this story and can see how a positive outlook may even one day save your life.

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways!

Harry

Can you create a positive world by spreading negativity?

2008-08-27T14:31:00.008-04:00

Sounds like a really illogical question, right? Or at least it seems like the answer is a pretty straight forward, NO! Yet that is what I hear from journalists that I talk to. You see a majority of them I have spoken with say they are in journalism to help change the world, in a positive way, but how is that possible when most of what they report on is negative?

It has been proven in numerous psychological studies that people exposed to negative images will have negative thoughts about the world. That seems logical to me. If you are constantly bombarded with negative images, it has to have an effect and not a positive one. I have yet to hear anyone say, after watching the news, "Well that was refreshing!" No, what I usually hear is "That was depressing!"

Why is it spiritual teachers will tell you that the easiest and quickest way to improve your life is to not watch the news? It's because most of the news programming is filled with negative images and stories.

Advertisers understand that their commercials have a psychological effect on consumers which, is why commercials are filled with mostly positive images and/or beneficial suggestions that appeal to consumers in some way. Buy this car and you will be powerful or help the environment. Drink this drink or use this body wash and you will attract the opposite sex.

Why is it then that journalists do not seem to get it? They constantly report on the negative and wonder why people are so negative. I know we do get the occasional feel good story of the day but shouldn't the reporting of the "good" news be the norm if we want to change the world for the better?

The next question I have is, when did all this start? Has the news always been negative? If so, what do we need to do to create a paradigm shift in journalism? If not, when did it start? How did it start? And, how do we change it?

I really believe the shift has to come from the journalists and journalism schools themselves. Someone, somewhere has got to recognize that they are source of the problem and do something to create the shift. Don't get me wrong, I know bad things happen but not to the extent that it is portrayed.

I had to chuckle at the headlines I saw this morning after Hilliary Clinton's speech last night. Personally, I am not a big Hillary fan but she delivered a powerful, uplifting, emotional and positive speech of her support for Barack Obama. But what were the headlines I saw today? Hillary Did Not Do Enough to Convince Her Supporters and Hillary Not Persuasive Enough. I have an idea, how about these headlines? Hillary Tells Supporters to Throw Their Full Support to Obama or Hillary Supports Obama All The Way.

I know if we all start to focus on what is good with life, our community, our country and our world, then we will make positive changes. Everything will get better, if we can just get people to focus on the positive.

That's all for today!

May you be blessed always and in all ways.

Harry

Rare Sense Thoughts

Vibrational Match and Alignment With Purpose

Business Success Through Group Coaching

Tips on How To Be Happy

45 Lessons of Life Taught Me by Regina Brett

20 Tips for Permanent Weight Loss

Are You Living Like You Were Dying?

What do you reflect upon?

My New Bio

The "Negative" side of life has a purpose.

Taking care of you!

Instructions for Life by the Dalai Laama

Are you doing things out of guilt & obligation?

20 Simple Ways to Get Happy

Are you in the game of life?

Where is your attention?

Is fear leading you to failure?

A Beautiful Prayer

What are you going to do?

Are you doing good?

Social Traffic - Is this what you have been looking for?

Social Traffic - What is it all about?

Martin Luther King Jr. - A Celebration

Yes, we can all get along!

How to evaluate a situation or decision.

My 2009 New Year Message

Social Media - The Dawning of a New Age!

If you are happy now, why complicate things?

Dedication, Desire, Drive

Are you doing good?

A Revealing Set of Quizzes

People You Should Know

It's Never Too Late!

A Time to Give Thanks!

Keeping Body, Mind and Spirit Tuned Up and Healthy

The Power of Prayer

Cherish your time on earth!

The Wisdom of Zig Ziglar

A Lesson from My Army Days

Algae - An energy source?

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking!

The Power of Love

What we can learn from a dog!

Wisdom from a child

Evolving Politics

Right Now

Responsibility

PEACE!

Fun!

And A Child Shall Lead Us

Let Me Love

Empowering Women, Part 2

The Glow Project for Women

My new venture!

On Our 10th Wedding Anniversary

Know There Is A Way

11 Things to Help You On Your Life Path

Are you being of service?

My 30 Year Class Reunion

Reunions

Solitude

Suggested Reading

I can! I can't!

F-A-I-T-H

10 Things to Help You Relax

Helicopter Parents; Why You do Not Want to be One.

Keeping the faith in the midst of a crisis.

Pets and Love

To be or not to be....

I love you!

It's the little things!

What are you attracting into your life?

A Book Review, "Zero Limits" by Dr. Joe Vitale & Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len

Do you learn from your experiences?

Nothing is impossible.

The Power of Gratitude

You are far more powerful than you think.

Simplify!

Sometimes you just need a break!

Are you positive or negative?