The more you focus on the problem...

The more you focus on the problem, the more it pulls you down…it’s like being in quicksand - if you become too conscious of what’s happening to you, you’ll sink in a second, but if you can remain calm long enough and focus on the answer...you will find support and help that lift you up.

No matter what it is you’re working on...

Chef’s Note: No matter what it is you’re working on, everything that touches the product MUST be of the highest possible quality.  Integrity is a key ingredient here, along with Self-Confidence and Perseverance.  You must demand the best of yourself, insist on the best from others, and never settle for anything less.  

Judging and shaming...

“Judging and shaming children gets you nowhere. Just being there for them, and holding a loving space, allows for the relationship to blossom.” ~ Wally Amos

Faith is the bird that is singing in the dark...

"Faith is the bird that is singing in the dark trusting that the light will come." ~ Wally Amos

Take Action...

"Take Action...The antidote to worry is action, Do something! As you begin to focus on doing, you will get results and a new perspective on your situation. No matte how large or small the problem, it's important not to take on the whole thing. Break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Don't become anxious, worried or frustrated. See your problems as friends to help you expand your critical thinking capability. Also, remember problems do not come to stay, they come to pass." ~ Aloha, Wally

What you give attention to grows...

What you give attention to grows ~ plain and simple. Instead of giving attention to what you don’t have or the negative things…cultivate, be thankful and focus on what you do have. Every seed you plant and nurture will reap a harvest in due time.

"Love the inner you and keep moving ahead, because you can't stand still and improve at the same time." ~ Wally Amos

The Greatest Person in Your Life…is You!

 Give to yourself enthusiastically.
Treat yourself with generosity.
Forgive yourself completely.
Balance yourself harmoniously.
Trust yourself confidently
and completely.

You know what’s right
and you know what’s best for you.
Listen to your own small inner voice;
don’t ignore its urgings.
Above all, love yourself wholeheartedly…

Just remember, you’re working
to improve you.
And what person in your life
is worth working on more?
Take good care of yourself.
You’re important to the entire world,
but more importantly…
you are important to YOU!

~ Wally Amos

Be Mindful of Your Health...

 “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.” ~ Martin Charnin

I pride myself on taking pretty good care of me. I swim regularly, I’m careful what I eat and I take my vitamins daily. I maintain a strong support network. I stay intellectually engaged and connected to my community by not shutting myself away.

Each day I wake up happy to be alive.

This philosophy didn’t happen overnight. I have always been a naturally optimistic person. That’s probably the influence of my Aunt Della who helped raise me.  She was a strong believer in pushing away the negativity and focusing on what you can do in life.

One of the things I can do is to be mindful of my health, both above and below my neck. I try to pay attention to how I treat others as well as how others treat me. I’m not perfect, but I try to be kind while still being responsible. If I let someone take advantage of me, that doesn’t make me feel good about myself. I can’t take the best care of my business or my loved ones if I don’t feel good, both inside and out.

So I air my feelings, rather than keeping them bottled up inside. But I do so in a way that is positive and non-judgmental. I make room for the possibility that someone else might have a better idea.

I take time every day to relax. Relaxation improves the mind, helps the body heal, and is so much healthier than stress and tension.

I read to children.

And, finally, I never forget to laugh, especially at myself. After all, laughter really is the best medicine, don’t you think?

What do you do to keep yourself healthy?

Written by Wally Amos

Grow Through Life Experiences

“When you are going through hell, do not stop to take pictures”. I firmly believe the thing we must do is learn to GROW through our life experiences. Extract the lessons and insert them into our future experiences. We are still a work in progress. “When you pray, move your feet” Leave the pity party behind and get on with your life. BE POSITIVE REGARDLESS!! ~ Wally Amos

(photo credit: favim.com)

You are what you allow yourself to be...

I used to blame others for the way I was.  I was twelve when my mother and father divorced.  I heard the fights and I knew they were not happy.  Still, it was a shock when my mother told me one day that she and my father were going to separate and I was being sent to New York City to live with my Aunt Della.  I wasn’t devastated.  I understood that it wasn’t my fault and I moved on with my life.

(photo credit: favim.com)

Years later, I told myself that I failed in my own marriages because I had not had the kind of loving example as a child that I needed to make the commitment that marriage required.   I told myself that I always wanted to keep the closeness with my sons that I lost with my own father when my parents divorced.  Yet, I failed to keep that promise to myself or to them.  I tried, but I was always busy on the road with the acts I was managing.  It wasn’t my fault, you see.

It took me a long time to come to grips with the fact that my failure to fully commit to my relationships was my own personal failure, not the result of a childhood trauma.  No one forced me to fall short.  I had allowed myself to be a disappointment because the grass was always greener on the other side of the street.  While I greatly regret the consequences of my shortfallings, I know that they made me the man that I am today.  I am still a work in progress.  But I take responsibility for my own decisions.  I wake up every morning, glad to be alive and aware that each day will be filled with as much happiness as I allow it to be.  It’s entirely up to me.

Written by Wally Amos

Three Letter Words

(photo credit: favim.com)

There is one three letter word that I refuse to use.  That word is “try.”  If I had my way, it would be removed from the English language.

When we use the word “try,” even in our heads, we’re giving ourselves unconscious permission to fail.  Leaving the door open for failure means we don’t have to take responsibility for that failure.  After all, we tried, right?  Wasn’t that enough?  Beyond childhood we no longer get bonus points for “trying.”
So stop trying and start doing.  Stop saying, “I will try,” and start saying, “I will do.”  But the job doesn’t stop there, because once you have set your mind to do a thing you have to take responsibility for it.  Once you have done this, you will be surprised at how easy it is to accomplish something that you thought was impossible.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you will never fail.  Failure is something that comes with the territory.  But don’t give yourself permission to fail before you even start.  Give yourself permission to succeed, and you will succeed.  Maybe not the first time.  Maybe not even the second time.  But each crisis you get through makes you stronger.  With each mistake, you learn something that will prevent you from making that mistake again.  The secret is to not give up.  Just keep moving forward.  Keep “doing” and one day you will discover that what once seemed impossible has now been accomplished.

All day long, every day, we are presented with choices. We can HELP life happen or we can HOPE life will happen.  It’s up to you.  To HELP is to be proactive.

Are you a can-do person?  Have you ever surprised yourself by doing something you didn’t think you could do? 

Written by Wally Amos