Joyous Life Works- May 13, 2008

Hello,

How are you doing? This week I've had some great experiences noticing where I've been focusing and what thoughts I've been paying attention to. Sometimes, those thoughts really grab on and won't let go - even when you have the tools to use. At least having the tools eases the grip! I spent a couple of hours wrestling with some of my "monkey mind" thoughts that, it turned out, were mental fabrications! How funny (in retrospect)! Despite an occasional "sticky issue" I am really jazzed about how beautifully my work with focusing is coming along. I'm excited about the Law of Attraction teleclass coming up and with the "I Feel Fabulous" e-course. This stuff is really working!

And guess what! It's contagious! Last week, my husband (Mr. Scientist/Show Me), came home totally enthused about the leadership course he's taking (the one he groused about taking) and the information he's learning that, "Gee, Shawn, sounds just like what you're doing!" Hallelujah! He HAS been listening! And if it takes a story about Ernest Shackleton (see the article below), related by someone else, to turn him on to optimism, so be it!

Blessings and LOTS of joy,

"This is very bad," stated the newscaster, reporting the story of a recent downturn in the area's economy, "very bad." Similar words and sentiments, used with greater frequency these days, add fuel to the fire of fear-based thinking. Without a doubt these are strong times. Many things are changing and unsettled. But what we choose to focus on, our outlook and attitudes, can make a huge difference.

Recently I was made aware of a man whose leadership skills played an enormous role in saving lives and accomplishing the nearly "impossible." These leadership skills, coined as "Shackleton's Way," included optimism and enjoyment of life, along with communication, flexibility, setting a strong example. In 1914-15, Ernest Shackleton, an explorer in the Antarctic region, was stranded with his crew when their ship, the Endurance, became frozen in an ice floe. For 18 months, he and his crew endured incredible hardship and nearly insurmountable odds in the inhospitable land and seas of the frigid, treacherous region, yet all 22 of his crew survived. Their survival was due, in part, to Shackleton's leadership and his ability to impart his optimism, positive outlook, and enjoyment of life to his men. It's an incredible story - a brief synopsis can be found at Wikipedia.

In an interview with Fast Company, a biographer of Shackleton, Margot Morrell, tells the story of one crew member who, at the beginning of the Endurance's voyage, detested the merriment and entertainment Shackleton employed as part of the morale building for his crew. "Eighteen months later," she says, "he's living under an overturned boat on Elephant Island, waiting for a rescue that may never come, and he writes about eating his midwinter's dinner and having some songs. He writes that it's the happiest day of his life."

Shackleton, of course, was a remarkable man and leader, able to instill incredible optimism and joy in his crew. We may not be made of the same "stuff" that Shackleton was, but I'm very sure we can begin to look around and see some aspect of life that we can be grateful for; some sense of spirit or joy of living that we can recognize, no matter how small.

Take some time today and every day over the next several weeks to seek out something that inspires you, delights you, or just makes you appreciate life a bit more than you did before you noticed it. Spend a few moments with that object, thought, or feeling and let the good feelings fill you. Let "it's a good thing" have more of your focus than any negative thoughts you might be accustomed to thinking. Let thinking about what you're grateful for become your habit ' and then "share the wealth."

What's that you say? I love to hear from you, and I read every email personally, even when I can't reply to all of them. Send your thoughts to shawn@joyouslifeworks.com. And if you prefer not to be quoted in a future article, just let me know.

Please feel free to pass it on or to reprint this article on your Web site or in your own e-zine. I ask is that you forward the newsletter in its entirety and/or that you include the following paragraph and copyright line with live link if you reprint the article.

This article originally appeared in the Joyous Life e-zine and is reprinted with permission from the author. Shawn Murphey is owner of Joyous LifeWorks.

For more information, visit Joyous LifeWorks.

Spring Cleaning for the Heart and Soul
Saturday, May 17th, 2008 - Click here for more details

Attraction in Action - Learning to put the Law of Attraction into practice! Please contact me if you want to overcome the inner obstacles keeping you from attracting the life you deserve.

Contact me, or phone me at 916-369-2077, for more information on either event or to register.