When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the first person that comes to mind and why?

For me the question is not so much who is the most successful person I think of. (Elon maybe) there’s more to it

When I think of the word successful” hmm…Let’s see…success. ‘Successful’

Lately success has been less about an ultimate end result and more about small victories. Defining success can include a lot of variables. There are a lot of parents out there, who get up day after day, against so many odds, to raise small humans. That’s a feat.

Today, I think I’m going to say Thomas Edison because he’s the most famous for not giving up. Most people have heard his story, it must have elements of truth. I know he’s not the only one who had to push past failure after failure to bring his idea to life. His story is meant to be encouraging Failure, they say is a big part of the road to success. That’s a nice thing for me to know.

What principles define how you live?

I’m dedicating this post to my best friend Wendi whose birthday was this month, but who passed away far too soon. I miss her everyday.

She and I bonded over our individual quests to somehow figure out life. We read, we studied, we signed up, we listened. After her diagnosis, when things really didn’t make sense and only bits and pieces of things we’d learned could be applied, she found the Three Principles.

Together we drove up to LA to listen to a guy named Michael Neil. She had researched this and I hadn’t. I came along as her skeptical side kick. We arrived at the same time and met in the parking garage, and even rode the elevator with, the featured speaker, Michael himself. This sort of Seinfeld moment/serendipity was a common Wendi thing. Years later we would all laugh at that first encounter. She said something like, I have your same credentials, I could do what you’re doing. He sort of chuckled in his good natured way and agreed, even though the first part of our conversation was about how we barely understood what these three principles even were.

Wendy did become a trained Three P coach, a good one. Here are the principles:

1) There is an infinite intelligence that runs things. Sun comes up, acorns turn into oak trees, herds get to water holes after they fill with seasonal rain. The day changes every year, but somehow the animals know. There’s an energy and an orchestration and we are all part of it.

2) We have the ability to become aware of ourselves. We can come out of our own thoughts and notice ourselves thinking. I think it’s called being conscious or maybe conscious awareness.

3) Everything is thought. Everything we see or hear or are in any way aware of, started as thought and remains in the category of thought. We experience as thought. Thought is a creative substance from which everything originates

As our day in LA progressed, there was a conflict Wendi was on her phone trying to straighten out. It had to do with one of her kids and it was getting her agitated. That, on top of what sounded like a lot of talking in circles about these elusive principles.

At some point I raised my hand and was answered simply. I somehow let go of my thoughts and I got a tiny glimpse of what they were trying to explain. It was an experience of calm understanding and peace around a topic I had had concerns about for years.

Wendi got nothing. She was still involved in the heated argument with what ever coach and was further angered that she still didn’t know what the 3 Ps even were.

Wendi being Wendi, only doubled down on her study. She went to an island in Washington to learn more. Eventually she earned certification and became really good at helping people through major life events by explaining these principles.

Michael will tell you that the principles aren’t complicated, we all have a knowing of them and like gravity, they just are. I think he’s the one who said it’s like putting a glass of sand and water swirled together down. If it gets a chance to settle, the water like our thoughts will become clear.

I googled ‘principles’ for this prompt question before I remembered. You know that stage babies go through where they drop everything and watch it fall? Experts say they are learning about gravity and trying it out. I might be still in that phase with these

Just like things always fall down (never up), these principles do prove themselves over and over to me. Maybe like the baby I’m still wondering if there might be an exception ? Or sometimes I just forget and have to be re reminded…

Anyway, sorry this is so long. Enjoy your Monday. If you’re curious about these 3 Ps, Michael Neil is on youtube or you can google him.

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

Shall I make a list?

I’ll stick to this one project. I want to find a printer who can print as nice a copy of Beatrix as the printer in California did. Why haven’t I yet? I’m worried.

Will it be expensive? Will I like the quality? Will it be difficult to explain what I want to them? Will they be able to upload it? Will I be able to send the file? I’m just writing randomly here.

I also need to put a new card on Etsy and pay my delinquent twenty cents. ( yes $.20 !) What if someone really bought a book? Would I know what to do? Will I get it in the mail in the right amount of time?

I want to try that Blaze thing. I told myself after I did 20 posts I’d do it, maybe when I write something ‘good’, maybe when my website looks better, maybe when I feel like I know what I’m doing…

I want to add this to Instagram and Facebook. At least I think I do. Do I have thick enough skin? How will I be when people don’t like me or my book and/or both? One time some well meaning person (who I’d known for a long time) wrote in the Facebook comments something about me having no self esteem. Whether or not it was true at the time, I was utterly embarrassed and blocked her. I felt bad but yeah…

Isn’t it always some kind of fear causing me to procrastinate? After writing out what I think I’m afraid of, I see that I can probably talk myself through most of these easily. Nothing is too scary here.

Again this has been a good exercise. I like figuring out this whole thing as I go. Taking a moment to pause and consider what might be in my way has been helpful.

When I was a kid I was afraid there was something scary under my bed. I would stand against the wall on my bed and take a running leap to jump as far across the room away from my bed as I could. I was sure that whatever I was afraid of would try to grab my ankle. One time on my way back to bed after jumping and going to the bathroom, standing inside my doorway planning my leap back onto my bed, I did the unthinkable.

I turned on the light. The switch was right there, I had to reach up, but it was for me, at five, an act of utter defiance and bravery. My parents ran a tight ship. When your light was turned off you were not allowed to turn it on. We had no night lights. If you weren’t sleeping you were pretending to sleep. It was just the way it was. I boldly flipped that switch and walked over to my bed, and LOOKED UNDER IT!

How many long nights did I lie there fearing, waiting until I had no choice but to leap that leap? Maybe I was still four. I don’t remember, but I can clearly picture what was under my bed that night. And more importantly, what was not!

Thanks for helping me sort some things out! Who cares if someone thinks I have no self esteem? I do so? I’ve figured out a lot to get this far. I can trust. I can find a printer. It’s all working out perfectly… is what I’m telling myself today…

What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed complete and utter success

I changed the question

I was going to say the lottery., but never considered not winning a failed attempt. is it? If it is then sure, winning is kind of a success..

Or

I would have a solo show in an art museum or prestigious gallery. I would sell out

Or I’d write a best seller

Or I’d start a foundation

Or I’d design shoes, jewelry clothes, yoga mats, kitchens, houses etc

Or I’d open a yoga studio