"Everything that we see, is a shadow cast by that which we do not see."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

"A great life doesn't just happen; you must create the blueprint using a vision that you can vividly imagine."       

-F. Briggs

Make I.M.P.A.C.T!

 

How'd They Do That?  by Keith Varnum   

"How'd they do that?" I asked myself time and time again in my youth.  As a journalist and documentary filmmaker, I witnessed ordinary people performing extraordinary feats on countless occasions. I documented individuals in moments of crisis and emergency going beyond the limits they and society believed possible. Caught up in earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and accidents, I watched mild-mannered people become super-heroes.

When extreme circumstances demand action, paranormal abilities arise from normal folks. Women lift two-ton trucks and hold them aloft until their child or husband is freed from beneath the vehicle. Young boys perform successful medical procedures as if they were trained professionals. Men lead victims to safety through burning buildings, pitch-black forests and raging floods. Teenagers bend steel and rip open closed elevator doors to liberate loved ones. Scared people jump ten feet over a chasm to safety. Given a death sentence by doctors, people heal themselves spontaneously.  When life offers people a choice between their beliefs in what is possible and the necessity to save another from harm, people often scrap their perceived limitations and choose to do whatever needs to be done. Every day people choose life, caring and rescue over the restrictions of their belief systems.

"If we can break out of our belief box when life has us up against the wall, why can't we release our limiting beliefs at will when we are not in a crisis?" I inquired within myself.  I looked around in my world for examples of people who know how to free themselves from tribal collective limitations-mainstream cultural beliefs-in order to access fresh possibilities of human potential. I found that people who are forerunners, pioneers and explorers in social, political and artistic _expression invariably refer to one or more moments in their lives in which they opened to a peak experience.  These resourceful people make reference to these extraordinary moments, they draw strength, wisdom and compassion from these glimpses of their true power. They learned how to tap into these past moments of heightened awareness and achievement in order to surmount present life challenges. With a degree of benevolent innocence, I decided that if these people could break free of their restrictive belief systems and tap into the power of previous peak experiences, then I could as well. Their successes inspired me to try this approach myself-to reach beyond my perceived boundaries.

Every day now, I invite magic into my life and welcome miracles into my world. It is my heartfelt wish that you too are inspired to go beyond your own self-created limits.  What do we have to lose--except our fears and imaginary walls?

The Brilliant You, Unreleased! by Fran Briggs

You're a remarkable person.  But, you knew that already.  Still, buried among apathy, unbelief and inhibition, is the brilliant "you" waiting to be released.  You probably already knew that, too.  A few disappointments here, several temporary defeats there, and POOF! just like that, you settled for being a risk-conscious, opportunity: self-denied, generality. Nobody makes any progress by standing still.  You're not an exception; and you're not alone.  In fact, you have plenty of company.  But, why settle for a life that looks like just about everyone else's?  Do something magnificent with your God-given gifts and boldly distinguish yourself from the masses.  Decide-on this day-to connect with your brilliance, within.                                      

Paramount in your quest for brilliance is the personal development and daily utilization of your talents and abilities.  As a matter of fact, it's required.  It's not necessary to be perfect.  Striving for excellence in everything you do is enough to release your brilliance.

Trust me.  You were not born to be "mild."  So cut it out!  There's an entire universe out there starving for your gifts.  How long will you continue to wait to take those last four classes needed for your degree?  What career have you just been "wishing it were so" about?  If all you can see is yourself remaining 16 units short of your degree, how can you possibly prepare for an exciting future?  If you can't believe for a meaningful vocation now, will you have the passion to believe for one later?  

Challenge yourself.  Commit to do just two things this hour that will untap your brilliance.  Revamp your resume; make a phone call to your advisor.  Even a modest amount of brilliance unreleased, would relay the message to your brain:  "Wow, she's serious!"   Ignite your passion.  Inhale, then excel.  Stand and deliver!  See, then be! 

Your life matters.  Visualize your brilliance totally unreleased.  Then boldly, step into the vision.

Thank You, Jordan

I want to take the time and thank Jordan Sabado from Northern CA. Jordan recently recorded a powerful audio book review in my Guestbook (listen now to a five year old who rivals many of today's greatest journalists! http://www.franbriggs.com/guestbook.html ).  Jordan originally signed my Guestbook this past August.  He shared why he liked my children's inspirational book, Don't Think Like an Elephant!  Adding his own voice only enhanced an already, very-much appreciated review.  Thanks for representin' the young folks, Jordan!  Every one of us here at Your Seeds for Success love "our children."  They are the most precious segment of our population.  We demonstrate this love by being one of only a handful of personal development sites in the world to offer inspirational resources to both adults, and children alike.  Our children are not our future.  Our children are our now!  May we continue to support their strengths and celebrate their successes, to this end.

-F.B.                                                                                         

Five Ways to Better Your Finances in 2005
By Dr. Richard M. Krawczyk, Ph.D.

While millions of people have the New Year’s Resolution to get their body into shape, the same does not hold true with their financial health. As opposed to spending several hours a week at a gym to obtain a better physique, doing financial workouts only take a few minutes a week to see desired results.  If you want this year to be better than 2004, make some changes in your financial habits.  I've come up with five easy steps to quickly get your finances into shape.

1. Develop a plan of attack. Set your goals in and devise a realistic plan on achieving them. Without a plan, your goals will just become dreams. If you are looking to purchase a Rolls Royce and only earn $50,000 a year with no savings, you would have to make some drastic changes to achieve this goal.

2. Determine your starting point. Many people have no real idea of where there are with their financial health. You may be better or worse than you actually think. But without completing a simple financial statement, you won’t know your starting point or be able to track your progress.

3. Check your credit. Checking your credit is a must. If you see inquiries from creditors with whom you've never applied for credit, you may be a victim of identity theft. Contact any of the credit bureaus and let them know. They will immediately place a security alert on your credit report. This will require you to show additional forms of identification to prove who you are when applying for credit.

4. Dispute any inaccuracies on your credit report. Since your credit standing effects 80% of your bills (mortgage, car loan, credit cards), your FICO score tremendously affects on your finances. By disputing the items that you feel are inaccurate, you'll be able to immediately raise your FICO score -- since disputed items are not involved in computing your credit score -- and qualify for lower interest rates. Simply roll your higher interest rate cards to one with a lower interest rate. Instead of purchasing a 3-in-1 report, go to the credit bureaus directly (http://www.transunion.com http://www.equifax.com http://www.experian.com). By going direct, you'll be able to make any disputes with a click of the mouse instead of writing a letter to the credit bureau.

5. Find a reason to stay motivated throughout the year. Without proper motivation, you'll fail to achieve your new year’s resolution. If you're looking to lose weight, you might enter one of the many fitness contests. 

Many "financial experts" like to make finances appear hard, when in fact, just the opposite is true.  By completing these simple steps, you'll be able to notice dramatic changes in your finances within a short period of time.

Give Yourself Permission to Do Something New