Greetings Happy People!!
Of all the feelings in the human body, nothing compares to pure happiness.
YES!! Happiness is the best emotion because it makes you feel good!! I have been through a variety of feelings (sad, fear, depression, angry, worry, confusion, and disenchantment) and I admit it. There is no greater feeling that happiness!!
When I am happy, the good vibes go all over my body.
When I am happy, my smiles are wider.
HECK!! When I am happy, I FEEL PRETTY DARN GOOD!!
People can tell you that they are happy, but saying and feeling it are very different. Through my own understanding, to really feel happy, it must come from within.
That’s right!! In order to truly feel happy, you must first have that happy thought. When you have the happy thought in your mind, it automatically transfers into your feelings.
What happy thoughts can spark this euphoric feeling? Well, any good thought you can think of is a great start!! Whether it is your children, your family, your pet, a vacation getaway, a good song, or a certain red fruit with seeds on the outside (Strawberries), any happy thoughts will work!
Ever since I acquired this elated feeling through thought, I feel more upbeat, my moves became a little swifter, and I notice a sense of freedom from fear, despair, hopelessness and anything that is opposite to feeling good. In addition, my confidence and courage levels have skyrocketed to amazing heights!! Feeling happy is incredibly AWESOME!!
To further prolong this feeling, I would do other active things such as watch less news stories, listen to good music, and partake in a walk outside to breathe in the good environment around me. Laughing also helps power the positive energy!! For every good chuckle comes a burst of happiness!!
Who has a right to feel happy? WE ALL DO!! Face it! All of us have the right to just be happy!! The only person that can make us experience this wonderful feeling is the one in the mirror. Go ahead and give it a try!! You will be surprised in how one simple thought shift makes a difference in your day!!
Once you found your happy feeling, allow it to come into your life! When you are finished, ALLOW MORE HAPPINESS TO COME IN!! There are no complex mysteries to this feeling. When you are happy….YOU WIN!! Enough said.
That is all I have for now. Take care of yourself and thank you for your time and attention!!
Sincerely,
Jesse I-I-I
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
And Knowing Is Half The Battle!!
Greetings Happy People,
To get things started, I would like to show you a few quotes from “top movie critics.”
“I could load you up with more plot details, but this mercilessly incoherent, galactically stupid movie left me too numb to type.”
- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone magazine
“This pricey, juiceless pulp could never have been killed by critics, simply because it was already dead.”
- Manohla Dargis, New York Times
“The only collateral damage is in the audience, where, as you sit through the movie, you can feel your IQ drop minute by minute.”
- Richard Corliss, Time Magazine
What in the world could these top critics be talking about? Well, it is none other than the number one movie in the nation this week, G.I. Joe – The Rise of Cobra. I did see the previews of the movie and being a person who once watched the cartoon with great zeal, I decided to check it out for myself.
Before I went to see this movie with my girlfriend, people at work told me not to even waste my time and money on this “box-office stinker.” This was according to them reading the reviews of the film instead of watching it themselves. Barring any other criticism against this movie, I still decided that I was going to watch it – no matter what anyone else said.
Last Sunday, Dana and I went to the Cannery to see this movie. And in my own humble opinion, I thought it was pretty good! How good was this movie? I would personally give G.I. Joe a "B" grade. Yes the storyline was predictable, and they gave time for the backgrounds of the main characters. But I still thought the movie was good nonetheless…and so did Dana!! At the end, you can tell that they were going to make a sequel just to continue the storyline.
When Dana and I left the movie theater, we did not leave scratching our head. We did not leave angry. Instead, we felt good about what we saw. It was a great way to end a FABULOUS weekend!!
I don’t know about all of you, but I find it funny that the top critics would give bad reviews to a movie like this and give great reviews to something incredibly boring. The only critic that I listen to when it comes to movies (and other things) is me. I know what is good and what is awful because it is my own opinion!!
There is a good message to this story. Instead of listening to what other people say about certain things, check it out first…THEN make a decision for yourself. Whether is it going to a movie, dining at a restaurant, or checking out music from an artist, you have that right to determine what is good and what is awful. No one can take this decision away from you because it is yours! You are your own top critic! When you listen to yourself, you will feel better about it because you choose not to rush to any judgment off of another person’s word.
Just imagine if more people were to think for themselves…..wouldn’t that be interesting?
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Jesse I-I-I
To get things started, I would like to show you a few quotes from “top movie critics.”
“I could load you up with more plot details, but this mercilessly incoherent, galactically stupid movie left me too numb to type.”
- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone magazine
“This pricey, juiceless pulp could never have been killed by critics, simply because it was already dead.”
- Manohla Dargis, New York Times
“The only collateral damage is in the audience, where, as you sit through the movie, you can feel your IQ drop minute by minute.”
- Richard Corliss, Time Magazine
What in the world could these top critics be talking about? Well, it is none other than the number one movie in the nation this week, G.I. Joe – The Rise of Cobra. I did see the previews of the movie and being a person who once watched the cartoon with great zeal, I decided to check it out for myself.
Before I went to see this movie with my girlfriend, people at work told me not to even waste my time and money on this “box-office stinker.” This was according to them reading the reviews of the film instead of watching it themselves. Barring any other criticism against this movie, I still decided that I was going to watch it – no matter what anyone else said.
Last Sunday, Dana and I went to the Cannery to see this movie. And in my own humble opinion, I thought it was pretty good! How good was this movie? I would personally give G.I. Joe a "B" grade. Yes the storyline was predictable, and they gave time for the backgrounds of the main characters. But I still thought the movie was good nonetheless…and so did Dana!! At the end, you can tell that they were going to make a sequel just to continue the storyline.
When Dana and I left the movie theater, we did not leave scratching our head. We did not leave angry. Instead, we felt good about what we saw. It was a great way to end a FABULOUS weekend!!
I don’t know about all of you, but I find it funny that the top critics would give bad reviews to a movie like this and give great reviews to something incredibly boring. The only critic that I listen to when it comes to movies (and other things) is me. I know what is good and what is awful because it is my own opinion!!
There is a good message to this story. Instead of listening to what other people say about certain things, check it out first…THEN make a decision for yourself. Whether is it going to a movie, dining at a restaurant, or checking out music from an artist, you have that right to determine what is good and what is awful. No one can take this decision away from you because it is yours! You are your own top critic! When you listen to yourself, you will feel better about it because you choose not to rush to any judgment off of another person’s word.
Just imagine if more people were to think for themselves…..wouldn’t that be interesting?
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Jesse I-I-I
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Perfection Through Imperfection
Greetings happy people,
I have a confession to tell all of you today. I make mistakes. In my 33 (soon to be 34) years of life, I have made plenty of mistakes. From the time I was born to where I am right now, mistakes are something that I am used to creating. Whether it is in something I say or do, a mistake is surely bound to happen. If I don’t notice my own mistake, I let people remind me of the various mistakes I make. For me, making mistakes are endless. It may sound like I am hard on myself, but I am not. As a matter of fact, I encourage myself to make mistakes. Sounds crazy? I don’t think so. I will give you a story on why I welcome my own mistakes.
A good example is my own experience of being a Chief Judge for an Area Toastmasters contest yesterday. It was my first time handling a role of this magnitude. Was preparation involved in this responsibility? Of course! Through different club contests, I prepared by either serving as a Chief Judge or helping other people in that similar role.
Thanks to the club level experience, I had a game plan set up for what I wanted done at the Area level. To make things easier for people, I created simple steps on how to fill out a judging ballot, how to start timing a speech, and how to work with the vote counting system. While some things worked at this Area Contest, there were other mistakes that I experienced in the same process. Some I was able to detect myself, others were picked up by people that are proficient in the different aspects of judging (vote counting, briefing judges, timing duties, and vote collecting). Without these people monitoring what I was doing, I would not have picked up on the mistakes I made. This is one reason why I love Toastmasters so much. When you make a mistake, there are people there not only to let you know the mistake you made, but also how to improve from it. Feedback is given in a safe atmosphere of friendship.
Thanks to these mistakes, I know what to improve next time.
Thanks to these mistakes, I will go back to the drawing board and find ways to come back stronger for the next Area contest.
Thanks to these mistakes, I will get better!!
This is only one aspect explaining where making mistakes can be a benefit. There are other things I do in life where the same logic can be applied. It can be applied at work, it can be applied in relationships, and it can just be applied period!!
Despite my own awkwardness, I am not the only one that makes mistakes on a constant basis. We all are capable of making mistakes whether big or small!! Without them, we would not experience certain pleasures we have in life today. We would not experience turning on a light bulb, riding in an airplane, watching TV, talking on the phone, or driving our cars to get from point A to point B. Mistakes played a role in creating these things!!
The people that create the things we enjoy today, made many mistakes in their process to satisfy their goals. Did they give up? Not really!! They just went back to the drawing board to improve themselves. Without that ability, we would not benefit from their creations. Is it okay to make mistakes? YES!! How else would you improve? It is immeasurably better to have perfection through imperfection. That is the best way that every person can overcome things.
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Jesse I-I-I
I have a confession to tell all of you today. I make mistakes. In my 33 (soon to be 34) years of life, I have made plenty of mistakes. From the time I was born to where I am right now, mistakes are something that I am used to creating. Whether it is in something I say or do, a mistake is surely bound to happen. If I don’t notice my own mistake, I let people remind me of the various mistakes I make. For me, making mistakes are endless. It may sound like I am hard on myself, but I am not. As a matter of fact, I encourage myself to make mistakes. Sounds crazy? I don’t think so. I will give you a story on why I welcome my own mistakes.
A good example is my own experience of being a Chief Judge for an Area Toastmasters contest yesterday. It was my first time handling a role of this magnitude. Was preparation involved in this responsibility? Of course! Through different club contests, I prepared by either serving as a Chief Judge or helping other people in that similar role.
Thanks to the club level experience, I had a game plan set up for what I wanted done at the Area level. To make things easier for people, I created simple steps on how to fill out a judging ballot, how to start timing a speech, and how to work with the vote counting system. While some things worked at this Area Contest, there were other mistakes that I experienced in the same process. Some I was able to detect myself, others were picked up by people that are proficient in the different aspects of judging (vote counting, briefing judges, timing duties, and vote collecting). Without these people monitoring what I was doing, I would not have picked up on the mistakes I made. This is one reason why I love Toastmasters so much. When you make a mistake, there are people there not only to let you know the mistake you made, but also how to improve from it. Feedback is given in a safe atmosphere of friendship.
Thanks to these mistakes, I know what to improve next time.
Thanks to these mistakes, I will go back to the drawing board and find ways to come back stronger for the next Area contest.
Thanks to these mistakes, I will get better!!
This is only one aspect explaining where making mistakes can be a benefit. There are other things I do in life where the same logic can be applied. It can be applied at work, it can be applied in relationships, and it can just be applied period!!
Despite my own awkwardness, I am not the only one that makes mistakes on a constant basis. We all are capable of making mistakes whether big or small!! Without them, we would not experience certain pleasures we have in life today. We would not experience turning on a light bulb, riding in an airplane, watching TV, talking on the phone, or driving our cars to get from point A to point B. Mistakes played a role in creating these things!!
The people that create the things we enjoy today, made many mistakes in their process to satisfy their goals. Did they give up? Not really!! They just went back to the drawing board to improve themselves. Without that ability, we would not benefit from their creations. Is it okay to make mistakes? YES!! How else would you improve? It is immeasurably better to have perfection through imperfection. That is the best way that every person can overcome things.
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Jesse I-I-I
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What's Your Angle?
Greetings happy people,
I have been at my current workplace for almost 10 years. Throughout this time, I have experienced and created many opportunities for myself.
However, there is one thing that I find troubling, That is the fact that there are people I work with that have been in the same positions for the past 5, 10, or 15 years!! If you asked any of those individuals why they would not take the time to advance, you would probably get the following answers or a variation thereof:
“I like where I am at. After all, it IS a stable position.”
“I don’t want to work under someone I am not crazy about!”
“It’s hopeless because they screwed me out of that promotion!”
“Someone would not let me take the tests to advance!”
As interesting as these answers are, I perceive them to be nothing more than excuses. In today’s world, there is no such thing as stability. There are only two pathways on which one can exist: growth or decay. If you are not doing one, you are surely doing the other. Whether these people know it or not, they actually control where they want to go.
To demonstrate this point, I would like for you to imagine the following example. You are walking on a treadmill with a flat incline. While it is true that you are walking on the treadmill, chances are that you are not getting as much out of it as you like. Instead of going up, you remain at that same constant level. You must eventually get to a point where you have to make the following decision: stay on that constant path (decay) or change your position for growth.
Now let’s imagine walking on that same treadmill with a higher angle. After a few minutes, you notice that you are getting something out of it. The further the climb, the more beneficial the walk becomes for you. You become stronger. You feel empowered. You feel that you are actually doing something that will be rewarding at the end. This in turn allows you to grow.
What is the best way to define this type of thinking? Well, it can be based on one of Newton’s laws:
F = ma
(where F = Force, m = mass, and a = acceleration)
As you can see, this is a pretty handy law. After toying around with this equation, an adjustment can be made to further satisfy the equation. Let us replace the “a” in acceleration with the following:
a = g*sin (theta)
(where a = acceleration, g = acceleration due to gravity, theta = your angle).
This means that the acceleration is based on your angle. Substituting the “a” from the first equation will give you the following:
F = m[g*sin(theta)]
This means that the force you exert is based on your angle. Therefore if you are walking on a flat treadmill (theta = 0 degrees), you are not getting any force output. However, if you increase your angle, you produce a greater force that is free of any friction!!
How does this brief lesson in physics portray the path one might take? Well, it displays that if one stays on a constant path for a long time, nothing can be processed (except more decay). On the flip side, if one chooses to elevate their angle, they have a better chance for growth.
For extra credit, we can also add another law from Newton that states "For every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction". This means that you can only receive as much your output. If you put out nothing, you will get nothing! But if you put out something, you will get something in return.
This and the law mentioned earlier can be applied to more that what is taught in a classroom. It can also be applied to how we see ourselves and where we are going. The greater the force we make for ourselves, the greater the results. So, if someone asks you “What’s your angle?” Be sure to tell that person that it is beyond zero!!
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Jesse I-I-I
I have been at my current workplace for almost 10 years. Throughout this time, I have experienced and created many opportunities for myself.
However, there is one thing that I find troubling, That is the fact that there are people I work with that have been in the same positions for the past 5, 10, or 15 years!! If you asked any of those individuals why they would not take the time to advance, you would probably get the following answers or a variation thereof:
“I like where I am at. After all, it IS a stable position.”
“I don’t want to work under someone I am not crazy about!”
“It’s hopeless because they screwed me out of that promotion!”
“Someone would not let me take the tests to advance!”
As interesting as these answers are, I perceive them to be nothing more than excuses. In today’s world, there is no such thing as stability. There are only two pathways on which one can exist: growth or decay. If you are not doing one, you are surely doing the other. Whether these people know it or not, they actually control where they want to go.
To demonstrate this point, I would like for you to imagine the following example. You are walking on a treadmill with a flat incline. While it is true that you are walking on the treadmill, chances are that you are not getting as much out of it as you like. Instead of going up, you remain at that same constant level. You must eventually get to a point where you have to make the following decision: stay on that constant path (decay) or change your position for growth.
Now let’s imagine walking on that same treadmill with a higher angle. After a few minutes, you notice that you are getting something out of it. The further the climb, the more beneficial the walk becomes for you. You become stronger. You feel empowered. You feel that you are actually doing something that will be rewarding at the end. This in turn allows you to grow.
What is the best way to define this type of thinking? Well, it can be based on one of Newton’s laws:
F = ma
(where F = Force, m = mass, and a = acceleration)
As you can see, this is a pretty handy law. After toying around with this equation, an adjustment can be made to further satisfy the equation. Let us replace the “a” in acceleration with the following:
a = g*sin (theta)
(where a = acceleration, g = acceleration due to gravity, theta = your angle).
This means that the acceleration is based on your angle. Substituting the “a” from the first equation will give you the following:
F = m[g*sin(theta)]
This means that the force you exert is based on your angle. Therefore if you are walking on a flat treadmill (theta = 0 degrees), you are not getting any force output. However, if you increase your angle, you produce a greater force that is free of any friction!!
How does this brief lesson in physics portray the path one might take? Well, it displays that if one stays on a constant path for a long time, nothing can be processed (except more decay). On the flip side, if one chooses to elevate their angle, they have a better chance for growth.
For extra credit, we can also add another law from Newton that states "For every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction". This means that you can only receive as much your output. If you put out nothing, you will get nothing! But if you put out something, you will get something in return.
This and the law mentioned earlier can be applied to more that what is taught in a classroom. It can also be applied to how we see ourselves and where we are going. The greater the force we make for ourselves, the greater the results. So, if someone asks you “What’s your angle?” Be sure to tell that person that it is beyond zero!!
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Jesse I-I-I
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Blackjack Exercise
Greetings happy people,
I would like for all of you to do a simple exercise with me. This will not take a lot of time and once you finish, you will probably see where I will go with the message.
I would like for you to write down 21 positive things that have happened to you in the last year. This is what I like to call "The Blackjack Exercise!!" When you are done writing down these 21 positive things, read them.
For example, here are the 21 positive things I wrote this morning:
1. Having a great relationship with a dynamite lady!!
2. Created a Toastmasters club for my workplace - The Silver State Toastmasters
3. Having 400+ friends on Facebook - with more to come!!
4. Having a successful year as a Division Governor - President’s Distinguished Division, plus 4 President’s Distinguished Area, and one Select Distinguished Area
5. New management at my workplace - in Las Vegas AND Carson City
6. After a 7 month disappearance, my 21 year old - little sister returned. See Miracle in a Month!!
7. Had an opportunity for a promotion at work.
8. Took notes for a seminar and establishing connections with DOT agencies from 9 different states
9. Took a picture that made it to the Toastmasters International website.
10. Created my own business cards for work
11. Attending more social events, parties, and concerts
12. Meeting high school classmates - some I have not seen in 5, 10, 15, 16, or 20 years!!
13. Created my own blog site. Yes, the same one you are looking at - HEE HEE!!
14. Attended life changing seminars
15. Focusing and benefitting from more positive thinking
16. Taking a big step to become a professional speaker
17. Started meditation exercises – see Living in the now!!
18. Learning how to swim - see Courage in Water!!
19. Watching, listening, and experiencing more positive things – music, people, travelling
20. Creating a dream board
21. Meeting new people that are pretty cool!!
Are you done writing the 21 positive things that happened to you? If you have more than 21, go ahead and write them down!! If you have less than 21, create more positive things that will get you there!! Go ahead, I can wait!!
Now that you are finished, go ahead and read each of the positive things that happened to you within the last year. Did you notice anything interesting or mindblowing? Well, I notice the following things in what I wrote:
1. I have the power to create, attract, and do these positive things in my life.
2. I have grown from these experiences
3. I feel more awesome now than I did a year ago.
4. I realize that there are more positive things that I can experience in my life.
Face it!! If all this can happen in one year, just imagine what else can happen in the next few years. Oh the possibilities!! Do you have these similar “A-HA” moments? Well, if you do that’s great!! Keep on living them!! YOU have that right to live the way you want to live. No person can tell you otherwise. As long as you can realize this, you will draw more into your life that is positive. Trust me, there are no limits!! Once you hit this type of Blackjack - YOU WIN!!
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Jesse I-I-I
I would like for all of you to do a simple exercise with me. This will not take a lot of time and once you finish, you will probably see where I will go with the message.
I would like for you to write down 21 positive things that have happened to you in the last year. This is what I like to call "The Blackjack Exercise!!" When you are done writing down these 21 positive things, read them.
For example, here are the 21 positive things I wrote this morning:
1. Having a great relationship with a dynamite lady!!
2. Created a Toastmasters club for my workplace - The Silver State Toastmasters
3. Having 400+ friends on Facebook - with more to come!!
4. Having a successful year as a Division Governor - President’s Distinguished Division, plus 4 President’s Distinguished Area, and one Select Distinguished Area
5. New management at my workplace - in Las Vegas AND Carson City
6. After a 7 month disappearance, my 21 year old - little sister returned. See Miracle in a Month!!
7. Had an opportunity for a promotion at work.
8. Took notes for a seminar and establishing connections with DOT agencies from 9 different states
9. Took a picture that made it to the Toastmasters International website.
10. Created my own business cards for work
11. Attending more social events, parties, and concerts
12. Meeting high school classmates - some I have not seen in 5, 10, 15, 16, or 20 years!!
13. Created my own blog site. Yes, the same one you are looking at - HEE HEE!!
14. Attended life changing seminars
15. Focusing and benefitting from more positive thinking
16. Taking a big step to become a professional speaker
17. Started meditation exercises – see Living in the now!!
18. Learning how to swim - see Courage in Water!!
19. Watching, listening, and experiencing more positive things – music, people, travelling
20. Creating a dream board
21. Meeting new people that are pretty cool!!
Are you done writing the 21 positive things that happened to you? If you have more than 21, go ahead and write them down!! If you have less than 21, create more positive things that will get you there!! Go ahead, I can wait!!
Now that you are finished, go ahead and read each of the positive things that happened to you within the last year. Did you notice anything interesting or mindblowing? Well, I notice the following things in what I wrote:
1. I have the power to create, attract, and do these positive things in my life.
2. I have grown from these experiences
3. I feel more awesome now than I did a year ago.
4. I realize that there are more positive things that I can experience in my life.
Face it!! If all this can happen in one year, just imagine what else can happen in the next few years. Oh the possibilities!! Do you have these similar “A-HA” moments? Well, if you do that’s great!! Keep on living them!! YOU have that right to live the way you want to live. No person can tell you otherwise. As long as you can realize this, you will draw more into your life that is positive. Trust me, there are no limits!! Once you hit this type of Blackjack - YOU WIN!!
That is all I have for now. Take care and thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Jesse I-I-I
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