Closing the Blog for now

Friends, I am a firm believer that if you cannot give your "A" effort to something, then find another place to dedicate that energy.  I currently have way too much going on in my life to blog regularly and to make this site worthwhile.

I will continue to share the Optimistic message of the day from my Facebook page.
If you are on Facebook, please feel welcome to join my Group:
Neil Wood's Optimist Island Daily quote.  I send a message around 6 am Every day and it goes directly to the email address that you have set with Facebook.

My efforts to inspire people to persevere through these times and to have hope will continue on FB. We have nearly 200 members within about 3 months.

Join me and let's rock and roll this year!
Thank you for understanding!

Your friend~
Neil

Live the life YOU want to Live!

You all know that I am a raving Fan of Napoleon Hill. I subscribe to the Napoleon Hill Foundation newsletter which just shared this article today.  Some of you follow me on Facebook and my Optimist Island group. It is such a treat for me to share a daily inspirational quote to help my friends "jumpstart" their day with positive thoughts.

Enjoy the article, have a fun weekend and do something YOU enjoy!

Optimistically ~

Neil

How To Hurdle Temptation by Dr. Napoleon Hill Here's a sure-fire method to help you live the life you want to live. To develop a positive mental attitude, you must make a habit of transmuting every experience into definite action, promptly and decisively. That means you must have a definite philosophy, a clear-cut general standard of behavior, to guide your thoughts and actions under various circumstances. The most important rule you can make for yourself is this: never, under any condition, engage in any transaction which does not bring equal benefits to all persons it affects. Remember that for one person to gain, it is not necessary for someone else to lose. The only true measure of success is whether everyone concerned is benefited by it. The late Cyrus H. K. Curtis, founder of the Saturday Evening Post, defined success as "the ability to get everything one desires or needs without violating the rights of others." Through such standards of positive thinking and performance, you can achieve material success honestly, forthrightly and proudly. Let me give an example of how Curtis himself put this philosophy into action. In the early days of the Post, the business frequently was short of operating capital. But Curtis had decreed that he would not accept certain types of advertising. One Saturday, he and his son-in-law, Edward Bok, were opening mail with the hope enough money would come in to take care of the payroll later in the day. Suddenly Bok whooped: "Here it is! Enough for twice what we need!" Curtis looked at the check in the envelope and said, "Sorry, we can't accept it." It was from an advertising agency which, learning the Post was pinched, seized the opportunity to try to induce Curtis to run copy he had often rejected as objectionable. "We will operate the Post without this sort of advertising," he said, "and the time will come when this policy will pay off." And another time, when heavy debts threatened to crush the Post out of existence, Curtis' biggest creditor - a paper company - not only extended his credit but loaned him enough money to satisfy the other creditors. Thus Curtis was given a free hand to get his publication on a going basis. Many years later, another firm solicited Curtis' business by offering a lower price. Curtis rejected the offer. The company that stood by him in his day of need, he said, would count on his business in his day of prosperity - regardless of price! You will find your own decision easier to make if you have established certain standards of moral performance to which you adhere rigidly under all conditions. In a sense, you are making decisions in advance - before you actually need to make them. For you are rejecting certain courses of action as repugnant or unworthy. Thus you will find frequently, when a decision must be made, that it is one you made years ago when you resolved to live up to certain standards of behavior. Remember, that you can compromise with others - but not with yourself. Source: Success Unlimited. May 1968, pgs. 37 & 38.

Embrace Positive Self-talk

"Think of all of the things that we tell ourselves.  Then ask yourself:  If my partner/friend/significant other said the SAME things to me, would I feel good or would I want to end the relationship?
So many of us think it is ok to walk around telling ourselves we we are stupid/fat/hopeless/pathetic etc.
~ but we would NEVER take that trash talk from someone else.
We need to be as affirming and positive to ourselves as we would want others to be."   ~Sadie Nardini (with a special thanks to Insa for sharing)
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Three key reasons why people come into our life ~

One of my favorite yoga teachers on the planet shares this reading with this us every so often, so today I want to share it with you. I hope you find it useful and share it with a friend in need.  All the best to you!

People come into your life for a Reason, a Season or a Lifetime.

When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. 

They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.  Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.  Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.  

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you never knew. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. 

Believe it, it is real. But only for a Season.  

 
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. 

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.    

 

Thank you for being a part of my life. Whether you were a Reason, a Season or a Lifetime.  

  (forwarded from Neil Wood’s Wisdom file)

True words from Napoleon Hill

One of my favorite authors of ALL TIME is Napoleon Hill. The message he shared in the 1920s is still relevant today. The following is from the Napoleon Hill Today and Yesterday website.  I hope you enjoy it!

When asked about happiness, Abe Lincoln said, “It has been my observation that people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”  That’s both the good and the bad news.

When things in life take a turn for the worse, we may not be able to change the outcome of the event, however, we can change our way of thinking about what happened, our attitude.  Victor Frankl teaches us in his classical book, Man’s Search for Meaning, that our attitude is ultimately the only thing we can control in life.

Living with physical ailments, poverty, war, hatred, and a thousand other negativities that may well be beyond our control can sometimes be an ugly fact of life.  But, how we think about these “facts” determines our attitude toward them in our personal life.  For example, if there is not enough food in the refrigerator to make a sizable meal for a family of four, do not complain but celebrate the fact that there is any food at all.  Go a step further, and serve what is there on your best dishes as if it were a celebration meal.  Finally, give thanks for the feast that is about to be eaten, and even serve it with candlelight.  Changing the atmosphere, by changing your attitude can greatly change your perception. 

Ever notice that when your perception changes, the very next outcome most often changes too?  This is the magic of attitude!  The magic of attitude is the very method by which we can always control our destiny.  Change your attitude, change your life.  If you think you can, or you think your can’t, you’re right!

Here are some excellent affirmations that W. Clement Stone used to keep his attitude on track.  You might try incorporating them into your daily routine too and see what difference word power can make!

• To be happy . . . act happy!
• I feel healthy . . . I feel happy . . . I feel terrific!
• Success is achieved by those who try and maintained by those who keep trying.
• Be courageous!
• With every adversity there is a seed of equivalent or greater benefit.
• What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve.
• Direct your thoughts, control your emotions and ordain your destiny.
• Do it now!
Be Your Very Best Always,
Judy Williamson

A New Beginning

How many people can you remember who were in a situation such as a job or a relationship that added nothing positive to their life and they were miserable or not as happy as they could be as a result?  I've met so many people in the last 2 years who were/are in that exact situation. But since this is the Optimist Island blog, let me share a positive spin.

Some of those people took action, changed jobs or ended relationships and suddenly realized how happy they were now. "I feel alive again" said one. "I wish I had done this sooner" said another. "I have a fresh new start and I'm so excited!" is exactly what Debbie told me the other day.

This blog is to give you hope. As painful as it may be to make changes, the end result is often like a glorious rebirth, fresh-start and as the title says, a "New Beginning" for you.
Encourage a friend to get out of the rut they are in because the future is brighter than the past. I'm not saying the change will be easy but it's most likely necessary to find happiness again.

This is a quote that another friend shared on Facebook ~ which really sums it all up.

"Life is short! Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh uncontrollably, and Never regret anything that made you smile."

Make a positive change in your current situation. You have probably thought about for a year or years - so why not just go for it? If this is something you have wanted to do for a long time, what do you have to lose? Believe in yourself and give it a shot.

Enjoy the New Beginning for the next exciting chapter in your life!   Woohoo!!

Embrace Life's Changes

"If you don't like the way things are in your life, at work or in your relationships - then take action and change them. You can make things SO MUCH better in time.  Believe in yourself, keep your friends close and take the first step." N Wood


The last 18 months have been very unique and unlike any 18 month period that I can remember in my life. Maybe it's the economy, our age or this stage of life - but I know a LOT of people who are experiencing major changes in their life. A few of them are fearful, but most of the others embrace the change and look forward to the future. 


I've been good about keeping a journal for many years and if you have not, I'll encourage you to start today. Write about the things that are important to you today, what you are experiencing and thinking about. IF you write for 5 minutes each day, you will be amazed to look at your note 1, 5 and 10 years from now. It's fun for me to look at my notes from 20 years ago, see the goals I had and realize how much I've accomplished since then. It makes me feel good about my life and I hope it does the same for you!


Have a fun weekend. Do something that will make you feel great ~ if only for a moment. You deserve to have some fun ~ without guilt. You work hard, have more responsibilities than you ever imagined and rarely take a break from it all. I encourage and welcome you to do Something FUN!! Then write about it in your journal.


 Just for a moment, forget about all the major things on your mind. Live a little and smile a LOT!