Whole - Not a Fragment

Dear Why Team member,


It may be hard to believe that we do not need anybody, or anything, at any time, at all times, or in all places, to be fully at peace and in joyful appreciation for what is, for who we are in any given moment.

That is partly because since infancy most of us lucky to have a family were told that we are part of a specific group. Have you lived it? When daddy comes home and/or when mommy comes home then (and only then) we’re a whole family. We were raised to believe we are part of a whole. When did the transition really happen and we realized we, ourselves, are a whole? At some point in our lives, we had to stop being so much of a product of our DNA and become more of a product of our own actions.​

Beware the labels of good or bad or should this or should that. Choose thoughts that love and lift! Be patient with the thoughts and behaviors of others, especially those that are contrary to your own internal rules. Your personal rule book guides your life, while it may assist others in theirs, try to respect that ultimately, others have their own path to walk. They call it The Golden Rule: Treat others how you want to be treated. But what if they prefer to be treated by you in a different manner than the one you want to be treated? You may be alright with someone calling you by your first name; others prefer to be called Mrs. or Mr. or Dr., if they have earned that designation.
Do not press upon the life of another, young children are excluded here, the rules you press upon yourself. Don't push, lead; lead with power not force. Lead by example. Be quick to expel non-loving, non-accepting thoughts as though they were a thief in your house. When joy has been stolen from you, know that it is always an inside job. No one can take from you what you can produce for yourself via the power of your thoughts. "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom" - Viktor Frankl (Auschwitz Survivor)


If the action of another causes you pain, explore the THOUGHT that is causing you pain - and how you may have made your joy dependent upon another. Your thoughts are your choice. Ask the question why. Why do I think this thought that bothers me? Especially when the thought removes your peace, removes your joy. Ask, "Why do I continue to think this thought?" Ask how would you feel without the thought? Consider the loving quality of behavior born from love and acceptance of self, no matter where one finds them-self. See your struggles as the necessary path for personal growth and for developing an authentic empathy for others.


“If we can catch the vision that life is lived from within out, that it is not so much what happens around us or to us as what happens IN us that counts, we can set up our pace, live our own lives, meet situations and people objectively without fear or resistance, we can become healthier and prosperous and as happy as we wanna be.” Most self-made successful people, like Earl Nightingale cited here, share this common theme. Being glad and thankful in all things can seem absurd, but when we see how adversity grows us - should we not be thankful for it?! Again, if you feel your joy has been stolen, never forget that it is always an inside job. It is you that believes your thoughts. No one can make you think anything. Don't allow thoughts such as scarcity to invade your life. It is you who has allowed painful thoughts to persist. If you feel unable to choose different thoughts, then seek assistance, I did, and it changed my life. Plus I found that recognizing my own abundance seems to have been a necessary element to being a greater source of abundance.


I mentioned this in one of my early blogs and I feel that it’s important to mention this again. If you need a little extra help finding that internal spark, look into the book titled "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie.  www.amazon.com/Loving-What-Four-Questions-


She is a true transformational leader. As you know, when we become more, we become more for ourselves and for others. Since our lives are the sum total of our thoughts, learning to question our thoughts is a must if we are to gain more understanding of ourselves and others. I cannot recommend this book enough. I have seen her work in action, often miraculous results in moments - simple steps anyone can follow - please check her out and start using THE WORK to elevate your thoughts, which you know of course, will elevate your life.
Expel the thief within your mind that steals your joy, keeping you from being the whole you were created to be and the leader you can be for others. You have the power within you to think differently, to believe differently and to become even more of what the world needs now.


Make it a great week

Steve Luckenbach