Did The News Take You By Surprise?

We were enjoying a wonderful dinner, the four of us engaged in a lively discussion. Then, one voice was raised above the others as he said, “I am absolutely shocked that the U.S. has lost its AAA rating and been downgraded. Especially since Great Britain, Hong Kong, Germany, and several other countries still have an AAA rating.”

At that point I had no intention of writing another article about this topic.  But I feel compelled to, given how important it is and how many people ask me about this.

I immediately sensed his incredulity, and what I suspect was a healthy measure of fear.  After all, never before in our country’s history has this befallen us.  Despite wars, the Depression, recessions and Black Monday, the Savings and Loan crisis, even the September 11, 2001 attacks; we’ve never seen the S & P downgrade U.S government bonds.

As my friend was speaking, I thought to myself that he has been listening to the wrong pundits, reading the wrong material, and relying on the misinformation of our leaders. Indeed the majority of folks are doing this. After all, what are the alternatives?  Where can one obtain clear information and an unbiased perspective which isn’t fraught with political spin?

The Fed chairman and Treasury Secretary have said this wouldn’t happen, but it has.  The news reports that we are seeing a slow recovery, yet what we are seeing is anything but. The economy continues to slow, as home foreclosures continue to escalate; unemployment remains high as the banking industry continues to slump; and the Fed continues to insure the decline of the dollar.

I wasn’t shocked; I wasn’t surprised; I was only saddened that what I had been expecting has now happened.

If the loss of the United States’ triple-A rating was a surprise to you, then you’ve been listening to and believing the wrong voices. If you’re buying the spin of the mainstream media, then you’re being sold down the river. What you need to be buying is gold and silver.  These precious metals are your best hedge against the coming increased inflation.  Gold and silver are a true hedge to stay afloat during the turbulent times ahead. 

The financial education we all need today is a few tributaries off the mainstream.  Because this isn’t our fathers’ world any more.  Unfortunately, if we are to be completely honest, our financial system is: b-r-o-k-e-n.  Period. Do you really believe that this, or any, Administration is going to stop spending money it doesn’t have? Do you really think the Fed is going to stop printing money that isn’t backed by anything? The United States was taken off the “gold standard” in 1971.  Do you know what that means? Every currency around the globe is a fiat currency.  And there is no possible way our national debt will ever be repaid. 

There are a few experts who have been educating and empowering us so that we can not only prepare and protect ourselves and our families, but also profit from the economic events which are unfolding.

Teaching us how to eliminate debt, build wealth and protect our assets through clear and critical financial education which is free of conflicts of interest and imbued with integrity. To learn more, please visit http://www.wealthwithheart.net

“Forewarned forearmed.” This famous quote by Cervantes couldn’t be more timely.  If you were shocked or even at all surprised by the news of the loss of the United States’ triple-A rating, you would be well-served to watch the video, “Why You Need to Invest in Gold and Silver.”  http://www.wealthwithheart.net/gold-and-silver

Below the video is a link which says Buy Gold and Silver.  There is no obligation to buy anything, and it has lots of information.

You may click on the Buy link to reach the site of Mike Maloney, a world-renowned expert, whose site is full of information, articles, videos, charts and graphs.  There is no obligation, and the education is first-rate.

However, if you are at a point where you realize you need to protect and position yourself, you certainly may purchase gold and/or silver here.  I became an affiliate of Mike’s because I heard him speak at several WMI conferences, here and abroad. 

At first I simply became a customer.  Then, as I watched my holdings increase in value, and continued to learn, it became apparent to me that everyone needs to understand and avail themselves of the opportunity to acquire these sound precious metals from a trusted, knowledgeable company.

Recently, more and more people have asked me just how one goes about purchasing gold and silver through the well-respected expert I represent, who is also Robert T. Kiyosaki’s personal precious metals advisor.  Kiyosaki you may recall is the author of the powerful book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” 

Because of these repeated requests, I offer a brief explanation below.  You may also contact me if you have questions.

•Visit Mike’s web site: click on  http://www.wealthwithheart.net/gold-and-silver, then SCROLL down to the bottom of  the page & click on the Icon Banner

•You will see on the top Navigation Bar: “Buy Gold & Silver”   which has a drop down menu. 

•Select:  “View All Products.”

•I recommend one ounce silver coins and one ounce gold bars. 

•So you can look at Liberty Silver Rounds, for example. 

•Click on there; enter your order quantity, example 500

•Click on Update Order form at Check Out and follow the instructions.  You will be asked to fill in your credit card information, for a small deposit, to secure your order and lock in your price.  Then you will be given clear instructions on how to do a wire transfer at your bank to pay for the balance.  Your order will be sent to you by Certified mail and you will sign for and pick it up at your local Post Office.

There is an Order Help section, an FAQ section, a phone number to speak to a sales representative if you like.  Please be sure to use the coupon code: 1090 Gold & Silver Now, on the form or if you speak to a representative.

If you are hesitant because the price has gone up from when you first started thinking about it, remember that it is projected to go much, much, much higher.  Watch the educational videos in order to see Mike’s projections, and the data on which he bases his conclusions. The longer you wait, the more you will pay. 

To quote Cervantes once again, “Good wits jump; a word to the wise is enough.”  Please know that I want you to be forewarned and wise, not shocked or surprised.

Put Your Feet In It, Not Your Head

A common expression in our culture for someone who refuses to face facts, or who refuses to think about an unpleasant situation, is said to be one who is putting their head in the sand.

In the Illustrated Oxford Dictionary the definition of an ostrich is, “A large African swift-running flightless bird, with long legs and two toes on each foot.”  The second definition is, “a person who refuses to accept facts.” Ostriches are often depicted bent over, with their head hiding in the sand. It’s a telling and troubling image, given that the rest of the big bird is completely exposed and now it can’t see anything.

So an ostrich refers to a bird that cannot fly, and a person who will not accept the facts. I love sand. After all, I choose to live in the high desert of New Mexico. I also love walking on the beach, having done so recently in California as well as Jamaica.  Beach combing, collecting sea shells, and building sand castles can be great fun.

While sand is absolutely wonderful to put your feet in at the beach or to hike on in the desert, sand is not a suitable environment for one’s head. Still it seems as if hiding in it has become the emotional terrain of choice for many today, when it comes to the state of our global economy.

We have a world-wide debt crisis, several potential government defaults, even a possible US default is in the news, and hyperinflation seems certain.  Every currency on the planet is a fiat currency, backed by rhetoric and road apples rather than bullion. And yet the mainstream media talks about recovery; and reports on the various debt plans being proposed – as if the discussions in Washington were substantive rather than mere posturing and politicking. The great American eagle has been rendered flightless, and our so-called leaders have become feckless.

So, for those willing to look at and accept the facts, to get in the game, and to give serious thought to this more than unpleasant situation, what recourse do we have?  What resources are available? Fortunately, there are some real experts with integrity who are absolutely committed to helping others protect and position themselves for what lies ahead. 

Even those of us who want to know more and are willing to take action, who have no intention of putting our heads in the sand, find ourselves in what is fast becoming a different type of sand.  We are caught in a kind of economic quicksand and must take decisive measures so as not to lose our personal financial footing.

Every expert I work with and trust has said that one of the very best hedges against the plunging value of the dollar, and every other paper currency, is gold and silver bullion. Gold and silver are also the best hedge against  imminent inflation.

I remember some years back when I was the executive director and steward of a large agency with several million dollars in assets. I worked closely with a wonderful banker for several years.  One day she told me that she and her husband were moving out-of-state.  Just after being told this, the bank President called and invited me to lunch.  I told him that I was honored, and I knew how busy he was.  I assured him that our account was secure with his bank, despite Katherine’s leaving, and that he needn’t take me to lunch.  He chuckled good-naturedly, since that was the impetus for his invitation.  Then he said he really did want to meet with me anyway.  During what ended up a lengthy and very enjoyable lunch, I still recall a vivid part of the conversation. 

At one point I said, “You know Bob, I’ve been meaning to buy stock in the bank.”  And his response really got to me.  He said, “Linda, I hope you don’t wait too long to purchase the stock.  I don’t want to be sitting here having lunch with you a year from now and hear you say you wish you hadn’t waited.” I purchased a number of shares that week; and a year later they had significantly gone up in price and value.

I talk to a number of people who are now considering purchasing gold and silver.  There is a growing awareness of the importance of owning these precious metals; today’s only real “money” of true and lasting value.  And one of the things I hear is, “Gee, I hate to buy it now.  I remember when it was $300.00 an ounce.”  Or, “Well, it’s so high right now, I think I’ll wait and see if it comes down before I buy any.”  To me, those are what I call bona fide ostrich statements.  All of the signs would indicate that gold and silver are only going to go up in value, with some temporary fluctuations to be expected.  Any time the price of these metals goes down, I see it simply as a great buying opportunity to acquire more. And if one studies the projected highs and understands what is inevitably on the way, you’d know that we will be looking back at today’s prices as an incredible bargain.

If you are remotely interested in learning more; are casually considering acquiring gold and silver; or if you’ve decided it’s the right and timely thing to do, but you don’t know how to go about it,  I urge you to look at the tremendous educational articles and videos by Mike Maloney, one of the world’s leading experts, which are available without cost or obligation.  You may find them at http://www.wealthwithheart.net/gold-and-silver, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the banner icon.

However you proceed, I hope you will do so with your eyes open, your head in the game, and without further delay. I don’t want to have lunch with you in the next few months or next year, and have you recounting your regrets.  Instead, let me hear from you that you took decisive action, and are incredibly glad and grateful that you did.

The Path to Predictable Results: Vision, Purpose, Faith and Gratitude

“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.”

These words of T.S. Eliot have held special meaning for me for many decades. And never more so than today; I find them prophetic.

My history includes having travelled far and wide as part of my studies and explorations.  I have floated down the sacred river Ganges in Benares, India amid a throng of thousands of other seekers, bathers and worshippers. It is a holy place, where it is said every devout Hindu yearns to visit at least once in their lifetime. Awash in the silver light of a full summer moon, I’ve chanted and prayed within the inner chambers of the Taj Mahal: its majestic white marble bathed in moonlight was breathtakingly beautiful.  I have entered the Sikh temple at Amritsar, all gold and gleaming with near-blinding brightness in the hot sun. At the Buddh Gaya Shrine, where it is said that Buddha made a vow to attain enlightenment while seated under this papal tree, I touched the aged, stately bo tree, and gazed up at the massive expanse of its branches, dappled in sunlight, imaging that long ago time.

I’ve prayed long, wept openly and sung softly at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, standing in the women’s section with my forehead and palms pressed against the warm, ancient stone.  Every crack and crevice within these massive blocks of limestone is stuffed with countless pieces of paper: each one different, each one containing a prayer.  I have been roused by the resounding call, repeatedly issued forth from a minaret.  It is the sound which summons faithful Muslims to prayer, with an insistent, magnetic power.  I have been an awe-struck visitor to the Dome of the Rock, sacred shrine of Islam. 

I’ve read aloud the Beatitudes from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, savoring each word, energized and saturated with wonder, as I stood on the peaceful shore of the Sea of Galilee. And I have stood gazing at the ancient Acoma pueblo under an expanse of New Mexico sky so blue it seemed impenetrable, and felt the spirits of the native peoples now past. 

Last week-end Billi and I attended the first Six Minutes to Success Summit in Scottsdale, AZ.  This remarkable event was inspired and brought about by Lanny and Deena Morton and their wonderful staff at Six Minutes to Success.  I love words, and yet they seem inadequate as I try to come up with ones I can employ to express how this experience changed me, brought me back home to myself, and helped me know that inner place, as if for the first time. The once-in-a-lifetime line-up of presenters was in itself highly impressive: Bob Proctor, Frank Kern, Les Brown, Bob Davies, Doug Wead and Cynthia Kersey. 

If only there were a way you could see the pulsating waves of excitement, splashed across this page; if you could hear the whir and whoosh of planets coursing through the heavens, following their right and perfect paths; and if you could feel the energy teeming within each sentence as you read it, then perhaps you would get a sense of the power and exhilaration I experienced. You would have some notion of how my world looks now. And how your awareness could be heightened and enhanced so that you’d feel it, too.

Bob Proctor is nothing less than brilliant.  He is attuned to the natural laws, and he is highly aware of our universe and how it operates.  He knows, “The Secret.” He has devoted his life to studying the precise and predictable laws of the universe, and he has mastered them.  His energy, his keen perceptiveness, and his compassion are palpable.  Wallace Wattles explains that the best definition of Natural Law is that, “It is the uniform and orderly method of the omnipotent God.”  These Laws include:

• The Law of Perpetual Transmutation
• The Law of Relativity
• The Law of Vibration
• The Law of Polarity
• The Law of Rhythm
• The Law of Cause and Effect
• The Law of Gender 

This teaching is for me, the final piece of the puzzle; it answers the questions which have lingered after immersing myself in philosophy, Eastern religion and Christian theology for those aforementioned decades.  I feel I have arrived where I started and finally know the place for the first time.  Studying with Bob Proctor is giving me the clearest, most comprehensive material I’ve ever encountered in order to expand my levels of awareness and further deepen my profound, joyful and resolute faith, with the promise of more to come.  

20/20 vision is considered normal and perfect for navigating in our world as a human being.  Imagine if one eye had the capability of an electron microscope and the other had the capability of a high energy particle telescope…we would be stopped in our tracks.  Awareness, perception, and the abilities and limitations of our five senses are fascinating to ponder.

We were raised to trust external influences and live from the outside in.  One of the transformative aspects of this teaching is to enable us to start living from the inside out.  On the path to predictable results, we can tap into the power within us that is greater than any condition, circumstance or external perception. 

The only scarcity which exists in our limitlessly abundant universe is awareness.  As Wallace Waddles explains, “Knowledge is continually increasing. Every talent we cultivate brings to the mind the desire to cultivate another talent.  We are subject to the urge of life. In seeking expression for this urge, we are impelled to know more, to do more, and to be more.”  The essence of this expansion is expressed through faith, purpose and gratitude.

 As the late Golden Rule Jones stated, “What I want for myself, I want for everybody.”  This is the way of creative increase, as opposed to a competitive approach.  As Waddles puts it, “It is inherent in the constitution of the cosmos that all things shall be for your advancing and work together for your good.”  Or, as the apostle Paul states, “All things work together for good, for those who love God and are called according to God’s purpose.”

And Waddles points out, “It is not your part to guide or supervise the creative process.  All you have to do with that is retain your vision, stick to your purpose, and maintain your faith and gratitude.”  In this way, you will begin to live in harmony with the laws of the universe and experience greater and greater increase in your life.    

Are you ready to create predictable and abundant results?  If you would like to learn more about the laws of the universe and increase your awareness go to http://bit.ly/SuccesswithBobProctor

Not a Maze But a Labyrinth: The Heady Joys of Internet Marketing

Yesterday morning I received an email from one of my newer team members, who is going to be a super-star in her own right.  Because we live in different parts of the world, there is a significant time difference.  I try to get an email off to her before my head sinks into that big, luxurious, neatly contained collection of fluffy down feathers, and by morning I always have a reply.

So early yesterday she gave me yet another impressive run-down of what she has accomplished.  Like me, she is thrilled and energized by all the learning with which one is inundated, if one truly embraces this industry (and all that mastering it entails).   Given the massive amounts of information coming at her from seemingly endless sources, in addition to the superb trainings within our particular system, she sometimes finds it hard to focus.  Indeed! I assured her this was a very natural and normal part of the process, and suggested she make a list of objectives she wants to accomplish each day, as a way to help stay on track.  In part she wrote,

“Every time I read something, I find some very important information that I feel I must learn more about which takes me ‘off on a tangent’ from the very important thing that I was already trying to learn more about, which has already taken me ‘off on a tangent’ from the first very important thing I was learning about! And it goes on!”

I know the feeling, as well as the experience, and it is an important part of the learning process. Thinking of my own tantalizing tangents reminds me of the distinction between a maze and a labyrinth.   According to Webster’s, the definition of a maze is: “A complicated, usually confusing network of passageways or pathways.  To stupefy: daze.”

And Webster’s defines a labyrinth as: “An intricate structure of winding, interconnecting passageways.”

For me, engaging in Internet marketing feels like being in a labyrinth.  It is intricate, but the aspects are interconnected, and there is a structure.  In the beginning it can, and usually does, feel dizzyingly confusing.  But unlike a maze, it need not be stupefying; and as with a labyrinth, there truly is a way out – that is to say, an actual passageway to real success.

This is one of the reasons that I love CarbonCopy Pro.  It is a proven system, wherein the twists and turns and intricacies are mapped out for us, as members.  And we have the benefit of an entire community of online entrepreneurs who are not only on the journey with us – but many, many leaders who have gone before us and know the way. Like a true labyrinth (as opposed to a maze) which “…has an unambiguous route and is not designed to be difficult to navigate” (Kern), the CarbonCopy Pro system is designed to show us the way. It’s a complex and remarkably scenic route which traverses nothing less than the World Wide Web, and connects us with like-minded folks who are committed to helping others and prospering.  I’d love to have you join us – on this, the journey of a lifetime.

America: The Beautiful and The Broken

Recently I was delighted by a completely unexpected invitation.  I was contacted by www.bizymoms.com and asked if I would like to become a featured expert and author for their website.  It was an honor to accept.  I have submitted a few articles, and enjoy what I am learning from the many resources available on their excellent site.

Then a couple of days ago, an invitation went out to their expert authors suggesting that we write an article which addressed the question, “Why love America?,” in celebration of the Fourth of July. While it had not occurred to me to write on that topic, I was intrigued and the challenge stirred something within me.  The next day I submitted my article, and was informed today that, “For the Love of Liberty” has been selected, along with others, as being featured on their site.  Once again, I was very pleased and honored.

Reflecting on the greatness of this nation, as I wrote my article for submission, made reading the cover story of TIME magazine for June 28, 2010 all the more painful and troubling.  As we the people prepare to celebrate our nation’s birth, we are reminded of her brokenness. The cover story of TIME shows a bent and battered license plate which reads:  “Your State   More Taxes, Fewer Services.”  Where the personalized text of a vanity plate goes, it says:  BNKRPT.  The title of the story is, “The Broken States of America.”

Writing about “The Other Financial Crisis,” author David Von Drehle takes us across this land, state by state, recounting their financial woes, missteps, and dire projections. Von Drehle cites the precipitous drop in tax revenues as property values have plummeted; how incomes have decreased; and retail sales have dropped along with consumer confidence.  To this he notes the soaring unemployment numbers – and the subsequent demands on welfare and Medicaid services – which such unemployment numbers set in motion.  In a sweeping statement he observes, “Schools, health services, libraries – and the salaries that go with them – are all on the chopping block as states and cities face their worst cash squeeze since the Great Depression.”

Along with all of these services, the entire retirement situation is really bleak.  The issue of public-employee pay and benefits is horrifying.  The Pew Center on the States (a nonpartisan research group), estimates that “states are at least $1 trillion short of what it will take to keep their retirement promises to public workers.”  The article goes on to quote two Chicago-area professors who recently calculated that the shortfall is actually $3 trillion.  Clearly, the way things have been structured is simply unsustainable, and things are really going to hit the fan. No matter where one stands on these issues, it is glaringly obvious that there will be massive cuts and much pain in nearly all states.

While there are viable options and exciting opportunities for individuals who are willing to take decisive action based on this new reality, we are no doubt going to see significant cuts in a multitude of state services – right at the point when more folks than ever are going to need them.  And no one is going to be exempt.  The crisis among the states affects us all in one way or another. The only hope I see is to be prepared and make swift and intentional decisions in order to leverage the situation and even be positioned to benefit from it.  As Kip Herriage, President of Wealth Masters International, and others have said, “The best way to help the poor is to not be one of them.” 

America is still the greatest land of opportunity, and it is imperative we find the opportunities in the midst of this very real crisis.  And please remember, your success is my goal. 

http://www.wealthwithheart.net/about-linda/?t=blog

Coyotes, Laughter, and New Viewpoints

Photo by Linda Compton

Coyotes, called the “Song Dog,” are reminiscent of a German shepherd, with similar coloring and a slighter build.  In her novel, “Coyote Morning,” author Lisa Lenard-Cook observes, “No other animal has stirred up more human emotion than the coyote does by simply being the coyote – a medium-sized predator with forty-two teeth, trying to eat, raise some young, and keep alive.”

Often at night, the deep silence we so love here in the high desert, is interrupted by the boasting calls of nearby coyotes.  While I find it both exciting and somehow hopeful, we are also careful to make sure our animals are protected and our fences secure.  Coyotes are opportunistic and they are survivors.  Theirs is a story of survival and impressive adaptation, despite being invaded and displaced by civilization time and time again.  Love or loathe them, I don’t know how one cannot but be impressed.

In Native American tradition the coyote is known as the trickster or jokester.  Coyote is considered sacred, and Coyote medicine is powerful.  In the Medicine Cards by Sams and Carson, they explain that Coyote medicine teaches, “If you can’t laugh at yourself and your crazy antics, you have lost the game.  Coyote always comes calling when things get too serious.  The medicine is laughter and joking so that new viewpoints may be assumed.”

New viewpoints have come into my life in such powerful ways in recent months, and I am deeply grateful for this.  Having comfortably referred to myself for years as a ‘life-long learner’ I am now seeing new dimensions to this.  I have formal education, and have long been an avid reader.  But there are certain subjects and areas of learning in which I have not had any interest, or actually avoided.  Financial education is the main one, to be sure.  That has changed with becoming part of CarbonCopy Pro and Wealth Masters International.  And it was reading Robert Kiyosaki’s books that initially excited me and enabled me to embrace truly learning about money, investments, cash flow and wealth.  His writing style is so inviting and accessible and I found myself thoroughly enjoying what I was learning – and understanding – for the first time in my life.

As a result of being able to laugh at myself and my decades-long avoidance of these matters, I am now entertaining new viewpoints with a relish and a zeal that I still find hard to believe.  It is remarkable to me how exciting I now find all of this.  Coyotes are very active, both day and night – which means they are often out and about, albeit within their own habitats.  Billi and I have been looking for property recently.  We are looking at large parcels of land that are rather remote, with sweeping views and forever vistas that are absolutely breath-taking.  We have been exploring areas that are definitely off the proverbial beaten path.  This means that we’ve been driving over a series of roads that are actually nothing more than bone-jarring, kidney punching, neck-snapping ruts.  And we are having so much fun.  With a spirit of adventure and four-wheel drive it is amazing what one can see.  We are enjoying new viewpoints as well as new vista points.  It was on one of these bucking bronco drives that a beautiful coyote appeared to us.  What a delight to stop and gaze at her, as she confidently looked back and studied us.  There was enough distance for all of us to be comfortable, yet we were close enough to clearly see and admire her.  She actually seemed to pose for the camera.

While I have understood the benefits of being willing to go beyond one’s comfort zone, I have generally thought of that in psychological terms.  And with exercise I understand the value of exertion and the saying, “No pain, no gain.”  What I hadn’t realized until recently is that there are other ways to be stretched which can be uncomfortable – and in kind, reward us with new viewpoints, vista points, insights and strengths.  2010 is a year for me to reach for new heights, stretch further, dig deeper, and welcome new kinds of “growing pains.”  I will persist so that I may continue to reap the harvests of new knowledge, prosperity and the lifestyle that the tap root of such commitment manifests.  Here is to new viewpoints and vista points.

A Shoe, A Pebble & Some Silver: Moving Beyond Our Comfort Zone to Create Financial Security

Photo by Linda Compton

One of the things I often hear is how discontented so many individuals are.  Worried about their financial future, they are unhappy with their work situation, and fearful about economic conditions that seem to momentarily brighten, just before some other dire news is announced.

I don’t think our economy is going to show any promising signs of growth and sustainable rebounding for quite some time.  I do believe we need to find new and different ways to strengthen our own situations, and to embrace non-traditional ways of positioning ourselves for the challenges ahead.  This is going to take courage, initiative and persistence.  And frankly, this greatly concerns me.  Because the discontent and fear contained in the stories being shared with me are often accompanied by a real resistance to making the changes necessary to make it through the turbulent times ahead.  I hear in some an unwillingness to move beyond their comfort zone in order to improve their present situation by taking swift and decisive action.  As John Jackson states, “If you want to have something you’ve never had before, you must do something you’ve never done before.”  I cannot emphasize too strongly how very true this is. 

Have you spent much of your life trying to please others; take care of others; do the “right things” for the wrong reasons?  Have you tried to be true to other peoples’ aspirations for you, only to find that you have lost yourself along the way?

Perhaps that doesn’t describe you at all.  Perhaps you are simply beginning to realize that you want something more out of life; something different for yourself and your family.  As a baby boomer with a master’s degree in Gerontology, I am keenly aware of something that happens to most of us in mid-life.  At some point, we come to the realization that we have lived more years than we are going to live.  This striking new awareness can have a profound effect on our view of ourselves, our world and our future.  It can be quite enlivening, as we decide to become much more focused and intentional about what’s next for us. 

An all time favorite quote of mine is from Stephen C. Paul, “Remove the rock from your shoe rather than learn to limp comfortably.”  I know so many people who have learned to limp comfortably, to the point that now their gait has become slightly off.  They either ignore the presence of their particular rock, or make excuses for it.  Why not remove the pebble?  Why continue to accept the limitation and complain?  Why not acknowledge that it is unacceptable, make a decision to change their situation and take action?  Seeing this dynamic is both sad and frustrating.  I want to cry out, “Stop making excuses and start creating a different kind of future for yourself and your family. There are options and opportunities available to us – research and study them, then make a make a plan to act!” None of us can change our past, but each of us has the ability to determine our future.  There is always something to distract or discourage us.  We don’t have the time or the money or the whatever.  Realize this will always be the case – until you decide to change it by doing things differently than you’ve always done them.  It’s not called, “A leap of faith” for nothing. People often say they are “waiting for God.”   Andy Andrews says he believes God is usually waiting for us!  

I sincerely encourage you to find what is right for you, at this point in your life.  Look deep within yourself and determine what’s missing and what’s there.  Start where you are. Reach down, tap your motivation and then rise up and reach for what is right for you.  For my family and myself, I have found a business system that is stretching me, enriching me, and affording me financial and time freedom.  It is not a “get rich quick” scheme.  It is an “acquire financial freedom through persistence” system.  If this is something that appeals to you, I invite you to check it out.  See if you have what it takes.  If something else calls to you, I urge you to pursue it.  As the great motivational and success legend Jim Rohn asserts, one’s income rarely exceeds one’s personal development.  If I can be of help in any way, I encourage you to ask.  Find an opportunity that appeals to you and make a commitment to do something new and expansive for yourself. www.WealthyandWiseToday.net

The Nun Cartoon

During my reflection time this morning, while watering the gardens in our front courtyard, a cartoon I’d seen decades ago came to mind “out of the blue.”  Given the endless blue skies of our Northern New Mexico mornings, that saying has new meaning for me (but that’s another article for another time). 

Anyway, this cartoon was of a nun, dressed in a traditional black and white habit.  She is standing respectfully before her “Mother Superior,” who is seated behind a modest wooden desk.  The nun proclaims that she feels compelled to do more to help the poor.  Obviously pleased with this expression of commitment, and the nun’s sense of urgency, Mother Superior asks if she wants to begin a period of intense prayer and fasting.  The nun replies that she has decided to go off and join a rock band. (The implicit message is that she wants to become part of a world-wide concert tour that will raise a tremendous amount of money for charity). 

I suppose it ought to be of little surprise that I was reminded of this cartoon after so very long.  It clearly made an impression on me then, and seems germane now – given that we’ve begun an exciting new business venture.

There are occasions in our lives when we feel – in a most acute way – our time here on this glorious planet is both precious and finite.  When we ask ourselves how we are spending this limited temporal currency, and whether or not we are being good and effective stewards of what has been entrusted to us, we can be caught up short. Real short! It is so easy to get wrapped up in the day to day, and before we realize it, years have sped by. Maybe we are in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, and fearful of being laid off in today’s faltering economy. Yet, upon reflection, we want “more” from our lives.  More financial security, more meaning, more leisure, more opportunities to help others “if only” we ourselves had more:  more money to give, more time and energy to spend, more understanding about how best to make a more meaningful contribution. For me, the best way to be able to do more, and give more is to be in a position where I am completely debt free, have the time and the freedom to make inspired choices,  and be intentional about what is next.  I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. 

This means making some challenging choices, taking risks, and working very hard – in a new and different way than I’ve been used to for most of my adult life.  How grateful I am to have taken this “leap of faith.”  In the novel Twelve Pillars, by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener, one of the characters states, “The only way things are going to change for you is when you change.”  It’s a variation of my favorite definition of crazy:  which is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  For things to change, we must change.  For things to be different, we must do things differently than we have done before.  It probably means changing our  habits.

Now, I want to include others, so that no one who really wants to be on this trajectory will be left behind.  This is clearly not for everyone. Lots of people say they want things to be different, but aren’t willing to do things differently in order to make that happen.  And that’s OK.  But for those of us who have chosen to embrace this and do what it takes, it is incredibly rewarding – in every sense of the word.  And I am truly grateful to have found this powerful, all-inclusive business system and such a broadly helpful product line to share – because I definitely can’t play an electric guitar and believe me, you most certainly do not want to hear me sing!  

 To learn more please visit www.WealthWithHeart.net  Linda Compton

“Crossing the Rubicon” from Employee to Owner

These reflections spring from my heart, head, and life experience.  I offer them in the hope they might be helpful.  Perhaps they might offer a bit of encouragement, give permission to do what you have been secretly, hesitantly hoping in your own heart to do; or perhaps inspire you to reflect upon where you are in your own journey and where you’re headed.  Are you drifting or sometimes even feel like you’re sinking?  Need to make a change, or want to become more intentional about your life?  Are you financially insecure about your future?

 A Baby Boomer, I grew up wanting to please others and gain acceptance and approval.  Nothing uncommon in this.  So, like many my age I went to college, got good grades, completed Graduate School and got my first “big people job.”  I’ve been working ever since.  Through these experiences I learned the value of personal integrity, accountability and taking responsibility for one’s choices & actions.  I have a deep, abiding sense of gratitude and believe that a grateful heart is a generous heart.

After a few decades of making good salaries (primarily in the non-profit sector), I developed a somewhat impressive resume and, I believe, made some contributions within my community and in the lives of those we served.  Along the way I also had the privilege of working with some truly remarkable people.

One year ago, with the encouragement of my closest friends and my partner, I gave myself permission to leave my last position.  My partner and I started our own greeting card company (with her chalk pastel drawings and my photographs).  My slumbering entrepreneurial spirit was re-awakened with a resounding, “Yee Ha!” and I knew I could never be confined to a traditional j-o-b again.  A scary and liberating realization – I had definitely “crossed the Rubicon” with respect to being shackled as “a salaried employee.”  Small business owner was it for me. I love working from home – being with our two dogs and fairly new puppy, enjoying our casita and blissfully toiling in our courtyard garden – nestled in the high desert mountains of Northern New Mexico.

While our art greeting card business is growing, it is not enough to keep me fully engaged.  And given that my wee stock portfolio has “performed” as dismally as the market itself, I felt the need to find something more.  There is much more I want to do, to contribute, and to become.  I have been very blessed, have had some valuable experiences, and still have a lot I want to “give back.”

The challenge, in trying to decide what to pursue, was that I am happily burdened with a strong sense of integrity; and blessed with a finely-tuned conscience. 

Having been in leadership positions most of my career, and believing in the importance of both civic engagement and philanthropy, I couldn’t see myself working solely for my own benefit. I felt the internet was the way to go, but I didn’t want to be part of any MLM, and I refused to consider trying to sell travel cruises or nutritional supplements to family and friends.  YIKES – definitely not my thing (please understand, I mean no offense here – I just couldn’t do it). 

Also, the more one has, the more one can give – so I decided if I was going to once again work very, very hard my efforts must have tangible benefits beyond myself.  I want to be able to help my family, friends and the broader community – so I was looking for something highly profitable, as well as challenging; something extremely helpful to others, about which I could be passionate, and hopefully something where I could learn new skills.  And have fun, too!

All of these elements were contained in my impassioned prayers for guidance and discernment.  After a fair amount of research and due diligence, my answer came.  I have found (or was “given,” if you will) the perfect business for this stage in my life’s journey.  And I am as excited about this as anything I’ve ever undertaken. 

This all-inclusive system has tremendous support, lots of training, and a product line that everyone I know could benefit from, based on their own particular situation. 

The company’s Mission Statement resonates with my values. I am being stretched and learning a whole new language and several new skill-sets. 

This is a real business for serious people – and the founders are imbued with integrity and a higher purpose.  There is a remarkable sense of “community” among the members.  Amid the various trainings and conference calls, there is respect, genuine helpfulness and camaraderie – something I didn’t expect – especially with an internet business. 
 
I feel incredibly good about the system, process and the products, and I am having a blast!  It really does help others and offers us the opportunity to have the life-style we want.

It is heartening to see firsthand how this proven business is giving others the tools we all need to prevail against the problems plaguing the vast majority of Americans in today’s broken economy.  I am blessed, grateful and honored to be a part of it.  Thank you Jay, Aaron, Kip & Carl, et al.

To see more about what I am doing please visit www.WealthWithHeart.net  Linda Compton