What Constitutes a Good Life?. Relationhip Advice: 10 Magic Words.
The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. The ultimate expression of life is not a Mercedes. The ultimate expression of life is not a million dollars or a bank account or a home. Here's the ultimate expression of life in my opinion, and that is living the good life. Here's what we must ask constantly, "What for me would be a good life?" And you have to keep going over and over the list.
A list including areas such as spirituality, economics, health, relationships and recreation. What would constitute a good life? I've got a short list.
1) Number one, productivity.
You won't be happy if you don't produce. The game of life is not rest. We must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity. What's the reason for the seasons and the seeds, the soil and the sunshine, the rain and the miracle of life? It's to see what you can do with it. To try your hand, other people have tried their hand; here's what they did. You try your hand to see what you can do. So part of life is productivity.
2) Next are good friends.
Friendship is probably the greatest support system in the world. Don't deny yourself the time to develop this support system. Nothing can match it. It's extraordinary in its benefit. Friends are those wonderful people who know all about you and still like you. A few years ago I lost one of my dearest friends. He died at age 53 - heart attack. David is gone, but he was one of my very special friends. I used to say of David that if I was stuck in a foreign jail somewhere accused unduly and if they would allow me one phone call, I would call David. Why? He would come and get me. That's a friend. Somebody who would come and get you. Now we've all got casual friends. And if you called them they would say, "Hey, if you get back, call me we'll have a party." So you've got to have both, real friends and casual friends.
3) Next on the list of a good life is your culture.
Your language, your music, the ceremonies, the traditions, the dress. All of that is so vitally important that you must keep it alive.
4) Next is your spirituality.
It helps to form the foundation of the family that builds the nation. And make sure you study, practice and teach. Don't be careless about the spiritual part of your nature, it's what makes us who we are, different from animals, dogs, cats, birds and mice. Spirituality.
5) Next - here's what my parents taught me.
Don't miss anything. Don't miss the game. Don't miss the performance, don't miss the movie, don't miss the show, don't miss the dance. Go to everything you possible can. Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can. Go see everything and experience all you possibly can. This has served me so well to this day. Just before my father died at age 93 if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11:00 at night, he wouldn't be home. He was at the rodeo, he was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to the concert, he was at church, he was somewhere every night.
Live a vital life. Here's one of the reasons why. If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well it will show in your face, it will show in the texture of your voice. There will be something unique and magical about you if you live well. It will infuse not only your personal life but also your business life. And it will give you a vitality nothing else can give.
6) Next are your family and the inner circle.
Invest in them and they'll invest in you. Inspire them and they'll inspire you. With your inner circle take care of the details.
When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every morning with the farmers. Little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho. So Papa would go there and have breakfast and I'd call him just to give him a special day. Now if I was in Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night, but it only took five minutes, ten minutes. So I'd call Papa and they'd bring him the phone. I'd say, "Papa I'm in Israel." He'd say, "Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?" He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear - my son's calling me from Israel. I'd say, "Papa last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." He'd say, "Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." Now everybody knows the story. It only took 5 - 10 minutes, but what a special day for my father, age 93.
If a father walks out of the house and he can still feel his daughter's kiss on his face all day, he's a powerful man. If a husband walks out of the house and he can still feel the imprint of his wife's arms around his body he's invincible all day. It's the special stuff with the inner circle that makes you strong and powerful and influential. So don't miss that opportunity.
Here's the greatest value. The prophet said, "There are many virtues and values, but here's the greatest, one person caring for another." There is no greater value than love. Better to live in a tent on the beach with someone you love than to live in a mansion by yourself. One person caring for another, that's one of life's greatest expressions.
So make sure in your busy day to remember the true purpose and the reasons you do what you do. May you truly live the kind of life that will bring the fruit and rewards that you desire.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine, go to http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Just about every night at our house, we read a book called "Say The Magic Words Please" to our young son. The story has lots of magic words, such as "please," "thank you" and "excuse me."
Why am I telling you this?
Well, the other night the book got me to wondering about what the "magic words" might be for couples. You know, all those words and phrases we tend to forget after a few years of marriage.
As a result of my wondering, and a highly scientific poll (I asked my wife, my friends and my clients, in that order), here are a few suggestions:
"I Love You" - Gotta start there. They are such simple little words, yet if left unspoken, they can cause a lot of damage.
When a person begins to believe that they are no longer loved, bad things start to happen fairly quickly.
"Let's try it your way" - It's human nature to want to be right. For some, it's an addiction. Having the grace to say "Let's try it your way" says that you not only value the other person, you think you made a good choice as well.
"Maybe you're right" - A cousin to "Let's try it your way," these words make room for the possibility that there is another valid point of view besides your own.
"How can I show you I love you today?" - What a grand invitation! Imagine what it would feel like to hear that on a regular basis.
"I'm sorry I hurt you" - So necessary yet at times so hard to say.
Remember the '70s movie "Love Story" and its famous theme: "Love is never having to say you're sorry"? That just doesn't work in the real world.
People tend to overlook the fact that in the movie the woman died young before we could see the long-term results of never saying you're sorry.
"Please forgive me" - Usually needs to follow "I'm sorry." Many husbands have told me they feel they should wear a T-shirt that says "I'M SORRY." My question to them (and often to myself) is, "Do you follow it up with 'Please forgive me?' "
Anyone can say "I'm sorry." That's fairly easy. "Please forgive me" does at least three important things:
Acknowledges the hurt.
Requires more vulnerability.
Comes with a commitment not to hurt again, to change.
Other magic words:
Say your vows again. A real marriage, a continual wedding, if you will, needs much more than a one-time recitation of vows. Marriage enrichment experts Joe and Barbara Mills recommend that couples restate their vows at least once a year.
"Would you like to go on a date with me this Saturday night?" When was the last time you asked your partner for a date? We all like to be courted, so call them up and ask them out! How about right now? If you're at home, go to a neighbor's house and call. Just do it. The results can be pretty cool.
"Hi, I just called to say I'm thinking of you." Enough said.
"How am I doing as a spouse and partner?" This one is only for the strong at heart. Most of us never got any hands-on instruction on how to do this marriage thing. We just make it up as we go along.
Having the guts to ask how you are doing lets your partner know at least three things:
The relationship is very important to you.
You are willing to learn.
You are willing to change if needed.
So there we are, a few magic words for a marriage.
How might your relationship be if you practiced these magic words, say, one a week for the next 10 weeks?
Jeff Herring is a Relationship Coach, Speaker, and Syndicated Relationship Columnist. Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for more relationship tips and tools, a free internet newsletter and free e-programs to enrich your relationship
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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