Happy Thursday-Friday, Journeyer!
Yesterday I received some equally sad and happy news: Hay House Publishing picked the three winners of their Denver workshop book proposal contest.
The world is about to be inspired in magnificent new ways and these authors are about to embark on a fabulous new adventure!
The disheartening bit is that The Five Facets Philosophy on Healing and I are not among the chosen submissions.
In the previous sentence I almost typed, “aren’t included in that group.”
Why didn’t I type those words? Because they aren’t true in the context of the previous sentence.
You see, I believe with all my being in Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
I also believe that I am on a magnificent journey with this body of work that helps all of us live our best lives, even in the face of adversity AND I believe I am inspiring individuals in magnificent new ways.
And though I love the idea of seeing us on some big publisher’s roster or on the New York Times Bestseller’s list, I do feel at the very center of my soul that I am successful each time I bring some measure of hope, healing, or happiness to one of my global neighbors.
Despite that belief at my epicenter, there were a few fleeting What if’s that tried to storm my thoughts and muddy my optimism.
I’m sure you’ve encountered them in some form or other:
What if I’d started the proposal sooner?
What if I’d worked harder on building a platform all these years?
What if I’d actually taken that work leave of absence I talked about numerous times?
What if I’m out of my cotton-picking mind to believe that my work will ever make it BIG.
What if [insert thoughts that try to sabotage your success and joy, Journeyer.]
Here’s the flip-side of those What ifs:
What if I choose to appreciate the vast many things I gained—spiritually, socially, academically, emotionally, physically—during the entire process?
What if I choose to define BIG as any measure of impact or movement?
What if I choose to acknowledge that I feel BIGeach time I see your dot on my global analysis map, read your beautiful comments to my posts, or share something with you on any of our social media sites?
What if I choose to remember that BIGthings come in small packages and that your presence means I have achieved success, for I’ve not only designed a dream, I AM DOING IT.
Dave Clark, a man who went on to play major league baseball despite losing full use of his legs to polio, is changing lives with this simple message: “There are two types of dreamers. There are dreamers that dream and there are dreamers that dream and do.”
Dave’s story is one of unbridled inspiration. As luck would have it, I was in the room when he made this speechafter receiving Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellowship award. Two-minutes-forty-two seconds, guaranteed to move you in immeasurable ways.
What if I choose to accept that all those things are forms of success?
What will happen if I choose to cheer for Hay House and their three winners, choose to keep pouring love into this little project of mine, choose to keep spreading my messages of hope, healing, and happiness?
Inspirational guru, Louise Hay says, “Every thought we think is creating our future.”
That means my future is full of dreams, revitalizations, and pleasures.
What if I choose to acknowledge those things when they show up in my life?
Next week marks the one year anniversary of the release of my memoir—the catalyst for The Five Facets Philosophy on Healing— Digging for the Light: One Woman’s Journey from Heartache to Hope.
I first explored the value of What if while writing that work, Journeyer. I wrote: “What if takes you nowhere when used as a means of altering or defining the past; it can’t change or amend what has already transpired. What if holds no answers. What if is useful only in a forward-moving direction, as a vessel that transports us to learning and growth.”
Next week also marks the one year anniversary of one of my greatest achievements to date: my TEDx presentation, The Power of “What if?”
Those successes are cause for celebration!
I’m going to commemorate these accomplishments by offering a BIG DISCOUNT to all my grieving neighbors who are seeking a little inspiration and for all you allies in healing who know someone who might find something they need in this reflective, inspirational memoir.
Starting this Sunday, I’ll be offering a $5 discount code for all purchases made at Amazon.com. I’ll post the code in this week’s #HappyHappens column! And since this work is centered around the number five, you and your friends will be able to use this discount for five days!
What if, Journeyers, what if we can heal a world of hurt by helping just one person along this journey called life?
What will happen if you join our neighborhood by subscribing to our FREE monthly newsletter? For starters, I’ll send you a digital poster of ten of our top power mantras, quotes that feed our soul and fuel our inspiration.
Where will your next What if? take you, Journeyer?
Don’t forget to come back this Sunday for more inspirations and to receive your $5 discount code!
Until we meet again, yours in hope, healing, and happiness,
~AE