TIP OF THE MONTH

Words of encouragement from the members of BELIEVE
September / October 2007 Tip
November / December 2007 Tip
January / February 2008 Tip













































































NOVEMBER / DECEMBER TIP

"One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again."

Abraham Maslow 1908-1970, Psychologist



What that means to us is that we each must develop a level of action where we face the very thing we fear. We refuse to be trapped in our comfortable boxes and zones of safety; Growth does not occur there.

I am reminded of Walt Disney and his unparalleled pushing the envelope. I read, that someone who knew Uncle Walt had said that if Uncle Walt were asked how he continually stepped out of his box. . . his reply would have been, "What box."

I find that type of response inspiring. That is what we are to aspire towards. Not thinking how to get through our limitations but eventually growing to a point where we don't even see the limitations.
Many times others even bring their perceived limitations to us and we willingly accept them as our own. But why? Why is it so difficult to see the positive and affirming and yet so easy to see the negative and dis-empowering? Why is being a victim or co-dependant so much more appealing than stepping out and flying on your own power and passion?

We allow fear (F.E.A.R. - False Evidence Appearing Real) to sap our strength like Samson without his hair rather than proclaiming that "Through the strength that Christ has given us, we can do ALL things!"
Think about the following questions in your life:

How often a day do say what you Can't do versus what you can?
How often a day do you refer to things you need that you really do not need?
How often do you feel fear in the form of anger, frustration and worry?
How often do you complain?
How often do you criticize, bad mouth, gossip, poke fun at others?
How often do you laugh and feel genuine joy and happiness?
How often are you sad, depressed, lonely or bored?
How often, when praying do you beg or try to bargain with God?

That is enough to begin with. If you take an honest look at your life and answer the questions, you will find that most of us tend more often towards the darkness not the light, towards anger and hostility not peace and tranquility, fear not love!
If you uses phrases like, "She makes me mad." "He makes me sick." "They get on my nerves." and you use them often without thinking of the power in the words, then you are actually making yourself weak, ill and at dis-ease. Proverbs 18:20 tell us that "life and death are in the power of the tongue." What is your tongue creating or destroying?

Let's go a step further with this...
How often do you say,"that tickled me to death," or "I'll just die if..." or "I'm sick and tired of..." or "He's a pain in my neck." or "it would break my heart if. . ."

We say the words and think nothing about them in terms of the power they possess. Every word began as a thought and as Proverbs 23:7 states, "For as he thinks within himself, so he is."
Your thoughts create your life. Your words create your life. What are you creating? Start taking more responsibility for what you are creating. Start taking more time to face your fears.

Eleanor Roosevelt Said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do."

Start now, by remembering that You reap what you sow (Galations 6:7) and that you have what you say You are forever blessed. You are blessed going in and blessed coming out. Start now by "Speaking it into existence" your goals, desires, aspirations! "Declare a thing." and "When you pray, believe that you have received it and it shall be given to you."
Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in Jesus' name, He will give it to you. (John 15:16)

Stop being a victim
Stop allowing fear to control and dictate your life
Stop allowing the darkness to overcome you
Start rejoicing
Start being the light of the world
Start affirming your power as a child of God
Start today by crying out, "I surrender completely into the fullness of God’s infinite love!"
"I know that the spirit of the living God goes before me and makes perfect my way."

And so it is. . . Amen!

Ray





















































SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER TIP

"Focus on any area or skill with a relentless devotion to daily improvement and a passion for excellence and within three to five years, you will be operating at a level of competency (and insight) such that people call you a genius. Focus plus daily improvement plus time equals genius. Understanding that formula deeply and your life will never be the same."

Robin Sharma author of "The Monk who sold his Ferrari"



What that means to us is that we each must develop a level of training and consistency of purpose that is unparallel and unequalled by the "ordinary."

It is only through such training that we become EXTRA ordinary. And it is the extraordinary who are the masters, the geniuses, the leaders of the field.

How often a day do you train at your chosen discipline?
How often a day do you sign?
Translate songs?
Gloss songs?
Practice dance?
Exercise?
Practice ASL sentences from your text book?
Meet a friend and sign versus speak?
Go to silent dinners?
Take classes?
Attend workshops?

Do you wait for someone else to motivate and inspire you or are you self-motivating?

I urge you to reassess your current placement and realize that the only way to change is to change.
If you want what you have now, keep doing what you are doing. If you want different then do different.

Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing but expecting something different.
Keep that in mind.

Ray





















































JANUARY / FEBRUARY TIP

I know that the January 2008 Tip of the Month is "late" but as they say... better late than never.
No but seriously; I was not sure what exactly I wanted to put up as the tip of the month. so much has been going through my mind in terms of my own growth and development, goals and aspirations, journey and experience, that I was not sure what I wanted to share with you.
I have opted to go with the following.

"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em, 'certainly I can!' - and get busy and find out how to do it."
Theodore Roosevelt
1858-1919, Twenty-Sixth U.S. President

and

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."
Mary Tyler Moore
Actress


Many times we do not boldly go ....
Like the Captain James T. Kirk would announce as their mission at the beginning of Star Trek... "To boldly go where no one has gone before!"
Where am I boldly going?
What am I making excuses about in order to avoid boldly going?
What chances am I taking?
What mistakes am I making because I am boldly going?
Or am I playing it safe?


Many times I question my "mission"
I wonder what I am supposed to do.
Am I going to be an actor on TV?
Am I going to open my art gallery and sell my art?
Am I going to publish my books?
Am I going to build my dream home?
Am I going to do any number of the things that I have set as goals???


And then something happens to remind me that EVERY time I have set a strong enough intention for something, I have manifested it successfully.
And herein lies one of my personal dilemmas -
Why am I not manifesting certain things now?
have I not set the intention strong enough?
Have I not committed to them?
Do I not have the passion and purpose to boldly go?

Hmmmm

As I continue to assess my own journey and mission, I suggest that you do the same.

Ask yourself what are you afraid of and why?
What are you boldly doing?
What are you avoiding doing?
Procrastination kills boldness; do you procrastinate? What is "your" mission (your reason for being)?
What chances are you taking and what mistakes are you making along this journey?
Or do you avoid making mistakes at all costs?

Let me leave you with this quote by Martha Stewart. . .

"As I evolve, I hope my readers evolve, I hope my viewers evolve. And also, I think it's very important that whatever you're trying to make or sell, or teach has to be basically good. A bad product and you know what? You won't be here in ten years. You might be rich, you might be famous, but you're not going to be here in 10 years."


Ray