“Don’t lose sight of the spirit of the season. Be grateful for everything you already have.” –Unknown

As we continue the 40 Days of Thanksgiving between last Thursday’s festivities and the beginning of the New Year, we enter our annual period of most hope.

Spirits are generally just brighter during these last weeks of the year, as it’s the time humanity gets most in touch with its connectedness.

We also use the calendar’s turning as a ritual to move past what has now become the past (the last 11 months) and begin hoping and planning for new possibilities.

To continue the 40-Day giving streak I’ve set in place, this week I’d like to offer you a wonderful process to support your wrapping up of 2017 in a powerful way.

I give it to you now because it’s something you’ll want to engage in right away, before beginning to set new goals for the coming year.

You’ll love it (or hate it, if this is challenging for you), as it’s all about Self Acknowledgment and Appreciation.

As you walk through the powerful exercise, you’ll get to recognize the many Milestones & Memorable Moments revealing what there is to be thankful for and appreciate about your particular version of 2017.

Reminder: As a thank you for subscribing to this ongoing weekly inspiration (4 years, as of this month), I’ll be offering free gifts each week between now and the New Year: 40 Days of Thanksgiving.

So, please watch for “the serving of the week” each Wednesday, and may our last 40 days of 2017 be cleansing, uplifting, renewing and respirational for what lies ahead.

Today’s Serving (please pass it around the table to those it can help):

Milestones & Memorable Moments

Grab your copy HERE
(http://careerguy.com/40-days-of-thanksgiving)

Got hope?

“May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility.” –Mary Anne Radmacher

The post November 29, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“I made over forty Westerns. I used to lie awake nights trying to think up new ways of getting on and off a horse.” –William Wyler

Forty is a significant number in multiple cultures.

There are multiple references to it in various religious scriptures.

The Jews of biblical times used the phrase “40 days and 40 nights” to reference a really long time. It’s also used today in religious and spiritual circles to represent a period of trial, probation, and reconstitution.

For Muslims, it is said that Muhammad was forty years old when he first received the revelation and, according to the Quran, a person is only fully grown or mentally matured when they reach the age of 40.

Did you even know that each passing solar year can very effectively (even perfectly) be metered by keeping track of every 40th day?

Today, for those of us in the US, it is simply the time between Thanksgiving (tomorrow) and the beginning of the upcoming New Year.

As a thank you for subscribing to this ongoing weekly inspiration (4 years, as of this month), I’ll be offering free gifts each week between now and the New Year: 40 Days of Thanksgiving.

So, please watch for “the serving of the week” each Wednesday, and may our next 40 days of 2017 be cleansing, uplifting, renewing and respirational for what lies ahead.

Today’s Serving (please pass it around the table to those it can help):
Before getting into the new stuff next week, let’s make sure you’re up-to-date on what is already sitting on your plate.

For Career and Passion Inspiration, Download 3 Free Ebooks Now HERE  (http://careerguy.com/free)

For Second-Half-of-Life and Conscious Organization Inspiration, Download 3 Free Ebooks Now HERE (http://thebackforty.com/free)

Got 1st serving?

“The first forty years of life give us the text; the next thirty supply the commentary on it.” –Arthur Schopenhauer

The post November 22, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” –Paulo Coelho

Bravery sounds epic.

But what if it’s simple…and perhaps even unnoticeable to the outside world.

What if it’s only being willing to take one simple action outside our comfort zone.

What if it’s merely being willing to do a double-take on ourselves and examine our already-always belief systems of who we are and ways of doing things.

What if it’s just being willing to try a new path without knowing the result.

Bravery inspires us when spotlighted in extreme events, yet every single moment of our day is an opportunity for quiet and unheralded bravery.

Perhaps we could all benefit from the regular awarding of personal medals of valor.

What simple action, self-reflection or path can you take today with only you on the streets throwing confetti about?

Got private medal?

“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” –Winnie the Pooh

The post November 15, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“Giving birth should be your greatest achievement, not your greatest fear.” –Jane Weideman

There’s a time to cook, and there’s a time to serve.

A dish simmering forever, or until it’s “perfected,” eventually loses flavor.

Lots of good ideas and plans begin to develop in the mind but, for fear of the unknown/next step/impossibility of the prospect, they unnoticeably miscarry.

Others get almost barred from delivery until they are somehow already proven healthy enough to live a long life. A Gollum-esque “my precious” smothering cuts off their oxygen.

There’s a time for gestation, and a time to birth. And, from what I hear, the birthing is a singular lifetime experience.

What grand idea or splendid plan can you run out of the womb today?

Tell it to “Get a life!” because it can’t just sit around and eat up your consciousness forever.

I’m making The Back Forty Re-NEW-ALL Program below FREE for those who have been affected by any recent storm, firestorm or personal tragedy. It’s all about taking a pro-active stance, in the face of devastation, to point ourselves toward our next and best life to come. Please forward this to those it can support, and have them simply reply email me with their situation.

Got gestation’s end?

“Whenever and wherever [and to whatever] you intend to give birth, your experience will impact your emotions, your mind, your body and your spirit for the rest of your life.” –Ina May Gaskin

The post November 8, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“When you let something go, your hands are open to receive what’s next.” –Unknown

Think about books.

The excitement and glue comes from opening the cover, turning to the next page, the next chapter, the conclusion, and on to the next book.

If we were to read the same plot line, with the same old characters, events and dialogue taking place in every chapter, we’d soon lose interest.

But in many aspects of our lives — career, relationship, health, finances, dreams — we become steady-as-she-goes satisfied-cum-stale with the same ol’ same ol’.

Sometimes we fall asleep reading a book, only to continue with more energy after our short nap…or just close the book and go to bed.

But if it’s exciting enough, we stay riveted!

What new twists, characters or dialogue can you add with authorial creativity to your next chapter today?

I’m making The Back Forty Re-NEW-ALL Program below FREE for those who have been affected by any recent storm, firestorm or personal tragedy. It’s all about taking a pro-active stance, in the face of devastation, to point ourselves toward our next and best life to come. Please forward this to those it can support, and have them simply reply email me with their situation.

Got what’s next?

“You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” –C.S. Lewis

The post November 1, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“Much of the stress that people feel doesn’t come from having too much to do. It comes from not finishing what they’ve started.” –David Allen

Perhaps nothing more keeps our potential intact, as opposed to expressed, than all the projects started but never completed.

It’s way safe (and even admirable) to start. It’s way harder to finish.

Finishing means people will evaluate how it came out.

Finishing means we could now actually do something with what we created.

Finishing means we have an opportunity to improve upon it, or take the initiative into an even next-level project, above and beyond it.

Finishing is in no way safe or easy. Yet, the question is whether we want our Self expressed or simply full of potential.

Someone whose end-of-life headstone says “Died With Potential Intact” didn’t make much difference for the poor souls around them.

What can you finish (vs take to your grave) this week?

I’m making The Back Forty Re-NEW-ALL Program below FREE for those who have been affected by any recent storm, firestorm or personal tragedy. It’s all about taking a pro-active stance, in the face of devastation, to point ourselves toward our next and best life to come. Please forward this to those it can support, and have them simply reply email me with their situation.

Got finish?

“Stopping at third adds no more to the score than striking out. It doesn’t matter how well you start if you fail to finish.” –Billy Sunday

The post October 25, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.” –Winston Churchill

It takes nobody special and no message or mission of any caliber to quit.

Anyone can quit. And any message or mission can continue to blend into the morassive blur.

The mere willingness — even as slow as it can go — to persist with even one forward action in the plan/project/program/purpose is what sets apart the visionaries from the dreamers.

It’s a stand we take to not be deterred, any way, any how.

If you haven’t yet, see the movie “Founder” about Ray Kroc and the building of McDonalds. Though you may have some issues with how it came about, or what has resulted in the end, the story is one of inspiration and possibility when we take each, successive step vs stop.

What one, simple step can you put forth in your plan/project/program/purpose today?

I’m making The Back Forty Re-NEW-ALL Program below FREE for those who have been affected by any recent storm, firestorm or personal tragedy. It’s all about taking a pro-active stance, in the face of devastation, to point ourselves toward our next and best life to come. Please forward this to those it can support, and have them simply reply email me with their situation.

Got persist-stance?

“Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable.” –Paramahansa Yogananda

The post October 18, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“This too shall pass.” –Unknown

Though the short phrase above cannot be traced specifically to one source (e.g., Sufi fable, Jewish folklore, King Soloman), it has permeated wisdom literature throughout history and across cultures.

From poets to politicians, these words have been offered to support people in feeling less sad when they are, and, alternatively, less giddy when they are.

Of course, they don’t do much in the moment of highest devastation, and grieving is a necessary process.

They simply remind us that life will and does continue unimpeded by any momentary local infraction of our peace. So, the challenging coworker, the unexpected loss, the forced new direction…all can and will ultimately be forgotten.

Take action to right the wrongs, sure. Grab those bootstraps and lift ourselves up, you bet. Lend a helping hand, absolutely.

Somehow, after the necessary tears, remembering we still have a future to build upon the ashes portends better times.

Weirdly enough, research into wildfires shows that the extreme heat causes enormous amounts of seeds to fall, covering the forest floor. In time, a new forest grows upon the nutritous ash. Fire is a natural part of forest regeneration, and forest trees need to be exposed to fire every 50-100 years to invigorate new growth.

Making light of no particular tragedy, yet perhaps a metaphor for life?

I’m making The Back Forty Re-NEW-ALL Program below FREE for those who have been affected by any recent storm, firestorm or personal tragedy. It’s all about taking a pro-active stance, in the face of devastation, to point ourselves toward our next and best life to come. Please forward this to those it can support, and have them simply reply email me with their situation.

Got new growth?

“All in good time, my pretty. All in good time.” –Wicked Witch of the West

The post October 11, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“The most important question you can ever ask is if the world is a friendly place.” –Albert Einstein

That seemingly simple question posed by Einstein determines everything.

When the unexpected layoff happens, when our life is irreversibly shifted by the actions of another, or when unforeseen tragedy occurs, it’s real easy to answer “No!”

Yet, this is the only real choice time we have…because when things are just clicking along, we’re generally not even present to the question. Life is just life.

“Choice time”, therefore, is the wake up call to really and consciously choose.

What’s it gonna be? Neither choice is ultimately “true”, yet our active choosing makes it our truth…which nobody can take away from us, no matter what.

There is an old story about three baseball umpires in the locker room, discussing their respective skill at calling strikes and balls over the plate.

The younger, less experienced umpire says “I call them the way I see them.”

The slightly more experienced umpire says “I call them the way they are.”

The eldest, more veteran umpire says “They ain’t nothin’ until I call them.”

How are you going to call it?

I’m making The Back Forty Re-NEW-ALL Program below FREE for those who have been affected by any recent storm or personal tragedy. It’s all about taking a pro-active stance, in the face of devastation, to point ourselves toward our next and best life to come. Please forward this to those it can support, and have them simply reply email me with their situation.

Got calling it?

“The sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it’s here is up to us.” –Alexandra Elle

The post October 4, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

“Patience is the calm acceptance that things can happen in a different order than the one you have in mind.” –David G. Allen

All along the path of having the good idea, tapping into the visionary inspiration, or even getting the fully-fleshed-out plan in place, we face what continues even as we move forward: patience for the process to unfold.

Petulant children “want it now”…and, often, so do we.

A Course in Miracles says “Only infinite patience produces immediate results.”

As ironic as it seems, as we most come closest to the fulfillment of those grand initiatives–in our work, our family, our projects, our dreams–we are best served by an Instant Messenger: “Patience!”

American writer Ursula Le Guin says “It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”

When training for marathons years ago, I was impressed by a bit of wisdom that runners operate by: run through the finish line tape, not to it.

Where today can you remember that the joy is in the whole process, not only the end result?

I’m making The Back Forty Re-NEW-ALL Program below FREE for those who have been affected by any recent storm, or even any particular personal tragedy. It’s all about taking a pro-active stance, in the face of devastation, to point ourselves toward our next and best life to come. Please forward this to those it can support, and have them simply reply email me with their situation.

Got IM patience?

“Without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically, rush and more usually mean less.” –Mother Theresa

The post September 27, 2017 – TGIW JOLT Note appeared first on CareerGuy.com.