I read this book in a trait. Here is the main question being answered by the author: Why stress is good for you, and how to get good at it?

This new view of stress is the result of the work of Stanford psychologist and award winning teacher Kelly Mcgonugal, PHD.

They say all the time: stress is bad. It causes diseases. What if you change your mind and picture stress as being able to make you happier, healthier, and better able to reach your goals.

Kelly Mcgonugal  invites us to embrace stress as part of our wellbeing, and capitalize on the benefits of stress which is not always harmful, and in many cases makes us stronger, smarter, and happier.

In his book, Mcgonugal combines science, and the art of storytelling to lead us not to get stressed about stress.

“If you have butterflies in your stomach, invite them into your heart,” she says.

Stress is helpful and should be accepted, utilized, and embraced.

Stress is not the enemy. It is the combination of stress and the belief that stress is harmful that kill people.

How you think about stress matters. Your attitude towards stress influences its impact.

Changing your mind about stress can make you healthier and happier. How you change about stress affects everything from your cardiovascular health to your ability to find meaning in life.

The best way to manage stress insn’t to reduce or avoid it, but rather to rethink and even embrace it.

The goal is not to get rid of our stress, but to make sure we’re better at stress and make it our friend instead of our enemy.

This is an opportunity to better understand ourselves and those around us.

How do you cope with stress? How do you deal with stress? 

Feel free to share.

Roosevelt

I attended a funeral yesterday in Fort-Lauderdale. It was a very simple ceremony with very simple people who were mourning their loved mother, sister, and friend in a very simple way.

It was joyful, besides the sorrow, the grief, and the sadness of the moment.

I just met Jenny through business connections two months ago. I visited her mother, the deceased, at the hospital last week. And yesterday, I had an opportunity to be with her whole family sharing their tears and – at moments- laughs.

Since the passing of my father last year, I have been reflecting more and more on the inevitability of illness and mortality as sources of suffering in our lives. I have been paying attention on how those in such dire situations react and respond.

In this perspective, I have learned a lot from Jenny. She is a petite, young woman. But the size of her resilience, commitment, empathy, and compassion is immeasurable.

Despite these adversities, Jenny remain firm and maintain her composure.

I have also learned the art of friendship . It is marveled by those around you who help make your burden lighter. I had discovered Neidji, and Taneisha, Jenny’s friends, who have been there for her, and her family, caring, cooking, hugging, smiling….

Hard times knit us more closely together. This funeral is perhaps the most obvious example of this weaving of our relationships and community together.

The tears, the pain, the sadness, and the grief are signs that we need each other more than we think.

We are all vulnerable. We need help. We need comfort and kindness. We just need others more than we think.

I am sad to share my sincere condoleances to you Jenny, your family and friends at this moment understanding that after the pain, the joy and the fulfillment of life will be back.

Be well.

Roosevelt

I discovered what Doral stands for last Thursday. I was on my way to the restroom when I saw this marble sculpture in the lobby of the City Hall building while attending a business event with the Doral Chamber of Commerce. 

The story below is a copy and paste from the Chamber website http://www.doralchamber.org. The beautiful pictures are mine.

Doral, incorporated on June 24, 2003, in one of thirty-four municipalities in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Conveniently located just one mile from Miami International Airport and twelve miles from Downtown Miami, this City is home to approximately 29,685 residents and regularly hosts in excess of 100,000 people who work within the City. 

The City of Doral occupies a land area of 15 square miles bordered on the west by the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, to the north by the Town of Medley, to the east by the Palmetto Expressway and to the South by the City of Sweetwater.The City of Doral has operated under the Mayor-Council-Manager form of government since incorporation. Policymaking and legislative authority are vested in a governing council consisting of the mayor and four other council members. The Council, which is elected at large, is responsible among other things, for passing ordinances and resolutions, adopting the annual budget, appointing the City Manager, City Clerk and City Attorney. The City Manager is responsible for carrying out the policies and ordinances of the Council, for overseeing the daily operations of the government, and for appointing the heads of various departments.

The City of Doral offers a wide range of services through its departments including the Office of the City Manager, Office of the City Clerk, Finance From Everglades to Industrial Center to Hometown – The City of Doral. (Based on information provided by Ciudad Doral article written by Cindy Rodriguez-Pereira)

The City of Doral has come a very long way in a very short time and is attracting positive attention from Fortune 100 corporations, mom-and-pop businesses, young families and retirees. More and more people are choosing Doral every day – For all the right reasons!

I attended this business meeting in Doral, Florida, this Thursday morning.

Mayor Bermudez and his team kicked off this new year  Business Start  Up Series on “How to grow a Successful Business in Doral.”

The gathering was held in partnership with the Doral Chamber of Commerce, led by businessman Manny Sarmiento.

Sarmiento, President/CEO of the Chamber of Doral, introduced Mayor Bermudez, who told the audience “business is a key component of Doral’s community.”

Mayor Bermudez told me, in a short conversation after his presentation, “Doral is in competition with South East Broward (Miramar) and South West Dade (Coral) Gables to attract business.”

He mentioned traffic as a key issue with highways 826 and 836 as a “blessing and a curse.”

But Doral ‘s competitive advantage resides in its diversed descent Hispanic cultural background with a lot of hungry for opportunity newcomers from Venezuela, and Cuban descents, and other nationals.

Questions were raised about Homeowners Association’s participation in the new landscape of the city.

“HA’s should get more involved to raise their concerns and participate in their vision and fabric of the community,” the mayor said.

I had the opportunity to network with some entrepreneurs and business managers. 

Economic Development’s team of the City presented processes to do business in Doral, permits, zoning, planning… do’s and dont’s … accumulated wisdoms to become successful in their business venture. 

“Doral is booming,” Manny Sarmiento and his colleague Carmen Lopez at the Chamber said. 

“We have real people ready to meet you, and to make it easier for you to succeed. Your individual success will grow Doral as a great success,” they said mentioning the Chamber was founded in 2008 to provide education’s tool for business.

The Chamber holds regular training session on social media, email marketing, negotiation.

Manny told me the Chamber will initiate some soft-skills, personal, and professional development series. 

And as a speaker and leadership coach myself, I am excited to have shared some contents and areas of cooperation with several other entrepreneurs and the Chamber’s leaders to help Doral’s business community and members to live the life they’ve always wanted.

For more info: http://www.cityofdoral.com

Www.doralchamber.org

Winston Churchill said “never, never give up!” But, to really live the life you’ve always wanted, you will have to give up some old, destructive behaviors and develop new habits.

It is said “bad habits are easy to form but hard to live with. Good habits are hard to form, but easy to live with.”

Blogger Zdravko Cvijetic, educator, posted on his platform 13 things you need to give up to become a top-performer in life by mastering your habits and productivity and use it to build a personal brand.

You can give up on some of them today, while it might take a bit longer to give up on others.

1. Give up on the unhealthy lifestyle

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”  — Jim Rohn

Healthy Diet. Physical Activity. Rest. 

2. Give up the short-term mindset

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” Mae West

3. Give up on playing small

“Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” 

— Marianne Williamson

4. Give up your excuses

“It’s not about the cards you’re dealt, but how you play the hand.” ―Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

5. Give up the fixed mindset

“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.” ―Robert Greene, Mastery

6. Give up believing in the “magic bullet”

“Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.”  — Émile Coué

7. Give up perfectionism

Nothing will ever be perfect, no matter how much we try.

8. Give up multi-tasking

Being fully present and committed to one task, is indispensable.

9. Give up your need to control everything

“Some things are up to us, and some things are not up to us.”  — Epictetus, Stoic philosopher

10. Give up on saying YES to things that don’t support your goals

“He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much; he who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.”  — James Allen

11. Give up the toxic people

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” ―Jim Rohn

12. Give up your need to be liked

“The only way to avoid pissing people off is to do nothing important.”  — Oliver Emberton

13. Give up your dependency on social media and television

“The trouble is, you think you have time.”  — Jack Kornfield

Read the original content

 God bless,

Roosevelt

Yt

I just read this story about cultivating the right habits to become a millionaire. I am excited to share them with you.

Please, let me know which one you like best. And which one you are committed to develop day in and day out. You Read the original article here.

I’ll be glad to post to comment.

God bless,

Roosevelt

I just read this excerpt from a sermon by St. Augustine (Sermo 256, I.2.3.: PL 38, 1191-1193) in the Roman Office of Readings this Saturday  in my morning prayer.This is the 34th week of ordinary time, which is the last day of the liturgical year . The letter of Jude is the accomapnying biblical reading.

I am delighted to share with you this sermon of St Augustine, commonly recognized as the great teacher in the Western Church between the New Testament and St. Thomas Aquinas, as a response to our ongoing anxious state.

 

“Why do we now live in anxiety?,” asked Saint Augustine.

“Can you expect me not to feel anxious when I read: Is not man’s life on earth a time of trial? Can you expect me not to feel anxious when the words still ring in my ears: watch and pray that you will not be put to the test? Can you expect me not to feel anxious when there are so many temptations here below that prayer itself reminds us of them, when we say: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us?”, he kept asking.

“Every day we make our petitions, every day we sin. Do you want me to feel secure when I am daily asking pardon for my sins, and requesting help in time of trial? Because of my past sins I pray: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and then because of the perils still before me, I immediately go on to add: Lead us not into temptation. How can all be well with people who are crying out with me: Deliver us from evil? And yet, brothers, while we are still in the midst of this evil, let us sing alleluia to the good God who delivers us from evil.”

“Even here amidst trials and temptations let us, let all men, sing alleluia. God is faithful, says holy Scripture, and he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength. So let us sing alleluia, even here on earth. Man is still a debtor, but God is faithful. Scripture does not say that he will not allow you to be tried, but that he will not allow you to be tried beyond your strength.”

“Whatever the trial, he will see you through it safely, and so enable you to endure. You have entered upon a time of trial but you will come to no harm—God’s help will bring you through it safely. You are like a piece of pottery, shaped by instruction, fired by tribulation. When you are put into the oven therefore, keep your thoughts on the time when you will be taken out again; for God is faithful, and he will guard both your going in and your coming out.”

“But in the next life, when this body of ours has become immortal and incorruptible, then all trials will be over. Your body is indeed dead, and why? Because of sin. Nevertheless, your spirit lives, because you have been justified. Are we to leave our dead bodies behind then? By no means. Listen to the words of holy Scripture: If the Spirit of him who raised Christ from the dead dwells within you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your own mortal bodies. At present your body receives its life from the soul, but then it will receive it from the Spirit.”

“O the happiness of the heavenly alleluia, sung in security, in fear of no adversity! We shall have no enemies in heaven, we shall never lose a friend. God’s praises are sung both there and here, but here they are sung in anxiety, there, in security; here they are sung by those destined to die, there, by those destined to live for ever; here they are sung in hope, there, in hope’s fulfillment; here they are sung by wayfarers, there, by those living in their own country.”

“So, then, my brothers, let us sing now, not in order to enjoy a life of leisure, but in order to lighten our labors. You should sing as wayfarers do—sing, but continue your journey. Do not be lazy, but sing to make your journey more enjoyable. Sing, but keep going. What do I mean by keep going? Keep on making progress. This progress, however, must be in virtue; for there are some, the Apostle warns, whose only progress is in vice. If you make progress, youwill be continuing your journey, but be sure that your progress is in virtue, true faith and right living. Sing then, but keep going.”

 

I had a business walking and bonding meeting with a friend this morning. It was fun, entertaining, and offered us a deeper connection and foundation to build relationships and business.

I enjoyed walking and listening to Life Leadership Personal Development audios.

This morning, I had an opportunity to walk, and listen to a live talk from my friend who told me her success story, her dreams, her struggles, and victories.

She is a great speaker, and I am a good listener. This made our walking exercice an exceptional moment.

“Walking is the best thing for human bonding since the smile,” said blogger Melissa Balmain from the Leadership Platform, a feature of the Total Personal Development program offered by Life Leadership, a premier leadership and personal development company, I presented to my friend.

It was cool this Saturday morning. Kids were everywhere. Walkers came and went in a debonair atmosphere. And we walked, talked, sat, watched the birds perching on the ripples effect of the pond.

This walking meeting loosened our tongues. When I asked my friend “what’s a perfect day for her?”

She poured her hands gestures into the air to tell me “A day with no worries, with no pending transaction.”

The oxygen-induced brain boost we’re getting from exercise (which has been studied, and reported by Melissa Balmain) helps get our words rolling.

My friend wants to keep her mind with her up to her 90’s. That’s why she said when “I feel stressed and overwhelmed, I interrupt myself, to laugh, to sing, to dance, and get back to my problems with renewed energy.”

This walking and talking moment was a form of travel. It built a fantastic rapport up to a point my friend told me she is so grateful in her life above all for her daughter that she’s not afraid of death.

“My daughter is there for me to see myself, to finish what I have started,” she said adding “I’m like Moses.”

This was an ordinary walk, but an extraordinary talk. It required no money, but just our presence, and care for one other.

It was just two people enjoying many perks of a shared conversation in an ambiance of interesting sights and sounds.

That’s why I like what I do for a living as a connector, and LIFE member. I make friends, find needs, and transfer feelings.

I help my friends, with their permission, to live the life they’ve always wanted by connecting them with a community of like minded people who enjoy having fun, making money, and making a difference.

That fires me up!

God bless,

Roosevelt