February Image Directory

Wrapping up the month of February, here’s a quick screen shot review of the month’s news. Let me know which ones you like the most. Thanks for your input, -David M Masters

If you cant think of anything positive to say repeat these words I see what you meanThe Truth and Nothing but the Truth you can be or do anything you wantBe or Do Anything You Want When lightning strikes will yu be readyWhen Lightning Strikes Will You Be Ready?
When facing a desperate situation rise to the challenge change growthWhat Do You Do When Facing Difficulty? You already have everything you will ever need embrace it take actionThink You’re Not Good Enough? Who am I having an objective opinion about ones self is the first step of wisdomWho Are You?
Go with the flow life as a river raft trip personal spriritual professional businessGoing With the Flow Coaching Truth

February 2016 wrap up images

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth

you cant handle the truthLet’s talk about truth…

What is truth? What does that mean to you?

How can you know whether something is true, or not?

When someone asserts an absolute, its easy to question the credibility of the messenger as well as the veracity of the message.

For anything to be true, it must be based on fact(s) and/or based in reality; though a truth could also be based on collective beliefs based on much less fact and/or reality as it is known. Truth can also be either subjective or objective.

The measure of truth highly depends on the information that is available for evaluating the prospective truth based on the perspective of the investigator.

In my own life, I have asserted many things as absolute truths based on my valuation of the material that was available at the time. Interestingly, I have lived long enough to discover that many of the things that I believed to be true, based on information that was available (or that I was fed) at the time, required reevaluation as new information came to light.

Truth in its highest form would be absolute, but who are we to assert that we could be the authority on anything? One truth about truth is, “seek and you will find.” As long as there is a quest for the truth with a desire to come to a particular outcome, some searcher, somewhere, sometime will derive the conclusion sought.

Yet, we are responsible to seek and maintain our own truths as we travel along this life’s journey; it is a sacred gift, not bestowed on other life forms on this planet. The key is to be open to the idea that truth is a moving target, ever evolving, as we observe, grow and gather information along our individual paths.

The truth, then, is as varied as we are; each of us determining our own truths from moment to moment.

What if someone does not ascribe to our idea of what is true about a particular idea or concept?

This is where one should practice the wisdom of decorum. If you maintain the belief that an idea that is true, yet it is clearly not accepted by the masses, you must proceed with caution and good judgment out of respect for your potential audience.

You are absolutely right What you believe is true Keep sharing your light with those who can hear youPeople are not able to hear any message or see anything without a proper sense of congruency to have an intellectual connection with your idea (cognitive dissonance).

Anytime someone shares an idea that I experience cognitive dissonance with, I say:

“Thank you for sharing. You are absolutely right. What you believe is true. Keep sharing your light with those who can hear you.”

If you cant think of anything positive to say repeat these words I see what you mean

If I can decipher enough congruency to get a grip on what they are trying to say form their perspective, and I am unable to find an appropriate positive or uplifting response, I simply say:

“I see what you mean.”

This allows my mind to consider understanding what the person is saying from their point of view at some time in the future.

It always amazes me, when I hear a concept – that upon the initial discovery of the idea – I find hard to believe; but, if I do not violently reject it and allow new information to be gathered and evaluated over time, the concept may begin to appear more credible. The new idea starts to become visible and possibly more credible than other ideas that I held closely previously. This concept may create a challenge for comprehension based on its conflict with old ideas in light of new information or discoveries, ergo anything is possible.

I find solace in the precept that all truth resides within the truth continuum, and that all of it, whether previously thought to be true or presently, even if only held to be true by a single individual, resides within the truth continuum. Therefore, anything and everything thought to be true, just is.

Keep an open mind. Don’t judge others for where they are in the truth continuum and do not overtly assert your ideas. Share openly but humbly, allowing your audience the opportunity to let your idea(s) sink in as they begin to collect more information, possibly challenging things that they once revered as absolute.

Debate is folly and overwhelm causes others to discard any value that your message might have.

Share compassionately, and don’t waste your efforts on those who cannot possibly comprehend what you are trying to say, but never stop… Those with the ears to hear will hear you.

I’m listening… Are you?

 

Be or Do Anything You Want

I’ve been in the business of helping others achieve their highest and best most of my life, it’s my life’s mission and it permeates everything that I do or say; it is who I am. I am so thankful that I was raised in an environment at a time when everything was questioned and I was given carte blanche for personal freedom and expression… and I reveled in it.

Momma always told me I could be or do anything I want (as long as I didn’t terrorize my younger brother or burn the house down).

Early on, I knew that I was a more sensitive, loving and caring person and I preferred the company of others who shared and contrasted my personal views, keeping an open mind, maintaining a certain set of beliefs while allowing others to share their views without ridicule and encouraging them to continue to share their ideas with all who can hear them. (Even at an early age, I knew that it would be a waste of time to share ideas with someone who could not understand what you were trying to say.)

you can be or do anything you wantLater in life, people referred to me as a “manifestor” for my ability to make any idea or passion come to life. People think that I am a fearless and masterful creator, when in reality, I am just like anyone else – maybe more inhibited, self-conscious and/or frightened – but refuse to let anything get in between me and my desires. So, I find the wherewithal to man-up and do what I have to do to make a thought (or dream) a reality.

People are drawn to me in search of their “reason for being” on this planet, like I would know the answer. Truth is, if you’re like me (and you are), you are accomplishing your life’s mission every day, though you may not realize it. All you have to do is to look back at your life and review (amongst other things):

• What kinds of people are attracted to me?
• What kinds of assistance do I offer others?
• What activities have brought me the greatest sense of pleasure?
• What do I love to dream or fantasize about?

This will give you an idea about what your purpose is (you can’t help but do it, even if suppressed).

In this moment it is occurring to you that you are not completely in-tune with your specific calling, certainly you could do better, and you can. You have all the skills necessary to perform at a higher level of effectiveness as you were born with the ability to be your highest and best.

You may be feeling the social twinge related to the idea, “but I have bills to pay…” Not a problem; nobody’s asking you to quit the life that you’ve built for yourself ‘til now. This is not the time for reckless abandon. But it is the time to start performing your divine function (I refer to it as my ministry) at a higher level, moonlighting part-time, and you will notice something amazing to begin to take place.

The things that you thought were only far away, distant dreams, without the possibility of being realized for you, will begin to appear, first as possibilities, then as you continue to do your work… will become more and more attracted to your current circumstance.

Then before you know it, your dream (the first of many) has come true as you realize the you can be or do anything you want. This is true self-empowerment, becoming the creator you were meant to be. After a while people will begin to call you a manifestor, and you can help others to do likewise.

Becoming your highest and best… Making all your dreams come true… Will prove to others that they can do the same… even better. That’s a gift only you can give.

Help others to believe that anything is possible.

When Lightning Strikes, Will You Be Ready?

Lightning strikes the earth 100 times every second. In the same way, potential moments of mass impact strike our lives; like lightning, we never know when or where it will strike.

Will you be ready when lightning strikes?

When lightning strikes will yu be readyI have been coaching about lightning preparedness since (edited) for a long time. Not the electrical discharges from above so much as the sudden impact of life-changing opportunity that we as planetary participants are infrequently but abruptly struck by without notice.

These lightning strikes come, generally, in two varieties; tragedy and potential good fortune. My life has been struck by both, and I’ll bet yours has, too. And chances are we will be struck again. Will we be ready?

Andy Warhol was not far off by asserting that everyone would have their 15 minutes of fame, exactly what happens when one is struck by the media lightning strike.

In terms of good fortune, if your desire is to use the lightning strike to your advantage, you must be prepared to jump and bounce the exposure to a higher level, thereby increasing the sudden impact. This enables you to convert the strike into a wave that can be ridden for a longer duration.

If you have your ducks in a row (or stacked correctly) when lightning strikes… you will have your duck feathers everywhere!

(Oh, that was bad, Masters: Bad Masters!)

Whatever your ducks represent, they are different for every person.

I work with a lot of authors, so let’s use them as an example. At the very least, an author – or potential author – must have a written book proposal for their latest book idea(s). It is not enough to have it all in your head; you must have your book proposal in written (printed and electronic) form and have the ability to access it within minutes (if not seconds).

So, when lightning strikes…

BREAKING NEWS

“I’m Rikki Number with KNOW News, live on the scene where the Space Needle was struck by lightning and has collapsed into its footprint…”

The reporter, with book proposal in hand continues, “Author, Jane Dough, whose upcoming book ‘My Last Romance in Seattle’ is soon to be released, witnessed the tragedy. Miss Dough, please tell us what you saw…”

“Well, I was on my way to meet with the artist who is working on the cover art for my latest book and I saw this bright flash of light that lit up the whole sky, and the earth shook, like a bomb went off…”

No one can know when or where lightning will strike, but if you are always in a state of preparedness, you can bounce the impact of the briefest moment to your benefit.

Without, the book proposal in hand, Jane Dough would have just been another generic passerby. Being an author increases her credibility in front of the news cameras, and because she was my client, she already had her-name-dot-com (Masters’ Branding 101) heated up and ready for the impact (potentially crashing the server from all the instantaneous heavy traffic).

This little piece of prose fiction is just to inspire your imagination. You know, beyond the shadow of doubt, that it happens every day – especially if you watch the news with any regularity – and this is just one idea.

You can probably think of examples (likely not as exaggerated as my example) that have happened to you, or someone you know.

These kinds of lightning strikes happen far more often than the electrical discharges from our atmosphere.

Ask yourself: Am I Ready?

If not, you best begin preparation today. Isn’t NOW the best time to get ‘er done? Do it now.

What Do You Do When Facing Difficulty?

Granted, most of the time, we do our best to go with the flow but invariably while on our journey (any journey; whether of love, life, or other pursuits) we find ourselves in a bit of a quandary. Drama, some unforeseen circumstance, tragedy or challenge has reared its ugly head; and there we are in the eye of the storm.

What are you going to do?

Based on time and circumstance, you options vary but in most cases – when reviewing my options – I will consider taking a more difficult approach to managing a dilemma, only IF… I can anticipate a better outcome or achieve growth through the more challenging solution for dealing with a problem.

When facing a desperate situation rise to the challenge change growthSometimes, I will take a more ambitious path to resolution, if I foresee more potential positive results and/or significant improvement in the quality of life for others.

Fortunately, I have had the opportunity (as have many of my contemporaries) to face difficult challenges – head on – and successfully survived the ordeal with enough integrity to grow personally and professionally; and having survived the ordeal has resulted in continued blessing and support for others and the community at large.

When facing a desperate situation, rise to the challenge and embrace the change that leads to growth.

Many of my clients and friends have found themselves face-to-face with the most challenging of circumstance. It is no accident, when they encounter potentially disastrous peril that they have a small team of core individuals whom they can consult prior to engaging in battle.

Based on your base personality type, you will either have a natural inclination to lean toward an aggressive approach or a passive approach to problem-solving. The wise world walker consults with his mastermind team to evaluate possible outcomes before engaging in battle to determine what would be the best tactics to use to achieve the greatest results.

Just like real-life combat, one cannot prognosticate the exact outcome(s) of a particular strategy, but you can – especially with the third-party perspectives of trusted individuals – formulate an effective game plan supporting your goals and values.

My personality leans toward the passive (while some of my contemporaries are always locked and loaded running into any situation with guns blazing), but when confronting a desperate situation, I will man-up and self-sacrificially suit-up in full regalia to protect my family, loved-ones and in some cases, the world at large.

To some, they are truly surprised when they witness the focusing of my attention and resources on a particular battlefront, though they (witnesses, or my opponent) did not realize that I possess, “a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career*,” that can be extremely effective on the battlefield. On the other hand, others may only have known me for my skills in battle.

My personal armory – and my friends’ armories – is not known by all; yours also should be kept private, acquiring and utilizing each weapon judiciously as it is needed either for challenges that you face, or on the behalf of others that may need your assistance in the future.

And each desperate situation that you face, gives you more confidence in the face of fear, the more you engage in courageous confrontations with strength and honor.

* = Liam Neeson in Taken

Think You’re Not Good Enough? It’s no surprise

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m not good enough.” or even worse, “You’re not good enough.”?

It never ceases to amaze me that people are so inclined to accept the idea that they are unworthy or unable to do the thing that they are compelled to desire due to previous programming and mob mentality.

Why would someone want you not to achieve your highest and best?

You already have everything you will ever need embrace it take actionThis is one of the components of what I refer to as, “The Biggest Conspiracy,” which includes a method for society to control a growing population with the ability to herd and manipulate them with as little effort expended.

One way to do this is to conceive of and promote a culture and system(s) of belief in order to have the members of your society to be easily manipulated en masse. If you’re setting up this culture and, let’s assume that you are one of the more wealthy individuals in your society; as such, you may like to control the individuals who maintain a certain degree of wealth within your society.

In this way, you can create two divisions within your society, which could be referred to as leaders-and-followers, royalty-and-worker-bees, rich-and-poor, etc… and if you would like to be considered a progressive or “free” society, create a system to support the poor folks who might aspire to be not-so-poor folks.

Create colleges and universities to create (and control) the income-earning ability of the individuals within your society, and by all means, lead them to believe that if an individual does not have the proper advanced schooling, they are not qualified to aspire to anything beyond a mediocre working wage or position within your society.

To make this system even more effective, create information sharing components or media that will allow you to communicate messages to your society with as little delay as possible. Having control of the media (which should be wielded by slight-of-hand; certainly you would not want your subjects to actually think that you were controlling it) will allow you to quickly manipulate the mindset of the society as a whole.

I could go on for hours – and I don’t mean to over-simplify – but you must know that these illusionary tactics don’t really work because there’s something inside of you (even the smallest, most sincere whisper) that is telling you, “This is not right.”

That inner voice is telling you the truth. You are a child of God (interpret that anyway that you want) living on a planet full of resources and you – Yes You – are the most valuable resource of all. You came to this planet with a specific purpose and message to share.

And the truth is, you would not have had the thought that a thing could be possible for you, if it wasn’t. In fact, I believe that if you were given a thought of a possible future for you, it is actually a clear vision of the future, if only you could remove whatever stands between where you are in this moment and the vision that you have been given.

Enter the sociological programming and self-doubt, “I’m not educated,” worthy, don’t come from a rich family; don’t have political connections, blah, blah, blah…

You already have everything you will ever need to get you from where you are to where you want to be; if you will only embrace it and take action on it.

Isn’t it time you considered opting out of the herd?

Think about it… as you read these words, you know that it is true; there is a better life out there waiting for you.

Who Are You?

What do you want to be known for?

Isn’t it time that you started thinking about how you would like to be known or remembered for? What would you like people to say about you after you’re gone?

Now is the time to start establishing yourself as the person you’d like to be known as.

You’re a wise world walker and as such, you have the ability to see and perceive things unencumbered by the social restrictions that confine other earthlings with limiting beliefs.

Who am I having an objective opinion about ones self is the first step of wisdomThe first step in establishing the person that you would like to become is to take stock of where you are currently. Evaluate how you see yourself, how others think about you, and if possible, try to get honest third-party perceptions about the kind of person you are.

Having an objective opinion about one’s self is the first step of wisdom.

I’m a list person, so I would suggest getting a piece of paper and start jotting down what other people’s opinions of you are as well as how you think others might perceive you objectively.

We tend to see ourselves from within and consider the person who we are to be the most intimate and trusted person we know. We know our thoughts, motivations and inner feelings. So, we know how deeply we feel about certain people, circumstances and topics but no one outside ourselves knows how we feel.

Decide which inner feelings you’d like to have recognized for by your family, peers, coworkers, community and possibly the world at large.

So, here’s the next list: Who I Want to be known as?

Go ahead; go crazy. This is your life. The impression you leave on others is all that remains of your life’s journey.

It might help to relax and imagine what you might like to hear people saying about you at your funeral (avoiding the morbidity of the idea). You need not go as far as writing your own eulogy, though some people like doing this as part of the process.

This is not a one-time affair. The wise world walker is constantly evaluating his or her life, being aware of where they are in their journey and intentionally putting their sights on other destinations to engage with.

As a matter of fact, as I write these words, I too, am reflecting deeply… and have just uncovered something that brought me to tears. Though too intimate to share publicly, the basis of it is simply:

I have sincere, deep feelings about something.

The public (exterior) sense of others might have no idea about how passionately I feel about this thing.

If I ask myself, “Would I like to be remembered for how I feel?” or, “Would I like the world to know how I feel?” and the answer is, “Yes.” Then I have a great deal of work to do.

It is not always comfortable work – and in most cases it is not – but thank God you have the wherewithal to realize the separation that exists between

where the perception of you lies

and

what you would like to have known about you.

Your challenge – if you decide to accept it – is to think of ways that your true, authentic self can be seen by others and start taking action.

Who are you?

Let people know who you are.

I want to know you for everything that you would like to be remembered for.

Don’t just tell me; show me.

Going With the Flow

I work with a wide variety of clients with just as varied philosophies and levels of personal and professional acumen. In my attempts to reach out to them – to help make their lives more efficient and/or effective – invariably we encounter obstacles along the way.

In every case, there are at least two options involving making a decision to attempt to deal with the problem or circumstance. It is my preference to evaluate the situation from as many perspectives as possible before taking action (if time and circumstance allows), weighing the available data and deciding to take the action that offers the least resistance.

Go with the flow life as a river raft trip personal spiritual professional business akiyoko photo
If life was a raft, you’d make it so much farther downstream in less time, by letting the current do most of the work.

If one approaches his or her life as a river rafting trip and thinks of the raft as representing one’s life or business, then you are more able to disassociated yourself from the circumstance enough to more successfully navigate the journey and allowing the flow of the water carry you to your destination.

In the same way that we use conservation to protect valuable resources and reduce waste, we need to approach problem-solving, navigating our business and lives by expending the least amount of effort to gain the greatest reward or impact. You want to conserve your strength for what might lay ahead, only using the necessary resources to get you from here to there.

Yet, the river’s flow and the terrain surprises you with what may be lying around the next bend (especially if you haven’t navigated a river trip, like the one you are currently taking).

Some, if not most, of your river rafting trip will not be torrential and you will be able to drift along enjoying your scenic oneness with all that is.

I am blessed to be invited to join others on their river rafting journey and it is my life’s ministry to offer my perspective to others to help maximize their efforts along the way.

Whether the trip is a personal, professional or spiritual one, my calling is to help others achieve their highest and best. This journey – whatever shape or form it takes – requires effort and resources to get from here to there; thoughtful conservation of energy and resources involved the management of your cache to increase the effectiveness of your time spent in the flow.

Find ways to go with the flow. Ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my efforts and resources at this time?”

You may find (if you’re able to remove yourself from the anxiety of the current perceived situation or crisis) that in some cases, little or no action may be necessary, because even though it looks like you’re hurdling straight for that rock… the flow of the river’s current will guide you around it.

Sometimes your choice to go to the left of the rock – or the right of the rock – can directly impact what lies ahead. The rock may represent anything, a life challenge, business opportunity, marketing approach or financial decision. Using a T Chart or having a co-pilot can be extremely effective.

A wise person uses the technological resources available to best navigate the journey. Although this approach may be offensive to the purist, I would embrace having lookouts with binoculars connected to me via a wireless headset to assist in navigation, if possible. (Just sayin’.)

In any case, be open and willing to take no action, if necessary and enjoy the thrill of the ride.

Coaching Truth

You may know me by my work at Olympia Life Coach, or you might have taken any of my many classes or been trained and certified as a Life Coach by me, and if you have, you’ve heard me refer to the “truth matrix” at one time or another.

Having a grasp of the truth continuum can be extremely valuable in the way you interact with your life coaching clientele. In this business, you never know who is going to walk in your door and what condition they might be in.

Remembering that you’re in the business of helping someone do the best they can with what they have is of primary importance. You are not here to educate, train, or convince anyone of anything. Other experts in various modalities are called to ministries which persuade people to do or think in certain ways, but the life coach is there to support the client, period.

Clients may be predisposed to any concept of life or belief system. It is not the coach’s job to change what anyone believes, only to accept clients for who they are, believing whatever it is they might believe, without judgment or ridicule.

We do present clients with challenges, and a plethora of “what ifs” in an attempt to encourage clients to look at things from different perspectives, but their reality is solely their own, and we encourage them to make their own decisions supporting them all the way (unless it comes to a point where it becomes a conflict of interest, then you can refer them to another coach).

This is where the idea of the truth continuum comes in handy, as the truth continuum assumes that whatever the client thinks, or says is somewhere inside the truth continuum, even if it sounds contradictory to anything you might believe as being true.

The truth continuum honors the right of any client to believe anything they want and enables you to support them 100% in whatever they long to accomplish in their life without judgment or criticism.

Of course, all life coaches are not created equal, and no two are the same. You are encouraged to specialize in particular areas of expertise. For instance, there was a time when I specialized in drug and alcohol addictions. Since those early days, I have moved on to other areas of expertise.

When someone approaches me, who desires coaching regarding alcohol or drug addictions today, I refer them to another Olympia Life Coach who specializes in that particular area.

I stay focused on the vibration of the areas of coaching which resonate with me at the time.

Certainly, if I am working with a client who encounters a bridge which must be crossed to better approach the goals and ideals which he or she is working on, I can reach into my cache of previous specializations if we can keep moving ahead without any loss of momentum. If it requires a more long-term commitment, again, I am likely to refer my client to another coach specializing in that area.

My client is welcome to either maintain the work with both coaches, each working in their area(s) of expertise, or alternatively to return following the other work which may cause conflict with their primary focus.

This is the beauty of working with many other coaches, counselors, and consultants in my practice at Olympia Life Coach.

If you’re interested in joining the team at OLC, contact me and I will see what we can do.

Your Bright Future

Once you realize you have come on the planet with a purpose, that you are endowed with tremendous capacities, powers, and qualities, you have the unique opportunity to create a bright future, where all your aspirations and dreams come true. Endowed with the power of our minds, we live in a state of infinite possibilities and we have been fully equipped to live our highest potential.

Unlike our physical brain, our mind is one of the most powerful entities in the world bestowed upon us from above. Whether we are conscious of it or not, the power of the human mind can achieve anything and is an incalculable blessing above all other forms of life.

In retrospect, we know that where your life is today is based on the attitudes and choices that you have made in the past. Likewise, the attitudes and choices that you make today determine your future.

When you operate within the laws that govern all that is within this universe, are in harmony and alignment with your purpose, you can begin to realize that you are no longer a pawn in this game of life. Suddenly we no longer consider our life as a problem to be solved but rather as a mystery to be lived and celebrated.

You then can be empowered to take control over all aspects of your life, and how you experience them while enjoying your life’s journey. Once you discover, activate, express and promote your gifts, talents, skills and tend to your highest and best, you can attract the highest and best to you.

This new path can attract whatever you desire into your life. You will begin to see that anything is possible for you both professionally, and personally. Understanding your gifts and talents and how to use them every day allows you to be, do and have whatever you want. If you want a brighter future, think positive thoughts. See the future you desire in your mind’s eye; but don’t stop there. With the power of your imagination, engage all five senses in your visualization. Then prepare to experience your inspired life’s vision, by exploring and taking action at the appropriate times, to make it even better.

By taking a definitive, detailed, explicit approach to focusing on creating your future vision, immutable universal laws begin to attract the ideas, people and circumstances that are in harmony with your desire.

Sometimes, our current situation is the result of seeds that were planted in our past. It is often said, “What is past, is past,” but that is not all that there is to it, especially if we are hindered in any way by our history. It is also said that, “You cannot change the past.” Yet nothing can be further from the truth. We need not be shackled by our past. We can change the past by exercising imaging modalities, so that our past is congruent with our life’s mission and purpose further jettisoning us into our future life of abundance and prosperity.

When you master your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions, you will master your life and your past will not predict your future, unless you allow it to.

David M. Masters is constantly uncovering better ways to help you become the very best you can be. He has the tools to get you from here – to where you want to be.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” –Peter Drucker