News | David M Masters

Norman Konstantin Claassen Obituary

Norman Konstantin Claassen, age 69, passed away on March 18, 2026. He was born on January 14, 1957, in Frankfurt, Germany, to Warren D. Claassen (deceased) and Waltraud Munyan.

Norman was recently united in marriage to his beloved wife, Eydie Angel Forte, on June 25, 2025. Together they made their home in Dupont, Washington, where they had just begun building a new life rooted in faith, love, and shared purpose. Norman was deeply proud of Eydie and her recent accomplishment as a first-time author with the release of her book, The Dark Side of Beauty. He had just begun his second reading at the time of his passing, having remarked after his first, “It would have taken eight years of marriage to know everything I learned about you in that book.” His admiration and support for her inspired him to begin plans to write and publish a book of his own.

Though Norman never had children of his own, he joyfully embraced Eydie’s family as his own. He is survived by his stepsons, Thomas Stephens and Cristopher Stephens (Julie); grandsons Rasaan Stephens (Kaycie), Yisrael Stephens, Sean Stephens, and Trey McDaniel; granddaughters Maya Stephens and Sienna Robinson; great-grandsons Jahkobi Stephens and Arurelio Lowe; and great-granddaughter Amira Lowe.

A devout Christian, Norman lived a life of quiet ministry. He had a deep and abiding love for God and for people—especially those who felt overlooked, burdened, or without resources. Many recall that he would appear at just the right moment in times of difficulty, offering help, wisdom, or provision without fanfare. To some, he seemed like an answered prayer.

Professionally, Norman was a master electronic and electrical technician whose expertise was sought by organizations including the United States Army, Navy, and Coast Guard, National Geographic, the Washington State Department of Corrections, Safeco Field, and Key Arena. His accomplishments were built on a humble Associate of Technical Arts in Electronics from Centralia Community College. Known for his ability to solve complex problems others could not, Norman often created innovative solutions on the spot, freely sharing his work without seeking patents or recognition.

At the time of his passing, Norman served as a Firearms Instructor at Glacier Gun Club in Olympia, Washington, and was an NRA Certified Police Firearms Instructor. His training work supported organizations such as National Geographic, Combined Arms Collective Training Facility, War Fighter Focus, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, as well as training missions involving Special Forces, Marines, Army, Navy SEALs, and others.

Norman was also an accomplished athlete and outdoorsman. He held numerous Washington State, national, and world archery titles between 1988 and 1998 and served as a USA Olympic Archery Coach. As a fast draw competitor, he achieved a record-matching time of 1/200th of a second, tying with renowned marksman Bob Munden. He was an avid and conscientious bowhunter who carried a deep respect for the outdoors.

Beyond his professional and athletic accomplishments, Norman was a gifted musician who played guitar in several Christian bands throughout his life, including Ecclesia, Carpenter’s Apprentice, and Stratologeo. Music remained a lifelong passion, and he often spoke fondly of those years, reflecting that “we had a sound,” and occasionally expressed a desire to return to recording and performing.

Norman shared a lifelong friendship with David M. Masters, with whom he grew grew in the Lord with, attended Bible college, and co-founded Eternalight Studios in Centralia, Washington, in the 1980s. Their friendship spanned nearly five decades and was marked by shared faith, creative pursuits, and enduring mutual respect. Norman served as best man at David’s wedding, and David later returned that honor.

Those who knew Norman will remember his remarkable range of talents—his mastery of electronics, firearms, archery, and industrial electrical work—as well as his appreciation for fine guitars and his skill in games such as pool and darts. Yet above all, he will be remembered for his heart: his generosity, his faith, and his ability to meet people where they were, offering strength, compassion, and truth.

Norman’s passing leaves a profound void in the lives of many. His legacy lives on in the countless individuals he helped, encouraged, and uplifted throughout his life.

Friends and family are invited to share their stories, memories, and reflections below, as we honor and remember the many lives Norman touched.

Norman’s Obituary: Mountain View Funeral Home

In Tribute to My Friend, Norman

There are some relationships in life that don’t need explanation. They simply are. Norman was that for me. We were friends for 49 years and 9 months, long enough that I don’t really remember life without him in it. We grew up together in Aberdeen, Washington, sharing early years that would shape the rest of our lives in ways we couldn’t have understood at the time.

We were roommates. We played music together. We chased purpose together. We stood side by side in Christian bands like Ecclesia, Carpenter’s Apprentice, and Stratologeo. Norman played guitar, and together we created something that he would often reflect on later in life with a smile and say, “We had a sound.” And we did.

There was something pure about those days, something unpolished, but real. It wasn’t just music. It was calling. It was connection. It was two young men trying to figure out how to serve God with everything we had.

We went to Bible college together, both of us grounded in a shared love for Jesus that never left either of us, no matter where life took us. Later, we attended Centralia College, he in electronics, me in commercial art, working toward a vision we built together: Eternalight Studios. That studio wasn’t just a project. It was a reflection of who we were, creative, driven, and committed to doing something meaningful.

Even in the middle of those years, we had our simple rituals. We’d take breaks from campus and head to the Olympic Club in Centralia. Norman would sometimes run the pool tables, effortlessly, like everything else he seemed to touch. More often than not, he’d turn that into lunch money for us.

That was Norman, quietly excellent at things he never needed recognition for.

Over the years, our lives took different paths, but we never drifted. We stayed close. We stayed connected. When we saw each other, it was as if no time had passed. He was the best man at my wedding. I was the best man at his.

That kind of bond doesn’t fade. It deepens.

Norman believed in me in ways I didn’t always believe in myself. He used to call me the Paul McCartney of Christian songwriting, which was never true, but it tells you everything about his heart. He saw people through a lens of encouragement, always lifting, always affirming, always seeing more in you than you might see in yourself. And that’s who he was, not just with me, but with so many.

He had this incredible way of showing up for people, especially those who felt like they didn’t belong anywhere else. The downtrodden. The overlooked. The ones carrying burdens most people didn’t want to touch. Norman didn’t avoid them. He moved toward them. Sometimes unannounced. Sometimes unseen. But always with purpose.

To many, he felt like an angel who appeared at just the right moment.

And now… he’s gone.

I was the one who found him.

I let myself into his home when he didn’t answer the door, and I found him at the bottom of the stairs. It’s a moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life. But even in that, I find a strange kind of peace. I’m grateful it was me.

Grateful that I could be there. Grateful that Eydie didn’t have to experience that moment. Grateful that, in some way, I could stand with him one last time.

This loss is difficult to put into words. There is a space now that cannot be filled by another person. Not by history, not by shared experiences, not by time. But I know this: If there is anything that can fill a space like this… it is Jesus.

Norman knew that. He lived that. And I hold onto that now more than ever.

Norman was many things: a master of electronics, firearms, archery, and more. A man of incredible skill and capability. But that’s not what I will miss most. I will miss my friend. The one who walked with me through life. The one who believed in me. The one who shared faith, music, laughter, and purpose across nearly five decades.

There are not many people in this world you can say that about. And I thank God that I can say it about him.

The Life and Times of David and Norman could fill volumes…

Norman Claassen playing original song I Exalt Your Name 01 28 2007
Video by Jerry and Shirley Rheault

Psychopath Victims Toolkit A Guide for Victims of Psychopaths and Those That Serve Them

Psychopath Victims Toolkit: A Guide for Victims of Psychopaths and Those That Serve Them by David M. Masters is a comprehensive resource designed to empower victims of psychopathic abuse and those who assist them. Drawing on over two decades of coaching and personal experience, Masters provides invaluable insights into the dark reality of psychopathy and its devastating impact on individuals. This essential guide offers practical advice for understanding, confronting, and recovering from the manipulation and exploitation of psychopathic predators.

Organized into ten insightful chapters, the Psychopath Victims Toolkit begins with the basics of Psychopathy 101, shedding light on the nature of psychopathy, and moves into Psychopathic Variety, exploring the different types of psychopaths. In How Psychopaths Do It, Masters breaks down the manipulative tactics psychopaths use to deceive and control their victims.

The journey continues with Digging Deeper, offering a more in-depth exploration of the psychopath’s mindset, and Dealing with the Psychopath, which outlines strategies for victims facing ongoing interaction with these predators. Psychopathic Complications highlights the various ways psychopaths create havoc in their victims’ lives.

Recovery is a critical aspect of healing, and Masters delves into the Recovery Process, guiding readers through the steps of reclaiming their lives and rebuilding emotional stability. In Self-Care, he emphasizes the importance of nurturing one’s mental, physical, and emotional well-being during and after the trauma.

After Effects explores the long-term consequences of psychopathic abuse, including how victims can rebuild their sense of self and trust in others, finally, Helping Psychopath Victims serves as a vital resource for therapists, counselors, and loved ones who are supporting victims through their journey of healing.

Whether you are a victim of psychopathic abuse or someone who works with victims, the Psychopath Victims Toolkit is an indispensable guide for understanding psychopathy and its lasting effects while providing hope for recovery and renewal.

About the Author

David M. Masters brings over twenty-five years of experience as a coach, specializing in helping individuals who have endured exploitation by psychopaths. His journey into this realm of expertise stems not only from his own personal experiences but also from the insights he has gained through his work with other victims of psychopathic manipulation.

Initially a Christian counselor, Masters once believed in the universal potential for human goodness and redemption. His faith was grounded in the idea that everyone, regardless of their past, had the capacity for salvation. However, his perspective shifted after encountering the reality of psychopaths—individuals who are biologically and psychologically hardwired to exploit others without remorse or empathy. Through this realization, Masters recognized that these relentless predators can exist in all walks of life, fundamentally challenging his earlier beliefs about human nature.

Today, David resides in the Pacific Northwest, where he enjoys quality time with his grandchildren, indulging in the scenic beauty of Washington State. He continues his work as an Olympian Life Coach, where he guides people through complex life challenges, particularly those related to psychopathy. Masters also serves as an instructor at St. Paul’s Free University, teaching a variety of specialties, including helping others support and empower victims of psychopathic abuse.

Psychopath Victims Toolkit A Guide for Victims of Psychopath

As the title suggests, author David M Masters, takes a different path in the Psychopath Victims Toolkit, as it was not intended for psychopaths or people who would like to know more about psychopaths, or those who are as fascinated by the characteristics of psychopaths, as most of us are. No this is an offering specifically intended to be used as A Guide for Victims of Psychopaths and Those That Serve Them. More specifically, this work is dedicated to the victims and those who offer support for the victim’s recovery, not those who victimize them.

Although enforcing accountability consequences for crimes committed by the psychopaths is briefly addressed, as is the victims’ desire for revenge, the status of the victim while being exploited by a psychopath, separating oneself from the psychopathic stranglehold, and supporting the victim through the recovery process is the goal.

The author’s goal is to first and foremostly see the victim as first protected, then supported, followed by a variety of options that can be of assistance in the psychopath victim’s recovery.

Masters asserts that just as there are such a wide variety of psychopathic styles, variety is also shared among survivors of psychopathic abuse. What both psychopaths and their victims share is vast uniqueness. Just as there are no two psychopaths that are alike, the same goes for the victims.

So, there is no cookie-cutter, one size fits all answer for psychopaths or their victims.

Each case is unique, and each victim, while sharing some similarities with other victims. Each will require his or her own customized approach to the recovery process.

That being said, unsurprisingly, The Psychopath Victims Toolkit, A Guide for Victims of Psychopaths and Those That Serve Them is a hit with the unintended audience of psychopaths as well. The psychopaths who read this material find some of the material contained herein as abhorrible, and they have attempted to discredit this work and to personally attack the author, which does nothing more than to prove his point.

To reduce this book to its simplest form,

You will find psychopaths in all stations and levels of society and life. The majority of them are unlikely to intimidate or abuse you, some might even focus their unique skillset so as to provide you with protection or a better life. The predatory psychopaths are to get you. If not you, someone else, and they will do everything in their power to succeed at whatever it is they desire at any given moment.

As a victim of psychopathic manipulation or abuse, you are not responsible for this. You were sought out and preyed upon by a psychopath because you served a purpose for the predatory psychopath. Early detection and taking action to separate yourself from the predator are of primary importance. Raise your awareness and proceed with caution.

Then from a sacred safe place, you, the psychopath victim, can do your work to remain as safe and secure as possible to conduct the work of taking your life back, healing from the damage done, recovering, and growing to a better personal station in life.

All this can be possible with the tips, tools, and techniques suggested in this text.

If you are in the role of supporting victims of psychopaths, this reference will help you better understand the victim, enabling you to offer a higher degree of understanding and support to the victim without judging or adding to the abuse the victim has already received at the hands of the psychopath.

About the Author:

David M Masters appears to be a motivational speaker, author, and life coach. His focus seems to be on personal development, self-improvement, and achieving success in various aspects of life. He offers guidance and support to individuals seeking to improve their lives, find their purpose, and overcome challenges.

The basis of David M Masters’ philosophy seems to revolve around empowering individuals to take control of their lives and create positive changes. He emphasizes the importance of personal growth, self-reflection, and transforming limiting beliefs into empowering ones. Masters believes in the potential for individuals to shape their reality, achieve their goals, and find fulfillment.

People who might be attracted to David M Masters for assistance are likely individuals who are seeking personal transformation, motivation, and guidance in various areas of their lives. This could include individuals looking to improve their relationships, careers, finances, or overall well-being. People attracted to his philosophy may be interested in personal development, self-discovery, and unlocking their full potential.

Our Children are Dying of Accidents Violence Suicide Disease

Our children are dying from accidents, violence, suicide, and infectious disease? When you take a look at what is killing our young people, you find that children, boys, and girls, die from accidents, violence, suicide, and infectious disease, and since 2020, though in ages 15-24, there has been higher mortality among boys and less for girls in that age group.

Accidents have been the number one killer of children in the United States since the sixties. Why are Our Children Dying from accidents, violence, suicide, and infectious disease?

Top Causes of Child Deaths

Pre-pandemic
1. Accidents
2. Violence
3. Suicide
4. Infectious Disease

Post-pandemic
1. Suicide
2. Violence
3. Accidents
4. Infectious Disease

Some common risk factors that may contribute to suicidal behavior or unaliving yourself include

Mental health conditions

depression
anxiety
bipolar disorder
schizophrenia

as well as

substance abuse
trauma
stress
living conditions

It is important to note that not everyone who experiences these risk factors will attempt suicide, and not everyone who attempts suicide has these risk factors.

One teenage suicide survivor recently told me,

“There is no love in the world.

Only Hate. So, what’s the point?”

Is it true? Is this sentiment common? Are our young people taking their own lives because there is no love in the world? Because there is only hate? Ergo, they have no desire to live in a world like that.

I am not saying this is the only reason that youth in the United States take their lives. Today, I only have this one example. Drilling down for more information gave me more details to add to the mix.

I’m lonely.

We all know that since the COVID-19 epidemic and lockdown, isolation and depression are on the rise, and they go hand-in-hand. Loneliness and depression are the big players in suicides, or in this case, suicide attempts.

Haters Everywhere

Hate is running rampant as our society moves toward intolerant treatment of issues and people in black or white, it’s this or that or you are (enter derogatory term) i.e., bad, evil, lost, stupid, should be ashamed of yourself, punished, or put to death.

Oh, and this youth noticed that there is a great deal of inconsistency or hypocrisy among those who are quick to judge and hate others. Observant, smart kid.

Intolerance

In more practical terms, still living in the parent’s home, the parents are intolerant of the teen’s friends, even their belief systems among themselves are a source of contention, and if the teen dares to defy the parents’ belief systems, there will be hell to pay.

So much intolerance and dysfunction and this teen is finding little relief in the idea that most families in the United States are in the same boat. This child would like to live a better life but can see no chance at the present.

This child does not believe in love. If love did exist, it would be a far-off fantasy reserved for animated stories for immature children, not within reach due to the overwhelming proliferation of dissent, discontent, discord, and “my way or the highway” mentality.

Hate

If nothing else, hate is a huge prevalent force in the world today, you see it in all communications: this country hates that country, this political party hates that political party, the vegans hate the carnivores, the healthy hate the disabled, the churchgoers hate the unchurched, average people hate the pretty people, the poor hate the rich, the taxpayers hate how their taxes are being spent, it goes on and on ad infinitum.

Where is the Love?

It cannot be seen or comprehended. Only fear and judgment are readily apparent in the world today.

No Reason to Live

“So, what’s the point?” Exactly. So many who have taken their own lives had come to the conclusion that

Life was not worth living

There is no reason to live

Or

The pain of living another day was just too much to handle

If there is no point in living life on this planet at this time, why not end it now?

This is not the world we should be presenting to our children.

I don’t know about you, but I am ashamed. I am not ashamed of my peers, for they are only doing the best they can with what they have. I am ashamed of myself, that I have let the world get to a place that looks like this to our children, and to their children.

Our children need a reason to live.

I’m sorry.

This place looks like this right now. Let me tell you, there are so many reasons to live in this time and place.

Please forgive me.

There is so much more to this world than meets the eye.

Thank you.

You, and the bright future that is calling to you right now, bless me, and it will you, too. You give me a reason to live, I can only hope to reciprocate in kind.

I love you.

And love? It is everywhere, even though it is not easily found, and you will see so much more of it from me.

I will take the responsibility to show you this hidden world because I believe in you.

Massive Polarization Is Google the Culprit?

Interestingly, I have a couple in my office with relationship issues. While they were conversing, they came to a fork in the road. “How about this?” says the husband, “Let’s Google it.” Both of them, the husband and the wife typed the same query into Google’s search engine and reviewed their results.

Based on their own individual Google search results, they were now equipped for a full-on battle of completely opposing views, thanks to Google.

In Google’s defense, Google is smart. It is nearly sentient. It knows each user, the device they are using, where they are located, and who is in or nearby their current vicinity. What communication languages, formats, providers, and locations they use. More importantly, what they like and what they don’t like about anything down to the most minute detail.

In this case, Google knows that the husband is likely to click on Google search results that will align with the opinions of his macho friends, while his wife is more likely to click on more positive links that reflect the ideas of her friends that see themselves as peace-loving but highly opinionated about what is right and what is wrong.

Same query: Opposing results.

Still, again in the defense of Google, Google is personalizing search results based on the user. That is hugely smart.

On the other hand, Google is perpetuating the one thing that I think is the biggest problem in our society today. Separation. The polar opposition of individuals in the proximity of each other.

Before the proliferation of Google and its manipulation of data and the people who access said data, people self-sequestered themselves into groups of like-mindedness. You could pretty much tell that if a person lived here, or there, they probably had a particular political view or bent.

Here, today, is a perfect example of two people in the most intimate of relationships, almost at each other’s throats, and here I am, watching the entire thing play out before my very eyes.

And this is what is destroying the United States if not the Internet-connected world as well. There is more angst and hate in the world than ever before.

Why?

Not because of Google, though Google does help to feed the fire, for whatever reason.

The biggest problem in the world today, is Judgment. I’m right, you’re wrong.

(Here comes the coding IF/THEN/ELSE routine.)

IF you don’t agree with me, you are wrong.

THEN I must do everything in my power to convert you to my way of thinking because you are wrong.

ELSE you are my enemy and you must be made to suffer some unfortunate fate, if not death, which may be the preferred price to pay for not thinking like me.

Oh, and it gets worse, THE GOLDEN STANDARD, “If you see someone not thinking like you and you do nothing, you are just as guilty as the faulty thinker, and you, too, must be outcast or punished accordingly.”

As an Olympian Life Coach, when I meet with a client, the client does not come into my world. Before the client ever enters the building, I’ve created a safe sanctuary, a sacred space, for that client to come in and be seated. Then I enter the room.

When I enter the room, I humbly and respectfully enter the client’s world. There is nothing for the client to defend. I have no preconceived expectations or judgments. I have respect and honor this person to be who he or she is at whatever stage of life he or she may be in.

I avail myself to the client to help him or her make his or her way through life, and in the best case scenario for me, because this is my mission in life, to help him or her achieve his or her highest and best, and make the world a better place.

That is all. I don’t have any agenda. No path to make them follow. They are the masters of their own lives and missions. My only function is to assist them so that they can accomplish whatever they might like to in this life.

And having this kind of attitude, which also carries over into all other areas of my life as well, I get access to the greatest data and information, that no one (or very few) people in the world ever get to know. My world is so diverse and colorful, I am utterly amazed and gracious every day.

Granted, some of the data, I could do without the knowledge of, but nonetheless, I have a better understanding of how diverse life can be, and I know things that would never make it to the media. I also feel as though I am blessed to be in this (maybe not so) enviable position.

Still, here I am, surrounded by, “YOU DON’T THINK LIKE ME, SO

- - - “get thee behind me.” Or alternatively, “go away.”
    - “I hate you!”
    - “you lost your job. Ha!”
    - “you can’t eat here!”
    - “you are not entitled to a helping hand.”
    - “you cannot attend.”
    - “you can’t play.”
    - “you cannot be healed.”
    - “you will go to hell.”
    - “you must die.”

I see the multicolored fanciful beauty of a loving world that welcomed others with open arms, turned into a monochrome planet of THIS or THAT or ELSE, and it breaks my heart.

On that day, I looked out at the world and said, “I am sorry, there is no love in them.” And I wept.

But I tried, and I will never stop, while I still have the breath of life in me.

There is hope. Not only for this couple, but the world.

And there are others that believe… are you one of them?

I Was There It Could Have Happened but I Blew It

If this has happened to you, you know how it feels to have been so close that you could taste it, then look back at that rarest of moments, when everything could have lined up perfectly and your life could have been propelled into an entirely new more prosperous direction and you’re left uttering those words, “I was there! It could have happened, but I blew It.” regrettably.

These rare moments are what I refer to as “lightning strike” moments, and if you are ready at the moment of that strike of lightning, you can benefit greatly. Lighting, as rare as it is, can be capitalized upon if you are ready, and it has been going on for years, from the ancient healers who would watch a pond of water atop a hill, waiting for lightning to strike, so he or she could retrieve healing lightning water to be used as an antibiotic for the tribe, to the mid-1700s when Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite-and-key experiment that led to the invention of the Tesla coil, an electrical resonant transformer circuit, by inventor Nikola Tesla in the pre-1900s, and countless other developments by which many have profited wildly.

I believe that this could happen to you, not to be hit by physical lightning but to be visited by that moment that comes without warning and by which you will be likely unprepared to profit from that particular moment in time. If you are not ready, the moment will slip by, unnoticed by your friends, family, or others, who may only hear of it by your telling of the moment that you could have made it had you only known or been better prepared.

Lightning Doesn’t Strike Twice?

I have many clients who were visited by such a moment and want to be ready if it ever happens again. Oh, you say, you could never be hit by lightning twice. Right? Say that to Roy Sullivan who was hit by lightning 7 times and lived through each strike. Say that to Deborah Brown who won a single lottery 30 times in one day. Or Richard Lustig, who won seven lotteries between 1993 and 2010, and continued to cash in on those concurrent lightning strikes by writing his book, Learn How to Increase Your Chances of Winning the Lottery. I know two people who have won the lottery twice.

A Moment on TV

Bobak Ferdowsi, AKA The Mohawk Guy — The Mowhawk Guy

You just never know when or where it’s going to strike. Like the guy who was working for NASA in the summer of 2012, who accidentally was caught by cameras during the Curiosity landing, sporting a mohawk haircut with stars carved into the sides. That was it. Next thing you know Bobak Ferdowsi, AKA “The Mohawk Guy” is pals with the President and First Lady, featured in national historical events, becomes a TV show and movie actor, and a spokesperson for the youth of the world to take an interest in math, science, and space technology.

Not unlike my being a “witness to a burning building” example, a young man, Antoine Dodson, is featured in a newscast following the breaking and entering and attempted rape of his sister which Dodson interrupted as the assailant fled the scene. His statement to the camera was all that it took.

The Gregory Brothers captured the vocal track and featured it in, “The Bed Intruder Song” and they split the writing credits and royalties with Dodson. Dodson parlayed his earnings into online retailing, created phone apps including a sex offender tracker, is featured in commercial advertisements, and a reality show. Kevin Antoine Dodson, the American Internet celebrity, singer, and actor has moved his family from “the projects” in Huntsville to LA.

A Post Goes Viral

Then there is the foodie columnist who writes a review about Olive Garden in 2012 that goes viral. Later, on August 27, 2013, Marilyn Hagerty releases her book, Grand Forks: A history of American dining in 128 reviews, a no-brainer, method to follow up on the media sensation, as it was only a reprint of her original reviews, but she was ready. There are so many countless examples of someone putting something out there, with no intention of it going viral, but it does.

Be Ready

And that, my friend, is the point, the readiness. Be ready for when that lightning strike happens. And that is exactly what I do with my clients, to ready them in such a way, that benefitting massively from the lightning strike is a part of the plan. So, you never have to worry about thinking, “I was there! It could have happened, but I blew It.”

Oh, and get this, my plan is so good that you don’t even need the lightning strike to make it work.

Change Your Life or the World by Changing Books

As a Transfiguration Specialist, this is my gift to share with the world. When it looks like there is little or no chance to make a significant change, I can see the path from here to there, and in every case, if the desired change is massive, changing books is almost mandatory. That is to say, you could skip this step, and increase the cost and time necessary to see the change become reality.

Temporary Change

Changing books is not necessary for temporary change or doing what you have to do to make you feel better for a while, like losing 20 pounds before your wedding, or getting a big-screen TV. You could use changing books written by someone else to help inspire you to do the work necessary. To become an expert you could practice a skill for 10,000 hours (Malcolm Gladwell) or you could obtain all the expert knowledge necessary by reading seven changing books (Mark Victor Hansen). And doing so may increase your odds of riding this new wave for more lasting change.

Lasting Change

Lasting change is more elusive, for many reasons. The most common is that every one of us has a life frequency that matches acceptable mediocrity. A place where we are comfortable enough. Things aren’t that bad, and they could certainly get worse. This is your life rut, and it is easy to get stuck in it. This is where changing books can help to make all the difference.

If your life was a book, writing the next chapter might not be enough. You might be better off changing books altogether.

If the change you want to see, either in you, your life or the world, is great, you will have to change. Changing books is also a metaphor for your life. If your life was a book. You can easily look back and see the chapters of your life, and you can have an idea about how the next chapter might be. But if the change is great, it will require changing books completely. It may not be enough to expect due to the previous momentum (or lack of it) in the previous chapters to make the leap.

That’s why we need changing books, to help catapult us to the next level.

Permanent Change

Even more elusive is a permanent change. You desire to see the change and to be a part of it so much that you might be willing to do almost anything. This is where it helps to have a coach and moderator on your side, to help you see pitfalls in what might seem like an opportunity to push your agenda ahead today but may be ultimately detrimental in the long run.

Stuff Happens

You will never see more obstacles appear than when you decide to be a part of the change, any change, and changing books along the way can be very helpful in circumventing (or even eliminating) barricades to your progress.

The Biggest Obstacle to Permanent Change

You. Your old life. Remember that life that was okay, not so bad? Your former life will be calling you back. And when things are looking more like work than fun, that old life may not look so bad. You might think like chucking the whole idea might be worthwhile for the relief that comes from just bailing out completely.

You May Be Addicted to Your Old Life

Or your previous life, the one that you left to start your journey of massive change, is an addiction, which is an entirely new challenge to consider.

Changing Books

Do you know how you get deeply involved in a book? You’re so enthralled that you just have to keep reading, you can’t wait to find out what happens next. If you are reading a huge novel or series, the strength of the story could be so compelling, that the rest of your life’s potential could fall by the wayside.

In my work with clients, many of them refer to me as the book guy. That is to say that I am so passionate about writing a book, that most anyone who comes within a few feet of me will be contemplating the idea of writing a book, if not working on writing a book of their own.

Why write a book?

I believe that a book is the most powerful tool in the world to have the biggest impact in your life. Today, if you have a desire to see anything in your life change, you can influence the change at little or no cost to you by writing a book.

Try this: Finish this sentence:

The thing I would most like to change in my life would be:

_______________________ .

In most cases, you could accomplish this change by:

Writing a Book .

Of course, that is reduced to its simplest form. More often than not, you would have to do other things as well to accomplish the change you would like to see, but the writing of a book can do much of the heavy lifting for you.

But wait, there’s more…

Let’s take this to a whole new level.

Finish this sentence:

The thing I would most like to change in the world today would be:

_______________________ .

In most cases, you could accomplish this change by:

Writing a Book .

There is no limit to the scope your impact can have by writing a book, and it’s not as hard to do as you might think.

This is based on my life’s work that started in book writing for therapeutic interventions, personal growth, and massive lifestyle change. My work then expanded to business growth and wealth creation, then morphed into expanding social awareness and change. All the while using the writing of books, that I refer to as “Changing Books.”

As if by magic, my clients who were just the guy or gal next door, were able to achieve massive results, by making the writing of changing books, and yes, it will likely take more than one to get the job done.

It’s not like changing books are the one-stop-shop for getting the job done, but they can be the most powerful tool to assist you in getting what you want to be done in your life, finances, or the world. And, today, there is no financial barrier to making it happen.

Let’s take a look at the most popular changes people might like to see.

The Top 20 Things You Want to Do

Start a Business

Be happier

Be a Better Lover

Eat and Live Healthier

Relieve Stress

Be a Better Person

Not be Depressed

Get More Deep Sleep

Let Go of the Past

Not be Bored

Be Better Looking

Live Longer

Reinvent Yourself

Achieve a Goal

Get a Promotion

Travel the World

Love Yourself More

Be Fearless

Make the World a Better Place

Change Careers

Of course, there are many other things that we want out of life that seem as though they are beyond our reach, as though the distance from where we are to where we want to be is too vast. It’s as though it seems impossible to get from here to there.

Every one of those top 20 things you want, and millions of other changes we all would like to see, can be enhanced by your authoring changing books to assist in the process of making great change.

What is Your Body Trying to Tell You?

Maybe it’s time to listen to what your body is trying to tell you. If your life is not going the way that you thought it should go, your body, all its parts, right down beneath the cellular level, even your DNA naturally knows what is best for you, and is communicating with you, trying to help you along the way, but you are not listening.

Your Body’s Built-in Warning System

There are people who are aware of this technology and are harmoniously tuned in to every beat of their heart, every breath they take, every feeling they feel, and use them as clues to what is happening around them.

Based on information communicated by your body, you can have a much better approach to life, situations, and circumstances, and can quickly make decisions based on what your body is telling you.

When your body speaks, the range can go from silently subtle to hugely obvious, yet most of us still do not listen to what the body is trying to say to us, even when it is painfully obvious that this communication is taking place.

Here are a dozen of the ways your body is trying to get your attention.

Top 12 Body Speaks

1. Knee-jerk Rejection

Like your first instinctual response to blurt out “No,” or, “No, thank you,” Is the best response for you. Especially when it just sort of blurts out, almost like you didn’t even have a chance to think it through first. More often than not, this thinking-through process causes more pain and suffering than you might have otherwise desired.

Rather than inviting others to test their skills of persuasion or negotiation on you, trusting your instinctive first reaction will allow you to build your skillset for setting boundaries. When it comes to the response of others in your circle of influence, if you haven’t been in the setting boundaries business in the past, when you start to do so, you may find that they get angry when you set boundaries.

2. Something Not Right

Your body will give you signs that something or someone is not going to be good for you. Like when you first meet someone and think to yourself, “There’s something not right about this person,” but you can’t quite put your finger on it or rationalize why you might feel this way.

Most of us will ignore this instinctive clue, and allow this person to convince us how wonderful they are, and let them talk us out of our initial reaction to meeting them, and the more we do so, the easier it is to not listen to the body the next time, until you end up not hearing what your body has to say, no matter how hard it tries to communicate to us.

3. Dreadful Feeling

If you are in the presence of another person and you feel a sudden feeling of utter dread in your gut (for men) or in your heart (for women), as if you felt as though something horrible was going to happen, like this person was going to be in a traumatic fatal accident, or you might feel death looking over your shoulder.

You rationalize yourself out of this feeling because there is nothing to base this (otherwise random) feeling on. But your body is trying to warn you that letting your guard down or allowing this person to access your precious inner circle may have dire consequences.

If you think back to every time, you ever felt this way, you will likely remember letting this person have access to you and yours, and now when you look back, the relationship has since ended. More likely than not, it ended badly. And it is also likely that you have numbed yourself to this reaction, and you are not alone, most of us have done this as well.

In a court of law, “I just had a weird feeling when I met this guy,” is not going to be respected or valued as reliable testimony because it can easily be instantly discarded with a wave of the hand and uttering some disrespectful phrase, such as, “It might just have been something you ate.”

4. Twitching/Cramps

Involuntary twitching of the eye or hand, pumping of the leg, or muscle cramps from small muscles of the toes to larger muscles like the toes, can be your body trying to get your attention.

This is a good time to start looking around for clues. What was taking place at the time of the involuntary interruption? Collect data, and if you are in a position to record your findings, you will be amazed how things you may not have noticed otherwise, make perfect sense later.

5. Energy Drain

Have you ever been in the presence of someone who you feel like all your life force was drained from your body when you were exposed to them?

This is a hint that you should probably limit their exposure to you. We refer to them as energy vampires and at the very least, this individual is toxic as they have a negative impact on the quality of your life. If this is a family member, you may not be able to cut them completely out of your life, but you could avoid them when you can.

6. Anxiety or Panic

If you life is normally on an even keel and you suddenly have an anxious feeling or panic that appears to be unfounded on the surface, again, this is an excellent time to start looking around for clues in real-time. Pay attention to what is happening around you and document it.

7. Bloody Nose

Some people experience an unexpected bleeding nose for no apparent reason. I mean, you were just minding your own business, and then all of a sudden, your nose begins to bleed. You were not in a bar fight, nothing even touched your nose, but here you are bleeding from the nose for who knows why.

Your body can respond to a potentially negative situation or circumstance by a drastic increase of blood pressure which could cause your nose to bleed unexpectedly.

8. Pain

Ever get a sudden pain in your (insert any location on or within your body) that shouldn’t have any pain there? You didn’t suffer an injury in that location, you don’t have any disease associated with that spot, it’s just painful without a logical reason why.

That is communication in progress. Now, it might be communication about a physical ailment that should be attended to, but that aside, it is your body telling you something is wrong.

9. Skin Disorders

Does your hand start itching when you shake that person’s hand? Do you break out in a rash after hanging out with that person? Do you get blisters on your feet (or anyone else) following exposure to that person?

You may experience any kind of skin-related reaction to circumstances that do not serve you, such as when you do an overtime, or have to take on a task that is not congruent with your life goals.

You can mask these warning body expressions by many methods and continue to desensitize this method of communication, and they may subside after a while, but when you look back, you will wish you paid better attention to your body.

10. Accidents

Are you more susceptible to accidents than before? Have you lost your otherwise sure footing? Do you lose your balance? If you have eliminated health concerns such as ear infections, changes in vision, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumor, and still are living life as an unskilled stunt person, these incidents can be your body telling you about something being severely out of whack with the manner in which you are living your life.

Your being accident-prone may vanish once you have taken the wheel of your life and got it back on track again.

11. Chronic Illness or Disease

Not listening to what your body has to say will have your body kicking up the intensity of its communication methods which can lead to your body’s allowing you to contract a disease or to suffer chronic complications from illnesses that trouble you more and more over time.

Your body is saying that something is tragically out of balance.

I have found through the years in my practice that chronic illness and disease are clues to something significant being out of balance in a patient’s life. No (or few) doctors will press beyond diagnosing diseases or treating symptoms, but if someone has been suffering for six months or more, or has a life-threatening disease, I help them to start looking more closely at their life.

Amazingly, if you can uncover these inconsistencies and sort them out, when balance is achieved, the suffering stops, the symptoms fade away, and spontaneous healing or a miracle occurs.

12. Deterioration and Death

If you resist listening to your body’s cues for long enough, it can give up. Your immune system can fail, and your body will age more rapidly as you are unable to heal during the recovery-and-repair cycle that normally takes place while you sleep.

This is not to say that all or any of these symptoms are unrelated to other issues, rather, in my practice in many cases, these have been common indicators that pointed to significant changes which needed to be made in a client’s life.

Once the personal issues were determined and resolved by the client, the symptoms vanished.

What is your body trying to tell you?

Alcoholics Drug Addicts and Freedom from Addiction

I owe a great deal of the person who I have become to the work I did early in my ministry. I worked in a religious drug and alcohol recovery rate that boasted a verifiable less than 3 percent recidivism rate. Compared to any other method of treatment, this was nothing less than miraculous.

I think it still goes on today with likely similar results, though I think that people with addictions are less likely to consider a religious solution to their vices these days unless it was the only option to get out of some legal entanglement and you can apprehend some conflict of interest in that scenario.

What about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and all its variations? Well, for one, it does (and they do) rely heavily on leaning on the poser of God to deal with and hopefully overcome the strong compulsion that these kinds of addictions can present the victim with. There is a strong community of support of others who either have overcome or continue to struggle with the attending addiction.

While AA and its shirt-tailed cousins, are very popular and can be hugely effective over time, recidivism is still high, like 40 to 60% which is the average range of any drug or alcohol treatment modality. I think that says, with almost any type of intervention, half of the addiction victims will emerge from the process victorious. And interestingly, this same group of people will love highly resilient lives with the ability to overcome nearly any challenge they may face in life.

This suggests that half of the people who succumb to addictive persuasions do have the tendency to be distracted and lured into the addictive behavior, but also have the ability to tarry through the healing process with immense power and wisdom on the other side of the experience. They may fall victim to another vice, completely different from the one(s) they have previously overcome, which leads to a cycle. A cycle of passionate exploration with a potential of loss of self while on a particular exploration.

Since those early 3 percent days, I have always been intrigued by that religious method, which I would be resistant to using in the present-day because it would be considered too cultish in its structured approach, yet there were important takeaways that I do embrace and continue to have in my therapeutic toolkit today.

5 Steps to Freedom from Addiction

#1: Access Higher Power

Never underestimate the power of God,

or any energetic deity or power outside of oneself to enable anyone to miraculously change.

#2: You Are Unique

Avoid the curse of “labelizng”

or identifying with the vice, as focusing on the past will unavoidably draw you back under its spell

#3: You Are Victorious

Never be the victim

Victims have no true power over what may have happened in the past

#4: You Are Responsible

Take full responsibility

This sounds crazy, but there are many methods to get a person from here to there

#5: You Are a New Person

Transform through metamorphosis

Become someone completely new and start a new life that does not acknowledge or include the vice

I know that last one, becoming a “new person,” has you wriggling in your boots. It doesn’t sound right and definitely exposes its religious roots. You might think no one (or very few) would be interested in having a religious transformative experience to release one’s addiction(s).

I don’t (or very rarely) use the religious experience to invoke this transformative process anymore. I am much more likely to use the process of “modeling” borrowed from Hypnotherapy and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), encouraging the client to model his or her new life after someone they admire or could aspire to be.

Top Inspirational Celebrities

I have seen many people emerge from this process leading new lives inspired by celebrities, like

Lebron James, Keanu Reeves, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Hugh Jackman, Dave Chappelle

Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Ellen Degeneres, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey

I am not a person who follows celebrities. I know some celebrities but none of these, and I am very impressed at how these celebrities in particular do seem to inspire people to transform their lives based on the impressions they have left on the lives of my clients, to whom they are perfect strangers. I cannot testify to how these celebs actually live their lives, but I can say that I have seen the effects they have had on my clients to live new lives inspired by them. In that respect, they do appear to be incredible people.

Also, to be noted, is that I have come to a place where I am very tolerant and non-judgmental, something I borrowed from AA and Eastern religion, as well as not being deeply connected to any desired outcome which I borrowed from NLP and Reiki, because, after all is said and done, aren’t we all just doing the best we can with what we have? (I know I am. Why wouldn’t anyone else also be doing the same?)

I use these five steps currently in my practice, and not everyone will embrace them but most of my clients are open to them because they trust me and my (sometimes) unconventional ways of achieving powerful results that lead to metamorphosis in the lives of my clients.

While this short list of 5 steps to overcoming any addiction seems simplistic, the depth of each of these topics run very deep and the interpretation and deployment of them must be adjusted to each person and their addiction differently, based on the client’s life experience, so there is no rigidity in the process.

Being a more fluid process, which is not easily whittled down into a back and white step-by-step sequence makes it difficult for academics to consider. Yet there are many therapists, counselors, and coaches who are more sensitive and intuitive in nature and use my methods to help their clients who struggle with addictions.